The Practical Appeal

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Be a Good Steward

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In this chapter, Paul appeals to Timothy to be "practical". Some scholars call this "The Seven Goals of a Christian Minister". It would appear that Timothy was having an "identity crisis". We, like Timothy, go through times when we try to justify what the world does and as the result, "water down" what we believe as Christians. Here Paul is saying to Timothy, "Cut it out". Be faithful to your calling and he lists seven requirements for a good pastor, and of course, these principals apply to Christian layman also.

First, be a good steward. What is a "steward"? A steward is one who is faithful to his obligations. We hear a great deal about the "stewardship" of our money, and that, of course, is part of being a good steward, but here, Paul is talking about "stewardship of spiritual knowledge". Spiritual enlightenment either by the revelation of the Holy Spirit or by the learning of that knowledge from those who have been "spiritually enlightened", (the Bible), is not something that we keep to ourselves. We are allowed this learning that we might impart this learning to others.

It is important where and how we get our learning. Paul was very careful to teach only what he had been led by the Spirit to teach. Only once, in the letters of Paul, does he give his personal opinion (I Cor. 7:25.) It behooves all teachers to be very careful of the resources that they use in the preparation of their lessons. Paul says that spiritual knowledge should come from the Word of God, not from the philosophies of men. Paul loved the Bereans because when they heard the spoken word, whether from Paul or others, they went home and searched the scriptures to see if what they had heard was true. Paul believed that the ability to understand the Word was a gift of God's Grace, but we must work at it to the best of our ability.

To Timothy and to those of us who have spent much time in Bible study, Paul is saying that we must be good stewards of that learning, protect it, defend it, keep it pure and tell it to others.

Be a Good Soldier

We all know what a soldier is, but how does it apply to Christian endeavor? Paul suggests 5 things that will characterize a "good soldier" for Jesus Christ.

1. He will endure hard times or suffering. Many well-meaning people, like Job's friends, believe that "hard times" are brought on by sin, but we know that that is not necessarily true. Paul believed that hard times developed faith and character in a Christian just as it develops perseverance and skill in a soldier. A soldier that never gets tried, will never be much of a soldier. We, as Christians, need to develop these traits and they come by the experiencing of hard times.
2. He will avoid worldly entanglements. A soldier is totally committed to his commanding officer. We have been enlisted by Jesus Christ, He is our commanding officer. Some ministers are so involved in community and church affairs, that they have little time for the ministry. Some Christians are so involved in worldly affairs that they have no time for Christ.
3. He will not be "narrow visioned". We must not limit our vision to our own endeavors, we must try to see the large picture. As a soldier is part of a large unit consisting of many parts, each doing a job for the benefit of the whole, so we should see our job in relation to all of God's elect. All who are called by His Grace and enlightened by His Spirit, make up the church of Jesus Christ. A soldier who thinks only of himself, is disloyal and narrow minded.
4. His battle cry should be, "Remember Jesus Christ". Many battles have been won by the use of motivating slogans. Our battle cry should be to remind ourselves and others to remember Jesus and His sacrifice for us. He should be the motivating force for all that we do for the Lord. Soldiers are dedicated to their commanding officer, so we should be dedicated to the work of the Lord.
5. He must "trust" his commanding officer. This statement of faith here in verses 11 thru 13, was an early confession of faith. Trust is an important part of that faith. We demonstrate our trust in the obedience to the above four commands and in the way we approach death and other crises of life. If we believe that Christ, in His resurrection, conquered death, then we need have no fear of death. Trust is the key to joy in this world and the key to eternal life in the world to come. This is not to say that there will not be times of doubt in our lives, but Paul says in verse 13 that even our own doubt cannot change Christ. "If we are faithless, He remains faithful." We cannot put faith in our own faith. The faith that is soul saving and satisfying, is a gift of God, not a product of our ability. Realizing that our faith will falter from time to time, we find assurance in the fact that His promises do not. Therefore, we must put our faith in Christ, not ourselves.

An athletic is not crowned unless he competes by the rules. Many athletics have been disqualified because they ignored the rules. Paul often used illustrations involving sports in his writings. The Greeks and the Romans were enthusiastic about sports. The Isthmian and the Olympic Games were important events in Paul's day. Paul had already urged Timothy to exercise like an athletic, now he urges him to obey the "rules" like an athletic.

In Greece there were strict rules that an athletic had to obey.

1. He had to be a Greek citizen.
2. He had to have a good reputation.
3. He had specific standards to follow, relative to each of the events that he wished to enter.

If any one of these requirements were not kept or met, they were ineligible to compete. If one of these requirements had not been met and was not discovered until after the event, any metal that they might have won was taken from them.

Sometimes the victory belongs to the "looser". From a human point of view, Paul was a looser. Nobody was cheering Paul. Most had deserted him. Yet Paul was a winner. He had kept the rules and would receive his "crown". Paul was saying to us and to young Timothy, "The important thing is that you obey the "rules", the Word of God. It does not matter what people say for you are not running the race to please people, you are running to please God.

Be a Good Farmer

"It is the hard working farmer who ought to have the first share of the fruit of his labors." Paul often compares the Christian to farmers. Note in Paul's day, farming was a co-operative effort. Some plowed, some sowed, some watered and some harvested. Each deserved his share of the harvest. So it is with the efforts of Christians. All combining to do the Work of the Lord, only always remember, like the farmers, it is God who gives the increase.

There are some interesting facts about farmers. A farmer has to work. His livelihood depends on it. A field left to itself, produces weeds. A church left to itself, produces "weeds". A church, like a field, must be cultivated if it is to bear fruit. Secondly, a farmer needs patience. He must wait on the land to produce crops. He must wait on the rains to nourish the ground. The cycle is in the Hands of God, impatience will not speed it up. Thirdly, the farmer deserves his share of the harvest. In First Corinthians 9:11, Paul says, "If we have sown any spiritual seed among you, is it to much if we reap a material harvest from you?" I have seen churches that waste money on "trappings", and neglect the Pastor. God will honor a church that honors its Pastor.

