2 Timothy 4:1-5

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.  As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Every occupation requires a job description.  Ministers in the last days must face the rebellious nature of the society armed with the authoritative and powerful Word of God.  The job requires that the Scriptures be preached with boldness even though people may not want to hear it.  The minister is called to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.  Paul challenges Timothy to be faithful no matter how he might be received.

PROCLAIM THE WORD: The Lord has provided a revelation of Himself and truth to His people in the Scriptures.  This is the content that God has inspired so we can know how to live in a way that is pleasing to Him and joyful to us.  The job of the minister is to proclaim this Word to the people of God.  The minister does not have the authority to invent a message or create content.  God has given us the content of our message and it is our job to call His children to obey it.  Ministers will stand before the Lord one day to give an account of their faithfulness at proclaiming the Word of God.  The Scriptures confront the sin our lives, encourage us in the path of obedience, and instruct us in how to live in this world.  This is the work to which a minister is called.  It is not an easy or even enjoyable thing to correct that actions and attitudes of other; but it is the task God calls ministers to complete.

PREPARE FOR OPPOSITION: The content of our proclamation can never be based upon the receptivity of our audience.  The message of Scripture is not easy to hear, is even harder to obey, and is generally offensive to the audience.  This is why the faithful minister needs to prepare for opposition.  People tend to surround themselves with people who tell them the things that they want to hear.  Given the choice, people will strive to find ministers to put in their pulpits that will say these kinds of things.  They will invent man centered content that exalts the man as opposed to glorifying God.  They will negotiate the truth in favor of filling the seats.  This kind of preaching will not lead to salvation or transformation because it is antithetical to the truth.  Those who are faithful to God’s Word will face all kinds of opposition from those who want this kind of false teaching.

PRACTICE THE MINISTRY: No matter how many false teachers are being successful by man’s standards, the true minister must be faithful to practice the ministry for God’s glory.  This entails being sober minded which is to live in wisdom according to the principles of Scripture.  A life oriented by Scripture will generally bring about suffering and hardship because it is confrontational to the society at large and offensive to those who live for their own glory and not the Lord’s.  Ministry requires that we live biblical principles for ourselves as well as call others to faith in Christ and following God’s Word.  We are called to make the glories of God and the Gospel of God knows to the nations and to our neighbors.  Ministry is about reaching the Lost.

APPLICATION: Faithfully proclaim the Word of God in ways that will confront sin and encourage people to live for the glory of God.  Don’t fall into the trap of preaching with other want to hear out of a desire for popularity.  Never compromise the truth for fame.  Lovingly share the Gospel with those around us in both word and deed even if we must suffer to do so. 

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