Final Words Bring Eternal Perspective Series

Final Words Bring Eternal Perspective

Series: Fan the Flame (2 Timothy)

Brad Bailey – February 18, 2024

Intro

We are continuing is a series… allowing God to speak to us from the Biblical Book called 2 Timothy… chapter 4… verses 1-8.

Coming to the final words in the final letter of the Apostle Paul.

There is something profound about such final words.

When one comes to the end of their earthly life… they see what really matters.

All the pretense is stripped away. To the degree that life has been a show…the show is over.

It provides clarity about what really matters.

For those who grasp the sacred… the sacred shines. [1]

Here…the Apostle Paul…writing to younger Timothy…who was like a spiritual son.

While there is something unique about Timothy’s role… there is a shared communal responsibility… and Paul intended these words to be read widely... as they now fall to us in this room. He begins…

2 Timothy 4:1-2

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: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead,

> He is bringing forth what we need to realize is always true.

God is present… and perhaps more accurately…. We are present before God. God is not brought before us…but rather we are brought before his presence.

We tend to live our lives …without being fully conscious of that.

Most of us would admit that if God were right here…if Christ appeared in the center of this room… we would sit up…we would realize the seriousness of what our lives are about. When we grasp that we exist before the one who gave us life… to whom such life is accountable…. We begin to grasp our responsibility. Paul is simply evoking that reality…

Paul adds…… “in view of his appearing and his kingdom”

There is only one Kingdom… all other claims to rule will come and go..

> When you see that we are present before the one everlasting King…you are ready to see your earthly life more clearly… to grasp the charge at hand….

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.

This charge to Timothy to preach the Word… may seem specific to his unique role and calling. He was being entrusted as the pastor-teacher… but there is a word for all.

> The general call to share the Gospel…was given to all.

God’s plan never emphasized anything other than every life bearing this message.

It’s very true that Paul would speak of some being uniquely gifted and called…with distinct roles …but those roles were to equip others. They were not the only lives called to share the word,

Jesus shared his life with all…to be shared by all…

And it all launched out when the whole of the community was forced to scatter…

Acts 8:1-4

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. 4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

Some guy came to kill one of the leaders of the group in Jerusalem… and then came for the rest… and if not familiar… that Saul is now known as Paul… transformed… The very one who had sought to destroy the church…is now the one who is sees what God is doing.

He had once tried to silence God… and God scattered the people…

all except the apostles were scattered …and Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

So everyone became preachers of the Word.

That may conjure up the idea that they stood on street corners and shouted at everyone who passed by.

That wouldn’t have been very well received than…nor today.

The word used for “preach” means to be a herald of the news…the one who comes to town …into whatever space they are a part of…with news of something that changes everything.

> They didn’t shout at people…but they did share the news of what had changed their lives.

The first point imparted to us…

1. Embrace a life that bears one message above all…and share it well.

The central message is this….Jesus was divine … as the one God had said would be sent to save, Jesus was quite clear: he understood this … claimed this…and demonstrated this. And he rose to reveal eternal life… and in the sending of the spirit… has come to dwell with us.