STUDY THEME: GOD’S PLAN FOR FAMILIES 10-14-01

THE BIBLE: THE FAMILY’S SOURCE OF INSTRUCTION.

ACTS 16:1-5; 2 TIMOTHY 1:5-6; 3: 14-17; 4:1-5.

PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO ACTS 16.

Last Sunday we studied the famous “Shema” whereby Moses commanded God’s people to hear and obey the clear commands of God. The lesson this Sunday changes to the N..T. Our focus of attention is upon one of Paul’s favorite “sons in the ministry.” Paul had several such younger men who went into the ministry but perhaps his favorite may have been Timothy. Much of what Paul said to this “son” in the ministry we can apply to our lives today.

Timothy grew up in a very devout home. He was profoundly influenced by his mother and by his grandmother. A study of his background will show us the important place that devoutly religious parents and grandparents can play in the lives of their children and grandchildren. It can illustrate the thesis of the lesson this Sunday that the family serves as a very important source of religious instruction for children.

The suggested “Biblical Truth” is that the Bible is God’s inspired Word and is the source for life’s most important teachings; parents are to teach their children truths from the Bible. The suggested “Life Impact” is to help us emphasize and use the Bible as the primary source of moral and religious instruction in our families.

In Acts 15:36 while Paul and Barnabas were in Antioch of Syria teaching and preaching the Word Paul suggested that they retrace their journey to the cities in which they had established churches on their first missionary journey. This time they would go by land. Barnabas determined to take his nephew, John Mark. Paul reminded Barnabas that young Mark had left them in Pamphylia on the first missionary journey. The contention was such that Barnabas took Mark and sailed to the Island of Cyprus. Neither Mark nor Barnabas are seen again in the Book of Acts. Paul chose Silas and they went through Syria and Clicia confirming the churches.

In Asia Minor they came to Derbe. You may remember in Acts 14 Paul and Barnabas had first visited Lystra where Paul was stoned, dragged out of the city and left for dead. Paul went back into the city, spent the night, and the next day journeyed on to Derbe. On this second journey Paul and Silas came first to Derbe and then to Lystra in what is now Turkey. It was there that Paul found Timothy.

This lesson focuses on Timothy as an example of what God can do when a mother makes the Bible her source of instruction. Though Timothy’s father was not a Christian, God used Timothy’s mother and grandmother and their Bible to prepare him for salvation and useful service in the kingdom of God.

1. PLEASE READ ACTS 16: 1-5

The Scripture tells us several important facts about Timothy. For one thing, he was a child of a mixed marriage so far as religion was concerned. Timothy’s mother was Jewish and also a Christian believer. His father was a Greek. The way his father is described implies that he was not a believer in God or a Christian. Some Bible students think the wording implies that this father was dead. At any rate, he had not been a positive influence on he religious life of his son.

Timothy’s mother undoubtedly had great influence on Timothy. Timothy, Eunice, and his grandmother Lois probably became Christians under the gospel preaching of Paul in Lystra on his first missionary journey. Paul referred to Timothy several times as his child in the faith. In Phil 2:20 Paul claimed that no one compared with Timothy in his genuine care for the welfare of the churches.

Vs. 2 shows that by the time of Paul’s second missionary journey Timothy had been a Christian long enough to be noticed by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Iconium and Lystra were about 18 to 20 miles apart. Paul’s two visits were about two years apart. During that time young Timothy had shown enough spiritual maturity that he was well reported of by the brethren. The fact that this young man had come to the attention of the older members of the church in his hometown and in a church in another town shows that he must have been spiritually mature. He was a young man, probably in his late teens or early 20’s. He became John Mark’s replacement. Being both Jew and Greek, Timothy had access to both cultures---an indispensable asset for missionary service in Asia Minor and Greece.

Paul wanted Timothy to go with him on the journey, a missionary journey that was three years long. Before they began the journey, Paul circumcised Timothy because of the Jews The Jews who lived in the area knew Timothy’s father was not Jewish but a Greek and probably had not circumcised Timothy.

In the Jewish community, a Jewish woman’s marriage to a Greek man was not recognized as legal. The children from such a marriage were listed only in the mother’s lineage; thus, they were Jews. Since Timothy was a Jew but uncircumcised, Paul knew this fact could be a stumbling block to Timothy‘s (and the missionary team’s) witness to other Jews about Christ. Therefore, to prevent Timothy from being a stumbling block to Jews and to increase his effectiveness in witnessing to them, Paul circumcised him.

In the cases of Gentiles’ becoming believers, Paul adamantly refused to require circumcision, holding that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision was of value On the other hand, Paul also never required Jews to forsake the practice of circumcision---or any other part of their true religious heritage—when they believed in Christ. Even if Jewish listeners stumbled at the gospel message, Paul wanted their focus to be the cross, not whether a member of the missionary team was circumcised or uncircumcised.

The missionary party traveled from town to town where they preached the gospel and delivered the decision reached by the Jerusalem Council in Acts. 15. This council had decreed that there should be no additions to the gospel message of repentance and faith. God blessed the missionaries’ labors. He strengthened the churches in the faith and increased their numbers daily. The growth of the believers resulted in the increase of lost people won to Christ.

