Action

Entrusted to Teach

Posted on by Bob Mathews

As the apostle Paul penned his second epistle to the evangelist Timothy, he faced an uncertain future.  Even as the epistle began, the issues of life and death occupied the mind of this preeminent servant (2 Tim. 1:1) who probably gave his life for the cause of Christ soon after writing to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:6).  In what was, seemingly, Paul’s last inspired communication to his beloved Timothy (2 Tim. 1:2), Paul emphasized truths not only dear unto himself but as well placed an emphasis upon those things which must be done after his departure in order to secure the church in succeeding generations.  Paul, as a spiritual father to Timothy, looked longingly to the immediate and distant future with a protective eye.  He would not leave Timothy without direction as Timothy faced the challenges of the day without the wisdom and guidance of the great apostle.  In this most intriguing context, the beloved apostle admonishes the young evangelist concerning several things, including his teaching responsibility.  Paul did not leave this world before he laid foundational stones which support the church very well to this very day.

In a review of 2 Timothy, we note the consistency flowing from the pen of Paul as he continually entreated Timothy to focus on his primary objective, the teaching of the Word of God.  A quick reading of the text evidences this observation:  Paul admonished Timothy to:

(a)Stir up the gift of God in him.     1:6

(b)Not be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord.     1:8

(c)Hold fast the form of sound words.     1:13

(d)Put them in remembrance.     2:14

(e)Rightly divide the Word.     2:15

(f)Be apt to teach.     2:24

(g)Instruct those who oppose themselves.     2:25

(h)Preach the Word.     4:2a

(i)Do the work of an evangelist.     4:5

Additionally, Paul presented himself as both a preacher and a teacher (1:11) in whom the Word would not be bound (2:9).  In the spirit of 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul leaves himself as an example after which Timothy may pattern himself after Paul’s departure.

Perhaps one of the most compelling admonitions of the entire epistle was gracefully presented in 2 Tim. 2:2.  With a protective eye on the future of the church and a genuine interest in the souls of men, the apostle Paul looked beyond the immediate and personal labors of Timothy and focused on the potentially broad impact that he may have in his own generation and in generations yet to come.  The apostle vividly saw the value of preparing others to spread the Word along side men such as Timothy as well as after such passes the scene.  Here the apostle Paul said, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2:2; NASB).

Our congregation faces the same challenges today that were faced so courageously by first century Christians.  Our present need of teachers is as important for our congregation as it was for the area where Timothy labored so long ago.  If the membership of a congregation fails to meet the challenge of teaching those under its care and guidance, they will surely answer to the Lord.  May we as members conscientiously review and tap into our genuine potential and seriously consider making a firm commitment to be a part of the teaching of God’s Word to those that will come after us.

The Ideal Congregation (Pt. 5)

Posted on by Bob Mathews

The ideal congregation responds in a positive manner to the plans of its leadership, especially when a congregation is led by an appointed godly eldership.  Christians were exhorted to “obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: For they watch for your souls, as they that must give account…” (Heb. 13:17).  On the one hand, we must obey our elders both in matters of faith and matters of judgment as such concerns the work and well-being of the local congregation.  On the other hand, may our elders have the courage and vision to plan the work of the congregation so that unity, truth, and the mission of the church are supported and fulfilled.

To achieve and maintain the above aspirations, we as members should establish and nurture a trusting, respectful relationship with our elders.  The effort required to do so must be reciprocal, all parties making their best effort to work well together.  Additionally, may we respond to leadership plans by seeking out an active role in the actual implementation of the work.  If improvements are needed or desired in our cooperative efforts, may we employ well-timed constructive criticism whose only goal is to assist in improving our work.  In this manner we will bring a greater measure of glory to both the Father and the church as we struggle together to do the work of the Lord.

The ideal congregation practices liberality in both attitude and action, especially as such relates to the planning, organization and implementation of individual or congregational spiritual labors.  The apostle Paul, in commending liberality, encouraged the brethren in Corinth to sow bountifully (2 Cor. 9:6) and to “ lay by him in store as God hath prospered him“ (1 Cor. 16:2).  He set before the congregation the sacrificial liberality of the Macedonians to motivate them unto similar action (2 Cor. 8:1-7).

Liberality may be rightfully exercised in contexts that may not involve financial interests and be equally important and impacting.  May we as the people of God better learn the art of liberality in mercy (Col. 3:12) and compassion (Matt. 18:21-35), thereby relieving others’ affliction as prompted by a heart that is truly touched by their distress.  May we better develop loving concern for all men (Rom. 13:8) so that we better imitate our heavenly Father (Eph. 5:1; John 3:16).  May we exercise liberality in the commitment and use of both our time and our talents in the work of the Lord (Matt. 25:14-30).  Such liberality is wisely exercised in all good works that the Father demands of us individually.  In order to successfully attain the worthy goal of liberality, may we be as the Macedonians who first gave themselves unto the Lord (2 Cor. 8:5).  Only then may we prosper as we never have before.

Staying Motivated to Win Souls

Posted on by Bob Mathews

Being motivated to win souls in personal evangelism does not happen accidentally.  It occurs as a consequence of several factors which the Bible demands of children of God and is also the result of the heartfelt realization that there is an ongoing need for evangelistic activity.  I suggest we do the following ten things as we seek to develop and maintain motivation to win souls through evangelism.

