One God, One Mediator
by Raymond Sloan
October 8, 2020 · Cornerstone Apostolic Church
Kind: teaching
Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:1-16, 1 Timothy 1:18-20, 1 Timothy 2:1-15

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/raymond-sloan--one-god-one-mediator
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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all right well we begin uh looking into another letter tonight we are actually going to go into the letter of first timothy all right this was written by paul to one of the young pastors okay now just a little bit of history here about this letter uh timothy according to the scriptures timothy was left by paul in the city of ephesus all right he was left there to continue the work that had been started there by paul and by his brethren his followers if you will timothy's job was to teach and instruct to pastor them to help them to let them grow let them be fruitful and multiply keeping in mind that timothy is in ephesus and we learned not long ago when we were looking through that epistle that ephesus is actually where the temple of diana was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world so in that city paul left timothy there to continue to grow the work and continue to move it forward now the reason that's important is because there is a great influence from that idol worship from the things that have gone on through the history and paul of course is he realizes that this is a great task and he knows that there's a job to be done well timothy rises to the occasion and is trying to shepherd these people so paul in his wisdom he's trying to help timothy out he's the overseer of the work timothy is and and so as they grow they're they're adding to the church things are going on of course there are going to be obstacles challenges and whatnot and um as great as the move of god would be in that time of course there will be opposition we see that even today but we discover through this letter that uh timothy was at a point in his ministry to where he needed a little bit of assistance so paul wrote this letter to him all right anytime you deal with people just like today you're going to have opinions ideas backgrounds education levels levels in society and culture all that comes together in the church okay paul knew that and so he wrote a letter to timothy to help him now interesting point here up to now we've looked at the letter to the church ephesus uh the church the philippian church the galatian church we've looked at the two letters that were written to the church in thessalonia those are to the broad body of believers this letter on the other hand is written to the preacher to the man and so naturally it is going to have a different flavor to it if you will so we'll notice that as we go through that let's begin here at first timothy chapter one verse one all right paul an apostle of jesus christ by the commandment of god our savior and lord jesus christ which is our hope unto timothy my own son in the faith grace mercy and peace from god our father and jesus christ our lord verse three as i besought thee to abide still at ephesus when i went to macedonia that thou mightis charge some that they teach no other doctrine okay here we go paul uh in the account here that he's writing to timothy he's not the father physically of timothy but he is like a father figure to this young preacher okay um he had asked timothy as as being his mentor his his helper his guide he'd ask him to stay at ephesus so that the work would continue to stay on track okay now paul of course says here i'd go to macedonia other areas of the of the then known world it's important to notice here that paul wrote before to churches now he's writing to timothy and he's very specific in what he's saying to him okay paul is trying to help the church by helping the preacher okay this is very important he's trying to assist the church in their growth and their maturity level by helping their shepherd okay and this is quite honestly really a great reflection of paul's heartbeat his desire for the future of the church he understands that if you're going to have a strong church you've got to have strong leadership in the church so this letter was written now we continue here verse number 4 in first timothy 1 neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith so do now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned now notice what he says in the third verse uh you got to tell the people there that they don't need to follow other doctrines okay keeping in mind they're in ephesus that there are fables there are genealogies there are things that can be taught and instructed to people that will actually distract them and lead them astray the reason it's important is because no doubt in that time people were really concerning themselves about where this jesus church was coming from they knew as gentiles that in order to have all of the blessings of the jews the chosen people of god somehow some way they would have to find a connection and so some of them no doubt begin to jump into genealogies who are you who was your father your grandfather great grandfather and so forth they were spending this wasted time trying to figure out where they connected back in the history if you will of humanity paul knew that this would be an issue they would get so distracted by this so he's telling the preacher look you need to tell them don't get caught up in these fables okay they all they're going to do is raise questions that's what he says and and the end of it all they're not going to figure out anything the truth is is that the blood of jesus works on whosoever will believe in him whosoever will submit themselves to it right um in all of this heart the love of the heart is what god is interested in all right your faith that is not shaken in what god's relationship is with you he knew that there were other teachings and doctrines out there and so he's trying his best to get timothy the preacher to let him know look you need to let the folk know they have found what they're looking for can anybody in 2020 say that yeah we found the truth and that is in jesus christ uh you can get sidetracked the who's who you can get so uh caught up in in what you are or are not and you can forget the present day and what jesus is trying to do in your life you've got to have faith that the plan of god is working in your life in your children in your spouse and your loved ones all right notice how how paul continues verse six from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling designed to be teachers of the law understanding neither what they say nor of they affirm but we know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully all right knowing this verse 9 that the law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and profane for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers for man slayers verse 10 for whoremongers for them that defile themselves with mankind or man men stealers for liars for perjured persons and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine according to the glorious gospel of the blessed god which was committed to my trust paul reminds timothy that some have already been lied to by the enemy and they're unsteady their doctrines their the teachings that they're following after is bringing in questions things that don't really matter it calls them vain jangling a phrase that basically refers to the wishy-washy here today maybe not tomorrow