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About Hearing God – (Do we hear only what we want to hear?)
Opening with “Jesus paid it all”

An introduction to our scripture for today: (I take liberties in using the writing of Chuck Swindoll as our introduction to this passage from the Apostle Paul’s letter in 2^nd Timothy.)

1/ At this time WHO WAS TIMOTHY? “By the time Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, the young pastor had been ministering to the church at Ephesus for four years, and it had been almost that long since he had received his first letter from Paul. Timothy had been a faithful servant to Paul since he had left home with the apostle more than a decade earlier.”

2/ Where was Paul writing this from? “Paul wrote 2 Timothy from a dark and damp Roman prison cell, just before his death in AD 67. The Roman emperor Nero had been slowly descending into madness since his ascent to the throne in AD 54, a process exacerbated by the great fire of Rome in AD 64 that burned half the city. With the residents of Rome in an uproar, Christians became a convenient target for Nero, who used believers as scapegoats for his city’s own lack of preparedness. Paul was one of those caught up in this persecution and was beheaded by Roman officials soon after writing this letter.“

Now let’s read 2^nd Timothy 4:1-8… (After which we will examine the verses more closely.)
— Feel free to use your own Bible translation – Here we have the English Standard Version

2^nd Timothy 4:1-4 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: (2) preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (3) For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, (4) and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

(CEV) I command you (2) to preach God’s message. Do it willingly, even if it isn’t the popular thing to do.

— Q1/ In Vs.1-2 Paul is telling pastor Timothy to do something: What is the challenge Paul gives?

— Q2/ Is this challenge one that can be transferred to preachers today? (Note Vs.3-4)

— Q3/ What sort of things are people’s ears ‘itching to hear’? – What ‘fads-of-belief’ have you noticed?

— Q4/ Does this challenge to not compromise God’s Word also apply to us ‘regular’ Christians?

(Vs.5) As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
— Q5/ As we have discovered, Timothy was staying at Ephesus as the Pastor of the church there, and Paul is counseling him to do three things… What are these three things?

Fill in the blanks: (From Vs.5)

(I) “be __________ ___________”; (II) “endure ____________; (III) do the work of an _______________”.

Sub Q5 (I) Is there a link of thought or action between these three charges?

Sub Q5 (II) Is this a call to all Christians? (SEE 2^nd Corinthians 1:3-7) – So much to gain from this whole passage… Too much to dig into for our study time today.

Sub Q5 (III) Pastor Timothy is told to do this work… Do we understand what an evangelist does?

(evangelist – yoo-ang-ghel-is-tace’… From the Greek; a preacher of the gospel = the good message.)

Looking further into the callings of a pastor and an evangelist, let’s read Ephesians 4:11-12 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, (12) to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

— Q6/ How do we reconcile the gift of evangelism with our own Christian witness to the world?

(Should evangelism be a part of every Christian’s walk? – See what Jesus said below…)

SEE Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. (14) “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. (15) Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. (16) In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Back to our text on ‘itching ears’; 2^nd Timothy 4:1-8…

(Finishing thought from Vs.5) As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

— Q7/ Are all ‘regular’ Christians also called to follow these three actions? (Any exemptions?)

2^nd Timothy 4:6-8 ESV (6) For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. (7) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (8) Henceforth 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 also to all who have loved his appearing.

— I invite you to compare this English version with a more modern English version to see if between the two you may gain a fuller understanding of what is being communicated…

CEV (6-8) Now the time has come for me to die. My life is like a drink offering being poured out on the altar. (7) I have fought well. I have finished the race, and I have been faithful. (8) So a crown will be given to me for pleasing the Lord. He judges fairly, and on the day of judgment he will give a crown to me and to everyone else who wants him to appear with power.

— Q8/ I like the clarity (to me) of the CEV “He judges fairly, and on the day of judgment he will give a crown to me and to everyone else who wants him to appear with power. (Vs.8)… As we look into that statement… The question arises, Do we really want Jesus to return in power right now? (Or are there loved ones and friends we want to see saved first?)

— Q9/ How do we deal with our deep anxiety and worry over unsaved loved ones?

SEE 2^nd Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (Can this bring us comfort?)

2^nd Timothy 4:7 I have ________ the good fight, I have ___________ the race, I have _______ the faith.

— Q10/ Does Paul’s summary speak to you of RESISTING THE URGE to listen only to what we want to hear? (What sort of ‘pain’ is common to each of these efforts above?)

(Can you truly “finish the race” without “keeping the faith”? – And what does keeping the faith involve?)

I’ve provided here a more complete passage from Ephesians…

Ephesians 4:11-16 (11)  And he (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  (12)  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  (13)  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:  (14)  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;  (15)  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  (16)  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

— Our closing song can lead us to a contemporary life application of this advice to Pastor Timothy…

‘What a friend we have in Jesus’