A call to faithful preaching

Testimony

I Did not grow up in church, only went to church occasionally.

The Lord saved me when I was 16 years old, but my walk was like a school bus in a school zone slow growth, in 2013 I began to have a renewed fire for him, and a call on my life that I ignored until 2015 after life circumstances changed God gave me confirmation that he wanted me to pursue vocational ministry and from the moment the Lord has giving me a burning desire to reach his people, It started by leading a men’s group at church every other week that turned into a mens breakfast group every week that turned into giving me a desire to go to bible college to study evangelism and the word of God, then it turned into teaching Sunday school, and Childrens ministries. When bible college ended I went to Seminary to study more about God and his word, while serving the local church as much as I could. In January of 2019 First Baptist Newcastle Licensed me to ministry, and in 2020 I joined Everyday church as a pastoral intern where I preached, discipled others, led in outreach actives, and taught children's ministries. And throughout all the time God gave me a love for his church and the people in it, and specifically called me to preach the word, and not just preach it, but preach the word faithfully.

In this text we are going to get into today. Paul is charging Timothy to a great task of preaching the word, and giving him the foundation to do so. 2 Timothy is believed by the majority of scholars to be the last book Paul ever wrote, and his charge to Timothy while specific to him sets an example for all who are called to preach. and personally I care about Faithful preaching because God has been faithful to me.

Read text 2 Timothy 3:14-4:4

Main Point Everyone who preaches the word of God is called to preach faithfully

Faithful preaching is centered on the word of God

Paul was charging timothy to continue with what he had already learned, and not only what he learned but what he had believed. Timothy grew up in a home that was centered around the word of God. His grandmother, and his mother taught him the word of God when he was growing up. He was familiar with the truths scripture had.

and Timothy also learned from the Paul. Paul poured into Timothy and Timothy believed the good news that Scripture possesses. Paul helped unpack the foundations that was already laid with his grandmother, and mother.

And through the scriptures Paul helped show Timothy Christ. These scriptures that Paul is referring to is from the Old Testament, and he showed him Christ through it.

Paul reminded Timothy that the point of scripture is not for knowledge only, but a these scriptures can help one understand what it means to be saved, and the one who saves.

The Christian story may seem dominated by the New Testament, but the Old Testament’s message is full of the gospel, and point to the one who can save.

While we should always understand the contexts of each passage when we are looking at Scripture, We are post resurrection and we know the full story.

Just like Paul and Timothy did as well. Christ isn't just found in the pages of the New Testament but all throughout scripture.

The redemptive story stretches across the pages of Genesis through Revelation, and Jesus himself said that the Scriptures were about him, Paul wants timothy to believe that truth, and let the foundations from childhood until now be his foundation in ministry.

But he goes a step further in verse 16.

He says all scripture is breathed out by God. Every single thing in Scripture while written by man is from God. 2 Peter 1:21 says, “21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

All scripture is worthy of preaching, because it is from God. Scripture contains 66 books of the bible, 1190 Chapters, and 31,102 verses, and every single bit of it is inspired by God.

I believe the word is inherent and infallible. Meaning the word of God is without error, and is true. Paul and Timothy believed this same truth. Not only is the bible true, and without error but the bible is profitable. Profitable for what? Teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

I love what someone said, The bible shapes our beliefs as well as our lifestyle. Its relates to both doctrine and conduct, and it is totally sufficient to shape us into the image of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God’s word can give Timothy everything he needs for ministry, and God’s word gives someone like me everything I need, and God’s word gives everything you need. Dont believe me?

Listen to verse 17. That the man of God may be complete equipped for every good work.

This equipping in greek means super equipped. It would be like someone in the revolutionary war, having the technology we do today, and fighting the enemy of that time. They would be more than equipped to handle the task.

Timothys foundation in ministry is to be centered on the word of God, and his life was an example of that.

A pastor only needs the word of God to be faithful when it comes to preaching,

A call to Faithful preaching is centered on the word of God

Faithful preaching is a weighty task

I love what Paul says to timothy here. He himself alone doesn’t charge timothy to this weighty task, but he charges him 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.

While Timothy was going to preach to many people, no one is of more importance than God. A Shepard of God’s people has a weighty task. It doesn’t matter if the church has 5000 or 5 the main audience is God. A preacher must think about God when he is preaching, and he does this because of the coming of Christ.

