Amen. Let us turn then to 1st Timothy chapter 6, page 1265. 1265 and most if not all of the Bibles under the seats. As we, Lord willing, will reach the conclusion of working through this letter. This letter, which as we have said a few times as we've worked through it, it is a personal letter. It is to Timothy, but it's also a semi-public letter. And that's perhaps seen most clearly at the end here. We have a couple of times where Timothy is addressed directly, including by name, near the very end in verse 20. We also have times when plainly more than Timothy is in mind, including the very last word, grace be with you. In the Greek, that's a plural. Grace be with you all. And so, brothers and sisters, let us hear this word from God's Word, 1 Timothy 6, beginning at verse 11. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 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. I charge you in the presence of God who gives life to all things and of Christ Jesus who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will display at the proper time, He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see, To Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, and the storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future. so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, for by professing it, some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you. Grace be with you all. Dear congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, what is the value? What does the price tag say? We look at this all the time. Whenever we log on to Amazon, one of the first things we look at is what's the price? What's the price tag on all these items? Or if we're walking through a store, we're often going to look at the little price sticker, the price tag. What is the value? of this. And in many other ways, even if you don't log into Amazon or walk into a Piggly Wiggly on a certain day, even on days when you're not doing that, we're still assigning value to things all the time. Let's think about this. When you decide when to go to sleep, you might be assigning too little value to sleep by going to bed too late or by deciding when to wake up. If you sleep in too late you might be assigning too much value to sleep. Or here's another way to think about it. What about our relationships? Do we assign value in our relationships every day? When we are intentionally spending time with those close to us, those around us, when we look them in the eye when we are intentionally listening to and sharing things with others. Are we not by doing or not doing those things putting a certain value on the relationships we have in our lives. See there are all kinds of ways to think about value and what is valuable and that is a thread, a theme of the language which is pulled through this conclusion to the letter of 1st Timothy. There's so much here about value, about what to value, about what not to value, especially right at the beginning in verse 11, which takes us back to the previous verses which had that common theme as well. What do we value? What do we see as being worth our attention and worth our directed affections, our directed heart values. So our theme this morning is this, value God's ways as we await God's appearing and the true treasure that comes with God's appearing. And we're going to look first at valuable virtues And then in our second point, we're going to look at the middle of our text, this hymn of praise, this hymn of praise to God, which comes in the middle of our text, point two, our sovereign Savior, and then point three, true treasure. Well, here is another direct address to Timothy. The you in verse 11 is singular, but as for you, O man of God, you, Timothy, the first recipient of this letter, Flee these things. Flee what was described before, verse 11. Flee things such as the love of money, verse 10. The love of controversy, the beginning of verse 5. The love of self, pride, having a haughty spirit, the beginning of verse 4. Flee these things and pursue righteousness. This is language which is common in scripture. This is a common picture in the Old and New Testaments. Indeed, in the Old Testament, one of the key words to describe repentance is the word turn. It's the word turn. Turn away from your sins and turn to God and to the righteousness God calls us to. The language here in our text, flee these things, Flee from those things described from verses 4 to 10 and instead pursue righteousness. Flee those vices that were mentioned and pursue these virtues. We sometimes call verse 11 a virtue list. And there's a number of these in the New Testament. There's at least a half dozen or more virtue lists. where we're called to put on certain things, where we're called to pursue certain things. Then we get a list of words that should describe the Christian life and no two of these lists is exactly alike. There's all kinds of words to describe the Christian life and the Christian virtues that we are called into. The six virtues listed here are first righteousness and godliness. We are called to be holy as God is holy. And then faith. We are called to trust and believe, not in ourselves, but in God. Faith is a word that takes us away from ourselves into where our gaze of trust should be. We are called to love. God himself is love. And as we think about the summary of virtues, the summary of God's commandments, the summary of what we're called to do, it is What? It's the two words of love. Love God first, love your