Last week we quoted Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Timothy is an excellent proof of this proverb. Isaac in Gen.31:53 was so holy before his children, that when Jacob remembered God, he remembered that God was the fear of his father Isaac. When children can think of their parents, and bless God for the instruction and good they have received from them, this is not only profitable for children, but honorable, and pleasing to the parents.

2. PLEASE READ 2 TIMOTHY 1: 5-6

During his first imprisonment in Rome (AD 60-62), before Nero had begun the persecution of Christians in AD 64, Paul was only under house arrest and had much more opportunity for much interaction with people and ministry. At this time, five or six years later, however, he was in a cold cell in chains, and with no hope of deliverance. Abandoned by virtually all of those close to him for fear of persecution, and facing imminent execution, something caused Paul to remember Timothy. It may be Paul received a message from him. We don’t know whether Timothy arrived in Rome before Paul was beheaded or not. He was in Ephesus when the letter we call 2^nd Timothy, was received.

That memory of Timothy caused Paul to write, “I have been reminded of your faith.” Paul also recalled that Timothy’s mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, also had faith that they passed on to their son and grandson. The Greek word for sincere means “unfeigned” or “undisguised.” Our word hypocrite comes from the root of this word. Timothy’s heritage from his mother and grandmother was Christian faith that was genuine, not play-acting or fake. His mother’s and grandmother’s faith in Christ was the real thing. Paul may have been contrasting Timothy’s faith with the insincere faith of the false teachers or of former co-workers such as Demas. Timothy’s faith and Christian service were completely genuine and unpretentious.

Paul wrote that he was persuaded Timothy also had that kind of faith. Watching Timothy over the past years, Paul was convinced beyond any doubt that Timothy’s faith also was unmistakably genuine.

In Vs. 6 Paul challenged Timothy to build on his genuine faith and fan into flame the gift of God, a gift that was in him through the laying on of Paul’s hands. Timothy’s gift was probably a gift for ministry. The laying on of Paul’s hands was not the cause of the gift but a visible recognition of it. Paul gave witness to the hand of God upon Timothy.

With a genuine faith and the gift of ministry, Timothy needed to fan into flame God’s gift. Paul meant that Timothy was to keep his gift at a full and continual blaze. This command in Vs. 6 does not imply that Timothy’s had let his spiritual flame go out. It is an appeal for a continual vigorous use of his spiritual gifts. The “gift of God” referred to God’s gracious equipping of Timothy for Christian service. Paul did not identify a specific gift, although he later challenged Timothy to carry out preaching and pastoral duties.

It is a fact that each believer needs to constantly stir up the embers of his or her relation to and calling from the Lord. Faith by its very nature must be continually renewed or it will grow stale and cold. Just because people are encouraged by someone does not mean that they are failing. It can mean that they are being encouraged to continue despite the pressure.

What gift did Paul have in mind? Paul was thinking of the gift of God that enabled Timothy to serve the Lord. In Eph. 4:11 Paul referred to church leaders as gifted people whom the Lord gave as gifts to the churches. Timothy was a gifted person, as Paul recognized when he invited him to join his missionary team.

Paul said that the gift of God was in Timothy by the putting on , or laying on of Paul’s hands. Paul used similar words in 1 Tim. 4:14, which speaks of the laying on of the hands of elders. This signified setting apart someone for a God-called mission or ministry . It is a sign of prayer on behalf of the one being set apart. Thus Paul was reminding Timothy of his calling from God and of the prayers of others for him.

3. PLEASE READ 2 TIMOTHY 3: 14-17

Considering the terrible times in the last days described in 2 Tim. 3: 1-13, Paul’s encouragement to Timothy in 3:14-17 began with a challenge to continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of. Timothy’s knowledge of Scripture came from Paul, Eunice and Lois, and other “reliable men.” These people were involved in teaching Timothy the Word of God.

The O.T. was the Bible of the early Christians. The N.T. was in the process of being written. First century believers looked to the O.T. as interpreted in light of Jesus’ teachings, His life, His death, and His resurrection.

Vs. 15 focuses on the role of Timothy’s mother and grandmother, occupied in his learning Scripture. Paul reminded him how from infancy he had known the Holy Scriptures. The Bible is Holy because it is God breathed or inspired by God. Jewish children began learning the O.T. at age five. The Greek word for Scriptures also refers to letters in the alphabet. Our word grammar comes from this word. Eunice and Lois began teaching Timothy at an early age the “ABC’s” of God’s Word. How did Timothy come to know he needed to be saved? Paul said that the holy Scriptures made him wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Scripture pointed Timothy to Jesus.

Wise for Salvation doesn’t mean knowing the Scriptures makes people smart enough to save themselves. Rather, the Scriptures points people to God and prepares them for receiving God’s salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Without God’s Word it is impossible to build real faith.

