Advent 2024: Hope - 1 Timothy 4:9-10

Thank you, Ben. And thank you, Nathan, for such a great introduction to Advent. I can totally skip my introduction, so we'll save time.

! So please turn with me to 1 Timothy chapter 4. 1 Timothy chapter 4.

1 Timothy 4 · chapter mention 1 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

We will be talking about hope, the hope candle.

And with Advent, you have hope, joy, peace, love, and then Christ.

But I'm going to change it a bit, and I'm going to change it to more of a hopefulness.

And as we go through the text, I hope that becomes more clear why that's the case.

So hope, hopefulness, and being in a state of hopefulness during this season and in this life, this present life.

So before you do, consider, and as you turn to 1 Timothy 4, we're going to be in just two verses.

I'll be reading from 6 through 10, but we'll just be looking at 9 and 10 together this morning.

So as you turn there, I want you to consider, how would you define being hopeful right now?

Would you see it as temporal? Do you see it as more temporary?

What I mean by this is, is hope based upon your current circumstances?

Or do you see it temporal as hope that can come and go depending on you or others?

Is it fleeting?

Or do you see hope as more of something that's in the future?

Maybe you say things like, I will be more hopeful when?

Fill in the blank.

Or maybe it's something that feels distant.

Do you feel hopeless in your situation?

Well, I hope you are encouraged this morning with our text.

Because real hopefulness is something that is not distant.

It is not based on your current circumstances or future circumstances or others around you.

But it is founded upon God for those who have faith.

And that is real hopefulness.

So please, look with me in the text to 1 Timothy chapter 4.

1 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

I'll be reading 6 through 10.

And I'll do a slower reading.

I'm going to make some comments as we go through to catch us up to verses 9 and 10.

So look with me.

If you put these things, that is, he's talking about in context,

the sound doctrine and healthy teaching outlined above in the previous chapters.

If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus,

being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.

This is Paul writing to Timothy.

Have nothing to do with irreverent silly myths.

This is classic Paul where he's saying, not that, but this.

So have nothing to do with irreverent silly myths.

And here's the but this.

Rather, train yourself for godliness.

For while bodily training is of some value, think limited, idea of limited,

godliness is of value in every way, unlimited.

As it, meaning godliness, holds promise.

This is looking forward to our text in verse 10.

As it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Notice the contrast of not myths, but godliness.

Limited value versus unlimited value.

promise and hope in our text.

In this present life, the life to come.

Verse 9.

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance.

For to this end we toil and strive,

because we have our hope set on the living God,

who is the savior of all people,

especially of those who believe.

So, the big idea here.

Those who believe, or those who have faith,

are hopeful people.

Or are in a state of hopefulness.

So, my outline, if you are a note taker,

there's three points,

and the second point has three points.

So, hopefully that makes sense.

But there's three main points,

and it's, the first one is hopeful word.

I'm sorry.

Fateful word.

The fateful word is first.

Second is fateful hope.

Hope.

The third main point we'll be looking at

is fateful assurance.

So, those are the three main divisions

I've divided this text up into.

And it's fateful word,

fateful hope,

and fateful assurance.

Now, the second,

fateful hope,

I'm going to divide that into three.

And it's a how,

what,

and who.

Three points.

The fateful hope is going to be,

we're going to divide that up.

Into how, what, and who.

So, I know what you're thinking.

At the very end,

what in the world does that mean?

But please,

don't be distracted.

We'll get there.

So, if that's what you're thinking,

if you looked at the text

during this week,

you were like,

I wonder what he's going to say.

But hold on.

Let's have hope as the center.

And so,

look with me in the text.

The first,

first point is fateful word.

The saying,

or the word,

is trustworthy.

Or we can say fateful.

It's trustworthy,

faithful.

And deserving of full,

or complete,

acceptance.

That's,

that's the fateful word.

So, in this,

there are two things

that the saying is.

