The response of the congregation so far has been wonderful. Most comments have been something like this one: “I have to say that when I first read your letter of resignation as head minister at CCC, that my heart was saddened. You have been key to my becoming a member. I understand with all my heart why you are moving on. It’s great that you are serving God’s Will. That’s what He wants you to do. You will be an awesome minister at Crestwood. It will be amazing to see what God’s Will is for you in this new beginning of yours and your family.”  The mix of emotions people have been expressing match my own: excitement at the new adventure ahead but great sadness at the thought of leaving our church family behind.

I was talking with Sydney last night about the move and realized that this is the longest I’ve ever lived in one place in my life, which makes it that much harder to leave. I’m praying that my next move is my last one for a L-O-N-G time.

Today, my first day back, was spent mostly at Children’s Memorial Hospital, awaiting news of Grace’s brain surgery (it went very well). The wait gave me some good time to talk to Grace’s parents, who are dear friends and have been a big part of my ministry at CCC. They are tremendous people and were so supportive of our decision. They are a blessing, as are many people at CCC.

I also talked on the phone to a few church members I had yet to hear from, and both conversations were full of joy, thanksgiving and optimism about the future. This church is going to be healthy for a long, long time because of the wonderful people who are a part of it. What a blessing it has been for me to serve here.

Dear church family,

With a mix of emotions and bittersweet feelings, I am writing to inform you that I am resigning as senior minister of Community Christian Church. My last Sunday at Community Christian will be October 25, 2009. Because of this decision, I will be ending my sabbatical early. I will be back in the office on Monday, Aug. 3, and will return to the pulpit on Sunday, Aug. 9.

I am leaving CCC to take the position of Senior Minister at Crestwood Christian Church in Lexington, Ky. This decision is one of the hardest I’ve ever had to make, but as the discernment process unfolded it was clear to me that God was calling my family and me to a new chapter. I was first contacted by Crestwood in February 2009 with follow-up discussions and visits that have led to this call. While the timing of this call coincides with my sabbatical, let me assure you that I did not use my sabbatical to seek out another church and I hope in the next few months you will see how the church has benefitted from the work I’ve been doing during my time away.

This move will bring Leigh and me much closer to our families (Lexington is a little over an hour from Jeffersonville) and allow for Leigh to continue building her business in a more temperate climate. In addition, Crestwood Christian Church represents new challenges and opportunities for me in my ministry. I am so appreciative of how the last eight years at CCC have prepared me for this new adventure.

I cannot tell you how hard it is for me to say goodbye to you. I wanted to talk to so many of you personally to share this news because we have built such meaningful relationships serving together these past eight years. You welcomed me into your home, allowed me to share some of your most painful and joyous moments, and called me your pastor. There is no greater honor you could have given me.

You have also loved my family and me, nurtured us in our life and ministry, and prepared us to continue serving God in a new place. There is no way to adequately say “thank you” for all you have done for us. I hope to express that to each and every one of you personally in the coming months.

For now, know that I thank God for this congregation and its impact on my life and ministry. I will never forget what you’ve done for me. Succeeding pastors at CCC don’t know how blessed they will be to serve this church. Community Christian Church is a gift from God, and I have been humbled and blessed to be a part of it. Thank you!

Blessings,

Kory

This passage presents a lot of obvious problems in its tacit approval of slavery. No one in their right mind would condone slavery today, but we do need to acknowledge that slavery was a part of the worldview in which Paul was writing. That’s not a statement of approval or condoning; it’s simply a fact. Even in a passage that can be seen as archaic and offensive, there is truth to be found. For me, the truth goes back to the theme of a Christian’s reputation in the community. If a Christian slave disobeyed, it sent a message about how Christians live out (or don’t live out) their faith. Everyone who professes to be a Christian can bring terrible disgrace to the gospel by acting in un-Christian ways. That is true of us today, just as it was true of slaves and masters in Paul’s day.

 ³If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, ⁴he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions ⁵and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. ⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

“Godliness as a means to financial gain” – It’s interesting to note that issues Paul and Timothy haven’t changed much. Paul could easily be talking about some of the televangelists and “gospel of wealth” preacher who have fattened their pockets on the tithes and offerings of their flocks. It’s another example of abusing the authority that is ascribed to church leaders. That authority can be intoxicating, which is all the more reason to hold ourselves to a higher standard.