neighbor also. And then the last two words here, steadfastness and gentleness. It is hard to hold those two things in balance. There's a temptation to have an attitude of steadfastness and standing firm upon the truth of God's word that reaches a point where it becomes, well, it becomes contested, it becomes combative, and it becomes an excuse to leave no room for any kind of disagreement in any way. There's a temptation to be steadfastly proud beyond even what's clearly revealed in Scripture. On the other hand, there are those who may have a spirit of gentleness who may be gentle in spirit and not quick to judgment, not quick to jump upon others, but then that spirit of gentleness is so overemphasized that they never stand steadfastly for anything and against any falsehoods, not even a different doctrine, which is one of the key themes all throughout 1 Timothy, especially that whole first chapter. You need to stand against these false teachers. You need to be steadfast. against this different doctrine that is being proclaimed by some. But we're called to both steadfastness and gentleness and to be firm upon the Word of God but to do so in a gentle and loving way. And then the Apostle moves into an illustration. It's a charge given in athletic language. Fight the good fight of the faith. Now perhaps, perhaps this is an illustration where, remember this is one of the times Timothy is being addressed directly and perhaps the Apostle is giving what we might call a more male illustration because it is, it's from, it's an athletic language, it's not military language, it's It's athletic fights is what the Greek word is talking about. So what's the illustration here? It's be like a boxer, be like a wrestler. We know that military language is used throughout scripture as well. This is a less common illustration but that's the illustration here. Be like a boxer in the fighting match. Now I do not know a lot about boxing But I have actually read quite a bit when I was younger about boxing. Because when I was younger, I grew up in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. And I was young enough that you still had the print newspaper coming out every day. And when I was 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, I'd go out every day. And I'd grab the paper right when it came. And I'd read the whole sports section. That was like my reward for finishing my homeschooling day. And perhaps the best boxer of the 21st century is from Grand Rapids. And so even if boxing wasn't my favorite thing, there was all kinds of articles about boxing because the best boxer in the world is from your city. You know, boxing is not just throwing punches. It's not just going out there and throwing your arms around. It is that which requires discipline. And a huge part of boxing is proper defense, a disciplined defense. Indeed, the boxer from Grand Rapids, Floyd Mayweather, again considered the best boxer in the 21st century by many. He's especially known for his defense. He is so disciplined when he steps into the ring. All the punches that all the other best boxers in the world have thrown at him, round after round after round after round, from fight to fight to fight, he's never been knocked out. Rarely does a punch land. He's disciplined. He has not thrown off his balance. This is a picture of the Christian life. Are you balanced? Are you Disciplined are you ready for all of the okay? Don't watch my boxing form But are you ready for all of the different punches of the Christian life and sometimes it comes in one big right hook? Sometimes it's one big thing that we weren't expecting. Other times it comes in a whole combination and it's like one little thing after another. Can I really handle this? Can I handle this temptation combined with this difficult life circumstance combined with that temptation? And maybe I block the first three but then the fourth one comes and I'm not ready for it. It's a picture of the Christian life. Constantly being on guard, being disciplined, round after round, punch after punch, sometimes throwing out punches. Again, Timothy, one of the themes throughout this letter is he must fight against the false teachers. But when you throw out punches, is it wild and unrestrained anger? Or is the throwing of punches also disciplined, coordinated, done with the mind to keep your defenses up even as you're throwing punches out? Maybe sometimes we get so wild in throwing punches that we're leaving ourselves exposed and not thinking about our own spiritual life and our own spiritual health. All we're thinking is about throwing punches and if you're in a boxing ring that's not going to work very well. This is a picture of the Christian life and it leads up to this reminder and again this is still the portion directed especially to Timothy but Most agree that the language of confession, and the language of speaking in many witnesses, and the language of charge and commandment in verses 12 and 13 and 14, this is probably speaking about Timothy's public profession of faith. And that's something we're all called to do. We're all called to speak a profession. I believe in Jesus Christ. I will be his, and I will hear the charge that comes with that. So are we ready to make the good confession? To say, I am Christ's and I will serve Him. I will be one of His warriors. That's more common language in Scripture. I will be a ready fighter for Christ. Brothers and sisters, are you disciplined in your spiritual life? This is a charge