Timothy was a young evangelist, and yet Paul told him to “command and teach” the things that he had been writing to him about (1 Timothy 4:11-14). The bigger issue was how could Timothy (or us for that matter) be the kind of Christian that when he would command and teach that others would want to listen and learn?
I. 1 Corinthians 11:1. The first thing to remember is that we are not asking others to follow the best version of ourselves that we can put forth. No, we want others to follow us as we follow Christ. So, Jesus is the example to others that we must follow ourselves, so that others in our sphere of influence can listen and learn from us.
II. Acts 2:42. To ensure that our example of Christ is one to follow, we must be devoted to God’s Word. We have the example of the early Christians who, among other things, devoted themselves to the public reading, exhortation, and teaching of Scripture. When others we hope to command and teach see our devotion, then they will want to listen and learn from us.
III. 1 Corinthians 12:14-31. The illustration of the church as a body with all of its parts working together and arranged just where God has placed them is a powerful one. When others see us encouraging and ministering in whatever way God has blessed us to work for the whole of the body and not just ourselves, then they will want to listen and learn from us.
Whether young or old, rich or poor, educated or unschooled, God has a place for you and work that He has prepared in advance for you to do (Ephesians 2:10). When we are about it, only then are we in a position to “command and teach these things.”