Preach The Word!
2 Timothy 4:1-4
INTRODUCTION
1. A solemn charge was given by Paul to Timothy...
a. In view of the coming of the Lord and His judgment
- 2 Tim 4:1
b. Pertaining to preaching the Word of God - 2 Tim 4:2-4
2. It is a charge that should considered carefully by all...
a. By those who preach the Word, in response to the Great
Commission - Mark 16:15
b. By those who send and support those who preach - Rom 10:15
[Our text reveals that not all preaching is the same. There is that which pleases God, there is that which clearly displeases Him. With the words of Paul before us, let’s first examine...]
I. PREACHING THAT PLEASES GOD
A. PREACHING THAT IS EVER READY...
1. "Be ready in season and out of season" - 2 Tim 4:2
2. Preaching that reveals a degree of preparation; i.e.,
Study that shows...
a. One has given attention to reading, and to doctrine
- 1 Tim 4:13,16
b. One has been diligent in their learning - 2 Tim 2:15;
3:14
3. Preaching that is ready on all occasions
a. in season - "seasonably, opportunely; when the
opportunity occurs"
b. out of season - "a minister is to seek opportunities
to preach the gospel even at such periods as might be
inconvenient to himself, or when there might be
hindrances and embarrassments, or when there was no
stated appointment for preaching."
B. PREACHING THAT CONVINCES...
1. "convince" - 2 Tim 4:2
a. "reprove"
b. "correct"
2. "to use such arguments as would ’convince’ men of the
truth of religion, and of their own need of it."
3. As Paul did in the synagogues - Acts 17:2-3; 19:8
C. PREACHING THAT REBUKES...
1. "rebuke" - 2 Tim 4:2
2. "to admonish or charge sharply"
3. "chide for sin; some privately, others more publicly,
According to the nature and circumstances of the
offense; some more gently, others more roughly, as is
needful."
4. So Paul likewise charged Titus - Titus 2:15
D. PREACHING THAT EXHORTS...
1. "exhort" - 2 Tim 4:2
2. "to encourage and strengthen by consolation"
3. "as the ministers of the Gospel are in some cases to be
’Boanergeses’, sons of thunder, so other cases they
should be Barnabases, sons of consolation; and comfort
distressed minds, by preaching the comfortable doctrines
of peace, pardon, righteousness and salvation by Jesus
Christ."
E. PREACHING THAT IS LONGSUFFERING...
1. "with all longsuffering" - 2 Tim 4:2
2. "patience, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in
Avenging wrongs"
3. "with a patient and persevering spirit if you are
opposed;"
4. Shown toward both the faint-hearted and hardhearted –
1 Thess 5:14; 2 Tim 2:24-25
F. PREACHING THAT IS DOCTRINAL...
1. "and teaching" - 2 Tim 4:2
a. "doctrine"
b. "instruction"
2. "that which is taught, doctrine, teaching, concerning
something; the act of teaching, instruction"
3. "in a way that is instructive and teaching, and in
Agreement with the doctrine of the Scriptures, which are
profitable for that purpose."
[Preaching that pleases God is "well-rounded": ready at all times, seeking to persuade, rebuking when necessary, yet with all longsuffering instructing others in the doctrine of the Lord. Contrast that with...]
II. PREACHING THAT DISPLEASES GOD
A. PREACHING UNSOUND DOCTRINE...
1. The time will come when some will not endure ’sound
doctrine’ - 2 Tim 4:3
a. Lit., "healthful doctrine"
b. "doctrine contributing to the health of the soul, or
to salvation."
2. Times of which Paul had already warned Timothy
a. When people will give heed to deceiving spirits
- 1 Tim 4:1-2
b. When people will be lovers of self and pleasure
- 2 Tim 3:1-2
3. They will want to hear things ’according to their own
desires’ - 2 Tim 4:3
a. That justifies their sinful behavior, rather than
Rebukes them for it
b. When guilty of things "contrary to sound doctrine"
(e.g., sodomy) - 1 Tim 1:10
c. Not being told such things are ’unhealthy’ to their
soul e.g., homosexuality) - 1 Cor 6:9-10
B. PREACHING TO ENTERTAIN...
1. People will have "itching ears" - 2 Tim 4:3
a. "loving to have their ears scratched and tickled with
smooth things; that are pleasing and agreeable to
natural men, and carnal minds;"
b. "Endless curiosity, an insatiable desire of variety;
And they get their ears tickled with the language
and accent of the person, abandoning the good and
faithful preacher for the fine speaker."
c. They will love to hear even true preachers, if they
Are eloquent - Ezekial 33:30-33
2. They will "heap for themselves teachers" - 2 Tim 4:3
a. There will be plenty of teachers willing to
accommodate them
b. People will find the teachers that please them
3. The sad result of such preaching - 2 Tim 4:4
a. People "will turn their ears away from the truth"
1) The truth of God will not interest them
2) They will have no time to hear what the truth has
to say
b. They will "be turned aside to fables"
1) "Believe any kind of stuff and nonsense;"
2) "as one has justly observed, ’Those who reject the
Truth are abandoned by the just judgment of God
to credit the most degrading nonsense.’"
CONCLUSION
1. The truthfulness of the words by the apostle Paul can easily
be seen today...
a. People will reject the Word of God, but believe in
witchcraft, UFOs, channeling, etc.
b. People will reject the Gospel of Christ, but accept
Religious traditions of men
c. People reject "sound doctrine", but accept "unhealthy
teaching" that endangers body and soul
2. The problem is the type of "preaching" people want to listen to...
a. They listen to be entertained, to justify fulfilling the
lusts of the flesh
b. They do not listen to be saved, to learn the way of
righteousness
Those who dare to preach, and those who desire to hear, should make sure the preaching is that which pleases God! Have you responded in obedience to the preaching of God’s Word...? Romans 6:17-18
