The Minister's Charge: Preach the Word!

We call this series beautifying the broad because that's exactly what Paul's intention is as he writes these letters to Timothy Timothy saying get the church the local church in Ephesus in order to gives him a lot of instruction on how to organize and structure the church he gives instructions for the ladies in the church.

How there to dress how there to conduct themselves. He gives instructions to the men of the church in the officers and leaders of the church and many other things.

But one of the things he hits over and over again in a purposeful redundancy is Timothy don't quit. Stay with what Tallchief do what I taught you do when it's easy when it's hard when times are good when times are bad.

Stay with this stuff more or less as we saying in how don't want us to just run past the asset if we could take in the atmosphere of Paul as he's in his second Roman imprisonment.

He's going to tell us in just a few verses that he knows his execution is imminent and what's he's writing their NAI at the seam sitting in that squalor you got something to write with in a parchment to write on any state you know he's going to tell Timothy vote.

The few things that he must hold onto the few things he must do well in the right. That's the way I would feel as an elder pastor. If I was speaking to a young understudy and I knew my time was very short outside want to get right to the things that absolutely are essential in uncommitted people can't change it. So that's where Paul is and here's what he says.

Second Timothy chapter 4 verses one through eight. The rest to Timothy are solidly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and buys kingdom preach the word be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. But you be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering in the time of my departure has come that she's execution is martyrdom.

Verse seven I have fought the good fight, I finish the course. I have kept the faith in the future. There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me but to all who have loved his appearing here we have in Paul's final days, the ministers charge. Preach the word, the promisee of preaching the word is attacked in every generation, and too often in our day. The modern pulpit has replaced Spirit empowered Bible preaching with other things.

Things like dramatic presentations, multi-media presentations, various amusements and entertainments and often supercharged, shallow music also in every generation there is always a faction of independent self exalting the holy ones who deem that their personal Bible study and maybe their group Bible studies in homes or in other places is really all they need that sufficient for them at the pulpit ministry. The local church is secondary at best. They view that preaching is optional if if not nonessential, but let's don't take their word for it.

Let's note the apostle Paul's convictions on the subject that we know from the preceding context. In second Corinthians are second Timothy rather chapter 3 verse 16 that he's been talking about the infallibility and the authority of the word of God that it is absolutely inerrant and that it is completely or absolutely sufficient for all matters of faith and practice.

Now we get to chapter 4, and now he he moves to the most solemn and weighty words as he charges Timothy about preaching and he exalts the ministry of preaching the word. Now let me pause for a moment. Obviously, this has most direct application to men who feel called into the gospel ministry to pastor a church, the church. This is a lot for you. You must know what preaching the word is and you must understand what preaching the word is not you need to know what preaching the word is compared to using the Scripture in a sermon. That's not preaching the word.

There's a difference in men.

You will be accountable for your wives and for your children, your families that you made sure they were part of a local church congregation that was committed to the main thing of preaching the word and the power of the spirit. You know the Bible says that quote Jesus came preaching the Bible tells us that John, the forerunner came preaching of the Lord preaching here is the idea of a town crier. Harold, it certainly involves teaching, but it's more than that it's it's I think it emphasizes the. The proclamation fourth of an important message. The Bible tells us in Romans chapter 10 verses nine and 14 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God racing from the dead, you will be saved, what, how, then, would they call upon him in whom they'd not believed and how will they believe in him and have they not heard and how would they hear without a preacher they could say how will they hear without a Bible study and Bible studies are important, how will they hear without a discipleship group and discipleship which are important because it how they hear without a personal witness and that's very important.

The God uses all of those things, but is not the foundational element, Paul says, among all the other things. The one thing that must be consistent if they hear the preaching of the word of God. If this is part of what humbles us it it really fumbles those of us who are called to preach because other than the Lord, we know best. Our frailties and are faulting sin, our weaknesses in the sins we have to repent of and were amazed and humbled that God would use this approach as the primary means of advancing his work in the world building his local churches. But you know I'm not the question. My Lords wisdom. All these things onto honor my Lords wisdom on these things, but affect back in first Timothy chapter 4 verse 15 the apostle tells Timothy actually commands Timothy to take pains with these things the context of this study.

This preaching Timothy take pains with your studying and preaching, intervening adhesive even more. Timothy be absorbed in your study and in your preaching.

I would dare say there's a small duck sailor but there's a small percentage of Baptist churches that if you pull them, they would say that's top on our list. Women are pastor to be diligent in studying and preaching the word know they were included.

