The Pastoral Epistles: 2 Timothy 4 (1)

Pray Psalm 57.7-9.
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise.
Awake, my glory!
Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing to You among the nations.

Read and meditate on 2 Timothy 4.1, 2.

Preparation.
1. What verbs does Paul use to describe the work of preaching? 

2. What does it mean to be ready “in season and out of season”?

Meditate. 
Paul emphasizes the importance of preaching the Word of God. It is a solemn charge upon Timothy not to draw back from this work. Let’s look more closely at what preaching entails, and why it is so important. But not only to Timothy. All who know the Lord are called to be His witnesses and make disciples. God has set His Word in the frail vessels of our flesh, so that His grace may work powerfully in us to make known the Good News of Jesus (2 Cor. 4.7, 15).

Preaching the Word means that the message we proclaim is that which God shows us in His Word. Those who are charged with preaching must bring the Word of God to bear on the hearts and lives of their hearers, so that the Spirit can take that Word, show hearers the glory of God, and work to transform those who hear into the image of Jesus Christ. 

Preaching that accomplishes this takes a variety of forms, often in the same message. People must be convinced of the truth, so we must speak plainly and clearly, and let the truth do its soul-piercing work (Heb. 4.12). Sometimes we may need to rebuke for some false view or sinful practice. Preaching also entails exhortation or encouragement – speaking to the hearts of people by vision and promise, pointing the way to new and glorious acts of obedient love. We must be patient (longsuffering) in our preaching, because people can only receive the Word line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. And we must teach, that is massage the Word by a variety of means into the souls of those who hear us, using illustrations, examples, and a variety of exercises to bring people along in the faith.

All this is urgent work. We must be ready at every opportunity to share the Word of God – whatever the occasion, need, or impulse of the Spirit requires, in season and out of season. Timothy must stay at this urgent work, and so must we, because one day Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead, among whom will be people to whom we either did or did not preach the Word as Paul charges us to do.

Reflect.
1. What does “preach the Word” require of you?

2. What are the keys to being ready to preach the Word “in season and out”? How can we prepare for this each day?

3. Paul points to the return of the Lord to motivate Timothy and us in our work. Why does he do that?

The opportune time for preaching and teaching is when the sinner needs the prophylaxis that will lead him to repentance. The sinner will be helped at exactly the right moment between the intention to sin and the commission of sin and will turn to penitence instead. Severian of Gabala (fl. ca. 400), Pauline Commentary from the Greek Church

Make me ready today, Lord, to tell Your praise to…

Pray Psalm 57.1-3, 9-11.
God will perform all things for you, even giving you the strength to tell His praise among the people you see today. Seek Him for specific opportunities to tell others of His mercy and love.

Sing Psalm 57.1-3, 9-11
Psalm 57.1-3, 9-11 (Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens Adore Him)
Lord, be gracious, gracious to me, for my soul retreats in You.
In Your shadow keep me safely till the storms of life are through.
I will cry to You, the Most High; You do all things well for me.
You will save me when I thus cry, routing all who threaten me.

Praise and thanks among the nations I will sing with all my might!
For Your truth and love are stationed far above the highest height!
Be exalted o’er the heavens, let Your glory fill the earth!
To Your Name all praise be given, let all men proclaim Your worth!

T. M. Moore

Men, we encourage you to follow Paul’s exhortation and to join our Men’s Prayer Movement. Watch this brief video (click here), then download the brochure that accompanies it. Get started praying more consistently, and enlisting other men to pray, by ordering two copies of If Men Will Pray, a fuller exposition of 1 Timothy 2. 1-8, by clicking here. Another excellent way is to register for the course, “Parameters of Prayer,” at The Ailbe Seminary. It’s free, and it will definitely change your life.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).