Thank you, Ben. And thank you, Nathan, for such a great introduction to Advent. I can totally skip my introduction, so we'll save time.
! So please turn with me to 1 Timothy chapter 4. 1 Timothy chapter 4.
We will be talking about hope, the hope candle.
And with Advent, you have hope, joy, peace, love, and then Christ.
But I'm going to change it a bit, and I'm going to change it to more of a hopefulness.
And as we go through the text, I hope that becomes more clear why that's the case.
So hope, hopefulness, and being in a state of hopefulness during this season and in this life, this present life.
So before you do, consider, and as you turn to 1 Timothy 4, we're going to be in just two verses.
I'll be reading from 6 through 10, but we'll just be looking at 9 and 10 together this morning.
So as you turn there, I want you to consider, how would you define being hopeful right now?
Would you see it as temporal? Do you see it as more temporary?
What I mean by this is, is hope based upon your current circumstances?
Or do you see it temporal as hope that can come and go depending on you or others?
Is it fleeting?
Or do you see hope as more of something that's in the future?
Maybe you say things like, I will be more hopeful when?
Fill in the blank.
Or maybe it's something that feels distant.
Do you feel hopeless in your situation?
Well, I hope you are encouraged this morning with our text.
Because real hopefulness is something that is not distant.
It is not based on your current circumstances or future circumstances or others around you.
But it is founded upon God for those who have faith.
And that is real hopefulness.
So please, look with me in the text to 1 Timothy chapter 4.
I'll be reading 6 through 10.
And I'll do a slower reading.
I'm going to make some comments as we go through to catch us up to verses 9 and 10.
So look with me.
If you put these things, that is, he's talking about in context,
the sound doctrine and healthy teaching outlined above in the previous chapters.
If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus,
being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.
This is Paul writing to Timothy.
Have nothing to do with irreverent silly myths.
This is classic Paul where he's saying, not that, but this.
So have nothing to do with irreverent silly myths.
And here's the but this.
Rather, train yourself for godliness.
For while bodily training is of some value, think limited, idea of limited,
godliness is of value in every way, unlimited.
As it, meaning godliness, holds promise.
This is looking forward to our text in verse 10.
As it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Notice the contrast of not myths, but godliness.
Limited value versus unlimited value.
promise and hope in our text.
In this present life, the life to come.
Verse 9.
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance.
For to this end we toil and strive,
because we have our hope set on the living God,
who is the savior of all people,
especially of those who believe.
So, the big idea here.
Those who believe, or those who have faith,
are hopeful people.
Or are in a state of hopefulness.
So, my outline, if you are a note taker,
there's three points,
and the second point has three points.
So, hopefully that makes sense.
But there's three main points,
and it's, the first one is hopeful word.
I'm sorry.
Fateful word.
The fateful word is first.
Second is fateful hope.
Hope.
The third main point we'll be looking at
is fateful assurance.
So, those are the three main divisions
I've divided this text up into.
And it's fateful word,
fateful hope,
and fateful assurance.
Now, the second,
fateful hope,
I'm going to divide that into three.
And it's a how,
what,
and who.
Three points.
The fateful hope is going to be,
we're going to divide that up.
Into how, what, and who.
So, I know what you're thinking.
At the very end,
what in the world does that mean?
But please,
don't be distracted.
We'll get there.
So, if that's what you're thinking,
if you looked at the text
during this week,
you were like,
I wonder what he's going to say.
But hold on.
Let's have hope as the center.
And so,
look with me in the text.
The first,
first point is fateful word.
The saying,
or the word,
is trustworthy.
Or we can say fateful.
It's trustworthy,
faithful.
And deserving of full,
or complete,
acceptance.
That's,
that's the fateful word.
So, in this,
there are two things
that the saying is.
The saying is both
trustworthy,
and full,
deserving of full,
acceptance.
So, the first,
trustworthy.
So, the reason why I
put fateful,
fateful,
is that,
the faith language,
is used in the first word.
So,
trustworthy,
is faith.
Trust,
belief.
It's that word.
It's a small word,
but has massive implications.
It's a big,
theme in scripture.
So,
when you see faith,
trust,
belief,
in,
the Bible,
think,
of the,
it's probably
the same word.
So, for example,
the first word is,
it opens with,
trustworthy,
in our text,
and it ends,
the last word,
those who believe,
or,
those of faith.
It's the same word.
And so,
it's two bookends.
And in the middle,
is hope.
So,
it works out perfect.
Paul is very,
very clear,
and I really appreciate it.
So,
faith,
think,
faith,
belief,
trust,
they're all related.
