The Book of 1 Timothy - Step Down!, Part 2

How do you follow Jesus in a culture that is hostile or even suspicious of your faith, follow Jesus when people at work or even your neighborhood just think that because you say you follow Jesus you must have some agenda there must be something suspicious or wrong about you to cover that today stay with. Thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge with children Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry during the daily Bible teaching, observing just a minute will continue our newest series based on the book of first Timothy LS time to describe the prominent role humility today takes it a step further by unpacking how that trait should influence our relation especially with those we disagree with. But before Chip dives in and if this is your first time listening to Living on the Edge you just want to learn more about what we do go to LivingontheEdge.org you'll find tons of resources on a wide range of topics, and countless programs for joy love you have a Bible, handing turnout of first Timothy chapter 2 for the second half of Jeff's message stepped down.

See when you and I read the Gospels retweet. We forget how powerful the life of Jesus when we read all the woman at the well in John four. A man would never talk to a woman, let alone a Jew to a Samaritan when the woman who washed his feet with her tears and wiped it, no, no Jew, no rabbi would ever let a woman touching the public member that the woman with the issue of blood, she touches him remember his words to her, not you thing daughter, your faith has made you well.

He elevates women and so now that they're realizing that were coheirs with the grace of God. The Greek background was even doubly difficult in high Greek society. They actually had prohibitions in what's called the mystery religions because they would adorn themselves with braided hair and gold or plain. He is a historian and plenty rights that one woman in her wedding dress was worth it was written a while ago 400. In today's letter in today's money.

432,000 pounds which is over way over 1/2 million dollars in US currency that was her wedding dress and now these little house churches are starting and the apostle Paul is speaking into them and saying I want the men to adorn themselves with prayer, without anger or disputing in the notice what he says in that context, likewise, want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive apparel. Speaking of the high society, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness, as I don't want to come off like those high society ladies woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness that was true in the Greek and the Roman culture but I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet, for it was Adam who was first created and then Eve wasn't Adam who was deceived, but the woman who was deceived and became a wrongdoer, but the women will be preserved through childbirth that they continue there's a phrase in faith, love and sanctity with moderation.

What you need to get here, is don't read our current world back into this text, his instruction to women fundamentally was you can't act in these little house churches in ways where the Roman government thinks you're undermining a culture you need understand that 50% of the Roman empire was slaves in about 80% were of the church were slaves.

So now you have these yet these transformational cultural things were a slave might be an elder in the church and his master might be in the church and then they got a get up on Monday morning and he has to treat his master like the owner and he saying here we have these cultural norms about how life and women he goes, we want to bring about change, but the big change has to start with the gospel and you know it it it's interesting, but there's multiple translations opinions about this passage is only about three legitimate ways you can go when you consider woman can never talk in any church meeting ever and gosh this email Philip. He had daughters that prophesied, I guess that when does it play out too well right or there's you know there's no justification whatsoever. But Paul makes some of his arguments about there is a role between men and women in his crisis had to manage the heads of there's a there's a servant leadership here.

Here's the main point of this passage that we often miss the main point of this passage to men.

What if you wanted to bring about change.

As a man, how do we tend to do it. We power up to bring about change and this is what I am going to do it once he tell them to do. Pray up and if you're a woman and you want to get your way. This couple ways right me women doing for centuries is your sexual attraction or your adornment to be impressive and see underneath both of those. The real issue is about power. The real issue is about how do you exert power to bring about change and yes we have rights. Yes, we have opinions. What Paul is really helping Timothy do say you got back away and understand there is one mediator between mankind and God is the man Christ Jesus. Make sure we do the number one priority, and if we do that.

Guess what, over time slavery gets abolished over time. Women are viewed equally. Jesus was the greatest liberator of woman in all of human history. But what could have taken the entire project down was if women were acting, or men were acting in ways you go against the Roman government. I got news for you. You just die choices. We want to live these quiet, peaceful lives. We don't want to make waves of some of the cultural issues that are so systematic yet what we want to do is we want to from the inside out the light and salt and light and love, and what happened over time was we change the Roman empire in 300 years. The Emperor becomes a Christian and it wasn't because of external power was because if the internal transformation and I think there's probably some pretty big application for us, especially in America.

Here's the truth. He says this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who want to circle the word again all people to be saved and can I just said I'm coming up, I know I'm counting on this a bit. All men could could you just bring to mind some people that may be emotionally you really want safe, but you just have anger that when you talk about an you talk about them like there the devil incarnate. They voted for so-and-so really didn't go for so-and-so or can you believe in their I mean I'm watching Christians and this vitriol coming out of people's malls about secondary issues. That's not exactly the agenda come to a knowledge of the truth, for there is one God mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for whom all that includes the people you don't like and I don't like the people that are different colors, different orientations, different political views different countries for the gospel transform the world responses. I want men in every place to pray, lifting holy hands without anger or dispute arguments or quarrels. And so what I would ask you and I kinda know the answer.

Are you praying for all people means to be just a great application to think about whatever the side of the political. You are to start praying for the other side. Whoever in your church is super taken you off. Start praying for them. So what's really going on that you notice in your notes. Paul's coaching for us.

