(1) Contend
4:12a Let no one look down on you because you are young,
What had happened in that church? Their pastor was being looked down on because he was young?? What can you do if you are the pastor?
(BKC) ....since Timothy could not control the attitudes of others...Timothy must not be intimidated by his relative youthfulness or what others might think of it. Instead he was to demonstrate his maturity by living such a godly life that he would become a pattern for other Christians in every area of his life:
v.12b but set an example for the believers in your speech, conduct, love, faithfulness, and purity.
How could Timothy become an example in these practices? When others saw his progress.
4:15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that everyone will see your progress.4:16 Be conscientious about how you live and what you teach.
(2) Repeated words:
Conduct v.12, how you live v.16
public reading of Scripture, exhortation, teaching v.13, what you teach v.16
Yes, the conduct is important for people to see Timothy's progress, but the main goal is his teaching. He was called to be the pastor v.14. Therefore while he was being looked down do not stop to teach.
(3) Reflection: Sometimes I find it hard to believe that Mike and I are serving God in the church. How can we qualify to be other people's spiritual leaders? When other people ask me to share something in front of others I do not know what deep spiritual truth that I know and they do not know.
I pray that I will take pains and be absorbed in this teaching. Pay attention to teachings regarding Christian living and pay attention to the truth.
Audrey
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