FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY
2 TIMOTHY 4: 1-5
KEY VERSE: 2 TIMOTHY 4: 5
FOCAL POINT: BRING YOUR MINISTRY TO FULL CAPACITY
INTRODUCTION:
READ 2 TIMOTHY 4: 1-5
PAUL CONTINUES TO EXHORT AND ENCOURAGE HIS PROTÉGÉ, TIMOTHY. ENCOURAGEMENT OF OTHERS IS NECESSARY FOR FULFILLMENT OF MINISTRY.
PAUL INSTRUCTED TIMOTHY IN NINE, CARDINAL IMPERATIVES: PREACH THE WORD, BE READY, CONVINCE, REBUKE, EXHORT, WATCHFUL, ENDURE HARDSHIPS, DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST, FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY
2 TIMOTHY 4: 5:
WORD STUDY ON FULFILL: FULL, FILLED UP (AS OPPOSED TO EMPTY), COVERED IN EVERY PART, THOROUGHLY PERMEATED, COMPLETE, LACKING NOTHING
WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED BY THE APOSTLE’S ENCOURAGEMENT. PAUL DESIRED HIS FRIEND TO DO WELL AND END WELL. A TREMENDOUS WORD FOR EVERYONE IN MINISTRY TO HEED. 2 TIMOTHY 4:7 THE APOSTLE SAID, “I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, And I HAVE FINISHED THE RACE. I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH.” HE BELIEVED TIMOTHY COULD DO THE SAME.
PAUL ENCOURAGES TIMOTHY TO BE WATCHFUL (SOBER) TO START WITH. ENCOURAGES HIM AGAIN TO ENDURE AFFLICTIONS, HARDSHIPS THAT COME WHILE IN MINISTRY. THE THEN ENCOURAGES HIM TO DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST. AN EVANGELIST EQUIPS AND ENCOURAGES BELIEVERS TO WITNESS THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST. THIS IS ONE OF THE FIVE MINISTRIES MENTIONED IN EPHESIANS 4:11. PAUL SIMPLY WANTED TIMOTHY TO FULFILL THE MINISTRY HE WAS CALLED TO DO.
MATTHEW 5: 16 “LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS, AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN.”
IS IT A JOB OR A MINISTRY?
A JOB IS ONE YOU CHOOSE; A MINISTRY IS ONE CHRIST CHOOSES FOR YOU.
A JOB DEPENDS ON YOUR ABILITIES; A MINISTRY DEPENDS ON YOUR AVAILABILITY TO GOD.
IN A JOB YOU EXPECT TO RECEIVE; IN A MINISTRY YOU EXPECT GO GIVE.
A JOB DONE WELL BRINGS YOU SELF-ESTEEM; A MINISTRY DONE WELL BRINGS HONOR TO JESUS CHRIST.
IN A JOB, YOU GIVE SOMETHING TO GET SOMETHING; IN A MINISTRY, YOU RETURN SOMETHING THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN GIVEN TO YOU.
A JOB WELL DONE HAS TEMPORAL REMUNERATION; A MINISTRY WELL DONE BRINGS ETERNAL REWARDS.
APPLICATION: FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY AND LET GOD BE GLORIFIED.
REF: LIFE APPLICATIONS BY F. B. MEYER, NKJV STUDY BIBLE BY RADMACHER, ALLEN & HOUSE; DR. CONSTABLES’ NOTES ON 2 TIMOTHY, THOMPSON CHAIN REFERENCE BIBLE, BLUELETTERBIBLE.ORG
