Podcasts about paul's first letter

Paul's first letter to Timothy is the first of two letters to Timothy and one of three of Paul's Pastoral letters. This week, Ps Bernie looks at 1 Timothy:6 which is the final message in our six part series on 1 Timothy.

Paul's first letter to Timothy is the first of two letters to Timothy and one of three of Paul's Pastoral letters. This week, Ps Adrian looks at chapter 5 of First Timothy which is the fifth message in our six-part series.

Paul's first letter to Timothy is the first of two letters to Timothy and one of three of Paul's Pastoral letters. This week, Neville I'Anson looks at chapter 4 of First Timothy which is the fourth message in our six part series.

Paul's first letter to Timothy is the first of two letters to Timothy and one of three of Paul's Pastoral letters. In this message, Ps Bernie discusses chapter 2 of First Timothy, the second in our six part series.

Paul's first letter to Timothy is the first of two letters to Timothy and one of three of Paul's Pastoral letters. This week, Michael Wood looks at chapter 3 of First Timothy which is the third message in our six part series.

This message is the first in a six-week series on the Apostle Paul's first letter to Timothy. Paul and Timothy had a very close relationship and Timothy was a trusted part of Paul's inner circle. False teaching had started to affect the Church and so Paul commissioned to work with the church in Ephesus, confront these false teachers and bring restoration to church.

Today we will finish Paul's first letter to Timothy by summarizing the significant lessons taught there. This is the list. Last time we went chapter by chapter, today theme by theme. * An Exhortation (1 Tim. 1:4) * Its Essence (1 Tim. 1:6) * Its Foundation (1 Tim. 1:15-17; 3:16) * Its Application (all chapters) * Amplified (1 Tim. chapters 1,4,6)

Today we will finish Paul's first letter to Timothy by summarizing the significant lessons taught there. This is the list:Some Have Swerved from True Doctrine, Teaching Not Grace But the Law (Chapter 1)Saved through Childbearing, the Promise of the Seed Gives Hope Always (Chapter 2)Without Controversy, Great is the Mystery of Godliness (Chapter 3)In the Latter Times, Some Shall Depart from the Faith (Chapter 4)Honour Widows that are Widows Indeed, Desolate, and Trusting in God (Chapter 5)The Challenge for All Seasons Is To Lay Hold on Eternal Life (Chapter 6a)Timothy's Final Challenge — To Keep the Faith and the Trust! (Chapter 6b)The blessings gained though this study have been so transforming for me and hopefully for you as well. Enjoy Him and His unlimited grace, for great is the mystery of godliness and through it we may “lay hold on eternal life”.

In today's study we reach the last two verses of Paul's first letter to Timothy. These are not his last words before his martyrdom, but they are his last words for a while with Timothy and must have struck a powerful note for him and should also for us today. Here, he writes of the sacred trust committed to his son in the faith, and that is as the last verse says, the faith itself. As we have already shared here, “the faith” signifies the body of truth itself committed to Paul and now passed also on to Timothy. It is the pure doctrine of grace as Ephesians chapter 3 explains. To “keep” it until the end is Timothy's charge. Some had turned aside, he again reminds Timothy, to their own spiritual destruction. Those that turn aside engage in worldly chatter, such a demeaning way to describe their oppositions to Pauline doctrine, and also promote “false knowledge”, or a knowledge not based on the truth. But the truth must be protected and honored always, he writes, no matter what. I can only imagine how often Timothy thought on Paul's words here as he lived through the challenges of his short life, with his own martyrdom, it seems, not far ahead after his mentor's.

Twice in the final chapter of this letter, in both verses 12 & 19, the apostle in this culminating exhortation to his son in the faith, uses a word that needs some explanation. That word is here translated “lay hold on”. It is a good translation. In our English Bibles that term is found predominantly in John's gospel and his first letter where it is found 34 times. But Paul also uses it 14 times while the other authors of scripture rarely use it. In the gospels it is found only in the rich young ruler teaching. Here though Paul exhorts Timothy and also all believers to “lay hold on” eternal life by living an uncompromised life consistent with the grace of God as he valiantly had proclaimed it. Timothy needed to do the same and to ensure that some in the assemblies would take seriously their eternal and heavenly calling. Here, again, he singles out the rich in this world whose riches could never compare with the glorious blessing of grace available now and forever. Laying hold on eternal life here and now is his subject. For the riches of this world are blessings indeed, but only for a season.

