The Ken Read Podcast

0712 ACTING IN IGNORANCE AND UNBELIEF

JULY 12 = 1 TIMOTHY 1

ACTING IN IGNORANCE AND UNBELIEF

We all have free will, so we can choose to do whatever we wish. Yet God chooses us, and calls each soul out of the crowd to hear his voice. What’s more, God’s will for us is general, carried out in living by the behavior he has told us to follow. And yet His will is specific, as each of us is led by the Holy Spirit’s guidance. You might say that God has a Plan A for all of us. Yet he seems to always be dealing with us on a Plan B. So if we were to post the status of our spiritual life on social media, I guess we might each post that our relationship with God is complicated, you might say.

Thanks be to God through Christ Jesus our Lord! None of us is so far gone that we cannot be saved, loved and drawn, in spite of the depth of our depravity! The Good Shepherd is more than willing to leave the 99 in the fold to come searching for us, in spite of our venomous hatred. And when we come home, each of us has been the cause of a heavenly celebration! 

Paul writes to the young man Timothy, his dear son in the faith, whom he has sent to work in Ephesus. Still early in his letter, Paul rejoices in his own salvation testimony. Let’s join Paul in his celebration.

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, 

Paul (Saul) had been considered trustworthy? As he says here, even though he was a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man. Even so, God knows and measures the heart, and the Lord saw the heart of a man of principles, a man radically committed to a cause he believed in. He was completely misguided, but he was faithful to his cause. After all, a rudder is only effective when the ship is in motion. So the Lord found a ship in motion and turned it around to go just as fast in the opposite direction. 

I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 

I think Paul is saying that God knew he was not doing what he did out of rebellion. He genuinely thought that he was serving God by persecuting Christ followers. So he was shown mercy because he didn’t know that he was opposing the very God he had thought himself to be serving. Others of us may also have been shown mercy, as well. But our testimonies might not be the same as to our internal state before mercy came in. So we might have different paths that brought us to the foot of the cross, but let’s see how similar all of our paths were from that point forward:

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.”

The grace of the Lord was also poured out on me, abundantly! How about you?

I also received faith in Christ Jesus when my blinded eyes were opened! How about you?

And the Lord filled my heart with love for others like I had never known before I met Jesus! How about you?

It was a saying in the early church, and it was probably one of the early Christ hymns of the church: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners!” That’s the best of news, because I am the worst of sinners! How about you?

Christ Jesus displayed his unlimited patience with the likes of me! How about you?

So I’ll declare my testimony to help others! How about you?

God’s unlimited patience with me can help others to believe in him! How about you?

When they believe, they receive eternal life! How about you?

People get ready. There’s a train a-comin’.

You don’t need no ticket, you just get on board.

I’m on board! How about you?

0713 PAGANS LEARNING TO WORSHIP 101

JULY 13 = 1 TIMOTHY 2

PAGAN LEARNING TO WORSHIP, 101

The apostle Paul was a Jew of Jews, called to start churches among Gentiles, such as those in Ephesus. 

“And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.

Gentiles did not have the same “church” background as Jewish believers would. Jews from all over Judea had heard about Jesus, and believed him to be the Jewish Messiah, the fulfillment of all those prophecies they had heard and memorized since childhood. 

But Gentiles had none of that background. Some Gentiles had worshiped idols, which may have included some of those truly vulgar and sensual practices that they saw as worship, but we would not recognize it in most circles today. Consequently, for many in the congregation, Paul needed to give some basic instructions on “proper” etiquette for worship. Consider this to be Worship for Gentiles, 101, from a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.

