I am a nurse by training. In the beginning, my skills are general but as my career went along, I specialized in several different areas of service. Each area that I trained in allowed me to administer care from placing an IV to helping a patients prepare for discharge home from the hospital. Paul shares in 1 Timothy 3 qualification of a preacher, a deacon, and reveals the great mystery of Christ Jesus.
Biblical leadership’s painted in 1 Timothy 3. Certainly, pride has no place in leadership. The first division in 1 Timothy 3 has verses 1-7, Paul lists qualifications of a preacher or a bishop. In Mark 9:35 says, “If any one desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” The person’s deep desires to serve in ministry and in God’s will’s evident by his actions. Some of the qualifications, married, above reproach, faithful to his wife, exercise self-control, live wisely, to not be given to drink wine, to have his own house in order, and to take care of the church? People must speak well of him out side of the church. How does your pastor rate according to these verses? My father has been a pastor sixty plus years, he has retired three times, he’s loved by the church members where he was their leader. Just recently, he preached at Virginia Avenue in Anadarko, Oklahoma. His church piano player came from Butler, Oklahoma to hear him preach and in honor she played the piano for us as the little church does not have a piano player. This is a tribute to his care of church members. Later on Facebook, several members said how much they loved him.
As we read the next section verses 8-13, Paul encourages the deacons/wives in their roles to have respect and integrity. This is true of the Christian. We must be respected and not prone to slander people. A person must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything one does. How are you doing in the faithful department? Are you faithful to God? in prayer, reading God’s word, serving, being kind?
Lastly in 1 Timothy 3: verses 14-16, Paul exhorts the great mystery of our faith in Christ Jesus. Paul hoped to be with Timothy but was delayed. He declared his writing so that Timothy would share with the people that the church of the living God’s pillar and foundation of the truth. It is the GREAT MYSTERY.
God was manifested in the flesh. Jesus Christ.
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by Angels
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.
The mystery of godliness is Christ manifested in the flesh. Matthew 1:23 says, “Behold the virgin shall be with Child and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel which is translated, “God with us,” John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth.” Galatians 4:4 says, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoptions as sons.” And lastly 1 John 1:2 says, ‘the life was manifested, and we have seen, bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us–.”
Beloved, the health of the church’s measured by the quality of its leadership. Many people have stopped going to church. Corporate worship describe in 1 Timothy 2’s still important and leadership of the church’s still important today. When was the last time you were at church? Are you supporting your pastor by praying for him? Do you have Jesus as your Savior? Do you understand the mystery of godliness?
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