WWUTT 713 Fulfill Your Ministry?

We will watch people that we love Wander away from the truth and follow after myths and when we see that happen, we cannot let ourselves Follow the same course that they do when we understand the text.

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Here's our host Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky. Well last week and this week We've been in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verses 1 through 8 and we'll finish up this section today. The Apostle Paul writes to Timothy I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead and by his appearing and his kingdom.

Preach the word be ready in season and out of season. Reprove rebuke and exhort with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears.

They will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths as for you. Always be sober-minded. Endure suffering. Do the work of an evangelist.

Fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering in the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up 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 loved his appearing as We read yesterday Paul warns Timothy that a time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching and it's very evident in the way that he says This to Timothy is it's not something that's coming in the distant future.

But it is something that Timothy himself will face and as I talked about yesterday There were people even from within that church that Timothy was sent to the Ephesian Church. Even among those elders that Paul had last addressed in Acts chapter 20 who turned from the truth and started Wandering off into myths.

So Paul sent Timothy to Ephesus to try to get everybody back on track and this seemed to be a consistent problem in Ephesus, even though this was a church that Paul so deeply loved and And had preached the gospel so fully to them and they themselves loved to sound teaching.

Yet they had a problem staying the course and remaining steadfast because in Acts 20 Paul says he knows that fierce wolves are gonna arise among them here. He sends Timothy to them and then we read about the Ephesian Church also in the book of Revelation.

Because they have gone astray so in a very short period of time. They have gone from a soundness in the gospel of Christ to wandering off After myths. And Paul says here to Timothy that though he may have corrected some things there in the church in Ephesus it's not like everything is gonna be a Hunky-dory from here on out a time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching even people from within Timothy's midst there in Ephesus having itching ears.

They will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. And as I said yesterday that people go after those teachers that will say the things that they want to hear. False teachers are a judgment from God.

They're a judgment upon people whose hearts are not. For the who have hearts that are not after the sound words of the Lord Christ not after the Orthodox teaching like what Timothy Was preaching but rather they are they're after novelty.

They want to know what is new and what is fresh. Who's got a new message for me? Maybe they're looking for somebody who teaches the Bible, but who can teach me the Bible in a new way. They might even think I I know all the old way.

I already know all of that. I've heard it my whole life. I need to hear something new. Give me give me something relevant. Might be the word that we use today. But as Charles Spurgeon has said there is nothing new in theology.

Except that which is false. And as I've heard somebody else say that there there are no new doctrines there's just old heresies that are Repackaged as something else. And so the false teachers that we see out there that so many people flock to.

These false teachers are a judgment upon those who have hearts that go after something else other than the sound words of the Lord Jesus Christ. God sends these false teachers as a judgment upon those people that they would fall into a strong delusion.

That's the way Paul put it to the Thessalonians. 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verses 9 through 12. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing because they Refused to love the truth and so be saved.

Therefore God sends them a strong delusion So that they may believe what is false in order that all may be condemned. Who did not believe the truth. But had pleasure in unrighteousness. When a person goes after their flesh their own fleshly desires their own passions rather than being passionate about God.

God will judge them by sending them false teachers that they will wander after to their own destruction. But we must patiently hold out the truth of the gospel with gentleness and respect as the way Paul has put it with Timothy here in chapter 2 and also the way that that Peter Encourages we preach the truth according to first Peter chapter 3 verse 15 in your hearts.

Always set apart Christ as holy. Being ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within you. But do this with gentleness and respect. We set apart Christ is holy. We share the truth with others. We do so with gentleness and respect when we don't do so gently when we get angry and we beat other people over the head with it when when we don't endure with patience as as Paul said here with complete patience and teaching when we're impatient with people and instead we're rude and Abusive with the words that we use with with the way that we convey the truth that we are supposed to preach.

We actually are displaying that we have not set Christ in our hearts as holy. That we don't truly believe that God is sovereign. We may say it with our lips but but do we believe it with our heart when we think that we need to take matters into our own hands in order to convince this other person or I need to show you how much more right I am than you or how how much holier I am than you are by being more forceful with my words and by Continuing to press an issue that you're clearly not going to bend on for Jesus even said in Matthew chapter 7.

Do not cast your pearls before swine. There will come a point where we need to realize that we're not getting anywhere with this person and instead We need to save the time and go to somebody that we know.