Imagine Paul was writing to a contemporary church plant that was maybe a year or two old. These people have never been to a church before. They had been to various temples of idols, where “worship” consisted of giving financial gifts, offering sacrifices (pouring out spices, slaughtering an animal, or even surrendering your firstborn child to become a sex slave in the cult worship of this god). Women take the lead. They dress up in their most elaborate attire and they bring the sacrifices. Men visit the temple prostitute to bring good luck in conceiving another boy to carry on the family business. These are the people who have now become followers of Christ. But they have no Bible, and they don’t know the Old Testament customs and Jewish ways of spirituality. This is the group to whom Paul has Timothy instruct on worship.

Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 

Paul tells those Gentiles that men pray with holy hands lifted up. Jews knew about the posture for prayer, raising hands and having eyes open and looking heavenward. But Gentiles not so much. And Gentiles didn’t necessarily grow up thinking of men as standing before their families to intercede. What’s more, Gentiles didn’t necessarily think of worship and prayer as being something that affects their relationships with others, to have holiness and have no anger or disputing. So Paul needed to tell them to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit when they pray and afterward.

I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. 

Just as the men needed to learn to step up and take spiritual leadership and authority in their homes and in the assembly, so women need to think differently about what happens in the gathering. Give up the dress-to-impress theology, and follow God, who cares about your morals, not your displays of wealth.

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 

The wives were used to being in leadership in family worship at the temples. But Paul is wanting men to take leadership in their prayers, and in their teaching. Don’t sit back and let your wives assume spiritual leadership of your family. It is your duty to take the lead, not to abdicate to your wife or mother. This is not just a cultural mandate from Paul; it should be understood within biblical history, as well.

For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 

This is why men should assume spiritual authority in their homes: because Adam failed to step up and protect Eve as he should have done. He was there with her, and he let her fall for the serpent’s lies. Just as men should be the ones who go to war, or who serve in public office, or who do the heavy work around the house. This is, in general, how God made things to work.

But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.”

This seems to be in line with the old adage, “A woman’s place is in her home.” Be a woman of faith—but don’t compete with your husband for who gets to have authority over the other. Love your family members and your neighbors—but don’t make the decisions about your family’s worship. Live in holiness with propriety—which means being morally pure and simple.

Maybe Paul would say all the same things to our society today. And maybe he would address things that are more culturally appropriate. Let’s brainstorm on that together…

0714 THE FIRST HOME TEST

JULY 14 = 1 TIMOTHY 3

THE FIRST HOME TEST

Do you know who knows more about your life than you might imagine? Your postal carrier. Your trash collector. Your Amazon Prime robot. They say that you can learn a lot about a person by looking at their checkbook, their trash can, and their calendar. I recognize that those three terms are all kind of old now, but the point is still the same. Whatever we might claim about ourselves, and whatever mask we put on at the church gathering, we see our true priorities by seeing what we actually spend money on. How much do we really give to charity, or spend on entertainment, or rack up in credit? Then, what do we throw away after using it? And what might we be ashamed of if people from the church saw what we have consumed or used during the last week? What does our calendar reveal about our true priorities, as opposed to merely our lip service? 

In this chapter, Paul gives a list of qualifications for shepherds and deacons. He has several items on his list, but let’s focus on what we might consider to be the first and most important of the tests: his home life.

Paul starts by saying that the overseer (shepherd / pastor / elder / bishop) is to be “above reproach.” And he begins the list of qualities of a deacon (servant / minister) as saying that they are to be “worthy of respect.” I think that most of the items on each list have to do with things that are not the same as the image we convey at church. In fact, the best and most accurate test for a man is his family. After all, says Paul,

“(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)”

How, indeed, shall a spiritual shepherd be proven? If he cannot “manage” his own family, then how do you give him less time and more souls and expect that he will do a better job with them? How could he advise other fathers and husbands, or empathetically listen to the complaints of the next generation against their parents? So Paul says, 

“He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.”

How do you know if a man manages his own family well? Look at the condition and order of the house itself. Then look at the people and their relationships, especially their relationships with him. 

