The Jesus Channel

“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2Tim 4:2).

Back in the day, local TV stations would go off the air over night. Yes, little ones, it’s true. Sometime in the early morning hours after the late late movie, an announcer would thank you for watching and end the broadcast day with the playing of our National Anthem. No overnight reruns of “Full House.” No infomercials about flipping houses or the Ab Buster 3000. Just a test pattern until dawn.

That’s not the case these days. Channels and cable networks are always on. They’re constantly cranking out the programs. Relentlessly broadcasting. They provide different kinds of shows for the different parts of the day for different kinds of viewers. They’re always transmitting. Relentlessly broadcasting.

Paul Didn’t Have Cable

While Paul didn’t have cable, satellite, or even Netflix, he was all in on this idea of the non-stop transmission of info. In a letter to a young preacher in Ephesus, the apostle tells Timothy, “Preach the word; be readying in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (v2). When it comes to telling folks about God’s grace, keep it coming.

Let’s fill in a little bit of the back story behind what we’re reading. The man formerly known as Saul hasn’t stopped spreading the message of Jesus ever since the day the resurrected Christ supernaturally mugged him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-5).

One day he’s a Pharisee with the life goal of wiping Jesus’ followers from the face of the earth. After the Lord literally knocks him off the dude from Tarsus off his high horse, he becomes His handpicked spokesman to non-Jews around the world. In case you’re keeping score at home, going from assassin to apostle is kind of a big deal.

This radical new assignment sends Paul all around the Mediterranean Rim telling folks about God’s incredible invitation into His kingdom through Jesus. While that’s great news to many, it’s a BIG problem to just about everybody with a position of power in the religious establishment. As a result, the apostle personally experiences many local prison facilities over the course of this new career. But it’s worth it. People everywhere need to hear the Gospel. That’s why he’s a relentless broadcaster.

A Letter from Behind Bars

As Paul writes Pastor Tim, he’s behind bars once again (2Tim 1:9, 16; 2:9). But this time is different. This time he’s on Death Row (2Tim 4:6-7). While the apostle hopes to see his protege one last time (2Tim 4:9, 21), his real reason in writing is to make sure the Good News keeps going (2Tim 2:1-4:5). There can be no interruption of service. This is no time for test patterns. There’s too much at stake.

This verse here in chapter four may well be Paul’s big point to the young preacher. The apostle tells Tim what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Tell people about Jesus. When it’s convenient. When it’s not. Challenge those who need challenging. Warn those who need warning. Urge those who need urging. When it doubt, A.B.C. Always. Broadcast. Christ.

God’s Spokesperson

Right out of the gate, Paul instructs him to “preach the word” (v2). If you grew up in church like me, the word “preach” conjures up images of boring, long-winded sermons that drone on forever and have little impact on real life. Preach = tedious, monotonous, lifeless, and colorless. Wake me when it’s over.

But the word we translate as “preach” from the original Greek language here is anything but mundane and mind-numbing. Κηρυσσω/kerusso means to announce formally and officially, publicly proclaim, tell everyone everywhere, make widely known, or broadcast. Back in the ancient world, this was the job description of a herald or official spokesperson of the king. So to “preach” is to speak with all the weight and authority of the person in charge.

In this case, Tim has the full backing of the one and only King of Kings. So does each follower of Jesus. Our Savior has fully authorized each believer to speak on His behalf. Just as the FCC gives a TV station a license to transmit over the public airwaves, Christ gives us His personal permission to broadcast the Good News. He licenses us to relentlessly broadcast.

Relentless Broadcasters in the Bible

Check out just a few times we see New Testament writers using the word “preach (Gr. κηρυσσω/kerusso)” when folks make official announcements. John the Dunker speaks on behalf of about the coming Messiah out in the desert (Mt 3:1; Mk 1:4, 7, 14; Lk 3:3). The Lord’s official biographers often refer to Jesus telling everyone everywhere about the love and forgiveness found only in God’s kingdom (Mt 4:17, 23; 9:35; 11:1; Mk 1:39; Lk 4:44; 8:1).

Christ said publicly proclaiming the Gospel was the main reason He came (Mk 1:38; 4:18-19). Our Savior tells His followers to make this Good News world famous (Mt 10:7, 27; 24:14; 26:13; Mk 3:14; 5:20; 6:12; 13:10; 16:15, 20; Lk 9:2; 12:3; 24:47; Acts 10:42). After Christ blindsides Saul of Tarsus outside of Damascus, the newest apostle immediately begins broadcasting that the resurrected Jesus is indeed the one and only Son of God (Acts 9:20).

Are Words REALLY Necessary?

It’s right about now that somebody is probably mumbling or grumbling about the quote, “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words when necessary.” We’ve attributed that little ditty to St. Francis of Assisi.

There’s just a couple of problems with this quote. First, while it’s absolutely critical that our actions line up with what we say, words ARE necessary. If my deeds don’t match my words, I’m indeed a hypocrite. But if we truly want people to hear about Jesus, we have to tell people that He’s the reason we do what we do.

Second, historians can find zero evidence that St. Francis said it. For Pete’s sake, if someone has said it in my small group or or I’ve read on the interweb, it HAS to be true, right? Right?!? They’ve looked everywhere in his writings. I hate to break this to you, but none of St. Frank’s followers or biographers attribute him ever saying anything close to this quote. As a matter of fact, the famous monk was known to preach (OUT LOUD!) in five villages in one day. He clearly believed words are incredibly necessary.

Paul makes it clear that transmitting the Good News is inherently verbal. “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching (Gr. κηρυσσω/kerusso)? And how are they to preach (Gr. κηρυσσω/kerusso) unless they are sent? (Rom 10:14-15). Words ARE necessary. Unclick your mute button and crank up the volume.

Our Programming Lineup

Now with the transmitter humming at full power, what are we to put on the air? What sort of programming should be part of our daily lineup? In a word, it’s “the word” (v2). Don’t overcomplicate it. Jesus’ best friend was the Apostle John. One of his favorite nicknames for the Son of God is “the Word” (Jn 1:1, 1:14). We’re to be the Jesus Channel. All Jesus. All Gospel. All grace. All love. All the time.

The Good News is the one and only message we see throughout the NT. Jesus tours Galilee “proclaiming (Gr. κηρυσσω/kerusso) the Gospel” (Mt 4:23; Mk 1:14). When describing God’s great end game, Christ tells His crew that “this Gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed (Gr. κηρυσσω/kerusso) throughout the whole world” (Mt 24:14; similarly in Mk 13:14).

After walking out of the graveyard and just before heading home to heaven, our Savior made it clear what we’re to do until He comes back. “Go into all the world and proclaim (Gr. κηρυσσω/kerusso) the Gospel to the whole creation” (Mk 16:15). That’s why Paul tells the Corinthians, “We preach (Gr. κηρυσσω/kerusso) Christ crucified” (1Cor 1:23) as well as “proclaimed (Gr. κηρυσσω/kerusso) as raised from the dead” (1Cor 15:12).

What Exactly Is the Gospel?

We’re to relentlessly broadcast Jesus. We’re to publicly announce who He is and what He’s done on our behalf. Need a recap? Okey doke. Christ lived the perfect life of obedience to God’s commands that we’ve failed to live. He died the substitutionary death on the cross that we should have died. He rose to spectacular resurrection life that we don’t deserve. He does for us what we could never dream of doing for ourselves.

That’s the word we broadcast. Not the Bible Code. Not crazy theories about blood moons and the end times. Not wacky speculation about whether Jesus was married. Not to do better and try harder to please God. Not treating God like some cosmic Coke machine that dishes out blessings on demand. “Preach the word.” Broadcast Jesus.

God’s Promise and Pirate Radio

This is a great reminder about the collection of ancient documents we call the Bible. God wrote a book. It’s all about Jesus. It’s NOT about us. But it is FOR us. Jesus is the Hero of the entire story. At the very beginning, God promises Adam and Eve He would send a Savior to fix the mess they’ve made (Gen 3:15).

