Young People's Group

“Till I Come, Give Attention …”

by Mitchell Tan
January 13, 2017

“TILL I COME …”

What should a servant of God give priority to doing in a Church? Sometimes, they can be so caught up with doing many things that they do not give attention to what is important. This was something that Paul addressed as he wrote to Timothy. He had to be away from him for a period of time.

“As I urged you when I went into Macedonia – remain in Ephesus”
1 Timothy 1:3

“These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how to conduct yourself in the house of God”
1 Timothy 3:14-15

Paul had to go to Macedonia to do the work of the Lord and he wanted Timothy to stay in Ephesus to defend the local church against false teachings. He sought to be with Timothy but did not know when he would be able to. As such, he wrote this epistle to instruct him on what to do in the meantime. One thing he wrote about was what a pastor should give priority to doing in the Church.

GIVING ATTENTION TO WHAT IS IMPORTANT

“Give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine”
1 Timothy 4:13

The phrase “Give attention” in Greek means to “apply oneself” to these things. The servant of God should pay attention to these matters and devote himself to doing them. There were three things Timothy should give attention to.

1. HAVING PUBLIC READING OF THE SCRIPTURES

During the times of Paul, the Scriptures were read before the congregation during their time of worship. This is similar to what Synagogue worship is like. At Antioch in Pisidia, in the synagogue on the Sabbath day, there was the reading of the Law and Prophets (Acts 13:14-15). After which, there would be a word of exhortation. The early Christian Church had adopted a similar manner of worship where the reading and preaching of the word of God was central in worship.

2. SEEKING TO EXHORT THE BRETHREN

The word “exhortation” in Greek means “encouragement”. Timothy should make time to come alongside the brethren and to encourage and edify them. What better way to encourage each other than with the truth from the word of God.

3. GIVING TIME TO STUDYING AND TEACHING DOCTRINE

Another thing that Timothy should give attention to doing was to study and teach doctrines from Scripture. This focus of knowing good doctrine had been emphasised repeatedly in this epistle. They were to formulate for themselves sound doctrine based on the word of the gospel (1 Timothy 1:10-11). Paul also wrote about how Timothy had carefully followed the good doctrine. Teaching of sound doctrine must be from the word of God and they were meant to be followed.

APPLICATION TODAY

The underling basis of all the three things above is the word of God. The word of God must be central in all our undertakings as a Church. Let’s come for Prayer Meeting and Bible Study that we may read and know the Scriptures. Let’s seek to exhort each other with God’s word and to know doctrine well as we listen to it. May His word always be central in all that we do as a Church.

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