The saying is both

trustworthy,

and full,

deserving of full,

acceptance.

So, the first,

trustworthy.

So, the reason why I

put fateful,

fateful,

fateful,

is that,

the faith language,

is used in the first word.

So,

trustworthy,

is faith.

Trust,

belief.

It's that word.

It's a small word,

but has massive implications.

It's a big,

theme in scripture.

So,

when you see faith,

trust,

belief,

in,

in,

the Bible,

think,

of the,

it's probably

the same word.

So, for example,

the first word is,

it opens with,

trustworthy,

in our text,

and it ends,

the last word,

those who believe,

or,

those of faith.

It's the same word.

And so,

it's two bookends.

And in the middle,

is hope.

So,

it works out perfect.

Paul is very,

very clear,

and I really appreciate it.

So,

faith,

think,

faith,

belief,

trust,

they're all related.

And I challenge you to,

as you read scripture,

look out for that small word.

The second thing is,

full,

or deserving of full,

and complete acceptance.

This evokes a response

to something perceived,

to have value.

It has value,

it deserves something,

and it deserves an action,

and that is acceptance.

The saying,

or the word,

is trustworthy and faithful.

Therefore,

the saying and word

deserves to be accepted

on its own terms.

So,

but what is the identity

of this faithful saying?

What's the saying?

Well,

it's debated,

but it could be talking

about something previously,

verse 8.

It could be talking about

just verse 10,

or it could be both.

But I,

I'm going to say

verse 10,

based,

it could go either way,

but I just couldn't

preach verse 8 also.

You'd be here for

even longer.

So,

we'll just have to

wait for that sermon

in the future.

But for,

the reason I picked

verse 10,

so,

I'm,

I'm taking the faithful saying

pointing to verse 10,

is in chapter 1,

you can flip there

if you want,

of 1 Timothy.

1 Timothy 1 · chapter mention

Chapter 1,

15,

verse 15,

he points forward

in using the exact

same phrase.

So,

look with me

in verse 15,

chapter 1.

The saying is

trustworthy

and deserving

of full acceptance.

Sounds familiar.

That,

Christ Jesus

came into the world

to save sinners

of whom I am

the foremost.

So,

this,

he's pointing forward

to that Christ Jesus

came into the world.

And he's using

this faithful saying,

this trustworthy saying

in that way.

And also,

for verse 10

that we're about

to launch into,

he uses four,

which is a direction.

So,

that's why I'm taking

these 9 and 10

together.

So,

let's think about this.

With this verse,

the saying is

trustworthy

and deserving

of full acceptance.

In this small verse,

we should,

the text forces us

to stop

and to ask

ourselves questions.

So,

as you read scripture,

as an aside,

when you are provoked

by the spirit

to stop,

ask questions

of text,

please do.

So,

here,

we could say,

we could ask ourselves,

how often do you dwell

on the faithfulness

of God

and his word?

Do you see faith

as

when you just read it

through

and don't dwell on it?

Or do you

see faith,

trust,

belief

here

as something

that draws you

closer to the Lord?

Does it provoke

a response

of fear

and awe

that draws you

closer to him?

Are there things

in your life

that are preventing

you to connect

both knowing

that God's word

is faithful

and also

evoking a response

in your daily life?

Is there something

that's preventing you

that you know

immediately

when I ask that question?

Ask yourself

these questions.

Ask them,

answer them,

and bring those things

to the Lord.

That's what the text

forces us to do here.

So,

next,

verse 10,

faithful hope.

That's the big point

and this is the first

of three points

of faithful hope.

So,

look with me.

this is the how,

the how of hope.

For to this end,

or we could say

for this reason,

we toil

and labor.

Toil

or labor.

And

strive.

Or we could say

engage

and struggle.

So,

for to this end,

we toil

and strive.

Now,

I'm going to

give you

an

alternative

translation here

that I really like.

I tend to

use this

for toward

this,

we work

and compete.