I like how Paul contrasts “greed” with “contentment,” because what is greed if not the desire to attain that which we don’t have. And when we get it, we realize it won’t bring us happiness, so we go after more and more. Being content doesn’t mean living a life of poverty or asceticism, but it does mean knowing that our joy comes not from what we don’t have but what God has blessed us with.

V. 9 is often misquoted. Paul doesn’t say money is the root of all evil, but the love of money. Such an important distinction. If we love money (or possessions or fame) then we are serving two masters. We must love God first and let everything else flow from that relationship. Ultimately, love of money is a statement of distrust in God’s provisions. And yet so many churches define their “success” based on budget numbers. I’ve heard many faithful church members say, “We’ve got to grow the church so we can meet the budget.” While meeting the budget is important, if it becomes the driving motivation behind growing the church, we are giving money way too much priority. If we trust in God, we will be provided for. If we don’t meet the budget, then what is God telling us?

 ¹¹But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ¹²Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you ¹⁴to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

“Man of God” – lack of inclusive language aside, is there a better name we can be called? This title is also used in the Hebrew scriptures for Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah and Elisha. Pretty good company. To say we are men and women of God is to make a statement about who we are and who we aren’t. May we all be worthy of such a title.

“Fight the good fight” – Paul is not advocating violence here, but drawing on one of his pet anologies from the athletic realm. Faith is a fight – against the forces of evil in the world, against the ever-threatening culture, against the tendency toward complacency and passivity. A life of faith is a life of striving and action. We’re either fighting the good fight or we are sitting on the sidelines.

Paul talks about Timothy’s calling here as if it’s an ongoing process. Timothy wasn’t called once and for all. Instead, each day he is called to fight the good fight, to keep this command without spot or blame. A calling is an perpetual thing. We are not called just to do something; we are called to be something, and that takes a lifetime to get right (which we never actually do). Keep calling me, God. Keep calling me!

 ¹⁷Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. ¹⁹In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. ²⁰Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, ²¹which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you.

“Guard what has been entrusted to your care” – This is the essence of ministry for me: Guarding what God has entrusted to us. As ministers, we have been handed this precious gift of serving God by serving a specific group of people. God has entrusted us – us! – with this responsibility. The weight of this should never leave the forefront of our minds. Eah day, I give thanks for what God has entrusted to me, and I pray God gives me the strength to adequately take care of it. May God’s grace be with me and all those who call themselves people of God.

While the literal context of these verses may seem far removed from modern day, they bring up some thorny questions I’ve wrestled with since starting in ministry. For example, when it comes to the needy, how do you determine who is worthy of support? Paul is trying to help Timothy sort out this issue in relation to widows, giving him guidance on how to rate the neediness of each case. I run into a similar issue with our church’s discretionary fund. I have about $100 a month to use for discretionary purposes, which usually means helping people who show up on our doorstep. We have a fair number of drop-ins each week looking for assistance. Some of these folks have become regulars and I have gotten to know them. Because of this, I feel like I can better determine who is truly in need and who is taking advantage of us. For example, I took one man to a local gas station to fill his tank and he asked if I would buy him some things from the convenience store. This man had been rather pushy during our interaction but I wanted to help him, so we went inside. He pick up several sandwiches, chips and drinks (“for his kids” he told me) and then asked if I would buy him cigarettes. Cigarettes?!? Are you kidding? I have people coming to me who are sleeping in their cars and don’t know where their next meal is coming from, and this guy wants cigarettes?

I took another lady who is a regular to the local gas station to put fuel in her tank. As I got nozzle out, she shook her head and said, “No, my car only takes premium unleaded.” This was back when premium was over $4 a gallon. And then there’s the lady who comes to us quite frequently looking for help. She drives a Mercedes SUV, always has a nice tan, and has manicured nails.

So, who do you help? Who’s really needy and who’s playing the system? I try to help everyone at least once, but there are some folks I’ve helped more than others because I trust their genuineness and the urgency of the situation. And there are folks I have turned away, even when we had some help available, because I smelled a rat and wanted to put the discretionary funds to the best possible use. Do I feel guilty saying no? Every single time. But I am a steward of those funds, which have been entrusted to me by the congregation to help those in need. I pray to God that I am using them wisely.

 ⁹No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband,¹⁰and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. ¹¹As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. ¹²Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. ¹³Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. ¹⁴So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. ¹⁵Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan. ¹⁶If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.

