2 TIMOTHY 4:1-82008 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: 2 Timothy 4:1-8

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2008.

We're coming towards the end of the book of 2nd Timothy. It's been a great time looking at 1st and 2nd Timothy. We'll be heading shortly into the book of Titus and finishing up the pastoral epistles. And I'm sure you've heard it a million times by now, but I only have a few more times to say it. And so I will say it a few more times this service. And that is, as we look at these things, we need to remember that you are a Timothy.

You are not necessarily called to pastor a church in Ephesus like Timothy, but in the same way that Timothy was called into the ministry, you and I have that same call in our lives. We've looked many times at Matthew chapter 28 verses 19 and 20, where Jesus gives the commission to all his disciples, to all who would choose to follow him. And that is that we are to make disciples, to go therefore and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

teaching them to observe the things that I commanded, that Jesus commanded. And he promised as well that he would be with us even to the end of the age. And so as followers of Jesus Christ, we are like Timothy. We are Timothys because we have been called to make disciples. We've been called to share the gospel. God has placed people in our lives specifically because they need to hear the truth about Jesus Christ and what he did for them upon the cross.

He's placed others in our lives because they need to be built up and encouraged in their faith and He desires to use us in that process in helping them grow and learn how to, as Jesus said, teach them to observe all the things that I commanded were to demonstrate faith

by our example, but also to share and instruct by the Word of God that others would learn how to obey the Word of God and apply the Word of God to their lives and live out their faith and their relationship with Jesus Christ. And so these words that we're looking at this morning as Paul is writing to Timothy, kind of wrapping down his letter and some serious things that he writes to Timothy, they're words for you and I as well because we have been called into the ministry

And every believer has someone in their life that they're called to disciple. And we need to be faithful and obedient to heed the words of the Apostle Paul that we would be faithful to the ministry that God has given to us. He starts out in verse 1.

Telling Timothy, I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and at his kingdom. I'm sorry, verse 2. Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. This morning as we look at Paul's

really his final words to Timothy, there's four things that I want to point out that are applicable to you and I this morning that we need to put into practice. The things that Paul is encouraging Timothy in and warning him against. The first thing we see here in verses 1 and 2, Paul's command to Timothy is to preach the word. That same command is to you and I this morning. We are called to preach the word.

He gives this charge and he connects it with the word therefore in verse 1. He says, I charge you therefore. Which means Paul is referring back to, he's connecting this thought and this command with what he's just been talking about.

Last week we looked at specifically verses 16 and 17 of chapter 3, finishing off the chapter, and it was all about the Word of God. As Paul there says that the Scriptures are inspired by God and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. Just prior to that, in verse 15 of chapter 3, Paul also said that the Scriptures were able to make one wise for salvation. Sin

Since the Bible is the Word of God, since it is inspired by God and it was given to us, it was designed by God in order to have a certain effect, a specific effect, that is, making us wise for salvation. It was meant to teach us doctrine, to approve us, to correct us and instruct us in righteousness. Since all those things are true about the Word of God, Paul charges us to preach the Word.

He says, I charge you, therefore. The word charge, it's actually a legal type of term. It's a term that would be used in a courtroom. It can be translated charge or testimony. And it's a solemn charge or a solemn testimony.

I was familiar a little bit with the word solemn, but I had to look it up to really get the specific definition because I knew it just had something to do with serious. But what is a solemn charge or a solemn testimony? Well, the word solemn can be looked at in a couple of different ways. The first way is to have or show sincerity and gravity.

As Paul is giving this charge to Timothy, it's something that there's a great depth to it. There's a gravity to it in that this is vitally important, Timothy. This is not just an idle charge or idle encouragement or, you know, kind of just hopefully you do this. But this is something that is very, very important and necessary. Solemn can also mean humorless, not showing joy or humor.

And so we see as well that Paul is not joking around. He's not goofing off, although Christians can goof off, and we have a good time, and hopefully you do have a good sense of humor. That way you laugh at all my jokes and I feel good about myself. But...

You can laugh a little bit louder. Help me feel good about myself. No, I'm just kidding. But Paul, when he's talking about this, he's not making a joke. He's not laughing. This is something that's serious, that's important, that has gravity and depth to it, that we need to pay attention to. It also carries with it the idea of something being formal. Now, the language that Paul is using here in verse 1 is a lot of legal language. Here he says, I charge you or I give you the testimony. It's related to law.

Well, perhaps you've seen the oath that takes place in a courtroom today. It comes from, and the background is rooted in, the Roman court of law, where they would give a similar type of oath. They would give a testimony, or they would give an oath that their testimony would be true, that this exactly was what happened, and it's accurate, it's not a fib, it's not an exaggeration, but this is true and accurate, the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

He also is referring to Jesus Christ as the judge of the living and the dead. So Paul, as he's ending this letter, he brings a strong, serious note that Timothy would pay attention and understand that this charge is something that we need to take heed to. We need to preach the word.

