Bringing Home the Bacon

“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives and especially for the members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1Tim 5:8).

My employers are very thoughtful. Every two weeks they give a lovely little thank you note for working. It’s a wonderful little thing called a paycheck. I may bring home the bacon but it’s not all my bacon. I’m not talking about the sizable slice the government takes out (that’s another verse and another rant for another day). Whether you’re working hard or hardly working, what you earn isn’t just for you. Bachman Turner Overdrive sang, “Taking care of business, it’s all mine!” Well as a followers of Jesus, it’s NOT all mine. We’re taking care of business when we’re taking care of others.

Here in Paul’s first letter to Timothy, the apostle has some important application of the Gospel for the young pastor and his Ephesian church. Smack dab in the middle of a big chunk about Gospel style assisted living (1Tim 5:3-16), he drops a warning that stops us in our tracks. “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives and especially for the members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (v8). In other words, when I diss my fam, I diss my faith. Yikes!

Let’s cut to the chase. I can’t say I follow Jesus and then fail to provide for my family. If that’s true, I may talk the talk, but I’m not walking the walk. Failing to make a plan and support the ones I love trashes the name of Christ. Turning my back on family financially tells the world I’m the most important person in my little corner of the universe. God has blessed me with a job so that I can be a blessing to others. I may bring home the bacon, but it’s not all my bacon.

Don’t forget the whole reason Paul fires off this note in the first place. It’s the middle of the first century. About 64 A.D. We’re only thirty years after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. The apostle has work to do over in southern Europe in a region known as Macedonia. He is probably making followup visits to the churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea (Acts 16:9-17:15). In the meantime, he’s handed the reigns of leadership in the Ephesian church to his spiritual son Timothy (1Tim 1:1-3). 

Tim’s got quite a mess on his hands in E City. A crew of spiritual con artists have distracted folks from following Jesus with all sorts of goofy “myths and endless genealogies” (1Tim 1:4). Sprinkle in some dangerous occult practices and doctrine that’s nothing short of demonic (1Tim 4:1). Step one, remove the congregational cancer. Step two, replace them with humble, godly team of new leaders (1Tim 3:1-13). Step three, refocus the message on God’s goodness of the Gospel (1Tim 3:14-4:4). Step four, apply the Good News in practical ways (1Tim 5:15-6:20).

A big chunk of letting the rubber meet the road in this letter involves caring for widows. You might be shocked when you realize Paul spends 16 verses. That’s 25% of the application section! Now I’m not saying that the situation in your church and city are anything like what Tim faced in Ephesus. But if the Holy Spirit nudged the apostle to devote that much of his content to the issue, it’s something we need to pay attention to, don’t you think? 

Here in the middle of his description of Gospel style assisted living, Paul backs up and gives the big idea when it comes to caring for others. “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for the members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (v8). This is so much more than simply making sure we’re taking care of mom and memaw. This is realizing you’re not flying solo through life. Others need you. Others depend on you. My paycheck is NOT all mine. As a follower of Jesus, taking care of business means taking care of others. 

Someone who trusts in Christ should “provide for his relatives” (v8). Paul uses a Greek word here (Gr. pronoeo) that has a couple of interesting meanings. First, it describes caring for someone with the implication of ongoing responsibility. Second, the term also means to think about something ahead of time so you can respond appropriately. That’s actually the literal translation of proneo. “Pre (pro-) think (-neo).” It’s to plan ahead of time. Do you have a strategy or system in place that involves supporting those God has placed in your life? 

This means my work is so much more than simply punching a time clock and cashing a check. Having a plan means having a budget. As Dave Ramsey likes to say, do I spend every dollar on purpose on paper before the month begins? I think Snoop D-O-Double G had the right idea when he rapped, “I’ve got my mind on my money and my money on my mind.” Let me be clear, I’m NOT saying this is about making it rain and rolling with a posse while dropping mad rhymes for Death Row Records. Don’t love money and use people. Use money to love people. We can’t do that if we don’t have a plan. Make a plan and then work the plan. Remember, failing to plan is planning to fail. Make a budget. (Did I REALLY just use Dave Ramsey and Snoop Dogg in the same paragraph?!?)

When someone doesn’t plan and provide for their family and those God has placed under their care, “he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (v8). The original Greek word here is arneomai, which means to denounce either by words or actions. Disown, disavow, or disregard. Refuse, reject, or renounce. Jesus warns, “Whoever denies (Gr. arneomai) Me before men, I will also deny (Gr. arneomai) before My Father who is in heaven” (Mt 10:33). It’s the word Matthew chooses to describe Pete’s three-peat denial of Jesus (Mt 26:70-72). Just so there’s no doubt here, denying your faith is toward the top of the “Things a Follower of Jesus Should Not Do” list. When I diss my fam, I diss my faith. 

Why is that? What in the world does my paycheck have to do with my the Gospel? Only everything. I may have earned my pay, but I certainly didn’t earn my salvation. What I’ve really earned is punishment. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23). Because God graciously gives and shares with me, I graciously give and share with others. I give because I’ve been given. I bless because I’ve been blessed. The buck does NOT stop here. So when we turn our back on our family, we’re turning our back to Jesus.

If that isn’t bad enough, Paul says someone who turns their backs on his family “is worse than an unbeliever” (v8). You don’t see it in the English translations, but the words “faith” (Gr. pistis) and “unbeliever” (Gr. apistis) are really variations of the same word in the original language. Once again, the apostle stresses placing our trust in Jesus to do for us what we could never dream of doing for ourselves. We place our trust in His perfect life that we failed to live. We place our trust in His death on a cross for our sin that we should have died. We place our trust in His resurrection to new life that we don’t deserve. That’s what we believe. That’s the point of our faith. 

So you can sum this up “he has denied what he believes and is worse than an unbeliever.” Or “he rejected the trust he has in Christ and is worse than one who has never trusted in Christ.” Or as the Message paraphrases it, “Anyone who neglects to care for family members in needs repudiates the faith. That’s worse that refusing to believe in the first place” (v8 The Message). If you claim to follow Jesus, folks want to see what that looks like. They want to see how you live it out. Whatever you call it, faith or belief or trust, it MUST have a response. Jesus’ kid brother James like to say that faith without any kind of action is dead as a doornail (James 2:17, 25). 

Please don’t misunderstand me. The Bible is NOT calling for some sort of hippie commune. He calls us to be responsible with His blessings. He’s put them in our hands and in our care in order to bless others. The first church readily sold off their resources for the good of others, but that was only to help “as any had need” (Acts 2:43-45). We need to pull our own weight. And we need to keep our eyes peeled for those who are struggling. A big part of taking care of business in God’s kingdom is taking care of others.

Paul warns folks in Thessalonica to get busy and get to work. Apparently believers there were so convinced Jesus was coming back any day now that they quit their jobs and let the church support them (1Th 3:6-11). The apostle and his team showed the Thessalonians what hard work looks like. If you’re able to work, get to work. “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (1Th 3:10). Don’t be a financial burden your friends and family. That giant sucking sound better not be me draining the trough dry when I’m able to roll up my sleeves and get to work.

