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00:00:01 What are the things Paul 00:00:03 was telling Timothy to “be absorbed in” 00:00:07 and to “ponder over”? 00:00:09 And in what sense 00:00:11 do we today make our advancement 00:00:14 clearly seen? 00:00:16 Let’s open our Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 4 and examine the context. 00:00:21 We begin in the last paragraph of this chapter. 00:00:24 First Timothy 4:11 says: 00:00:28 “Keep on giving these commands and teaching them. 00:00:33 “Never let anyone look down on your youth. 00:00:35 “Instead, become an example to the faithful ones in speaking, 00:00:40 “in conduct, in love, 00:00:42 “in faith, in chasteness. 00:00:45 “Until I come, continue applying yourself 00:00:48 “to public reading, to exhortation, to teaching. 00:00:50 “Do not neglect the gift in you that was given you 00:00:54 “through a prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 00:00:58 “Ponder over these things; 00:01:01 “be absorbed in them, 00:01:04 “so that your advancement may be plainly seen by all people. 00:01:08 “Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. 00:01:13 “Persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself 00:01:17 and those who listen to you.” 00:01:20 Well, first note that it says, 00:01:22 “Be absorbed” 00:01:25 —not immersed but “absorbed.” 00:01:29 What’s the difference? 00:01:31 Well, you can drop a whole onion into a pot of soup, 00:01:36 and if it’s not in there very long, 00:01:38 you can pull it back out and it’s still an onion. 00:01:41 And the soup tastes basically the same. 00:01:44 But what if you were to prepare that onion 00:01:46 and then drop it in the soup and leave it there for hours? 00:01:51 Well, then it absorbs into the soup to the extent that we 00:01:55 simply cannot remove it any longer. 00:01:58 If we are absorbed in something, 00:02:01 we become part of it. 00:02:04 The Greek word for “be absorbed in” 00:02:06 literally translates “in these things be you.” 00:02:10 Some older translations say “give thyself wholly to.” 00:02:15 So, what is the soup, as it were, 00:02:18 into which we are to be absorbed? 00:02:23 Well, verse 12 lists ‘speaking, 00:02:26 conduct, love, faith, and chasteness.’ 00:02:30 So we ask ourselves, ‘Are these qualities and actions 00:02:33 what I am?’ 00:02:36 How is our advancement plainly seen, 00:02:40 for instance, in the way we speak? 00:02:44 Now, this is not referring to public speaking privileges. 00:02:47 Timothy had been a well-known traveling elder 00:02:50 for upward of ten years before he received 00:02:53 this letter from Paul. 00:02:55 But his advancement would be plainly seen 00:02:58 in his loyalty and in the way his speech 00:03:03 reflected his love and his faith. 00:03:06 Now, regarding speech, 00:03:08 turn with me, please, to James chapter 1 —James chapter 1. 00:03:12 In this verse, 00:03:15 James points out the impact 00:03:17 that our speech can have on our worship. 00:03:20 He wrote at James 1:26: 00:03:22 “If any man thinks 00:03:25 “he is a worshipper of God but does not keep 00:03:28 “a tight rein on his tongue, 00:03:32 “he is deceiving his own heart, and his worship 00:03:35 is futile.” 00:03:38 Other older translations say, 00:03:40 “This man’s religion is vain.” 00:03:44 This, in fact, is one of the texts that drew our brothers 00:03:47 to the conclusion that there is a distinction 00:03:49 between true religion and false religion. 00:03:54 Never would we want to show the spirit of false religion, 00:03:58 deceiving ourselves into thinking that as long as we do some good, 00:04:01 God won’t care if our words 00:04:03 are mean or untrue. 00:04:06 No, we “keep a tight rein on [our] tongue.” 00:04:10 And that expression “keep a tight rein on” reminds us 00:04:13 of James’ horse illustration at James 3:3. 00:04:17 Keeping a tight rein on our tongue does not mean that we never speak 00:04:22 any more than keeping a tight rein on a horse means that you never ride it. 00:04:26 No, a horse is valuable, powerful, beautiful, 00:04:29 and it can be very useful 00:04:32 when trained. 00:04:34 So we use our gift of speech, 00:04:37 but we control what we say so that it has the effect 00:04:40 we want and the effect Jehovah wants. 00:04:43 Our speech can reveal the degree 00:04:45 to which we have made spiritual progress. 