Saturday, March 26, 2016

The Original Rolling Stone

Rock and Roll History

It was 1962 when Mick Jagger and the boys started it up back in London and formed the Rolling Stones. They would make rock and roll history. But a couple of thousand years before that, an angel rolled a rock that changed all of history. 

In a Jerusalem cemetery, a heavenly messenger was the opening act on the opening day of the Gospel’s non-stop world tour. 

This angel sat on the original rolling stone. No, I’m not talking about Keith Richards. Keith may look old, but he’s not THAT old!


Just in case you’re unfamiliar with the story, allow me to give you a little background. 

A radical Rabbi/Carpenter named Jesus rolled out of the Galilean boondocks and rocked the worlds of both Roman authorities and Jewish religious leaders. 

Despite hating each other, these groups teamed up to take down this troublemaker. 

Using a mole inside His organization, they were able to arrest Jesus one late night in an scene like something out of “Zero Dark Thirty.” A quick series of illegal trials led to His torture and execution on Friday. 

They thought once this alleged Messiah was dead and buried, His followers would scatter and no longer be a thorn in their side.

A Pair of Marys

But there was just one little problem with their plan. It began early on Sunday morning. 


We pick up the story as told by a former tax collector named Levi who now goes by Matthew (Mt 28:1-10). With the sun just about to hit the horizon, we see a couple of women headed toward Jesus’ tomb. 

It’s “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary” (v1). If you’re wondering, her last name isn’t Magdalene. That’s actually where she’s from. 

Magdala is a little fishing village on the shores of a big lake called the Sea of Galilee. That’s just 22 miles from Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth and only six miles from His ministry headquarters in Capernaum.

These two Galilean peasants met a couple of years back. Dr. Luke describes how Christ performed a miraculous exorcism on Mary and drove out seven demonic spirits that tormented her (Lk 8:5). She was just one of several ladies who had been part of Jesus’ posse. 

Did you realize His traveling party included more than the dozen dudes we call disciples? Mary Magdalene and her female friends probably kept the belching, spitting, and scratching to a minimum for these blue collar boys.

We’re not exactly sure about the identity of “the other Mary” (v1). Including her friend from Magdala, there are a grand total of SIX women named Mary in the NT. It was a common name then. It’s a common name today. 

Chances are this is “Mary the mother of James and Joseph” who Matt mentions as one of the ladies who witnessing Christ’s crucifixion (Mt 27:56). She may very well be the mom of “James the son of Alphaeus” (Mt 10:2; Mk 14:40), one of Jesus’ disciples.

Taking Roll on Resurrection Day

Now before you think these are the only two people present that morning, you may want to check out what Jesus’ other biographers have to say. According to Mark, the two Marys are joined by Salome (Mk 16:1). 

Luke mentions “Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them” (Lk 24:10). 

And John describes specifically only Mary from Magdala making the early morning visit, but don’t miss how she says “we” when describing who’s there (Jn 20:1-2).

Before you get all hot and bothered about the differences in the four stories, just slow your roll. Just because the various authors don’t seem to agree on who was there, it doesn’t mean they contradict each other. 

As J. Warner Wallace points out, “All the authors speak of a group and some authors identify specific members of this group base on their personal perspective, purposes, and audience.” 

This is less about how many people were outside the tomb and more about how many were inside it. And if you’re scoring along at home, the number inside is a big, fat zero.

He’s Not Here!

The two Marys in Matthew’s account arrive at the grave to see something they never expected. “An angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it” (v2). 


The heavenly messenger broke the quiet silence of the cemetery when he shoved the boulder from in front of Jesus’ tomb. It caused a “great earthquake” (v2). 

The rumbling was wild enough to freak out the Roman soldiers Pilate assigned as a guard detail (v4).


Dressed in the brightest white, the angel has some breaking news for the women. “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He is risen, as He said” (v5-6). If you’re looking for Jesus, you’re in the wrong place. 

One of the places suspected to be Christ’s burial place in Jerusalem is the Garden Tomb. If you stop by there today, you’ll see a sign with the same message. “He is not here. For He is risen.” 

In other words, He’s STILL not here! He is STILL risen!!

Come and See, Go and Tell

Instead telling the ladies to beat feet, the angel has some interesting instructions for them. “Come and see the play where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead” (v6-7). 


Come on into the tomb. See with your own eyes that nobody’s in there. Then get going so you can tell the rest of Jesus’ followers all about it.

Come and see. Go and tell. And that’s exactly what they did. They came and saw. They went and told. 


“So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples” (v8). 

Fear. What the women saw (or should I say what they DIDN’T see!) totally wigged them out. 

Great joy. But their excitement totally overwhelmed any worries they had about the big news from the graveyard. 

Are you afraid and panicked about telling others about Jesus? That’s okay. So were the two Marys. Let your delight and joy overwhelm that fear.

Worshiping Jesus

If all of that isn’t wild enough, Matt adds one other spectacular scene to this early morning visit. While the ladies were running out of the graveyard, guess who they ran into. “And behold, Jesus met them” (v9). Yes, THAT Jesus! The RISEN Jesus!! Fresh-out-of-the-empty-tomb Jesus! 

It probably comes as no surprise that the women immediately grabbed hold of Him. They “took hold of His feet and worshiped Him” (v9). 

Don’t miss the fact that they worshiped the resurrected Rabbi. As Jews, they knew only God deserves their worship. It’s the very first thing He lists in His original Top Ten (Ex 20:3). 

If they had any doubt before, the ladies have none now. Jesus is God.

It’s at this point that Christ reinforces the instructions of the angel sitting on the stone. “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (Mt 28:10). 


Go and tell. Make sure you spread the word. The tomb is empty. Jesus is alive! 

Come and See for Yourself

We’re still doing that today. Come and see. Go and tell. 

Come and see for yourself who Jesus is and what He has done. Investigate His claims for yourself. 

Don’t take my word for it. If you honestly look for the truth of Christ, you’ll find it. 

After that, go and tell. Will you be just a little afraid? Probably. But let the incredible joy of what He’s done for you overwhelm your fear. Spread the word.

Come and see. Go and tell.