In Vs. 16-17 Paul’s description of the impact of the Scriptures in Timothy’s life led naturally to his declaration about their inspiration and usefulness. And the value of the Scripture in the life of a believer. God breathed indicates that all Scripture has its source and power in God. This is a pivotal conviction that is as important for believers today to affirm as it was for Paul and Timothy. On our beliefs about the nature and authority of the Scriptures is built our confidence in their usefulness. Thus, concerning the nature and authority of the Scriptures, an excerpt from the Baptist Faith and Message declares: “The Holy Bible has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. The Bible teaches that God was involved in the writing of the Scripture to the extent that all of it

Because of their divine origin, the Scriptures are powerful and are used of God to transform people’s lives. Heb.4: 12 says, “For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Paul identified four areas in which the Scriptures are profitable. First, they are useful for teaching. The Bible sets forth the value of Scriptural teachings against the background of false teaching. The Bible is God’s truth. Second, the Scriptures are useful for rebuking false teachings as well as moral and ethical failures. Third, the Scriptures provide correction. The Greek word rendered CORRECTION is unusual, it is used only here in the N.T. It points to the Bible as God’s means of restoring right belief and behavior. Fourth, the Scriptures provide training in righteousness. This phrase emphasizes that positive training leads to upright and moral lifestyles, showing people how to live.

Paul reminded Timothy that God gave His Word to the world for a specific purpose. The Scriptures are designed to equip God’s people for every good work. Amazingly, the Scriptures can guide unbelievers to Christ while at the same time training believers to do what God wants them to do. By using the Scriptures, believers will have power to do good in the world. That is the value of a knowledge of Scriptures.

The Bible is unique not only in what it is but also in what it achieves. Those who live in the Word and by the Word find that it shapes every thing about them----their values, their attitudes, their ambitions, their actions. We never graduate from studying and following the Word of God. The Word speaks to small children, and it speaks to us at every stage of life. We see new things in familiar passages as we experience new things in life.

4. PLEASE READ 2 TIMOTHY 4: 1-5

These verses contain part of Paul’s farewell charge to Timothy. Vs..1 shows the basis for Paul’s final charge to Timothy. Paul was facing death. Thus he was thinking much about standing before the Lord. It is Christ who will Judge. So he charged Timothy like a person would stand before a judge.. Paul called two witnesses to hear his charge.: God and Christ Jesus.

Paul’s first charge was for Timothy to preach the Word. The entire written Word of God, His complete revealed truth as contained in the Bible. Some hesitate to do this today because it may not be politically-correct or even offensive. Yet the dictates of popular culture, tradition, reputation, acceptance, or esteem in the community (or in the church) must never alter the preachers commitment to proclaim God’s Word.

Timothy must be steady and dependable, instant in and out of season. His appearing generally refers to Christ’s second coming, when he will judge the living and the dead. He needed to continue to preach the Word no matter how he felt or how people responded. A preacher must comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. The negative side of Timothy’s ministry is seen in the words reprove or command and rebuke. The more positive side of preaching is in the word exhort, which can also mean “encourage.”

Vs. 3-4 predict hard times ahead for preachers of the Word. Timothy must be faithful because the time would come when people would not listen to sound doctrine or would want teachers that would please them. Itching ears is a graphic way of saying that they will listen only to what they want to hear. Every preacher knows what this means. Some people are content to allow the preacher to speak about issues that do not bring them into judgment, but they resist any preaching that focuses on their own kind of sins.

In the future people would turn away their ears from the truth and would turn to fables. Vs. 5, like Vs.2 is a string of short exhortations. Paul here identified for Timothy some qualities of a successful minister. Watch may carry the idea of being prepared for whatever comes. Endure affliction can apply to general troubles that come to all people, but it probably refers to the responses of people who reject the Word of God.

Do the work of an evangelist is crucial for anyone who preaches, teaches, or lives by the Word of God. The first purpose of the Bible is to tell the good news and invite people to turn to the Savior. Make full proof of thy ministry means “discharge all the duties of your ministry.” Paul wanted Timothy to have the same assurance as he had. That he too had “fought a good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.”

Paul expressed his own confidence in 2 Timothy 1: 12b “for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” In 2 Timothy 4:6-8 he said “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

CONCLUSIONS:

How grateful to God we ought to be for traveling evangelists and missionaries like the apostle Paul.

We ought also to be thankful that people converted by itinerant evangelists and missionaries often become great spiritual leaders like Timothy.

We ought to praise God when there are godly parents and grandparents who can influence young people, as did the family of Timothy.

While many great Christian leaders have come out of non-Christian backgrounds, far more come out of devout Christian homes and families and for this we ought to be grateful.

We ought to never underestimate the eternally important influence of a Godly family and the impact that can be made upon children for the future.

We ought to be grateful also that God has inspired the Scripture which we can study and from which we can learn how to obey and live for God.

The charge of the Apostle Paul to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4 is not just for ministers only but is rich in instruction for all Christians who want to live for Christ today.

NEXT SUNDAY DR. DOWDELL WILL TEACH US “WHY THE FAMILY SHOULD BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE CHURCH.” I HOPE TO BE PICKING ORANGES IN FLORIDA THE NEXT TWO SUNDAYS. OCT 21 AND 28, GOD WILLING.

A.V. DAUGHERTY 10-14-01

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