He's making it clear this is a serious matter. And why is it so serious? Well, as we see as we study this portion, Paul is passing on the torch. He's telling Timothy, I'm not going to be here much longer. I'm about to die. I'm about to be executed. As Paul was there in prison for the second time there at Rome, he's waiting to appear before Caesar again and he's expecting...

That he will not survive, that he will be executed at the end of it. And indeed, the tradition and the history tells us that he was.

And so Paul is making this very important. He's saying this is very serious. Timothy, I'm passing on the torch. I'm moving off the scene. So Timothy, you have to be there to preach the word. They're possibly his final words to Timothy. We don't know exactly when he was executed. He requests for Timothy to come and meet with him, but we don't know. He didn't know when that would take place. And so he's very serious as he writes these things.

So Paul says, I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom. He's charging him in the presence of God. He's charging him with God as his witness. Timothy, this is the truth. This is an accurate testimony of what you need to do. This is what is required of you, Timothy, as a minister.

I charge you before God and Jesus Christ. And then he goes on to talk about Jesus Christ. And he says that Jesus Christ will judge the living and the dead. And why does he bring this up? Well, I really believe that he's bringing it up so that we would be mindful. He'll talk about it again a little bit later. We'll be mindful of eternity because Jesus Christ will judge the living and the dead.

Those who believe in Jesus Christ will not be judged for sin. The scripture is quite clear on that. Our sin was taken care of at the cross. And so when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, our sin is forgiven. It's cast as far as the east is from the west. And we have, or we're clothed in, the righteousness of God.

We won't be judged for sin, that is the white throne judgment for those who do not believe in God, but we will be judged for reward. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 talks about this, the Bema Seat, where God will reward his faithful servants. The judgment will be that of those who are faithful to what God had given to them.

In other words, Hebrews chapter 4, verse 13 tells us, There is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Here's the picture that the Bible paints for us. As believers in Jesus Christ, our sin is atoned for. We will not be judged for sin, but we will be judged for reward. We will stand before God to give account for

of our life, of our ministry, of how faithful we were to the things that God has given to us. If we were faithful servants, if we were good stewards, or if we were not. And so Paul is reminding Timothy, and he's reminding you and I, Jesus Christ is coming back.

He promised that he would return and before he left, he said, be watching, be ready. He gave us some parables in Matthew chapter 25, the parable of the virgin, the parable of the faithful steward so that we would get the picture and understand he's coming at a time when we do not know and so we need to be faithful and we need to be ready and we need to be watching and waiting for his return because we will stand before him. Jesus Christ will judge the living and the dead.

So if we're going to stand before Jesus Christ and we're going to be judged, how do we be faithful? What is it that we need to do? Well, that's where verse 2 comes in. Paul says, here's what you need to do. You're going to stand before him. You're going to give an account of your life and your ministry. Here's what you need to do so that you receive a good reward, a good judgment. And that is, you need to preach the word.

You need to proclaim the word of God, Timothy. This is what is vitally important for you as a man, for you as a minister. You need to preach the word. That word preach is the word that was used for a herald, the one who would go before the king and announce his coming or announce his presence, the one who'd go and proclaim messages that those who sent them wished to deliver. It was the one who stood on the corner or went into the marketplace and proclaimed the message that they had been given.

But the word herald also, I'm sorry, the word preach also could mean to publish or to proclaim openly. And I think that's relatable to us. We don't have a lot of heralds any longer with television and those types of news media and internet and everything. But to proclaim openly is really what Paul is saying here. We're to proclaim openly the word of God.

to make it known, to make it well known, to let people know where we stand and what the Word of God says. If you remember, last week when we looked at the Scriptures, we talked about the Scripture being profitable when it's used as directed. As the Lord has directed us to use His Word in a certain way, we need to be obedient to that, and we'll find that the Scriptures are then inspired by God and profitable for the things that He has said that it was profitable for.

And so as Paul is connecting this with that passage there in 2 Timothy chapter 3, he's saying, look, the word of God is inspired and profitable for all these things. So therefore, I charge you, you need to preach the word because that's what's profitable for people. That's what people need. That is what is necessary in the lives of the people around you. They need to hear the word of God. So openly proclaim the word of God.

Since the scriptures are inspired by God and profitable to make one wise for salvation, you need to preach the word. Because there are people in your lives that are not saved, they don't know Jesus Christ, and the thing that can make them wise, the thing that can make them understand salvation and God's plan and their need for salvation is

It's not your convincing arguments and your great debates and all the things that we can think of. No, the thing that we need to deliver, the message that needs to be brought forth is the Word of God. They need the Word of God. It's the Word that is able to make them wise for salvation. There are those in your life that need to be corrected or instructed in the area of doctrine.

What to believe and why to believe it. What does the Bible say about the things that we face, the attitudes that we have, the lifestyle that we live. And so they need to hear the Word of God because the Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for doctrine. It's what people need to hear. There's some in your life, perhaps, that need reproof. They've been going the wrong way. They've been on the wrong path. They need to be shown the error of their ways, the sin that they're involved in.

The Word of God is profitable for that, and so we must openly proclaim the Word of God, bringing light into darkness that it might be exposed for what it truly is. For correction, also Paul said in chapter 3, 16 and 17.

