A life worth living

 

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2022

1 TIMOTHY 4 VERSE 1 – 11

Verse 9 “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation”.  What is? Verse 8 “For bodily exercise profiteth little; but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”  A life worth living.  A life of godliness.  The priorities of life – what are they?  Jesus said “what shall it profit a man, if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8 verse 36)  When he would come to the end of his days and go out into a Christless hell for all eternity.  Those are the same priorities some have.  A life worth living, a life of godliness would end in heaven and home above.  Moses as he led the children of Israel said “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” (Deuteronomy 30 verse 19)  2 parallels, blessing and cursing.  He was encouraging the people to choose life.  Paul is telling Timothy to follow in the way of godliness.  Fitness of body due to bodily exercise does benefit a little but godliness is more profitable not only in this world but in that which is to come.

A rejection that has to be made.  Verse 7 “But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.”  Paul has in his mind “the latter days” (verse 1).  There has to be a rejection of the teaching in this old world today.  Superstitious and religious jargon.  They will come to your ears and you must reject them.  Press on for this life of godliness.  To the little church of Galatia Paul said “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” (Galatians 5 verse 7) Paul had preached in Galatia and many believed and trusted in Christ.  Not long after others came in with false teaching and the believers started to listen to it.  Something hindered their walk with Christ.  “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” (Galatians 1 verses 6 and 7)  We can get caught up in the lesser things of this world and forget the need of the soul.  One day we will however go out into a godless eternity.  Remember the rich young ruler who came to Jesus one day.  He had everything but he missed out on the one thing.  He knew he was not right with God.  He would be lost for all eternity.  He came to the feet of the Lord, begged him for eternal life.  He gripped the wealth and riches and walked away.  He couldn’t let go, he was putting the lesser things of this world first.  Paul in 1 Corinthians 1 spoke to the believers of the mission he had, the commission given by God – to preach the gospel “not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” (1 Corinthians 1 verse 17)  Paul said “in the last days there will be an outward religiosity but no inward change of life."  Is that not what we are seeing today?  The wise man of the Old Testament said “there is a way which seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14 verse 12)  These preachers were coming in offering another way which seemed right.  They were turning their backs on the teaching of Christ and Calvary.  They had a cloak of godliness that could be covering all sorts of things on the inside.  Jesus taught of the narrow way and the broad way.  There has to be a change in our lives. Remember Moses.  When everything was going for him he came to the place in his life where he had to make a great decision.  A choice to be made.  Who would he serve?  He could see a race being put down.  He was in Pharoah’s palace, he would have to reject that name as being the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  Turn his back on money he had, the prominence he had.  He came to a decision.  There has to come a place of rejection, turning our back on the world and all it offers.

A receiving of this life.  Verse 10 “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.”  As we reject a life in the past we can turn to religion or to our church, become a better church member, sit at the communion table, do so much for our church, better attender at every meeting but that is only trying to do something better.  “we trusted” by taking the Lord and what he has done when he died on the cross, God has completed a work of salvation in our soul.  He is the gateway into a life of godliness.  The apostle Paul is not teaching a universal salvation, that all men will be saved.  He finishes it by saying “specially of those that believe”.  There is a general grace of God in this world and a general mercy afforded to the work by God.  It is only when we receive the Lord as our Saviour and Lord that he becomes our personal Saviour.  Paul was a religious zealot.  He left one day to go to Damascus.  He was a religious and devoted young man but he knew nothing of God’s salvation in his heart.  On that road to Damascus what a change came into his life.  He turned his back on a world of religion and ritual to a finished faith in the work of Calvary.  It is profitable now in this life because of the peace it brings to us.  It is a wonderful thing to have the assurance of sins forgiven.  Remember the woman caught in the act of adultery.  The people brought her to Jesus who said “let him that is without sin cast the first stone.”  When he looked up again he asked the woman “where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?”  She replied “no man Lord”.  And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more.” (John 8 verses 10 and 11)  That is what salvation is profitable for – the deliverance of sinful habits.

A great reward that awaits us.  The demonic boy possessed of demons – what deliverance came to his life when Jesus spoke the word.  Paul points forward to a life of godliness.  It is for the here and now.  The joy and gladness it brings.  Philip came down to Samaria and preached Christ.  The people accepted Christ and were delivered from their many afflictions – unclean spirits, demon possession, palsies, lameness.  Then we read “and there was great joy in that city.”  This life we live now is not the end.  When we close our lives in death we will go out into God’s eternity – one of 2 places – heaven and hell.  We must chose what to do.  Think of Paul in that prison house.  After a life of service in preaching he was now in prison.  He hasn’t given up, there were many upsets in his life but he was now looking out into eternity.  He was waiting for his executioners to come into his cell.  What did he say “I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4 verses 6 and 7)  Are we enjoying that life now but looking forward to a life yet to come?