“As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2Tim 4:5).
Famous Foursomes
Pop culture is loaded with famous foursomes. The Beatles. The Ghostbusters. The cast of Seinfeld. The A Team. Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen (some of you involuntarily let out a “WOOOOOOOO!”, didn’t you?). Marvel’s Fantastic Four. Don’t forget Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion.
But a couple of thousand years before any of them, Paul gives Timothy his Final Four. No, not his prediction or picks for his March Madness pool. Near the end of his last letter, the apostle lists the final four points which sum up everything the young preacher is to do once as his mentor passes him the baton of ministry.
“As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (v5). Look closely. There are four points. Four bullet points.
-Always be sober-minded.
-Endure suffering.
-Do the work of an evangelist.
-Fulfill your ministry.
Four takeaways. Four big ideas. If you don’t remember anything else, Tim, remember these.
The Final Four.
Famous Last Words
And when we say “final,” we mean FINAL! Paul writes to his protege from Death Row (2Tim 4:6-7). His appointment with the executioner isn’t an “if” but a “when.” As a result, he fires off one last letter to his spiritual son Timothy (2Tim 1:2). The apostle has a pair of simple purposes in this epistle. First, he begs the young buck to drop everything and see him one last time (2Tim 4:9, 21). Second, the man from Tarsus hands off the servant/leadership of ministry once and for all (2Tim 2:1-4:5).
Paul has written ten other letters that made their way into what we call the New Testament. Most are letters to churches (Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians). A couple of others are to friends (Philemon and Titus).
He already written a previous note to Timothy. But this one is different. This one is urgent. This one is personal. This one is raw. When we read 2 Timothy, we’re reading the final words from the great apostle’s pen. Talk about famous last words!
No Ear Tickling Allowed
Here in verse 5, Paul sums up his instructions to Timothy in this final letter with four final points. One, stay focused. Two, hang in there. Three, stay on message. Four, finish the mission. The apostle originally wrote to the lead pastor of the Ephesian church, but these four points certainly come in handy for you and me a couple of thousand years later as we follow Jesus.
Before we get to the first of the final four, the apostle gets the ball rolling when he writes “as for you” (v5). He wants to make a clear difference between folks who are simply looking to get their ears tickled (2Tim 4:3-4) and his protege from Lystra. Too many teachers and preachers compromise the message of the Gospel to meet the demands of the audience. Tell people what they need to hear, not just what they want. No ear tickling allowed!
A Clear Head and Clear Eyes
This brings us to the first member of the final four. “Always be sober-minded” (v5). The Greek word here (Gr. νηθω/nepho) certainly can mean not to be drunk or under the influence, but it’s so much more. It pictures someone with a clear head and clear eyes. They won’t freak out. They don’t panic. Instead, they’re calm and collected. Most of all, they’re vigilant. Awake. Watchful. Alert.
Calm, Cool, and Collected
A few super smart Bible scholars can help us here. Matthew Poole says it’s Paul’s way of saying don’t get lazy. Patrick Fairbairn feels like the apostle encourages Tim to have eyes wide open while being calm, cool, and collected. John Gill pictures a shepherd watching over his flock during the night or a sentry on the city walls.
Jesus gave an unstable hothead named Simon the nickname Rocky (Mt 16:18). If that’s not crazy enough, the Lord made the volatile former fisherman the leader of His personal posse. Pete even bails on Christ in the clutch, not once but THREE times! Not exactly the kind of guy a search firm would recommend for the job. I doubt his references would ever use the term “sober-minded” when describing him.
Yet that’s EXACTLY who our Savior chooses and uses. Jesus LOVES to flip the script by picking the least likely to pull off the unexpected (1Cor 1:27). That being the case, there may not be anybody better to talk about being calm and clearheaded in a crisis.
A Lion on the Loose
So when Peter uses “sober-minded” three times in one little letter, we ought to pay attention. He tells us to get our head right “being sober-minded (Gr. νηθω/nepho)” by focusing on the grace of Jesus (1Pet 1:13). He tells us to get our prayer life right and
“be self-controlled and sober-minded (Gr. νηθω/nepho)” (1Pet 4:7). He tells us to keep our head on a swivel and “sober-minded (Gr. νηθω/nepho); be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1Pet 5:8).
