mission: manage the ministry

Posted on May 29, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12694 1 Timothy 5:1-6:2.  As a missionary, tasked with the role of developing the churches in Ephesus, Timothy had the responsibility to see to it that the various ministries were staffed.  Paul gives him instructions on how to honor those who serve in various ministry capacities, and how to avoid problems that might arise.

  1. Some widows who had lo livelihood or families to support them were tasked with a support and prayer ministry.  Paul instructs Timothy on who qualifies for that ministry and who does not (5:3-16).
  2. Elders should be appointed who are qualified for the task, without partiality. Timothy is charged to base his appointments on merit (5:17-25).
  3. Slaves who have believing masters should not be allowed to volunteer for ministry tasks to get out of their regular work (6:1-2).

People management is some of the messy work of missions, but it is very important.  In non-profit organizations, personnel decisions are crucial.  Volunteers may surface for a variety of reasons – not all of them legitimate.  Managing the mission requires insight into motives, and an awareness of potential problems.  Those tasked with mission or ministry management must also be careful that their own motives are pure, so that the LORD himself is not dishonored.

LORD, help us to make right decisions about the people who minister among us.  May we honor them and be careful not to dishonor you.

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mission: demonstrate true godliness

Posted on May 28, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

 SDC12693 1 Timothy 4.  Paul predicts a time in the future (from his standpoint) when the church would experience a departure from true godliness and follow deceitful spirits and teachings of demons (1).  He charged Timothy to “put these things before the brothers” – in other words, explain to them and demonstrate for them the difference between true and false godliness.

  1. The false godliness would involve declaring as taboo certain gifts (marriage and certain foods). True godly people enjoy those gifts and thank God for them, sanctifying the gifts by the word of God and prayer.
  2. The false godliness would abandon the clear meaning of scripture, adopting irreverent, silly myths that would lead the church away from true godliness.  The outcome will be religion without inner change.  True godly people train themselves so that their faith meets the practical needs of today and prepares them for the future (8).

Paul charged Timothy with the responsibility to set an example for the believers “in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (12).  He had to demonstrate what true godliness looked like.  He also had to immerse his congregations in the word of God.  He was to devote himself “to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (13).  The best way to prevent false teaching is to train in the truth.

LORD, save us false religion which destroys true godliness.  We have set our hope on you, the living God.

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mission: display godly behavior

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12691 1 Timothy 3.  Paul’s reason for giving qualification lists in this chapter is not simply administrative.  He wants the churches to display proper conduct. The body of believers is the household (family) of God, the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth (15).  We ought to mimic the mystery of godliness, which was Christ himself as he walked among us. Those who serve as elders (overseers and deacons) must be capable of demonstrating that godliness:

  1. They must have solid marriages,
  2. They must be able to control their (adult) children,
  3. They must have personal self-control,
  4. They must maintain a good reputation,
  5. They must have proved themselves by experience.

The leaders are out-front. They reflect the character of the organization. Special care must be taken to provide for leaders who reflect the standards set by the LORD. His reputation is at stake.

LORD,  may we be careful to reflect your godliness in all that we do. May we be wise enough to choose leaders who will honor you with their behavior.

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mission: pray in public

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12690 1 Timothy 2.  Paul explains to Timothy those things that should be the hallmark of the church’s mission – things he should promote among the people and leaders of Ephesus.  Of first importance is the ministry of public prayer.  This entire chapter is about the ministry of public prayer in Christian assembly.

  1. We should pray for all people because God desires for all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  Christ is the one mediator between God and all men.  He gave himself as a ransom for all.  He appointed apostles to teach the truth to all nations.
  2. We should pray specifically for those in positions of authority and influence, like kings and presidents over nations, elders over churches, and parents over families.  Our prayers help those ion authority to keep the peace, so that we can lead peaceful, quiet, godly, dignified lives that promote the gospel rather than hinder its spread.
  3. Christian couples should specifically exercise restraint when coming together for public prayer.  Husbands should remain calm, and lift up holy hands (pray) without showing anger, or quarreling with their wives (that is the context of the command).  Wives should come together with them for the purpose of prayer – not to distract the other people praying by dressing immodestly or by trying to usurp authority or take over the prayer time by teaching.  If both husband and wife (they v.15) continue praying in faith, love and holiness, with self-control, then they can expect protection from the dangers of childbearing.

LORD, we want to put public prayer first on our list of ministries and we want to do it right.  Show us how to pray for others, and for those in authority so that the gospel is not hindered.  Keep us from distractions and hypocrisy when we pray.

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mission: be stewards of God’s treasure

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12689 1 Timothy 1.  1 and 2 Timothy and Titus are sometimes called the pastoral epistles,  although they were not written by a pastor (Paul was an apostle)  and neither Timothy nor Titus were pastors.  These two men were missionaries, appointed for the purpose of establishing the works in Ephesus and Crete, and for training and appointing leaders to continue that work.  For that reason, I call these the mission epistles. 

This chapter highlights the important role of maintaining doctrinal purity within the mission.  Paul charges Timothy with the task of training teachers to regard their role as a stewardship of valuable doctrinal treasure that must be guarded (4).  He is to warn the teachers in the churches of Ephesus not to search for new, different things to teach.  They must stay away from the speculations about things not clearly taught in scripture – which Paul refers to as “myths and endless genealogies” (4).  Instead of chasing theological rabbits, the doctrine of the mission must stay focused on the saving work of Christ.  Paul had encountered those who considered themselves experts in teaching the Torah (Old Testament Law) but whose lives were lawless and disobedient.  It was clear that they had not experienced salvation by grace, because they had not been saved from  their profanity, family violence, murderous rage, sexual immorality, homosexuality, slave kidnapping, lying, perjury, etc. (9-10). He charged Timothy to train and appoint teachers whose lives were truly transformed by the gospel of grace.