And just how does a father get his children to obey him, anyway? And how does he do that with gentleness and love? To be sure, if he has not demonstrated mastery of that combination of gentleness and patience necessary to shepherd someone through the complexities of life, if he is distracted with family rebellion and unhappy wife and disorder under his own roof. So while he takes a long, hard look in the mirror, we do the same. And we ask, “Does he have time and energy, insight and consistency? Is there enough for the larger family of faith in his life? Can he handle it all?

The final item on the list is that overseers “must have a good reputation with outsiders.” So you might say an elder must be examined “inside” (family) and “out” (outsiders) before they are assigned to shepherd the “middle circle” of the church. The church’s reputation with the community is affected by the reputation of its  spiritual leaders. If you don’t yet know a man’s reputation with outsiders, then perhaps it is too hasty a season to lay hands on him.

And for deacons, he says, “they must first be tested.” So you might say that  deacons need a test before their evaluation. That’s a lot of scrutiny.

In the final judgment, Jesus said that everyone must give an accounting of every idle word. May you and I be ready for the final quiz.

Yes, this WILL be on the final exam. Amen.

0715 DON’T LET ANYONE LOOK DOWN ON YOU

JULY 15 = 1 TIMOTHY 4

I have long been intrigued by Paul’s brief exhortation to Timothy not to let anyone look down on him because he was young. How do you not let people do anything, I wonder? Because I know that in my own life, when I was young, people looked down on me. That’s because I was shorter than all of them, being a toddler, of course. How could I stop them? 

How could I? Really? How do I earn respect, when I am immature and live an inconsistent life? So I live with people ignoring me, and I recognize that I am still not effective in ministry as a young man. Maybe by the time I reach retirement age, I will have earned their respect and might measure up to my potential in the Lord.

And now I am 40 years old. Still a young man, by society’s standards. And I still hold back from being bold enough to speak with authority.

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, 

And then Paul writes this letter, and he tells me to stop letting this happen. It is time to take spiritual authority and snatch some from the fire, bring the immature to full life in Christ, to challenge the established saints to continue in their spiritual growth. But the church of Christ is suffering because of my timidness. I am Timothy, and I am conflicted as a minister of the Gospel. How do I keep people from looking down on me because I am young? Paul gives this advice:

“but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 

My confident lifestyle earns respect. Perhaps this is related to the directions about overseers being above reproach, and of having a good reputation with outsiders. So the evangelist who has appointed and is training those elders needs to set the standard in every aspect of life; speech, conduct, love, faith and purity.

Speak in such a way that you earn respect for your maturity. Don’t ever let the devil get a foothold in the lives of the church members. Be bold. Be strong. Be disciplined in your speech, so that you can bring others to maturity with you.

Conduct yourself in such a way that people will emulate what they see in your young life. Remember, you are never off duty, never free to indulge yourself. You are a full-time follower of Christ. Only after you have committed to such a way of conducting yourself can you say with Paul, follow me as I follow Christ.

Love in such a way that no one can dismiss you as a phony, or a hypocrite. After all, love is the truest mark of maturity, for love bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. So go and love your neighbor as yourself. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And people will be drawn to copy what they see in you.

Let your faith never waver. In spite of earthly circumstances and temporal difficulties, remember why you have come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Pray as if you believed. Speak from an eternal perspective. Listen as Jesus would. And see everything through the eyes of faith, knowing that your labor is not in vain. Your faith will inspire all who come in contact with the undeniable truth, that you are and you reward those who diligently seek you.

Let your purity be evidence of your faith, as you keep your covenant with your eyes not to look upon someone with lust. Let your vocabulary, your music and sources of entertainment be a steady witness to any who would come against you, that they will not be able to find just cause to dismiss your faith, because they see the purity of your motives and your actions.

“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

This is the end result of your personal disciplines: salvation, both for yourself and for your hearers. May we be heard loud and clear. Amen.