especially to Timothy. But these virtues should describe each and every one of us, brothers or sisters. If someone close to you was asked to describe you in five or six words, how many of these words would be in that list? You're described as gentle, as full of faith, as full of love for Christ, as steadfast, righteous, godly. Well, brothers and sisters, let's come now to our second point. And as we move forward in the text, we see there's a movement from the confession that Timothy is to make, and then there's reference to the only perfect confession, the confession of Christ Jesus himself, who when he stood before Pontius Pilate, described in verse 13 here, the the record of it is found in John chapter 19 when Jesus Christ did before Pontius Pilate he was asked are you the king of the Jews and and that is that is the question that could get you killed by the Roman authorities right if you're claiming to have political authority if you're claiming to be a king that's what can get you killed by the Roman authorities Jesus is the king of the Jews he is the king overall Pilate, you would have no authority unless I gave it to you." Paraphrasing John 19. And so Jesus Christ, always ready to speak the truth, spoke the truth in the presence of the Roman authorities, which would get Him crucified. Because Jesus never sinned. Jesus never lied. Jesus willingly went and took the punishment of sin on that cross. Jesus is much more than our example, but He is not less than our example. He is the only one who gives a perfect confession, because who is He? He is the one who appeared once, He is the one who will appear again, verse 14, indeed He is the only sovereign, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. We had six virtues that the Christian is called to in verse 11. Now we have six descriptions of the one and only Lord Jesus Christ. The first three there in verse 15, they relate to the relationship of Christ to this world. He is the one of all authority. He is the only sovereign over all. He's the King of Kings. He's the Lord of Lords. The next three relate to his essence, relate to his attributes, relate to his characteristics, who he is himself. So we move from verse 15 to verse 16. He alone has immortality. Now each and every one of us has a spirit that will last forever. But only God is the owner of immortality. Only God is the source of life, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light. We're going to stop and focus on this one a little bit. What is light in the New Testament? So often we're not talking about physical light, but we're talking about spiritual light and righteousness. and that is exactly what's going on here. Jesus is the only one who dwells in unapproachable light. He is the only one who is perfectly light, perfectly righteous. There's no darkness in Him at all. There's no sin in Him at all. Now, with that in mind, let's step back for a moment and think about all of 11 to 21. because in the verses before this we have all these virtues that we're called to and in the verses after this we're gonna have some final commandments, some final encouragement, some final words about at the conclusion of the letter, what we should do, what we should not do. But what is in the middle? In the middle is this hymn of praise to the only one who's perfectly light, to the only one who has no sin. So how do we think about divine sovereignty, God's rule over all, and man's responsibility. We have all these commands. We have all these things we're called to do. There's right here in our text, before and after this hymn of praise, there's all these virtues we're to put on. There's all these things that we are to avoid or to do. What is the place? Where does this fit? Am I responsible? Well, in a sense, yes. We really have these commands. We're really called into these virtues. But how is it possible for man to be responsible for good in any way? Only when we're trusting in the One who is the true source of light. Only when we're trusting in the One who Himself is righteous. Please turn back with me to Philippians chapter 2, where this is stated we might say more plainly. Because in 1 Timothy 6, it's virtues that we're called to, things that we're called to, and the glory of Christ in the center. It's not really described how that works together. In Philippians chapter 2, it's described how that works together. Philippians chapter 2, verses 12 and 13. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed. So now, not only in my presence, but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." See, brothers and sisters, the Bible is full of commandments. It's full of virtues. It's full of what we're called to. And we should hear that. And we should consider our responsibility. And we should ask ourselves, if we're growing in these things, if we're showing these fruit, if we're seeking to serve our Savior in the way that we are called to serve. But always in the center, as it is here in 1 Timothy 6 verse 11 to 21. have our eyes fixed on the glory of Christ. Because the only way we can work those things out is if He's working in us, because He's the only one who's perfect. So we put these things into proper perspective. It's almost as though the Apostle Paul is coming right to the end of this letter, and there's all these things he wants to say, there's all these virtues he wants to encourage Timothy and the church in, He can't just go through a list of things that we're called to do. He has to give glory and