And I challenge you to,
as you read scripture,
look out for that small word.
The second thing is,
full,
or deserving of full,
and complete acceptance.
This evokes a response
to something perceived,
to have value.
It has value,
it deserves something,
and it deserves an action,
and that is acceptance.
The saying,
or the word,
is trustworthy and faithful.
Therefore,
the saying and word
deserves to be accepted
on its own terms.
So,
but what is the identity
of this faithful saying?
What's the saying?
Well,
it's debated,
but it could be talking
about something previously,
verse 8.
It could be talking about
just verse 10,
or it could be both.
But I,
I'm going to say
verse 10,
based,
it could go either way,
but I just couldn't
preach verse 8 also.
You'd be here for
even longer.
So,
we'll just have to
wait for that sermon
in the future.
But for,
the reason I picked
verse 10,
so,
I'm,
I'm taking the faithful saying
pointing to verse 10,
is in chapter 1,
you can flip there
if you want,
of 1 Timothy.
Chapter 1,
15,
verse 15,
he points forward
in using the exact
same phrase.
So,
look with me
in verse 15,
chapter 1.
The saying is
trustworthy
and deserving
of full acceptance.
Sounds familiar.
That,
Christ Jesus
came into the world
to save sinners
of whom I am
the foremost.
So,
this,
he's pointing forward
to that Christ Jesus
came into the world.
And he's using
this faithful saying,
this trustworthy saying
in that way.
And also,
for verse 10
that we're about
to launch into,
he uses four,
which is a direction.
So,
that's why I'm taking
these 9 and 10
together.
So,
let's think about this.
With this verse,
the saying is
trustworthy
and deserving
of full acceptance.
In this small verse,
we should,
the text forces us
to stop
and to ask
ourselves questions.
So,
as you read scripture,
as an aside,
when you are provoked
by the spirit
to stop,
ask questions
of text,
please do.
So,
here,
we could say,
we could ask ourselves,
how often do you dwell
on the faithfulness
of God
and his word?
Do you see faith
as
when you just read it
through
and don't dwell on it?
Or do you
see faith,
trust,
belief
here
as something
that draws you
closer to the Lord?
Does it provoke
a response
of fear
and awe
that draws you
closer to him?
Are there things
in your life
that are preventing
you to connect
both knowing
that God's word
is faithful
and also
evoking a response
in your daily life?
Is there something
that's preventing you
that you know
immediately
when I ask that question?
Ask yourself
these questions.
Ask them,
answer them,
and bring those things
to the Lord.
That's what the text
forces us to do here.
So,
next,
verse 10,
faithful hope.
That's the big point
and this is the first
of three points
of faithful hope.
So,
look with me.
this is the how,
the how of hope.
For to this end,
or we could say
for this reason,
we toil
and labor.
Toil
or labor.
And
strive.
Or we could say
engage
and struggle.
So,
for to this end,
we toil
and strive.
Now,
I'm going to
give you
an
alternative
translation here
that I really like.
I tend to
use this
for toward
this,
we work
and compete.
For
toward
this,
pointing
to the next
point
of hope.
For toward
this,
we work
and we
compete.
And
I like this
because it
captures the
direction,
the preposition
for this.
for this
could be
a direction
moving forward
to our next
verse,
or the next
part of the
verse.
For toward
this,
we work
and compete.
So,
these two
verbs,
it's one
idea,
but there's
two verbs.
They have
two different
nuances,
but the same
idea.
So,
let's look at
both.
Toil.
Toil,
we could say
labor,
we could say
work.
This is
more of the
idea of
laboring
to the
point of
exhaustion.
And this
has an
emphasis,
if you take
notes,
this is
importance.
You could
say,
you could
write
external
above it
if you
would like.
This has
an external
challenge
to the
nuance.
So,
let's think.
What's
external
challenge and
struggle?
Marriage,
it could be,
it could be
parenting,
it could be
providing.
the list
could go
on.
Your
workplace
could be
an external
struggle and
work for
you.
The next
verb is
strive.
Strive could
be struggle,
engage in
struggle,
compete.
This is
metaphorically
used for
athletic
competition,
but in
context,
this is more
of a moral
struggle.
So,
this is
involving
oneself,
and this
is,
if you
want to
write,
if you
wrote
external
above
the
first
verb,
second
verb,
you could
say
internal.
This has
an internal
challenge to
the nuance.
So,
think about
fighting sin,
repenting,
godliness,
sanctification.
These two
verbs repeat
for emphasis
the idea
that the
Christian life
is a
work and
struggle,
whether due
to internal
or external
challenges.
And we
could stop
and we
could easily
see some
application
here.