Several times in this passage Paul emphasizes the importance of family members taking care of their own. Those who don’t are accused of denying the faith and are called “unbelievers.” Those are harsh words from Paul, and are almost impossible to comprehend when viewed through the lens of modern society. Certainly, family members who admit their elderly relative to an Alzheimer’s facility for better care aren’t denying their faith. But the line between making sure our relatives are cared for and abdicating our responsibilities to them is a blurry one.

This doesn’t just apply to elderly relatives. My mother has been dealing with a health issue for several years now that has landed her in the hospital on numerous occasions. Because I live six hours away, I have not been able to be there for her as I would like (and feel I should be). While I know she is getting good care, as her oldest child I feel a strong sense of guilt for not supporting my mom the way she supported me (she was a single parent at age 22). As our parents age (one of the biggest challenges facing families in our church), we will have to wrestle with the tensions brought on by these situations and by Paul’s words.

 ¹⁷The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. ¹⁸For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” ¹⁹Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. ²⁰Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.

Having worked with some amazing Elders at Community Christian Church, I second Paul’s words here! A double honor hardly seems adequate for the work the Elders have done. It is not a position to be taken lightly, but it also has historically been a notoriously difficult position to fill. This is partly due to the time commitment (Elders serve a three-year term) and partly due to the feelings of inadequacy people feel about being an Elder. I’ve said to the group many times, “If you feel like you’re not qualified or worthy to be an Elder, then congratulations! You’re perfect for the job.” Being an Elder should be a bit daunting because the position is highly regarded in the Bible. It should be taken seriously. Thankfully, the Elders at CCC are the epitome of the biblical definition of Elder.

 ²¹I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism. ²²Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. ²³Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. ²⁴The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. ²⁵In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden.

“Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands” – In other words, don’t be too quick to fill a church leadership position with the first available warm body. Unfortunately, we do this all too often. I believe our church needs to do a better job of helping people identify their gifts and then helping them find a place within the church to put those to use. I think people join our church and then flounder a bit because we don’t have a system in place to help move them into participation and leadership. We wait for them to tell us what they want to do. That works for extroverts and the highly motivated, but someone’s gift can lay dormant for a long time because the church hasn’t invited them to discover it and use it. We need to do better.

Sydney decided she wanted to be Daddy’s Helper today. We ran a bunch of stuff over to Goodwill then hit Home Depot to pick up supplies for a couple projects around the house. We had to replace a board on our fence as well as the gate latch and she was by my side the whole time, holding tools, helping me measure and being a extra set of hands. I think this was for three reasons, offered in no particular order: (1) she was feeling a bit guilty because her friend broke the fence; (2) she wants a new toy; and (3) she loves me.

When then had to install window well covers because we’ve had a slew of critters get trapped in ours. So far this week I’ve rescued four birds and a frog. I’m convinced the only reason we haven’t found ostriches and hippopotami is that they tried to get in but wouldn’t fit. We got the first one installed by attached a series of metal clips to the plastic cover. It was a bit labor intensive for Syd but she cheered me on nonetheless. By the time we got to the second well cover, we skipped the instructions and just put a brick on top of it to hold it in place. Ingenuity at its best!

Later in the evening, Molly wanted me to play a computer game with her (which she usually asks about 200 times a day). I told her to wait a minute and she said in a very demanding voice, “No, now!” I said, “Well, not when you say it that way.” So she replies in this cute high-pitched sing-song tone, “No, now!” I love the way her mind works.

Another Molly story: Last night during dinner we played this game where one of us would think of a state and then say its first letter. The rest of us then had to guess the state. On her first turn, Molly said, “E.” None of us could come up with a state that starts with E, so we gave up. Molly said proudly, “Ellinois!” We had to inform her that our state actually starts with an I.

On her next turn, Molly said “L.” One of us immediately answered with the only possible state, Louisiana. “Nope,” Molly said. “It’s Laska.” Once again, we had to tell her that it’s actually A-Laska.

On her third turn, she was determined to get it right, so she offered an enthusiastic “J!” Hmm. Once again, She had stumped us. We guessed “Jersey,” but that wasn’t it. When we told her we gave up, she leaned over to Leigh and said, “Is Japan a state?” God bless her little heart, she was really trying hard!

Despite their tantrums, pout fests, whining and constantly asking for things, our girls are sources of unending joy for Leigh and me. If we all survive their teenage years, I bet they’re going to be amazing adults!

