Something Greater

Heart, Conscience and Faith...and Food Paul wrote to Timothy, expressing confidence in the young man's genuine faith, urging him to care for the church in Ephesus. Timothy's specific mission would be to oppose some who taught doctrine that was unfaithful to that taught by Jesus, including an unhealthy devotion to mythology and endless genealogies. Paul warned that the heretical teaching would result in an eroding of the church's strong foundation of truth. Paul saw love as the ultimate goal, for his own ministry as well as for that of Timothy. But he carefully described the quality of that love: "The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5 (ESV) LOVE: agape (love, affection or benevolence, specially a love-feast); from agapao (to love in a social or moral sense); from agan (much) PURE HEART: katharos (clean) and kardia (the heart, the thoughts and feelings of the mind) GOOD C...

A Tent of Witness The nation of Israel had rejected Moses and turned away from God Almighty, their Deliverer from oppressive Egypt, worshipping instead idols made of their own hands . God responded harshly, dooming them to a time of exile. However, Stephen reminds his accusers that God did not leave them , even when they were unfaithful: "Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen." Acts 7:44 (ESV) TENT OF WITNESS: skene (a tent or cloth hut) and martyrion (something evidential); from martys (a witness or "martyr") Three months after escaping from Egypt, the people of Israel entered the wilderness of Sinai. God called Moses up alone to the top of Mount Sinai and spoke directly to Moses, preparing him to confront the people with words direct from God's mouth. Moses returned from the mountain and warned the people of the powerfully severe hol...

A Spiritual Building of Faith The apostle Paul was part of a team of preachers and elders first assembled in Antioch. They responded to clear direction by God, going to Jerusalem to minister to the poor with food, money and preaching. (Acts 11) Returning from that missionary trip, Paul brought with him a new addition to the team , John Mark. (Acts 12) The church in Antioch then sent the missionaries to preach worldwide, traveling from region to region. Midway through the journey, John Mark suddenly left the team , returning to Jerusalem. (Acts 13) The team met major success, as well as near death in the area of Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. Many Jews and Gentiles became newly converted Christians, fervent and faithful. Others became hostile , threatened by the sudden changes in community and social rule. (Acts 14) The break with John Mark must have been unexpected and disappointing, especially for Paul. The co-leader of their team, Barnabus, urged bringing John Mark back into...

Images of Pride Stephen compares the nation of Israel's rejection of Moses with that Jesus, despite signs and wonders that declared both to be heaven-sent prophets . God responded sternly to His people's disregard. "God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: - Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices, during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon." Acts 7:42-43 (ESV) Stephen was quoting from the Book of Amos: "Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god, your images that you made for yourselves, and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus, - says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts." ...

True Child in the Faith 1 Timothy 1:1 - Study 1 "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." 1 Timothy 1:1-2 (ESV) Paul described Timothy as his " true child in the faith ." TRUE: gnesios (legitimate of birth, genuine); from genesis (nativity, figurative of nature); from genea (a generation, an age); from genos (pronounced ghen'os, meaning "kin"); from ginomai (to cause to be, "generate", to become or come into being) "True" means genuine, a person living a life of faith that is as deep as the person's heart and mind. Just as an infant is born into the world, with eyes and ears, heart and mind, that are uniquely its own, so is this person's faith. Every experience is filtered through eyes and ears born of faith. Life-long habits and preferences are forme...

Rejection of God and Self-Rejoicing Stephen, disciple of Christ, arrested and on trial for heresy and blasphemy, defends himself before self-righteous religious rulers, using the history of his people as an object lesson in religious rejection of God . "This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, - Who made you a ruler and a judge? - this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, - God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers." Acts 7:35-37 (ESV) This is Stephen's grand thesis. This declaration is the climax of his argument defending himself from the false charges of heresy and blasphemy. This careful, sequential overview of his people's history, from faithful Abraham to Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and now Moses, leads inevitably to...

Who was Timothy? The Book of 1 Timothy: Introduction The Holy Bible includes two letters written by Paul the Apostle to Timothy the Pastor. With this post today we will begin to look closely at the first of these two letters. "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." 1 Timothy 1:1-2 (ESV) TIMOTHY: Timotheos (dear to God); from time (pronounced "tee-MAY", meaning a value, money, to esteem, dignity) and theos (a deity, a magistrate, by Hebraism very); from tino (to pay a price, as a penalty) Timothy's name literally means "dear to God" or "very dear". The name grew out of a word meaning something valuable , something to be paid. It seems not merely coincidental that the root of Timothy's name and the English word for divisions of day and night appear the same: time....