Grace-Driven Exposition
From 1 Timothy 5 – 17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
I recently completed an intriguing romp through Kenneth W. Osbeck's 101 Hymn Stories in which he delves into the personalities and circumstances behind the Christian faith's most enduring songs. Of the peerless blind songstress Fanny Crosby he writes that she never composed without praying fervently first. She maintained this habit, apparently, while composing 8000 hymns.
I consider this sweet, beguiling mix of humility and enthusiasm as I approach 1 Timothy 5:17-18. Considerations of God's Word are typically my oasis of grace. Intimacy and insight typically come fairly easily for me there. To be sure, I labor elsewhere to discipline my body and mind to even marginal results. Yet before the Word, His grace seems to flow without particular concentration, as, I would have expected before Osbeck intervened, songs came from Fanny Crosby.
I'm challenged, though, by the example of these verses that those who labor in the Word and doctrine are worthy of double honor. I could answer conviction by adopting a pained expression as I consider Scripture, or by making sure to maximize the show of my powers as I share from God's Word. Yet, I'm certain Paul and the Holy Spirit have something more genuine, more thoroughgoing in mind.
I will not, to be sure, are in my opportunity to come boldly before the throne of grace any more than I earned access to the Bible in my own language and a lifetime of mentors in God's Word living and dead. But His grace shown to me thus far, the low hanging fruit from Scripture by which He has deigned to feed me and constantly impart to me His sweetness, those encounters by which, without much study, I've been enabled to open the eyes and ears of others' understanding, should they not challenge and intrigued me toward 1 Timothy 5:17-18 grace-driven effort, to borrow John Piper's phrase?
He is, by the grace-driven math of these verses, sure to repay any sweat we expand over His Word. If we, as we mature in faith dig deeper, focus more, wrestle like Jacob to obtain the fullness of His blessing from His Word, He has the audacity to increase our reward. First and foremost, we honor those in the office of elder who have seen this come to pass in their lives, who haven't been content with the affirmation of gifting that comes with the office but have pressed on toward the fullness of that calling. From there, we want the same glory of God made manifest in our lives.
We want it because God's reward is promised and good. We also want to press in for the deepest possible understanding of His Word because those around us need it. By this, we as Christ's joint heirs learn to distinguish between seemingly good options. We rule by helping those less mature, or more entrapped, make good decisions. By a process of spiritual momentum and accretion, we know more of Scripture's Author. We are fed like the ox by the Master who so far surpasses the animal's insight. We are declared worthy by the only One Who is. We want, then, all that His Word offers.
I recently completed an intriguing romp through Kenneth W. Osbeck's 101 Hymn Stories in which he delves into the personalities and circumstances behind the Christian faith's most enduring songs. Of the peerless blind songstress Fanny Crosby he writes that she never composed without praying fervently first. She maintained this habit, apparently, while composing 8000 hymns.
I consider this sweet, beguiling mix of humility and enthusiasm as I approach 1 Timothy 5:17-18. Considerations of God's Word are typically my oasis of grace. Intimacy and insight typically come fairly easily for me there. To be sure, I labor elsewhere to discipline my body and mind to even marginal results. Yet before the Word, His grace seems to flow without particular concentration, as, I would have expected before Osbeck intervened, songs came from Fanny Crosby.
I'm challenged, though, by the example of these verses that those who labor in the Word and doctrine are worthy of double honor. I could answer conviction by adopting a pained expression as I consider Scripture, or by making sure to maximize the show of my powers as I share from God's Word. Yet, I'm certain Paul and the Holy Spirit have something more genuine, more thoroughgoing in mind.
I will not, to be sure, are in my opportunity to come boldly before the throne of grace any more than I earned access to the Bible in my own language and a lifetime of mentors in God's Word living and dead. But His grace shown to me thus far, the low hanging fruit from Scripture by which He has deigned to feed me and constantly impart to me His sweetness, those encounters by which, without much study, I've been enabled to open the eyes and ears of others' understanding, should they not challenge and intrigued me toward 1 Timothy 5:17-18 grace-driven effort, to borrow John Piper's phrase?
He is, by the grace-driven math of these verses, sure to repay any sweat we expand over His Word. If we, as we mature in faith dig deeper, focus more, wrestle like Jacob to obtain the fullness of His blessing from His Word, He has the audacity to increase our reward. First and foremost, we honor those in the office of elder who have seen this come to pass in their lives, who haven't been content with the affirmation of gifting that comes with the office but have pressed on toward the fullness of that calling. From there, we want the same glory of God made manifest in our lives.
We want it because God's reward is promised and good. We also want to press in for the deepest possible understanding of His Word because those around us need it. By this, we as Christ's joint heirs learn to distinguish between seemingly good options. We rule by helping those less mature, or more entrapped, make good decisions. By a process of spiritual momentum and accretion, we know more of Scripture's Author. We are fed like the ox by the Master who so far surpasses the animal's insight. We are declared worthy by the only One Who is. We want, then, all that His Word offers.
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