A Pastor's Profile Picture

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.

Over the past 10-12 years an old human desire has taken on new and expanded meaning. From our very earliest days we learn that part of what it means to be human is the fact that we appear before others. We have a public presence. And all of us want to have a positive public presence. We want others to think well of us.

This desire has taken on new meaning with the explosion of social media. It’s not a stretch to say that participating on social media means that the public you’re appearing before could be the whole world. What was reserved for the most famous celebrities is now available to teenagers in Columbia, MD.

So now we have a particular stress to deal with. What am I going to select as my profile picture. FB, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. What image do I want to project for myself. That’s an added pressure. Nobody wakes up in the morning, reaches over to grab their smartphone, takes a selfie and says, “this is going to be my profile picture.”

You don’t do that because you know that people will scrutinize you based on your profile picture. You want people to click “like” and comment “lookin good!” when they see your profile picture. Well, here’s the deal, for the minister of Jesus Christ, a fundamental aspect of his call is just that; having his life on display, exposed to the public scrutiny of others. This section of 1 Timothy begins in v. 6 where the apostle Paul says,

For the minister of Christ Jesus, a fundamental aspect of his call is just that; having his life on display, exposed to the public scrutiny of others. In this section of 1 Timothy, which begins in v.6

1 Timothy 4:6 ESV

6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.

Down in v. 11 he’s still concerned to instruct Timothy and the church on what it means to be a good minister of Christ Jesus. He’s giving us the pastor’s profile picture, and he gets personal and emphatic. Of the 16 verbs in these six verses, ten of them are imperatives. Ten of them are charges to Timothy. These charges help to paint that profile picture. Paul’s message to Timothy was that his life was to be lived before the people, not just behind the pulpit. Why? Because as Phil Ryken says in his commentary on this text,

Well he’s still concerned to instruct Timothy and the church on what it means to be a good minister of Christ Jesus. In our text for today, however, he gets a bit more personal and emphatic. Of the 16 verbs in these six verses, ten of them are imperatives. Ten of them are charges to Timothy. These charges help display for us the profile of a good minister of Christ. Far from what is too often the case today where the minister’s life is a shroud of secrecy because he’s not accessible to the congregation, Paul’s message to Timothy was that his life was to be lived before the people, not just behind the pulpit. Why? Because as Phil Ryken says in his commentary on this text,

For better and for worse, to a greater or lesser extent, congregations are made in the image of their pastors.

So, four things from this text on the the pastor’s profile picture: Picturing Authority, Picturing the Example, Picturing the Gift and Picturing the Impact.

Picturing Authority

The first part of the profile picture is authority. A simple sentence in v. 11.

1 Timothy 4:11 ESV

11 Command and teach these things.

The phrase, “these things,” occurs eight times in this letter. It sums up the instructions and orders that Paul had given Timothy, which he was to continue passing on to the churches in Ephesus. In other words, he was to be continually engaged in commanding and teaching the apostolic instructions. Here is a reality that rubs up against our impulse to push back against authority. We choose what church we want to attend. We choose how much we want to participate. And, as we see today, we even get to choose who our pastor will be.

City of Hope, you have selected Rev. Brian Wood to be your pastor. And that means you have selected him as one who has true spiritual authority. He is someone who has the responsibility to teach and, yes, command in Jesus name, to trust and obey God’s word.

Here’s that phrase again, “these things.” It occurs eight times in this letter. It sums up the instructions and orders that Paul had given Timothy, which he was to continue passing on to the churches in Ephesus. In other words, he was to be continually engaged in commanding and teaching the apostolic instructions. Ryken,

“[This] is a reminder that a teaching elder has true spiritual authority. It is his responsibility to teach—even to command, in God’s name—his congregation to trust and obey the doctrine he has received from the apostles.”

We can be confused and/or suspect of a pastor’s spiritual authority in the church. These days the pendulum swings to two extremes. There’s the, “touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm” crowd (; ) who mistakingly think that you’re out of order if you scrutinize anything that the pastor says or does. (We’re not Jesus…) Then there’s the other extreme of an unwillingness to submit to biblical authority because, “he’s just a man and can’t tell me what to do.” The minister’s authority is a spiritual authority, but it’s nonetheless a real authority. And our text is a corrective for both unbiblical extremes.

The corrective is seen in the way that spiritual authority is exercised. Paul says in v. 13

1 Timothy 4:13 ESV

13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

He had said in 3:14 that he hoped to come to Ephesus soon. Here he implies that there are some things that he’ll take over when he gets there, but until then Timothy is to devote himself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Make no mistake about it, this is the exercise of spiritual authority. He is to read the word of God publicly. Then he is to exhort the congregation. This exhortation is a charge to move the heart and the will of the people by preaching. Preaching what? Preaching the Scriptures that he’s publicly read. Not only that, he’s to teach and instruct. This is both public and private explanation of Christian doctrine. So the minister’s authority is real… but it is exercised properly only as it is exercised under the authority of God’s word. A pastor has no right to say you ought to do this or that unless it is in line with what God’s word says and requires. If it is, then Pastor Wood is charged to say it and we’re charged to heed it.

