RESPECTING AND LOVING OTHERS WITHIN THE CHURCH
1 Timothy 5:1–25
Key Verse: 5:17
10/9/11
“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.”
This whole chapter moves to practical matters of taking care of each other in the church or the “Household of God”. Those whose faith is solidly rooted in our Lord Jesus must “know how” they “ought to conduct themselves in God's household. The church is the place where God lives. It is also the place where God’s word lives and rules the lives of all whose faith is in Jesus. In brief, the church is God’s household…the home of all believers. It is a place where all believers are brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, children and grandchildren. The church is the haven of the weary and the refuge of all who seek God. As the household of God, all God’s family members must then conduct themselves in a manner worthy of Christ and of the gospel. They must conduct themselves in love and in compassion, in sacrifice and in service to others. They must tend to the needs of one another as Christ tended to their own needs when they were poor and destitute, wandering in a world of cold realities indifferent to their pains and sorrows.
In those days no one really gave much attention to the helpless of society. Did you know that the Romans had a cruel habit of throwing their sick out into the streets to die? The most helpless of the helpless were the orphans and the widows who wandered on the edge of life in terror, not knowing what today or tomorrow may bring. But when the Christian faith finally made its way into the fabric of society, suddenly these helpless people had hope. Christians who deeply understood the foundation of love and of compassion took them in and offered them the love of God and as well as a hot meal. They nursed people back to health, physically and spiritually. They started what were the first hospitals and the first counseling ministries.
Paul had once been a political and zealous, religious Pharisee who never understood the concept of family, let alone the reality of God’s family. He did not understand the love and compassion which had suddenly sprung up in the hearts of those who put their faith in Jesus. He never gave a second thought about anyone but himself, and so he saw every act of Christian mercy with eyes of suspicion, and every act of sacrifice with doubt and distrust. “What are these Christians up to?” he must have said to himself many times. He did so because his own heart was filled with envy, greed, bitterness and hate.
But when Paul became a Christian, he became what he never imagined himself to become. He became a man after the heart of Christ. He became a man full of love and of compassion. As a result, Paul consistently embraced the heart of Jesus and included the helpless in most of his teachings. That is why he set out to teach the “household of God” how to conduct themselves. He taught them that every human being must be considered as a child of God, precious in God’s eyes. This entire chapter is about how the “Household of God” ought to conduct itself in the matters of needy widows and the needs of the Elders or Pastors of the church. Through a study of this passage may our hearts may be open to learn the essence of the Christian faith, which begins and ends with the love of God.
Part l: Loving Each Other Means Respecting Each Other
First, Paul tells us how Christians must respect one another. Read verses 1-2. “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” In today’s world, the concept of respect has been severely limited. For example, today’s youth holds not much respect for their elders deeming them old fashioned and without proper understanding for the new generation. They view them as those who were unable to solve the problems of their own lives and so how could they tell them what to do. Employees hold respect for their bosses only because their jobs hang on these employers. But in the church things must be different. Paul commands Timothy to show unconditional respect for all people. Let’s think about each sub group.
Older men must be shown proper respect, even though we know that they have sinned more times throughout the years than we have. Older and younger women must be respected and not exploited. We can not take advantage of older women or ignore them. We also must treat younger women with absolute purity as if they are our own sisters. Fore example would you date your sister? Would you have dark thoughts about your sister? I hope not. Then consider how you treat younger women.
Actually, all members of the household of God must be respected unconditionally. Why? Because God had chosen them, and called them and redeemed them with the blood of his Son. They have been stamped with the mark of Christ, and they have thus become the very members of the Kingdom of God, each with a position of honor. If we lack respect towards members of the human race, we reveal that we do not have an understanding of how precious the life of one human being is to God. If, on the other hand, we lack respect towards the members of our own Christian family, then we reveal that we are still immature spiritually. When we have proper respect for those who are the members of our Christian family, we avoid unnecessary problems in the church, and give Satan no foothold in God’s affairs.
Part ll: Loving Others Is Practically Tending To Their Needs.
First, widows. The church is a family of believers who are bound together in the blood of Jesus. We are all called to show the love of God very practically amongst each other. For this reason, Paul began to teach Timothy how to tend to the needs of others, especially the most vulnerable in the community. Read verse 3. “Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.” There are all kinds of widows in the church who need Christian care. But Paul urges Timothy to tend to the needs of the widows who are really in need. Who then is the widow who is in dire need? Read verse 5. “The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help.” The widow who is in dire need should be cared for by the church. She is the one who has made God Almighty her refuge and her protector. She has no one to care for her. She has no one to help her. She has no one to serve her in time of difficulty. Because she has no one to help her, she turns her heart to God to depend on God her Savior. She turns her attention to God. In doing so, she finds that the church is in dire need of prayer and of personal issues which need tending to. So she pours out her heart to God to serve the needs of the saints with her prayers. She also takes time in order to serve newcomers and to make them feel at home in the church. Such a widow is most worthy because she had given up all things in order to honor and serve God with her life. Who will take care of her? Who will see to her own needs when she has put aside her own needs to serve others? Paul urges Timothy to take care of her, because she has forsaken her own interests to serve God’s holy purpose.
What can we learn from this kind of widow? We can learn that God’s promises are true. Philippians 4:19 reads, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Surely when this widow decides to trust God with her needs, God fulfills his promise to her and provides her with all the help she deserves, both supernaturally and through the church.
Who else is the widow who is in need? Read verses 9,10. “No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.” As we said, the widow in need is the widow who draws near to God and has put aside her own interests in order to serve God’s will and her church. How then does she serve God’s purpose in her life? First, she is mature in her inner person…”Over sixty.” She has spent countless years in growing in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus. As her relationship with Jesus grows, so also her sense of service to others grows. She does not expect others to help her, for God is her help. She does not demand the respect of others around her for she has the full respect of God. So instead of wasting her time in complaints, bitterness, anger, frustration, self pity and self gratification, she gives her time seeking the Lord and doing good deeds in the name of Jesus. And she has many good deeds. What could some of them be? What about Bible study, prayer and serving God’s people? What about caring for and raising someone else’s kids? How precious is this kind of widow whose heart is tuned to the very heart of Jesus, full of goodness and service towards the church which gave her refuge from the world.
There is also another kind of widow in the church. Who are they? Read verse 6. “But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.” The other kind of widow Paul talked about is the spiritually dead widow. She is dead spiritually mostly because she does not know Jesus deeply in her heart. She came to God’s household perhaps because she was lonely and needy. She may have come to the household of God in order to find a husband for herself. But whatever the reason for her coming, she did not give up her pleasure seeking lifestyle. When she came to church, she did not study the Bible from her heart. She studied just enough so as to gain a foothold in the church and to snag the good hearted compassionate children of God. She heard all the truth about Jesus, and she witnessed all the godly widows’ lives of faith. But nothing moved her. She could not understand their devotion nor their sacrifice. She did not understand what compels them to give their time and effort in serving the cause of Jesus. Maybe she felt that the godly widows were wasting their time in godly living. Every time she had an opportunity to sin, she disappeared and secretly sinned and then came back to the fellowship. She even began to gossip about the saints, saying all kinds of evil things behind their backs, going house to house.
Still God loves such widows and urged Timothy to tend to them. Read verses 11-15. “As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. 12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. 14 So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15 Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.” In these verses there is a danger that if immature widows did not repent and change their ways, they would be lost to the devil. Timothy must not assist them as he does the needy elder widow. He must assist them by leading them to repentance and to faith. Otherwise, their destiny would be tragic
Second, elders. After talking extensively about the widows in the church, Paul turns his attention now to those who tend to the church affairs in general, the elders or pastors. Pastors are not necessarily the one pastor who pastors the church. Pastors are those who are in leadership positions, many of whom are entrusted with the word of God to give to others. Read verse 17. “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” Paul also teaches Timothy that the elders and pastors also need Jesus’ Christian family to honor them and to take care of their needs in return. Paul charges Timothy that the elders must be cared for by the church and the church members. He taught this because there is a danger that not many would think about the physical and spiritual needs of the elders. The elders seldom complain and look self sufficient. But most may be in a needy situations.
