I. Solemn Charge Before God and Christ (Verse 1)
1 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of his appearing and his kingdom:
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NLT
13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: When the Lord returns, we who are still living will not meet him ahead of those who have died.16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
NOTES
II. The Urgent Mandate to Preach (Verse 2)
2 Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching.
Colossians 1:24-27 CSB
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body, that is, the church. 25 I have become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
NOTES
III. The Reason for the Urgent Charge: Approaching Apostasy (Verses 3-4)
3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. 4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 CSB
1 But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, lacking self-control, brutal, not loving what is good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.
NOTES
IV. The Exhortation to Faithful Endurance (Verse 5)
5 But as for you, exercise self-control in everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
1 Timothy 4:15 CSB
15 Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all.
NOTES
How do I apply this passage?
In my conversations and relationships, I will commit to sharing God’s Word faithfully, being prepared to speak truth and offer encouragement, even when it is challenging or inconvenient.
Community Life Group Questions (2 Timothy 4:1-5)
1. (Verse 1)
The charge is also given “because of his appearing and his kingdom.” How does the hope of Christ’s return and his future reign motivate and shape our present actions and ministry?
2. (Verse 2)
Paul instructs Timothy to “correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching.” Why are all three of these elements necessary in effective ministry? How can we balance these different aspects?
3. (Verse 3-4)
Paul warns that a time will come when people “will not tolerate sound doctrine” and will seek teachers who tell them what they want to hear. How do you see this playing out in our world today?
The passage says people will “turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.” What are some modern-day “myths” that might distract people from the truth of the Gospel?
4. (Verse 5)
What does it mean to “exercise self-control in everything”? How is this crucial for effective ministry and living a godly life in the “last days”?
5. How can we pray for you?