Preach the Word
2 Timothy 4:1-22
Key Verse 4:2
“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.”
This letter was written almost 2000 years ago. However, it accurately reflects the times we live in and its messages remain highly relevant to us. Indeed, all scriptures is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness for people of every generations. This letter was written for Timothy, but it also speaks to us as “Timothy” in our generation as servants of God who carry the work of the gospel.
In Ch1, Paul encourages us by reminding us that God has given us the Spirit of power, love and self-discipline and that he has saved us and called us because of his own purpose and grace. In Ch2, he commands us to be excellent Bible teachers who correctly handle the word of truth. In Ch3, reminding of his own example, Paul urge us to continue living life of faith, trusting in the Holy Scriptures that make one wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
We now come to the final chapter which is like Paul’s last words to Timothy. Though Paul wrote this letter from a prison cell, fully aware that his martyrdom was coming, without a hit of sorrow or fear, Paul solemnly addresses the charge to Timothy. “Preach the word!” Also, he testifies to his victorious life of faith, saying “I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” May God help us to accept His calling to preach the Word. May God teach us Paul’s faith so that we can carry this charge with the same faith in our generations.
I. Preach the word (1-5)
How do we view our 1:1 Bible Study, Campus outreach, Daily bread gatherings, Friday Meetings, even Sunday worship Service? It may seem like our efforts are insignificant and have no impact at all against the tide of unbelief, immorality, materialism, and pleasure-seeking. I am sure Timothy felt that way too.
Look at verse 1. “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.” First of all, Paul was seeking to open Timothy’s eyes to the importance of what he was called to do. Timothy was not merely serving man-made organization. By his witness, he was involved in the most significant business, God’s business to save sinners. He was serving God’s will to advance the kingdom of God and to cause the will of God to be done on earth as it is done in heaven. There is no higher calling than serving one lost sheep through 1:1 Bible Study and sharing one word of God. Once Lyndon B Johnson (36th President of the United States) asked Billy Graham to be one of the members in his administration. Without a moment’s thought Billy said, “Sir, I believe that Jesus Christ has called me to preach his gospel. To me that is the highest calling any man could have on earth.”
Second of all, his calling was not from man, but from God Almighty. Paul said, “I give you this charge.” This charge (calling) is not from Paul himself, but it is from God; from the Risen Christ Jesus who has all authority in heaven and on earth and who is coming back in his glory to judge the living and the dead. Paul reminded Timothy that he is serving God, the Creator, the one who is Sovereign over all mankind. Like Timothy, we are also saved and called to serve God, the Creator.
Then, what are the charges? Look at verse 2. “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.” “Preach the word!” that was the solemn command from God and Christ Jesus. The word “preach” means “herald.” “Preach” means to “Proclaim” the message on behalf of Jesus our King. It is to proclaim what God has done for sinner through Jesus. God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, Jesus. As the Lamb of God, he sacrificed himself on the cross for the sin of the world. Then, God raised him from the dead. Anyone who hears his words and believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Only in Jesus and in His word can sinner be saved from sin and from eternal commendation. Sinners must hear this wonderful the gospel of salvation in Christ Jesus. Because there is No any other way of salvation for sinners. The gospel, what God has done for sinners must to preached to the end of the earth. In the world, there are many needs for people. There are Basic needs such as food and water, shelter, safety and security, education, and medical care. There are also social or emotional needs such as social connections, justice, and love. However, the fundamental need for all mankind is salvation from sin. Only in the gospel, we can find salvation.
“Preach the Word!” This command is for all the people of God. Every one of us is called to proclaim the gospel of Jesus to all nations. As the king’s messengers, we may preach the word in every circumstance of life! Someone might think what we are doing here does not have any impact at all to change the world. However, we are engaging in the most important the work of God – preaching the gospel of Jesus to young campus students. Sharing one word with a stranger on the campus, teaching the word of God through 1:1 Bible Study, sharing Jesus’ love and his grace through our life of serving and life of giving are such important and significant work because faith for salvation comes from hearing the words of God.
There was a girl who was born in a wealthy family and grew up in Mississippi like a princess of Mississippi. In her college year, she accepted Jesus as her savior through Romans 3:24 “… and are justified freely by his grace through redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” For 23–year-old lady, what might be the most important things? Education, career development, or building meaningful relationship? However, she took God’s words as of the first importance. “Preach the Word” “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” It was because she knew the most need for people is the gospel of Jesus. At the age of 23 she went to Korea to preach the gospel in 1954, turning aside all other offers and invitations to live a luxurious life. Through her bible studies, so many Korea students had heard the gospel and been saved. Not only that, they have went out to preach the word to all nations – America, Russia, China, Africa, and even Middle East.
