English
Scripture Summary
2 Timothy 4:1-5 NIV
4 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.
Reflection on the Scripture:
A renowned speaker is invited with a high salary because he can attract many listeners to hear his expertise. Knowing what topics the audience prefers, organizers use these themes to draw in the crowd. The key is to align the speaker's message with the audience's interests, ensuring mutual satisfaction. However, this is not the value system of God’s kingdom.
The Apostle Paul repeatedly emphasized his identity as an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ, a spokesperson of the Lord, to remind God’s people not to conform to this world. To stress the importance of the instructions he was about to give, Paul told all believers that the Triune God, who sent him, holds the authority to judge all people. In other words, the warnings and reminders he delivered would serve as the basis for the judgment of the one true God.
God commands believers to spread the good news of entering His kingdom, regardless of whether the topic is appealing or the speaker is eloquent. Believers must share and pass down the gospel—it is a divine decree that must not be taken lightly and has eternal consequences. Therefore, Paul reminded believers to continually equip themselves, presenting the gospel clearly and completely.
More importantly, even when people are unwilling to listen, believers must persist in sharing because the gospel is the only hope for those who are terminally ill with sin, hopeless, guilty before God’s judgment throne, destined for the lake of fire, eternally separated from God, and facing eternal death. Paul’s message carries a sense of urgency, as countless people leave this world before ever hearing the gospel. The rejection of the gospel by people only underscores the need for greater focus, patience, and persistence.
Reflecting on over 30 years of evangelism experience, the resistance described by Paul resonates deeply. It seems to fulfill God’s prophecy about the end times: people do not want to hear the piercing message of the gospel and instead seek immediate gratification. They indulge in the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). In this media-saturated age, they are drawn to and deceived by false information, which controls and misleads them, causing them to lose interest in the only gospel that can save them.
Despite this, believers must continue to preach the gospel diligently, wholeheartedly, and patiently. This is the command of the God who holds authority to judge. Paul declared that he preached the gospel with the mindset of repaying a debt (Romans 1:14-15). He also urged his beloved spiritual son to have the same resolve because this command comes from God.
Do you share the gospel? What excuses keep you from doing so? Do you think the Judge will accept those excuses? How do you plan to change?
Response through Hymn:
Be thou my vision
https://youtu.be/Optrm7lF16s?si=kmqSyetl3y1qJWbm
万邦的福音
使命
I love to tell the story