Faithful to the Word

195

Kent Hughes tells the following story:

Dr. William Evans, who pastored College Church from 1906-1909, was an unusually accomplished man. He had the entire King James Version of the Bible memorized as well as the New Testament of the American Standard Version. Dr. Evans also authored over fifty books. His son, Louis, became one of the best-known preachers in America and for many years pastored the eminent First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. When Dr. William Evans retired, he moved to Hollywood to be near his son, and when Louis was away he would substitute for him.

One unforgettable Sunday Dr. William, as he was affectionately called, spoke on the virgin birth. All were amazed when he raised his Bible and tore out the pages that narrate the birth of the Lord. As the tattered scraps floated down toward the congregation, he shouted, "If we can't believe in the virgin birth, let's tear it out of the Bible!" And then as he drove home his point, he tore out the resurrection196 chapters, then the miracle narratives, then anything conveying the supernatural. The floor was littered with mutilated pages.

Finally, with immense drama he held up the only remaining portion and said, "And this is all we have left—the Sermon on the Mount. And that has no authority for me if a divine Christ didn't preach it." After a few more words, he asked his listeners to bow for the benediction. But before he could pray, a man in that vast and sedate congregation stood and cried, "No, no! Go on! We want more!" Several others joined in. So Dr. Evans preached for another fifty minutes. (Baldwin and Benson, Henrietta Mears, 149)

This story illustrates the situation in which Timothy found himself and in which we find ourselves. Many do not believe in the inspiration of the Bible. Many discount the miracles. False teachers abound. Yet there are still cries from some saying, "We want more!" Or, as in Ezra's day, "Bring the book" (Neh 8:1). This passage describes for us the nature of Holy Scripture and the great need for preaching it in today's world.

In the previous section Paul describes the evil nature of false teachers and urges Timothy to be different. He begins verse 10 with a contrastive statement, "But you." Paul urges Timothy to stand apart from the imposters by following his own example and teaching. There is another contrastive statement in verse 14: "But as for you." Timothy is urged to be different by (1) continuing in God's Word (3:14-17) and (2) preaching God's Word (4:1-4).

Every Christian is called to continue in the Word, and everyone who preaches and teaches is called to proclaim the Word. The relevance of 2 Timothy 3:14-4:4 has made this text a treasured passage throughout the ages, but we should not let its familiarity keep us from feeling the force of its timeless challenges.

Continue in the Word

Continue in the Word

2 Timothy 3:14-17

Paul's life was about to end, but he knew Timothy must continue the race. He tells his spiritual son to "continue in what you have learned and firmly believed" (v. 14). Timothy had learned "the sacred Scriptures" from "childhood" (v. 15). Both his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice taught him from his infancy (1:5). He also learned from the197 apostle Paul (e.g., 1:13; 2:2), and now he is charged to keep on learning God's Word and living in God's Word.

Are you continuing to learn the Bible? I recently heard of a panel discussion that featured several top-shelf biblical scholars. They were discussing interpretive issues related to the Old Testament, specifically regarding the story of Joseph in Genesis. In response to a certain question, one of these premier Bible scholars said, "It may be that I need to do further study of the Old Testament. And I'm very certain of that." Does that response convict you? Even authoritative Bible scholars come to issues in the text and conclude that they need to spend more time in the Bible. Even the brightest of biblical minds "need to do further study." We should never stop studying the Scriptures!

Notice something else in verse 14. Paul says, "Continue in what you have... firmly believed" (emphasis added). The belief mentioned here carries the idea of being convinced. Timothy had become convinced of the truth of God's Word through these aforementioned messengers. Now Paul urges Timothy to continue trusting in God's powerful Word.

These verses show us the folly of overemphasizing what is novel. Paul in his dying days did not tell Timothy to be trendy. Paul knew God had given us something timeless: the sacred Scriptures. Timothy must hold firmly to these Scriptures and pass them on faithfully above all else. Paul goes on to tell us more about the nature of these sacred Scriptures in which we are to study and by which we are to live.

