PREACH THE WORD
In his final letter, written from a Roman prison cell, the Apostle Paul turns to his young son in the faith and speaks with solemn urgency. In 2 Timothy 4:1-2, he charges Timothy before God and the Lord Jesus Christ — the One who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom — to preach the Word; to be ready in season and out of season; to convict, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
This is not casual advice. It is a courtroom charge. Paul stacks eternity behind his command. Christ is coming. Christ will judge. Christ will reign. Therefore — preach.
The command is not to entertain. Not to speculate. Not to build platforms or preserve reputations. It is to herald the Word of God. The minister is not an inventor of truth but a steward of revelation. He does not shape the message to suit the times; he submits to the message that stands over time.
“To be ready in season and out of season” means faithfulness when the doors are open and when they are shut; when hearts are soft and when they are hardened; when applause is loud and when silence is heavy. The preacher does not wait for cultural permission. He stands under divine commission.
Paul says to “convict, rebuke, exhort.” The Word of God is not a decorative ornament; it is a sword and a balm. It exposes sin, it corrects error, it lifts the fallen. Conviction without compassion crushes. Encouragement without truth deceives. So Paul adds the balance: “with all longsuffering and teaching.” Patience must accompany proclamation. Doctrine must anchor exhortation. The shepherd must feed, not merely scold.
And why such urgency? Because truth is never far from being abandoned. The verses that follow warn that a time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine. The answer to wandering ears is not softer preaching but steadier preaching.
This charge is not only for pastors in pulpits. Every believer, in some measure, bears witness to Christ. Fathers preach by example in their homes. Mothers preach by faithfulness in quiet places. Christians preach when they speak truth in love at work, in conversation, in suffering. The Word of God is living and powerful, and it does not return void.
Paul’s words remind us that ministry is done before an audience of One. The preacher stands before God. The teacher answers to Christ. The measure of success is not numbers but faithfulness.
In a world intoxicated with novelty, the church must cling to what is ancient and unchanging. The Word of God remains. Kingdoms rise and fall; opinions trend and vanish; but the gospel of Jesus Christ stands firm.
So let us be ready — in season and out of season. Let us speak truth with tears, correction with gentleness, exhortation with hope. Let us preach Christ crucified and risen, knowing that the Judge is also our Savior.
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Lord Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, make us faithful stewards of Your Word. Give us courage to speak truth, patience to endure resistance, and love that reflects Your heart. Keep us steady in every season, and let our lives proclaim the glory of Your kingdom. Amen.
BDD