Paul says… He had said in 3:14 that he hoped to come to Ephesus soon. Here he implies that there are some things that he’ll take over when he gets there, but until then Timothy is to devote himself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Make no mistake about it, this is the exercise of spiritual authority. He is to read the word of God publicly. Then he is to exhort the congregation. This exhortation is a charge to move the heart and the will of the people by preaching. Preaching what? Preaching the Scriptures that he’s publicly read. Not only that, he’s to teach and instruct. This is both public and private explanation of Christian doctrine. So the minister’s authority is real… but it is exercised properly only as it is exercised under the authority of God’s word. I have no right to say you ought to do this or that unless it is in line with what God’s word says and requires. If it is, then I’m charged to say it and you’re charged to heed it.

Authority is one facet of the profile, and it gets filled in more as Paul begins to picture the pastor’s example.

Picturing the Example

Paul was anticipating that this exercise of authority in the church might be problematic for Timothy, so he says to him in v.12

1 Timothy 4:12 ESV

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.

Timothy was in his 30’s and still a young man, so the older folks may have had an issue being under the authority of this young buck.

Timothy was in his 30’s and still a young man, so the older folks may have had an issue being under the authority of this young buck. Paul addresses the problem of a minister’s authority by laying out the profile of a minister’s example.

If you have an authority problem Timothy, how are you going to fix it? How was this problem manifesting itself in the church? Were people being openly disrespectful? Were they simply ignoring him? Who knows.

Pastor Wood ain’t as young as Timothy was, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be any authority issues. Y’all are beautiful, but you’re still people. And every now and then we find ourselves putting up resistance to the Word of God. Often our resisting the Word of God manifests itself in our resisting the one who is proclaiming to us the Word of God.

How was Timothy to fix the problem? Was he to simply preach louder? Was he to go on the attack and put people in their place? Was he to declare his authority, and say, “ya’ll better submit or God’s going to get you?” In a powerful charge, Paul says, “Be an example for the believers in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.” In other words, “Timothy, let your life speak for itself.”

The pastor has spiritual authority, but he must lead by example and not by force. Look at the charge. Set the believers an example in speech and in conduct. You actions have to line up with your words. You can’t just be Mr. Say and not Mr. Do. You can’t just preach the gospel, you have to live the gospel. You can’t just preach about repentance and not be willing to repent yourself when you’ve wronged others. You can’t just preach about forgiveness and be unwilling to forgive. You can’t just preach about sharing the gospel with those who don’t yet believe and be unwilling to share the gospel yourself. You can’t just talk about raising your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord and not be doing it yourself. You can’t preach grace and then not be gracious. As Matthew Henry has commented, “Those who teach by their doctrine must teach by their life, else they pull down with one hand what they build up with the other.” Or as Richard Baxter warns ministers to watch how they live, “lest you may unsay with your lives that which you say with your tongues.”

Set the believers an example in love… he is to have a passionate and compassionate concern for those in his care. Set the believers an example in faith… he lives by faith, he preaches by faith, he works by faith. Set the believers and example in purity… Make no mistake family, the primary referent here is to sexual purity. Few things destroy a man’s ministry like sexual sin. Few things damage a church’s reputation like a minister who is given to sexual sin. And few things bring more dishonor to the name of Jesus Christ than when one of his minister’s is engaged in sexual sin. Set the believer’s an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.

Before we move to picturing the gift, let me impress upon you the implication of the words, “set the believers an example.” This text is helpful in seeing what godly leadership in the church looks like, but don’t miss the fact that this example is for you. The example is so that your life would be a testimony of the glorious gospel of God in Jesus Christ. Inherent in this concern is that your speech and conduct be in line with the gospel; that you would be one who loves God and neighbor; that your life would be lived by faith in the living God; and that purity would be a descriptive term for your life in the area of sex and sexuality…

As a pastor, I might want to have a general and generic profile page on FB, but there’s no way for him to set and example without exposing his life in some significant ways to the people he’s called to serve. ()

Picturing the Gift

The call to exercise authority and set an example for the believers would be impossible for Timothy if v.14 were not true of him. For power to do and be what he’s charged to do and be didn’t come from himself. The third part of the profile picture is God’s gift through the Holy Spirit. Paul points Timothy back to his ordination as a minister with the charge in v.14…

1 Timothy 4:14 ESV

14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.

The call to exercise authority and set an example for the believers would be impossible for Timothy if v.14 were not true of him. For power to do and be what he’s charged to do and be didn’t come from himself, but it is God’s gift through the Holy Spirit. Paul points Timothy back to his ordination as a minister with the charge in v.14…

Paul says, “do not neglect the gift you have,” literally, “the gift in you, which was given to you by prophecy.” This is the second time in the letter that Paul refers to the prophecies made about Timothy. The first was in 1:18. Then, as now, we’re not given the content of the prophecies. The point is that he was called to the ministry by the Holy Spirit and gifted for this ministry, with the authority and power to exercise it. In Paul refers to Timothy’s ordination again when he says, “Fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” The charge not to neglect his gift, but to fan it into flame reminded Timothy that he had a responsibility to use and develop his gift.