So,
toiling,
external
struggle,
striving,
internal
struggle.
And,
ask yourself
this question,
do you
over or
under
emphasize
one or
the other?
Do you
think more
about your
challenges
that are
external to
you?
or do
you think
about the
challenges
that are
more
internal?
We are
called to
balance
both.
I like
the
metaphor
that
Acts
uses for
the
Christian
life
as the
way
or
the
road.
And if
the
Christian
life is
a road,
there are
two sides
of every
road.
And there
are two
ditches
to this
road.
And we
could have
good
intentions,
but we
could
overemphasize
things to
where we
become more
in one
ditch than
on our
road of
the Christian
life.
So,
we need
to avoid
toiling in
our external,
making our
external life
godly,
but not
emphasizing the
internal struggle
of our
internal sin.
And vice
versa.
But,
I want to
be careful.
We do
not bring
about hope
ourselves.
None of
this toiling
or striving
is really
only to
us.
We do
not hope
to this
end because
of our
work.
But Paul
is pointing
out the
struggle in
this present
life.
He's
acknowledging
that this
is hard.
Hoping
in God
is
difficult
in this
present
life.
But,
be encouraged.
Notice
the,
notice that
I said
that we
work and
we compete.
There's a
we here,
which means
you are not
alone.
You are in
community,
and the church
is a community
of sinners,
and we
are both
trying to
walk that
narrow way
together.
So,
be encouraged
you are not
alone in
this struggle.
We have
our hope
set on the
living God.
And here's our
central,
if we're going to
be in the
middle,
this is our
middle.
because we
have our
hope set
on the
living God.
Another
translation can
be because we
have hope
based in
God who
lives.
And then
the one I
like,
just to mix
things up,
is that we
are hopeful
upon the
living God.
That we
are hopeful
upon the
living God.
And this is
the middle
central of
our text
here.
And there
are four
sections to
this,
and we'll
take one
by one.
So,
let's look at
because.
I like that
more of
because.
Think of
less of
because,
but more of
the idea of
that.
And when I
say that,
small
nuance,
but it's
important.
We are
to be
working and
competing
toward this
objective,
that we
are hopeful
upon the
living God.
And that
right there
is that.
And then
second,
we are
hopeful.
That's the
second division
here.
We are
hopeful.
And here
is the
verb that's
in the
middle.
We are
hopeful
is in
a form
that
is more
of a
state.
It's a
state
of
hopefulness
with regard
to expectation.
So,
think of
state of
hopefulness.
The point
is not
that we
have hoped
and continue
to hope,
but that
we who
have faith
are in
a hopeful
state.
As hopeful
people in
our orientation
toward
God.
You see
the state
of being
hopeful.
And then
you see
toward
God.
We are
hopeful.
The verb
suggests an
existing state
of hope
in God
based upon
the promise
of life.
And remember
the promise
in earlier
verse that I
pointed out.
And think of
a more
complete hope,
state of
hopefulness,
than an
ongoing hope.
And that's
where hope
is not
fleeting.
Hope is
not
depending on
your circumstances,
but it is
always there
in God.
So,
the third,
look at me,
set on,
based in,
upon,
the living
God.
So,
set on
is metaphorically
applied to the
placing of
hope upon
God,
or set
on the
living God.
And this,
the fourth
and final,
the living
God,
is kind
of odd.
We don't
normally say
the living
God,
but I
believe that
Paul adds
a small
detail to
remind us
that God
is who
both is
life and
gives life
to his
followers.
followers,
and he
is a
God who
is involved
in our
lives,
and he
brings
life.
Small
word that
we could
easily pass
through,
that he
is the
living God
in our
daily lives.
So,
it might be
summarized like
this,
the what
and the
content of
our hope.
Might be
summarized like
this,
the content
of our
working and
competing is
a hopefulness
toward God,
that God
will do
what he
has promised.
And God
will do
what he
has promised
because he
is the
living God.
Do you
see the
Christian
life,
your life,
if you
have faith,
as marked
by being
in a state
of hopefulness?
Do you
see hope
as something
only in the
future,
like we
asked before?
This text
teaches that
it is a
perpetual
state of
hope that
is in the
present,
that is
now.
I hope
that's
encouraging
to you.
As you
know and
see the
work of
the living
God in
your daily
life,
let this
text remind
you that
we who
have faith
and trust
in God
are a
hopeful
people today,
no matter
what our
circumstances.
So,
how would
this might
be applied
to our
life?
We
actually
have a
concrete
example of
applying this
teaching,
this saying,
to a
specific
situation
in 1
Timothy.
