On Sunday mornings, we're going through the Bible, verse by verse, book by book, chapter by chapter.

We, two weeks ago, completed the book of Second Thessalonians, and we started in First Timothy last week.

Today, we are going to be in chapter one, and our text is going to be verses 3 through 11.

I'll ask you to turn there. And for those of you

that are here, if you're able, I'll ask you to stand. You can follow along as I read the text. If not,

where you're seated is fine. The Apostle Paul, by the Holy Spirit, is writing to Timothy, a young pastor, and says verse 3,

as I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people

not to teach false doctrines any longer, or, verse

four, to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God's work, which is by faith.

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some, verse six,

have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what

they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.

We also know that the law is made not for the righteous, but for lawbreakers and rebels,

the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers,

for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave

traitors and liars and perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound

doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God which He entrusted

to me.

Let's pray if you would join with me. We'll ask God's blessing on our

understanding. Thank you, Lord. Lord, we're so grateful to you for your word in this portion that we

have here before us today in your word. We know that all scripture is given and inspired and it's here for a reason

sometimes to correct, to rebuke, to instruct. So Lord, we want to posture ourselves before you

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