1 Timothy: Be Faithful
by, Tony Thomas
Sr. Minister, Woodland Heights Christian Church, Crawfordsville, IN
No. 54 in a series called, Route 66, a Road Trip Through the Bible
Ernest Shackleton was a British explorer who led three expeditions to Antarctica. On his third expedition disaster struck when his ship, the Endurance, became trapped in pack ice. The ice crushed the Endurance and Shackleton’s crew had to drag their lifeboats for two months to open water.
After five harrowing days at sea, Shackleton landed his lifeboats at Elephant Island. That tiny island provided fresh water but not enough food to sustain the entire crew. Shackleton decided to send one lifeboat to a whaling station on Georgia Island which was 720 nautical miles away.
Shackleton and five crew members boarded a 20’ lifeboat called the James Caird and sailed away. They used a sextant at night to navigate by stars and fifteen harrowing days later they arrived safely. He organized a rescue party – which took four tries – but four and a half months later, his crew was rescued without the loss of a single life!
Ernest Shackleton was knighted upon his safe return, the James Caird can still be seen in South London, he wrote a book about that adventure titled South -- and to this day he is considered one of Britain’s greatest heroes and explorer’s.
In 1922 Shackleton returned to Antarctica. He placed the following ad in London’s newspapers:
Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages … bitter cold … long months of complete darkness … constant danger … safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success. (Be Faithful, Warren W. Wiersbe,Victor Books, 1981, page 13)
Over 10,000 applicants responded! Why? It was signed, Ernest Shackleton. The British believed that no matter what happened, Ernest Shackleton would get them home safely.
“What does this have to do w/the Bible?” you ask! Everything! Paul wrote three pastoral epistles to Timothy and Titus, telling them to be faithful. It’s always too soon to quit!
In these letters, Paul used the Greek word pistos seventeen times. Pistos means “faithful.” Be faithful to the Word, to your task and to the people for whom you are accountable.
If Paul had placed an ad in the Jerusalem Gazette, it might have read something like this:
Men and women wanted for the difficult task of building my church. You will be misunderstood – especially by those working with you! You will face the daily attack from the invisible enemy who rules this world. You may not see the results of your labor during your lifetime, and the full reward of your labor will not come until after your work is completed. Your association with me may cost you your savings, your livelihood, your home – even your very life.
In spite of the long odds, at least 120 disciples met in an Upper Room to pray. And when it was time for Paul to venture into the unknown world, several volunteered and followed. Two of those who followeed were Timothy and Titus.
We’re in a series called Route 66. We’re working our way through the Bible and today we’re in 1 Timothy, which is the tenth of Paul’s thirteen New Testament letters.
Timothy was brought up in the home of a believing mother and grandmother. His mother was Jewish and his father was Greek. Paul met Timothy in Acts 16, and he was so impressed he recruited him for his missionary journeys.
But in spite of his faith and enthusiasm, Timothy was easily discouraged! Paul sent him to Ephesus and Ephesus was a good church. But even good churches suffer minor skirmishes. So in 1 Timothy 1:3, Paul tells him to, “Stay in Ephesus.”
Timothy may also have suffered from poor health. In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul prescribes a tonic for Timothy: “Use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.”
Timothy also faced some overly-zealous criticism:
4:12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
During his last year in office, Winston Churchill attended an official function. Two men, sitting behind, began to converse. “Winston Churchill is here tonight. They say he’s senile,” said the first man.
“They also say he should step aside” said the second. Churchill turned around and replied: “Gentlemen, they also say he is deaf!”
If you hold a position of leadership, you will be criticized. That’s why Paul said, “Be faithful.” It’s always too soon to quit. The person who succeeds is the person who holds on!
Although a lot of good people comprised the church in Ephesus, it wasn’t the easiest church to pastor. The city was devoted to the worship of Diana and Paul preached in Ephesus for three years (it’s hard to follow a legend). When you add Satan to the mix, Timothy had his hands full!
Paul wrote this letter for Timothy to encourage him to remain faithful, and to explain how the church should be managed. There are 6 chapters and 113 verses, but I want to divide it into four equal segments. Every verse and chapter has something to say to the church.
