February 19, 2012 | John Bayles | The Faithful and Righteous Prayer (1 Timothy 2:8-15)

This is perhaps one of the most difficult texts in all of the scriptures. The difficulty is not because the message is not clear. The difficulty lies in the method of coming to the inspired meaning of the text and that so many conclusions about current behavior have been based upon this text.

In our current day the first response to the meaning of the text drudges up responses like "It has to do with the authority of women in the church" or "It shows us that women cannot be pastors" or "It teaches us that women cannot hold teaching positions in the church except as it pertains to teaching younger women" or "It clearly shows us that women cannot have authority over their husbands, that they must be submissive."

February 12, 2012 | John Bayles | The Universal Gospel (1 Timothy 2:1-7)

How often have we heard the argument for the meaning of the phrase "all men", discussed using this text as a proof from one side or the other? Despite such modern arguments, the Apostle Paul is holding to his original discussion of correcting false teachers in Ephesus. We have previously seen that they were misusing the Old Testament as a means of drawing people into a works-based pursuit of righteousness, and he describes their teaching as "not knowing what they are talking about."

February 5, 2012 | John Bayles | The Blessed Assurance (1 Timothy 1:12-20)

Does the scripture give us any hope of salvation? This seems like an easy question to answer, but only because passages such as this one not only give us an answer, but a concise and convincing answer. In truth, we need what the apostle is sharing in this text today. We have tasted salvation, the forgiveness of sins, but we have also experienced the dread of coping with sin after we first believed. We have come to the stark reality that, though we are made alive by Christ and all of our sins are forgiven, the “ALL of our sins” are not only those in our past, but continue to be committed in our present and may/will continue in our future.

January 29, 2012 | John Bayles | The Definition of Law and Grace (1 Timothy 1:3-11)

In the last verse of today's text the Apostle Paul speaks about the "glorious Gospel." Here we discover a critical point of distinction between the purpose of the Old Testament law and the message of the New Testament Gospel. The former identifies the lawbreaker; the later sets the lawbreaker free from his captivity.

January 22, 2012 | John Bayles | Equipping the Soldier for Battle (1 Timothy 1:1-2)

There is a common argument that because of the uniqueness of Paul’s opening greeting to Timothy, the letter is not Pauline. For instance, the use of the opening phrase order, “Christ Jesus”, versus, “Jesus Christ”, as in other letters of Paul’s. Paul uses the strong word statement, “by the command of God” unlike other uses of “the will of God” to describe his apostolic calling. And the use of the closeness of his relationship to Timothy by the words, “my true son in the faith” is close, but non-similar to other descriptions of the apostle. And finally Paul’s inclusion of the word “mercy” here in the introduction is uncommon to most of the openings of his letters.

January 15, 2012 | John Bayles | Paul, Timothy, False Teachers, and False Teachings (1st & 2nd Timothy)

As stated last week, a key to understanding any given text is to first understand the context, both historical and literal, in which it was written. Today's sermon will focus on the three players appearing in Paul's letters to Timothy. We see Paul's own struggles, sometimes stated clearly, sometimes coming out from the shadows of his comments, but always powerful and instructive. Paul's exhortations to Timothy are what every one of us would desire to receive from a mentor, a wise parent, or a more seasoned Christian friend.

January 8, 2012 | John Bayles | Detained, Yet Fruitful (1 Timothy 1:1-2)

In this first in a series of sermons in his first letter to Timothy we will see the urgency that the Apostle Paul brings to his discourse with his young son in the Lord. This is clearly an intimate letter and one which captures the desire of a man detained by prison to prepare his young protege for ministry.

January 1, 2012 | John Bayles | Go Into All The World: Looking for Showers, Content with Raindrops (Psalms 126:1-6)

Can you recall those first days of your spiritual birth; those moments and days when your heart was awakened by Jesus? The Word was alive and near, worship was thrilling, prayer was like breathing. Do you sometimes look back to some former day and say, "I so deeply long to return to those days!" Or, "Lord bring those days again!" This is the cry of the psalmist and the congregation of saints who neared Jerusalem each year and sang the Songs of Zion (the Psalms of Ascent). Today's text reaches into the depths of our longing to experience again or anew the times of refreshing. As the text states, "Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongues with singing." And in response to these emotions the cry continues, "Turn again our captivity, O Lord."

December 18, 2011 | John Bayles | Go Into All the World: The Tabernacle of God and Man (1 John 1:1-14)

The Incarnation of Christ is a critical subject for us to understand. Though this falls into the category of understanding what is ultimately incomprehensible, the Bible does overwhelmingly and consistently teach the Trinity of God and the incarnation of the Son of God and the man Jesus. In an attempt to be understandable, the risk is present to confuse or mislead. But this dynamic does not excuse us as Bible interpreters from exploring this mysterious relationship between the human (the carnal) and the divine (the Son of God) who "Tabernacled" together in order that the designs of the latter might be accomplished and the weaknesses of the former might be overcome.

December 11, 2011 | John Bayles | Go Into All The World: A Race To Run (Hebrews 12:1-3)

How many of us participated in formal athletics at one time or other. Most of the time this brings fond memories of days gone by when we were younger, fitter, and willing to sacrifice most anything to the sport we loved to play. Can you still fit into that team uniform today? Is that passion matched by conditions still at the same peak level? If the answer is no to these questions, then we have a life example of what the author of Hebrews is driving at with his hearers and us today.