Episode 144: Timothy accompanies Paul

In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy

Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting

mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the Light of the world

and the life of all. Give us wisdom by your law and

enlighten our impulses by Your knowledge.

Sanctify our souls by Your truth and grant that we may be

obedient to Your words and may fulfil Your commandments at

every hour. O You who enlightens the

rational with the knowledge of Your greatness, do enlight, O my

Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate upon Your holy and

divine Scriptures at all times. O Lord of all, Father and Son

and Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we will continue our study of

the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles of our Lord Jesus

Christ. We concluded chapter 15 just a

review ended with Saint Paul and Barnabas departing from each

other because of Saint John Mark.

This is the evangelist John Mark.

Mark was his second name. So his first name was actually

John. So because of John Mark, there

was a, a disagreement and Paul didn't want to take him back on

his mission and ministry with Barnabas because he had left

them previously. And as Marie Shoudad writes in

his commentaries and says that because he, that is John Mark

did not wish that faith in Christ should be delivered to

the Gentiles without the observance of the law.

So he wanted them to be circumcised as well, the

Gentiles. And when he saw that the letter,

the letter that was written from the apostles that they should

receive the faith without observing the law.

So at first he was adamant that no, they should be circumcised.

It was all about circumcision. But when the apostles then

decreed that no, they do not need to absorb observe the law,

he's he wanted to again to be taken back and be a part of the

work that they were working. Now Baron Abbas being kind as

seen in chapter 15, forgave John Mark and you know one was

willing to take him back. But Saint Paul, because John

Mark longed to meditate for the accuracy he wanted to see

exactly what the teachings were thought that no, he's not he's

not ready or he's not fitting to come with us to on this journey

of preaching the word and spreading the the the gospel.

And because he saw him as being very light hearted with these

with these situations. And you know, at one minute he's

saying no. And then quickly he, he then

reverted back to accepting it. And that's why he thought, no,

it's best that we don't because we don't want any hindrance in

the work that we're doing. However, however, and I believe

this was divinely inspired as well.

And we, we ascertained that they didn't depart or separate in

enmity. There was no animosity.

There was no hatred. Because in the 2nd letter of

Saint Paul to Timothy, whom we're going to be introduced to

today, the second letter to Saint Timothy, Saint Paul writes

in chapter 4, verse 11, and states that Paul that states

that John Mark was useful for him and his ministry.

So there was no animosity. It was just a, a, a thought.

It was just a, a suggestion or an understanding of how to

continue the ministry. And this indicating that

Barnabas's efforts when Paul commenced John Mark, it shows

that Barnabas, Barnabas's efforts in training John Mark

was successful. He took him with him and he was

successful and it became beneficial to Paul.

So what was good for the geese was good for the gender.

Gender. He was good for the gender.

When I say gender, John, what's good for the geese is good for

the gender he was. He was beneficial for Barnabas

and then became beneficial for Paul as well.

And all because, you know, they just had different different

understandings and different thoughts about this.

But the work of Christ continued.

And Saint Paul and St. Selas are kind of working their

way out of Antioch to the surrounding regions.

And Barnabas and John Mark go to Cyprus to go and visit those

churches that were already established.

And Saint Paul continues with his mission.

And we're going to continue reading What Happens with Saint

Paul, Chapter 16. Then he there is Saint Paul

arrived at the city. Now he's by himself.

Saint Paul's by himself. Then he arrived at the city of

Derby and Lystra. There was there a disciple whose

name was Timotheus. Timotheus or Timothy, the son of

Jewess, convert. She was a Jewess.

That means a woman, a female Jew.

His mother was a female Jew. She was a convert, but his

father was and Aramian, he was a Gentile and all the disciples as

Lystra at Lystra. Now all the disciples or in the

Shuta version, the brothers meaning the church.

These are the church he's talking about now.

He's talking about those who believed, who are faithful,

except the Jesus Christ were baptized.

All the faithful or the disciples at Lystra and Iconium

gave good testimony concerning him, concerning Timothy.

Paul wanted to take this man with him, so he took him and

something strange now, and he circumcised him because of the

Jews who are in that region. For they all knew that his

father was a Aramian or a Gentile.

And as they went through the cities, they preached and

taught. Listen to this, listen to this

verse. Those who frown upon Apostol,

the apostolicity of the church, listen very carefully.

