2 Timothy 4:1-5

Introduction

The last chapter of 2 Timothy is among the last words spoken or written by the Apostle Paul. They are certainly the last which have survived. He must have been writing within weeks, if not days, of his martyrdom. It is a fairly reliable truth that Paul was beheaded on the Ostion Way. For about thirty years he had laboured without intermission as an Apostle and itinerant evangelist. This was now coming to an end. He had fought a good fight, finished his course and kept the faith. Now he awaited the reward of a crown of righteousness prepared for him in heaven.

These words are Paul’s legacy to the church. There is an atmosphere of great solemnity. They are very moving to read. The immediate context of these words is addressed to his successor Timothy. Earlier he had spoken about the Word of God, its nature, purpose and sufficiency. Now he tells Timothy what to do with it – proclaim it. In a secondary sense these words are applicable to all who preach, evangelise, engage in pastoral work and witness to Jesus Christ. Therefore that covers every Christian.

What Timothy had to do

Preach the Word! He was not to preach a word, or any word, but to preach the Word – God’s Word, which He had spoken. Timothy knew what he was talking about because he had so emphasised it in the letter. Paul had handed on to him Christian truth, which he was now to hand on to others. Elsewhere it was called a “deposit”, “sound teaching”, “doctrine”, “the truth” and “the faith” (2 Timothy 1:14; 4:3,7).

Timothy had known the Old Testament from childhood, and had learnt the teaching of the Apostles. The same charge is laid on the church of every age. The church is not at liberty to invent a message, but to communicate the Word which God has spoken, and which was committed to the church as a sacred trust. The preacher is not there to give opinions on religious, social or political matters, or deal with subjects of topical interest. He is there to preach God’s Word, the whole counsel of God as it centres in the Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning work, so that through the written and spoken word men may be confronted with the Living Word.

Alexander Whyte of Edinburgh used to go on long walks and have long talks with Marcus Dods. Dods recalled, “Wherever we started off in our conversation, we soon made our way across country somehow to Jesus of Nazareth, His death, resurrection and indwelling.” And unless sermons make for the same goal and arrive at the same mark, they are simply beating air.

This command involves hard work for both the preacher and the congregation. The preacher’s task: Exegesis – to discover and understand the truth; Expansion – presenting the truth; Illustration – to help the truth to light up; Application – causing it to be effective in the lives of the hearers. The mind must be informed, the conscience challenged, the will moved, and the heart inflamed. The preacher has to do this authoritatively and winsomely.

And the congregation has its part to play. Those who preach the Word are tremendously helped when those whom they serve want the Word. The preacher influences the congregation, and the congregation influences the preacher. Listening makes the preaching. If we want in our land the life-giving Word of God, we want in the pews hungry hearts to feed on that Word. If there is no appetite for that Word, then we will get nothing whenever that Word is proclaimed.

This command to preach the word, from the mouth of the Apostle Paul, is very relevant today. There are churches in our land where preaching is so often discounted and belittled as being old-fashioned. Signs and wonders are preferred. Preaching is a divine ordinance. With preaching, the Gospel stands or falls. In the great days of the church, preaching flourished and was effective and mighty. Now we see a decline in the church, and not surprisingly, preaching is in decline in many quarters, at best poor, at worst non-existent. So our concern should be with the preaching of the Word, not with signs and wonders.

How Timothy was to preach

Be prepared in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2). Timothy was to be on duty at all times. He must never desert his post, and must make to most of every opportunity.

All true preaching, whether from the pulpit or in personal witness, has a note of urgency. We are handling matters of life and death. There is no need to be brash or insensitive or rude. But we need to be up and doing. Never preach or witness in a casual listless manner, as if it is of no consequence. “Preach as if you will never preach again, a dying man to dying men” (R.Baxter). “Whatever you do, let people see you are in good earnest. You can break men’s hearts by jesting with them or telling them a smooth tale…. Men will not cast away their dearest pleasures upon a drowsy request of one who seems not to mean what he speaks nor cares much whether his request is granted.” (A Reformed Pastor).

