God’s Word: Handle With Care
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You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel…
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
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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.
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.
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Revelation
In these two readings, we discover Paul’s 3-fold instructions to Timothy and to us. To Handle the Word with care’, ‘Herald the Word’ and ‘Handover the work.’
Context:
2 Timothy is Paul’s last letter and it is important to remember that this letter, though personal to Timothy, the letter is to be read publicly. Imagine opening your post and reading it out in church. Some of our post would be too personal. ‘Tim 2:1 My son be strong in the grace that is in Jesus.’ This letter in church will affirm him as much loved by Paul and his successor. The letter will tell the church what the leadership must do after Paul’s promotion to glory.
Highlighting three aspects of that from this passage:
1. Handle with care
2. Herald with care
3. Handover with care
Handle with Care
From the start of the letter Paul is emphasising the importance of the Word and how we handle it.
2 Timothy 1:14 ‘Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you.’
2 Timothy 2:15 ‘Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.’
There is a correct and incorrect way to handle the word of truth.
Today the church is in need of people who will guard and correctly handle the word of truth. We cannot tweak and trim the scriptures to make them relevant to the age in which we live. We show how relevant the Gospel is today. Last week we heard how the church has been mishandling the word. Making it ‘say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth (2 Tim 4:4)
The church is letting it happen today. Central truths are being marginalised: Salvation, Sin Atonement, Repentance, Grace of our Lord Jesus, Marriage, Gender, Family - all of the above are being pushed to the margins of significance in church teaching.
Peripheral things are being centralised. Climate Change. Carbon Footprint. Food issues (eg Vegetenarism). These are not causes to be overlooked but we appear to be prioritising them over foundational pillars of our faith.
William Booth founder of the Salvation Army said
“The main dangers of the century: religion without the Holy Spirit, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God & heaven without hell”
There were similar problems in 2 Timothy 4:3-5 ‘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. They turn their ears away from the truth and turn to myths. v5 but you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist discharge all the duties of your ministry.’
At the start of 2 Tim 2:3-6 Paul gives 3 quickfire metaphors of commitment needed to handle the word with care. Three together implies there is a soldier type of commitment an athlete and farmer type commitment.
‘endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs they want to please their commanding officer.’
2 Timothy 2:3
Devotion of the Soldier
Are you familiar with the SAS Who Dares Wins series, a popular programme?
In the military the training is hard, the battle is harder. As Christian soldiers, the Culture war and multi-faith society is attacking Christians. Soldiers need to be devoted to the Captain of your Salvation (Hebrews 2:10). The devotion of the soldier is to love the Lord with all your heart. It is a single mindedness, a focused devotion.
Discipline of Athlete
2 Timothy 3:5 “Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.”
‘Competes according to the rules,’ I expected something about training or competing or winning but not a comment about rules. This is about integrity. Ben Johnston won Olympic gold by running the 100 Metres in 9.79 seconds in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. But he broke the rules and was stripped of his medal. His testimony as an athlete was tainted. Integrity is such an important challenge for Christians today. Paul says to Timothy ‘watch out.’ Billy Graham agreed the Modesto Manifesto with his foundation – he would avoid spending time alone with any woman other than his wife. Things that cause integrity to be compromised. Dishonesty in Tax returns, drinking, porn, affairs, truth telling and much more. Watch out says Paul, you lose integrity, your witness is tainted if you do not have the discipline of the athlete.
William Carey, Baptist Missionary (1761-1834 ) said:
“If you give me credit for being a plodder you will describe me justly…. I can plod.
To this I owe everything.”
Dedication of the Farmer
2 Timothy 2:6 “The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.£
The dedication of prayer and reading the word, the steady Eddie Christian, the plodder.
2 Timothy 2:15 charges us with this: ‘correctly handle the word of truth,’ it requires commitment: devotion of the soldier, integrity of an athlete and plodding hardworking of the farmer.
Herald (the Word) with care
Paul to Timothy, ‘Of this Gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.’2 Timothy 1:11 and in 2 Timothy 4:2, Preach the word, be prepared in season and out of season….with great patience and careful instruction.
I can hear you say, ‘I’m not a preacher.’ The Greek word is ‘Kerusso’ which means to ‘herald.’ Like the people who used to bring news in public in the town square. These people were not teachers or philosophers, they were ‘heralds’ told the news.
Tom Hanks was Captain Kidd in the 2020 Film ‘News of the World.’
“Ladies & gentlemen my name is Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, and I am here tonight to read the news from across this great world of ours. As you can see it is not a rich person’s occupation. These people were ordinary types, not as celebs or philosophers. They told the news! Paul was telling the good news of Jesus in Athens as recorded in Acts 17:18 ‘A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.”
Remember the Gospel means GoodNews and if we focus on the word, ‘News’ we realise it is ‘Done.’ The Herald is telling people what has already happened. ‘Preach or herald the word’ is not telling people how to live or what to do but what has been done for us. The scriptures show what Jesus has done for us (and the world). The message of grace is that you cannot save yourself.
2 Timothy 1:9-11 “He has saved us and called us to a holy life, not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace [that]… 10 has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this Gospel I was appointed a herald [kerusso] and an apostle and a teacher.
