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Nourished on the Truth. 1 Timothy 4 p. 1099 . Nourished on the Truth. Problem in Ephesus: False Teaching / Teachers Can’t we just focus on how much God loves us? “… nourished on the truths …” (v 6). Central. Nourished on the Truth …. Today: Focus on the link –
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Nourished on the Truth 1 Timothy 4 p. 1099
Nourished on the Truth • Problem in Ephesus: False Teaching / Teachers • Can’t we just focus on how much God loves us? • “… nourished on the truths …” (v 6). Central.
Nourished on the Truth … • Today: Focus on the link – • Right doctrine, holding on to the truth • Being close to God.
Nourished on the Truth … • Ever felt like this: • Bowed down and brought low • Feeble and utterly crushed • Strength fails … light is gone from my eyes.
1. War in our Souls How do we present the Word of God so that God does not seem like an overbearing fun-killer? • Key: What it means to be human. • Everything plays into our own sense of our humanity • “Sin wages war on our souls” (1 Peter 2:11)
1. War in our Souls … • We feel the consequences of sin deep inside us. • “no soundness in my bones because of my sin” (Ps 38:3) • “strength sapped like in the heat of summer “ (Ps 32:4) • “my sins overtake me … my heart fails” (Ps 40:12) • “they wasted away in their sin” (Ps 106:43)
1. War in our Souls … • Sinfulness takes a toll on our souls. • Often slow and incremental. (like smoking) • Truth matter to our souls. • We “must be nourished in the truths of the faith” (v 6) • “Godliness has value for all things” (vv 8-10)
2. Deception from Within • Paul prophesied about false teachers (Acts 20:28-30) • He refers to this (v 1) “The Spirit clearly says …” • False teachers – “even from your own number” (Ac 20:30) • Big mistake to think they are easy to identify. • They claim to be true followers of Jesus.
2. Deception from Within … • Timothy was sent to Ephesus to set things right. • We have our own issues to deal with in our time.
3. Godliness & Teaching • Godliness – analogy of physical training. • Godliness has even more value • Requires daily training and perseverance. • A whole orientation of life – eating, sleeping, dedication, … • Exhortation – “be diligent … watch your life” (vv 15-16) • Godliness Matters.
3. Godliness & Teaching … • Teaching matters. • Solution to false teaching … pursuit of truth • Good teachers are key to spiritual health (vv 11-13) • BUT: They must be an example of Godliness • Don’t just listen to what they say • Look how they live.
Living it . . . • Nurturing our spiritual health • LectioDivina (Kenneth Boa, Sacred Readings) • Lenten Experiment (and similar) • Morning Prayer (Mon / Wed / Fri 7am) • Home groups, Sunday worship • Christian life is lived in community.