It’s critical that Timothy keeps it together. His mentor is walking the Green Mile. He has to shut down a team of spiritual hucksters who are spreading a theological cancer throughout the Ephesian church (2Tim 2:14-25). Don’t freak out in fear (2Tim 1:7). Focus on following Jesus (2Tim 1:8-14).
Stay Composed and on Your Toes
That’s all summed up in the command, “Always be sober-minded” (v5). Pay attention. Stay on high alert. Don’t let your guard down. But don’t panic. Keep your mind clear. Focus. Stay levelheaded. Paul calls us to a constant state of readiness. Not sometimes vigilant. Not part-time vigilant. Always vigilant.
First up in the Final Four: Stay composed and on our toes.
Endure Suffering
In his second bullet point, Paul encourages Timothy to “endure suffering” (v5). Paul actually uses single Greek verb here (Gr. κακοπαθεω/kakοpatheo) which means to suffer affliction patiently or bear up under hardship and trouble. A closer look at the original language reveals a compound word that describes “evil or bad (Gr. κακο-/kakο-) troubles or emotion (Gr. -παθεω/-patheo).”
It’s the idea of suffering painfully and intensely as the result of evil. The apostle warns us that we will not simply be inconvenienced. It’s not like our caramel macchiato doesn’t have enough foam. He’s talking about suffering real physical and mental anguish. The term carries the idea of endurance and perseverance. You don’t it enjoy it but also don’t run away. Jesus’ little brother James tells us that God uses these trials to actually grow our faith and make us more like our Savior (James 1:2-3, 12).
The Stress of Combat
Ancient writers use it several times when describing the hardships of serving in the military. Not only do you experience the stress of deployment but there’s the danger of combat. There’s an enemy out there that wants to kill you. Same when it comes to following Jesus. We also have an enemy whose objective is “to steal and kill and destroy” (Jn 10:10).
We already know Tim faces a tough battle with spiritual snake oil salesmen inside the Ephesian church. If that’s not bad enough, this is just the beginning of a long, slow slide into selfishness and sin (2Tim 3:1-9). Paul pulls no punches when he writes, “Indeed, all who desire to a godly life in will be persecuted” (2Tim 3:12). It’s not if, but when.
The Furnace of Affliction
Tim Keller writes about the importance and inevitability of hard times his book “Walking with God through Pain and Suffering.” He pulls no punches and doesn’t propose some pollyanna, pie-in-the-sky view of pain. No greeting card answers here.
Instead Keller sees affliction like a furnace. Is suffering painful? You betcha! But it also burns away our sinful inclinations. It’s all part of God’s process of purification if we will only turn to Him as both the Victor and the Victim, the Lord and the Servant. The bottom line, we can suffer well because our Savior has suffered well. Those are the times when grace shines the brightest (2Cor 12:9-10).
The Secret Sauce of Sanctification
What if bearing up in suffering is actually a key ingredient in the secret sauce of sanctification? Take Job’s story. Something very strange happens when you read what happens to him. Despite all that’s going on between God and the devil, Job never finds out. God never clues him in on the why of his incredibly hard times.
Job’s emotional pain and internal heartbreak drives him closer to God. He asks his Creator for answers but never receives a reason. In his book “Glorious Ruin,” Tullian Tchividjian believes this is the key to Job’s story. Suffering drives us to a Who not a why. God uses pain to deepen our trust in His goodness. Hang onto Him because He’s never let go of you.
Second point of the Final Four: Hang tough and watch God work.
Scared out of Hell by a Blow-Dried Mullet
Next, Paul encourages Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist” (v5). Now if you grew up in a Southern Baptist church like some of us, this word has a steamer trunk full of baggage with it. I have a picture of some slick dude wearing a white three-piece polyester suit and a blow-dried mullet. They tended to get you into heaven by scaring you out of hell.
Let’s just say God’s Word has a slightly different view. The Greek word behind “evangelist” (Gr. ευαγγελιστης/euaggelistes) describes one who brings or announces good news. It literally means “good (Gr. ευ-/eu-) messenger (Gr. -αγγελιστης/-aggelistes).”
Breaking News from the Battlefield
Believe it or not, this was NOT “church” word or religious job description back in the First Century. An evangelist was actually the person who would hightail it back home from the battlefield to break the awesome news that your army has won the war. These folks got the incredible privilege of getting the party started!