For

toward

this,

pointing

to the next

point

of hope.

For toward

this,

we work

and we

compete.

And

I like this

because it

captures the

direction,

the preposition

for this.

for this

could be

a direction

moving forward

to our next

verse,

or the next

part of the

verse.

For toward

this,

we work

and compete.

So,

these two

verbs,

it's one

idea,

but there's

two verbs.

They have

two different

nuances,

but the same

idea.

So,

let's look at

both.

Toil.

Toil,

we could say

labor,

we could say

work.

This is

more of the

idea of

laboring

to the

point of

exhaustion.

And this

has an

emphasis,

if you take

notes,

this is

importance.

You could

say,

you could

write

external

above it

if you

would like.

This has

an external

challenge

to the

nuance.

So,

let's think.

What's

external

challenge and

struggle?

Marriage,

it could be,

it could be

parenting,

it could be

providing.

the list

could go

on.

Your

workplace

could be

an external

struggle and

work for

you.

The next

verb is

strive.

Strive could

be struggle,

engage in

struggle,

compete.

This is

metaphorically

used for

athletic

competition,

but in

context,

this is more

of a moral

struggle.

So,

this is

involving

oneself,

and this

is,

if you

want to

write,

if you

wrote

external

above

the

first

verb,

second

verb,

you could

say

internal.

This has

an internal

challenge to

the nuance.

So,

think about

fighting sin,

repenting,

godliness,

sanctification.

These two

verbs repeat

for emphasis

the idea

that the

Christian life

is a

work and

struggle,

whether due

to internal

or external

challenges.

challenges.

And we

could stop

and we

could easily

see some

application

here.

So,

toiling,

external

struggle,

striving,

internal

struggle.

And,

ask yourself

this question,

do you

over or

under

emphasize

one or

the other?

Do you

think more

about your

challenges

that are

external to

you?

or do

you think

about the

challenges

that are

more

internal?

We are

called to

balance

both.

I like

the

metaphor

that

Acts

uses for

the

Christian

life

as the

way

or

the

road.

And if

the

Christian

life is

a road,

there are

two sides

of every

road.

And there

are two

ditches

to this

road.

And we

could have

good

intentions,

but we

could

overemphasize

things to

where we

become more

in one

ditch than

on our

road of

the Christian

life.

So,

we need

to avoid

toiling in

our external,

making our

external life

godly,

but not

emphasizing the

internal struggle

of our

internal sin.

And vice

versa.

But,

I want to

be careful.

We do

not bring

about hope

ourselves.

None of

this toiling

or striving

is really

only to

us.

We do

not hope

to this

end because

of our

work.

But Paul

is pointing

out the

struggle in

this present

life.

He's

acknowledging

that this

is hard.

Hoping

in God

is

difficult

in this

present

life.

But,

be encouraged.

Notice

the,

notice that

I said

that we

work and

we compete.

There's a

we here,

which means

you are not

alone.

You are in

community,

and the church

is a community

of sinners,

and we

are both

trying to

walk that

narrow way

together.

So,

be encouraged

you are not

alone in

this struggle.

We have

our hope

set on the

living God.

And here's our

central,

if we're going to

be in the

middle,

this is our

middle.

because we

have our

hope set

on the

living God.

Another

translation can

be because we

have hope

based in

God who

lives.

And then

the one I

like,

just to mix

things up,

is that we

are hopeful

upon the

living God.

That we

are hopeful

upon the

living God.

And this is

the middle

central of

our text

here.

And there

are four

sections to

this,

and we'll

take one

by one.

So,

let's look at

because.

I like that

more of

because.

Think of

less of

because,

but more of

the idea of

that.

And when I

say that,

small

nuance,

but it's

important.

We are

to be

working and

competing

toward this

objective,

that we

are hopeful

upon the

living God.

And that

right there

is that.

And then

second,

we are

hopeful.

That's the

second division

here.

We are

hopeful.

