Continuing in the context of Paul writing to Timothy to correct false teachers in Ephesus, there is a further need for correction among those influenced by their false teaching. This included both men and women within the church at Ephesus. Both are called to lovingly seek the good of others, in a manner consistent with sound doctrine.

If “the aim of our charge is love” (1 Timothy 1:5), then what does love as followers of Jesus look like? Who are we to love and how are we to love them? What about people who have hurt us? Paul shows us that loving others is to go as far and wide as the love of God, which is for all people. God invites us to lovingly pray for our enemies, for rulers, and for all people, not only to work in their lives, but also in us, that God may shape our hearts to reflect his own.

Previously, we reflected with Paul on the meaning of the gospel; now we pause, and worship God for the beauty of a gospel that never gets old. In 1st Timothy 1:17, Paul pauses in his letter to Timothy, and exalts God in poetic praise. In this we are reminded that the glorious realities of the gospel are not information that we move coldly past. Rather, the gospel is eternal power (Rom. 1:16) that calls for daily remembrance, which fuels worship, no matter our circumstance.

Paul brings further clarity and correction to the false teachers in Ephesus, who had wrongly taught the purpose of the law and our relationship with it. Paul reveals that rather than make us perfect, the law reveals our imperfection, and reveals God as the only righteous one. It is only through Jesus that the law empowers us for healthy, right living rather than bondage. Paul uses his own life as an example of how Jesus is able to save even the “chief of sinners,” while the law would always be unable to do so.

As Paul begins to instruct Timothy to faithfully deal with the issues caused by the false teachers in the church at Ephesus, we are reminded of our need for faithfulness to truth and sound doctrine, while recognizing that this truth must be rooted in love of God and love of neighbor.

Before Paul begins to unpack the intricacies of how Timothy is to faithfully deal with the issues caused by the false teachers in the church at Ephesus he reminds his dear friend and child in the faith of the foundational goal for which the church was established by God. The people of God were created and gathered to love God and love people. And this love Paul focuses in on is the love Jesus demonstrated: self-sacrificially giving ourselves for the good of the other.

We are so excited to begin our journey through the book of 1st Timothy. This is an extremely significant book for our unique time in history but before we get too far, we must understand how this letter fits into the grand story of Scripture. Without context, we are far less likely to grasp the wonders of what God has actually revealed to us in His Word. Join us in the adventure of discovering the context and purpose of this beautiful letter.

Three months ago we began a series called Revive Us. This series was unique in that it was not simply a series of sermons, but a collective prayer that we sought to pray together. We desperately need God to do what only he can do! As we conclude this series, our prayer continues, but with one more ingredient, gratitude. We have so much to be grateful for, to rejoice in. So as we move on from this series, we don’t move on from the desire for God to revive us and the gratitude for what he has done.

Revive Us

When Jesus invites us to come to him he tells us that his yoke is easy and his burden is light, yet so much of this life feels hard and heavy. So how do we actually live in this world and not be crushed by the weight of it all? This week, we see that when Jesus ascended to heaven he didn’t leave us on our own to figure it all out, but in fact, he left us fully equipped for the journey.