Study Eight.
Timothy.
Bible reading: Acts 16:1; Acts
17:14–15; 18:5; 19:22; 20:4; Romans 16:21; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 16:10; Philippians
1:1; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 3:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Timothy; 2 Timothy.
“Then he came to Derbe and
Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a
certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek” Acts 16:1.
Date: a.d. 50.
Name: Timothy (“honoured by God”).
Greatest
Accomplishment: Timothy was
a second-generation leader of the church, trained by the apostle Paul.
1.
Timothy’s role in Scripture.
In the early church, travelling
ministers who travelled from place to place maintained communication between
the apostles and local congregations and between congregations. Timothy often
fulfilled this role as he went to a range of churches on missions for Paul.
Timothy is named with Paul in the
greeting of four New Testament letters (Philippians,
1, 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon), but most of what we know
about Timothy comes from the two letters of instruction and encouragement Paul
wrote to him.
Indeed, the letters to Timothy
have had a more lasting impact on the church than did Timothy himself.
2.
Timothy’s Life and Time.
Paul enlisted Timothy as a
companion on his second missionary journey. Luke noted that Timothy was the son
of a Jewish woman and a Greek father. According to Jewish custom that traces
Jewishness through the mother rather than the father, this meant that Timothy
was a Jew.
Timothy became a believer at an
early age, taught by his mother Eunice and Grandmother Lois.
“When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which
dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded
is in you also” 2 Timothy 1:5
Timothy may have been in his
early twenties when he began travelling with Paul, who would have been closer
to fifty. Paul clearly valued Timothy, and referred to him as “my fellow worker” in Romans 16:21, and three times
mentioned sending Timothy to churches as his representative (Philippians 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 3:2; 2
Thessalonians 1:7).
At the same time, it is clear
from the letters Paul wrote to Timothy that Timothy lacked the confidence and
the powerful presence of the apostle. In urging Timothy to let “no one despise your youth” 1 Timothy 4:12,
Paul seems to have had Timothy’s shyness in view, as well as the fact that in the
first century wisdom and authority were associated with age.
It must have been difficult for
the somewhat youthful Timothy to represent the apostle Paul and expect churches
to respond to his authority. In a real sense, anyone who is expected to step into
the shoes of giants, as the second generation of Christian leaders surely was
expected to do, face a discouraging task.
Yet Timothy, Titus, and others
like them maintained the truthfulness of the church, helped to preserve its pledge
of truth, and continued the spread of the gospel throughout the world.
3.
Timothy: An example for today.
Timothy can be a great
encouragement for young men and women who appear to be thrust into leadership
before they have matured suitably. God not only calls but also enables those
whom He intends to serve Him.
1. Timothy reminds us of the importance of having a
relationship with a mature believer who can counsellor us in the faith.
2. Timothy encourages us, for in Timothy we see that even
the young can play an important part in carrying out God’s purposes in the
church and the world.
3. Timothy challenges us to provide young people with
opportunities for tremendously important ministry. When youth are denied
opportunities to put their faith into practice, they will not catch a vision
for what God is able to do in and through them.
Young people may need guidance,
but they can
minister, as Timothy surely did.
Conclusion:
We need more people like Timothy,
to assist us in our faith today!