Continue in the Christ-Centered Scriptures (3:15)

When Paul says Timothy had heard the "sacred Scriptures" from childhood, he is referring to what we call the Old Testament. Later in life Timothy would come to understand the Scriptures in a fuller sense as he learned how the Old Testament points to Jesus. Paul consistently used the Old Testament to preach and teach the gospel (e.g., Acts 17:2; 18:4-5; 26:22b-23). The gospel Timothy heard was the biblical gospel of the prophets and the apostles. It was authentic and worth his very life.

Paul adds that these Christ-centered Scriptures are "able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." The Bible is a book that leads us to salvation. Some are amazed that you could use the Old Testament to lead someone to Christ. But the apostles show us that the198 Old Testament can indeed make one wise for salvation through faith in Christ! When they went to various cities, they did not pass out tracts like "Four Spiritual Laws" or "Steps to Peace with God." They taught the Old Testament, pointing people to Jesus. Regarding the gospel in the Old Testament, Paul says, "For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor 15:3-4; emphasis added). These "Scriptures" were the Old Testament. In Galatians, Paul reaches back to Abraham as a pattern of how people are saved: by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Gal 3:6-14).

The Bible narrates the ongoing flow of redemptive history that moves ultimately to the person and work of Jesus. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is unashamedly Christian. God did not make a mistake giving us a whole Bible instead of just a pocket New Testament! Sidney Greidanus gives us the following reminders about why we should not neglect the Old Testament (Greidanus, Preaching Christ, 25-32). Consider the Christ-centered, redemptive nature of the Bible.

1. The Old Testament is part of the Christian canon.
2. It shows the history of redemption leading to Christ.
3. It proclaims truths not found in the NT.
4. It helps us understand the NT.
5. It prevents misunderstanding the NT.
6. It provides a fuller understanding of Christ.

The Bible is not like Aesop's Fables, merely teaching moral lessons. Andy Griffith reruns can do a fine job of teaching moral principles! To use the Bible for this purpose alone is to misunderstand both its purpose and its content. Yet some people seem set on exactly that. I once heard of a teacher who after reading the story of Noah drew one moral principle: go love animals like Noah! Is that what we are to learn from this story of judgment and salvation? I do not think so. Further, the Old Testament is not a sanctified superhero book. Many want to turn Samson, David, and Gideon into our version of Marvel comic-book heroes. These and other abuses abound in both our Christian literature and in our preaching.

The Bible is a "Him Book." The Old Testament anticipates Christ, and the New Testament explains Christ. He is promised in the beginning,199 He is there in the middle, and He is held up at the end as our object of worship for all eternity. Themes like creation, fall, redemption, and new creation unfold this redemptive drama. Yet sadly, many Christians know the stories of the Bible well but know nothing of its wonderful Christ-centered story line.

To be clear, I am not suggesting we ignore the historical setting of Old Testament texts. I am saying we read the Bible as Christians, not as Jewish rabbis. We should honor the historical context of the Old Testament and make legitimate Christ-centered connections—by observing the story line of the Bible, tracing theological themes, noticing where a passage stands in relation to Christ, and other justifiable interpretive methods (see Greidanus, Preaching Christ, for some ways to do this rightly).

As we consider the big redemptive story, we can see that Jesus is the Hero of the Bible. As preachers, we must make the Hero of the Bible the Hero of every sermon! Paul said, "We proclaim Him" (Col 1:28). A quick read through Acts shows us the apostles' pattern of pointing people to Jesus from the Old Testament (Acts 2:14-34; 3:18-21; 4:11, 25-27; 7:52; 8:32-35; 10:42-43; 13; 17:2-3; 18:5; 20:24, 27; 24:14; 26:22; 28:23-31). I believe the apostles viewed the Bible with a Christ-centered focus because of Jesus' own teaching. Christ showed them that the Scriptures were about Him (e.g., Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39, 46).

