2 Timothy 4:1-22

This is the last chapter of the Bible that Paul wrote.  The book of Titus follows this book, but it was written before this final letter to Timothy.  I think there is great value in paying close attention to the final words of great men like this.  These words might not necessarily be more important than other teachings, but I do think they merit special attention as we consider what the Spirit inspired Paul to write in this final chapter.  We will be well served by following this advice.
PREACH THE WORD: Of all the responsibilities that a young minister must fulfill, this one cannot be over emphasized.  We must be men of the Word.  We must know the Word and we must make the Word known to others.  People do not always want to hear the Word, but we are called, not to give men what they want, but to give them what they need.  This world, like the world in Paul’s and Timothy’s day, needs the Word of God.  The public and private proclamation of the Word of God is the primary responsibility of the minister.  Too often, we become distracted from this priority by building projects and elaborate programs that sap us of all our time and energy.  We must protect ourselves from this trap.  God has called us to proclaim His Word as it is the source of salvation, correction, discipleship, perfection and the equipping of sinful men for the glory of God.  God is in the business of changing lives and the tool He uses to bring about that change is the faithful teaching of His Word.
PURSUE ETERNAL REWARDS: Paul was well aware of the fact that he was at the end of his ministry.  He had run well and was about to finish well.  This should be the goal of every minister.  Far too often we see men start well, but somewhere along the line they lose their way and end up finishing very poorly.  That was not the case for Paul and he wanted the same thing for Timothy and us.  What was the secret of Paul finishing well?  I believe it was his constant focus on the eternal rewards promised by God as opposed to the immediate rewards provided by the pleasures of sin.  Paul looked forward to the appearing of Christ and it was this eager anticipation for the eternal that allowed Paul to be faithful in the present.  We must set our hearts and focus our efforts on that which is eternal.  If we will do this, the disappointments of this world will fade, the suffering of this world will be made lighter and the pleasures of sin will lose their appeal.  May God help us to set our affections on the eternal.
PARTNER IN MINISTRY: I think that it is very significant that Paul ends this letter telling Timothy to come and be with him one last time and to bring Mark along with him.  The ministry by definition is a partnership with other people.  If we do not have partners in the ministry we do not have true ministry.  We might have impressive buildings and vibrant programs, but true ministry involves partnering with people to become more like Christ.  Many of Paul’s partners had abandoned him and become enamored with the pleasures of sin.  They left on their own and, in many cases, I believe their lives became unproductive and they ended up finishing very poorly.  If we are going to be faithful preachers of God’s Word and be able to finish well, we must recognize our need for partnerships in ministry and personal edification.  We need others to minister with us and to minister to us.  If we think we can go it alone, we will inevitably fail.  May God give us the wisdom to recognize our utter dependence on His grace and our necessity of the body of Christ to help us be able to live our lives to the glory of God.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than any of the other people of his
Read more

1 Timothy 1:3-7

As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not   to teach any different doctrine,   nor   to devote themselves to myths and endless   genealogies, which promote   speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.    The aim of our charge is love   that issues from a pure heart and   a good conscience and   a sincere faith.    Certain persons, by   swerving from these, have wandered away into   vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law,   without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.   There will always be false teachers that come into the church attempting to distract people from the truth and destroy people’s faith.  When this happens, it is the job of spiritually mature leaders to confront these false teachers and correct their teachings.  However, it is important that this correction be accomplished with the right motives and methods. 
Read more

1 Timothy 2:11-15

Let a woman learn quietly   with all submissiveness.    I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.    For Adam was formed first,   then Eve;   and Adam was not deceived, but   the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.    Yet she will be saved through   childbearing—if they continue in   faith and love and holiness, with self-control. There is certainly controversy and confusion about this passage in many churches today.  The idea of a distinction between men and women and their roles in the family and church certainly goes against the flow of many cultures around the world.  Some would argue that the literal and plain teaching of this passage is no longer applicable to today’s culture.  However, it is always dangerous to discard biblical teaching or try to interpret Scripture based on the cultures in which we live.  Certainly, the Spirit who inspired this text was aware of the many changes that would occur in future cul
Read more