Tag: st timothy

Pray and Give Thanks (1 Timothy 2:1-7)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and acceptable before God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For

there is one God;
    there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human,
    who gave himself a ransom for all

—this was attested at the right time. For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth; I am not lying), a teacher of the gentiles in faith and truth. (New Revised Standard Version)

In our extreme busyness, do any of us stop long enough to consider what is of upmost importance in our lives? Or do we scurry about, not considering why we fill every minute of the day with constant motion and activities which – if we are honest – only frustrate us?

Whether we know anything about William Shakespeare’s tragic play, Hamlet, or not, many a person lives out his centuries old words:

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

Writing to Timothy, a new and young pastoral leader of the Ephesian Church, the Apostle Paul made it clear what is, above all, the activity which the church and all believers in Jesus are to engage in: prayer.

Perhaps that sounds too trite or simple. Yet, there is really nothing easy about prayer. To pray is more like heading out on a wrestling mat with the Incredible Hulk. This is going to take some serious work.

The most important activity we can do is to keep persevering in prayer, never giving up, but continually getting back out there on the wrestling mat of prayer and putting all of your energy into it.

Everyone in leadership must be prayed for. Yes, each person who leads needs our prayers, without exception.

Christians are to be, first and foremost, people of prayer. And those prayers are to be for all sorts of various situations, and for all sorts of persons.

We are to pray for specific needs; general circumstances and situations; urgent and emergent requests; and, as the capstone to all prayer, expressions of thanksgiving and gratitude are most needed.

A weak and ineffective prayer is one that gives no thanks to God, nor offers gratitude to God for anyone.

Conversely, however, prayer filled with power and effectiveness is stuffed with thanksgiving to God, and liberally offers thanks to God for everyone, including the ones we don’t much care about.

Specifically, whenever we fail to pray for, and give thanks for, the very people we don’t much like, and would rather not pray for, at all, then we ought not expect any of our prayers to be heard nor answered by the God who is concerned for every human being on the face of this planet.

For the Christian, prayer is never optional nor merely occasional; prayer is necessary and vital, all the time. And prayer is a close relative to thanksgiving.

Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

Ephesians 6:18, NRSV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6, NRSV)

In the ancient world of Paul and Timothy, much like our present contemporary world, prayers are needed so that we can live peaceably, with godliness and dignity.

We need religious tolerance and political stability, guaranteed by people in leadership positions. We need God’s sovereign and gracious enablement and direction of world leaders, so that God’s benevolent kingdom will come, and God’s ethical will be done, here on this earth, as it is always done in God’s heaven.

Christians recognize one God. The ancient Romans acknowledged many gods. In fact, veneration of the Roman Emperor as a god began after the assassination of Julius Ceasar in 27 B.C.E. He was proclaimed as divine, and added to the official pantheon of state gods in the Empire. Praying to divinized Ceasars became a real thing in the Roman world.

Paul clearly instructed Timothy to pray for Kings and Caesars, and not to them. Just like everyone else, rulers are dependent upon the mercy of God. Leaders are mortal, not divine; and ought never to be treated like gods.

So, when the Apostle stated that there is one God and one Mediator between God and humanity, he was clearly saying that Christ is King, and Ceasar is not. This was subversive language, at the time, and could get a Christian into some serious trouble.

For us today, it may seem silly to worship a ruler. Yet, we in our contemporary culture have a definite bent toward divinizing particular celebrities, politicians, sports icons, and music and movie stars. Some of what folks do certainly looks like worship of famous persons.

All of the celebrities of this world need God, and need our prayers for them (and not to them!) as people, like us, requiring deliverance from guilt and shame, just like we do.

I am a Calvinist, a person who holds to a Christian tradition from the Reformer John Calvin. I have encountered many people who believe that Calvinism is determinism, as if people are wholly bad, and cannot make choices because everything is already predetermined.

A Reformed Christian tradition simply places emphasis where (we believe) emphasis is due: upon God, and God’s sovereign decrees, commands, will, and decisions. Because ultimately, everything comes down to God, not us.

We worship God, not our choices, or anyone else’s. Before we ever chose God, God chose us.

Everyone needs deliverance, but not everyone receives it. The Reformed concept of “limited atonement” simply recognizes that not everyone will be redeemed. The atonement of Christ is unlimited in its scope for all people, but limited in its application to some persons.

The heart of God is that everyone would be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Yet, not everyone experiences this.

This, in no way, flies in the face of a Christian theological tradition like Calvinism. A human judge may pronounce a severe sentence upon the accused; but that does not necessarily mean that the judge desires it, or enjoys putting someone away.

Jesus, the Son of God, and Son of Humanity, gave himself as a ransom for all. This assumes we all carry a significant debt that cannot simply be canceled; it must be reckoned with and redeemed.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Spiritual captives need freedom. Spiritual debtors need redemption. The spiritually oppressed need a champion, a warrior. Spiritual slaves need someone to pay for their release from bondage.

