Month: February 2017

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
2Ti 4:1-5

If we’ve seen anything as we’ve studied the latter half of the book of Acts, we’ve seen the tremendous burden the Apostle Paul had for preaching the word of God. We just recently read in 28:23 how when he met with the Jews of Rome, “he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.” We’ve seen this fervency as he tirelessly taught God’s word over and over again, and in our text today, as Paul writes to the younger preacher Timothy, he conveys to Timothy why he viewed this task to be so important.

1) It was a responsibility given by God.

Paul told Timothy, “fulfill your ministry”. (2Ti 4:5) It’s no one else’s. In other words, it was a specific, unique ministry given of God to Timothy. He reminded Timothy of that fact at the outset of this same letter as he urged him to “stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” (2Ti 1:6) God had intentionally gifted Timothy for this ministry, and therefore he had a special calling to attend to it. If the CEO or President phoned and said, “I have a task that I think you are best equipped to complete,” would we refuse that opportunity,? Of course not! We would understand the great privilege and honor in him calling on us. How much more so ought we to recognize the privilege in attending to the task God has given.

2) He would have to answer to God for how he handled it.

When Paul charged Timothy to fulfill this call to preach the gospel in v. 1 of our text, he also reminded him that a day was coming when all men would give an account before the Lord. Because God had called Timothy for this task, then he would have to answer to God for how he had responded. Heb 13:17 says that those called to rule over the flock of God by giving them His word “watch out for your souls, as those who must give account.” With this calling comes an accountability and men will answer to God for how they used their opportunity to preach His word.  This truth should have some preachers shaking in their boots! When God gives an ability, with that comes a responsibility. Every servant in the parable of the talents was given “according to his own ability,” and so each had the ability to gain more by using properly what he had. But the servant who came back with nothing but the initial talent given was cast “into the outer darkness”! (Mat 25:15, 30)

3) He had a limited opportunity with each group of people he encountered.

Paul understood every time that he preached the gospel that he may never have that opportunity again. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine,” (2Ti 4:3) and so it was necessary to strike while the iron was hot. Jesus said in Luk 10:2, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” The harvest comes at a particular season and ends in a short time. If not handled promptly, the crop rots and is lost. Likewise, the word must be preached faithfully as God provides the appropriate season for it, knowing that the time is short-lived and will not last. You may never see that person again. They may never be willing to listen again. “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” (Col 4:5)

Children, we may be reading about the Apostle Paul and his son in the faith Timothy, but we all have a calling of God. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Mat 5:14-16) It is a call of God for which we must give account, and we have a limited opportunity to attend to it. May we see faithfully to our calling!

Jamie

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…
Php 2:1-5

During a season when “love” is so emphasized, it’s good to be reminded of the characteristics of true love. Our text above tells us how someone with a “mind…which was also in Christ Jesus” will love. It isn’t simply a syrupy, emotional expression accompanied by flowers and candy. It’s more than romance and intimacy. This love is self-sacrificial, putting itself dead last. (the choice of that last adjective was intentional since “dead” is how you end up when you live a crucified life in Christ’s pattern)

Consider v. 3 with a few key words emphasized: “Let NOTHING be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem OTHERS BETTER than himself.” How many of our actions and intentions must be measured by this standard? ALL of them because NOTHING is excluded! Which people in our lives are in view here? EVERYONE because they all qualify as being OTHERS! And how should we consider these individuals compared to ourselves. As deserving BETTER than we do!

Honestly, I’m afraid if I say much more I’ll detract from the weight of that verse. Imagine the impact we would have as Christians if we were driven every moment by that command. Do we have to attend to our own things at times? Sure! We just need to make sure we “look out not only for [our] own interests, but also for the interests of others.” And when we look out for others, do it BETTER than we do for ourselves! How will men know that we love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind”? When we love our neighbor AS we love ourselves! (Mat 22:37-40) I’d say we have our work cut out for us today…

Jamie

And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed.
Acts 28:8-9

The natives of the island of Malta were said to have shown Paul and his companions “unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.” (v. 2) Later we read in v. 7 that Publius, who was likely the governor, “received us and entertained us courteously for three days.” In return for this kindness shown the Lord’s servant, our text today tells us that Publius’ father along the rest of the sick on the island were all healed!

We’ve seen this blessing on others elsewhere in Scripture due to their care for God’s people. Though Potiphar likely worshiped false gods like the other Egyptians, Gen 39:5 tells us “the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field.” If the world understood this principle, there would certainly be less animosity toward the children of God!

But there is one further point to make. The people of Malta did indeed enjoy natural blessings as a result of their kindness to Paul, but they were also left accountable as they heard and saw his witness among them. Sooner or later, men will have to pick sides. Potiphar appreciated Joseph like Herod did John the Baptist (Gen 39:4, Mar 6:20), but both men failed when put on the spot. (Gen 39:19,20, Mar 6:25-28) They sided with the world rather than with God’s men. It is a blessing to have the light for a season, but that blessing becomes a curse if men ultimately walk away from it. They are now more accountable, and “it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.” (2Pe 2:21)

Jamie