2 Timothy 4:1-4 by Seth Dunn

2 Timothy 4:1-4

On a recent Sunday night, I received a call from the Youth Pastor of the church at which I serve on Wednesday nights.  He was not going to be able to make the upcoming Wednesday night youth activity. His grandfather had died, his family would be receiving guests that night, and he needed me to teach the coming week’s lesson.  It was not my turn on the teaching schedule.  In fact, I hadn’t taught the lesson in some time.  I wasn’t even aware of what passage of the Bible from which he had planned to teach until I got the call.  It was short notice.

Paul wrote the 2^nd Epistle to Timothy from a Roman prison.  He was out of pocket to say the least.  In his letter he charged Timothy to, “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”  The meaning of this language can easily be lost upon modern, 1^st world, post-industrial revolution readers.  Paul and Timothy lived in Agrarian society where there were but two times: in season and out of season.  Basically, Paul was telling Timothy to always be ready to preach the gospel.

Perhaps Paul was hearkening back to the words of Jesus that we now have recorded in John 4:35.  In this verse Jesus is quoting an ancient proverb about biding one’s time in until the harvest is ready.  In the context of John 4:35, Jesus was telling his disciples that the harvest time was upon them and that they would soon reap what he had sewn.  “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor,” Jesus told them. 

Paul’s time on Earth was coming to an end and it was up to his young charge, Timothy, to carry on preaching the gospel.  Paul warned Timothy that his audience would not endure sound doctrine but rather would desire teaching and teachers that “tickled their ears.”  These words are still pertinent today.

There is great temptation in today’s youth ministry climate to tickle the ears of young people to keep them interested in the church.   It takes great patience and great instruction to preach sound doctrine to anyone, especially youths.  In my short-notice situation, I was reminded of Paul’s words to always be ready to preach sound doctrine with great patience.

Lord, give us a harvest of souls to reap in your name.
Lord, give us the patience to endure sound doctrine and the humility to receive it.
Lord, fill us with the power of the ever-ready power of the Holy Spirit.