0716 CONCERNING WIDOWS

JULY 16 = 1 TIMOTHY 5

CONCERNING WIDOWS

In the culture of the first century, there was no Social Security, no 401K plans, no use of the word “retirement.” For that matter, there were no nursing homes or retirement communities or moving to temperate climates to enjoy their older years living off their earnings. There was no hospitality industry as such. People got older, they lived in the same house they had, and one day they die. After that, the firstborn son generally got at least a double portion of the estate, if not the whole thing. 

So what happened to widows when their husband died? If there was no Social security or retirement fund, then the man’s widow was suddenly destitute. She had depended upon her husband for years, and now she would depend upon her children to provide for her. If, of course, they had children. So to be a widow in that culture could be a truly dangerous situation.

In steps the church, which takes seriously the command to “honor your father and mother.” One of the clearest ways to honor your mother would be to care for her, feed her, provide for her needs for the rest of her days. But what about those widows who are “widows indeed?” That would be those who have lost their husbands and have also lost their children, or never had children. They are truly in need. And so the church sets up a ministry to help provide for those widows, and all is well. Right?

Well, there are a few exceptions that seem to come up as questions. What about this? What about that? Paul is answering some of the general principles to answer those questions. He opens by saying,

“Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.” 

These are the “widows indeed,” with no children or other outside support. “Proper recognition” probably means providing food and medical care, possibly even housing or other needs that come up.

“But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.”

But here is where families learn the full extent of the commandment that says “honor your father and mother.” This commandment contains the promise “that it may go well with you and you may live long on the earth.” Take care of your parents, and you will honor them and honor God, and it will go well for you, and you are likely to live long on the earth.

“The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 

There is a positive final chapter for a widow indeed, if she makes use of her station to engage in prayers and to put her hope in God. She might be like Anna in the temple who saw Jesus as a baby and prophesied over him. She might be an honored matriarch of multiple generations, known for her wisdom and being an example of how to graciously age and complete the course set for her.

But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 

But there is another story of the widow who turns out to be a taker who is living for pleasure. She is not a source of wisdom, not an example to follow. She is simply waiting for death to come and interrupt her responsibility-free life.

Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 

Once again, it is commanded that children honor their parents, so Paul is saying that if they continue to withhold from their widowed mother, they are being worse than an unbeliever, because they bear the reputation of the heart of Christ in their life.

No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. 

There is a reason for each of Paul’s requirements. 

Over 60

Had been faithful to her husband.

Well known for her good deeds (e.g., bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble, devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.)

As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 

That first requirement of being over 60 is elaborated on now. A younger widow may want to remarry, which is fine. But here we discover that those on “the list” seem to have included a life-long vow of chastity, and the vow would be broken if she remarries. As Jesus said, let your yes be yes, and anything more than that comes from the evil one.

Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. 

And here we see something that Paul has noticed before. People, and particularly women, being strongly relationally-driven, tend to get into the business of others, and a prayer request sort of turns into a gossip session. Plus, if they are now being cared for so that they don’t need to work in order to eat, they might fall into the temptation of becoming idle. As Paul says elsewhere, if a man will not work. He shall not eat.

So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan. 

So Paul offers counsel. It is not a command, but it is some advice. Some of those younger women who made this vow ended up leaving the faith altogether because of the church’s generosity. The support for these women became an enablement, not a help. They spent their time drifting away from prayer and toward things of the earth. 

This, by the way, is the biggest problem with any “equal” program of support. Some people need the support, and having that, their hearts respond the way as would be expected. But others who get the same thing end up taking it for granted and they drift off to being more worldly, the opposite of what the goal was.

If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.”

And here is the closing practical advice. A woman has volunteered to take care of some widows who are in need. Maybe those widows were part of her family. Maybe her husband brings home enough money that they can afford to have a few houseguests. Maybe she and they are doing their own business and it is working for them to make fabric or sell at the market or whatever. In any case, Paul says to let them continue so as to avoid being an unneeded burden to the church.

