* But this Fight Between Good and Evil Is Not Just The Stuff Of Hollywood Movies - it s the very fabric of life in this world.

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1 The Fight Is On # 1 Fight The Good Fight 1 Timothy 1:1-2 Introduction The is Evil but there is Good. There is Judgement but there is Deliverance There is Despair but There Is Hope *There Is A Constant Fight Between Good And Evil. - this fight is classically portrayed in the classic comic book character SUPERMAN - You know the comic/movie character Superman. - "Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman!". ** In the classic fight between Good and Evil - Metropolis is a city tormented and harassed by evil villains - needs a good hero who will overcome the evil. Illustrate: 1978 Superman Movie - Super Man does not show up in the movie until ½ through the movie. The writers spend a whole hour and 1/4 setting the scene for the arrival of Superman. You cannot appreciate the importance, power and liberation of Superman until you understand the hopelessness and despair that engulfs the city. - The writers set it up so that you feel that all the people of Metropolis are a half-breath away from drowning in a soup of deep woe and absolute hopeless despair as evil grips the city. Once you know and feel the depth of despair that evil has brought to the city Superman shows up on the scene to overcome evil and save the city. * But this Fight Between Good and Evil Is Not Just The Stuff Of Hollywood Movies - it s the very fabric of life in this world. * Today we begin a series on the book of 1 Timothy - one of three books along with 2 Tim and Titus that make up what is called the Pastoral Epistles. * As we begin - let s put the book in the big context of life in this world. - Let s go back all the way to the book of Genesis I. The Fight Is On - The Great Cosmic Conflict CREATION: And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (Gen 1:31) - Everything God created was good. Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" (Gen 3:1) - Satan the Evil One Steps In AND THE FIGHT IS ON - from the very early days of human history There has been this Great Cosmic Conflict between good and evil.

2 (Build Up The Conflict And Fight) - GLOBAL COSMIC CONFLICT BATTLE FOR THE SOULS OF HUMANITY. - like it or not we are in a battle. GOOD: Loving Heavenly Father - loves His creatures created by God for fellowship and blessing EVIL: Satan the Evil One - Satan s Goal is to overthrow the rule of God * So, This Fight Between Good And Evil Is Not Just The Stuff Of Hollywood Movies - This is Real Life. ** Follow the Story Line Of The Bible God Brings Deliverance From The Evil I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. (Gen 3:15) CHRIST - Cross Purchase Salvation 1 Tim 1:1 GOD OUR SAVIOUR - Deliverer - Most often Christ our Saviour. - only in Pastorals does Paul call the Father Saviour - save us from Sin and judgement and tyranny of the Evil One. * God who saves us God who sets us free - God who gives us new life 1 Tim 1:1 JESUS CHRIST OUR HOPE - In the midst of the Cosmic Conflict Christ is our is the source of our hope HOPE = certainty and firm conviction to hope in Christ, then, is to live a life characterized by confidence in the future as a result of trusting in Christ regardless of the circumstances under which you are living now. - Your hope is not in Politicians The good life Financial security - - YOUR HOPE IS IN JESUS CHRIST HOW IS GOD GOING TO CARRY OUT HIS PLAN OF DELIVERANCE AND HOPE How will Good overcome Evil in the world Matthew 16:13-19 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matt 16:18) Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. GREAT COMMISSION * Church - has the deposit of the Gospel that brings deliverance and hope

3 * GOSPEL BROUGHT THROUGH THE CHURCH IS GOD S PLAN. THE CHURCH IS GOD S PLAN TO BRING DELIVERANCE AND HOPE TO THE WORLD - The church with the Gospel of Jesus Christ is God s plan for the world. Most important institution on face of the earth ** Movement today say Church irrelevant unimportant Totally out of sync with Scriptures Church: - don t forsake it - don t neglect it - don t give up on it Get This: The Church is God s Plan To Bring Deliverance and Hope To The World * God has choose that He will execute His plan of Redemption through His Body The Church. - He Has Entrusted To Us The Gospel Of Jesus Christ And Has Commissioned Us With The Most Important Task In The World. Now We re Coming To 1 Timothy ** THE ENEMY WANTS TO DESTROY THE GOSPEL NEEDS TO DESTROY THE CHURCH That s his goal That s his strategy to overthrow the reign of God in the world. (STRESS ATTACK ON THE CHURCH). II. To Be A Follower Of Jesus Is To Be In the Fight IMPORTANCE OF THE CHURCH ** Church not just a place to gather on Sunday not insignificant not irrelevant - not meaningless ** IT IS GOD S MEANS TO TAKE THE GOSPEL INTO THE WORLD God s plan to bring Salvation And Hope to a desperately hurting world ** Satan s very plan is to destroy the church - because you are part of the church, his goal is to destroy you - to distract you - to hinder you - to harass you so that you are rendered ineffective - His goal is to discourage you - to depress you to defeat you - to cause you to forget that in the midst of this great Cosmic Conflict, God Himself has come to Deliver you and that your ** TO BE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS IS TO BE IN THE FIGHT This is not insignificant You are involved in the Great Cosmic Fight for the souls of men and women and young people. When Satan tries to destroy and bring chaos and hopelessness - we are in the battle to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ. * To be the church of Jesus Christ is not insignificant and irrelevant and its not for the faint hearted. It is a battle and Satan is out to destroy the church because in the power of the Holy Spirit we are his greatest threat.

