introduction (1-2)

All of Paul’s writings have such an incredible vulnerability I wish I could replicate. His blunt honesty is used to give glory to God. In recognizing his constant need for a savior, and admitting the horrors of his past he shows the glorious hope we have in Christ.

In the book of 1st Timothy, we see Paul writing to Timothy who he left in charge of the church of Ephesus. Paul is concerned that the false teachings spread throughout the church will limit the effect of the gospel message. These teachings don’t produce the same good qualities that the clean and simple gospel message does.

Paul opens this letter reminding Timothy and readers today that he is an apostle of God. This isn’t a hey I’m a cool dude, since I’m an apostle, but a reminder that he is acting as God’s messenger; he is God’s ambassador. God demands our respect. Therefore, we should respect the words and callings of Him through Paul. After setting up the passage Paul greets Timothy, his son, with grace, mercy, and peace. This is a common greeting for Paul’s writings, but to Timothy he adds in a blessing of mercy. Mercy simply put is what God withholds that we deserve. It is interesting how Paul added this for Timothy.

Paul, a single guy with no kids, is a father figure to many. He greets Timothy as his son. We know from Deuteronomy 6 the importance of teaching God’s commandments to the next generation. We see through Paul, that this commandment isn’t simply for those with biological kids, but for all of us. Whether you are still a kid yourself or 80 years old, there are still those that you can mentor and disciple (look at 1 Tim. 4:12 for more about this). Discipleship is a beautiful way to express the natural feelings of fatherhood/motherhood while doing good for the kingdom of God. Instead of us focusing on what we don’t have, we can serve in our current situation. Being a disciple is not solely for parents.

Another interesting thing in this greeting is how Paul reminds us of the source of grace and peace. Both grace and peace come from God, as does mercy. This is important to remember and recognize.

what’s up in Ephesus? (3-4)

Timothy was called to remain and face the afflictions in Ephesus. Paul wants him to preach the gospel message without the added distractions of false teachings. This is important to keep the integrity of the Gospel in the church of Ephesus. It is necessary to stand up for the truths of scripture, no matter how awkward or uncomfortable. Keeping the Gospel message at the forefront of the church is utterly important. There is no need to focus on topics that are not spiritually beneficial. We can speculate all we want about what these things could be about (Are there aliens? Did God create other life? Will dogs be in heaven? Where is heaven? How does time work?), but in that we would be doing the same thing Paul is commanding the church of Ephesus to abstain from. Silly distractions are so dangerous in the church. When there is no practical benefit or life change coming as a result of these topics, there is no point getting carried away emphasizing these things. Before engaging in a debate, we as Christians should ask ourselves is there is a spiritual impact from this argument. Remembering Philippians 4:8, we should focus on the truth.

what do we do? (5-7)

Our goal here is shown in verse 5. We are commanded to share out faith through love, and to be holy and faithful. Proper biblical teaching results in practical good behavior rooted in love. In today’s culture we are surrounded by so many mindless tasks, that it is easy to never be serious, but as believers we have been tasked with a serious job that should be respected for we are serving a holy God. Verse 7 reminds us not to become prideful in our understanding.

why do we need the law? (8-11)

The law is a good and gracious gift that must be understood and taught in a correct way. It is used to expose sin and give Christians wisdom about righteous living. We can take rest in the freedom we have in Christ since we have been set free from the law of Moses and placed under the law of Christ. The law is found in its inward work on our hearts, not an outward observance. We have no need to feel condemned or to put faith in our own ability to please God. We can never be good enough to reach God. He came down to us. There is no way we can go up to him.

We have all been entrusted with the Gospel as Paul was. We are commanded to protect the purity (its simplicity) and must pass it on to others. The simple gospel is summed up in Ephesians 2:8, “by grace through faith”. We know that true Christianity is shown in a lifestyle that is shaped by the gospel since there is no separation between belief and behavior.

who does Jesus save? (12-20)

Timothy is out from under Paul’s wing. He now has to make the conscience choice to make his faith his own. All of us reach this stage at some point in our relationship with Christ. You will face a day when you have to choose which team you are on. It isn’t a decision your parents or pastor or friends can make for you. This is your choice. Paul shows us who he was before Christ and who Christ made him to be. We are defined by how we walk, how we talk, and how we choose to live out our lives.

This is the one fight in life where we know the ending. Why would we not choose to be on the winning team? If someone told you a way to have _________ (whatever it is that you desire) for free, would you not share this with everyone you know? How much greater is eternal life?