Welcome to Wednesday’s podcast. I hope you have had a good start to the week. Today we will be looking at 1 Timothy 3 vs1-7, focusing on this last verse:

“He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.”

REFLECTION

In Monday’s podcast we looked at praying for kings and those in government. Nowadays there is a great distrust for those in politics, or in fact any position of authority; as our newsfeeds are full of stories of scandal and corruption. One of the reasons we don’t trust those in leadership is that we have no confidence in their morals or their character once the cameras stop rolling. This seems to be borne out by those moments when leaders forget their microphones are still on in the toilets, the locker room, or the back of their cars.

When it comes to leadership, the world responds better to people of good character. This was true at the time 1 Timothy was written, just as much as it is today in the 21st century. And this statement applies to church contexts, just as much as secular areas of leadership.

Before you think, “But I’m not in leadership, so this bit of the Bible doesn’t really apply to me,” it is good to remember that Jesus calls all of us to lead others to him. That role may not have a specific title or position, but it is our primary role as Christians. I was reminded of this just yesterday when I was showing a non-Christian friend around our church. I was explaining that the windows and the cross were covered because it was Lent, and was describing what the cross looked like normally. She replied, “Oh I know that, I’ve seen it on your Facebook profile.” That small comment was a timely reminder to me that we are all leading others. We always have people following us in so many different areas of our life…..not just when we have an ‘official’ leadership role. And so we all need to reflect on these verses from 1 Timothy Chapter 3.

At STC Sheffield we often describe the life of a disciple as having 3 dimensions to it – UP, IN and OUT. The upward dimension is about our relationship with God. The inward dimension is to do with our investment in relationships with others, for example time spent with family and friends, or committing to midweek community at church. And finally, the outward dimension – time spent in the world, being intentional about our call to share the good news of Jesus with those who do not yet know him.

Chapters 2 and 3 of 1 Timothy clearly show this up, in and out model. Chapter 2 begins by encouraging us to commit ourselves to prayer and worship, to be a people of thanksgiving, and to live holy lives that please God. The second half of Chapter 2 and the first few verses of Chapter 3 highlight our relationship with others – between men and women, husbands and wives, parents and children. We should be hospitable to others, not quarrelsome, and show gentleness and self-control. And then verse 7 turns the focus outwards – to those outside of the church community, and the need to have a good reputation amongst this group of people.

There are two things I’d like us to reflect on today from verse 7.

Firstly, are we actively and intentionally spending time and sharing our lives with those who are outside the church? I ask this question because in verse 7 Paul assumes that Christian leaders will have relationships with non-Christians – he wants to make sure this relationship and reputation is a good one. He is not making sure that this relationship actually exists in the first place.

This question is also a good one to ask as too often, once we have been in the church for a while, we can find ourselves just spending time with other Christians. If we do that then it means that we cannot fulfil our primary role as a disciple of Christ, which is to go and make disciples of all people.

This Sunday the clocks go forward,