Although they give it a week and a naughty piece to do what all yeah you got for it, but really and there are there not settled on. That's the primary ministry. Whatever else you do pastor, you must do that when Paul tells Timothy take pains with this to be absorbed in it. We might say be up to your ears in this exhaust yourself in this activity I can say to you if you're called to preach and you preach with your heart. It's exhausting work. I come from a blue-collar background and I thought urging the ministry if I wasn't sweating and dirty. I had worked there just collect cheating get a check done of the things that wooden hands on and it took quite a few years.

But I realize there is a type of fatigue with the responsibility of study and preaching that is unique to anything else I've ever done. It is exhausting but there's this the proper thing to exhaust yourself in is a man called of God that three simple points. Other things I will not unpack here that could be unpacked. But let me give you this exegesis of the text under three basic headings number one notice the charge as to the gravity of the work. The gravity meeting the deep seriousness the great weightiness of this charge. So Paul begins in verse one of second Timothy chapter 4 with bringing these witnesses the bear before Timothy's is not Timothy I'm I'm on the esteemed apostle Paul. He wouldn't say that maybe, but here's and he knew the kind of authority and honor Maria and respect that he had from Timothy so that's already there is a Timothy let me back that up with the most esteemed witnesses of this charge that I can bring before you it in efforts to show you the gray serious and weightiness of the charge. I'm giving you that is to preach the word. Here Paul warns Timothy in view of an oven avenging God and of Christ as his judge to fully discharge the office of preaching he calls him. In verse one, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead.

God has shown is a great and severe care for his church when he delivered his precious son over for her and he will not allow a negligent minister to go unpunished.

Those who are commissioned to care for the souls of men and are unfaithful in preaching the word are in gray even in divine danger.

Fred let me tell you, you do anything else in the world before you take the office of pastor.

I do not have a serious fall heart convictions about the primary ministry is to preach the word of God these to judge the living and the dead Timothy remember who you are going to give an account to that phrase, judge the living and the dead means that none can escape his judgment. I've heard people very crassly and foolishly say what they want off hi just dying go to hell and be with all my buddies know you won't God go stale. These omniscient these omnipresent keys everywhere.

God cannot be, not in hell but he's there in his wrath and judgment when you die you not escape God by not going to heaven to run right into God. That's what compost and to think he's the judge of the living and the dead know where can you go about having to give an account to him. No will escape his judgment calling to the office of preacher is a dangerous calling.

It exposes you to a harsher judgment sometimes in my early years here. There was quite a challenge to pastoral leadership in pastoral authority. I learned early on that pastoral authority is the real issue. The real issue is pastoral responsibility.

If you're not called to care for the eternal souls of men. You don't want the responsibility of doing that you don't want the responsibility of authority in the church unless you been called and gifted to carry out the preaching of the word. The primary she is not the pastor's authority, though that's taught in Scripture is the awesome responsibility and accountability as that the church members do not have. I will give an account for your soul at the judgment seat of Christ.

I'll give an account for your wife's soul at the judgment seat of Christ. I would give it to Your children souls at the judgment seat of Christ.

An account in a way that you will not have to give is the responsibility God's leg and that's part of what Paul's bearing activities do you read this is a God called preacher, there's a harsher, more serious judgment. Whatever you do don't neglect your commitment and your calling to preach the word. James talks about this in James chapter 3 verse one let not many of you become teachers.

I think that's referring to the main office of pastor and teacher in the church.

Let not many of you become teachers, my brother, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment. Now he adds this in verse one, and by his appearing and by his kingdom. Paul is just adding weight to the gravity of the charge see Christ now reigns in heaven and on earth yet on earth. His reign is not yet clearly seen today on earth he reigns in the midst of his enemies on the day of his appearing. He will reign over his enemies is raining. The earth is veiled for now. Far too often we see hirelings, false prophets and other enemies of our Lord. David invaded the sacred pulpit and are spewing milky man centered much is it a preaching quote what saith the Scriptures" the church is under an all out attack by her enemies.

It what Paul is telling Timothy is his kingdom will appear.

It will be established on the earth, as it already is now in heaven, and he will reduce to nothing every opposing power and every enemy and unfaithful preachers will be at the top of his list will be a serious accounting of the men who fill the pulpit still have many pulpits in America today. That probably wants were aflame with the preaching of the word will get the most nonsensical man centered machine.