Bruce Ware notes the nature and the message of the Bible, saying, "For although the Spirit is primarily responsible for producing the Bible as the inspired Word of God, the Bible is not primarily about the Spirit but rather it is about the Son" (Ware, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 110). Thus, Timothy was to continue in the Christ-centered Scriptures, which are produced by the Holy Spirit.

Continue in the God-Breathed Scriptures (3:16a)

This verse highlights the divine inspiration of Scripture. Paul states that the Scriptures are inspired or "breathed-out by God" (theopneustos). The Spirit worked through biblical writers to pen God's Word entirely and exactly as He intended. Just as God spoke the universe into existence, so also He breathed out His Word in Scripture. In fact, a better word than inspiration might be "expiration." God breathed out His holy Word. What a gift we have in the Bible!

Paul also affirms the total inspiration of Scripture saying that "all Scripture" is breathed out by God. This means we cannot simply pick200 and choose which parts of the Bible we like, which commands we wish to obey, and which doctrines we will believe. All of it is from the Spirit of God, and therefore all of it is good, binding, and true.

Peter describes how God revealed His Word to men: "First of all, you should know this: no prophecy of Scripture comes from one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Pet 1:20-21). Peter also affirms the inspiration of Scripture in the selection of Matthias: "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David spoke in advance about Judas" (Acts 1:16; emphasis added). This divine-human process is validated by the witness of writers and prophets throughout the Old Testament (e.g., 2 Sam 23:2; Isa 8:11; Jer 30:4; Amos 8:11).

We should not miss Jesus' emphasis on the divine nature of Scripture either. He quoted Scripture frequently as divine and authoritative. He said many powerful truths about Scripture: "Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matt 4:4) and "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away" (Matt 24:35). Jesus also affirmed the authority of the Old Testament by His own use of it. And, as already mentioned, He taught that He was the fulfillment of it (Luke 24:44).

Regarding the God-breathed nature of the New Testament, Peter says that Paul's letters were like "the rest of the Scriptures" (2 Pet 3:16). They were in the same category as the Old Testament writings. Additionally, Paul writes, "For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain, and, the worker is worthy of his wages" (1 Tim 5:18). His first quote comes from Deuteronomy 25:4, and the second quote is found in Luke 10:7. Paul called both of these Old and New Testament references "Scripture." Paul's self-awareness of the inspiration process also led him to write, "What I write to you is the Lord's command" (1 Cor 14:37). Further, the early church made a practice of reading Paul's letters aloud. They would have been read alongside the Old Testament, showing their authority and continuity (see Col 3:16; 1 Thess 5:27; 1 Tim 4:13).

Indeed, a fundamental question is, What is the nature of Scripture? Many believe the Bible is one good book among many other religious texts. Some skeptics believe that only about 20 percent is historically accurate. Other influential agnostics contend that one cannot know if the Bible is God's Word. In every age the nature of Scripture201 is questioned. Like Timothy, we must continue learning and believing in the God-breathed nature of the Bible and build our lives on it.

Continue in the Totally Sufficient Scriptures (3:16b-17)

We have many today who say they believe in the inspiration of Scripture but deny their belief by their practice. Do not just believe Scripture. Use it! If Christians believe the Bible is God's inspired Word, then they should naturally see it as profitable. Paul has already told us the Bible is profitable for making us wise for salvation (v. 15). But now he adds that it is profitable "for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness" (v. 16).

The Bible shapes our beliefs as well as our lifestyle. It relates to both doctrine and conduct, and it is totally sufficient to shape us into the image of Christ by the power of the Spirit. The Bible addresses us in a variety of ways. It gives us doctrinal truth. It rebukes us for ungodly behavior or false beliefs. It corrects us when we stray from Christlikeness. It trains us in righteous living. The incredible scope of Scripture's power and the need to preach it is stated in 2 Timothy 4:2: "Proclaim the message;... rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching."

