Timothy had been given a solid foundation in the Old Testament Scriptures, which he had received from his grandmother and his mother. These sacred writings made Timothy wise for salvation through faith in Jesus. The Bible has its origin in God, and it is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. This is the way that God equips his followers and moves them to maturity.
Timothy has already been advised to guard the deposit of truth and to be steadfast in preaching that truth in the face of any opposition he might be faced with in his ministry at Ephesus. Now, Paul urges him to pass on the truth of the gospel to the next generation. Paul is well aware that his end is drawing near, and he is considering the future as he writes to Timothy.
Paul affirms Timothy as a man of God and encourages him to look after his spiritual health. He urges him to strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. Paul tells Timothy that faith is a fight. We should remember that a life of faith is not delivered from struggle, a life of faith brings one into a life of struggle, a fight.
These verses are not just a set of instructions on how to identify and appoint new leaders. The church at Ephesus required a radical overhaul of the church’s leadership. Some men had wandered from the truth and led others astray which necessitated that they be replaced with men of integrity who could lead the church.
Creation exists for Christ. Every particle and molecule in the universe is held together by Jesus, and he has dominion over all things. He is the head of the church, and he exercises his authority by the Spirit and the word. Jesus is the greatest, supreme, foremost, best, finest, and most excellent over all things.
Paul has calls these readers to follow his example as he did on previous occasions in the book of Philippians. This call to practice what has been learned, received, heard, and seen is the essence of discipleship; follow me as I follow Christ. We are called to show the world what Jesus is like by the way that we live.
These words should render us speechless as a sense of awe and wonder envelops our hearts. Jesus did not insist upon what was rightfully his. Instead, he willingly laid aside his glory and took our humanity. Jesus never ceased to be God, but he took on our humanity becoming fully God and fully man at the same time.
Life in Christ is not some suspended state where the believer simply sits around and waits for the trip home while acquiring wealth and power. As Paul brings the letter to the Ephesians to its conclusion, he explains that war that rages in unseen places and we are involved in the conflict. Paul tells the Ephesians to be strong and stand.
Paul then juxtaposes the fruit of the Spirit with the works of the flesh. Here one finds the beauty of the work of the Spirit in the life of the believer next to the destructive works of the flesh. This fruit is the result of a rooted abiding. This fruit is not perfect immediately, but it grows over time as we abide in Jesus.
This passage offers riches unfathomable. Romans eight gives the Christian beauty and truth laden with robust theology. It explains in detail what it means to be a Christian and describes the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul begins with no condemnation and concludes with no separation and a lifetime cannot provide enough time or space to plumb the depths of this passage.
Acts may seem like an incomplete story, but perhaps, that is precisely what is intended by the author. We are left with the advancement of the gospel and the message of the kingdom of God. Rome may arrest the Herald, but the message goes on. One might say that every day in the life of the church the story continues. Acts is not an unfinished story, and we have been added to the plot.
Festus interrupts Paul and declares that he is mad and that his learning had driven him out of his mind. However, Paul appeals to Agrippa, who knows about these things. Agrippa seems impressed but not persuaded or prepared to become a Christian. This king does not find guilt in him and tells Festus that he should have been set free and would have, had he not appealed to Caesar.
Luke tells us that the charges brought against Paul were quite serious. Paul denied all of the charges but Festus wanted to gain favor with the Jews, and he suggested that they hold a trial in Jerusalem. Paul turned to the one legal recourse he had that would ensure against him being taken there for prosecution.
Athens was a significant city where intellectuals gathered and idolatry was practiced. Everyone worships something, even intellectuals. The ethos of Athens disturbed Paul to the point that he could not wait for the team any longer, he was compelled to preach and so he did in the synagogue and the marketplace.
Paul’s dynamic mission was directed by the Holy Spirit, and he was prevented from going to some of the places that he intended to visit. In a vision, a Macedonian man urged him to help them in Macedonia. This is the first time that Luke uses the word we which may indicate that this was when he began to travel with Paul.
The new Gentile mission elicited significant debate because Paul did not require the Gentile converts to be circumcised or to subscribe to the Jewish law about things like food regulations. The bottom line was that no requirements were put into place that would make Gentiles become Jews if they were Christians.
The team remains steadfast in their purpose, continuing to speak the truth of the Lord. The Spirit authenticated their work through signs and wonders, but the city was divided over the apostles. The tension finally erupted when an attempt was to mistreat and stone this mission team.
By the time the next Sabbath rolled around, the whole city had gathered to hear what Paul and Barnabas would say to them. However, not everyone was enthusiastic about hearing from them. Some were filled with jealousy, and they began to contradict what Paul had to say and reviled him publicly.
The gospel had spread across cultures, and now it was about to increase geographically. The church at Antioch would be the ground zero for the gospel heading overseas. Paul and Barnabas had taken the offering that was collected for the coming famine to Jerusalem, and now they had returned.
News spread and soon the church in Jerusalem received the news about this unorthodox church. They dispatched Barnabas to investigate these claims and to bring news back concerning these new believers. When Barnabas arrived, he saw the evidence of grace and was filled with joy.