Correction is now the error has been exposed, but how do I get right with God? How do I make things right? And how do I get on the straight and narrow and do the things that God wants me to do? That's the correction part. And guess what? The Word of God is profitable for correction. And so we need to openly proclaim the Word of God because there's people who are going astray, who know that it's wrong, who know that it's...

disobedience to God but but there's a lack of knowledge and how do we get right with God and how do we get and be in the relationship that God desires and be in the place that God wants me to be well we need to openly proclaim the Word of God that there might be correction also it's profitable for instruction and righteousness we need to openly proclaim the Word of God because there's those in our lives that need to be instructed in righteousness strengthened in their faith and

taught how to draw close to the Lord and walk with Him in the way that He has called us to. So Paul's command, his charge to us, is to proclaim openly the Word. Preach the Word, he says. Sometimes I wonder why it is that we're so eager to proclaim everything else.

The people around us, they know. Hey, if you're a sports fan, they know it. They know the teams that you like. They know what you're excited about and passionate about. If you follow a particular TV series or there's a particular type of movie that you like, the people around you, they know it. We openly proclaim those things.

Political views, now I know it's often said, you know, you don't bring those things up in public, but many times, most of the time, the people around us, they know where we stand. We openly proclaim those things and yet sometimes for us, when it comes to the Word of God and the things of God, we shy away and we hold back and we're reserved when the command is to preach.

To preach, to openly proclaim the Word of God. This is what the Bible says. This is what the Bible teaches about this situation, about your question, about this activity that we're involved in. This is what the Scripture says. The Word of God has the power to change lives. Hebrews 4.12 tells us it's living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. It has the promises of God attached to it as well. Isaiah 55.11 tells us that God's Word will not return void.

until it has accomplished what he set it forth to do. And so the first thing that Paul says for you and I, we must preach the word. Boldly, openly proclaim the word of God. He goes on in verse 2 to say, be ready in season and out of season. So when is it that we're to openly proclaim the word of God? All the time.

Every moment and every opportunity that we get. There was a man in England many years ago, back in the 1700s. He was a clergyman. He was involved in the church. But there was one day that God got a hold of his life. His name was John Berridge. God got a hold of his life and he began to preach the word. He began to teach at every opportunity. And it's said sometimes he would teach 12 times a week at different places and different opportunities.

And a bishop, one who was in authority over him, came and talked to him and said, hey, you're doing too much. You're preaching the word too much. You need to stop. You need to slow down. And you need to take a break. And John Barrage responded, I only preach in two seasons, in season and out of season.

It's all the time that we're called to preach. Now, in season and out of season, what Paul is talking about here is there's those times where it's in season, and that is that it's favorable and easy to proclaim the Word of God. But then there's those times where it's out of season, or perhaps we would better relate to out of style. When it's out of style to share the Word of God, that's when it's more difficult. And

You and I as ministers of the gospel are called to preach the word, to openly proclaim the word of God in both seasons, when it's easy, when it's favorable, but also when it's difficult and when it's not looked upon favorably. Remember after September 11th, there was the great attack. The Twin Towers were demolished. Many people died.

And as a result of that, around the nation, there was a great stir. Politicians were proclaiming openly, pray to the Lord and encouraging people to seek the Lord and draw close to God.

The churches were filled with people immediately afterwards. There was a great yearning and desire to seek God and be in touch with God after that. It was in season at that time. It would have been very easy to share the word and to openly proclaim and there wouldn't have been much opposition. But as time progressed, then again, it became out of season. And it's not openly proclaimed in the same way that it was. And it's not as easily accepted as it once was.

And yet we still need to be faithful when it's accepted, when it's popular, and when it's not. To preach the word in season and out of season. He goes on to say, convince, rebuke, and exhort. And of course, these are all things that we do with the word of God. These are all things that take place as we openly proclaim the word of God. I like the words convince and rebuke. They're very closely related. They describe the same action. The only difference is the response itself.

When you look at these words. To convince, it means to rebuke someone. To share with them the truth about a situation or activity that they're involved in. But the response of the word convince is that they are convinced. They are convicted. There's repentance that goes along with this rebuke. The word rebuke here that is used is

It means the same thing as far as what is taking place. There's the action of rebuke. There's bringing light to darkness and showing the error of a way. But the result is different. Instead of being received or being convinced, it's rejected. There is no conviction on the part of the person who has offended or who is being rebuked.

And so in both cases, Paul says, openly proclaim the word. Even if they do not respond, even if they're not convicted or not convinced, we're to openly proclaim the word of God. We're also to exhort. It's not just to tell people where their faults are. That's not the intent of the word of God, but to exhort. It means to encourage or to come alongside God.

And so we're to openly proclaim the Word of God, also to come alongside people and help them in their walk and strengthen them in their relationship with God, to encourage them to continue on and press forward in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul finishes the verse saying, "...with all longsuffering and teaching." So we're to do all these things, in season and out of season, convincing, rebuking, exhorting, preaching, and openly proclaiming the Word of God with all longsuffering and teaching.