I. The Church and Its Message
Paul opens this letter by urging Timothy to teach sound doctrine:
3 Command certain people not to teach false doctrines.
4 Such things promote controversial speculations rather than the advancement of God’s work.
6 Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.
Breakpoint is an online newsletter that was started by Chuck Colson. Colson was Richard Nixon’s counsel during the Water Gate era. That character failure motivated Colson to seek a higher source of truth than his own intellect, and that search drew him into a deep relationship of faith in Jesus Christ.
The featured story on May 9 was titled, “Preach Scripture, fill the Pews.”
“What’s the No. 1 thing we can do to fill our churches? It’s probably not what you think. According to a new Gallup survey, the quality of the worship band isn’t the main reason people go to church. Neither is it thriving kids’ programs. Or even a dynamic personality in the pulpit.
“No, respondents said that sermons that teach about Scripture are the reason they show up on Sunday mornings!”
According to Christianity Today, 82% of all Protestants choose a church because Biblical sermons are preached. In a world where it’s nearly impossible to determine fact from fiction and reality from conspiracy theories, people are searching for the truth!
One of the larger churches in Tulsa, OK is the Life Church. Derek Jewell pastors the Broken Arrow campus and they offer six Sunday services. They are “beefing up their teaching because people are desperate for the truth or they’d be out golfing!” You can read that right on their church web page.
The goal of the church is not to out-entertain the world. That’s not what church is about – nor is what people need. Worship isn’t about us; it’s about us meeting God, giving him his due and being instructed and equipped for the next week.
Jared Wilson preaches at the Middle Springs Community Church in Middle Springs, VT. Wilson says, “Someone will always have better coffee, better music, better facilities and better speaking. Showcase Christ and his Gospel! No one can improve on that.”
We think that the watering down of the Bible is a new problem, but it’s not. It happened in Timothy’s day, too! In fact, Paul identified the false teaching as “… fables and endless genealogies” (vs. 4).
FYI: I’ve been asked to cover all kinds of feel-good subjects that have nothing to do w/the Bible. Like going green, climatology, pollution and the harmful effects of sugar and salt.
Speaking of salt, one of our elders is Jim Morris. Jim had some major surgery a couple of years ago and his doctor keeps close tabs on every aspect of his body. Recently, believe it or not, Jim’s doctor said: “You need more salt in your diet.”
When Jim shared that in our elders meeting there was a pregnant and pause and then everybody burst out into laughter! I’ve been wanting to meet a doctor like that my whole life!
Guess what? Jesus said we are the salt of the earth. Not only that, as we are seasoning our world we offer the Bread of Life!
II. The Church and Its Members
Chapters 2-3 cover a lot of ground: prayer, women’s behavior, and the qualifications for elders and deacons. So … let me try and lift one aspect of each section.
1st, Paul tells us to pray for all people:
1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.
2 For kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
Paul reminds Timothy that one of our basic priorities is prayer. He says (vs. 1), “First of all.” Most churches cover more announcements than prayer! BTW, we send out a daily prayer mail and if you’d like to get it write your email address down on the bottom of your tear-off slip.
Peter Deyneka founded of the Slavic Gospel Association. He lived out his faith by one principle: “Much prayer, much power! No prayer, no power!”
And then Paul mentions “… petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving.” There are seven Greek nouns for prayer and Paul uses four of them. Don’t be legalistic with this verse! He’s not saying that every prayer has to include all seven aspects. But, over the course of your life there ought to be some variety.
And don’t forget the reason for prayer: “That we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
I can hardly stand to watch the news. There’s so much controversy in Washington, D.C. and there’s so much fighting amongst media members that it’s like watching the WWE. But I’m at fault, too, because I haven’t prayed as I should.
The Pharisees prayed in order to be seen, but we pray in order to please the Father. Warren Wiersbe reminds us of an important principle: “The purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven … but to get God’s will done on earth!”
2nd, Paul addresses women. This is a controversial passage because it stands in direction opposition to the world’s values. The world is pursuing equality but God wants us to pursue holiness. There’s a big difference!
1 Timothy 2 …
9 I want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety,
10 adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or jewelry or expensive clothes, but with good deeds.
11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.
Have you noticed how quiet it is? What’s Paul saying? Focus on your inner beauty. When Jesus returns, he’s not coming for Miss America! He’s coming to claim the woman who pursued holiness and righteousness above fashion and stature.