Milky mess. As to the faithful preaching of the word of God is a plague of it and are and they think their wives they think their advanced they think they understand things of the rest of us don't understand the need read with pulses about the accountability they will have. So Paul gives these words to show the gravity of the charge and the work and even the most committed, like Timothy need to be stirred to continued faithfulness. The charge as to the gravity of preaching the word. Secondly, let's notice the charge as to faithful endurance in the work, the faithfully in Dewar in the work because there's always going to be challenges and obstacles. Mothers and sisters do you not understand. If God wants are rather if the enemy Satan wants to destroy God's work in the earth is going to destroy the local churches and if he wants to destroy the local churches. He starts with the pulpits if he can destroy the local churches in the pulpits Deaconess destroy a nation.

It always flows in that direction. So we need to have men who will be continued in faithfulness and enduring through the difficulty he uses the word hardship in this text was taken. Phrase the time. Look at verse two, he says preach the word be ready in season and out of season. We all know what that means in season is when it's an opportune time when people are interested without receiving the word of God. We may have right now more names on our seekers list of folks who believe the converted are and are inquiring about baptism that we had a long time and that's encouraging electric siding in and out. I hear good response of the preaching Lord maybe wearing something good opportune time, but we certainly have had long seasons when it was not an opportune time when preaching was not quote in season" and all pastors will have that.

It just going throw this in. At this point pastors out there, probably for a good 15 years. If you inherit a typical Baptist Church for 15 years.

You have to deal with a lot of out of season preaching a lot of resistance, a lot of dullness appearing rebukes if you endure faithfully endure God the Holy Spirit was slowly regenerating change the hearts and minds of those people in your preaching until they will become a deep good to the preaching of the word and you will have to deal with as much out of season preaching as you did in those early days not understand the church at Ephesus is a relatively new church and when Paul left them.

He called the elders together and he basically said I know there's a lot of troublemakers in this church but I didn't see it that way. That's what he meant because he said people to rise up and cause trouble is going in and out of season time, so to speak to you. Keep faithful in your calling to preach the word y'all remember so often him about my past ministry here that I was trying to reform the church. We developed our purpose statement and we develop our strategy statements, and we decided to start not doing these other things, these other activities until we had those down well because those were biblical. Those were biblical methods, we must do well before we do other stuff not wrong to do other stuff but most churches get on the other stuff and forget the main stuff. Then you got him, or other stuff in more and different other stuff and more different. Other stuff if you stay with the main stuff.

The Bible stuff you can or cannot have the other stuff it did not matter. The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. Anyway, those were not easy day's and I thought it's not working. I don't know where this things going and literally. I pray that biblical prayer Lord, I believe would help thou mine unbelief and God would just gradually bring people I meet somebody in the hallway makes a pastor you know the last three or four months I believe God save me about hearts changed my my life is changed blood be encouraged but overall it was not an opportune season at all. Here's what I would say to pastors out there in a small group leaders. For example teach the word every week. Love those folks encourage those projects was not working. Well I have to. You never know what that other ones will be one day for the glory of God. You keep enduring to the hardship you don't know what God may be doing in people's hearts. Remember, you know that one thing about being in place so as long as I've been I've just watch people sit in front of my ministry somewhat just glare at me and I would think men know what is going to happen here. What are they doing and then then one Sunday I would notice. They were glaring, but their countenances chains and they begin to lean upon their pulpit and listen just gonna lean forward, listen more intently and lo and behold a few weeks or months would pass not be baptizing them in the baptistery. A good number of you used to be my enemies, and that you love me know because I'm so charming and wonderful personality because we love the same Christ. We love the same Christ if I could just be a little bit. Frank and honest and personal this morning all over my decades of pastoral ministry. I found the best preachers aren't the best personality type that you left for much of good feelings hurt.

All right, they're not happy Jack slap you on the back gladhanding politician types, but you know when you sit under man's preaching you get the word of God is saying that's what I need. I have a lot of people hugged my neck but you give me the eternal works of life. That's what the church makes it so we have to Paul charges Timothy keep on to be ready in season, out of the faithfully endure through this you don't know what God may be doing in people's lives.

