Posts filed under ‘Word for Today’
“Word for Today” – Romans 1 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
Kids are funny. A couple of weeks ago, we had some friends staying with us who brought with them their two children – a two year old daughter and a six month old son. They were both endearingly precious and hilariously entertaining as we experienced all the idiosyncrasies that young children can bring.
Around supper one evening, the two year old, named Allie, wanted some cheese which, her father informed me, is her favorite food, as it is mine. As a fellow “cheese-head,” I happily went to the refrigerator to get Allie some cheese. Upon delivering the cheese to her, her mother gave a gentle reminder. “What do you say, Allie?” she asked. Allie turned beat red and dropped her face to the floor. “What do you say?” her mother reminded again, this time in a mildly more serious tone. In her best sheepish voice, Allie replied, “Thank you.”
I have found that there are two things that children are regularly remiss to say: “Thank you” and “I’m sorry.” What’s fascinates me, however, is that it’s not just children who have a hard time giving gratitude and offering apologies when they’re due. Adults have this problem as well. Sure, we may not turn beat red and drop our faces to the floor, but just try to get a politician to admit a massive mistake. Or consider how many times we have selfishly taken credit for something when we really owed those working behind the scenes a hearty and public thanks.
As we begin reading through Romans, Paul, in Romans 1, opens with these words: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you” (verse 8). Paul, without a red face and a downward countenance, without any prompting and prodding from his mother, and without any smug tributes to his own accomplishments, says “thank you” to God. And notice, it’s the first thing he does: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you.” Paul, it seems, is very liberal and quick with his gratitude.
Sadly, all too often, thankfulness is not a primary posture of our hearts, but a fleeting addendum to our souls, loosely appended to our prayers to God and our relationships with others. We pray to God concerning all our of our pressing needs and overwhelming worries and then wrap up with, “Oh, by the way, thanks for all your blessings, God.” Or, a friend helps us with a daunting and challenging task, lending their elbow grease when it is needed the most, only to receive from us a couple of days later, “Oh, by the way, thanks for your help the other day.” And thankfulness gets relegated to a paltry postscript again and again.
Rather than subtly tucking his acknowledgments away in some footnote or endnote to his epistle, Paul opens his letter by proudly announcing his gratitude. “First,” Paul opens, “I want to say thank you.” Shortly, Paul will wade into the tough stuff of life. For instance, in verse 18, when he writes, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men.” Shortly, Paul will confront sinners (cf. 1:18-32) and demand righteousness (cf. 6:17-18) and ask for assistance (cf. 16:1-2). But now is a time for thankfulness.
So how about with you? Is a thankful heart a hallmark of your habits, or a mere obligatory appendix to a lengthy laundry list of requests and complaints? Today, begin your activities with a “thank you.” Put thankfulness first. Who knows? You may spend so much time being thankful that you find you don’t have much time left over to fuss and fret over the worries and cares of this life. Less time to fuss and fret? Why, that’s something you can be thankful for right there. I bet you can find more.
“Word for Today” – 2 Timothy 4 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
“A boy scout is always prepared,” the old saying goes. I was never a boy scout. And it shows every once in a while.
Every Christmas at Concordia, we hold a drive-thru nativity. Literally thousands of people drive through our campus from station to station as we share the blessed story of Christ’s birth for people to enjoy from the comfort and warmth of their cars. Fortunately, this year, unlike in some years past, it was comparatively warm outside. In fact, one evening, it was warm enough to walk around without so much as a coat. You have to love those balmy San Antonio Decembers! But even in San Antonio, it is only a matter of time before a cold-snap hits in the “dead” of a Texas winter. And one did hit the following Tuesday.
Unfortunately, the following Tuesday was the day which we had scheduled to take down our drive-thru nativity sets – all ten of them. Thankfully, a hearty group of our church elders volunteered in the biting cold and piercing wind to help with the breakdown. They all came wearing Carhart jackets and overalls with thick gloves and woolen caps. They, apparently, were boy scouts. I came in a light leather jacket. I, as I already mentioned, was not.
I was miserable. My fingers went numb. My ears turned red. Even my tongue began to freeze to my mouth making it difficult for me to talk. Something unheard of for me! As I broke down sets, trying to stave off what I was sure to be immanent hypothermia by drinking coffee by the gallon, I kept thinking to myself: “You knew it was going to be cold today and you were going to be outside. Why didn’t you come prepared?”