He continues making similar guarantees to folks like Abraham, Moses, and David. God never stops loving us despite our rebellion against His kingdom. Eventually the Son of God leaves the comforts of the heavenly palace and come to our rescue and die for our sin. Before returning to His Father, Jesus promises the ultimate encore when He will return to literally bring Heaven to Earth.

That’s “the word” (v2) we transmit. That’s the focus of our programming. That’s the basis of our broadcast. We’re like Pirate Radio, sending out a rebel signal of hope to a lost and dying world. We’re to be the Jesus Channel. All Jesus. All Gospel. All grace. All love. All the time. We’re relentlessly broadcasting His message.

Broadcasting with Urgency

Paul gives Tim specific instructions on when to transmit the Good News. “Be ready in season and out of season” (v2). “Be ready” is actually the Greek verb that literally means “cause to stand” (Gr. -ιστημι/-istemi) “on” or “over” (Gr. εφι-/ephi-). It’s standing in particular place in order to do something suddenly or quickly. In other words, we’re to be all over it!

There’s an urgency just about every time we see this word in the NT. There was the time the religious police turn on the blue lights and rapidly respond to a call about Jesus teaching folks at the temple. They hightailed it over and “came up (Gr. εφιστημι/ephistemi)” to Him (Lk 20:1). Dr. Luke uses it when describing the elders’ and scribes’ ambush of Stephen when “they  came upon (Gr. εφιστημι/ephistemi) him and seized him” (Acts 6:12).

After the Gospel turns the city of Thessalonica upside down and riots break out, a mob furiously “attacked (Gr. εφιστημι/ephistemi) the house of Jason” looking for the followers of Jesus (Acts 17:5). The Roman commander describes to the governor how an angry Jewish crowd turned on Paul and he “was about to be killed by them when I came upon them (Gr. εφιστημι/ephistemi) and rescued him” (Acts 23:27).

Paul wants us to be on hot standby and ready to tell folks about Jesus. Let’s not get caught off guard. Broadcasters warn people who are in the studio that every mic is always hot, every red light on every camera is always on. In the same way, disciples of the resurrected Rabbi from Galilee must not get caught off guard. Microphones are hot. Cameras are on. People are watching and listening. Are we urgently broadcasting His message of grace? Remember, the Good News is ALWAYS breaking news!

Preseason, Regular Season, Postseason, Offseason

The apostle instructs Tim that we’re to broadcast the Gospel not just urgently but constantly. That’s what he means when he says to tell folks about Jesus “in season and out of season” (v2). Every sport has a preseason, regular season, postseason, and offseason. TV shows premiere new episodes in the fall season before cueing up the reruns. When it comes to broadcasting the grace of Christ, there’s always a reason no matter the season.

Paul’s having a little fun with words here in the original language. He begins with “in season” (Gr. ευκαιρως/eukairos), which literally means “good (Gr. ευ-/eu-) timing (Gr. -καιρως/-kairos).” This is when it’s convenient, when the time is right, when the opportunity strikes, or when all conditions are perfect. These are those moments when God sets it on a tee for you. These are those rare but wonderful times when someone asks you a sincere question about your faith.

Similarly, “out of season” (Gr. ακαιρως/akairos) literally means “no (Gr. α-/a-) timing (Gr. -καιρως/-kairos).” You guessed it. This describes an inopportune time, an inconvenient moment, or unfavorable time. Instead of shutting down when the moment doesn’t seem right, the apostle says that’s just when we’re to lean in.

One important point about these “out of season” (v2) moments. We must be discerning and know our audience. That’s exactly what Paul did that day in Athens up on Mars Hill. He had done his research on what the residents believed. He found an open door when he learned about an “unknown god” and walked right through it (Acts 17:22-27). The message doesn’t change but our methods always do. So whether it’s preseason, regular season, postseason, or offseason, it’s always Jesus season.

A Three-Point Plan

The apostle gives Tim a three-point plan when it comes to the “how” of preaching the Gospel: “reprove, rebuke, and exhort” (v2). His intent here is pretty simple. First, use overwhelming proof in God’s Word to show God’s people what they’ve done wrong. Second, warn them against potential dangers and the landmines of life. Third, cheer them on in the right direction. It’s the idea of afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.

Once again, Paul warns us against one-size-fits-all style of broadcasting. Sure, the core of the transmission is still and should always be Jesus. But like a TV station provides programming for its audience depending on the time of day, we should adjust our preaching according to who’s in the room. While the meat of the message is always God’s grace, we should use a very different approach when it comes to preschoolers, unbelievers, and mature followers of Jesus.

When you see the need to “reprove” (v2), use the power of Scripture to reveal blind spots. When folks need “rebuke” (v2), it’s time to post a warning about the cost that comes from the sin on the far side of the sign. And there are those times people need you to “exhort” (v2) them. When they’re living lives of love toward God and others, make sure to give them an “attaboy.” Or as it reads in the Message, “Challenge, warn, and urge your people” (v2 The Message).

Under Pressure in the Pocket

The apostle wraps up his broadcasting instructions by telling Tim to do it “with complete patience and teaching” (v2). “Patience” is the Greek word μακροθυμια/makrothumia, which literally means “long” (Gr. μακρο-/makro-) “heating” (Gr. -θυμια/-thumia). It’s keeping your cool under constant pressure. Preach the Gospel like a veteran QB who never freaks out when facing a wicked pass rush.

Don’t get distracted from what God has called you to do. And that’s “teaching (Gr. διδαχη/didache)” (v2). This is staying on message and remaining faithful to the core of Good News of our Savior. Again, methods will always change. The message never does. All Jesus. All Gospel. All grace. All love. All the time. We’re relentlessly broadcasting His message. It’s the Jesus Channel.

Relentlessly Broadcasting Jesus

While there’s no question these commands are given from one preacher to another, every follower of Christ should be paying attention. Jesus calls every one of trusts in Him to get the word out (Mt 28:19; Mk 16:15; Acts 1:8). Once again, I love how the Message drives it home. “So proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple” (v2 The Message).

Never turn off the transmitter. Never put up a test pattern. Send it out loud and proud. Let’s adjust our programming to fit our audience. But our core message never changes. All Jesus. All Gospel. All grace. All love. All the time. We’re relentlessly broadcasting His Good News. It’s the Jesus Channel.

The Apprentice

“You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness” (2Tim 3:10).

“You’re fired!” Ah yes, Donald Trump’s infamous catchphrase from “The Apprentice.” Forget voting people off the island “Survivor” style, the boss does the dirty work all by himself in the boardroom, sacking losing contestants each week. When it’s all over, the winner earns a job with Trump’s company and the alleged opportunity to personally study the business at the foot of the Donald.

(This is where I will leave it to each one of you to insert your own paragraph about the 44th President of the United States. You’re welcome.)

A couple of thousand years before Trump made Omarosa famous, the Apostle Paul wrote about what a real apprentice looks like. He tells his spiritual son Timothy, “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness” (v10). Instead of trying to coin a catchy tagline and score high ratings, Paul looks to make disciples who make disciples.

He’s not firing apprentice wannabes but firing up his own spiritual apprentice. The apostle encourages Tim by telling the young pastor he’s legit when it comes to ministry. He’s learned the right things but more importantly lived and loved the right way. Tim’s passion for telling people about Jesus is the complete opposite of the religious con artists causing problems in Ephesus (2Tim 3:1-9).

Don’t think that Paul’s gotten cocky and believes he’s all that and a bag of chips. Sure, the man from Tarsus certainly has a ton of cred as a card-carrying, capital “A” Apostle. But an apostle is only as good as the one who sent him. In case you didn’t know, he’s following the resurrected Rabbi from Galilee, Christ Jesus. You may have heard of Him. Son of God. King of Kings. Lord of Lords. That’s the Savior Paul is following. And that’s the Savior he sees Tim following too. The apostle knows that good followers follow good followers who follow Jesus.

This is even more important when you consider the context of the Paul’s letter to his spiritual apprentice. As the apostle writes, he’s in the final countdown as a condemned man in a Roman slammer (2Tim 1:8, 17; 2:9; 4:6-7). He pleads with Tim to get his tail to Rome for one last visit before his date with the executioner (2Tim 4:9, 21). But he spends a good chunk of this epistle scribbling down critical instructions for ministry just in case they never see each other again (2Tim 2:1-4:5). These may well be the final words from the mentor to his student.