Besides being urgent is the need to be relevant. The word spoken will need to take into account different people in different situations. People need to be faced with themselves, and see what they are in God’s sight. Warnings and reproaches must not be done in a superior way, but using “we” rather than “you”, i.e. “we are all guilty”, “we have failed.” Encouragements are needed, so as not to leave men in despair. The promises of God speak of God’s welcome and love, and of almighty strength for our weakness. In summary, “Disturb the comfortable, and comfort the disturbed.”

Preaching must be done with great patience. We cannot pressurize the congregation into making a decision when they are not convinced. We must not get irritated by people’s slowness or lack of response. Never despair, but be prepared for a long wait with some people. Wait patiently for the Holy Spirit to work.

Fourthly, careful instruction, not emotional appeal, is what is needed. Give a clear exposition of the truth which God has revealed, i.e. Bible based preaching, such as Paul demonstrated in his three years at Ephesus, both publicly and as he went house to house: I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God (Acts 20:27).

Why Timothy must preach the Word

Timothy was young, physically weak, and had a timid disposition. He was living in difficult and dangerous times. We can imagine him quaking as he reads the solemn charge Paul gives him. His knees must have knocked. Therefore Paul adds incentives. There are three directions Timothy is told to look in: (1) Christ’s Return, (2) the contemporary situation, and (3) Paul’s approaching martyrdom. We shall consider (1) and (2) today, and (3) next time.

(1) Christ’s return as judge and king is the first incentive that Timothy is given to preach the Word. Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom (2 Timothy 4:1). Paul is not giving this charge in his own name or his own authority, but in the presence of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Note how prevalent and all pervasive is Paul’s conviction about the Lord’s Return. The Advent certainly dominated the early epistles, especially Thessalonians, but it is still present right at the end, in this, his last letter. Paul’s whole living and service was influenced and conditioned by an awareness of Christ’s return in glory. He is coming back to judge and consummate His reign. Christians are those who love and long for His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8).

The time of the Lord’s Return is unknown, and when that time comes, hearers and preachers will have to give account of stewardship. Therefore be ready, have everything in perfect order for His return. If we attended to this, we would be less worried about men’s criticism, and less concerned about men’s approval. His “well done” should be the only one that matters.

(2) The contemporary situation was a further incentive to Timothy to preach. The people were not interested in the truth, or preachers who gave sound teaching. They wanted the kind of teachers who told them what they wanted to hear. Myths were more acceptable than truths. Their itching ears were itching for novelty and the latest craze or fad. God’s Word was not important to them. Bible teaching was too personal and too challenging for them. They were governed by their own tastes, and wanted teachers who pandered to those tastes.

In light of all this, Timothy was not to shut up and keep quiet, or take his lead from the prevailing patterns of his day. Because the people were unstable in mind and conduct, Timothy had to be steady, balanced, self-controlled and calm: keep your head in all situations. Timothy must persist in his sound teaching, and be prepared to suffer for it: endure hardship. People were ignorant of the Gospel, and for that very reason, Timothy was to be an evangelist: do the work of an evangelist. The best way to answer ignorance and misunderstandings is to preach the truth.

Finally Timothy was to persevere in the work God had called him to, no matter what others were doing: discharge all the duties of your ministry. It may be hard for Timothy to get a hearing for the Gospel, but he was not to be discouraged or put off. Nor should he water down the message or be cowed into silence. The present situation was to spur him on all the more. The harder the times, the deafer the people, the clearer and more persuasive his proclamation ought to be. “The more determined men are to despise Christ’s teaching, the more zealous Godly ministers should be to assert it.” (Calvin).

This is a very relevant message to our own times. People are ignorant of the Gospel, resistant, misunderstanding, or sidetracked by heresy and cults. We are to preach the message faithfully, clearly, boldly and fearlessly.

Conclusion

Preach the Word. Be earnest, relevant, patient, and teach carefully. Do so because of the Lord’s return and because of the chaotic contemporary scene.