Paul’s focus here is not so much on the deceivers as it is on the evil powers that cause them to deceive. While it’s easy to shirk responsibility by saying, “the Devil made me do it,” I believe there is ample evidence that evil forces are at work in our world. No matter how we characterize them - Satan, the devil, evil spirits, demons, etc. – there is evil that goes beyond what the human heart has the capacity to produce. In this instance, Paul says this evil works through human beings, who allow their consciences to be compromised. We have to be on guard against the insidious ways that evil works in our hearts and in our lives.

Christianity is often defined more by what it’s against that what it’s for. Christianity has developed the undeserved reputation as a no-fun religion - no dancing, no gambling, no R-rated movies. While there is good intentions behind such prohibitions, the message that gets received is that to be a Christian you have to give up all hope of doing anything enjoyable. Paul touches on the extreme asceticism of the false teachers, who place restrictions on such things as marriage and diets. Paul says we are not in the wrong if we receive God’s gifts with thanksgiving. Both marriage and food are gifts God has given us, and therefore we are encouraged to partake of them with thankful hearts. We have so many blessings in our lives that come from God. It’s much more fun to focus on what we can do instead of what we can’t.

 ⁶If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. ⁷Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. ⁸For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. ⁹This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance ¹⁰(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

Paul doesn’t say that if Timothy points out these false teachings and wrongdoings, he will change lives, grow the church, become famous or make it to Heaven. Paul simply says by doing this, Timothy will be a “good minister.” We are called to speak the truth about Jesus Christ for the sole reason that we have been called to do so, and living out that calling makes us “good ministers.” We should strive for and be motivated by nothing more than that.

While I was raised by a loving family, I was not “brought up”  in the truths of the faith. I didn’t really come to faith until college. I wonder how life would have been different if I had been a regular church goer from a young age. I saw many of my colleagues in seminary have to unlearn things they had believed since an early age because of flawed theology. I, on the other hand, came to seminary with very little biblical knowledge, making me a virtual clean slate. While I didn’t have to unlearn anything, I feel like I have played catch-up ever since. I think this is why I am so fascinated by the Bible. There is so much to learn.

Paul says that physical training is of some value, but pales in comparison to training for godliness. As if I needed another excuse to avoid the treadmill! We are to take care of ourselves wholistically, not just physically or mentally. The challenge is to devote as much energy to our souls as we do (or at least believe we should) to our bodies for the purpose of growing in godliness. Anything that detracts from that, even things as seemingly beneficial as physical exercise, religious study, community service, family time, etc. must become secondary. Acting godly is not a substitute for growing in godliness.

 ¹¹Command and teach these things. ¹²Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹³Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Ah yes, the defining passage for all young adult ministers. As I get older this passage loses relevance for me. Instead of being the one called young, I am becoming the one doing the calling. Still, I am comparatively young compared to many of my colleagues. I have been heartened in the last few years to meet a number of fantastic young ministers, who I believe will pick up the mantle and carry our denomination forward. While they may be young in age, they are full of wisdom, energy and vision. They are setting the kind of examples Paul mentions here. The church would do well to disregard their age and follow them.

I still remember vividly when hands were laid on me at my ordination. It was a powerful, moving experience. It was also humbling, to have the hands of all these faithful people place on you, entrusting you with the responsibility of carrying on the work of the church. That is an awesome task, one that I have undertaken with joy and, as Paul says, “diligence.” Paul calls us to make sure our beliefs and our actions are in concert with one anohter. If our life and doctrine send contrary messages, we run the risk of doing damage to both ourselves and our followers.

When I was buying the tickets, I had a hard time deciding between Wednesday’s night game and Thursday’s day game. I’m a fan of day games, but Syd really wanted to go to a night game. Even though I knew that would put us home late, I went with her choice. If we had done the day game instead, we would have witnessed only the 18th perfect game in baseball history  (way to go, Mark Beuhrle!). This is the second time in my life that I’ve been one game off from seeing a perfect game. In 1988, I went to the Reds game a day after Tom Browning threw his perfect game. Always the bridesmaid….

If your nose runs and your feet smell, you are built backward.

The term “overseer” is a bit elastic and could apply to a number of different church leadership positions in Paul’s time.  For the purpose of my study I’m going to equate the term with “pastor.” Being a pastor, as Paul puts it, is a “noble task.” I like this definition a lot. Over and above all the good and not-so-good things about being a pastor, what we do is noble and therefore we should approach it as such. Yes, it is a job, but it is much more than that, as well. As Paul notes throughout this letter, we are entrusted with authority, and we should conduct ourselves in such a way to honor that trust. We are to act nobly while doing this noble task. not in order to seek status or power, but to be responsible stewards of the gifts and resources with which we’ve been entrusted.