So,
turn with
me to
the end
of 1
Timothy,
chapter 5,
Real
quick.
1
Timothy,
chapter 5,
and we'll
be reading
verses 3
and 6.
And this
is specific
instructions
from Paul
to Timothy
in the
church.
And that
notice,
he applies
this text,
or,
well,
we could
say,
the women
in the
church
have already
applied this
in their
life.
So,
read with
me.
Chapter 5,
verse 3,
honor widows
who are
truly widows.
But if a
widow has
children or
grandchildren,
let them
first learn
to show
godliness
in their
own
household,
and to
make some
return to
their parents.
For this
is pleasing
in the sight
of God.
She who
is truly
a widow,
left all
alone,
has set
her hope
on God,
and continues
in supplications
and prayers,
night and
day.
But she
who is
self-indulgent
is dead
even while
she lives.
Notice,
she who
is truly
a widow,
left all
alone,
has set
her hope
on God.
This is
an application
of what Paul
has already
taught Timothy
in the
previous chapter.
Are you
in a life
circumstance
that leaves
you feeling
alone?
Be
encouraged.
Hopefulness
toward the
triune God
leads to
continuous
supplication
and prayer
for God's
glory,
even in the
midst of
loneliness.
Be
encouraged.
You can
have a
state of
hopefulness
that is
outside your
circumstances,
but only
upon the
living God.
hope.
Now for
the third
and final
point of
the second
of the
fateful hope
point.
So,
who?
The who?
Who is
the Savior
of all
people?
Who is
the Savior
of all
people?
God?
You might
have some
questions about
the very
end of
verse 10
when it
says,
especially
of those
who believe
or even
of all
people.
And to
understand this
correctly,
we'll have
to ask,
who is the
Savior in
this verse?
And what
does the
Savior mean?
And we'll do
this right
now.
So,
Savior in
this context
is God.
Pretty simple.
But,
he actually
repeats this.
So,
if you flip
over to
chapter 1,
verse 1,
the very
first verse
of this
book,
1 Timothy,
if you flip
there,
it says,
Paul writes,
Paul,
an apostle
of Christ
Jesus,
by command
of God,
our Savior,
and of
Christ
Jesus,
our hope.
Notice,
Paul is
connecting
Jesus with
hope as
well as
God is
our Savior.
If you
turn to
chapter 2,
flip over,
chapter 2,
verses 3
and 4,
he writes,
this is good
and it is
pleasing in
the sight of
God,
our Savior,
who desires
all people to
be saved
and to
come to
the knowledge
of the
truth.
And you
don't have
to turn
here,
but in
John,
you can
write this
down,
John,
chapter 4,
39 and
42.
This is
Jesus and
the woman
of Samaria.
I'll read
this for you.
Many
Samaritans
came from
that town,
believed in
him because
of the woman's
testimony.
He told me
all that I
ever did.
So when the
Samaritans
came to him,
they asked him
to stay with
him,
and he
stayed there
two days,
and many
more believed
because of
his word.
They said
to the woman,
it is no
longer because
of what
you said
that we
believe,
for we
have heard
for ourselves,
and we
know that
this is
indeed
the Savior
of the
world.
This is
just one
of many
examples we
could come
up with.
But notice,
Paul uses
the same
title for
God
in 1
Timothy
as John
uses for
Jesus.
So you
see this
Trinitarian
means here.
So what
does Savior
mean?
This requires
a close
reading of
scripture,
so let us
be close
readers now.
So it
may sound
universal,
especially
all people,
but God
can mean
two things
in this
verse.
It can
either be
God can
be the
preserver
and sustainer
and giver
of life.
This is
good,
and it
is true,
and it
is biblical,
but not
from this
text,
not in
the context
of this
letter.
So the
actual
context,
if we
think about
it,
Paul is
speaking to
those who
are rejecting
the good
doctrine from
God to
the apostles,
and in
turn,
he's talking
to Timothy
and those
rejecting the
gospel message.
So this
forces us,
Savior,
I propose,
means one
who saves
or saves
or potentially
saves all
people.
So you
see this
actuality and
potentiality
concept here.
He is
actually the
Savior for
those who
believe,
and he
is
potentially
Savior for
those who
have yet
to believe.
And that's
how he
can say,
God,
who is
the Savior
of all
people.
So,
of all
people,
or humanity,
let's look at
that.
This cannot
mean not
each and every
human within
humanity.
It cannot
mean that.
Now,
I don't know
why I did
this to myself,
because last
time I did
an Advent
sermon,
it was
John 3.16,
and this
same concept
came up.
So,
this is
straight from
my sermon
two years
ago.
