The Thursday after the Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 7, 2024 by under
Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:4-11 (NKJV)
4: 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 7 But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 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. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 11 These things command and teach.
Devotion
Ministers must immerse themselves in the words of faith and good doctrine. Truth must be of the utmost importance. We should never just defend ‘our team’, regardless of the truth. Sound doctrine and truth must be cherished as precious treasures. If a minister devotes himself to sound doctrine and truth, he will be a blessing to the Church. A party man or ‘team player’ is useless without sound doctrine.
This applies to all Christians. We are not only to reject and shun false doctrine, but we are to “reject profane and old wives’ fables.” It is appropriate to carefully refute false doctrine with sound arguments. But these “fables” of old women, these rumors, these conspiracies, we should reject them. To put it in an even better way, we should disdain to be bothered with them. Don’t give them the dignity of a real response. A true leader, a true shepherd, doesn’t traffic in rumors and silly conspiracies. He leads his people to sound doctrine and truth. He leads his people to live above reproach with regard to piety and truthfulness. We cling firmly to sound doctrine, pious life, and truth.
Collect: Absolve, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy people from their offences, that from the bonds of our sins which, by reason of our frailty, we have brought upon us, we may be delivered by Thy bountiful goodness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
