One of the most eye opening scriptures to me throughout my ministry has been 2 Timothy 4:2. You’re likely familiar with Paul’s statement to Timothy for him to “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine.” We quote that verse regularly and widely as an extension of our Great Commission responsibility. It encompasses the reality that we must be active in evangelism under any and all circumstances and what that evangelistic effort might at times entail.
It is with that common usage of the passage that some might wonder what is so “ground breaking” about Paul’s words. But I want to take our attention away from common usage for just a second and focus it back in context.
If you were to take a moment to go back to 2 Timothy 1, particularly verse 8 and following, you would learn that when Paul wrote this letter to Timothy he was sitting in prison (vs. 8). Why was he sitting in prison? Because of his work as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles (vs. 11-12). Now keep in mind, this was not Paul’s first experience being imprisoned for preaching the gospel. He was arrested and thrown in prison at least two times in the book of Acts separate from this instance. The difference with his imprisonment in 2 Timothy is that while it was certainly not his first it would be his last. It would be his last because the next time he stepped out of this prison cell he would be dead, beheaded as punishment for his crimes. Yes, that’s right. He would be executed for preaching the word and he likely knew he would be executed for preaching the word, and that is the real significance behind his statement to Timothy to preach the word.
In our world we are more likely than not going to try to protect others from having to suffer the same hardships that we have. In fact, the simple fact that Paul was in prison would lead many to say that he had made some mistake along the way that Timothy should try to avoid. Paul had a different perspective, though. He felt that what he was experiencing was a “mistake” worth repeating. So even though everything he had done in preaching the word had brought him to the point of death Paul was still able to look forward with clear eyes and pass the mantle to Timothy by encouraging him to simply do the same.
While much of this world has enjoyed several hundred years worth of relative freedom to do the work of God with little repercussion the landscape of our world is shifting. Some are experiencing hardships like they never have before and the rest of us are likely not far behind. How will we respond and what legacy will we leave for the next generation? Some might believe that it is a mistake to put one’s self or one’s family through the type of suffering that seems to be on the horizon. Be that as it may 2 Timothy 4 indicates that it is a “mistake” worth repeating. Whatever may come let’s preach the word!