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.

Motives and the Message

“Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the Gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice” (Philippians 1:15-18).

TV journalists come in all shapes and sizes. They have all sorts of motivations. Some have a spotless reputation and are totally trustworthy. For these men and women, the story is the star. They get out of the way in order to get the message out. Edward R. Murrow is the poster boy. On the other end are those whose motivations are, shall we say, not so pure. They’re out to make a buck. They want to make themselves the star, not the story. But here’s the deal. In the end, the basic message gets out despite the motivation. The folks watching at home don’t know what’s driving the anchors, reporters, videographers, and producers.  

Stuck behind bars in Rome, Paul sees the same thing going on. No, he’s not critiquing Scott Pelley and Brian Williams on the network news. He’s watching God use the various messengers tell others about Jesus. Some are greedy. Some are hucksters. Some are conmen. Others broadcast the Good News because it’s the greatest news anyone will ever hear. They make it the lead story because Jesus is the real Hero and His story is truly the star. From his spot in the cellblock, the apostle can see something crazy. As long as the truth about Christ is the central part of the message, the motivation  doesn’t matter. He doesn’t care if they have mixed motives. He’s excited because they’re making Jesus famous!

Let’s quickly take a look inside these two news operations. Paul tells his friends back in Philippi, “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry” (v15). These preachers are more concerned about beating other preachers. They see other churches and ministers as rivals and the competition. They define winning by having more success than the church down the street. These knuckleheads don’t understand that sharing the message of Jesus is a team sport. They miss the point that we’re all playing for the same squad. This isn’t Duke-Carolina. It’s not Cubs-Cards. Same team. Same Jesus. Same message. 

Paul also understands that on one end of the spectrum some “proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict my imprisonment” (v27). They might be telling the world about Jesus but their intentions are, shall we say, less than honorable. They’re selfish. A little bit later, the apostle makes it clear that the followers of Jesus are to “do nothing from selfish ambition” (Phil 2:3). That’s exactly the opposite of the kind of life Christ calls us to live. His amazing grace motivates us to lead a “me third” life. God first. Others second. Me third. When you’re hoping that Jesus’ handpicked apostle stays in jail even longer, you’ve got issues.

The man from Tarsus wants his readers to know that these greedy preachers have a hidden agenda. They preach “in pretense” (v18). The Gospel is just a front for their con. Ultimately, it’s just a scam. But they’re not pulling a fast one on the Sovereign God of the universe. He knows EXACTLY what they’re up to. And He’s using grift to spread the Gospel. 

Here’s where Paul’s 2,000-year-old letter gets rather personal. This sort of rivalry and competition still goes on today among churches. We measure our success by our individual size. There’s this crazy idea that megachurches compete against each other in some sort of MMA octagon. The other church is NOT the enemy! We can’t let Satan dupe us into fighting our teammates. We’re playing for the same team! We’re following the same Lord! Stop trying to rustle sheep from the other flock and start sharing the love of Jesus with a lost and dying world. Don’t you think this was a big reason why Christ told His boys that our love for one another will announce to the world that we’re His followers (Jn 13:34-35). We’re not loving each other when we’re trying to defeat each other. 

Let’s take a quick look at those who have Paul’s endorsement. They’re broadcasting the Good News “from good will” (v15). They want God’s best for others (note the “God first, others second, me third” priority!). These preachers “do it out of love” (v16). Robertson encourages us to shine the flashlight of 1st Corinthians 13 on this verse for a better idea of what these folks did. They share the Gospel with patience and kindness, without arrogance and pride. Ultimately, these men and women pursue their mission “in truth” (v18). This is in stark contrast to the con of the greedy preachers. These folks are transparent, open, and honest. They’re willing to share their own shortcomings, failures, and sins. That’s because their message is about Jesus, not about how cool and together they are. 

What’s my motivation for sharing the Good News? Is it so I can add another notch to my Gospel gun belt? Or do I tell others about our Hero out of “good will” (v15)? Am I inspired “out of love” (v16), my love for Jesus and my love for others? Finally, do broadcast the Gospel to those around me “in truth” (v18)? Am I honest and open about my own struggles and battles? Am I transparent about who I am without Jesus? 

In the end, motivations don’t matter to those receiving the message. As long as Jesus is the point of the story, that’s what matters. God will see to that. Twice Paul uses the Greek verb kataggello in this passage (translated proclaim in verses 17-18). It means to announce, declare, make known, or report. It literally describes speaking a message from or about something or someone. In this case, that something is the Gospel and that Someone is Jesus. Dr. Luke uses this word when describing how Paul and his posse announce story of Christ all around the Mediterranean rim. On the island of Cyprus (Acts 13:5). At Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:38). On his second tour (Acts 15:36). In Philippi (Acts 16:17, 21). Over in Thessalonica (Acts 17:3). Down the road in Berea (Acts 17:13). On Mars Hill in Athens (Acts 17:23). Even before King Agrippa (Acts 26:23).

