← Back to sermon library

welcome again everyone tomorrow second service this evening have pre gross Baptist few announcements before would you begin most of you probably know Shane Abby young man sitting over there has requested membership with our church if you haven't got to know him please get to know him over the next couple of weeks and we hope to make it official and if you excited following this evening service there is a hymn sing all are welcome and the fellowship hall and last night at our annual general meeting we said we went through a wholeness of people thanking him for the various services that the during his church and in light of the hymns thing we also want to thank Michael Jones for all the work that he puts into organizing it preparing the music so thanks to Michael Jones for taking that upon himself for a call to worship if you have your Bibles please you can open them to psalm 119 psalm 119 and I'll read verses 97 to 1004 oh how I love your law it is my meditation all the day you through your Commandments make me wiser than my enemies for they are ever with me I have more understanding I have I have more understanding than all my teachers for your testimonies are my meditation I understand more than the ancients because I keep your precepts I have restrained my feet from every evil way that I may keep your word I have not departed from your judgments for you yourself have taught me how sweet are your words to my taste sweeter than honey to my mouth through your precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way amen for first him we can sing in our large trinity trinity hymnal number 280 please send uh let's go to our Lord in prayer dear Lord and Heavenly Father how excellent is your name Laura truly the heavens do declare your glory sword and we just praise you for that we praise you above all Lord for the glory that you have shown through your son Jesus Christ we do thank you Lord for His perfect life his death and his resurrection on our behalf how from old it from all eternity Lord you have decreed to send your son into this world sinners to save hard we just thank you for so great a salvation we thank you for so great an advocate so for so great an intercession for Lord we confess it against you we have sinned and against you only and so lord become even in this evening hour to praise you and to thank you that we have this opportunity we thank you Lord that we can gather together for a second time in your house to sit under the preaching of your gospel under the preaching of your word and so lord would you pray for this evening we pray that you'd be pleased to send your Holy Spirit to minister amongst us Lord that you'd use the words preach this evening for your honor of your glory but above all Lord us sinners would be saved which is pray Lord we just we just thank you Lord that we have this opportunity to sit under the faithful preaching we do you thank you Lord that you are God who hears prayers and that desires are your people do pray and so Lord we pray for those in our church you are now well those who have ongoing physical ailments Lord we just bring them before the High King of heaven before that great position would you pray Lord that even today there would know some measure of relief from their physical pains and through these times Lord that they would know this nearness fear spirit they know the nearness of your presence Lord we do pray for the persecuted Church Lord we read read the reports week after week of those who are going to have to go into prison those who are afflicted those who are attacked Lord we don't we don't understand we can't comprehend what it is set to go through day in and day out for your cause and for your God for your kingdom and so Lord we just pray that you would give them a measure of protection from these from their persecutors but above all Lord through these times that they would continue to be alight the light of your gospel in those countries a lot of those who bring those afflictions upon them would have a desire to know the peace that they possess even in the midst of such trials and difficulties Lord we do thank you for this local church we do thank you for the peace in the unity that we do enjoy the peace in Union unity that you're blessed us with Lord we just pray that each and every one of us would strive to maintain that unity the unity that we have in Christ Lord and that as a church would continue to go forward which continued to press forward and remain a church that is Christ centered in all its doings Lord we think of other churches here in Lower Mainland that are preaching your gospel week after week Lord we just pray that we would be a light even in this town and throughout North America Lord and throughout the world Lord we just thank you that your church is going forward your church is expanding and Lord we thank you for the promise in your word that the gates gates of Hades will not prevail for really thank you for the doors that have been opened in so many countries in the midst of such persecution in the midst of such opposition we think of the laborers sort you've sent into the fields there we just pray for protection for them we just pray for daily strength for that North that they would find the joy in the work that you have called them to do Lord and that there which is faithfully basically persevere bringing your word to these countries or rather such opposition Lord we do thank you again for this evening we do thank you Lord that we have to stay abreast where we can set aside our daily Labor's Lord we just thank you that we can come into your house to worship the triune God we just thank you for this access and we have through Jesus Christ Lord that you have opened open the door to your throne room because of what he has done Lord would you pray for the young people in our church and the children Lord we desire that they too would be saved day two with no Christ at an early age and so Lord we just pray for salvation even in their young hearts we do you think of those who are pregnant there are a number of them again Lord we just praise you for the gift of life we just pray for mother and child Lord that in due time of traditional world that these little ones would be delivered we're just pray for parents thought that they would strive to raise these children in the fear of the Lord and in your word and through it all are that you would be honored and you would be glorified and so now Lord as legal as we continue to go on into worship we do ask for your blessing Lord would you ask for your presence you ask that you'd be pleased minister monks aspire Holy Spirit as through Christ alone that we do pray amen for a second him this evening we can sing a large Trinity adult number 510 for Old Testament our Old Testament reading this evening we're in the Book of Ezekiel and we're in chapter 6 Ezekiel chapter 6 now the word of the Lord came to me saying son a man set your face toward the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them and say well mountains of Israel hear the word of the Lord God thus says the Lord God to the mountains to the hills to the ravines and to the valleys indeed I even i will bring a sword against you and will destroy your high places then your altars shall be desolate your incense altars shall be broken and I will cast down your slain men before your idols and I will lay the corpses of the children of Israel before their idols and I will scatter your bones all around your ID we're all around your altars in all your dwelling places the city shall be laid waste and the high places shall be