And here

is the

verb that's

in the

middle.

We are

hopeful

is in

a form

that

is more

of a

state.

It's a

state

of

hopefulness

with regard

to expectation.

So,

think of

state of

hopefulness.

The point

is not

that we

have hoped

and continue

to hope,

but that

we who

have faith

are in

a hopeful

state.

As hopeful

people in

our orientation

toward

God.

You see

the state

of being

hopeful.

And then

you see

toward

God.

We are

hopeful.

The verb

suggests an

existing state

of hope

in God

based upon

the promise

of life.

And remember

the promise

in earlier

verse that I

pointed out.

And think of

a more

complete hope,

state of

hopefulness,

than an

ongoing hope.

And that's

where hope

is not

fleeting.

Hope is

not

depending on

your circumstances,

but it is

always there

in God.

So,

the third,

look at me,

set on,

set on,

based in,

upon,

the living

God.

So,

set on

is metaphorically

applied to the

placing of

hope upon

God,

or set

on the

living God.

And this,

the fourth

and final,

the living

God,

is kind

of odd.

We don't

normally say

the living

God,

but I

believe that

Paul adds

a small

detail to

remind us

that God

is who

both is

life and

gives life

to his

followers.

followers,

and he

is a

God who

is involved

in our

lives,

and he

brings

life.

Small

word that

we could

easily pass

through,

that he

is the

living God

in our

daily lives.

So,

it might be

summarized like

this,

the what

and the

content of

our hope.

Might be

summarized like

this,

the content

of our

working and

competing is

a hopefulness

toward God,

that God

will do

what he

has promised.

And God

will do

what he

has promised

because he

is the

living God.

Do you

see the

Christian

life,

your life,

if you

have faith,

as marked

by being

in a state

of hopefulness?

Do you

see hope

as something

only in the

future,

like we

asked before?

This text

teaches that

it is a

perpetual

state of

hope that

is in the

present,

that is

now.

I hope

that's

encouraging

to you.

As you

know and

see the

work of

the living

God in

your daily

life,

let this

text remind

you that

we who

have faith

and trust

in God

are a

hopeful

people today,

no matter

what our

circumstances.

So,

how would

this might

be applied

to our

life?

We

actually

have a

concrete

example of

applying this

teaching,

this saying,

to a

specific

situation

in 1

Timothy.

So,

turn with

me to

the end

of 1

1 Timothy 5 · chapter mention

Timothy,

chapter 5,

Real

quick.

1

1 Timothy 5 · chapter mention

Timothy,

chapter 5,

and we'll

be reading

verses 3

and 6.

And this

is specific

instructions

from Paul

to Timothy

in the

church.

And that

notice,

he applies

this text,

or,

well,

we could

say,

the women

in the

church

have already

applied this

in their

life.

So,

read with

me.

Chapter 5,

verse 3,

honor widows

who are

truly widows.

But if a

widow has

children or

grandchildren,

let them

first learn

to show

godliness

in their

own

household,

and to

make some

return to

their parents.

For this

is pleasing

in the sight

of God.

She who

is truly

a widow,

left all

alone,

has set

her hope

on God,

and continues

in supplications

and prayers,

night and

day.

But she

who is

self-indulgent

is dead

even while

she lives.

Notice,

she who

is truly

a widow,

left all

alone,

has set

her hope

on God.

This is

an application

of what Paul

has already

taught Timothy

in the

previous chapter.

Are you

in a life

circumstance

that leaves

you feeling

alone?

Be

encouraged.

Hopefulness

toward the

triune God

leads to

continuous

supplication

and prayer

for God's

glory,

even in the

midst of

loneliness.

Be

encouraged.

You can

have a

state of

hopefulness

that is

outside your

circumstances,

but only

upon the

living God.

hope.

Now for

the third

and final

point of

the second

of the

fateful hope

point.

So,

who?

The who?

Who is

the Savior

of all

people?

