“FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY!”

 2 Timothy 4:1-5                    (ESV)

Preach the Word

“[1] 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”.”

The Apostle Paul was a bold deliverer of THE WORD OF GOD!  Very often his MESSAGE was cutting, maybe even offensive.  He was usually plain spoken, enunciating precisely what ALMIGHTY GOD laid on his heart and mind.  He understood that the ONLY JUDGE WHO he needed to be concerned with was the ONE WHO will judge as ALL ONE DAY!!!

His ministry, like most Believers, was to PREACH THE WORD, and not to get sidetracked by petty differences in the CHURCH.  But he also had to TEACH HOLINESS, something that was a problem even in his time.  Identifying what was TRUTH and what was MYTH was vitally important to him, and precisely what he wrote to Timothy about in this letter.  

We need to be VERY CAREFUL NOT to associate with TEACHERS TO SUIT THEIR OWN PASSIONS, as they will probably find it difficult to “FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY”!!  Unless one is under the CONTROL of the SPIRIT OF GOD, the outcome of their ministry will be to “tickle the ears” of their listeners and not to grow the FLOCK they are assigned to lead.  

“FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY” isn’t accomplished by keeping the listeners of your MESSAGE entertained and busy with “church matters”!  Paul knew that a time of Dispersion and “falling away” might come, and Believers would need to be prepared for such a time!  We MUST be GROUNDED and MATURE in our FAITH, which can be a painful experience!  Never are we told that it WILL BE EASY!!!  We MUST be prepared to “FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY” and not allow “easy-believeism” to infiltrate our lives and ministry!!!