Paul begins verse 10 by drawing a clear distinction between Tim and the religious snake oil salesmen who’ve weaseled their way into the local church. “You, however” (v10). Could Timothy be any more different from the false teachers? Just check out the rap sheet of dudes like Hymenaeus and Philetus in 2 Timothy 2.

They may have started by teaching the Gospel but have gone off the rails long ago and now spread an aggressive cancer among God’s people (2Tim 2:17). They distract believers from following Jesus with all sorts of religious double talk (2Tim 2:14, 16, 23). They are self-absorbed and self-obsessed and some members of their posse have become dangerous sexual predators on the prowl for weak women (2Tim 3:1-8).

Maybe the young pastor has begun to doubt himself and question his qualifications. In his previous letter, the former Pharisee tells Tim not to let anybody use his youth to put him down (1Tim 4:12). He encourages him to “fan into flames the gift of God, which is in you” (2Tim 1:6) and stop giving into fear (2Tim 1:7). God’s Spirit lives inside every follower of Jesus (2Tim 1:14). Lean into the amazing grace of Jesus for His strength (2Tim 2:1).

Same goes for you if you’re a follower of Jesus. There should be no age discrimination when it comes to loving and leading others. God has personally given each believer at least one supernatural gift. It’s up to us stoke the fires of what He’s entrusted and share it with others. If we’re afraid, we need to remember that it wasn’t Jesus that gave us the jitters. He gave us the power to live and love with focus. God’s Spirit empowers every one of His followers. So let’s be generous and gracious with others since He’s be so generous and gracious to us.

An honest critique and strong encouragement are critical components of any apprentice relationship. Do you have someone in your life to honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses? Someone who will speak truth into your life? A mentor must also motivate when a protege has doubts. They cast a clear vision and know when a pep talk is appropriate.

Turn all that around. Are you doing that for someone else as well? Don’t give me that I’m-not-good-enough-to-be-someone’s-mentor stuff. We all are. Yes, you. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that God has placed someone in your life who’s at least a little less spiritually mature than you are. Every Paul needs a Timothy. Every Timothy needs a Paul. In the end, it’s not about the quality of the apprentice or mentor but the Lord they are following.

Good followers follow good followers who follow Jesus.

Paul gives Tim the ultimate “attaboy” by telling him how he has “followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness” (v10). He uses a fascinating verb in the original language (Gr. παρακολοθεω/parakoloutheo). It’s a compound word that literally means to “follow (-ακολοθεω/-akoloutheo) alongside (παρα-/para-).” It paints a picture of accompanying faithfully, being ever present and attentive, and being close enough to carefully dig deep into the details about something or someone.

This kind of investigation isn’t done from a distance or a Google search. As the old saying goes, it’s up close and personal. For instance, Dr. Luke opens his report to Theophilus about how he’s thoroughly investigated the facts about Jesus for over a long period of time and “followed (Gr. παρακολοθεω/parakoloutheo) all things closely for some time past” (Lk 1:3). The good doctor hit the road to hear the truth about Christ from the people who knew Him best. He personally interviews the Lord’s closest friends and followers.

But there’s another important element to παρακολοθεω/parakoloutheo and it’s one very important step further than an simply an in-depth investigation. You carefully check things out in order to do them yourself. You follow every step so that you can take those same steps yourself. In his prequel to this letter, Paul encourages Tim for “the good doctrine that you have followed (Gr. παρακολοθεω/parakoloutheo)” (1Tim 4:6). The young pastor gives us a classic example of how to mirror your mentor.

Good followers follow good followers who follow Jesus.

The word in the original Greek is so wonderfully rich that the various Bible translations use a variety of terms to help us wrap our heads around it.
“followed” (NASB, HCSB, NET)
“followed after” (YLT)
“carefully followed” (NKJV)
“diligently followed [my example] (AMP)
“fully known” (KJV)
“intimately known” (Weymouth)
“know all about” (NIV)
“know” (NLT)
“thoroughly acquainted with” (Darby)
“observed” (NRS)
“took as your example” (BBE)
“gone after” (ABPE)
But my favorite is actually from the paraphrase of The Message. “You’ve been a good apprentice to me” (v10 The Message). Did you see it? A good apprentice. But this kind of apprentice isn’t worried about getting fired or winning the grand prize on a reality show. This kind of apprentice is all about carefully following a humble mentor who’s following Jesus.

Good followers follow good followers who follow Jesus.

So just what behaviors and habits are now part of Tim’s life after hanging out with Paul? According to the apostle, here’s the list: “my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness” (v10). In other words, Timothy has modeled what the apostle has said, what he has done, his direction in life, his trust in Jesus, his long fuse, his love in action, as well as his grit. At this point, Tim probably walks and talks just like Paul. And that’s NOT a bad thing since Paul probably walks and talks a lot like Christ. Let me know if you’ve got a better suggestion.

Good followers follow good followers who follow Jesus.

“My teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness” (v10). Maybe you might think the man from Tarsus has gotten the big head when you read his repeated use of “my” in this list. My oh my, it’s just the opposite. The apostle is simply recognizing that Tim modeled his behavior by mimicking Paul. This isn’t some sort of biblical humble brag. Timothy learned how to follow Jesus from watching Paul follow Jesus.

Over the course of his ministry, Paul did what he could to set an example for others in following Jesus. He invites the Corinthians, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1Cor 11:1). The apostle tells his Philippian friends to “join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us” (Phil 3:17). In other words, if you’re not sure of what following Jesus looks like, cut-and-paste what Paul does until you can figure it out on your own.

Finding or being a mentor does NOT mean perfection. You DO realize there’s only one Jesus, right? Every believer should keep their eyes locked on the One who will be there from start to finish in our faith (Heb 12:2). Paul gives us a powerful example of what a realistic mentor looks like. Look past the apostolic title on his LinkedIn profile. This is a dude with a seriously checkered past. Remember the whole hunt-down-torture-and-kill-Jesus’-followers part? Paul pulls no punches when it comes to his rather sordid history (Acts 22:4-5; 26:9-11; Gal 1:13; Phil 3:6; 1Tim 1:13). It’s all on the table.

Follow Paul’s example. Readily admit your sins, your failings, your flaws, your faults, and your mistakes. Live transparently with those closest to you. Repent regularly. Remember, you’re NOT Jesus. You’re just trying to follow Him. When you do that with humility, you’re going to look over your shoulder and see others following you. If not, you’re not so much leading but simply on a long, lonely walk by yourself.

Good followers follow good followers who follow Jesus.

What sort of stuff is Tim focusing on as he follows Paul? According to the apostle, it’s “my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness” (v10). It all starts with what Paul said as a teacher. Christ is at the core of his curriculum. Every single thing Paul taught was about Jesus. Timothy not only studied at foot of the apostle but made our Savior the focus of his teaching as well.

The apostle’s apprentice didn’t just listen to what was said but keeps a keen eye on how life is to be lived, “my conduct” (v10). As my dear friend Ross Turner liked to say, “A talk talks and a walk talks, but a walk talks louder than a talk talks.” Say that three times fast! Words about Jesus are always important but we must back them up with our behavior.

Tim takes note of Paul’s “aim in life” (v10). This is a predetermined plan of action that you stick to even when the fecal matter hits the whirling device. Think of it as a publicly posted mission statement that tells everybody where you’re headed. It explains why you do what you do. A good mentor makes the “why” and the “where” of the “what” and “how” obvious.

The young pastor emulates the apostle’s “faith” (v10). Paul doesn’t place his confidence in his own religious resume. He tried that once before and despite being really good at it failed miserably. His best effort was nothing more than a big steaming pile compared to Christ (Phil 3:-11). Instead of a do-it-yourself salvation, we trust in the person and work of Jesus. He lived the perfect life we failed to live. He died the death for our sin we should have died. He rose to the glorious new life we don’t deserve.