desolate so that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate your altars may be broken and made to cease your incense altar altars may be cut down and your works may be abolished the slain shall fall in the midst of you the slain shall fall in your midst and you shall know that I am the lord yet I will leave a remnant so that you may have some who escaped the sword among the nations when you are scattered through the country's the nose of you who escaped will remember me among the nations where there where they are carried captive because I was crushed whether adulterous heart which has departed from me and by the rise which play the harlot after after their idols they will know themselves for the evils which they committed in all their abominations and they shall know that I am the lord I have not said in vain that I would bring this calamity upon them thus says the Lord God found your fists and stamped her feet and say alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel for they shall fall by the sword by famine and by pestilence he who is far off shall die by Pastor Biden shall die by the pestilence he who is near shall fall by the sword he who remains and his blessed and his besieged shall die by by the famine thus i will send does i will spend my fury upon them then you shall know that i am the lord when they're slain are among their idols all around their altars on every high hill on all the mountaintops under every Green Tree and under every thick oak wherever they offered sweet incense to all their idols so I will stretch out my hand against them and make the land desolate yes more desolate than the wilderness toward dil tor doobleh and all their dwelling places then they shall know that I'm the Lord amen let's go again to the Lord in prayer Lord God will you thank you for your Holy Word without written word of truth Lord and as we've just read or the destruction that you promised upon your people that destruction or that was carried out because your word was not spoken in vain but in light of such destruction Lord we see such hope for there was a remnant Lord which you did spare and so we thank you Lord for the remnant for it is ultimately through that remnant of people that you're assigned Jesus Christ has come from Lord and so we just praise you that in that in your wrath you did remember such mercy and so Lord we do we do prayer that we would live even in light of the night of that Redemption that word as we have these reminders of such destruction of the people who has fallen away Lord and and in one sense sword we are no different than than them and yet and yet in light of that Lord would you thank you that did that we do have hope that we do have salvation and so we just thank you again for Jesus Christ our salvation so we do you pray again lower fear for the Ministry of your word Lord would you pray for pastor Butler nails he comes up to preach we do pray Lord give him a measure of help from and high cause of not to lean on his own understanding Lord but thought but that all that he says would be to your honor to your glory and that would be blessed by your Holy Spirit as in Christ I would you pray amen for our last him before the preaching will sing number 220 you please turn with me in your Bibles to second Timothy chapter 4 2nd timothy chapter 4 our focus tonight will be the first two verses in 2nd Timothy essentially what we have is Paul's final charge given to the church now I know it's given to Timothy particularly but it's the last formal command that Paul gives 2 Timothy as Timothy is representative of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and essentially what we have is the command given in verses 1 and 2 and then in verses 3 to 8 we have two reasons for the command essentially because the church will defect from sound doctrine and Paul is going to die these are the reasons why Paul wants Timothy to preach the word but i do want to read it in its context will pray and then we'll look in detail at verses 1 and 2 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ will judge the living in the dead at his appearing and his kingdom preach the word be ready in season and out of season convince rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and teaching for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but according to their own desires because they have itching ears they will heap up for themselves teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables but you be watchful in all things endure afflictions do the work of an evangelist fulfill your ministry for I am already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought the good fight I have finished the race I have kept the faith finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will give to me on that day and not to me only but also to all who have loved his appearing be diligent to come to me quickly for dimas is forsaken me having loved this present world and has departed for thessalonica Christians for Galatia Titus for dalmatia only Luke is with me get mark and bring him with you for he is useful to me for ministry and teach a kiss i have sent to ephesus bring the cloak that I left with Karpis at trow ass when you come in the books especially the parchments Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm may the Lord repay him according to his works you also must be aware of him for he has greatly resisted our words at my first defense no one stood with me but all forsook me may it not be charged against them but the Lord stood with me and strengthened me so that the message might be preached fully through me and that all the Gentiles might hear also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion and the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for his heavenly kingdom to him be glory forever and ever amen greet Prisca and Aquila and the household of an SF oras Erastus stayed in Corinth but trophy Masai have left in my lead is sick do your utmost to come before winter you beuliss greets you as well as Putin's Linus Claudia and all the Brethren the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit grace be with you amen let us pray father thank you for your word and thank you for this opportunity now to come and study scripture as we just sang father son and spirit we asked you would grant us grace to receive with Thanksgiving the Word of God it may it have an impact upon our hearts and lives may you conform your people ever more under the image of the Lord Jesus Christ for those who are not your people we pray you would call them by your grace and for your glory we ask that you would pour out your Holy Spirit upon us that we would have him to illumine our minds and our hearts that we may indeed understand the scriptures and that we may indeed walk accordingly to these truths we ask that you would forgive us for all sin and transgression and all unrighteousness and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well remember last the last several times we've been in 2nd Timothy specifically in chapter 3 the Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to continued steadfastly in the Christian ministry he exhorts Timothy to maintain fidelity in the long run to the very end that he would be a faithful minister of the Lord Jesus Christ remember that he sets forth to Timothy the reality that Timothy had in fact followed Paul's example carefully and then he reminds Timothy that Timothy had indeed continued in the things that he had learned notice in verse 14 of chapter 3 or he was ordered to you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of