Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction to the Text

Good morning .

It is a pretty exciting day to come and preach to you all.

If I am honest normally I am a bit nervous the first time I preach, but considering the reason for Drew asking me to fill in for him, I know many of you are distracted and far more interested in meeting someone else who is new.

So that takes a bit of the burden off my shoulders.

So

There are a few of you that know me, but for the rest, hello, good morning, I am Tyler.

3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.

5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

I have always felt awkward reading the letters of the New Testament.

I mean you’re basically reading someone else’s mail, which means there is an intimacy and relationship that we are entering into.

Now of all the New Testament letters, the letters penned to the churches are a bit easier because they were intended for a large group of people, so I feel less like an eavesdropper, but with 1 Timothy its a bit more personal.

It is a letter from Timothy’s childless mentor.

It is sort of like reading the correspondence between a father and son.

In fact, Paul refers to Timothy as “his true child in the faith” in verse two.

I am not sure if that has struck you as odd, but it is at least helpful to have the concept in mind as we enter into this text.

Further, it is helpful as well to understand the reason for Paul’s letter.

Quite clearly, Paul, out of concern for his you protege, wants to warn Timothy about false doctrine and false teachers.

The danger of theological error and those who promulgate it is mentioned in our text, early in the letter and the theme is sustained through out its entirety.

Thus Paul:

Thus Paul “charges” Timothy to “[hold] faith and a good conscience” in 1:19.

“Charges” Timothy to “[hold] faith and a good conscience” in 1:19.

States his desire for peace in the church so that everyone possible can come to knowledge of the truth in 2:4.

Outlines the qualifications for leadership (those who would be tasked alongside Timothy with protecting the doctrine) in the church in chapter 3.

Warns against false teachers again in 4:1-5, and instructs Timothy on what to teach in order to protect his church from them in 4:6-16.

In chapter 5, he instructs Timothy on proper church order and some practical ministry advice in order to remain faithful and win favor with the congregation so as to give him more influence than potential false teachers.

He concludes with a third strong warning against the false teachers (6:2-10) and a final exhortation that Timothy himself ought to keep watch on his doctrine and life (6:11-21).

It is clear that the primary point of this letter is Paul’s concern that the church’s doctrine be protected.

That is the objective of the letter, protect the doctrine.

What I want to highlight today is not only that objective, but Paul’s motivation—love.

That is the objective of the letter

Objective—protect the doctrine.

Motive—love.

It appears to me that this tandem of protecting doctrine and aiming at love is critical for the church today.

So let’s unpack this text and hear this challenge.

Explanation of the Text

3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,

It is not explained in the text and it appears difficult to fit into the framework of Acts, so it appears that sometime after the book of Acts ends Paul is released from prison and in some manner (either Timothy is with him or he instructs him through letter or a friend) Paul tells Timothy to remain in Ephesus, pastoring the church there.

The purpose of such instruction

3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies

It is not explained in the text and it appears difficult to fit into the framework of Acts, so it appears that sometime after the book of Acts ends Paul is released from prison and in some manner (either Timothy is with him or he instructs him through letter or a friend) Paul tells Timothy to remain in Ephesus, pastoring the church there.

The purpose of such instruction is to protect the true doctrine concerning Christ by charging “certain persons” not to teach differently than what Paul has passed on to Timothy and the Ephesians.

It is not particularly clear what this different doctrine is that Paul fears Timothy will need to contend with, but Paul has some strong words for it through out the letter:

4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.

Connected to sinful lifestyles and actions (1:10-11).

murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

Coming from deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons (4:1-2).

depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared

And is out of accord with godliness and understanding in such a way that it will puff up the adherents (6:3-4)

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing

It is not particularly clear what this different doctrine is, but the text does indicate that such different doctrine is connected with myths and endless genealogies.

Further, in the text we are looking at this morning it is associated with myths and endless genealogies.

the text does indicate that such different doctrine is connected with myths and endless genealogies.

While “myth” too is a bit general of a description, the reference does appear occasionally in Paul’s writing:

In , Paul writes,

In our text Paul notes that the doctrinal errors that he is worried about is connected to myths and endless geneaologies.

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

And in , another protege of Paul’s is instructed saying:

Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.

As well Peter clarifies (2 Pet 1:16):

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

Notice that myth is consistently contrasted with the truth of the gospel.

Paul also includes a reference to “endless genealogies.”

This phrase too is unclear.

In preparing to teach on this passage I came across a number of interesting speculations about what this might mean, but it seems a bit hazardous to get into them considering “speculations” get a bad wrap in the next verse.

Paul writes that “the different doctrine”

which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.

So this new doctrine is spawning conversations, debates, and discussions about they are ungrounded.

He describes the “certain persons” doing these speculations in verse six as having:

have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

Their discussions are meaningless and though they desire to be teachers these meaningless hobby horses have kept them from gaining true understanding.

In its place they simply make confident assertions.

ultimately meaningless things.

What might be the problem with that?

Can’t we talk about meaningless things?

Yes.

You can, but in a sense that is why you watch television and movies.

So you can gather and talk about how great Endgame was or how disappointing the Last Jedi was.

When we talk about the Bible, philosophy, and theology we ought to be aware though that our conversations should not be taken lightly.

I understand that there might be some confusion because “speculations” might not sound like such a bad thing, but remember that the speculations are connected to the teaching of “different doctrine” which Paul speaks of through out the letter as:

The sort of speculations Paul is referring to might seem harmless, but in truth there are certain theological avenues that if we walk down, we walk at our own peril.

And if a leader walks down they will neglect their duty, just consider Paul’s contrast:

murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

By contrast Timothy is to focus on

Coming from deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons (4:1-2).

depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared

And is out of accord with godliness and understanding in such a way that it will puff up the adherents (6:3-4)

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing

The sort of speculations Paul is referring to might seem harmless, but in truth there are certain theological avenues that if we walk down, we walk at our own peril.

And if a leader walks down they will neglect their duty, just consider Paul’s contrast:

speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith

The speculations are a distraction from the stewardship of God’s church.

For a leader to get distracted by such things will cause the neglect of the church.

The flock of God, the bride of Christ, will be left vulnerable to false teachers.

So Paul follows this up with why we protect right doctrine.

Because we love.

When I read this passage I am reminded of a question I get asked frequently—did you enjoy seminary?