So what are you waiting for? Tell everyone the story of the original rolling stone.

©2016
Jay Jennings

Friday, March 25, 2016

Prophetic Play-by-Play


Great sports broadcasters are rare. There are wonderful wordsmiths who paint dazzling pictures to describe the contest like Vin Scully, Jack Buck, and Gus Johnson. 

And you have color commentators who analyze the action and tell you what you don’t already know. Guys like Tony Romo, Jay Bilas, and John Smoltz consistently provide insight beyond the obvious. 

It’s special to find one person who can do both at the same time. One guy who would have made a GREAT broadcaster is Isaiah. 

In the book that bears his name, this man delivers some of the most memorable descriptions AND analysis of all time. 

Better than Al Michael’s “Do you believe in miracles?!?! YES!!” It tops Howard Cosell with “Down goes Frazier! Down Goes Frazier!” 

The son of Amoz’ call of Jesus’ torture, death, and burial in Isaiah 52:13-53:12 is one for the ages.

We pick up the action in Isaiah 52:14. It’s late in the fourth quarter. The first thing we see is One who should be the star of the game but we don’t even recognize Him. Jesus is so beaten up, so bloody, He doesn’t even look human. 

The Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth stumbles through the streets of Jerusalem carrying a Cross. If this were a prize fight, the referee would stop it. 

How in the world can He save anyone when He can’t even save Himself (M 27:52)? But the Son of God pushes through the pain.

A little later in Isaiah 53:2-3, the prophet tells us that our Hero is such a gory mess that we can barely look at Him. It’s at this point that the crowd turns on Christ. 

He used to be a celebrity. An absolute rock star. But He’s now the object of hate. 

His one-time fans reject Him. They shower Him with shame. Jesus’ former followers want nothing more to do with Him.

Isaiah’s call radically changes in the following verses (Is 53:4-6). He goes from narrating the brutal and savage scene to explaining what is actually going on. The prophet goes beyond the obvious to analysis. 

While we see the Son of Man carrying the cross, He’s actually lugging a much heftier load. Jesus struggles under the unimaginable weight of our grief and our sorrow. 

If I’m scoring along at home, that’s MY grief and MY sorrow. Nails pierce His hands and feet because of MY sin. A Roman spear punctures His heart because of MY sin. 

Christ didn’t do anything to deserve what He’s getting. He’s on the receiving end of the punishment that I should be getting.

Jesus substitutes Himself for you and me. He lives the perfect life of total obedience to God’s commands that we fail to live. He dies the gruesome death for our sin that we should have died. 

Christ did it to bring us to a place of peace with God. He did it to heal us from our terminal sin sickness. 

Isaiah makes it clear that every single person who has or will ever walk the planet has rejected God. And because of that, our Heavenly Dad dumps every bit of our sin on the blood-soaked shoulders of our Savior.

Here comes one of the most memorable moments from Isaiah’s call of Christ’s crucifixion. He lets us in on something that absolutely takes our breath away. 

Something the casual viewer would never see. Believe it or not, God is the One behind the savage murder of His own Son. 

Jesus is “smitten by God” (Is 53:4). This was no accident. The Messiah wasn’t an unintended victim of friendly fire. “It was the will of the LORD to crush Him” (Is 53:10). 

Some have wrongly accused God the Father of supernatural child abuse. Nothing could be further from the truth. 

Paul goes on to say this is actually the greatest act of love the universe has ever seen (Rom 5:8).

Isaiah’s call explains what makes what we should consider the worst event in recorded history such a VERY Good Friday. 

The amazing grace of God transforms the savage murder of the sinless Son of God into the ultimate miracle. 

The prophet’s description and explanation is jaw dropping.  And even more incredible is that Amoz’ son did it 700 years BEFORE IT HAPPENED! 

That’s what I call prophetic play-by-play!!

©2016
Jay Jennings

Thursday, March 24, 2016

There's No Business Like God's Business

“imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1Tim 6:5-6)

I’ll never forget the sign hanging along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem. The Stairway to Heaven Gift Shop. Yeah, you read that right. On the same street where Jesus carried His cross stood a slimy souvenir stand selling tacky t-shirts that said things like “I Got Stoned in the Gaza Strip.” That’s when our guide David uttered words I would never forget. “There’s no business like God’s business.” Ain’t THAT the very sad truth!

Well, the idea of leveraging people’s faith to make a fast buck is nothing new. Paul and Timothy faced same kind of sleaze back in first century Ephesus. A posse of greedy hucksters had weaseled their way into the church and sold a boatload of spiritual snake oil to the followers of Jesus. They peddled a phony gospel in order to cash in big time. The apostle tells the young pastor how these false teachers were “imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain” (v5-6). In other words, we don’t use God to get what we want. God IS Who we want!

Don’t think could ever go down at your church? Think again, bruh. Ephesus Community Church was the model for congregations all around the Mediterranean Rim back in the day. Paul planted the church during his third big road trip (Acts 19). He told folks in the big port city that the resurrection Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth is not only the Jewish Messiah but He had thrown the doors open to God’s kingdom to anyone who turns to Him. 

The grace of God turns the town upside down during Paul’s time there. Over the next three years, all sorts of crazy stuff starts happening. Lots of folks place their faith in Jesus. Paul’s handkerchief heals the sick. Demons kick the crap out of seven dudes who think they’ve got the juice to pull off an exorcism. People who used to practice witchcraft burn their black magic books in a massive bonfire. As folks trust in Christ, they stop patronizing the local Greek temple. That freaks out the chamber of commerce and starts a riot. You can read it for yourself in Acts 19.

The Lord used the Ephesian church to not only transform this huge center of trade in what we now know as western Turkey, but to take the Good News all throughout the Greco-Roman world. While no church is perfect, this was seemed pretty close at the time. Paul wrote a letter to believers there from prison. The former Pharisee goes on to write not one, but two notes to his protege Timothy who was the pastor there. The resurrected Jesus told His best friend John to write one of his seven letters in Revelation to His followers there (Rev 2:1-7). And there’s plenty of historical evidence that this same John led the church in Ephesus near the end of his life. 