Let me try to put all this together for some very practical charitable advice from Paul to us:

1. Some people can work and they do work. They do not need to receive charity. But they generously give to charity so that there will be no need among the church.
2. Some people can work but they will not work. Do not give them charity, or the free money will only enable them with too much free time, which often ruins relationships and even faith.
3. Some people cannot work. They are the truly needy, and we focus our charitable efforts on such people. It is equitable and right, and can help the receivers to honor the Lord by using their energies for what is good.
4. Some people might take a vow of chastity, poverty and obedience. Support those people, for they are dedicating their work-able strength to go toward the kingdom.

0717 THE LOVE OF MONEY

JULY 17 = 1 TIMOTHY 6

THE LOVE OF MONEY

Have you ever heard the expression, money is the root of evil? If so, did you know that it comes from the Bible? And if so, did you know that it was kind of misquoted? Let’s find out the nuances of this old proverb.

The actual statement is “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” And its context is found in 1 Timothy 6. Here Paul is talking about what we live with and what we live without, and why we make those choices. He starts with this:

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 

Elsewhere, we heard Paul say that he had learned the “secret” to contentment. So he could live with wealth or poverty and be content. Here he says some of the same things. After all, “we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing with us.” As Job said, “Naked I came into this world, and naked I shall return.” That kind of perspective helps me to ask why I spend so much energy pursuing things that I can only use for my lifetime? When I’m gone, even if heaven is not my reward, I won’t have need of or use for those things that I acquired. And if I find a way to pass them on to my children, or even on to their children, at some point my prized possessions will break, or rot, or be stolen, or go out of style, just as Jesus said they would (except for the going out of style part).

Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 

Life can provide so many temptations. We become discontent over many ambitions. We want affirmation from others. We want to be famous. We want to succeed in the public arena. We want money, yes, that’s what we want! With money, we can BUY all those other things we want. With money, my name could be known everywhere. With money, I can have that car or house or thingamabob that turns heads and draws attention. With enough money, I no longer have to work for a living! I can involve myself in other people’s business, or can buy a company and change the world from the top down. I could live like a king! Wake up when I want, do what I want, eat what I want, sleep whenever I want. Yes, that’s the perfect solution! And then, too late, I realize that I have fallen into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge me into ruin and destruction.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. 

Yes. It was that love of money that started all this. The love of power. The love of independence and selfishness. The love of self. Greed. Covetousness. Envy. Excess, drunkenness and carousing. Gluttony, loss of self-control and loss of consideration for others. The lust of the flesh. The lust of the eyes. The pride of life. All that is in the world, according to John. Money is not the problem here, you may notice. Rather, it is the LOVE of money that does you in.

Here, then, is Paul’s instruction for how to overcome the love of money and its sinful influences within you.

Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 

What happens when we are eager for money? We stop relying on God, and only think about ourselves. We stop believing in God to meet our needs, because we imagine that our vast money allows us to gain just about anything in the world, we find ourselves deeply grieved and without a solution.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

So, what are those to do who alreadty have great wealth? Zacchaeus volunteered to give away much of his fortune gained from tax collecting. Jesus told the rich young man to sell everything and give it to the poor. Maybe it takes something as radical as that for us to get to heaven. But what if it did? What if that was what God said? Would you do it?

Here is the ironic balancing truth to this teaching: God gives us everything for our enjoyment! We are SUPPOSED to find pleasure in the things of this world! But if we are not truly content with whatever God gives us, rather than finding pleasure, we find envy about the “next” thing we need. 

Our advertising culture and online robots are trained to elicit in each of us discontent. To convince us that we will be happy if we can just get that one. More. Thing. And so we forget the secret to contentment. The reason that we live.

Godliness with contentment is great gain. May you be content today. Amen.

0718 THIRD GENERATION FAITH

JULY 18 = 2 TIMOTHY 1

THIRD GENERATION FAITH

As I gathered in our living room with most of the members of our family, children and grandchildren, all joined together in worship and now ready to hear our monthly encouragement from Grampa Read, I was struck with a perspective that I could have said years ago, but hadn’t felt it like this until now.

