Preach it Preacher! – 2 Timothy 4:1-4

Paul’s second letter to Timothy reaches its climax in the final chapter with Paul’s heart stirring charge to Timothy to be a faithful preacher of the truth.

The Epistle now reaches its climax in Paul’s final recorded charge to Timothy, his son in the faith (Vs. 1-8). These are the last words the Spirit of God lead Paul to write and are therefore of great importance and significance.

Paul’s death is drawing near. Paul has already appeared once before Nero. He anticipates one final meeting and then certain death (Vs. 6)

The Mindset for Preaching (Vs. 1)

We are Responsible to the Scriptures (1a)

1. ‘therefore’ = on the basis of the inspiration and sufficiency of Scripture (3:16-17)
2. ‘charge’ means “I am solemnly witnessing, testifying”. It means “I solemnly order & adjure you.” It was used in secular Greek to call the gods and men to witness.
3. ‘before’ = in the presence of, in the sight of

We are Responsible to the Saviour (1b)

1. God the Father
2. The Lord Jesus Christ
   1. Pictured as the coming Judge
   2. Return of Christ central to Apostle’s thinking
   3. ‘shall’ = “The word is used of someone who is on the point of going something…Paul was living in the expectation of the imminent return of the Lord.” (Wuest)
3. Challenge: What we need in this age are men who are more concerned about their standing in the sight of God than in the sight of men. Men who love the praise and approval of the Saviour above all else. Men who have a deep sense of awe and reverence for God. Men who fear God more than they fear man. Men who preach for the Lord rather than for man.

The Mandate for Preaching (Vs. 2a)

The Technique – ‘preach’

1. ‘preach’ = to herald, proclaim
2. A Herald in Paul’s Day: “In Paul’s day, a ruler had a special herald who made announcements to the people. He was commissioned by the ruler to make his announcements in a loud, clear voice so everyone could hear. He was not an ambassador with the privilege of negotiating; he was a messenger with a proclamation to be heard and heeded. Not to heed the ruler’s messenger was serious; to abuse the messenger was even worse.” (Wiersbe) The Preacher is under Divine Orders! (Vs. 1)
3. Isaiah 58:1 “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”
4. Note: We do not want a carnal display of angry yelling that originates from the flesh. But we do desire Holy Ghost courage and boldness to fearlessly proclaim the truth with passion and conviction.
5. Note: Matt. 12:19 is often misused against preachers who preach the Word strongly and loudly but it is not speaking of Christ’s preaching ministry!
   1. Notice the first word ‘strive’. It is speaking of the meek and peaceful spirit that would characterise His earthly ministry. Christ was not contentious. The context is the rage of the Pharisees.
   2. Adam Clarke: “The spirit of Christ is not a spirit of contention, murmuring, clamour, or litigiousness. He who loves these does not belong to him. Christ therefore fulfilled a prophecy by withdrawing from this place, on account of the rage of the Pharisees.”
   3. Christ did raise His voice at times in the proclamation of the truth! See John 7:37 – ‘cry’ means to “call aloud”

The Theme – “the Word”

1. We are to preach the whole counsel of God
   1. “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” Acts 20:27 ‘shunned’ = to draw back, keep back
   2. Jeremiah 26:2 “Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD’S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:”
   3. Ezekiel 3:1-11
   4. Note: If we are to proclaim all of God’s Words, shouldn’t we be concerned about corrupt Bible versions that delete and remove hundreds of the words of God?
2. The Bible is to be the preachers text book
   1. Beware of endless story telling!
   2. Beware of excessive humour!
   3. Beware of froth, bubble and hot air!

The Time – “be instant in season, out of season”

1. “be instant” = means to take one’s stand, to stand by, to be ready. Speaks of constant readiness. Military word meaning “to stay at one’s post”
2. “in season, out of season” = it is to be preached in good times and in difficult times
   1. The Word of God is always in season even if the circumstances are not!
   2. Note: The 21st century church generally ignores this principle. The church growth movement defines success in terms of numerical growth. This requires constant adaption to the ideas and philosophies of the age.

The Method for Preaching (2c)

The three-pronged approach – “reprove, rebuke, exhort”

1. Reprove (convincing) = to bring to light, to convince, to convict
2. Rebuke (correcting/warning) = to censure sharply, to warn. Speaks of correction.
   1. Psalm 141:5 “Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.”
   2. Prov. 27:5-6 “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
   3. Titus 2:15 “These things speak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”
3. Exhort (encouraging) = to urge & encourage
   1. Means “one called alongside to help.”
   2. The Holy Spirit is called the ‘Comforter’ (Jn. 14:16) and Christ is referred to as our ‘advocate’ (1 Jn. 2:1)

The two-fold accompaniment – “longsuffering and doctrine”

1. ‘with’ = reproof, rebuke and exhortation are all to be done with these two principles
2. Longsuffering = patience & endurance. A fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Consider some of the prophets with long ministries with little change in the people.
3. Doctrine = sound Biblical content as our basis, not human opinion

The Motivation for Preaching (Vs. 3-4)

Paul reminds Timothy of the coming apostasy to motivate him to seize the opportunity to proclaim the truth. The time would come where there would be:

A Resistance to Truth (3a)

1. ‘endure’ = to bear with, put up with, tolerate
2. ‘sound’ = wholesome, healthy
3. ‘doctrine’ = teaching of Scripture

A Regard for False Teachers (3b)

1. Driven by their lustful desires – they do not want their sinful nature confronted by the Word of God
2. Driven by their carnal appetites – they want something spine tingling and tantalizing to hear
   1. Isaiah 30:8-10 “Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:”
   2. Jeremiah 5:31 “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so:”

A Rejection of Truth (4)

1. They refuse truth – stubbornly turn away their ears
2. They replace it with fiction – fables. “turned aside” is a medical term used of wrenching a limb out of joint. They will twist themselves out of their normal position in order to have their itching ears gratified with fables.” (Hiebert)

Conclusion

Preach On!

If you’re preaching from the Bible, preach on. If you’re longing for revival, just preach on. Preach on sin and condemnation, Preach for sinners His salvation, Preach to Christians, consecration; But preach on.

If your sermons from the Lord, preach on. Never mind if they look bored, just preach on. If the devil looks down on it, If the critics frown upon it, Many souls depend upon it, so preach on.

If you step on someone’s corns, well preach on. Take the bull by the horns, and preach on. Even though we may not like it, Even though some may try to fight it. Where there’s wrong the Lord will right it, so preach on.

Let not time be a restriction, just preach on. If the sinner’s got conviction, then preach on. Christ can save his soul from hell, Cleanse his heart and make him well; Even if it’s after twelve, just preach on.

From the Law to Revelation, yes, preach on. Christ for every situation, Oh preach on. Even if your members doubt it, and say they can do without it, If you’ve talked with God about it, preach on.

Think of Christ’s own message clear and preach on. There for all who wish to hear, Oh preach on. All are sinners, they must know, That His blood did freely flow. He can wash them white as snow, Oh, preach on.

In the Holy Spirit’s power, Oh preach on. He’ll reward you in his hour, just preach on. Broken hearts and sin forgiven, blessings here so freely given, and a crown up there in Heaven, Oh, preach on, preach on, preach on!

Sermon 11 of 13 in 2 Timothy Series

Sermon Audio Id: 92218161424