Wants to hear the message of the gospel. The Spirit of God has conditioned their heart to hear it better than this person who is just continually Resistant so the Lord has sent a judgment upon those who are resistant to the truth that they would wander off into myths.

Paul again saying they will turn away from listening to the truth and they will wander off into myths. But as for you. That that judgment is going to be be upon them for you. Here's your responsibility.

Here is what God is calling for you Timothy to do. So that's the context. Paul is talking to Timothy. But there's still a message that the Holy Spirit has for us through this text as well as for you. Always be sober minded.

That's not the only place we've seen that instruction. It's given in first Timothy chapter 3 under the list of qualifications for an overseer. What does it mean to be? Sober-minded. Well, the Greek word that's being used here is nafo and it means to be calm.

To be vigilant to have your wits about you and be able to discern difficulties that might lie ahead and very straightforwardly it means to be sober and in the spiritual sense means that we would be free of the intoxicating influences of sin.

But as this may pertain to Timothy as a teacher we also understand this as temperance and temperance simply means to be Self-controlled and not given over into any wild ideas and that certainly would go with The warning that Paul had just given in verses 3 and 4 a time is coming when people won't endure sound teaching.

They will wander off into myths and though you will see people go that way. You will see them leave Orthodox teaching and and wander after these these speculations and these irrational thoughts and and the Temptations of their flesh you must not be tempted to try to win them back with fancy words.

Don't think that you need to deviate from the sound Orthodox teaching of the gospel in order to appease Those who are wandering away after myths you need to be sober minded. You need to be straightforward and focused on the gospel that I preach Paul.

Referencing the gospel that he was faithful to keep because then where he goes next is saying that he's fought the good fight. He has finished the race. He has kept the faith. So Paul is the example that Timothy is to follow when it comes to preaching the truth.

To the people that Timothy has been entrusted to care for be sober minded Timothy. This is not about your ideas. It's not about your opinions. It's not about your fancy words or eloquent speech. It is about the truth of Christ.

What he has preached the good news of the gospel, which has the power to save all who believe be Sober minded be temperate. Don't be led astray by any of your own wild thoughts. But be focused on the gospel endure suffering.

And again, Paul is saying this to Timothy as Though to prepare him for something that he is indeed going to go through. He is going to suffer for the proclamation of the gospel and we know from church history that Timothy was martyred there in Ephesus when he confronted some people who were idol worshipers and Tried to preach the gospel to them and they turned on him and beat him to death.

And so even Timothy was going to suffer for the cause of the gospel just as Timothy was in Rome I'm sorry, just as Paul was in Rome. He was in prison in Rome and was going to be martyred there. Timothy was not going to be immune to that kind of persecution even though he was across the sea in in Ephesus.

Paul says to do the work of an evangelist and this goes back to Be ready in season and out of season when it comes to preaching the word. You are going to share the gospel. You are gonna preach the gospel in church.

You're supposed to preach the gospel even outside the walls of the church. Fulfill your ministry. This is Paul narrowing Timothy's focus again focus on the task that is at hand. There are ways in which you yourself will have a ministry opportunity in front of you that nobody else has.

Sometimes I think we get this idea that in order to do effective ministry I need to have a ministry like Billy Graham has. Or I need to have a podcast like Pastor Gabe, you know, it's something like that.

There are people that I can't reach. That are in your vicinity that you can share the gospel with. There are people that your pastor can't reach. Furthermore if you are a spouse or a parent you have an obligation to encourage the spiritual growth of your spouse and you have an obligation to share the gospel with your Children with your children and raise them up in an understanding of biblical truth as well.

That is your responsibility before it is anyone else's and only you can fulfill that ministry. So Paul is setting this before Timothy that he's got a ministry. Obligation in front of him that he is to fulfill.

There are people who are gonna stray after other things. There will be times and places in which Timothy is just gonna have to let them go. There is a ministry in front of him that he must fulfill. So then in verse 6 Paul says I am already being poured out as a drink offering now contrast that with What he just said at the end of verse 5 Fulfill your ministry.

I am already being poured out as a drink offering. So Paul is saying what you're doing in Ephesus. This is yours now. I Even wonder if maybe that would have choked Timothy up to read that to read. I'm not gonna have my mentor with me anymore when it comes to this work.

That is in front of me what I have been assigned to do here in Ephesus in preaching the gospel. This is Timothy's ministry now and he has to Do what it is that he has been told and commissioned by God to do.

