2 Timothy 3:14  But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 15  and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 4:1  In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: 2  proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.

Paul was reminding his young colleague in ministry how he had learned, from his mother and grandmother (2TImothy 1:5  I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.), beginning at an early age the sacred writings which gave him his basic training in salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Sometimes when we get so busily employed in doing ministry we tend to forget our basic training and just go through the motions. Paul knew the temptation there was to forget in the busyness of life.
                                                                        
We must continually go back and re-dig the wells from which we first received the life giving water. They tend to fill in with the garbage of life and we grow weary and thirsty.

Paul then takes a deep breath and writes to Timothy, these words: In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you:

Paul wanted Timothy's full attention. Take notes, son, you will need this to survive in the task you have taken on.

Paul said - -

Proclaim the message

There is but one message - - Jesus Christ. Do not let the political powers and ebbs and tides of the day divert you from the message that you are called to proclaim. They will pull at your Right and at your Left. Stay away from those temptations - - remember who called you to this ministry the first time.

Be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable

There will be some days that you will just not want to get up and go to your task of living out the Gospel. Some days doors will be slammed in your face and people will shun you. And then on some days, the Gospel Son will shine bright and those that you meet will be eager to hear a word of love and peace from you. No matter whether the sun is shining or not - - get up, put all your gospel armor on, and report for duty!

Convince

The time of hitting someone over the head with a Bible tract and trying to convince them that they are going to Hell is over. You convince first of all with your own life. You must live out the gospel for all to see. That is your best convincer. You convince by gentle nudging and being responsive to the little things in peoples lives. You are a walking billboard for God - - what does your billboard say?

Rebuke

Sometimes all of us take a wrong fork in the road. Life is full of choices and often we simply make the wrong choice. We rebuke by putting our arm around someone's shoulder and gently guiding them back to the right path.

You never rebuke by voting someone off the Island! That is fantasy for television shows. Keep the lines of communication open. Do not shun those whom God loves!

Encourage

Oh, how we all need encouragement ALL THE TIME! Just a word of encouragement lasts all week! Words of thanks and appreciation are so important to our well being. They are like a bouquet of flowers on a cloudy, rainy day. Take time to encourage people in their daily walk with God. Especially the teenagers and young people in your faith community. Take time to talk to them, ask them how they are doing, tell them how much you appreciate them and include them in the total life of the church.

With the utmost patience in teaching.

This was the caveat that Paul wanted applied to all of the above. Every experience in life should be a teaching moment for all of us. As the old saying goes You are never too old to learn! It is the teaching moments in life that has most formed and re-formed me. We must all be teachable!

Patience is a gift of God. Some of us have claimed it, by, alas, most of us have not! We want our gift and we want it right now! We do not seem to have time to be patient anymore. I told a dear friend of mine this week that he is always one step ahead of himself.

Jesus taught us about patience! Patience with people, patience with events, patience with God. Jesus taught us how important that it was to take personal time aside to pray and be patient. We seem to live in a fast forward age, when we can just skip over the dull spots in life. The world will not slow down for us - - we must slow down for the world!



A Jim Lane Commentary
August 25, 2004