A practical application of my faith in Jesus is what I do with my paycheck. Do I understand my responsibility is to more than just myself? Do I budget and plan so that I can maximize God’s blessing to my family, to my friends, to my church, and to those who can’t care for themselves. It starts at home. If I fail to provide for my family, I’m not just giving a stiff arm to my Savior but it’s worse than rejecting Him in the first place. My paycheck is NOT all mine. As a follower of Jesus, taking care of business means taking care of others.

Assisted Living, Gospel Style

“Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives” (1Tim 5:3-7).

Long before anyone came up with the idea of nursing homes and assisted living facilities, God told His people to care for their aging relatives. Here in Paul’s first letter to Timothy, the apostle gives the young Ephesian pastor specific and detailed instructions on focusing the church’s resources on those older women who are without husbands and without help (1Tim 5:3-16). We’ll look at the first part of this section here (1Tim 5:3-7). If she has family, they should step up. If all she has left is her hope in Jesus, that’s when her church family gets busy. It’s a critical way to show love to mom and memaw. This is assisted living, Gospel style.

Let’s face it. Caring for the elderly is not exactly a sexy topic. But it’s absolutely one of the most issues any church or family will ever face. It was clearly a bone of contention in the church of first century Ephesus. Think I’m making this up? Why else would Paul spend more time and ink on caring for widows than any other matter? Could it be that one of the worst impacts of the false teachers was the neglect and abuse of their senior saints (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-3)? Certainly strong extended family relationships are vitally important when looking for godly leaders of integrity (1Tim 3:2, 4-5, 12).

Can we talk about the elephant in the room for just a minute? Actually, this one is more like a massive woolly mammoth. Why isn’t this a front burner issue in the 21st Century American church? There is a massive proportion of our population that’s in need of care in the winter of their lives. It’s a percentage that’s growing every single day. According to the 2010 U.S. Census,13% of our Americans are at least 65 years old. And while men are living longer today than ever before, women are still outliving their husbands. 

When is the last time the topic of providing care for our widowed moms and grandmas came up at church? Getting uncomfortable, yet? Yeah, me too. My intent isn’t to be the travel agent for a guilt trip. But there’s little doubt that God calls His people to provide practical means of support for these women. If I’m a follower of Jesus, I’m to care for those ladies in my family who’ve lost their husbands. If an elderly widow has no one else, it’s time for the church to roll up its sleeves. 

“Honor widows who are truly widows” (v3). Here’s the bottom line when it comes to the subject. According to the folks behind the ESV Study Bible, Paul’s primary purpose is to identify widows who need the church’s help. He gives two key indicators. First, they have no other family (1Tim 5:4-8, 16). Second, they are examples of godliness (1Tim 5:5, 9-15). 

What does it mean to show someone “honor” (v3)? This is the Greek verb timao, which means to show someone respect, care, support, or simply treat them graciously. It comes from a root word describing something incredibly valuable, precious, and priceless. NT authors use it when referring to God’s Top Ten commandment about respecting our parents (Mt 19:19; Mk 7:10; 10:19; Lk 18:20; Eph 6:2). We show our widowed mothers and grandmothers just how precious they are to us by practically meeting all kinds of needs, primarily through our financial support. But don’t think you’re off the hook if you have the cheddar to simply write a check for assisted living. Nursing homes are full of lonely people. Show them their value to you with regular visits.

Paul uses a word for “widow” (Gr. chera) that comes from a term describing a huge emptiness. There’s a gaping void left by the death of her husband. It can also draw a painful picture of the chasm left wide open without any support from family. Unless we’ve lost a spouse, I don’t think we can wrap our brains or hearts around the Grand Canyon of grief it leaves behind. Jesus is the only one who truly fills that relational abyss. But one of the key ways He does that is through you and me.

God blesses His church with resources to manage and use effectively for His kingdom. A church shouldn’t support a widow who has family with the ability to love and support her. “But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents” (v4). Let that sink in. Caring for your mom or grandma who’s lost their husband is first and foremost the family’s responsibility. Expect it. Plan for it. Don’t use the excuse that your money is tied up in charity work or supporting overseas missionaries. Jesus says that won’t fly (Mt 15:4-7; Mk 7:10-13). 

And don’t miss this point. Financially supporting our aging loved ones is a very practical means of worshiping God. It’s one way you and I can be sure to put a smile on His face. “For this is pleasing in the sight of God” (v4). You may not think of moving mom into your bonus room or visiting grammy at the assisted living facility as an act of worship to Jesus, but it is. I’m pretty sure this is the kind of thing Christ was talking about when told folks about feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, visiting the prisoner, and clothing the naked. “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these, My brothers, you did it to Me” (Mt 25:40). When you do this for mom or grandma, you’re actually doing it for Jesus.

Paul turns from the widow who has a family to support her to the lady “who is truly a widow, left all alone” (v5). The original Greek text uses a word (Gr. mono’o) which means to be desolate, destitute, forsaken, and helpless. In the days before social security, life insurance, and 401ks, a woman would be left swinging in the societal breeze if she had no husband or son in her life to provide for her. Without them, these widows were helpless. While it’s not expressly part of this passage, one of the greatest ways that a husband can love his wife is by providing for her after his death. Don’t just make a point of piling up a nest egg but make sure you have a will that makes everything clear. Otherwise she may be destitute as the result of probate.

Did you realize Jesus did some first century estate planning in order to care for His mom? While He hung on the cross, Christ asked His best friend John to care for Mary as if she was the apostle’s own mother (Jn 19:25-27). Jesus knew the future His mom faced without Him. At this point, His kid brothers James and Jude hadn’t placed their trust in their God and Savior. That wouldn’t happen until their big Brother walked alive out of the tomb a few days later. Jesus gives us a great example of what it looks like for believers to care for our aging parents.

The apostle writes that a woman who’s left without family should first “set her hope on God” (v5). She knows the Father is ultimately the One who will provide her with what she needs. When Jesus teaches His posse the basics of prayer, He points out the importance of dependance on our Heavenly Dad. “Give us each day our daily bread” (Lk 11:4). This has nothing really with whether you’re gluten-free or not, but rather trusting in our generous God to give you what you need each day. While we should all set our “hope on God” (v5), a widow probably has no other choice.

So just what does a godly lady do when she’s lost her husband and has no family? She prays. She “continues in supplications and prayers night and day” (v5). Dr. Luke gives us a perfect picture of what this looks like. When Joe and Mary headed to the temple just after the birth of their first Son, they ran into Anna. After losing her husband, this 84-year-old prophetess not only lived at the temple in Jerusalem but devoted herself to “worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day” (Lk 2:36-38). Instead of sitting around feeling sorry for herself, a godly widow leverages her available time for others, specifically in prayer. 

And if there’s any doubt about how a widow should NOT roll, Paul writes, “But she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives” (v6). He drops a Greek word here (Gr. spatalao) that means to live luxuriously or seek to gratify your own appetites and desires. It comes from another term used to describe a riot that’s completely out of control. The only other time we see this word used in the Bible is when James warns the wealthy, “You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence (Gr. spatalao)” (James 5:5). Just ask the prodigal son how that works out (Lk 15:13-16). 

