📣 1 Timothy 4:12 | Christ is The Ultimate Example
PLUS: Reviewing what we've learned this week..
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Happy Friday! Last email of the week!
If you missed any of this week’s emails, you can read them here (be sure to scroll down after clicking).
📧 In today’s email…
📕 A quick review of what we’ve learned this week
💪 5 ways to take action this week
🧐 In case you missed it.. 👀
🧠 Memorize
see if you know what words go in the blanks
___ _ _______ ___ ___ ____ _____,
___ ___ ___ _________ ______ in s_____, in c______, __ l___, in f____, in p_____.
1 Timothy 4:12
(Answer key below. You can also use our free web app to memorize in your favorite translation. Set up instructions are linked at the bottom of this email.)
A review of what we’ve learned 🤔
Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve learned this week:
Background Context
Author: Paul
Recipient: Timothy
When: Paul wrote this in between his two imprisonments, likely in the mid-60s AD
Passage Context
In contrast to many of Paul’s other letters (written to churches), 1 Timothy is written to a person.
Paul wrote 1 Timothy in order to help Timothy correct concerning issues at the church in Ephesus:
A group of leaders infiltrated the Ephesian church and were spreading incorrect teachings about Jesus and what it means to follow him.
Paul sent Timothy to confront these leaders and get things back on track.
More Context
Ephesus was a center of pagan worship.
When Paul left Timothy in Ephesus he instructed him to address false teachers in the church (1:3).
Paul hoped to return to visit Timothy at some point, but wrote to him in order to address Christian behavior in the meantime (3:14–15).
"As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith."
Original Hebrew 🤓
The Greek word translated “despise” (kataphroneō) is not the jealous kind of despising. Rather, it means to “look down on” someone
Paul is saying to make it difficult for others to “think little of” him because his Christ-like conduct is so visible.
The Greek word translated as “your youth” in v12 is neotēs, which at the time was used to refer to a young adult of military age.
Commentators estimate Timothy’s age to be somewhere from his late 20s to mid-30s, with most favoring the mid-30s at the time of Paul writing this letter to him.
Being an Example 🪞
In the Old and New Testaments, we see that youth is not a barrier to God using you to set an example and advance His Kingdom:
7 “But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.”
7 “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness
8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”
21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
The Power of Example Throughout Scripture 📖
The Christian faith has been passed down for generations in part through the example of believers.
Remember “monkey see, monkey do” and my uncle who is a Chiropractor:
people take notice of how you speak and act, and it influences how they speak and act
This is a serious responsibility God to steward with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s walk into this calling this weekend!
Christ’s Example ✝️
This week we learned that no matter how old you are, you are called to live a life that others can look to as a model of Christlike behavior.
What does Christlike behavior look like?
Like this…
14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
To live like Christ is to:
Sacrifice for both friend and enemies
Take on the posture of a servant
Obey the Father
Speak truth
Jesus’ life and sacrificial death are the ultimate example and demonstration of God’s undying love for us.
And Jesus’ resurrection shows us our ultimate destiny - we will be made completely new!
Let’s reflect Christ’s example so that others may catch a glimpse of our Savior!
As a reminder, here are 5 ways to do that in daily life:
🗣️ Speech: Build others up. If someone looked at a transcript of everything you say, would they see Jesus reflected?
👟 Conduct: Behave in alignment with your words.
❤️ Love: Show love to everyone, especially your enemies.
🕊️ Faith: Spend time with God and trust him with your circumstances
☀️ Purity: Make choices about what you consume (news, tv shows, movies, music, etc.) that make you more like Jesus.
Practice: Setting An Example
🏃♂️ Take Action: Choose one idea from above to focus on this weekend (speech, conduct, love, faith and purity)
In Case You Missed It 👀
In case you missed it, here are some resources to help you dive deeper into this week’s memory verse:
📹️ Bible Project: Overview of the 1 Timothy (link)
🎙️ A 6-minute podcast on 1 Timothy 4:12 by David Platt (link)
📚️ Life Lessons from 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus: Ageless Wisdom for Young Leaders (link)
🎵 Lord, I Need You by Matt Maher (Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music)
Answer key ✅
Let no one despise you for your youth,
but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12
Our hope is that you took one step further into your walk with Jesus this week 🙏
We’ll start memorizing our next verse the week of July 21st!
Invite a friend to join you, and have a great weekend! 🎉
Best,
Kieran & Isaac
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