2 Timothy 4 “Preach the Word”
Introduction
I have often been entertained by famous last words. One of my favourites which I had previously attributed to gen.Custer was, I discover from Google, actually spoken by another general, John Sedgewick “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist……” I did a little trawl through Google and the following caught my eye: “All my possessions for a moment of time” Elizabeth 1. There were a number from people facing execution, “I see that you have made three spelling mistakes” Marquis de Farvas on being handed his execution notice. As a doctor I liked this one “Congestion….Stopped” Joseph Green, a distinguished surgeon who is said to have remarked “Congestion” after taking an especially raspy breath. He then checked his own pulse, announced “stopped” and died. How about Charlie Chaplin? He is reported to have said “Why not, it belongs to him” in reply to the priest attending him who had said “may the Lord have mercy on your soul”.
As we have previously commented in this sermon series these Pastoral epistles are in many ways Paul’s last words. In this chapter this is made explicit as Paul speaks movingly of his life coming to an end: “I am already being poured out like a drink offering and the time has come for my departure”. The chapter falls into two halves a more formal charge in vv.1-8 and more personal instructions in vv.9-end. The formal charge contains five instructions to Timothy:
Preach the Word this is the first and fullest instruction. Picking up on the closing verses of the previous chapter Timothy is told to “preach the Word, in season and out of season, correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction” 4v2 cf 3v16. This is the foremost responsibility of any church leader – to preach the word of God. We can feel the urgency with which Paul issues this charge:”In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing…”4v1. How urgent are we about preaching today? Many times I have heard people saying that the age of preaching is over, we don’t need sermons now in this age of multi-media presentations. I think it was Spurgeon who said “mini sermons produce mini Christians”. We all, preachers and hearers alike, need to come under the authority of the Word of God. It is through the Scriptures that we are taught and grow in the faith becoming thoroughly equipped for every good work 3v.17
Keep your head secondly Paul urges Timothy to “keep his head in all situations”. V.5 Frequently throughout these letters Paul urges Timothy to be on his guard against false teaching. In the verses just before this Paul has been speaking about people with itchy ears willing to listen to anything but the truth – there are plenty of examples of this in out own age. Timothy is however to keep his head, remain focussed on the task
Endure hardship Paul himself was no stranger to hardship, he endured all kinds of persecution for the sake of the gospel and warns Timothy to expect the same. Again, sadly, the same is true for many Christians in the world today. Let me read to you two examples from this weeks Church Times (Turkey and Nigeria).
Do the work of an Evangelist If Timothy’s primary calling within the church was to be a preacher, his primary calling outside the church was to be an evangelist – someone entrusted with the task of sharing the Good News with others.
Discharge all the duties of your ministry in summary Timothy is told to fulfil all the duties of his ministry – to give himself entirely to the calling God has placed upon his life. Last week Joshua reminded us that we all have a ministry – not just those who are ordained or otherwise set apart. What is your ministry? Are you a parent or carer, do you have a ministry of encouragement, prayer, evangelism? Are you a teacher or a healer? Are you someone whose ministry is in practical service? Heed Paul’s charge, discharge all the duties of your ministry. It is only as we do this that we can hope to say along with Paul: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness” v.7,8