Category: 1 Timothy

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Material possessions are not wrong in themselves. Our problem comes with our attitudes and desires. What reasons does Paul give for the stupidity of loving money? Look at the guidelines given for those with possessions. How will you practice them?

SJA Notes

* Holy Father, ever-present God of hope and love. Please teach us from Your word today.

“He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicious, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.”

People who imagine godliness is a means of gain, those who crave controversy, those who love getting into quarrels about words – They understand nothing of the truth God’s word reveals.

This is a hard word.

Paul tells us,

“But godliness with contentment is great gain,”

If we are growing puffed up with conceit, teaching a different doctrine, perhaps developing a craving for controversy and quarrelling about words (think about what this means in practical relational terms) – Then this is a hard word for you and me today!

If we imagine that godliness is a means of gain – Then we need to heed God’s word.

We are to turn about and wrestle instead with what godliness with contentment looks like.

Because _that_ is where gain lies, great gain.

We brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

Are we content as we seek to grow in godliness?

* Loving God,

You are the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see – Yours be the glory Lord God!

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Find some good pointers on cultivating relationships in today’s reading. Who will you apply them to?

SJA Notes

* Holy and True God, how majestic is Your Name! You are worthy of our praise. Please show us today from Your word a little more of who You are.

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.”

Isn’t it interesting that Paul includes “the elect angels” in this charge to Timothy!

The presence of the elect angels has importance.

We can dwell on this. When we think on the throne room of God, where He dwells, God in the Person of the Son, our King Jesus, seated at the right hand of God in the Person of the Father – with the heavenly hosts around the throne, praising the Lord God Almighty.

This charge to Timothy is made in the presence of the elect angels!

This is a big deal.

We the church interact with each other _in their presence_!

As we meet together with our church family this week and onwards, let us be reminded of this.

There are beings in God’s throne room, apart from God, that we join with in worship of Him.

We are to join with them, the festal gathering.

Too, they are with us, and see us and our behaviour toward each other in the church.

This is a weighty mystery.

* Father in Heaven,

Please remind us that we come into Your presence with the heavenly hosts.

Please remind us that it is in their presence as well as Yours that we come into.

Please teach us what this should mean for us.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Paul gives much good advice to young Timothy. What might apply to your life? Bring some of his suggestions up to date –what groups today have taboos on Christian marriage and foods? (Think of groups opposed to Christian marriage and those who are obsessive about particular foods.)

SJA Notes

* Faithful God, thank You for the good news of Jesus Christ – our King and Saviour.

“Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness.”

What are these irreverent silly myths?

Paul gives us examples earlier in the passage – A devotion to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God has created.

Those are two very different-seeming realities that Paul pulls together. The spiritual realities mixed with ideologies we deal with in our day-to-day lives in this world.

How do we train ourselves for godliness?

Paul explains to Timothy.

Keep a close watch our ourselves and our teaching, always measuring what we are thinking and what others are telling us against the scriptures, setting an example in speech and conduct.

Godliness is of value in _every_ way!

* Father God,

Thank You that we can set our hope in You, a sure and steady hope on the Rock of Ages.

Please help us to practice our godliness, pursuing holiness, seeking Jesus.

Amen.