You know, second Timothy 316, 17 says all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, improve correction and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God, the woman of God might be fully equipped for every good work is all I want you to know is that all this stuff talking about women in Herrin, whether they speak or don't speak in these first century house churches or men.

There's an application for us.

The subject here is power is how to fight the good fight in a culture of persecution and suspicion and this is for the glorious gospel is our number one priority instead of our tribal interest and we all have not. I live in the most highly diverse city in America more than New York City has been one of the most wonderful places in the world because we all come with our backgrounds and God has allowed me to be there for a lot of years and to recognize that you know what everybody from everywhere just in desperate need of Christ what they need is someone to listen to them and not judge them and make assumptions about them just like I don't want them to make assumptions about me. The underlying issue here is love from a pure heart and is revealed in our conduct in our practices that promote the gospel ahead of her personal agendas never budge on truth, but when you move to the middle toward understanding and how can we bring about some unity. We care about one another.

We agree to disagree on seven minor issues, but agree on this big issue and treat each other and how we speak and what we do I will tell you get blasted from both sides, just like Jesus did and got a really use your life. The underlying question here is, am I willing to follow Jesus example of love in return good for evil to those in positions of authority.

My life, I mean that's what he was asking this women position of authority in your life. Are you willing to voluntarily do what Jesus did. Jesus said I could've brought down angels and we can solve this in a New York minute, but his power was in his surrender to the father is powered like a grain of wheat falling to the earth and dying, and therefore it brought much fruit.

The action required. You have to step down you have to kneel down you have to release anger and resentment and you have to refuse to verbally attack or disrespect those who oppose you post about convictions you have to attack anybody it doesn't accomplish anything when it were not called to be American Christians, hopefully to get our way called be followers of Christ and yet you need to understand. I mean this isn't rocket science. You understand the people that were most antagonistic toward Jesus were Israelites powerful religious people who even after they saw Lazarus risen from the dead.

Many believed in the taxes and some of them went to the religious leaders to plot how to kill them and then these were their words because he's going to take our power and our nation and a lot of what we see in America is Christians concerned about your power and your nation more than the calling of God for the gospel. The unspoken need is to develop humility how to develop humility. First of all, you have to know the truth and encouraging Matthew 540 348 want you to listen to the words of Jesus. You've heard it said, you shall love your neighbors and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you will why would you do that so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.

For he causes his sun to shine on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Therefore, you are to be perfect. The word is telling us you to be. Make sure your to grow up even as your heavenly father is perfect have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.

Philippians chapter 2, who, although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself literally veiled his attributes, taking the form of a bond servant and a maiden like this of men being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself coming up Beatty and to the point of death, even death on a cross for long time. I wanted to be humble and I try to be humble in my pride would go out the door and then would come in the window and then I would go out the window and come in the attic and I just I was such an arrogant young man. And then I was an arrogant middle-age man and then I'm fighting becoming an arrogant older man and I'll never forget the wise mentor said stop trying to be humble really to be a servant to be a servant, get up and sit with my wife.

Me be a servant work be the guy that brings coffee and doughnuts be a servant. Let someone else go first. Be a servant just just develop a mindset to consider others as more important than yourself. Just be a servant, and you know what it's this weird kingdom principal like so many other things give and you receive need a friend be a friend. Be a servant, and I don't understand it is just the economy of God. As you become a servant. God says I will lift you up, I will exalt you and he'll give you a reputation of someone that people talk about in coffee shops different than other people.

You know he's he's a cunning guy when everyone else is leaving is taken down. The chairs, he's the guy that no one knows and secretly is in that family that can even get in. He paved the way only reason I know is because the little girl behind the desk that I can't believe that man did that you just become a servant. Second is know the truth and then live the truth for even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto Martin 45 but to serve, and give his life a ransom for many. The Philippians to three through five. Passage is one I memorized in it both haunts me and encourages me do nothing from selfishness or vainglory is the old translation or empty ambition but consider others as more important self. By the way, rather than doing that way out there get up and sit with my wife.

Me honey what are you doing the dishes minister Hockney took the trash out. I didn't even ask you how come you actually lined up the babysitter and ask we can go on a date.

Are you okay enough. Why did you say you and I think we need to sit down and and look at our bills together and think through our plans for the future is most wives take care of all that stuff in most marriages, and they feel the weight of that instead of a man saying I own the provision and protection in the planning that she may be much better administratively than most of us, but meeting with her every two weeks. I meet with my wife and we have a folder we pay all of our bills and then we talk about where money is going and why, and I didn't do that. About the first three or four years and she felt crushed under the weight of responsibility, because she saw all the numbers and I didn't finally let me encourage you to practice with the head we know the truth with our heart we live the truth and with our hands. We share the truth after Jesus lived this out in Luke chapter 10, he sent them out to buy two to do the very thing to heal, to cast out demons and then in Romans 12, 14 to 21. Perhaps my favorite passage on this blessed those who persecute you, blessed and cursed not later on and talk of your enemies, hungry, feed him his thirst to give him a drink. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God toward the end. Do not be overcome with evil overcome evil with good. And what we you know when when evil confronts evil is like gasoline on the fire and that's what we have in American culture today and is happening in the church. I understand it out there that are lost, they haven't met the mediator yet Lord, will you forgive us, please.

