The Good Newscaster

“For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth” (1Tim 2:7).

TV networks and local stations place a high priority on their news anchors. They put all sorts of research into selecting the person they hope their viewers will trust to deliver the nightly news. Many become household names. Walter Cronkite. Huntley and Brinkley. Tom Brokaw. Ron Burgundy. (Just seeing if you’re paying attention.) There’s a lot on the line when looking for the next great newscaster.

That’s nothing compared to what God does in selecting His spokespersons. One the His most controversial and effective choices is a former Pharisee named Paul. Controversial because the dude from Tarsus was actually trying to wipe the followers of Jesus off the planet at the time of his selection. Effective because Christ used him to take the Gospel to non-Jews for the very first time and write most of what we know as the New Testament. Paul tells his protege Timothy, “For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth” (v7). 

Paul is God’s choice as the Good Newscaster. 

Just a quick review of why there even is a book of the Bible we call 1st Timothy. A few years back, Jesus used Paul to plant His church in the Asian port city of Ephesus. It’s on the west coast of what we know today as Turkey. The city is a critical crossroads of trade and culture in the first century. A strategic location for countless people to come in contact with the life changing message of Jesus. 

However, there’s a problem in the Ephesian church. God has sent Paul on his next assignment to Macedonia. He’s left his spiritual son Timothy to pastor the Ephesian megachurch. But a team of spiritual hucksters have weaseled their way into the congregation and have distracted believers from the core of their faith (1Tim 1:3-7). Instead of simply trusting in who Jesus is and what He has done, they’ve duped folks into buying a false gospel which is really no Gospel at all. If that’s not bad enough, they’re telling everyone that Paul is a fraud when passing himself off as an apostle of the Lord.

It’s tempting to blow right past the first two words here in verse 7: “for this.” But one look in the rearview mirror let’s us know “this” is kind of big deal. “This” is the Gospel. Paul’s been talking all about how Jesus has come to our rescue as the “one Mediator between God and men” (1Tim 2:5). Christ ponied up with the biggest ransom payment the universe has ever seen, His own sinless life, in order to free us from our sin (1Tim 2:6). Yeah, like I said, “this” is REALLY a big deal.

The man formerly known as Saul writes that it’s because of the Good News that “I was appointed” to three distinct roles. “Preacher…apostle…teacher” (v7). He wants us to know this wasn’t some sort of religious power grab. God has personally handpicked and placed him in this important place of influence in the early church. “Appointed” is the Greek verb tithemi, which has a wide range of meanings but basically describes putting something somewhere. That being the case, I wish I could remember where I have tithemi-ed my car keys most days. But I digress.

In this context, the word means assigning someone to a particular task, function, or role.  And in this case, Gods job description for Paul specifically begins with as “preacher” (v7). Once again, a peek into the original language is a big help. “Preacher” (Gr. kerux) is one who is handpicked to proclaim and make public announcements. A person given authority who delivers an official message. Notice a theme here? Someone didn’t simply pull Paul’s name out of hat and ask him to speak. He’s not just a random man-on-the-street. 

A few hundred years ago, the term was used for the official town crier or herald. The best understanding in the 21st Century is probably a PA announcer or news anchor. Paul is Jesus’ personal choice as His anchor for the Good Newscast. And as we’ll see in a little later, God has handed him the microphone to deliver the Message to a specific audience. 

The next specific duties is a biggie. “Apostle (Gr. apostolos)” (v7). You might think an apostle was something the writers of the Bible cooked up. Actually in the Greco-Roman world, this described an official representative with all the power and authority of the one who sent them. An apostle has a lot more oomph that just power of attorney. When you meet someone’s apostle, it’s as if the person who sent them is sitting right there with you. In this case, that Person is Jesus. In other words, when Paul is anchoring the Good Newscast, it’s as if Christ Himself is delivering the news. That’s some serious oomph.

There probably wasn’t anyone who saw Jesus’ selection of Paul coming. After all, he was a one-man wrecking crew against Christ’s church. Back in the day, he was known as Saul and was headed on another search-and-destroy mission to Damascus. That’s when the resurrected Jesus literally blindsided him (Acts 9:1-6). The Lord has a new assignment for him. He’s the newest member of the Apostle, taking the spot previously held by the infamous Judas Iscariot.

