Encore Post: Timothy of Lystra had a blessed childhood. His grandmother and mother were Jews who came to Christ. Even in the womb, he heard the Holy Scriptures, and was raised loving God, even though his father was a Gentile. He may have been already a Christian when he first met St. Paul, or came to faith through his preaching of the Gospel. A kind, mature and reserved young man, he impressed everyone — including St. Paul. So, Paul had him circumcised and bought him on his missionary journeys. Called as a pastor, he soon became Paul’s trusted and effective assistant. When Paul was near martyrdom, he called for Timothy to come to be with him. After Paul’s death, Timothy served as the Bishop of Ephesus. Church tradition reports that he was martyred in his old age.
On January 24th, the Lutheran Church gives thanks to God for St. Timothy and all pastors. God sent them to proclaim the Gospel, to care for his children, to bring to them the his gifts of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to forgive their sins when they repent and to be present with them in all the days of their lives. The Scriptures urge us to study their lives, learn from them and imitate their faith. We do this not because they are holier than us. They are not. It is because they are just like us. Since they lived trusting in Jesus, we, too, can live trusting in him. After all, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrew 13:7-8)
to: The Confession of St. Peter | Conversion of St. Paul
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