knowing from whom you have learned that and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus so Timothy learned from a grandmother and a godly mother Timothy as well learned from the Apostle Paul and Paul says you need to hold fast to the scriptures that you have been taught Paul then ends chapter 3 giving this general statement concerning the usefulness of Scripture he highlights its divine origin all Scripture is given by inspiration of God it didn't just come from man but it comes from God as well it's profitable or useful and Paul indicate several ways verse 16 it's profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction and righteousness and then in verse 17 there's a particular application rather to the man of God notice what he says that the man of God in the context Timothy the pastor the the man serving in the local church that the man of God may be complete thoroughly equipped for every good work and that leads us to consider what Paul does here in Chapter four and I think the connection is to be seen thus the Bible is the inspired infallible and inerrant Word of God it is profitable for all the things that the Apostle is highlighted therefore Paul tells Timothy you need to preach this word now as I've said often second Timothy is the last letter that the Apostle Paul wrote prior to his death notice in verse 6 of chapter 4 Paul knows that his time is it hat Paul knows at the end of his life has approached Paul knows that he's going to die this is the last letter that he has written this is the last formal or corporate command that he gives beginning in verse 9 he gives several commands to be sure but they're private in nature there 2 Timothy Timothy needs to come and see Paul Timothy needs to bring Paul's cloak Timothy needs to bring the books especially the parchments so there's a lot of commands in Chapter four but they're not formal they're not corporate it's not what the church as a whole is supposed to take heed to but verses 1 and 2 are Paul's last formal command to the church is that they preach the word so I think we ought to give special heed to the Apostle in his 11th hour when a man comes to die those things that he says just prior to his death demonstrates what is closest to his heart and most important in terms of his life and of the message that he wants to pass on to his followers so I want to look at verses 1 and 2 this evening under two considerations first the solemn charge secondly the specific command note the solemn charge in verse 1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ this isn't the first time Paul uses this convention notice in 1st Timothy 5 verse 21 I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice doing nothing with partiality again in second Timothy chapter 2 at verse 14 remind them of these things charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit to the ruin of the hearers so he comes now to second Timothy chapter 4 verse 1 and having made this statement concerning the profitability and the divine origin of Scripture he says I therefore charge you I charge you therefore before God in the Lord Jesus Christ that therefore is absent in the newer translations it's in the King James and the New King James tradition I think it belongs there and I think it highlights or underscores the connection between verses 16 and 17 of chapter 3 and verses 1 and 2 of chapter 4 since the Bible is what Paul says the Bible is then Timothy and solemnly charged to preach it to declare it to proclaim it to highlight it to underscore it to make sure the church hears it to make sure that person's hear it the therefore highlights that this is an implication of the preceding since the Bible is what Paul has described it to be there for Timothy is to preach it and it is intriguing that Timothy is solemnly charged not to be the nicest man on the face of the earth he is solemnly charge not to be the friendliest person in Ephesus he is not solemnly charged to be the mover and the shaker that gets things done but Timothy rather is solemnly charged to be a faithful preacher of God's Holy Word notice that this solemn charge is under the gaze of God Most High and the Lord Jesus Christ something Paul does often we have the father and we have the Sun in close connection they are coordinated they are joined together by this little word and in the presence of the Father in the presence of the son Paul the Apostle charges Timothy to execute faithfully his duty and this is also something we ought to appreciate the pastor the minister the man who studies the word to preach the word according to second Timothy chapter 2 he studies to show himself approved unto God he doesn't study to show himself approved to man he doesn't study to show himself something to the eyes of those who hear him or to the ears of those who hear him and in the same token when the man of God comes before the people of God to preach his eye is to be heavenward he is to damn that he is preaching two men to be sure but the divine audiences father son and I would essentially say as well the Spirit of God because he's never far off obviously Paul charges Timothy before God and the Lord Jesus Christ so Timothy must be mindful that when he goes into the pulpit when he sets forth the word of truth when he expounds it and applies it it is the audience of the triune God that he has an eye toward that is a sober reality but Paul doesn't stop there in the present Timothy is to consider father and son but Timothy must also have a future orientation he must have an eye to the coming judgment day notice what Paul says I charge you therefore before God in the Lord Jesus Christ and then he speaks specifically of the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom Timothy when he goes about to preach ought not simply to think well I've got to get through this day I've got to finish my task I've got to do my job so that everybody will be happy and we can go home no Timothy must be mindful of the coming judgment of God most high why why would Paul do this why would Paul charged yet why would Paul remind him concerning that Christ is going to come again to judge the living and the dead I think it goes in two particular ways in the first place I think it underscores what James tells us in James chapter 3 he says let not many of you become teachers for we shall incur or we shall receive a stricter judgment now if a doctor messes somebody up let's say a hip for instance they cut out the wrong bone and they put it together poorly that dr. certainly can be sued for malpractice I don't know how effective that is in Canada I think you have to take on the whole government but I know in the United States at least it used to be if somebody messed up you could sue that they're held accountable for that misstep well in the same way the preacher of the Word of God is held accountable for the things he says in the name of God this is why we don't want men to share their hearts this is why we don't want men to tell stories this is why we don't want men to come and give us soothing tidbits for our busy lives we want men to preach the word of truth we want men to engage in faithful exposition of God's Holy Word drawing out blessed implications and applications of that word and bringing it to bear upon the people of God the minister of the gospel will incur a stricter judgment if he compromises the truth if he distorts the truth if he shaves off edges if he makes it fit a particular model that is not God's then he is going to receive judgment from on high Paul the Apostle in Galatians 1 how does he start that letter he gives a very brief greeting