The death of Christ is the atoning act which provides new life for humanity. An existential exchange happened, in which Jesus vicariously took our place, and released us from the power of sin, death, and hell.

This is the good news which Christianity proclaims: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, and are now free to live a good, right, and just life. There is now nothing hindering our prayers. We have full access to God through Christ.

Thus, we are to use this incredible privilege of accessibility by praying to God on behalf of everyone; and giving thanks for all things, especially the deliverance which has been secured for us.

There are quite enough grumpy curmudgeons in this world. We don’t need any more of them. What we do need, and can never get enough of, are people who have heartfelt thanksgiving – and are grateful for both the good and the bad; those they don’t like, as well as the people they do like; those in an opposing political party, along with their own; their enemies, and their friends.

The good news of Jesus changes us to be people who exist in the world for good; and not for ill. And those who insist on hate speech and hateful actions, are evidencing that they are not people of prayer, and are ingrates who do not know God.

They shall find out the hard way that there is no unlimited atonement.

The Gospel is not a tale told by an idiot.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Christ, have mercy, and grant me your peace. Amen.

Speak the Good Word (2 Timothy 4:1-5)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
St. Paul the Apostle, Unknown artist

I’m giving you this commission in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is coming to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearance and his kingdom. Preach the word. Be ready to do it whether it is convenient or inconvenient. Correct, confront, and encourage with patience and instruction. 

There will come a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. They will collect teachers who say what they want to hear because they are self-centered. They will turn their back on the truth and turn to myths. But you must keep control of yourself in all circumstances. Endure suffering, do the work of a preacher of the good news, and carry out your service fully. (Common English Bible)

This letter from the Apostle Paul to Pastor Timothy was the last writing he ever crafted. Soon after sending this, according to historical tradition, Paul was martyred for his faith in the city of Rome, having been imprisoned there for two years. The letter contains some final words the Apostle wanted his young protégé to know that were important to him.

Paul left Timothy with a sacred charge to proclaim the gracious message of God – no matter the time nor circumstance – with all the divine patience and spiritual exhortation that the Lord gives.

A Word of Christ

The simple commission of Paul was to preach the word, proclaim the message, spread the good news. Paul called on Timothy to speak the word that God has spoken – the word passed on to him, first through his devout mother, then from his mentor, and finally from all the apostles. It’s a unified message of sound teaching concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ – God-breathed and committed to all God’s people who respond to the message in faith.

The responsibility is to not only hear the message, obey it, and guard it’s truth; the charge is to speak, to lift one’s voice and proclaim the message with confidence and without fear – because it is always open season on the proclamation of the gospel.

I don’t know what sort of picture this evokes for you to “preach the word.” Maybe you envision a preacher behind a pulpit in a church; or a guy with a bullhorn on a street corner; or an obnoxious coworker who takes any opportunity to puke the gospel onto another person; or some other picture which may be foreign to you.

Paul preaches in Athens, Unknown artist, 19th century

Please let me assure you that the Apostle Paul was not talking about any of those sorts of scenarios. The image is one of letting out something which is already inside of you, burning to come out and be heard.

It is to be so full of the life of Christ, that the words which come out of you are filled with that very life – a message of grace, redemption, hope, forgiveness, and love. And communicated in a way that also reflects the person of Jesus – an affect, gestures, posture, and tone of voice that resonates with another and is winsome, not annoying.

A Relevant Word

The person who proclaims the message of Christ does so in order to convince, encourage, rebuke, inform, and love. The messenger tells what another needs to hear, and not necessarily what they want to hear. This is a word that speaks to anyone in any situation within any sort of context or culture.

To speak with relevance in no way waters down the message of Christ. Rather, it means that the speaker takes great pains to talk in such a way as to help another in their own circumstance. Utilizing the mind and emotions, as well as the spirit, the preacher presents ideas, ethics, and feelings in order to announce good news.

And we are to always be patient with others. One must never resort to pressurized sales tactics to force another into the kingdom of God. The Word of God is a gracious message that provides life; and is not a big thick Bible that is used to smack somebody upside the head with condemnation.

Our responsibility is to be faithful in handling the message and proclaiming it with mercy. It is the Holy Spirit’s job to woo people to Jesus and purify them.

Don’t throw all over somebody a bucket of judgment, as if you are acting for God. Impatience, impertinence, impoliteness, and being impetuous, all belong to the devil’s imps, and have nothing to do with announcing good news of great joy for all the people.

An Uncompromising Word

Timothy lived in a society that was difficult in proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ. He lived in a city that had a grand temple to the goddess Artemis. He walked around seeing unethical practices and dubious living. Any of us would likely understand if Timothy shrunk back from having a bold proclamation of Christianity.