“It strikes me today that my job as a father is NOT to raise children to adulthood. It is to raise my children to raise THEIR children. The aim is the third generation, after all.

I then went on to enumerate the genealogical line from Adam through the generations, looking for examples of fathers who raised their sons, and whose sons also raised HIS son. Here is what I found:

Adam had two sons. One killed the other. Not a good start. Then he had Seth. Seth became the father of Enosh. We are not told about their spiritual relationship with God, but later we get to Enoch. Enoch “walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”

Enoch became the father of Methuselah, who seems to have lived right up until shortly before the great flood, which involved Methuselah’s grandson, Noah. And Noah “found favor in the eyes of the Lord.’

In turn, Noah had three sons (Shem, Ham, Japheth). After the flood receded, God established his covenant (the rainbow is its sign) with Noah and his descendants that he will not destroy the earth with the flood again. And then Noah got drunk, and one of his sons (Ham) made fun of him, and Noah cursed Ham’s SON, Canaan!

Much later, we see the line of kings of Israel, and it seems predictable that about every other generation of king was good, and then his son was bad. Down in Judea, David was a good king (except for the Bathsheba thing), and it was Bathsheba who had Solomon. Solomon was wise, it’s true. He built the temple, to the glory of God. But then he had two sons, who ended up splitting the kingdom of Israel and establishing that awful revolving door of good king/bad king.

In contrast, we see Timothy and what Paul says about his spiritual roots. And I think this is how it should be. Paul says, 

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”

‭‭Sincere. Not surface. Not fake.

Faith. Not pretend. Not a set of rules.

That sincere faith first lived in his grandmother Lois. That is as beautiful a statement as you can find. Made all the more sweet by saying “AND in your mother Eunice.” And even better, he says it now lives in Timothy! Such a multigenerational heritage!

My son was starting up his business of home renovations. And it struck us to name the business “Third Generation Restoration.” We are out to help people with their houses. But our mission is to help restore families along the way.

How about you? Are you praying for the NEXT generation to raise the NEXT NEXT generation, that we might pass on a sincere faith to each? It is the most important job we could ever have. Amen.

0719 THE MASTER’S PLAN FOR MAKING DISCIPLES

JULY 19 = 2 TIMOTHY 2

THE MASTER’S PLAN FOR MAKING DISCIPLES

Jesus preached to the crowds. But then the crowds left him when he said something hard. They shouted “Hosanna to the son of David” on Sunday. And then on Friday they shouted “Crucify him!” Our Lord knew about crowds. That’s why he never chased after them. He wasn’t out to see how big a crowd he could draw.

Instead, Jesus went up on a mountain and prayed all night. Then he carefully chose twelve men who could be with him and learn by watching, by learning the stuff of the Spirit that goes on behind the scenes, by being saturated in ways of God. He calls them his children, and shows them the Father.

Having poured himself into these twelve men for three years, Jesus sends them on a couple of short ventures to do what they had seen him do, and they are hugely successful. And Jesus laughs and rejoices that God has shown his secrets to the innocent children who are his followers. And the followers (“disciples”) are ready to be sent (“apostles”) at last.

Yet, even though Jesus hand-selected these men, one of them betrayed him and sent him to his death. Another one betrayed him. All of them fled into the night when it got scary. And Jesus died alone.

Yet our Lord had bet everything he had on these twelve. In spite of their extreme failure when he needed them most, he knew it was the Father’s will. And he knew that the Resurrection would change it all. And then he left. And, sure enough, just as he had planned and prayed, those men went into all the world and preached to all nations, teaching them everything the Lord had shown them. And he was with them always, even when it was worst, to the end of the ages.