This woman makes the tragic mistake of making herself the priority and blowing everything she has on herself. We’re talking about so much more than money. She is black hole of attention, dragging everyone into her drama. It’s completely the opposite of the godly widow in the previous verse who fasts and prays (v5). God calls us to live selflessly not selfishly. Follow Jesus’ example of sacrifice and flip org chart. “In humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil 2:3-4). The Message nails this idea. “But a widow who exploits people’s emotions and pocketbooks—well, there’s nothing to her” (v6 The Message).

What this wild widow doesn’t realize is that she’s “dead while she lives” (v6). She’s a dead woman walking. This lady is actually no more alive than her already dead husband. SPOILER ALERT! She’s like Bruce Willis’ character in “The Sixth Sense.” This widow is dead and doesn’t realize it. (If I spoiled the big reveal of that movie, this one is completely on you. That flick came out in 1999.) 

Paul gives Pastor Tim specific instructions about what he’s to do with this info about widows, families, and the church family. “Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach” (v7). Let’s review “these things.” Take proper care of these women who truly can’t take care of themselves. Family’s need to step up and provide for the ladies in their lives. If she has no family, the church steps in. Gently encourage these widows to allow Christ to fill the void in their lives and devote themselves to prayer. Warn those who’ve lost their husbands not to be a dead woman walking. This is assisted living, Gospel style.

One Size Does NOT Fit All

“Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity” (1Tim 5:1-2).

Back in the sixties, cities across America thought they were smart to build multipurpose stadiums. They could use these modern coliseums for football one day, baseball the next, and a concert the day after. One size fits all. There was just one little problem. These joints were just terrible places for any sport. Multipurpose stadiums turned out to no purpose stadiums. One size does NOT fit all.

In a letter to a young pastor and protege, Paul encourages Timothy not to take a one-size-fits-all approach in dealing with folks in his congregation. “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity” (v1-2). Because the church is made up of individuals, you deal with them as individuals. Because a church is a family, you treat folks like family. Age appropriately. Gender appropriately. One size does NOT fit all.

The apostle has spent a lot of time talking to Tim about cleaning up the mess made by a bunch of spiritual snake oil salesmen (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-3). They distracted the people from following Jesus with all sorts of mumbo jumbo that sounded religious but had nothing to do with the Gospel. Refocus the church back on Christ and His overflowing goodness (1Tim 1:12-17; 2:3-7; 4:3-4). Get folks praying again (1Tim 2:1-2). Fill the leadership vacuum with godly men and women of integrity (1Tim 3:1-13). Paul then gives Tim a series of important instructions when it comes to serving God’s people as their pastor (1Tim 3:14-4:16).

Paul shifts gears at this point in his note to Tim. He moves from church-wide warnings and instructions to dealing with individuals. Instead of heavy handed rules handed down from some corporate cookie cutter, the apostle wants the young pastor to remember that the church is a family. And not just any family, but God’s family. Want to know how to treat each other? I don’t care how your own family put the funk in dysfunction. Interact the way a healthy and loving relatives would. With love. With grace. With respect. With integrity. Age appropriately. Gender appropriately. One size does NOT fit all. 

As a rookie pastor, Tim is probably going to have a difficult time when trying to correct the older men in the church. So the apostle starts by saying, “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father” (v1). The word behind “rebuke” is epiplesso, which literally means to strike sharply upon or beat on something in order to change it’s shape. Picture a blacksmith pounding on metal with his hammer. 

Here Paul uses it for strongly reprimanding or beating up someone with sharp words. Some translations add “sharply” (NASB, AMP) or “harshly” (NIV, NRS, NLT). That’s exactly how you are NOT supposed to interact with older men in your church. Someone in leadership may need to correct them, but be very careful in how you do it. Don’t try to beat them into submission just because you’re in charge. You may be in a position of leadership or authority, but that doesn’t give you the right to be a human bulldozer. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. 

What an important reminder this is of the power of our words. That little ditty from the playground is a lie. “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” What a crock! Words hurt. They cut and cut deeply. We should all remember the damage we can do with what we say. 

Instead of hammering away in harshness on an older man in the church, Tim is to “encourage him as you would a father” (v1). Paul uses one of my all-time favorite Greek words here: parakaleo. It’s a compound word that can be used in a wide variety of incredibly positive ways. It literally means to call someone to your side or to speak while walking alongside someone. In various places, authors of the NT use it to cheer, urge, implore, ask, request, and invite. 

Parakaleo is from the same root word describing the Holy Spirit as our Comforter and Counselor, Parakletos, (Jn 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). Just as the Spirit wants God’s best for you and me, a pastor encourages senior saints in the congregation. This is the idea of relationship, friendship, and longterm investment. Not a drive-by rebuke. 

Similarly in verse 2, Paul tells Timothy to treat “older women as mothers” (v2). Some spoiled teenage brat may bark back on their mom on the Dr. Phil show, but that’s not the way a child of God is to treat the woman who raise them. Tim had godly women in his life growing up, his grandmother Lois and mom Eunice (2Tim 1:5). No doubt the apostle is reminding his sidekick to interact with the more mature women in the Ephesian church in much the same way as he did with his mom and memaw. This is Paul’s way of saying, “Word to your mother.”

The big principle here is to treat the senior saints in your church the same way you would treat your parents. Just in case you forgot how that’s supposed to go down, God included the parent/child relationship back in His original Top Ten. “Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you” (Ex 20:12). Respect the older men and women in the congregation the same way God commands us to respect our parents. Give them the honor they deserve. 

Now this doesn’t mean you do everything they tell you. But it does mean we dismiss them out of hand as being old fogies and totally out of touch. They have a huge advantage when it comes to experience. They’re not chronologically challenged. Let’s be honest, balancing the wants and needs of a congregation with a broad range of ages isn’t easy. Don’t just blow off comments from the older members of the congregation. Certainly don’t tell them that if the music’s too loud, they’re too old. You might be surprised how they’ll respond when you cast vision for why your church does things a certain way.

Back in verse 1, Paul instructs Tim to treat “younger men as brothers” (v1). Again, don’t throw your weight around just because you have a plaque on your door or a title on your business card. The last thing you need to do as a pastor is cut yourself off from your friends and set up your office in the ivory tower. Remember you still need Jesus just as much as anybody else your age. Some of us might like the idea of dealing with the younger dudes like our brothers. You have childhood memories of noogies and wedgies. Yeah, that’s NOT what Paul’s talking about. You need their prayers and support, ESPECIALLY if you’re in leadership.

Finally, those in authority must interact with “younger women as sisters, in all purity” (v2). Don’t miss those three words at the end. “In all purity.” The Greek word here is agneia, which means a whole lot more than wearing a clean shirt and socks. This term carries strong sexual overtones. It can mean virginity or chastity. Paul’s talking about complete and total sexual propriety when a leader is around younger women. 

