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A CHARGE TO KEEP, A GOD TO GLORIFY

Giving reverence to God;

Pray:

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4

1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

5But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

TOPIC:

A CHARGE TO KEEP, & A GOD TO GLORIFY

The NIV says it this way
2 Timothy 4
1In 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: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men 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. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

The duty of a pastor is not measured by the character of our hearers, but by the command of our God. We are bound to preach the gospel, whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear. It is ours to sow beside all waters. Let men's hearts be what they may, the minister must preach the gospel to them; he must sow the seed on the rock as well as in the furrow, on the highway as well as in the ploughed field.

If we look back to 2 Timothy 3, beginning at verse 1, we will find out why Paul uses such strong language in admonishing Timothy to keep that which God has charged him to do:

2 Timothy 3

1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,

Lacking sexual control:lacking restraint in sexual matters, or engaging in premarital or extramarital sex, unrestrained:unrestrained and uncontrolled

fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4Traitors, {Just because you are a pastor does not mean that you do not have to watch your back} heady, {Now what does that mean?}

1.exhilarating:causing or involving a feeling of energy, confidence, and elation
2.intoxicating:causing a feeling of light-headedness or intoxication
3.impetuous:impulsive and rash in behavior

high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Thereby comes the command to:

2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men 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.

  1. And now, we want to say, May God bless you Rev. Thomas. Thank you for your dedication to Committed To Christ. For all the hours of study and preperation.
  1. Thank you for being faithful and diligent to the call of God in your life.Thank you in that you preached “the word, the whole word and nothing but the word.Thank you for being ready in season as well as out of season.
  1. Thank you to our deacons, for whether in this house, in your house, or anybodyelse’s house, we have heard that you have did your best to remain faithful, not perfect, but faithful...
  1. We thank God that when we were confronted with men that would not endure sound doctrine, we found no other doctrine to preach to them.
  1. Thank you Father God, that when we were confronted with itching ears, we scratched them with nothing but the word of God.
  1. Thank you father for calling this church to rebuke men that are lovers of themselves, admonishing them to be lovers of God.
  • We have admonished the covetous to be happy with what God has given them,
  • the boastful we have called to be humble,
  • the proud we have taught humility,
  • blasphemers we have called to truth,
  • and our childrenwe have admonished to honor their mothers and their fathers:
  • The ungrateful we have called to be thankful,
  • and the un-holy, we have called to live holy because God is holy.
  • We have done our best to walkworthy of the vocation to which you have called us here at CTC, we have honored the charge that you have placed in our life.
  • We have kept the charge:and now we have a God to glorify.
  • Tell somebody that God is good; speak of his love, his grace and his mercy. Tell them that God has never left nor forsaken you:
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, [
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Make a joyful noise of praise and worship…

Sing Glory, glory hallelujah, since I laid my burdens down:

Psalm 149

1Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

2Let the church rejoice in him that made him: let the children of faith be joyful in their King.

3Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

4For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

5Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

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