- The theme
- Titus and Timothy are Pastoral letters
- These letters expound on church order not church doctrine
- The greeting 1:1-2
- Not personal but rather formal -- emphasizes Paul's authority
- Timothy's Mission 1:3-20
- The task Timothy faced 1:3-11
- Exhortations 1:12-20
- Instructions concerning the life of the local church -- "order" (2:1-4:5)
- The priority of prayer 2:1-7 -- It is good to pray -- we need prayer
- The primary responsibilities (roles) of the men and women in church meetings (2:8-15)
- The men have failed to take a spiritual leadership role
- There is no argument on the capability of women, only where she should teach and lead
- The qualifications for Church leaders -- Elders and Deacons 3:1-13
- The nature of the local Church 3:14-16
- The problem of apostasy in the Church 4:1-5
- Instructions concerning leadership of the local Church 4:6-5:25
- Instructions for groups within the church 6:1-19
- Concluding charge and benediction 6:20-21
- Passage as a whole. What is the tone and intent?
- This is now a personal comment to Timothy
- It probably has good advice for church leaders
- Verse 11. Again we see the phrase "these things" and you can view it two ways -- the recent things on false teaching (asceticism, Judaistic practices, and Gnostic teachings) or all of the things (men's role in leading spiritually, the qualifications for leadership, and the importance of sound doctrine in the teaching). What makes the most sense?
- Command and teach seems to care a much broader sense
- Why is Paul so emphatic with Timothy?
- Timothy seems to struggle with a certain lack of assertiveness
- Timothy is a good easy-going man who seems to prefer acceptance over conflict
- Verse 12. What additional insight do we get from Paul about Timothy?
- He is young (actually the Greek word would include anyone younger than 40)
- People naturally look down on a younger leader
- Timothy needs to set the example -- he needs to be the leader. LEADERS set the example
- Interesting that the example is not necessarily in ministry activity but in character quality
- Verse 13. What is the point?
- Set the right priorities as a leader
- It is great to serve on projects and help people, but make sure you are doing what a leader needs to do be doing
- Paul is saying that your priorities need to focus on three things
- Public reading of scripture
- This is also a Jewish synagogue practice
- The foundation of all we do has to be first on the word of God
- This also gets the church away from non-biblical sources
- Exhortation
- This fits with preaching
- It is expository but with purpose of challenging and comforting others to do what the word says
- Teaching
- This takes the word of God to a different level of understanding
- This can also be done in a one-on-one and one-on-few setting for specific application
- I see this as also making disciples
- Verse 14. What is the gift given?
- The word gift does not have to mean a spiritual gift
- It is used for spiritual gifts but it is also used in other contexts, such as Paul's visit to a church
- The Holy Spirit gives gifts, not men
- Since this gift was given by the laying on of hands, it probably refers to a ministry or an ordination--where the person is set aside for ministry
- Timothy was set aside for full-time ministry
- Apparently, one could still take an outside job as Paul did
- Ordination means that a person's life is dedicated to God in service of ministry
- Verse 14. What does it mean "do not neglect?"
- Neglect is Greek word ameleo, and means to make light of, or regard not or be negligent (careless)
- We have a special responsibility to use and to refine the gifts God has given us -- especially for those in leadership
- EXAMPLE: my gift is teaching. Actually, teaching helps me to improve my gift. I need to study to teach. I need to read to be a better teacher. I need tools to teach. Sometimes I need to do additional background work in order to teach a subject. The actual teaching (one hour) is preceded by many more hours, probably 6 hours plus each week to teach a one-hour class
- Every spiritual gift can be approved if you are willing to put some thought into and to work at it
- Verse 15. This verse actually explains how not to neglect your gift -- what does it say?
- Practice it
- Needs to be a part of the personal habits of your life
- Greek word for practice means to learn
- Immerse yourself in it
- Needs to be part of your whole life
- Greek word for immerse is "be"
- Make progress
- We should be getting better
- Greek word can also be translated as "advance"
- Verse 16. This is a warning
- Keep a close watch on yourself
- We need to be applying God's word in our life on a regular basis
- When you stop applying God's word, you don't plateau, you digress
- Keep a close watch on your teaching
- Teaching should add regular input
- Suggests an idea of regular bible study, regular reading, and regular discussion of God's word
- Persist
- King says "Stickability is an essential quality for effective leadership"
- Aim: Save (protect)
- Not all uses of the word save are for spiritual salvation. The word also means physical salvation
- A teacher can protect himself and his students by good teaching
- What are you doing to grow your spiritual gift?
- What are you doing to grow?
- Make application
- Read the word regularly
- Pray regularly
- Get involved in spiritual fellowship
- Share your faith with others
1 Timothy 4:11–16 (ESV) — 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an
example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to
exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you
have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their
hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so
that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close
watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you
will save both yourself and your hearers.
APPLICATION:
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