Many people use the term love in relation to their elders and church members and church functions. But in reality they do not have a good grasp on true Biblical love. They love in theory and in abstraction as some politicians would say to the adoring crowds: “I love you”. But they do not love in practice. The church cannot function without the love and understanding of its members. The church elders have needs, and cannot properly perform their duties if such needs are not met. Timothy must make sure that the Christian family does not love its elders in theory but in truth and in practice. People do not like to talk about material things in the church. But in reality without material things, in a material world, there can be no efficient work of God. By God’s grace I work and, with the help of my wife I can care for my own physical needs, but in other church paradigms, such as churches with paid clergy, the church members must make material offerings and provide their pastor. Nowadays a pastor should be provided with a living wage ($40 - $50 thousand a year) and health care coverage, a retirement package, a place to live and a car. He should also be provided with an abundance of volunteers to make his service to the church a joy and not a burden. And don’t forget about Pastor’s and Clergy Appreciation Day. These are some basics that a congregation must provide for their pastors.
In conclusion, we must know that a healthy church is a church which practices the love of Jesus, not in theory but in truth. A healthy church is a church which has learned to love and respect each other in the love of Christ. A healthy household of God is a church which knows how precious God’s people are and does its best to serve them and tend to their needs. A healthy church is also a church which knows how to depend on God for all things, as it serves the word of life to its members and to the world. May God help us to be a healthy household of God. May God help us to tend to the needs of the helpless until they can stand “on their two feet” spiritually. Amen.
1. How should a good minister relate to older men and women, and younger men and women? (1-2) What do the words “father,” “mother,” “brother,” “sister,” imply about the relationships in God’s household? With what attitude should a young minister help an older person? (Lev 19:32) How important is it to keep absolute purity toward younger women? (Tit 2:6; Ps 119:9; 2 Ti 2:22)
2. How should true widows of the church be regarded? (3) What characterizes the true widows of the church? (5,9b-10) Who is not qualified to be recognized as a true widow of the church? (6,9a,11-13) Why should these instructions be given publicly before all church members? (7) How should a good minister counsel a young widow and why? (14-15; 1Cor 7:9)
3. Read verses 4,8,16. How should children, grandchildren, immediate family and other relatives be instructed in regards to caring for widows in their family? What principles can we find here in caring for one’s own family? Why should we practice these principles? (4b,8b,16b; Mk 7:10-13)
4. What is the function of exemplary elders in the church and how should they be regarded? (17; Tit 1:5,9) Why should they be supported materially? (18; 1Cor 9:9-10) How should a good minister deal with elders who are accused, and with those who are sinning? (19-20; Dt 13:11) Why is it important to respect and support exemplary elders? (1 Th 5:12-13; Heb 13:17)
5. Read verse 21. How did Paul emphasize the seriousness of his charge to Timothy? In carrying out these instructions, what is essential? What results when partiality or favoritism is shown by leaders? (Gen 37:3-4,11; Ac 6:1-4) What are the root causes of partiality or favoritism and how can we overcome this? (Gen 25:28; Jn 4:9; Eph 6:9; Ja 2:1-4)
6. What is the meaning of laying hands on someone? (22; Ac 6:6; 1Ti 4:14) Why should a good minister not be hasty in doing so? (24-25) How might this result from favoritism or partiality? What do you learn from Paul who cared for Timothy personally? (23)
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
1 Timothy 4:1-16
A GOOD MINISTER OF CHRIST
1 Timothy 4:1–16 10/2/11
Key Verse: 4:6
“If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.”
In chapter 3, Paul taught, Timothy, that the most noble of vocations is that of overseeing the flock of God as an overseer or a deacon. In our UBF terms it would be like becoming a director of a chapter and a regional coordinator. He also wrote down the simple characteristics of a true Christian leader. The paramount virtue must be that he “keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience” and consequently be “tested” and approved as a true Christian leader through his willingness to “serve” (3:9-13). Paul made it clear to Timothy that the false teachings, which had sprung up in those days, must be extinguished, and those who were spreading the false teachings should be stopped. The best way to purify the fellowship from all ungodly influences was to raise up true Christian leaders and maintain the fellowship by the grace and truth of our Lord Jesus and the devotion of its members.
Part l: Guard Your Heart From Deceiving Spirits (1-5)
Paul begins this chapter with a lamentation. Read verses 1-2. “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” In later times, there would be some who will abandon the true Christian faith and will end up following deceiving spirits and demonic teachings. Once, such Christians had received the life-giving gospel with joy. They had found the amazing grace of God. They had found forgiveness for their sins and healing for their souls. They had studied the Bible and had discovered the love of God. Through the Word of life they had met the most gracious Jesus who gave them assurances and promises beyond the human ability to comprehend. At the time, they knew that they had nothing to hold on to except the grace of our Lord and faith in him.
Once they had been promising young Christians who were destined for spiritual greatness in Christ. Surprisingly, however, now they had abandoned the faith. Now they were following deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. They were becoming immersed in unholy doctrine. What happened to them?
Paul tells us that they were deceived. To become deceived, they had to allow themselves to be influenced by wayward and unholy teachings. They could be influenced by false teachings when they made no effort to personally remain rooted in the word of God. Our Lord Jesus once said: “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me….If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:4-7) Christians who have been touched by the grace of Jesus must know that it is crucial to remain in Jesus, and to remain in his words. They must continue listening to Jesus’ words day after day and cherish his words. Otherwise, the unthinkable will happen! The world soon enters in and the devil’s teachings overwhelm them until it drains them of all truth.
Some Christians at Ephesus experienced this tragedy first hand. After their conversion, they did not remain steadfast in the word of God. They did not take their Christian life and walk seriously. Finally, when a false teaching tested their hearts, it found an open door and little resistance. So it entered in and took its place amid the truth. One by one, demon teachings entered in until the original truth was driven out and what remained in the end were only lies. Of course, Paul did not leave them the blame alone. Paul pointed out that religious pretenders had found dulled hearts to spread their lies. They took advantage of the unwary and vulnerable flock and had taken as many captives from among them as they could.
What were some of the lies these hypocrites were teaching? Read verses 3-5. “They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” These false teachers could have been Gnostics. They were teaching that the body was evil and that the soul alone was holy and good. They were teaching that a Christian must not engage any physical appetites. They taught that for a man or woman to be acceptable to God, they must deprive their bodies and appease their souls only. In that way, they nullified Jesus’ sacrifice to bring forgiveness and healing, and to recreate a new heart for the believer.
Amazingly, we see that they were not teaching outright evil things. Rather they were teaching that people ought to refrain from marriage, and they ought to stay away from certain foods. To the ears of those who did not study the Bible for themselves, the teachings of these hypocritical liars sounded harsh but gospel-like. These false teachings sounded even more holy than what they were learning from Timothy. But because they did not give priority to the word of God and gospel faith, they were easily deceived to believe the lie.
There was not one but many teachings which sprang up in Paul’s time, and in our own time as well, whose origins comes from man’s philosophy and man made religion. No Christian who has tasted the goodness of God wants to be taken captive again by the lies of the devil. But such things happen. But those who study the word of God from their hearts and who remain bound to Jesus in prayer, faith and obedience, are not easily deceived by demon teachings. They know how to hold on to the grace of our Lord Jesus. They know how to remain alert. They know how to fight the good fight of faith every day.
Some false teachings have swept across our own generation. They have brought about the demise of the potential of so many good Christians. Let’s think of some modern day false teachings that have infiltrated the ranks of our Christian youth. Modern day false teachings are that the visible, organized, church means nothing. What is truly important is our own personal relationship with Jesus. And so promising young Christians are not committed to building up a particular church body or becoming part of a body of believers. Another teaching is that as long as a person is a sincere person then that person will be destined to go to heaven. There are many ways to climb a mountain to get to the top. As a result there are many promising young Christians who don’t think it is necessary to preach the Gospel to anyone, thinking it is only disrupting their lives. They questions the lost-ness of this world and they lose their missionary zeal. Another teaching states that Christians don’t have to cross cultural and language barriers to go and make disciples of all nations. After all, there is enough need here in America, with the Indian reservations, the inner city, the poor everywhere, and the poor people in Appalachia for example. As a result our young people rationalize that they don’t have to obey Jesus’ world mission command to go to the ends of the earth. What about other teachings like, “It is better to live together before marriage?”; “It is OK to have physical relationships as long as you love each other. After all we are fiancés.”; “People don’t have to repent of their sins, they are born that way. It is in their DNA.” As a result some young Christians don’t feel that there is a need to repent. According to Paul, it is not a small thing for a promising Christian to abandon their faith to run after teachings that run contrary to the gospel. It is a tragedy that bleeds the hand and feet heart of our Savior again and again. We must guard our hearts from false teachings and mature in our faith in Christ.
Part ll: How To Be A Good Minister OF Christ Jesus. (6-16)
Paul could despair thinking that he had wasted his time in ministering to the believers in Ephesus. But Paul deeply believed the truth that nothing can separate us from the love of God through the sacrifice of his Son Jesus. For this reason, Paul was willing to educate Timothy in godly matters so that Timothy might help those who have stepped out of the faith. What did he tell young Timothy?
First, Paul charged Timothy to be a good minister of Christ Jesus and showed him two ways to do so, to hold onto the grace of God and train himself to be godly. Paul had raised Timothy in the truth of God as his own son in the faith. He was a young man who had lost his father. His mother had been faithful, but she could not lead him in the way he should go in Christ Jesus. He had taken him as a son when Timothy had no one to mentor him and to serve him until he could become a servant of God. But Paul taught him the Bible until Timothy came to know Jesus personally.
Of all the things Paul taught Timothy he taught him to remain steadfast in the grace of our Lord Jesus, right from the beginning. Look at 1:2, “To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul knew that there would be times when Timothy’s faith would waver, and he would be too weak to fight. But Paul also knew that at the time, only the grace of Jesus would rescue him. So Paul taught him time and again to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. He led him to Christ and made him his close and dear coworker in Christ. Naturally then, Paul reminded him that a good minister of Christ Jesus. Timothy had many weaknesses. But his main strength was that he listened to Paul and remained steadfast in the faith he had learned from Paul, and in the grace which he had received from his Master Jesus.
Second, Paul gave some instructions on how to be a good minister to the church in Ephesus. Read verses 6-11. Especially Paul gave Timothy an important component in how to be a good minister of Christ. Look at verse 7. “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.” Paul knew that Timothy was faithful. He knew that Timothy loved Jesus more than anything in this life. But Paul also knew that Timothy was a young man, and like all other young men, he is easily tempted by the things which lead astray. So he urged him to train himself in godliness. What is godliness? Godliness is the way of holiness and the way of righteousness. Godliness is the way of faith and the way of obedience to Christ. Godliness is the image of God, the image of the servant Christ who came to lay down his life for the sins of the world. Godliness is the way of God, the way which God wants all his children to live.
Ungodly living is the life of ease and comfort, the wide road by which most people choose to walk. (Mtt 7:13-14) It is the way of the world, the way which leads the whole world astray from God. The ungodly way is the way in which people put their own thoughts and feelings above the words of God and are thus led astray by lies and deception. But the godly way is the way which is narrow and the way which binds a man to Christ in a holy walk of life which leads him or her to life, eternity and spiritual prosperity. We must also train ourselves in godliness. Augustine trains in soccer six days a week. He does so to become a better soccer player and an asset to the team. Just as all athletes train themselves to be better athletes, and train their bodies to endure any and all things, so also we must train ourselves in godliness.
What must we do to train ourselves to be godly? Paul teaches Timothy the way of personal training in godliness in verses 12-16. “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” Let’s look at each very closely.
FIRST, “Don't let anyone look down on you”. There were some in the church who looked down on Timothy because he was young. He could have questioned whether or not he was actually called to be a servant of God. Timothy needed confidence in his calling. A Christian’s conviction, that he or she is God’s servant, must not be based on others’ view. Conviction must be personal. We must have the personal conviction of Christ’s calling for us to be the ministers of his word. So, whether we are young or old, we must have conviction from God. When we have a personal conviction that God has called us to be a minister of his word, then we also will have the conviction to train ourselves to be a devoted servants of God.
SECOND, “set an example for the believers”. A good minister of Christ must also set an example of godliness through his or her life. When we are aware of the universal truth we influence others in one way or another, then we also realize the importance of setting an example. We must live our lives in a way that blesses others. We can do so when we live as if our lives do not belong to us but to Christ Jesus.
THIRD, “devote yourself “. A good minister of Christ must devote himself to Bible study and to Bible teaching. God called Timothy to be a teacher of the gospel, and a bearer of the truth of God to the world. Timothy must therefore devote himself to studying the Scripture and to teaching it. He must train himself to study the word of God. He must train himself to live every day as a teacher of the truth. Then his life will be a beacon for truth and the devil cannot find a foothold to deceive him. He will be a good minister.
FOURTH, “Do not neglect your gift,” A good minister of Christ Jesus is one who knows the gift that God has given you and then diligently offering up those gifts to God. Timothy obviously had the gift of leadership and the gift of Bible teaching and preaching. What is your gift? Don’t neglect it. Offer it up to Jesus regularly.
FIFTH, “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.” Being diligent and giving yourself wholly is necessary for ministers of Christ. This is an attitude as we carry out our duties. It is the opposite of a slothful attitude or a “draggin’ it” attitude. It is also not a matter of personal opinion. Others within the church should be able to see your progress. Only those with a personal desire to be a minister of Christ can consistently procure this type of attitude. But ultimately it is all because of the grace of God.
SIXTH, “Watch your life and doctrine closely.” A good minister of Christ Jesus watches their life and doctrine closely. They care about their influence is on others. We transmit more information to others through our actions and our attitudes more than our words. That is why kids end up sounding like their one of their parents or have the mannerisms of one of their parents. These traits last a lifetime. A minister of Christ is mindful about their lifestyle and the effect it has on others. How can you watch your doctrine? Do you know how to do this? It requires disciplined Bible study and prayer. You also need to know what to think about Jesus and the Gospel and the Bible. We can begin to find correct doctrine through adopting the creeds of the Christian church, especially the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed. We can also take steps to further our spiritual education.
SEVENTH, “Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” A good minister of Christ Jesus perseveres in their life of faith because they care. They care about their own salvation and also the salvation of others. People need God’s salvation that comes from Jesus alone. People do not get to heaven by being sincere people. Jesus says, in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is the narrow way that leads to eternal life. If you know that Jesus is the only way to the Father, and those who don’t believe in Jesus stand condemned already, then we must care about the salvation of the people of this world. That is one reason why we persevere in our discipleship.
EIGHT, “… because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” Ministers of Christ Jesus know that the decisions they make today will make a difference in the salvation of others tomorrow. Sometimes we tend to think, it doesn’t matter what we do…God will save whom he wants to save. But according to this verse, it does matter. If we choose to train ourselves to be ministers of Christ Jesus then it makes a difference. Others will be saved.
Through a study of this passage we learn that it is time to make a new decision of faith to train ourselves to be godly until we make visible progress which everyone can see to the glory and honor of God our Father. We must also make a decision of faith to persevere in the grace and truth we found in Christ Jesus. According to Paul, a good minister who trains himself to be godly not only rescues himself from the deceptions of his godless and ungodly generation, but he also blesses those who listen. I pray that each one of us may become a good minister of Christ in this generation. I pray that each one of us also makes a decision of faith to make progress as a minister of Christ Jesus through personal spiritual training. This sounds like some lofty goal. It is not too lofty if we think of it this way. Decide, by faith to train yourselves every day in one thing. Choose something in your life each day which you may conquer and bring under the Lordship and sovereignty of Christ so that your life may be a source of blessing on everyone. Think about Steve’s decision to write testimonies each week. That is the way to take the first steps. Amen.
1. What did the Spirit clearly say would happen in God’s household? (1) What happens to those who abandon the faith and why is this so serious? (1b) How do false teachings get into the church? (2; Mt7:15) In what two ways were people led astray? (3a) What can we learn here about the importance of spiritual discernment for a good minister of Christ Jesus?
2. How did Paul affirm the goodness of everything created by God? (3b–4) What attitude should we have toward God’s creation? If we do so, what happens? (5)
Why is it vital to believe that God created everything for good? (Ge1:29–31; 2:24–25)
3. In addition to discerning false teachings and holding to the truth that everything God created is good, what else must a good minister do? (6a)
What should he continue to do in order to be a good minister? (6b; 1Pe2:2; 2Ti3:14–15)
4. What should a good minister not be involved in? (7a) What should he focus on instead? (7b) What is the value of physical training? (8a) How is training in godliness more valuable? (8b; 1Co9:25) What is the reason that “godliness has value for all things” is a trustworthy saying? (9–10) In terms of training, what do you learn here about being a good minister?
5. As a young minister, how could Timothy build up godly leadership? (11–12)
Especially, consider the importance of setting a good example in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. Among many things to do, to what should Timothy devote himself? (13; Ac6:4) How did Paul encourage Timothy regarding his gift and why? (14–15)
6. How did Paul summarize his teachings to young Timothy in this chapter in regards to being a good minister of Christ Jesus? (16) In light of this passage, what is involved in watching one’s life and doctrine? What does it mean to “persevere in them”? How will this affect himself and his hearers?
1 Timothy 4:1–16 10/2/11
Key Verse: 4:6
“If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.”
In chapter 3, Paul taught, Timothy, that the most noble of vocations is that of overseeing the flock of God as an overseer or a deacon. In our UBF terms it would be like becoming a director of a chapter and a regional coordinator. He also wrote down the simple characteristics of a true Christian leader. The paramount virtue must be that he “keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience” and consequently be “tested” and approved as a true Christian leader through his willingness to “serve” (3:9-13). Paul made it clear to Timothy that the false teachings, which had sprung up in those days, must be extinguished, and those who were spreading the false teachings should be stopped. The best way to purify the fellowship from all ungodly influences was to raise up true Christian leaders and maintain the fellowship by the grace and truth of our Lord Jesus and the devotion of its members.
Part l: Guard Your Heart From Deceiving Spirits (1-5)
Paul begins this chapter with a lamentation. Read verses 1-2. “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” In later times, there would be some who will abandon the true Christian faith and will end up following deceiving spirits and demonic teachings. Once, such Christians had received the life-giving gospel with joy. They had found the amazing grace of God. They had found forgiveness for their sins and healing for their souls. They had studied the Bible and had discovered the love of God. Through the Word of life they had met the most gracious Jesus who gave them assurances and promises beyond the human ability to comprehend. At the time, they knew that they had nothing to hold on to except the grace of our Lord and faith in him.
Once they had been promising young Christians who were destined for spiritual greatness in Christ. Surprisingly, however, now they had abandoned the faith. Now they were following deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. They were becoming immersed in unholy doctrine. What happened to them?
Paul tells us that they were deceived. To become deceived, they had to allow themselves to be influenced by wayward and unholy teachings. They could be influenced by false teachings when they made no effort to personally remain rooted in the word of God. Our Lord Jesus once said: “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me….If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:4-7) Christians who have been touched by the grace of Jesus must know that it is crucial to remain in Jesus, and to remain in his words. They must continue listening to Jesus’ words day after day and cherish his words. Otherwise, the unthinkable will happen! The world soon enters in and the devil’s teachings overwhelm them until it drains them of all truth.
Some Christians at Ephesus experienced this tragedy first hand. After their conversion, they did not remain steadfast in the word of God. They did not take their Christian life and walk seriously. Finally, when a false teaching tested their hearts, it found an open door and little resistance. So it entered in and took its place amid the truth. One by one, demon teachings entered in until the original truth was driven out and what remained in the end were only lies. Of course, Paul did not leave them the blame alone. Paul pointed out that religious pretenders had found dulled hearts to spread their lies. They took advantage of the unwary and vulnerable flock and had taken as many captives from among them as they could.
What were some of the lies these hypocrites were teaching? Read verses 3-5. “They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” These false teachers could have been Gnostics. They were teaching that the body was evil and that the soul alone was holy and good. They were teaching that a Christian must not engage any physical appetites. They taught that for a man or woman to be acceptable to God, they must deprive their bodies and appease their souls only. In that way, they nullified Jesus’ sacrifice to bring forgiveness and healing, and to recreate a new heart for the believer.
Amazingly, we see that they were not teaching outright evil things. Rather they were teaching that people ought to refrain from marriage, and they ought to stay away from certain foods. To the ears of those who did not study the Bible for themselves, the teachings of these hypocritical liars sounded harsh but gospel-like. These false teachings sounded even more holy than what they were learning from Timothy. But because they did not give priority to the word of God and gospel faith, they were easily deceived to believe the lie.
There was not one but many teachings which sprang up in Paul’s time, and in our own time as well, whose origins comes from man’s philosophy and man made religion. No Christian who has tasted the goodness of God wants to be taken captive again by the lies of the devil. But such things happen. But those who study the word of God from their hearts and who remain bound to Jesus in prayer, faith and obedience, are not easily deceived by demon teachings. They know how to hold on to the grace of our Lord Jesus. They know how to remain alert. They know how to fight the good fight of faith every day.
Some false teachings have swept across our own generation. They have brought about the demise of the potential of so many good Christians. Let’s think of some modern day false teachings that have infiltrated the ranks of our Christian youth. Modern day false teachings are that the visible, organized, church means nothing. What is truly important is our own personal relationship with Jesus. And so promising young Christians are not committed to building up a particular church body or becoming part of a body of believers. Another teaching is that as long as a person is a sincere person then that person will be destined to go to heaven. There are many ways to climb a mountain to get to the top. As a result there are many promising young Christians who don’t think it is necessary to preach the Gospel to anyone, thinking it is only disrupting their lives. They questions the lost-ness of this world and they lose their missionary zeal. Another teaching states that Christians don’t have to cross cultural and language barriers to go and make disciples of all nations. After all, there is enough need here in America, with the Indian reservations, the inner city, the poor everywhere, and the poor people in Appalachia for example. As a result our young people rationalize that they don’t have to obey Jesus’ world mission command to go to the ends of the earth. What about other teachings like, “It is better to live together before marriage?”; “It is OK to have physical relationships as long as you love each other. After all we are fiancés.”; “People don’t have to repent of their sins, they are born that way. It is in their DNA.” As a result some young Christians don’t feel that there is a need to repent. According to Paul, it is not a small thing for a promising Christian to abandon their faith to run after teachings that run contrary to the gospel. It is a tragedy that bleeds the hand and feet heart of our Savior again and again. We must guard our hearts from false teachings and mature in our faith in Christ.
Part ll: How To Be A Good Minister OF Christ Jesus. (6-16)
Paul could despair thinking that he had wasted his time in ministering to the believers in Ephesus. But Paul deeply believed the truth that nothing can separate us from the love of God through the sacrifice of his Son Jesus. For this reason, Paul was willing to educate Timothy in godly matters so that Timothy might help those who have stepped out of the faith. What did he tell young Timothy?
First, Paul charged Timothy to be a good minister of Christ Jesus and showed him two ways to do so, to hold onto the grace of God and train himself to be godly. Paul had raised Timothy in the truth of God as his own son in the faith. He was a young man who had lost his father. His mother had been faithful, but she could not lead him in the way he should go in Christ Jesus. He had taken him as a son when Timothy had no one to mentor him and to serve him until he could become a servant of God. But Paul taught him the Bible until Timothy came to know Jesus personally.
Of all the things Paul taught Timothy he taught him to remain steadfast in the grace of our Lord Jesus, right from the beginning. Look at 1:2, “To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul knew that there would be times when Timothy’s faith would waver, and he would be too weak to fight. But Paul also knew that at the time, only the grace of Jesus would rescue him. So Paul taught him time and again to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. He led him to Christ and made him his close and dear coworker in Christ. Naturally then, Paul reminded him that a good minister of Christ Jesus. Timothy had many weaknesses. But his main strength was that he listened to Paul and remained steadfast in the faith he had learned from Paul, and in the grace which he had received from his Master Jesus.
Second, Paul gave some instructions on how to be a good minister to the church in Ephesus. Read verses 6-11. Especially Paul gave Timothy an important component in how to be a good minister of Christ. Look at verse 7. “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.” Paul knew that Timothy was faithful. He knew that Timothy loved Jesus more than anything in this life. But Paul also knew that Timothy was a young man, and like all other young men, he is easily tempted by the things which lead astray. So he urged him to train himself in godliness. What is godliness? Godliness is the way of holiness and the way of righteousness. Godliness is the way of faith and the way of obedience to Christ. Godliness is the image of God, the image of the servant Christ who came to lay down his life for the sins of the world. Godliness is the way of God, the way which God wants all his children to live.
Ungodly living is the life of ease and comfort, the wide road by which most people choose to walk. (Mtt 7:13-14) It is the way of the world, the way which leads the whole world astray from God. The ungodly way is the way in which people put their own thoughts and feelings above the words of God and are thus led astray by lies and deception. But the godly way is the way which is narrow and the way which binds a man to Christ in a holy walk of life which leads him or her to life, eternity and spiritual prosperity. We must also train ourselves in godliness. Augustine trains in soccer six days a week. He does so to become a better soccer player and an asset to the team. Just as all athletes train themselves to be better athletes, and train their bodies to endure any and all things, so also we must train ourselves in godliness.
What must we do to train ourselves to be godly? Paul teaches Timothy the way of personal training in godliness in verses 12-16. “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” Let’s look at each very closely.
FIRST, “Don't let anyone look down on you”. There were some in the church who looked down on Timothy because he was young. He could have questioned whether or not he was actually called to be a servant of God. Timothy needed confidence in his calling. A Christian’s conviction, that he or she is God’s servant, must not be based on others’ view. Conviction must be personal. We must have the personal conviction of Christ’s calling for us to be the ministers of his word. So, whether we are young or old, we must have conviction from God. When we have a personal conviction that God has called us to be a minister of his word, then we also will have the conviction to train ourselves to be a devoted servants of God.
SECOND, “set an example for the believers”. A good minister of Christ must also set an example of godliness through his or her life. When we are aware of the universal truth we influence others in one way or another, then we also realize the importance of setting an example. We must live our lives in a way that blesses others. We can do so when we live as if our lives do not belong to us but to Christ Jesus.
THIRD, “devote yourself “. A good minister of Christ must devote himself to Bible study and to Bible teaching. God called Timothy to be a teacher of the gospel, and a bearer of the truth of God to the world. Timothy must therefore devote himself to studying the Scripture and to teaching it. He must train himself to study the word of God. He must train himself to live every day as a teacher of the truth. Then his life will be a beacon for truth and the devil cannot find a foothold to deceive him. He will be a good minister.
FOURTH, “Do not neglect your gift,” A good minister of Christ Jesus is one who knows the gift that God has given you and then diligently offering up those gifts to God. Timothy obviously had the gift of leadership and the gift of Bible teaching and preaching. What is your gift? Don’t neglect it. Offer it up to Jesus regularly.
FIFTH, “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.” Being diligent and giving yourself wholly is necessary for ministers of Christ. This is an attitude as we carry out our duties. It is the opposite of a slothful attitude or a “draggin’ it” attitude. It is also not a matter of personal opinion. Others within the church should be able to see your progress. Only those with a personal desire to be a minister of Christ can consistently procure this type of attitude. But ultimately it is all because of the grace of God.
SIXTH, “Watch your life and doctrine closely.” A good minister of Christ Jesus watches their life and doctrine closely. They care about their influence is on others. We transmit more information to others through our actions and our attitudes more than our words. That is why kids end up sounding like their one of their parents or have the mannerisms of one of their parents. These traits last a lifetime. A minister of Christ is mindful about their lifestyle and the effect it has on others. How can you watch your doctrine? Do you know how to do this? It requires disciplined Bible study and prayer. You also need to know what to think about Jesus and the Gospel and the Bible. We can begin to find correct doctrine through adopting the creeds of the Christian church, especially the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed. We can also take steps to further our spiritual education.
SEVENTH, “Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” A good minister of Christ Jesus perseveres in their life of faith because they care. They care about their own salvation and also the salvation of others. People need God’s salvation that comes from Jesus alone. People do not get to heaven by being sincere people. Jesus says, in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is the narrow way that leads to eternal life. If you know that Jesus is the only way to the Father, and those who don’t believe in Jesus stand condemned already, then we must care about the salvation of the people of this world. That is one reason why we persevere in our discipleship.
EIGHT, “… because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” Ministers of Christ Jesus know that the decisions they make today will make a difference in the salvation of others tomorrow. Sometimes we tend to think, it doesn’t matter what we do…God will save whom he wants to save. But according to this verse, it does matter. If we choose to train ourselves to be ministers of Christ Jesus then it makes a difference. Others will be saved.
Through a study of this passage we learn that it is time to make a new decision of faith to train ourselves to be godly until we make visible progress which everyone can see to the glory and honor of God our Father. We must also make a decision of faith to persevere in the grace and truth we found in Christ Jesus. According to Paul, a good minister who trains himself to be godly not only rescues himself from the deceptions of his godless and ungodly generation, but he also blesses those who listen. I pray that each one of us may become a good minister of Christ in this generation. I pray that each one of us also makes a decision of faith to make progress as a minister of Christ Jesus through personal spiritual training. This sounds like some lofty goal. It is not too lofty if we think of it this way. Decide, by faith to train yourselves every day in one thing. Choose something in your life each day which you may conquer and bring under the Lordship and sovereignty of Christ so that your life may be a source of blessing on everyone. Think about Steve’s decision to write testimonies each week. That is the way to take the first steps. Amen.
1. What did the Spirit clearly say would happen in God’s household? (1) What happens to those who abandon the faith and why is this so serious? (1b) How do false teachings get into the church? (2; Mt7:15) In what two ways were people led astray? (3a) What can we learn here about the importance of spiritual discernment for a good minister of Christ Jesus?
2. How did Paul affirm the goodness of everything created by God? (3b–4) What attitude should we have toward God’s creation? If we do so, what happens? (5)
Why is it vital to believe that God created everything for good? (Ge1:29–31; 2:24–25)
3. In addition to discerning false teachings and holding to the truth that everything God created is good, what else must a good minister do? (6a)
What should he continue to do in order to be a good minister? (6b; 1Pe2:2; 2Ti3:14–15)
4. What should a good minister not be involved in? (7a) What should he focus on instead? (7b) What is the value of physical training? (8a) How is training in godliness more valuable? (8b; 1Co9:25) What is the reason that “godliness has value for all things” is a trustworthy saying? (9–10) In terms of training, what do you learn here about being a good minister?
5. As a young minister, how could Timothy build up godly leadership? (11–12)
Especially, consider the importance of setting a good example in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. Among many things to do, to what should Timothy devote himself? (13; Ac6:4) How did Paul encourage Timothy regarding his gift and why? (14–15)
6. How did Paul summarize his teachings to young Timothy in this chapter in regards to being a good minister of Christ Jesus? (16) In light of this passage, what is involved in watching one’s life and doctrine? What does it mean to “persevere in them”? How will this affect himself and his hearers?
1 Timothy 3:1-16
SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP—
THE NOBLE TASK
1 Timothy 3:1-16
Key Verse: 3:1
9-26-11
“Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart
on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.”
Part l: A Short Review Of The First Two Chapters.
I apologize for jumping into chapter three. It is because of upcoming conferences. But let us have a short review of the first two chapters. Paul entrusted Timothy, with the church in Ephesus. Paul had great hope for it to grow as a hub for world missions. They began to obey Jesus’ command to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth, (Matt 28: 18-20). Paul was alert for any activity that might hinder the work of God. He foresaw that false teachers would infiltrate the church and sway the new believers away from the Christian faith. And this happened. False teachers came who tried to corrupt the truth about God’s grace of salvation. Paul had taught the Ephesians that salvation was by the grace of God, and that it took pure faith in the grace of God in order for a person to become a member of God’s family. But these people were saying that the grace of God was not enough. They were teaching that salvation still required some form of obeying the laws of God. They also added some of their own ideas alongside the Old Testament Laws. They taught that alongside faith in what Jesus had done us, a Christian’s salvation also hinges on the work of mediators, such as angels, whom we must go through in order to strengthen our relationship with God and receive a better salvation.
What could Paul do to rescue the church? He knew how important the church was in the eyes of God, for he wrote in verses 14-15, “Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” He could not ignore the church problems and things that set themselves to destroy the church. Paul did many things but he also set out to raise up leaders who could hold onto the deep truths of the faith. Among such young leaders was Timothy, a young man whose faith was sound, but who was lacking in spiritual weight. Paul trusted him, and decided to entrust to his leadership, the Church of Ephesus. Paul believed that God would bless Timothy and would help him if Timothy would only accept Paul’s instructions and put them into practice. So Paul ordained him a pastor. There were some members who were not listening to Timothy, believing him to be too young to take care of a church. But in the eyes of Paul and of God, Timothy was the ideal shepherd to be put in charge. So Paul wrote him two letters to instruct him on how to get the church and the members back on gospel track.
In the first chapter, Paul gave Timothy the authority to command false teachers to stop teaching falsehoods. He also reminded him of the grace of God, and the true faith in the work of our Lord Jesus. To demonstrate this, Paul reminded Timothy of God’s powerful work in Paul’s own life. He then urged him to fight the good fight [of faith] to maintain the grace of God. Paul reminded him that the Christian life is a battle, a battle that we must fight every day.
In chapter two Paul showed Timothy the best way to maintain the grace of Jesus in his own life, and in the church. He must learn how to depend on God through prayer. He must also teach everyone to make prayer a priority and a habit. In brief, Paul taught Timothy that prayer is the solution to all things. But for prayer to work, both the men and the women of the church would have to work together to make an environment for the Gospel to grow and to prosper.
In chapter 3 Paul proceeded to reveal one of the main reasons why that particular church was so easily plagued with problems. Our key verse is verse 1. “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.” Paul brings up the subject of spiritual leadership. There were some in the church who desired the role of spiritual leadership and there also were some who lacked that desire. So in this verse Paul made it clear to Timothy that a desire for leadership in the church is a noble task. Let us, then, give some thought to Paul’s counsel to Timothy.
Part ll: A Noble Task
Apparently, there were no established spiritual leaders in the Ephesian church. Timothy was appointed by Paul. But even that appointment was not respected by the majority of members, simply because Timothy was considered to be too young.
Leadership is extremely important in life. It is important in sports, the society, in the family, and especially in the Christian home, and Christian church. Thus without spiritual leadership, the Christian church is chaotic and problem filled where do as they seem fit. Jesus wanted his disciples to stand up as leaders in his church. Look at what Jesus said: “He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” (Luke 10:16) Look at what Paul says to the church members: “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17) When Paul spoke to Timothy about leadership, he wanted him to establish order in the church. He wanted him to be a leader and to establish trustworthy leaders.
Paul encouraged Timothy to direct others in pursuing spiritual leadership. Read verse 1 again. “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.” There is a hint in this church that some wanted to become leaders. Paul was happy about this. He wanted to encourage their noble desires.
What does “noble” mean, and why is the pursuit of spiritual leadership a “noble task”? Noble is closely related to dignity. Something noble is something dignified, and righteous. There are noble people in the world, and there are noble deeds. It is noble for a person to honor his rival when his rival has won a contest over him. We see this in sports when an opposing team member offers a hand to fallen opposing team member. We see it in the work place when a person congratulates and commits to working under a person who just got “that” promotion. One of the best definitions for the word noble is self-sacrifice. Self sacrifice is by far the most noble thing a person can do in his or her life. We see noble deeds coming out of our war on terror. What about the soldier who went back and forth into an ambush to rescue 36 people from certain death? What about the kid who wants to give his Christmas money to the poor rather than fill his life with more clutter?
Some of the most noble of people who ever walked on the face of the earth are the men and women of God. They had sacrificed themselves in the cause of the Gospel. Moses sacrificed his palace and princely position in order to identify with the slave Israelites. Daniel was a court official of the highest order. But he was ready to sacrifice that office in order to identify with God’s people. Mother Teresa sacrificed her life in the name of Christ in order to tend to the most needy people of the world. I always thought the missionaries were the most noble people I knew personally, because they were willing to sacrifice time, money, and position in order to reveal Jesus and the love of God to young Canadian students. There are so many in history who have nobly done what was impossible for the ordinary person to do, all for the love of God and for the love of their neighbor. Therefore “noble” is a word reserved mostly for those who are self sacrificing. Who is the most noble person that you know in your life and why?
But Paul recognized “noble” from a spiritual point of view. In the sight of God, the noble are those who do the work of God. Why? Because serving God and God’s cause is the most noble cause a man or woman could every pursue. The work of God is a work of sacrifice. It is a work of love and of compassion. It is the work of service. It is a work which brings life to others. It does not draw attention to one self. It does not reward in a worldly way. It does not bring any human benefit. Rather sometimes it brings sorrow and pain. It brings poverty on those who willingly give up everything in order to serve Jesus. It also brings ridicule from those who can never understand why a man or woman may sacrifice their lives in return for nothing. Still, according to God our Father there can be no more noble thing in life than to serve God and to do his work. It is most noble because it follows in the footsteps of the Most Noble One, Jesus our Lord. Jesus was noble. He was the most noble person who ever walked on the earth. He sacrificed his glory. He sacrificed his position. He sacrificed his comfort, and all. Finally he was willing to sacrifice his very life for the sake of those who did not honor him, nor appreciate him; for those who scorned him and tormented him. Still, Jesus never flinched from his great sacrifice. He set his heart on it because it was God who called him to fulfill this most noble task. Jesus pursued it to the end. And he called us to follow him and to do as he did. He did so in order to gather for himself a family of noble people who can dwell with him in the kingdom of God.
You may think that it is impossible to be a noble leader in the church of God. On our own it is true. It is impossible. But we must begin our quest. It is what is good, and the most blessed task a human being can pursue. God works in the heart, even unholy desires will change to holy desires. Even those who begin with an unholy desire for leadership may learn what it means to be truly noble. Just try by faith.
When God made man in the beginning, God made people to be noble stewards of his creation. He created him from dust to be a child of the king and to walk with their God. From the beginning God told man what he created him for. He tells us in Genesis 1:26-28: “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’” In other words, we were all made to be rulers, stewards, caretakers, managers of the world and managers of one another. But sin destroyed this most holy office and desire in man’s heart. We can see it in Cain’s heart who boldly stated, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” He did not want to serve his brother. In order to avoid the responsibility, he killed his Able. Cain did not want anything to do with the nobel task of being his brother’s keeper. He did not want spiritual leadership. It was all about him. He has forever become an example of ignobility.
Part lll: Set Your Heart
Paul taught Timothy something that people must set their hearts on. Read verse 1 again. “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.” It is not easy to pursue spiritual leadership. We must set out hearts on it. To set your heart on something means to pursue something. To set one’s heart on something is to pursue it with devotion and dedication, with commitment and enthusiasm. It takes a commitment of the heart to pursue that which is in essence difficult. When a lion pursues its prey, it sets its eyes in the prey. When a soccer player faces the opposing team he sets his eyes on the ball and game. Our pursuit of spiritual leadership must be an attitude of wholeheartedness. It takes a willing heart. It takes an obedient heart. It takes a humble spirit willing to learn from others who are spiritually more mature. It takes prayer and most of all it takes a persistent spirit willing to endure the many hardships that come as a result of serving God. But we must pursue it with confidence, with courage and with faith.
Part lV: To Purse Spiritual Leadership Takes holiness.
A leader had to have the right inner qualities. An overseer is like a Pastor, a shepherd of the flock of God. Look at the qualifications of an overseer. Look at verses 2-8, “2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.”
Paul goes onto to talk about the qualities of a deacon. A deacon is one who takes care of pastors. Look at verses 8-12, “ Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. … 12 A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.” The qualifications set a very high standard for spiritual leadership. Do you have these qualities? Do I have these qualities? We all have some of them, but not all of them. If it were not for the grace of our Lord Jesus I could never be the pastor of this small house church.
We should not despair about our present condition, but have hope in Christ. Jesus came to help us. He is our Savior. Look at verses 16-19, “Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He[c] appeared in a body,[d] was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” Jesus came into this world to be our Savior. He came in the flesh. He shared in our humanity. He suffered along with us. He understands us. He knows our holy desires and our inability to achieve this on our own. He is more than willing to help us when we live by faith in him and answer his call to be his disciples.
We can see how one man, Peter was changed by Jesus. Peter was a rough and tough and brash fisherman. His name was Simon. He was very emotional and a man who was like sand. (For that is what Simon means, “sand”) But when Jesus called him he called him Cephas, which means Peter or Rock. On Peter’s faith and his confession, Jesus would build his church. Peter would stand up as the leader of the first century church. Jesus called Peter to come and follow him promising to make him a fisher of men. After Peter accepted his mission from God, he was no longer a “sand-like”, emotional person with no clear life direction, but he became a man like Jesus, who wanted to please God with his life. Eventually all the disciples became noble men and women who took upon themselves the task of serving God’s purpose in their lives.
I can see God’s changing work in me. I was far from noble. In fact I was the most ignoble person. I am still very ignoble and under-qualified to be a leader in the work of God. But I have hope in God. I have hope in the life changing power of Jesus and as long as I cling to the cross of Christ I will be changed. And so can you.
We learned that we must have noble desires to be leaders in the work of God. God will change us by his grace, love and power. We must set our hearts on the task. Through our study of this passage may God bless you to set your heart on becoming a spiritual leader. May God bless you to pursue this role until God transforms your inner person. and raises you up as a shepherd for his flock. May God also help you to grow in a noble spirit, the spirit of Jesus. Amen.
1. Read verse 1. What is Paul's trustworthy saying? What is an overseer? In what sense are all Christians leaders? (Mt 5:14)
2. What is the "noble task"? What does it mean to "set his heart on..."? Why must one who would be a leader make such a decision of faith? (Think about some important decisions made by Jesus' disciples in the Bible: Acts 19:21;Jn 6:66-69)
3. Think again about the "noble task." Why is teaching the Bible a most noble task for a Christian leader? (2c; See 2Ti 3:16,17)
4. What are the basic qualifications for a Christian leader? (2-4,12) Why is "the husband of but one wife" repeated? What does this teach us about God's will for Christian families?
5. Read verse 2 again. Think about the meaning and importance (Pr 16:32) of "self-controlled." How is this related to the other qualifications in verses 2-3? (How can people born with sinful natures be self-controlled?)
6. What does it mean to be "hospitable"? Why is showing hospitality important? Can you think of any examples of hospitality?
7. What does it mean to "manage his own family well"? (4,5,12) How can one do this? Why is this necessary for one who would be a leader? What can we learn in verses 6-7 about how to defeat the devil?
8. What kind of persons should deacons be? Why should they be diligent Bible students? (9) Read verses 8-12. (See Jn 8:31,32) What kind of persons should the wives of leaders be? (11) What are the marks of a trustworthy woman?
9. Read verses 14-15. Who belongs to God's household? Why is the church that teaches the Bible called the "pillar and foundation of truth"?
10. Read the doxology in verse 16. Compare with Jn 1:14. How does this poem describe the gospel of Jesus and proclaim its power and glory?
THE NOBLE TASK
1 Timothy 3:1-16
Key Verse: 3:1
9-26-11
“Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart
on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.”
Part l: A Short Review Of The First Two Chapters.
I apologize for jumping into chapter three. It is because of upcoming conferences. But let us have a short review of the first two chapters. Paul entrusted Timothy, with the church in Ephesus. Paul had great hope for it to grow as a hub for world missions. They began to obey Jesus’ command to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth, (Matt 28: 18-20). Paul was alert for any activity that might hinder the work of God. He foresaw that false teachers would infiltrate the church and sway the new believers away from the Christian faith. And this happened. False teachers came who tried to corrupt the truth about God’s grace of salvation. Paul had taught the Ephesians that salvation was by the grace of God, and that it took pure faith in the grace of God in order for a person to become a member of God’s family. But these people were saying that the grace of God was not enough. They were teaching that salvation still required some form of obeying the laws of God. They also added some of their own ideas alongside the Old Testament Laws. They taught that alongside faith in what Jesus had done us, a Christian’s salvation also hinges on the work of mediators, such as angels, whom we must go through in order to strengthen our relationship with God and receive a better salvation.
What could Paul do to rescue the church? He knew how important the church was in the eyes of God, for he wrote in verses 14-15, “Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” He could not ignore the church problems and things that set themselves to destroy the church. Paul did many things but he also set out to raise up leaders who could hold onto the deep truths of the faith. Among such young leaders was Timothy, a young man whose faith was sound, but who was lacking in spiritual weight. Paul trusted him, and decided to entrust to his leadership, the Church of Ephesus. Paul believed that God would bless Timothy and would help him if Timothy would only accept Paul’s instructions and put them into practice. So Paul ordained him a pastor. There were some members who were not listening to Timothy, believing him to be too young to take care of a church. But in the eyes of Paul and of God, Timothy was the ideal shepherd to be put in charge. So Paul wrote him two letters to instruct him on how to get the church and the members back on gospel track.
In the first chapter, Paul gave Timothy the authority to command false teachers to stop teaching falsehoods. He also reminded him of the grace of God, and the true faith in the work of our Lord Jesus. To demonstrate this, Paul reminded Timothy of God’s powerful work in Paul’s own life. He then urged him to fight the good fight [of faith] to maintain the grace of God. Paul reminded him that the Christian life is a battle, a battle that we must fight every day.
In chapter two Paul showed Timothy the best way to maintain the grace of Jesus in his own life, and in the church. He must learn how to depend on God through prayer. He must also teach everyone to make prayer a priority and a habit. In brief, Paul taught Timothy that prayer is the solution to all things. But for prayer to work, both the men and the women of the church would have to work together to make an environment for the Gospel to grow and to prosper.
In chapter 3 Paul proceeded to reveal one of the main reasons why that particular church was so easily plagued with problems. Our key verse is verse 1. “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.” Paul brings up the subject of spiritual leadership. There were some in the church who desired the role of spiritual leadership and there also were some who lacked that desire. So in this verse Paul made it clear to Timothy that a desire for leadership in the church is a noble task. Let us, then, give some thought to Paul’s counsel to Timothy.
Part ll: A Noble Task
Apparently, there were no established spiritual leaders in the Ephesian church. Timothy was appointed by Paul. But even that appointment was not respected by the majority of members, simply because Timothy was considered to be too young.
Leadership is extremely important in life. It is important in sports, the society, in the family, and especially in the Christian home, and Christian church. Thus without spiritual leadership, the Christian church is chaotic and problem filled where do as they seem fit. Jesus wanted his disciples to stand up as leaders in his church. Look at what Jesus said: “He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” (Luke 10:16) Look at what Paul says to the church members: “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17) When Paul spoke to Timothy about leadership, he wanted him to establish order in the church. He wanted him to be a leader and to establish trustworthy leaders.
Paul encouraged Timothy to direct others in pursuing spiritual leadership. Read verse 1 again. “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.” There is a hint in this church that some wanted to become leaders. Paul was happy about this. He wanted to encourage their noble desires.