“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2). These are some of the closing words penned by the apostle Paul to the young pastor Timothy in 2 Timothy 4. And Paul’s admonition is that of a true, blue boy scout: “Be prepared in season and out season.” Bring a coat in the summer and a tank top in the winter. Never come unprepared.
But Paul is speaking of something much more profound and significant than mere preparation for inclement weather. He is speaking of the preparation that is involved with sharing God’s teachings. For Paul warns, “The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (verse 3). Paul reminds us that we need to be ready and able to refute false doctrine and confront those who would seek to tear down the gospel, for many will try. Are you prepared?
Of course, no one can be perfectly prepared to refute every objection and counter every attack. Thankfully, this is not what Paul calls for. The Greek word for “be prepared” is ephistemi, meaning literally, “to stand by.” This, then, is Paul’s call: not to have any and every answer for any and every theological question, but to “stand by,” ready for action at a moment’s notice. Ready to learn new truths about God’s Word. Ready to comfort a friend in need. Ready to share the gospel with someone who needs to hear it. So stand by. After all, your standing on the message of the cross could be the very stadning that changes a human heart.
“Word for Today” – 2 Timothy 3 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
Have you ever had one of those experiences where someone begins talking to you as if they’re your long lost best friend and, although you know you should remember who they are, you’re honestly clueless as to their identity? Once, I received a phone call from a number I did not know. In fact, it was from an area code I did not know. The caller began, “Zach?” “Yes,” I responded. “Hey,” the man on the other end of the line continued, “It’s Rufus.”
I have known a lot of people over the course of my life: Justins, Marks, Pauls, Joshs, Jamess, Josiahs, and even a couple of Jedidiahs. But I have never known a Rufus. But Rufus seemed to know me. So I played along. “Oh hi, Rufus,” I said with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness in my voice. “What’s up?” “I was wondering if you got that fax I sent you,” Rufus continued. Rufus? A fax? I was totally lost. I finally cracked. “Who is this again?” I asked. “Rufus,” the man replied. “And who are you?” “Zach,” I said, “Zach McIntosh.” “Oops,” Rufus responded. “I was trying to get a hold of a Zach Allen. Sorry! Wrong number.” And we both hung up the phone.
Honestly, at the end of our conversation, I breathed a sigh of relief. “So I’m not going crazy,” I thought to myself. “I really don’t know a Rufus.” But then I read our text for today from 2 Timothy 3: “Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth – men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected” (verse 8). Jannes and Jambres. Am I supposed to know these guys? I don’t remember them from the story of the exodus. Thankfully, I shouldn’t remember them. Because their names are not actually in the story of the exodus.
Paul, in naming Jannes and Jambres as men who oppose Moses, draws from an ancient Jewish tradition which names Pharaoh’s magicians who compete against Moses and Aaron in Exodus 7:10-12:
Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.
Notice that in the original text of Exodus, Pharaoh’s magicians remain nameless.
But now consider this text from the Targum of Jonathan, a second century commentary on this passage:
Moses and Aaron went unto Pharaoh, and did as the Lord had commanded. And Aaron threw down the rod before the sight of Pharaoh, and before the sight of his servants, and it became a snake. But Pharaoh called the diviners and magicians; and they also, Jannes and Jambres, magicians of Mizraim, did the same by their burnings of divination. Each man threw down his rod, and they became snakes; but were forthwith changed to be what they were at first; and the rod of Aaron swallowed up their rods.
Pharaoh’s magicians now have names. And Paul quotes these names in today’s reading.
Why is this important? Because it means that Paul was a man thoroughly familiar with his Scriptures and even with what other people had said about the Scriptures. He had read his Bible. He had consulted his commentaries. He had sat at the feet of great Bible teachers. That is why he knew even the lesser known names of Jannes and Jambres. Because he had so diligently studied theology. And Paul encourages us to do the same:
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (verses 14-17)
Paul says, “Continue in what you have learned.” Keep on studying the Scriptures. Keep on peering into God’s book. Keep on discovering new things about the Bible. For the words of Scripture are the words of God. That’s why Jannes and Jambres matter. Not because they’re historically important. They’re mere blips in the history of God’s people, and godless blips at that. But Paul takes the time to remember and mention them because they relate to Scripture. And for Paul, there is nothing more precious, more life-giving, and more worthwhile than God’s Word. Is the same true for you?
