Are we being for real?

In this message, PM launches our Young Preacher Series while Pastor Josh is on sabbatical, opening 1 Timothy with a clear, pressing question: Are we being for real? He calls us to measure our hearts against Paul’s charge to Timothy—pursue love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith—and to live counter-culturally in our cities today.

Scripture

1 Timothy 1 — Paul urges Timothy to stay in Ephesus, confront false teaching, and keep the church anchored in the gospel. The law, rightly used, exposes sin and points us to Jesus. Paul then shares his own story: a violent persecutor shown outrageous mercy so that Christ’s “immense patience” would be seen by everyone. Finally, he commands Timothy to “fight the good fight,” holding faith and a good conscience.

Big Idea

Real Christianity produces love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith (v.5). If our teaching, posts, debates, or ministries don’t lead to love and honest faith, we’ve missed the point. So the question lands: Are we being for real?

Ephesus is Our City

PM paints Ephesus—wealthy, busy, spiritually noisy—and says, “Imagine your city.” Like Artemis’ cult shaped Ephesus’ economy and culture, our cities overflow with distractions and myths. Paul’s warning about “myths and endless genealogies” maps to our modern rabbit holes and controversies that “promote speculation rather than advancing God’s work.” The call is to stay planted and keep the church grounded in the simple gospel.

What Real Looks Like

• The law used rightly: not to weigh down the sincere but to expose what’s broken and drive us to grace.
• The gospel’s target: not endless debate, but changed lives.
• The test of teaching: sound doctrine produces love and sincere faith, not confusion or division.
• The pattern: first abide in Jesus, then advance His work. (John 15: remain in the vine, then bear fruit.)

PM’s Story

PM grew up around the Bible but hit church instability and disappointment. As a teen leader he felt pressure to look strong, so he manufactured faith—right words, thin roots. Moving to Sydney exposed the gap. A simple house church—mixed ages, honest stories, open table—became the place God “dripped” head knowledge into heart intimacy. He heard a calling to be a counter-cultural witness in the music industry: not performance for God, but presence with God. He and Skye now live by a picture: “Extend the dining table.” Whoever God brings near gets a seat—no pre-qualifications, no performance.

Heart Checks

• Purity of heart: Do I come to God honestly, not with churchy filler?
• Good conscience: Do my private choices match my public words?
• Sincere faith: Am I abiding daily or just borrowing language on Sundays?
• Counter-culture: Do I “wear” the gospel in places I’ll stand out?
• No excuses: Age, insecurity, schedule—none of these remove the call to love.

Practices That Keep It Real

• Abide before you advance: remaining comes before fruit.
• Name the speculations: cut myths and side-quests that don’t grow love.
• Extend your table: make room—home, house church, café table—for people to be known without judgment.
• Fight the good fight: hold faith and a good conscience.
• Celebrate mercy: like Paul, remember who you were and the patience Christ showed you.

So What?

If it doesn’t lead to love and sincere faith, it’s noise. Let your city feel your faith not as argument, but as invitation—a bigger dining table, a steadier presence, a clearer Jesus.

Conclusion

PM closes with a call to be real before God: invite the Holy Spirit into every corner of your life; choose abiding over image; extend your dining table; and live the gospel boldly in “Ephesus”—our Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, and Brisbane. Fight the good fight with a clean conscience and a sincere faith. Receive the same mercy Paul received, and let Jesus’ immense patience flow through you—love that looks like something, every day