6th SUNDAY  ~  1 TIMOTHY 4:1-5:2

THE GODLY PASTOR  

Let us imagine ourselves once again joining the members of the church which met in the home of Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus. We have enjoyed the shared meal. We make ourselves comfortable on one of the couches as we look forward to hearing Timothy read  more of the letter he has received  from Paul. He unrolls the scroll and begins reading.  As he reads, those present realise that this part of the letter is offering some very practical advice to pastors. One may have said, “This doesn’t seem to have much to do with us.” But then another may have offered the thought, “Perhaps, but we’d better listen anyway. Who knows who among us may be the next one called to shepherd one of the other house churches in our city? Or perhaps begin one in our own home?” As we listen along with those present, a number of the qualities that mark the life of the godly pastor become clear to us. We make notes as … 

We note that the godly pastor is ...

Aware of The Times in Which He Lives

As we note down this first point we ask ourselves the question, “What did Paul mean by the expression ‘the last times’? Or, as other translations may put it, ‘the last days’. We remember that Peter understood the term to refer to a period of time beginning with the coming of Christ and in particular the coming of the Holy Spirit. When he spoke to the crowd of people who had witnessed the events “on the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus’ resurrection,” Peter referred to the prophecy of Joel. He said to the people, “What you see this morning, was predicted centuries ago by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God said, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.’ ” (Acts 2:1, 16-17).

It is clear from this that Peter understands ‘the last days’ to have begun. He also sees those days as extending to the time of Christ’s second coming. Later in that same message on the day of Pentecost he refers to that time. “The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon will be bloodied, before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. And anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2:20-21). These references indicate that the expression ‘the last days’ refers to the period  between the first and second comings of Christ.

From the book of Revelation we learn that during this period of the last days, recurring cycles of trouble and devastation occur. Each cycle increases in intensity until the arrival of a final time of trouble which is truly the last days of the last days. As Joel prophesied,[1] those who turn to the Lord during this period of the last days will be saved. But during that same time, as Paul reminds Timothy, apostasy will increase for ‘some will turn aside from what we believe. They will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons.’

It is important for those of every generation to think of the Lord’s return as always being imminent, to realise that they themselves may be living in  the last days of the last days. The early Christians lived in the expectation that Christ could return even in their times. As Jesus taught,

“And then at last, the sign of the coming of the Son of Man will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the nations of the earth and they will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory ... When you see the events I’ve described beginning to happen, you can know his return is very near, right at the door ... However, no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.” (Matthew 24:30, 33, 36). 

The godly pastor is one who understands the times in which he lives. He knows that the coming of the Lord is always near. He knows that the increase of lawlessness and trouble in the nations of the world point to the coming of the end. He continues to uphold the truth of the Scriptures in the face of those who just ‘pretend to be religious.’ He is like the armed warriors of the tribe of Issachar who fought with David long ago. Of them it is said, “All these men understood the temper of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.” (1 Chronicles 12:23,32). The godly pastor is also one who sees to it that ...

He  Is Nourished Daily From The Scriptures

While encouraging Timothy to be aware of the times, Paul writes,

As food is to the body, so are the Scriptures to the soul. Health for the body is dependent on the daily intake of nutritious food. In the same way  a healthy spiritual life is dependent on daily nourishment from the Scriptures. If the pastor is to do as Jesus said, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17), then he needs first to feed himself.

The spiritual food of the Scriptures is pictured in the ‘manna’ which the Lord provided for the people of Israel after their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Each morning as they journeyed to their new homeland, “... the desert all around the camp was wet with dew. When the dew disappeared later in the morning, thin flakes, white like frost covered the ground. The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. ‘What is it,’ they asked? And Moses told them, ‘It is the food the LORD has given you.’ ... In time the food became known as manna. It was white like coriander seed , and it tasted like honey cakes.” (Exodus 16:13-15, 31). The manna was found early in the morning. Jesus was thinking of this story when he said, “Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. However, the bread from heaven gives eternal life to everyone who eats it. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven.” (John 6:49-51). Jesus is the living word. He is found on every page of the written word.

The apostle John was given a series of messages for pastors in Asia Minor to pass on to their churches. To the pastor of the church in Pergamum, the Lord said among other things, “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Everyone who is victorious will eat of the manna which has been hidden away in heaven.” (Revelation 2:17). The godly pastor will take care to nourish his own spiritual life, to eat daily from that heavenly manna. Paul’s next point concerning the godly pastor is that ...

He Keeps Clear of Unhelpful Material

We continue to listen, as …

The godless ideas Paul is referring to are the myths he mentioned at the beginning of his letter.[2] Philip H. Towner[3] explains that the term ‘myths’ “classifies material not simply as untrue or legendary but as pernicious in its (or its author’s) purpose to justify immoral or improper behaviour on the basis of a divine or traditional pattern. Thus grounds for certain immoral practices could be found in the behaviour attributed to the gods.” The godly pastor does not turn to such writings and stories in order to justify immoral behaviour. The reading of material like that can so easily lead to a change in a person’s value system, even world view, so that he soon comes to think that “evil is good and good is evil; that dark is light and light is dark; that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20). The godly pastor does not exercise himself in arguments over such myths. Rather ... 

He Takes Regular Spiritual Exercise

What does Paul have in mind when he speaks of spiritual exercise? One of the purposes of exercise is to strengthen the muscles of the body. To keep the heart muscle functioning well as it keeps the heart pumping the life carrying blood to all parts of the body. To keep the leg muscles strong as they move a person forward in a steady walk. Spiritual exercise strengthens the moral and spiritual muscles of the inner person, maintaining a life of spiritual stability and integrity. Spiritual exercise involves a person in ...