“Word for Today” – 2 Timothy 2 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
My first birthday after Melody and I got married, she presented me with a card which was supposed to express her undying affection, allegiance, and affinity for me. Because Melody and I were friends some ten years before a “romantic spark” developed between the two of us, she gave me a card that read appropriately, “You’re not only my husband, you’re also my friend.” What a sweet affirmation of a marriage that is grounded not merely in quixotic attraction, but in steady friendship.
But have you ever had one of those instances where your eyes inadvertently switched around two words while you were reading them? This is what happened to me. The card read, “You’re not only my husband.” But I read, “You’re not my only husband.” Two little words – a world of difference. Thankfully, as soon as I read the card, I knew I had misread the card. So I did a double take. Melody and I laugh about my misreading to this day.
Words matter. That is why newspaper editors meticulously review columns. That is why presidents carefully craft speeches. That is why pastors carefully prepare blogs. Because words matter. A good word can paint a picture, enrapture a spirit, or grip a soul. Conversely, a misused word can cause confusion, cast doubt, and wound hearts. Because words matter.
In our reading for today from 2 Timothy 2, Paul warns against a reckless use of words: “Warn before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and ruins those who listen” (verse 14). Paul pens this verse against a backdrop of a heresy known as Gnosticism, a Greek word meaning “knowledge.” This heresy taught if a person could gain secret knowledge concerning matters such as good, evil, the cosmos, and mystic spirituality, one could become enlightened and ascend to a higher spiritual plane. This religious system taught such secret knowledge through cryptic writings and rituals. Not surprisingly, such enigmatic writings and rituals led to quarreling over what it all meant. This is why Paul warns against quarreling about words. For such quarreling is of no value. It does not solve Gnosticism’s riddles. And besides, Gnosticism isn’t true. This is why Paul finally calls its teachings “gangrene” (verse 17).
In the midst of Gnosticism’s many and baffling words, Paul invites us to concern ourselves with the Word: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (verse 15). There is a Word of truth and it is God’s Word of truth. And unlike the Gnostics, we ought to be careful and conscious of how we use this Word. We ought to “correctly handle” God’s Word of truth. What does this mean? It means standing on the historicity and accuracy of Scripture. It means sensitively and compassionately sharing God’s grace with those who are crushed by the cares of this world. It means voraciously and unapologetically proclaiming that Jesus is Lord. For words matter. And how we handle God’s Word – that really matters.
So today, be careful what you say. Be careful what you write. Be careful what you text. Ask yourself, before firing off an email or carelessly making a phone call, “How can I reflect God’s Word in my words?” And then choose your words cautiously. Because your words, used carefully, may just be the words that someone else needs to hear – for their encouragement, for their conviction, and, by the power of God’s Spirit, even for their salvation.
“Word for Today” – 2 Timothy 1 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
The other day, I was having a conversation with a very bright and well-spoken professor from the University of Texas. He was bemoaning the fact that recent events in America’s political landscape had shifted his campus at Austin from a more “liberal” and “tolerant” stance to a more “conservative” and “close-minded” one. I could hardly contain my disbelief at his analysis. “Really?” I asked with a clear strain of skepticism in my voice. “Yes,” he continued, “But I don’t really talk about my political views much. Most Texans are too conservative for me to feel comfortable in voicing my opinions to them. And besides, there are two things you never talk about: politics and religion.”
This well-educated, well-informed, well-spoken college professor had just excused himself from any meaningful conversation concerning issues of government and faith with an old, tired, and, if I do say so myself, seriously lacking cliché: “There are two things you never talk about: politics and religion.”
As oft-repeated as this cliché might be, I would contend that it is baldly false: both in its description of reality and its promotion of certain values. In its description of reality, it is false because, despite its claim, people do talk about politics and religion…constantly. A quick channel surf through cable news networks and religious channels demonstrates this in spades. I would also say that this cliché promotes false values in that there are serious issues of our day which must be addressed. And politics and religion both have something to bring to the table. To forfeit our right to speak of these things means to forfeit contributions that we can make to meaningful, history altering, and life saving conversations. Unless we wish either to deny reality or to compromise our values, we must talk about politics and religion.
Of course, I suppose you would expect to read as much from a pastor. After all, isn’t it my job to talk about, at the very least, the religion side of this cliché? Actually, it is not so much my job as it is my mandate. In our text for today from 2 Timothy 1, the apostle Paul reminds the young pastor: “Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord” (verse 8). “There is something that you must talk about, Timothy,” says Paul, “and this is the gospel of our Lord. No cliché excuses for lapsing into quietism.” Thus, talking about Jesus is much more than my career. It is my commission.