  1. Love the Lord with all our heart and share our love. – Matt. 22:36-38
  2. Love our neighbor as our self and share our love. – Matt. 22:39-40
  3. Focus on the great spiritual danger confronting mankind. – Eph. 6:10-13
  4. Focus on the great number of lost souls. – Matt. 7:13-14; 20:16.
  5. Focus on mankind’s inability to save self. – Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 5:12-17.
  6. Focus on the few number of workers bringing in the harvest. – Matt. 9:37-38
  7. Focus on the limited opportunities we have to win souls. – Matt. 25:14-30
  8. Focus on the grace of God operating in our lives. – 1 Tim. 1:13; Eph. 3:2, 8.
  9. Focus on the Word’s power to change lives. – Rom. 1:16; 2 Tim. 3:16-17.
  10. Focus on a positive, confident attitude. – Phil. 4:13; 2 Cor. 5:6, 8; Heb. 11:1.

Personal evangelism is necessary in every community if the church is going to continue to exist and have the opportunity of thriving numerically and spiritually.  We, as other congregations, face the inevitable aging process, the decease of older members, and other causes which may reduce membership from time to time.  Let us have renewed interest in personally being involved in evangelism.  As members of the church we have to do our part in this work, in fact, the Lord demands that we use our abilities and talents as opportunity permits.

Just because it seems like the world around us is walking farther away from God, we are not excused from doing our part to win over those souls. Saving souls really comes down to us having the desire to help those that are lost without God to find Him through His Son. If we truly care about more than our own salvation, we have to look at all people with the same loving value and desire for their salvation that God looks at all. He desires all to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth! Do we caring that desire? God wants all. How many are we willing to reach out to on His behalf? We may be the answer from God for someone who is seeking the truth. Don’t let opportunities to assist in the saving of souls slip by.

Promises of God – He will fight for you!

Posted on by Bob Mathews

“The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (Exodus 14:14).

In the book of Exodus, there is an amazing situation that comes about when you get to chapter 14. This is a moment, early in the outset of the people of Israel, when they have fled Egypt and headed for the wilderness. Even having been “let go” by Pharaoh (Ex. 13:17), his hardened heart led him to chase after the Israelites with an army. You can probably imagine how terrifying it might be for people who where servants, having nothing, to see the Egyptians rising up and giving chase. However, in that moment of panic God was there for them. He not only protected them with the pillar of cloud (Ex. 14:19), but He also gave them a way to safety (Ex. 14:16).

Just as God fought for the Israelites when they were stuck between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, God has fought for you through Jesus. He fought and defeated the power of sin in your life. This means  you can do the right thing even when it’s difficult. Even the apostle Paul said that he had a hard time doing the right thing because his selfish desires kept urging him to do something else. Everyone who wants to please God faces this problem. However, Jesus went up against all of your selfishness and temptations. He fought the battle to clear the way for you to do all the right things. The wonderful fact is that He won that fight.

Moses told the Israelites, “You shall hold your peace.” That’s true for you. You can stand firm because Jesus has already won your battle. Does that mean you just hang around, doing nothing? No, you can determine to stay strong, stay close to Him, and keep believing that He’s already won.

You are not alone. God has always been there for you. God has been fighting for you from the beginning. He was willing to give up His Son in that fight for you. He wants to be there for you and give you peace, but He can’t force it upon you. If you want true peace and safety no matter what gets thrown your way, then draw near to God.

FACT of the Gospel

Posted on by Bob Mathews

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John present the one true gospel (see Gal. 1-6-9) from four different perspectives. Each writer has a particular audience in mind as he portrays the life of Jesus. Major themes within each account compose the acrostic “FACT.”

Fulfillment. It is believed that the Gospel of Matthew was sent primarily to Jewish Christians. Matthew uses the genealogy of Jesus to prove he is the fulfillment of prophesy the Messiah. Matthew includes the greatest number of quotations from the Old Testament in any New Testament book. Matthew also discusses divine intervention in the world of men and establishes Jesus’ sinless nature and position as master teacher. He does this to prove that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the fulfillment of the Old Testament because that is the goal of the book.

Action. It is believed that the Gospel of Mark was sent primarily to Gentile Christians, possibly in Rome. Mark’s account is the most concise as he portrays Jesus as a “man of action,” a powerful miracle worker. The episodes of Jesus’ life are woven together by the Greek word eutheos which is translated “straightway,” “immediately,” “at once,” and “without delay.” It is used 42 times throughout the short 16-chapter book.

Compassion. The Gospel of Luke was addressed to “most excellent Theophilus” (Luke 1:3), but it was certainly intended for a wider audience among the Gentiles. This book was the first of two volumes, the second being Acts. Luke demonstrates the compassion of Jesus for the disenfranchised of Jewish society: women, the poor, Samaritans, tax collectors, and sinners. Luke also helps comfort all those who read his writing of the gospel by providing a sense of assurance in the accuracy of the message. He lays out facts in an orderly fashion, but not merely just trying to present history. He presents historical facts that point to something greater/significant – the fact that God has entered into human history offering His Son as the payment for the sin of mankind. No greater compassion can be shown.

Truth. It is believed that the Gospel of John was written for Christians and non-Christians alike, possibly in Ephesus. John emphasizes the evidence or testimony for faith in Jesus. “Truth” is a key word, occurring over 50 times in the account. Jesus’ miracles are signs that testify to the truth: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. (John 20:30-31 – “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”)

The FACT of the matter is that Jesus is the Fulfillment of everything that was told and promised, the perfect man of Action to carry out God’s will, Compassionate in a way that proved God’s love was shown for all mankind, and the Truth that we need to believe in and bear witness of in our own lives.