The Gospel, the good news, is all about what Jesus has done not about what you do. Doing good or doings like a self-help manual or a mindfulness programme. Or the doings of religion like rituals, prayers & washing. None of it will save you. We need a rescuer, a saviour. It’s news, a done deal.
2 Timothy 4:5 ‘do the work of an evangelist.’ Michael Green in his book ‘Evangelism in the early church’ said the evangelistic work was shared 1:1, it was too dangerous at the times of the early church. They developed a secret code that we know as Icthus, ‘proclaiming the good news of salvation with a view to people’s conversion to Christ and incorporation into the church.’ So this word in 2 Timothy 4:5 ‘to evangelise’ is to us all. Back then people told people they knew (didn’t risk sharing with strangers).
Be prepared, ready to share - in-season and out of season ( we can say we are out of season in the West today).
Does your heart sink when you hear of this charge, to herald, to evangelise? You say I’m no preacher, I’m no evangelist (I cant be like J.John). Leave that to the pastor or Danny in church. Rememeber, Luke and Mark were not speakers or preachers.
God knows the personality he has given you – I enjoy peopling in Café Isola watching friends with friends, listening, caring, sharing. God will use your gifting to reach others – it may be a simple text, a gift, sport, flowers, music - whatever your interest may be. Think of sharing with ‘People you know, people you used to know, people you’d like to know’ (J John).
The rest of the verse 2 Timothy 4:2 - is equally important (herald with with care) ‘with great patience and careful instruction.’
Patience: listen, heralding is a slow process. Careful instruction – not quips and slogans and not unintelligible jargon, ‘careful instruction.’ Times are different from when I first believed – This is the first culture to say we don’t need a higher power, it is the me generation, this is the the time of self and the selfie. ‘I can be what I want, how I want, I am me I am strong.’ Today, people are more inclined to want to see how the gospel works out in your life; your witness is so important– let me ask you, do you swear, do you get drunk, do you say vulgar things? Their radar is on you and if your life doesn’t look like Jesus makes a difference to you, then the gospel is tainted. Remember the Integrity of the athlete and the devotion of the soldier (doesn’t get involved in civilian things).
Pray for openings, read God’s word and hear his prompting. Herald with care.
Finally, Hand-over with care
”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.” 2 Timothy 4:6-8
Finally, I want to return to Paul’s handover to Tim and return to something that I didn’t deal with in the Soldier metaphor. 2 Tim is Paul’s last letter before he was martyred in AD66, – Paul in a Roman Prison it is moving, personal, memorable, tender letter from the older mentor to his successor the younger pastor – Timothy. Paul’s final words ‘grace be with you’ you is plural – this is to the Tim and church.
Paul’s ‘is poured out.’ 2 Tim 4v6 Has fought the fight, run the race, kept the faith departure is near
Having been in healthcare for a number of years as a chaplain I am very familiar with the importance of handover.
The night-shift meets with the dayshift to highlight urgent needs and people in distress or nearing End of Life. The MDT meets to share collegially how different skills could support a patient (Multi-disciplinary team). The Dr suggests something to the chaplain. The chaplain refers to the psychotherapist, the nurse seeks palliative care support.
In church fellowship, handover is also important. Koinonia is the whole body ministry, the older person in ministry encouraging the younger worker. Worship, welcome, mission, youth, children, serving, sound and vision all feeling as one – MDT of church is vital.
Paul is a team player, now he is handing the baton on. Only loyal Luke is with him (v11) He asks Tim to bring Mark. When our spirits are low or lonely or weak we need friends, fellowship 2 Timothy 4:11 ‘Lean on me, when you're not strong, and I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on, for it won't be long, till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on’ (Bill Withers).
Paul also needed scrolls and parchments. In summary, he needs his Coat, his friends, and his reading - the word.
Do not neglect reading the word, Paul was reading up to his death. Now he is in the departure lounge ready to meet his Saviour face to face, that is his destiny. He once said ‘For me to live is Christ to die is gain’ Phil 1:21. Paul was the only apostle not to have seen Jesus face to face - what joy lies ahead for him.
Remember that verse in 2 Tim 2:4 ‘No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please the one who enlisted him.’
Augustine said there is a ‘God-shaped void that only Christ can fill.’ I would add to this and say within our soul is a yearning to please God.
Do you remember being praised for something? How you glowed, the buzz you felt on being commended.
Jennifer Downie age 11 was chosen to sing a solo at Carlisle Cathedral. How she glowed with joy at being picked.
Then she was moved to tears at the spontaneous applause that broke out in the cathedral. From that day that 11-year-old decided she was going to be a music teacher. I know this story because she is my wife. I say to you, think of that buzz and multiply it by a thousand thousand and you get a picture of the rapturous joy in heaven when you hear ‘well done good and faithful one – enter into the joy of the master’ or ‘you are my beloved in whom I am well pleased.’
We think it is awful that Paul’s life should have ended in such a brutal way. Declared to be an enemy of the empire. As the executioner raised Nero’s axe. Paul doesn’t feel the cold blade on his neck, he hears the heavenly host and the words of his Lord ‘well done good and faithful one’ and he looked and Paul saw his saviour, king Jesus face to face.
Remember this when you stand up for the word of God. Remember this when you are given an opportunity to herald the good news of Jesus with your friend. Hear Jesus say ‘well done good and faithful friend.’ You have correctly handled the word of truth, you have heralded the Good News.