In the midst of chapter 6 of 1 Timothy, the apostle exhorts his son in the faith to take very seriously the false teachers he will be encountering in his ministry. Their teaching, he warns, entirely misses the point regarding God's great work in this dispensation. That work has been the subject of Paul's teaching in chapter 3 where he calls it “the mystery of godliness”. The false teachers were teaching a heresy that contradicted that teaching directly. They were teaching that “gain is godliness”! Oh, what a contrast that is and its danger toward believers should not be underestimated, he writes. One of its most dangerous teachings was concerning “the love of money” which he writes is “the root of all evil”. To to stand apart from all such teachings was critically important. Finally, Paul exclaims that the virtues of the mystery of godliness working within Timothy must be received and brought forth “unto eternal life”. Truly “gain is godliness', for now and for eternity!

Paul here emphasizes again how necessary it was for the truths of the mystery and specifically the mystery of godliness to be taught.  Those elders that labored in the teaching of that doctrine were to be honored well.  But, to underscore this teaching to Timothy, the apostle adds to the gravity of the situation by writing here that there are heavenly observers of Timothy's oversight of the assembly. Then, perhaps considering that this exhortation might be somewhat overwhelming, he adds here that he should not forget to take care of his own personal physical needs.  Finally, concluding his guidance in the selection of elders and “widows indeed”, he adds that since some sins are hidden for a time, it is best not to select someone for those offices until they are well proven in ministry first.  Since there was surely going to be opposition to these godly and wise principles, Timothy is told that he must separate publicly from some, as difficult as that might be.  Separation is practically difficult but sometimes necessary.  Amen.

In our teaching today, the apostle continues his theme on order in the churches and particularly emphasizes the care of widows by the church. He identifies some widows as “widows indeed” and lists their qualifications. No younger widow is to be allowed into this privileged group, we writes, because they are so much more likely to ignore their ministerial duties as widows in this category, will marry after having been admitted, or will be caught up in worldly matters entirely. This group of women are seen by Paul as a special (and permanent) missionary class, it seems. Although proper respect is to be shown by Timothy for all, whether older or younger, women or men, here in this fifth chapter he shows his special concern for widows, perhaps because of expected (and current) persecution and martyrdom for many.

In dark times, where Pauline doctrines clearly taught in his letters concerning the Mystery revealed to him for the church, the bold and true teachings must be continued, whatever the consequences. This, Paul writes here in this letter is most critically important. That those with the responsibility in the churches must never fail to make that teaching known is Paul's meaning here. The consequences of promoting the truth, Paul, promises here, will be severe, since it will be satan himself energizing that opposition. Such has always been true as we have seen for so very long. Nevertheless, Paul emphasizing the responsibility of Pastors to teach true doctrine, he also said how critical it is for one to first nourish oneself and then others. Therefore one who holds such high offices in the churches must without hypocrisy powerfully and boldly preach and teach the Mystery of Godliness, first applying that teaching to oneself. Praise God!

In our lesson today, we see that “A Heavenly Service Requires Heavenly Minded Leaders.” And it is a heavenly service to serve in the Church which is His Body. That is because this church is a heavenly organism indeed. Though our feet are on the solid footing of earth itself, spiritually that footing is unstable and always changing as opposed to our heavenly citizenship in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. The Lord God himself has established a structure of both authority and responsibility in the Church and that is the focus in our study in 1 Timothy today. In this lesson the focus is where we find it in 1 Timothy chapter 3, on the offices of bishop (or overseer or elder, all equivalents) and deacon. The pastoral and teaching ministries are not the focus here but will be reserved for later in our studies.

We are finishing today our series on “Prisoners of Hope” and how women were in the very center of that hope in more ways than one, just as Paul in 1 Tim. 2:15 was highlighting. We have looked carefully at how this was proven down through history in Old Testament times and also in New Testament times before Paul was raised up as apostle of the Gentiles. But what about after that, what about during Paul's ministry? What does the Bible say about that? In our study today we see that there are 18 women referred to by name in the Acts and in Paul's letters, about one third of all of those listed by name by Paul. That in itself would not be too remarkable perhaps in itself, but that in nearly all cases the women mentioned are highlighted in the strongest of “positive” terms. Even the last words he wrote in 2 Timothy, his final letter, were about a woman, Claudia. What a fitting way to finish our study of “Prisoners of Hope”, to see Paul so strongly exalting the many women who served with him in ministry!

