Just One Life at a Tme - Timothy and Lydia
Just One Life at a Time – Timothy and Lydia
Apostle Paul and Barnabas have gone separate ways in the mission having had “sharp disagreement” because of John Mark whom Barnabas wanted to come along and Paul did not think so (Acts 15:36-41). That did not stop the work of God. Rather, we see God at work to shape the lives of individuals one at a time for the purpose of establishing His Church. Barnabas discipled John Mark who later became very “useful” even to Paul (2 Tim. 4:11) and John Mark is credited with the writing of the Book of the Gospel of Mark. We see the power of mentoring at work in the early church. This is what making disciples is all about – changing and impacting just one life at a time. Jesus put this plan in place to grow the Church and His kingdom.
We will focus on two of these disciples – Timothy and Lydia whom God put in the path of Paul during his second missionary journey. God will put us in the path of someone who needs to be discipled. Often, it is for a season. I thank God for all the men and women that God had put in my path to disciple me. Are you paying attention to the people on your path? Let’s get to know Timothy and Lydia.
Acts 16: 1-5 and 11-15:
1He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. 2The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
11From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. 12From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have.
1. Timothy had a Jewish mother and a Greek father vs.1. In today’s news, we have a justice of peace in New Orleans who would not marry a white woman and a black man because he is afraid of the children they would produce. Timothy by God’s grace would have proved this man wrong.
2. Timothy had a godly mother and also a godly grandmother (2 Tim 1:5). It is a rich heritage to have believing parents. This is the best heritage we can give our children.
3. We do not have any indication that Timothy’s father was a believer in Christ. This tells me that there is great hope even for our single mothers who are raising kids in the fear of God. Also, it is also encouraging for our sisters who may have non-believing husbands.
4. Timothy was a young man (about 15 years old) who needed the godly example of a man of God like Paul. I believe because of the “spiritual absence” of Timothy’s father, God in his mercy provided Paul, a spiritual father to Timothy. Paul would say of Timothy, “To Timothy, a true son in the faith” (1 Tim 1:2).
5. The people spoke very well of young Timothy vs.2. Paul took note of that recommendation. There are many young people out there who are looking to doing the right thing but need some encouragement. Will you and I step in to be the encouragers and mentors? Will you be the “Titus 2 woman” to other younger women? “Older women…teachers of good things – that they admonish the younger women to love their husbands, to love their, to be discreet, chaste, home makers, good, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed” (Titus 2:3-4).
6. Why did Paul have to circumcise Timothy especially after event of Acts 15? It puzzles me but there was a reason given. “So he (Paul) circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek” vs.3. Though Timothy’s father was Greek, Timothy was considered Jewish because his mother was Jewish. Timothy’s circumcision was done in order not to offend the Jews and not become a stumbling block to preaching to the Jews by Paul and Timothy. The issue here is that circumcision was not done as the basis of salvation for Timothy.
7. Timothy traveled with Paul encouraging and strengthening the churches in various cities. Timothy had on-the-job training-by observation. We need to allow people to observe our way of life so that they can be built up in God. Look at the result of Paul’s input into Timothy. This is why we today have the first and second letters to Timothy as part of the ordained word of God. Timothy became a strong leader of the Church who in turn produced many more disciples Paul himself could not reach. This is the power of discipleship and changing one life one at a time. Think of the one person who shaped people like Dr. Billy Graham who has now reached so many people?
8. Lydia was another believer whom Paul took note of. Lydia was a married successful business woman. God “opened” her heart to the message of the Gospel. Notice that she was described as a “worshipper of God” like Cornelius. Both were Gentiles and would change the lives of many associated with them. “She (Lydia’s) and her household were baptized” vs.15.
9. Lydia volunteered herself to be discipled by Paul and his team. She invited Paul and his team to her house to “stay” vs.15. Sometimes we have to go out to ask people to disciple us. Mentoring is a two-way traffic in that it is mutually beneficial to both parties. Lydia was very hospitable to them. In fact Lydia would be very instrumental in the establishment of the Church in Thyatira. “So they (Paul and Silas) went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed” vs. 40. Again, one changed life touches many others.
Who is your mentor and who are you mentoring? Did you know mentoring is a mandate of Jesus? “Go and make disciples of all the nations” Matt. 28:19. I thank God for one particular young man at my workplace who I am mentoring and whom God is using to touch many other young lives that I would never reach myself. I have been more blessed in this mentor/mentee relationship than he. Remember, discipling is for a season and look out for people God have placed in your path for this season. Be a Paul, Barnabas, Timothy or Lydia to someone. Will you? Amen.
