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THE QUALITITIES OF AN EXCELLENT SERVANT

Jesus is the ultimate example of being a servant leader. Out idea of leadership is not the same as the business model. The Bible view of leadership involves serving people. Timothy is talking about being an excellent servant for Jesus Christ. Timothy is ministering at the Church at Ephesus. The word "good" used in this passage could be better translated as "excellent". The word "servant" is the same as that used for deacons. Those who lead are to serve Christ and also serve others. We all fall short of God's standards on these things but we are to keep striving. We are told by Timothy in these verses, the qualities that are required to be an excellent servant of God.

1. Warn God's people of error (vs 6) - Discernment

We are to remind the people of God about error. However, no ministry is to be dominated by a negative approach. We need to make Biblical application of truth to the things that we see. See Acts 20:29-31. Paul knew that when he left there would be false teachers and they were to counter this by staying in God's Word. See 1 John 2: We overcome error by being strong in the Word. We are to analyse things. We are to be critical of things that come in the church. How do these things measure against the Word of God? We must warn people of error. We must not embrace everything. We must be biblical. We must be protectors of the flock.

2. An expert student of the Word of God (vs 6) - Knowledge

Sadly some people in Christian leadership show a very minimal knowledge of the scriptures. We need to be continually nourished. We are to read, digest and meditate upon the Word of God. We are to become experts in the study of the Word of God. It is not something that ends. We may never become expert but we are to strive to become expert. We should be able to defend the Word of God from those who attack it or misuse it. We may need to spend a large amount of our time on God's Word. You can't win many battles if you don't know how to use a sword. We need to practice. The Word of God is God's sword upon the human soul. We are to grow in the Word of God. See 1 Peter 2:2. We need to apply it to our Christian lives. We need to tell our children from an early age - just like Timothy. The Christian leader cannot put out what he has not taken in. It make take many hours to prepare for a one hour Bible study. Stay nourished by God's Word.

3. Avoids the influence of unholy teaching (vs 7) - Separate

This is the flip side of becoming an expert student in the Word of God. There are things that contradict the Word of God. These "old women myths" are not to be listened to. They are fairytales that don't help the Christian to grow. We are not to "fool around" with those things which are the opposite of the truth. God wants us to have a pure mind that is saturated with the truth of the Word of God. The mind is a precious thing and need to be kept clear of satanic lies.

4. Disciplined in personal godliness (vs 7-9) - Holy

We are to exercise ourselves in personally godliness. At the time of Paul there was many people into the exercise of the body. To make their bodies beautiful. This has some merit but training in godliness is better. See 2 Timothy 2:3-5. We are to train like an athlete if we are going to win the crown. We need spiritual discipline. It is more important than physical discipline. We need character and virtue more than big biceps. The physical exercise is only good:-

to a certain extent - it only helps the physical body.
for a duration - it only lasts a short time. You need to keep it up or you lose it.

Spiritual exercise goes beyond the physical and it goes on into eternity. Don't make a resolution to go to the gym three times a week unless you can spend more time in spiritual exercise. It seems that verse 9 had become a saying known throughout the Church. We are not to preoccupy ourselves with our body over our spiritual well-being. What are these spiritual disciplines? A mixture of such things as Bible study, prayer, fasting, active service, confession and the Lord's table.

5. Committed to hard work (vs 10) - Diligence

We are to work for God to the point of exhaustion. In what sense is Jesus the "saviour of all men"? This is not about universalism. This is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible does not teach one thing in one place and something else in another place. There is a heaven and a hell. Both places are eternal. One is a place of eternal joy and the other of eternal punishment. See 2 Thessalonians 1:9. The word used for "saviour" can also be used for "a deliverer". See Isaiah 63:7-8. God sustains and delivers all men in a gracious sense. God gives grace to the unbeliever in that he does not immediately take their life! God showed grace to the nation Israel but not all believed to salvation. God can be a saviour in a temporal sense and not in a spiritual sense.

See 2 Corinthians 5:9-11. We work hard because we know there are consequences on our behalf for rewards and there is an eternal consequence for those who do not believe. It is no wonder that some Christians have burnt themselves out for God. We work for eternity and are compelled to work hard for God. See Galatians 6:14. We are to work hard and sacrifice many things for eternal heavenly things. We are not out to indulge ourselves on this earth.

6. Teaches with practical authority (vs 11) - Power

You have to have authority in some jobs. There needs to be bearing in the way that we communicate. The teaching of God's truth is to be in a command mode. It is to be a powerful commanding of people to obey God's Word and then an explanation of how to do it. See Matthew 7:29. Jesus spoke with authority and the people were in awe of his teaching.