It's from the Bible, it's from the Scriptures, Acts chapter 16,

Acts 16 · chapter mention

verse four. And as they, that is, Paul and

Timothy, went through the cities, they preached and taught

the people to obey the decrees which the apostles and elders

had written to Jerusalem, not which the Bible or Jesus praise

his name, no, which the apostles and the elders had written at

Jerusalem. And so the churches were

established in the faith, and increased in number daily in the

faith which faith? The one faith, the holy

Apostolic Catholic faith of the Church.

That's not what we're going to talk about.

Every now and then these verses come up and we need to reiterate

and mention because there's still people, brothers and

sisters, that debate about a church being an Apostolic

Church, OK, and being built upon the foundation of the apostles.

What an amazing man this Saint Paul is, right?

Remember in chapter 15, he fought so many battles against

circumcision and to the Gentiles, into the Galatians and

to Ephesians is going to talk about this.

What use has circumcision got for you now?

What is the benefit of circumcision?

But in the early stage of his ministry, he's now circumcising.

He fought tooth and nail, and he will fight tooth and nail.

And he didn't give up and won't give up as we read the

scriptures until he had made and carried his point, until it was

firm and confirmed that no circumcision is of no benefit

for salvation. Yes, once the decision was

confirmed, we see now his his circumcising his disciple.

And he himself did it. You know, in in other verses he

says that I haven't baptized too many people, a few families

here. And we see that Saint Paul

baptizes Timothy. Why?

Because he wanted Timothy and his companion as his companion

first. He wanted him.

He wants to take him with him and he want to take him to the

Jews. It was because of the Jews

there. This is why he circumcised him.

You see, they, the Jews, would not have tolerated or listened

or adhered to Timothy preaching the word who was uncircumcised.

His dad was a gentile and would wouldn't have been circumcised.

That's why he circumcises him. Nothing could have been wiser

than what he did now. So in all things we see that

Saint Paul look to what was advantageous.

And a verse is coming to mind now.

And maybe some of you are already quoting it in their

minds, in their hearts, or to one another.

And in hindsight, after reading this verse, Saint Paul's message

to 1 Corinthian verse Chapter 9, verse 20 becomes very clear.

And I was with a Jew as a Jew, that I may gain the Jews not to

confirm that the law is still standing and we might abide by

them. No, no, no.

Just to convert the Jews. He did nothing at all.

According to his own preference or according to his own choice,

No. And what was the result,

Beloved? Look at his success.

He's circumcised to take away circumcision.

Amazing. He circumcises Timothy so that

he can go and preach to the Jews and to preach to the Jews that

hey, I am circumcised. I'm one of you now.

But let me tell you, circumcision is not to, is is to

no avail after Jesus Christ for salvation.

No. Well, why did you circumcise?

So that you could accept me, so that I could become one of you.

I'm one of you now, and I'm one of you telling you that we don't

need to boast about circumcision.

That is not what we need to uphold because it's been

fulfilled in Jesus Christ. And also, beloved again, the

wisdom and prudence of Saint Paul.

St. Paul did not forsake Moses.

He didn't want to be seen as someone who's forsaking Moses.

Paul's act and his decision in these things was not to give

others the impression that though by observing the the

observings of the salvation or by observing the the Mosaic law

and of the old, they have an effect of salvation.

No, no, no, he didn't want to do that.

What he wanted to do was to win them over.

But he stood firm and to be also seen that he's not against the

Mosaic law, He's not against God and the law.

This is what Jesus was being accused of.

He is breaking the Mosaic law. He is not adhering.

He is teaching a, a, a country to the Mosaic law.

And Jesus didn't do that because there was a motive.

He wanted to be with them, to gain them at Saint Paul, St.

Perth, Saint Paul quoting in one Corinthian 920.

Saint Paul is following the footsteps of his master.

Hence imitate me as I imitate Christ.

His motive was to prevent, prevent people from believing

that he is condemning Mosaic Law, and he certainly didn't

want to. Definitely the message was not

that through the observance of the laws of Moses, there is

salvation, no, but at the same time he wanted to show that what

was in the old and the Mosaic law and the Old Testament and

the the the law of the flesh as as Saint Paul writes, it was a

shadow of the things to come. So I'm doing the doing this now

to show you that I'm not against Moses, but to show you that what

this, what happened now was a shadow of what is going to come,

where you will be baptized now, where the Gentiles will only

need to be baptized because word was out that he is forsaking

Moses just as there was an accusation on Jesus Christ.

