2 Timothy 4
Notes
Transcript
2 Timothy 4
2 Timothy 4
Good morning church! Welcome to Old Town Christian Fellowship, we are resuming our study of 2 Timothy this morning and we will be in the 4th chapter, but where our chapter begins with…I charge you therefore, I want to go back and look at the end of chapter three to see what he is talking about....and there we see 2 Tim 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Just a reminder that this says all Scripture, some ministers or Bible teachers misrepresent this saying all Scripture that is inspired, as if there was Scripture that is inspired and uninspired Scripture, like just the thoughts of men. We know that the Bible was compiled by human instruments, and we read the author’s personalities, their demographics and culture into the text, but it is all written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and therefore ALL Scripture, cover to cover, everything written in this book is true and profitable.
We understand that some of it is written in different literary forms, there is poetry in the Bible and we understand that to all be completely true in its poetic interpretation right? Let me give you an example. David, crying out in pain and despair to the Lord in the Psalms writes, Psalm 6:6
6 I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.
Is David saying I literally cried so much that not just I, but my bed was swimming around the room, and even my couch in the living room was so drenched you could ring it out because I let out about 400 gallons of tears? Of course not, he wept, he cried a lot.
We know some Scripture is historical, some is prophetic and still yet to be fulfilled. Jesus spoke sometimes in parables, The idea behind the word parable is “to throw alongside of.” It is a story thrown alongside the Spiritual truth intended to teach. So all of it is inspired by God and is profitable of doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, to make us complete and to equip us for the work we are called to…so therefore Paul writes to Timothy…2 Tim 4:1-2
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.
Charge or Command! Remember, because the Word of God is given by inspiration from God, and is what we need! But also I charge you or command you, because these are my last words. At least to you my Spiritual son, and to the churches and this in the end, is what is most important to me! That is a great question for all of us this morning and I don’t recall if it made it into our growth group homework or not, but if you knew the end was near for you, what are the things that you would hold most dear? What would you want your last words to your kids to be? To those that you are discipling to be?
Remember we should all have someone spiritually more mature in our lives like a Paul. And we should also have Timothy’s in our lives, people that we are discipling and encouraging in their faith. So those things that you would hold most dear, is the way that you are currently living you life consistent with what you claim to be of greatest importance?
Paul says, Timothy, you need to Preach the Word of God, the full Word of God, and you need to be ready when times are good and when times are bad. Now this is something I share with our Elders all the time around here. I tell them that they need to have a sermon in their back pocket, or in their Bible, or on their electronic device so they are ready to go immediately if need be. Usually, I remind them by saying guys, it’s summertime, I could choke on a hot dog at anytime and drop dead, and church has to happen on Sunday. I said that in our Growth Group the other night and one of our characters looked at me and said are you trying to get us to believe that you only eat hot dogs in the summer time?
Another aspect to this is throughout these letters Paul has repeatedly, over and over again been warning Timothy of the false teachers coming in, spreading false doctrine, deceiving those around them and within the church. Here he starts a transition where is is not just talking about those from the outside, but now the ones within the church will also be hot and cold.
So Timothy, be faithful to teach and preach the Word in season when people are excited and the church is growing, and be ready to teach when the numbers are down. When the people are more attracted to a personality than they are the Word of God. Or begin seeking entertainment over the teaching of God’s Holy Word. When the seats are full and when the faithful are few. We’ve gone through those times here and it will get worse in the latter days.
Pastor Jim, Nicole, can remember us in this room alone during the Covid lock downs preaching to an empty room and a rolling camera. Many of you have come to a midweek service and wondered if we were still going to do it as the numbers were small. Paul says, Preach the Word! Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering (patience) and teaching. Be faithful with faithful endurance.
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.
or myths. They will no longer seek to be taught the truth, but will seek to find others that will confirm for them their truth, and will turn their ears away from Biblical truth and believe popular ideas of the day in exchange God’s truth. So Paul sets him on guard saying....2 Tim 4:5
5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Be watchful in all things, inside the church and outside as these days are coming, endure afflictions and then this next part is interesting…Timothy is instructed to do the work of an evangelist. This is different than stir up the gift that is within you, there’s no indication that Timothy was gifted as an evangelist, Timothy was a pastor/teacher…Paul doesn’t say you are an evangelist, but tells him to do the work of one…I would encourage you guys to dig a little deeper into that in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians in chapter 4 verses 11-12.
That where it says some are given to be prophets, some evangelists…and then gives us the why…for the equipping of the saints (you guys, the church) for the work of ministry, for the edifying (the building up) of the body of Christ,
So Timothy, as a pastor, this is part of fulfilling your ministry. Every Christian should be doing the work of an evangelist, telling others about the cross. About His birth, death, and resurrection. It is telling others about Jesus, what their life was like before, how they came to the realization that they needed a Savior, and how things are different now as a new creation in Christ. But as a pastor Timothy, you also need to be teaching others how to do this in real life, not just standing behind a pulpit. For us gang fulfilling our ministry might look different than it would for a pastor like Timothy. Are we fulfilling our ministry at home? In our marriage, with our ministry to our children, our ministry to others in the church? That’s not on your Growth Group homework, because it should be homework for all of us. To sit down with the Lord and examine ourselves and ask God how we are doing in fulfilling our ministry, ask those closest to us.
