The Pastoral Epistles: 2 Timothy 4 (3)

Pray Psalm 57.7.
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise.

Read and meditate on 2 Timothy 4.5.

Reflect.
1. What was Timothy’s “ministry”? What is yours?

2. How can you fulfill your ministry?

Meditate.
Paul exhorted Timothy to fulfill his ministry. The Greek word is διακονία, diaconia, and means simply, “service”. We have a tendency to think that only ministers, missionaries, and a few others have a “ministry”. The rest of us are ministered to by those who care called to the ministry.

But in Ephesians 4.11, 12, Paul says every church member is to be equipped for works of “ministry”. He uses the same word as here with Timothy. Every believer is called to serve, to minister. And every one of us should be concerned to fulfill our ministry to the best of our ability.

Paul mentions three keys to fulfilling your ministry. First, “be watchful in all things”. The idea behind this is that we’re always thinking about our lives in terms of ministry, how we can serve the people around us with the love of Jesus. We’re preparing for and paying attention to opportunities to serve others, and not allowing our minds to be so consumed with our own interests that, in effect, we become drunk with ourselves. We must “be watchful” so that we can make good use of the time God gives us for fulfilling our ministry (Eph. 5.15-17).

Second, Paul says we must “endure afflictions”. Afflictions are those painful or burdensome things that come our way and threaten to derail our ministry. We endure afflictions by rejoicing in the face of them and pressing on in our ministry (Rom. 5.1-5).

Finally, Paul says we fulfill our ministry by being ready witnesses for Christ. Each of us is called to do the work of showing and proclaiming Jesus, both to lost folks and to our Christian friends. The more we talk to lost people about Jesus, and show them His love, the more opportunities the Spirit has to work on their soul. The more we talk about Jesus with our fellow believers, and serve them in His love, the more we build one another up in Him for righteousness, peace, and joy. Jesus appointed us to be His witnesses (Acts 1.8). Doing the work of an evangelist – one who shows and tells Jesus to others – is crucial to fulfilling the ministry God has appointed for us.

Each of us has a ministry, which we daily pursue in terms of good works and true words in our Personal Mission Field. We must aim at fulfilling that ministry every day, and that means being attentive, ready, set for ministry, determined to persevere at it, and boasting about and showing Jesus at every opportunity.

Are you fulfilling your ministry?

Reflect.
1. How would you explain your ministry to a new Christian friend?

2. What can we do to be always ready with a word of witness, whether to a believing friend or an unbeliever?

3. How can believers help one another to fulfill their ministries?

Timothy, by watching, and by patiently enduring afflictions, and by constant teaching, will succeed in having the truth of his ministry established, because from such marks all will acknowledge him to be a good and faithful minister of Christ. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on 2 Timothy 4.5

Help me to fulfill my ministry today, Lord, as I…

Pray Psalm 57.6-8.
To whom will you sing the praises of God today?

Sing Psalm 57.6-8.
Psalm 2.57.6-8 (Faben: Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens Adore Him)
Nets and pits they set before me; overwhelmed, my soul bows down.
Let them all in their own works be thrown and scattered on the ground.
Let my heart no more be shaken, I will sing Your praises, Lord!
Harp and glory, now awaken to extol God’s faithful Word!

T. M. Moore

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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).