John 38 the wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it's going. So is everyone who is more the spirit you don't know whether wins go to go next. We know God and his sovereign purposes or has ordained to blow the wind of the Holy Spirit in accompaniment to the faithful preaching of the word of God, brothers and sisters you so we might need to do this little gimmicky thing. This is a creative thing that might help my kids get saved you listen to make God does not save your children under the faithful spirit thing typed in preaching the Lord, then God will not save your children if they have that you're doing the most you can do. Yes, do other things just implore them just speak to them yet. Share with them yes command them even if it's appropriate. Make sure they get the preaching of the word of God. He says continue on in this concept of the charge concerning faithful endurance verse three for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. He's talking about a time of dullness, Timothy. It's very normal that there be a season when the people are indifferent. I'll never forget. Re-reading about the esteemed Jonathan Edwards were the most brilliant Americans who ever lived, and possibly the greatest preacher, theologian, Americans ever had. Jonathan Edwards preached the famous sermon sinners in the hands of an angry God and literally tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands were converted into the preaching of that sermon all across the eastern seaboard and early colonies. Jonathan Edwards writes what he preached sinners in the hands of being everyday regarding his church.

So me to the mid of his church. After the servers went out on the porch and talked about pay crop that year. Just just didn't have the effect you don't know when God still use it and you gotta be prepared to still be some dull seasons that you had a great small group class last year, but this was been a dud.

So far, well, maybe that's one of a better you faithfully endure in the work and the call that God's given you. Hebrews 511 says Paul writing to the Hebrew church concerning him.

We have much to say and it's hard to explain that you become dull of hearing that happens, though, seasons, let me say the younger pastors out there. The hearing gets better as the decades robot if you endure faithfully. The hearing gets better as the years roll by, if you keep on faithfully enduring. Here's a thought brothers and sisters all these people who seem to come to your church or sit in your congregation. And they just they obviously love the world, they also don't have a heart for God in the things of God but God is long-suffering toward them is he not. He hasn't judge them and cast them into eternal loss there still here and thing. If God is long-suffering should not this preachers be long-suffering should not we come back and do the same thing again next week and the same thing again next week. We must be especially diligent to be faithful when there is an open season when it is in season, we met must put the disc in the ground and found plow up. Rather, the fallow ground faithfully sowing the seed why there's an opportune time. This will help us when the cold scale of indifference blows back in because they're going to be seasons of war dullness. He says in verse three. Continuing, Timothy.

You gotta have this commitment to faithfully endure because they will not endure sound doctrine, which is verse three. Time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine is speaking of desertions the desert you, Timothy Bibby, group suicide were not sitting on your ministry were going somewhere else. Literally, the idea they will not endure means they will not hold themselves back from it that they don't have the discipline to hold themselves what they need to be and they will follow their emotions the little fickle ceiling amateur motions and and and typically get a group together and go find somewhere else. That's what Paul to Timothy will not hold themselves back from doing such a thing. He says there won't have their ears tickled, literally means itching ears and itching ears and ear. That's unsettled. It's an ear that's not it. Rest. They're not at risk Timothy in your preaching of the word that they want something different. The time will come when the Spirit empowered Bible preaching will not be enough for them. The old gospel just doesn't scratch where they did, however, we must faithfully endure what God called us to do and must not succumb to the trade of the communities popular preachers who furnish the latest tickle was a lot of tickling in the shoulder today in pulpit's Seeley nonsensical ghoulish stuff going on in churches's pastors flying in on cables and crazy nonsensical stuff for you to be kidding me.

I've got this whole inspired book until we exhaust this completely. This is what were staying with us, you know what those fanciful gadgets and gimmicks bozos get boring then you gonna do other stuff those good morning to get the Webster here I am 42 years in a were still doing this stuff and you're still here. Much to my amazement, I'm guilty when you're on your deathbed and you start contemplating the holiness of God and the sinfulness of your soul. You will think one time about the clever, creative, funny, goofy stuff that happened at church you want to say what did the Lord say to me from his word. Emotionalism seems to rule the day, not just in the culture.

But even in the church if my emotions artwork.

If you didn't bless me this is you gotta be blessed. You gotta be fed out of about you but when I was about to my mother was a cook. She was a country could collard greens snap beans and sweet potatoes, homemade cornbread, put that in your milk when you got through. I did like a lot of that stuff at the first. I guess you would say I was force-fed as a child. The boy love it. Now you don't follow your emotions about church attendance. You grab yourself by the nap of the neck until your emotions to submit the truth were going to hear the word of God. This week some of you need to grab your wife by the nap that it not literally be a man is a baby. This is were going church. I love you. If this were going church, and I know you feel this and feel that you feel this that different ways all week long, will go to church organ. Hear the word of God.

Some of you need to get you children by the nap of the neck, sweetheart. This were going church yeah but I don't like not the message it like it is a good luck. I expect you love see until God changes your heart will go on with the word of God.