Paul speaking in the synagogue, a 12th century Byzantine mosaic

But the Apostle Paul was calling Timothy to preach good news without shrinking or shirking the message. One might be tempted to simply tell others what they’d like to hear and not stir the pot and cause any sort of conflict. Not everyone wants to hear the truth. For everyone who genuinely responds to a truthful and merciful message, there are four more persons who want none of it. They want what they want, and if someone says different, they’ll make their life hell.

These are the conspiracy theorists who would rather entertain spicy nuggets of opinion and speculation, than listen to evidence-based research and professionally peer reviewed material. They ground their ideas according to subjective taste and forsake objective documentation and witness.

Paul did not want Timothy coddling such persons or giving into them in any form whatsoever, because they have a severe hearing problem. People who won’t listen, constantly interrupt others, and believe they are always right, need a good dose of the uncompromising word of Christ.

In the face of those who refuse to listen and use their ears for good, Timothy was exhorted by Paul to be a steady teacher who keeps presenting the truth in intellectually and emotionally responsible ways. Timothy may have to endure suffering and put up with a bunch of simpletons giving him a hard time, but he was never to back down from sound and solid apostolic teaching.

It’s important that we all maintain a sense of emotional calm and intellectual soundness amidst all the crud within a given society. The believer is to avoid a discouragement that leads to abject silence.

Let us not be deterred from saying and doing what is right, just, and good. And let’s make sure that in the words we say and the behavior we display, there is the very life of Jesus Christ oozing out of us.

There are more than enough bad words being spoken every day; let’s instead speak the good word, full of grace and truth.

Soli Deo Gloria

Follow My Example (2 Timothy 1:12-14)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

This is why I am suffering now. But I am not ashamed! I know the one I have faith in, and I am sure he can guard until the last day what he has trusted me with. Now follow the example of the correct teaching I gave you, and let the faith and love of Christ Jesus be your model. You have been trusted with a wonderful treasure. Guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit, who lives within us. (Contemporary English Version)

Offense and defense are both equally important in sports. And the same is true for Christianity. A good offense includes confident proclamation of the gospel in word and deed. And a solid defense involves holding our ground through following the example of apostolic teaching passed down to us.

The Apostle Paul set himself up as a both a model of Christian character and an example of Christian action. That isn’t pride or arrogance; it’s the confidence of knowing you have something of value to offer the church and the world.

Everyone needs training and mentoring – and that is especially true for the Christian life. Christianity is a team sport. Believers must work together to survive, thrive, flourish, and be faithful in daily life. We all need good models of faith to learn from. Paul was just such an example for Timothy. And the essence of spiritual formation and maturity is found in imitating sound teaching through trusted leaders.

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

The Apostle Paul (Philippians 3:17, NIV)

We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what was promised. (Hebrews 6:12, NIV)

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:7, NIV)

It’s wise and necessary to imitate Christian leaders who have a proven character. They’ve demonstrated persevering in the faith through suffering; and have done it with great humility. Such leaders also have a track record of preserving the faith through consistent teaching of sound doctrine.

This does not necessarily mean that we emulate those who are erudite speakers, have superior gifts and abilities, and enjoy ministry success. What it does mean is that we ought to have as mentors in the faith those persons who imitate Christ and are not self-promoting peacocks who go after being admired and praised.

Paul chose Timothy as a mentee, and eventually as the leader of the Ephesian Church, because he had proven himself as being genuinely concerned for others, and not for making decisions that would simply further his ministry career. (Philippians 2:19-23)

Timothy learned from his mentor, Paul, how to cultivate a life of service to others rather than to be self-serving; and to teach others with sound instruction in love.

We are to imitate those who have proved themselves in hardship. A Christian leader who has not undergone the purgative fires of trials in this life may more easily become seduced by their own importance.

However, leaders who have seen their share of hard circumstances, pain, and suffering, and have come through it loving God and serving others out of grace and humility, are leaders worth imitating and listening to. 

Put in this light, the choosing and electing of church deacons and elders is important. Simply getting a warm body willing to serve is not really an option. Perhaps it could be that many young people are leaving the church, and even the faith, because they have not seen genuine Christianity lived-out with passion and integrity among those who hold leadership positions in the church.

No matter who we are, people are watching; they see what you do, what you say, how you act, and your attitude toward most things. Maybe you don’t think of yourself as an example to others, or believe that ordinary people have much influence. Yet leadership isn’t really about having a position or possessing power; it’s about the actions and/or inactions you take.

All this is to say that we have to take responsibility for the quality of our Christian life. We need to be careful about which post we’ll hitch our horse to – which leaders we’ll follow – and what sort of teaching we will learn from.

