Preach the Word
Notes
Transcript
Today we are in the final chapter of Paul’s letter to Timothy. In this closing of his letter, we find Paul, knowing his execution was near, giving his final charge to Timothy. He hoped to see Timothy soon, but he put into the letter the charge he wanted to give to Timothy, his spiritual son.
Let’s read it together.
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.
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, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
The rest of the letter primarily deals with personal remarks which we looked at when we first began our study. Paul lets us know what happened with different people in his life. He sends greetings to friends and coworkers. He warns Timothy of dangerous people. He encourages Timothy to come to see him quickly, hoping to see him one last time.
But in the passage we are focusing on, we have Paul’s charge, the culmination of the marching orders for Timothy, and Paul’s triumph!
I was reading this week, and came upon this quote from Frederick Langbridge.
In it, Frederick Langbridge pictures two prisoners with two different perspectives.
“Two men looked through the bars.
One saw the mud, the other, the stars.“
Paul, was certainly in a prison. He was in a pit. I am sure he could have seen the mud. In fact, it would have been the easier thing on which to focus. However, Paul saw the stars. He saw the beauty of his life, and what was in store for him.
How so? Let’s look at it together.
Today, I am doing something a little different. I want to look at the end of the passage, and then go back to the first part. So, look with me, if you will, at verse 6.
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.
My Life is Like a Drink Offering
My Life is Like a Drink Offering
This is from the image of what they did in the sacrifices. When they brought an animal sacrifice, they would bring wine to pour over the sacrifice as a pleasing aroma to the Lord, as described in Numbers 15.
Christ is our Fellowship Offering. His sacrifice has made it possible for us to experience true fellowship, true loving relationship with our God, our Heavenly Father!
Paul viewed his life as that wine that was voluntarily poured out on the sacrifice of fellowship, as a pleasing aroma to the Father.
Paul knew his life was pleasing to the Father. How would you like to have that kind of assurance when you reach the end of your life? I know I would.
And look how Paul described the end of his life here on Earth...
My Departure is Near
My Departure is Near
Paul didn’t speak of death, or the end of his life. He called it his departure! He was about to pull up the tent stakes, and look the ropes of his tent, and move on to His heavenly dwelling.
For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.
We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Paul knew that his execution would simply mean he was leaving this world of trouble behind to go be with his savior! What a wonderful view of death! What hope he had in the face of death!
Do you want that?
Paul goes on to say,
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
I have fought the good fight!
I have fought the good fight!
A wrestling term. Visualize a wrestling match in your mind. You are one of the wrestlers. You are using ever ounce of strength you have. You are quickly evaluating and strategizing. You are defending, countering, and attacking. You are giving it your all.
Paul could honestly say he did that. He gave it his all. He did not have an easy life, but he struggled through. He changed directions when needed. He did what he needed to do to complete the match.
He fought well. He followed the rules, and gave it his all.
I have finished the race
I have finished the race
Paul ran the course set for him. We each have a race to run. Our lives are different, but the Lord determines our course. Will we stay on course? Will we run with endurance? Will we keep our eyes fixed on the finish line?
Paul ran his course. He finished the race. He did not give up. He pressed on to reach the prize.
I have kept the faith
I have kept the faith
Paul kept the faith. Don’t think that Satan didn’t attack Paul with fear and doubt. We are all human. We have a common enemy. He is always working to cast doubt.
Paul spent a day and a night in the ocean after a shipwreck. Do you think that Satan attacked with doubt of God’s love and care?
Paul was often hungry, tired, cold. Paul was often imprisoned. He was beaten. He was stoned. Do you think Satan would work at those times to cast doubt? You bet!
But through it all, Paul kept the faith. He held onto the truth of God’s Word. He clung to the faithfulness of his savior.
Because of all of this, Paul had assurance for when he would appear before his Savior and Judge.
Don’t forget, the passage in 2 Corinthians 5 that we looked at also says this:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Paul was about to depart to be with his Lord. He knew he would face him as judge. Not for punishment for sin. He would be judged for reward or loss of reward. What could Paul expect at this judgment?
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
The Crown of Righteousness
The Crown of Righteousness
God created mankind in His image. He created us to be holy and righteous like Him. He created us to be in a relationship with Him.
