2 Timothy 4

Intro

We are wrapping up our series on Pauls letter to Timothy. I encourage you to go back and watch the messages if you have missed one, but just to remind you.

Paul is writing this letter from Prison - he knows that he is about to die for his faith and so, in Paul’s thinking, these could be, and probably were the last thing Paul would ever say to Timothy. The one to whom he handed his ministry in Ephesus and as tradition tells us, became the first Bishop of Ephesus.

Paul has handed down some encouragements to Timothy throughout this letter especially and encouragement to hold fast or protect correct belief and correct teaching.

Namely, Timothy was to protect the teaching that Jesus was the promised Messiah or “Annointed” one, the Lord of Heaven and Earth. The one who ushered in a new Kingdom of God and rescue all of humanity

and that Jesus rose from the dead (more about that next week), not figuratively, but actually, physically rose from the dead.

And because he rose from the dead we have set free from the curse of sin and we will live with Him forever in the new heavens and the new earth.

This is the Gospel, that Paul preached, that he charged Timothy to protect, that Paul said was throughout scripture.

Paul had noticed a shift in the church, a drifting away from healthy teaching. He had worked hard to help the churches defend themselves against versions of the Gospel that were not what Jesus or the Apostles taught.

And unfortunately Paul and Timothy had seen a lot of people deceived to the point where they had left the faith. They stopped allowing God’s word to correct them and Paul knew it was not going to stop.

So one more time Paul begs Timothy,

2 Timothy 4:2 NIV84

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Preach the Word - he isn’t just talking about the scriptures He is talking about the Gospel Preach the Gospel. Preach how Jesus is the promised Messiah meant to save us and usher in a new Kingdom, Preach the fact that He rose from the dead and ushered the beginning of new creation. Be ready to do it in season

Paul in Chapter 3 had just talked about how useful the scriptures were at teaching God’s people how to be Christ-followers now he gives an encouragement to Timothy that sounds similar to what he was saying about scripture.