Because of Paul’s deep faith in Christ, Tim sees the apostle’s “patience” (v10). You can literally translate the original Greek word here (Gr. μακροθυμια/makrothumia) as having a long fuse. You can take a lot of garbage and abuse before you lose your cool. Jesus certainly modeled it during His torture and crucifixion. It’s all part of God making us more and more like His Son (Rom 8:29). That’s why Paul lists it as part of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Gal 5:22-23).

Timothy puts into practice Paul’s incredible “love” (v10). Considering how the apostle squeezes this in between “patience” and “steadfastness,” he’s probably not talking about warm fuzzy feelings he has just for people who are nice to him. This is a practical demonstration of love-in-action for those who are hard to love. People who are messy. People who don’t like you. People who may have the middle digit locked and loaded. This is loving our enemies just like Jesus not only taught (Mt 5:44) but personally demonstrated (Rom 5:8).

The apostle’s spiritual son follows the example when it comes to “steadfastness” (v10). This is different word (Gr. ‘υπομονη/hupomone) and slightly different idea from “patience.” It’s hanging in there in hard times because of a strong hope. Call it an attitude of fortitude. As the great Vince Lombardi would say, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Paul would probably add, “And KEEP going!” Once again, Jesus sets the standard. The writer of Hebrews uses a very similar word when describing how Christ “endured (Gr. ‘υπομονω/hupomeno) the cross” (Heb 12:2).

This is what a godly apprentice looks like. What do we do with all this? First of all, find a Paul, find a Timothy…shoot, find more than one of each!! Remember that people are watching whether you know it or not. Leaders lead by personal example whether they realize it or not. Following Jesus is not so much taught at caught.

What sort of example do you set for others? Are you aware of your influence on them? Do you have a solid self-awareness of your own strengths and weaknesses? Are you willing to be transparent about them? Do you have the kind of close relationships with others to invite them to follow you or ask to follow them?

Most importantly, how is YOUR relationship with Jesus? If someone is going to follow you, you need to be following Christ. Do you do what He tells you to do? Do you repent regularly? Remember, It’s NOT about you. It’s all about the One you follow. That’s what it means to be an apprentice.

Good followers follow good followers who follow Jesus.

When It All Hits the Fan

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil (2Tim 2:24).

Perfect conditions foster perfect results. For instance, everything in science goes as planned in the lab. Chemicals and compounds react as they should in a clean and climate controlled environment. But when something gets spilled or broken, it all goes off the rails.

It’s the same in sports. Just about every decent athlete can perform during practice. A quarterback looks like superstar when there’s no pass rush. A slugger feasts on batting practice fastballs. Free throws are a piece of cake in a quiet gym. Perfect conditions foster perfect results.

But there’s just one little problem called the Real World. Things break. Stuff gets messy. To be effective, a scientific breakthrough must work when it’s not sterile. You may be a all-star at practice, but games are played with against skilled opponents in hostile conditions. Linebackers blitz. Pitchers throw nasty  curveballs. Free throws in front of a rabid crowd on the road with the game on the line are a different beast. And we haven’t even brought up bad weather.

We’re all pretty good when conditions are perfect. But who can still deliver the goods when when things are less than their best? That’s exactly the kind of situation Paul is writing to Timothy about here. “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (v24-25).

Paul encourages Tim to keep his cool when the situation boils over. As a servant of Jesus, don’t get sucked into the fight. Instead of throwing gasoline on the fire, soothe with kindness. See it as a teachable moment. Hang tough in harmful settings. Be a grace-filled fire extinguisher. Remember, we don’t serve our Savior in a climate controlled lab. Life is messy. People are messier. Jesus calls us to be our best when things are the worst.

You might be saying, “But Paul, you’re an apostle. You wrote a huge chunk of the Bible. That’s easy for you to say. You have no idea the kind of crap I’m dealing with at (fill in the blank…work, home, school, church, or all of the above).” I hate to break it to you but I’m pretty sure the situation the author of this little letter is facing trumps anything you’ve got going.

As he writes this letter, the apostle is doing hard time behind bars at Caesar’s Supermax in Rome, better known as the Mamertine Prison (2Tim 1:16, 2:9). He’s in the final days of his life on Death Row (2Tim 4:6-7). He writes with two simple purposes. One, he’s passing the torch of ministry to Pastor Tim (2Tim 2:1-4:5). Two, he’s pleading for one last visit from his protege (2Tim 4:9, 21).

Timothy isn’t exactly kicking back on a long vacation at Sandals Jamaica either. He’s in big port city of Ephesus continuing the reform of what has become an incredibly dysfunctional church (1Tim 1:3). He’s dealing with a team of troublemakers who are spreading a fast-growing cancer throughout the congregation (2Tim 2:17-18). Three different times Paul tells the young pastor not to take the bait and get involved in a war of words with them (2Tim 14, 16, 23). Now’s the time to put on your big boy pants. Stop chasing kid stuff and start chasing God stuff (2Tim 2:22).

Paul reminds Tim just exactly where he sits on the org chart. He’s “the Lord’s servant” (v24). The apostle drops a term here (Gr. δουλος/doulos) that describes a First Century bondservant. It’s a person completely controlled by another. Someone devoted to another’s cause with no disregard of his or her own interests. In this case, that other person is the Lord. Like Timothy, I need to remember Whom I serve. I serve Jesus. He’s in charge. He’s the Boss. If you’re one of His followers, you’re His direct report. Let’s just say He’s the one handling your ultimate performance review.

That means I do what He says. Christ isn’t just my Savior, He’s my Lord. He’s not only my Rescuer, He’s my Leader. I can’t just buy His eternal fire insurance. I turn over my entire life to my Lord. His agenda becomes my agenda. His desire becomes my desire. His will becomes my will.

He calls me to serve as He served. What follows in verse 24 are qualities that He exhibited during His time here on Earth as the Suffering Servant. He didn’t go looking for a fight but was incredibly kind to everyone he met. He’s the greatest teacher the world has ever known. No one has ever withstood the kind evil he faced during His betrayal, torture, and crucifixion. He consistently corrected His enemies with a firm but wonderfully gentle touch. He’s my model. He’s my example. And just like Jesus, I serve by doing my best when everything is the worst.

One of the most important ways to serve the Lord is by not picking fights, or in Paul’s words, they “must not be quarrelsome” (v24). As we mentioned, the man from Tarsus just told Tim that we’re to steer clear of getting involved in War of the Words. Not once. Not twice. But THREE times (2Tim 14, 16, 23). Don’t walk around locked and loaded, looking for a fight. Too many so-called Christians are more like a hockey goon just hoping he can drop the gloves and pound somebody senseless with self-righteousness. There are few things worse than a religious bully. Put down the 10-pound Bible and back off.

Instead of being ready to throw, a servant of the Lord should be “kind to everyone” (v24). Note that there are to be no restrictions of who’s on the receiving end. We don’t make eye contact with anyone who’s not eligible for kindness. The apostle uses a Greek word for “kind” (Gr. ηπιος/epios) that describes being soothing, mild, or gentle.

In another letter, Paul reminds his friends in Thessalonica just how kind he and his team was when they were in town. “We were gentle (Gr. ηπιος/epios) among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children” (1Th 2:7). Is there a better image of tenderness and kindness than a young mother gently caring and comforting her newborn baby?

Ancient Greek writers used this word (Gr. ηπιος/epios) when describing medicines which bring relief. There was a commercial in a previous millennium for Alka-Seltzer with a catchy little jingle that went a little something like this. “Plop, plop. Fizz, fizz. Oh, what a relief it is.” Do you bring peace wherever you go? Do you provide soothing relief to the situation?

We’re not talking about conflict avoidance. There’s a boatload of evidence in the Bible where Jesus is more than willing to stir things up for the right reasons (Mt 21:12-13; Jn 2:15-17). We see several times in the NT how Paul is ready to confront sin. He even gets in the grill of the apostle Jesus nicknamed Rocky when he acted like a hypocrite (Gal 2:11-14). But each instance was to eventually bring healing to soothe the situation and restore God’s shalom when it hits the fan.

