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TIMOTHY’S FIRST ASSIGNMENT!
This past week I invited someone to become a part of this class. I told him that he would really enjoy the members of the class and, with a slight grin on my face, I informed him that the class had a pretty good teacher. Because he knew I was the teacher, he chuckled at the last remark. But his response to me was that he “didn’t see how he would be of much help to the class.”
He’s right you know, for I suspect that anyone coming into an Adult Community for the first time doesn’t know how they would be of much help to the class. They figure the class is doing quite well without them. Hence, they don’t see where their presence in class would make a difference to anyone.
How would you have responded to this man? How would you have jumped over the hurdle he just placed in front of me? He’s right in the sense that no one knows the difference their presence will make in a new environment. But, all of us know one thing for sure. We won’t make any difference to any class or anyone unless we muster up the courage to attend the class. Besides, as I told him, I can think of one person who would be greatly encouraged by his presence.
Timothy may have felt as this man felt when Paul asked him to join the team. He may have figured that Paul and Silas were doing quite well without him. He may have asked Paul, What difference would my presence make?
It’s a bad question, of course, for it doesn’t take into account what God can do through an ordinary Christian. Nevertheless, it is a question that demands a response. So if Timothy asked the question, I’m sure Paul had an answer for it. And part of that answer to Timothy or anyone else has to be, “I don’t know all the answers, we will just have wait and see how God chooses to use you. But I do know he won’t use you at all until you make yourself available to Him.”
With this in mind, consider what we know about Timothy’s role in Philippi. We know nothing! All we can do is speculate as to his involvement. It appears that he and Luke did the behind-the-scenes work. They did the shopping, they prepared the meals, they budgeted the team’s financial resources, and as they had time they probably taught the Word to some new believers.
What about Thessalonica? Again we don’t know what role Timothy played. We do know that he was lumped in with Paul as one of the troublemakers - though everyone knew, or so they thought, that Paul was the primary instigator. Nevertheless, it’s our best guess that Timothy’s role was a little bit further defined by the time the team arrived in Thessalonica.
We now find the team in Berea, a town that Cicero labeled as “off the beaten track.” Incidentally, the team was hustled off to Berea because the officials in Thessalonica had required Jason to post bond with the belief that it would ensure two things. First, there would be no more public disturbances. Second, the troublemakers, in particular Paul, would leave the city. Failure to see that these two things happened within 24 hours would result in the bond money being forfeited and possible jail time.
Hence, Paul, Silas, and Timothy moved on to Berea. In Acts 17:10 - 15 we read:
That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the synagogue. 11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to check up on Paul and Silas, to see if they were really teaching the truth. 12 As a result, many Jews believed, as did some of the prominent Greek women and many men.
But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they went there and stirred up trouble. 14 The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind. 15 Those escorting Paul went with him to Athens; then they returned to Berea with a message for Silas and Timothy to hurry and join him.
Initially, Berea turned out to be an oasis of encouragement. Opposition had slammed the door of opportunity shut in Thessalonica. In Berea, however, the welcome mat had been put out. Those in attendance at the local Synagogue listened; they really listened. They listened by asking questions, they then checked out the answers for themselves by opening up the Word and studying to see what it had to say to them.
The members of the team must have thought that they had landed in paradise. But, as we shall see, Paul’s mind was still on the saints in Thessalonica. At the time, however, Thessalonica came to him. The real instigators again stirred up the crowds as they had earlier. To quiet things down the brothers immediately threw Paul in a taxi and in a loud voice for everybody to hear told the taxi driver to head for the coast. Some scholars believe this was a ruse, giving the impression that Paul was going to travel by sea. In reality, the driver turned south and traveled by land to Athens. Either way, Paul was now far removed from the Thessalonian agitators - as well as the saints.
Once in Athens, it wasn’t long before he was joined by Silas and Timothy. They probably arrived two or three weeks later. This estimate is simply based on how long it would take for the men to escort Paul to Athens and then return to Berea.
Now let me ask you a question. Have you ever been so curious about something that you just could stand it? My sister was like that in regards to Christmas presents. Curiosity would work on her until she just had to unwrap the present and see what was inside. She would then wrap it back up and pretend to be surprised on Christmas morning.
Well, Paul’s mind was on the Thessalonians. He was curious about how they were holding up in enemy territory. To see what he did about it, we need to turn to the third chapter of I Thessalonians . We read:
Finally, when we could stand it no longer, we decided that I should stay alone in Athens, 2 and we sent Timothy to visit you. He is our co-worker for God and our brother in proclaiming the Good News of Christ. We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith, 3 and to keep you from becoming disturbed by the troubles you were going through. But, of course, you know that such troubles are going to happen to us Christians. 4 Even while we were with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come—and they did, as you well know.
That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. I was afraid that the Tempter had gotten the best of you and that all our work had been useless. 6 Now Timothy has just returned, bringing the good news that your faith and love are as strong as ever. He reports that you remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us just as much as we want to see you. 7 So we have been greatly comforted, dear brothers and sisters, in all of our own crushing troubles and suffering, because you have remained strong in your faith. 8 It gives us new life, knowing you remain strong in the Lord.
At last, Timothy was given his first real assignment. Why? First of all because he was available. He had joined the teaming not really knowing whether he would be of much help or not. In joining, however, he had put himself in a position to be of some help. Second, he was also willing to do whatever Paul asked of him. Third, Paul must have seen in him someone who could disciple others in the faith. He saw it because Timothy had not quit in Philippi when things got tough. In other words, he stuck around long enough for Paul to see how he might best be used.
On paper, the assignment was simple enough. Timothy was to do three things. He was to strengthen the saints in Thessalonica. The Greek word translated “strengthen” means “to shore up, to buttress.” He was sent to enable them to stand up against the onslaught of persecution. To do this he needed , and had, a good handle on the Word.
A few weeks ago when a family was struggling with the loss of a baby that only lived an hour, I told them what James says about facing trials. Immediately they wanted to know where that passage could be found! It strengthened them and so they wanted to be able to turn to it in the days ahead to again be strengthened.
Timothy, of course, didn’t have the book of James at his disposal. But he had plenty of other ammunition on hand. For example, he may have shared Job’s troubles wth them and how God sustained him. He may have also had them memorize Job 23:10 which reads:
But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
The second thing Timothy was assigned to do was to encourage the Thessalonians in their faith. He was simply to stand alongside them and give them courage. You see, encouragement isn’t all that hard. It is simply being there for someone in need.
Finally, he was to give them the needed perspective to handle their struggles. To accomplish this he may have shared Ecclesiastes 7:14 with them. It reads:
Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life.
Not knowing the future forces us to trust in the one who holds the future in the palms of his hand!

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