1 Timothy: Session 8

Last week, in our online only study, we looked at the first half of 1 Timothy 4

To recap, this study covered two points: First, Paul presented a problem - some were choosing to abandon the faith. They followed the wrong spirit and listened to the wrong teaching. They were walking away from the truth. Second, Paul gave the solution to Timothy - minister well. Know the truth, be spiritually disciplined, place all hope in the living God.

Is this a possible problem in our day today?

Well, consider this. In a recent news report on Fox News, math, you know… 2 plus 2 equals 4 has now come under fire as being… RACIST! I watched an interview is disbelief as the problem was explained.

When we speak of math - specifically the equation that 2+2=4 and we leave no room for someone else’s input… it is too objective and therefore racist. The quote i couldn’t believe was “who is to say that 2+2 can’t equal 5.”

Uh… church… WE ARE LOSING OUR MINDS.

Math is absolute. No matter what your opinion is… math is an absolute truth. Let me show you...

Most importantly, God’s truth is absolute. But the more our secular culture trends towards subjective truth… the more the gospel message will come under fire. Just like 2+2 will forever equal 4, so will the truth remain that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him! (John 14:6)

Yes… there is a problem. And yes… there is a solution. The church is to minister (represent Jesus) well.

But Paul comes against another issue… Paul addresses another concern in the latter half of 1 Timothy 4 that evidently was something the young minister was facing - Timothy was facing an unfair and unbiblical boundary placed upon him by his peers. Apparently, Timothy was facing some backlash because of his age.

As we dive into this passage, what I want us to learn is this: We the church cannot allow for this kind of thinking to infiltrate the church. The truth (God’s Word) sets for us biblical boundaries true enough… but if we are not careful, we can allow for secular misguided thinking to influence what we do and who is qualified to do it.

For the study of this section, we are again going to use the problem and solution breakdown.

The Problem: Timothy faced an improper boundary.

1 Timothy 4:12a reads, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young.” Move on to verse 14, “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.”

Paul hits on two “do not” statements here. One targets his age, the other his calling or “gift.” Interestingly enough, this is not the first time Paul has come to Timothy’s defense regarding his ministry. 1 Corinthians 16:10-11 reads, “When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one, then, should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.”

We do not know Timothy’s age from this passage. The word translated as youth could indicate that Timothy was under the age of forty. It could also indicate that Timothy was simply younger than Paul. But the point remains - Timothy was “looked down on” because of his age. An improper boundary was unfairly set before him.

What kinds of “improper boundaries” have we seen that can discourage a person from pursuing the call on their life? Earlier, I brought up the racist issue on purpose. Unfortunately we do face this issue in our culture today. But there are other issues at play as well… issues that have even come into the church that simply should not be there.

Timothy’s struggle came because of his age… but what other issues have come against people regarding their call to ministry?

Age - young or old, people feel they are unable to be the spiritual influence they are called to be.

Race - Yes… this has happened in the church - in the AG church. In 1914, the General Council met for the first time after separating from the Church of God in Christ - a separation that was led by the racial culture at that time in America. Praise God, a historic meeting took place in 2013 that began the healing of the wounds that were inflicted almost 100 years from that date. I only wish that meeting would have taken place much, MUCH sooner.

Social status - Your wealth determines your worth in the ministry. Again, this is not how God views things.

Gender. Yes we will go here. People looking down on a person’s calling because of their gender. To be clear… God created TWO genders, male and female. Gen 1:27 reads “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

It’s not uncommon for people to build walls where they do not belong. But in God’s church in the New Testament age… God was and is in the business of tearing down such walls.

To be clear… God makes no exception for sin. Sin is the separator in God’s kingdom. Again, NO EXCEPTIONS or EXEMPTIONS exist when it comes to sin. period.

Acts 2 lays it out for us. In these last days God is pouring out His Spirit on ALL people. God withholds this outpouring from no believer. It is not for us to decide who is “worthy” of a calling,. It is not for us to decide who God can and cannot use in ministry.

Paul then gives a reminder in the form of a “do not” statement. He reminds Timothy of the affirmation he received from the elders of the church.

When the elders of the church “laid hands” on Timothy.. he received a gift through prophecy that was not to be ignored. He was ordained, recognized and confirmed by the elders of the church at Ephesus. Timothy was “gifted” by the Holy Spirit… God had poured His Spirit and calling in the life of Timothy and it was affirmed by the church.

Here’s the problem in a nut shell: Timothy came up against a resistance that targeted his age as a disqualifier for ministry. The deeper problem here… was Timothy’s discouragement was apparently observable to Paul.

Are there biblical “qualifiers” to ministry? Sure there are. But are age, race, wealth, or gender any of those qualifiers? Certainly not.

The problem had been made clear. But how was Timothy to overcome this problem?

The Solution: Stay faithful to the call.

The calling of God is just that - a calling from God. This calling may never be recognized by man or appreciated by man but that does not dismiss the call.

Sometimes, all a minister has to hold on to is the call. Sometimes that is all the affirmation a person gets - but the call remains.

Paul doesn’t tell Timothy to go give a lecture about age, race, wealth, or gender discrimination within the church… Paul simply tells Timothy.... TO STAY THE COURSE.

Let’s look at Paul’s instruction. 1 Timothy 4:12b-13; 4:15-16 read, “set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

The wisdom here is truly amazing. A calling of God is not something you prove with words… it’s something you live with the Spirit’s empowerment. Look at the listed instructions.

Set an example in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity

Be devoted to reading the Scriptures to the public.

Teach. Preach. Disciple. Be diligent in this.

Watch your life and doctrine - STAY IN THE WORD - and do not abandon the truth.

Here’s the deal, we cannot control how another person or a group of people might see us. We cannot control how their heart is governed. BUT… we can choose whether or not that person or group of people will govern our heart.

Can I be real with you for a moment? I’m not serving as pastor at HWC because the membership voted on us three and half years ago. I’m here because of the calling of God. The Spirit of God set this all up… the vote merely confirmed our connection, but this is all done by the power and leading of our God.

In ministry, as we pursue the call God places on our lives… it is not a call that must be proven to others… it is a call to be obeyed by the recipient. And I pray the church would NEVER place unbiblical boundaries upon the call on people’s lives.

The call does come with some very clear biblical qualifiers that must be followed. Again, sin is a disqualifier. Spiritual maturity is very important - not determined by age, race, wealth or gender, but by a diligent pursuit of God.

This is material for another study for another time. In our passage, Timothy faced a problem. His age WAS NOT the problem. The problem were the people who made his age the problem!

Paul’s counsel to Timothy was true then, and it is true now. Your call… your gift comes from GOD. This world CANNOT put limitations on what God can do in you and through you regardless of your age, race, wealth, or gender. In these last days, God IS pouring out His Spirit on all people and using all people for His glory!

Do not become discouraged if the world looks at you… and even if some in a church may look at you and say you can’t. Hear me clearly… If God has given the call… YOU CAN. STAY THE COURSE. Remain faithful in your walk and in your service to God.

And for the church I give this counsel… let’s not get into a habit of telling God who He can and cannot use for His glory. Because if we get real for a moment… God shouldn’t be using ANY OF US. It is by His grace that we are called and qualified.