You need to know God's Word and what it means.
It is important to be able to interpret the Word of God.
There is a conviction that it urgent to preach God's message.
A belief that people need to hear the message.

7. The model of spiritual virtue (vs 12) - Integrity

It is the idea of tracing around a pattern or painting what you see. Your life is to be your most powerful message. People are looking for personal holiness that they can pattern their life after. You are to be an example in five areas.

Word - in speech or conversation. See Matthew 12:34-37. What comes out of the mouth reveals what is in the heart. See Ephesians 4:25-26, 29. The excellent servant will not tell lies, lose control of with unrighteous anger or impure words in their talk.
Conduct - in lifestyle. We are to live out our convictions in everyday life. Our conduct is a sermon. The person is judged by how they live and not what they say. See James 3:13 & 1 Peter 1:13-18 & 1 Peter 2:12. You lifestyle should be so godly that your critics have nothing to say against you. The godly wife will win her ungodly husband not by words but by her conduct. See 1 Peter 3:1-2. Where do you spend your time, money and energy?
Love - You need to be a lover in the Biblical sense. It is self-sacrificing service for others. Jesus is the ultimate example. True lovers are givers rather than takers. See 1 Thessalonians 2:7ff.
Faith - There is consistency. See 1 Corinthians 4:1-2. People will fall someone who is loyal and consistent. We are to be unwavering. We are to keep to the path and not detour.
Purity - There is to be moral purity.

If the spiritual virtue is not there then all the power can be sucked out of any message. See 1 Corinthians 4:16 - Paul knew he was not perfect but he was an example to be followed. See also Philippians 3:17 & 4:9. We are to follow good examples. The life has to match the message. If not then it is hypocritical. Timothy was considered young - he was under 40 years of age! To earn respect he had to be a model of spiritual virtue. His walk had to match his talk.

8. Has a thoroughly Biblical ministry (vs 13)

Paul commands Timothy to continually give his whole attention to the reading, exhortation and teaching of the Word of God. This is the embodiment of his ministry.

Reading - This is a reference to the reading of Scripture. During every service there was a time for the reading of Scripture with an explaination of what it means. See Luke 4:16-28 for example. Jesus stood up to read and sat down to expound. This was the custom in the synagogue. See Acts 15:21. It was normal to read and then expound. See Nehemiah 8:8.
Exhortation - This is calling people to apply it to their lives.
Teaching - This is to go deeper with perhaps systematic theology or teaching individual people or small groups.

9. Will fulfill his calling (vs 14)

See 2 Timothy 1:3-12. Timothy was in a very difficult calling. He was struggling against heresies in the Ephesians church. He is young and has to battle to get others to listen. Eventually the church of Ephesus forgot its first love and went out of existence. Is Timothy backing out of his ministry? Paul has to remind Timothy to stir up the gift he had received. Timothy was timid by nature. We need the power of God in our ministry. We can't quit and we can't do it in our own strength.

We are gifted by the Holy Spirit for a ministry. It is not our choice. We are stop neglecting the gift that God has given us. It may be a gift of teaching, helps, etc. They are divine enablements that are given to believers. We use these gifts to reach others. Timothy's gift was the teach the Word of God. There are three things that should compell Timothy.

Compelled by the gift within.
Compelled by revelation outside. He had the opportunity and means to go into biblical training.
Compelled by the laying on of hands. The church confirmed his ministry.

Timothy was there because he met all these dynamics. He should stay in the ministry. He was not to be a short candle. He was to see things out to the end. We should be marathon runners in our ministry.

10. Totally absorbed in his work (vs 15)

We are to be "diligent". It is a better word than "meditate". The excellent servant is single minded. The ministry is all-consuming. We are either doing ministry or planning to do ministry. We are to be wrapped up in our ministry. We are to bury ourselves in our pursuit. If you have a double agenda then you will never be what you could be. We are to do the chief thing. We are to stay on duty and not abandon our post.

11. Progressing in spiritual growth (vs 15-16)

Progress admits you are not what you should be - yet. Let people see that you are growing. You are a work in progress. Paul had his faults but he was still growing spiritually. You may not hold the same views that you did when you were a spiritual baby.

The qualities of an excellent servant applies to spiritual leaders and all Christians. We are to take spiritual care of ourselves and teaching. See also Acts 20:28. This sums up all eleven qualities of an excellent servant. If we do this we will save ourselves and bless those who hear our message.