A Charge To Keep I Have

2. Paul give Timothy this charge because Jesus will one day come to judge each of us based on what we have done, not only with Jesus, but for Jesus.

3. Paul asserts that this judgment is based on Jesus showing up one day, HIS APPEARING, and on the fact that His kingdom will come! With all this in mind, Paul gets serious with Timothy!

ARE YOU READY TO RECEIVE YOUR CHARGE? A CHARGE TO KEEP I HAVE, A GOD TO GLORIFY:

III. THE CHARGE IS FOCUSED ON ACCOUNTABILITY

A. TO THE WORD 2A&B

1. Preach the word!

2. Use it as it was intended to be used! Correct, rebuke, and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.

3. We are accountable to the Word of God! We can not leave it sitting on the shelf! We can not pretend it doesn’t exist! We must share it! We must tell others what it says, even if it is a word of correct, or rebuke! BUT, God has a plane and HOW WE SHARE THE WORD IS just as important as sharing it!

B. TO THE CULTURE 2C, 3-4

1. AFFLICT THE COMFORTABLE (EG. Nathan the biblical role model: 2 Sam. 12: 4-7) There will come a day, and it has been here for a long time, when people will not want to hear what we have to say, even if we say it with grace and mercy! Therefore, we must be ready at ALL TIMES, WHETHER THE SOIL IS TILLED OR NOT!

2. COMFORT THE AFFLICTED: We must never forget the word encouragement: correct, rebuke, and ENCOURAGE! Our culture is desperate for a word of hope, do you offer it?!

3. As I said, the day is here, people don’t want to hear the truth! We might be with them! Do we only want to hear what our ears are itching for? Do we want to know the truth? Does our world want the truth? We are accountable, regardless of what the world wants, to share the truth, “in season and out of season!”

C. To yourself (v. 5)

1. “AND AS FOR YOU…”

2. We are accountable!

3. We must keep our heads! IN ALL SITUATIONS!

4. WE MUST ENDURE HARDSHIP!

5. WE MUST DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST!

6. WE MUST DISCHARGE, LIKE A RIFLE, ALL OUR DUTIES!

7. THE MINISTRY MUST GO FORWARD!

ILLUSTRATION: Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl; The one was wise, and a cheery soul. The other one took a gloomy view And bade his friend a sad adieu.

Said the other frog with a merry grin, "I can’t get out, but I won’t give in;

I’ll swim around till my strength is spent, Then I will die the more content."

And as he swam, though ever it seemed, His struggling began to churn the cream

Until on top of pure butter he stopped, And out of the bowl he quickly hopped.

The moral, you ask? Oh, it’s easily found! If you can’t get out, keep swimming around.

CONCLUSION: Charles Wesley penned these words:

A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify, a never dying soul to save, and fit it for the sky.

To serve the present age, my calling to fulfill; O may it all my powers engage to do my Master’s will!

Arm me with watchful care as in thy sight to live, and now Thy servant, Lord, prepare a strict account to give!

Help me to watch and pray, and still on Thee rely, O let me not my trust betray, but press to realms on high. Amen.