I would say that talk about religion is needed now more than ever. Pastor John Ortberg, in a blog for Leadership Journal, alerted me to this telling statistic: “The recently released American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) indicates that…the single fastest-growing category when it comes to religious affiliation is ‘None,’ which grew from 8 percent to 15 percent since 1990.” In other words, when people are asked about their religious beliefs, rather than identifying themselves as Evangelical, Muslim, Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, or even atheist, they simply say, “I don’t believe much of anything. When it comes to religious commitment, or even religious hostility, I have none.” This is probably because, when asked, there are two things those surveyed don’t want to talk about: politics and religion.
In the midst of such religious apathy, we are called to be different. We are called to testify to our Lord. So get to talking. With grace, compassion, and sensitivity, of course, but get to talking. After all, we are talking about the most precious message there is: the message of “God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace” (verse 9). And that’s a message worth talking about.
“Word for Today” – 1 Timothy 6 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
Amidst the many health fears that are swirling around the recent swine flu outbreak, an outbreak which the World Health Organization is now ominously calling a pandemic, there are also some financial fears. Although pharmaceutical stocks are understandably soaring, other portions of the economy are not faring nearly so well. Some countries like Russia are restricting imports for fear of the spreading pandemic. The airlines are hemorrhaging capital as people cancel flights to Mexico, the epicenter of this worrisome outbreak. Wall Street, it seems, once again has the jitters.
Jitters about money are nothing new: Not in the past two years, and not in the past two millennia. Such jitters can, however, invite us to a kind of “gut check” on the position that money holds in our lives and souls.
“The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). These words from Paul to Timothy have been quoted and misquoted countless times. Because of the widespread misuse of this famous passage, a couple of observations are here appropriate in order to guide us in a proper understanding of Paul’s instruction. First, it is the love of money, not money itself, which Paul warns against. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard this verse quoted as, “Money is the root of all evil.” Wrong. Money itself is not evil. It’s the perverted desire for money, also known as greed, which is evil. Thus, jitters about financial downturns are perfectly appropriate and even understandable, for we are called to be responsible with the wealth that God has entrusted to us. And watching this wealth evaporate in a tide of financial uncertainty is never fun. However, if our jitters over the latest financial effects of the swine flu pandemic reveal that we are more concerned with the pandemic’s financial effects than we are with its human effects, we have crossed the line from managing money to loving it. And that is sinful. For the people who are suffering from this dreaded ailment must be more precious to us than the money that is lost from it. After all, we are called by Jesus to love people. People belong in our hearts. Money only belongs in our checkbook.
Second, it is important to note that the love of money, although it is “a” root of all evil, is not “the” root of all evil. There have been some who have told me, quite glibly, “I don’t love money. I don’t have a problem with greed.” For argument’s sake, let’s grant that for a moment. That does not mean that there is not another root of evil which can plague a person’s soul. By using the indefinite article “a” rather than the definite “the,” Paul reminds us that we, as sinful, fallen, broken human beings, have the propensity to multiply roots of evil ad infinitum. If the love of money isn’t a person’s particular root of evil, there is sure to be another root lurking not too far away. Arrogance is not an appropriate response to Paul’s warning here. For Paul’s warning indicts us all.
With this in mind, perhaps today is a day for a bit of soul-searching. Ask yourself, “What roots of evil are growing in my life?” Then confess them to God, asking for his forgiveness. And, above all, remember that you need not be enslaved by these roots of evil. For you are a beloved child of God, set free from sin by Christ’s cross. Thus, as Paul promises, you can “flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (verse 11). Roots of evil need not take root in your heart. For your heart is not a place for sin to grow, it is a place for Christ to dwell. Praise God that our hearts are Christ’s home.
“Word for Today” – 1 Timothy 5 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
This past weekend, we had some friends, who were attending a wedding here in town, stay with us in the not-so-lavish accommodations of our two bedroom apartment. The inadequacy of the lodging aside, it was a great time. I had a chance to catch up with a friend of mine who I went to seminary with. And while some of our conversation was lighthearted and jocular, some of it was more subdued and serious. Our conversation took on an especially weighty tone Sunday afternoon when my buddy and I were talking about some of the temptations which war against our souls. I expressed to my friend my own shortcomings and how I can sometimes arrogantly boast in what I do well while simultaneously trying to downplay what I do poorly. “Don’t worry,” my friend retorted, “You’re not fooling anybody. Even though you may try to cover up your shortcomings, we still know what they are.” I chuckled at my friend’s response. Mainly, because he was absolutely correct. I can try to manage my image and make myself look better than I really am all I want to. But I’m not fooling anybody, especially those closest to me. For they know that I am a sinful, flawed, broken individual.
