Scripture:
II Timothy 4:1-5 NKJV
[1] I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: [2] Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. [3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; [4] and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. [5] But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.
Observation:
I have written over these verses before. I believe it’s important to look at them again this morning. The Book of Timothy is written by Paul. It’s his way of guiding Timothy into the calling that GOD had placed on him. Giving him directions on how to structure the church who to put in what position and why to put them there. But what Paul has for Timothy here in chapter 4 is not only a warning for him but directions on how to stick to what the word says. The first verse comes right out with it. Paul uses some very strong language from that time when he says,” I charge you.” This means that what is Siad next needs to be taken very seriously. The fact that what Paul is about to say to Timothy is a charge or direction or even a command is one thing, but who that charge direction or command is in front of is even more serious. He is bringing this to Jesus Christ and GOD. But what is it that is so serious that Paul would charge young Timothy in front of GOD HIMSELF? Well, that’s simple it’s GOD’S word. The very next verse explains that and the purpose for it. Paul’s hard language has an intended purpose. Just like GOD’S word and his directions to Timothy are to preach it and nothing else. Paul explains to Timothy what it’s intended to do. It’s written to convince, rebuke, exhort, and teach. Verses 3 and 4 are the meat of what’s being said. So we need to zero in on them. It’s another warning to Timothy. Paul says in a sense… there is a time coming when the truth is not what people want to hear. They won’t want to be corrected. In fact, they will leave churches that are willing to correct and run toward churches that will tickle their ears. Churches that will pick out the fluffy parts of the bible and stay away from the hard stuff, or try to explain it away. Paul is pouring his heart out to Timothy, telling him to stick to what the word says and stick to it hard. Most people won’t want to hear it, and a lot of people will run from it. But you have no choice but to preach it. You can’t explain it away or say it’s not for today. You have to preach it just like it says. Whether or not they want to hear it doesn’t mean they don’t need to hear it. The last verse is pretty simple. Paul is reminding Timothy what his calling is. GOD has called him to be an evangelist. It’s up to him to fulfill that calling.
Application:
There are a lot of times when I am pointed to a group of scriptures and think… really, Father, you want me to talk about that… oh boy, this might hurt a little bit. But then I think about the calling GOD has placed on me and feel the necessity of preaching GOD’S word in context and its intended purpose. You see, over the years of reading the bible, I have found that the purpose of it is to sanctify my life. It’s made to correct my behavior and can’t be explained away. It honestly bothers me when I see people ignore certain parts of the bible because it doesn’t fit the demographic they are trying to draw to the church. Or when they cherry-pick the bible pulling out the fluffy stuff to tickle the ears of those they are aiming at. Hebrews chapter 4 verses 12-13 explain the true purpose of GOD’S word. If you are hearing it and it does not make you squirm a little bit, you might think about the teacher you sit under. The fluffy stuff has a purpose, but at some point, if the gloves don’t come off and your life doesn’t get set on track, then the fluffy stuff will only tickle your ears. By tickling ears, we are only doing harm, not good. The key is speaking the truth in love. GOD’S word has to be handled carefully. However, it’s designed to change us from the inside out. It should prick our hearts. It should correct our lives. Set us on track. It’s the same today as it was yesterday it doesn’t change. We are in a war, and war is not pretty. I don’t want the life I had when GOD found me. I’m sure you don’t want to stay the same either. We have to put in the effort to change. I have read the bible through many times and found that there are 2 ways to read it. You can read just the fluffy stuff and never change a thing. Picking out verses that allow you to justify your behavior. Never looking at the root of the issue, or you can dig into its intended purpose and find out that you are your problem and all the hard stuff that happens in your life is because of choices you made and GOD has been calling you to a relationship with HIM. Jeremiah says we will find GOD when we learn to seek HIM with all our hearts. The key is that our hearts have to be empty of self. When we come to the end of us, that’s where GOD begins. In my life, what I want doesn’t matter. Because I want what HE wants for me.
Prayer:
Father, we don’t want our ears tickled. We want your truth. We do not want to be decived. We want what you want for us. Help us to hear your voice in what your word says. I know that there are several verses I could have put out there this morning that would have brought offense in the hearts of the readers. But I want you to go and prepare the hearts to hear your word. I pray that your Holy Spirit goes forth and prepares the hearts for your word to correct. Help us seek out a changed life, not the same old wide gate. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus we pray, amen.