to the people of the Galatia churches and then he says I am amazed that you are so quickly turning from him who called you by another gospel and then he pronounces annan asum upon any and all that would twist the word of the Living God now think about that the doctor who messes up a hip is not an athame tized the doctor who messes up a kidney operation is not anathematized he is not consigned to hell for having wrecked your body he may have a financial payment to make his life may be ruined on this side of heaven to be sure but there's redemption there's forgiveness there's mercy there's grace to be had he can go to the Lord God and say cleanse me in the blood of Jesus because I've ruined this person's life by by taking out the wrong kidney or or or removing a section of the brain that controls their motor skills and functions this is serious to be sure but he's not consigned to hell this is what Paul doesn't Galatians want fact turn there just so you understand the gravity involved and why Paul is reminding Timothy concerning the coming judgment day when Lord Jesus will judge the living in the debt Galatians 16 and again this is very intriguing you have to understand i think it was mentioned who said that the Epistle to the Galatians is a fighting epistle it is a fighting epistle Paul comes right out of the gate when you look at first Corinthians for instance the Corinthian church was filled with sin wasn't it I mean sin after sin after sin after sin after sin in the Corinthian church but if you look at the opening greeting it's long it's flower it's lovey its dovey it's the Apostle Paul just oozing and pouring out his love upon these brethren see those were errors concerning sanctification and certainly Paul combats those errors concerning saint of a Geisha but in Galatians the Gospels at stake the doctrine of justification by faith alone is in danger of being compromised that's why he comes out of the gate that's why he attacks notice in Galatians 16 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel which is not another but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ but even if we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you let him be accursed this translates the Greek word anathem up which is the trai that the greek word for the Hebrew word which means something that is devoted to destruction remember when the children of Israel went into certain cities and they were they were told not to take things that were under the Bann they were told not to take things that were devoted to destruction that's the word that's used here Paul says let them be anathema let him be condemned to hell let the wrath and fury in judgment of God most high fall upon any man that would twist the doctrine of justification by faith alone Paul includes himself in this anathema even if we or an angel from heaven should it be the case that a Holy Angel should come down out of heaven and occupy a pulpit and teach you justification by faith plus works may he be anathema may he be damned may he suffer under the wrath and fury and judgment of God and in case the Galatians missed this notice in verse 9 as we have said before so now I say again if anyone preaches any other gospel to you then what you have received let him be accursed so going back to second Timothy chapter 14 verse 1 this solemn charge the audience is the father and the son the orientation is present consider the fact that the father and the son of the audience that oversee your preaching but consider the future as well when the Lord Jesus Christ shall appear and he will judge the living in the dead Timothy if you wrongly handle the Word of God if you twist the scriptures if you distort the words of life then you will be under that judgment but I think it goes another way as well Timothy do this because Christ is going to come again to judge the living and the dead presumably those living in the dead that SAT under your ministry prepare them for the judgment to come prepare them for the glory of heaven warn them concerning the terrors of hell Timothy there is a judgment coming if it wasn't this way if the stakes were not so high you can be everybody's buddy you could be the life coach you could be the encourage ER you can be the cheerleader you can be the inspirer you could be the one who ladles out the chicken soup for the soul I understand this morning I kept saying chicken soul for the soup you know those books I see multitudes of them at the thrift store and that makes me rejoice I don't see multitudes of John Owen I don't see multitudes of John Calvin I don't see multitudes of Puritan authors I mean once in a while you'll stumble into the to the the bfm and you'll find something I've been known to do a little holy jig in the hallway there when I find these good books but there's a whole raft of chicken soul for or chicken soup for you know the teenage soul or the adults all or the elderly soul or the whatever soul if this state makes were not so high the preacher could simply pour out this chicken soup to give you a bit of encouragement for your life here on earth but no Timothy these people are going to meet Jesus these people are going to stand before God these people are giving it you're going to give an account for deeds done in the body whether good or evil Timothy do not play games preach the word to them so that they receive the gospel by the grace of God and on that day when he comes in his appearing and it is Kingdom they will be fit and ready to enter in to the presence of the Lamb of God most high if Christ was not going to judge we could gather together simply as a social club we could gather together simply for some helpful life lessons along the path that we find ourselves on but that's not the case it's heaven to be won by the grace of God or it's hell to suffer in because of our rebellion against God so that's the solemn charge notice secondly the specific command and there are two things we ought to consider here first the command stated and secondly the manner specified note the command he says preach we'll get to the word in just a moment but preach see I think we fail to remember that in the first century they had a whole host of media available to them they didn't have the internet so they didn't have facebook and they didn't have twitter they didn't have the social media that we have today that is digital that his computer that is internet I don't even know what all happens to make it appear there but they didn't have that but they had several forms of media they had drama they had stage they had mine they had a whole host of ways to take messages and bring them to bear upon an audience but notice what God the Lord chose he chose preaching now this does not mean that you can't be saved apart from breaching you take your Bible home tonight your unsaved and you read the Gospel of John the Lord most high certainly can save you it is through the instrumentality of the word the primary means in terms of the corporate gathering of God's people is the preaching of the word and the preaching of the word preach comes from or is connected to the Herald now this is something that was common in the first century here's what one lexicon defines the K roots that's the word a Herald or a preacher then the verbal form is K roots on to preach but the K roots The Herald of the preacher rogers & Rogers say the herald was someone who had important news to bring he often announced an athletic event or religious festival or functioned as a messenger the bringer of some news or command from the king's court he was to have a strong voice and proclaim his