Husband of only ONE wife? Boy, does that throw off my plans! Better call Winona Rider and cancel our clandestine wedding. Paul sure knows how to tossa wet blanket on a guy’s fun. Next thing you know he’s going to tell me be temperate.

Seriously, Paul is calling pastors to a higher standard here. I imagine in the pagan culture, Paul saw a lot of behaviors that were the antithesis of what he lists here. While this list is in no way exhaustive, it is representative of the type of life a pastor should lead. I’m sure most, if not all, pastors could find at least one on here they struggle with. Other than the “only one wife” thing, I get caught up on “not quarrelsome” and “not a lover of money.” I love a good debate and will sometimes get so caught up in a discussion that I lose sight of the priority of grace and compassion over “winning.” As for the money thing, it’s important for me to be able to provide for my family, but also to treat myself occasionally. While I don’t spend lavishly, I do enjoy having money to spend. In both of these areas, I’m working hard to be more like the person Paul describes and the pastor God has called me to be.

“…and see that his children obey him with proper respect.” BWAHAHAHA! I can see trying to explain that to my 10-year-old. “But Sydney, you have to do what I say; it’s in the BIBLE!” Cue eyeroll.

All of what Paul talks about here refers to the issue of integrity. As he notes in v. 7, “outsiders” are watching us because they know who we are, what we do, and Who we claim to serve. Therefore, lest we become a stumbling block, we are called to live lives worthy of our holy calling. How can we exhort our congregations to lives of holiness if we ourselves aren’t striving for the same thing? In my mind, the worst thing a pastor can do is violate the trust he or she has been given by the congregation. We can’t be sinless, but we can be morally careful and responsible.

 ⁸Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. ⁹They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. ¹¹In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. ¹²A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. ¹³Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

The qualities of good deacons doesn’t differ greatly from those of pastors, which says something about the importance of the work of deacons (which included caring for the widows and orphans and collecting money for the needy). I believe at CCC our deacons are severely underused. In fact, the term “deacon” and “usher” are used interchangeably at times, which I find to be a serious devaluing of what it means to be a deacon. Because our deacons also pass out bulletins at the start of worship, the tendency has been to see those people as ushers who also serve communion as opposed to deacons who also do ushering duties. There’s a big difference. First of all, “deacon” is a biblically appointed title; “usher” isn’t. Secondly, in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), we’re not big on sacraments. In fact, we only have two: baptism and communion. So the deacons perform one of the sacraments, one of the most important functions in the life of a church.

Other than an occasional Sunday service, we ask very little of our deacons, and after reading Paul’s words here, that’s a mistake on our part. We don’t do anything to “test” them, although I’m not sure what that test would look like (“OK, now grab the tray. Now hand the tray to the next row. Grab the tray. Hand the tray to the next row. Congrats, you passed!”). We’ll take just about any warm body willing to serve as a deacon. Because we ask so little, that’s what we tend to get. There are a lot of ways I think we can involve the deacons in the ministry of the church. That’s one of the areas I want to explore when I return from sabbatical.

V. 9 – Deep truths – Great phrase! The Greek is mysterion, literally translated “mystery of the faith.” The New Living Translation renders this word as “revealed truth.” One of the many paradoxes of faith: the revealed mystery of God.

I like v. 13, because it implies that through service our faith is boosted. If we “serve well,” we “gain and excellent standing and great assurance” in our faith. We can’t earn greater faith through service, but through service our faith is enhanced. A very James-ian thing for Paul to say!

 ¹⁴Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, ¹⁵if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. ¹⁶Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great:
   He appeared in a body,
      was vindicated by the Spirit,
   was seen by angels,
      was preached among the nations,
   was believed on in the world,
      was taken up in glory.

v. 16 – the mystery of godliness – much like the mysterion mentioned earlier. Paul does a poetic job of encapsulating the nature of Christ in this closing hymn. The picture painted of a Christ who was fully human yet fully Other is a fitting reminder to Timothy and this letter’s readers of the One whom they worship and serve. It’s as if Paul is saying, “Never forget why you do what you do. It’s not for glory or status or power or authority or to feel good; you do it because you have been called to do it by Jesus Christ. Therefore, serve in such a way that is worthy of being called by Christ.”