The lead scripture today follows 2 Timothy 2:8–10…it is in these verses that Paul gives Timothy a pep talk. From the book of Timothy 4:1–5 we find the challenge and the charge. I realize it’ll probably take up some space, but it would only be fair to to put those verses here, for clarities sake, as we start this week’s blog.

2 Timothy 4:1-5

New International Version

4 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: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people 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. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

We will start with that pep talk from 2 Timothy 2:8–10. 

Paul has presented him with many examples in order to impress him of the importance of his task but none greater than the challenge to Remember Jesus Christ. A writer has written in the past that these words are ‘the heart of the Pauline gospel.’ There is no need to use a bunch of words to state the very obvious…Without the cross and the resurrection our faith is without merit. 

Paul continues on to urge Timothy to stay strong in the faith. There are some strong points that he reminds Timothy of. He reminds him to keep your mind on Christ. He’s fully human from David’s line and fully victorious. After all he was risen from death. “There is such a thing Timothy as the unbound word”, men can imprison preachers, but no one can stop or trap the message of God. Paul reminds Timothy that he must have an endurance for others. He must accept pain and trial willingly, he must do this to help others reach salvation, and eternal life.

In these few verses we see a pep talk and a challenge from the Apostle Paul to Timothy. Chapter 4 of 2 Timothy. Versus 1–5 is where we read that the Apostle Paul gives a solemn charge to Timothy. He commands him to faithfully preach God’s word, to warn against false teachers who will reject truth for myths and to stay strong through hard times to finish his work. There’s nothing really very complicated here. It’s a solemn charge. Paul reminds Timothy of future judgment in Christ’s coming kingdom, Timothy, must share God’s message at all times whether convenient or not. He must reprove rebuke and extort people using great patience and good teaching. He also leaves Timothy with a warning. He tells him that the time is coming when people will hate sound doctrine. They’ll choose to follow their desires. They will be people with what we might call itching ears, who will look for teachers who tell them what they want to hear. They will walk away from the truth and only believe that which they want to hear. This will bring us to the charge which is a call to steadfastness. Stay calm, Timothy, you must keep a clear and steady mind in all situations you must be ready to suffer for the faith, you must do the work of the evangelist and finish your ministry. Our ministry has been given to us by God and it is intended to be for eternity. It is my hopeful prayer that each one of us will do the work of an evangelist and finish the ministry we have been given.

Life is Good

jk