THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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suited In two m issionary program s be ing carried out instead of one. God has Ills own way of using even th e differ ences of men as one of th e “all things” which work tog ether for good. (Rom. 8 :2 8 ). 13) The Selection of Timothy, 16:1-5 Paul, choosing Silas, tu rn ed his face westward, reversing th e order of his m issionary tou r, going th rough Syria and Cilicia, building up th e saints in th e ir holy faith. The Scripture does r ot dwell upon the wonderful scenery through which P aul and Silas journey ed, over four thousand feet above sea level, b u t Luke th e faith fu l penman, gives utterance to an exclamation of joy when he sayd, “Behold, a certain disciple was th e re named T im othy!” And th is is our introduction to the man whom God gave to P aul as a son in the Gospel, and to whom he indited the two epistles which are filled w ith i n struction for the Church and which we find of such value in these days. Timothy had a good repu tation as a man of God, as had Ananias of Damas cus— God’s servant— used to give sight to Saul’s blind eyes (Acts 2 2 :12 ), and as had Cornelius (Acts 1 0 :2 2 ); which suggests to us th a t a good repu tation may be of g reater value to men whom God w ants as servants, th a n a good edu cation. And it is possible to have a good repu tation if you live an unselfish, god ly, fearless life; and God commands th a t men must be of good rep o rt who are to be His representatives in th e visible church. - (I Tim. 3 :7 ) By reason of the violation pf this law of God th e church has suffered woe fully. A deacon, an elder, a teacher, an evangelist, a preacher, must live a clean life if he is to be a representative of God in th e church. The violation of th is ru le and an unw arran ted sym pathy for offenders, has been a stum-w bling block which has caused many men
to despise th e church. Notice th e in junction, “He m u st,” etc. Timothy was ordained of God before he was born, (II Tim. 1 :5 ) and by prophetic utterance (I Tim. 1 :1 8 ), "Th is ch arge I c o m m i t unto T im o th y , ac co rd in g to ' the be fo re o n t he e, t h a t t th em m ighte st w a r a g o o d w ar fa r t he p r o w h ic h went
and finally by th e hands of th e presby tery (I Tim. 4 :1 4 ), and th is should aL ways be th e order. When God puts His seal upon a m an’s m inistry the church should pu t its seal, in fellowship w ith God. This would give us a min istry like th a t of Timothy’s. Timothy was a Hebrew by b irth . He had a Jew ish mother, and th e Jews ac knowledged such a child as a Jew. There fore, P au l insisted upon his circumcis ion to co n fo rm 'to th e Jew ish custom, as he was to work w ith P aul among th e Jews. This rite had nothing to do w ith T imothy’s salvation, bu t was in or der to facilitate the work before them , which necessitated entrance into the synagogues. On the o ther hand, T itus, who was a Greek convert, P au l insisted should not be circumcised. So Paul and Timothy w ent fo rth as fath e r and son to th e work whereunto God had called, and w hat a marvellous record will be'd isclo sed when God’s book or remembrance is opened, and the h ar vest of th is seed-sowing is revealed. PRACTICAL POINTS (1) P aul had a hunger in his h eart for th e giving of th e Gospel. (2) I t is not always good for good men to work together in th e Gospel. (3 ) The m ark against Mark was a hand on the plow and a h ea rt tu rned back. (4 ) It is a good sign when men agree to disagree. (5 ) The converts to Christ need the conservation- work of the Gospel. (6 ) A godly ancestry is a goodly heri tage. (7 ) Give God a chance and He will change conditions.
" M o r e o v e r h e m ust h a ve a g o o d r ep or t o f th em w h ic h a r e with out ; l e s t h e f a l l in to rep roach an d th e s nar e o f th e d e v i l .”
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