Then, how should we preach the word? Look at verse 2. In the first place, we must “Be prepared in season and out of season.” It means to preach the word with urgency and at all times. Paul was always ready to preach the word anywhere – in synagogues, in market places, in courts, in prisons, and anyone; Jews, religious leaders, Gentiles, governors, kings, soldiers, even prisoners. He was always ready to preach even in a harsh, critical, and unbelieving environment.
How can we always be prepared like Paul? First, we must have the words of God in our hearts. When our hearts are filled with business/games/movies/songs/girls or boys of the world, God cannot bless our bible teachings. We must be always ready spiritually to teach through much prayer, testimony writing and personal bible study.
Second, we must have a broken shepherd heart for the lost. Young people are suffering and perishing under the shadow of sin and death. Paul testified in 1Cor 9:16, “For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.” Wherever he went, first he went into a synagogue and preached the word of God. His primary concern was always preaching the word for he deeply knew how people were suffering and dying in their sins without hearing the word of God. The compassion compelled him to preach.
For the last 60 years, God has blessed UBF ministry abundantly. It is because we consider Bible Study as of the most important. To teach the bible, some skipped classes; others traveled for hours to visit their sheep; many mothers of prayer visited campus and invited students all day long; others even postpone their graduation to remain in a campus. We have served one 1:1 study the bible with life-giving spirit as a matter of life and death. We have done so because we firmly believe that only Jesus is the way of salvation and his words is the words of life. Then, God has greatly used UBF for world mission over 100 countries.
Thank God for M. Abraham Lee’s great compassion, going out campus in season and out of season. Many come and go, but still they have heard the gospel of Salvation. Since the word of God never fails, it will grow and bear fruits of salvation! Let us preach / proclaim the gospel of Jesus!
Look at verse 2b. “correct, rebuke, and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.” This tells Timothy to be a shepherd and disciple-maker for God’s flocks. Being a Bible Teacher is not just to share knowledge of the bible, but also to shepherd them by correcting, rebuking, and encouraging with the word of truth. We may teach God’s love and grace, but also teach God’s righteous judgment and deal with sin problem by correcting their value system and understanding of the truth. By rebuking their sins, we may guide them to bring their sins under the light of truth and sincerely repent of it. Otherwise, they will remain as a sheep or bible students forever. Jesus rebuked his top disciple Peter, even calling him „Satan,“ for he truly loved him and trained him to be a shepherd for God’s flock. We should also encourage those who study the Bible to devote themslves to God. All these are to be done with great patience and careful instruction. A victorious and fruitful shepherd life does not depend on one‘s ability, an academic career or human conditions, but it depends only on if he truly has a great shepherd heart for others. We learn it from Jesus who bore his disciples with great patience and careful instruction until each of them received one word of God.
Look at verses 3-4. “Sound Doctrine” refers to the gospel that leads people to repentance of their sins and to faith in Jesus. In the last days people would abandon sound doctrine and turn their ears to what their itching ears wanted to hear. According to NYT, by 2030, 100,000 churches –about 20% of the current number -will be closed. In these last days, people are not interested in spirituality or truth. In such time, what should we Christians do?
Look at verse 5. “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” “Keep your head” means to be calm; not get into anger nor depression or despair. Rather, keep on doing the work of evangelists that is to preach the gospel with great patience and careful instruction. To do so, we need to have a firm foundation of our faith, the word of truth. Instead of being swayed by the world, we should stand firm on the word of truth, for only Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
II. I have kept the faith (6-8)
Here, Paul testified how he has carried the mission given to him. Look at verse 6. “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.” Facing his imminent death, Paul has no hint of sorrow and fear. He did not see his death as a horrible disaster. Rather, he regarded it as a drink offering to God, so that he was willing to offer it to God completely.
Also, he viewed his death as “departure.” Where is he going? He is going to the Home, the kingdom of God. He looked toward his death with great expectation to depart to the kingdom of God. What a wonderful view of death it is. There is no fear, no regrets. It is because he has the living hope in the kingdom of God through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Look at verses 7-8. Here he testified about his life of mission. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” He did not boast about his worldly accomplishments, nor did he become melancholic. Instead, he testified about his faith.
