We must preach urgently, fearlessly, evangelistically, and purposefully, because many have turned aside from the truth to myths.
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Preach The Word! – Pt. 2
2 Timothy 4:1-5
In 2 Timothy 4, the apostle Paul is laying upon Timothy a weighty and solemn charge. The charge is basically this – Preach the Word! In chapter 1, he is told to guard the gospel. In chapter 2 he is told to suffer for the gospel. In chapter 3 he is told to continue in the gospel. But in chapter 4, as Paul comes to his climax, he charges him to preach the gospel.
It does appear that the Biblical Preacher/Teacher has fallen upon hard times. This is true partly because of the video age in which we live. We are told that the present generation can’t concentrate on a sustained discourse for more than 10 or 15 minutes. Our people are used to watching TV, in which every 10-12 minutes there is a break for commercials. They want to be entertained. They want someone who will make them laugh, and then make them cry. They want short sound bites. They are visually driven, being raised in the video age, and preaching and teaching is just not dramatic and exciting enough. Much of the church today has gone the way of the seeker-sensitive movement in which we try to scratch where the people are itching. In other words, if we do preach, we do so on subjects that will be of interest to them, such as Wise Financial Management, or How To Have A Blessed Marriage, or Raising Great Kids, or How To Have Peace during the Stress of the Holidays. We are told that we need to keep these “sermons” to 20 minutes at the most, because people are just not interested enough to listen to a 45-50 minute sermon, especially if it is the explanation and application of Scripture. However, there are many strong, thriving, growing churches across the country that prove this theory wrong every week. These churches have pastors who preach 45 to 75 minutes every Sunday. Their theme every week is the Word of God. Though there may be many who are bored with Biblical exposition, there are many others who hunger for it, and grow because of it, and must have it. At The Bridge, we will be a church that is absolutely devoted to the Teaching/Preaching of the Word of God, book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse.
So, if I want to be a faithful preacher/teacher, if you want to be a faithful preacher/teacher, what do we need to pursue? What do we need to focus on? What do we need to pray that God would do in our lives?
Last Sunday we saw that we must preach Solemnly “I solemnly 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 kingdom”.
We must preach Biblically, “Preach the word.”
We must preach Continually “Be ready in season and out of season.”
We must preach Faithfully “Reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and instruction.”
This morning we are going to continue looking at this great section of Scripture, and we’re going to learn that we must also preach Urgently, Fearlessly, Evangelistically, and Purposefully.
5. Preach Urgently
For the time will come: Here Paul utters a prophecy. This is not the first time he has given Timothy a prophecy. In 1st and 2nd Timothy, he gives three prophecies.
1 Tim. 4:1-3, “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.”
2 Tim. 3:1-5, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.”
2 Tim. 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.”
These prophecies point to a difficult time coming in the future. It will be a time in which some apostatize from the faith teaching false doctrines. Even though men will be outwardly religious, they will live in sin. Not only that, but they will turn from the truth, and bring in teachers who will tell them what they want to hear.
When they will not endure sound doctrine: There will come a time in which people are not as concerned that their pastors tell them the truth, as they are that their pastors tell them what they want to hear. They won’t “abide” or “tolerate” sound doctrine. Sound doctrine is healthy teaching. It is teaching that is in accord with godliness. It is doctrine that causes God’s people to grow to spiritual maturity. It is doctrine that promotes humility, faith, righteousness, zeal for the lost, love for God and His glory.
But wanting to have their ears tickled they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires: The NLT puts it this way, “They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.” In other words, they will look for teachers who will scratch them where they itch. If they want to be rich and healthy, they’ll find teachers who will tell them that is God’s will for them. If they want to believe that their children are saved because they made a profession of faith when they were 10 years old even though they no longer live for Him, they’ll find someone who will tell them that. If they want to believe that God exists to make them happy, there are plenty of preachers who will be happy to announce that as gospel truth. If they want to believe they can go to heaven, even though they won’t forsake their sin, they’ll find preachers who will tell them that. Friends, it’s a very dangerous thing to choose a church based on the fact that the preacher tells you what you want to hear. If the preacher/teacher of a church never says anything you don’t like, he’s probably not preaching the truth. Let’s face it – a lot that is in this Book goes against our carnal, fleshly nature. Don’t listen to a man of God because he always says what you like. Listen to a man of God because he always says what God has said in this Book!
Notice that they accumulate “for themselves.” They are self-absorbed, and self-centered. They are only concerned about what they want. They are not concerned about God’s will, God’s desires, or God’s glory. It is all about them.
And will turn away their ears from the truth, and will be turned aside to myths: What are these Myths they will be turned away to? I’ll give you a few.
- The myth that we are experiencing Hell right now.
- The myth that there are many roads to God, and as long as you believe in something and are sincere, you will make it to heaven.
- The myth that almost everyone (except for Hitler, rapists, and serial killers) will go to heaven.