message with vigor without lingering to discuss it the Herald's most important qualification was that he faithfully represent or report the word of the one by whom he had been sent this is crucial let me just read that again the Herald's most important qualification was that he faithfully represent or report the word of the one by whom he had been sent he was not to be original his message was to be that of another understand the K routes the herald the preacher he didn't come to share his heart he didn't come to be innovative he didn't come to be creative he came to bring the message that his superior sent him to bring he was to be faithful he was to be diligent he was to be earnest I like the way it says he was to speak loudly right without public address systems a man who didn't speak loudly wouldn't be heard CH Spurgeon in his lectures to his students talking about men in the ministry he says for you man with narrow chests this is why we have dumbbells in the basement of the college quite like that they'll expand that just get bigger stronger and more able to cry aloud spare not lift up your voice like a trumpet to declare us to Israel her sins and the judgment and the mercy of God most high so that's the Cayuse this is a particular choice made by God again several forms of media were available but the Lord God chose preaching go to first Corinthians chapter one will see this highlighted as well first Corinthians chapter 1 verse 20 well verse 18 for the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of God for it is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent where is the wise where is the scribe where is the disputer of this age has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world for since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom did not know god it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe now as pastor Tom lion points out it's the content of the message that is salvific it is the content of the message that is salvific the reality that Christ lived Christ died and Christ rose again nevertheless that content is preached so the the emphasis falls on the message itself but in this context we see it nevertheless is a message that is preached since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom through Socrates and Plato and Aristotle through Bailey's and Heraclitus and through the Philosopher's in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom did not know God they couldn't penetrate heaven they couldn't get to the triune God through those secular philosophers it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe now notice what he goes on to say in verse 34 Jews request to sign and Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Great's foolishness but to those who are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men now with that section of Scripture in your mind consider consider that preaching pleases God that's a simple observation that I actually got from pastor Tom lion it's so simple it's one of those things that's so simple you just kind of navigate right over God's please through paint preaching the Brethren when we compare Scripture with Scripture we see that God is pleased with with preaching even when sinners aren't saved Paul speaks to that in second Corinthians he says when that word goes forth we are a fragrance to our God he says to the one life leading under life and to the other death leading unto death it's the proclamation of truth that pleases God and brings him glory you see I think there is an us this idea that when we pass out tracts or we witness to that person at work or when gospel preaching goes out on the Lord's Day at our church is if no one gets saved it was unsuccessful mr. Lawson often points out with reference to the Puritans for them a successful church service was that the word was faithfully preached it's not the results it's not what's happened it's that God is glorified through the proclamation of the word as well notice in this context preaching does not please the natural man it pleases God but it doesn't please man why because Jews seek after signs right Greeks seek after wisdom so when Paul and his brothers couldn't ministerial companions come to preach the Greeks want signs or wisdom go to the Areopagus in acts 17 they wanted to hear from Paul concerning Jesus and the rest erection but they didn't fall down in mass and bow before the Lord Christ they didn't like that saying with the Jews they wanted signs the same sort of thing that Jesus confronted in his earthly ministry notice as well preachers nevertheless preach the Jews seek signs Greek seeks Greeks seek wisdom what a preacher's do well let's get you some signs let's get you some wisdom no that's not what they do they preach right did you see that there I want you to see that for Jews request to sign Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach Christ crucified what's Paul saying the Jews and the Greeks do not define or determine what it is gospel ministers do the Jews and the Greeks do not define the scope of the church they do not define the mission of the church they do not define what ministers are supposed to do this is precisely where the church is faltering in our current generation we want to be relevant we want to just give Chicken Soup for the Soul we just want to be life coaches we just want to encourage we just want you to be a happy or you know that's not what we're supposed to do if God is pleased through the foolishness of the message preach it doesn't matter if Jews and Greeks reject it we will nevertheless preach Christ and him crucified and the notice preaching is the means to declare Christ who is the power of God and wisdom of God this is a perpetual obligation if the Apostle Paul sets this fourth in the eleventh hour is that which is determinative for church conduct and practice in Timothy's day then why have we got it into our heads that this is no longer relevant you know we live in a visual culture today preaching simply doesn't connect with most people especially when you go 45 minutes or 50 minutes or 55 minutes or an hour person's just can't deal with that you know what God would say persons ought to learn to deal with that persons ought to buck up and act like men because persons can watch a hockey game for three hours persons can do whatever it is they're really interested in for three hours and persons can get really fired up about that and yet when it comes to a church service man if the minister goes a little long we're already two mutant commit mutiny the Lord God most high through the Apostle Paul in 2nd Timothy 42 says to Timothy preach why in the world would we abandon that God sanctioned God ordained means and substitute it with something other notice the object preached he says preach the word preach the word that word he's just identified in verses 15 to 17 in second Timothy 3 that word that is divine in its origin it is god-breathed that word that has utility profitability for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness Timothy that's the word you're supposed to preach the word not stories the word not his heart the word not little tidbits the word not your personal example you have heard that probably recently someone once said in the history of the church they've tried to pin it on Francis of Assisi but there's some evidence that he didn't say this Francis was a preacher but you've heard it perhaps preach the gospel and when possible use words you ever heard that preach the gospel and when possible use words what's the implication that my life and my virtue and my goodness and