Is long-suffering in your top ten favorite word list? Suffering for a long time is what it means, but it's specifically suffering for a long time towards people. It's patience in relations to people. It means to have the power to avenge, but to choose not to.

And so what Paul is saying is, look, in season and out of season, when it's not favorable, when people come against you, when they harass you as a result of you openly proclaiming the word of God, when they come against you and persecute you, you're to be long-suffering towards them. Have great patience towards them. Demonstrate the patience of Job, the patience of Jesus Christ towards those who oppose you. You're to do all of these things with long-suffering.

Paul is saying, keep on preaching the word. For you and I this morning, boldly, openly proclaim the word of God. Convince, rebuke, and exhort no matter how people treat you, no matter how they hurt you, no matter how they respond to the message, if they receive it or reject it, keep on teaching the word of God in the good times and in the bad. Openly proclaim the word of God.

And so that's the first thing we find the Apostle Paul sharing with Timothy this morning that is applicable to you and I. We're charged. It's solemn. It's serious. We need to preach the word. The second thing we find in verses 3 and 4 comes in the form of a warning, and the warning is to stand in the truth. Verse 3 says...

Paul now tells us the reason why it's so important to preach the word, to openly proclaim the word of God. Why? He starts out verse 3, 4. Here's why.

Because the time will come they will not endure sound doctrine. The reason why we must boldly proclaim, openly proclaim the Word of God now is that up ahead, around the corner, people will be less receptive to the Word of God. It was true in Paul's day and it's still true today. Although we might consider now that there's a lot of people opposed to the Word of God, that they will not endure sound doctrine. Yet future, there will be more resistance.

Remember in chapter 3 verse 12, no verse 13, Paul said, evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse. Things are going to get more difficult. It's going to be more difficult to openly and boldly proclaim the Word of God. People will not endure sound doctrine. They won't put up with it. They won't receive it. Sound doctrine is a phrase that we use to describe solid biblical truth. It's the things that the Word of God clearly teaches us.

And there's many today who do not put up with, do not endure, some who do not even know the biblical things that are taught. Sound doctrine. I was reading an article earlier this week about

It's entitled, Crisis in America's Churches, Bible Knowledge at an All-Time Low. It's talking about biblical illiteracy within the churches of the United States. And I want to share with you a couple of quotes from here to kind of give an example of what we're talking about when Paul says that they will not endure sound doctrine. Because here in the churches of America, there's a great illiteracy of those who do not know what the Word of God says. First,

The article says, the most widely known Bible verse, they did much statistics and surveys and research, and so the result of that is the most widely known Bible verse among adults and teen believers is, God helps those who help themselves. So can somebody tell me the reference for that verse? It's not biblical. It's not what the Bible teaches. In fact, it's contrary to what the Bible says. But that's the most widely known Bible verse according to their survey.

Another survey said, when giving 13 basic teachings from the Bible, only 1% of adult believers firmly embraced all 13 as being biblical perspectives. So 13 just basic teachings, basic biblical principles. 1% of those surveyed agreed that's a biblical truth. I agree with that. Now again, let me remind you, these surveys, they're not just talking about everybody in general, the general public.

They're surveying those who call themselves Christians and they're surveying those who attend church, those who are a part of a church. And so 1%, it's not very many, could recognize and agree with 13 basic teachings from the Bible and say, yes, I believe all of those. Only 35% of mainline Protestant church members believe Christ was sinless, another statistic says.

35%. Now, that means that there's 65% who responded that Christ was not sinless. George and I were talking before the service about this. That's an incredible claim because if Christ was not sinless, his atonement, his death means nothing for us. The whole point of salvation, the whole point of Jesus Christ becoming a man and dying on the cross for us is meaningless if he sinned.

His atonement means nothing if he is a sinner. No, Christ was sinless because he is God and became man. But only 35% believe that according to their survey and statistics. Similar is 34% believe that the Bible is totally accurate. So about the same number believe that the Bible is true. Now, that's kind of good in that sense that those who believe the Bible is true also believe that Christ is sinless and so it kind of goes hand in hand. 27% agree that works don't earn heaven.

Now when it comes to the doctrine of salvation, this is an important one. Yet 25% of those church members who are surveyed believe that works played a part in getting a person to heaven. There's nothing more contrary to the word of God than that whole concept. We're not saved by our works. For by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves, Paul says. It's a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. And so it's important that we understand that. And yet 27% say,

agree that works don't earn heaven and then 20% believe that Satan is real. So about a fifth, one in five of those surveyed believe that Satan was real. The point of the article is just the danger and the alarm that those who are attending church and part of church very often have no idea what the Bible actually says. They don't receive it. They don't necessarily believe it.

