Sermon Tone Analysis

Jonathan Bolin

Extension # 006

Project #4

*A CROWN FOR FAITHFULNESS*

 

*[Introductory Scripture]* I Cor.

9:25 And everyone who competes /for the prize/ is temperate in all things.

Now they /do it/ to obtain a perishable crown, but we /for/ an imperishable /crown./

*[Introduction] *Eric Liddel was a great athlete.

All of us have probably seen /Chariots of Fire/.

During the Olympic games, he refused to run on Sunday because he knew that it did not honor God.

Liddel showed with his life and with his running that only true faithfulness and endurance will be rewarded.

As we come to our text today, we will see what it takes to be rewarded on that great judgment day.

Although this text is primarily directed toward pastors we all can learn things from it as ministers of God’s Word to our circle of influence.

*[Announce and read text*] II Timothy 4:1-8

*[Prayer for illumination*]

*[Contextualization] *In chapter one God, through Paul, is exhorting Timothy not to be ashamed of the Gospel.

He gives him the following three reasons why Timothy needed not to be ashamed: because He has not given us a Spirit of fear but of power (:7), because we can see His work in us (:9), and because of who Christ is (His ability to keep us) (:10, 12).

As Paul closes chapter one, he sights a few positive and negative examples of being ashamed of the Gospel.

In chapter two we saw how Timothy was to suffer [for suffering would come if he was living a godly life (II Tim.

3:12)].

We noted that Timothy was to be made strong, to commit the doctrine to faithful men, and to take his share in the suffering.

Paul closes chapter two by speaking about false teaching.

He tells Timothy to remind Christians of the danger of false teaching, to handle the Word correctly, and to avoid the error of false teaching himself.

Paul uses an analogy of a clean vessel to further strengthen his point.

Timothy was to have the characteristics of a good leader.

In chapter three, Paul continued his thought by explaining to Timothy (and to us) what to do in perilous times.

He told him to know and turn from evil men (:1-9) (who and when) and to continue to follow and to remain (:10-17) (what).

In chapter four Paul continues his thoughts in explaining what to do.

*[Fallen Creature Focus]  *Our tendency as fallen man is to give up when hard times come.

Paul charges us to be faithful and speaks of his own example of faithfulness.

*[Theme]*  As servants of God we must follow faithfully God’s instruction and Paul example if we are to be rewarded.

*I.                   **If we would be faithful, we must follow Paul’s charge (:1-5) *

*A.    **The motivation of the charge (:1) *

Paul bases his authority in commanding Timothy on God and on Christ Jesus.

What Paul was commanding was not his own opinion which would have no authority.

Paul was commanding Timothy to do something by God’s authority.

It will be Christ who will judge when He comes.

This should give us a holy fear of Christ.

We will be judged according to how we live and how we use (or do not use) God’s Word.

Another motivation seen in this verse is that Christ will judge the unsaved.

This should inspire us to witness.

Christ will do all this at His coming (II Thes.

2:8; I Tim.

6:14; II Tim.

1:10; II Tim.

4:8; Tit.

2:13).

*[Application] * What is your motivation for living the Christian life?

Is it selfish pride?

When you minister to others, do seek to exalt yourself?

Do you serve so that others will see you? (Eph.

6:6)

*B.     **The content of the charge (:2, 5)*

Paul now gives us the content of the charge.

These are the final general commands (as opposed to the commands meant only for Timothy in the latter half of the book) that Paul leaves Timothy.

They sum up what he has been writing in the book and what he has been teaching him for years.

*                                                            1.

**Preach the word (:2)* The Bible is the only book worthy of preaching.

Our opinions and experience have no authority.

The Bible alone has authority because it came from God Himself.

These words also imply that we have a tendency to not speak about God’s Word.

*[Illustration:  *David Larsen said, “Preaching caries the church.*”]*

*                                                            2.

**Be ready (:2) *This verb is only used one other time outside of Luke~/Acts.

In II Tim.

4:6, Paul states that the time of his departure is at hand.

Literally this verb means “to stand upon.”

We are to be standing, ready at any time (Mk.

14:11)

*a.      **In season*:  when it is convenient in good times.

*b.      **Out of season*: when it is not convenient in bad times.

So many times we let our situation determine whether we will be faithful to God.  Paul tells us to be faithful even when it is not convenient to us*.*

*                                                            3.

**Convince (:2) * While* *Titus 1:9 speaks of convincing the gainsayers and James 2:9 speaks of being convinced of the law, most other passages usually translate this word as “rebuke.”

Rev.

3:19 uses this word to describe God’s loving rebuke of Christians.

Heb.

12:5 uses the word in the same sense.

Other passages give us the same command as found in this context (I Tim.

5:20, Tit.

1:13, 2:15).

Ephesians gives the most help in understanding the meaning of this thought when it says we should reprove those whose works are in darkness (Eph.

5:13).

A major theme that goes along with this word in other passages is light.

The light of God’s Word rebukes people who live in darkness (Jn.

3:20; Eph.

5:11).

*[Illustration]* John the Baptist was imprisoned because he “rebuked” Herod of his sin (Lk.

3:19).

*                                                            4.

**Rebuke (:2) *This idea follows very closely with the preceding.

Perhaps that is why the translators chose “convince” instead of “rebuke” for the last one.

It is translated “charge” sometimes.

The idea is similar.

We are to consistently charge those who are doing evil to live according to God’s Word.

*                                                            5.

**Exhort (:2) *We are not only to focus on the negative.

Paul tells Timothy to encourage and to exhort.

This word is used many times describing the Holy Spirit and sometimes Christ Himself.

They are our comforter.

As Christians living according to God’s Word, we are to comfort those who are hurting.

We must also encourage right actions when those around us do them.

There is an important lesson here: rebuke evil (mentioned twice), encourage good (mentioned once).*

*

*a.      **With longsuffering*

This is a characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit.

Just as God is longsuffering (Rom.

2:4, 9:22; I Pet.

3:20; II Pet.

3:15), we are to imitate Him and be longsuffering (Gal.

5:22, Eph.

4:2, Col. 3:12)

*b.      **With teaching*

Exhortation includes teaching.