depends on the next great wave that comes through okay if you're following those laws and those things that you're trying to figure out what you'll understand is that there is a law yes there's a law of god there are there are statutes and limitations and there are preferences and things of god we have no doubt but paul is speaking here to timothy about the reality of humanity all right there are things that you can do that are so appalling that it could actually cause you to not think not believe that god can actually forgive you and wash you and cleanse you all right the heart of that person then begins to believe the more lies of the enemy all right but grace mercy and love and the power of the blood of jesus christ can overcome all of that if you get sidetracked with who you are who you are not if you get sidetracked with trying to figure out how god loves you and why should he care about you if you try to understand the who who the who is who in whatever family or whatever body of believers you're going to connect to what you're doing is you're going to run yourself in circles because you're not going to let the power of mercy and grace to work in your life okay that's what the preacher here is receiving instruction from in ephesus no doubt there was a great need to establish the love of god uh the law of love is so positive it is so amazingly powerful that if you'll understand that he loves you for who you are the lord jesus died on a cross because of who you are doesn't matter all the other things behind you he's looking at a place where he's prepared for you all right that's why paul wrote this letter to timothy he's trying to get him as the preacher to understand it so that he could reach to those who are getting caught up in these things notice verse 12 this is strong i think christ jesus our lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the ministry who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but i obtained mercy because i did it ignorantly in unbelief and the grace of our lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in christ jesus 15 this is a faithful saying and worthy of all exception that christ jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom i am chief this is what paul's saying to timothy how be it for this cause i obtain mercy that in me first jesus christ might shew forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting paul identifies as the sinful man chief of sinners even says but he continues and he says but listen timothy you've got to get the people that are in the church there at ephesus get them to understand they need the mercy of god to be shown to them out of all of this that paul went through he's explaining to timothy but yet jesus loved me he had a plan for my life there was purpose in me all right jesus came to save sinners that's what we were sinners that's what we face daily sinners okay but there you can get all the laws and the strict rules you want to but it the desire that god has for you and i for those around you for the church for whoever will come to know him he wants a relationship he wants you to love him not because of the rules and the regulations and the what you can and can't do he wants you to just want to be with him he just wants you to have a relationship with him that's the key to your walk with god a relationship daily spending time with him daily communicating with him daily i'm trying to understand what he's telling you through the word through what he's saying to you today in verse 18 notice how he continues this charge i commit to thee son timothy talking to the preacher according to the prophecies which went on which went before on thee that thou by them mightiest war a good warfare holding faith and a good conscience which some have having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck verse 20 of whom is hamaeth and alexander whom i have delivered unto satan that they may learn not to blaspheme wow he mentions two workers here it even says that i i've released them i tried to help them i wanted to help them i tried to instruct them all right but timothy don't be like them you hold on to the faith you hold on to the truth of the word of god of the gospel of the good news of jesus christ okay some i've had to release because they made their choice so what he's saying timothy you're going to have some that you're going to be pastoring over preaching to reaching to and they're not they're not going to submit they're not going to want this they're going to want to just basically in and out so you got to learn there are times when you have to release them they chose their path paul puts it to timothy in this way i didn't want this to happen but i had to release them so that they had to learn not to blaspheme not to talk and do things against the things of god the only way to learn that is for me to release them and no longer be accountable to them that's a tough position for a preacher to be in okay but paul again is writing not to the church he's writing to the preacher to help the church it continues in chapter two i exhort therefore in verse one first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of god our savior who will verse 4 have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth timothy listen you got to pray you got to intercede got to reach for the lost okay there's authority in that knowing that you teach those that are in the church how to understand that authority they need a man of god praying for them preaching into them reaching into them okay if they'll learn then they can live a life of peace even though there's the struggle in the world the saints of god can instead of the constant battling and the warring they can live at peace with all men praying and interceding and asking god to be in the world helping the church timothy you got to teach that hold fast to that faith that's already been founded when you pray for leadership and those in authority what you're doing is you're asking god to work his plan that he's already put into motion all right truth is what people are looking for don't you agree that's what people are searching for is they want to know truth what is real what's the real deal out there what is not fake or fables or or just comes and goes with the wind but they want to know what is real and what is truth so he tells him you pray for that notice first timothy chapter 2 verse 5 for there is one god one mediator between god and man and men the man christ jesus who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time where unto i am ordained a preacher and an apostle parenthesis i speak the truth in christ and lie not close it a teacher of the gentiles in faith and verity one god one mediator between god and man that is jesus christ paul is telling timothy understand how this works timothy it's not because of who you are it's not because who i am i'm a preacher i have a message that's what the preacher is as a messenger i have a word from god and church church at ephesus paul telling timothy you'd let him know this there's only one god there's a mediator the one that connects that's jesus christ you preach jesus timothy you preach the blood of jesus you preach the power of the name of jesus you let folk know look if you're going to overcome the enemy the obstacles and the things of this world it's going to be because you believe in the one god okay there's no other message to believe there's no other way to believe okay he goes further here to timothy and he's timothy this is this is