There's a great deal of them that reject it, and yet they're still part of the church. They don't put up with sound doctrine. They don't hold fast to the Word of God. It's a great danger. Paul says, we need to preach the Word now because there's those times coming. They will not endure sound doctrine. Because they don't endure sound doctrine, Paul says, they will heap up for themselves teachers. So they don't want to hear the truth. They don't want to hear exactly what the Bible says. They want to hear what they want to hear, and the parts that they like and the parts that they don't like, they don't want to hear. They don't want to hear

So what do they do? They heap up for themselves teachers. They gather all these teachers. Okay, you guys teach me what I want to hear and what sounds good and what makes me feel good, but not necessarily, you know, the things that are totally biblical or the things that the Bible teaches. Only the things that we want to hear. And so that's the idea. They heap up for themselves teachers. And we can see examples of this in our day. You're probably familiar. You've probably heard about it.

The recent California court ruling that Proposition 22 is unconstitutional, basically meaning that we cannot refuse for homosexual couples to be married. And praise the Lord, that's going to be on the ballot, and so I encourage you when the time comes to vote biblically in regards to that issue. But...

When it comes to homosexuality, there are those who are involved in the homosexual lifestyle that have chosen to not stop going to church. So they still continue to go to church, even though the Bible clearly proclaims that that lifestyle is sinful. The Bible clearly proclaims that homosexuality, along with other things, those who practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But they still want to go to church and so what do they do? They heap up for themselves teachers who will scratch their itching ears, who will leave out those things but share with them other things that will encourage them or help them that will leave out what the Bible says. They heap up for themselves. They gather together teachers that will only teach them the things that they want to learn, want to hear. We can look at the same thing with evolution.

There are those who are convinced of evolution, don't want to hear about God creating, yet they still are religious, they're still involved in church, so what do they do? They heap up for themselves teachers that will teach them appropriately according to what they believe and what they want to hear. Sometimes we wonder, how is it that there's so many of those faith teachers on channel 40?

How is it that there's so many of those who proclaim these crazy messages and health and wellness and you'll never be sick if you have faith and God wants to bless you abundantly and make you rich. How is it that there's so many of those? Well, because the people gather together, they heap up for themselves teachers that will scratch their ears. They want to hear God wants to bless you and He wants to make everything good for you and you'll never be sick and you'll always have lots of money.

So there's an abundance of those who will teach that because they've been heaped up by those who do not endure sound doctrine but just want to have their ears tickled, want to feel good and don't really care about what the Word of God says. Here's the bottom line Paul says. At the end of the verse he says, they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. The first part is their choice. They turn their ears away from the truth. I don't want to hear about that

I don't want to learn about that. I don't want to know about that. I don't believe that. So they turn their ear away. God, I don't want to hear about that. And that's very often how it happens. It's just one area that, well, you know how it is. As we're walking with God, as we're having a relationship with Him, spending time with Him, He shows us things in our life that need to be corrected.

And when a person decides, I don't want to hear that. Lord, you showed me that. You told me that. I don't want to believe it. I don't want to do it. I don't want to obey it. They turn their ear away from the truth. But what happens when you turn your ear away from the truth? That's your choice. But what you're doing is you're submitting yourself to someone else's choice. He says, they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables.

So it's not that you turn away from the truth and then you just kind of, you know, there's emptiness or an absence of that truth, but you're turned aside now to fables, myths, things that are made up that are not true. The problem with us rejecting the truth of God is it subjects us to being deceived and turning to these things that are not real, that are not true, that are not biblical at all.

There's a saying, it goes something like this, if you do not stand for the truth, you will fall for anything. And it's true. If you reject the truth, you're susceptible to be deceived by the many philosophies and things that go around this world. For some of you who were there, Dr. Mace Baker, when he came and shared at the church a few months ago, he said,

He shared about the flood and how the evidence for the flood, you know, backed up what the Bible says. And at the same time, he was demonstrating that what the textbooks say in regards to evolution are completely contrary, not only to the Bible, that's pretty much a given, but they're also contrary, what the textbooks say, what they're teaching the kids, it's contrary to what scientific evidence demonstrates.

He shared that they're just basically flat out lies and the links that they talk about and the evidence that they talk about, it has no support whatsoever scientifically in the scientific community. Although scientists don't want to admit it, it's the truth.

And why is that? Well, because they refuse to believe in God. They refuse to believe that God created the heavens and the earth. They refuse to believe in intelligent design. And so what happens? Well, they're turned aside to whatever fable, whatever someone can come up with that sounds good, that will give them a little bit of...

from the knowledge that Jesus Christ, that God himself created the heavens and the earth and they ultimately will be accountable to him. They've turned aside from the truth. They reject that truth. And so they embrace and turn these fables. And so you and I as believers in Jesus Christ, we must stand in the truth is what Paul is saying.

These guys, they don't stand in the truth. They've turned their ear away from it. They don't endure sound doctrine. We must do the opposite. We must stand in the truth that we do not get swept away with the lies. Number three, we find in verse five, fulfill your ministry. He says in verse five, but you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.

So Paul says, we need to preach the word. We need to stand in truth. And now we need to, we must fulfill our ministry. The ministry that God has given to us. He starts out saying, but you be watchful in all things. As opposed to those who turn their ear from the truth and are turned towards fables. You, Timothy, you be watchful. It means to be sober, to be circumspect. That is to know what's going on around you. Know what's happening around.

