1 Timothy 1:1-2
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"We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more, and things that are more distant, than they did, not because our sight is superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise us up, and by their great stature add to ours." John of Salisbury
This quote was referenced in a painting at St Charles cathedral.
This quote means something to me because I have many people in my life that have hoisted me up. I can look back at my life and be thankful for the many faithful men that God has been gracious enough to help me along the way.
Matthew- Isaiah
Mark- Daniel
Luke- Jeremiah
John- Ezekiel
Paul
Paul
1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope,
What an amazing introduction!
The first amazing portion of this verse is the fact that a man named Paul previously named Saul is writing a letter that we recognize and read today as inspired Scripture.
This fact alone is a testament to God’s grace because of who this man was and now who this man is.
Previously, the man writing the letter was not Paul. What we find here by this reference is Paul’s acknowledgment that something that has changed in his life.
Do you remember what happen?
His very identity is changed because of something that happened earlier in his life. Do you remember what happened?
We find it recorded in the book of Acts and I encourage to go and read through the first 9 chapters. I’m going to try and summarize for you to give you an idea as to who the author of this letter.
Acts begins be a record of Jesus ascending to the Father.
The disciples then, left alone, kind of congregate around each other and begin to pray.
Then Peter takes the lead of appointing another apostle to help with ministry. They cast lots and the lot falls on Matthias.
In chapter 2, We find the Day of Pentecost, in which like never before, the Spirit of God is poured out and people begin to to speak in languages that they had previously not learned, so that every one present, from every nation under heaven, heard in their own language.
Peter preaches in and it says in verse 41 that 3000 souls are added that day and the end of the chapter tells us that the Lord was adding to them daily.
In other words, the church is exploding with growth wrought by the power of God through the faithful preaching of the Word and faithful prayer. And thats the plan.
Thats how God was growing the church. It really is simple.
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
And God was adding to their number daily.
But with this type of growth, it doesn’t take long for the authorities to take notice of this, especiually when the preachers are boldly proclaiming the Gospel.
In , Peter and John are arrested for preaching the Gospel.
Here we see, The church is picking up where Jesus left off. In ministry and in suffering. Christ is working through the church. Christ is accomplishing his plan through proclamation of truth and suffering.
Despite the attempts to silence Peter and John by arresting them, and threats from the religious ruler of that day, the church of Jesus Christ is growing and they continue to preach the Gospel boldly.
To the point, where in the apostles can’t even take care of the basic needs of the people. The number of people has outgrown their ability to give proper attention to them.
They have to enlist men called deacons to help serve the body so that the apostles can devote themselves to the ministry of the Word and to prayer.
One of the deacons that they pick, Stephen, is the first martyr recorded in Scripture, Stephen preaches a sermon and is stoned to death, and for the first time we meet the man named Saul, that will one day write this letter to Timothy.
When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
They don’t want their robes to get in the way of throwing these stones as hard as they possibly can at this deacon, so they lay them at Saul’s feet.
tells us that the stoning of Stephen brought joy to heart of Saul.
Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 8
Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death.
It goes on to say in verse 3-
But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.
The man writing the letter to Timothy was once a man who was feared by Christians. A man who hated the church. This was not passive hatred. He actively trying to extinguish them. Men, Women, he didn’t care. He was active in the stoning of Stephen. He was active in the persecution through threats and murder.
This was a man who was an enemy of God by anyone’s definition.
But God. Being rich in mercy and In His grace. Not because Saul was lovable. Thats obviously not the case. Not because God saw something in Saul.
But only because God saw fit in his grace to set his affection on Saul from eternity past and at this moment in to confront him in his sin and to draw him to faith in Christ
God loved Saul. Jesus died for Saul. Why? Because he chose to. It wasn’t because Saul proved worthy to die for. If anything, Saul proved worthy of hell.
And this is case for all of us who are believers this morning.
We all like sheep have gone astray. The Bible says we were enemies of God. But God because he is gracious has chosen to set his affection and love on us.
Turn with me to and lets look at the confrontation of Saul.
Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.”
Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
Acts 9:
I love this passage because it gives us a clear indication of what conversion is. Saul isn’t seeking after God. God sought Paul out.
Christ Himself confronts Saul on his road to more persecution.
Its amazing to me the authority that Christ assumes whenever he confronts and converts someone.
Why are you persecuting me?
Who are you Lord?
I am Jesus now get up and take instructions as to what you will do from now on.
The Lord in his providence and in his grace blinds him. Again we see, Saul is under the control of God. God is drawing him to faith and obedience. None of this is credited to Saul. And God is going to to gloriously save this man, and set him up to be an instrument of his.
In fact The Lord tells Ananias this in verse 15 after Ananias is worried about the task of being the agent of restoring Saul’s sight.
Ananias maybe worried that once Saul is able to see again, he will come after him.
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
Acts
This man. Saul. An enemy of Christ. Saul A Persecutor of Christ and all who follow him.
Now, Saul, a Chosen Instrument of Mine. Here is where I’m reminded of my own salvation.
Saul, is later referred to as Paul, its the same man, but he is not the same.
After he meets Christ. He is forever different and forever changed.
Back to first Timothy.
Saul now Paul is being used as an instrument in God’s hands to write to Timothy a letter.
And Every word Paul will write will be orchestrated and superintended by the Spirit of God so that Paul will be writing to Timothy the words of God himself.
Now is now being used as an instrument in God hands to write to Timothy a letter. Every word Paul will write will be orchestrated and superintended by the Spirit of God so that Paul will be writing to Timothy the words of God himself.
