The Basic Truth

Opening Comments:

Please meet me in your copy of God’s word in 2 Timothy 4:1-5. In our church provided Bibles you can find your place on page #936.

We are now in 9 weeks into our series “Back to Basics: Becoming a First Century Church.” For the past eight weeks, we’ve been working our way through the New Testament, laying out God’s blueprint for what the church is and how it’s meant to function. And along the way, we’ve kept coming back to a metaphor of building a house.

We began in Matthew with the foundation, which is The Lord Jesus. He is the one who builds, owns, and sustains his church.

Then we moved to Ephesians where we observed that unity through shared commitment, love and peace acts like the framework of the house.

From there, we walked through the biblical roles of elders from Acts, 1 Timothy, and 1 Peter. We said they function like the roof trusses who need to be made of strong material. They Shepherd and lead the body.

Hunter took us back to the books of Acts & 1 Timothy as we learned about deacons. Their main job is to support and serve in practical matters like floor joist function under the surface. Unseen, but if something goes wrong, you will notice.

Now the house is built and we’ve moved in. Now life inside the church takes place.

Two weeks ago, we looked at church discipline from Matthew 18.

We compared it to ongoing maintenance, it’s not much fun, but it’s necessary.

A healthy church is willing to do the hard work of corrective care, because sin is like mold in the wall – you can’t just paint over it. You have to deal with it before it spreads. Dealing with sin, is the loving thing to do.

Today, we’re looking at preaching.

If the church is a house, preaching is the kitchen—where the family is fed. If that table is empty or full of junk, the whole house suffers.

This is God’s holy Word, let’s read it together.

2 Timothy 4:1–5 ESV

1 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: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Introduction:

The words we’ve just read are deeply personal. They come at the very end of the apostle Paul’s life, and they make up his final inspired words before his execution. He’s writing to Timothy, his son in the faith, a younger Pastor, who’s facing pressure from false teachers, declining interest in truth, and the temptation to soften the message in order to keep people listening.

Paul knows what Timothy is up against. He knows the temptation to water things down. But instead of lowering the bar, Paul raises it.

2 Timothy 4:1 ESV

1 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:

This isn’t a suggestion or a ministry tip, it’s a command.

Charge- To exhort with authority in matters of extraordinary importance. William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 233.

This command has high stakes, it’s given in the presence of Jesus, who is the ultimate judge of the living, and the dead.

Paul is reminding Timothy that preaching isn’t just about filling a pulpit; it’s about standing in the presence of the Risen Christ, who sees all, knows all, and reigns over all and whose return is imminent. And when he returns, he will judge both the preacher and the people. That’s why this command matters.

When Paul says preach the word, it comes with the authority of heaven behind it. It’s not just for Timothy; it’s for every pastor who follows in his footsteps, and every church that wants to remain faithful in a world that is constantly drifting farther and farther from the truth.

Biblical preaching is the foundation of everything else we do. When the word is faithfully proclaimed, the church is strengthened, protected, and nourished.

So let’s look at what Paul says. He gives us three marks a faithful preaching every church needs. If you’re going to be the kind of church Christ is building.

1.) Biblical preaching tells us what is true and where we are wrong. (v.2)

2 Timothy 4:2 ESV

2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

A.) Meaning of “Preach”

Preach- to make an official announcement, to herald. William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 543.

A Herald was an official messenger of the King. He didn’t negotiate or adjust the kings decree to make it more palatable. He declared it plainly and clearly with all of the authority of the king behind him.

That’s the tone of Paul’s charge to Timothy. Preach: not with arrogance, but with authority.

B.) What do we preach?

THE WORD!

What Word? The word of the culture? The word of opinion? The word of my favorite political figure? The word of Pop psychology? The word of that one influencer i heard on Tik-Tok? No.

The word Timothy is supposed to preach is the same word Paul addressed just prior 2 Timothy 3:16-17

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

It is the Bible, the word of God, that tells us what’s true, and where we are off track. And, we’re supposed to preach it clearly, plainly, faithfully and boldly.

It’s like the owners manual for how to live inside the house. Without it, we’ll miss use the rooms. We’ll forget the purpose of the kitchen, leave the lights off in the hallway, and let the foundation slowly crack beneath us.

But when the word is preached, it re-centers us. It opens our eyes to how this house is meant to function.

C.) The Components of Biblical Preaching.

1. Reprove- bring to light, expose William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 315.

This would be like pointing out to someone that water is running over the side of the bath tub.

It’s a loving confrontation in order to save you from future damage.

2. Rebuke (Stronger)- to express strong disapproval of someone. Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 435.

Not only is the water running over the side of the bathtub, but your the one who turned it on to fill up and forgot about it—and it needs to be addressed right now.