What I'm saying is is time for men to be men. Amen.

Sweet, kind, compassionate, understanding, loving loving wife since it but you gotta be a man sometime.

I'm getting off track.

God is at work even when there are those who will not endure sound doctrine, even when they will form a group and decide were going somewhere else with all furnish the latest fashionable thing for the church and that breaks the pastor's heart, and it's discouraging. It's difficult if you got understand God is working through that Dr. Seale went the pastor down in south Louisiana and he inherited a church full of unregenerate mean people in the sweet peas conference and they wanted to have a community survey what I've been having community church services annually. I think Dr. Seale and I don't know if it was the presbyterian or the Methodist pastor was meeting with with with with him and they were gonna come preaching his pulpit for the community service and Tim got wind that they didn't believe the doctrines of the faith he heard that the number not talk about secondary.

What about foundational doctrines of the faith, and he looked at that man and said I just have to tell you, sir, you will preach in my pulpit. All my goodness, the people the church came unglued. They were used to having a man of God is the pastor and so you happen they fired him. He faithfully endured. He started preaching at all broke down close down hotel lobby. I think it was with had running water at Stone old Mill viewed the people started coming. People started coming picked Argentine turned out that church became much, much larger than the one that fired it a lot because he faithfully endured changes method except all that's what God calls men of God to do because you say God was at work. God was at work.

It would be fun but God was at work in South Louisiana I got to go down there a few times and preach for women was sweet and in good and healthy church, God let him establish down there one want to skip some of this, but enduring hardship. Let me say this about this because this is true of all Christians. All my goodness betimes about Don and my notes are nearly gone. But let me say this, one of the powerful things about honoring Christ in this world and it's really true for preachers is the attacks from within. I'm talking about the stuff that creeps up in a ministers heart and mind the discouragement the anxiety, the fear of the doubt, you can simply spring out of nowhere, even a faithful pastor's heart. None other than the steamboat Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the pastor, the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London said that beneath the castle a bit of a despair is a dungeon and that's where I live most of the time you read Spurgeon's sermon Mauer preach what rich doctrine and powerful presentation. Yet Spurgeon himself said I live in the dungeon of the castle of despair there just a halting depression and warfare that can going to pastor's heart, in my book Paul is telling Timothy even in those seasons, you faithfully endured. You know what you learn to do you turn. You did the next thing you don't want to just do the next thing. That's word for many of you here open the word of God, what your role in life husband-wife child. Whatever. Just what does the Bible so you do the next thing get that next morning and do the next thing for me.

The next thing. During those hard seasons with get ready to preach again Sunday. I literally grab my cell by the nap of the net got in the study didn't feel like it tried to faithfully endured through the hardship. You see, God has a purpose for sending you week frail me and into the battle to lead you. That's because second Corinthians, 4739 tells us we have this treasure in earthen vessels, remembering my translation of that we have this treasure in common peanut butter jars. That's all I am and that's all you are the treasures Christ, but he puts it in us very common ordinary vessels so that is why does that so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves, so you should be able look at Jeff and Abu know something about Jeff knob and said I would Jeff not God did that to them. That's what you're supposed to say that's what you're supposed to conclude I live on an elevation they call it a mountain culvert house mount accident with all the top of the witnesses live atop. They look down on me. I look down on Douglas and these at the bottom but when you call that elevation a lot of times and in Duggan in and the witnesses that will verify a lot of source followed up on the top when I get all the wood at the bottom there's no fault I thought this was to be often follows in the valleys but very often the focus on the top of the mountain. But if I stop when I hit the fall guy wouldn't come out of it. So that's what you get when the fog of doubt, despair, discouragement, anxiety and fear. You got a faithfully endorser you get on through the file. Soon enough the lot of God to raise would dissipate the fog and you'll see clearly again. That's the way our discouragement is at times we gotta do the next thing for God. Keep on keeping on Roman for now and I'll be quick here. I promise, no, no Roman three. I'm sorry the charge as to the continuity of the work is good versus six through eight… Things are not unpacking understand that but I wanted to get hammer out these main points pulses in verses six and seven the Timothy. I'm already being poured out as a drink offering.

This is verse six in the time of my departure has come. My martyrdom is just any moment now. Perhaps that's what you're writing for seven but I fought the good fight, I finished the course of The faith. What he saying here is that Paul lays his whole ministry for Timothy as an example, SE St. Timothy.