The writers of the New Testament describe evangelists as the ones with the privilege of spreading the news of Jesus big win over sin. Luke records the time Paul’s team is headed to the home office in Jerusalem and they stayed with “Philip the evangelist (Gr. ευαγγελιστης/euaggelistes)” in Caesarea (Acts 21:8).
In a letter to his Ephesian friends, the man from Tarsus describes how Jesus provided gifted servant/leaders to the local church to prepare His followers for the mission ahead. “He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists (Gr. ευαγγελιστης/euaggelistes), the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12).
Sending out Invitations
Many hold the opinion that God gave the world evangelists in order to spread the word to unbelievers. In other words, He uses them to extend the gracious invitation for new folks to be a part of His kingdom. I mean it does make sense that evangelists would play a key role in evangelism. No doubt about it.
But every single one of us needs regular reminders of the Gospel. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been walking with Jesus for decades or days. We desperately need the Good News. According to Paul’s words to the Ephesians, an evangelist’s assignment is getting folks ready for ministry and play a central role in their spiritual growth.
Not Just the A-B-C’s
While this certainly includes telling unbelievers all about who Jesus is, what He’s done, and will still do, it’s not limited to that. The Gospel is for everyone. Unbeliever. Believer. Seeker. Baby Christian. Longtime disciple. Senior Saint.
Nobody outgrows the Good News. Not Paul. Not Tim. Not me. Not you. Tim Keller knocks this idea out of the park. “We never ‘get beyond the Gospel’ in our Christian life to something more ‘advanced.’ The Gospel is not the first ‘step’ in a ‘stairway’ of truths, rather, it is more like the ‘hub’ in a ‘wheel’ of truth. The Gospel is not just the A-B-C’s but the A-Z of Christianity. The Gospel is not just the minimum required doctrine necessary to enter the kingdom, but the way we make progress in the kingdom.”
That being the case, we ALL need the Good News. We don’t outgrow it. We don’t get past it. We don’t get past it. The Gospel isn’t just the entrance into faith. It’s not simply the kiddie pool of following Christ. The gracious message of Jesus is THE WHOLE POOL! Come on in, the water’s fine!!
What’s So Good about the Good News?
That being the case, let’s all take a moment and take a swim. In an act of incredible love, God created a perfect world and placed us in it. We rebelled against Him and corrupted His creation. Our gracious God did two things. One, He promised One to come who would make all things right and fix what we broke. Two, He gave us commands that would show us our need for rescue, kind of like a cosmic MRI or CT scan.
God personally came to save our bacon as Christ Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity. God takes on human form. Fully God. Fully human. Taking on human flesh, Jesus does what we could never do for ourselves. He lives the life of perfect obedience to God’s rules that we failed to live. He then dies the brutal death for our sin that we should have died. If that’s not enough, God raises Christ to a glorious new life that we don’t deserve. Talk about Good News!!
The Gospel is the amazing message of what many like to call The Great Exchange. In one of his letters to an incredibly dysfunctional church in Corinth, Paul put it this way. “For our sake He (God) made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God” (2Cor 5:21; FYI, I added the little explanations in parenthesis because, as they say, sometimes you can’t tell the players without a scorecard).
God saves us when we stop trying to save ourselves and trust in who Jesus is and what He’s done. That includes believing in Him not just our Savior but our Lord. In other words, we trust in His leadership by doing what He says. We don’t save ourselves by doing good things (Eph 2:8-9). We do good things because He has saved us (Eph 2:10)!
Keep Spreading the News
When Frank Sinatra sings about heading to the Big Apple, Ol’ Blue Eyes tells us to “start spreading the news.” Evangelists are to KEEP spreading the news. The Good News. Spreading to anybody and everybody who will listen. Believers. Unbelievers. It doesn’t matter. We ALL need to hear it. We need the Gospel everyday because we forget it everyday.
And that’s why Paul includes it in the Final Four: Keep spreading the news.
Full Speed Ahead!
Batting cleanup in this list is the apostle’s command to Tim, “Fulfill your ministry” (v5). “Fulfill” is the Greek verb πληροφορεω/plerophoreo, which means to carry to completion. Some scholars see this as a picture of a big ship with its sails full and cutting through the waves. In other words, it’s full speed ahead for the young pastor! Put the hammer down! I can hear Scotty from Star Trek now. “I’m givin’ her all she’s got, Captain!”