It says he is is going to judge. Every Pastor will be judged for what they say. The book of James says that teachers will have greater judgement, so its imperative that he faithful. While scripture is clear if you are in Christ you are not condemned pastors will be judged by God by their ministries.

Not only is he going to judge, it says he is going to appear. The light of the coming Christ would motive Timothy to be faithfully. Knowing that Jesus could return at any moment. He would take the job seriously

Finally it says his kingdom will come. Knowing this timothy could have an eternal perspective knowing the new heavens and new earth would one day come. These three things should give every pastor to motivation they need to carry out the task of preaching.

All these things up until this moment led Paul to say this. Preach the word. Preaching the word was a huge part of Paul’s ministry. Listen to the words in Acts 20:27 it says, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” Pauls model of preaching would be the model for Timothy as well. He didn’t shy away from preaching the word of God, and Timothy was charged to preach the word as well. I as a minister of God’s word am not to shy away from preaching God’s word, because in it we see Christ and all that comes with him.

Faithful preaching is centered on the word of God, and faithful preaching is a weighty task.

Faithful preaching is done in season and out of season

I am thankful Paul said these words to Timothy, because no doubt timothy would go through the best and worst this life has to offer, and he would also be preaching to eager listeners, and people who dont want to hear them.

Paul had been a great and faithful mentor to Timothy, but now he is in chains. Image your greatest hero bound, yet as we learned last week the word is bound, and neither is Timothy, he is to preach the word during all aspects of life.

Preaching is a weighty task and God wants to to be done faithfully no matter what season you are in life. Timothy could be a great season of despair, but Paul says preach brother, or Timothy could be in a great season of joy, and Paul says preach brother. If called to be your pastor the call is preach brother even if the season of life is not always good, a pastors goal is to preach the word no matter the circumstances, because believers in Christ always need the word of God no matter what the season may be.

Faithful preaching is centered on the word of God, and faithful preaching is a weighty task and Faithful preaching is done in season and out of season.

Faithful preaching is pastoral

Paul charges Timothy with three specific things.He says to reprove, rebuke, and exhort.

Preaching isn’t always sunshine and roses, the word of God deals with real things, and has real impact on the believers life.

Paul says to reprove, and to reprove is to correct. Paul charges timothy to correct his people by preaching the word faithfully in order to help the saints get back on tract. Often believers in Christ can wonder away and need correction from time to time. In a fallen word its easy to get misaligned, and because it’s easy to get off tract we all need correction. Part of faithful preaching is to correct.

Paul says to rebuke to rebuke means to express strong disapprove of something. Paul challenged timothy to not be afraid to confront sin when it needed to be confronted. If you read any of Paul’s letters he often rebukes those churches he poured into, and he does it because he wants them to be faithful. Remember that God rebukes you because he loves you and cares for you, the same goes for a faithful minister. Rebuke sometimes may happen, but its only out of love for you, and in order for a pastor to be faithful he must sometimes rebuke others. In hopes that they will turn from sin, and come back to Christ.

A pastor also exhort, or encourages. Part of preaching God’s word is to encourage the body of Christ. While their is often need to reprove or rebuke, their is often a place in preaching to encourage. While Paul often confronted the sin of others, he still left room to encourage, and his example gives someone like Timothy, and me and example when it comes to preaching.

Faithful preaching is centered on the word of God, and faithful preaching is a weighty task. and Faithful preaching is done in season and out of season.and Faithful preaching is pastoral.

Faithful preaching is patient

Its an interesting turn from what Paul just said, he says to teach patiently. Paul doesn’t want timothy to get discouraged when the people of God are not immediately changed after just a few sermons. Sanctification which is the act of becoming more like Christ is a lifelong thing. If you have ever planted something you often look out and see if it has grown and as time goes by you see this small seed turn into something beautiful, and thats what happens in the Christian life, but it often takes time to do so.

We are being transformed over time to become more like Christ, but not on the pastors time its on God’s time . Pastors are called to be faithful even in waiting. Ultimately God is patient with all of us, and that included also Paul, Timothy, and even me, and so Pastor’s when preaching should be patient with their people.

Faithful preaching is centered on the word of God, and faithful preaching is a weighty task. Faithful preaching is done in season and out of season. Faithful preaching is pastoral and Faithful preaching is patient.

