hear the word!

Daniel Patz, Lead Pastor

Grace Church, Sunday Worship

2 Timothy 4:1-5

October 25th, 2009

2 Timothy 4:1-5  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:  (2)  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  (3)  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,  (4)  and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.  (5)  As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

I wrote this sermon this morning. More importantly, I think and pray (though I may be wrong and do not want to presume) that God guided me to write this sermon this morning. And I will preach the last two verses of Ephesians 4 next week.

This Passage is Addressed primarily to Preachers.

I want to apply it to Hearers – HEAR THE WORD.

To Preachers:

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: 

(2)  preach the word

There is a seriousness that is brought about in this passage.

In verse 5 he says – “be sober-minded”

I want to reiterate something I asked of you in January:

1) Pray that I would preach the Word with accuracy. Pray that I would not add to it or leave something out.

2) Pray that I would preach the Word with clarity. Pray that I would be given a gift and I would work hard to make the truth clear and understandable (use of words and language).

3) Pray that I would preach the Word with power. Pray that I would have what the old timers called “unction in the pulpit.” Pray that God would use His Word to bring life.

4) Pray that I would preach the Word with perseverance. Pray that I would not be weary in well doing but faithful regardless of apparent fruitfulness.

5) Pray that I would preach the Word with my life. Pray that my walk would match a faithful preaching of the Gospel.

I am a messenger and I am to preach the Word.

I must do it when it is popular and when it is out of fashion.

I must do it when it encourages and when it ruffles feathers.

I must do it when it applauds and accuses your heart.

I must do it not because it is my Word but because it is THE Word. I am a Messenger.

As I preach I perform the office of PROPHET. I proclaim – “Thus says the Lord.”

Titus 2:15  Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

I must do all this knowing that I am a sinner saved by grace looking to the infallible Word of God.

The key is that I must preach the WORD. Not myself. Not my opinions. I must preach the Word. The whole Word.

This Word is focused primarily in the Gospel – in Jesus. He has come to save us wretched sinners who have no hope apart from an atoning sacrifice to take away our sins and pay our debt.

To Hearers:

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: 

Matthew 11:15   He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

1. Listen Knowing You are in the Presence of God and Christ Jesus

Literally this passage is saying Paul to Timothy saying that His Word is authority because it is from God. The preacher should follow this pattern and extended to His people.

Coram Deo – living before the presence of God – under His authority and sovereignty.

Know that God has much grace to work when you listen. Take it seriously.

1 Thessalonians 2:13  And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

2. Listen Knowing that a Judgment Day is Coming

Romans 2:16on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

Romans 14:10But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

We will give an account for what we heard – what did we do with it:

Parable of the Four Soils:

Luk 8:18  Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away."

3. Listen Knowing that the Kingdom of God has Appeared

Mark 1:15  and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

Matthew 12:28  But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

1 Corinthians 4:20  For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.

Colossians 1:13-18  He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,  (14)  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.  (15)  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  (16)  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him.  (17)  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  (18)  And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

Eph 1:16ff.