More on being a good follower...

 “You have followed...” – Part 2

(2 Timothy 3:10)

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.

You, however, have followed

Paul writes to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” This is all that a Christian minister can ask. If he tells people that they can safely follow his teaching but not his life, then he admits that he is like the Pharisees who were hypocrites. As Jesus said in Matthew 23:2-3, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.”

my faith,

This kind of double-minded life is powerlessness for the church, and is completely against the godliness that comes from Christ and the gospel. The faith that Timothy had picked up from Paul was not that way. It was a living faith in a living Savior Our faith is all about this Jesus Christ. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. We believe that one died for all, so that all who have died in Him might also live in Him. Faith is trust. In trusting Christ there is power to renounce all the works of the devil.

my patience,

This kind of change of orientation from the ways of a dying world to the ways of Jesus and the new world of resurrection does not work in exactly the same way and exactly at the same pace in all. Not only do we want our godliness to come from God. We also need patience from the God who is slow to anger. Jesus was patient. Paul was patient. Timothy was patient. It was not easy to be that way. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit, and a gift of God.

my love,

These are all virtues of Almighty God that can be imitated, but we didn't know them as well until Jesus came. The love that He displayed was so far above anything else that mankind has ever known, that in the New Testament, love is spoken of as a new commandment. Why? Because we now have seen the love of God in person, so Jesus can tell us, not just to love another, but to “love one another as I have loved you.” That is new. Jesus loves. Paul loves. Timothy loves. Dr. Walters loved. I love. You need to love. And someone else will love because they see Christ loving through you.

my steadfastness

Yes, Dr. Walters, my preaching professor loved me. It was not easy. I had become a know-it-all. But he was steadfast in his love for me, like Jesus. So was Dr. Wilson. A man who gave himself to the people of Afghanistan until they threw him out. And he continued to love the Afghan people. His love had a big impact on me. He ultimately got that love from Jesus, but it touched this church through J. Christy Wilson and then me.

This is a great way for us to see Christ and for others to see Him through us, and it is the will of God for the church and for you. None of this would be possible were it not for the patience, faith, love, and steadfastness of Jesus expressed supremely through the cross and still filling the church today through the Holy Spirit.