Contending For The- Purity Of The Word 02

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Telephone numbers 0703 03636 59 0703 76811 98 Email address lsmedia at livingseed.org or visit our website at www.livingseed.org Let us sit back and listen as the servant of God brings forth the Word of Life. 2 Timothy chapter 4 verses 1 through 8 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. Preach the Word.

Be prepared in season and out of season. Correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. For 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. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to me. But you, keep your head in all situations and deal hardship.

Do the work of an evangelist. Discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering.

And the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race.

I have kept the faith. 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.

This is the way NIV renders it. Yesterday, we considered three issues on our topic that was assigned to me, contending for the purity of our faith, reaching and teaching the word. And we made an attempt to challenge ourselves, and we were able to cover at least three of the issues raised in the passage, the verses we just read.

First of all, reaching and teaching the word calls for awareness of divine imperatives. Now you have there yesterday divine motivations, incentives. One of us came and thought, oh, maybe divine imperatives would be appropriate, and I agree with him that it made more sense than what I put in there.

And number two there is preaching and teaching the word calls for commitment to the word of God. And we ended with preaching and teaching the word that demands competency in proclamation, in the preaching, in the act of stressing, in the preaching, explaining, and dissecting, splitting the word when we stand before God's people. And we also used Colossians chapter one, verses 28 to 29, in relation to building up the body, making sure that as we preach the word, the goal, the end result is to make sure that all the members will grow up from a baby Christian to a strong, a matured, a more committed, disciplined Christian.

And Paul told the Colossians that it is to present every person mature. And NIVC is full grown, fully initiated, complete, and perfect in Christ. This should be the goal of preaching the word.

The fourth issue that is clear from the passage is that preaching and teaching the word requires commitment to biblical doctrines. Already, again today, from my brother, and since yesterday, the issue of the doctrinal knowledge will be paramount for every preacher of the word. Biblical doctrines.

And of course, when we talk about doctrines, we are talking about the body of the teachings of our Lord Jesus. And the body of teachings, the word of God, even from Old Testament with New Testament, making sure to fulfill some of the prophecies in relationship to the Messianic age. All the doctrines that we must make sure we help our members to grow in name.

Now, there are two main reasons why we need more biblical preachers. And we see that in the book of Timothy, Paul's letter to Timothy. First, looking at 1 Timothy chapter 4, we read, For the time will come.

2 Timothy chapter 4 now says, For the time will come. And it describes the time, even then. Now look at 1 Timothy chapter 4 and read in the first five verses.

The Spirit clearly says that in a latter times, some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

For everything God created is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. Because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. And look at 2 Timothy chapter 3. There we see another reason.

But mark this, that is verse 1 chapter 3. There will be terrible times in the last days. Our time. People will be lovers of themselves.

Lovers of money. And you heard that earlier on today. Boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without self-control.

Not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited. Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness but denying its power.

Have nothing to do with them. At least we can see the reason why we must make sure that we teach our members the biblical doctrines. Now many people think doctrinal message or sermons is very difficult.

It is dry. Oh, it is boring. It will put people to sleep.

No, no. It is how you handle it. If you reduce it to the elementary language.

If you reduce it even for a primary school kid to understand. That is how you preach it. You don't go and bring in all kinds of systematic theology.

Doctrinal books that are fat like and some so heavy you can't even lift some of them. No. Read the passage over again and again and again.

Soak yourself into it. Let it soak. Almost as taking a full bath.

And then you reduce it in a manner that people will begin to appreciate it. By the time you bring maybe one professor of theology or a systematic man or whoever. If you think this kind of person will come and make things complicated.

No. And people do that when they go to church. They are not qualified to really strengthen believers.

And please don't bring them to your pulpit. Those who will be quoting from one professor so and so, one book and all of that. Split the word of God so simply.

So Doctrinal Sermons is not difficult. Go and begin to preach it. And if you know that it is going to last you forever.

Please preach it in series. Preach it in series. You want to teach the people about the doctrine of the Bible, the word of God.

Then reduce it to my level. And my level is maybe I'm a primary school holder or an illiterate. You have your mother tongue to actually describe what the Bible teaches.

And in English, please don't take heavy, heavy vocabulary to the pulpit. No one needs it there. Please in the name of the Lord, never fear to preach Doctrinal Sermons.

Apparently, because we have been running away from that, from preaching it, from stressing it. That's the reason why we have so many biblical illiterates in our churches. And I'm not talking about my mama and babas who never went to school.

I'm talking about those professors, professionals, top level people who went to big, big school. And yet they are biblical illiterates. Because we neglected this aspect of teaching them in simple, simple language.

I beg you in the name of the Lord. Preach Doctrinal Sermons. The question is that you can even ask your people, ask me a question after this message.

And if that is the case, don't preach a long sermon. Give them opportunity to ask you serious questions. Why? The reason again is because people will not endure sound doctrines.

Wholesome, healthy doctrine. Many people would rather prefer the so-called preachers who will feed their cravings, their lust, the lust of their lives. A brother was talking about some people that will float theological schools.

And you will graduate in two weeks, they will give you certificate. Some three months, some six months. We had some Baptists, well-read people.

And they went to some war school somewhere. One parlor school. And you keep wondering, you of all people, with all the degrees you have, simply because you don't want to be camped in the seminary.

