Dear Joe: Carry on the Work

1 Timothy 6:11-20

 

What if Paul was to write a letter to you to carry on your Christian service? What would he say? Would he tell you to take care of your relationship with Christ? Would he say to fight the good fight? Would he tell you to reach out to those who have been entrusted to your care? Would he say to share the Gospel openly?

 

When Paul left Ephesus he put Timothy in charge of leading the church. That would not have been an easy task. You could compare it to being the head coach at Ohio State following Woody Hayes. Timothy was following in the footsteps of a legend. Yet, Paul believed in Timothy’s ability to lead others. But first things first.

 

With Paul’s final charge to Timothy, he instructs him to first take care of his own relationship with Jesus. Paul writes:

 

“Flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith.”

 

I’m an alum of Michigan State and a big basketball fan. Last weekend was the Big Ten Tournament and Tom Izzo had his team in the thick of it. Following their first game against Ohio State, Thad Matta made the statement that that game was the most physical game he had ever seen in his ten years in the Big Ten.

 

Following Jesus can be just like that. It’s a war with eternal consequences where you must “fight the good fight of the faith” - or lose. You fight it for yourself, and for others.

 

In todays passage Paul addresses a specific issue that some of the believers were struggling with – money. Apparently, money had become a stumbling block, or even an idol for some. Paul instructs Timothy to, “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life”.

 

That’s the deal with idols; they are not “truly life”. They’re a lie. They present themselves as bringing life, as providing all that you need, as making life worth living. But they can’t; because they are not God.

 

Jesus didn’t write letters that we know of, but if he did, what would he say to you right now? Dear Joe: Flee from evil. Pursue righteousness and godliness. Resist idols. Help others to do the same. Your Brother, Lord and Savior, Jesus.