Guys, we can help the ladies if we adjust our attitudes. Learn to appreciate what your wife thinks as much as you appreciate how she looks. Learn to value her decisions, quiet confidence, inner conviction and hard work that’s not remunerated
In chapter 3, Paul addresses church leaders. Titus also discusses church leadership so I want to save some of my remarks for June 25. Timothy focuses on the qualities of leadership, not so much as the duties of leadership. And, there are qualifications for women, too, in Romans 16.
III. The Church and Its Minister
This section won’t take long – since you are blessed to have such perfect pastors here at Woodland Heights! I did something last week I’ve never done before. I bounced a check (actually … 3 checks!) on an account that doesn’t exist!
My assistant came into my office with a letter from a bank that included a returned check for insufficient funds. Guess what? It was mine! I thought she was pulling a prank! My tithe bounced – and I have to pay a $10 fee! I marched down to Hoosier Heartland and the teller pointed out that my check wasn’t written from Hoosier Heartland!
About two years ago we changed banks. When we got home I asked my wife to shred all the unused checks. I sat them on the dining room table, and she forgot, and when I left the house early the next morning I saw them … but I didn’t shred them because I didn’t want to wake Christie up.
Well, when Christie got up she saw those checks and put them back in the drawer because she assumed they were the new ones. The only check we actually write is our tithe; everything else is done online. So when we used the last check I reached into the drawer!
To make matters worse, that bounced check was two weeks old. Yep, last Sunday’s check was gonna bounce, too! Even worse, I had written a check to Harwood’s Collision because he didn’t want to lose 3% on my Visa card.
To make a long story even longer, I get rear-ended by an 87-year-old woman last Sunday and All-State deposited the money from their account directly into our bank. When I picked up my truck I wrote a check from an account that doesn’t exist. And that’s why in fifteen years the elders have never allowed me to write a church check!
Paul told Timothy that something was insufficient. 1 Timothy 4:1, “In the last days, some in the church will turn away from Christ and follow deceiving spirits.” Why? Because they listened to “hypocritical liars” (vs. 20).
Who you follow and listen to … the person who teaches Scripture as if he speaks for God … is so important! In Timothy’s day, “they refused marriage” (vs. 3). In our day some pastors will marry anybody! In Timothy’s day, “they abstained from certain foods.” In our day the sky is the limit.
So Paul cautioned Timothy to become a good minister:
6 If you explain this to the church you will be doing your duty as a worthy pastor who is fed by faith and by the true teaching you have followed.
In Acts 20, when Paul left Ephesus, he warned the elders that false teachers would enter the church (Acts 20:28). The threat to the church is not from without, but from threats within!
13 Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.
15 Be diligent in these matters.
16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. If you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
IV. The Church and Its Ministry
The heading for 1 Timothy 5 in my Bible reads, “Widows, elders and slaves.”
1 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers,
2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
Widows, elders and slaves is an interesting group of people to lump together. Why? Don’t forget, Timothy was younger. Sometimes, in our youth, we overlook others, and Paul wanted Timothy to value every individual!
From the world’s perspective, there is a sliding scale of values attributed to a person’s worth. In the first century even in the church … slaves, widows and the elderly were slighted. So Paul reminds Timothy to treat people the way Jesus would treat them if he was still on the earth.
We have a responsibility and duty to care for certain people. And it’s not enough to show them genuine care; we need to show genuine care with the right attitude.
I clipped an article titled Puppy Love, from the Daily Mail. Shona Sibary loves puppies, but not dogs. As soon as the puppy shows signs of maturing, Sibary deposits them at the nearest animal shelter. “I get rid of dogs as soon as they stop being cute.”
Unfortunately, that’s true for some churches, too. I like babies, but toddlers aren’t my cup of tea! I’ll help middle-schoolers, but good luck with high-schoolers! I’ll teach young adults, but don’t send me to the nursing home!
I know that we all gravitate to an age group because of comfort. And there’s nothing wrong with finding fulfillment. But all of us can show the love of Jesus if we have received the love of Jesus.
And don’t ever forget, there was once a time when you weren’t so cute, either:
11 But you, man of God, pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