You absolutely have to be above and beyond reproach when it comes to your interactions with young ladies. Robertson is right. Nothing will disqualify a young pastor more quickly than his conduct with young women! Don’t give even a hint of moral misconduct. A member of the opposite sex in your church is NOT your target. Stop it. She’s your sister. Treat her with respect and honor.

Eventually cities tore down most of the multipurpose stadiums when they realized one facility couldn't serve every sport. Football, baseball, and entertainment all have unique requirements. One size does NOT fit all. In the same way, we shouldn’t treat everybody the same way. We treat them as individual believers. We deal with each person age and gender appropriately. I don’t treat my dad like my kid brother or my mom like my big sister. Remember, our church is our family. One size does NOT fit all.

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by doing so you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1Tim 4:16).

While golf is a wonderful game, fellow golfers can be frustrating. When I’m not playing well (which is usually MOST of the time!), the other golfers in my foursome constantly barrage me with an endless litany of suggestions. Your tempo is too fast. Your tempo is too slow. Keep your head still. Keep your left arm straight. You’re aimed too far to the left or the right. The truth is I’m standing too close to the ball…after I hit it! Everybody thinks they’re a swing doctor. I end up standing over the ball unable to swing. It’s paralysis by analysis.

But the best teaching pros break things down and make them simple to understand. Their one or two tips may be hard to execute, but they don’t overload you with info. They may go into detail as they take apart your swing, but in the end, they concentrate on a couple of key principles and everything else will take care of itself. 

That’s exactly what Paul is doing here for Timothy. He’s Tim’s swing doctor. Picture 1 Timothy 4:6-16 as the two men standing on the practice tee. The apostle sees what the young pastor is doing both right and wrong. He understands where his protege needs to focus. After going over a few details regarding the mechanics of being the lead pastor and teacher of the Ephesian church, he sums it all up. “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (v16). Here’s the bottom line. Concentrate on these two things. The integrity of your walk with God and the integrity of your Gospel. Focus on the man and the message. Do that and everything will be just fine.

The church in Ephesus is recovering from the damage done by a team of false teachers who didn’t give a rat’s rear end about either their own relationship with Jesus or the right teaching. God’s Spirit had correctly predicted how liars would infiltrate the local church and distract folks from following Christ with demon doctrine and a call to self-salvation by subtraction (1Tim 4:1-3). Like a bad golf coach who gets you so discombobulated with details, these con artists used stuff that sure sounded religious to get people’s eyes off Jesus (1Tim 1:3-7). With Paul on special assignment to Macedonia, he’s personally selected his protege as the new lead pastor in the big port city. 

After critical instructions on prayer (1Tim 2:1-8) and finding new godly leadership (1Tim 3:1-12), the man from Tarsus goes over critical instructions for ministry with his spiritual son. Four times he encourages Tim to concentrate on “these things” (1Tim 3:14; 4:6, 11, 15). Thing one: Jesus is the answer to the question of who is the long promised Messiah (1Tim 3:14-16). Thing two: God is the ultimate Giver and He’s given us His entire creation to be enjoyed (1Tim 4:3-6). Thing three: Leave it all on the field for others because Jesus gave everything He had for us (1Tim 4:10-11). Thing four: Unwrap and use the spiritual gift God has given you (1Tim 4:13-15).

Paul sums up these instructions to Pastor Tim and tells him to focus on two important points. “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching” (v16). Pay attention to yourself. Pay attention to your preaching. The apostle uses a Greek verb here (Gr. epecho) that literally means to hold on tightly to something. That makes sense. Any golfer knows your grip is critical. It means to fix your attention on something, observe, be alert, watch out, and even be in a constant state of readiness.

Dr. Luke describes how Jesus used the illustration of a wedding reception “when He noticed (Gr. epecho)” and focused on how everyone maneuvered for the good seats at dinner (Lk 14:7). In Acts, a disabled man “fixed his attention (Gr. epecho)” on Pete and John at one of the temple gates (Acts 3:5). Paul tells his Philippian friends get a kung fu grip on Scripture, “holding fast (Gr. epecho) to the word of life” (Phil 2:16). It’s the idea of focus. Concentration. High priority. 

First of all, pay close attention to yourself. Before you get all hung up on someone else’s salvation or relationship with Jesus, how are YOU doing? How’s your walk with Christ? It all starts here. It all starts with Him. I have to ask myself, “Am I simply a poser?”  You know what I’m talking about. You project an image of someone who’s always hanging out with our Savior but in reality you don’t know Him any better than that weird barista at the local Starbucks who always spells your name wrong. Maybe the Lord is like that Gotye song. Somebody that I use to know. Know that He’s right here. He would love to hang out with you. And He not only knows your love of tall skinny caramel machiatos, He’ll get your name right every single time. 

A pastor’s top two priorities are a personal relationship with Jesus and delivering the Gospel accurately. Before I do anything FOR Jesus, I need to hang WITH Jesus. Remember the story of the big shindig in Bethany? Martha got so wrapped up in cooking for Christ that she almost missed out on spending time with Him. Our Savior told her to pump her brakes and realize her sister had her priorities in order. “One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:42). In case you’re still wondering, Jesus is THE Good Portion! He is THE Blessing! Pay close attention to your relationship with the Lord.

To do that, you’re going to need some help. There’s no way to do this all by yourself. You and I have a bit of problem. We each have blind spots. Problem areas in our lives we can’t see. We need a partner. Someone who loves us and wants God’s best for us. Someone not afraid to tell us the truth…even when it might sting. Some people call them accountability partners. I gotta tell you, I always thought that sound like the person I would hire to do my taxes. Find some trust friends who follow Jesus to keep an eye on you. Listen to what they say. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

This is particularly tough for those lead pastors out there. There’s a ton of truth in the old saying that it’s lonely at the top. As the senior leader, you cannot afford to wall yourself off from everybody. Hopefully you’ll give your fellow elders and pastors permission to speak into your life. Find a colleague at another church you can confide in. Hey, even the best golfers have a swing coach. They’ll probably see trouble coming in areas of your life long before you do. When we place our relationship with Jesus on high alert, it’s so much easier to set “an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1Tim 4:12). You have to “keep a close watch on yourself” (v16). If you’re a pastor, there’s too much on the line for you and your church not to. 

Paul wants Tim to also to stay laser-focused “on the teaching” (v16). If paying attention to yourself and your own walk with Jesus reminds us of verse 12, paying attention to the message reminds us of verse 13. There the apostle encourages him to proclaim, explain, and apply God’s Word to God’s people. Don’t get distracted with stuff that doesn’t really matter. As Stephen Covey says, “The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing.” And THE Main Thing is the Gospel. Jesus lived the perfect life that we failed to live. He died the death for our sin that we should have died. He rose to new life that we don’t deserve. We trust in what He’s done for us that we could never do on our own. Does your teaching set our eyes on what Jesus has done for you and me? Check your message before you wreck your message.

A preacher prepares himself as much as he prepares his sermon. It’s got to be personal goes before you go go public. Long before you step behind the pulpit or strap on a headset microphone, you preach the sermon to yourself. John Owen once said, “No man preaches that sermon well to others that doth not first preach it to his own heart.” Has the message God has given you from His Word had its way with you first? It’s got to be personal before you go public. One way to make sure you check yourself is to let the Gospel wreck yourself. 