We know more about the Ephesian church than any other congregation in the New Testament. This church was big time. It probably hosted conferences. Think North Point. Imagine Lifechurch. Picture Newspring. But despite all that success, it all came crashing down thanks to a group of religious grifters who snookered suckers while Paul was in prison. Still don’t think it could happen in your church?

False teachers had fooled themselves into “imagining that godliness is a means of gain” (v5). And why not? That was certainly the successful business model back at the temple in Jerusalem. Religious leaders were making some serious cheddar by running a racket of selling only the officially licensed sacrifices to worshipers. Just like the gift shop in Jerusalem, there’s no business like God’s business. It ticked off Jesus so much that He cleaned house not once, but twice (Mt 21:12-13; Jn 2:13-17). Stop using God to get what you want. God IS Who you want!

Here in these verses, Paul twice uses a Greek word that we translate as “godliness.” Eusebeia refers to reverence toward God, devotion to the Lord, or the appropriate application of your belief and practice of your faith in general. NT authors drop the term when talking about living a godly lifestyle. It’s actually a compound word that literally means “good (eu-) worship (-sebia).” You find it used 15 times in the entire Bible and eight of those are here in 1 Timothy. Good worship is a mega-theme of this letter. 

The spiritual scammers in Ephesus saw good worship as a good way to make a good buck. It was a “means of gain” (v5). It’s right about here where we could go on a long rant about the preachers of the so-called Prosperity Gospel. They pitch a particularly appealing message of health, wealth, and happiness. According to them, God wants you to dress in designer clothes, live in a big house, drive a nice car, and wear a Rolex. If you name it and claim it, God will give it. Sounds pretty sweet, don’t you think? 

There’s just one little problem with all that. It’s called the Bible. While God certainly loves you more than you could ever imagine, He’s certainly not a uber-wealthy sugar daddy. He’s not a genie in a bottle waiting to grant your three wishes. He’s no metaphysical vending machine loaded with all your favorites. I wonder if Paul simply failed to have enough faith when he was floating around in the ocean after a shipwreck or getting the crap kicked out of him by his enemies (2Cor 11:23-29). 

According to Paul, the key to receiving God’s blessings is something else altogether. “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (v6). In other words, the cheat code is actually finding satisfaction in Jesus Himself. The term here is autarkeia, which means fulfillment, possessing the necessities of life, or not lacking anything. Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones are right. You can’t get no…satisfaction. Not without Jesus anyway. 

As Paul writes to the Corinthian church, God drenches us the tsunami of His grace. “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency (Gr. autarkeia) in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2Cor 9:8). According to John MacArthur, ancient philosophers used this Greek word to word when talking about someone who was absolutely unflappable by external circumstances. Similarly, the followers of Jesus are to be unmoved by their situation after finding contentment in the One who is the ultimate source of satisfaction. Our fulfillment is in the Fulfiller. Or as the apostle has been known to say, “Our sufficiency is from God” (2Cor 3:5).

If anyone knows this, it’s the man from Tarsus. Despite being behind bars in Rome, Paul tells his Philippian friends he’s unlocked the secret of satisfaction. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:11-13). 

Did you catch that? The apostle’s whole point of writing about the strength of Jesus has nothing to do with converting fourth and goal or knocking down a buzzer beater for the win. I’m not saying you shouldn’t write “Philippians 4:13” on your eyeblack or on a coffee mug. But it’s a good idea of remembering Paul is talking about how Christ gives you and me the strength of being satisfied in Him alone. Remember, we don’t use God to get what we want. God IS Who we want!

All throughout His Word, God wants us to want Him. Stop worshiping His gifts and start worshiping the Giver. King David loved writing songs about finding satisfaction in His Savior. “The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup” (Ps 16:5). Another psalmist named Asaph sums up how only God alone fills the void in his soul. “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps 74:25-26). When His friends throw Jesus a house party in Bethany, one of the hosts named Martha blows her stack when her sister Mary just sits there with Christ and won’t help her. The Son of God tells Martha, “One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion and it will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:42). Mary figured out that God is Who she wants.

Just like the false teachers of Ephesus, there are plenty of folks up to the same old scheme 2,000 years later. Using people in order to love money instead of using money to love people. Christ told His crew not to fall into the trap of serving both God and money (Mt 6:24). Can’t be done. Paul orders Titus to shut down religious hucksters on the island of Crete who “are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach” (Titus 1:11). The apostle Jesus called Rocky also saw false prophets who were out to make a profit “in their greed they will exploit you with false words” (2Pet 2:3). The bottom line about the bottom line? We don’t use people to love money. We use money to love people.

It’s incredibly easy to shift from enjoying the gracious Giver to simply enjoying His gifts. There’s nothing inherently evil about money. It can be a blessing used to bless others. It can also be false god to be worshiped. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to ruthlessly eliminate greed and find satisfaction in what we have. “Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Heb 13:5). Your money will leave. Jesus never will. 

Andy Stanley wants the followers of Jesus to learn to be rich. NOT get rich. BE rich. God has blessed most of us with more than the rest of the world could ever imagine. But more than that, we’re mega-gazillionaires when it comes to eternity. As followers of Jesus, we already have everything we’ll every need. We don’t use God to get what we want. God IS Who we want!

Monday, March 21, 2016

Alternate Realities and Parallel Universes

“which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth” (1Tim 6:4-5)

Ever see one of those movies or TV show episodes where everything is opposite. Somehow someway, one of the characters ends up in some wacky alternate universe or a freaky dream that turns the whole shebang upside down. It happened on “Star Trek,” on “Dr. Who,” on “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and even on “Seinfeld.” Life suddenly doesn’t make sense. The good guy is now the bad guy. One of the clues to this is the sudden appearance on our hero of a goatee, eyepatch, scar, or all the above.

In a letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul describes bizarro dimension when false teachers intentionally fool the followers of Jesus with fraud and falsehood. It will “produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth” (v4-5). In other words, EXACTLY the opposite of what you would expect to find among God’s people. When folks are deprived, they become depraved. That’s what life looks like in the parallel universe of sin.