Today we continue our short series on “Prisoners of Hope”, in support of Paul's often maligned statement in 1 Tim. 2:15. He refers there to Gen. 3:15-16 but explains his comment there about women on an encouraging note, namely, that women bearing the judgment given to Eve after her rebellion may be “saved in (lit. “through”) childbearing IF they continue in faith …” This is apparently meant to be taken very positively though many have take it to be a strongly negative teaching against women in general. In today's study we focus on the women at the open tomb, Mary Magdalene and the others. They proved that they were dedicated to our Lord in his life, yes, but now also in his death. They came early to the tomb to prepare his body for permanent burial. They found the tomb open however and the Lord was no where to be found. But he did appear to them as they returned from the tomb and most graciously demonstrated to them that he was indeed alive and that they together with the disciples would see him alive again shortly. So rather than fear they were to have great joy! Amen.

“Prisoners of Hope”, is our continuing theme today and our focus will be on a great man of God who was also a priest, and his wife, a godly woman, named Elizabeth. Their son, born in their advanced age, would be given in God's good timing and would be named “John” as the angel Gabriel announced directly to Zachariah. John would go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah according to the last prophecy given to Israel before the 400 year cessation in prophecy begins after Malachi's prophecy. That prophecy would begin to be fulfilled by John as God sends him forth to “prepare the way of the Lord” and to make “a people for his name”. Elizabeth's great “song of praise” is central to this chapter and her confidence as “a prisoner of hope” is so telling.

We continue today in the “Prisoners of Hope” series with our long expected teaching on the Virgin Mary. Mary and her betrothed husband Joseph are the focus of God's great work to launch the final phases of his completion of the promises given in Genesis 3 regarding “the Seed of the Woman”. God does bring forth his Son and it is accomplished exactly in accord with his eternal plan. Mary's conception will be miraculous indeed and will be by the Holy Spirit. Gabriel's announcement of this is a wonder to behold. After visiting her cousin Elizabeth and hearing her inspired words concerning her son John still unborn but even then aware of the work of God in Mary's womb, her song of praise is perhaps the greatest of those found in the Bible. John, while still unborn and unnamed except by the angel Gabriel, had already begun his ministry of “announcing” the presence of the Son of God! Amen.

“Prisoners of Hope”, this is how the prophet Zechariah described the often downtrodden and persecuted people of his select nation of Israel. Today we continue a mini-series on the work of God through believing women in the Old Testament. Our focus today is on Esther, a godly woman raised as an orphan by her uncle Mordecai in the nation of Persia. Through an amazing series of events where the Lord God overrules the hearts and intents of many, Esther becomes the wife of the King of Persia and orchestrates the saving of the Jewish nation in bondage there. In addition, all indications are that the son of the King and godly Esther is Cyrus, who will not only deliver the children of Israel from death at the hand of the evil and satanic Human, but also provide directly for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. God directed him to do it and he did. Indeed, as the apostle has written, “she shall be saved in [THE] childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” And so be it!

“Prisoners of Hope”, this is how the prophet Zechariah described the often downtrodden and persecuted people of his select nation of Israel. Today we continue a mini-series on the work of God through believing women in the Old Testament. We have seen and will continue to see today how women were absolutely central to God's developing plan of redemption. From Sarah to Rahab to Ruth and then finally Jehosheba God worked miracles through these women to deliver ultimately the fulfillment of the Gen. 3:15-16 promises regarding “the seed of the woman”, Israel's coming Messiah. This all illustrates so well how Paul's teaching regarding women in 1 Tim. 2:15 would be brought to pass. This is not a dispensational teaching but is true for all times and dispensations. Indeed, as the apostle has written, “she shall be saved in [THE] childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” And so be it!

