INTRO. - ILL.- Preacher G. Campbell Morgan who passed away in 1945 once told this story about his granddaughter, Penelope. One day Penelope rushed indoors shouting, “Oh, mama, there’s a big black bear in the backyard!”
Her mother said, “You know perfectly well that it’s only a big black dog. Now go to your room and ask God to forgive you for telling a lie.”
Later she returned and her mother asked, “Did you ask God to forgive you?” Penelope said, “Yes, and God said it was ok, because He thought it was a bear as well when He first saw it.”
Did your parents teach you to pray? And did you teach your children to pray?
Some things in life need to be pointed out to us because they don’t naturally come to us.
What did mom and dad teach you? Wash your hands before you eat. Wash behind your ears. Clean your finger nails. Comb your hair. Make your bed. Clean your room. Carry out the trash. Mow the grass. Be polite. Be mannerly. Say your prayers. Good parents teach their children these things and more.
While we may not have liked doing some of these things they were necessary for life. Today we are thankful that our parents taught us things that dealt with clean living, a good life, and the Christian life!
Paul advised Timothy to point out certain things to the people and if he would do this he would be a good minister.
A good ministry depends on teaching and preaching. And a good minister should point out important matters from the Scripture.
ILL.- I attended the Annual OCC Preaching and Teaching Convention in February. Some preachers said little, because many of them said a lot! A lot, like over an hour sermon! And I’ve always believed that if you can’t say preach it in less than 30 minutes then either you haven’t studied well or else you just like to hear yourself talk!
Dick Alexander from Cincinnati, OH, had the most practical and most helpful sermon and class. His class was entitled, “Preaching to a Wired Generation,” meaning a generation of people who watch TV, fast commercials, cell phones, texting, Internet, and instant messaging, etc.
By the way, he asked, “Do you know what is the attention span of the average person?” I believe he said it was only three seconds! Can you believe it? No wonder people get bored with lessons and sermons and even some TV!
6If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus.
I want to be the best minister I can be, which requires that I point out the message of God in scripture. And hopefully, I’ll do it the best I can!
PROP.- Let’s note what Paul told Timothy to point out to the church.
1- Point out the importance of godliness
2- Point out the assistance of exercise
3- Point out the acceptance of salvation
I. POINT OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GODLINESS
7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
ILL.- At McDonald’s and many other fast food places, after you order your meal, they will ask, “Do you want to super-size your meal?” I always say, “no,” BUT DO YOU WANT TO SUPER-SIZE YOUR LIFE? We all should say, “Yes” and that can only happen through godliness.
The most important thing for all Christians is to become more godly in Christ. I need it and you need it. I need to be more like Jesus and you do too.
What are your priorities in life? Pleasures more than people? Fun more than faith? Where does the Lord fit in?
I realize that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, but it is also true that all play and no spiritual work makes Jack a very dull boy spiritually.
Acts 4:13 “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
The early disciples were accused of being with Jesus or having been associated with Jesus. What about us? That doesn’t happen overnight. It takes work, spiritual work. It takes much time alone with the Lord.
Godliness is something that all Christians should be interested in. What is it? God-likeness, perhaps.
ILL.- An elderly Quaker woman with a beautiful complexion was asked what kind of cosmetic she used. Replying, she offered this prescription: “I use truth for my lips; for my voice, prayer; for my eyes, pity; for my hands, charity; for my figure, uprightness; for my heart, love. This prescription can be filled without expense, and the supply will be increased with continued use.” In other words, it will never run out!
EXCELLENT. There is no substitute for godliness and godly living. And it comes from the Lord Himself! By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be!
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
ILL.- A mother visited her boy at college. Upon entering his room, her eye swept across the walls, which were covered with more than a dozen suggestive pictures. Her heart was grieved, but she said nothing.
Several days later, the mailman delivered a package to the young man. It was a gift from his mother—a beautifully framed picture of the head of Christ.
Proudly the boy hung the picture on the wall above his desk. That night, before he went to bed, he removed the pin-up picture which hung closest to the face of Christ. The next day another picture was consigned to the wastebasket. Day after day the pictures began to disappear from the walls until only one remained—the picture of the Savior.
The more we look at Christ, think about Christ and read about Christ, the closer we’ll come to Him and the more we’ll cast out that which is contrary to His character.
Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
II. POINT OUT THE ASSISTANCE OF EXERCISE
8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. Physical training is of some value.
ILL.- One lady said: My husband bought an exercise machine to help him lose weight. He set it up in the basement but didn’t use it much, so he moved it to the bedroom.
It gathered dust there, too, so he put it in the living room. Weeks later I asked how it was going. “I was right,” he said. “I do get more exercise now. Every time I close the drapes, I have to walk around the machine.”
I think perhaps that’s what happens to many exercise machines.