In our reading for today from 1 Timothy 5, Paul reminds us that, in spite of our best efforts to cover up our sinfulness, we’re not fooling anybody. Paul says, “The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them” (verse 24). Paul says that, for many of us, our sinfulness is so apparent that our reputations precede us. There’s no use trying to plaster on an air of phony righteousness in front of others, for word about us has already gotten around. But even if some manage to maintain a veneer of piety for a good long while, Paul continues, “The sins of others trail behind them” (verse 24). That is, we will be found out for who we really are, even if it takes a while. We’re not fooling anybody.
Contrast this with what Paul says about good deeds: “In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden” (verse 25). Paul says, just as our sins come to light, so do our good deeds, even if our good deeds are not at first readily apparent. In fact, good deeds, by their very nature, are often not readily apparent, but are done clandestinely, for this is just as Jesus commands:
Be careful not to do your “acts of righteousness” before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4)
Truly good deeds have a secretive edge to them, says Jesus. In fact, I have found a fascinating dynamic that seems to regularly work in the hearts and lives of God’s people: Those who do the most good are often the least boastful about their “acts of righteousness” and the most honest about their sins and follies. Conversely, there are others who are not nearly so concerned with the “acts of righteousness” that Jesus commands, but will gladly announce and receive kudos for any good work that they might do while, at the same time, working vigorously to cover up their transgressions. I am ashamed to admit that, all too often, I fall into this latter category.
What, then, is the upshot of Paul’s admonition in 1 Timothy 5? Simply this: Honestly confess your sins and do good in Jesus’ name. Don’t try to fool anybody. After all, it won’t work anyway. For this is the condition of every Christian: he is a sinner who transgresses God’s law while also being a saint who does Jesus’ “acts of righteousness.” And thank God we’re all in this condition together. For it is this universal condition that allows us to offer Christ’s forgiveness to each other in our sin, all the while encouraging each other with Christ’s righteousness.
“Word for Today” -1 Timothy 4 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
Periodically, my wife Melody and I have the pleasure of babysitting our two little nephews, Noah and Nicholas. And, much to my chagrin, Noah and Nicholas, along with my wife and her sister, can sometimes prove to be picky eaters. I guess it’s something that runs in the family. That means that, if food is placed in front of my nephews and they don’t particularly care for it, they’ll stare at it with a mild disgust, refusing even to try it. But then comes the injunction from either Melody or I: “You have to at least try a bite.” And after a little more placid prodding, they’ll usually pick up their forks, taste the dish, and then immediately return their forks to their plates and say, “I’m done. I tried it! Can I go now?” At which point Melody will usually chime in: “Can I go now? That’s not how you ask. What do you say?” Remembering their manners, and anxious to leave the table so they can go play, they’ll respond, “Can I be excused, please?”
These words are words that we all have to use from time to time: “Can I be excused, please?” If I’m in the middle of a conversation and I receive a phone call that I have to take, I’ll always say, “Excuse me for a moment, please.” Or if Melody and I get invited to a party that we cannot attend, I’ll often tell the host, “I’m sorry. Could you excuse us from your party? We already have prior plans.”
In our reading for today from 1 Timothy 4, Paul talks about the importance, and even the necessity, of being able to excuse yourself from certain situations: “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales” (verse 7). The Greek word for the phrase “have nothing to do with” is pareiteomai, meaning “to excuse oneself.” Indeed, this is the word that Jesus uses in a parable that he tells about a man who holds a dinner, only to have the invitees pareiteomai themselves: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me’” (Luke 14:15-19). And although the excuses of the people in Jesus’ story were clearly illegitimate, Paul explains that there are times when a person has a legitimate reason to excuse him or herself, such as when people are gossiping, telling “old wives’ tales.”