Apostle Paul and Barnabas have gone separate ways in the mission having had “sharp disagreement” because of John Mark whom Barnabas wanted to come along and Paul did not think so (Acts 15:36-41). That did not stop the work of God. Rather, we see God at work to shape the lives of individuals one at a time for the purpose of establishing His Church. Barnabas discipled John Mark who later became very “useful” even to Paul (2 Tim. 4:11) and John Mark is credited with the writing of the Book of the Gospel of Mark. We see the power of mentoring at work in the early church. This is what making disciples is all about – changing and impacting just one life at a time. Jesus put this plan in place to grow the Church and His kingdom.
We will focus on two of these disciples – Timothy and Lydia whom God put in the path of Paul during his second missionary journey. God will put us in the path of someone who needs to be discipled. Often, it is for a season. I thank God for all the men and women that God had put in my path to disciple me. Are you paying attention to the people on your path? Let’s get to know Timothy and Lydia.
Acts 16: 1-5 and 11-15:
1He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. 2The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
11From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. 12From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have.
1. Timothy had a Jewish mother and a Greek father vs.1. In today’s news, we have a justice of peace in New Orleans who would not marry a white woman and a black man because he is afraid of the children they would produce. Timothy by God’s grace would have proved this man wrong.
2. Timothy had a godly mother and also a godly grandmother (2 Tim 1:5). It is a rich heritage to have believing parents. This is the best heritage we can give our children.
3. We do not have any indication that Timothy’s father was a believer in Christ. This tells me that there is great hope even for our single mothers who are raising kids in the fear of God. Also, it is also encouraging for our sisters who may have non-believing husbands.
4. Timothy was a young man (about 15 years old) who needed the godly example of a man of God like Paul. I believe because of the “spiritual absence” of Timothy’s father, God in his mercy provided Paul, a spiritual father to Timothy. Paul would say of Timothy, “To Timothy, a true son in the faith” (1 Tim 1:2).
5. The people spoke very well of young Timothy vs.2. Paul took note of that recommendation. There are many young people out there who are looking to doing the right thing but need some encouragement. Will you and I step in to be the encouragers and mentors? Will you be the “Titus 2 woman” to other younger women? “Older women…teachers of good things – that they admonish the younger women to love their husbands, to love their, to be discreet, chaste, home makers, good, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed” (Titus 2:3-4).
6. Why did Paul have to circumcise Timothy especially after event of Acts 15? It puzzles me but there was a reason given. “So he (Paul) circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek” vs.3. Though Timothy’s father was Greek, Timothy was considered Jewish because his mother was Jewish. Timothy’s circumcision was done in order not to offend the Jews and not become a stumbling block to preaching to the Jews by Paul and Timothy. The issue here is that circumcision was not done as the basis of salvation for Timothy.
7. Timothy traveled with Paul encouraging and strengthening the churches in various cities. Timothy had on-the-job training-by observation. We need to allow people to observe our way of life so that they can be built up in God. Look at the result of Paul’s input into Timothy. This is why we today have the first and second letters to Timothy as part of the ordained word of God. Timothy became a strong leader of the Church who in turn produced many more disciples Paul himself could not reach. This is the power of discipleship and changing one life one at a time. Think of the one person who shaped people like Dr. Billy Graham who has now reached so many people?
8. Lydia was another believer whom Paul took note of. Lydia was a married successful business woman. God “opened” her heart to the message of the Gospel. Notice that she was described as a “worshipper of God” like Cornelius. Both were Gentiles and would change the lives of many associated with them. “She (Lydia’s) and her household were baptized” vs.15.
9. Lydia volunteered herself to be discipled by Paul and his team. She invited Paul and his team to her house to “stay” vs.15. Sometimes we have to go out to ask people to disciple us. Mentoring is a two-way traffic in that it is mutually beneficial to both parties. Lydia was very hospitable to them. In fact Lydia would be very instrumental in the establishment of the Church in Thyatira. “So they (Paul and Silas) went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed” vs. 40. Again, one changed life touches many others.
Who is your mentor and who are you mentoring? Did you know mentoring is a mandate of Jesus? “Go and make disciples of all the nations” Matt. 28:19. I thank God for one particular young man at my workplace who I am mentoring and whom God is using to touch many other young lives that I would never reach myself. I have been more blessed in this mentor/mentee relationship than he. Remember, discipling is for a season and look out for people God have placed in your path for this season. Be a Paul, Barnabas, Timothy or Lydia to someone. Will you? Amen.
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