Farewell and Call

For anyone who does not know, my name is Jad and if I do not know you at this point, I need to apologize because next Sunday is my family’s last week before we move up to Calumet, MI. I will be serving as pastor of Grace Christian Fellowship through Village Missions. We have been here now for around 7-8 years, and in that time, we have learned a great deal and grown significantly in our walk with the Lord.

I have a great respect for those that can come up with topical messages week after week, I struggle with it even with one off messages, I know in advance about. Luckily for me, that is not what Village Missions asks of their missionaries. Now I am sure that to some degree or another, this passage was taken into account, because what we see here is exactly what Village Missions asks of missionaries.

Brief Overview

This is Paul’s second letter to Timothy, and it is the second of what are commonly known as the pastoral epistles. If we were to read this book in its entirety we would see the deep love Paul has for Timothy. Two times in this book we see Paul call Timothy, his son or child depending on the translation you use and one of the two it is my beloved son or child. What makes this more meaningful is Paul is writing this, knowing he is going to be executed.

In chapter 4 verses 6-7 we see Paul say,

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;

With all of this in mind, could you turn with me to today’s passage.

2 Timothy 3:10-12 “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,”

We see a mentor type relationship has been built between Paul and Timothy. We see that in all Paul says Timothy followed him in.

The first two were his teaching and conduct.

As I move into this role God has for me, this is the very minimum requirement. 1Tim 3:2-4

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 3

2 aAn overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.

4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity

All of these qualifications are conduct related, with the exception of 1. That is the ability to teach. Something I noticed here, and I will say I did not read any commentaries that put it like this, but if you look at everything he lists after teaching, all of them teach something. Paul’s conduct taught Timothy, and us, what it is like to live as a person bought by the blood of Christ. Paul’s aim in life was to share the Gospel with the lost and to teach sound doctrine.

He taught Timothy his unshakeable faith in Jesus Christ, and the hope that was to come. Paul’s patience was taught to Timothy as they waited on the Lord to act in different situations. His love was taught to Timothy as Paul shared the Gospel with those who were dead in sin, and as he sought to care for those in need. Finally he was taught steadfastness, as Paul continued to move forward with the mission God gave him despite the persecutions and sufferings.

Timothy was able to witness firsthand how the Lord had rescued Paul, and how all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Paul encourages him to continue in those teachings and the faith he was taught, because he knew Paul and ultimately the Lord was who taught it to him.

This is the goal of a Village missionary, a Pastor and really any Missionary, first to share the Gospel then to teach men and women what it is like to walk with the Lord.

This is All of our Calling

If you are here and you have placed your faith in Christ. You can and are commanded to do the same thing. I understand that you may not be an elder or pastor, or a formal missionary, so many of us want to say that is someone else’s job. Trust me I completely understand the feeling, but look at one of the last things Jesus said before His ascension.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 28

19 “aGo therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

He has commanded us to teach. That is what I love about the first part of today’s passage. It does not have to be this complicated book study or seminary degree, Paul taught Timothy through living a godly life with this younger man. Paul was willing to open up himself to lead this young man in the way he should go. You don’t have to raise your hand, but how many people here have been profoundly affected by the example of a godly person in our life? How it taught us how to truly live out God’s Word in difficult circumstances or how to care for the lost? I have and I am eternally grateful that they poured into my life. Each of us have the privilege to share in God’s work in the lives of others.

Then Paul gives a warning to Timothy. 2 Timothy 3:13-15 “while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

It is a warning that remains very relevant today and as the “church” departs from Scripture, we see more and more Christians being deceived. Look at the transgender movement and how many “Christians” today, say those who hold to a biblical worldview are bigoted and intolerant. Paul gives this warning to continue it what he had learned and how Scripture is what is able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

I want to pause here for a second and point a couple things out.

8311 Many children are afraid to go to their parents for counsel. Parents many times treat children as children when they often need to be talked to like grown-ups.

Billy Graham

If you are a parent, look how faithfully teaching your kids scripture can affect their adult life in a positive way. I will say sometimes your kids are going to ask questions you don’t have an answer for, that is OK. If you are here and have a relationship with kids or youth and they ask something hard, don’t brush those off, help them to work through them. Look what Paul says here, “you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” We have answers for most of the hardest questions people ask, we just have to put in the work to find the answers.

Isaiah 55:10-11 ““For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

This is one of the most difficult parts of sharing God’s word with people but especially our children if they have walked away, but I would like to leave you with some encouragement.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 55

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

And do not return there without watering the earth

And making it bear and sprout,

And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

It will not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

God’s Word will accomplish His will. My will may not always be in step with His so I might not like the circumstances, but his will will be done.

If we go back to 2 Timothy 3:16-4:2 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”

Paul solemnly charges Timothy with one task and it is that task that all Pastors are charged with and many fail at. In verse two it says to preach the word. Now I know chapters numbers and verses are not inspired but this one kind of bugs me. Look at what Paul tells Timothy after preach the word verses what all Scripture is profitable for.

Preach the Word and Love the People

We see in all of this Village Missions mission, summed up in this small phrase to Preach the Word and Love the People.

Wherever we see the Word of God purely preached and heard, there a church of God exists, even if it swarms with many faults.

John Calvin