praise to Christ in the center. It pours out spontaneously. He is sovereign over all. He's the only perfect one. We can work because He's working through us. And this is how, when we think about good works, this is how we are to think about divine sovereignty and man responsibility. James chapter 1 and other passages talk about a different way of thinking about that relationship if we're thinking about evil and how evil comes and all of those things. But here, when we think about good works, it's Christ who's working through us. He is the one who no one has ever seen or can see. Who's the subject of this? The subject of this is Christ Jesus. Wait, I thought we could see Jesus. He came to this earth. He was man. Well, yes, he is man, but he's also God. And in his divinity, which goes beyond the bounds of his humanity, we cannot see. We cannot see Christ. It's both true and not true. And we're going to, Lord willing, look at that more tonight. Christ is true man and true God. Considering the three ways in which he rules overall, verse 15 and just three of his attributes in verse 16, let us conclude at the end of that verse with the Apostle, to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. Well, brothers and sisters, with that we now come back to what we're called to work out. We come back to final instructions. This is spoken of in the language of treasure, in the language of riches, which is a theme in chapter 6, how to not view riches, verses 5 to 10, how to view riches, especially here in 17 and 18 and 19. If you are rich, you must avoid being proud. It's something which all believers must avoid, whether rich or poor, but it is a special temptation for the rich, because there's a temptation that if I have lots of valuable things, to think of myself as being more valuable. It's a temptation that the rich must avoid. The rich must also avoid putting their hope in their riches. So again, we must all avoid putting our hope in ourselves or in the things that we have, but there's a special temptation that the rich need to especially avoid when you have all kinds of things. Don't trust in those things. Days of suffering bring their own temptations. Days of prosperity bring their own temptations. Those who suffer not despair. Think that God has forgotten them. Let those who prosper not become self-sufficient. Never forget that God is the one who has blessed them. So instead of thinking primarily about the value of the things of this earth, they are to think especially about the value that awaits the eternal treasures that are to come. Apostle Paul maybe thinking of the language of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6, when Jesus said in Matthew 6, verses 19-21, Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. So there's this directing to the future, there's this call for a focus on the eternal treasure and the much greater value of those things as we would trust in Christ and await His appearing and await what comes not in this present age, verse 17, but in the age to come. So then Timothy is addressed one last time. O Timothy, guard the good deposit. It's a reminder again of the different doctrine in chapter 1. It's a reminder of a special charge throughout this book that Timothy would stand for the truth. Brothers and sisters, that we would be steadfast. And we don't know what we will need to be steadfast against. Consider some of our elderly saints, some of whom came to the Lord later in life, some of whom have walked with the Lord for many years. It may be beneficial to us to come to them and ask, how has the Lord helped you to be steadfast? How has the Lord come alongside you Think about all the different temptations that come upon a life lived for many decades on this life. Guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid false knowledge. Avoid falsely called knowledge that's going to change from one decade to another. Guard the deposit. Be steadfast, to go back to that language of verse 11. for some have swerved from the faith. Some who we considered brothers and sisters, some who made confession with us, have not been steadfast, have not remained on the straight and narrow, but they swerve one way or another. No, let us guard, let us be steadfast. Lord, keep us from swerving. And the very last word, comes back again to God's work, to our need of God, because the very last word is a prayer for God's grace for each one of us. And that is the theme of the Apostle Paul. Look through every single one of his letters, and this prayer for the grace of God to be with you, and usually it's explicitly said, the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. The subject is implied. Grace be with you. But who is the only one who can give us grace? It's God. This is how every one of the Apostle Paul's letters ends. Usually the very last word, sometimes the second to last verse. There's only one letter where you have to go back about a half dozen verses. In Romans, it's not the very last verse. But this is always where the Apostle ends. And so, brothers and sisters, I charge you, see the virtues, see what God has called us to. Be in the ring from round after round, from decade after decade. Be disciplined in your Christian life. But keep Christ at the center. And may our prayer end with this, that God's grace would be with us. Amen. Let us pray. Lord, our Lord, we thank You that You have plainly laid out what it is that we are to do, but we thank You so much more for what Christ Himself has done.