A servant of Jesus also sees tremendous value when life gets crazy. They are “able to teach (Gr. διδακτικος/didaktikos)” (v24). Paul uses a word that describes being apt and skillful to instruct. It’s that amazing ability that allows others to learn easily. Instead of acting like a hotheaded coach who berates their players in front of the entire team and the crowd, we’re not looking to punish or browbeat folks who fall short.

Use mistakes and sinful action as teachable moments. Keep your cool and ask questions. Why did you do that? What were you trying to accomplish? How did it turn out? How could you have done it differently? Remind them of who Jesus is and what He’s done for us. Remind them who we are in Him. It’s how Paul starts every one of his letters. And remind yourself while you’re at it. A good teacher teaches himself as well.

Finally the apostle tells the young preacher how the Lord’s servant must hang tough when under personal attack. It requires “patiently enduring evil” (v24). This little phrase is actually just a single word in the original language (Gr. ανεζικακος/anexikakos). It’s actually a compound term that literally means to hold on while in the middle of harm. God’s servant must be ready to bear up under difficulties without resentment.

Let’s not pull any punches. Openly identifying yourself as a follower of Jesus makes you an easy target. Society certainly has more than its fair share of hate for lawyers, politicians, and journalists, but they’ve added Christians to this list in the past few years. That’s in addition to Satan putting believers in his bullseye for as long as anyone can remember.

So how do we hold up in the middle of harm? Think of yourself like a big cactus in the desert. Amazing plants like the saguaro are incredibly drought tolerant. They not only simply survive in harsh conditions but actually thrive. Despite living some of the most hostile ecosystems on our planet, these cacti grow over 70 feet tall! In the same way, God’s servant needs to be harm tolerant. We do that by finding our source of nourishment in the endless supply of Living Water that only Jesus provides (Jn 4:10-11; 7:38). He gives us the strength to hold up in the middle of harm. He gives us the ability to not simply survive but thrive in harshest conditions.

At this point you may be more than ready to punch out. All this Jesus stuff is great but I don’t want any piece of this action! Look, dude, I’m trying to make my life as stress-free as possible. There’s no way I could ever keep my cool when things get crazy. If that’s you, here’s the crazy thing. You’re EXACTLY the person God is looking for! He specializes in using the weak and foolish to shock the world (1Cor 1:27). The weaker you are the more powerfully His grace gives you power (2Cor 12:9-10). His light shines brightest through broken containers (2Cor 4:7-11).

This doesn’t mean you’re going to serve God perfectly. We need to constantly remember that every single one of us is a work in progress. There are going to be times when we do quarrel, when we aren’t kind, when the only way we teach is by providing the bad example, where we fold under the pressure. When we do, repent and turn back to your Savior. We’re going to need Him every step of the way. Remember, He was perfect so I don’t have to be.

If you’re a follower of Jesus, life will be perfect some day soon. And it will be perfect forever! But in the meantime, we don’t exist in a clean room. We don’t live life in a lab. We don’t play our games on the practice field. Every single day we open our eyes in the morning, you can count on one thing. It’s going to get messy. Jesus is looking for servants who can serve when everything hits the fan. He’s calling us to be at our best when life is at its worst.

Slow Is Fast and Fast Is Slow

“Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure” (1Tim 5:22).

Too many businesses and churches lose their organizational minds when they have a opening at the top. People freak out. We need a new leader yesterday!! While it’s critical to fill that position, it’s even more important to find the right person. A bad leadership choice will cripple an organization for years. The best way to find a leader quickly is to find a leader slowly.

Paul was well aware of this principle back in the first century and shares it in a letter to his protege Timothy. “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure” (v22). Filling a leadership void? Take your time. Pump your brakes. Check yourself before you wreck yourself. A quick choice of a bad leader is devastating. Sin spreads. Hearts break. People leave. If that’s not bad awful enough, you get to start the search all over again.  What seems like a painfully slow search actually saves time in the long run.

The church at Ephesus knows the pain of a bad leadership choices all too well. Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. Dropped off the t-shirt at Goodwill. It’s the whole reason Tim the lead pastor there in the first place. At some point after Paul planted the megachurch in this big port city, a team of spiritual hucksters weaseled their way into positions of influence. They sold Ephesian believers a snake oil mixture of “myths and endless genealogies” (1Tim 1:4) that led to “vain discussions” (1Tim 1:6). The apostle pulls no punches when he calls them “liars whose consciences are seared” who taught doctrine that was downright demonic (1Tim 4:1-2).

Paul gives Tim a handy dandy list of godliness and integrity to use when looking for new elders (1Tim 3:1-7) and deacons (1Tim 3:8-14). Make sure to honor those leaders who do a great job, especially as teachers and preachers (1Tim 5:17-18). Don’t mess with every accusation made against an elder if there aren’t a minimum of two witnesses (1Tim 5:19). If need be and the evidence is there, it’s time for an intervention, for the good of both the leader and the church (1Tim 5:21). Leadership is no place for prejudice or playing favorites (1Tim 5:22). 

It’s at his point that the apostle goes out of his way to point out the critical importance of taking your time when selecting your leaders. “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands” (v23). You see the physical laying hands on people throughout the Bible. It’s done for three reasons. One, as a means of blessing. Two, as means of healing. Three, to demonstrate the call to leadership. That’s what Paul’s talking about here. 

It started way back in the day when God set apart the Levites for service (Num 8:10) and Joshua as Moses’ successor (Num 27:18, 23). The first church put its paws on the original deacon team (Acts 6:3-6). Paul was on the receiving end when believers in Antioch endorsed him and his buddy Barnabas as missionaries (Acts 13:1-3). And he reminds Tim of the time when “the council of elders laid their hands on you” (1Tim 4:14).

Don’t make the mistake of thinking the laying on of hands is the transfer of some sort of mysterious mojo to the new leader. Instead this ceremony accomplishes a couple of important purposes. Those on the receiving end realize in a significant way that things in their life have changed. They’re accountable to God and His people in their new role as servant/leaders. Meanwhile the church sees this as a unified endorsement of those stepping into leadership. They’re telling these ministers they have their backs. They’ll support them in many ways, not the least of which is prayer. 

But long before you get your jazz hands ready for such a ceremony, Paul tells us to take our foot off the accelerator. “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands” (v22). When it comes to finding new leaders, take your time. We need to do our due diligence. Checking the background of a potential pastor, elder, or deacon against the biblical qualifications (1Tim 3:1-14; Titus 1:5-9) takes time. This is no time for the microwave. Selecting leaders is best done in the crockpot. Or as Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones like to sing, “Time is on your side.”

Don’t get me wrong. Leadership is critical. Any organization like a church is like plane. It can only fly for so long on autopilot before things go badly. That’s why Solomon writes, “Where there is no prophetic vision, the people cast off restraint” (Prov 29:18). While good leadership is critical, bad leadership is fatal. Don’t let the urgency of a leadership void freak you out and lead you to a decision you’ll soon regret. That’s why Solomon also writes, “Like an archer who wounds everyone is the one who hires a passing fool or drunkard” (Prov 26:10). Rash decisions lead to collateral damage. People get hurt.

Take. Your. Time. Stephen Covey says, “With people, if you want to save time, don’t be efficient. Slow is fast and fast is slow.” Slow is fast. Fast is slow. You’re inviting danger by failing to check out any leader before they serve. Just ask the folks in the Ephesian church. I’ll bet you they would do anything they could take a mulligan on their previous elder choices. Do everything possible to prevent a scandal on the front end. Slow is fast. Fast is slow.

Paul goes on to tell Tim not to “take part in the sins of others” (v22). He uses a Greek verb here (Gr. koinoneo) that means to share, have in common, or jointly participate with others. If you’ve spent much time in church growing up, you’ve heard the word koinonia. You probably had koinonia at a potluck dinner in the Fellowship Hall. But the original language has less to do with a plateful of fried chicken and potato salad and more to do with being teammates in something. The apostle is quite clear here. Don’t play for Team Sin.

So what in the world does this have to do with leadership? So very glad you asked. Paul is probably warning against the dangerous impact of leaders whom we fail to check out. When we don’t fully vet any leadership candidate ahead of time, we’re giving them the stamp of approval to continue in their sin. We’re telling them everything is okay. By doing so, we “take part in the sins of others” (v22). We also expose those under the care of the church as potential targets and victims of this unchecked leader. 