The apostle goes on to encourage the young pastor in Ephesus, “Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (v16). “Persist” is the Greek verb epimeno, which means to stay right there. Don’t go anywhere. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Keep on keeping on. It’s a compound word that literally means “in (epi-) living (-meno).” John uses it to describe when religious bullies threw pointless question after question at Jesus and never let up (Jn 8:7). Paul tells the Corinthians that he would unpack his bags and “stay (Gr. epimeno) in Ephesus” for a while (1Cor 16:8). 

Make yourself at home as you pay attention to yourself and your message. Get comfortable. This should be an important part of your regular rhythm. It’s not something you do every once and a while. Persist in it. Hang with it. Consistently. Methodically. Check yourself before you wreck yourself. Check your message before you wreck your message.

Just in case you forgot what’s on the line here, Paul reminds us. “For by doing so you will save both yourself and your hearers” (v16). What?!? Are you telling me it’s up to the pastor to save not only himself but the folks who listen to his message too? Relax. Take a deep breath. The apostle is NOT describing salvation by sermon. Jesus is our one and only Rescuer. Just flip back to chapter of this letter. Right out of the chute, Paul tells Tim that Christ alone saves. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1Tim 1:15). 

My opinion is that the apostle is using a slightly different understanding of the word “save” (Gr. sozo). Most New Testament authors use it to describe deliverance, salvation, and rescue. But it can also mean to keep safe, preserve from danger, make healthy. We can’t save anyone. That’s Jesus’ job. But He can use us to keep each other safe and out of trouble. Yet another powerful reminder that we don’t do this alone. We need each other. Following Jesus is a team sport. And like good teammates, we’ve got each other’s backs. That way we stand a much better chance of standing under the waterfall of God’s overflowing and abundant life that Jesus came to bring us (Jn 10:10). That’s when, as the Message reads, “Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation” (v16 The Message).

Let’s face it, trying to following Christ can get confusing. There are a LOT of laws in the Bible. That’s why there are a couple of key summaries in Scripture. Jesus made it clear that by loving God and people we actually fulfill all of God’s rules (Mt 22:37-40). Similarly, Paul keeps things simple by telling Tim to concentrate on two things. The integrity of your walk with God and the integrity of your Gospel. Check yourself before your wreck yourself. Check your message before you wreck your message.

We're Talkin' about Practice

“Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress” (1Tim 4:15).

“But we’re talkin’ about practice. What are we talkin’ about? Practice? We’re talkin’ about practice, man. We’re talkin’ about practice. We’re talkin’ about practice.” These are the infamous words of Allen Iverson back in 2001. So A.I. missed a few practices. Not a problem for him. It’s the game that matters. I mean, we’re talkin’ about practice.

Two thousand years before the Answer started breaking ankles with his killer crossover, the Apostle Paul was talkin’ about practice. He writes to Timothy, “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, os that all may see your progress” (v15). Don’t just talk about the Gospel. Don’t just think about His Good News. Lace up your sneakers and live it out. Stop flapping your gums and do it. I mean, we’re talkin’ about practice.

This is a big deal for the young pastor and his fellow Ephesian followers of Jesus. A team of false teachers who’ve talked a big game but lived very little of it have distracted folks from the true message of the Gospel. They’ve been selling a spiritual snake oil that’s really nothing more than demon doctrine (1Tim 4:1-2). With Paul on divine assignment in Macedonia, he’s turned to his protege Timothy to get the church of Ephesus back on track (1Tim 1:3-7). His assignment is clear. Fill the leadership void with godly men and women of integrity (1Tim 3:1-12). Return to the message of God’s goodness and hit the gym to get CrossFit (1Tim 3:14-16; 4:3-10).

But Paul makes it clear that Tim is to get in top spiritual shape for a reason. He’s not just lifting to get ripped. He’s training himself to “practice these things, immerse yourself in them” (v15). Spiritual disciplines such as Bible study and praying are great…but ONLY when they have an impact on how you live. Otherwise it’s a total waste of time. Nobody’s impressed with your six-pack biblical abs if you’re living just like the rest of the world. You get yourself in Gospel shape to be the living Gospel to your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your coworkers. 

When the apostle tells Pastor Tim to “practice these things” (v15), he uses the Greek word meletao. It actually means a couple of different ideas. On one hand, it describes focusing with intensity or giving your full and total attention to something. But it also means to train, exercise, and rehearse carefully and precisely. In ancient Greek literature, writers use this term to paint a picture of public speakers diligently practicing their speeches in private first. I mean, we’re talkin’ about practice.

While most translators of the New Testament can’t really seem to agree on the exact words, they all agree with what meleato means. 

“Be diligent in these matters” (NIV).

“Take pains with these things” (NASB).

“Put these things into practice” (NRS).

“Give your complete attention to these matters” (NLT).

“Practice and cultivate and meditate upon these duties” (AMP).

“Practice these things” (GNT).

“Cultivate these things” (The Message).

Do these things with focus on detail. Go out of your way to implement them properly. Don’t just think about them but do them. Don’t just do them mindlessly, understand their meaning. Know why you do what you do. Let your actions be the outward response to the work God’s doing inwardly. 

Paul’s command to Timothy is in the present tense. What’s the big deal about that? The pastor isn’t just to do them once and move on. You can just as easily translate this as “keep on practicing these things.” Willing and worshipful obedience to God’s commands is not a one-and-done kinda thing. It’s not a checklist you accomplish and then toss in the trash. Remember, following Jesus isn’t a phase or something you knock out during at church camp when you’re thirteen. We keep on keepin’ on. We “keep on practicing these things.”

This explains we get our idea of practicing law or medicine. I’ve always been uncomfortable with putting my health in the hands of someone who’s still working things out by practicing. It’s one thing to get your hair cut at the barber college. The original meaning of our English word “practice” back in the 1400s was “to pursue or be continually engaged in a profession, skill or craft.” Do I treat my obedience to Christ like a craft? Am I honing my skills and doing everything I can to get better at doing what He tells me? I mean, we’re talkin’ about practice.

So just what exactly is Tim to practice? What are “these things” (v15)? Chances are they’re closely related his other mentions of “these things” we see here in this section of the letter. Paul is “writing these things” so folks will know how to live as members of God’s family (1Tim 3:14). If Tim will “put these things before the brothers,” he’s serving Jesus well (1Tim 4:6) The apostle encourages the young pastor to “command and teach these things” concerning the Gospel (1Tim 4:11).

Specifically, “these things” include focusing on the Mega Messiah Mystery which God revealed as our rescue in Jesus (1Tim 3:16). He saves us because we can’t save ourselves! Receive gratefully and enjoy fully God’s creation as a wonderfully good gift (1Tim 4:3-5). Pursue a godliness never goes out of style, either in this life or the one to come (1Tim 4:8). Leave it all on the field for others because Jesus gave everything He had for us (1Tim 4:10). Proclaim and explain the Gospel and apply it to my everyday life (1Tim 4:13). 

