The Practical Appeal
Introduction
Paul deals practically with the local church and the pastor’s responsibility. The local church is:
God’s Family, v. 1
The Local Church is the household of God, see Ephesians 2:19.
A. Timothy was Paul’s “son” in the faith. Paul begot Timothy through the Gospel, 1 Corinthians 4:15.
B. Members of the local church are born-again by the Holy Spirit (John 3:1-6) and the Word (1 Peter 1:23).
God’s Treasure, v. 2
A. The treasure of the Gospel that Paul committed or deposited in Timothy.
B. God deposited to the local church the Truth of the Word of God! We must:
- Preserve it
- Guard it
- Pass it on to others
God’s Army, vv. 3-4
A. The Christians’ Call–“to go forth” means “to take to the field as a soldier.”
B. The Christians’ Duty–>”to endure hardship as a good soldier.”
- Don’t be entangled with the world–>Separation
- Be dedicated to please the Commander–>Sanctification
God’s Team, v. 5
There must be teamwork in the local church. Follow the rules so you don’t get disqualified!
God’s Garden, vv. 6-7
A. Husbandman is a servant of the farmer.
- Christ is the owner of the local church.
- We are the servants of the owner.
- The seed is the Word of God.
B. Producing a harvest takes time and work, Galatians 6:9.
Christ’s Body on Earth, vv. 8-13
When the church suffers persecution, we suffer for and with Christ.
God’s School, vv. 14-18
The Ephesian church was attacked by false teachers.
A. Stick to the Basics of the Word / Sound Doctrine. Avoid useless arguments and worldly philosophical ideas.
B. Rightly Divide the Word of Truth. False doctrine eats like a cancer. The remedy is the healthy doctrine of the Bible.
C. Every church should be a Bible school where the Word of God is taught accurately.
God’s House, vv. 19-26
A. Live a sanctified life.
B. Submit to correction by the Word and Repent!