Everyone Needs A Barnabas, A Paul, And A Timothy Part III
Everyone Needs A Barnabas, A Paul, And A Timothy Part III
Imagine A Letter From Paul
Imagine how you would feel
as Timothy
to receive a letter
from the Apostle Paul
who had taught you all
you know about
following Christ.
Imagine how delighted
you would feel to
read his words, “ . . . my
beloved son, . . .;” how secure
to read these words, “. . .
grace, mercy
and peace from our Lord.”
Imagine how challenged
you would feel with
Paul, more than a
father, waiting in prison
anticipating
going Home
to meet His dear Lord.
************
”Well, I must admit after all these years
to remember how I felt when
I, Timothy, after having assisted
my Father-in-the-Lord,
the Apostle Paul
write such monumental letters
to the believing Corinthians, Philippians,
Colossians, the Thessalonians,
and even my dear brother Philemon;
to now receive letters
from him, myself.
”I still remember as a boy
learning to honor
the writings of Moses,
David, and the prophets
as my mother Eunice
and my grandmother Lois
brought me up in our
Greek home to honor
the Scripture.
So, I had a deep
appreciation
for the written
Word of God.
“How did I first meet Paul?
Paul and Silas came to Lystra,
where Paul had visited
before, and met my family—
our fellow believers
spoke to him about my
faith and he asked
me to join him on their mission.
As a Greek I was required
for propriety’s sake
to do all that was
required to be accepted
by Jews.
“To serve Jesus, my Savior,
and to be mentored
by Paul, It was well
worth it.
He truly became my
spiritual Father,
teaching me the faith
in our Lord Jesus,
and training me
in the Scriptures,
and how they
applied to Jesus,
gradually entrusting
me more and more
assignments.
Oh, how blessed
I was to learn
from this great Apostle
of our Lord.”
************
Philippians 2:19-24
I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon,
so that I too may be cheered by news of you.
For I have no one like him,
who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.
For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
But you know Timothy’s proven worth,
how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.
I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me,
and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
************
“Oh, how I loved
Timothy—
oh, how he loved
our Master, Jesus,
oh, how he sacrificed
just to join us
in our mission.
He did not allow
any requirement
to keep him
from joining us
to take the Gospel
to the Jews
and to the Gentiles.
“He was always listening,
always learning,
then obeying, then teaching
as I taught Him.
In every way he
became a son in the Lord
to me—loving and honoring
Jesus—and teaching others
to do the same—
and even though he was young
he had one of those
hungry hearts
desiring our Lord
and His Gospel
above everything else.
“It is his eager-to-hear,
eager-to-learn,
eager-to-share
determination
that set him apart
in my heart—
for I had, since meeting
our Lord Jesus
on the road to Damascus,
longed to know our Savior
more so I could better
teach others about
His Love, His Mercy, and His Grace.
“This is why Timothy
came to be my dear son
and such a dear gift
from our Lord to me—
as my time was running short
Timothy’s time was still beginning—
as he visited with me in prison,
as he helped me write
my gospel letters,
as he prayed with me
and more and more,
for me—
Jesus, allowed me to see
the passion for the Gospel
still burning bright in me,
burning ever more
brightly in Timothy.
Praise be to God! Amen!”
************
I am convinced that any believer in Jesus who loves the Gospel, lives the Gospel, and shares the Gospel, needs at least one Timothy to keep them sharp, always learning, always doing—and so, always teaching the believer eager to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. I was uniquely blessed to arrive at Baptist High School in Jos, Nigeria, just as God had prepared many young student hearts to seek in-depth, committed discipleship. These students had a Holy Spirit driven desire for Jesus, for Bible Study, for memorizing Scripture, and for learning how to live and share the Christian life. In fact, Larry Davis, a teacher and coach at the school, actually turned over to me what became my first discipleship group at the school. These were five deeply faithful, deeply joyful, and deeply obedient students of the Gospel. They were my first Timothys in Nigeria: Mike, Shola, Ademola, Philip, and Victor.
*They were always seeking God with hungry hearts and minds.
*They were 100% committed to do what the Word of God taught them to do.
*They were active in ministry among their fellow students.
*They grew in the faith until they became partners in sharing the Gospel.
*They supported me well as I adjusted to all that was new to me in Nigeria.
*They were constantly engaged in sharing the Gospel and growing the Kingdom.
*In their day-by-day lives they were eager to glorify God.
God granted me a blessed 18 years at Baptist High School where I found delight in too many Timothys-in-the-Gospel to count. He also gave me the rich privilege of working through discipleship with many among our Nigerian staff. I must give Him praise for surrounding me with many colleagues who became my Barnabas brothers and sisters, my Paul-like mentors in the faith, and my Timothys as we grew together in the ups and downs of sharing the Gospel. Even today, there remain in my life those who uphold me like Barnabas, teach me like Paul, and fulfill me in my calling like Timothy. What can I say? Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
