Lechem Panim #187 “Timothy Joins The Team” (Acts 16:1-5) Pastor Cameron Ury

Anchors— You know, in reflecting back on my life, there have been quite a number of people who have been anchors for me in my Christian faith; men and women who took time to invest in my life so that I could be thoroughly equipped both to know Jesus Christ in intimate and personal relationship, but also so that I could be thoroughly equipped to carry His Gospel into the world. And one of those people was one of my seminary professors, Dr. Matt Friedeman. Few people have helped shape my thinking about ministry as much as he did. He was not only my professor, but also the leader of a discipleship group I was blessed to be a part of; and it was a discipleship group that was very different from your typical one nowadays, with everyone sitting and talking about the Bible. No, not with Matt. His philosophy of discipleship (which is most akin to what we find here in the book of Acts, and which he would state often) was this: “If you make disciples by sitting around and talking, don’t be surprised if all your disciples do is sit around and talk.” “If you make disciples by sitting around and talking, don’t be surprised if all your disciples do is sit around and talk.” And so yes, we would do Bible study and prayer (and even sing hymns) together, but it wasn’t in the comfort of a home, but in a van on the way to the local prison. He would (like Jesus did) split the group into pairs and send each into a different prison block to preach. Now let me tell you, for a young man who had never preached a sermon before in his life, that was baptism under fire. And furthermore, he wouldn’t tell you when you were going to preach. He would just point at you before boarding the van and say, “Cameron (or whoever it was), you’re preaching tonight.” And (if you weren’t already prepared) you had the van ride over to prepare. Let me tell you, there were few things that I faced that were more intimidating. But looking back, there are few things I am more thankful for; because it taught me that though Jesus had called me to learn, it wasn’t so I could sit in a group of my peers and exchange meaningful ideas; it was so I could go into the darkest of places and bring into the places (and the people there) the transforming power of the Gospel.

Timothy Follows— Now the reason I say all of this is because here in Acts chapter 16 we see that Paul takes under his wing a young man by the name of Timothy, who joins Paul in ministry; and so Timothy becomes his disciple in the “following” sense of the word because he follows Paul into the spiritually darkest places in the world and joins in his ministry. It is discipleship by hands on training in meeting the physical and spiritual needs of people. And today we will begin to see how all that came about. It says in…

Acts 16:1-5 (ESV)— 1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.

Paul’s Living Fruit— Now this young man Timothy that joins Paul and Silas in their ministry was actually the living fruit of Paul’s ministry; because remember that on Paul’s first missionary journey into Asia Minor, Paul and Barnabas visited the city of Lystra, where it says in…

Acts 14:1b (NKJV)— …that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.

A Constant Companion— Well Timothy was likely one of that multitude. And he was a young man who already had solid Jewish training in the Scriptures from his mother and grandmother. And so when Paul and Silas return to Lystra here on their 2nd missionary journey, they find him, are impressed by his dedication to Christ and willingness to serve, and so Paul takes Timothy under his wing and begins to disciple him. And Timothy [would ultimately become Paul’s constant companion, traveling with him throughout Asia, Macedonia, and Greece. He was also in Rome for part or all of the apostle’s two-year house arrest—and is named as one of the senders in the letters Paul wrote from Rome to the Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon (as well as 2 Corinthians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians).] And we see his dedication even here as (as an adult) he allows himself to be circumcised in order to not create an obstacle for the Jews they would be witnessing to who might know of his mixed Greek/Jewish background and be offended because of their concern to keep the covenant of circumcision. So he is very dedicated. Now not only that, but (as we will see later) Timothy is one of the most self-less Christians in scripture. Paul writes to the Philippians in…

Philippians 2:19-22 (ESV)— 19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy's[a] proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. {And so we see modeled in Timothy’s life the selflessness of Jesus Christ, which is the supreme mark of the true believer.}

Not Making Disciples— Now at this point I would like to return to something I said last week; and that has to do with what we were talking about in regards to discipleship, because I think that there are many churches that know how to make converts. But there are very few churches that know how to make disciples; who know how to establish new converts firmly in their faith; who know how to teach them the Word and ground them in sound doctrine; who know how to make disciples who will also be thoroughly equipped to make disciples of their own. That is the supreme weakness of the Church today, making disciples who can make disciples. Well, what is a disciple?

Wiersbe on Discipleship— Warren Wiersbe once said: [A disciple, then, is one who has believed on Jesus Christ and expressed this faith by being baptized. He remains in the fellowship of the believers that he might be taught the truths of the faith (Acts 2: 41– 47). He is then able to go out and win others and teach them. This was the pattern of the New Testament church (2 Tim. 2:1-2). In many respects, we have departed from this pattern. In most churches, the congregation pays the pastor to preach, win the lost, and build up the saved— while the church members function as cheerleaders (if they are enthusiastic) or spectators. The “converts” are won, baptized, and given the right hand of fellowship, then they join the other spectators. How much faster our churches would grow, and how much stronger and happier our church members would be, if each one were discipling another believer. The only way a local church can “be fruitful and multiply” (instead of growing by “additions”) is with a systematic discipleship program. This is the responsibility of every believer, and not just a small group that has been “called to go.” Jesus had opened the minds of His disciples to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24: 44– 45). They knew what He wanted them to teach to their own converts. It is not enough to win people to the Savior; we must also teach them the Word of God. This is also a part of the Great Commission.]

Jesus’ Pattern for Discipleship— And you know, he’s absolutely right. That was the pattern for discipleship modeled to us by Jesus. He chose a handful of guys and poured everything He had into those few men. He then showed them how to do ministry; he gave them His authority. Then at Pentecost He gave them His Spirit. And it was that handful of men who ended up changing the world. He trained disciples who could make disciples. Paul was himself discipled under the teachings of the other apostles. Then he takes a disciple of his own; Timothy; and pours everything he has into him. And he trains Timothy until he is ready for service. And Paul’s letters to Timothy contain much of that training. [Paul tells Timothy how to confront false teachers, how to order the church’s worship, how to select church leaders, and how to conduct himself as a young leader in a difficult situation. {And} Speaking as a father to a son, the apostle urges Timothy not only to stand up for the truth in public but also to guard his own soul from the errors all around him (1 Tim. 6:20, 21)].

Timothy’s Ordination— And when Timothy is ready for service, [In a ceremony that serves as the basis for modern-day ordination of ministers of the gospel, Paul and an “eldership” (group of church elders, or leaders) … laid hands on Timothy to set him apart for God’s service (1:18; 4:14). And we see that he becomes Paul’s handpicked choice to oversee the troubled Church in Ephesus; somebody that he himself had discipled. And Paul calls Timothy by a very personal title in his greeting to Timothy. He says…

1 Timothy 1:2a (NKJV) Greeting— 2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith:

Son Language— You know, that is pretty close and personal language. You can hardly get more personal than a relationship between a father and a son; a parent and a child. That is one of the closest, most intimate bonds there is. A child is dependent on you utterly and completely for sustenance. A child absorbs so much what you teach them. You bear them and then you lead them to maturity until they one day leave your home and go off to start families of their own.

Our Fruit— And the question I want to leave you with is, what children are you bearing for the kingdom of God? Who is the Timothy in your life? What young or new Christian are you pouring yourself into? Who are you carrying in prayer? To whom are you writing letters of discipleship and encouragement? If we want our nation to experience true freedom in Christ, then we have to start making disciples. It’s in our obedience to make disciples that we can help bring our nation back into right relationship with God. And so let us commit to do that.