how i'm going to explain this to you verse number 8 in first timothy 2. i will therefore that men pray everywhere lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting okay men should be apt to pray all places at any moment men holy hand signifies the office of a priest that has done and accomplished what they were supposed to do for an example the priest would wash his hands after the sacrifice would be made he would wash his hands before he would proceed forward with the sacrifice right men have to do the same thing men when you pray what you're doing is you are saying i live my life for you god but i want to make sure that i'm clean i want you to know that i'm doing my part washing and i'm making worship to you as i make the sacrifice okay that's the man's job the priest the priest of the home if you will the one that stands in the gap if you will for the home to the preacher you teach the church this okay notice this verse nine in like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shame-facedness and sobriety not with broided hair or gold or pearls or costly array but which becometh woman professing godliness with good works let the woman learn in silence with all subjection but i suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man but to be in silence listen to this for adam was formed first form then eve and adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety notice here men you pray everywhere lift holy hands without wrath and doubting you do what you're supposed to do in making sacrifice to the lord in like manner okay there's an equal sign between these two the same power that a priest has as the priests of his home in following god's commands is the way that the woman supports the things of god listen carefully to this okay remember timothy is pastoring preaching in the city of ephesus that was the temple of diana a lot of things went on there in this idol worship that were contrary to anything that was godly understand the enemy all he's going to do is make counterfeits lies and confuse people all right that's where timothy was pastoring this church in ephesus okay paul was helping him timothy to know how to deal with the men the women that came into the church okay when the man makes a sacrifice to god he is accomplishing his task when the woman is submitted to that worship unto god she's accomplishing her task it was a custom of that day that women listen careful they didn't go to the house of god okay it was custom that they didn't go but the men went to the house of god now in the temple diana it was a different story all right notice what happened here so when they came out of diana worship all right this this idol of of diana the goddess of fertility okay when they came out of that came into the church the jesus name church if it's okay we'll call it that timothy was having to instruct them just like paul was and it wasn't just for the men to come but it was for the men and the women to come now listen the women would come in and they would sit in the crowd they would talk and mingle with others because that's what they who had been accustomed to just by being in the presence of the goddess diana and so paul says to timothy look you've got to instruct them all right paul was teaching the women not to idly talk and visit in church but to be involved with the worship just like the men were worshipping okay the men were required to have a relationship with god timothy you teach the church ladies you need a relationship with god you need your own relationship with jesus christ so to read the text you might think that women have to be under the man if you will under what the man is doing but the fact is the men this is talked to by paul to timothy when you lift holy hands you are doing the office of the priest in your home women when you follow the teachings not adorning yourself with these things like they did in idol worship like the world in 2020 does when you submit yourself when you're when you're doing what the word of god is instructing you to do understand that even in our day this letter that paul wrote is very relevant why because the majority of issues going on in our schools and on the streets and in the courthouses and stuff are all fights and battles over masculinity and feminism right our culture today 2020 is trying to make all men to be feminist trying to make masculinity a bad thing that's not what paul was talking about to timothy what he was saying is you come out of that come into the church and what god established in the beginning is he made the first adam that was man and out of that he brought eve and then he put them together to work it's the same thing for you and i today you have to have a relationship men with god you have to have a relationship ladies with god that's what you're teaching your children to do is have a relationship with him paul addresses these specific points because he knew that timothy would be responsible for this as their preacher okay 2020 we address the same things and we understand if the spirit of the world of whatever temple worship is out there whatever goddesses or whatever idolatry or whatever things are out there if they make themselves into the church we have issues all right he wasn't saying here women be quiet don't say nothing and just sit there silent and he was saying don't sit idly by and chit chat and just not concern yourself with the things of god you when you do what instruction is you don't adorn yourself you're not looking to yourself to be something that you're not you're not wrapping stuff up in your hair so that everybody will put eyes on you okay when you're doing those things and you submit to what god's plan is there is an authority that comes with that ladies men be men of prayer ladies be women of prayer understand your position and your role i challenge you husbands and wives as we close out this evening's lesson do some studying together look at what the word of the lord says the office of a priest what the women did what the men did teach those things to your children all right jesus is the head of the church do not forget that he he's the one that's got all this in control right but you and i we have to know jesus we have to fall in love with him we have to understand him comprehend him that's what we're doing every wednesday night is trying to get a deeper understanding of him and we're going to close out this session tonight with prayer i want us to pray as we close this out pray that the we would find the place in the family that we can all be what god wants us to be all right dads fathers you pray that your children will grow up to love the lord moms you pray that your children will grow up to have a relationship with god pray together understand together get in the word together all right let's close together and let's pray that for you our families okay lord thank you so much for this letter tonight that we've looked into i know there's so many things in here so many points to ponder i pray lord for the church help us god to be found doing what we're supposed to do bless the men of our church the ladies of our church the children the young people of our church god you know that we all have different levels and places in life where we are presently but most of all we want to know you jesus we want to understand your power your presence and your plan that's working in our lives we'll love you forever thank you for this tonight help us to grow and to mature and understand more about you in jesus name we pray amen amen