Paul saying I'm being poured out as a drink offering. I can't be there anymore and soon. I won't even be with you anymore. I'm being poured out as a drink offering and this is a reference to Drink offerings in the Old Testament.

Not only were there animal sacrifices, but there were also drink offerings and this was types and shadows. Pointing toward the spilled blood of Jesus Christ. That was his drink offering his spilled blood on the cross.

He spoke directly to this in Luke 22 20 when at the Lord's Supper He took a cup and he said to his disciples this cup Which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood and so even now when we remember the the blood of Jesus Christ at the Lord's Supper when we take the cup we are reminded of Jesus blood that was spilled for the forgiveness of sins in This instance here in 2nd Timothy 4 6 where Paul says I'm being poured out as a drink offering.

He's conveying to Timothy that he has given his whole life From the moment of his conversion to the moment of his death He has given his life to the declaration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has sacrificed everything and so now with his death Which is being done in the name of Christ for he's being put to death for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ he's being poured out as a drink offering for the church that the church would grow and flourish because of the ministry of the Apostle Paul and indeed it does we read in Ephesians chapter 2 that the the foundation of the church the cornerstone is Jesus Christ and then there's a foundation of the Apostles and the rest of the church is built upon that built upon The testimony the gospel that was preached by the Apostles sent by Christ into all the world and then the Apostle Paul also mentions in Colossians chapter 1 I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body.

That is the church. It's not that the sacrifice of Christ on the cross wasn't sufficient enough for our salvation. Jesus said it is finished the work of atonement was accomplished by Christ on the cross.

But what had not yet been accomplished was the suffering that would be done. For sharing the gospel the good news of what had been done at the cross of Christ. So here Paul at the conclusion of his ministry is saying I am being poured out as a drink offering.

I was called by Christ to suffer for the sake of the church. That's what God said to Ananias in Acts chapter 9 and here at the conclusion of his life. The the offering is complete the time of my departure has come.

I have fought the good fight. I Have finished the race. I have kept the faith and once again setting this as an example before Timothy to follow Paul said to the to the Corinthians 1st Corinthians chapter 11 verse 1 imitate me as I am of Christ.

I have kept the faith. Verse 8 henceforth. There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness. Remember we started this section in chapter 4 with Paul saying in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is the judge the living and the dead and by his appearing and his kingdom so as Christ is going to usher in his peaceful kingdom.

Those who are followers of Christ will receive the crown of righteousness as a citizen of that kingdom. So Paul comes back to that kingdom language here again there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the Righteous judge will award me on that day because I was proved to be faithful in the service of Christ and not only to me Paul says on that day.

In your Bible, you probably have day capitalized capital D well, that's because he's specifically referring to the day of the Lord the day that Christ comes back and Will judge the living and the dead and on that day not only will I receive that crown of righteousness, but everyone who has loved his appearing everyone who is anticipating the coming of our Lord Christ everyone who is prepared for that day for they have turned from sin and have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and they have grown in the knowledge of him and in sanctification and holiness and in their hearts they are set upon heaven and Desire to depart this earth and so they have loved his appearing and all those who have loved Christ who are forgiven their sins and given eternal life.

They will also receive the crown of righteousness on the last day. Amen glory. So you as a follower of Jesus Christ do not be concerned with the pattern of this world. Do not imitate the the things of this world.

Don't even get caught up in the stuff that outrages the world. Instead you need to be focused on the gospel of Christ and your hope would be set there Endure suffering and Rejoice in Christ when you face trials of various kinds as James says in James 1 3 that you would be careful to guard yourself against myths and Speculations and worldly ideas that want to draw you into newfangled thinking.

But instead you would fix yourself on the apostolic ministry. Those the the truth of that gospel that was delivered by the Apostles and we have written down for us in the New Testament. Keep your heart.

Fixed upon this love the words of the Lord Christ. Desire to grow in the knowledge of him and as Paul said to the Philippians I am confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in you Will be faithful to complete it at the day of Christ.

Amen.

You've been listening to when we understand the text of pastor Gabe Hughes. Monday Tuesday and Wednesday Gabe will be going through a New Testament study. Then on Thursday. We look at an Old Testament book on Friday.

We take questions from the listeners and viewers tomorrow. We'll pick up on an Old Testament study when we understand the text.