And this would by all means not be wrong.

For those who believed in Jesus Christ, this was not wrong to

do. For those who believed in Jesus

Christ, it was for their own benefit to forsake him who

prophesied of Christ, to forsake Moses who prophesied Christ.

If he hated, if he was despising Moses, teaching against the law

of Moses that it was, it was abolished and it had no, you

know, no benefit whatsoever, but being a shadow of what was to

come, then he was going against him whom Christ said.

If you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, for he

wrote for me. John 54647 But they couldn't see

this. That's why they crucified Jesus

Christ. It was only an excuse and this

excuse was also being put on Saint Paul.

Hence he has some issues when he goes to some churches and he's

being persecuted. He was it's he's, he's adhering

to his Lord's commandment in Matthew chapter 5, verse 41,

Matthew 5:41

whoever compels you to go one mile with him, go with him 2

miles again. He circumcised to do away with

circumcision, just like the prodigal son.

The parable of the prodigal son, the father who is God allowed

the son to go. The father could have said, no,

you're not getting a cent. You know you're going to stay

here. You want to go, go and start for

yourself. Start from scratch.

I'm not giving you anything. Go, go and live your life

starting from scratch. That would have been very

difficult and the Son would have remained in the house, but the

Father allowed the Son to go see.

The Father let the Son to go. He, he let him go to bring him

back one more time. And this is the Father, this is

God. The Father is God.

God lets us go. Sometimes God allows us to go

through pain and suffering to bring us back to him one more

time in a contrite spirit and being strengthened to withstand

any precious that we go through, especially in life.

And I, we've always said this and this must be reiterated.

If you're going through any, any struggles at this moment, if you

are going through any pain and suffering and you're crying out

to the Lord, why had you let me go?

Why did you allow me to go through this?

Why? Well, it's to bring you back and

to bring you back even stronger. There are testimonies out there,

beloved. There are testimonies of those

who, who, who in life took a very, very, the, the most

extreme incorrect and wrong turn in life ended up, ended up

wasting their lives in prison behind bars for many years.

And I believe the parents or the mother would have been praying.

Why, Lord, why did you let my son go to this extent to end up

where he is? But then, you know, when they

come out and they do their time, their lives have changed.

They so treasure and honor and value freedom, freedom.

So Saint Paul is doing this so that he could win them over,

give him a little bit and take a lot more.

Jesus did this Matthew chapter 17, verse 27.

Matthew 17:27

But lest we give offence to them when it came to paying taxes,

and he asked Simon and said, Simon, who pays taxes?

The children or the strangers? No, the children don't pay

taxes. Well, here I am.

I stand here, I'm the creator of heaven and earth.

But so that we don't give offence, so that we don't give

offence to them and we can win them over.

Go and do your fishing, you know, put your fishing skills

into into practice. Bring the bring the two coin and

pay for you and I Why? Because Christ wanted to bring

them over to him. Why did Saint Paul circumcise?

Not to go against the decree of the apostles.

No, no, to win them over. And this was the early days of

the Church, beloved. First decade.

It wasn't as it is today. People have heard about Jesus

Christ. You know, those who even mock

Jesus Christ. May the Lord have mercy on their

souls on this earth and at Judgement Day.

Those who cuss Jesus Christ, those who deny Jesus Christ,

those who want to do away with Jesus Christ, those who want to

completely wipe away the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even then, even when you speak to those people, beloved, they

know, because when they say, when they're mocking Jesus

Christ, it means that they indirectly, foolishly,

ignorantly are confessing that there is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Because when you say you're Jesus also, there is a Jesus.

He's my Jesus. OK, so there is a Jesus.

Let me let's talk about this Jesus Christ.

I'm not here to condemn you. I'm here to bring you over to

Jesus Christ. Those who deny him when you deny

something, that that thing is there.

You know, the atheists I read once, I'm not sure where I, I

saw this, don't claim that there is no God because if an atheist

says there is no God, no, no, I'm sorry if an atheist says I

don't believe in God. The atheist would say, you know,

he, he's inclining that there is a God, but I don't believe it.

