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Bro. Otis Fisher
We have the last chapter of 2nd Timothy, chapter 4. I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and judge the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. His appearing and his kingdom are not the same thing.
His appearing is the rapture of his church. The kingdom refers to his coming to earth to set up his thousand-year reign. Paul is closing out his life. He's speaking to his beloved Timothy these last words, and the most important thing that he could think of was preach the word, be instant in season and out of season, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.
To reprove means to teach with authority. Rebuke means to threaten. We have far too many preachers that don't preach, too many teachers that don't teach, too many deacons that don't deacon. Doctrine means teaching.
I believe every preacher should be a teacher, and by the way, every one of us is a teacher. The instructions are for us right now, today while we're yet alive. Preach the word and nothing else. We are to be ready at any time to take advantage of the opportunity of teaching God's word.
Some things he does not say, and at the head of that list is he does not say teach about the Bible. Some people don't know the difference. Today, a seminary student from some of the best-known schools can graduate and never own a Bible.
It's because they study about the Bible, they don't study the Bible. So then when they preach, when they pastor a church, they can only repeat that that they know about the Bible. We have too many texts that are pretexts that are taken out of context.
We are not to teach about the word or from the word. We are to teach the word. I cannot express that strongly enough. We're to preach the word. Three, for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but rather, but after their own lesson, shall they heap up to themselves teachers having itching ears.
There are very, very few church members who will endure sound doctrine. I'm thankful that this is a group of those that will. They want only what they want. The demand creates the supply. If the people desire a calf to worship, there will be a ministerial calf maker found.
The successful preacher of today finds, like I had one tell me once, find out what the people want and then run out in front and lead them. Too many members treat worship service the same as going to the theater.
I had a man tell me this once. He said, I look at it as going to the theater and pay about the price of a ticket. The church has a love for novelty, emotional movies, pageantry, foot tapping music, colored lights and noise.
The itching ears will soon become deaf ears. One who does not seek the truth with all of his heart and strength can never understand the truth. The word heap, they'll heap or build up an inventory of false teachers continually looking for one who preaches that they do not have to change their lifestyle any.
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables. They will believe a lie and will fight to preserve it. They will believe any kind of stuff and nonsense. But watch thou in all things enduring afflictions.
Do the work of an evangelist. Make full proof of thy ministry for I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand. Paul is ready to be poured out and offering unto the Lord as a drink offering.
We must be sure that nothing is remembered of us but remember only the words spoken while we are here. It's my hope you won't remember me but remember what I said. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course, not yours, mine.
I have kept the faith. Our death releases us from being tied down in this body. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all of them also that love his appearing.
I believe a wise man stands ready at all times to depart this life. Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me both that he might comfort him and be strengthened by him. Timothy himself is said to have suffered at Ephesus.
For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world and its departure, that it departed unto Thessalonica, Crescens, that Galatia, Titus, unto Dalmatia, having loved this life and its enjoyment so much that he left Rome to avoid the danger of losing them.
Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with thee for he is a profitable knee for the ministry. Now this is Luke the Evangelist, the writer of Acts of the Apostles, who was always much attached to St. Paul, and it is supposed continued with him even to his martyrdom.
Take Mark and bring him with thee. This was John Mark, you remember, the sister of Barnabas, her son, after wavering a little at the beginning he became steady, zealous, and a useful man. And Titus have I sent to Ephesus.
He probably carried the letter and was to supply Timothy's place. The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee. And the books, but especially the parchments, the parchments.
These were scans prepared on which the most costly of ancient books were written, whether these were written of the Apostle or the writings of others or merely materials for writing is not known. Then he cautions Timothy about Alexander.
Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil. The Lord reward him according to his works. Alexander the coppersmith, who was before a great professor, but now become a grievous persecutor, he made shipwreck of his faith.
Of whom be thou aware also, for he hath greatly withstood our words. It would seem from this that Alexander was still a public teacher and that his discourses were plausible and artful, the best and wisest of men needed to be on their guard against the efforts of such a one.
For he hath greatly withstood our words. This verse makes it clear that there was no private wrong that Paul referred to, but an injury which he was doing to the cause of the truth as a professed public teacher.
At my first answer, no man stood with me, but all men forsook me. I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. This is when Paul was tried. There was no one with him. It seems to point to the first hearing of the case, which had then been adjourned, perhaps to wait for witnesses.
Then, as now, cases were often postponed or there was a second trial. Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me that by me the preaching might be fully known and that all the Gentiles might hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
When all human help fails, God is a more remarkable manner interposed, and thus the excellency plainly appears to be that of God and not of man. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto the heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever.
Amen. He did not say the Lord deliver me from every evil worker, from every evil work. Though he did not save me from my earthly enemies, blessed be God, my spiritual enemies shall never hurt me, never shall sin, certainly not Satan.
Salute, salute, Precia and Aquila and the household of Onesimus, these friends whom we first met in Corinth, afterwards in Ephesus, who returned also to Rome, were now again in Ephesus. Eurastus abode at Corinth, but Trophineus I have left at Miletus sick.
This man was sick. He was a treasurer of that city. Do thy diligence to come before winter. Euphorius greet thee, and Perdens, and Miletus, and Claudia, and all the brethren, because the apostles' time was short and uncertain.
He didn't want them sailing in the winter, because sailing in those seas was very dangerous. Whether Timothy saw the apostles before he was martyred, we don't know. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit.
Grace be with you. Amen. Shortly after this epistle was written, within a few months at the very most, Paul had his second hearing, was sentenced to death by execution, was led out of the city at the Austrian gate into a place called Three Fountains, and there he was beheaded.
Amen. Is there a word from anybody? Well, I don't know. I haven't talked with David about it, and you know I have to get clearance from him before I can go on. Well, let's stand and purge this, Mrs. Fleece.
Father, I thank you for your forgiveness.