In their new position of leverage, a sinning leader could influence the other elders negatively. He has the distinct possibility of dragging the entire leadership team into his sinful activity. Just a little bit pollution has the potential to corrupt everything. That’s why Jesus warns His posse to have a zero-tolerance policy for the “leaven of the Pharisees” (Mt 16:6, 11-12; Mk 8:15; Lk 12:1). He’s NOT suggesting they go gluten-free.

Just in case there’s any doubt about the importance of sin-free leadership, the apostle tells the Ephesian lead pastor to “keep yourself pure” (v22). The grammar of the Greek has some interesting implications. The verb here (Gr. tereo) is in the present active imperative form. That simply means we can easily translate this as “keep on keeping yourself pure.” Tim’s doing a good job already. Paul is just encouraging him to keep on keeping on. 

This is NOT some sort of keep-yourself-clean-so-you-can-keep-yourself-saved kinda deal. Remember, there’s no way to make ourselves squeaky clean enough to enter God’s kingdom in the first place, much less stay that way. The only way that happens is when Jesus saves us when we trust in His sinless life and substitutionary death. He lives the perfect life we fail to live. He dies the brutal death for our sin we should have died. He rises to new life that we don’t deserve. Christ does for us what we could never dream of doing for ourselves.

In telling Tim to “keep yourself pure” (v22), Paul emphasizes here is the importance of Tim’s role as a pastor for believers in the local congregation. As a spiritual leader in the Ephesian church, his personal walk with Jesus and integrity must be top priorities. As we said before, sin in such a position of influence can cause widespread damage throughout the flock. You don’t have to go into gory detail believers in this church. The evidence in Ephesus is all around them. It’s why Tim is pastor to start with. 

As a matter of fact, the entire crisis at this church is a case study in how NOT to find and fill leadership positions. At some point, people panicked when there was a vacancy at the top. Instead of doing their due diligence, they got ahead of God and quickly installed someone as an elder or deacon who had no business being there. It wasn’t long before these unqualified and unchecked leaders took down others who took part in their sin. As a result, personal purity took a backseat. A rush job to find leaders is an incredibly slippery slope. 

A leadership vacuum is wrong time to rush. Slow your roll. Pump your brakes. A quick choice of a bad leader is devastating. Sin spreads. Hearts break. People leave. If that’s not bad awful enough, you get to start the search all over again.  What seems like a painfully slow search actually saves time in the long run. The best way to find a leader quickly is to find a leader slowly. Slow is fast. Fast is slow.

Very Good News for Very Bad Examples

“But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life” (1Tim 1:16).

Think back to when you were a kid. Yeah, I know that’s a little harder for some of us who are more, shall we say, “chronologically challenged.” But crank up the WABAC machine, Sherman, and head back to your childhood. Who provided the examples for you to follow? If you’re like me, my parents loved to suggest candidates. “Why can’t you be more like (fill in the blank)?” You know the qualities I’m talking about. Good behavior. Good grades. Good looking. Well, good luck!

This brings us to something Paul wrote in his first letter to Timothy. He tells Tim how his Savior came to his rescue because the man from Tarsus was an example. “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life” (v16). At first, we might think that the apostle’s status as the “foremost” means he’s the good example all the kids should follow. Not so much. Paul provides us with a bad example. Believe it or not, that’s not just good but GREAT! It allows Jesus to show at just how incredibly awesome He is. That’s what happens when our bad examples meet His Good News. 

The apostle begins by telling Pastor Tim, “But I received mercy for this reason” (v16). Earlier Paul mentioned how God extended him His “mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief” (1Tim 1:13). His blindness to who Jesus is and what He had done was the context for this specific mission of mercy. Now Paul gives him the purpose and reason for it. Don’t miss the fact that he’s “received mercy” (Gr. ele’eo). For you grammar freaks out there, this verb is passive. Paul didn’t go out and get mercy from God. He didn’t earn it. He didn’t work for it. He is simply on the receiving end of God’s goodness through Jesus. 

Same goes for us. There’s not a single thing we can do to impress God that results in our getting His mercy. In a letter to the Roman church, the apostle recalls a little chat Almighty God had with His man Moses. “I will have mercy on (Gr. ele’eo) whom I have mercy (Gr. ele’eo)…So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy (Gr. ele’eo)” (Rom 9:15, 16). We need to remember that God showers His compassion on those He chooses. We don’t earn it. We can’t earn it.

Paul is on the business end of divine mercy because “in me, as the foremost” (v16). In the previous verse, Paul claims the title of the G.O.A.T. of sinners (1Tim 1:15). The greatest sinner of all time. The first of the worst. We see an interesting progression in the man from Tarsus’ life. In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle says that before Jesus came to his rescue, he was a Hebrew superstar (Phil 3:5-6). A first round draft pick who knew he was hot stuff. But a funny thing happens once he starts following Christ. He begins by acknowledging how he would be ranked last in any list of the apostles (1Cor 15:9). A little later, he says he’s bringing up the rear as “the very least of all the saints” (Eph 3:8). Finally in this first letter to Timothy, he keeps falling until he’s at rock bottom as the “foremost” of every list of God’s law breakers. 

Growing in Jesus doesn’t mean that we get stronger and stronger and need Him less and less. Just the opposite. Instead of thinking we’ve outgrown the Gospel and have our stuff in one bag with a twist, we realize our desperate and daily need for His grace. A few hundred years ago, a member of Martin Luther’s church complained how the great reformer’s messages were basically all the same. Every single one came back to the Good News of who Jesus is and what He’s done. Isn’t it time to move on to something else? Something deeper? You’ve gotta love Luther’s response. He was going to preach the Gospel to them every week because they forgot it every week. He knew that because he had to preach the Gospel to HIMSELF everyday because he forgot it everyday. 

Here’s the dirty little secret. Paul is NOT alone as the “foremost” (v15, 16). We’re tied with him in last place. We just don’t realize it yet. Once we do, we’ll understand our desperate need to hear the Good News every single stinking day. You need to hear it. I need to hear it. Every. Single. Day. Why do you think Jeremiah wanted everyone to know that God’s mercies “are new every morning” (Lam 3:22)? Like the sign at Krispy Kreme that shines “Hot Donuts Now!”, His mercy is warm and fresh every morning. Why? Because we need it every morning.

Paul is the first of the worst so “that Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example” (v16). In “patience,” he uses the Greek word makrothumia, which can mean endurance, steadfastness, or perseverance. It’s a compound word that literally describes something that’s “long (makro-) burning (-thumia).” Think of a long fuse. A REEEEEEALLY long fuse. It’s a reminder that no one has a longer fuse than God. He will eventually get angry but it just takes a long, LONG time. Paul says he was a true test of just how long God’s fuse was. His buddy Peter paints a picture of our God “is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2Pet 3:8). He was perfectly patient with Paul. He was perfectly patient with you and me. His fuse is still burning. Let’s not waste anymore time. The world needs to know the Good News!!

Not only does Paul see himself as the first of the worst, he understands that he provides an example to others. It’s always good to have an example to follow. But remember, there are both good and bad examples. The apostle is saying that in this case the only example he provides is so that the Lord’s amazing patience can shine. In other words, the only thing he brings to the table as an example is his desperate need for a Savior. He travels the Roman Empire telling everyone what the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter has done for him. He wants the world to see what Good News can do through his bad example.

Some like to point to Christ as the example of how we are to live. There’s no doubt that God calls us to imitate Him (Eph 5:1). To love sacrificially (Jn 13:34-35). To serve selflessly (Jn 13:15; Phil 2:5-8). But Jesus is SO much more than our good example. He’s our Savior. He’s our Hero. He’s our Lord. He’s our God. I’m not saying to throw away your WWJD bracelet. But we need to realize that we can’t dream of following in His divine footsteps apart from His intervention. If anything, Paul is our example of what it means to be a bad example. We can’t do it on our own. We can’t obey God’s rules. We break His Law by commission. We break His Law by omission. It reminds me of Jonathan Edwards words. “You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.” We’re only a good example because His good work as a result of the Good News.

