Our society attaches significance to special days, months or times of year. After setting aside time to be thankful in late November, we enter into what is often called the season of giving. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas tends to get materialistic if we are not careful, but generally the things we are buying are intended for others instead of ourselves. Like so many of our special days, months and seasons in America, the season of giving is designed to be a way of life for Christians. It is not something we are called to do only in December. We are to give throughout the entire year and our entire lives.

• When God’s people recognize their blessings from Him, they give back to Him. In Genesis 28:20-22, we learn that Jacob does this by giving 10% back to God. “Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”
• We should give to help those in need. In Deuteronomy 14:28-29, God gives instructions to His people to make sure those in need are not overlooked. “At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.” This is just one of many commands in scripture about giving to others.
• When we focus on things, we are not focusing on God. Jesus talks about the dangers of materialism several times. In Matthew 6:19-21, He reminds us that things are temporary and an indicator of where our hearts are. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
• Giving is voluntary, brings joy and pleases God. “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
• God wants us to give ourselves to Him. Paul tells us in Romans 12:1 that our very lives are to be a gift to God. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
• We give because God gives. The greatest Gift He has given us is His Son. “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:16-18)

This Sunday is an important day for our church family. We will be installing four new elders this morning. There are several terms that have been used in scripture and through church history to describe this role: elder, overseer, pastor, bishop. Over the years I have come to appreciate one term over the others: shepherd. Sheep are mentioned more than 500 times in the Bible. A consistent theme is their need for shepherds. The church has that same need.

• We need shepherds because congregations need leadership. (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1)
• We need shepherds because congregations need stability, especially in face of opposition. (Acts 14)
• We need shepherds because congregations need instruction. (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:9)
• We need shepherds because congregations need models of the Christian life. (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:7)
• We need shepherds because congregations need protection. (Acts 20:28-31)

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12

• Speech
• Conduct
• Love
• Faith
• Purity

A few weeks ago, I shared part of an article from Wes McAdams, Preaching Minister at the church of Christ on McDermott Road in Plano, Texas. Wes has written a series of articles about what he learned by reading the Bible one book at a time. In the first part of his article about the Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus), he emphasized ideas for leaders. In the second part of his article, we find something that should be part of the daily walk of all Christians: doing good works.

One of the most important parts of both Timothy and Titus’ roles was modeling good works. If Timothy and Titus taught the truth about Jesus, but their life did not reflect the Spirit’s sanctifying work, then their teaching would be in vain. This, of course, does not mean Timothy and Titus had to be perfect, but it does mean teaching and preaching always brings a level of scrutiny for which these men needed to be prepared.

These are the sort of instructions Paul gave to them.

• Pursue righteousness.
• Pursue faith.
• Pursue love.
• Pursue peace.
• Avoid controversies and quarreling.
• Be kind to everyone.
• Patiently endure evil.
• Correct opponents with gentleness.

 

I love what Paul wrote to Timothy, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” The goal of everything Paul was doing was love. Love that issues from a pure heart. Paul knew that in order for his own ministry to be successful and for the ministries of his protégé to be successful, they had to all model love and work to bring about love in their life of the church.

Last week we began a new series about the Pastoral Epistles on Sunday mornings. 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus are referred to this way, because they are written by Paul to ministers in the church. Most of us are not full time ministers, but there is still a great deal to learn from these letters. For that reason, I like to think of them as letters for the church. I would encourage you in the coming weeks to read each of these letters. They are short enough that it can easily be done in one sitting. When reading the letters this way we can often see things we haven’t noticed, and we are much more aware of context.

Paul’s three short letters to his sons in the faith, Timothy and Titus, might be compared to locker room speeches or a commanding officer trying to inspire his troops. In these three letters, Paul describes the type of work these young ministers ought to be doing. I noticed that there are at least three areas Paul focused on when he described the duty of these ministers.

 

The Minister’s “Charge”

One of the recurring words, especially in Paul’s letters to Timothy, is the word “charge.” Paul had “charged” both of these young ministers to do a job. He had entrusted them with great responsibility. Timothy had been sent to work with the Ephesus church and Titus with various churches on the island of Crete. Like soldiers sent on a mission, these were their marching orders.

 

Be A Teacher

The primary area of responsibility on which Paul told Timothy and Titus to focus was teaching. Both communities with which these men were working were plagued with false teachers. So the church in both communities needed men who would devote themselves “to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.”

 

Be A Leader

I find it undeniably true that Timothy and Titus were entrusted with positions of leadership. Like a chain of command, Paul gave marching orders to these two men and they were expected to turn around and command, charge, and entrust various responsibilities to other Christians in their local communities.