Who was Timothy?
Timothy was an incredible young man. Like Silas, and others, Timothy accompanied Paul on at least one of his missionary journeys. Throughout the New Testament we learn about Timothy because of his close proximity to Paul and other important leaders in the first century. We get the most detail about him in the letters Paul wrote to him, 1 & 2 Timothy.
In these letters we find out about his family life. While Paul worked with Timothy it was clear that he was a very faithful person. Paul attributed this faith to Timothy’s mother and grandmother. It teaches us that the people who raise us have had a tremendous impact on our lives. Timothy’s family instilled in him a strong faith in Jesus Christ.
However, Timothy did not have it perfect. Timothy’s father was an unbeliever. He did not have a strong fatherly mentor in the faith. That is where Paul steps in. Paul took it upon himself to be a spiritual father to Timothy. We see this time and time again when Paul addresses Timothy as his son. Having parents to learn from is ideal, but others can step in and provide guidance at any time. It is important for us to be obedient and seek these wise mentors out because they help us in our faith.
In Paul’s letters to Timothy we learn many things, one is that Timothy was a very young leader. Timothy was the pastor of the church of Ephesus (one of the largest in the New Testament). Paul encourages him to not let people look down on him because he is young. Throughout the Bible, God uses all kinds of people with all kinds of ages. We are all supposed to be examples of what living a godly life looks like.
Another thing we learn from Timothy is it is okay to not have it all figured out. As a young pastor, Timothy still had a lot to learn. Paul was writing to Timothy to help guide and teach him in his ministry. Paul encouraged him to be a good leader. He told him to be someone who worked hard and taught people the right things.
Timothy teaches us that we do not have to wait until we are old enough or until we have it all figured out to make a difference for God. No matter how old we are, no matter what situation we find ourselves in, God can and will use us in incredible ways if we dedicate ourselves to him. We see this most clearly in the life of Jesus. Jesus who was the son of God made a continuous effort to build his relationship with his father. Jesus dedicated himself to God and it paved the way for God to use him. God used his son Jesus as an everlasting sacrifice for us sins.
After Jesus defeated death, he gave us the command to go and teach other people about him. This is what Paul was doing with Timothy, this is what Timothy was doing with his church, and this is what we are called to do with the people under our influence.
Key Takeaways:
Family Faith is important
Be a Good Leader
Share your faith with others!
Parents, 3treesKIDS will also be learning about Timothy this Sunday, both in-person and online.
Be sure to check out their lesson at www.3trees.com/kids.
To find service times and locations, visit https://www.3trees.com/planyourvisit.