We are now drawing to the final part of Paul’s letter to Timothy. It has to be the most sobering and urgent of messages not only for his spiritual son but for us here in our generation.
“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4 v 1-4)
Against this eternal backdrop of the second coming of Christ and the final judgment, Paul brings charges to Timothy. It is a charge to all Church leaders today.
“Preach the word” – If you want to be known as faithful in ministry, then the central point of your life is this: the proclamation of God’s revealed truth. Not human wisdom, not popular philosophies, not even well-meaning moral advice, but “the word.”
“Be prepared in season and out of season” – You have to be ready no matter what circumstances are taking place, you have to turn up and deliver God’s message, whether people are receptive or not.
“Correct, rebuke and encourage” – Ministry requires both the courage to confront error and the compassion to comfort the hurting.
“With great patience and careful instruction” – The manner matters as much as the message.
Here’s the big question: Why?
There will come a time and it is now:-
- When people will not want to hear what they need.
- When people will shop around to find teaching to validate their behaviour.
- When people will choose to avoid anything that challenges or convicts sin.
There is still only one anchor, it always has been so, the eternal Word of God and our courage to live in the certain hope of Christ’s appearing.
Missions Paul 