I wonder how much dissension and distrust could be avoided if we would simply follow Paul’s sage advice in 1 Timothy 4:7. If someone is talking bad about someone else, if someone is using ungodly speech, simply excuse yourself! Simply say, “I’m not sure I want to a part of this conversation. Would you please excuse me?” And then walk away. Yet, so often, we don’t. Instead, we listen interestedly as someone breathlessly recounts the raucous details of someone else’s sordid life.
Part of the tragedy of not excusing yourself from such godless chatter, Paul says, is that you have less time to devote yourself to talk and words that are righteous. That is why Paul later instructs Timothy: “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and teaching” (verse 13). Excuse yourself from gossipy words. Devote yourself to God’s Word. This is Paul’s instruction.
So today, if someone begins a conversation with a phrase like, “You wouldn’t believe what I just heard about…” and then proceeds to gossip, won’t you politely and gently excuse yourself from the conversation? After all, you have some better words to listen to. For you have God’s Word to listen to.
“Word for Today” – 1 Timothy 3 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
This past week, Concordia had the pleasure and honor of hosting the Pastoral Leadership Institute, a gathering of 400 pastors and pastor’s wives from all over the country, along with some international guests. During this conference, these men and women were trained and encouraged so that they may better serve the ministries in which God has placed them. Some bear the brunt of challenging and harrying situations and need support. Others are looking for new insights into how to reach out to their communities. All are walking through a continuing education process as they learn how to faithfully serve their congregations and their Lord. As I had opportunity to meet a few of the participants, I came to believe more than ever that these men and women deserve our thanks, prayers, and support. They are a blessing to the Kingdom of God.
“Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task” (verse 1). So Paul opens our reading for today from 1 Timothy 3. What follows is a description of the virtues vital to being a pastor in the church of God:
Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. (verses 2-6)
Many times, as I have read these words, I have felt woefully inadequate. I wish I could say that I live out all of these virtues gracefully and magnanimously, but I do not. I am most certainly not above reproach, for I am a sinner. I have been known to lose my self-control and become less than respectable. And although I do not particularly love money, I can think of many other things for which I am greedy. I fall painfully short of this list. Then again, so do you. Then again, so does everyone.
What, then, is the point of this list of virtues if no one, whether pastor or otherwise, can live up to them? Is it merely to make us feel guilty? Hardly.
The Greek word for “sets his heart” in verse 1 is oregomai. This word describes a “longing” or a “yearning” – something to which one aspires. And it is this word that frames Paul’s discussion of the virtues that he outlines in the subsequent verses. For Paul knows that no one displays these virtues perfectly. Yet, these are all virtues to which we should oregomai. For these are all holy virtues which reflect the nature and character of our Heavenly Father. This is why 400 ministry leaders visited our campus this past week. Because they oregomai to 1 Timothy 3 and wanted to better serve our Lord and his church. You too should oregomai to the virtues of 1 Timothy 3, whether or not you are a pastor. For these are virtues for us all.
No, you will not live out these virtues perfectly. However, by God’s grace and Spirit, you can indeed grow in these virtues. As Paul writes elsewhere, “Become imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:1-2). Notice the first word: “become.” We’re not perfect in our imitation of God, but we are becoming imitators of God, one step at a time.
So today, ask yourself, what can I do, however imperfectly, to aspire to 1 Timothy 3? Maybe it’s practicing patience when you feel like you’re going to lose your temper. Maybe it’s being hospitable when you would rather be left alone. Maybe it’s setting aside a struggle with greed for a generous spirit. Whatever it is, remember, God’s grace empowers you and his Spirit guides you. So go and do his noble tasks.
“Word for Today” – 1 Timothy 2 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
Today’s blog is of a slightly different nature than my normal posts. 1 Timothy 2 constitutes one of the most controversial chapters in all Scripture. Why? First, many accuse Paul of revealing his true stripes of misogyny and unabashed chauvinism in his injunction against female pastors as outlined in this chapter. Second, many church bodies, including our own Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, understand Paul’s words here to be transcultural. That is, his instruction relates not only to the first century, but also to our twenty-first century. Thus, in the LCMS, we do not ordain women as pastors.
Because of the debate and dispute surrounding this chapter, I have decided to post a brief theological study that I wrote a while back due in large part to the many questions that I perennially receive on this particular passage of Scripture. This study represents my humble, and most probably feeble, attempt to explain Paul’s words in a way that affirms his integrity and, more importantly, the integrity of God’s Word. I offer it below in the hope that it might be of some value to you as you struggle with these difficult words from 1 Timothy 2 in your “Word for Today” reading. Remember, even when a text is controversial, it is well worth our time and attention. For the words of Scripture are the very words of God. Thus, they speak to our minds, our souls, our hearts, and our lives and transform us into precious new creations in Christ.