That’s not how things were in the Ephesian church just a few years ago. Flash back when Paul first rolled into town and started telling everybody about Jesus. He spread the incredible news that the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth has thrown open the doors of God’s kingdom to anyone and everyone who trusts in Him. The apostle spent three years in the big port city and planted a church that sent the message of Christ all throughout the Mediterranean Rim (Acts 19:1-41; 20:31). 

Not long after, Paul’s enemies cooked up some crazy charges against him and he spent almost five years behind bars in both Judea and Rome waiting for a trial. Once Caesar released him, the apostle returned to the church in Ephesus only to find a heretical hot mess. He came back to see an evil alternate universe. 

A team of false teachers sold the worst kind of spiritual snake oil to Ephesian believers. They peddled a wicked brew of “myths and endless genealogies which promote speculations” (1Tim 1:4) as well as “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1Tim 4:1). After kicking a couple of the ringleaders to the curb (1Tim 1:19), Paul had urgent business in Macedonia and left Timothy in charge of the church (1Tim 1:3). A majority of this little letter is the apostle’s instructions to the young preacher about getting the church out of the ditch and back on track.

Here in chapter six, we get a closer glimpse at the Ephesian dumpster fire that Paul found when he returned. Envy. Dissension. Slander. Evil suspicions. Constant friction. Stinking thinking. Starved for the truth. I’m VERY sorry to say this is the experience too many people have in the local church. What you would hope would be a place that drips with grace and forgiveness actually turns out to be a snake pit that would make anything Indiana Jones discovers look like a petting zoo. Let’s be clear. That’s NOT Jesus’ vision for His church. I’ll be the first guy to admit there are no perfect churches. That’s never going to be the case as long as they allow jacked up dudes like me through the front door. But the people of God should be a safe place from that sort of crapola.

Just to be clear, the apostle tells Tim that anyone who teaches a doctrine that disagrees with Jesus is an arrogant windbag and a know-it-all who really doesn’t know anything (1Tim 6:3). He has a sick obsession to stir up trouble and arguments. The result is people ticked off at each other, jealousy, hate speech, mistrust, and constantly rubbing each other the wrong way (1Tim 6:4-5). Not exactly the kind of safe place you would hope to find among God’s people. Instead it’s a sick and twisted parallel dimension of discord.

Do we REALLY need an in-depth study of “envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction” (v4-5)? You know these are bad, right? You DO know that, don’t you?!? If those are the qualities you’re looking for in a local church, please look somewhere else. Don’t bring that garbage around here. The bad news is there are plenty of congregations out there that specialize in that sort of fear and loathing.

According to Paul, this is the sort of thing you find “among people who are depraved in mind” (v5). Behind “depraved” is a Greek word (Gr. diaphtheiro) that means to destroy, rot, ruin, wear away, decay, spoil, or waste away. It’s the same term he uses when writing one of his notes to the Corinthians about how “our outer self is wasting away (Gr. diaphtheiro), our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2Cor 4:16). The result of the false teaching in Ephesus is a rotting mind. Remember when Igor grabs the brain of “Abby Normal” in “Young Frankenstein”? When you fail to teach people about Jesus, you get stinking thinking.

If that’s not bad enough, folks are “deprived of the truth” (v5). The verb here is apostrepeo, which means to withhold, defraud, rob, steal, obtain something through deception. When a young up-and-comer wants to join Jesus’ posse, the Lord asked him how he was doing following God’s commands, such as “Do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud (Gr. apostrepeo)” (Mk 10:19). Spiritual hucksters have pulled the old bait-and-switch. They’ve hoodwinked folks from the truth and into this bizarro reality of lies. 

Just a quick reminder on the truth. We’re talking Truth with a capital “T.” God created a perfect world. We jacked up the whole deal when we turned our backs on Him and tried to do it our way. We completely failed to follow His law and fell short of His perfect standard. That’s the point in the story where Jesus comes to our rescue. He leaves the comforts of heaven to make the ultimate dumpster dive to save us. Christ lives the perfect life that we fail to live. He dies the death for our sin that we should have died. He rose to new life that we don’t deserve. We place our trust in what He’s done for us rather than our failed attempt to save ourselves. Just in case you think I’m making this up, Jesus Himself told His crew that He was the embodiment of “the Truth” (Jn 14:6).

The result of Christ’s rescue is providing us with a group of people who admit they need a Savior just as much as we do. The local church is actually an alternate universe to the fallen world in which we live. Let’s do what we can to have a zero tolerance policy for anything that trashes that the truth and causes our thinking to be stinking. Stay focused on who Jesus is and what He has done. God’s people are to be a shining city on a hill in a dark world. A model home for heaven. A parallel universe of paradise. 

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Blowhards and Windbags

“He is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words” (1Tim 6:4).

Just turn on the radio. Click on cable TV. Go online. They’re absolutely everywhere. Blowhards. Windbags. They absolutely no clue of what they’re talking about. They have a sick obsession with stirring up trouble. There’s nothing they love more than drawing you into a war of words. 

Did you realize this was a problem long before Rush Limbaugh, Rachel Maddow, Sean Hannity, and Ed Schultz? Even before mean-spirited political campaigns. It goes way back. I mean WAY back! Like 2,000 years back. First century Ephesus may have been a crossroads of cultures on the west coast of what we know today as Turkey, but talk radio, 24-hour cable so-called “news,” and the interwebs were nowhere to be seen or heard. But the loudmouths certainly were. Instead of on the air and online, they were stirring up trouble in the church. 

This is exactly the kind of blabbermouth Paul warns Timothy about. “He is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words” (v4). And you thought you were hot stuff when you posted something similar about (insert name of your most hated talk show here) on your Facebook wall. The apostle desperately wants the young pastor not to get suckered in by these arrogant gasbags and their sick craving for controversy. That’s some handy advice for you and me today, don’t you think?

Let’s fire up the Flux Capacitor and set a course for Ephesus in 62-64 AD. Paul is fresh out of prison while waiting for a trial on trumped up charges. He’s made a beeline back to E City where he planted a thriving church before getting tossed in the joint (Acts 19). While the apostle was behind bars, a team of spiritual con artists weaseled their way into the congregation and distracted folks from following Jesus with all sorts of offbeat myths, bottomless genealogical searches, counterfeit spirituality, and downright demonic doctrine (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:2-3). Needing to deal with a crisis in the Macedonian churches, Paul hands Tim the wheel of the Ephesian church to continue the cleanup. As part of the reform, the apostle tells him there’s a zero tolerance policy when it comes to windbags and blowhards.

