First Baptist Lenoir City

Jesus is the Supreme Example we all are to follow.

His pastors & deacons should be next in line. “Consider their faith” - Hebrews 13:7

The Head of the Church is the greatest example for the Church in every way.

Jesus is the Model Shepherd; The Model Servant; The Model Evangelist; The Model Discipler; and The Model Missionary (He set the strategy from day one)

I. God’s New Testament Pastors:

1. Their Calling, Character, & Content

2. Their Heart, Soul, Mind, & Motive -

3. Their personal, church, home life -

4. Their Watching (oversight), Working (serving), and Worshipping (believing & bowing)

• ABLE TO TEACH - The Word of God (II Timothy 2:15: 3:16-17; 4:1-4)

• REPUTATION WITH OUTSIDERS -

II. God’s Pastors: Community Contact

1. Those “outside” of Christ matter

2. There is to be a focus on those outside of Christ (Acts 2:42-47)

3. Other Scriptures focus on those outside of Christ - Paul & Peter

4. I Corinthians 5:12-13a

5. Ephesians 5:15-16

6. Philippians 2:14-16

7. Colossians 4:5-6 8.

II. God is Head of His Church -

1. God calls Pastors - Exodus 3:8-12; 4:10-17; John 21; Acts 9:10-15

• Above reproach

• Husband of one wife

• Temperate

• Self-controlled

• Respectable (consistent; fair)

• Hospitable - approachable; accessible; inviting; welcoming; opens his home

• ABLE TO TEACH - vs actively teaching/preaching

• Not given to drunkenness

• Not violent but gentle (pugnacious)

• Not greedy for money

• Not quarrelsome

• Not covetous

• One who manages his own home well, seeing that his children obey him

• Not a recent/new convert

• Having a good reputation with outsiders (outside the faith)

• Congregation responsibility to Pastors (intertwined)

Men being men - Women being women

(Creative order vs culture like Eph. 5). When God’s people don’t follow God’s roles for His gathered church then we contribute to the gender confusion of our day! (Genesis 3:16-17)

I. Removing everything that distracts our devotion to Jesus - (Isa. 40:3)

a. Men set the example of serving and submitting

b. Women set the example of devotion over distraction - Prov. 31:25; I Peter 3:3

c. “MODEST IS HOTTEST” - Job 31:1

d. “Let women learn…” - not normal. Women aren’t pastors & men aren’t mothers.

e. Motherhood remains God’s creative priority - Is childbearing a blessing or a burden? Proverbs 31 woman prioritized her family and had a thriving business - Lois & Eunice (II Tim. 1:5)

I. The Divine Design of Men - Genesis 1-4

1. God made man - Gen. 1 & 2

2. God made husbands - Gen. 3

3. God made fathers - Gen. 4

II. Paul Exhorts the men at Ephesus - I Timothy 2:8

1.“in every place” -

2.“men should pray” -

3.“lifting holy hands” -

4.“without anger or quarreling” -

III. Paul Challenges the men @ Corinth - I Corinthians 16:13-14

1.“Be on your guard” -

2.“stand firm in the faith” -

3.“act like men” -

4.“be strong” -

5.“do everything in love” -

I. The MESSAGE in God’s Church (A Gospel Message) - 1:1-20 (1:1;1:18 )

II. The MOVEMENT in God’s Church 2:1-7

1. Praying for all People - exclude none

2. Praying for Politicians - Like Nero

3. Praying that God save them and/or …

4. Praying that God save us from them

I. The Main Theme of the Bible: God’s Savior! (Our salvation)

1. God’s Savior is Coming - The Patriarchs & Prophets of Israel

2. God’s Savior is Here - The Apostles

3. God’s Savior is Coming Back- The Church

II. The Books written by Paul - God’s Church is his main focus! God’s chosen instrument for accomplishing His mission!

1. The Theme (Main Idea ) of I Timothy - 3:14-16

2. The Trouble in the Church - is not a new problem.

a. Jesus loves His Church so we should love His Church -

b. Jesus is also concerned with His Church - Revelation 2 & 3

c. Jesus wants us to follow His Model for His Church - 3 Books

III. Threats to His Church - I Timothy 1

a. The Personal relationship - vv. 1-2

b. The Problem of false teachers -vv. 3-11

c. The Passion of Paul for grace - vv. 12-17

d. The Price of blasphemy - vv. 18-20

I. The Rich Man & Lazarus - Luke 16:19-31

Jesus says 3 Main Things:

(1) Religious people go to Hell -

(2) Rich people go to Hell

(3) You are going to Hell unless you change your ways (and their hatred for Jesus continued to build)