Paul tells us that the best way to devote yourself to practicing these things is to totally “immerse yourself in them” (v15). This phrase in the original Greek literally means “in these things be.” If you truly want to experience the love and grace of Jesus, get out of the kiddie pool dive into the deep end of the Gospel. It’s scary when you’re feet don’t touch the bottom. I have to put my total and complete trust in Christ when I’m up to my eyeballs. Stop splashing around where it’s shallow. Go out past the ropes. 

Remember when Jesus invited a fisherman named Simon head for deeper water (Lk 5:4)? Another time, our Savior asked this same disciple to take a stroll on the stormy Sea of Galilee (Mt 14:28-29). I love the lyrics to Hillsong United’s song “Oceans.” “Your grace abounds in deepest waters.” Do you hear Him? He’s urging you and me to get in over heads in our trust of Him. Go deep. Get in over your head. Immerse yourself. In these things be

My continual obedience and immersion in God’s ways aren’t just for me. According to the apostle, you do this “so that all may see your progress” (v15). He uses a Greek word (Gr. prokope) which describes advancement, forward movement, making headway, or improvement. It literally means a “cutting ahead” or “beating forward.” Picture an explorer busting his tail to blaze a trail. Cutting through the jungle with a machete going somewhere they’ve never been before. It’s very hard work.

In the same way, progress in our walk with Jesus can be hard. I admit that there are times when my flesh wants to turn back instead of following my Savior in obedience. I don’t want to give up my incredibly comfortable, me-centered life. But God has SO much more for me as He calls me to a life of godliness. It’s in that journey of submission to His ways that I actually find His best for me, what Jesus calls the abundant and overflowing life (Jn 10:10). He gives us His strength to accomplish what we could never do on our own (Jn 15:5). As a matter of fact, His power surges best when we admit our weakness (2Cor 12:9-10).

Seeing what God can do in your life gives those around you a front row seat to who He is and what He can do. It’s important “that all may see your progress” (v15). This reinforces Paul’s words just a couple of verses back to “set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1Tim 4:12). The best leaders are the best followers. Godly leaders show what obedience to the Lord looks like. The apostle told his friends in Corinth that if they had any doubt following Jesus to follow him (1Cor 11:1). Do you have folks you can follow when you don’t know what to do? And don’t doubt your impact on the people around you. Whether you realize or not, others are watching your progress.

Paul’s talkin’ about practice. He's talking about the continual and willing devotion to Jesus and His commands. Diving into the deep end of the Gospel pool. Others are watching what God is doing in my life as I follow Christ. I mean, we’re talkin’ about practice.

Don't Blow off God's Gift

“Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you” (1Tim 4:14).

Ever get a present at Christmas that totally underwhelmed you? Come on. Be honest. You know what I’m talking about. You’re hoping to open a box with the hottest toy or gadget but it’s just a three-pack of new underwear from Memaw. Sure, you’re running low on tighty-whities but you really NEED that sweet new Kylo Ren light saber. You immediately toss the undies aside and start ripping into the next package.

We don’t know if Timothy ever got new boxers or briefs, but we do know God gave him a gift. His spiritual mentor Paul encouraged him not to ignore it. “Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you” (v14). God had personally picked out the present just for Tim and given it to him. But for whatever reason, he’s apparently ignoring it. The apostle reminds the young pastor not to blow off God’s gift. Unwrap it. Use it. Embrace it. Lean into it. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

Paul has left Tim to oversee the makeover of the Ephesian church while he’s on mission to Macedonia. Kick out the con artists who’ve completely distracted folks from following Jesus with all sorts of teaching that sounds like good stuff but is really not the Good News (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-3). Find new leaders called overseers and deacons (1Tim 3:1-12). Proclaim God’s grace, explain God’s grace, and apply God’s grace (1Tim 4:6-16).

As the apostle focuses on his protege’s role as teacher and preacher, he encourages him, “Do not neglect the gift you have” (v14). Let’s make no mistake exactly who the gift is from. Flash back to Christmas as a kid one more time. More than once, I tore into a box to get to the present only to have my Mom ask who it was from. Oops. Forgot to look at the little to/from tag. My bad. 

Tim’s gift is from God. God is an overwhelming Giver. It’s just part of who He is. Our entire universe began with His gift of Creation. He gives us life. He gives us breath. He gives us food. He gives us friends and family. But the most incredible gift He gives is Himself. The Father gives us His Son (Jn 3:16). His Son gives us His life for our sin (Mt 20:28). God the Father and God the Son team up to give us God the Spirit to live inside every believer (Jn 14:16-17, 26; 16:-15).

Before you start thinking you’re hot stuff, you better slow your roll. You’re NOT God’s gift. Far from it. You weren’t a five-star, can’t-miss prospect He recruited to His team. He came to our rescue while we were still a sinful hot mess (Rom 5:8). As a matter of fact, Jesus saved you and me a complete gift so that we have no reason to be cocky and talk smack (Eph 2:8-9). God is the Giver. Just check the tag.

Now that we know exactly Who the gift is from and who we are as recipients, Paul tells us, “Do not neglect the gift you have” (v14). “Neglect” is the Greek word ameleo, which means to ignore, disregard, overlook, or be careless with. It literally means to not care. Just about every definition of “neglect” includes the idea of failure. When God gives me a gift, the last thing I should do is NOT not care. Pretty sure that falls into the category of “epic fail.”

Take a look at a couple of uses of this word in the NT. Jesus gives an illustration about inviting friends and family to the wedding event of the year but those on the guest list “paid no attention (Gr. ameleo)” and blew off attending (Mt 22:5). The writer of Hebrews reminds us not to “neglect (Gr. ameleo) such a great salvation” (Heb 2:3) that cost God so much. Just to make sure you’re paying attention here, when God sends out the invitation, open the envelope and RSVP ASAP! Do not pass “Go.” Do not collect $200. Do NOT ignore His goodness. You don’t want to miss out! When He gives us the incredible gift of salvation, open it up and enjoy it! Don’t be the guy who blows off God’s grace!! Seriously. Don’t be that guy.

Meanwhile back in Paul’s letter to Tim, there’s a subtle little something something going on in the grammar that’s easy to miss. The verb here is in the present imperative tense. The imperative part tells me this is a command. Not a suggestion. This isn’t just a good idea. And you can translate the present tense as, “Do not CONTINUE neglecting your gift!” While we don’t know for sure, there’s the chance that Pastor Tim wasn’t exactly embracing and using what God had so graciously given him.

Do you know how God has gifted you? Are you doing anything with it? If we’re a follower of Jesus, He has wired each of us with a unique combo of talents, skills, passions, and spiritual gifts. You have a set unlike anyone else’s. He gave them to us to use every single day. They’re not like the good china that your Mom keeps in the hutch just for special occasions. You’re not showing off when you use them. Keeping these gifts under wraps is NOT humility. It’s actually ingratitude to the One who gave it to you in the first place. Stop continuing to ignore it! Stop repeatedly running away from it! Stop blowing off what He’s given you time after time and day after day. Lean into His gift…today! His present is for the present.

