Letters
1 Tim 5:1-25
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
Shepherding the Flock audio
Over the last couple of weeks we've looked at the criteria for choosing elders and deacons, we've read Paul's instructions to Timothy to guard his inner life, to train himself in holiness, and now we come to more instructions, this time to do with how he's to relate to others in the congregation and how to arrange the ordering of ministries in the congregation.
First we find an instruction about how to deal with older men. The context is one where Timothy might need to rebuke someone, to pull them into line. In such a case he's to be careful not to speak harshly to such a man but rather to exhort him as a father.
Now notice first of all that Timothy, as the elder appointed by Paul to lead the church, has a responsibility to keep order in the church. This has been a constant theme throughout the letter: he's to correct and admonish those who might lead the congregation astray. So despite the difficulty he might feel in rebuking an older man, he has to do it. In fact he's to do it at whatever level the person is in terms of seniority.
1 Tim 4:1-16
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
Pursue Godliness audio (5MB)
I want to talk to day about how we can be spiritually healthy. We'll come back to the first few verses later but for now just notice what he says in v6: “6If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed.” The first thing we need if we're to be spiritually healthy is to make sure we're being nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that we receive from God's word. But good food isn't enough. On its own it'll just make you fat. No you need to use the food productively. So he says: “Train yourself in godliness, 8for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance.”
Training in godliness is something that begins when you first become a Christian and continues for the rest of your life.
1 Tim 3:1-16
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- Written by: George Hemmings
Leaders audio (5MB)
Yesterday was a very important day for Australia. Yesterday, we exercised our power to elect a new government. Regardless of what you thought about the main candidates and parties, or their policies, voting is a great privilege and a big responsibility. We get to decide who our leaders should be.
Here at St. Thomas’ we regularly face the same question. We’re about to start a new playgroup, and one of the things we’ve got to work out is who should be the leader? Earlier this year we had to ask, who should we appoint as our Mandarin minister? Every year we have to ask ourselves who will be our leaders on vestry? In a few years, when we let Chris retire, we’ll have to work out who should replace him? Who should serve as a warden? And who should lead our bible studies, our music ministry, our kids clubs and Sunday school? But what should we look for in our leaders?
1 Tim 2:8-15
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
Worship audio (4MB)
In 2:3&4 Paul says: “This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” He reminds us that there is only one God and only one mediator between God and humanity, Jesus Christ. So he first asks us to pray for those who don’t know Jesus, but then he goes on to tell us how we should conduct ourselves when we come together to worship. Some of what he says is for good theological reasons, but much has to do with presenting a face to the world that promotes the Gospel rather than undermining it.
He speaks separately to men and women. The issues are different for men and women. And the instructions he gives speak to both our public presentation and our inner being.
1 Tim 1:1-11
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
False Teaching audio (5MB)
1 Tim 1:1-11
It’s interesting that the two places where Paul spent the most time in his missionary travels, Corinth and Ephesus, appear from his letters to have the most problems. He certainly spends a lot of his time writing to correct the errors that were being introduced by certain people. But then we shouldn’t be surprised about that. Wherever God’s ministers are doing good work we can expect Satan to be working hard to oppose them. In fact, on his final visit to them, Paul warned the Ephesian elders to look out for opposition. Let me read you what he said as he addressed the Ephesian elders: “29I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them. 31Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears.” Acts 20:29-31 (NRSV)