With that, here is the study:
In 1 Timothy 2:11-15, Paul writes to a young pastor named Timothy:
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
There are several things in this passage that are worth noting.
First, the context of this passage is important. Paul begins this chapter by explaining the inclusive nature of the gospel:
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men – the testimony given in its proper time. (1 Timothy 2:1-6)
If you note, Paul consistently talks about how the gospel is for “all people.” Thus, it is not because women are somehow lesser heirs to the gospel that they are not permitted to be pastors. No, God gives his gospel to all because his deepest desire is that all be saved.
Second, a couple of words are worth noting in 1 Timothy 2:11-15. First is the word “learn” in verse 11. When we read the words of this verse, the first word that usually jumps out to us is “submission.” But for Paul’s readers, to have learning women would have represented a radical departure from the cultural mores of his time. In general, women were not permitted to learn theology. Rabbi Eliezer, a prominent teacher in the first and second centuries, wrote, “He who teaches her daughter Torah teaches her obscenity.” That is, women were not to be taught Scripture because they were not intellectually astute enough to handle it. Conversely, Paul, encourages women to learn God’s Word, but says they also ought to learn politely. In other words, they ought to be quiet during the sermon and submissive to the clear teachings of God’s Word (as we all are to be). The second key word is the word “teach” in verse 12. The context of this word refers to the preaching of the Word of God in a worship service, not to any and every kind of teaching. That is why there is prayer and the raising of hands going on in verse 8. This is worship! Thus, women are precluded from being pastors who preach, not Sunday school teachers or even participants in a worship service in other ways, such as in the reading of Scripture or in the singing of songs.
Third, it is important to note that when Paul makes a distinction between men and women and what they do in a worship service, he is in no way saying that one person is better than another. As Paul has already noted at the beginning of this chapter, we are all precious and valued in God’s sight. Paul is saying, however, that God, in his wisdom, has chosen to give some people some roles and other people other roles in worship and in life in general. Indeed, God has been doing this ever since creation. Paul says in verse 13 that Adam and Eve themselves were different from their very creation. One was made from dust, the other from a rib. Does this make one better than the other? No. It just makes them different. Sadly, even in sin men and women proved to be different (verse 14). Eve was conned by Satan, Adam was led to sin by Eve. Thus, differences abound. Yet, in spite of sin, each person still has a special role to play in God’s Kingdom. Paul says that the special role of pastor is to be given to some men who are appropriately trained for the job (see 1 Timothy 3:1-7). That does not mean that women do not have a special role to play, however. Paul concludes chapter 2 with these words: “But women will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.” I have done quite a bit of study on this passage in Greek, and my best translation would differ from the NIV, quoted here. I, along with many others, translate this passage: “But women will be saved through the child born.” In other words, women are saved by the One who is born of a woman only, Jesus Christ. It is here that Paul commends women for their special and unique role in salvation history. When God wanted to save humanity, he chose a woman, not a man, to bear his Son. Indeed, a man had nothing to do with it, for Jesus was born of a virgin. This birth was first foretold to Eve by God in Genesis 3:15 when God says to Satan: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” God says that he will send a Savior who will crush the head of Satan. But notice, this Savior will be only the offspring of Eve, not of Adam. Thus, we find here the first foreshadowing of a virgin birth. Women, then, from Eve on, have a special connection to the Savior. For God chose a woman to bear his Savior Son, Jesus Christ. That is a role unique and specific to women just as being a pastor is a role unique and specific to some men.
Finally, the upshot of all of this is that God chooses different people for different tasks. God chose Abraham to be the father of Israel. He chose Moses to lead his people out of slavery Egypt. He chose Joshua to lead the people into the Promised Land. He chose Deborah as a judge over Israel. He chose Esther to save the Jews from an evil plot aimed at their extinction. He chose twelve disciples to follow his Son Jesus and an apostle named Paul to spread the gospel to the Gentiles. God is constantly choosing certain people for certain tasks. Does this mean that he loves some people more than others or thinks more of some people than he does of others? No, of course not. But God, in his infinite wisdom, always seems to know the right person or people for the right job. Thus, God has chosen some men to be pastors in his church and a woman to bear his Son. Praise God for the unique roles we all have to play in his Kingdom.
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