It takes time and effort to learn anything, including how to live the Christian life. That life must be developed and honed. We can only guard the message and a particular way of life if we know what it is and how to communicate it to others. We’ve got to put the work in.

We don’t just get zapped by the Spirit like some divine magic trick and become automatically great Christians and church leaders. God calls, molds, develops, mentors, and shapes individuals of all kinds for his purposes. That’s why there are so many exhortations in Scripture to be an example, follow godly examples, and mimic sound doctrine. 

Making disciples isn’t like making microwave popcorn. It’s much more like the outdoor smoker; go low and slow and let the meat cook just right.

The Christian message of good news, and the Christian life, are learned. And living this life is both a skill and an art. Because of that, failure is inevitable. 

We practice anything to get better at it. That’s why we work on engrafting spiritual practices into our lives. We do it, blow it, learn from our mistakes then try it again – over and over and over again. Grace comes into the equation because we must allow people the freedom to try and fail without beating them up over their mistakes. 

No one wants to even try if they know they’ll get slapped if they fail. Of all the places on planet earth, the church really ought to be a place where folks can experiment, try, implement ideas, and learn from their failures. The fact that we don’t typically think of the church this way says a lot.

Intelligence is helpful; talking a good line never hurts; confidence is beneficial; but taking the time to practice the skill and art of Christian living takes having a model, a mentor, an example – and being an example to others.

Gracious God, you prepared your disciples for the coming of the Spirit through the teaching of your Son Jesus Christ: Make the hearts and minds of your people ready to receive the blessing of the Holy Spirit so that they may be filled with the strength of his presence, and empowered for service to the church and the world, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Not Ashamed (2 Timothy 1:8-12)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 

And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.

That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return. (New Living Translation)

Guilt and Shame

Shame is a nasty feeling. Whereas guilt is a function of the conscience, and helps steer us toward making things right with others, shame lays an unnecessary heavy burden on the soul. Guilt says that I did or said something that wasn’t good. But shame says we did or said something because I am a failure.

The Apostle Paul insisted to his young protégé, Timothy, that there’s no basis for shame when it comes to proclamation of the gospel. In fact, the Good News confronts shame by putting a wooden stake through its heart.

Shame is a vampire that lives in the shadows and feeds on secrets. But the light of the Gospel penetrates life, disintegrating shame and putting it to death.

God’s word is alive and powerful! It is sharper than any double-edged sword. God’s word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts. Nothing is hidden from God! He sees through everything, and we will have to tell him the truth. (Hebrews 4:12-13, CEV)

Not a Failure

From a particular perspective, Paul would seem like a failure to many. He was an up and coming star in Judaic circles, but gave it all up to follow Jesus. And then, his life was marked by continual hardship, even persecution. To top it off, he landed in prison. Ironically, Paul found himself in a bad place just for being a preacher of good. He never left his imprisonment, and was eventually killed.

Yet Paul had no shame about any of it. Rather, he embraced the suffering, the difficulty, and all the circumstances that went sideways. Why? Because he had complete faith in who he was serving and what he was doing.

A lot of people, especially church pastors, struggle with shame. Most of them don’t have “successful” ministries when looked at from a certain angle. They see themselves as failures, and end up leaving the ministry and never going back.

Our strength and our help, however, no matter whether we’re clergy or laity, is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth; our assistance is found in the Good News we proclaim, in Jesus Christ, who himself was not ashamed of being tortured and killed.

Let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-3, NLT)

No More Shame

Christ has defanged the vampire of shame. And because of the work achieved on the Cross, we can now live in confidence, knowing who we believe, and trusting that the shame-busting Good News of grace will have it’s penetrating way in the world.

Salvation entails being delivered from something so that we can live for something else. We have been saved from the terrible grip of shame – which then allows us to live a vulnerable and confident faith in Jesus through the power of the Spirit.

Deliverance from shame enables us to respond to our holy calling from God.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. (Ephesians 1:4, NIV)

God chose us to be holy. He does not want us to live in sin. (1 Thessalonians 4:7, ERV)

“Salvation” is a wonderful word which needs to be reclaimed as so much more than going to heaven someday. In reality, it is the divine purpose by which God makes us just, right, and holy, forgiving our offenses and transforming us by the Spirit into the image of Christ.

Christ, in his incarnation, life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension has redeemed us. Jesus has torn down every wall, removed each barrier, and built bridges in connecting us to a life without shame and with everything we need to live well.

Christians embody the life of Christ within them by living a holy life, free of the weight of shame, and boldly proclaiming a message of grace, forgiveness, and freedom from the dark secrets we all carry.

This isn’t merely an ethereal gospel; it is Good News of great joy that has real impact for the nitty-gritty of our everyday lives.

O God, the author of peace and lover of harmony, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is deliverance and freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen