Reppin' My Savior

“for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher” (2Tim 1:11)

A change of address doesn’t change your assignment. Just ask Paul. He may behind bars but that doesn’t get in the way of doing what Jesus picked him to do. What exactly is that? The man from Tarsus reminds his friend Timothy that it’s because of message of Jesus “for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher” (v11). Because the Lord personally selected him and assigned him, he must be exactly where the Lord wants him. The apostle may be on Death Row but he is still announcing, still reppin’, still teaching about Jesus. His change of address hasn’t changed his assignment.

It’s critical to understand exactly what’s going as Paul writes these words. He’s locked up Caesar’s SuperMax, the notorious Mamertine Prison in Rome. This is where the empire incarcerates dead men walking. It’s temporary housing for those facing execution. The apostle is a dead man walking. The New Testament book we call 2nd Timothy is simply a letter from the Green Mile. It’s a note from a follower of Jesus who knows he’s about to die to his spiritual son, a young preacher named Timothy. 

Paul realizes death is right around the corner (2Tim 4:6-7). He has two important purposes for this letter. One, he desperately wants Tim to hit the road ASAP and see him before it’s too late (2Tim 4:9, 21). Two, he wants to pass the baton of spiritual leadership and encourage his protege to continue spreading the Gospel (2Tim 2:1-4:5). The apostle has the ultimate sense of urgency. It’s crunch time. The clock is ticking down. He’s focused like a laser on his mission. His change of address hasn’t changed his assignment. He’s still announcing, still reppin’, still teaching about Jesus. 

Right out of the chute, Paul wants us to know this mission wasn’t his idea. He was “appointed” (v11). The man from Tarsus uses a word here (Gr. tithemi) that describes setting something or someone in a specific place for a specific purpose. For you grammar nerds out there, this verb is in the passive tense. In other words, Paul isn’t self-appointed. He’s God appointed. 

If you haven’t heard the story, flashback about 30 years before he found himself in this Roman cell to the highway just outside of Damascus. Back in those days, folks knew him as Saul. He was on another black ops mission to search and destroy the followers of Jesus. That’s when the resurrected Jesus blindsides Saul (Acts 9:1-9). This divine mugging transforms Saul the murderer into Paul the missionary. A little later in Dr. Luke’s account of the story, the risen Christ shows up to tell another disciple in Damascus all about what He’s doing in and through Saul. “He is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). From Jesus’ enemy to Jesus’ emissary. The apostle formerly known as Saul literally never saw it coming.

According to Paul, the Lord picked him as His personal representative to fill three specific and interrelated roles, “preacher and apostle and teacher” (v11). Christ gives the former Pharisee the authority to be His announcer, His rep, and His explainer. Since that fateful day outside Damascus, Paul has devoted his life to do just that. Three long tours of the Mediterranean Rim telling everyone who will listen about God’s gracious invitation to the world through the radical risen Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth. 

It hasn’t exactly been a day at Disney World (2Cor 11:23-28). Prison. Beaten nearly to death. Floggings. Canings. Stonings. Shipwrecks. Even contract on his life. But no matter what happened, it didn’t change his assignment. Wherever Paul went, he was still announcing, still reppin’, still teaching about Jesus.

Christ handpicked Paul as His “preacher” (v11). The apostle dusts off a Greek word (Gr. kerux) that doesn’t get used much in the NT. Just three times. In the Greco-Roman world, it describes a herald, proclaimer, or public messenger speaking on behalf of royalty. A modern day equivalent would be a presidential spokesperson. We’re talking about an announcer with authority. Anytime Paul has the chance to speak before crowds, he tells them about Jesus. That’s basically all Dr. Luke writes about in the Book of Acts starting in chapter 9. Call Paul the Good Newscaster. 

Now I know there’s a huge percentage of folks who break out in a cold sweat at the thought of public speaking. Jesus may not be calling you to step up to the mic at Jerry World. (Then again, He might just do that. Who am I to say?) But are you willing to live out loud for the Lord? I’m not talking about spending your spare time knocking on doors and passing out pamphlets. Do you readily drop Jesus’ name when talking with friends? Don’t worry about answering crazy questions about dinosaurs on the ark or the temperature in hell. Just tell them about the One who came to your rescue. Say it loud. Say it proud.

Jesus selected Paul as His “apostle” (v11). The word in the original language (Gr. apostolos) really doesn’t have a good modern day equivalent. An apostle wasn’t originally a churchy word. Back in the first century, this was a official representative, a special messenger, or one who is sent with authority on behalf of another. If you were in the presence of an apostle, it was if the one who sent them is standing right there. If any of Jesus’ apostles was in the room, it was as if He was there. That’s the kind of oomph He gave them.

So what’s the difference between an apostle and disciple? Seems like folks just use them interchangeably. Well, a disciple is one who comes close so they can follow and learn. The word “apostle” literally means one who is sent away for a purpose. Think of it this way, Jesus invited people to follow Him as disciples. Later He sent them out as apostles under His authority to spread the message of grace.

The best definition of a capital “A” Apostle is somebody who’s laid eyes on the resurrected Jesus. Remember Paul’s run-in with the risen Christ? So there’s a pretty good chance anybody you meet who claims that title doesn’t check that particular box. BUT there are modern day, lower case “a” apostles. These are people with a passion for planting churches and working on the front lines of the faith. Could God be tapping you on the shoulder to do just that?

But while we’re all not apostles, we’re all sent in His name for a purpose. Jesus first invites us to follow Him. There comes a point when it’s time to go and tell others about him. In His last meal with His posse before His execution, Christ tells them, “As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you” (Jn 20:21). What we don’t see in our English translations is the appearance of the verb form of apostle here (Gr apostello). Just as His Dad sent His Son as the Ultimate Apostle, He’s sending us to rep Him too. 

Third, Christ drafted Paul as a “teacher” (v11). The apostle drops the Greek term didaskalos, which paints the picture of instructor and even a rabbi. This is somebody who causes others to learn. A person who creates a an environment of learning. They invite questions. They provide analysis. They encourage application. A teacher of the Gospel explains the message of Jesus and helps folks apply God’s truth to their everyday lives. 

It’s not to say that deep doctrinal teaching isn’t important. It is VERY important. But ultimately God’s truth changes us from the inside out. It transforms our minds (Rom 12:2). It performs delicate spiritual surgery (Heb 4:12). It makes us more like Jesus (Jn 17:17). Great teachers communicate the Bible creatively and passionately. The great Howard Hendricks is famous for saying, “It’s a sin to bore people with the Bible.” You can be sure Paul was never boring. Okay, there was the time the kid fell asleep and fell out of a window during one of his sermons, but that probably had to do with the fact that the apostle was still preaching after midnight (Acts 20:7-13).

It’s interesting that Paul wrote nearly the identical description of Jesus’ commission on his life back in the prequel to this letter. “For this I was appointed a preacher (Gr. kerux) and apostle (Gr. apostolos) (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher (Gr. didaskalos)of the Gentiles in faith and truth” (1Tim 2:7). Preacher. Apostle. Teacher. He was doing it then. He’s doing it now. The apostle may be on Death Row but he is still announcing, still reppin’, still teaching about Jesus. His change of address hasn’t changed his assignment.

It’s the same for you and me. His call on my life isn’t limited by my zip code. It isn’t constrained by my career. Wherever I am, I can drop His name and speak publicly about my Savior. I can be sure that He sends me as His rep no matter where I go. I can help others by explaining who Jesus is and what He’s done. My change of address doesn’t change my assignment.

Greetings from Caesar's Palace

“Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especial those of Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4:21-22).

Back in a previous millennium before the days of email, texting, Facetime, and Facebook, you would drop a postcard in the mail and let folks back home know about your vacation. These handy dandy cards came with some sort chamber of commerce picture of the place and a “wish you were here!” cheesy greeting. Let’s face it, most of the time you didn’t REALLY wish they were on vacation with you. The point was to make people insanely jealous. 

Well our man Paul may be in Rome, but this is no vacation. He may be staying in Caesar’s Palace, but he’s not in the penthouse. Most likely, the apostle is in the basement. In the dungeon. He writes to his friends back in Philippi to make sure they tell everyone there that he says “hello!” He wants them to know that he’s far from lonely. Despite being in a Roman prison, but God has placed all sorts of fellow Christ followers around Paul. Greet believers wherever you are. There are more around you than you realize. The simple act of reaching out to fellow followers will let you know you’re never really alone.

Remember the scene. The apostle has spent nearly five years locked up after an angry mob nearly kills him at the temple in Jerusalem (Acts 21:27-36). He does time in Jerusalem (Acts 21:37), Caesarea Maritima (Acts 23:33-35), and, after one of the worst Mediterranean cruises on record, Rome (Acts 28:14-30). While he’s there, Paul writes a series of letters to churches in Colossae, Ephesus, and his buddy Philemon. Sometime before his release, he fires off one more note to some of his favorite folks on the planet. The church in Philippi. He’ll never forget his first crazy days when he brought the message of Jesus to Europe (Acts 16:12-40). He wants to make sure everyone there knows he’s doing just fine, thank you.