The success of the ministry is crucial. The mission is monumental. The message is essential. People need to hear about Jesus. There’s no giving up. There’s no giving in. It’s like the legendary words of Jimmy V. “Don’t give up! Don’t ever give up!” Paul wants to leave his spiritual son with the sense of urgency. It’s full speed ahead!
The Ministry of Silly Walks
What exactly is this ministry Paul’s talking about? Let’s be honest, this is a word we slap on anything that happens at church. Sure, names like children’s ministry and music ministry do the trick. But yoga ministry? Fantasy football ministry? We might as well follow in the footsteps of Monty Python and their Ministry of Silly Walks! We may have lost sight of what ministry is all about.
When the apostle uses the term “ministry” (Gr. διακονια/diakonia), he’s actually referring to something very simple. It’s service, assistance, or help. Back in the First Century, this word usually described humble or menial duties like waiting tables. Being in ministry is being in the service industry. It’s making sure people get what they need.
Me Third
When Luke tells about the time Jesus and His crew drop by a friends’ home in Bethany, Martha freaks out when her little sister Mary won’t help with the dinner party. Martha couldn’t enjoy the Savior’s visit because she “was distracted with much serving (Gr. διακονια/diakonia)” (Lk 10:40). In his sequel, the good doctor talks about how some of the older women in the early church “were being neglected in the daily distribution (Gr. διακονια/diakonia)” of food (Acts 6:1).
So the kind of ministry Paul describes to Timothy turns the org chart upside down. We find the minister at the bottom rung, not the top spot. God calls those in ministry to servant/leadership. It’s a “me third” perspective, as in “God first, others second, me third.” Arrogance and ministry should be mutually exclusive.
The final of the four bullet points: Full speed ahead and finish the mission of serving others.
Passing the Torch
So there you have it. The Final Four. Paul has now officially passed the torch of spreading the Gospel to the young pastor in Ephesus. You can sum up this last letter in these four simple points. One, stay composed and on your toes. Two, hang tough and watch God work. Three, keep spreading the news. Four, full speed ahead and finish the mission.
The Final Four.
Famous Foursomes
Pop culture is loaded with famous foursomes. The Beatles. The Ghostbusters. The cast of Seinfeld. The A Team. Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen (some of you involuntarily let out a “WOOOOOOOO!”, didn’t you?). Marvel’s Fantastic Four. Don’t forget Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion.
But a couple of thousand years before any of them, Paul gives Timothy his Final Four. No, not his prediction or picks for his March Madness pool. Near the end of his last letter, the apostle lists the final four points which sum up everything the young preacher is to do once as his mentor passes him the baton of ministry.
“As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (v5). Look closely. There are four points. Four bullet points.
-Always be sober-minded.
-Endure suffering.
-Do the work of an evangelist.
-Fulfill your ministry.
Four takeaways. Four big ideas. If you don’t remember anything else, Tim, remember these.
The Final Four.
Famous Last Words
And when we say “final,” we mean FINAL! Paul writes to his protege from Death Row (2Tim 4:6-7). His appointment with the executioner isn’t an “if” but a “when.” As a result, he fires off one last letter to his spiritual son Timothy (2Tim 1:2). The apostle has a pair of simple purposes in this epistle. First, he begs the young buck to drop everything and see him one last time (2Tim 4:9, 21). Second, the man from Tarsus hands off the servant/leadership of ministry once and for all (2Tim 2:1-4:5).
Paul has written ten other letters that made their way into what we call the New Testament. Most are letters to churches (Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians). A couple of others are to friends (Philemon and Titus).
He already written a previous note to Timothy. But this one is different. This one is urgent. This one is personal. This one is raw. When we read 2 Timothy, we’re reading the final words from the great apostle’s pen. Talk about famous last words!
No Ear Tickling Allowed
Here in verse 5, Paul sums up his instructions to Timothy in this final letter with four final points. One, stay focused. Two, hang in there. Three, stay on message. Four, finish the mission. The apostle originally wrote to the lead pastor of the Ephesian church, but these four points certainly come in handy for you and me a couple of thousand years later as we follow Jesus.
