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 own 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:
The 2 letters that we know as 1st and 2nd Timothy just like the letter to Titus were written by Paul to help Timothy understand exactly what he needed to do to fulfill his calling as it says in verse 5 of the scripture chosen this morning. We picked it up this morning in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verses 1 through 5. Paul has already written one letter to Timothy to guide him into the ministry, and now it’s time to fine-tune the young man a little more to polish him up, so to speak. In verse 1 of today’s verses, Paul wanted Timothy to know the importance of speaking truth. Letting him know that it’s not man’s opinion that matters. But that at show point, he would stand before GOD and have to answer for every idle word ever spoken. This moment was not to be taken lightly. As a minister of the gospel, the accountability for that is higher than just your average individual. Because you are, in a sense, the only bible some people may ever read. Verse 2 is a clear direction of how to go about it… preach the word and nothing else. Be ready all the time. Tell the truth even if it hurts. Not to chase them away but to correct and exhort or build up. The word “longsuffering” is another way of saying to be patient. Some will get it right away, and some will take time. But don’t give up on them. Continue to teach them even the ones that are not getting it right away. Moving into verse 3, Paul tells Timothy the importance of speaking the truth in love. People don’t always want to hear the truth and, in fact, will put their hand-picked preachers in the pulpits to avoid the truth altogether. Preachers that will pick the fluffy stuff in the bible to preach about. Seeker-friendly preachers. Preachers who will not rebuke what is wrong but cater to it instead. This warning to Timothy from Paul is extremely important. What he is being told is to say the hard stuff. Preach the word. Don’t hold back. Watch over the flock. Matthew chapter 7 verse 15 talks about wolves in sheep’s clothes. False teachers who seek in and pervert the grace of GOD. This is what Timothy was to be watchful for. The truth had to be spoken. In verse 5 Paul reminds young Timothy that it’s not going to be easy he is going to have to endure hard times, afflictions, and persecution but to stay tight to the calling that has been placed on his life. In the grand scheme of things speaking, the truth is what matters, and that’s the ministry Timothy had been given.
Application:
In today’s world, you can’t just trust what someone says about the bible. You honestly have to investigate yourself and to be completely honest, there are some that just don’t want to hear the hard stuff. I remember sitting outside the Salvation Army years ago. I was homeless, waiting for a meal and having a conversation with a man I had never met before. We were talking about the bible, and I had mentioned a verse that had to do with correction. His response to me almost ended our conversation. ” I just look at the positive stuff in the bible.” That is what he said to me. My response to him was that the bible is meant to correct our behavior. To put our feet on the right path. The narrow road. 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 2, or Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12. If we just pick out the fluffy stuff and never correct ourselves, we will be heading down the path to destruction. We have to hear the hard truth. So that we know where we are wrong and fix it. I have been thinking about 2nd Chronicles chapter 7 verse 14 for a week or 2 and how important it is to stay humble and seek HIS face through prayer and repentance. No correction feels good at the time. But it has to be done. The truth has to be spoken. If you have a pastor that doesn’t hit you in the heart with truth. You probably have to wrong pastor. When we truly love people, we will tell them that they need to stop running towards the cliff. Warning them out of love, not condemnation. Not tickling their ears and watching them slowly kill themselves. As a friend of mine used to say honestly without compassion can be brutal. When we love we earn the right to speak the truth. When we speak truth we show the world we truly love. It’s not about pointing fingers it’s about holding out our hands and leading others to the foot of the cross. I believe that we have been called to love those who don’t know christ but not by omitting the truth. I have to say this one more time and it’s something I will hold on to for the rest of my life. The truth+grace=love. That is the combination without the 2 together. You can’t have the 1.
Prayer:
Father, we know that you are able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine. We pray that you would help us to speak the truth seasoned with grace in all circumstances. We never want to run someone off from the savior but we don’t want to cosign destructive behavior as well. Show us how to say the hard stuff in a manner that is not destructive to your kingdom. We know that you have brought us out of the grip of hell and that you can do the same for all who profess your name. Let us speak Jesus over all situations and in all the lives that we come into contact with. We know that you have set up divine appointments for us today. Guide every word we speak in the mighty name of Jesus we pray amen.