“I solemnly 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, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”
– 2 Timothy 4:1-2 NASB
After my calling into the ministry some 37 years ago, I read Paul’s letters to Timothy, a young minister, constantly. I read them just as if the Apostle had personally written me.
And while I am certainly no Timothy, I too will be judged by the Lord, and I too look for His appearing and kingdom; thus, as a minister of the gospel, there was certainly no harm in reading for myself.
Truthfully, even the many who aren’t God-called ministers could read it as if it were written to them too.
Why? Because we share the same Judge and have the same expectations, though each of us operate within our unique callings and kingdom vocations.
William Barclay said it all-inclusively well,
“Our work must be such that it will stand the scrutiny of Christ. Our lives must be such that they will welcome the appearance of the King. Our service must be such that it will demonstrate the reality of our citizenship of the Kingdom of God.” [1]
Thus, as a believer, and being one whom the Lord has given both the ministry and the word of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18–19), our:
• Work must be of the right motive
• Life must be right in His sight
• Service must be based in humility
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”
– 2 Timothy 4:3-4 NASB
We are living in that time which will precede that day.
Thus, my fellow servants, “be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (v. 5) in preparing for that day!