It doesn’t take a brain scientist or a rocket surgeon to figure out that God gifted Tim as a preacher and teacher. In the previous verse, Paul encouraged him to proclaim, explain, and apply the truth of God’s Word (1Tim 4:13). A couple of verses later, the Ephesian young gun is to “keep a close watch on yourself and the teaching” (1Tim 4:16). Just before his execution, Paul wrote to Tim again and encouraged him to stoke the fires of his spiritual gift. “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of hands” (2Tim 1:6).

What’s your spiritual gift? Do you know? You can’t use it if you don’t know what it is. Check out several of the lists in the NT (Rom 12:6-8; 1Cor 12:8-11, 27-30; Eph 4:11). A couple of things. First of all, the Bible doesn’t list every spiritual gift. Second, there’s a good chance you have more than one. While I have a couple of others, God has graciously given me the spiritual ability to encourage others. I’m continually blown away at how Christ puts me into the position of motivating folks to grow in their relationship with Him. But there’s one little problem. Too often, I forget to do it. Sometimes, I simply don’t want to say or do something. Paul’s words to Tim provide a powerful and convicting command to me. “Do not neglect the gift you have!” (v14). 

So, really, what’s the big hairy deal about not using your gift anyhoo? God gives them to each follower of Jesus to be used, not shoved in the back of the drawer like those PJs Uncle Stanley gave you last Christmas. “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them” (Rom 12:6). And get this, your gift actually isn’t for you to begin with. It’s for the other folks in the church. “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1Cor 12:7). The Holy Spirit drops them in our undeserving laps “for building up” each other (1Cor 14:26). Just to be sure this isn’t some whacky idea Paul cooked up all by himself, check out what Peter has to say about it. “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1Pet 4:10).

When we ignore what He’s given to us, folks around us are the ones who are missing out. His gifts to each one of us keep on giving to those around us. Did you realize that we turn a fire extinguisher on the Holy Spirit when we ignore the gifts He’s given? Or as Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “Do not quench the Spirit” (1Th 5:19). They are the gifts that keep on giving.

The apostle reminds Tim about the time God’s gift “was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you” (v14). This may conjure up spooky images of some weird ceremony with candles, robes, and a crystal ball. Remember, the church elders aren’t the ones who give spiritual gifts. God is THE Giver. A better understanding of this phrase is probably “given you WITH prophecy” (v14). As Robertson says, Tim’s spiritual gift was accompanied by prophecy, not bestowed by prophecy. Earlier, Paul said he could trust Tim with this important Ephesian assignment because of “the prophecies previously made about you” (1Tim 1:18). 

In other words, God prophetically revealed His gift to Timothy at the same time as “when the council of elders laid their hands on you” (v14). The Lord used someone with the gift of prophecy (Rom 12:6; 1Cor 12:28-29; Eph 4:11) to tip off Tim about his spiritual specialty. John MacArthur teaches that God confirmed Tim’s call to ministry subjectively through his spiritual gift, objectively through the prophecy made about him, and collectively through the affirmation of the elders and the church. 

While God can and will reveal His intentions prophetically outside of Scripture, it will NEVER, EVER contradict what He has prophetically revealed IN Scripture. Test what you think He may have revealed to you prophetically with what you’re certain He revealed in the Bible. Does it line up with His revealed will of His Word? Be VERY, VERY careful when you think you’ve heard a word from God. It could well be last night’s pizza.

The supernatural news of Tim’s spiritual gift happened when “the elders laid their hands on” him (v14). Paul’s describing a ceremony when the church recognizes God has equipped and called someone for ministry. This goes all the way back to the day Moses passed the baton to Joshua. God instructed the Big Mo to “lay your hand on him” and commission Josh in front of all of God’s chosen people (Num 27:18-23; Dt 34:9). 

That ancient Jewish tradition carried over into the days of the early church. When the duties of leadership stretched the apostles too thin, they chose seven servants to assist. “These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them” (Acts 6:6). The church in Antioch laid hands on Barnabas and Paul before they hit the road (Acts 13:2-3). Laying hands is similar to baptism. It’s an outward demonstration of God’s inward activity in someone’s life. It’s the church’s endorsement. When you lay your hands on someone, you’re pledging to support them. I’ve been on the receiving end a couple of times. It’s an incredibly powerful and humbling moment to your church has your back. And that ceremony provides a vivid reminder of God’s gift to you for ministry.

What’s your spiritual gift? If you’re a follower of Jesus, His Spirit has given you a tailor-made package of supernatural power. Discover what it is. Check the lists in the New Testament mentioned above. Ask your friends, your small group leader, or a pastor. Tell them to be honest with you. There are also a ton of spiritual gift assessments you can find online and in the bookstore. If you have a particular passion for specific area of ministry, give it a try. Take it for a test drive. If that’s not it, try something else. 

Once you figure out what your spiritual gift is, make sure you don’t neglect it. Don’t ignore. Don’t blow it off. God doesn’t need you but your fellow believers do. Your church won’t run on all eight cylinders until you start using your gift. Use it. Lean into it. It’s way better than a light saber. WAY better. And don’t forget to thank Memaw for the underwear. 

Jesus Junkies

“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1Tim 4:13).

A bong. A crack pipe. A Bible. One of these things is not like the other. One of these things is not the same. But they’re all indicators of possible addiction. Just to make sure we’re all on the same page, you should NOT own either of those first two items. If you’re hooked on anything, there’s nothing better than the third.

In his letter to the lead pastor in Ephesus, Paul says all ministers ought to have a monkey for God’s message on their backs. “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (v13). Every pastor should be a Jesus junkie in possession of God’s grace with intent to distribute in three ways. Proclaiming the Gospel. Explaining the Gospel. Applying the Gospel.

As with any passage, context is key. So what exactly led to Paul grabbing a pen in the first place? We see in the opening lines that this is a letter and that the apostle is writing to his spiritual son Timothy (1Tim 1:1-2). Apparently Paul had a pressing matter in Macedonia needing immediate attention. So he leaves Tim in charge of the church in Ephesus (1Tim 1:3), a massive port city on the west coast of what we know today as Turkey. A few years back, Paul spent three years in E City spreading telling people about Jesus and getting this new church off the ground (Acts 19:1-41; 20:31). As a matter of fact, the Bible tells us more about the church in Ephesus than any other congregation.

But things are anything but unicorns and rainbows in the Ephesian church. A team of religious hucksters weaseled its way inside the fellowship. They’ve distracted folks from following Jesus with a false gospel that’s really no Gospel at all. False teachers been dealing a destructive message of self-salvation through subtraction (1Tim 4:1-3). As a result, the church is in desperate need of rehab. Tim’s assignment is clear. Kick out the con artists cold turkey (1Tim 1:3-7). Find new godly leaders (1Tim 3:1-12). 

By the time we hit chapter four, Paul has some important instructions for his young protege as well as every other pastor. Hit the spiritual gym and get CrossFit in Jesus’ message of grace (1Tim 4:6-8). While we don’t save ourselves by our own performance, we need to leave it all on the field for others since Christ gave max effort to rescue you and me (1Tim 4:9-10). Let God use each of us to make a dent that really makes a difference by how we live (1Tim 4:11-12). The Good News is going to leave a mark!