Mind Stretching Exercises

The Godly pastor does not allow himself to stagnate mentally. His mind is continually exercised in the study of the Scriptures and related writings. He exercises regularly as he keeps abreast of current thinking in Biblical studies and mission strategies. He is aware of trends in counselling studies. He knows what philosophers are saying. He reads widely but takes care to keep the study of the Scriptures themselves at the top of his reading list. He remembers that it is the Scriptures which keep him focussed on the Lord and at peace. As Isaiah wrote, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3). Spiritual exercise also involves ...

Faith Stretching Exercises

Taking God at his word and deciding to do what he says stretches our faith. Leading the people of Israel across the Red Sea was a faith stretching exercise for Moses. With the Egyptian army approaching behind them and the waters of the Red Sea blocking the way in front of them, “The people began to panic, and they cried out to the LORD to help them. Then they turned against Moses and complained.” (Exodus 14:10-11). This was certainly Moses’ opportunity for a faith stretching exercise. He took it, literally, with outstretched arms. “Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the LORD opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. So the people of Israel walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on either side!” (Exodus 14:21-22). As a later writer commented, “It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt ... It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians followed, they were all drowned.” (Hebrews 11:27, 29). 

Emotion Stretching Exercises

The pastor will confront many situations in which he will be stretched emotionally. He will be hurt. He will meet people he does not like. He will often need to exercise his capacity to forgive. Like Peter, he will be moved to cry, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” And then comes the challenge for an emotion stretching exercise, “No!” Jesus replied, “Seventy times seven!” (Matthew 18:21-22).

The pastor’s purpose in all of this, as Paul reminds Timothy, is to help people discover the truth of the Gospel. Another characteristic of the Godly pastor is that ...

He is a Teaching Pastor

We imagine Timothy continuing to read from the scroll.

In every generation there is always the possibility that the teaching of the Scriptures will be crowded out by other things. This was so in the Middle Ages, when religious ceremony had replaced teaching and preaching. And if Scripture was read at all, it was read in a language the people did not understand. Professor Heron[4] writes,

   If they looked around them, as M’Crie points out in his Annals of English presbytery, they saw the benefices [pastorates] possessed by pluralists and non-residents who fleeced the flock while ‘the hungry sheep looked up and were not fed’; if they looked into the churches, they saw a non-preaching clergy, often loose living, mumbling the service, with the aid of clerks who could not read, to a people who could not spell nor write their own names; if they surveyed the parishes in England, they seemed like an untended, unweeded garden.    We owe so much to the Puritans and Reformers who restored the teaching of the Scriptures to the life  of the church. Along with this restoration came the translation of the Scriptures into the language of the people. One of these Bible Translators, William Tyndale, declares his purpose when he says to a priest of that time, “Ere many years, if God spares my life, I will cause the boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scriptures than thou dost.”

The godly pastor will keep the teaching of the Scriptures central in his ministry. His life will be an example of what he teaches. A further characteristic of the godly pastor is that ... 

He Takes Good Care of Himself

He will heed Paul’s advice as …

The pastor must never allow the demands of his church to overwhelm him. In serving others he must not forget to care for his own physical and spiritual needs. He will be careful to do as Jesus said, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Mark 14:38 NIV).

In taking care of his physical and spiritual health, the pastor is more able to continue in fruitful ministry. Chuck Swindoll[5] writes,

   There is no better proof of a ministry’s authenticity than perseverance ... Ministries that stay with the task over the long haul will reach the lost, nurture new Christians, and deepen all believers. So if you want to know where God’s working, don’t look for flashy buildings or frantic pastors. Don’t even look for the biggest crowds. Look for men and women who take God seriously and try to please him in good times and bad.

In another of his letters Paul writes, “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Kent Hughes[6] explains the difference between spiritual discipline and legalism.

   Underlying much of the conscious rejection of spiritual discipline is the fear of legalism. For many, spiritual discipline means putting oneself back under the Law with a series of Draconian rules which no one can live up to - and which spawn frustration and spiritual death. But nothing could be further from the truth if you understand what discipline and legalism are. The difference is one of motivation: legalism is self-centered; discipline is God-centered. The legalistic heart says, ‘I will do this thing to gain merit with God.’ The disciplined heart says, ‘I will do this thing because I love God and want to please him.’ There is an infinite difference between the motivation of legalism and discipline! Paul knew this implicitly and fought the legalists bare-knuckled all the way across Asia Minor, never giving an inch. And now he shouts to us, ‘Train [discipline] yourself to be godly’! (1 Timothy 4:7 NIV). If we confuse legalism and discipline, we do so to our soul’s peril.

As an aid to spiritual discipline Gary Matlack[7] suggests: “Reach for the Bible instead of the TV remote control more often; trade some busyness for more reflective time with God; interact more about spiritual things with your spouse, children, or friends.”

One further characteristic of the godly pastor to be noted is this.

He is Careful in His Relationships

The godly pastor is careful in his relationships, with those who are members of the church and those who are not. The pastor who loses his integrity loses all.

We may imagine Timothy thinking that what he has read has given everyone plenty to think about that day. And so he suggests that they finish reading at this part of the scroll. Next Lord’s day he will read to them about some very practical issues in the life of the church which Paul puts forward for them to consider.