my holiness will communicate the gospel to sinners now certainly our lives and our virtue and our holiness ought to communicate something to sinner's but it doesn't communicate blood atonement it doesn't communicate Golgotha it doesn't communicate God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him be as Holy as virtuous and is upright as you can possibly be you will never ever ever communicate the objective content of the Christian gospel through your life the minister is to preach jay dress mhm and comments on this whole idea of preaching without words he says we can preach the gospel they tell us by our lives and do not need to preach it by our own words but they are wrong men are not saved by the exhibition of our glorious Christian virtues they are not saved by the contagion of our experiences we cannot be the instruments of God in saving them if we preach to them thus only ourselves fact if you think about it light a total depravity and if you reflect for just a moment upon your own heart the last thing you want to preach to a sinner as you you don't want to help them to hell do you you don't want to you don't want to facilitate their pathway to you I'm just kind of kidding there but the idea is is that we need to proclaim the objective content of Christianity machen goes on to say nay we must preach to them the Lord Jesus Christ for it is only through the gospel which sets him forth that they can be saved so when we look at the object preached it is the word and i would suggest submit and try and argue to you now that when the word is faithfully preached that is the word of the Living God himself Ephesians 2 17 the Apostle Paul says this he says concerning Christ and he Christ came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near it's an incredible statement isn't it Ephesians 2 17 and he came and preached peace to you who were a far off and to those who were near for those of you are thinking yeah that's an incredible statement but I'm not getting why it's incredible let me tell you jesus never went to Ephesus Jesus can find his ministry in Israel didn't he Jesus sent his disciples out to make disciples of all the nations we have the record of the gospel going into Ephesus in Acts chapter 19 so when Paul and his companions faithfully expounded the Word of God Paul can later say that Christ came and preached peace to you note what Paul says in 1st Thessalonians 2 13 for this reason we also thank God without ceasing because when you receive the Word of God which you heard from us you welcomed it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God which also effectively works in you who believe you say well that's the Apostles yes it is the Apostles and that self-same apostle just identified to us that the Word of God comes from God the Scriptures have their origin in the divine being such that when those scriptures are faithfully expounded it is God the Lord who speaks so you receive the words not as the words of men but as they are in truth the Word of God the ditagh came which is an early Christian manual sort of a doctrinal Chicken Soup for the Soul in the first or second century church this is dated very early probably around ad 120 Michael Krueger says it could even be ad 110 which that's a very early written document that is a basically a commentary on the Christian life how to live which incidentally has a particular passage that forbids abortion and infanticide you see the early church has always preached that it's wrong to murder babies but dedicate for one says my child remember night and day the one who preaches God's Word to you for wherever the Lord's nature is preached there the Lord is no he's not they're not saying Jim's the Lord the idea is that when the preaching of the gospel goes forth and it is faithfully heralded the Lord is there you see this is what we pray for brethren is that the Spirit of God would come that he would aluminous that he would teach us that he would die das well he makes good on that promise the second helvetic confession of 1566 listen to what it says the preaching of the word of God is the word of God wherefore when the word of God is now preached in the church by preachers lawfully called we believe that the very word of God is proclaimed and received by the faithful and that neither any other word of God is to be invented nor is to be expected from heaven and that now the word itself which is preached is to be regarded not the minister that preaches for even if he be evil in a sinner nevertheless the Word of God remains still true and good so you see the specific command preach the object the word now note the manner that Paul specifies he gives a series of imperatives or commands now I don't know that this means that in every sermon all those things always have to be present certainly it is dependent upon the text of Scripture that one is preaching from but notice in the first place he speaks to the time of the season he says be ready in season and out of season Timothy your task is to preach the word we need to be ready in season and out of season what does that mean could just mean a general call to preparedness it could mean what Calvin suggests an earnestness and a zeal that goes along with such a high a noble calling preach the word do it zealously do it earnestly do it faithfully I suspect that it goes two ways first Timothy's season be ready in season and out of season Timothy when you're prayed up when you studied up when everything is going well be ready to preach but Timothy when you're out of season you haven't had you know a few hours in your study you haven't had a few hours in the prayer closet you haven't been able to do the thoroughgoing exegesis but if God's people gather together and they need to be fed and be ready Timothy be ready to preach pray or die those are your options is a Christian minister Timothy you need to accept it you need to go with it but it probably has reference to the time the seasons that affect the church the contact seems to give more weight to this interpretation notice be ready in season and out of season those seasons where the church want the preaching of God's work those seasons where the people of God know what's good for their souls and they're greedy about it those seasons where persons come to church and they are one to have dealings with God and they are they are are appropriating the means of grace that the Lord's ordained for their good Timothy be ready in those seasons you have a blessed calling and those opportunities they want food you get to shovel food to that as well be ready out of season when the church doesn't want it see Paul speaks to that in verse 3 this is one of the reasons why he says preach the word for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine so what's Timothy to do run and hide Timothy supposed to go into his closet and cry he suck his thumb and he says the church doesn't want the word so therefore I'm going to be an innovator I'm going to be creative i'm going to do some mine i'm going to do some skit i'm going to repel in from some high wire i'm going to dress like spider-man i'm going to dress like Batman I'm going to try and appeal to them at their level no that's not what Timothy's supposed to do when the church is out of season and the church rejects the truth when the Church does not what God want what God is putting down for her good Timothy your responsibility doesn't change whether she wants it or whether she doesn't your responsibility is to preach that's countercultural with reference to the church growth movement isn't it wow if we do that then we'll chase