I want to point out two things about the profile of a minister’s gift. First, Paul says, “do not neglect the gift you have,” literally, “the gift in you, which was given to you by prophecy.” This is the second time in the letter that Paul refers to the prophecies made about Timothy. The first was in 1:18. Then, as now, we’re not given the content of the prophecies. The point is that he was called to the ministry by the Holy Spirit and gifted for this ministry, with the authority and power to exercise it. In Paul refers to Timothy’s ordination again when he says, “Fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” The charge not to neglect his gift, but to fan it into flame reminded Timothy that he had a responsibility to use and develop his gift. And the same is true for every Christian. When God brings people to faith in Christ, he gifts them for service in the church. There is no Christian whom God has not gifted for service in the body. And it is always Spirit empowered gifting that we’re called to use and develop.

And the same is true right now today. It’s easy to miss because God’s usual way of working is through the ordinary. This church voted and selected a pulpit committee. That committee met and prayed and set parameters by which to evaluate candidates. And through that process what you have discerned is that God has called him here. He knew all along that Pastor Brian would be the next pastor for City of Hope. He knew that he gifted this brother for this work. And Pastor Wood has the same charge. Don’t neglect the gift that is in you. Develop it. Fan it into flame for the blessing, benefit and flourishing of this body.

What that means for you as a congregation is that God has wired and equipped this brother in particular ways. There’s delight for the congregation and the minister when he’s free to develop and serve out of his gifting.

The second aspect of this charge as it relates to a minister’s gift is that he’s called by the Holy Spirt, but that calling is confirmed by the church. It was specifically confirmed by the council of elders. He didn’t just say, “I’m called,” and then go running. The elders confirmed the gift and commissioned him for the service. Both the Spirit’s calling and gifting, as well as the human recognition of that calling are necessary aspects of being set apart for ministry.

“Timothy must not be like the foolish man who buried his talent in the ground and gave the Lord a poor return on his investment (). Instead, he must fulfill his ordination vows by actively employing his pastoral gifts in the service of Christ.”

Picturing the Impact

The last part of the profile picture in our text is the pastor’s impact in vv.15-16…

1 Timothy 4:15–16 ESV

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.

The last part of the profile in our text is the minister’s impact in vv.15-16… Timothy must be so devoted to the gospel, he must be so immersed in the gospel, he must persevere in the gospel for the salvation of the church. How does this gospel impact happen? Paul says, “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that your progress may be apparent to all.” Don’t act like you’ve already arrived. Our theme from vv.6-10 last week was, “those who follow Jesus Christ already possess godliness in him, yet we are called to continue striving after godliness in every area of life.” Live in such a way that those around you can see your progress. This is an extension of the charge to be an example. Your growth in grace should be apparent to all. This is an unavoidable aspect of ministry. It is necessary to be open to having others see your progress, whether you like it or not. Because ultimately it’s not about you anyway. It is about the message of the glory of God in Christ.

Timothy must be so devoted to the gospel, he must be so immersed in the gospel, he must persevere in the gospel for the salvation of the church. How does this gospel impact happen? Paul says, “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that your progress may be apparent to all.” Don’t act like you’ve already arrived. Live in such a way that those around you can see your progress. This is an extension of the charge to be an example. Your growth in grace should be apparent to all. This is an unavoidable aspect of ministry. It is necessary to be open to having others see your progress, whether you like it or not. Because ultimately it’s not about you anyway. It is about the message of the glory of God in Christ.

Timothy must be so devoted to the gospel, he must be so immersed in the gospel, he must persevere in the gospel for the salvation of the church. How does this gospel impact happen? Paul says, “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that your progress may be apparent to all.” Don’t act like you’ve already arrived. Our theme from vv.6-10 last week was, “those who follow Jesus Christ already possess godliness in him, yet we are called to continue striving after godliness in every area of life.” Live in such a way that those around you can see your progress. This is an extension of the charge to be an example. Your growth in grace should be apparent to all. This is an unavoidable aspect of ministry. It is necessary to be open to having others see your progress, whether you like it or not. Because ultimately it’s not about you anyway. It is about the message of the glory of God in Christ.

That’s why the sobering charge to keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching is so necessary. Sound gospel living and sound gospel preaching and teaching is so closely tied to God’s ordained means of bringing people out of the hateful state of being dead in sin into the marvelous state of life through Jesus Christ, that Paul can make it sound as though Timothy is actually saving people himself. Because, “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (), and the word of Christ comes by the preaching of the gospel, Christian ministers are indispensable to God’s plan for the salvation of the world. Sound gospel preaching and living can indeed mean the difference between life and death.

When a minister watches his life and doctrine closely, he and the church get the great privilege of watching the Savior work.

What stands behind this profound promise is the one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. He stands behind any effective pastoral ministry. He empowers our watching of our life and doctrine. If it were not so, the burden of this verse would be too much to bear.

Jesus Christ loves his Church. Jesus Christ loves this church. Part of the way he expresses that love is by giving her pastors who will be an example for the body in word and deed; so that his body might be built up as people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and are discipled in the words of the faith.

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