At this point, the apostle reminds Tim that help is on the way. “Until I come” (v13), he writes. Hang on, my friend. The calvary’s coming! A closer look at the original language and grammar sure seems to indicate Paul may well be on the road and heading back to Ephesus. The New Living Bible nails that idea with its translation “Until I get there” (v13 NLT). It’s not the first time the mentor has told Tim he hopes to be there ASAP (1Tim 3:14). A great reminder that we don’t do ministry alone. We look out for each other. We don’t leave our brothers and sisters swinging in the ministerial breeze.

In the meantime, the man from Tarsus tells the Ephesian pastor to make a habit of three particular practices. “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (v13). Proclaim God’s message. Explain God’s message. Apply God’s message. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The word behind “devote” is Greek verb prosecho. It literally means to hold onto. It’s basically the idea of turning toward something in order to grab it. Get your hands on your Bible, Tim. Latch on to God’s Word and don’t let go. As golfers like to say, “Grip it and rip it, baby!”

Writers of the New Testament use prosecho in a couple of ways. It can mean to be alert to, be intent, or watch out for something. Several times in the Gospels Jesus uses it to sound the warning siren to His followers (Mt 6:1; 7:15; 10:17; 16:6, 11, 12; Lk 12:1; 17:3; 20:46; 21:34). The other meaning is to give yourself completely to or be totally captivated by something. Paul uses it four times in 1 Timothy. Three of those are negative. Think addiction. Believers need to stop getting their fix on urban myths and family trees (1Tim 1:4). Deacons can’t have substance abuse problems (1Tim 3:8). The Spirit correctly predicted how folks would get hooked on godless spirituality and demon doctrine (1Tim 4:1).

On the other hand, Paul tells Tim that if you’re going to be addicted to anything let it be proclaiming, explaining, and applying the grace of Jesus. Addicted? Really? Check out one dictionary’s definition of addiction: a conscious and persistent action characterized by repetition and obsession. Ministers of the Gospel must be conscious and persistent as they dig into God’s amazing message. Be intentional. Be tenacious. Repeatedly and obsessively dive into Scripture. Be relentless. Be compulsive. Get hooked on God’s Word and what He says about the Good News.

This goes not just for pastors but every follower of Christ. Make a point of getting addicted to His grace. Let Him captivate you. Let Him fascinate you. Let Him compel you. Let Him absolutely and totally overwhelm you. Let “the Founder and Perfecter of our faith” completely consume your thoughts (Heb 12:2). Feed your addiction by sacrificially loving others just as He did (Jn 13:34-35). Be devoted. Be a Jesus junkie. 

Many addicts try to kick the habit using twelve steps. Paul instructs Tim to actually insure that he’s hooked on God’s message of salvation using three steps. Be addicted “to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (v13). Proclaiming the Gospel. Explaining the Gospel. Applying the Gospel. Step one, announce the Good news. The original text here is interesting. Paul instructs the young pastor to simply “the public reading” (v13). Exactly what he is to read out loud is simply assumed by the translators. It’s not there in the Greek. It’s simply the word anagnosis. 

The term describes reading out loud something previously written down. There’s a long tradition of rabbis publicly reading from the Hebrew Bible in the synagogue. Dr. Luke uses a VERY similar word (Gr. anaginosko) and gives us a front row seat for Jesus’ reading from Isaiah in a worship service (Lk 4:16). The good doctor also writes about the time folks in Antioch asked Paul and his buddy Barnabas to speak “after the reading (Gr. anagnosis) from Law and the Prophets” (Acts 13:15). 

While Paul doesn’t specifically tell Tim what is to be read out loud, every other time we see this idea in the NT, it’s always God’s Word. There is unspeakable value is the public reading of Scripture. God inspired these books to be read out loud to His people. The apostle wrote his letters to be communicated in one sitting to entire churches. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom 10:17). We read the Bible out loud so we can live it out loud. Be a junkie when it comes to proclaiming the Gospel.

The second step is “exhortation” (v13) or explaining the message of Jesus. The Greek word here is paraklesis, which literally describes a calling near to you or a summons to something. Translators often render it with the idea of encouragement, but in certain passages like this one it means interpretation. It’s providing context and clarification. Jesus regularly used everyday illustrations called parables to unpack big theological ideas. When he was in Athens, Paul creatively explained the Gospel using elements of first century pop culture like poems and public art. I’m pretty confident he would have used movies, TV shows, and social media if they would’ve been around at the time. It’s important to explain and illustrate God’s Word, especially to those of us who didn’t grow up hearing all the Bible stories much less speaking Christianese.

Here are a few examples. After folks at the home office in Jerusalem sent a letter to Antioch announcing that Gentiles did not have to convert to Judaism in order to follow Jesus, “when they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement (Gr. paraklesis)” (Acts 15:31). In other words, once they explained it to them. Paul writes to his friends in Rome about how we have hope through the interpretation and “encouragement (Gr. paraklesis) of the Scriptures” (Rom 15:5). Jesus is the “Consolation (Gr. paraklesis) of Israel” (Lk 2:25) as the perfect explanation and embodiment of God’s grace. 

Preachers and teachers of God’s Word must do more than simply proclaim Scripture. They must unpack it. They must give it context. How does what was just read fit into the big picture of the God’s story of redemption? Interpret. Expound. Use illustrations. Don’t be afraid to say you’re not sure what a passage means. Get hooked on creatively teaching the truth of God’s Word. Be a junkie when it comes to explaining the Gospel.

The third and often overlooked step is “teaching” (v13). But hold your horses! Aren’t the steps one and two nothing but teaching? Yes, but this final idea is telling how we apply God’s Word once it’s proclaimed and explained. “Teaching (Gr. didaskalia)” describes instruction, doctrine, or precepts.  In other words, these general rules that can applied to any situation we face in life. Broad principles we can put in our hip pockets and use at other times than Sunday morning. 

Pastors should give us examples of how to respond to what we’ve heard. How do we apply the truth to our daily lives? Let’s be clear. Passages of Scripture have ONE key truth but they have LIMITLESS applications. Think of it like an iPhone commercial. Love? There’s an app for that. Forgiveness? There’s an app for that. Generosity? There’s an app for that. 

Preachers often drop the application ball. Why is this such a big deal. Check it out. When you by an over-the-counter med, you should read the instructions. Okay, I realize I’ve already lost a large percentage folks. Yes, READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! Because we need to know how to use the ointment, lotion, or pills so we get their max effectiveness. As the label says, “Apply as directed.” When we teach God’s Word, let’s be addicted to giving folks directions on how to apply. 

Addicts in recovery like to say that the first step to getting help is admitting you have a problem. The big problem is sin. The big problem is looking back at me in the mirror every morning. The only answer is found in the Gospel. Ministers ought to have a monkey for God’s message on their backs. Be a Jesus junkie in possession of God’s grace with intent to distribute in three ways. Proclaim His Gospel. Explain His Gospel. Apply His Gospel.