Unfortunately, we all sin. We are not holy, nor are we righteous. Our unrighteousness is what separates us from the holy, righteous God.
Christ died to provide us with His righteousness, so that we might be saved, and restored to the Lord.
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
We are given righteousness in Christ. We are declared righteous. We have a legal standing as righteous. However our actual lives often show us how our actual righteousness still falls short.
Then, through our lives as Christians, the Lord is at work to actually train us, and make us righteous in our living.
Then, as we go to be with our Lord, there awaits for us this Crown. It is a victors’ crown, given to one who wins the games or contest. We are given the victor’s crown of righteousness! We are actually going to finally be righteous!!
Paul had that hope and joy of finally being righteous!
Do you long for that righteousness? It can be yours!
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Longing for his appearing. What would keep me from longing from his appearing? Sin.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Let’s be longing for his appearing!
Paul wants that for Timothy, and for us. He wants us all to be longing for Jesus appearing.
What would it take for you and I to be like Paul, seeing the stars as he looks out from his prison cell? Paul say the stars considering his present fate of pending execution, for it would be the vehicle of his departure to be with Christ!
He looked at the stars as he thought back over his life, and could say with confidence that he fought the good fight, he finished the race, he kept the faith.
He looked at the stars as he pondered his future, seeing his coming reward being awarded to him by his Savior and Lord!
What will it take for Timothy to experience that? What will it take for us to experience that? To see the stars instead of the mud?
Let’s go back to Paul’s charge to Timothy.
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:
The basis: Presence, Judgement, Appearing
The basis: Presence, Judgement, Appearing
Do you see the connection here with Paul’s dwelling on his own departure and judgment? That is what is awaiting Timothy and us.
Paul says that in the presence of God and Christ Jesus he gives this charge. God is always present. He is always with us. He sees all. He hears all. He knows our thoughts and attitudes at all times. He dwells in us.
This one that knows everything about us, who is always present, is the One who will judge us. Remember, we will all face judgment for the things we do, whether good or bad. And he does know every one of the things we do.
And remember, he is coming! In view of his appearing and kingdom… He is coming. That day will be here before we know it!
So, keeping all of that in mind, here is the charge.
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
Preach the word
Preach the word
We spend a lot of time talking, and preaching every day don’t we? Well, I am a preacher. But what about you?
To preach is just to make known, to publicly announce something.
Do you still see all of the Trump and Biden signs along the roads? Each of those is the person in the home preaching. They are making it publicly known who they support.
Our posts on facebook and in faithlife are preaching. We are publicly making things known.
As we talk with other people through the day, we are publicly announcing what we think. We are preaching a message to be heard.
But what message?
Paul gives this charge: Preach the Word!!! The most important thing that we should be focusing on, the most important thing to communicate is the truth of God’s Word! It alone is the truth. It holds life, hope and peace that everyone in the world desparately needs! So, preach the word! I know there are so many other things we want to make known. But the thing we really need to make known is the Word!
This follows closely after being sure that we are unashamed workmen who accurately handle God’s Word. If we are being diligent in our study, we will find what is needed for life and godliness in it. Then we will have something to preach, to make publicly known!
Let’s make sure that what we preach is the word! Then, in the presence of God, who sees and hears all that we preach each and every day, the One who will judge us for what we preach will have reward waiting for us! If we preach His word, we will not be ashamed at his appearing!
And notice again how Paul says it.
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
Be prepared
Be prepared
Be ready in season and out of season. That is, when it is convenient, and when it is not convenient.
Correct, rebuke, and encourage
Correct, rebuke, and encourage
Use God’s Word to correct those in error. To rebuke those who are sinning. To encourage those who are down. And we need to do this with great patience and careful instruction.
Why do we need patience and careful instruction?
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
People will not want to hear the truth of the Word. They will ridicule us, and find others who will contradict what the Word of God clearly teaches.
What do we do then?
Preach the Word, in season and out of season, correcting, rebuking and encouraging with great patience and careful instruction.
Then, lastly Paul gives this in his charge:
But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
Keep your head
Endure hardship
Do the work of an evangelist
Discharge all of the duties of your ministry