Marks of the Faithful Preacher, Part 4
2 Timothy 4:5
INTRODUCTION
The dominant element of 1 and 2 Timothy is a series of commands that Paul gave to Timothy. What makes those commands binding not only on Timothy but also on all preachers and teachers is the call of God. What is the call of God? To find out let’s look more closely at that subject.
A. Whom the Lord Calls into Ministry
1. His general call to all believers
Scripture affirms that all believers are to proclaim Christ.
a) Ephesians 2:10—"We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." We are saved for the purpose of doing good works, which include evangelizing the lost.
b) Revelation 22:17—"The Spirit and the bride say, ’Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ’Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost." All who hear and accept God’s invitation for salvation are responsible to proclaim the gospel to others.
c) 1 Peter 2:9—"You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." God’s people are to proclaim Christ to others.
d) 2 Corinthians 5:20—"We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." All believers are responsible to urge the lost to come to Christ.
Charles Spurgeon wrote, "The propagation of the gospel is left, not to a few, but to all the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ: according to the measure of grace entrusted to him by the Holy Spirit, each man is bound to minister in his day and generation, both to the church and among unbelievers. . . . [All Christians are] to exert themselves to the utmost to extend the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ" (Lectures to My Students [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978], p. 22).
All believers have the worthy call of exalting Christ and extending His kingdom (Eph. 4:1). By exercising our spiritual gifts each of us can serve Christ and His people.
2. His specific call to some believers
God also calls some men to minister vocationally. Throughout Scripture that has always been God’s way.
a) Exodus 28:3—The Lord said to Moses, "You shall speak to all the skillful persons whom I have endowed with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister as priest to Me. " Aaron, the brother of Moses, was to be properly cared for because God had set him apart as the high priest of Israel.
b) Isaiah 6:8-9—Isaiah said, "I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ’Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, Here am I. Send me! And [the Lord] said, ’Go, and tell this people. ’" The Lord called Isaiah to proclaim His message to the nation Israel.
c) Ephesians 4:11-12—The Lord "gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. "
d) Colossians 1:23, 25—"Continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. . . . Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God. "
B. How the Lord Calls Particular Ministers
How can a man know if the Lord has called him to preach? I believe Scripture indicates four ways he can know.
1. He calls subjectively
I believe that men who are called to preach are internally compelled to do so by the Holy Spirit. Spurgeon described that compulsion as "an irresistible, overwhelming craving and raging thirst for telling to others what God has done to our own souls" (Lectures to My Students, p. 26). Paul said it this way: "If I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me" (1 Cor. 9:16-17).
Now compulsion isn’t necessarily the same as ambition. Ambition usually stems from our own desires to fulfill certain established goals and dreams. But compulsion is generated by an external source—in this case the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the One who gives a man the compulsion to preach "for the sake of the Name" (3 John 7) and aspire to the office of an elder (1 Tim. 3:1).
I believe Scripture indicates that Timothy also had a spiritual compulsion to preach. Otherwise Paul wouldn’t have mentioned him as his partner in ministry: "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia" (2 Cor. 1:1). Throughout the rest of that chapter Paul used the pronoun "we" because Timothy was his co-laborer in ministry. In verse 19 he directly refers to Timothy’s preaching Christ.
2. He calls objectively
Today God doesn’t call his messengers with a voice from heaven as He did with Paul or some of the Old Testament prophets. Instead He links His subjective call to objective factors such as a man’s circumstances and spiritual giftedness. God will make His call evident by giving a man spiritual wisdom, courage, an affection for God’s people, and an ability to lead. So God’s call begins with a compulsion and then takes shape through His providential ordering of a man’s experiences and abilities.
John Newton wrote, "That which finally evidences a proper call, is a correspondent opening in providence, by a gradual train of circumstances pointing out the means, the time, the place, of actually entering upon the work" (cited by Spurgeon in Lectures to My Students, p. 34). That was Timothy’s experience. In Acts 16 Paul identified Timothy as a young man he wanted to train for the ministry. Undoubtedly that happened as a result of God’s providential ordering of circumstances.
Later Timothy was ordained for the ministry (1 Tim. 4:14). His circumstances, opportunities for ministry, and spiritual giftedness had been in place, by God’s design, for some time. If God calls you to preach, He will do the same for you.
3. He calls collectively
Collectively the church must evaluate a man’s character to see if he meets the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3:2-7: "above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?) ; and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil" (cf. Titus 1:6-9).