LORD, transform us by your gospel of grace, and keep us from “new” and different teachings that might sidetrack us from our stewardship of your truth.

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when Christ comes, our work will be vindicated

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12688 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18.  Some among the Thessalonians had apparently stopped working their “day jobs.”  Either they were convinced that Christ had secretly already come (2:2), or they felt that secular work was beneath them.  That attitude was not part of the traditions that Paul had taught them (2:15; 3:6-9).  He encouraged the believers in Thessalonica to keep away from such brothers (3:6).  He wanted to embarrass them back to work (3:14-15).  He encouraged the believers who were working to continue “to do their work quietly and to earn their own living”  (3:12).  We don’t always understand why the LORD puts us in the place where we are, and why he gives us the work that we do. But he has his reasons.  Our work can bring honor and glory to him, even if it doesn’t always seem honorable and glorious to us.

LORD, grant us the wisdom to remain busy at our work as we await your second coming.  We trust you will vindicate our toil and labor.

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when Christ comes, the glory will be obtained

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12687 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5.  Paul had just assured the Thessalonian believers that Christ had not come yet – that there remained a “strong delusion” to come that would produce an apostate church.  He now tells them that they are among the “firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth” (2:13).  They are the true church that took hold in the first century AD, and turned their world upside-down.

  1. They were a gospel church. They were called through the gospel that Paul and his companions preached (1:14; 3:1).
  2. They were a grace church.  God would continue to comfort their hearts (encourage them) and establish them in every good work and word by his grace (2:16-17; 3:3-4).
  3. They were a glory church. They were called to obtain the glory of Christ (2:14).  God had given them eternal (permanent) good hope through his grace (2:16).  That hope is the event of Christ’s second coming.  When Christ comes, the glory that is our destiny from Christ will be obtained.  If we don’t feel  very glorious today, we need to trust in his promise, and cling to the Holy Spirit, who is sanctifying us.

LORD, may your church today reflect your firstfruits church.  May we be driven by our call to spread the gospel.  May we be encouraged by our salvation by your grace.  May we cooperate with the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit by striving toward ever-increasing glory as we anticipate our glory with you at your return.

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when Christ comes, the delusion will end

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12685 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.  Paul warns the Thessalonian believers that they were in danger of being deceived about the second coming of Christ.

  1. Someone was teaching that the second coming had already happened.  Paul warned that a strong delusion  was about to descend upon the church, and it would cause many within the Christian church at large to believe what is false (11).  It was the result of a demon, a spirit being that Paul called “the mystery of lawlessness” (7).
  2. It would eventually affect the church so drastically that the church would actually rebel against her bridegroom, and set up a human leader who will proclaim himself to be God (3-4). Satan will empower this “mystery of lawlessness” to manifest false signs and deceive unbelievers within the visible church (9-10).
  3. Paul told the Thessalonians that the deception was already starting because “the mystery of lawlessness” was “already at work.” But someone in the first century AD is restraining him from setting up his false god (6-7).
  4. That rebellion would eventually occur, and it will produce a false church with a human head. The strong delusion that produced this false church will not end until Christ appears and kills the lawless one and brings him to nothing (8).

Some Christians believe that we still await a personal Antichrist. Some teach that he will only appear after Christ’s appearing. The saints of the Reformation believed that they were rebelling against the rebellion started by Antichrist. They believed that Christ could return at any moment because the “strong delusion” was already here, and the “man of lawlessness” had been revealed.

LORD, come quickly. Save us from deception and delusion.

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when Christ comes: judgment, destruction, and glory.

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12683 In his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul continues to encourage them (and us) with the hope of the second coming of Christ.

  1. When Christ comes, he will inflict his judgment upon those who have afflicted the church.  Paul praises the Thessalonians for standing firm and growing in their faith and in their love in spite of persecution. He assures them that God will inflict his vengeance upon those who do not know God and on those who disobey the gospel (1-8). He is describing the agonies of hell.
  2. When Christ comes, he will permanently destroy those who have rejected his kingdom. They will have proved themselves incapable of inheriting eternal life, and therefore will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction (9). He is describing the end of hell. Hell will not be a process of perpetual torture, but an event (the lake of fire) that will end in permanent destruction.
  3. When Christ comes, those who had been ashamed of him will be destroyed, and those who have gloried in his name will glory all the more. He will “be glorified in his saints, and … be marveled at among all who have believed.” (10-12).

LORD, as we wait for your return, may we not fixate on those who reject your gospel and persecute us for it. Instead, may we boldly proclaim your word and glorify your name, knowing that you will be vindicated.

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when Christ comes, will he find us blameless?

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12682 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28.  Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians here is that God would completely sanctify them by his grace. He prays for a church whose whole body, soul and spirit would be ready for her bride when he comes in the clouds. How can we cooperate with the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Here are some clues:

  1. Surrender completely: do not hold back any part of our lives (23).
  2. Trust in the faithfulness of the one who called us (24).
  3. Pray for each other (25).
  4. Maintain loving fellowship (26).
  5. Stay in the word (27).

LORD, we surrender to your sanctification. Make us ready for your return!

Posted in church, grace, Holy Spirit, integrity, love, prayer, preparation, sanctification, scriptures, second coming, submission | Tagged | Leave a comment