This is the Master’s plan for evangelism, and his strategy for making disciples. Paul outlines it all in a sentence when he writes to Timothy,

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

Here is the outline, listed briefly:

1. Say the message to the crowds of many witnesses. But don’t worry about the crowds.
2. Find a few who want more. Note that it is just a few. Jesus was full-time at what He was doing, with no side job and no family, but he chose only twelve—and only had eleven of them graduate with passing grades. How many would you have time to truly pour into? 
3. Be sure these followers are “reliable.” (Trustworthy in some translation). Test them before you invite them. Let them count the cost and know what they are committing themselves to do.
4. “Entrust” to them the treasures that you find. Pour it into them. Let them watch you, let them imitate you, purposefully sit down with them and share with them the secrets of the kingdom that you have discovered. Have them follow you, as you follow Christ. 
5. They must also be qualified to teach others. This is how it gets passed on from Jesus to the world. They know where things are going, and agree to it before you get started.
6. You must send them out and let them go after they have completed their training. You started as their mentor. You became their spiritual father. But now you become a consultant, and you move on to invest in others.

If you faithfully follow the Master’s plan, He will change the world through you! 

Want proof? If you start at the age of 30 and spend three years doing a discipling relationship with just two people, and then you move on to another group each time, you will have discipled 26 people by the time you turn 70. But if each one of them is faithful to do the same as you have done, your disciples will have trained 156 others in those same years. If, in turn, each of the people that they disciple does the same, there will be an additional 17,876 more! So you will have reached over 18,000 people for Christ in your lifetime.

Who has discipled you? Are you ready to reach out and ask someone to mentor you? Who would you invite to learn from you? What will you tell them? So many questions. So many plans.

But the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. May you and I take our first step today. Amen.

0720B WHAT IS YOUR NAME (SONG OF THE WEEK)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

(I wrote this song a couple of years ago while reflecting on the account of the deliverance of the Gadarene demoniac, and also of Simon whom Jesus renamed the apostle Peter. Jesus had great authority to be able to declare someone's name. His view of me is just as profound.)

What is your name, He asks me

What is your name?

And what can I say? He knows the truth. I cannot lie.

What is my name you ask me

What is my name?

My name is Legion for many demons dwell here inside me

They are what guide me

My name is Simon, one who denied You

That's what defines me, that's what describes me

I am guilt for what I've done

I am shame for who I am

I am failure yesterday and yet today it's still the same

It is my past it is my future

What is Your name, I ask You

What is Your name?

And You say You are the Way You are the Truth You cannot lie

Here is my name, You tell me

This is Your name:

"I am Jesus called the Christ.

I am the Living One who died

I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End

And all authority in heaven and on earth is in my hand

And I declare that where you are is not defined by where you've been!

This is your name

This is your name, it is your future:

You are Peter, you're a rock and the gates of hell shall not prevail

Now you are sane and self-controlled 

You are delivered you are whole

You are freed from what you've done

You're a child of the I AM

and you're forgiven that's your name

The old is gone

The past is past

The new has come

You’re free at last

Now claim your future.

0720 THE WORD

JULY 20 = 2 TIMOTHY 3

THE WORD

Words mean things, as a radio commentator used to say. That’s why they are important. Because they contain the means by which we communicate ideas with others. Without words, we have very few other ways to communicate clearly.

There are a couple of Greek words that are translated as “word:” logos and rhemos. Logos is the main one that we read about in the New Testament. It has to do with the declaration from God, or the story of God.

Paul charged Timothy to “Preach the word.” Tomorrow let’s talk about the art of preaching. Today, let’s focus on that “word” that he was to preach.

READ THE WORD / SAY IT

Timothy was commanded to read publicly.

 “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:42‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6:4-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 

LET THE WORD CHANGE YOU

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:14-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:10-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:97-99‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:105-106‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 

JESUS IS THE WORD 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:1-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

THE GOSPEL = 1 TIM 1:15

““Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:22-24‬ ‭NIV‬‬