Faithful preaching is theological

What we believe about God will determine everything about our spiritual walk. Weak theology=weak worship.

Just in this section today we have talked about such important theological things, and the implications of this text have universal application.

Just going back through parts of the sermon. Paul says the word of God is inspired, its breathed out by God. Its 100 percent from God, and true. Its profitable to teaching, for reproof, and for correction, and training in righteousness. and if that is the case that changes everything about your life. The measuring rod is not your opinion but God’s word alone. If we believe it, and follow it, it will change our lives.

Paul also says that these Scriptures teach us about Christ that they are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Scripture points us to Christ. This is a powerful theological truth, and another thing that drastically changes your life because it’s true.

And for the pastor this section of scripture lays a good foundation on what faithful preaching looks like. And folks this is just 7 verses of God’s words. And look at it has all this in it. In seven verses, this why Paul wants Timothy to continue in what he has learned, because the word of God is powerful, it is life changing, and it testifies to our Lord and risen savior, and because it does this, Pastors must preach it!!!!

But Paul includes verses 3 and 4 because if a pastor and the people of God are not faithful to the word than this will happen.

Read verse 3 and 4

Without biblical foundations and a change of heart our nature self will wonder from the truth.

Paul, and Timothy no doubt dealt with this often and I have seen it many times in my own life, people do not want to hear God’s word. They create their own God, their own Jesus, their own way of salvation in order to live the life they want. Not only do they create it they find teachers who promote sin in the name of Jesus and of God, and twist God’s word into a jumbled mess in order that they may feel better. Which causes them to wander off into myths and other false teachings, because their hearts desire is something other than the true Christ.

But a Faithful pastor is not to be like one of those teachers who are sought out by unbelievers, His preaching is to be theological and true.

Faithful preaching is centered on the word of God, and faithful preaching is a weighty task. Faithful preaching is done in season and out of season. Faithful preaching is pastoral. Faithful preaching is patient. Faithful preaching is theological.

How does this apply to myself and the people of Agape Baptist Church.

My aim is to be a Faithful preacher who is to be centered on the word of God. This right here is the foundation for preaching, this right hear is where we see Christ, this right here is where we learn about God, this right here is how God has chose to equip us. Preaching the word faithfully means I am going to be in the word of God.

Faithful preaching is a weighty task. I do not take the task of being your preacher lightly. God has given my wife and I a love for this church for the tri-city area, I want to see people come to Christ, and grow as a disciple in this church through the people of Agape, to be a light in a dark place, and while it will be hard and a weighty task I know by God’s grace he can do it.

Faithful preaching is done in season and out of season. I am not sure what season you are in today, but I know this believers in Christ always need the word, just I need the word, I have shared some with you about my journey with Christ, and some of what has happened in my life, and no matter the season of life I needed the word of God, and as your pastor my goal is to always preach the faithfully no matter the season I am in.

Faithful preaching is pastoral. I want each and every one of us to be more like Christ, and that may requiring some correction, or rebuking, but it will also come with encouragement. My desire is to tend to the flock in any way I can so you all become more like Christ.

Faithful preaching is patient. God has been so patient in this life to me, and my aim is to do so for you. I aim to not Lord the word over you, but preach with patience

Faithful preaching is theological. Doctrine matters, and what I teach about God must be true, because if we are as a church rooted in God’s word than we can fight the temptation of living life our own way, and following teachers that itch our own ears.

While being your pastor is more than just these things its not less, and My prayer is that you would allow me to be your pastor, and that you hold me accountable to be a faithful preacher who preaches the word of God faithfully.

I cant end here today without going back to verse 15 of chapter 3. Read…

Part of faithful preaching is to be centered on the word of God. The scriptures are clear they are able to make one wise for salvation through faith in Christ.

See the scriptures teach us many things about Christ. But here is a just a few. That Christ was born of a virgin, that Christ walked this earth without sin, that Christ suffered greatly for sinners of the cross, and that he died, but he didn't stay dead he rose on the 3rd day and not only did he rise on the third day, but he gives eternal life to all those who have repented of their sin, and placed their faith in Christ.

How can you not preach faithfully about a God who offers that kind of grace to sinners like you and me.

Lets pray..