All of us for being so culturally numbed by our American consumer is the mentality that when we don't get our way that we pout and we cast stones.

We take our money and leave and we say evil and negative things even about other brothers and sisters in Christ and friendships of five and 10 and 20 and 25 years have been broken over secondary things we you have mercy on us. Would you grant us the grace to seek first to understand, rather than the be understood. Would you give us the grace to figure out why people do what they do when it doesn't make any sense to us, but it does make sense to them, to help us be bridge builders of reconciliation your churches and their help us to step off and then step down right this application. This message step down from a series. The book of first Timothy life coaching from the apostle Paul help you look up that word coach in the dictionary might see phrases like one who teaches, gives instruction or provide special training. The question is who's coaching you and who are you coaching in this new 12 part series chip dives into one of the most well-known mentor mentee relationships in the Bible will unpack what we can learn from Paul and Timothy's bond and how to apply these lessons to our lives and pass them on to others. If you've missed any part of this series. Chip Ingram map is a great way to catch up anytime woodchips with me in studio now and trippers were talking about Paul coaching Timothy.

It made me think there may be some Christians out there in midlife or beyond the don't feel like they have much to offer either in the church shoring mentoring young people. What would you say to them, will Dave.

I think that's true, and I think it's a lie.

Those in my generation were some a little bit older can feel like I'm rusty or my skills are outdated or you know I've done my time.

You know I'm 4056 years old and I'm gonna leave it to the next generation. The fact of the matter is, God has a different purpose for every person in every season and I'm going to ask you as someone may be in midlife or beyond. To really think about the wisdom the advice the feedback the experience the person you could be in the body of Christ.

You see your innately wired by God with gifts and experiences that he wants to use and he wants to use now. The real question is do you know what they are and how to use them well here Living on the Edge we've created a brand-new resource called the real you. It's an online questionnaire design provide insight into how God wired you. This is more than spiritual gift test, you identify the patterns in which you think what motivates you and white teams need someone just like you to take about 20 minutes to complete and it won't cost you a thing. Then, based on your responses.

The real you will offer suggestions about how you can practically live out God's purpose for your life. Whether that's at home in the office at church or in your community has a Living on the Edge partner. We want you to be the first to access this resource. Head over to the real you.org to learn more.

That's the real you.org most Christians don't know how to leverage their God-given wiring and experiences for the kingdom. We want to change that bike strip. Well as you can tell, we are really excited about this new resource. We hope the real you will help you not only discover who God made you to be. But how he made you think, act and live as Chip said, you can sign up for this reassessment by going to the real you.org or if it's easier text the word real to 741 41.

That's the word real REAL27 4141 Listeners, special offers will chip it seems like it's getting harder and harder to share our faith or just make simple connections with others so as a way to close this program give us a few practical ways we can build meaningful relationships with others in what's become a very combative society will Dave.

We do live in a very divisive culture. I don't need to list all the things that Christians are accused for the stereotypes and and I think we need to be very honest that you know some of the stereotypes we we've brought on ourselves by the behavior of some of us as followers are some of our leaders and some moral failure but I think you forgot to reach people today. We need to change the paradigm in our attitude and what I mean by that is we need to ask a lot more questions about where people are coming from before we tell them what we believe and why we believe it. The title of this message was stepping down. I think Paul saying to Timothy in a hostile culture kneel and pray. I think he saying instead of being you angry and resentful toward this culture the doesn't understand you. The fact is, they're not Christians, they're not going to understand so release your anger and resentment refused to verbally attack or disrespect those who oppose you. You know were living in this toxic communication on twitter or Facebook or Instagram, and I cringe when I see people that I know are believers making these comments and I know they're sincere and I think they think they're standing for Jesus but it's undermining our faith think the apostle Paul is teaching Timothy in that day. The number one thing is to develop humility. Yes the truth never waivers but we need to present the truth and life in word and an attitude with humility and those people that are really reaching the next generation or people hostile to the gospel are not people yelling and screaming and fighting.

It's people who lean in and realize what ever people who are anti-God or anti-Christian. They're coming from somewhere, and they've had some experiences and they have some presuppositions or assumptions that it makes sense to them.

We need to find out what those are, and care for them as people first and I think God will give us an opportunity then to speak to someone who's open to hearing great word ship. Thanks. Will before we go I want to thank each of you who's making this program possible through your generous giving 100% of your gifts are going directly to the ministries help Christians really live like Christians. If you found this teaching helpful, but you're not yet on the team.

Would you consider doing that today to send a gift go to LivingontheEdge.org or text the word donate to 741 41. It's that easy text donate to 741 41 or visit LivingontheEdge.org app listeners just Donate and let me thank you in advance for doing whatever the Lord leads you to do would join us next time is to continue sharing more coaching lessons from the apostle Paul found in the book of first Jill, then this is Dave really saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge