1 & 2 Timothy – Page 6

1 Timothy 5:17-25

There are some challenging things in this passage, aren’t there? Again, Paul is helping Timothy with issues that are either happening in the young congregation, are bound to happen. You can probably relate to some of these in your own experience, I know I can.

For instance, complaints. It’s a sad truth that church people complain. We all have our idea of what it means to be a Christian, what a church service should look like, what a Bible passage says. When someone’s view differs with ours, there is a rub. We are not all created alike, and this is a good thing because sharing our unique opinions can be helpful to others, can help mold a ministry, and in turn we grow ourselves. It is when we take a negative spin and complain.

Can you remember a time when you had a favorite “something”? Perhaps a favorite outfit, a favorite food, or even a favorite friend. Did you treat that favorite differently from all the rest? Could you maybe say the others took a backseat to your favorite and were not included as often? I think taking that simple example and applying it to congregational leadership will speak volumes – Paul is warning us do not forget anybody! Everyone is important. God has not favorites and we should not either.

I haven’t done this before, but I want to open this up to discussion. What do you think about this passage? Pray for some wisdom, and then in the comments below share your thoughts on this passage.

Let’s pray: I pray for church leaders everywhere that you will give them wisdom and courage amidst their struggle to lead. Help them take refuge in you knowing that you are the one in control, you are the one to whom we put our trust. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 Timothy 5:1-16 – Family is Important

Read 1 Timothy 5:1-16

We don’t want anyone to be left behind! All must know the saving power of Jesus Christ. Today’s reading is really focused on widows, both old and young, with instruction on how best to handle them from a church context. But the passage also stresses how we are to relate to each other, to our families, etc.

Two things strike me today. First, our society today seems to be spreading apart, and families are no longer staying within the same community as was the pattern for decades. There are still places where this isn’t the case, but our children are now following the jobs, which often take them across the country. This passage is a reminder to us that family is important. We are called to care for family, lest we “deny our own faith.”

1 Timothy 4:6-16 – Godly Training

Read 1 Timothy 4:6-16

Don’t you love when you are given parameters and expectations for a task? Then you have something to strive for, to succeed at, and the goal is easily set before you. Our task then, is to be effective followers of Jesus.

These verses in 1 Timothy have given us a glimpse of what that should look like. All point back to being a servant, doing all we can to be more like Jesus, and helping others around us to do the same.

1 Timothy 3:14-4:5 – False Teachers Beware

Read 1 Timothy 3:14-4:5

It seems to me Chapter 3 ends abruptly and flows nicely into Chapter 4, so let’s reflect on the overlapped passages. This happens frequently in the Bible where a thought continues from one chapter to the next. The chapter divisions commonly used today were developed by Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1200s. But let’s set that observation aside, there are much greater insights to explore here today.

The last couple of days we’ve been looking at the conduct Paul was prescribing for leaders and deacons. Today it encompasses everyone. That is, “how people” must conduct themselves. It is the responsibility of the church then to nurture and feed the people with truth, self-discipline to resist evil, and education to know right from wrong.

1 Timothy 3:8-13 – Church Deacons

1 Timothy 3:8-13

And now we address deacons. The expectation for deacons extends to their wives as well. What is a deacon? I’ve heard that used by some churches today, but not in the church I grew up in. For purposes of thinking through this passage, let’s take it back to its roots. At the time Paul wrote this, a deacon would be a servant, anyone who serves the body of Christ. A deacon can certainly be a “leader”, too, as in our previous reflection, but deacons are servants. Note, that according to Paul, wives (or spouses) of these “deacons” are also held accountable.

Should we all strive to be deacons? If we have the servant heart of Jesus, then our answer should be yes! Does this list of requirements seem reasonable or do you have trouble with any of them? Are you doing well in terms of being a Biblical deacon?