everybody out if we do that we won't grow our church if persons want skit or they want my more they want drama or they want to move the pulpit to the side and put an easy chair down and let the minister just dull out that soup to them so that they'll have happy tidbits for their happy lives if we don't do that then they'll all leave what would God say to that then they'll all leave but probably not all this Mike pointed out in the reading from Ezekiel six there's a remnant God always has his people there's always the seven thousand that don't bow the knee to bail there are those who want faithful exposition of the word pastor Albert and Martin says faithful preaching 16 ounces to the pound biblical thoroughgoing expositional preaching so Timothy be ready in season and out of season Timothy as you preach the word you need to BRR that there's a particular manner when you come to preach brother preach brother that's what I think he's intimating in the following preach the word be ready in season and out of season convince do not suggest do not put this out there is an option among many that persons are free to pick and choose as they like you can have Socrates you cannot play doh you can have Aristotle or you can have Jesus no you convince them through faithful exposition of the Word of God by going from scripture to scripture to Scripture by looking at it in the context you get the conscience as a people to see that what you are preaching is true this means to prove with demonstrative evidence to convict to reprove the task in mind specifically is to reveal sin bringing the hearers to the point of awareness and acknowledgement that they need God's remedy for their sin notice secondly rebuke the word presupposes the existence of sins and Timothy is therefore to rebuke censure or prevent and action and bring it to an end now we might think this sounds a bit negative you know God's purpose in Jesus Christ is our conformity unto Christ that hasn't happened fully yet as it anybody here could raise their hand and say yeah I'm doing pretty well and pretty christ-like I just look like that divine image then I would suggest that you really really need some convincing and some reproving you see in God's plan and purpose the preaching of the word comes to challenge us the preaching of the word comes to convict us the preaching of the word comes to reprove us such that if we are in patterns of sin perhaps we're a proud and arrogant person perhaps we've got some sort of secret sin that we are indulging perhaps it's pornography perhaps we're embittered against our wives perhaps as a woman we're not submissive to our own husband perhaps as a child it's disobedience and rebellion to your parents it's insubordination perhaps as a father you exasperate your children instead of bringing them up in the training and admonition of the Lord your arbitrariness your capriciousness is making them like a ping-pong ball bouncing around not knowing where to go or what to do perhaps we are doing those sorts of things and we come into the place of worship and the word of God comes we're not supposed to get mad we're not supposed to rail against it we're not supposed to say you know that preachers overstepping his bounds he is talking about things he ought not to talk about if God the Lord by His Holy Spirit is convicting you of sin and reproving it praise God that the means are working praise God that he loves you enough to conform you unto the image of his beloved son through the public ministry of the word praise God for this is his design this is what his purpose is this is what his plan is but it's not all conviction and rebuked notice exhortation he says convince rebuke exhort bring that encouragement bring that comfort from the scripture do not only point out the waywardness of people do not only bring the law of God to bear do not only show where that law is broken violated but provide the remedy speak of the balm of gilead speak of the glory of the Cross speak of redemption by Jesus exhort them that the spirit of the Living God is a real person who really occupies their hearts and lives that the Holy Spirit can be trusted and depended upon to guide one through the sinful situations and to bring them to that place of maturity and Christ's likeness he says then the Timothy must be patient he must be patient preach the word convince rebuke exhort with all long-suffering Timothy you need to realize that the people of God are at different places you can't beat the Sheep up you can't make them do things you can't browbeat the people of god you need to pray she need to be faithful you need to teach you need to have long-suffering you need to be patient you know you need to know that ultimately every sheep is God's project they're not the minister's project certainly the minister praise for the Sheep the minister seeks to feed the Sheep but ultimately it's God who is dealing with his people so Timothy be patient it's not the case that Ephesus is going to be converted overnight remember before I came here thinking well wouldn't it be great you know I went and preached and God just say bunch of people you know what that just typically doesn't happen unless your CH spurgeon or you're one of those other champions in the history of the church for the most of us it's going to take the long haul faithful plotting diligent and earnest preaching over the long haul but be patient Timothy and certainly teach see not all teaching is preaching I don't suppose that in your fourth grade class you would deem what your teacher is doing is preaching let's ease you know doing the John Knox and two plus two is born that's not preaching not all teaching is preaching but all preaching must include teaching this is an unfortunate the dichotomy today faithful preaching is expositional faithful preaching expounds the word what happens when the word is expounded the persons who are listening learn they get understanding Timothy you're not a rabble rouser you're not a cheerleader you don't just shake your holy pom-poms and try to get people to do things Timothy instruct them it's the Word of God it is the doctrine it is the truth that is life-changing it is the truth that is life shaping it is the truth that ultimately brings conformity unto Jesus martyn lloyd-jones says what is preaching logic on fire eloquent reason are these contradictions of course they are not reason concerning this truth ought to be mightily eloquent as you see in the case of the Apostle Paul and others it is theology on fire and a theology which does not take fire I maintain is defective theology or at least the man's understanding of it is defective so you see for the Apostle Paul in his 11th hour prior to his death at the hands of a godless beast named Nero Paul says to Timothy in his last formal command of the church Timothy preach the word be ready in season out of season convince rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and teaching a couple of observations and we clothes first the necessity of biblical preaching just want to read a couple quotes here I know that sometimes long quotes can be difficult why Jones long quotes tho are pretty easy to get our minds wrapped around Lloyd Jones says this the world expects the Christian to be different and looks to him for something different and they're in it often shows an insight into life that regular churchgoers often lack the church is organized organized whist drives fates dramas bazaars and things of that sort remember Lloyd Jones was in Britain so if you don't know what a whist drive is or a fate they're sort of gathering together of persons