Who is

the Savior

of all

people?

God?

You might

have some

questions about

the very

end of

verse 10

when it

says,

especially

of those

who believe

or even

of all

people.

And to

understand this

correctly,

we'll have

to ask,

who is the

Savior in

this verse?

And what

does the

Savior mean?

And we'll do

this right

now.

So,

Savior in

this context

is God.

Pretty simple.

But,

he actually

repeats this.

So,

if you flip

over to

chapter 1,

verse 1,

the very

first verse

of this

book,

1 Timothy,

if you flip

there,

it says,

Paul writes,

Paul,

an apostle

of Christ

Jesus,

by command

of God,

our Savior,

and of

Christ

Jesus,

our hope.

Notice,

Paul is

connecting

Jesus with

hope as

well as

God is

our Savior.

If you

turn to

chapter 2,

flip over,

chapter 2,

verses 3

and 4,

he writes,

this is good

and it is

pleasing in

the sight of

God,

our Savior,

who desires

all people to

be saved

and to

come to

the knowledge

of the

truth.

And you

don't have

to turn

here,

but in

John,

you can

write this

down,

John,

John 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4,

39 and

42.

This is

Jesus and

the woman

of Samaria.

I'll read

this for you.

Many

Samaritans

came from

that town,

believed in

him because

of the woman's

testimony.

He told me

all that I

ever did.

So when the

Samaritans

came to him,

they asked him

to stay with

him,

and he

stayed there

two days,

and many

more believed

because of

his word.

They said

to the woman,

it is no

longer because

of what

you said

that we

believe,

for we

have heard

for ourselves,

and we

know that

this is

indeed

the Savior

of the

world.

This is

just one

of many

examples we

could come

up with.

But notice,

Paul uses

the same

title for

God

in 1

Timothy

as John

uses for

Jesus.

So you

see this

Trinitarian

means here.

So what

does Savior

mean?

This requires

a close

reading of

scripture,

so let us

be close

readers now.

So it

may sound

universal,

especially

all people,

but God

can mean

two things

in this

verse.

It can

either be

God can

be the

preserver

and sustainer

and giver

of life.

This is

good,

and it

is true,

and it

is biblical,

but not

from this

text,

not in

the context

of this

letter.

So the

actual

context,

if we

think about

it,

Paul is

speaking to

those who

are rejecting

the good

doctrine from

God to

the apostles,

and in

turn,

he's talking

to Timothy

and those

rejecting the

gospel message.

So this

forces us,

Savior,

I propose,

means one

who saves

or saves

or potentially

saves all

people.

So you

see this

actuality and

potentiality

concept here.

He is

actually the

Savior for

those who

believe,

and he

is

potentially

Savior for

those who

have yet

to believe.

And that's

how he

can say,

God,

who is

the Savior

of all

people.

So,

of all

people,

or humanity,

let's look at

that.

This cannot

mean not

each and every

human within

humanity.

It cannot

mean that.

Now,

I don't know

why I did

this to myself,

because last

time I did

an Advent

sermon,

it was

John 3.16,

and this

same concept

came up.

So,

this is

straight from

my sermon

two years

ago.

But,

all is

a very

important

word in

scripture.

We have

to be

careful,

because

all does

not mean

all,

and that's

all all

means,

if you've

heard that.

It's actually

not true in

the biblical

sense.

So,

we have to

be careful

with this,

because that

could lead

us down

some

interesting

roads.

So,

all

without

exception,

or does

it mean

all without

distinction?

So,

all without

exception

would be

each and

every

individual

human.

But,

I think

that Paul

and John

and a lot

of other

texts,

when it

says all

in this

universal

language

that's

being used,

it's more

of an

all without

distinction.

And that

is the

gospel message.

Think about

it.

In this

context,

Jew,

Gentile.

Gentiles

coming to

know

the Lord.

This is

the whole

book of

the message

of the

book of

Acts

that they're

dealing

with.