So they say there is no God. There is no God, but there is a

God we know. Praise and glory be to his name.

Just the just by by saying that there is no God, there is a

concept of God and God is not material, beloved.

No, God is spirit, God is power, God is mind.

When you even say so, you're trying to get away with it, but

you're not. You're still in the same hole.

There is a God where you're saying there is no God.

There is a concept of God, so you're saying there is not.

I'm saying there is. Let's now communicate and win

over. Win over the enemies, win over,

win over the opponents of Christianity.

And this is what they would have faced, beloved.

That's why Saint Paul was persecuted so much.

That's why the apostles were all persecuted and executed, all of

them except John. That's why they, they, you know,

the Church of Christ is known, the Church of martyrs, and it's

in particular the Assyrian Church of the East is known by

the martyred church. Why?

Because they went and they they laid their life to preach Jesus

Christ. Even if they weren't preaching,

when they were being beheaded, persecuted, burnt, skinned

alive, there was a proclamation there.

They didn't denounce the Lord Jesus Christ.

They actually confirmed that there is Jesus.

You know, you read some of the histories of the Saints of our

Lord, and I encourage you to read the histories, the

biographies of the Saints. Those who were persecuting the

persecutor, the person who was chopping their heads off came to

an understanding, a realization that there must be a God for

these people to so joyfully walk to their their death.

There must be a God. And you do it, you give you

become with them to gain them, not meaning you start beheading

people so that you can gain the the one who's beheading someone.

No, no, this is a great, great lesson we learned first from

Christ praising glory be to his name and his apostles.

Let me read verse 4 again. And as they went through the

cities, they preached and taught the people to obey.

And the decrees which the apostles and elders had written

at Jerusalem. We learned from these apostles,

not only from their writings, not only from their preachings

and their proclamations. We learned from their lifestyle,

their prudence, prudency, their wisdom.

How do I speak to someone who does not know Christ?

How do I introduce Jesus to one who is denying Jesus?

How do I preach Christ to one who is mocking and belittle?

In Christ we have to be wise and prudent.

I see a brother. When was the last time I was I

saw this brother on as in Modesto.

I can't remember the Oh, it was Claws and and Briggs more.

The brother is carrying a Bible in his hand and he's preaching,

but we could not hear a word of his words #1 There's so much

traffic driving, going speeding, you know, trying to beat the,

the amber and the red light #2 you're in your car by the time

you wind down your window and he's so far away and you're

listening. And I, I had to stop and say,

brother, God bless you. But no one is hearing you.

No one's hearing you. All they can see is you got this

book in your hand and your hands being waved and you're, no one

can hear you. So what is the benefit there?

And I'm not believing in God. Bless him.

You know, maybe God will work in some mysterious way through his

brother. But we need to be prudent.

We need to be wise as to how we preach when we preach.

Jesus chose fishers of men. He chose fishers of men.

I'm sorry. He chose fishers.

He shows fishing Syada fisherman and he called them to be fishers

of men to put in practice what they used their expertise, their

wisdom, their knowledge, their tactique, their tactics on how

they would fish and draw fish to their lines and Nets to put that

in practice to how they would fish the souls of men to come to

the net, which is the church prudence this this message we

learn from these verses to be prudent, to be wise, to give a

little a little at times to gain a lot to be with people.

Go a mile, go 2 miles, but to bring him back many miles and

bring him back to Jesus Christ and there is only salvation.

What we read here, Paul is not mixing his priorities and he's

not, he hasn't got it wrong. He's not promoting the Mosaic or

the Old Testament, all circumcision.

No, he wants to gain them, gain them through that, to speak to

them, to be with them, and then to gain them one more time.

We see this when he goes to Corinth as well with all the

philosophers that he's speaking and he's talking about the the

Pagan gods, the wisdom that he uses to bring souls to Jesus

Christ, where only at only through only is salvation

praising glory be to his name now and at all times and

forever. Amen.

We hope you enjoyed this week's message.

Please don't forget to rate and review this podcast and share

with your friends and family. For any future topics,

suggestions, or to give us detailed feedback, please visit

our link in the show notes. Linktr dot EE forward slash

double edged sword. Until next time, God bless you

all.