4 ** Like it or not we are in the battle We Know God Is Going To Win - But we still have to fight the good fight ** In the Pastoral Epistles 1+2 Tim; Titus Instruction For The Church In The Midst Of The Fight Read 1 Timothy 1:1-2 1 TIMOTHY BACKGROUND * Paul The Apostle - Apostle one sent - 2 ways used in N.T. Those who are sent out by a church Those called and commissioned directly by risen Christ (Watch out for those who call themselves Apostles today. There is an Apostolic movement claiming Apostolic authority. Apostle - seen resurrected Lord - called directly by Him) Paul had planted the Church in Ephesus - he had spent several years there. He s near the end of his life. 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus last books he writes He writes 1 Tim in about AD. He is executed about AD Knowing That The Church Is God s Plan To Bring Deliverance And Hope He is concerned that after his departure it remains strong. He knows Satan will attack - false teachers are already infiltrating the church. Timothy: - He has sent Young Pastor Timothy to look after the church - Not Pastor as we know it our Pastor is an Elder (Ch. 3) - to be His Apostolic Representative - spoke with Apostolic authority PURPOSE: 1 Tim 1:3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, * Uphold Sound Doctrine Gospel 1 Tim 3:14-15 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth. * How To Conduct Church 1 Tim 4:16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. * Encouragement For Timothy to watch himself and his teaching ministry In Pastoral Epistles Paul Carefully Lays Out How To Conduct Ourselves In The Church so that we will not be knocked off course.

5 * We re going to learn in this book how to do church. We re going to learn and be encouraged, no commanded, to hold true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ - because it is Satan s constant goal to distract us from the Gospel not only in terms of Salvation but in terms of daily victorious living. III. Fight The Good Fight War on the Gospel - God s plan for the good of humanity. Always danger of moving away from sound doctrine and the Gospel Message. Read 1 Timothy 1:2 - think of these words in terms of salvation - but Paul is writing to Timothy (believer) * Gospel Message For Salvation and Daily Living 1. Grace (Charis) * God s Undeserved Favour, love, and forgiveness that frees us from the consequences of sin. -God s undeserved love and limitless kindness toward people * not just grace that originally saves. ** It is God s Grace That Is Bestowed Up You Every Moment Because God is Your Saviour And Christ Is Your Hope You Are Always In God s Favour (Stress God s Favour) Dear people please understand this You are never out of God s Favour He delights in you He showers you with His grace and favour. ** - It is the lie of the Enemy of our Souls that having come to Christ we some how have to earn His favour. Illustrate: - Grand kids - not perfect - but delight in them they have Grumpy s attention. Grumpy loves to see them grow - even through their errors and disobedience - Loves it when they climb up on his lap even if its right after a time out. Don t you mess with those kids - they have Grumpy s favour. ** In the Midst of the Fight It is God s Grace That Sustains You. ** Paul reminds Timothy and Us That In Spite of the Fight, We Live Under the Good Favour Of God our Father and Christ Jesus Our Lord. 2. Mercy (eleos) * Interesting - only in Timothy does Paul add Mercy to his salutation - We ll see why in a couple of weeks. Mercy is when because of Christ, you do not receive the judgement you deserve. We are daily conscious of our failure God mercy is upon us. *Gospel of Jesus Christ is about Mercy for undeserving sinners in Jesus Christ - not only for salvation but every moment of your life. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. (Lam 3:22-23) * Satan s daily lie to you follower of Jesus is that God s mercy is not for you every day.

6 * Paul reminds us that because of Christ we live constantly under God s mercy. 3. Peace (eirene) In the midst of this Great Cosmic Battle in the midst of all the evil that can come against us - in the midst of most dire circumstances that we face - in the midst of what seems like hopelessness Because we live under the Grace and favour of our God - because we are flooded daily with His mercy we have Peace even in the midst of the Fight. Lives at Peace - unshaken - unmoved The Goal Of The Evil One - is to Rob Us and the World Of this Glorious Gospel. To Rob us of the Joy Of Walking In God s Favour - Knowing His Daily Mercy - And From Having Hearts That Are At Peace. Conclusion * And, because this Gospel Message And The Church Of Jesus Christ Are So Crucial To God s Redemptive Plan For The World - Satan is at War to destroy the Gospel And Destroy The Church and the Fight Is On. His strategy is to get us off course to make us lazy to distract us from the Fight. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Tim 6:12) We Are The Church THE CHURCH IS GOD S PLAN TO BRING DELIVERANCE AND HOPE TO THE WORLD Illustration: My instruments, my instruments