The circumstances, the situations that are taking place around you. Timothy, pay attention to what is going on. Don't fall asleep and forget what we're here for. As these things are happening in California. Hey, pay attention. Don't be asleep. Know what we're here for. We're here to be light and salt in this earth. To bring the truth of the word of God. To openly proclaim it. So he says, Timothy, be watchful. Be circumspect. Know what's going on around you. He also says, endure afflictions.

indicating to us that there is going to be afflictions. There's going to be hard times. Remember what Paul said in chapter 3, verse 12, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. As we seek to follow the Lord, as we seek to walk with Him, as we are obedient to openly proclaim the Word of God, to stand in the truth, there will be affliction. There will be difficulties. There will be those who come against us,

But we need to endure. We need to be patient and continue on and not let those things sway us. He goes on to tell Timothy to do the work of an evangelist. Do the work of an evangelist. Now, it's an indication here that Timothy was not an evangelist. He didn't have the gift of evangelism. It wasn't his primary role or call in his life.

But he was called to do the work of an evangelist. Even though he wasn't gifted in that way, even though that wasn't his primary call, he was still called to do the work. What is that? That is to share the gospel message, to share the truth about Jesus Christ. He was called to proclaim the gospel. There are those who have the gift of evangelism. There is one in particular that comes to mind. His name is Aaron. And I went with him. We did a mission trip to Hawaii and then also we did some work in American Samoa.

And this guy was amazing. He was from Calvary Chapel Montebello. He's in Japan right now. But he is an incredibly gifted evangelist. As we're going to Hawaii first, we're on the plane there. He's sitting next to someone. By the end of the flight, the person is accepting Jesus Christ and they're praying the sinner's prayer. We do some work in Hawaii and there's lots of things that happen there. But then we fly out to American Samoa.

Same thing. Someone's sitting next to him on the flight. He shares the gospel with them. They receive it. By the end of the flight, they've accepted Jesus Christ. While we were in Hawaii, surfing in Waikiki, Pastor Tom and I are out there. We're surfing the waves and we realize, hey, Aaron's not with us. Where'd he go? And we look back and there he is sitting on a surfboard in the middle of the water at Waikiki and there's another guy sitting on the surfboard next to him and they're praying together and the guy is accepting Jesus Christ. I mean, it's just incredible. Everywhere he went,

He was gifted, definitely, as an evangelist. Now, I'm not the same way. It doesn't happen that way for me. It's not my primary gift nor my primary role, yet I'm called to do the work of an evangelist. And the same is true for you. You may not be gifted in that way, but you're called to do the work. We've all been given the Great Commission. We've been called to make disciples and let people know the truth about Jesus Christ and His death upon the cross for us. Finally, Paul says, fulfill your ministry.

It means to bring it to completion. Complete it, Timothy. Complete the ministry that God has given to you. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10, Paul tells us that we're God's workmanship. We're His work of art. He created us in Christ Jesus for good works. We're a masterpiece that He created in Christ Jesus in order that we would do good works. They don't save us, but He transformed us. We've been born again,

that we might do the work of the Lord. It goes on to say in Ephesians 2.10, the works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. So the idea is this. There's this path that's been set before us and along the path, God has set up these situations and scenarios and put these certain people exactly where they need to be so that as you walk this path, He's set all these things before you and as you come to each one, do the good work that God has set before you. As you come to this situation,

Share the Word of God. Openly proclaim it. As you come to this person, tell them about the love of Jesus Christ and what He did for them. As you come to this family, and on and on, we can look and see God has laid before us, good works, He's laid before us the ministry that He's called us to. And Paul tells Timothy, fulfill it. Bring it to completion. God has put certain people in your lives for you to disciple. He's put unbelievers in your lives for you to share the Gospel. He's put other Christians in your life

That you would strengthen them and encourage them and help them in their relationship with God. To teach them to observe the commands of Jesus. And so Paul says, fulfill your ministry. Be faithful to serve those people that God has placed in your life. Finally, number four, we're to love His appearing. Verses 6-8, Paul says...

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing. Why is it so important for us to preach the word, to stand in the truth,

to fulfill our ministry. Paul tells Timothy, the reason why it's so important for you, Timothy, is because I'm not going to last much longer. He says, for I'm already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure is at hand. The reason you and I must preach the word and fulfill the ministry that God has given to us is because Paul's not here. He's left the scene and now we've been left. Jesus said, I'm the light of the world, right? But

But then he turns to his disciples and says, you're the light of the world. You carry on the work that has been started, the work that God is doing by his spirit through the word of God, through the gospel message, disciples, you carry it on. In the same way that torch has now been passed to you and I, and we're to preach the word and stand in the truth and fulfill our ministry because the torch has been passed to us. He says, I'm being poured out as a drink offering. Paul is awaiting his death.

He's there in prison. He knows this will not end well. I'm going to be executed. And he gives two word pictures of death. The drink offering and the departure. Now a drink offering was very simple. It was something that was offered to the Lord and they'd take it in a pitcher or a glass of some sort and they would pour it out onto the altar. They would just turn it over completely and let all of the contents empty out. It was a sacrifice that was offered willingly and Paul says...

