Biblical age of 30
• Joseph was 30 years old when he became second in command to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:46).
• The priests officially entered service at age 30 (Numbers 4:3).
• Saul became King when he was 30 years old (1 Samuel 13:1).
• David became King when he was 30 years old (2 Samuel 5:4).
• Jesus officially started his ministry at age 30 (Luke 3:23)
Circumcision
• No anesthetic like we think of it
• In the ancient world, alcohol or opium were sometimes used to reduce pain during surgery
• Timothy was circumcised because of reaching more people for Christ.
Timothy
• With Paul some 15 years doing missionary work
• According to I Thess 1:1 and II Thess 1:1 (which Paul writes from Corinth) he is with Paul there
• According to Philippians/Colossians/Philemon he was with Paul in Rome during his first Roman imprisonment
• Hebrews 13:23 - Know that our brother Timothy has been set free . . .
• II Timothy 4:21 - Do your utmost to come before winter.
Heroes of the faith
• Luke’s writings use over 700 words which occur nowhere else in the New Testament
When we see “heroes of the faith” the challenge is not to be another “them” but to follow as they did and be the “you” the Lord is working in you to be.
The ‘we’ sections of the book of Acts
• Acts 16:10 - 16:18 Troas to Philippi 49 AD
• Acts 20:4 - 21:19 Philippi to Jerusalem 54 to 57 AD
• Acts 27:1 - 28:30 Caesarea to Rome 59 to 62 AD
Lydia
• Seller of purple dye/fabric which was part of the ‘official’ dress in Rome and colonies
• Only person named who believed in Philippi
• Mentioned again only in Acts 16:40
• Probably instrumental in the growth and development of the church at Philippi (which was one of the closest to Paul)
• The ‘man of Macedonia’ was in part a woman!
• First named Christian in Europe
The size of the work we are involved in does not matter. What matters is are we “working out” what the Lord is “working in.”
Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.