Not to Be Taken Lightly

I Timothy 4:12

Preached Wednesday January 6, 2016

Introduction:

Leadership is not a passive position. Up until now we have not studied mostly doctrine, advice and admonition that the apostle Paul gave young preacher boy – Timothy. Paul admonished his young student to war a good warfare and to hold the faith. Paul has described the tactics of false teachers, the need for prayer, the pitfalls of female leadership, the qualifications of pastors and deacons, and the marks of false teachers. There has been a lot of instruction up to this point in the epistle. Now the apostle Paul gives young pastor Timothy an admonition to not allow someone to despise his youth… or not allow folks to take him lightly.

kataphroneo (??????????, 2706), lit., “to think down upon or against anyone” (kata, “down,” phren, “the mind”), hence signifies “to think slightly of, to despise,” Matt. 6:24; 18:10; Luke 16:13; Rom. 2:4; 1 Cor. 11:22; 1 Tim. 4:12; 6:2; Heb. 12:2; 2 Pet. 2:10.¶  ^[1]

The way to avoid being taken lightly is not to whine and cry when folks ignore you, but to let your actions speak louder than your words or tantrums or manipulations.  Double down on your Christian life and live out loud.  Be an example.  Be an example that cannot be taken lightly.

1 Timothy 4:12

12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1. Be an example in word= expression of thought

Ephesians 5:12

12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

Proverbs 15:26

26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words. 

Colossians 4:6

6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

1. Be an example in conversation- manner of life

Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Philippians 1:27

27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

• Be an example of charity- agape love

John 13:34-35

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

1. Be an example in spirit= inner man

Proverbs 4:23

23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 

1. Be an example in faith= firm persuasion, conviction

Hebrews 10:22

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

1. Be an example in purity= chastity

Psalm 101:3

3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

Jude 24

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Jude 24

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

^[1] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, p. 163). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.