Paul’s bad example of Jesus’ good work is “to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life” (v16). Christ would use the former Pharisee’s life as a display case of His incredible mercy and grace. If God could come to the rescue of killer of Christians then no one is beyond His reach. No one is too far gone. I don’t care how long your rap sheet is. As a result, Jesus sent the apostle on his lifelong mission of telling everyone who would listen the incredibly Good News. The bad news is that we’re rebels and terrorists against God’s kingdom and can’t save ourselves. We’ve broken God’s Law. We deserve punishment. Not just to be put in time out. Not just taking away our screen time. Not just being grounded for the weekend. We deserve death. 

That’s where our Hero comes in. Instead, Jesus does for us what we could never dream of doing for ourselves. He lived the perfect life of obedience to His Father that we fail to live. He died the brutal death for our sin and disobedience that we should have died. He rose to a spectacular new life that we in no way deserve. We trust in Jesus. We trust in what He’s done for us. That’s what it means to “believe in Him for eternal life” (v16). See, I told you this is VERY Good News for some VERY bad examples!

Are We There Yet?

“And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him” (v15).

“Are we there yet?” The most dreaded four words on any family vacation. Whether it was packing into the Model T, piling in the station wagon, or loading up the minivan, kids have asked this age old question from the backseat. Long before the days of backseat DVD players, this question has plagued parents. As followers of Jesus, we do the same thing. Come on, you know it’s true. When life gets tough, when the world’s falling apart, we wonder when Jesus is coming back. How much worse can it get before He makes His encore? “Are we there yet?”

The Apostle Peter wants us to know that while we might be very close to Christ’s big comeback, but we’re not quite there. Before He returns, Jesus is leaving the door open. He’s leaving it open for those who don’t know Him yet. He’s leaving it open for His followers to tell the world about Him. In the process of telling us about the Lord’s patience, Pete also fondly remembers his old buddy Paul. These two men certainly had there moments. But Rocky reminds his readers of what the former Pharisee wrote to them back in the day. Paul also had plenty to say about Jesus’ patience. Instead of asking when we’re gonna get there, we should see this as an act of divine love. He’s gently but firmly asking us, “Are you there yet?”

Pete says we shouldn’t look at the clock and wonder what’s taking the Lord so long. He said it just back up the page. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (3:9). In both verses, he talks about Jesus’ patience. The Greek word here is makrothumia. It’s a compound term that literally means “long burning.” Various smart folks translate it as long suffering, long waiting, endurance, or perseverance. Jesus’ fuse is long. VERY long. But He will eventually reach a point when it is time to return. A time when He will punish evil once and for all. A time when He will reward those who have place their trust in Him for all He is and all He’s done. Jesus has a very long fuse. But it will eventually burn out. 

The apostle tells us in his prequel that God has demonstrated His incredible patience with us as far back as anyone can remember. Back before the flood, “God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared” (1Pet 3:20). Throughout the Bible, God makes it clear that He’s patient. He’s waiting on us. As a matter of fact, David wrote a song about it. “But You, O LORD, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ps 86:15). He waits. Patiently. Faithfully. Mercifully. Graciously. Lovingly. Faithfully. As God waits, He keeps the door open so that so many more people can come to Him. He patiently asking, “Are you there yet?”

At this point, Pete looks back fondly on his old buddy Paul. “Our beloved brother Paul” (v15). Pete loves him. And so do his readers. But like any two close friends, these two men had their moments. Pete wrote this letter well after Paul got in his face in Antioch. Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians almost 20 years before. In Galatians, the man from Tarsus tells the story of his awkward but necessary confrontation of Peter in Syria (Gal 2:11-14). Pete and some other Jewish followers with Jesus treated non-Jewish believers like second-class citizens. Paul wasn’t going to let the former fisherman get away with being a hypocrite, so he got all up in his grill (would you believe me if I told you that’s EXACTLY what the original language tells us?). 

Paul had GREAT love and respect for Peter. In many ways, Paul saw Peter as his pastor. After Jesus mugged him and saved him on the expressway outside of Damascus, the man from Tarsus made a point of meeting the former fisherman back at the home office (Acts 9:27; Gal 1:18). After that first amazing mission trip into Asia Minor, Paul and his partner Barney headed back for another meeting with Pete and the other leaders of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15).

Because of the Incident in Antioch, there are plenty of folks who try to drum up some sort of long-running war between these two men. But Pete and Paul were friends, not enemies. They were brothers, not rivals. As a matter of fact, Paul confronted Peter BECAUSE he loved him. It was out of his great affection. That’s what friends do. If these two men had such a long-running feud, why in the world would Rocky make a point of speaking so lovingly about his fellow apostle? Don’t miss the patience of Jesus at work in their relationship. 

So just what did Paul write about God’s patience? He wrote to his friends in Rome that its’ the perfect example of just how good our God is. “Do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Rom 2:4). You see, God doesn’t use punishment as His motivation for our obedience. Is the threat there? Yes. Is the threat real? You betcha. But what really and truly melts the rock-hard human heart is His goodness. His kindness. His patience. His grace. God keeps showering us with His patience and grace. All the time, He keeps asking, “Are you there yet?”

Our Slow Burning Savior

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (v9).

I have a confession to make. I’m not a soccer fan. I don’t hate it. Just don’t get it. That’s a hard thing to admit during the World Cup. The rest of the globe is going gaga over the “beautiful game.” Oh, I appreciate the skill of the players but I just don’t get it. One of the many things that leaves me scratching my head is the clock. In sports like football, basketball, and hockey, the scoreboard clock counts down the time remaining. Not soccer. The referee keeps track of the clock on the field. He’s the only one who knows when the game will end. Throw in the crazy idea of injury time (with dudes flopping and faking all over the pitch, I have NO idea how the ref figures that out!), that extra part of the game played after the clock runs out. All the players know it will end, just not exactly when. Only the referee knows when the clock hits zero. 

Despite my soccer rant, there’s a clear parallel to Jesus’ return and the end of a futbol match. We might think that the clock has run out and Christ is running late for His return. But only God knows the timing. Only God holds the clock. He’s not slow. He’s patient. There’s a VERY big difference. He’s giving everyone a chance to turn from their sin and toward His salvation. He doesn’t want anyone to face the red-hot wrath that He took on our behalf at Golgotha. He keeps the clock running so that everyone can repent. But let’s be sure. The clock is running out. Only Jesus knows when it will hit zero. He’s not slow. He’s patient. There’s a VERY big difference.

Let’s remember just why the Apostle Peter wrote this letter in the first place. A posse of false teachers is tearing churches apart from the inside out (2:1-3). They’ve infiltrated fellowships in places like “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1Pet 1:1). You won’t most of those places in Google Maps. These were in what we now call Turkey. Pete warns the followers of Jesus to be on the lookout for this team of spiritual snake oil salesmen. They’re greedy (2:3, 14-15). They’re sexual predators (2:2, 10, 14, 18). Their message is not just destructive (2:1) but a bunch of hot air (2:17). These hucksters apparently make Jesus’ Second Coming a punchline in their act (3:3-7). 

Just because Christ hasn’t come back doesn’t mean He’s never coming. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness” (v9). The word Pete uses for “slow” and “slowness” here is the Greek term braduno. It means to delay, be negligent, loiter, or be slow. The King Jimmy translates it as “slack” and “slackness.” The apostle makes sure we know that Jesus is no slacker. He’s not distracted. He hasn’t forgotten. You might not like His timing. You might think the clock has run out. But Christ is just like that soccer referee. He’s the only One who knows exactly when it will happen. He’s not slow. He’s patient.

So just what is “His promise” Pete writes about (v9)? This is Jesus’ personal pledge to comeback and finish everything. His Second Coming. A big part of His encore is to punish evil. Those who scoff at the idea of His return will eventually face the music. They will eventually understand that they’ve made a huge mistake. Those who make jokes about Jesus as Judge will stand before Him one day. We need to remember that “He who promised is faithful” (Heb 10:23). Jesus keeps His promises. Every last one of them. He’s the ultimate Promise Keeper.