3. Exhort- to cause someone to be encouraged or consoled…It involves an element of moving them forward. Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 305.

It’s your neighbor coming over saying “Let me help you clean this up and fix the ceiling”

Not every sermon has to contain all three elements at once, but the pattern of the preaching ministry of the church should reflect these.

Encouragement alone makes us shallow. Rebuke alone makes us harsh. We need the whole Word—because ultimately, all preaching aims to lead us to Jesus, the Living Word, not just to inform our minds, but to transform our hearts through the gospel.

D.) The Tone of Biblical Preaching

“with complete (total) patients and teaching.”

This isn’t partial or occasional patience, but a long haul, thick, skinned, gospel, rooted endurance. Preaching that reproves and rebukes can’t be angry preaching. And exhortation can’t be manipulative. It must all be grounded in love, driven by the word, and that mirrors God’s patience towards us.

Teaching- a reminder that this isn’t just shouting at sin; it’s shepherding with Scripture.

Faithful preaching explains as much as it exhorts. It connects the dots, builds understanding, and feeds the flock over time.

A pastor may want immediate fruit, but Paul reminds us: the most lasting change usually comes slow—through years of patient, faithful, biblical instruction.

That’s why Paul says we must preach “in season and out of season.”

Whether it’s popular or not.

Whether it gets amen’s or awkward silence.

Let’s be honest, there will be some days where the word confronts our sin and leaves us more convicted than comforted. But we need that.

We don’t need motivational speeches. We need spiritual direction.

Like the thermostat in the house, preaching should regulate the spiritual climate, not adjust to it.

Application: So let me ask you: How do you receive the Word? Do you lean in or stiffen up when it steps on your toes?

Because faithful preaching doesn’t just inform the mind, it confronts the heart. And God uses it to bring us back when we’ve gone off course.

We all have leaky faucets running in the background. God, in His grace, uses biblical preaching to expose them before they cause deeper damage.

So here’s a challenge: come to church hungry for the whole meal. Come ready to be corrected, exhorted, and trained. And if God shows you something in your life that’s out of step with His Word: Respond. Repent. Rebuild. That’s how the house grows strong.

2.) Biblical preaching, protects the church from drifting into falsehood. (v.3-4)

2 Timothy 4:3–4 ESV

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Paul likely had the churches of Asia in mind—the very ones Jesus addresses in Revelation 2–3: Ephesus, Pergamum, Sardis, Laodicea. Within one generation, many had drifted from the truth. This warning wasn’t abstract—it was already unfolding.

But, this is also a timeless morning.

A Time (season) is coming when people will have no stomach for sound (healthy, accurate) biblical preaching.

They won’t want truth that confronts them.

We are living in that time aren’t we?

People don’t reject preaching, they just reject sound biblical preaching.

Instead of seeking healthy truth, Paul says they will develop “itching ears”- They want to hear what makes them feel good, not what is good. And so much so they’ll “accumulate teachers” who affirm their flesh driven desires.

Accumulate- verb, means to pile up (KJV, Heap).

They’ll collect teachers like spiritual hoarders; piling up “flowery words” that soothe their conscience instead of confronting their sin.

This is where Biblical preaching matters the most.

We’re living in the house now. But there are cracks that form overtime. Mold can grow in the corners. False teaching is subtle, it rarely walks to the front door with a label. It seeps in, like a cold draft through a window.

And once it’s in, it spreads. Churches slowly drift from the truth, not through one dramatic, heresy, but through neglect. A slow slide. A steady refusal to hear the hard parts of scripture. A preference for comfort over conviction. And before long, the furniture is still in the place, but the house is spiritually collapsing.

We all have a tendency to wander and “turn away” (Deliberate action, not passive) and reject the truth. And instead turn to myths (Fabricated stories, speculative ideas, man-made religion) not because some false teacher lured us but because we want lies more than truth.

Biblical preaching anchors the church.

It’s the smoke alarm—the early warning that keeps us safe.

Application: Let’s be the kind of church that welcomes truth. That refuses to scratch the itch. That wants the whole counsel of God, not just the parts that go down easy.

Expect the Word to be central , even when it challenges you.

Be a discerning listener, don’t just ask yourself “Did I enjoy the sermon?” but “Was the Word rightly preached? Hold me accountable to it.

3.) Biblical preaching strengthens the pastor and the people to stay faithful. (v.5)

2 Timothy 4:5 ESV

5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Paul shifts his tone here, it’s as if he’s saying “Let others, drift. Let the world chase myths. But as for you… Don’t move.”

This isn’t theory. Paul is speaking to a real man, in a real place: Ephesus. A city, known for its pagan worship, cultural, compromise, and spiritual confusion. That’s where Timothy was stationed, not as a guest speaker, but as a pastor.

Paul left him there on purpose:

1 Timothy 1:3–4 ESV

3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.