ILL.- A man getting up in age went to see his doctor for thorough examination. When the doctor was finished, he said, “You’re as fit as a fiddle. You’ll live to be eighty years old.”
“But I am eighty years old!” The doctor smiled and said, “See, what did I tell you?”
How does a person get fit as a fiddle? Part of it is good genes and the rest may be a good diet and exercise.
ILL.- Do you remember Jack LaLanne, the fitness Guru? Jack LaLanne presented fitness and exercise advice on television for 34 years. "The Jack LaLanne Show" was the longest running television exercise program. He is now 95 years old and continues to work out every morning for two hours. He spends 1½ hours in the weight room and half an hour swimming or walking.
LaLanne and his wife Elaine (83) live in Morro Bay, California. LaLanne said his two simple rules of nutrition are: "if man made it, don't eat it", and "if it tastes good, spit it out." He often says, "I cannot afford to die, it will ruin my image."
HE WILL DIE SOME DAY. We know this and in reality, he probably knows this. I hope he knows the Lord!
I Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”
It should be obvious to us that God made us and gave us the body we live in, consequently, we owe the Lord to take care of our bodies as best we can. Our bodies are the Lord’s property and we are simply managers of that property. And physical training is of some value because it can help to keep us healthy or healthier.
I know that exercise works because I’ve done plenty of it over the years. I lifted weights in competition in my 20‘s and lifting made me stronger than I would have normally been. Strength training is even more important as you age. Ask B.J. Simpkins. He can do more work than some much younger men and that’s because he continues to exercise and lift weights.
I ran for many years and that running made me very heart healthy. I had lots of energy from running. Admittedly, thought, walking is probably better for a person because too much running can beat you up and wear down your joints as it did in my case.
ILL. - Peter Kreeft of Boston College, who is a great writer and big on prayer, said, “I find praying while you take a walk a good combination of spiritual and physical exercise.”
Physical training is of some value. It can help us to keep fit, which in turn should allow to serve the Lord better, more often and more efficiently.
III. POINT OUT THE ACCEPTANCE OF SALVATION
9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance 10 (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.
Paul advised Timothy to point out the need for salvation in Jesus. God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.
God is the Savior through His son Jesus. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. Jesus bore our sins in His body on the tree. He became sin for us. We are saved through His blood. We are saved by faith in Him, not faith in us! We can’t save ourselves: not by being good, not by giving money, and not by serving others. Christ died for our sins. He alone saves.
ILL.- A doctor and a lawyer were attending a cocktail party when the doctor was approached by a man who asked advice on how to handle his ulcer. The doctor mumbled some medical advice, then turned to the lawyer and remarked, "I never know how to handle the situation when I'm asked for medical advice during a social function. Is it acceptable to send a bill for such advice?" The lawyer replied that it was certainly acceptable to do so.
The next day, the doctor sent the ulcer-stricken man a bill. The lawyer also sent one to the doctor.
It’s funny how quickly people want to corner a doctor at some social function in order to get some free advice. But that doesn’t happen very often to preachers who want to share the gospel of Christ with people! I WISH IT DID HAPPEN!
I’ve had people ask me more questions about computers than Christ. I don’t know if they think I know more about computers than Christ or else they’re just more interesting in computers than Christ!
ILL.- Our Brother Bill Griffin used to call me and ask me if I could help his uncle B. T. Griffin with his computer. That got me acquainted with Ben and Marian Griffin. Then later, Ben would call me on the phone and say, “Steve, my computer needs to see you.”
I must say, however, Ben and Marian always wanted me to pray with them before I left. And Marian would say, “If I wasn’t such a die-hard Baptist I’d join your church.”
Computers and many other things may open the door to speak to someone, but we must always point people to Christ.
ILL.- Many years ago when I fished some bass tournaments on the Lake of the Ozarks I got acquainted with a young fisherman who played at the piano bar at the Holiday Inn in Jefferson City, MO. I often went to Jefferson City to visit people in the hospital. I stopped in to see my fishing friend and as a result of our friendship I baptized him and his wife into Christ.
There are many things that may open the door to talk to people but we must always point them to Christ who can save them.
The most important thing that we can point out to anybody in life is Jesus. EVERYBODY NEEDS JESUS! I pray more than ever for many people, “Father, so and so needs Jesus. Help them to see their need for Jesus.” Yes, yes and yes! People need Jesus more than they need anything or anyone else in life.
CONCLUSION------------------
Exercise is an ok thing. But salvation and godliness are eternal. Being saved and being godly will help anybody right now and will guarantee a home in heaven!
More than anything, people need Jesus in their lives for a better life now and the only life there!
Only one life. Twill soon be past. Only what is done for Christ will last. Only what is done for Christ will last eternally!
Steve Shepherd, Jonesboro Christian Church
jonesborochristianchurch@suddenlink.net
