Pastor Richard Waialeale
June 3, 2018 - W1822

Welcome New Hope! We are glad you could be with us!

In today’s Ohana Factor series, we will be studying Timothy, Apostle Paul’s protégé. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19a NLT, ^“ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations…”

What does it mean to be a disciple? Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:2 NLT, “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” In other words, pass on these truths that you have learned from generation to generation!

Making disciples and raising young people through the youth program inthe church is important because they are the future and the hope for New Hope! So, we'll be setting up a New Hope pipeline of young leaders through a discipleship program. By the time the children are in intermediate and high school, they would have grown through the system/process, and are already developed.

By following three phases of biblical principles regarding discipleship listed below, anyone can be a mentor or be mentored! All play a role in this message because age is not a factor in this church!

PHASE 1: PARENTHOOD

Paul’s Relationship With Timothy:In his first letter to Timothy, Paul addresses him as “…my true son in the faith...”(1 Timothy 1:2 NIV). On his second missionary journey,Paul goes to Lystra, and picks up this young disciple who accompanies, assists, and serves him as his apprentice—and the relationship begins. Acts 16:1 NIV says, “Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek.” 

Timothy's biological father was Greek, but the Bible does not mention that he was a Christian, so Paul filled the shoes as his spiritual father.

Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:12 NIV, ^“ Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

At New Hope age doesn't matter. Don't let anybody tell you that you can't serve in ministry, that you can't be used in the work of the kingdom of God, that you're too young or too old. 

We must include the younger people on the journey that we're on; but some may say, “What if they mess up?" Solomon had it right in Proverbs 14:4 TLB says, “An empty stable stays clean—but there is no income (profit) from an empty stable.”

Solomon is saying, “Listen, folks, we need to make a way for the younger generation (those right behind us) because along with the potential and occasional mess in the stable, these guys have vitality and excitement—they bring a hyperactive ability to the church!”

Paul took a chance on Timothy, and Timothy profited from Paul greatly. Paul writes to Timothy as a spiritual father in 2 Timothy 1:2^NIV, “To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord,” because Paul knew the vulnerabilities that young Timothy would be facing.

Timothy's strength and our strength is the divine gift of grace found only in Jesus Christ. The books of 1 and 2 Timothy are all about grace.

Application: Grace. Someone once said, "Children will grow out of childhood, but a parent will never grow out of parenthood."

PHASE 2: PACESETTING

Be an example of what a mature ministry looks like by pacesetting. Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:1-2 NIV, “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

God’s way of pacesetting is repeating, propagating, and disseminating the gospel. The very things that Timothy heard Paul teach, he taught exactly. Paul sets the pace with his life and challenges Timothy to copy him. Paul teaches three analogies to emulate: a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer. 2 Timothy 2:3-7 NIV says, ^“3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. ⁵ Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. ⁶ The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. ⁷ Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.”

As a Good Soldier, “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.”

An Athlete should know, “Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules."

A Farmer should know, "A hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.”

Be patient, mature and eventually you will see the fruit!

Centuries ago King Solomon explained it this way in Proverbs 27:17 NIV, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Five years from now, you'll still be the same person except for the people you meet. In other words, we need accountability and support that comes from people investing in people by pacesetting and emulating. Emulating is being the example for the next generation because they are always watching—we need to set the pace!

We must have accountability and support that comes from people that invest in people. Someone once said, "Let us sacrifice today so that our children can have a better tomorrow."

Paul changes his analogy from a good soldier (warfare) to athletics when he says, "You won’t get a gold medal if you break the rules. You must compete and do it lawfully!”

Application: Pacesetting because the next generation is watching!

PHASE 3: PARTNERING 

We find that Timothy has gone from being a son and a student to finally a colleague, and co-laborer/partner in ministry. Paul writes in Romans 16:21 NIV, “Timothy, my co-worker, sends his greetings to you...”

We serve today because of the repetition of the three phases that have been going on for centuries. Indeed, the baton has been passed to us; it is our responsibility as parents, pacesetters, and partners, to grow with the next generation—as iron sharpening iron!

Did you know that when Belgian horses are trained to work together, they can be much more effective. By themselves one horse can pull a load of 8,000 pounds; put another Belgian horse next to this one, and they don't just pull double the amount—they pull triple the amount, 24,000 pounds.

Now, if you train these two to unite and work together, they will pull a whopping four times the amount, 32,000 pounds! From 8,000 pounds one horse to 32,000 pounds when trained to partner together, that's four times what a single horse can do! Partnerships are powerful! It's a miraculous thing, not just for Belgian horses, but in this church also!

How important are partnerships in your life? How important are partnerships to God? The goal of mentoring people is to get them through the pipeline—growing with the program and the process.

The relationship between Paul and Timothy in the New Testament offers a model of mentoring and ministry for us. Paul referred to Timothy as his true son in the faith.

Paul continues: 1 Timothy 4:14-15: "Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.”

God cannot bless the steps that you don't take. Anyone can be a mentor and be mentored by following the principles and truths found in the Bible. Age is not a factor at New Hope. Follow the above three phases and become a part of any one of these, and we will be adding to the generations to come. 

The most important thing to this church is that we’ll be setting up a pipeline of youth from generation to generation and saying to them, "Go and make disciples of all nations." Amen?

QUESTIONS:

1. What does it mean to be a disciple?

2. Who’s your Timothy?

3. What are the three phases of biblical principles regarding discipleship?

4. How important are partnerships in life?

5. How important are partnerships with God?