“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. ” (2 Timothy 4:1–2, NKJV)
It may seem strange to think of the ultimate priority of the preacher, yet the Apostle Paul deemed it necessary to instruct the young preacher, Timothy, about the order of his priorities. Evidently in Timothy’s day, as in our own, there were many options vying for the preacher’s attention. There were many things that could distract or detour the man of God from his holy calling. Paul, therefore, reminds Timothy of his primary calling when he writes, “Preach the Word!” (2 Timothy 4:2a). The apostle issues this solemn charge to Timothy by reminding him that he stands before God in this life and will stand before Him in the life to come. With this knowledge Timothy should be diligent to show himself approved unto God as a worker in the Word who faithfully preaches the truth (2 Timothy 3:15). The ultimate priority of the preacher is not to please the audience; It is to so faithfully preach the Word that God is pleased!
Questions for Preachers:
- Do you acknowledge that your only text for preaching is the holy, inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God?
- Are you reserving time in your schedule to get alone with God and study the Scriptures?
- Are you aware on a daily basis that you minister before the Lord’s watchful care and that you will give an account of your preaching ministry at His Coming?
- Are you teaching the Scriptures in context?
- Do you help people apply the Scriptures to their lives in practical ways?
Questions for Church Members:
- Are you praying for your pastor as he studies the Word this week?
- Are you protecting his time so he can devote himself to prayer and the Word?
- Will you come to the preaching service with an anticipation that God has a message for you?