Another parallel is true here, like the farmer, the "sower of the seeds of faith", the preacher and the teacher, always get more from the lesson than any one else. They get more joy out of seeing God use their efforts, however He might honor them. Farming is like witnessing, it is hard work, and it has many disappointments, but it also has many rewards.

Be a Good Worker

The fifth comparison that Paul makes in his effort to get Timothy to be a "practical" minister is to a "good worker". A good worker will not create problems and disputes but will do his best to eliminate them. To Timothy Paul says, "Remind the people of this."

As workmen for the Lord, whether minister or lay leader, we are to do the following:

1. Avoid disputes about "words". Two Hundred and fifty years ago, Matthew Henry wrote relative to this, "If people would only consider of what little use most controversies about religion are, they would not be so zealous to start them." To Timothy Paul was saying, make it your business to edify the church and strive to keep down controversies about the use of "words".
2. As a workman for the Lord, do your best to present yourself three ways. One, as one who is approved by the Lord. Two, as one who is not ashamed of God's work and three, as one who knows the "Word of Truth".

Timothy was ordained by Paul and called and approved to do the Pasturing at Ephesus. For this, he was not ashamed and by Paul's teaching and the leadership of the Holy Spirit, he was one who knew the "Word of Truth". In spite of all of this, Timothy seemed to lack confidence. The people of Ephesus were very out spoken and opinionated about religious matters. It was said of them that their times of fellowship did more harm than good as "well meaning" people exchanged their spiritual ignorance.

So we see, by these verses, what constitutes a "good workman" for the Lord. First, being approved by the Lord, second, not being ashamed, and finally, knowing the Word of God. Wiersby describes it this way:

1. To be approved means you are tested and found acceptable.
2. Not being ashamed has two parts, one, acknowledging our limitations and two, rejoicing in His Word.
3. To know God's Word is to have the understanding that is a gift of God.

As workmen, our works will be judged on the Day of the Lord. If our work is not acceptable, it will be burned but we, ourselves, will be saved. Those to whom much is given, much is expected. The burden of responsibility is very heavy. The question is, what kind of workman are you?

Be a Good Container

As Christians, we are containers of the Word of God. Notice, the Lord knows those who are His, those who are the containers of His Word and He had divided them into two groups. The "noble" and the "ignoble". Noble means highborn, possessing dignity. Ignoble means low born, not honorable and sometimes mean. In this case it has nothing to do with our physical birth, it relates to our spiritual birth. We should all strive to be "noble" vessels of God's Word.

Notice the parallel between the Church, the body of believers, and the church building. Verse 20 speaks of the "great house". This is the body of called believers. We see that this great house has a "solid foundation". This foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord. Notice this foundation is solid because it has God's seal upon it. In the Bible, a seal is a mark of ownership. The Lord knows those who are His and His seal is upon them.

Now it appears that in the great house at Ephesus there were two types of vessels. The difference laid in where they sought justification. This difference was brought on by the false teachers there at Ephesus. These false teachers taught that justification was the reward for performing ceremonies, observing sacraments, and doing good works. Thus placing the emphasis on works rather than faith. Those who followed these false teachers were seeking justification in the "doing of things" and here Paul compares their efforts to "wood and dirt". Wood will not survive the test of fire (I Cor. 3:13).

The second group, those who were faithful to the teachings of Paul, sought their justification by faith in Jesus Christ. They are called vessels of gold and silver. Fire purifies gold and silver. This group is useful to the Master, they become the good workmen that we talked about in the last section. If God is to use us we must be vessels that are filled with the "truth", available and willing to be led by His Spirit.

In every church, there are members of these two groups. We must be careful in the selection of our teachers, choosing those who are chosen by God and who teach that justification is the result of faith not works. Matthew Henry, in his commentary, calls this using "spiritual discernment". It's attractive to think that you are "earning" your way into heaven, but very false.

Be a Good Servant

This was directed to Timothy and to those who have the responsibility of dealing with false teachers. The key is being loving and not judgmental. We tend to dislike people like this. We accuse them of not taking a firm stand. But here Paul gives Timothy some good advise about dealing with any controversy that arises within the church.

Here Paul says to Timothy, as the Lord's "servant", do not be quarrelsome, but be kindly to everyone. The Greek word "doulos", here translated servant, actually means slave. So Timothy was a slave of Jesus Christ. A slave has no will of his own, he is totally under the command of his master. Once we were slaves to sin, now we are slaves to Christ.

Notice Paul's instructions to Timothy:

1. Avoid stupid and senseless controversies. Nothing is gained in an argument. Controversies, regardless how reasonable they may seem, usually create more problems than they solve.
2. Do not be quarrelsome, but be kindly to everyone. This takes the patience of Job. Some people insist on being troublesome.
3. To those people who insist on being troublesome, correct them with gentleness. Why? Because Timothy was God's servant and he was to deal with these people in a way that would bring repentance. Timothy's job was to bring consolation, not to win arguments.
4. He is to be an "apt" teacher, teaching by example. As a witness for Jesus Christ, he was to try to instruct those who differed with him, for God may be using him to rescue that person from Satan and bring about repentance in that persons life and escape from Satan's snare.

In this section called "The Practical Appeal", we have looked at the seven areas of the ministers work that Paul has passed on to Timothy. We can see from this that the position of minister is no place for a loafer. It demands discipline and work. We need to pray constantly for our ministers and just as important, we need to try to keep down controversies within the church.

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