No matter the motive, God is going to use the message being preached. When folks tell others that Jesus is our Hero and our only means of rescue, that’s what matters the most. Some of these messengers may be motivated by greed, status, or power. Others burn with a deep and passionate desire for everyone to hear the life-changing and life-saving grace of Christ. For the listener, motive doesn’t matter. It’s all about the message.  

Breaking News

“and at the proper time manifested in His Word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior” (v3).

The term “breaking news” has gotten a bad rap in recent years. Before cable news started slapping it on everything that happens in Hollywood, breaking news was some incredibly critical new info that needed to hit the air immediately. TV newsrooms would scramble to be the first on the air with this urgent bulletin. Here in the opening lines of his letter to Titus, the Apostle Paul writes that Jesus handed him the breaking news about God’s salvation and eternal life. Let’s call it Breaking Good News.

Everything he says in this verse is dependent upon what we read in verse two. God has been planning the glorious truth of eternal life with His people through Jesus before He even created time (Titus 1:2). This was classified information. Top secret. For God’s eyes only! At some point, the Trinity would release all the details of everlasting life through Christ. God leaked important details over thousands of years. In the garden (Gen 3:15). To Abraham (Gen 12:2-3). To David (2Sam 7:11-16). Through a series of handpicked prophets. Then God Himself made a personal appearance in Jesus and blew the doors off the joint. After His resurrection, Christ selected Paul to break the news that EVERYONE is invited into God’s salvation, not just the Jews (Acts 9:15). Everyone can experience a deep and eternal friendship with Jesus. Now THAT’S Breaking Good News!

Paul and his crew can’t get the news out fast enough. No TV. No radio. No interweb. They had to take their act on the road in order to get the word out. In this case, Titus is on the island Crete. It’s the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean and just south of Greece. At some point, the apostle and Titus spent time there telling folks about Jesus. Paul has moved on, possibly just across the water to Corinth. Titus has now taken the seat behind the anchor desk to continue this breaking news coverage. 

We find out that God had a very specific timetable on releasing this amazing info. While the decision about eternal life for believers goes back before creation, He planned all along to reveal it “at the proper time” (v3). Just about every Bible translation uses the word “proper.” This is the Greek adjective idios, which means one’s own, personal, private, or belonging to someone. Think of it this way, God would break this news in His own time. This was on His timetable. Nobody would rush Him. Nobody could force Him. He would do it in His sweet time.

Is there anyone better to know the best time to break this news than God? He’s ALWAYS on time. Never late. Never early. Always. Right. On. Time. Yahweh has been working right on schedule for eternity. And why wouldn’t He? After all, He created time in the first place. Over and over and over, God’s Word tells us to wait on God’s timing. “They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Is 40:31). We can be sure that God breaks His Good News at the proper time. “For there is one God, and there is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time” (1Tim 2:6 emphasis added). You and I can ALWAYS trust God’s timing. He’s got a much better handle on the clock and calendar that we do.

Paul then lets us know a couple critical facts about the dissemination of the details. He’s breaking this Good News “through the preaching” (v3) of God’s Word. The man from Tarsus certainly is a prolific biblical author. God uses him to write at least 13 documents in the New Testament (I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that our man Paul had something to do with the book of Hebrews as well). But his primary assignment is as a preacher. Preaching the Good News of Jesus is the focus of all three missionary tours. He spent three years in Ephesus preaching and teaching about Jesus (Acts 20:31). Preaching is the primary means which God uses to communicate His truth. Jesus did a boatload of miracles but He spent most of His time before and after His resurrection preaching and teaching. Bible study is great. Worship music is important. But preaching is a priority.

The apostle tells Titus that his preaching assignment isn’t just something he dreamed up on his own. This is “by the command of God our Savior” (v3). In a note to the folks in Galatian church network, Paul made it VERY clear that the Good News he teaches “is not man’s gospel” (Gal 1:11). The resurrected Jesus broke the news to him personally (Gal 1:12). Christ didn’t suggest this assignment. He didn’t give Paul a list of choices. He gave the apostle an order. What has Jesus told you to do? What burden has He placed on your heart? 

Paul says he’s under orders from “God our Savior” (v3). Savior is one of those words that’s just lost its oomph over the years. If you’ve spent anytime in Sunday School growing up, it just goes in one ear and out the other. It’s the Greek noun soteros. It means rescuer or deliverer. I think the best way to think of it is hero. God is the Hero who comes to rescue us when we have no way to rescue ourselves. Over and over in the letter, the apostle talks about our supernatural Superhero. “God our Savior” (v3; 2:10; 3:4). “Christ Jesus our Savior” (1:4). “Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2:13). “Jesus Christ our Savior” (3:6). Paul wants us to be absolutely sure that we see Jesus as both our Hero but our God as well. Do you see Jesus as your Hero? Do you see Him as God?

Despite everything you see on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC, there’s no more urgent breaking news than the bulletin Paul broadcast almost 2,000 years ago. Jesus is the One God promised for centuries would come. He lived the perfect life that we completely failed to live. He died the bloody death for our sin that we should have died. He rose to give us a spectacular new life that we don’t deserve. 

Let’s call it Breaking Good News.