1 Timothy 1:1a -- Hey, y'all, it's Paul!

To catch up on our adventure through 1 Timothy, click here and read from the bottom post up.

Unless you're reading a commentary, the study of a New Testament epistle (letter) usually skips the introductory greeting part, which is formally called the salutation. But I think it gives us some great insight.

In our study, the greeting is 1 Timothy 1:1-2. Look at verse 1:

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,"

Paul considered himself:

• an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of:
  • God our Savior and
  • Christ Jesus our hope

Today I want to just focus in on the first phrase in that verse: "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus..."

Paul considered himself an apostle, meaning literally "one who is sent." He was on a mission. And the one who sent him was Jesus Christ Himself. Paul wasn't just on a personal mission, but was sent by Christ Himself.

If I look at my position or my ministry purely from a humanistic point of view, it's really very one-dimensional. I can drop it or change it whenever I want...whenever I just get the desire to or get some new idea in my head or discover some new aspect about myself or whatever.

But it's not just something I came up with on my own. Christ Jesus Himself has called me. In some ways, I am an apostle of Christ too. I am "one who is sent," and Christ is the One who has sent me. This means I am not just following my dreams or developing my strengths or setting my goals (as important as those can be), but I am following His desires, His plans, His strategy, His commands.

When I lay out my goals and dreams and next steps for my life...when I form a strategic plan and plan out projects and events for my ministry...whatever I do, it's not just a result of my (man's) desires and my human plans. I do it with a sense of being sent out by Christ Jesus to do His will. Just as an employee does the work of his employer, I am doing the work of my Master.

Father, help me be more devoted to You than to my own human fulfillment. Thank You that You have called me to something far greater than I can imagine. Thank You for sending me forth every day to do Your will. And thank You for the tremendous peace and satisfaction that come from that.