But,
all is
a very
important
word in
scripture.
We have
to be
careful,
because
all does
not mean
all,
and that's
all all
means,
if you've
heard that.
It's actually
not true in
the biblical
sense.
So,
we have to
be careful
with this,
because that
could lead
us down
some
interesting
roads.
So,
all
without
exception,
or does
it mean
all without
distinction?
So,
all without
exception
would be
each and
every
individual
human.
But,
I think
that Paul
and John
and a lot
of other
texts,
when it
says all
in this
universal
language
that's
being used,
it's more
of an
all without
distinction.
And that
is the
gospel message.
Think about
it.
In this
context,
Jew,
Gentile.
Gentiles
coming to
know
the Lord.
This is
the whole
book of
the message
of the
book of
Acts
that they're
dealing
with.
Massive.
That's why
the Great
Commission
is such
great news
to the
nations.
And we'll
continue.
We'll go
straight into
the next
section,
because it's
made even
more clear
by those
who believe.
So,
the third
and final
point is
faithful
assurance.
So,
this is
especially
those who
believe.
I'm going
to take
this.
Especially
is totally
fine.
But,
when you see
especially here,
if you write
in your Bible
or you take
notes,
put particularly.
that's more
of the
ideal.
It's to
be precise,
or namely,
I mean.
That's,
I would
have rather
seen particularly
those of
faith.
That makes
more sense.
Especially,
it's okay.
You can trust
your Bibles.
But,
being close
readers of
Scripture,
we can say
particularly.
So,
particularly
captures
Paul's one,
it's Paul's
desire that
all humanity
be saved,
his desire,
and we see
that in
chapter 2,
we just read.
And also,
Paul's
recognition that
it is those
of faith
who will
be saved.
This is
the work
and competition
we've seen
earlier,
that Paul
directs
Timothy
and potentially
others of
faith to
be engaged
with.
So,
to those
of faith,
if you have
trust in the
Lord,
this is a
reminder of
the Lord's
grace and
his patience
towards us
in this
present life.
Remember that
the Lord
has been
patient towards
you.
But,
if you
do not
have trust
in the
Lord,
if you do
not have
faith,
do you
believe that
God is
Savior?
Do you
believe that
God is
the living
God?
This is
calling you
to believe
and trust
in the
only Savior.
This text
today.
And you
can do
this by
turning from
yourself
repentance
and turn
to the
triune,
living God
who saves
with your
whole heart,
with your
thoughts,
your desires,
and your
choices.
So we
could summarize
this,
this way.
The faithful
statement,
the faithful
saying,
is this,
that our
struggle is
to be as
those who
are hopeful.
That our
struggle is to
be those who
are hopeful
that the
living God
is not
just the
potential
Savior of
all,
but actually
the Savior
of those
who believe.
See how
this belief,
trust,
faith language
is so
central to
hope.
So let's
conclude.
The main
idea,
as we've
said before,
are those
who have
faith,
those who
believe,
are a
hopeful
people,
and we
are in a
state of
hopefulness.
We have
seen through
the faithful
word,
the faithful
hope,
the how,
what,
and who,
and now
the faithful
assurance.
Now,
one last
place I
want you
to turn.
We actually
have an
example of
this played
out again
in 2 Timothy
chapter 4.
So turn
with me.
2 Timothy
chapter 4
is at the
very end
of Paul's
life,
in Paul's
last days.
He knows
he will be
killed
soon.
and he
writes to
Timothy
this letter.
And at
the very
end,
in 2 Timothy
chapter 4
verses 6
through 8,
I'll read.
For I
am ready,
for I am
already being
poured out as
a drink
offering.
Think
toiling and
striving all
his life.
And the
time of my
departure has
come.
I have
fought the
good fight.
I have
finished the
race.
I have
kept the
faith.
Henceforth,
there is
laid up for
me the
crown of
righteousness,
which the
Lord, the
righteous judge,
will award
to me on
that day.
Think
hopefulness
in the
living God.
And not
only to me,
but also to
all who
have loved
his appearing.
Think
to those
who have
faith and
belief and
trust.
Look at
that.
There's
three verbs
here in
verse 7.
Fought,
finished,
kept.
We toil
or work
and strive
or fight
today so
that we can
say with
Paul,
I have
fought the
good fight.
I have
finished the
race.
faith,
we as
with Paul
can only
do this
by having
faith,
belief,
trust in
the living
God who
saves and
is the
only source
of our
hopefulness
in this
life as
well as
to the
life to
come.
He's the
only source
of our
hopefulness
in this
life as
well as
the life
to come.
Pray with
me.
Pray with
me.
Pray with
me.