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. (4:1-2)
Being a pastor, this passage certainly sticks out to me. As Paul faces imminent death at the hands of Nero, he gives his final charge to Timothy. He is passing the baton to the next runner in the race. And what is on Paul’s mind before he hands off the baton? “Preach the Word!” I have always heard that you need to keep the main thing the main thing. According to Paul, the main thing is knowing and faithfully preaching/teaching God’s Word to others. It is God’s Word, taught with “great patience and careful instruction,” that corrects, rebukes, and encourages us.
Why are we to keep God’s Word as our focus?
For the time will come when men 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. (4:3-4)
It is human nature to want to hear what we want to hear. Many times when we go for advice, we go to someone whom we think will tell us what we want to hear. Changing how we think or live is hard stuff; therefore we usually avoid it and seek out alternatives that require less personal change. Paul indicates that in the future this tendency will become magnified as people will become even more self-absorbed and more unwilling to hear correction or rebuke, especially from God’s Word. “Who are you to judge me and tell me that what I am doing is wrong?” I think we have arrived at that age. Thus Paul says it is imperative to know sound doctrine, teach it, and live it.
But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (4:5)
The “but you” stands out. No matter what the world or anybody else does, you follow after God. What does following after God look like in such a world?
- Keep your head in all situations. Be clear-minded. Don’t get sidetracked or go off on tangents. Stay balanced and focused. (Sounds like 1 Peter 4:7 again!)
- Endure hardship. If you are going to go against the world system and “political correctness,” then be prepared for some rough roads.
- Do the work of an evangelist. Keep living and sharing your faith with others as opportunity allows. Don’t let intimidation or opposition silence your witness.
- Discharge all the duties of your ministry. Use your gifts and keep serving others.
In the end, such a life grows in intimacy toward Jesus Christ, impacts the lives of others, and receives God’s reward (4:6-8).
Lord, thank You for Your grace and great patience with me. Increase my knowledge and love of You and Your Word. Give me courage to stand for You. Use me to make a difference in this world, one life at a time.