“I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.” Philippians 2:19-24 NIV
Who do you know that you could trust with absolutely anything? Do you have someone in your life that you know has the same heart and perspective on the important things in life? Someone you would trust to carry out your last wishes on earth? How many of us have someone like that? The apostle Paul did. He had Timothy.
The last preserved letter that Paul wrote before he was martyred was the Second Letter to Timothy. Timothy was Paul’s most trusted partner in ministry. In fact, Timothy’s name is right beside Paul’s in a number of places in the Bible. They worked closely together, but in Philippians Paul gives us a window into just how close they were. He describes Timothy as a “a son with his father” and says he has “no one else like him.” I sure would like someone to say about me what Paul said about Timothy! What made Timothy someone Paul trusted so implicitly and what makes him a good example for you and me to follow?
Genuine concern for the spiritual growth of others. Americans can be very self-focused. Just saying! It’s almost part of our culture to advance our own success in any area, without real concern for how it affects others. We think individually instead of collectively. Paul recognized some of that among the early followers of Christ and he commended Timothy for caring about others, especially for keeping the Gospel front and center in his concerns for others. Timothy had Paul’s heart when it came to Christ and His people. Just as Paul’s number one goal was to know Christ and make Him known, so Timothy had the same desire. Making disciples was Paul’s task, and so was Timothy’s. Preaching the Gospel was not enough. They wanted to see their Philippian friends grow in knowing Christ and living for Him and sharing Him with others. They wanted to make disciples who make disciples.
What about you, my friend? First, are you committed to developing your own spiritual life? Do you make pursuing Christ a priority? Does your calendar reflect that? And then, what are you doing to help others grow in Christ? You do know that that is not just a job for ministers, right?
Are you not only sharing the message of the Gospel, but your own personal faith? No one can ever debate your own experience with Christ. They can debate religion and theology, but they can’t debate your relationship with Jesus and your experience of Him in the midst of life. Do you have a growing relationship with Jesus? Take some time to really think about what He has done for you. Are you sharing what you know with someone else? To make a disciples that is all that you have to do. You don’t need a Bible degree. All you have to do is pass on what you know. You can do that!
Completely committed to the cause of Christ. Paul’s number one aim was to spread the good news of Jesus. His commitment was to fulfill the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19-20) and the Great Commandment (Mark 12: 29-31) because he understood that this is what Christ requires of those who call Him Lord. He commends Timothy for having the same heart and the same commitment. He trusted Timothy to fulfill the work. Timothy was so close to Paul that Paul called him son. He knew they were both committed to the same purpose and Paul trusted Timothy like he trusted no one else. One thing mattered to Paul: The Gospel. And he was confident that he could trust Timothy to carry on that work.
In this letter Paul is setting forth some examples of living for what matters and letting go of what doesn’t. He starts by giving his friends the ultimate example, the example of Christ Himself, who set aside His place in heaven and took “the form of a servant..” Then he indicates himself as an example. Here he moves on to Timothy. You can almost see Paul’s smile as he describes Timothy, a son with his father committed to the work of the gospel.
How committed are you, Dear Friend? No judgement! How committed am I? What turns my attention from the gospel onto my own interests and my own concerns? How distracted do I get by the phone calls and task lists? How encumbered do I become by the relationships and complications? My faith needs to be expressed through all these things, but at the core, the gospel needs to remain primary. Eternity is what matters most! Sharing Christ with those I interact with through my words and attitudes is a higher priority than making my life smooth. Wouldn’t it be great if we had no conflicts and we never had to pay any bills? Sometimes those things loom large, don’t they? Timothy is a reminder to me that, at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is the gospel. That’s it. That’s all.
Faithfully serve in the work of the Gospel. God hasn’t called all of us to the same task, but He has called each of us to take part in doing the work of the ministry. “What!” you say, “I’m not called to ministry! That’s the pastor’s job!” I am a pastor and let me say to you: Yes, it is your job! My job as a pastor is to equip YOU to do the work of the ministry. (Ephesians 4:11-13) If I am doing all the work and leaving nothing for you to do, then I am not doing my job. God has called each of us to participate in the propagation of the Gospel. Timothy understood that and Paul commended him. He served alongside Paul. They didn’t necessarily do the same tasks or function the same way, but they worked toward the same goal. Your pastor needs you to have that same attitude.
The task is too large for leaders alone. We need to work as one huge team to complete the task. Every human on the planet needs to hear the Gospel. Pastors and ministers alone just can’t reach every person. You are needed, my friend! Let Timothy inspire you to work alongside the leaders in your life. Know Christ and make Him known!
Dear Friend, you and I face a lot of challenges. That is certain. We are pulled in a myriad of directions by our families, our responsibilities, the loud opinions expressed in social media. There are so many things that can shift our attention from the things that matter most. Timothy shines out from the pages of the Bible as an example of living for what matters. He worked faithfully with Paul so that others might be saved, and poured his life into many to help them grow and become disciples who make disciples. He focused on what matters and let go of everything else. How about it? Ready to faithfully serve and help others grow as fully committed followers of Jesus? I’ll be you are!
Key Thought: Living for what matters starts with complete commitment to the Gospel of Christ.
A Scripture to Consider: “For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.” Philippians 2:21-22 NIV
A YES Challenge: Think about the leaders in your life. Who would you most like to learn from? Find ways to serve alongside them and observe their relationship with Christ and how they are making disciples who make disciples.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the example of Timothy. He wasn’t the main leader, but he served faithfully and made a difference for the sake of the Gospel. He left a legacy of faithfulness that I can see because of what Paul wrote about him. Help me to be completely committed to the Gospel so that I can live for what matters and let go of what doesn’t like Timothy did. Amen.