Jesus isn’t just killing time and taking a few years off until He shows up again. He’s “patient toward you” (v9). The original text uses the word makrothumeo. This is a compound word that literally means “slow burning.” The KJV translates this as “longsuffering.” It means to wait patiently. Jesus has a long, slow fuse. The writers of the Old Testament liked to describe God as “slow to anger” (Neh 9:17; Ps 103:8; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jon 4:2; Nah 1:3). God is no hot head. He’s got a very long fuse. He’s slow burning. You see, Jesus isn’t slow. He’s patient. There’s a HUGE difference.

You might wonder just what Jesus is waiting for before taking center stage one final time. He is “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (v9). He’s patiently waiting for you. He’s patiently waiting for me. Jesus wants us to reach a place of repentance on our own. The word we translate here as “repentance” (Gr. metanoia) literally means “after thinking.” Once I consider God’s incredible goodness and patience toward us, I think again. I reconsider who I am and all that I’ve done. After reconsidering my sin and His grace, I turn from my own filth and toward His forgiveness. Take a long look at our sinless Savior. Now think again about who He is and what He’s done for us. Think again who I am and what I’ve done. Yeah, see what I mean? Once I do, it’s time for a 180. Turn from my sin. Turn towards Jesus. He’s waiting. Patiently waiting. 

A mega-theme throughout the Bible is God’s incredible timing. He’s never early. He’s never late. Jesus is right on time. “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son” (Gal 4:4). God told the prophet Habakkuk to let everyone know that what He promises, He delivers. “If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay” (Hab 2:3). And out His overflowing love and goodness, God doesn’t want anyone to face the hammer eternal punishment. “God our Savior…desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1Tim 2:4). Take another look at Jesus’ legendary words to Nicodemus one dark night. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). Our loving God sacrificed His own Son for our sin. At that incredible cost, He’s certainly going to shut the door to early. He wants everyone to turn to Him.

You see, Jesus isn’t slow. He’s patient. There’s a HUGE difference.

This Is a Holdup!

...with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing one another in love (Eph 4:2).

During a robbery, criminals steal everything of value they can get their grubby little hands on.  Smash and grab.   Take.  Take!  TAKE!!  But Paul’s describing a completely different kind of holdup here.  This caper is not about taking but giving.  This holdup is to be executed “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing one another in love” (v2).  Humility.  Gentleness.  Patience.  Love.  No taking.  Only giving.  

This is a holdup!

Before we examine the crime scene, let’s back up just a bit.  Paul is teaching us how to walk all over again.  He’s writing to his friends back in Ephesus about what it looks like to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Eph 4:1).  From his cell in Rome, the apostle has spent the first three chapters letting us know just who Jesus is, what He’s done, who we were before He saved us and who we are in Christ.  To jump right into the commands that begin here in this chapter without the proper perspective would be simply brutal.  To try to obey these orders without Jesus is just legalism.  That’s what folks call salvation by works.  Not only is it exhausting and oppressive, it’s absolutely impossible!!  That’s why Paul’s letters to the churches begin by a glorious portrait of that radical and risen Rabbi from Nazareth.  

Once you and I see Jesus for who He really is, it changes how we see everything.  Ourselves.  Others.  Our place in life.  Our work.  That’s specifically important to Paul because he’s trying to inoculate the Ephesian church against a nasty heresy that’s making the rounds.  A false gospel of self-salvation has done a lot of damage in churches just down the road in Colossae, Laodicea and Hierapolis.  The apostle knows that once we take a long, deep look at Jesus, we won’t be fooled by counterfeits.

Meanwhile, back at the holdup.  This becomes obvious when we examine the evidence at the scene.  Check out the phrase “bearing one another in love” (v2).  The Greek verb here is anechomai.  While you can translate this to mean to endure, it’s more than that.  To sustain, lift up, hold up under possible difficulty, give patient attention to, endure with self-restraint.  When we live life with other folks, we truly need support from each other.  We can’t do it alone.  We sustain each other.  We lift up each other.  We hold each other up when times are tough.  So it’s a holdup.  But not THAT kind of a holdup.  We don’t take.  We give.

This is a holdup!

Can we be brutally honest?  Good.  Life with other Christians is messy, frustrating and often infuriating.  While you would hope that living around folks who’ve submitted to the leadership of Jesus would be all rose petals and rainbows, it’s far from it.  People still lie.  People still cheat.  People still sin.  And that’s just the way it’s gonna be on this side of eternity.  Jesus has saved me and placed me in a church with a motley crew of knuckleheads, morons, idiots and weirdos.  And they’re thinking the same about me!!!  That’s EXACTLY why we need endure each other.  We need to be patient with each other.  Life is a big steaming pile a lot of the time.  Let’s lift each other up.

Paul makes it clear that this holdup is done “in love” (v2).  That’s the self-giving, self-sacrificing, put-others-first-and-me-last love.  Agape love.  Over in his letter to the church in Colossae, the apostle wraps up a list of the wardrobe each believer must wear.  And there’s one final and important accessory.  “Above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Col 3:14).  As love bandits, we don’t take.  We give.

This is a holdup!

So what kind of evidence do we find at the scene?  The first is humility.  The original text uses the word tapeinophrosune.  You don’t find this noun anywhere outside of the New Testament.  Chances are Paul coined the term himself because there was no other word in the Greco-Roman culture that described the kind of humble attitude found among Jesus’ followers.  It’s actually a mashup of two other Greek words: “low” (Gr. tapeino-) “mind” (Gr. -phrosune).  We’re called to lift each other up by lowliness of mind.  This is modesty, having a humble opinion of one’s self, a deep sense of one’s moral littleness, a quality of voluntary submission and unselfishness and a complete lack of arrogance.  I can’t lift someone up when I’m fighting to be on top.  I can only support them when I’m underneath.  

God calls us to humility.  He calls us to a “low mind.”  “In humility (Gr. tapeinophrosune) count others more significant than yourselves” (Phil 2:3).  Humility is an essential part of the ensemble the apostle lists over in Colossians (Col 3:12).  There’s an old country song called “Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble.”  Truer words have never been spoken.  It is VERY hard to be humble.  But Jesus did it (Phil 2:5-8).  And He did it for you and me.  The other important aspect about humility is what happens when we fail to get down off our high horse.  “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1Pet 5:5).  Anytime God is my enemy, I’m gonna lose every single, stinking time.

The next piece of evidence at the scene is “gentleness” (v2).  This means meekness, mildness, gentle friendliness, strength that accommodates another’s weakness and considerateness.  Let’s be VERY clear about something.  Paul is not telling you to be a wuss.  He’s not commanding you to be a wimp.  He’s not demanding you to be a doormat.  He knows the tremendous power that lives inside of you: the Holy Spirit (Col 3:16).  This very same source of mind-boggling energy who “raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you” (Rom 8:11).  We need to remember to not bulldoze those around us with the power of God that dwells in each one of us.  We must accommodate the weakness of those around us.  Strength under control.  Paul lists this trait in the fruit of Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (Gr. praotes), self control; against such things there is no law” (Gal 5:22-23).  Notice the combination of gentleness and self-control as next door neighbors.  That’s no coincidence.  Gentleness is strength under control.

The next piece we see at the scene is “patience” (v2).  This is another compound Greek word: makrothumia.  “Far off” (Gr. makro-) “burning anger” (Gr. -thumia).  Think of a long fuse.  A fire in the distant future.  It describes longsuffering, endurance, steadfastness and perseverance.  Numerous times in the Old Testament, folks praise God for long fuse.  “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6).  We see it again in Num 14:18; Ps 86:15; Jer 15:15.  As God remakes us into the image of His Son, He’s giving us a long fuse too.  

I have to be transparent here.  Too many times, my apparent humility is just a front.  I want to My gentleness is really just passive aggressiveness.  And I have very little patience in most cases.  I quit on people.  I give up on them.  There’s been some improvement.  But it’s been frustratingly slow.  But Jesus has shown me so much humility, so much gentleness, so much patience.  He’s held me up in His divine, self-giving love.  And He’s used His church to do it too.

There’s been a holdup.