We will now enter into a multi-part series on the hope Paul expresses in 1 Tim. 2:15. He refers to Gen. 3:15-16 but now adds, as an interpretation and application, that women may be “saved in (lit. “through”) childbearing IF they continue in faith …” There is much discussion among commentators regarding the meaning of this as on the face of it there is a perceived offense against women in general here. Contemporary views would cast these verses that way, but, as we will attempt to show here today and in the next two studies, the Old Testament and the New Testament including Paul in his various letters are quite clear on the many blessings attending to women even in this fallen world. Indeed, as we shall see, God's perspective on the relationship between men and women emphasizes that marriage is ordained for blessing and not for curses. Today, we introduce this great subject with our introduction to “Prisoners of Hope”, Part 1.

In chapter two of Paul's first letter to Timothy, Paul wrote that for the sake of order in the churches, women should not follow the lead of some women in the Ephesian assembly who had taken over the teaching function from the ordained men who had been duly appointed to that function. In this section he begins the teaching regarding women teaching men by going all the way back to the book of Genesis and what occurred in the Garden of Eden so many years before. Those events revealed what was so relevant the circumstances in Ephesus.  We finish that teaching today with an emphasis on verse 15 where it says simply this: “… she shall be saved in [the] childbearing.”  The point here is that though childbearing had become a great burden for Eve and would be for all women to follow her, there would also be great blessing for her and all mankind.  So, he concludes, in the woman's God-given nature as distinct from man's, there would be even “deliverance” in the bearing and then raising up of the next generations. In this way, the burdens brought upon her by God in response to her transgression would be the very source of her “salvation” or “deliverance”.  He states it this way: “she shall be saved … if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.”  All believing women would surely agree with the apostle.  But it is the women and not the men that are qualified by Almighty God for this most critical role — and privilege! Amen.

The principles governing the church meetings are addressed with firstly an exhortation to the men regarding prayer: it should be without doubt and wrath controlling. Secondly, the women, instead of using the meetings to show off superficial and worldly adornments should reveal their inner godliness by good works. In addition, there was a serious issue at Ephesus with some women trying to take control of the teaching from the appointed men. Paul goes to Genesis 3 for his main point that the men should be leading in the teaching and the women were not to interfere. He shows how God made the first couple different from each other in essential ways. The man Adam was made as head over the creation and also over Eve when she was formed from his side. The woman, Eve, was made explicitly to complement the first man. So their natures being so different but complementary, their functions must also be different. The man is the “head” as it were and the woman is the “heart”. The hierarchical structure of authority in the created world is necessarily to be reflected also here in the church order. Next time we will finish the teaching by looking more deeply into the subject of how God has used women and uses them today.

In verse 17 of chapter 1 of Paul's first letter to Timothy, Paul writes: “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” This verse contains the “context” for the rest of the letter. All else will be in the light of God's glory as exclaimed here to son Timothy. Several times he then expands on this statement, for example in chapter 2 verses 5 & 6: “For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” In the light of this he commands Timothy to fight a good fight against the forces of evil, the false teachers being right in the middle of that battle. That prophecies were given at Timothy's commissioning sanctions his ministry in a special way: “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare.” It was clearly Paul's hope and expectation that by the power and support of Almighty God Timothy would prove himself well on the battlefield.

Continuing on today in the first chapter of this wonderful first epistle to Timothy, we see something of great importance. Paul makes a statement in verses 15 and 16 that has significant dispensational importance. He calls himself the chief of sinners and then the first in the line of recipients of God's grace through Christ's “longsuffering”. In each case, whether regarding himself as ”chief” or “first” in a series, it is exactly the same Greek word used even though the translation in the KJV is different. But the meaning is clear and it is exceedingly critical for us to understand it. Paul, apostle of the Gentiles, and minister of “the dispensation of God, the one which is in faith” as verse 4 reveals, is first in the long line of those that would believe his precious good news summarized in verse 15 with these words: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” May we take this teaching to heart and follow faithfully in his footsteps as he exhorts Timothy. For indeed, as he writes in verse 17, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

We introduce our studies today in Paul's first letter to Timothy by looking at his introduction to the letter, his statement of apostleship and his very personal reference to the recipient of the letter, his very dear and precious Timothy. The special place brother Timothy had for Paul is well summarized by this expression, my “own son in the faith”. Paul had it seemed been the one who led Timothy to saving faith and not his mother or grandmother who are said elsewhere to be believers as well. But the letter is written to encourage Timothy to wage warfare against the false teachers who had been so successful at Ephesus. They were legalists of a sort and so that is his main emphasis in this chapter. The pure and effective teaching would be concerning grace as indeed this is a special dispensation directed to that abundance of grace and the faith that engenders it as verse 4 indicates. The best manuscripts of that verse read “the dispensation of God, the one which is of faith”! I wish the translators of the KJV had had those manuscripts available to them, but it seems they did not.

