2 Timothy 4 Pt. 1 Faithfully And Fully Preach The Word Of God!

Men who preach the Word of God have a heavy responsibility. 

2 Timothy 4:1  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 

This chapter is connected with the end of the preceding chapter where Paul spoke about holy scriptures that lead us to salvation through repentant faith in Christ. 

It is connected with the fact that scripture is the inerrant, infallible and verbally inspired Word from God to man.

The words "I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ" are potent words. It is the most solemn duty that the apostle could lay upon pastor Timothy. 

The best ministers of the gospel must have a deep sense of awe regarding the discharge of their duty. 

The work of a minister is not something to be approached lightly or with an indifferent attitude.  

A pastor, elder, teacher who is called by God must absolutely be bound to the Lord to preach the good news. 

A "Woe" of judgment is reserved for those who do not preach the Word.

1 Corinthians 9:16  For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 

Paul makes it clear that he took the responsibility of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ as the most serious task he could undertake.

When God calls a man into the ministry, He lays upon him an unmistakable burden to preach, herald and declare truth publicly and from the pulpit. 

Indeed, Paul recognized that a "woe" of judgment is reserved for a pastor who does not faithfully preach the gospel. 

A "woe" is a ruinous calamity of trouble and affliction from God. Thus, these words written to Timothy are very emphatic.

To encourage a pastor to faithfulness, he must always remember that the eye of God and Jesus Christ is upon him. A pastor, teacher or elder has an lifelong obligation to God to preach the Word!

Paul reminds Timothy that the Lord Jesus Christ will appear and all believers will be summoned to His judgment seat. 

This is not for the judgment of sin, but for our faithfulness in preaching the gospel and telling others about Jesus Christ. 

Preach only the Word and be ready all all times and in all places!

2 Timothy 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

Here comes the full duty of a pastor, elder, teacher, lay leader or parent. "Preach the Word!" The world needs it. Our children need it. Our nations need it and Christ's church needs it.

We do not need anymore man centered programs or ideas in our churches. They should all be thrust out and replaced with men who will faithfully preach and declare what God says in His Holy Word. 

Preach the Word! Proclaim the full doctrine of Jesus Christ crucified for the sins of the whole world. 

Preach the Word that "ye must be born again" or else you will die in your sins and await eternal condemnation. 

Preach the whole the doctrine that Gentiles are invited to be fellow heirs of salvation with the Jews. 

Preach the Word to both Jews and Gentiles there is no other salvation but by faith in Christ.

Preach the Word in season and out of season. Preach it whether times be favorable or full of great adversity. 

Preach the Word at every opportunity and if there is no time or place to preach it, make a place and time.

Jesus Christ the Judge is at the door, and eternity is at hand! Wherever we see a sinner, speak to him the gospel of reconciliation. 

All times and places belong to God, and are suitable for preaching His Word. Wherever it can be done it should be done. 

Remember that our great adversary Satan will never overlook a place or time where he can destroy a soul.  

To preach the word is a ministers' business. Pastors, elders, teachers, lay leaders and parents are not to preach what they think about the Word, or what other men say about it. 

They are expressly commanded to preach nothing but the pure plain word of God. They must not corrupt it by trying to make it say something it does not say. 

Here is what God told Adam and Eve.

Genesis 2:17  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 

Here is one little word added by the Devil which led to the Fall.

Genesis 3:4  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 

They must not change it into a lie like the serpent did when he added one little word that deceived Eve in the garden.  

God clearly said that if they disobeyed His command, they would surely die. 

The devil whispered into Eve's ear adding the little word "not" and changes the Word of God into a lie. 

The historical account reveals that both Adam and Eve did indeed die, just as God said they would.

The man of God must never corrupt the Word of God!

2 Corinthians 2:17  For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. 

Paul encountered many false teachers and so called "preachers" who twisted the truth into a lie (Romans 1:25). 

We see them today promoting a false gospel of health, wealth and happiness.  

The man of God must reverently and carefully preach the word. He must read it with clear diction and enunciation to the people. 

He must explain its meaning as simply and accurately as possible so that the people can easily grasp what God says to them. 

Paul was a most faithful preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He dedicated his life to preaching it as long as he had breath.

The word "reprove" means to confute the doctrines of false teachers by exposing them to the light of God's Truth. 

Use the scriptures to overthrow their arguments and prove the error of false teaching.

Timothy must be prepared to censure and sharply admonish those who propagate false teaching. 

He must stand ready to shred their heresy into useless ribbons with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (See Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12).

We do not need more apologetics. The world needs more men who will faithfully preach the inspired Word of God. 

The Word of God is amply sufficient to do the work of converting people to faith in Christ. 

Take delight in preaching the Word of God. 

Psalm 40:8-10  I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. 9)  I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. 10)  I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. 

The Psalmist delighted to do the will of God because he learned God's holy law. He preached the righteousness that the law requires and the salvation that Jehovah provided. 

He left no stone unturned to make sure that all the people who heard him preach, understood what God was saying to them. 

He concealed nothing and highlights the lovingkindness of God with His justice, judgment and holiness. 

A pastor, elder, teacher or parent must preach the whole counsel of scripture to the people he is responsible for. 

Let us carefully examine ourselves to make sure that we preach the Word as God gives us opportunity to do so. 

The passage from Isaiah is applied to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is how He preached and taught the people until His earthly ministry was complete. 

Let us follow our Lord's example.

Isaiah 61:1-3  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2)  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3)  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 

Preaching the gospel brings comfort to the afflicted, liberty to those enslaved to sin, and hope to all who hear and heed the gospel. 

God gave Jonah a second chance to preach. 

Jonah 3:1-5  And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, 2)  Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. 3)  So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey. 4)  And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 5)  So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 

Jonah ran away from the commission to preach that Jehovah laid upon him. God sent a violent storm so that Jonah would be cast overboard and swallowed by a great fish. 

After he repented of neglecting the great duty of preaching the Word, God sent Jonah a second time to preach at Nineveh. 

This time the prophet was faithful and when he preached, the whole city repented of sin as the people believed the Word of God preached by Jonah. 

Let us not be like Jonah who initially ran away from his duty to preach the Word of God. 

Bob