- The myth that you need to learn to love yourself before you can love God or others.
- The myth that the reason Christ died for you is because you were so valuable to Him.
- The myth that we need to believe in ourselves, and all of our untapped potential.
- The myth that God exists to make us happy.
- The myth that if you just raise your hand or walk an aisle at an altar call, you are saved, and should never doubt it again.
- The myth that you can be saved without repenting of sin.
- The myth that as long as you “make your decision for Christ”, or “ask Jesus into your heart”, or “accept Christ”, you are saved forever, even if you continue to live in sin or neglect of Christ.
- The myth that you can have your best life now. (If you are having your best life now, you’re headed for Hell, because your future, eternal life with Christ in heaven, will be MUCH better than this life.)
- The myth that God wants every Christian to enjoy complete health and wealth right now.
- The myth that God doesn’t want His people to suffer.
- The myth that the Christian life is an easy one.
- The myth that a person can have no hunger for and delight in God, and go to heaven.
- The myth that living for earthly riches, or sensual pleasures is more fulfilling and satisfying than living for Jesus Christ.
The NASB says they will turn aside to myths, but the original actually says “they will be turned aside to myths.” The verb is passive, not active. In other words, they will actively turn away their ears from the truth. Then in judgment upon them, God will turn them aside to myths. In other words, He will allow them to be deceived by myths as a divine judgment on them for turning from the truth.
All through 1st and 2nd Timothy, Paul has been telling Timothy how important it is to know and obey the truth.
1 Tim. 2:4, “God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
1 Tim. 3:15, “I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”
1 Tim. 4:3, “men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.”
1 Tim. 6:5, “men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.”
2 Tim. 2:18, “men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and thus they upset the faith of some.”
2 Tim. 2:25, “with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,”
2 Tim. 3:7, “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
2 Tim. 3:8, “And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected as regards the faith.”
Well, in spite of how important it is to know and obey the truth, these folks consciously and willfully turn their ears away from the truth. What’s the result? God causes them to be turned aside to myths.
I want you to feel how serious this is. What is the result when someone turns aside from the truth, and instead embraces myths? They are lost forever! In 2 Thess. 2:10-12 Paul says, “and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”
What we have here is a prophecy that in the history of the church there will be many who will willfully turn away from the truth, because it is not in accordance with their own desires. Instead, they will be turned aside to myths, and will perish in their own deception and wickedness. Oh, that is a solemn thought! That’s why I say that we must preach urgently! We must raise up our voices and proclaim the truth of God’s Word, in hope that God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth. It doesn’t matter if most Christians are following after teachers who are telling them what they want to hear. We must refuse to follow their example, and instead walk the narrow path that leads to life. And preachers must preach urgently. We know that if we are unable to persuade men to forsake these lies, and myths, and deceptions, that they will perish in hell. So, we must urgently preach the truth, praying that it might not be too late, that they may not be deceived and turned aside to myths.
Oh, you men who preach, preach urgently! Preach as a dying man to dying men, never sure to preach again.
6. Preach Fearlessly
Paul says in verse 5, “But you, be sober in all things.” This takes us back to Paul’s first point in verse 1, that we are to preach solemnly and soberly. Then he says, “endure hardship.” Now, why would Timothy experience hardship? I’ll tell you one thing, those preachers who are tickling ears aren’t experiencing hardship. They are receiving all the reward they are ever going to get right now. They are living for the applause and approval of man. However, if Timothy is to preach the way Paul is telling him to, it’s going to mean hardship and suffering. He’s going to face opposition. If Timothy boldly tells them the truth, they are going to rise up against him, because they don’t want to hear it. So, Paul tells him to endure hardship. Be prepared for suffering, and be willing to embrace it for the cause of the gospel. Preach fearlessly, in spite of what men may try to do to you. God is on your side! Our world has seen many fearless preachers – John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and the apostle Paul, and the countless martyrs throughout church history . It was said of John Knox at his grave, “There lies a man who never feared the face of any man.” Spurgeon once said, “I cannot shape the truth. I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges of a doctrine. John Knox’s gospel is my gospel. That which thundered through Scotland must thunder through England again.” Jesus said, “My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who after He has killed has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!”
7. Preach Evangelistically
Paul told Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist.” Well, what is the work of an evangelist? It’s to proclaim the gospel. So, what is the gospel? According to 1 Cor. 15:3-4, it is the good news that God has made salvation available to sinners through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Did you notice in that definition, that the gospel is all about Jesus Christ? It’s all about His righteous life, His wrath-absorbing death, and His victorious resurrection. So, if we are to do the work of an evangelist, it must mean that we will be busy proclaiming Jesus Christ.