Did you notice Paul doesn’t tell him to strategize his way out of difficulty or rebrand the ministry for broader appeal. He tells him to stay faithful.

And he gives Timothy four more imperatives:

A.) “Be sober-minded”

Clear headed, alert, and spiritually disciplined. It was often used to describe someone who was free from drunkenness, both in a physical sense but also a metaphorical sense.

2 Timothy 4:5 NIV84

5 But you, keep your head in all situations,…

The preacher shouldn’t be distracted or carried away by emotions or trends. In a world chasing every philosophy, the preacher has to keep his footing in God’s Word.

B.) “Endure Suffering”

Ministry isn’t easy; especially when you preach truth to a world that wants comfort.

Paul doesn’t say ‘avoid suffering,’ he says ‘endure it’—bear up under it. This isn’t a maybe. Faithful ministry brings pain. Some will leave. Some will slander. Some will accuse you of being unloving when you're being the most loving by telling the truth.

Paul is reminding Timothy, “that’s normal”. Expect it. Endure it. Stay the course.

2 Timothy 3:12 ESV

12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

C.) “Do the work of an evangelist.”

Paul is not telling Timothy to become an itinerant preacher, he’s telling Timothy to never stop sharing the gospel.

Preaching includes evangelism. It’s not just teaching Christians, it’s calling the lost to repentance.

Every sermon should point to Jesus. Every believer should be equipped to share Jesus with those they come in contact with.

Charles Spurgeon once told a story I’ll paraphrase briefly:

A young preacher once asked an older minister what he thought of his sermon. The older man replied, “It was a poor sermon.” The young man was surprised. “But I spent a long time preparing it. Didn’t you think my explanation was good?” “Yes.” “Weren’t the illustrations and arguments solid?” “They were.” “Then why do you say it was poor?” “Because,” said the older pastor, “there was no Christ in it.” The young man protested, “But Christ wasn’t in the text!” To which the older man replied, “Young man, don’t you know that from every village and town in England, there’s a road to London? And so from every text in Scripture, there is a road to Christ. Your job is to find that road—and travel it. And if you ever come to a text that doesn’t seem to have a road to Christ, make one. Go over hedge and ditch if you must—but get to Jesus. Because no sermon does any good without the savor of Christ.”

D.) “Fulfill your ministry”

Fulfill your ministry. Don’t leave it half-built. Don’t get discouraged and quit. Don’t grow bitter and retreat. Finish the job God gave you. Be faithful, not flashy. Be steadfast, not trending. Finish well.

Application: In the church of the Lord Jesus, each member has a part. The pastor’s role is study, leadership, gospel, proclamation, and perseverance through hardship.

Conclusion:

We live in a world full of itching ears and shrinking spines. But the church needs steady voices rooted in Scripture. Not entertainment, not motivational talks, but Christ-centered, Word-driven preaching.

Invite people to stand to their feet in prayerful reflection

So, what’s our response?

First, pray for the preaching in this church. Pray that the Word would go forth in power. Faithfully, humbly, and clearly.

Second, commit to being hearers and doers of the Word. Don’t chase your preferences; submit to God’s truth.

James 1:22 ESV

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Third, make sure your life is anchored to the gospel itself. The Bible is not just a manual for good behavior, it’s the story of Holy God rescuing sinful people through His Son.

Gospel Presentation:

And if you’re here today and you don’t know Jesus—the whole purpose is to point you to Him.

The gospel is this: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived the perfect life you couldn’t live. He died the death you deserved—on a cross, in your place. Three days later, He rose from the grave, proving He is who He claimed to be—Lord, Savior, and King. And now, He invites you to turn from your sin, trust in Him, and enter the household of God.

Not by cleaning yourself up. Not by becoming religious. But by believing in the finished work of Jesus.

That’s the good news we proclaim. That’s the message that builds the house. So whether you’re preaching, listening, correcting, or repenting—do it all with your eyes on Christ.

Let’s be a church that feeds on the Word, stays anchored in truth, and keeps pointing people to Jesus.

He is the foundation. He is the food. He is the focus.

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You are the foundation of this house, the Head of this church, and the Living Word who speaks life into our weary souls. We thank You for the truth of Your Word—sharp enough to convict, strong enough to correct, and tender enough to comfort.

Help us not to be hearers only, but doers of Your Word. Make us a people who welcome the whole counsel of God, even when it challenges us. Guard us from drifting. Protect us from itching ears. Anchor us in Your truth.

Strengthen every preacher who stands here to preach with boldness and humility. Strengthen every listener to receive with faith and obedience. And above all, keep our eyes fixed on You—our Savior, our Shepherd, and our coming King.

Build Your house, Lord, and feed us by Your Word until the day You call us home.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.