I'm giving my life willingly. I'm being executed, but it's a drink offering. I give my life completely holy to the Lord as an offering to be completely poured out as He desires. But He also says, the time of my departure is at hand. I like this word departure. It means to loose, to untie. And it was used of a ship that would be docked and as it would be tied to the dock, they would untie it in order to set sail.

And this is what Paul is saying. My departure, my time, I'm being loosed, I'm being untied, I'm going to be set free, and I'm going to sail into eternity. I'm going to sail into the presence of Jesus Christ. As contrary as it may sound, death is not the end of life. It's not the end of life. No, it's what ushers us into eternal life. For Paul, because he was a believer in Jesus Christ, this was a glorious thing.

And so he did it willingly. He looked forward to that time that he would be with Jesus. He goes on to say, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul uses similar athletic terms to basically say, I'm doing the best that I can to live this life

For Jesus Christ. To not be disqualified. I beat my body into submission. I run with purpose, not as one who runs aimlessly. I fight not as one who beats the air, just kind of shadow boxing and doing nothing. But I'm doing all of this. I'm living the Christian life with a purpose. To accomplish what God has called me to do. Now as Paul is writing this letter, his race is completed. And he did run well. He says, I finished the race. I fought the good fight.

Very often when a person knows that they are coming to the end of their life, they will look back and survey their life, asking the question, was it meaningful? What did I accomplish? What was the point of my life? Paul is, he is in the same situation. He knows that soon he will die. He looks back, he reviews his life and determines, I did what God called me to do. Makes me ask, makes me wonder, what will be the assessment of my life

And my last moment is I prepare to be with the Lord. Will I be able to say with the same confidence, I fought the fight, I finished the race, I've kept the faith. You know, this doesn't happen by accident. I've never heard of anyone, perhaps you can correct me if I'm wrong, but I've never heard of anyone accidentally winning a gold medal at the Olympics. You know, I was supposed to go here, but I accidentally got on the long plane, I ended up in Barcelona, accidentally ended up in the race,

by coincidence and somehow I won accidentally. It doesn't happen that way. No, those who win the Olympic medals are those who purposefully train and prepare every day just taking advantage of the opportunity that they have in order to run the race well in the same way. Paul didn't end up looking back at his life, I fought the good fight, I finished the race, I kept the faith, I don't know how it happened, it was kind of accidental.

No, it was purposeful. Back in 1 Corinthians 9, he says, this is what I do. I'm running the race. I'm pushing forward. I'm doing my best. I'm disciplining my body to keep myself from wandering astray, to keep myself centered in the will of God, to keep myself right where God wants me to be.

It was an effort. It was something that he did purposefully. And in the same way for you and I, in order for us to get to the end of our life and be able to say, I fought the good fight, I finished the race, I kept the faith. We need to choose now. We need to decide now to live for God 100% completely sold out for him. It won't happen accidentally for us to be able to make this statement. For Jesus to be able to say, well done my good and faithful servant. We need to be right now, today, seeking to please God and serve him.

How do we do that? Preach the word. Stand in the truth and fulfill the ministry that God has given to you. Paul goes on to say, finally, you kind of get the sense, Paul's saying, look, I finished the race. It's been a long course. It's been a tough one, but it's a good one. And finally, now that I'm at the end, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness. As he looks back and he surveys, he says, I finished the race. Now he looks forward and says, it's a great reward awaiting for me.

The crown of righteousness. You might ask, how could a righteous judge give Paul a crown of righteousness? How could a righteous judge give this man who persecuted the church, but that's kind of putting it mildly. He tortured Christians so that they would, or in an attempt to get them to renounce the Christian faith and blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ. He put them to death as a result of their faith in Jesus Christ.

He did much harm. Hideous things. And yet here he's saying, there's laid up for me the crown of righteousness. The crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day. The righteous judge. The judge who always does right is going to give Paul the crown of righteousness. How could that be? Well, it can be. And it is because the scriptures teach that righteousness is not of ourselves.

Our righteousness is as filthy rags, Isaiah says. It doesn't compare, it doesn't come close to the righteousness that God requires or desires. But the righteousness that we have is by faith in Jesus Christ. Philippians chapter 3 verse 9, Paul says, "...being found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith."

This is the righteousness that Paul has. And it doesn't matter his past. It doesn't matter all the things that he did. What matters is that he put his faith in Jesus Christ. And when he did, he lived for him. He lived to serve him. And so the righteousness that he has is from God by faith. And I think this is so important. I'll come back to it a little bit later, but he did much wrong. He did hideous things.

And yet at the end, he was able to receive the crown of righteousness. The crown of righteousness is not only for apostles. Paul says, God will also give it, the righteous judge will also give it to all who loved his appearing. Those who have loved his appearing. Those who have desired and anxiously awaited, are excited about the return of Jesus Christ. It's what the scripture calls us to do, to look up, because our redemption draws nigh, knowing that he is coming quickly. Now,

Verse 1 tells us that when He comes, He will judge the living and the dead. And so to love His appearing is to know that you're on the right side of that judgment. That you're not going to be judged for sin, but that you are going to be judged for reward. That you'll give an account for how you served God and how you fulfilled the ministry that He gave to you.

