Josh had
lived a long, faithful life, and was now in the hospital hooked up to a
respiratory machine, very near to death. The family called their
long-time pastor to stand with them. The pastor arrived just in time, for as he
stood next to the bed, Josh's condition deteriorated quickly as he motioned
frantically for something to write on.
The pastor
swiftly handed him a pen and a piece of paper, and Josh used his last bit of
energy to scribble a note, then he died. The pastor thought it best not
to look at the note at that time, so he placed it in his jacket pocket.
At the
funeral, as he was finishing the message, he said, “You know, Josh handed me a
note just before he died. I haven’t looked at it, but knowing Josh, I’m
sure there’s a word of inspiration here for us all.” He opened the note,
and lovingly read, “You’re standing on my oxygen tube.”
Tonight we
are considering what Paul wrote to Timothy, his son in the gospel who was
leading the church in
“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living
and the dead, and because he is coming to rule as King, I solemnly urge you to
preach the message, to insist upon proclaiming it (whether the time is right or
not), to convince, reproach, and encourage, as you teach with all patience”
(vv. 1-2).
What is the background of our ministry? Why, surely it is
the tide of unbelief as we move towards the twenty-first century! “Like Timothy
we see ourselves as a tiny minority amidst an overwhelming mounting majority
committed to evil and unbelief. Our voice seems to be a mere whisper in the
tumult of chaos and the clamour of voices that speak and echo other things
today… In [Timothy’s] day there was an upsurge in evil and an increase in the
voices that were denouncing faith and belief. Immorality was widespread in
That may be our social context, but it is not the background
of our ministry. Listen again: “In the presence of God and of
Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and because he is coming
to rule as King, I solemnly urge you to preach the message…” – literally “I charge you before
God and Christ Jesus, the one coming to judge the living and the dead, and his
appearing and his kingdom, preach the word, stand ready conveniently or
inconveniently (to the hearers), correct, warn, encourage, with all patience
and teaching.”
“His
appearing” can be taken in two ways. In the first chapter Paul wrote, “He [God]
gave us this grace by means of Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but
now it has been revealed to us through the coming of our Saviour, Christ Jesus.
He has ended the power of death and through the gospel has revealed immortal
life” (1.9b-10). “The coming of our Saviour, Christ Jesus” (same Greek word, epiphaneia) clearly refers to his first
coming, the incarnation. The same word is used again in the present chapter in
v. 8 – “And now there is waiting for me the victory prize of being put right
with God, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day—and not
only to me, but to all those who wait with love for him to appear”, literally “for
his appearing” – clearly a reference to the second coming at the end of time.
God is
here. Christ is here. Christ Jesus will judge all people, both those now living
and all who have gone before. Be assured of this – Christ Jesus came so that
good news can be offered to every living person, and he is coming again and,
whatever people’s response to him now, of his kingdom there will be no end.
Because this is the background of our ministry, Paul sets
out the most essential element of a Christian witness in a dying world: “I solemnly urge you to preach the
message, to insist upon proclaiming it (whether the time is right or not), to
convince, reproach, and encourage, as you teach with all patience” (v. 2).
Greek has two words for “time” – chronos refers to “chronological time” such as we measure with
clocks and watches, kairos refers to
the “the moment of opportunity, the right time, the convenient time”. Paul
tells Timothy to preach the word “good kairos
or bad kairos” – “whether the time is
right or not”, whether it is convenient for the hearers or not. “Listen! This is the hour to receive
God’s favour [the
acceptable kairos]; today is the day
to be saved!” (2 Cor. 6.2c)
Today is
God’s right time to receive salvation. As the old hymn said:
“Almost persuaded,” now to believe;
“Almost persuaded,” Christ to receive;
Seems now some soul to say,
“Go, Spirit, go Thy way,
Some more convenient day
On Thee I’ll call.”
“Almost persuaded,” come, come today;
“Almost persuaded,” turn not away;
Jesus invites you here,
Angels are lingering near,
Prayers rise from hearts so dear,
O wanderer, come.
“Almost persuaded,” harvest is past!
“Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last!
“Almost cannot avail;
“Almost” is but to fail!
Sad, sad, that bitter wail,
“Almost,” but lost!
There is an urgency about it. Some have taken this to mean that you are to push the gospel on people whether they want it or not – like the Boy Scout who helped an old lady across the road, even though she didn’t want to go. But, as John Stott has put it, “This is not a Biblical warrant for rudeness, but a Biblical appeal against laziness.”
Jesus the Saviour is loving and patient,
but the time of opportunity to respond will not be for ever. Peter writes, “The Lord is not slow to do what he
has promised, as some think. Instead, he is patient with you, because he does
not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins. But
the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that Day the heavens will
disappear with a shrill noise, the heavenly bodies will burn up and be
destroyed, and the earth with everything in it will vanish” (2 Pet. 3.9-10).
Yes, “convince, reproach, and encourage, as you
teach with all patience”. “Convince” addresses the mind – argue, reason, set
the message forth in a systematic, reasonable way, answering questions,
removing obstacles. “Rebuke” is an appeal to the conscience – don’t be afraid
to speak of the reality and damaging consequences of sin, but do it with the loving
sensitivity of a forgiven sinner. “Encourage” is directed to the heart and will
– seeking to move people from unbelief and fear to faith. But all of this is to
be “with all patience” – no psychological gimmicks or pressure tactics to make
people act or say they what they don’t yet believe. “Teach with all patience.”
All of this is to focus on “the truth”. God has
spoken and it is the truth that saves – what he has done in his Son, what he
has said in his Word.
“The time will come
when people will not listen to sound doctrine, but will follow their own
desires and will collect for themselves more and more teachers who will tell
them what they are itching to hear. They will turn away from listening to the
truth and give their attention to legends” (vv. 3-4).
Be very careful of any teacher who departs from what is clearly taught in the Scriptures. In the New Testament it was a group known as the Gnostics. They claimed to have special secret knowledge that was the key to understanding the mind of God. Several of the letters of Paul refer to this heresy. In more recent times there has been the secret knowledge of the Lodges – and the Bible Code!
Paul could say with honesty –
“I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance, and I have kept the faith. And now there is waiting for me the victory prize of being put right with God, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day – and not only to me, but to all those who wait with love for him to appear” (vv. 7-8).
Parents watch as their young athlete strides out ahead of the others in the race but slows down at the end – to be beaten by another runner.
You began the race when you put your trust in Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. Don’t give up! By grace run the full distance! Keep the faith – no wavering, no compromise! The Lord is waiting to give you the victory prize!
© Peter J. Blackburn, Maroochydore, 25
October 1998
Except where otherwise noted, Scripture
quotations are from the Good News Bible, © American Bible Society, 1984.
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