A man might believe he is motivated and gifted for the ministry, but he might not have a godly character. That’s why it’s necessary for the church to hold him accountable. In Acts 13:1-3 the church affirmed Paul and Barnabas for their missionary work. In 1 Timothy 4:14 the church elders laid hands on Timothy in recognition of his call to the ministry (cf. 2 Tim. 1:6). God follows that same pattern today. If He calls you to preach, your church will be able to affirm your spiritual gifts and character.
4. He calls effectively
The man whom God calls to preach will also have an effective ministry. First Thessalonians 2:1 reveals that Paul and Timothy’s ministry in Thessalonica "was not in vain." Paul affirmed and complemented the effectiveness of Timothy’s ministry by saying, "He is doing the Lord’s work, as I also am" (1 Cor. 16:10). If you believe you have a spiritual compulsion and giftedness to minister, you still need to ask yourself, Has my present ministry in the church been effective? Do sinners face conviction? Do saints grow?
Since the Lord called Timothy to preach, Paul instructed him about being a faithful minister in 2 Timothy 4:1-5. In those verses we find the marks of a faithful preacher and teacher.
REVIEW
I. THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PREACHER’S COMMISSION (v. 1)
II. THE ESSENCE OF THE PREACHER’S COMMISSION (v. 2a)
III. THE SCOPE OF THE PREACHER’S COMMISSION (v. 2b-d)
IV. THE URGENCY OF THE PREACHER’S COMMISSION (vv. 3-4)
V. THE ATTITUDE UNDERGIRDING THE PREACHER’S COMMISSION (v. 5a)
LESSON
VI. THE COST OF THE PREACHER’S COMMISSION (v. 5b)
"Endure hardship."
A. Expect Suffering
Many preachers want a ministry free of difficulties. However, I believe faithfulness to God’s Word and the endurance of trials are the marks of an effective ministry. A preacher has the choice of either enduring or compromising a difficult situation. That’s why Paul told Timothy, "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. . . . Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 2:1, 3). Timothy knew that "difficult times" would come (2 Tim. 3:1) and that some would "fall away from the faith" (1 Tim. 4:1). Nevertheless, he was to follow the steps of Paul and fight "the good fight" (2 Tim. 4:7).
B. Accept Suffering
Timothy not only expected suffering, but also willingly accepted it. The writer of the book of Hebrews said, "Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I shall see you" (13:23). Here the Greek verb translated "released" (apoluô) speaks of releasing someone from prison. Apparently Timothy was imprisoned for preaching Christ. Since it is likely Hebrews was written soon after 2 Timothy, Timothy may have been jailed while ministering in Ephesus, shortly after receiving 2 Timothy. Like Timothy, we also are to endure whatever rejection, hostility, and persecution that come from following Christ.
VII. THE EXTENT OF THE PREACHER’S COMMISSION (v. 5c)
"Do the work of an evangelist."
The Greek term translated "evangelist" (euaggelistçs) is mentioned only here and two other times in the New Testament (Acts 21:8; Eph. 4:11). However, the verb euaggelizô, which means "to proclaim good news," is mentioned over fifty times. And the noun euaggelion, which means "good news" or "gospel," is mentioned over seventy times. Preaching the gospel to the lost has a significant place in the New Testament.
Evangelists are proclaimers of the good news and often serve in places where Christ is not named. Here in 2 Timothy 4:5 "evangelist" occurs without the definite article and therefore is a general reference to an evangelist’s work or function.
Timothy was to "do the work of an evangelist" by proclaiming the Word, not using manipulative techniques. You are to have that same commitment. When evangelizing the lost your main point is to proclaim "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2). You are to tell the lost about the depravity of man, eternal judgment, the cross, the resurrection, the atonement, and Christ’s second coming. As Spurgeon said, "Give the ungodly no rest in their sins" (Lectures to My Students, p. 345).
VIII. THE GOAL OF THE PREACHER’S COMMISSION (v. 5d)
"Fulfill your ministry."
The Greek term translated "fulfill" (plçrophoreô) means "to accomplish" and speaks of doing something wholeheartedly. Wholehearted ministry was certainly characteristic of Paul, who said, "I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me" (Col. 1:29). It’s no surprise that at the end of his life he could say, "I have finished the course" (2 Tim. 4:7). That reminds me of my grandfather. In the final days of his earthly life, he still had the desire to preach, wanting to fulfill all God had given him to do. Do you have a strong desire to finish your spiritual course? Endeavor to serve the Lord "with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deut. 6:5).
