East Baptist Church – Denison, TX

The Message Matters

1 Timothy 1:1-11 (NASB77) ¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope; ² to Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. ³ As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus, in order that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, ⁴ nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. ⁵ But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, ⁷ wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. ⁸ But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹ realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers ¹⁰ and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, ¹¹ according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

One of the things that the apostles of the New Testament had to make sure was the Message that the church was preaching and teaching. The church is all about the Message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ of the BIBLE.  (We do not get to live our own truth, as Christians our truth has to be Biblical truth.)

That is what happens to a lot of churches. We have what we call Mission Drift. If we do not keep in mind, heart and spirit that the message does matter. If the Message is not Jesus the Christ and how to live Him in the Body, (N.T. Church) then we are pointing people away from a relationship with and in Christ not toward Him. The message does matter in fact makes all the difference in the here and now and all the way to forever and eternity.

If we allow the message of the Gospel to change with the ideas and truths of the changing times, we lose our moral compass. If the Message we teach and preach is not the Bible, we suffer because when God is silent because the Word is not proclaimed people will go their own way. Like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36 (NASB) ³⁶ Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.

Look at what Bro. Paul tells another young preacher he was mentoring, Titus: Titus 1:9 (NASB) ⁹ holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. Biblical Doctrine is the teaching of Christ in the N.T. and God in the O.T.

It is often hard and downright fearful to stand on the Word and Message of the Bible when the popular people around you try and water it down or down right change it to fit their desires. Timothy has had Paul to hold him up now he is left in Ephesians to stand in the truth as the Savior pastor. 1 Timothy 1:3 NASB) ³ As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, the message matters when it comes to living a life that is more abundantly lived.

I will let the Word of God speak for itself: Acts 20:27-31 (NASB) ²⁷ “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. ²⁸ Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. ²⁹ I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; ³⁰ and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.” 

What Paul is doing is passing the Message of the Gospel on to the next generation with the warning we all must adhere to: Do not let anyone water the truth of God’s Word down. God means what He says and says what He means.

I like the way verse five brings this down off the top shelf: 1 Timothy 1:5 (NASB77) ⁵ But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. The message is LOVE. John 3:16 (NASB77) ¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Now the second from our Lord’s own lips and teaching: Matthew 22:39-40 (NASB77) ³⁹ “The second is like it, ‘ YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ ⁴⁰ ” On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” 

Love is a big deal: And by the way, if the word ”love” sounds kind of soft and mushy and weak to you, it’s not. It’s the Greek word agape, and it’s talking about a love that’s active, and sacrificial, and rugged, and bold and risky. It’s not talking about a feeling. It’s about a fierce commitment to God and to other people that drives the way you live.