Some home truths from Graham this morning as he continued his series on 2 Timothy.

2 Timothy 4 [ 38:05 ] Play in Popup | Download

2 Timothy 4:1-5

‘I give you this charge’

‘I give you this charge’ this is a charge to do something.

Preach

What is preaching in this instance? Greek is KERUSSO meaning to be a herald, or to proclaim. Here it is the ministry of preaching the Scriptures, with special reference to the Gospel.

See 1 Timothy 3:16 Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

Romans 10:11-15 As the Scripture says, Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame. For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile- the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!

There is a work to be done. This is a work he is able to do.

See 1 Timothy 4:13-16 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

This is something we can all do.

1 When

When I am ready and when I am not.

When conditions are favourable and when they are not

2 What

Preach Truth. Preach believing there is the Truth, that there is ‘sound doctrine’. Call believers to align themselves with it – ‘correct, rebuke and encourage’.

There is only one Truth, only one gospel.

Galatians 1:3-9

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

3 Despite opposition

We must always be prepared to go against the flow.

See Romans 12:2

The Message – Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.

New Living Translation – Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world

New International Version – Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world

J B Phillips Translation

With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.

This is important for all believers but especially for anyone who is seeking to proclaim the truth of the gospel. A man in the UK was recently fined, when preaching in the street, for saying that homosexual sex is a sin.

Verse 5

But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

‘But you’

Set apart. Different. Consecrated to service. See Old Testament ritual of appointing the priests in Leviticus 8.

‘keep your head in all situations’

This is not about being good at emergencies or being the best person to be in a lifeboat. This is about truth and the proclaiming of it.

‘endure hardship’

Self explanatory.

‘do the work of an evangelist’

You don’t have to believe you are called to be one before knowing that you share in the responsibilities of one. The great work is always to reach out for the lost.

‘discharge all the duties of your ministry’

Everyone who serves Jesus has those duties that are preferred and those that are not liked. An disorganised person will do the things they like before the important things or the urgent things.

This is not merely a list of things asked of Timothy, this is a list of things he can accomplish.