What we have here, in 1 Timothy is inspired Scripture for the church, written by a former persecutor of the church, who met the Resurrected Savior.
Paul is who he is because of Christ.
Paul goes on to define his vocation.
In verse 1, He is an apostle of Christ Jesus. A few questions come out of this.
What does this mean to be an Apostle? Are there Apostles today?
Pay attention here.
There are two ways of defining apostle.
Apostle- in its most generic sense means “sent out one.” One who has been sent out for the purposes of God.
Paul is not saying that he is merely sent out. When he refers to himself as Apostle of Christ, he is referring to the authoritative position that God has bestowed upon him and ONLY a few others.
Big A Apostles of Christ would have specific and special roles for a temporary time in church history. (So THEY would be capable through Christ’s power, things like casting out demons, healing the sick, performing signs, wonders, miracles, and this was unique to the time of the apostles). They were given these signs and wonders to authenticate the authority that God had given them and to authenticate Gospel to the first believers.
We have the same type of thing happen with several of the Old Testament prophets.
So who were the apostles? Who should we expect these things from? According to Scripture, The twelve disciples minus Judas. They added Matthias in Acts and than we see Paul is added by Christ Himself.
Thirteen men are given the privilege are calling themselves Big A apostles.
In other words, there are no Apostles today. If someone is claiming that title today, you can safely assume that they are not worth listening to.
But Paul is. The Scriptures are sufficient. God has supplied us with the full revelation of himself in this word. God does not give new words of revelation. Every thing we need for salvation, life, and godliness is happily contained in the 66 books.
This is why we turn our attention to Paul, a genuine apostle of Christ, because Paul has the authority and has been commissioned by Christ to this office.
So Paul’s purpose here in defining his office of apostle in verse 1 to Timothy is to prove his authority comes from Christ.
Because Paul has the authority and has been commissioned by Christ to this office. So Paul’s purpose here in defining his office of apostle in verse 1 to Timothy is to prove his authority comes from Christ.
The words that he will write to Timothy are authoritative not because they are purely from Paul, but because Paul is writing according to the will and authority of Christ.
In other words, the authority that Paul possess is derived from and is ultimately from Christ, AND
The whole reason Paul writes to Timothy. The whole reason he expends himself for these churches is because he has been commanded by Christ to do so.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 1
according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus
Paul is under the headship of The Father and Christ as Lord and commander.
What Christ wants, Paul does.
What Christ desire Paul to write, he writes. Thus, Paul’s words carry with it the very authority of Christ. Everything written here, is precisely how Christ would want it, and it would do us well as a church to listen intently because he is giving instructions as to how the church should operate.
But for Paul, and for us, Christ is not merely our commander. He is also our hope. In every pain, sickness and trial, we have one hope. Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is our hope now and our hope for the future. Without him there is no hope.
Paul desires to encourage Timothy in this hope.
Timothy
Timothy
Look in verse 2
To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Timothy, is the lead elder/pastor of the church of Ephesus. But before he was that he was discipled by Paul.
To the point here, Paul calls him his child in the faith. This is a term of endearment sure, but it is much more than that. Timothy shares a spiritual kinship with Paul, where Paul has acted as a spiritual father to Timothy to raise him up to be faithful to the Lord in ministry.
Paul has spiritually adopted Timothy to nurture him. Paul is older in the faith, more mature in the faith and Timothy is younger and less mature in the faith.
Its worth noting here that Timothy’s early father, from the evidence we are given was not a believer.
Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek,
Acts 16
The difference is clear is and elsewhere of the one responsible for Timothy being a disciple of Christ.
His mother was believer. She and her mother were the ones who had first taught him the faith.
In fact in Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he mentions them.
For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.
2 Timothy
These ladies had raised him in the faith. His father being a greek was more inclined to worship of the Greek gods than worship of the one true God.
How encouraging it must have been for Timothy to have a father in faith now!
A man in his life that would encourage him toward faithfulness in Christ.
This letter, the next, are all evidences of Paul continued concern and work in the life of Timothy.
Certainly, Paul had whole churches to worry about, but that never kept him from pouring his life into individuals.
The application of this is pretty clear. Who is your child in the faith?
Who is stronger in their faith today, because of your service and work in their life?
Here is where I believe the American has gone astray.
For so long we have preach an easy believism, that has translated into wonderful and large reports of baptisms but it hasn’t translated into many disciples.
And at that point, we have been strikingly disobedient to the Great Commission.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
It doesn’t say go and make converts. Jesus does that.
It doesn’t say go and get people to walk an aisle.
It doesn’t say go and get people to sign a card.
It doesn’t say go and get someone to pray a prayer to ask Jesus into their heart. None of that is found in Scripture.
What does it say?
Go and make disciples.
You know why we like to get people to walk an aisle, sign a card, pray a prayer. Because thats easy. But the legacy of that era of getting people to sign card, pray prayers and walk aisle has been tragic. Certainly we call people to salvation and faith, but then we have a job to do as Christians.
It takes work to make disciples. It takes being willing to adopt someone spiritually and to spend the time and effort to strengthen them in their walk with Christ.
Who is your child in the faith?
IF you don’t have one, find someone to pour your life in. Make disciples. People who follow Christ.
This is what Paul is doing with Timothy.
He ends his greeting with whats necessary for the Christian life.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 1
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
There’s really two realities and implicit applications that come from this passage.
True Salvation in Christ is fully of God and it Transforms one’s life. Once hopeless, now hopeful.
Obedience to Christ means making disciples.