00:04:48 Now, today, most don’t serve in congregations like Ephesus, 00:04:51 where Paul asked Timothy to keep working as a bulwark 00:04:54 against “false stories” 00:04:56 and “misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons.” 00:04:59 But we can set a powerful example 00:05:02 in the way we speak. 00:05:05 We work with people here in Bethel and in our congregations. 00:05:10 The 133rd Psalm says that Jehovah’s blessing 00:05:13 is where brothers “dwell together in unity.” 00:05:17 First Peter 4:14 says that Jehovah’s spirit 00:05:20 is “resting” upon the congregation. 00:05:23 So there’s a blessing when we work together. 00:05:27 No one human has every quality needed 00:05:30 to see a project through to its completion. 00:05:33 And when we come together, we speak. 00:05:37 We talk about how to get the job done. 00:05:39 At times, we consider: Is this a good plan of action? 00:05:43 Is our work being done well? 00:05:45 Is it effective? 00:05:47 Is it being carried out in harmony with published guidelines? 00:05:49 Is it genuinely helpful? 00:05:52 In that process, people who have poured hours of work 00:05:56 into a project could find that their feelings 00:05:59 are keenly attuned 00:06:02 to the answers to those questions. 00:06:05 But what happens if someone takes exception to the way 00:06:09 we have done our job? 00:06:12 What if they point out a problem, 00:06:14 but their solution is worse than the problem itself? 00:06:18 Will we stop listening to them 00:06:20 or stop respecting them? 00:06:23 Could we be grateful for their perspective 00:06:26 that something is not quite right while at the same time 00:06:29 continuing to seek a solution? 00:06:31 What words will we use? 00:06:35 This could be a very good opportunity 00:06:38 for us to “become an example 00:06:41 to the faithful ones in speaking.” 00:06:45 Have you ever noticed that some people 00:06:48 consistently show gratitude 00:06:51 and are rich with words of commendation, 00:06:55 even when they’re offering correction? 00:06:57 And it’s not just a technical formula 00:07:00 —the “counsel sandwich”— 00:07:02 commendation, counsel, commendation. 00:07:05 No, it’s valid 00:07:07 —words that took real observation 00:07:11 and appreciation coming from a person 00:07:14 who on other occasions only shows encouragement. 00:07:18 Or, you know, those elders who can enter into the most stressful situation 00:07:21 and just get everybody laughing and then offer frank counsel if needed 00:07:25 but then keep everybody in a good mood? 00:07:28 It’s an art. 00:07:29 Never make the mistake of thinking, ‘He’s just a natural.’ 00:07:34 No, that is advancement. 00:07:37 So many in our Bethel family have this skill. 00:07:41 We appreciate them. 00:07:44 Become an example to the faithful ones in speaking. 00:07:48 But Paul also mentions conduct 00:07:50 and chasteness. 00:07:53 How good it is to be surrounded by examples of those who truly delight 00:07:57 in maintaining Jehovah’s high moral standards. 00:08:01 And 1 Timothy 4:12 also mentions 00:08:03 becoming an example “in love.” 00:08:06 If Timothy had been harsh or unkind 00:08:09 in the way he dealt with his fellow believers, 00:08:12 what effect could that have had on all the good work he had accomplished already 00:08:16 as a teacher and an overseer? 00:08:19 And we also set an example 00:08:21 for the faithful ones in faith. 00:08:24 Our faith 00:08:26 can be seen in our ability 00:08:29 to discern Jehovah’s hand 00:08:33 and the way he’s backing and blessing 00:08:35 the work that we’re doing. 00:08:38 Can we build Ramapo under lockdown? 00:08:41 How can we make videos when we can’t 00:08:43 get 20 people together in a small space? 00:08:45 How do we make disciples if we have to stay 00:08:48 six feet away from everyone? 00:08:50 But what have we seen? 00:08:52 Ramapo is ahead of schedule. 00:08:54 JW Broadcasting® is more useful than ever. 00:08:57 Congregation meetings are better attended than before. 00:09:01 And thousands of new disciples 00:09:03 are still being baptized every week. 00:09:06 Why? 00:09:07 Because “all things are possible” with God 00:09:12 if one has faith. 00:09:14 Become an example to the faithful ones 00:09:17 in speaking, in conduct, 00:09:20 in love, in faith, in chasteness. 00:09:24 That’s the soup. 00:09:27 Ponder over these things, 00:09:29 be absorbed in them, 00:09:32 and in that way your advancement 00:09:35 will be plainly seen.
