All Things (Part 2)

TEXT:

‘All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Son except the Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son [deliberately] wills to reveal Him’ (Matthew 11:27 AMP).

In Today’s Teaching we are studying “All Things”, a phrase the Apostle Paul used frequently, particularly in the Pastoral Epistles of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus.

In Part 1, we considered what God does:

• Gives life to all things
• Gives us richly all things to enjoy
• Gives understanding in all things

Part 2 studies what we need to do in response to what God does.

2. What we need to do

‘Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age’ (Matthew 28:20

‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:13)

• Be faithful in all things – ‘Women must likewise be worthy of respect, not malicious gossips, but self-controlled, [thoroughly] trustworthy in all things’ (1 Timothy 3:11)

Although the context specifically refers to Deacon’s wives, this is surely something every Christian needs to do. ‘Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?’ (Proverbs 20:6).

Today’s retailing tends to foster unfaithfulness. No need to support local businesses, go instead to the superstore where you can get everything in one place. During the pandemic online shopping soared and retail shops suffered badly and we now see empty shops everywhere that may never re-open.

It’s easy for this kind of unfaithfulness to permeate the church. Come as long as it suits you, then move on or just join in via Zoom, which was a blessing during the pandemic but now can become a curse as many are not returning to their church services. Others are saying they do not need to go at all, because they can pray to and worship God at home.

Why does the Bible warn us not stay away from church,¹ if it is not important? It’s time for every professing Christian to be a regular church attender once again. Do not focus on what you perceive is wrong about the church. Give thanks for what unites that you can say “Amen” to!

Jesus is our faithful High Priest.² If He could regularly attend the local synagogue with all of its faults and failings, we can too! Let your church know it can rely on your attendance and financial support on a regular basis because you are faithful.

• Be well-pleasing in all things – ‘Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things’ (Titus 2:9-10)

The context is serving well, whether as a slave or an employed person. Can we be trusted with another person’s money and time? Jesus said, ‘Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?’ (Luke 16:11-12).

The hallmark of Joseph, while in Egypt,  was he did not allow the past to stop him from serving well. If anyone had reason to be bitter, he did, but his faithfulness caused him to prosper whether he was a slave or a prisoner.

The ultimate accolade is to hear the words of Jesus, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant’ (Matthew 25:23). That is something Jesus heard Himself, ‘This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased’ (Matthew 3:17).

The danger is we excuse ourselves for areas we do not serve well in, instead of dealing with them and changing.  So the employee who is always late or lazy continues to be so, to the frustration of the boss and fellow-workers.

Make it your goal to be well-pleasing in all things.

• Make godliness a priority – ‘But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come’ (I Timothy 4:7-8)

Although exercise is important, given our rich diet and labour-saving inventions, it can only benefit us in this life, but godliness goes beyond the grave, ‘Having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come’.

The question is, “What have you done to prepare yourself for what’s after death?” The Bible says, ‘It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment’ (Hebrews 9:27).  ‘Prepare to meet your God’ (Amos 4:12).

We need to live this life knowing there is another one to come. I do not want to face God on my own, when Jesus has promised to be my advocate or defender.³

Let’s do the things which will help us spiritually not just physically.

• Endure all things – ‘For this reason I [am ready to] patiently endure all things for the sake of those who are the elect (God’s chosen ones), so that they too may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it the reward of eternal glory’ (2 Timothy 2:10)

Much of what Paul had to endure came from being persecuted by his own people the Jews, because he had become a Christian and elevated personal faith in Christ above keeping their religious rules and regulations.

When he was going through it, he kept in mind the bigger picture; the salvation of the Jews. He reasoned if God could save him, He could save anyone one of his countrymen. This made the suffering worthwhile.

Paul exhorted Timothy, ‘You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ’ (2 Timothy 2:3) because, ‘He who endures to the end shall be saved’ (Matthew 10:22).

Don’t be like the seed planted in shallow soil. Jesus explained it had no deep roots and only endured for a while.⁴ It’s always worth it to keep going.

What’s the goal for enduring? ‘If we endure, we shall also reign with Him’ (2 Timothy 2:12). What could be a better reward than that?

Other inspiring verses with “All Things” in them are:

• ‘Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things’              (1 Corinthians 13:7
• ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new’ (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• ‘And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work’ (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Endnotes:

¹ Hebrews 10:25          ² Hebrews 2:17            ³ 1 John 2:1-2              ⁴ Mark 4:16-17