Today we finish Paul's first letter, his first letter to the Thessalonians. What a blessing it has been to learn so much about our Blessed Hope, the Rapture of the Church which is His Body. Having presented in chapter 4 the teaching that Christ's Body saints will be regathered into the heavenlies (not into the earthly Millennial Kingdom) when Christ returns, the saints were encouraged regarding the loss of loved ones. In chapter 5 the apostle finishes his early teaching on this subject by explaining why the saints of this current dispensation of grace are entirely different in their heritage from the Jews of the Tribulation period. He writes that the difference between living in this dispensation is like day and night in comparison to them of judgment coming to this earth as the Lord refocuses his work on his chosen nation. The Rapture, we must conclude, is pre-Tribulational therefore.

Chapter 4 of this letter announces the details of our Blessed Hope, the Rapture of our Lord Jesus Christ. The details given are very important to know and for the Thessalonian believers, some of whom were sorrowing even “as those that have no hope”, this teaching was surely comforting indeed. Then, in chapter 5, the apostle gets to some really important teachings that provide quite literally a “black and white” contrast between the Kingdom hope and our hope. The one is a message of the coming judgment with its focus according to Prophecy on Israel and the Jews though the entire world will be involved. The latter is quite different in so many ways. Salvation (the Rapture and our heavenly inheritance) and not wrath is appointed for we who live under the rule of God's abundant grace. What a contrast. What an encouragement whatever this life brings our way with its many burdens — and blessings.

Paul's revelation in chapter 4 of this first letter to the Thessalonians establishes much regarding the upcoming Rapture of the Church which is His Body.  The nature of that event is quite different from what was revealed for the Jewish saints by Christ in his earthly ministry for those awaiting their earthly kingdom inheritance.  Christ's detailed revelation fits into the period of the oft prophesied Tribulation and the details he gives match perfectly with the books of Daniel and Revelation among others.  That revelation is very different from what Paul gives here in this letter.  Here the focus is on believers who have died being resurrected gloriously concurrently with living believers — and then the much-awaited entry into heavenly glory.  There is nothing here about entry into the earthy kingdom because that is not the promised inheritance for us living in the Dispensation of the Grace of God.  Chapter 5 will continue this dispensational subject and more precious truth will be found there.

The last section in Chapter 4 contains the teaching about the Rapture of the Church which is His Body. This teaching is distinctive for the Body Church and its timing is pre-Tribulation. That begins to be clear here but it is the special focus of chapter 5 and the second chapter of the second Thessalonian letter. Here though, Paul instructs believers regarding the resurrection of those saints that had already died and the teaching is clear — their resurrection will immediately precede our own catching up to be with the Lord. In fact, they will return with the Lord and we shall meet them in the air along with the Lord at the appointed time. This teaching is designed to comfort the believers who will read this letter and it surely did. The teaching here is a critical one without which our own faith will surely be influenced.

Chapter 4 is divided into two parts, the first containing an exhortation to live responsibly awaiting the return of the Lord. The second is about the return of the Lord for us saints living under grace, the Rapture. Today we consider the practical responsibilities of believers who are living under grace and the many challenges that the saints endure. The primary focus here is worldliness and carnality in the church, especially in the area of sexuality and marriage although personal independence in daily living is also mentioned. Marriage is the “norm” for relationships between the sexes and Paul strongly exhorts the Thessalonians believers in that area here. Apart from the marriage union between one man and one woman, no sexual contact between the sexes is acceptable to God and other sexual experiences are indeed carnal and ungodly. Believers should not even publicly need to concern themselves with these worldly matters — if all were well in the churches, but it is not. God's standard for believers is very high and has not changed since Adam and Eve, it seems.