Massive.

That's why

the Great

Commission

is such

great news

to the

nations.

And we'll

continue.

We'll go

straight into

the next

section,

because it's

made even

more clear

by those

who believe.

So,

the third

and final

point is

faithful

assurance.

So,

this is

especially

those who

believe.

I'm going

to take

this.

Especially

is totally

fine.

But,

when you see

especially here,

if you write

in your Bible

or you take

notes,

put particularly.

that's more

of the

ideal.

It's to

be precise,

or namely,

I mean.

That's,

I would

have rather

seen particularly

those of

faith.

That makes

more sense.

Especially,

it's okay.

You can trust

your Bibles.

But,

being close

readers of

Scripture,

we can say

particularly.

So,

particularly

captures

Paul's one,

it's Paul's

desire that

all humanity

be saved,

his desire,

and we see

that in

chapter 2,

we just read.

And also,

Paul's

recognition that

it is those

of faith

who will

be saved.

This is

the work

and competition

we've seen

earlier,

that Paul

directs

Timothy

and potentially

others of

faith to

be engaged

with.

So,

to those

of faith,

if you have

trust in the

Lord,

this is a

reminder of

the Lord's

grace and

his patience

towards us

in this

present life.

Remember that

the Lord

has been

patient towards

you.

But,

if you

do not

have trust

in the

Lord,

if you do

not have

faith,

do you

believe that

God is

Savior?

Do you

believe that

God is

the living

God?

This is

calling you

to believe

and trust

in the

only Savior.

This text

today.

And you

can do

this by

turning from

yourself

repentance

and turn

to the

triune,

living God

who saves

with your

whole heart,

with your

thoughts,

your desires,

and your

choices.

So we

could summarize

this,

this way.

The faithful

statement,

the faithful

saying,

is this,

that our

struggle is

to be as

those who

are hopeful.

That our

struggle is to

be those who

are hopeful

that the

living God

is not

just the

potential

Savior of

all,

but actually

the Savior

of those

who believe.

See how

this belief,

trust,

faith language

is so

central to

hope.

So let's

conclude.

The main

idea,

as we've

said before,

are those

who have

faith,

those who

believe,

are a

hopeful

people,

and we

are in a

state of

hopefulness.

We have

seen through

the faithful

word,

the faithful

hope,

the how,

what,

and who,

and now

the faithful

assurance.

Now,

one last

place I

want you

to turn.

We actually

have an

example of

this played

out again

in 2 Timothy

2 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4.

So turn

with me.

2 Timothy

2 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4

is at the

very end

of Paul's

life,

in Paul's

last days.

He knows

he will be

killed

soon.

and he

writes to

Timothy

this letter.

And at

the very

end,

in 2 Timothy

2 Timothy 4:6–8

chapter 4

verses 6

through 8,

I'll read.

For I

am ready,

for I am

already being

poured out as

a drink

offering.

Think

toiling and

striving all

his life.

And the

time of my

departure has

come.

I have

fought the

good fight.

I have

finished the

race.

I have

kept the

faith.

Henceforth,

there is

laid up for

me the

crown of

righteousness,

which the

Lord, the

righteous judge,

will award

to me on

that day.

Think

hopefulness

in the

living God.

And not

only to me,

but also to

all who

have loved

his appearing.

Think

to those

who have

faith and

belief and

trust.

Look at

that.

There's

three verbs

here in

verse 7.

Fought,

finished,

kept.

We toil

or work

and strive

or fight

today so

that we can

say with

Paul,

I have

fought the

good fight.

I have

finished the

race.

faith,

we as

with Paul

can only

do this

by having

faith,

belief,

trust in

the living

God who

saves and

is the

only source

of our

hopefulness

in this

life as

well as

to the

life to

come.

He's the

only source

of our

hopefulness

in this

life as

well as

the life

to come.

Pray with

me.

Pray with

me.

Pray with

me.