It probably comes as no shock that the man from Tarsus describes these troublemakers as “puffed up with conceit” (v4). They only want to talk about stuff that doesn’t really matter. These pompous preachers teach a phony gospel that contradicts what Jesus has to say and eventually drive folks further from the Father (1Tim 6:3). Instead of Good News, this is incredibly bad news. When it comes to God’s grace, accept no substitutes!

They are “puffed up with conceit” (v4). Paul uses a Greek verb (Gr. tupho’o) that means to be crazy with conceit, insanely arrogant, and totally bloated with pride. The word literally means to blow smoke. Matthew drops a variation of this term when describing Jesus’ gentle touch as being so delicate as not to extinguish a “smoldering wick” (Mt 12:20). Earlier in this very same letter, the apostle tells Tim that a pastor or overseer “must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit (Gr. tupho’o) and fall into the condemnation of the devil” (1Tim 3:6). In his sequel, Paul warns Timothy to be on the lookout for people who are “treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit (Gr. tupho’o), lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2Tim 3:4).

Sadly, you and I know exactly the kind of windbags Paul’s talking about. They’re really nothing but smoke and mirrors. They’re proof that sometimes when there’s smoke, there’s absolutely NO fire. If that’s not bad enough, they actually fool themselves into believing they’re hot stuff. Now that they’ve duped their followers into buying that big steaming pile they’re selling, their head swells and ego bulges. Yup, they’re smoke-blowers. Gasbags. 

You do realize God won’t put up with anyone who’s pompous, don’t you? “He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble” (Prov 3:34 NIV). Just in case you missed that, Jesus’ kid brother James quotes it again. “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). And if you missed it a second time, Pete the Apostle hammers that nail a third time (1Pet 5:5). Think you’re all that and a bag o’ chips? Then God is you’re enemy. Just in case you’re wondering, God’s enemies always lose. Every. Single. Time. Why don’t we climb down off your high horse but somebody gets hurt? And by “somebody,” I mean you and me.

A characteristic of a know-it-all is someone who actually “understand nothing” (v4). They may think they’re a walking Wikipedia when in fact they’re nothing more than a “page not found.” Check back to the opening lines of this letter. These particular hucksters don’t know have a clue what they’re talking about (1Tim 1:7). Filling your head with facts doesn’t make you wise. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know” (1Cor 8:1-2). As a matter of fact, knowledge and love are an unbeatable tag team. You may be the smartest one in the room and have more degrees than Fahrenheit, but if you don’t have love, you got nothing (1Cor 13:2). Knowledge minus love equals a big fat zero.

Being humble is being teachable. It’s shutting my big yapper and listening for a change (Prov 12:15; 17:28; 18:2; 29:20). It’s realizing I don’t have the answer to every question or the solution to every problem. It’s turning to God as the ultimate authority. He tells the prophet Isaiah, these are exactly the kind of people He’s after. “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My word” (Is 66:2). In His most famous sermon, Jesus says His Dad gives us everything when we realize we’ve got nothing apart from Him. “God blesses those who realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them” (Mt 5:3 NLT). 

These worthless windbags have “an unhealthy craving for controversy” (v4). They have a sick obsession with stirring up trouble. Paul calls it “unhealthy,” which is the Greek word noseo. It means to be sick, unwholesome, or to suffer from a disease. Like certain unnamed talk show hosts, they have morbid desire to argue about everything. I mean EVERYTHING. 

The apostle goes so far as to say they love nothing more than “quarrels about words” (v4). The phrase actually comes from one word in the original language (Gr. logomachia). It literally means “word fights.” We’re not talking about a healthy discussion that draws us closer together and closer to Christ. These are screaming matches. They love to drag someone into the octagon and beat them senseless with a 10-pound Bible and their entire theological library. If that’s you, stop using your study Bible as weapon. Put it down and walk away.

The sad news is that our churches are full of folks looking to argue over every doctrinal difference. Young earth versus old earth. Hymns versus modern worship music. Bible translations. Do I need to go on? Paul reminds Tim in his second letter to “have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies” (2Tim 2:23). “Avoid foolish controversies” because they are a total waste of time (Titus 3:9). These discussions aren’t always bad. But if you’re always arguing and folks hate to see you coming, you might have “an unhealthy craving for controversy” (v4). Do us all a favor. Give it a rest.

You would think hanging out with fellow Jesus followers would be one place we could escape the endless river of verbal garbage from talk radio and politics. While it should be, it rarely is. Paul tells us the sort of folks we should avoid and, if not, send packing. I absolutely love how The Message paraphrases this verse. “Tag them for what they are: ignorant windbags who infect the air with germs of envy, controversy, bad-mouthing, suspicious rumors” (v4 The Message). 

Let's cut to the chase. Don’t be the loudmouth. Don’t be the blowhard. Don’t be the know-it-all. Ask yourself, do you have a sick obsession with stirring up strife wherever you go? Do you argue about every little factoid that doesn’t jive with your personal flavor of theology and doctrine? If so, I’ve got news for you. Paul says don’t be that guy.

Monday, March 14, 2016

Accept No Substitutes

“If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness” (1Tim 6:3).

It looks like the real deal. It sounds like the real deal. But there’s just something about it that doesn’t pass the sniff test. You know what we’re talking about, don’t you? A product is so wildly successful that many others want to get in on the action. Imitators crank out all sorts of phonies with the evil intent of fooling you and me. 

According to Paul, it’s no different when it comes to the Gospel. God’s incredible offer of grace, forgiveness, and abundant life in Jesus has turned the world upside down. The only way we access His salvation is through trusting in Christ and Christ alone. But spiritual con artists have been selling their snake oil for more than 2,000 years. They spin their counterfeit gospel by slapping a lot of Jesus on it and sprinkling in a few verses from the Bible.

