“How Shall We Live as a Church?” 1 Timothy 1:1-6:21 (Overview)

“How Shall We Live as a Church?” 1 Timothy 1:1-6:21 (Overview)

An Expositional Sermon
1 Timothy 1:1-6:21 New Testament Overview Sermon
“How Shall We Live as a Church?”

Theme/Big Idea: A biblical church is unified in it’s pursuit to root it’s life upon God’s Word which produces godliness both individually in its members, but corporately as a church.
Aim/Appropriation/ApplicaionPray what this book teaches for our church, pray that we would be grounded on the gospel and the Bible alone, pray that we would oppose false teaching which produces disunity and sin, pray that as we hold to our hope in the gospel of God that through God’s Holy Spirit in conjunction with His Word that God might bear the fruit of godliness in our church and in our individual lives.

Theological Theme: Transcendence, Salvation, Hope, Immortality, Sovereign Kingship/Dominion, Invisible, Dwells in Unapproachable Light
Anthropological Theme: Obedience, Humility, Depravity, Godliness, Inclination to False Teaching

Outline:
A local church’s life together…
(1)
Is Based on Teaching (1 Timothy 1:1-20)
A. Teaching on the doctrine of who God is
B. Teaching on the doctrine of God’s law
C. Teaching on the doctrine of the good news of the gospel
(2) Should be Orderly (1 Timothy 2:1-3:16)
A. Pray and give thanks for kings and those in high positions
B. Men ought to pray without quarelling
C. Women should focus on clothing themselves with good works and not teach or exercise authority over men in the local church
D. Churches should have elders
E. Churches should have deacons
(3) Opposes False Teaching (1 Timothy 4:1-16)
(4) Discerningly Shows Honor To… (1 Timothy 5:1-6:2a)
A. One another (cf. Romans 12:10)
B. Widows
C. Elders who rule well
D. Bondservants/slaves show honor to masters
(5) Agree with Christ’s Teaching, which Produces Perseverance in Godliness (1 Timothy 6:2b-21)

Questions for Further Reflection:
(1) How shall we live together as a church?
(2) If you had to describe the main thing that influences or even governs your decisions and actions what would it be? What is your motive for life? Money, comfort, security, love, acceptance…or is it God?
(3) How would you respond to this question, “Who is God?”
(4) In what ways are you tempted to overestimate human ability?
(5) In what ways are you tempted to minimize the depth of our depravity? 
(6) Does the fact that a man is a gifted communicator and that he has confidence that what he preaches is right make him a good preacher? Why or why not?
(7) Does the fact that our works are unable to justify us before God mean that our works aren’t important? Is there any behavior in your life that may indicate that you actually may not be a Christian? Talk about this with brothers in Christ.
(8) Once we have been justified by faith alone in Christ alone, can our works be pleasing to God? What works in 1 Timothy are described as pleasing to God? How can this be? What is the place of human works in regard to justification and sanctification?
(9) What false teaching and false doctrine do you struggle with? How can you fight to rightly orient you heart to sound doctrine?
(10) What is the only motivation to order our local churches according to Scripture and not the so-called “wisdom of the world”? Is it okay for Christians to be thought of as “odd” by the surrounding culture? Why or why not?
(11) Who are you called to submit to in the relationships you have in your life? Whom can you show honor? Kids to parents. Workers to bosses. Wives to husbands. Citizens to police and governmental leaders in society. Are there specific ways that you can show honor to those in authority over you in a way that would not dishonor Christ?
(12) What are some ways that you can fight the fight of faith this week, to persevere in pursuing godliness while we await the final revealing of Jesus Christ?