Chapter 3 of Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians believers will lead us directly into the fourth chapter where the corrected teaching of the Lord's Pre-Tribulational return for us saints is provided. These believers were dear to the apostle and he had wanted to visit them again, but Satan had prevented that. But he exhorts the believers not to let Satan interfere in their thinking and faith though he may cause issues everywhere nevertheless. He writes how encouraged he is by God's work in them already and has great expectations for the future. The work of almighty God is for now AND for eternity — that is his message here. At the Lord's calling into glory that great work will be made clear to all. This is his message of encouragement for all those under trial in this life who have believed and are now awaiting his calling glory and to be reunited with those that have gone before.

Paul had traveled on his second missionary journey to the city of Philippi. Then, after preaching the risen Christ, he and his companion Silas were treated harshly, beaten, and imprisoned in the local jail. You will remember the salvation of the jailer. Then, due to the miraculous opening of the door of the jail, they were free again. As a consequence of these miracles, the magistrates sent Paul and Silas (and Timothy) away. Their journey then took them to Thessalonica where they ministered a little over three weeks before departing. The Thessalonians received his word gladly as the word of the living God — 1 Thess. 2:13 “… which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” The consequence was an expected persecution which led the apostle to visit them again, “if God would permit.” But he did not and allowed Satan to interfere — verses 18 & 19. But, nevertheless, “For what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? [Are] not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” The Lord gave the victory nevertheless. And Paul's hope for future fellowship in glory sustained him with his words here becoming such a great blessing for them and for all of us. Satan's interference was only the basis for God's blessings in ways that could never be anticipated.

We continue in our study of First Thessalonians today. Chapter 2, verses 1-12 will be our focus. The second chapter begins with a simple request: “Just remember how I came unto you!” As Paul knew so well by now, persecution has a way of following the bold proclamation of the gospel of Christ. Verses 2-4 are so very compelling: “We were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention . . . But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.” These words are so memorable and so powerful. He continues with the analogies of a mother and child and a father and his children. These words closed our teaching, verses 7 & 8: “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.” May they grip our souls as well as the apostle intended, even today!

Today we begin our study of Paul's first letter to the Thessalonian believers. In this letter, we find that there was no occasion for Paul to reprimand this church as there was good reason to do that with other assemblies (such as the church in Philippi). This church, therefore, stands as our example. Indeed, this letter provides us with a three-fold illustration of a church that can even rightfully be called “typical” or, to use a more current word in our language, “normal”. For, in chapter one, the apostle boldly declares that we should live as the Thessalonians did faithfully imitating him, rejoicing by his grace, and then, in constant expectation of his blessed return, living in the light of his coming. What a glorious blessing that would be and how different the church would be if we all did just that.

An illustration from chapter six of Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians.

Epistle Reading: St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 4:9-15 Timothy, my son, the saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and suffer reproach, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Gospel Reading: Luke 19:1-10 At that time, Jesus was passing through Jericho. And there was a man named Zacchaios; he was a chief collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaios, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaios stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."

What a powerful assuring message that the Apostle Paul wants all of us to hear and believe! Brother Aaron brings this message in Arabic reminding us  as the Apostle Paul said "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonian 5: 16-18. Message is in Arabic.

Unlike last week, I'm not going to take you this week through the Nine Circles of Hell. In fact, the sermon I'm about to share with you is much more meditative in content and tone. And so I'm going to ask of each of you that you concentrate as much as you can, and hear the challenge that I will raise in this sermon on being an adult as a person of faith. It's possibly a little ironic that I would talk this way, but I really want to think through what it means to be an adult in conversation with Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians. And I want to say this: that letter is something that you all recognize, the content of it. For example, it's the text that's most often used at weddings. You hear the language of love that Paul is talking about. It's also that letter, I think, that perfectly summarizes the Gospel, in three words. Love never ends. But I'm not going to talk about that. I'm going to talk about the second half of the letter, that few people discuss. (w/ 2nd lesson: I Corinthians 13: 1 – 13)

Fr. Walt provides his thoughts on the famous selection from the 13th Chapter of St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians.