00:00:01 What are the things Paul 00:00:03 was telling Timothy to “be absorbed in” 00:00:07 and to “ponder over”? 00:00:09 And in what sense 00:00:11 do we today make our advancement 00:00:14 clearly seen? 00:00:16 Let’s open our Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 4 and examine the context. 00:00:21 We begin in the last paragraph of this chapter. 00:00:24 First Timothy 4:11 says: 00:00:28 “Keep on giving these commands and teaching them. 00:00:33 “Never let anyone look down on your youth. 00:00:35 “Instead, become an example to the faithful ones in speaking, 00:00:40 “in conduct, in love, 00:00:42 “in faith, in chasteness. 00:00:45 “Until I come, continue applying yourself 00:00:48 “to public reading, to exhortation, to teaching. 00:00:50 “Do not neglect the gift in you that was given you 00:00:54 “through a prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 00:00:58 “Ponder over these things; 00:01:01 “be absorbed in them, 00:01:04 “so that your advancement may be plainly seen by all people. 00:01:08 “Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. 00:01:13 “Persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself 00:01:17 and those who listen to you.” 00:01:20 Well, first note that it says, 00:01:22 “Be absorbed” 00:01:25 —not immersed but “absorbed.” 00:01:29 What’s the difference? 00:01:31 Well, you can drop a whole onion into a pot of soup, 00:01:36 and if it’s not in there very long, 00:01:38 you can pull it back out and it’s still an onion. 00:01:41 And the soup tastes basically the same. 00:01:44 But what if you were to prepare that onion 00:01:46 and then drop it in the soup and leave it there for hours? 00:01:51 Well, then it absorbs into the soup to the extent that we 00:01:55 simply cannot remove it any longer. 00:01:58 If we are absorbed in something, 00:02:01 we become part of it. 00:02:04 The Greek word for “be absorbed in” 00:02:06 literally translates “in these things be you.” 00:02:10 Some older translations say “give thyself wholly to.” 00:02:15 So, what is the soup, as it were, 00:02:18 into which we are to be absorbed? 00:02:23 Well, verse 12 lists ‘speaking, 00:02:26 conduct, love, faith, and chasteness.’ 00:02:30 So we ask ourselves, ‘Are these qualities and actions 00:02:33 what I am?’ 00:02:36 How is our advancement plainly seen, 00:02:40 for instance, in the way we speak? 00:02:44 Now, this is not referring to public speaking privileges. 00:02:47 Timothy had been a well-known traveling elder 00:02:50 for upward of ten years before he received 00:02:53 this letter from Paul. 00:02:55 But his advancement would be plainly seen 00:02:58 in his loyalty and in the way his speech 00:03:03 reflected his love and his faith. 00:03:06 Now, regarding speech, 00:03:08 turn with me, please, to James chapter 1 —James chapter 1. 00:03:12 In this verse, 00:03:15 James points out the impact 00:03:17 that our speech can have on our worship. 00:03:20 He wrote at James 1:26: 00:03:22 “If any man thinks 00:03:25 “he is a worshipper of God but does not keep 00:03:28 “a tight rein on his tongue, 00:03:32 “he is deceiving his own heart, and his worship 00:03:35 is futile.” 00:03:38 Other older translations say, 00:03:40 “This man’s religion is vain.” 00:03:44 This, in fact, is one of the texts that drew our brothers 00:03:47 to the conclusion that there is a distinction 00:03:49 between true religion and false religion. 00:03:54 Never would we want to show the spirit of false religion, 00:03:58 deceiving ourselves into thinking that as long as we do some good, 00:04:01 God won’t care if our words 00:04:03 are mean or untrue. 00:04:06 No, we “keep a tight rein on [our] tongue.” 00:04:10 And that expression “keep a tight rein on” reminds us 00:04:13 of James’ horse illustration at James 3:3. 00:04:17 Keeping a tight rein on our tongue does not mean that we never speak 00:04:22 any more than keeping a tight rein on a horse means that you never ride it. 00:04:26 No, a horse is valuable, powerful, beautiful, 00:04:29 and it can be very useful 00:04:32 when trained. 00:04:34 So we use our gift of speech, 00:04:37 but we control what we say so that it has the effect 00:04:40 we want and the effect Jehovah wants. 00:04:43 Our speech can reveal the degree 00:04:45 to which we have made spiritual progress. 