Before we get to the first of the final four, the apostle gets the ball rolling when he writes “as for you” (v5). He wants to make a clear difference between folks who are simply looking to get their ears tickled (2Tim 4:3-4) and his protege from Lystra. Too many teachers and preachers compromise the message of the Gospel to meet the demands of the audience. Tell people what they need to hear, not just what they want. No ear tickling allowed!
A Clear Head and Clear Eyes
This brings us to the first member of the final four. “Always be sober-minded” (v5). The Greek word here (Gr. νηθω/nepho) certainly can mean not to be drunk or under the influence, but it’s so much more. It pictures someone with a clear head and clear eyes. They won’t freak out. They don’t panic. Instead, they’re calm and collected. Most of all, they’re vigilant. Awake. Watchful. Alert.
Calm, Cool, and Collected
A few super smart Bible scholars can help us here. Matthew Poole says it’s Paul’s way of saying don’t get lazy. Patrick Fairbairn feels like the apostle encourages Tim to have eyes wide open while being calm, cool, and collected. John Gill pictures a shepherd watching over his flock during the night or a sentry on the city walls.
Jesus gave an unstable hothead named Simon the nickname Rocky (Mt 16:18). If that’s not crazy enough, the Lord made the volatile former fisherman the leader of His personal posse. Pete even bails on Christ in the clutch, not once but THREE times! Not exactly the kind of guy a search firm would recommend for the job. I doubt his references would ever use the term “sober-minded” when describing him.
Yet that’s EXACTLY who our Savior chooses and uses. Jesus LOVES to flip the script by picking the least likely to pull off the unexpected (1Cor 1:27). That being the case, there may not be anybody better to talk about being calm and clearheaded in a crisis.
A Lion on the Loose
So when Peter uses “sober-minded” three times in one little letter, we ought to pay attention. He tells us to get our head right “being sober-minded (Gr. νηθω/nepho)” by focusing on the grace of Jesus (1Pet 1:13). He tells us to get our prayer life right and
“be self-controlled and sober-minded (Gr. νηθω/nepho)” (1Pet 4:7). He tells us to keep our head on a swivel and “sober-minded (Gr. νηθω/nepho); be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1Pet 5:8).
It’s critical that Timothy keeps it together. His mentor is walking the Green Mile. He has to shut down a team of spiritual hucksters who are spreading a theological cancer throughout the Ephesian church (2Tim 2:14-25). Don’t freak out in fear (2Tim 1:7). Focus on following Jesus (2Tim 1:8-14).
Stay Composed and on Your Toes
That’s all summed up in the command, “Always be sober-minded” (v5). Pay attention. Stay on high alert. Don’t let your guard down. But don’t panic. Keep your mind clear. Focus. Stay levelheaded. Paul calls us to a constant state of readiness. Not sometimes vigilant. Not part-time vigilant. Always vigilant.
First up in the Final Four: Stay composed and on our toes.
Endure Suffering
In his second bullet point, Paul encourages Timothy to “endure suffering” (v5). Paul actually uses single Greek verb here (Gr. κακοπαθεω/kakοpatheo) which means to suffer affliction patiently or bear up under hardship and trouble. A closer look at the original language reveals a compound word that describes “evil or bad (Gr. κακο-/kakο-) troubles or emotion (Gr. -παθεω/-patheo).”
It’s the idea of suffering painfully and intensely as the result of evil. The apostle warns us that we will not simply be inconvenienced. It’s not like our caramel macchiato doesn’t have enough foam. He’s talking about suffering real physical and mental anguish. The term carries the idea of endurance and perseverance. You don’t it enjoy it but also don’t run away. Jesus’ little brother James tells us that God uses these trials to actually grow our faith and make us more like our Savior (James 1:2-3, 12).
The Stress of Combat
Ancient writers use it several times when describing the hardships of serving in the military. Not only do you experience the stress of deployment but there’s the danger of combat. There’s an enemy out there that wants to kill you. Same when it comes to following Jesus. We also have an enemy whose objective is “to steal and kill and destroy” (Jn 10:10).
We already know Tim faces a tough battle with spiritual snake oil salesmen inside the Ephesian church. If that’s not bad enough, this is just the beginning of a long, slow slide into selfishness and sin (2Tim 3:1-9). Paul pulls no punches when he writes, “Indeed, all who desire to a godly life in will be persecuted” (2Tim 3:12). It’s not if, but when.
