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Good morning “Walking with Jesus” friends, today we are in Paul’s first letter to Timothy, the end of chapter 2. Paul had commissioned Timothy to remain in the great city of Ephesus for a while, giving leadership and continued instruction to the Christians there.
May I ask a question of all of us? As we step into 2020, do you have a sense God has entrusted to you some type of assignment, be it temporary or long term? When Paul had written to the Christians in Ephesus, he had given them many instructions that would help them in living God honoring lives. He put it this way: “For He (God the Father) chose us in Him (Jesus) before the creation of the world to BE holy and blameless in His sight.” (Eph. 1:4) In verse 7 of 1 Timothy 2, Paul once again re-affirms his personal assignment from Jesus. “For this purpose I was appointed a herald, an apostle… and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.”
So as we begin 2020 I wonder what the purpose in life is for each of us? What shapes your daily priorities? What draws the attention of your time, your energy, your thoughts and even your prayer? Paul had one driving ambition... the assignment he felt Jesus had given to him, which was to take the story of Jesus to as many people as he possibly could, especially in places where Jesus was unknown. (Romans 15:20).
I wonder what Jesus has in His mind and heart in 2020 for us? What would Jesus like to accomplish in this world, that He’d like to draw you and me into? That, my friends, is when life gets really exciting… when you sense you are actually partnering with God in accomplishing HIS purpose in our world! Is your heart and mind ready for that this year? Ready for a God assignment?
In these last verses of chapter 2, Paul challenges Timothy to teach both the man and women in Ephesus some guidelines which will help them live God honoring lives. “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger or disputing.” Paul writes in verse 7. Do you see three challenges for us men here? First is holy hands… think for just a moment about how we use our hands, and what it would be like for our hands to be holy, never clenched fists of anger, never harming another person, never key in on the computer or cell phone a web site that was anything less than God honoring. Holy Hands.
Secondly Paul calls men to be prayerful men. Oh my, what a difference that would make in our families, communities, even churches, if men were truly men who prayed often and with power. And finally Paul calls men to live without anger or disputing. Now that would make a big difference in our society wouldn’t it? Come on my brothers who are “Walking with Jesus”, could this be our lifestyle ambition for January 2020?
Paul next has a few words of admonition and encouragement for the women of Ephesus. Do you see he speaks about dressing modestly, giving care to not over-indulge in attempting to remake themselves from what God has made them to be? I think we understand here don’t we? Paul is calling women to realize they are each special creations of God, made in His image, and their real beauty is their inner beauty, their character and God honoring living.
The city of Ephesus was most famous in the first century for a great temple for worship of the Greek goddess Artemis whom the Romans call Diana. Women in that city went to extremes to decorate themselves and even act in ways they felt modeled after Diana in all her beauty and power. In contrast to that, women in Roman society and most eastern cultures were not given opportunities for education or much public influence. Their roles were tied to the home.
Jesus was very unusual as a public leader in that He spoke with women, He showed compassion and care to women, He did some miracles that specifically touched women. In so doing He was elevating women in their social status and making clear to all that God loved women. When Jesus was on the cross, some of the women Jesus had most influenced were there. When He rose from the dead, the first people He saw and spoke with were those dear women.
Paul was trying to deal with the conflicting female expectations in Ephesus in verses 9-15. This is one of those portions of God’s Word that we need to be careful with, understanding the cultural context, the time in history, the specific situation Paul was addressing. Do you see Paul’s urging women to dress modestly, pointing people to God rather than trying to be like Diana, drawing the glory to themselves?
Paul also affirms God’s desire that woman learn God’s truth and grow in their relationship with Him and understanding of His Word, but in that cultural context, Paul was re-affirming the responsibility of men to take the lead in assuming responsibility before God for their families, and that would include helping their wives and daughters to learn of God and God’s Word.
Be careful with verse 14 & 15 my friends. Once again we need to remember when we find anything that seems contrary in the Bible, we should take that verse and put it up against all the Biblical teaching about that subject. At first reading verse 15 seems to suggest a woman is ‘saved’ from her sin by bearing children: “But women will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.”
We understand our salvation is entirely a work accomplished in us by God, right? Jesus paid for our sin, and reconciles us to to God the Father who then forgives our sin. God the Holy Spirit births in us a new, holy, spiritual nature. We only repent of our sin and receive all the wonderful work of salvation accomplish in us by God. Bearing children has no part in salvation from our sin. So, what does Paul mean here?
If you look closely, likely there is a footnote in your Bible for the word “saved”, and that footnote tells you the word can also be translated “restored”. Paul was using Eve as an example in verses 13-15,do you see that? Remember the initial mandate God gave to Adam & Eve after He created them and put them in the garden of Eden? Everything was perfect there. They were to do two things. First, procreate… reproduce other human beings like them and raise them to know God like they did. Second, rule over and care for all God had created (Gen. 1:26-28)
But then they stumbled, they believed the serpent, they rejected God and sin filled them and the garden. God responded of course with accountability and everything changed in Genesis 3. When Paul uses the word here that can be translated “restored” what he’s saying is that women are ‘restored’ to that original God given mandate through the privilege of childbearing. Now watch this. Jesus restores us to our original holy relationship with God through our salvation as He reconciles us to God (2 Cor. 5:17,18), and we are restored to our original mandate through the privilege of raising up the next generation to godliness through parenting. That’s why the last part of verse 15 is so important… “…if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.” Isn’t that a wonderful picture of God honoring parenting?
Now, as we step into this day, may I urge you to spend a little time praying for your extended family, especially your children and grandchildren. Ask God to give you wisdom in your influence in their lives and consider how these verses today will help you do that. If you have no children, give God thanks for the ‘parenting type’ influence you have had on other people’s children and keep looking for those opportunities as you also live the truth of these verses today.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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