PREACH THE WORD
2 Timothy 3:10-4:8
Key Verse: 4:2
“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction”
Introduction
2 Timothy is the last letter written by Apostle Paul. It was written from a Roman prison just before his death. This passage contains his last charge to his dear spiritual son, Timothy. It was:” Preach the Word.” There are three main points in this passage; 1) what is the nature of the Word? 2)why should we preach the Word? 3) How should we preach the Word?
1.What did Paul remind Timothy of (3:10-11; Ac 13:49-14:20)? Why was it important for Timothy to remember these things? In the midst of persecution, what did Paul exhort Timothy to do (12-14)? What does “But as for you” mean to you?
1-1) What did Paul remind Timothy of (3:10-11; Ac 13:49-14:20)?
10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.
1-2) Why was it important for Timothy to remember these things?
It is because he needs to stay on right tract according to apostle Paul’s teachings.
Timothy is a young pastor. Paul is helping to do a good job for Jesus.
My teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings… Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.
Apostle Paul wants him to know every aspect of his life in Jesus Christ. In this way his spiritual son and a young pastor, Timothy may be fully ready in terms of his heart to go through them for Jesus’ name sake.
1-3) In the midst of persecution, what did Paul exhort Timothy to do (12-14)?
12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,
-Continue : in other word ‘remain in’. Timothy was encouraged to remain what he had learned and become convinced of. Especially the word of God.
-those from whom you learned it: his grandmother Lois, his mother Eunice(2Ti 1:5), faithful servants of God such as Paul.
-Paul exhorts Timothy to continue in the word of God and life of such godly people.
-We need to come back to the word of God and gospel of faith we have learned of and become convinced of.
1-4) What does “But as for you” mean to you?
-“But as for you” : In the contrast to false teaches and godless people. Timothy was facing false teachers and godless people. Paul encouraged Timothy to be different from them.
- We shouldn’t follow ‘the pattern of this world’. As God’s children and his servants, we should continue in the word of God following the example of those from whom we have learned it.
2. What are the Holy Scriptures uniquely able to do for us (15; Jn 5:39)? Why is it important to know that God is the author of Scripture (16a)? In what ways are the Scriptures useful (16b)? What does “thoroughly equipped” imply about the Scriptures (17)?
2-1)What are the Holy Scriptures uniquely able to do for us (15; Jn 5:39)?
15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
“You study[c] the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,” (Jn 5:39)
-Holy Scriptures : Scripture means writing. Bible is the “Holy Writings”. The Bible is holy because it is the word of God different from all other books.
- The Bible gives us spiritual wisdom that leads us to salvation which is the most important thing for our life.
- Only the word of God has the power to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
- This is the reason why we should study word of God and preach the word of God to others to save them.
2-2)Why is it important to know that God is the author of Scripture (16a)?
16 All Scripture is God-breathed
-All Scriptures is breathed out by God. So the God-breathed Word is full of the Spirit and it is life. “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing, The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life” (Jn 6:63)
- The fact that God is the Author of the Bible puts immense authority and trustworthiness into the words written in it.
- God speaks to us through the Bible and we can know God and communicate with him through the Bible
2-3) In what ways are the Scriptures useful (16b)?
and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
-the Bible is useful to teach someone to know the truth, to rebuke someone to repent, to correct someone to be changed and right with God, and to train someone to grow mature.
- to become a useful servant of God we should be taught, rebuked, corrected and trained through word of God.
- Only word of God can help someone truly to be changed and become man of God.
2-4) What does “thoroughly equipped” imply about the Scriptures (17)?
17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
-“ to be Thoroughly equipped” implies that Bible contains all the elements that can equip anyone thoroughly so that the person may be able to do all the good work.
- When we study the bible deeply we can grow to be useful to do every work.
So the best way to help someone to be a good servant of God is to teach the word of God to the person.
3. Read 4:1-2. What sense of urgency did Paul have? What supreme charge did Paul give? What does “Preach the word” mean, and how can we do it practically? Why should we preach (proclaim) the word absolutely?