What does “noble” mean, and why is the pursuit of spiritual leadership a “noble task”? Noble is closely related to dignity. Something noble is something dignified, and righteous. There are noble people in the world, and there are noble deeds. It is noble for a person to honor his rival when his rival has won a contest over him. We see this in sports when an opposing team member offers a hand to fallen opposing team member. We see it in the work place when a person congratulates and commits to working under a person who just got “that” promotion. One of the best definitions for the word noble is self-sacrifice. Self sacrifice is by far the most noble thing a person can do in his or her life. We see noble deeds coming out of our war on terror. What about the soldier who went back and forth into an ambush to rescue 36 people from certain death? What about the kid who wants to give his Christmas money to the poor rather than fill his life with more clutter?
Some of the most noble of people who ever walked on the face of the earth are the men and women of God. They had sacrificed themselves in the cause of the Gospel. Moses sacrificed his palace and princely position in order to identify with the slave Israelites. Daniel was a court official of the highest order. But he was ready to sacrifice that office in order to identify with God’s people. Mother Teresa sacrificed her life in the name of Christ in order to tend to the most needy people of the world. I always thought the missionaries were the most noble people I knew personally, because they were willing to sacrifice time, money, and position in order to reveal Jesus and the love of God to young Canadian students. There are so many in history who have nobly done what was impossible for the ordinary person to do, all for the love of God and for the love of their neighbor. Therefore “noble” is a word reserved mostly for those who are self sacrificing. Who is the most noble person that you know in your life and why?
But Paul recognized “noble” from a spiritual point of view. In the sight of God, the noble are those who do the work of God. Why? Because serving God and God’s cause is the most noble cause a man or woman could every pursue. The work of God is a work of sacrifice. It is a work of love and of compassion. It is the work of service. It is a work which brings life to others. It does not draw attention to one self. It does not reward in a worldly way. It does not bring any human benefit. Rather sometimes it brings sorrow and pain. It brings poverty on those who willingly give up everything in order to serve Jesus. It also brings ridicule from those who can never understand why a man or woman may sacrifice their lives in return for nothing. Still, according to God our Father there can be no more noble thing in life than to serve God and to do his work. It is most noble because it follows in the footsteps of the Most Noble One, Jesus our Lord. Jesus was noble. He was the most noble person who ever walked on the earth. He sacrificed his glory. He sacrificed his position. He sacrificed his comfort, and all. Finally he was willing to sacrifice his very life for the sake of those who did not honor him, nor appreciate him; for those who scorned him and tormented him. Still, Jesus never flinched from his great sacrifice. He set his heart on it because it was God who called him to fulfill this most noble task. Jesus pursued it to the end. And he called us to follow him and to do as he did. He did so in order to gather for himself a family of noble people who can dwell with him in the kingdom of God.
You may think that it is impossible to be a noble leader in the church of God. On our own it is true. It is impossible. But we must begin our quest. It is what is good, and the most blessed task a human being can pursue. God works in the heart, even unholy desires will change to holy desires. Even those who begin with an unholy desire for leadership may learn what it means to be truly noble. Just try by faith.
When God made man in the beginning, God made people to be noble stewards of his creation. He created him from dust to be a child of the king and to walk with their God. From the beginning God told man what he created him for. He tells us in Genesis 1:26-28: “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’” In other words, we were all made to be rulers, stewards, caretakers, managers of the world and managers of one another. But sin destroyed this most holy office and desire in man’s heart. We can see it in Cain’s heart who boldly stated, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” He did not want to serve his brother. In order to avoid the responsibility, he killed his Able. Cain did not want anything to do with the nobel task of being his brother’s keeper. He did not want spiritual leadership. It was all about him. He has forever become an example of ignobility.
Part lll: Set Your Heart
Paul taught Timothy something that people must set their hearts on. Read verse 1 again. “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.” It is not easy to pursue spiritual leadership. We must set out hearts on it. To set your heart on something means to pursue something. To set one’s heart on something is to pursue it with devotion and dedication, with commitment and enthusiasm. It takes a commitment of the heart to pursue that which is in essence difficult. When a lion pursues its prey, it sets its eyes in the prey. When a soccer player faces the opposing team he sets his eyes on the ball and game. Our pursuit of spiritual leadership must be an attitude of wholeheartedness. It takes a willing heart. It takes an obedient heart. It takes a humble spirit willing to learn from others who are spiritually more mature. It takes prayer and most of all it takes a persistent spirit willing to endure the many hardships that come as a result of serving God. But we must pursue it with confidence, with courage and with faith.
Part lV: To Purse Spiritual Leadership Takes holiness.
A leader had to have the right inner qualities. An overseer is like a Pastor, a shepherd of the flock of God. Look at the qualifications of an overseer. Look at verses 2-8, “2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.”
Paul goes onto to talk about the qualities of a deacon. A deacon is one who takes care of pastors. Look at verses 8-12, “ Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. … 12 A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.” The qualifications set a very high standard for spiritual leadership. Do you have these qualities? Do I have these qualities? We all have some of them, but not all of them. If it were not for the grace of our Lord Jesus I could never be the pastor of this small house church.
We should not despair about our present condition, but have hope in Christ. Jesus came to help us. He is our Savior. Look at verses 16-19, “Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He[c] appeared in a body,[d] was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” Jesus came into this world to be our Savior. He came in the flesh. He shared in our humanity. He suffered along with us. He understands us. He knows our holy desires and our inability to achieve this on our own. He is more than willing to help us when we live by faith in him and answer his call to be his disciples.
We can see how one man, Peter was changed by Jesus. Peter was a rough and tough and brash fisherman. His name was Simon. He was very emotional and a man who was like sand. (For that is what Simon means, “sand”) But when Jesus called him he called him Cephas, which means Peter or Rock. On Peter’s faith and his confession, Jesus would build his church. Peter would stand up as the leader of the first century church. Jesus called Peter to come and follow him promising to make him a fisher of men. After Peter accepted his mission from God, he was no longer a “sand-like”, emotional person with no clear life direction, but he became a man like Jesus, who wanted to please God with his life. Eventually all the disciples became noble men and women who took upon themselves the task of serving God’s purpose in their lives.
I can see God’s changing work in me. I was far from noble. In fact I was the most ignoble person. I am still very ignoble and under-qualified to be a leader in the work of God. But I have hope in God. I have hope in the life changing power of Jesus and as long as I cling to the cross of Christ I will be changed. And so can you.
We learned that we must have noble desires to be leaders in the work of God. God will change us by his grace, love and power. We must set our hearts on the task. Through our study of this passage may God bless you to set your heart on becoming a spiritual leader. May God bless you to pursue this role until God transforms your inner person. and raises you up as a shepherd for his flock. May God also help you to grow in a noble spirit, the spirit of Jesus. Amen.
1. Read verse 1. What is Paul's trustworthy saying? What is an overseer? In what sense are all Christians leaders? (Mt 5:14)
2. What is the "noble task"? What does it mean to "set his heart on..."? Why must one who would be a leader make such a decision of faith? (Think about some important decisions made by Jesus' disciples in the Bible: Acts 19:21;Jn 6:66-69)
3. Think again about the "noble task." Why is teaching the Bible a most noble task for a Christian leader? (2c; See 2Ti 3:16,17)
4. What are the basic qualifications for a Christian leader? (2-4,12) Why is "the husband of but one wife" repeated? What does this teach us about God's will for Christian families?
5. Read verse 2 again. Think about the meaning and importance (Pr 16:32) of "self-controlled." How is this related to the other qualifications in verses 2-3? (How can people born with sinful natures be self-controlled?)
6. What does it mean to be "hospitable"? Why is showing hospitality important? Can you think of any examples of hospitality?
7. What does it mean to "manage his own family well"? (4,5,12) How can one do this? Why is this necessary for one who would be a leader? What can we learn in verses 6-7 about how to defeat the devil?
8. What kind of persons should deacons be? Why should they be diligent Bible students? (9) Read verses 8-12. (See Jn 8:31,32) What kind of persons should the wives of leaders be? (11) What are the marks of a trustworthy woman?
9. Read verses 14-15. Who belongs to God's household? Why is the church that teaches the Bible called the "pillar and foundation of truth"?
10. Read the doxology in verse 16. Compare with Jn 1:14. How does this poem describe the gospel of Jesus and proclaim its power and glory?
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