Greeting Members and Friends
It time once again for our weekly Sunday School preview so thanks for joining me and welcome back. The Winter Quarter entitled “Faith In Action” explores faith as both belief and action. The February unit is entitled “Self-controlled, Upright, and Godly Faith” and looks at passages from the books of Acts, James, and 1 Timothy emphasizing the importance of faith authenticated by works and faith that helps to transform lives. This Sunday’s lesson is entitled “The Good Fight of Faith” or “Be Strong”.
Timothy was a younger companion of Apostle Paul who travelled many places with him and whom he grew to have great love and confidence. Their relationship reminds me of the one between Dr. MLK, Jr. and Andrew Young in their struggle for civil rights. Dr. King and Apostle Paul were the leaders and mentors of their young companions and took most of the hits. But they trusted and relied on their younger co-laborers to carry out their important assigned task and even to stand in for them on occasion. They were both important to the work Paul and King were doing.
In the lesson today, Paul has send or left Timothy in charge to complete some things in Ephesus he wanted to do himself but was unable to get there to complete. The entire letter addresses the things he wants Timothy to know, do and teach in his place in order to establish the church there in Ephesus. In this 6th chapter of this 1st Epistle to Timothy, there are several major points Paul communicates. Paul addresses the slave’s or servant’s relationship to their masters. To protect the gospel from being maligned, slaves and servants were to give masters their proper respect, especially to those masters who were believers.
He cautions Timothy to be aware of and shun those whose intent is to foster debate and who fail to adhere to the words of the Lord and to godliness. Furthermore, he adds some see Christianity as a means to riches and gain. The desire for wealth and gain leads to apostasy and sorrow. Learn to be content with the necessities of life because we didn’t come into the world with anything and we can’t leave with anything. On the other hand, those who are rich and wealthy, should not trust in their riches, but instead share what they have and do good deeds and works.
Lay hold of eternal life by blamelessly pursuing righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness or meekness trusting and believing that from God you will receive the reward. He ascribes to God the knowledge of Christ’s return, true sovereignty and supreme rule, immortality, and unapproachable and invisible light. Finally, do allow yourself to be taken in or misled by those who trust in false knowledge or science in an attempt to discredit or circumvent the gospel. In other words, Paul is counting on Timothy to exercise the good fight of faith and to be the type of example the young church needs to get in up and going in his place.
Like Paul, Dr. King relied on Andrew Young to do some things he couldn’t get to or do himself and expected he would do them right and get them done. Paul instructed “his son in the Lord” to be faithful to the gospel and get whatever he needed him to do completed while reminding him for whom and for what he was doing it for. You can get a better understanding of this lesson by reading the daily SS readings found in your SS book which can also be accessed through our website and mobile app. Well, that’s all for this week’s preview. Be sure to join us in Sunday School this week for a fuller discussion of this lesson and the general topic of Faith In Action. So, until then
Grace and peace
Pastor Jordan