Paul now could say…2 Timothy 4:6
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
Now this is something that most of us are unfamiliar with. Maybe not if you were in a biker gang, or you’ve watched a bunch of rap videos where their pouring out 40 over a fallen brother’s grave, or maybe some war movies, pouring out the first shot for those that have fallen. Now I in no way want to make like of this, I’m just trying to find some relate-ability, because probably all of us have never given a drink offering to the Lord.
It is Biblical, all the way back in the book of Genesis, we see Jacob pouring out wine to the Lord. As a full and complete offering, it was as if the wine was going to God along with the Meat sacrifice, but it was completely poured out to him.
I’m mindful of another time, a non-traditional drink offering from King David. There is a story in 2 Samuel, towards the very end chapter 23 or 24 and David is with his mighty men and he makes the remark that he was longing for or wished he had a drink of water from the well in Bethlehem. And at hearing their king’s desire three of his men, risked their lives to break through the Philistine camp, to bring David some of that water. When they brought it to him he would not drink it, he poured it out. He didn’t feel worthy of it, it cost too much, it was too holy in a sense. You might hear that and think what a waste, or what a jerk, or how ungrateful, but it was just the opposite of all of that. It says that David poured it out to the LORD.
Paul could say, I am already being poured out, my life as a whole to the Lord, my head is not yet in the gallows, but the time of my departure is at hand. The idea that men are going to take his life, but he is willingly, and with worship, laying it down for the Lord.
Look what else Paul could say, 2 Timothy 4:7-8
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
I have fought, I have finished, I have kept, that is all past tense because he is at the end. We Christian shouldn’t be speaking in the past tense as long as the Lord has given us a new day. We need to keep fighting the good fight, keep running the race, and we are to keep the faith, and to faithfully endure. I told our Growth Group last week, in my Bible there is a challenging question I wrote at one point in my life and it asks Have you started the Work? Never mind finishing, or continuing, some of you need to grab the baton and get into the race and ask God to give you the faith to do so.
That day- when we see Him. Upon our death or His return and do we love that. No just that He came and made a way for us to be saved, but that He is coming again for His church, the bride of Christ, when we will join Him for all of eternity. Do you love that, do you long for that time. Does your Heavenly perspective give perspective to the days that we are living in. Such That in the midst of chaos you and still have joy, you can still have peace?
Know the end is at hand, Paul now writes, 2 Tim 4:9-11
9 Be diligent to come to me quickly;
10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.
11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.
Forsaken (abandoned). I love verse 11. I’ll tell you why. At one point in Paul’s ministry, he had no use for Mark. Paul and Barnabas were going to go back and visit some the the churches that they had planted. Barnabas wanted to bring Mark and Paul said, no, I don’t think so. He bailed on us on the last trip, I can’t count on him, he’s not coming. The contention between Paul and Barnabas became so great that they separated from each other in ministry and when their separate ways.
Why I love verse 11 is because there was forgiveness and restoration, Paul now says send Mark he is useful to me in ministry, I want him on my team. Far too often due to a mistake, or lack of maturity, or training, something will happen, and we simply write a person off as no good for ministry. It’s interesting that we understand that as time goes buy, we are no longer the same person that we were when that infraction happened. Right? We mature, we learn a little more, gain some experience, maybe some humility…but somehow in our minds that person was frozen in time, and 10 years later, must be in that same state of spiritual immaturity as they were back then.
Well sometimes, there is a Barnabas in their life that is longsuffering, loving, patient and kind, that speaks things into their lives that are edifying, and they change and mature, and are once again useful in the kingdom, and may be a blessing in your life. Remember Paul’s perspective as well, this is the end, these are last words, old words and disputes no longer matter, differences divide and we need unity in the church, so Paul forgives and apparently Mark does too.
12 And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.
13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.
Paul here gives a warning where he forgives, and a couple lines down says he hopes that those that forsook him aren’t punished for, or charged for that offense. But then he names names and warns of this Alexander the coppersmith, who was a traitor against Paul and informed against him. Don’t just think what you think Timothy, or judge by his appearance to you, you need to be watchful in all things, and that means this guy in particular… 2 Tim 4:15-17
15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.
16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.
17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
Probably speaking of Nero 2 Tim 4:18-19
18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!
19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
On-a-siff-or-us 2 Timothy 4:20
20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.
This verse actually tells us a little about spiritual gifts. We see several examples of Paul being used to heal in the new testament, yet here and other places he left his friend sick. So healing was not a resident gift, meaning something in Paul all the time that he could exercise by his own will, otherwise he would have healed himself. But rather healing was a manifestation of the Spirit that was given and granted as the Spirit wills and exercised when God willed it to be so. Verse 21 Paul says hurry up with that cloak, it’s getting cold here… 2 Tim 4:21-22
21 Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.
22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
Grace and Peace!