Today we are looking at “This is the way of Christ and His Apostles”
“Carry On or Pass it On!”
Last week we looked at the apostles as they were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and the change that took place in their character and attitude. Today we are looking at why we need to continue to strive for Jesus,and when we are done on this earth, to pass on the charge like Paul did with Timothy.
Halley’s Bible Handbook gives us this take on this passage.
Paul knew the day of his execution was approaching. Not sure that he would ever see Timothy again, or even have the opportunity to write him another letter. He begs him to keep his mind on the day of the Lord’s appearing, and to preach Jesus with unceasing diligence. 1
2 Timothy 4:1-5 NIV
1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
We need to be ready, willing and able to do whatever the Holy Spirit guides us to do. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus, our hearts open to the love of God and our minds open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
William Barclay, in his book “The Letters to Timothy,” gives us some points to consider about this passage and what Paul is telling Timothy.
He reminds Timothy of three things concerning Jesus:
1 Jesus is the judge of the living and the dead. One day our work will be tested, and that test will be carried out by none other than Jesus Christ Himself. A Christian’s work must be good enough, not to satisfy men but to satisfy Jesus.
2 Jesus is the returning conqueror. Paul uses the word “Epiphaneia” which describes the preparation for an emperor’s arrival – everything is put in perfect order. Streets were swept and garnished, all work is up to date. The town is scoured and decorated to be fit for the epiphaneia of the Emperor. Paul tells Timothy that he is expecting the epiphaneia of Jesus Christ. Do your work in such a way that all things will be ready whenever He appears.
3 Jesus is King. Paul urges Timothy to action by the remembrance of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. The day comes when the kingdoms of the world will be the Kingdom of the Lord. So live and so work that you will rank high in the roll of the citizens of the Kingdom when the Kingdom comes. 2
Peter tells us to be ready to suffer for our Lord and ready to defend Him.
1 Peter 3:13-18 NIV
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?
14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”
15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
William Barclay gives us more points for Christian Duty.
The Christian teacher is to be:
Urgent – the message we bring is literally a matter of life and death. Be earnest!
Persistent – Urge the claims of Christ “in season and out of season.” The Christian should not be too shy in speaking to others about Jesus Christ.
The Christian teacher should:
Convict – We must make the sinner aware of his sin… The first essential is to compel a man to see himself as he is.
Rebuke – In the great days of the church there was an utter fearlessness in the voice of the Church. And because the Church was fearless things happened…In our personal relationships a word of warning and rebuke would often save a brother from many a sin and many a shipwreck. Do so humbly and with prayer!
Exhort – Not only must men be rebuked, they must also be encouraged. Encouragement is at least as much a Christian duty as rebuke.
“Still further, the Christian duty of conviction, of rebuke, of encouragement, must be carried out with unwearied patience. The word is makrothumia, and it describes the spirit which never grows irritated, never grows annoyed, never grows weary, never despairs; it describes the spirit which never loses its faith in human nature, and never regards any man as hopeless and beyond salvation. The Christian patiently believes in men because he unconquerably believes in the changing power of Christ.”3
A good theme is “Living by faith and Spirit led in all that you do.”
Now we come to the part of my title that states “Pass it On”. Paul closes with these words:
2 Timothy 4:6-8 NIV
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing.
Halley’s Bible Handbook continues:
Verses 6-8 Grandest utterance of the grandest mortal man that ever lived. The battle-scarred old warrior of the cross, looking back over a long and hard and bitter fight, cries out in exultation, “I have won.” Not long afterward the executioners ax released Paul’s soul from his worn and broken body to be borne away by flights of angels to the bosom of his beloved Lord. We imagine his welcome home to heaven surpassed any triumphal procession he had ever witnessed in Rome to returning conquerors.4
Barclay sums these verses up with these words:
“The man whose life is dedicated to Jesus Christ is indifferent to the verdict of men. He cares not if they condemn him so long as he hears his Master’s “Well done!”5
Paul left us with these words:
Philippians 4:9 NIV
“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Jesus left us with these words:
John 14:23-31 NIV
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you.
26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.
30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me,
31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
“Come now; let us leave.
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Paul Eshleman, in his book “The Touch of Jesus”, states:
“This passage of Scripture contains what has been called the ‘Great Commission’ of our Lord. It is the greatest commission, the grandest assignment, ever given in the history of mankind. It is the only admonition in all of creation that, when it is followed, will result in people’s lives being changed for all eternity…. After having this Good News for almost two thousand years, it is time to make sure that, as much as it lies within our power, we have done everything we know to get the message of Jesus to every person in the world.” 6
John Grady, in his book “Don’t Be Afraid” tells us:
“God is up to something in your life and the words of Jesus are as relevant to you and me today as they were 2,000 years ago. ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’ Watch what He is about to do!” 7
“He (Jesus) is going to take us from our comfortable, lukewarm walk with Him and ignite within us a holy fire passion of intimacy and trust with HIM so we will rise up and fulfill our calling and purpose in HIM.” 8
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in “The Cost of Discipleship”, says:
“The object of Jesus’s command is always the same – to evoke wholehearted faith, to make us love God and our neighbor with all our heart and soul. This is the only unequivocal feature in His command…. Thus the gift Jesus gave to His disciples is just as available for us as it was for them. In fact it is even more readily available for us now that He has left the world, because we know that He is glorified, and because the Holy Spirit is with us.” 9
Bill Hybels is quoted in Mark Mittelberg’s book “Building a Contagious Church”:
“I don’t live with the ultimate responsibility of whether or not someone winds up in heaven. That’s their responsibility. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit. My responsibility is to be energetically involved. My responsibility is to be there to try to catalyze the process, to be a friend, to answer questions, and to coach and to urge them along.” 10
We are responsible to reach out to those who do not know Jesus and tell them and show them His love. We do not shove it down their throats or make them despise the Gospel, we give them the opportunity to hear, see and believe – their choice!
We do this until the time comes to pass the torch to the next generation, and when we do that we are following God’s plan for each of us. We still need to be alive Christians until our bodies die and then we live eternally with Christ.
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