Dean Greer is the National Coordinator for Living Waters, USA. He and his wife, Chrystal, are long-term friends of Fr. Michael and Liz Flowers. Over the summer, Dean will be speaking once a month at St. Aidan's, along with Fr. Michael, laying foundations about our common, divinely crafted humanity, made in the image of God. Having been involved in healing ministry for over 25 years, Dean has trained leaders around the world to incorporate the healing programs of Desert Stream Ministries within the local church community. Dean has experienced first-hand how God is able to restore life and bring wholeness to a generation without hope. A native of San Francisco, Dean now lives in Kansas City, MO with his wife Chrystal and their son Jeremiah. Today's NT passage is taken from Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 6: 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous[b] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,[c] 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined[d] to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin[e] a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Bible Reading The Corinthians read by David Wadsworth

"Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances." 1 Thes 5: 16-18 We are in the midst of this long list of imperatives (there are actually twenty of them) that Paul has left to his spiritual 'family' in Thessalonica. Everything listed here is so important for the Christian. They keep us on track. They keep us real. This morning, let's commit ourselves to 'keeping it real' by putting them into practice. Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA Final message in the Series on Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians: Keeping It Real

Dr. Chris and Fr. Andrew continue their occasional series on the books of the Bible with a look at St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy: its background, its characteristics and its key themes

Dr. Chris and Fr. Andrew continue their occasional series on the books of the Bible with a look at St. Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians: its background, its characteristics and its key themes

"How delicate that thing we call 'authenticity'. It takes but time and a human touch for it to be 'duplicity'." Sadly, that is sometimes true even in Christian circles! How about you? Are you 'authentic'? Are you 'for real'? There's proof of that you know! Paul lists the proof for us this morning. Let's take a look... Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA From his series on Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians: Making it Real

Acts 17: 1-9 and 1 Thessalonians 1: 1-3 "These are the ones who have turned the world upside down..." Acts 17: 6 Isn't it ironic? The highest compliment ever paid to the Christians of this world came in the form of a vicious attack! We are "the ones who turn the world upside down". In light of the world we live in today, can you think of a greater honor than that?  Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Town, Orange, CA.  First in the Series on Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians: Making it Real  

Dr. Chris and Fr. Andrew continue their occasional series on the books of the Bible with a look at St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians: its background, its characteristics and its key themes

Scripture | 1 Timothy 2: 8-15 ------------------------- For More Information please visit www.valleybiblemodesto.org

Scripture | 1 Timothy 2: 8-15 ------------------------- For More Information please visit www.valleybiblemodesto.org

Scripture | 1 Timothy 2: 1-8 ----------------------- For More Information please visit www.valleybiblemodesto.org

Scripture | 1 Timothy 1: 12-20 ------------------------- For More Information please visit www.valleybiblemodesto.org

Scripture | 1 Timothy 1: 1-11 ------------------------- For More Information please visit www.valleybiblemodesto.org

We return to our series "Our Glorious Hope," with a look at what happens when Christ returns for his own. Drawing from Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians and Revelation 20-21, we will explore what awaits us at the edge of eternity.

This chapter describes a wide-spread collection of funds for the Church in Jerusalem. Giving sacrificially for Christ - who gave Himself for the human race - was ever on the mind of these early Christians who always gave well beyond the 10% tithing requirement. Tithe money never paid for ecclesial luxuries, but for pressing needs like furthering effective missionary activity and sustaining widows and orphans. The offering described in this chapter is a sort of precursor to what we now know as Peter's Pence; Paul and many young men from the various churches throughout Christendom would later carry their offerings to Jerusalem to lay them at the feet of the apostles. Paul also presents the Gentile Christians to the Lord in the Temple, an act which fulfills a prophesy from Isaiah 60 but incites a riot and leaves him imprisoned. Paul cannot leave his post in Ephesus until Pentecost, but hopes to return to the Corinthians after passing through Macedonia (cf. v. 5-9). He urges the church to ''Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love'' (13-14).Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians is not a manual of Christian doctrine or rubrics but a personal letter to a specific church with particular predicaments. Extremely personal, the letter is a riveting apostolic work that arises from love and compels the properly disposed reader to recollect and repent. Although one may not be privy to all the details of the particular Corinthian situation, studying this letter is always profitable. Although focused study is necessary to undermine the full weight of this letter, one's study must never remain purely intellectual but must penetrate to one's spirituality and daily life.Music: Sergei Rachmaninoff's 6 Moments Musicaux Op. 16 - Andantino, from the album Moments Musicaux, performed by Elizabeth Wolff. www.magnatune.com