There’s seems to be a bit of confusion between the meaning of disciple and apostle. We tend to throw those two terms around interchangeably for Jesus’ posse. There’s a distinct difference. A disciple is one who follows and learns from a mentor. An apostle is equipped, empowered, and sent out on assignment. In other words, the disciples first followed Christ and learned. Once He headed home to heaven, He sent them out on assignment.

What’s this have to do with you and me? While the official capital “A” Apostles only describe Christ's original crew, it still works much the same way. As disciples, we’re first followers of Jesus. The next step in following Him is to do what He commands us and go where He tells us. That’s when He sends us in His name. Just after walking out of the grave and just before lifting off for heaven, Christ instructed His followers to go and be disciple-making disciples (Mt 28:18). We’re followers who are sent. Like Paul and the rest of the apostles, we’re broadcasters of the Good News.

Meanwhile back in the letter, Paul reassures Tim, “I am telling the truth, I am not lying” (v7). Why in the world would the man from Tarsus feel the need to reassure his spiritual son that he’s legit? Apparently the false teachers who’ve infiltrated the Ephesian church have accused Paul of making up his story about being picked and sent by Jesus as an apostle. When you doubt the messenger, you doubt the message. Just ask Brian Williams. (Insert joke here about Williams being with Paul outside of Damascus here.) It’s important for Paul to defend the integrity of his calling. 

We need to remember the importance of telling the truth about the One who is Truth (Jn 14:6). Once we start fudging the facts about the other stuff in our lives, we give people reason to doubt anything we tell them about Jesus. Remember, when people doubt the messenger, they doubt the message. Don’t lie. God doesn’t (Num 23:19; Heb 6:18). It’s such a big deal to God that He included it in His Top Ten (Ex 20:16). When we don’t tell the truth, there are consequences. Integrity is key when your the Good Newscaster.

Finally, Paul writes about his role as “a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth” (v7). As a teacher, he doesn’t just spread the Good News but explains what it means. We all have memories of those special teachers we had in school. They taught us so much more than our multiplication tables and how to diagram sentences. Great teachers teach us about life. Few people doubt the apostle’s impact on countless Christ followers in the first century. As a matter of fact, his teaching continues to echo around the planet to this day.

While Paul didn’t have a problem broadcasting the Good News to anyone who would listen, there was a very specific demographic he had in mind. “The Gentiles” (v7). In other words, non-Jews. Actually the word most often translated as “Gentiles” is the Greek noun ethnos. It’s where we get our English word “ethnic.” 

Christ specifically selected the apostle to every non-Jewish ethnic group in the world. Just after the divine mugging outside of Damascus, the risen Jesus told one of His followers named Ananias how Saul/Paul “is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). The apostle constantly reminds folks of his assignment to the non-Jewish world (Rom 1:5; 11:13; 15:16; Gal 1:16; 2:2, 7-9; Eph 3:7-8).

I’m particularly glad about this part of Paul’s ministry. I’m not Jewish. I can’t trace my family tree back to God’s chosen people. Without Jesus sacrifice and Paul’s broadcast of the Good News to non-Jews, I’d be left out in the cold. It’s hard for us to understand just how controversial this invitation of every other ethnic group into God’s kingdom really was. 

This debate rages throughout the pages of Acts and a lot of the New Testament. It was crazy enough to think Jesus was the long-awaited Jewish Messiah. Now you’re telling me He’s inviting Gentiles to the party!?!? This was such a big deal that church leaders held a big meeting back at the home office just to come to a decision (Acts 15:1-35). They concluded if God’s saving non-Jews, who are they to stop Him. Good call.

So what do you and I do with this? What does Paul’s assignment as preacher, apostle, and teacher to non-Jews have to do with us? First of all, if you’re not Jewish be VERY thankful! Otherwise, you might still be on the outside looking in. Second, if God has placed you in a position of influence and authority, step into it. Don’t ignore it. Don’t walk away from it. There are people out there He’s using you to serve and lead. Start serving. Start leading. Third, we’re all to be good followers of those placed in authority over us. Willingly submit to godly leaders. Quit your whining. Stop your complaining. Follow. 

Finally, we all are broadcasters of Jesus’ Gospel. He has given everyone of us the mic to tell the world of who He is and what He’s done. Place your trust in Him. He lived the perfect life we failed to live. He died the death for our sin we should have died. He rose to new life we don’t deserve. We’re all God’s handpicked choice as His Good Newscasters. And that’s the way it is.