In the first place, Paul said “I have fought the good fight.” Paul saw himself as a soldier of Christ Jesus. As a good soldier of Christ, he had fought the good fight, especially to spread the gospel of Jesus. In fact, his life of faith was a constant spiritual fight against his sinful nature, and against Satan. The devil tempted him to live an easy-going life; it threatened him to stop preaching the word. However, Paul never surrendered, never stop fighting the good fight against the devil. The devil could not break him down. How could this be? Paul testified in 1 Cor12:9-10 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me… for when I am weak, then I am strong.” Though he himself was weak, he depended on God’s mighty power through faith in Jesus. That is His secrete of victorious life, Jesus Christ. As Soldiers of Christ, he did not fight not by his strength, but by fait and won the victory and render glory to God. They can triumph over the devil by the blood of Jesus and by the word of truth. (Rev12:11)
Paul also said, “I have finished the race.” Usain Bolt is known as the fastest sprinter in the world. But he cannot win against Kipchoge in Marathon. Our life of faith is not short sprint, but it is more like a long-distance run like Marathon. It might be easy to start the race, but it is hard to finish it. Running the race, we must always rely on God’s grace step by step. The devil really wants us to give up running the race of faith, using all kinds of tactics. To finish the race, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus, throwing off all sins that entangle us.
Who can finish the race? Not fast runner! Most of fast runners will not even able to complete a quarter of the race. It is those who never give up! Even Kipchoge who won 17 marathon races could not finish 2024 Olympic race for he gave up. They are like the remnant of God who remains faithful to Him until the end. In this race of faith, the winners are those who never give up faith, no matter what.
Therefore, Paul said, “I have kept the faith.” What does it mean to keep the faith? It means to keep on believing in Jesus no matter what happens. No matter how weak we are or how much we have failed, keep on believing in His Word of promise to make us a kingdom of priest and a holy nation; keep on believing in His Words of truth that when a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it produces many seeds. One Missionary in Bolivia had the first Bible conference with great expectation of a lot of sheep. But, he had the conference without a sheep. Still, he had hold on to the word of promised, John12:24. When he had kept on the faith for his 30 years of missionary life, God has blessed him to raise up spiritual leaders to pioneer 3 cities. Still holding on the word of God, he is praying to raise up servants of the word of God for Bolivia.
We may hold onto the words of truth; the words of promise like a treasure. Living before God and repenting of our sins before him, we may hold the word of truth “The gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.”(Roman1:16) As Paul testified in Romans 1:17, we began our Christian life only by faith. We will finish the Christian life the same way – only by faith.
Look at verse 8. “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” In one of Tolstoy’s story, one man was promised to be given as much land as he could walk around in a single day. From the early morning, he began to run, run, and run to get more land until he collapsed and died. How much land did he receive? Just a six feet long. The final reward from the world is just six pieces of wood (a coffin). But Paul’s reward is the crown of righteousness. This reward is also for all who keep their faith to the end. They will be welcomed by the Master as his son and daughters into his glory, and to share the glory of Jesus. The crown of righteousness from Jesus is better than any achievement in this world, better than the Nobel Prize or better than Olympic gold medal. Jesus himself will give the reward, the crown of righteousness to all, not some, but all who long for his appearing. When we see Jesus, the crown of righteousness will turn all our suffering, pain, and struggles we endured for Him into pure joy in the kingdom of God.
What victorious testimony it is! “I have fought the good fight! I have finished the race! I have kept the faith.” What counts at the end of one’s life before God is not what he has achieved in the world. It is how we fight the good fight- how we run the race of faith and how we keep our faith.
III. Paul’s greetings (9-22)
After Paul gives his final charge, he concludes this letter with some personal remarks. In verses 9-22, there are 17 names. Many people left and deserted him. On the other hand, there were also faithful and diligent co workers who served him such as Crescens in Galatia, Titus in Dalmatia, Luke, Mark, Priscilla, Aquila, Onesiphorus, Timothy and many others. Paul also talks about his first defense. This was a public trial he had to go through, as Christians were being persecuted by the government. In this trial, no one came to his support. It was time to loneliness, betrayal, and abandonment. But Paul did not despair.
Look at verses 17-18. “But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.” In the midst of persecution, the Lord stood with him and gave him strength to testify. The Lord never left him; never forsook him. (Heb13:6). Paul was not angry about being left all alone, because he trusted God to protect him while he was doing His work. God used Paul’s imprisonment to spread the good news to the unbelieving world. He said in v.18, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever.” Paul would eventually be killed. But Paul was sure that the Lord would rescue him from the devil, and will ultimately bring him safely into his heavenly Kingdom. With his assurance, he fought the good fight, he finished the race, and he kept his faith.
Let’s look at Paul’s final charge to Timothy again in v.1-2, “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.”
Preach the word! We are involved in this most important, significant work, advancing the kingdom of God and bring salvation by faith in Christ Jesus through preaching the word of God. May God bless us to preach the word through 1:1 Bible Study and campus-fishing and discipleship ministry. May God bless our fall semester race of faith!