In a letter to his protege, the apostle tells Timothy not to fall for the fake. He teaches the young Ephesian pastor how to identify their scam. “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sounds words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness” (v3). There are two warning signs of this religious ripoff. One, it doesn’t square with what Jesus said. Two, it sends folks further from the Father. When it comes to the Gospel, accept no substitutes.

The problem of a fake gospel was a clear and present danger for Pastor Tim and the church of Ephesus. A team of spiritual hucksters had weaseled their way into positions of influence and spread a crazy concoction of goofy myths, confusing genealogies, lies, and downright demonic doctrine (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-2). Just a few verses down the page, we’ll read that they were nothing more than money-grubbing windbags (1Tim 6:4-10). Paul has left Tim in charge of getting this church out of the ditch and back following Jesus again. 

The apostle alerts the young preacher to keep his eyes and ears peeled in case “anyone teaches a different doctrine” (v3). This phrase is actually one Greek verb: heterodidaskaleo. It means to teach something other than what should be taught, instruct error as if it was truth, or teach a false doctrine. This word only appears one other time in the Bible and it happens to be earlier in this very same letter. “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine (Gr. heterodidaskaleo)” (1Tim 1:3). These hucksters had duped believers into thinking they had to follow a certain set of rules to ensure their place in God’s family.

Don’t be fooled. There is only ONE Gospel. There is single message of Good News. The only way to have a relationship with God is by trusting in who Jesus and what He’s done for us that we could never do for ourselves. In case your keeping score, He followed God’s Law perfectly. I’ve failed miserably. He died the death on a cross for my disobedience. It’s the death I should have died. He rose to new life. I absolutely don’t deserve it. He does it all for me and you. There’s absolutely nothing left for us to do to seal the deal of our salvation. It’s the reason Jesus shouted for the world to hear from the cross, “It is finished! (Jn 19:30). Instead of counterfeit not-so-good news, we to place our trust in the “Gospel of the glory of the blessed God” (1Tim 1:11). Accept no substitutes.

The first way to recognize a rogue doctrine is when it “does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v3). In other words, our teaching must line up with the message of the radical Carpenter/Rabbi from Nazareth. In case you’re wondering where you might find that, God gave us four bios at the beginning of the New Testament called Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Interestingly, one of those writers is a physician. Dr. Luke uses the word we see here as “sound” (Gr. hugiaino) in a medical context, meaning healthy, strong, and whole. It comes from a root word describing healthy and vibrant growth.

When the religious police get their undies in a bundle at Jesus attending a party with a guest list loaded with sinners, the Lord says, “Those who are well (Gr. hugiaino) have no need for a physician, but those who are sick” (Lk 5:31). FYI, if you’re constantly pointing out just how sinfully sick everybody else is, you’re the one who needs to make an appointment to see the Great Physician. When Christ heals Roman army officer’s nearly dead employee, the good doctor describes how folks got back home and “they found the servant well (Gr. hugiaino)” (Lk 7:10).

Earlier in this letter, Paul made the point that God’s law is good when used properly, especially when applied to those who lived “contrary to sound (Gr. hugiaino) doctrine” (1Tim 1:10). Jesus’ teaching is the ultimate source of wellness. His Gospel causes us to grow in healthy ways. When we’re connect to Christ, we thrive. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in Him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Did you catch that? We can’t do a single thing of lasting value without Him. When we stay hooked up to Jesus, He produces all sorts of fruity goodness in our lives. In case you’re wondering what that looks like, check out what Paul calls Holy Spirit fruit. “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22-23). Healthy teaching produces a healthy harvest.

That’s in sharp contrast to that sick stuff peddled by the false teachers. Their spiritual snake oil not only doesn’t heal but it makes actually makes people sicker than they were before. Any false gospel garbage not only stinks up the joint but is incredibly unhealthy for everyone around it. It can’t continue. It needs to be cleaned up and taken to the dump. Accept no substitutes.

Here’s an important part of church life that some of us don’t like to talk about. There are critical times when you have to confront folks who are teaching something other than the true Gospel of Jesus. Yeah, we want the church to be a place of love and grace. But in order to get there, evil and wrong must be dealt with. Jesus places pastors and church leaders in the position to protect His flock. When wolves infiltrate and start spreading their stinking thinking, drastic measures are required. They must be confronted. They must be shut down. Radical measures must be taken. 

The second warning sign of a garbage gospel is when it drives us and those around us further from the Father. The legit Good News is “the teaching that accords with godliness” (v3). Paul uses a Greek word for “godliness” (Gr. eusebeia) that means reverence toward God. It’s actually a compound word: “good (eu-) worship (-sebeia).” This is a powerful reminder that our worship isn’t limited to singing a few of our favorite songs on Sunday morning led by a guy in skinny jeans holding an acoustic guitar. We worship the Lord with how we live our lives, love our families, and work our jobs. That’s godliness. Good worship urges us to move closer to God.

Godliness is reverence toward God in all that we do. Everything we do is an act of worship to Jesus. It’s living life with our eyes on heaven. You’ve probably heard about someone who was so heavenly minded that they were no earthly good. Nothing could be farther from the truth. We become effective spreaders of His salt and shiners of His light when we remember all that He’s done for us that we could never do for ourselves.

The idea of godliness is one of the really big ideas in this letter. We’re to pray for our political leaders “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly (Gr. eusebeia) and dignified in every way”(1Tim 2:2). Paul may have written a huge chunk of the NT, but even he can’t wrap his brain around the “mystery of godliness (Gr. eusebeia)” (1Tim 3:16). If you’re a follower of Christ, you should “train yourself for godliness (Gr. eusebeia)” because “godliness (Gr. eusebeia) is of value in every way” (1Tim 4:7-8). 

Spiritual hucksters have cooked up a scheme to make a fast buck because they think that “godliness (Gr. eusebeia) is a means of gain” (1Tim 6:5). What they’ve missed is “godliness (Gr. eusebeia) with contentment” is the key to true success and satisfaction in life” (1Tim 6:6). Instead piling up cash, we should be sprinting after “righteousness, godliness (Gr. eusebeia), faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1Tim 6:11). Good worship draws us closer to God. Phony teaching drives us further from the Father.