God's Word meets our deepest needs. It transforms us from the inside out. People need God's Word more than man's observations and practical suggestions. Sure, there may be times to offer some practical suggestions and council or to read from a contemporary writer. However, we must distinguish between "good stuff" and "God's stuff." If you are a preacher/teacher, give them God's stuff: God-breathed Scripture!

Paul adds to his point on the sufficiency of Scripture, saying, "So that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (v. 17). Scripture is also profitable for equipping us. Hughes says, "Though we cannot see it in English, Paul here uses two forms of the Greek word for equip (an adjective and a participle) to make his point. The man of God is super-equipped by the Word of God" (Hughes and Chapell, 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, 239). I love that idea: "super-equipped" by the Scriptures! Stott says, "Scripture is the chief means which God employs to bring 'the man of God' to maturity" (Stott, Message, 103).

While the Scriptures equip all Christians, it seems that Paul had Timothy in mind specifically when he says "the man of God" (cf. 1 Tim 6:11). By extension, those who have leadership responsibility in the church should pay close attention to this verse. The Bible grows us202 personally as we live in it. We should have the spirit of the psalmist: "How I love Your instruction! It is my meditation all day long" (Ps 119:97); "My heart fears only Your word" (119:161b). The Bible also equips us as we seek to lead others to Christ, teach sound doctrine, counsel people, or grow a church. Indeed, it prepares us for "every good work." Let us pray like John Wesley: "At any price give me the book of God.... Let me be a man of one book" (in Gordon, Evangelical Spirituality, 36).

This charge to continue learning, trusting, and believing the Christ-centered, God-breathed, totally sufficient Scriptures is followed with the charge to proclaim this life-changing message of God, the gospel, the written and living Word declaring the truth about the incarnate Word.

Preach the Word

Preach the Word

2 Timothy 4:1-4

If the chapter division were not here in our Bibles, we would not be distracted from seeing the logical progression: a high view of the Bible (3:14-17) should lead to a high view of biblical preaching (4:1-4). Unfortunately, some hold to the inspiration of Scripture, but their actual preaching is not rooted in the Scriptures. I think the best approach for applying verse 2, "Preach the word!" (NKJV), is expositional preaching. Expositional preaching is Word-driven preaching. It is preaching in such a way that the main point of the selected passage is the main point of the sermon. It is taking the listeners for a swim in the Bible. Notice five ways we should do Word-driven preaching.

Preach the Word Faithfully (4:1-2a)

The proper motive of preachers is a desire for faithfulness to God, not worldly fame. This God-centered motive is noted here in verse 1 as Paul set up his exhortation with this stunning introduction. Nowhere else did Paul give this type of preface to a charge: "I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of His appearing and His kingdom" (v. 1). Feel the force of this verse. Paul put preaching in a holy context with these words.

Timothy is to remember that he preached before God. No preacher ultimately goes unnoticed. Unnoticed by people? Sure. Overlooked for big speaking engagements? Yes. But he is never out of the eyes of God. This should give all of us who preach a correct perspective on203 our task. Our audience first and foremost is God Himself. Because of this, the unpopular, "unknown" pastor should not be discouraged by his lack of fame and recognition. He should remember that his ultimate call is faithfulness to God and that his ministry is eternally important even if his church is small. The popular, "famous" pastor should not be arrogant. His ultimate evaluation is not from people but from God.

The questions that should concern every pastor-preacher are questions like these: Is God pleased with my treatment of His Word? Is He pleased with my motive? Is He pleased with my attitude and care for the flock? In a day filled with those who preach for the applause of man, we need faithful preachers who preach for the pleasure of God. God told Jeremiah, "The prophet who has only a dream should recount the dream, but the one who has My word should speak My word truthfully" (Jer 23:28).

