Two Two Two
3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth … 6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh … 9 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan … 12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel … 15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared … 18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch … 21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah … 25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech … 28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 29 He named him Noah. (Genesis 5:3-29)
The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
Family trees like the one in Genesis 5 are pretty straightforward. Somebody has a baby and mentors that baby until it is fully grown. The grown-up baby does the same thing it saw modelled. It has a baby of its own, which it mentors to maturity. Adam to Seth to Enosh to Kenan to Mahalel to Jared to Enoch to Methuselah to Lamech to Noah.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul teaches us that this is how it’s meant to work for followers of Jesus too. Once we are born again, we find many mentors in our new church family who help us grow into mature disciples. Before we know it, we are able to mentor other people too. Mature disciples naturally become disciple-makers.
If you ever forget this, just say to yourself: two, two, two. It will help you turn to 2 Timothy 2:2, where Paul writes to Timothy and describes four generations of disciple in the church at Ephesus. Paul mentored Timothy. Timothy mentored reliable people. Those reliable people mentored others. Churches that flourish are churches that get this. They aren’t consumer communities to which people come merely to feed themselves. They are families, where people come to learn from others and to pass on what they learn to those who are coming through behind them. We want to be this kind of learning community at Everyday Church. We want to say yes to the Great Commission to such an extent that everyone of us becomes a mature disciple and a fruitful disciple-maker, all for God’s glory!
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul teaches us that this is how it’s meant to work for followers of Jesus too. Once we are born again, we find many mentors in our new church family who help us grow into mature disciples. Before we know it, we are able to mentor other people too. Mature disciples naturally become disciple-makers.
If you ever forget this, just say to yourself: two, two, two. It will help you turn to 2 Timothy 2:2, where Paul writes to Timothy and describes four generations of disciple in the church at Ephesus. Paul mentored Timothy. Timothy mentored reliable people. Those reliable people mentored others. Churches that flourish are churches that get this. They aren’t consumer communities to which people come merely to feed themselves. They are families, where people come to learn from others and to pass on what they learn to those who are coming through behind them. We want to be this kind of learning community at Everyday Church. We want to say yes to the Great Commission to such an extent that everyone of us becomes a mature disciple and a fruitful disciple-maker, all for God’s glory!
1) Who are the people who are mentoring you in your Christian life, just as Paul mentored Timothy?
Clue: If you are a child then it may be your parents. If you are a grown-up then it may be your Life Group leader or another close Christian friend.
2) Who are you mentoring in their Christian life, just as Timothy mentored the ‘reliable people’ around him?
3) Who are you helping those ‘reliable people’ to mentor in turn? As you read 2 Timothy 2:2 slowly, who are the ‘others’ that could be reached and discipled through the people that you are discipling?
Clue: If you are a child then it may be your parents. If you are a grown-up then it may be your Life Group leader or another close Christian friend.
2) Who are you mentoring in their Christian life, just as Timothy mentored the ‘reliable people’ around him?
3) Who are you helping those ‘reliable people’ to mentor in turn? As you read 2 Timothy 2:2 slowly, who are the ‘others’ that could be reached and discipled through the people that you are discipling?
Father God, I thank you that the family trees in the Bible are there for a reason. They are encouragements for me to get active in disciple-making. Thank you for the ‘Pauls’ that you have given me to help me grow as a Christian. Please help me to know who the ‘reliable people’ are for me to disciple, so that we can reach many ‘others’ together. Amen.
If you have time, consider carrying on your conversation with God using one of our helpful Prayer Pathways.
Today’s Everyday Devotions have also inspired a devotional video that you can watch on our YouTube channel.
Join our Online Service now.
Today’s Everyday Devotions have also inspired a devotional video that you can watch on our YouTube channel.
Join our Online Service now.