The PRIORITY of PREACHING-I—2Timothy 4:1-8
Attention:
Preaching is a standardized & major part of the livelihood of a church. It is vital to the worship experience. It is necessary to alignment with Bible Study. It calls the hearer to action. It draws the hearer closer to God. But is it only to be used inside the church during corporate worship?
Need:
I don’t see what’s so great about preaching but every church I go to I have to put up with it. It bores me to tears.
There must be some way to avoid preaching.
Why do others see it as so important?
Paul solemnly charged Timothy to preach the word of God as knowledge of it is vital to overcoming a hostile environment(3:15-17).
Every pastor is compelled to place his priority upon faithfully preaching God’s revealed word.
Pastor’s must prioritize preaching God’s word.
Why must pastors prioritize preaching God’s word?
5 incentives/principles prioritizing the preaching of God’s word.
OVERCOMING a HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT-III—2Timothy 3:10-17
A hostile environment is overcome by Adherence to Authority’s…
A—IMITATION of APOSTLES-I-III(3:10-14)
B—KNOWLEDGE of SCRIPTURES(3:15-17)
1—REVELATION /Authority(:15a)
2—WISDOM(:15b)
3—BREATH/Inspiration(:16a)
4—PROFIT(:16b-17)
1— An incentive prioritizing the preaching of God’s word is....
The KINGDOM(:1)
Explanation/Argumentation:(:1)
:1—“I charge you therefore before God & the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living & the dead at His appearing & His kingdom:”
“I charge you therefore...”
‘Those who are called to proclaim & interpret the Word of God have the most profound responsibility that the Lord places on any man.’—MacArthur
“Charge/Solemnly charge”—diamarturomai—1) To testify—1a) earnestly, religiously to charge; 2) To attest, testify to, solemnly affirm.
“Before God & the Lord Jesus Christ”
“Before/In the presence of”—
Every God-called pastor, ‘constantly ministers under the omniscient scrutiny of His divine presence.’—MacArthur
A pastor must give constant attention to the fact that God in Christ, has called him to present His word faithfully.
“Who will judge the living & the dead”
A further call to faithfulness with God’s Word is the fact that Jesus is not only the pastor’s King, Savior, Redeemer, Friend & what-have-you, but He is also the pastor’s Judge! He is the determiner of justification & righteousness regarding the pastor’s heart & actions.
“At His appearing & His kingdom:”
OR—“And by His appearing”(Maj.Text)—A deeper/further anchor to the charge.
*This “charge” is anchored to 5 criteria precious to every Christian:
1)“God” the Father.
1Cor. 8:6—“yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, & we for Him; & one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, & through whom we live.”
2) Jesus the Christ who is the Christian’s “Lord.”(the Mediator)
Combination(God the Father & the Lord Jesus Christ) is used 15X.
Jude 1—“Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, & brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, & preserved in Jesus Christ:”
3)Christ’s absolute Judgment.
Jn. 5:21-23—““For as the Father raises the dead & gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”
Rom. 14:10-12, 2Cor. 5:10—The bema Judgment seat of all believers following the rapture.
Rev. 20:11-15—The final Great White Throne Judgment.
4)The certainty of Christ’s “appearing.”
Jn. 14:3—““And if I go & prepare a place for you, I will come again & receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
1Cor. 11:26—“For as often as you eat this bread & drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”
Heb 9:27-28—“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”
‘The full consummation of the Kingdom awaits the return of Jesus Christ & the end of this age.’—2000 BF&M
5)The certainty of His “Kingdom’s” fulfillment.
Dan. 7:14—“Then to Him was given dominion & glory & a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, & languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.”
Rev. 11:15—“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord & of His Christ, & He shall reign forever & ever!””
Illustration:
U.S. wields direct control over its 50 states/It holds a great deal of influence around the world but has no direct power there/Its KINGDOM is limited as any nation/God’s kingdom is global & will physically extend globally/The KINGDOM
Application:
?The KINGDOM an incentive for Prioritizing the Preaching of the word?
?You Prioritized the Preaching of the word?
