2 Timothy 2
2 Timothy 2:15-17
15) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16) But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17) And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
How many people do you know who are full of vain babblings? We have a friend who seems unable to have a conversation in less than the thirty minutes it takes to add on her life story to a simple question, or at least that is how it seems. We live in a society that has to fill every minute of every day with sound. Any silence and people will try to fill it. The result is vain babbling. It is NOT good to talk, it is good to communicate. Whenever I do the school run I am amazed at how many there have moved from vain babbling to fill their empty speech with profanity. In order to fill five minutes with the simple statement, “hello”, they pad their sentences with fifty swear words. What is actually said either numbs the listener so they are insensitive to anything, or hurts when the words themselves are taken at face value.
We have a far better word to speak, yet so often we keep quiet. In the programing world I am continually seeking out new technology and code tricks so i am on the cutting edge and am ready to answer in any situation. In our walk with God we need to do the same. Study the word, then you will be ready to answer anything. If a handyman comes to put up a shelf and forgets to bring his drill they are mocked. If we come to speak to a friend and forget the tools of the Word of God then we also become a mockery. Study, and rightly divide the Word, then rightly divine how to apply it in any situation.
2 Timothy 1
2 Timothy 1:13-14
13) Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
14) That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
What is it that has been committed to us? What is it that we must keep by the Holy Ghost? Speaking of Timothy, it is written for us a few verses earlier. Paul laid hands on Timothy and prayed for him. God gave Timothy a gift. For Timothy that gift was an extraordinary ability to communicate sound teaching. All pastors need this gift, and not all have it, but Timothy did, and Paul warned him to hold on to it, to exercise it, and not let it go. What is your gift? What has God given you? It could be anything from the gift of hospitality to the gift of administration, from the gift of teaching to the gift of music. All gifts given by God must be used or they will go. When I was growing up I learned to play the cello. I was getting close to grade eight. I haven’t touched a cello in years, and although I can still play one if called upon I am no where near as good as I was. I do still use the musical ability I learned on other instruments, but the ability to make a cello sing is gone. Do not let spiritual gifts go the same way. Use them.
Timothy’s particular gift was in teaching. He had learned from Paul, and now was teaching others. We are all teaching others at the very least by our actions, either good or bad. However, are you holding on to sound teaching and passing it on? Who can you look to and say, look at how they are teaching others. I taught them that. This is not pride, but seeing God’s word fulfilled in our lives. Learn and teach, the cycle is endless. But always hang on to the best teaching, test every word against scripture, and pass it on.
Titus 3
Titus 3:2-4
2) To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
3) For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
4) But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
“Judge not, lest ye be judged”, is how this is said in other places in scripture. This puts a bit of a different spin on it however, “love others, as Christ hath love you.” When you see people do you judge them? when they make mistakes do you forget the times when you made the same mistake? Our duty is to help them through these trials so that they too can know the love of Christ in that area of their lives.
A few years ago I was sitting outside the basilica of St. Peter in Rome with a friend. As we eat our packed lunch we began to judge the people in the queue. In order to get in the guards would decide if their shorts, skirt or dress were two short, or their top to low. Basically if you showed too much skin you didn’t get in. So our conversation went along the lines of, “in”, “in, “no chance”, “in”, “no”, “in”... and so on. Eventually we turned to discussing solutions instead. If we had brought a load of cheap trousers, or sarongs we could have made a fortune.
Our attitudes usually declare if we think someone should be allowed into the kingdom of God. He decides that! Instead think how to help people get in. Make a difference by witness, not a judgement. You were once the same.
Titus 2
1 Titus 2:3-5
3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
This is not just a set of rules for old women, nor even a set of instruction for younger married women. The chapter deals with everyone. But I think this passage reflects badly on our society. “Aged women” are ignored as irrelevant at best, no-one teaches anyone anything. No-one listens to teaching even in schools. Young women do not know how to love their husband, nor young men to love their wives, often preferring not to marry at all. Especially here in central London the majority of parents do not know how to love their children. They fail to discipline, they fail to provide (child poverty is at an all time high), and they don’t spend any time with their children.As a church we are a little better, but we have room to improve. Discipleship needs to be ongoing, not just in spiritual matters, but also in practical things. What are we teaching our youth? What are those married a while teaching the newly married? What are we teaching about bringing up children? Our neighbourhood is in desperate need of these things, and we must be doing our part as children of God.
Pray for older people that they would teach and be respected. Pray for the younger that they would learn, and learn to love. Pray for families in this area that through our witness they may come to know God and receive his answers to the problems they face in their lives, day by day.
Teaching is all about communicating what to do, and who God is.
Admonishing is all about communicating what NOT to do, and why God says no.
Singing is all about what you are full of overflowing.
In your walk with God, letting the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.
Listen Now
Titus 1
Titus 1:8-10
8) But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9) Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10) For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
My first challenge of the day. Are you given to hospitality? I don’t mean, do you invite people round for Sunday lunch on a regular basis, though that is a good start. I mean, when people drop in (and the fact they feel they can is a good indicator things are going right in the first place) do they feel welcome? Are they likely to run into someone else when they drop in? I know I have a cultural advantage in that we expect people to drop in, and expect them to stay and eat with us, if we are eating and so on. But, the same is taught in scripture, so if your cultural heritage does not match up to scripture then change. Be the one that people come to for advice, that everyone knows will listen, will take things calmly and give a godly answer to all things. But be a lover of hospitality.
Challenge number two, do know the word of God? I am good at quoting scripture, though not to the level the Jews of old were, quoting whole books. I struggle to give references for the quotes at times. Memorising scripture helps a lot. But when you are asked a question, is your first thought to say what the bible says? You need that word in your mouth to give encouragement, and to correct those that teach bad doctrine. Never be afraid to stand on the word of God. People may argue the interpretation, but no-one can argue with the words of God.
1 Timothy 6
1 Timothy 6:11-12
11) But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
There are many things we need to flee in this life, but how much more important what we follow after? Every summer I have a choice of being in London, or Monte San Biagio (near Rome). Of course it is important to leave London and start the journey, however while on that journey, nobody really cares if I have left London. I could leave London in any direction. The important matter is that I take the road to (and a little beyond) Rome. As a man, or woman of God, you have left behind your start point in sin. The question is, what road are you following? Is it the road of righteousness, destination God?
Five things we are encouraged to follow after, with two actions. Follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness. All these things are attitudes. From them flows action. If you have an attitude of love toward someone then you will seek do things to help and please them. With a righteous attitude you will seek to do the things that are right in the eyes of God, and so on. All our lives are drive by our underlying attitudes and we must cultivate these godly attitudes in our lives.
As far as actions are concerned we are instructed to fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life. To use the trip to Italy example again, fighting the fight is like putting your foot down on the motorway and taking the most direct route, watching the TomTom for traffic warning so as to avoid them. Finally live eternal life starting now.