Paul also reminded Timothy of the coming of Christ with three images: "appearing," judgment, and "kingdom." In 2 Timothy 4:8, he spoke of "all those who have loved His appearing" (emphasis added). Paul believed Christ will make a visible, glorious appearance (cf. Titus 2:13). When He does appear, He will judge the living and the dead. Christ the King will bring about His kingdom in its fullness.

We must live and preach in light of this holy accountability. James jolts us by reminding us, "Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment" (Jas 3:1). The author of Hebrews also puts the task of pastor-teacher in proper perspective: "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you" (Heb 13:17; emphasis added).

In verse 2, Paul says, "Preach the word!" (NKJV). To "preach" means "to herald" or "to proclaim publicly" (cf. 1:11). As preachers, we "proclaim the message." For us today the message is the entire written Word of God. Throughout this section Paul uses various phrases to talk about the truth of God's Word, such as "sacred Scriptures" (3:15), "Scripture" (3:16), "sound doctrine" (4:3), and "the truth" (4:4). We have the holy responsibility and unspeakable privilege of heralding God's timeless truth to people. Like Ezra, let us study it, obey it, and teach it (Ezra 7:10; Neh 8). Paul told Timothy earlier, "Until I come, give your attention to public reading, exhortation, and teaching" (1 Tim 4:13).204

Martin Luther said concerning the Reformation, "I simply taught, preached, wrote God's Word; otherwise I did nothing.... I did nothing; the Word did it all.... I did nothing; I left it to the Word.... But it brings him [Satan] distress when we only spread the Word, and let it alone do the work" (Luther, Jacobs, and Spaeth, Works, 399-400). Preach the Word faithfully, and believe that it will do the work.

Preach the Word Consistently (4:2b)

Next Timothy is told to persist in his faithfulness to God's Word "whether convenient or not," or as the ESV renders it, "Be ready in season and out of season." This speaks of urgency and readiness. There should always be a sense of urgency in light of the truth that we are communicating. We are preaching on matters of life, death, and eternity. And the preacher-soldier is always on duty! Let your ministry be known for readiness, not for laziness!

I remember being in a southern Nigerian leper colony a few years ago. This was my first time in a leper colony. It took me about 30 minutes to calm down. I was heartbroken by the poverty in this village, the physical effects of leprosy, the unbelievable conditions in which they were living, what the people were cooking, and most of all, by the people's desire for company and conversation. After our team of 12 guys visited with them for about an hour, our host announced, "Now Pastor Tony will preach. Everyone form a circle." I remember thinking, "I'm preaching? I wish I had known this beforehand! I don't even have a Bible, not to mention notes!" I immediately thought of these words: "Be ready in season and out of season." By God's grace I just began preaching Romans 8, talking about suffering and glory, about how we are all dying and need the Savior. The longer I preached, the bolder and more passionate I became. I still have a picture of a lady, who lost her fingers to leprosy, standing behind me with both arms raised in the air in praise to God. It was truly amazing. God's Word is powerful to change the hearts of people in all places at all times. Preach it consistently!

Preach the Word Pastorally (4:2c)

The pastor-preacher should apply the Word to the lives of his flock in a variety of ways. Paul gives us three ways of doing it: "Rebuke, correct, and encourage." Pastors need to know the condition of the flock205 and remain sensitive to how a particular passage is addressing them. Sometimes God's people need to be rebuked for their wrong beliefs or ungodly lifestyles. Paul illustrates this skill with his letters to the Corinthians (rebuked for their immorality) and the Galatians (rebuked for their failure to continue in the gospel of grace).

Other times God's people need to be corrected in order to get back on the path of righteousness. This means church discipline is actually done every week as the pastor teaches the Bible. We call this "formative discipline," with the other kind of discipline being "restorative discipline" (e.g., Matt 18:15-20; Gal 6:1). The Bible corrects us when we wander away from God's will.