00:04:48 Now, today, most don’t serve in congregations like Ephesus, 00:04:51 where Paul asked Timothy to keep working as a bulwark 00:04:54 against “false stories” 00:04:56 and “misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons.” 00:04:59 But we can set a powerful example 00:05:02 in the way we speak. 00:05:05 We work with people here in Bethel and in our congregations. 00:05:10 The 133rd Psalm says that Jehovah’s blessing 00:05:13 is where brothers “dwell together in unity.” 00:05:17 First Peter 4:14 says that Jehovah’s spirit 00:05:20 is “resting” upon the congregation. 00:05:23 So there’s a blessing when we work together. 00:05:27 No one human has every quality needed 00:05:30 to see a project through to its completion. 00:05:33 And when we come together, we speak. 00:05:37 We talk about how to get the job done. 00:05:39 At times, we consider: Is this a good plan of action? 00:05:43 Is our work being done well? 00:05:45 Is it effective? 00:05:47 Is it being carried out in harmony with published guidelines? 00:05:49 Is it genuinely helpful? 00:05:52 In that process, people who have poured hours of work 00:05:56 into a project could find that their feelings 00:05:59 are keenly attuned 00:06:02 to the answers to those questions. 00:06:05 But what happens if someone takes exception to the way 00:06:09 we have done our job? 00:06:12 What if they point out a problem, 00:06:14 but their solution is worse than the problem itself? 00:06:18 Will we stop listening to them 00:06:20 or stop respecting them? 00:06:23 Could we be grateful for their perspective 00:06:26 that something is not quite right while at the same time 00:06:29 continuing to seek a solution? 00:06:31 What words will we use? 00:06:35 This could be a very good opportunity 00:06:38 for us to “become an example 00:06:41 to the faithful ones in speaking.” 00:06:45 Have you ever noticed that some people 00:06:48 consistently show gratitude 00:06:51 and are rich with words of commendation, 00:06:55 even when they’re offering correction? 00:06:57 And it’s not just a technical formula 00:07:00 —the “counsel sandwich”— 00:07:02 commendation, counsel, commendation. 00:07:05 No, it’s valid 00:07:07 —words that took real observation 00:07:11 and appreciation coming from a person 00:07:14 who on other occasions only shows encouragement. 00:07:18 Or, you know, those elders who can enter into the most stressful situation 00:07:21 and just get everybody laughing and then offer frank counsel if needed 00:07:25 but then keep everybody in a good mood? 00:07:28 It’s an art. 00:07:29 Never make the mistake of thinking, ‘He’s just a natural.’ 00:07:34 No, that is advancement. 00:07:37 So many in our Bethel family have this skill. 00:07:41 We appreciate them. 00:07:44 Become an example to the faithful ones in speaking. 00:07:48 But Paul also mentions conduct 00:07:50 and chasteness. 00:07:53 How good it is to be surrounded by examples of those who truly delight 00:07:57 in maintaining Jehovah’s high moral standards. 00:08:01 And 1 Timothy 4:12 also mentions 00:08:03 becoming an example “in love.” 00:08:06 If Timothy had been harsh or unkind 00:08:09 in the way he dealt with his fellow believers, 00:08:12 what effect could that have had on all the good work he had accomplished already 00:08:16 as a teacher and an overseer? 00:08:19 And we also set an example 00:08:21 for the faithful ones in faith. 00:08:24 Our faith 00:08:26 can be seen in our ability 00:08:29 to discern Jehovah’s hand 00:08:33 and the way he’s backing and blessing 00:08:35 the work that we’re doing. 00:08:38 Can we build Ramapo under lockdown? 00:08:41 How can we make videos when we can’t 00:08:43 get 20 people together in a small space? 00:08:45 How do we make disciples if we have to stay 00:08:48 six feet away from everyone? 00:08:50 But what have we seen? 00:08:52 Ramapo is ahead of schedule. 00:08:54 JW Broadcasting® is more useful than ever. 00:08:57 Congregation meetings are better attended than before. 00:09:01 And thousands of new disciples 00:09:03 are still being baptized every week. 00:09:06 Why? 00:09:07 Because “all things are possible” with God 00:09:12 if one has faith. 00:09:14 Become an example to the faithful ones 00:09:17 in speaking, in conduct, 00:09:20 in love, in faith, in chasteness. 00:09:24 That’s the soup. 00:09:27 Ponder over these things, 00:09:29 be absorbed in them, 00:09:32 and in that way your advancement 00:09:35 will be plainly seen.