in a social setting when I was stationed in the in the UK when I was in the US Air Force we actually went to a fate and we met the guy that did a TV show over there called the price is right and he thought me and my buddy were just amazing because we're American policemen and we gave him a ball cap that was a fate sort of like a get together a fair but listen to what Lloyd Jones says the churches organized whist drives fates dramas bazaars and things of that sort so as to attract people now remember Lloyd Jones isn't living today boy Jones live quite a while ago he lived in the 20th century and he already sees this as a problem affecting churches oh boy Jones say about a man who repels down to his pulpit what would some of these men think when they saw the sorts of that go on under the guise of Christian Bray Jake what would Owen think what Gil think would Spurgeon think of the antics and the foolishness that is employed in the name of Christ to try and reach people for Christ Lloyd Jones says we are becoming almost as wily as the devil himself but we are really bad at it he says all our attempts are hopeless failures in the world laughs at us now when the world persecutes the church the church is performing her real mission but when the world laughs at her she has lost her soul and the world today is laughing at the church laughing at her attempts to be nice and to make people feel at home notice what he says my friends if you feel at home in any church without believing in Christ as your personal Savior then that church is no church at all but a place of entertainment or a social club he says for the truth of Christianity and the preaching of the gospel should make a church intolerable and uncomfortable to all except those who believe and even they should go away feeling chase and and humble Don lion says the church today is beset with problems it is continually stumbling upon new measures problem is these measures exacerbate rather than solve its problems it dreams of answering felt needs building self-esteem and motivating purpose driven or promised keeping lives but amidst all these fads and inventions the one thing the only thing which will serve to overcome its distress is a return to God honored and god honoring preaching there is a need for biblical preaching today brethren there is secondly a need for biblical preachers Calvin writing in his timeframe at the present day there at the present day there are many who are well nice sickened by the very name of preaching because there are so many stupid ignorant men who blurt out their worthless brain waves from the pole I was in the 1600s before we had the sorts of Senate shenanigans that are going on today would John Calvin think if he was sitting here and I repelled in wearing a bat cape we had a puppet show we had a time to share brethren you don't want me to share you don't want my heart you want the preaching of God's Word listen to CH spurgeon we want again Luther's Calvin's bunions Whitfield's men fit to mark eras whose names breathe terror into our foeman's ears we have dire need of such when will they come to us they are the gifts of Jesus Christ to the church and will come again in due time he has power to give us back a golden age of preachers a time is fertile of great Divine's and mighty ministers as was the Puritan age and when the good old truth is once more preached by men whose lips are touched as with a live coal from off the altar this shall be the instrument in the hand of the Spirit for bringing about a great and thorough revival of religion in the land he says I do not look for any other means of converting men beyond the simple preaching of the gospel and the opening of men's ears to hear it the moment the church shall despise the pulpit God will despise her that's what Spurgeon said it has been through the ministry that the Lord has always been pleased to revive and bless his churches there is a necessity for biblical preaching there is a necessity for biblical preachers there is a necessity for biblical here Earth's you see if Spurgeon or 0 n or Gil fell out of heaven and preach the gospel if people aren't listening if they're not paying attention if they're sneaking looks at their watch and thinking about that roast dinner they're going to have when they get home if they are basically rejecting the very word cons that's no good royal says preaching is an ordinance of which the value can never be overrated in the Church of Christ but it should never be forgotten that there must not only be good preaching but good hearing Spurgeon gives these rules based on mark 424 concerning hearing he says in the first place here here it is your wisdom to know what God says he says secondly here well here well God's teaching deserves the deepest attention it will repay the best consideration he says thirdly here often he says wastes no Sabbath nor any one of its services use weekday lectures and prayer meetings and then he says fourthly here better you will grow the holier thereby you will find heavenly joy by hearing with faith brethren this is the mandate given by Paul to Timothy in the first century somewhere along the line the church thought it was ok to abandon the simple command to abandon the god-ordained means of preaching somewhere along the line the church thought it was okay to put down the spiritual weapons to enter into the fray with the world using the world's means and methods that this passage tells us until the Lord Jesus Christ returns ministers of the gospel have a solemn obligation before God before Christ in light of the fact that Jesus will judge the living in the dead ministers or to preach the word there to be ready in season and out of season they were to convince rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and teaching and you might bid a dearly beloved brethren as you come pay attention listen take those four simple rules by Spurgeon if you want them I will be happy to email it to you and take it to heart doesn't matter if the preaching is biblical and upright and faithful if you're not paying attention if you're not listening if you're not receiving the Word of God it's not going to have the intended effect upon your soul especially if you are not a believer faith comes by hearing hearing by the word of christ romans 10 17 of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we might become the firstfruits of his creatures James 118 if you are not a Christian the Word of God is your only hope it because it tells you about the the Word of God the Lord Jesus Christ the one who came into this world took on our nature took on our infirmities yet without sin who lived and who died and who rose again such that all those who believe in him will have everlasting life will let us pray our Father we asked you'd help us to be faithful when it comes to this command to preach the word help us to be faithful Lord God to do this until the Lord Jesus returns bless churches here in chiloe acted that are faithful in this as well now you prosper them and may you bless them and may you grant them great grace and many people that would come and attend the word of truth bless faithful ministers in this city throughout this country and all over the earth cause them Lord God to go about their tasks under the power and the blessing of the Holy Spirit and may your word run swiftly may it be glorified throughout the earth and may christ see the that the blesser may Christ receive glory from the salvation of a great multitude and we pray these things in Jesus name Amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation and then be dismissed you