The bad news is there’s a lot of crap out there. Two thousand years later, there’s still a ton of bad teaching that people peddle as truth. Want to know how to tell the difference between Jesus’ legit message of Good News and every fraud posing as real faith? Paul says listen for a couple of alarms. First, does it line up with everything Jesus said and taught in the Gospels? Two, does provoke a lifestyle of good worship or send folks further from the Father? When it comes to the Gospel, accept no substitutes.

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Stay on Message

“Teach and urge these things” (1Tim 6:2).

Stay focused. Stay on track. Stay on message. Stay on task. These words are very familiar to me because I’ve heard them most of my life. I’m not going to lie. I’m easily distracted. VERY easily distracted. One second I’m laser-locked into the critical task. The very next second I’m checking Twitter. You’d better hope it’s not up to me to disarm the nuke when the future of the free world hangs in the balance. Cut the red wire…wait, is that a bird?!? 

Here in his letter to the young pastor in Ephesus, Paul constantly tells Timothy not to lose his focus. “Teach and urge these things” (v2). Teach them about Jesus. Teach them again about Jesus. Explain Jesus’ Gospel. Apply His grace to every aspect of your life. Stephen Covey famously says, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” The apostle wants Tim to keep the main thing the main thing. And the main thing is Jesus.

Apparently the previous teachers and preachers couldn’t stay on track. Some call it “mission creep.” That’s when you lose sight of your original goals and get drawn into stuff that doesn’t mean a hill of beans in the long run. Well, some creeps got folks seriously off mission in Ephesus. A team of spiritual hucksters distracted believers with a toxic concoction of “myths and genealogies” (1Tim 1:3), “vain discussion” (1Tim 1:6), “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1Tim 4:2). With Paul making the road trip to Macedonia, he’s asked Tim to take the wheel of the Ephesian church.

Tim is to “teach and urge” (v2) the followers of Jesus. Not just teach. Not just urge. But teach AND urge. They go hand-in-hand. They belong together. Like peanut butter and jelly. Mac and cheese. Holmes and Watson. Brady and Gronkowski. Let’s pull this pair apart, look at them individually, and then put ’em back together. 

First, Paul tells his protege to “teach” (v2). This is the Greek verb didasko, which means to instruct or educate in a formal or informal setting. Many times it describes the act of giving a lecture or explaining the details of a topic. It’s the source of our English word “didactic.” You can’t assume people know what to do and why you do it. You have to take the time to spell out both the reasons and the methods. At critical points, you have to tell folks, “Stop! Collaborate and listen.” Did I really just bring up Vanilla Ice?

When Jesus makes His Galilean tour, He focuses on “teaching (Gr. didasko) in their synagogues and proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom” (Mt 4:23). There was also the time Christ’s crew sees Him praying and asks, “Lord, teach (Gr. didasko) us to pray” (Lk 11:1). Just before heading home to heaven, the Lord tells His followers to make disciples by “teaching (Gr. didasko) them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:20). We teach when we stop to explain the why and demonstrate the how. 

The second half of Paul’s instruction to Timothy is to “urge” (v2) the believers of Ephesus. The apostle uses one of most powerful and words in the New Testament: parakaleo. It has a boatload of meanings and interpretations. Everything from encouraging to begging to comforting to admonishing. It’s a compound word that literally means to “near (para-) call (-call).” It’s not cheering on your favorite player from the upper deck. It’s the idea of standing right next to a teammate and letting them know they can do it and you’ll be right there with them the entire way. 

The great Bama football coach Bear Bryant was famous for coaching from a massive tower over the practice fields. From there, he could see everything. But when he saw a player doing something wrong, the Bear would climb down the ladder and get, shall we say, up close and personal. He might see a problem from the tower, but he had to get close in order to show his players the proper technique. 

For those of us who teach and preach, we have to climb down from the tower (or get out from behind the lectern) in order to urge others what to do. You cheer them on when they’re doing it right. You correct them when they’re doing it wrong. To urge people on in their walk with Jesus means getting your hands dirty at times. You’ve got to get close in order to help others apply what you’re teaching.

Just in case you think this really isn’t your bag or isn’t part of your job description, you might want to check out how God personally goes out of His way to urge on our behalf. Jesus’ best friend John uses a very similar word (Gr. parakletos) to describe both the Second and Third Persons of the Trinity. “We have an advocate (Gr. parakletos) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1Jn 2:1). The Son is right there next to our Heavenly Dad talking to Him about you and me. 

And our Savior didn’t leave us hanging after His ascension to heaven. That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in. Jesus told His disciples, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Gr. parakletos), to be with you forever” (Jn 14:16). In case there’s any doubt about the identity, Christ describes Him as “the Helper (Gr. parakletos), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name” (Jn 14:26). God’s Spirit wouldn’t arrive full time for Jesus’ followers until after He left for heaven. “If I do not go away, the Helper (Gr. parakletos) will not come to you” (Jn 16:7). If God is willing to get His holy hands dirty for you and me, we can certainly do the same for those around us.

So what exactly are “these things” (v2) Tim is to explain and demonstrate? Throughout this letter, Paul gives him specific instructions about what he is to focus on as the preacher and pastor of this jacked up local church. While the apostle’s on the road to Macedonia, he tells his protege, “I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God” (1Tim 3:14, emphasis added). He’s to teach about God’s overwhelming goodness and “put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus” (1Tim 4:6, emphasis added). 

Tim is to continually to “command and teach these things” (1Tim 4:11, emphasis added) when it comes to the power of the Gospel and Jesus’ incredible rescue mission. The young Ephesian pastor is to provide an example as well and “practice these things” (1Tim 4:15, emphasis added). Paul urges Tim, “Command these things” (1Tim 5:7, emphasis added) when discussing specifics of how the church must care for seniors. He’s to remember that preaching God’s Word is not some get rich quick scheme and must “flee these things” (1Tim 6:11, emphasis added). There’s probably nothing wrong with emphasizing these very same things in our churches today.

I don’t know if Timothy was also easily distracted, but his mentor Paul is always giving him VERY specific instructions throughout this letter. Like I said before, I’m a brightest-light-in-the-room kinda guy. It doesn’t take much to steal my attention from what’s most important. That’s why the apostle’s constant encouragement to stay on message hits home. Keep the main thing the main thing. And the main thing is Jesus.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Working at the Family Business

“Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit their good service are believers and beloved” (1Tim 6:2).