The way to be sure that you're on the right side of judgment is to love His appearing. Jesus said it over and over again. Watch, look up, be ready, be waiting my return. As we're focused on eternity and the return of Jesus Christ, we will be most effective in this life. Will there be reward for you in eternity? In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul talks about this. Some will be saved as though by fire. All their works will be burned. Their motives weren't pure. They weren't in obedience to God.

But he says, if anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. Are you being faithful to what God has given to you, to the ministry that he has called you to? Because one day we will stand before Jesus Christ and give an account. The thought of the return of Jesus Christ and standing before him for the Christian, something we ought to love, to love his appearing. But for the unbeliever, it's something that should be dreaded.

Jesus said in John chapter 5 that God had committed all judgment to Him, to the Son. But He says in verse 24 of John 25, He says, Most assuredly I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment but is passed from death into life. And so Jesus says, look, I'm going to judge. God's given all judgment to Jesus Christ. He will return. We will stand before Him one day.

but those who believe in Him, those who believe in God, those who believe the Gospel message, they have everlasting life. And they won't receive the judgment of punishment as the unbeliever, but they will pass from death into life. Are you ready to stand before Jesus Christ? How do you feel about that if He were to return right now? Are you excited about His return? Now, again I ask you to consider the Apostle Paul. He got saved later in life. He wasn't a young boy when he became a Christian.

But he was a man. And as a man, he had committed great atrocities against God, against the church. And yet, at the end, he's able to say, I fought the good fight. I finished the race. And now there is awaiting me the crown of righteousness. Now he anxiously and gladly awaits the appearance of Jesus Christ appearing before him. I think this is so important because you need to know it doesn't matter what your past is like.

As we look at these things and the fact that you're called into the ministry as a believer in Jesus Christ, you may have done terrible things. You may have a horrible history, a bleak past, and yet you, like the Apostle Paul, can make the testimony that you fought the good fight and finished the race when you come to the end of your life. Because it doesn't so much matter what you've done in your past. What matters is that right now you make the choice to run the race well.

Not as one who runs aimlessly, not as one who beats the air, but that you fight the good fight. That you give your heart and your life and you live for Jesus Christ, completely committed to Him, 100% sold out. What matters is what you do from here on out. And so the call this morning is for you and I, as believers in Jesus Christ, to run that race well, to preach the Word, to openly proclaim it, to stand in the truth, to fulfill the ministry that God has given to us, and to love His appearing.

God desires for us to be rewarded. He has great things in store for us if we will be obedient to Him. Love His return. Are you ready to meet Him? Are you ready to give an account for your life? For those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, again, you can inherit eternal life. You can receive the crown of righteousness. You can come to the end and say, I finished the race. I fulfilled the ministry that God gave to me.

But not on your own, not with your strength, not with your good intentions, but with your acceptance of the Gospel message, believing in Jesus Christ, that He was crucified on the cross for you, to pay for your sin, to atone for you, that you might have the righteousness of God in Him. And as we believe in Jesus Christ, His promises, we will be born again, we'll be transformed and conformed into His image, and we'll receive everlasting life. Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, as we close our time together, I pray that you would continue to speak to our hearts about these things. God, I pray that you would empower us by your Holy Spirit, just as you did with the church in the book of Acts, as they were threatened not to share your word, and instead they prayed for you to have boldness, and you filled them with your Holy Spirit. God, fill us, baptize us in your Holy Spirit, that we would speak forth your word with great boldness.

that many would know the truth, that many would turn to You to be saved and find strength and hope and rest in You. So God, I pray that You would help us to be faithful, to have boldness, to love the people around us enough to share with them Your Word, the truth that You have spoken to us.

God, I pray that you would help us to stand in that truth, that we would not turn away from it in those areas that were uncomfortable, that you're speaking to us, but Lord, we don't want to listen, we don't want to hear. God, help us to repent. Help us to turn. God, that we would respond to what you're saying to our hearts, that we would not turn from the truth. God, I pray that you would help us to fulfill our ministry, to take advantage of the opportunities that you lay before us, to seek them out, to desire earnestly for you to speak through us.

to the people around us. God, I pray that you would turn our attention towards you, that we would love your appearing, that we would desire to be with you, to meet you in the air. God, help us to be focused on eternity, to be looking forward to the things that are to come, that we might have the proper perspective in this life. And God, I pray for those who do not believe in you this morning or those who have walked away from you.

God, I pray that you would bring them into a right relationship with you. Help them, Lord, to put their faith and trust in you and to receive the gospel message that you died on the cross for us. Lord, we desire to make them new. We desire to bless them and reward them, to draw them close to you, which, Lord, is the greatest thing that we could ever have. Your presence dwelling within us, all around us. Lord, we desire to be with you. And so, God, bring them

to right relationship with you this morning, we pray. In Jesus' name, amen.