3-1) Read 4:1-2. What sense of urgency did Paul have?
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
-‘ In the presence of God and of Christ who will judge the living and the dead’ :
It is the command of God and Jesus. Paul could not reject this command and should be obeyed by any means.
3-2)What supreme charge did Paul give?
“Preach the word”
3-3)What does “Preach the word” mean, and how can we do it practically?
-Preaching means to proclaim the king’s words. Jesus preached the word of God from the first day of his ministry until the last as his first priority.
- We can also preach the word of God starting from teaching Bible to one person.
3-4) Why should we preach (proclaim) the word absolutely?
-It is Jesus’ great commission.
“God and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”(Mt 28:19-20)
- Jesus raised his disciple to preach the word after him. His disciples and church exists to preach the word of God.
4. Read verse 2 again. What does "be prepared in season and out of season" mean? Why is it important to "correct, rebuke and encourage" (1:13-14; 2:14-15)? With what attitude should these things be done?
4-1)Read verse 2 again.
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
4-2)What does "be prepared in season and out of season" mean?
-‘be prepared’ refers to positive actions, making every effort.
-in season and out of season: It means all the time.
-We are to be prepared whether the time is favorable or unfavorable, whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether we are welcome or unwelcome.
-When we are prepared with the word of God, God can use us an time for his work.
4-3)Why is it important to "correct, rebuke and encourage" (1:13-14; 2:14-15)?
-“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you- guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us (1:13-14)
-“Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about the words; it is of no value and only ruins those who listen.
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2:14-15)
-is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.(3:16b-17)
-These days it seems very difficult to rebuke and correct anyone. But we can do this with the authority of the living words of God. Then Holy Spirit will moves their hearts to repentance.
4-4) With what attitude should these things be done?
-“with great patience and careful instruction (4:2c).
-We should never do this when we are angry. When we are angry it is time to pray, not to rebuke or correct. It also requires listening ears and carefully thought-out words spoken in love.
5. What kind of times did Paul foresee (3-4)? How do we see these things happening in our times? In such times, what should God's servant do (5)? How did Paul’s life example encourage Timothy and us (6-8)?
5-1) What kind of times did Paul foresee (3-4)?
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
-Apostle precisely described our time. People follow what they corrupted desire instead of put up with sound doctrine. They want to hear what they want to hear.
5-2) How do we see these things happening in our times?
-People think there is no absolute truth, value experience and regard morality as personal preference. They seek humanistic mystical teaching. Some Christians build their spiritual life based on personal experience rather than the Bible. There are many who mislead people through their heretical teachings.
5-3)In such times, what should God's servant do (5)?
-5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
-‘keep your head’ means to be sober and watchful. We can be spiritually sober when Jesus dwells in our hearts through his word.
-Preaching the word involves hardship (3:11).
5-4) How did Paul’s life example encourage Timothy and us (6-8)?
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
-As the end of his life was near, Paul wanted to pour out his life like a drink offering to God.
-A drink offering was wine added to a burnt offering; its fragrance pleased the Lord (Nu15:7)
-“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” : he sensed that he might be waiting for his martyrdom, but there was no hint of sorrow or fear in him.
-Rather, he was like a joyful marathoner who was waiting for the award of gold medal after finishing his race.
-He ran to win the prize for which God had called him heavenward in Christ Jesus.
-The prize is not just for Paul alone but for all who are running the race longing for Jesus’ appearing.
Conclusion)
Paul encourages his spiritual son, Timothy to preach the word in season or out of season. 1) What is the nature of the Word? It is God breathed. When we serve our students and children with the Word of God in this confusing generation, we can guide them properly. 2)Why should we preach the Word? It is because it is Jesus’ solemn command who will be the ultimate judge. 3) How should we preach the Word? We do it with great patience and careful instruction. May the Lord help us to preach the word diligently so that we may serve Jesus and His flocks with our whole hearts. Amen.
One word: Preach the Word!
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