There's a continuity to this, you got realize you're not alone. I believe this reality, not Timothy. You take the baton and you be faithful and live it out.

They'd already told Timothy new fonts and faithfully that you train in the local church and then thou going out also. This there will be faithful men who will heed the charge after Timothy's day just like they were faithful men, who heeded the charge before Timothy's day. Timothy is to carry on in the church planning evangelist at work that Paul had Paul carried on for come from Christ and from the faithful preachers of the old dispensation, not Timothy must carry on and pass it on to still others, here's my point. Small group leader Percy wants to honor God, pastor, you're not alone. You did not begin this process and it will not end with you in each and every generation. There's a link in the chain of church history.

Let us not be a week link, but stay at the charge in season and out of season. Let's humble ourselves under the gravity of the charge is commit to faithfully endured in our charge and let's commit to the reality that there's a continuity to this chart didn't start with us at one in with us were to make sure our link is strong and solid. If we do so and will have the assurance that the apostle Paul said, as he will have in verse eight in the future. There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to be on that day and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing appalled never wavered and you never failed that he did fall he did say in but he got back up. He finished the course, God has set for him. His death will be soon at one time.

Paul's course was before him, but now pulses a month in Mama course is behind me says in verse eight there is laid up for me across the crown of righteousness. This is God's layaway plan you like, you still have a layaway plan Atlanta they still do that.

I know my mom always did that or a Christmas gift.

He did have the money for everything upfront and she pay our Christmas gifts put them a layaway or pulses. There's light away for us. The crown of righteousness desires our names on it and by the way, it's not paid in this installment just been paid in full.

It's all paid for and we get the blessing of it. He said, is the crown of righteousness, you know, I think we think only about heaven wishing to focus a lot of the fact that heaven is a place of joy and peace and love and no suffering and no pain and no death absolutely is and that's wonderful.

But it is a place of true righteousness see those things are the fruit of you can't have those without righteousness you say what the flesh wants is to be fleshly and sinful and get all that stuff to get that you get the love, joy, and peace. No suffering and no death and all the rest of the boys of heaven because you become righteous. That's the crown of righteousness. I believe that's the interpretative that I believe you be crown with the true righteousness of your head, Jesus Christ. You'll note in full actuality, the and you will know in the fall. The love, peace, rest, no sickness, no disease, no pain, no sorrow, no death, because finally you be righteous in all of those things are the fruits of righteousness peace is the Lord, the righteous judge, will award that to me on that day the Lord, the righteous judgment.

Think about it. Rome's judges had adjudicated Paul's case and found him guilty and condemned him to death, but in actuality what Paul is saying years old. You know something Timothy vision Empire greater than the Roman Empire. There's a king higher than a Roman Caesar, there's a cart higher than a Roman court. There's a law higher than Rome's law and as a judge higher than a Roman court judge Rome's judges have found me guilty but they are unrighteous judges, but my judge is the only true and righteous judge, and he will award to me on that date, the crown of righteousness, and all the holy and eternal blessings that come with it is a qualification here. He said now not only to me last part of her site, not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing great scholars tell us that phrase who have love means you have looked his appearance, appearing, and you still love his appearing there only two ultimate loves only to the both right here in the section. Scripture verse 10 he says you know Dimas in with me Dimas love this present world.

Dimas love this present world. You're either one of those who loved and still loves his appearance, appearing, are you love this present world, there must be Mark my words, there must be an abiding resonating theme in your heart that says Jan do a lot of things in this world.

I'm thankful for the common gracious there something in me that is unsettled and longs to see a Savior, something in me that longs to be with him and in his kingdom.

The old song says, in the things of earth will grow strangely dim the light of his glory and grace. Are you one who loves this present world, and so you could enjoy some of things of the present world are you one who loves this present world are you love his appearing.

If so there is for you from the true righteous judge of crown of righteousness, and all the benefits and blessings and glories that go with it always locked in the squalor of a Roman dungeon sale. He's writing the final words as the apostle to the Gentiles to his young understudy preacher Timothy Timothy whatever else you ever do, no matter how hard it is to preach the word church.

I cannot express deeply enough my gratitude to you many many years ago you drew a line in the sand and you said free.

Our pastor to study preach, and I think the fruit of that has been not only hope the changes in our own lives, but the expression of our ministry to the ends of the earth. You can't do what we've done. If you don't for your pastor to dream and pray and study whatever else you do, Timothy, and you have to fight some people to get free to do it at times study preach the word