2—An incentive prioritizing the preaching of God’s word is....
The CONVICTION(:2)
Explanation:(:2)
:2—“Preach the word! Be ready in season & out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering & teaching.”
“Preach the word!”
Preaching the word requires much more than standing in the pulpit. It is a lifestyle which encompasses sharing the Gospel in all its varied fullness!
“Preach”—khrussw—To be a herald, with all the gravity & authority demanded of the message.
The herald, by authority of the civil authority, would go thru the streets announcing special events, changes in law & government policies & actions.—MacArthur
Rom. 10:13-15—“For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!””
“The word”—The complete revealed truth of God, both written & oral(per the apostles).
“Be ready in season & out of season.”
When it IS & when it is NOT ....convenient, safe, or acceptable.
When it IS & when it is NOT.... dictated by culture, or tradition.
“Ready/Instant”(See :6—“Has come/At hand”)—efisthmi—To place at, place upon, place over—1a) To stand by, be present, 1b) To stand over one, place one’s self above—1b1) Used esp. of persons coming upon one suddenly—1b1a) An angel, of the advent of angels, 1b1b) Of dreams, 1b2) of evils coming upon one, 1c) To be at hand—1c1) Be ready, 1d) Of time—1d1) To come upon. Strong—To stand upon, i.e. be present (in various applications, friendly or otherwise, usually literal):-- Assault, come (in, to, unto, upon), be at hand (instant), present, stand (before, by, over).
“Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering & teaching.”
“Convince/Reprove/Correct”—elegcw—To convict, refute, expose & bring to light with a suggestion of shame—to rebuke with sufficient cause, & also effectually, so as to bring the one rebuked to a confession or at least a conviction of sin.
Preaching entails presenting God’s truth in such a manner that it becomes feasible or a real possibility to the mind. It convinces one of the sinfulness of sin.
“Rebuke”—epitimaw—To adjudge, award, in the sense of merited penalty;4) To tax with fault, rate, chide, rebuke, reprove, censure severely—4a) To admonish or charge sharply.
Preaching entails leading others to a conviction of heart regarding God’s truth. It convinces one of the sinfulness of the sinner.
“Exhort/Encourage”—parakalew—To call to one’s side, call for, summon; 2) To address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc.—2a) To admonish, exhort.
Preaching entails personal, one-on-one encouragement in love toward spiritual change.
“Longsuffering/Patience”—makroyumia—Patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance; 2) Patience, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging wrongs.
*Focus is upon the self restraint which does not hastily retaliate a wrong.
Preaching entails being lovingly persistent when facing with resistance, knowing that turning someone from error is paramount.
“Teaching/Doctrine/Instruction”—didach—Teaching; That which is taught—1b) —Doctrine, teaching, concerning something; 2) The act of teaching, instruction.
Preaching entails instructing others in the intricacies & technicalities & practicalities of the faith of God in Christ.
Argumentation:
Mat. 28:19-20—““Go therefore & make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; & lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
Col. 1:28-29—“Him[Christ] we preach, warning every man & teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”
2Tim. 2:23-26—“But avoid foolish & ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, & that they may come to their senses & escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”
Illustration:
Man always wanted to ride in an open-cockpit plane for his birthday/But price was costly/He & his wife finally took the plunge/Pilot offered to give the ride for free if neither of them said a word while in transit/The couple was elated & readily agreed!/Pilot climbed straight up at 90̊/Came screaming back down at 90̊/Flew toward trees & mountains & buildings, pulling away at the last second/Flew loop-de-loops & upside down....Not a word from the passengers!/Plane lands/Pilot turns to commend the couple for their silence & tell them it was free when the husband proudly says, “I almost said something when my wife fell out!”/That’s CONVICTION!
Application:
?The CONVICTION an incentive for Prioritizing the Preaching of the word?
?You Prioritized the Preaching of the word?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
Incentives prioritizing the preaching of God’s word are....
1—The KINGDOM(:1)
2—The CONVICTION(:2)
Presented 06/06/2010am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
