A Good Minister 1 Timothy 4:1-16 (v.6)
I. There are Some Things That He Must Know. A. He must know that he is saved. 1 John 5:13, These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
B. He must know that he is called by God to preach. 1 Timothy 1:12, And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry Romans 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. C. He must know that men are lost.
John 3:18, He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Romans 10:14-15, How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things! V. 17, So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
D. He must know God's remedy for the lost the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 15:1-5, Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. Rom. 1:16 the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
II. There Are Some Things That He Must Do. A. He must preach the Word. 2 Timothy 4:1-2, I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 2 Timothy 2:15, Be diligent (KJV, study) to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
B. He must preach the word, study and pray! 1 Timothy 2:8, I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; Colossians 4:17 Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.
2 Timothy 1:6-9 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began
C. He must practice what he preaches. 1 Timothy 4:7, But reject profane and old wives fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness 1 Timothy 6:11, But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. D. He must love people. 1 Timothy 4:12, Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity 1 Corinthians 13:8, Love never fails.
III. There Are Some Things He Must Remember. A. He must remember that time waits upon no one. James 4:13-16, Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit ; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that. 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
B. He must remember that Jesus said: Matthew 5:14, You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. C. He must remember that he is going to stand at the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of His ministry.
2 Corinthians 5:10-11 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
1 Corinthians 4: 1-2 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
Be a Good Minister of Christ!