Family business. It is the best of times, it is the worst of times. On the bright side, you’re working with people you love and trust. You have the same values. You see the world through the same lens. Then there’s the dark side. Family problems become business problems. Reunions become staff meetings and vice versa. And one relative can leverage another in order to slack off. Dysfunctional families can lead to a dysfunctional family businesses.

While there’s a growing amount of research out there, did you know that Paul wrote about the tricky employer/employee relationship in family business almost 2,000 years ago? In a note to his protege Timothy, the apostle deals with it in the context of the Greco-Roman economy of master and bondservant. “Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit their good service are believers and beloved” (v2).

Paul’s point is that every follower of Jesus is now members of God’s family. The Father adopts all believers into His family. This changes things at work if our Savior rescues both you and your supervisor. The Lord transforms your workplace into a family business. Just remember, you and your boss may be brothers but that’s no excuse to not bring your best. 

The original context of the original passage is all about the dramatic change in relationship between first century masters and slaves. Around the Mediterranean Rim at the time, slavery was the norm. Some historians estimate 30-40% of Italians served as slaves around the time of Christ. On one hand, it was very different from our view of this awful institution. Greco-Roman slavery was not race based like it was in the American South. Many times it was a way to pay off outstanding debt. But on the other hand, it was still terrible and often brutal. Think you’re having a bad day at the old salt mine? Well, at least it’s not a REAL salt mine!

There was something racing through the Roman Empire that was changing the institution of slavery. The Gospel of Jesus. The tsunami of grace that began in Galilee transformed both masters and bondservants as they hear about Christ’s invitation into God’s kingdom. Your employment status or place on the org chart didn’t a difference. Everybody needs Jesus. The ground is level at the foot of the cross.

As a result, first century churches were filled with both believing masters and slaves. It’s curious that apostles like Paul didn’t call for an end to forced servitude. Maybe it’s because they knew that once God changed their hearts, it would change everything. The Gospel would eventually bring down slavery from the inside out. It’s tragic that it took so long for that to happen. It’s even more tragic that human trafficking is still a problem 2,000 years later. Another gut-wrenching example that we live in a broken world and we’re the ones who broke it. As it was before, there’s only one solution. And His name is Jesus.

Paul gives his boy Tim specific instructions for “those who have believing masters” (v2). He’s talking about the slaves and owners who follow Jesus and attend the church in Ephesus. The apostle uses one of the most important words found in the New Testament here. It’s the Greek word pistos. The term describes one who trusts. In this case, the object of trust is the resurrection Rabbi from Nazareth. 

Dr. Luke uses this very word when writing about Tim when he first meets the apostle formerly known as Saul. Timothy is “the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer (Gr. pistos)” (Acts 16:1). Just a few verses back up the page in this same letter, Paul tells the young pastor that a “believing woman (Gr. pistos) has relatives who are widows”, she is responsible for their care (1Tim 5:16). When the risen Jesus mysteriously and physically appears to a very cynical Thomas, Christ encourages him, “Do not disbelieve but believe (Gr. pistos)” (Jn 20:27).

These slaves don’t trust in their job performance to save them. These masters know their not entering God’s kingdom by winning “Boss of the Year.” Their only chance is by trusting in who Jesus is and what He has done for them. Same for you and me. Christ lived the perfectly sinless and totally obedient life that I failed to live. He died the brutal death for my sin in my place that I should have died. He rose to the spectacular new life that I don’t deserve. I place my trust in His performance on my behalf. It’s a breathtaking trade of our total failure for His absolute perfection (2Cor 5:21). Martin Luther liked to call it “The Great Exchange.” Our belief is only as strong as its object. There’s no stronger object of our faith than Jesus. 

Once an employee believes in Christ, he or she “must not be disrespectful” to the boss. Paul uses a verb here (Gr. kataphroneo) which means to treat scornfully or look down on. It literally means to “down (kata-) think” on somebody. It’s putting them down in your mind. We disrespect when we disdain, disparage, and despise someone. It’s tearing down someone else so we’ll rise in the rankings. There’s no upside when we down think.

In His most famous sermon, Jesus told us not to fool ourselves into thinking God and money can share the top spot of our affection. Eventually, “he will be devoted to the one and despise (Gr. kataphroneo) the other” (Mt 6:24; Lk 16:13). Our Savior also told His crew not to keep kids away from Him. “See that you do not despise (Gr. kataphroneo) one of these little ones” (Mt 18:10). Earlier in this note to Tim, Paul told the rookie pastor, “Let no one despise (Gr. kataphroneo) you for your youth” (1Tim 4:12). There’s no upside when we down think.

I’m sure you would never disparage your boss. Not you. I know you would never grumble or complain what they’ve asked you to do. You would never gossip or snipe. You’re not the one who would second guess your supervisor’s decision, are you? We’re talking about somebody else, right? You’re not the kind of slacker who would take advantage of the fact that your manager loves Jesus so you can cut corners on the job. Yeah, I didn’t think so either. You and your boss may be brothers but that’s no excuse to not bring your best.

If the previous verse about giving your own manager “all honor” (1Tim 6:1) didn’t get your attention, Paul goes on to talk about how working for a fellow believer changes things even more. It becomes a family business “on the ground that they are brothers” (v2). Just a couple of years before, the apostle wrote to his buddy Philemon about a runaway slave named Onesimus. It seems the Big O ran into the apostle in Rome and is coming home a changed man. Paul tells Phil that his fugitive employee is “no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord” (Phm 16).

If God’s grace can change the slave/owner relationship back in the first century, think what it can do for you and me. Remember, Jesus changes everything. That includes work. For those who are blessed to have a believing boss, “they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved” (v2). When you find yourself in that sweet situation, it’s time to cut it loose. It’s time to crank it up. You’re working with your brother. You’re working for your brother. At this point, it really doesn’t matter the industry or the craft. You’re working in the family business. Don’t forget. You and your boss may be brothers but that’s no excuse to not bring your best.