Why and How We Serve God

Before heading on a long trip have you ever prepared your home or prepared people for your absence?

Rabbits, dogs, lawncare, trash cans out, etc. Mail and packages.

Paul is ready to leave (V.6) and he is preparing Timothy to be able to stand for God - even if standing all alone.

WHY Do We Serve God???

There is a motivation for life and ministry...

God is the judge of the living (quick) and the dead.

God is coming back soon!

What motivates you to live for the Lord?

Paul told Tim in chapter 3 that Perilous days lie ahead. Evil will get worse and worse in frequency, magnitude, and acceptance.

On top of that as time goes by generations of people come and go. Paul is passing the torch of Gospel ministry to Timothy.

In life stages, adults nearing their 60’s are generally in the generativity stage of life where they are investing in the next generation have become concerned about Legacy; passing the faith on to the next generation. I’m already in that stage and mindset.

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (δια-μαρτύρομαι)

CHARGE = to testify, i. e. earnestly, religiously to charge:

Soldiers of Grace are charged to be faithful...

This is a “Pastoral Epistle” - a letter to a man in ministry. Everyone can learn how to serve and find ways to apply ministry applications to life.

HOW DO WE SERVE GOD?

Be Ready to Preach. 2

Instant in and out of season = be ready.

Don’t wait for ministry to be convenient.

Exploring the Pastoral Epistles: An Expository Commentary (ii. To Persevere (4:2b))

The second thing on which Timothy was called to do here was to “be instant in season, out of season.” Solomon had said, “To every thing there is a season, and a time” (Eccl. 3:1), but Paul swept that maxim aside. The day was too far spent for that comfortable philosophy. The world was too full of wickedness and woe; life was too short; heaven and hell were too real; the needs were too great; the opportunity was too fleeting. It was now or never.The word translated “in season” and the word translated “out of season” are companion words. The word for “in season” occurs here and in Mark 14:11 in connection with Judas. After Judas made his nefarious deal with the priests, he tried to find a convenient time to hand Jesus over to His enemies: “He sought how he might conveniently betray him.”

Timothy was not to wait for convenient times to preach. He was to pay no heed to the weather. He was to take no notice of the curious or hostile stares of the crowd. He was not to stay home because he had a cold, because a thousand other things clamored for his attention, or because the times were too dangerous for public proclamation of the gospel. He needed to be like Paul, who wrote to the Romans, “I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel” (Rom. 1:15–16). Timothy needed to let words like these burn into his soul: “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16).

Preach the Word. PREACH = to be a herald; to officiate as herald; to proclaim after the manner of a herald; gravity, and an authority which must be listened to and obeyed; to publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done,

Thayer, J. H. (1889). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: being Grimm’s Wilke's Clavis Novi Testamenti (p. 346). New York: Harper & Brothers.

6,000 Plus Illustrations for Communicating Biblical Truths (John Wesley’s Diary)

A page from John Wesley’s Diary reads as follows:Sunday morning, May 5, preached in St. Ann’s, was asked not to come back anymore.Sunday p.m., May 5, preached at St. John’s, deacons said, “Get out and stay out.”Sunday a.m., May 12, preached at St. Jude’s, can’t go back there either.Sunday p.m., May 12, preached at St. George’s, kicked out again.Sunday a.m., May 19, preached at St. somebody else’s, deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.Sunday p.m., May 19, preached on the street, kicked off the street.Sunday a.m., May 26, preached in meadow, chased out of meadow as a bull was turned loose during the services.Sunday a.m., June 2, preached out at the edge of town, kicked off the highway.Sunday p.m., June 2, afternoon service, preached in a pasture, 10,000 people came to hear me.

Reprove and Rebuke. (Correction).

Reprove = ἐλέγχω elegchō; a prim. vb.; to expose, convict, reprove:

Thomas, R. L. (1998). New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek dictionaries : updated edition. Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc.

Rebuke = to tax with fault, rate, chide, rebuke, reprove, censure severely,

Thayer, J. H. (1889). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: being Grimm’s Wilke's Clavis Novi Testamenti (p. 245). New York: Harper & Brothers.

Share Encouragement. (Exhortation).

With Long-suffering. Be patient with people.

With Doctrine (Truth).

Ephesians 4:14–16 (AV)

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Be Ready to Preach. 2

Be Aware of the Time. 3-4

4:3. Demagogues who told people what they wanted to hear were common among politicians, public speakers and philosophers in Greco-Roman society, and false prophets in the Old Testament (prophets who told people what they wanted to hear were usually false; cf. Jer 6:14; 8:11; Ezek 13:10, 16; Mic 3:5; see also comment on Lk 6:26). “Desiring to have one’s ears tickled” means desiring to hear only what one enjoys; Lucian describes in these terms people who like to listen to slander.

4:4–5. The term translated “fables/myths” was usually used derogatorily for false stories; see comment on 1 Timothy 1:4.

What are some fables people believe today?

Religions where Jesus is not the One and only Savoir.

Star Wars has a cult like following.

Marvel Comics and Captain America are fictional and yet some people believe them more than God. They are designed to replace true religion.

Aliens and ET are more main stream than ever.

Romans 13:11 (AV)

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Be Ready to Preach. 2

Be Aware of the Time. 3-4

Be Responsible to Serve. 5

“Watch” means to be sober, calm and collected, circumspect.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 (AV)

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon (3. The Command for Constancy (4:5))

4:5. Once again, Paul called Timothy to live in contrast to the prevailing practice of the time. Christians must not take their cues for living or thinking from the attitudes of society—religious or otherwise. Instead, God’s Word must be central to the life of every believer; it must dictate all yearnings and actions, thoughts and dreams.Despite the prevalent distaste for truth and the unsettling atmosphere of multiple doctrines and philosophies, Paul declared, But [Timothy], keep your head in all situations. Do not panic. Keep your head “screwed on straight,” as the common expression has it. Muddled and noncritical thinking leads many people to wander off after false teachers. Timothy, and all Christians, must think correctly, holding firm to the unshakable truth of God’s Word and the apostolic teachings.

Keep Your Head On! (Watch)

Endure Afflictions. Indicates there will be hard times. ENDURE!

2 Timothy 2:3 (AV)

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Share the Gospel (Work of an Evangelist).

Finish the Job (Full proof)

Exploring the Pastoral Epistles: An Expository Commentary ((d) Be Victorious (4:5d))

Paul further challenged Timothy, “Make full proof of thy ministry.” Timothy was to carry out the commission that God had given him. The word translated “make full proof” means “to bring in a full measure.” It paints a picture of a ship moving along with all sails set. Timothy needed to set his sails and make an all-out effort because there was still a fair wind in Ephesus. A storm might well be coming, but no sails needed to be shortened. Timothy was to keep moving forward, whether under full sail with a favorable wind or with sails furled because of the howling tempest.

Be Ready to Preach. 2

Be Aware of the Time. 3-4

Be Responsible to Serve. 5

D AND A

What are some reasons for serving Jesus?

Discuss preparing the next generation in ministry.

Share a story of being ready to share Truth with others.

Talk about some of the myths/fables that people believe.

Why is “Watching” - Keeping our head on our shoulders important in these days?

Have someone give a salvation testimony.