Sometimes pastors need to encourage the flock when they are facing fear, anxiety, or great burdens. Pastors should apply the truths of the text to edify and build up suffering saints.

Of course, one may do all of these in one sermon. Because the scope of the Bible is amazing, we can address all kinds of people in all kinds of ways. Of course, our rebuke, correction, and encouragement should be Christ centered through and through. Show them their need and the Christ-centered solution.

Preach the Word Patiently (4:2d)

I overlooked the part of Paul's challenge for several years that commands "great patience"—that is, until I became a pastor! Then it became my favorite part of the verse! Sanctification (a Christian's growth in Christ-likeness) is a slow process. Really slow! Sometimes pastors grow discouraged because they do not see immediate results from their sermons. Remember that there is a cumulative effect to your preaching. Over time there will be fruit. It may take a long time, but with patient biblical teaching you will see some progress.

Charles Simeon comes to mind whenever I think of pastoral patience. When he first came to Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge, no one wanted him to be the minister. For example, the "pew holders" locked the pew doors on Sunday mornings. They refused to participate in corporate worship and prevented any others from sitting down, allowing only standing individuals to worship. This lasted for about 12 years! They also would not allow him to preach the evening sermon! Yet Simeon—single his whole life—remained at this church for 54 years and eventually won the favor of many of his people (Piper, Roots of Endurance, 77-114). You can still read his faithful expositions206 in Horae Homileticae. How did Simeon endure? A friend said of him, "Simeon invariably rose every morning, though it was winter season, at four o'clock; and after lighting his fire, he devoted the first four hours of the day to private prayer and the devotional study of the Scriptures.... Here was the secret of his great grace and spiritual strength" (in Piper, Roots of Endurance, 106).

How can we grow in patience as pastor-preachers? Since patience is a fruit of the Spirit, then the simple answer is to walk by the Spirit. Commune with God. Abide in Jesus. As you spend time in God's presence, in unhindered and unhurried prayer and worship, meditate on God's patience. "The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in faithful love" (Ps 145:8). Work the gospel deeply into your heart daily. Remember what patience God has shown you! Then, by His grace, display His fatherly patience to His people.

Preach the Word Theologically (4:2e-4)

Paul also adds that Timothy must proclaim the message "with... teaching" (v. 2). Interestingly, one of the most famous verses in the Bible about preaching also calls for "teaching." This is important to note because some want to make too sharp a distinction between preaching and teaching, saying preaching is for evangelism, while theological teaching is for the discipleship of believers. This is helpful, but it can be pressed too far.

We need to see how these two pastoral activities work together. Preaching is heralding the facts, while teaching is explaining the facts. When you say, "The tomb is empty! The throne is occupied!"—then you are preaching. You are declaring the news. Teaching must follow these news headlines and explain who Jesus is, why Jesus was crucified and buried, and what it means for Him to be the King. In other words, if we want to practice verse 2, then we will do both heralding and explaining throughout the sermon.

We desperately need a generation of preachers who preach the Word theologically. The spirit of our day is not unlike that of the first century. Paul says in the next two verses, "For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths" (vv. 3-4). People drift from healthy teaching to suit their own passions. They wander away into myths. Jeremiah said of the people207 of Judah in his day, "The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it like this" (Jer 5:31).

Today we have all kinds of preachers who "tickle the ears" of people. Some teach that one cannot believe the miracles of the Bible. Others draw attention as they deny the historical reliability of the Bible. Many fill stadiums with their corrupt health-and-wealth prosperity teaching. We must preach truth because there is an absence of it in every generation. We need courageous prophets who will declare, "Thus says the Lord" with power and grace. Remember, if you are a pastor-preacher, you are the church's theologian and apologist. Become a better theologian so you might become a better pastor-preacher-leader.

Continue in the Word. Keep learning it. Keep believing it. Keep preaching it!

Reflect and Discuss