Paul wraps up this letter by telling the Philippians to “greet every saint in Christ Jesus” (v21). He certainly wants to make sure all his friends know that he says “hey” from Rome. But there’s more here than a generic shout out to his buddies in Macedonia. The apostle actually commands the church to make a point of greeting and building a relationship with each and every saint. The grammar in the original language is very specific. He could have very easily told them to greet all the believers. But he didn’t. The man from Tarsus instructs them to individually interact with each follower of Jesus. 

It’s important to remember that churches are made up of individuals. Jesus lived and died for every person who walk through the front doors of your foyer. Every. Single. One. For you. For me. For the lady in the Lexus. For the dude in the Dodge. For the weird woman and strange man who sit in the back. Paul tells us to “greet every saint in Christ Jesus” (v21). The verb “greet” (Gr. aspazomai) means to literally embrace or draw to oneself. It’s the idea of treating someone affectionately. We’re not talking about some casual, mail-it-in kind of “howdy.” Interestingly, in his letter to the Roman church, the apostle instructs them, “Greet (Gr. aspazomai) one another with a holy kiss” (Rom 16:16). You can argue all you want about cultural context, but it seems pretty clear to me that public displays of affection among the followers of Jesus should be the standard. 

If someone is a fellow believer, reach out to them. We’re not to pick and choose who we’re to greet. We’re not scouting the room, trying to pick out who we’re going to hug. If they’ve placed their faith in who Jesus is and what He’s done, that’s all we need to know. Don’t leave anyone out. This isn’t just about the people who like you or look like you. Jesus has bulldozed all the racial barriers. He’s crushed all the cultural walls. He’s knocked down every economic roadblock. If they’re saints, greet ’em up! And we’re not just talking about the awkward “meet and greet” part of the worship service.

Paul’s not the only one who sends his best. “The brothers who are with me greet you” (v21). We already know that his protege Tim is hanging with him in the Eternal City (Phil 1:1; 2:19-23). No surprise there. The apostle met the young gun in Lystra (Acts 16:1-3) on his second tour of the Mediterranean Rim. Tim joined Paul’s posse just before rolling into Philippi. These bros may include Epaphroditus, the fellow the Philippians sent to help the apostle in prison (Phil 2:25-29). There’s a good chance there are probably more guys than are mentioned by name. Paul writes about “most of the brothers” with him (Phil 1:14). This could include Aristarchus, John Mark, and Jesus Justus (Col 4:9-11). Chances are Tychicus and Onesimus would have already hit the road delivering letters to Colossae, Ephesus, and Philemon. 

“All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household” (v22). It’s also clear that there are other followers of Jesus there. Now that they’ve greeted the saints back in Philippi, Paul passes along the greetings of the other saints in Rome. When he describes “those of Caesar’s household” (v22), he’s not just talking about members of the royal family. According to John MacArthur, this also “would include courtiers, princes, judges, cooks, food-tasters, musicians, custodians, builders, stablemen, soldiers, and accountants.” This would include the very prison guards assigned to keep an eye on the apostle. Earlier, he talked about the irony of how God is using his time behind bars as a means to spread the grace of Jesus in Rome. “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Phil 1:12-14). 

When Saint Paul talks about saints, he’s not talking about Drew Brees and the Who Dats in New Orleans. “Saints” literally means “holy ones.” While holiness certainly carries the idea of sinlessness and purity, the best idea here is that these followers of Jesus are different. You can tell them apart from everyone else in the Roman world. They live differently. They love differently. They work differently. How about you? Are you a “saint?” Are you a “holy one?” Do you stand out from the rest of the culture? When folks look at you, do they say “who dat?”

So how in the world has Paul made so many friends in Rome? Sure, he’s been in the slammer for a couple of years in the city, but that’s not the entire reason God has provided a wonderful support system for His apostle. You see, Paul has already written a letter to the church in Rome a few years back. Ironically, he told the Roman church that visiting the capital of the Empire was on his bucket list (Rom 15:22-29). He has a boatload of friends in Rome. In his letter to the Roman church, he says “hey” to not just Prisca and Aquila, but to 24 other individuals as well as two full families (Rom 16:3-15). No doubt that a lot of these same folks were wanted to send their greetings to folks back in Philippi.

There’s an old joke that asks about the difference between Presbyterians and Baptists. According to the punch line, Presbyterians will say “hello” to you in the liquor store. Paul encourages you and me to reach out and embrace the support structure that God has placed all around us. We don’t do life alone. We have brothers and sisters to encourage us, love us, and hold us accountable. Remember, following Jesus is a team sport. We’re not flying solo. There are no Lone Rangers for Christ. Reach out. They need you. You need them.