The Furnace of Affliction
Tim Keller writes about the importance and inevitability of hard times his book “Walking with God through Pain and Suffering.” He pulls no punches and doesn’t propose some pollyanna, pie-in-the-sky view of pain. No greeting card answers here.
Instead Keller sees affliction like a furnace. Is suffering painful? You betcha! But it also burns away our sinful inclinations. It’s all part of God’s process of purification if we will only turn to Him as both the Victor and the Victim, the Lord and the Servant. The bottom line, we can suffer well because our Savior has suffered well. Those are the times when grace shines the brightest (2Cor 12:9-10).
The Secret Sauce of Sanctification
What if bearing up in suffering is actually a key ingredient in the secret sauce of sanctification? Take Job’s story. Something very strange happens when you read what happens to him. Despite all that’s going on between God and the devil, Job never finds out. God never clues him in on the why of his incredibly hard times.
Job’s emotional pain and internal heartbreak drives him closer to God. He asks his Creator for answers but never receives a reason. In his book “Glorious Ruin,” Tullian Tchividjian believes this is the key to Job’s story. Suffering drives us to a Who not a why. God uses pain to deepen our trust in His goodness. Hang onto Him because He’s never let go of you.
Second point of the Final Four: Hang tough and watch God work.
Scared out of Hell by a Blow-Dried Mullet
Next, Paul encourages Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist” (v5). Now if you grew up in a Southern Baptist church like some of us, this word has a steamer trunk full of baggage with it. I have a picture of some slick dude wearing a white three-piece polyester suit and a blow-dried mullet. They tended to get you into heaven by scaring you out of hell.
Let’s just say God’s Word has a slightly different view. The Greek word behind “evangelist” (Gr. ευαγγελιστης/euaggelistes) describes one who brings or announces good news. It literally means “good (Gr. ευ-/eu-) messenger (Gr. -αγγελιστης/-aggelistes).”
Breaking News from the Battlefield
Believe it or not, this was NOT “church” word or religious job description back in the First Century. An evangelist was actually the person who would hightail it back home from the battlefield to break the awesome news that your army has won the war. These folks got the incredible privilege of getting the party started!
The writers of the New Testament describe evangelists as the ones with the privilege of spreading the news of Jesus big win over sin. Luke records the time Paul’s team is headed to the home office in Jerusalem and they stayed with “Philip the evangelist (Gr. ευαγγελιστης/euaggelistes)” in Caesarea (Acts 21:8).
In a letter to his Ephesian friends, the man from Tarsus describes how Jesus provided gifted servant/leaders to the local church to prepare His followers for the mission ahead. “He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists (Gr. ευαγγελιστης/euaggelistes), the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12).
Sending out Invitations
Many hold the opinion that God gave the world evangelists in order to spread the word to unbelievers. In other words, He uses them to extend the gracious invitation for new folks to be a part of His kingdom. I mean it does make sense that evangelists would play a key role in evangelism. No doubt about it.
But every single one of us needs regular reminders of the Gospel. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been walking with Jesus for decades or days. We desperately need the Good News. According to Paul’s words to the Ephesians, an evangelist’s assignment is getting folks ready for ministry and play a central role in their spiritual growth.
Not Just the A-B-C’s
While this certainly includes telling unbelievers all about who Jesus is, what He’s done, and will still do, it’s not limited to that. The Gospel is for everyone. Unbeliever. Believer. Seeker. Baby Christian. Longtime disciple. Senior Saint.
Nobody outgrows the Good News. Not Paul. Not Tim. Not me. Not you. Tim Keller knocks this idea out of the park. “We never ‘get beyond the Gospel’ in our Christian life to something more ‘advanced.’ The Gospel is not the first ‘step’ in a ‘stairway’ of truths, rather, it is more like the ‘hub’ in a ‘wheel’ of truth. The Gospel is not just the A-B-C’s but the A-Z of Christianity. The Gospel is not just the minimum required doctrine necessary to enter the kingdom, but the way we make progress in the kingdom.”
That being the case, we ALL need the Good News. We don’t outgrow it. We don’t get past it. We don’t get past it. The Gospel isn’t just the entrance into faith. It’s not simply the kiddie pool of following Christ. The gracious message of Jesus is THE WHOLE POOL! Come on in, the water’s fine!!
What’s So Good about the Good News?
