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December 18th
The bible reading today is the book of 1 Timothy...Paul’s first letter to his disciple from Lystra, young Timothy.
1 Timothy along with 2 Timothy and Titus make up Paul’s final letters...we call them the pastoral letters of Paul...offering practical pastoral counsel from the Holy Spirit...to these young pastors.
Paul had recruited young Timothy to accompany him on his second missionary journey alongside Silas. Timothy would be much-needed refreshment for Paul since his recent split with friend and partner, Barnabas. Maybe Paul learned something from Barnabas’ heart for training young John Mark.
The book of Acts ends with Paul sitting in prison awaiting an audience with Caesar Nero. Paul was expecting to be released. Perhaps he was. And from there, perhaps Paul took a fourth missionary journey. Perhaps this was when he visited Ephesus again...placing Timothy over the church there. And then Paul winds up back in a Roman cell awaiting his death. And this would be where the aged Paul wrote Timothy and Titus pastoral letters. Just my accumulative info on when Paul died.
Why is 1 Timothy so important? Perhaps it is because it is the most complete instruction on pastoral leadership for the church in our New Testaments.
We read where Paul by the Spirit made it clear that order for worship and living was essential for a healthy church. He gave instruction on the qualifications and duties of elders and deacons.
Paul was trying to help Timothy to understand the importance of the purity of heart and life for leaders in the church. And he was also giving guidelines for the gatherings that Timothy would oversee.
Paul knew that Timothy’s youth would be a blessing and a curse for his pastoral ministry. Let us listen to Paul’s encouragement.
“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”