The content of preaching is The Word, but the focus of preaching is Jesus Christ. In verse 2 Paul tells Timothy to preach the word, which, in context, refers to the sacred writings of 3:15, and Scripture of 3:16. So, we are to preach the word, all the word. But is there any primary focus or target we are to keep in view as we preach? There most assuredly is. It is the Lord Jesus Christ. Spurgeon once said to a young preacher, “From every town, village, and little hamlet in England, wherever it may be, there is a road to London… and so from every text in Scripture there is a road to the metropolis of the Scriptures, that is Christ. Your business is, when you get to a text, is to say, ‘Now, what is the road to Christ?”
Just as salt flavors every meal and makes it tasty, so Christ flavors every sermon and makes it into a delicious spiritual meal. Jesus Christ is the source of the sinner’s salvation, but He is also the source of the saint’s sanctification. Whether your need is to be saved, or to overcome sin, or to grow in spiritual maturity, Jesus Christ, and Him crucified is your great need. Wherever you look in your New Testament, you will see the apostles take saints and sinners alike to Christ to find the answer in Him. To put it in a nutshell, our preaching should be Christ-centered Biblical exposition.
So, the command, “Do the work of an evangelist” applies to all faithful pastors. They may not be evangelists, but they need to do the work of one. Whenever they open God’s word to feed the sheep, they also need to make sure there is enough of Christ in it to save the lost. And, to tell you the truth, I love to preach the gospel. I think I find more delight in preaching the gospel, than in teaching the word to believers. Because Jesus Christ is the great love of my life, it is no hard duty to preach Him, especially since this message may be used of God to change someone’s eternal destiny. Yes, sin and the law must be preached, but only to make people thirsty for Jesus Christ. Christ is truly the center and focus of all evangelical preaching!
8. Preach Purposefully
Paul told Timothy, “fulfill your ministry.” In other words, do it, and do it all the time, until it is fully accomplished. Don’t stop short of fighting the good fight until you have won. Don’t stop until you have run your course to the very end. Don’t stop until you have kept the faith. Fulfill the ministry which you have received.
So, what is the ministry of a faithful shepherd? I believe we have the answer in Acts 20. In that passage, Paul has gathered the pastors of the church at Ephesus together. He says in verse 20, “I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house.” Then in verse 24 he says, “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” Then in verse 26 and 27 he says, “Therefore I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” For Paul, to fulfill his ministry meant that he would teach and preach the whole purpose of God, not holding back anything that was profitable.
Paul is really encouraging Timothy to fulfill his ministry by not holding back anything that is profitable, but to preach the whole counsel of God. As Paul says over in Colossians 1:28, “And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.” We preach purposefully. We have a purpose in view. That purpose is to so preach that we are innocent of the blood of all men. That purpose is to present every man complete in Christ. That purpose is to declare the whole purpose of God. We don’t preach just because we like to preach. No we preach to accomplish something. We are preaching to save sinners, and sanctify saints and equip them for works of service. We also preach so that those who will not repent will have no excuse on the day of judgment.
Life Application
Preachers – Perhaps God is calling some of the men in this church to preach. If so, you have a tremendous description of faithful preaching which is pleasing to God in this passage. It must be done solemnly, Biblically, continually, faithfully, urgently, fearlessly, evangelistically, and purposefully.
Solemnly – If you do preach, don’t do it flippantly. Do it knowing that God and Jesus Christ are watching and listening, and that you will give an account to Christ as judge for your life and ministry.
Biblically – Make sure that you are expounding the word of God. Your jokes, stories, anecdotes, creativity and wit will not change lives. God’s word will.
Continually – Be ready to go at all times, whether it is convenient or inconvenient, you are well received or despised, whether you feel like it or not. Discipline yourself to proclaim truth week after week regardless of the circumstances.
Faithfully – Be faithful to your hearers to rebuke and reprove the sins in their life, and then encourage them to apply Biblical truth in order to make progress in holiness.
Urgently – Knowing that many won’t endure sound doctrine but will want you to scratch where they itch. So, make sure that you aren’t simply telling people what they want to hear, but telling them what they need to hear – the truth of the living God!
Fearlessly – Be willing to endure the suffering and hardship you will receive for being faithful to your calling. You are going to need to absolutely committed and determined that you will proclaim God’s truth no matter what!
Evangelistically – Preach Christ and Him crucified. Preach sin and the law in order to help your hearers understand their desperate need for a Savior, and then lift up Christ as the great Savior of sinners. Let them know that His grace is free and undeserved, and is received through faith alone.
Purposefully – Preach for a desired purpose, to present every man complete in Christ. Go on and give them the whole counsel of God. Don’t hold back anything that is profitable, so that you are innocent of the blood of all men.
The Bridge – This is the kind of preaching you want to hear week in and week out. This is the kind of preaching that God will bless to the salvation of souls, and the building up of His church. If at any point, we don’t preach like this, the church will decline and start to die. So, make sure that doesn’t happen. May God help The Bridge to always be a place where we preach the word!
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