That being the case, let’s all take a moment and take a swim. In an act of incredible love, God created a perfect world and placed us in it. We rebelled against Him and corrupted His creation. Our gracious God did two things. One, He promised One to come who would make all things right and fix what we broke. Two, He gave us commands that would show us our need for rescue, kind of like a cosmic MRI or CT scan.
God personally came to save our bacon as Christ Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity. God takes on human form. Fully God. Fully human. Taking on human flesh, Jesus does what we could never do for ourselves. He lives the life of perfect obedience to God’s rules that we failed to live. He then dies the brutal death for our sin that we should have died. If that’s not enough, God raises Christ to a glorious new life that we don’t deserve. Talk about Good News!!
The Gospel is the amazing message of what many like to call The Great Exchange. In one of his letters to an incredibly dysfunctional church in Corinth, Paul put it this way. “For our sake He (God) made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God” (2Cor 5:21; FYI, I added the little explanations in parenthesis because, as they say, sometimes you can’t tell the players without a scorecard).
God saves us when we stop trying to save ourselves and trust in who Jesus is and what He’s done. That includes believing in Him not just our Savior but our Lord. In other words, we trust in His leadership by doing what He says. We don’t save ourselves by doing good things (Eph 2:8-9). We do good things because He has saved us (Eph 2:10)!
Keep Spreading the News
When Frank Sinatra sings about heading to the Big Apple, Ol’ Blue Eyes tells us to “start spreading the news.” Evangelists are to KEEP spreading the news. The Good News. Spreading to anybody and everybody who will listen. Believers. Unbelievers. It doesn’t matter. We ALL need to hear it. We need the Gospel everyday because we forget it everyday.
And that’s why Paul includes it in the Final Four: Keep spreading the news.
Full Speed Ahead!
Batting cleanup in this list is the apostle’s command to Tim, “Fulfill your ministry” (v5). “Fulfill” is the Greek verb πληροφορεω/plerophoreo, which means to carry to completion. Some scholars see this as a picture of a big ship with its sails full and cutting through the waves. In other words, it’s full speed ahead for the young pastor! Put the hammer down! I can hear Scotty from Star Trek now. “I’m givin’ her all she’s got, Captain!”
The success of the ministry is crucial. The mission is monumental. The message is essential. People need to hear about Jesus. There’s no giving up. There’s no giving in. It’s like the legendary words of Jimmy V. “Don’t give up! Don’t ever give up!” Paul wants to leave his spiritual son with the sense of urgency. It’s full speed ahead!
The Ministry of Silly Walks
What exactly is this ministry Paul’s talking about? Let’s be honest, this is a word we slap on anything that happens at church. Sure, names like children’s ministry and music ministry do the trick. But yoga ministry? Fantasy football ministry? We might as well follow in the footsteps of Monty Python and their Ministry of Silly Walks! We may have lost sight of what ministry is all about.
When the apostle uses the term “ministry” (Gr. διακονια/diakonia), he’s actually referring to something very simple. It’s service, assistance, or help. Back in the First Century, this word usually described humble or menial duties like waiting tables. Being in ministry is being in the service industry. It’s making sure people get what they need.
Me Third
When Luke tells about the time Jesus and His crew drop by a friends’ home in Bethany, Martha freaks out when her little sister Mary won’t help with the dinner party. Martha couldn’t enjoy the Savior’s visit because she “was distracted with much serving (Gr. διακονια/diakonia)” (Lk 10:40). In his sequel, the good doctor talks about how some of the older women in the early church “were being neglected in the daily distribution (Gr. διακονια/diakonia)” of food (Acts 6:1).
So the kind of ministry Paul describes to Timothy turns the org chart upside down. We find the minister at the bottom rung, not the top spot. God calls those in ministry to servant/leadership. It’s a “me third” perspective, as in “God first, others second, me third.” Arrogance and ministry should be mutually exclusive.
The final of the four bullet points: Full speed ahead and finish the mission of serving others.
Passing the Torch
So there you have it. The Final Four. Paul has now officially passed the torch of spreading the Gospel to the young pastor in Ephesus. You can sum up this last letter in these four simple points. One, stay composed and on your toes. Two, hang tough and watch God work. Three, keep spreading the news. Four, full speed ahead and finish the mission.
The Final Four.
Amen!
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