That's the reason why several of our seminaries of mainline denominations now reduce some of their theological trainings to part-time. Weekends. To make sure that some of these people who are afraid to leave home or their job, their comfort zones.

They will still have access to theological training, ministerial training. But because these individuals would rather accumulate for themselves. Teachers upon teachers.

Just pick one bank manager, MD of this bank or this and that. You are already a pastor. These politicians, so and so, you are already a pastor.

Including governors. Pastor. They will accumulate for themselves.

All kinds of teachers that will make sure that they just allow them anything. Of course, when you are teaching it, doctrinal, biblical doctrines, please, you yourself, you must be diligent in it. You must be sound in it yourself.

Don't go to the pulpit without making sure that you are really qualified. And the qualification has to do with making sure that you feed your soul with the real word of God. The fifth issue from this passage is that preaching and teaching requires maintaining ministerial sanity.

You see how he puts it? He says, keep your head in all situations. Maintain ministerial sanity. As you will maintain your ministerial dignity.

So what he is saying here is, let your head be correct. In plain language. And we know we need to maintain ministerial sanity in challenging situations, for instance.

Second Timothy chapter 2. Verses 3 and 7. It talks about you need to endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs. He wants to place his commanding officer.

Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. And the hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying.

For the Lord will give you insight into all these. Maintain ministerial sanity in challenging situations. Keep your head in such situations.

In other words, you can imagine the disciplines a soldier goes through. From the training and particularly the recruits. You need to reflect on them.

Because you are not alone. Others have gone ahead of you. So you have living witnesses, living examples all around you.

Maybe you may even think of those who are already dead. When you think of the old saints, pastors, layman, laywoman, possibly your own parents. How they stood for what is the truth.

Will you then deviate from that kind of role model? There is need for serious reflection on role models with great testimonies. Like Paul, who ran a race and finished strong. When you look at 1 Corinthians 9, 24-27, it is like he was describing himself running a race.

And he would not mess up in the course of running. He would not trip fellow runners. He would not cause anyone pain in the course of running the race of life.

And there is need for serious reflection on role models who engage in the good fights. There is no need for me to repeat what the Lord has already shared with us since yesterday and even today. Why will you engage in dirty fights? Why? Dirty fights for positions or supremacy? You know, rather you need to work hard towards worthy and commendable fights.

Good fights. There is also serious reflection on role models like Paul who kept the faith to the end. The faithful steward of the gospel who remained accountable to the master.

And there is need for serious reflection on role models like Paul who awaits his reward without any doubt. Paul knew that he was going to be awarded the crown of righteousness. Not a wreath that would dry and be thrown into the fire.

So he will be rewarded by the righteous judge, the Lord Jesus, who will give him the crown of righteousness. I want to simply challenge you, my colleagues, and the apex leaders of God's people across our nation. Exposition of the word of God can be very easy.

But it is extremely hard work. As far as I'm concerned, exposition of any passage is so easy. But it will take you a whole lot to get it to a simplified version.

For my old man, my old woman, for my primary school fellow to really get the message. It is easy as the expositor stays within the pericope, within the section allotted to him or which the Holy Spirit impresses upon his or her mind. In my own case, I was assigned 2 Timothy chapter 4, 1 to 8. And I stayed within that pericope.

Did you see that? You are not answering me. It is here. Have you seen it? It is so easy.

Stay within the pericope, that section, that paragraph. Now, I suppose the whole idea is about contending for the purity of faith and what the contender needs to do in regard to preaching the word. Now, if I know that preaching the whole will last me like Billy is teaching, I won't do it.

Because this platform is different from the church pulpit. I hope you get the difference. So if that is the case, I have the responsibility to split it apart.

Preach this in series. The worst thing is that it can take you 6 Sundays. One at a time.

That is the best way to reduce it to the level. And you will have enough adequate time. To really explain many things.

What I put together is close to 15 pages. Let me say this. If you want to use other passages to illustrate the issues raised in the text.

Please don't bring in any other issues that are not correlated. That do not match. It is like you are bringing anti-climax.

Don't also impose topic or title that is not in the chosen text. Think deep before you come up with one word or title. Please pray hard.

What is this passage saying? That is the reason why you read it so many times. In different versions. And somehow the nuances will come out.

But you come and bring one crooked title. Over a passage that is simple. May the Lord deliver some of us.

Why do you make God's word so complex? Why? I also want to say, do your very best to be logical. In your proclamation or the outline of your message. Let it rhyme.

Frankly, a pastor ought to be a poet. Let the message of God sing. May I ask you to please keep investing in study Bibles.

Please. Maybe one in a year. I know they can be costly.

Just buy one. When you visit that bookstore there. You may find maybe several study Bibles.

Pick one this year. Next year, target another one. Did you hear me? May the Lord help you.

And there are some commentaries. That bear the signature. The names of those who honor the integrity of God's word.

They suffer a lot. Suffer in the sense that virtually everybody above them. Will just be demanding greetings and all kinds of things.

And they can literally deny them sleep. In order to serve them. And yet you find the majority belong to that class.

The recruits or the ordinary soldiers. And if a soldier like that can endure all kinds of insult. Where would they will overstretch.

Their physical, mental, emotional, everything. What about me? Of course, what God is saying is. You, there are so many.

Attorneys who lose. And that's my Yoruba way of putting it. People who will overstretch your patience in the church.

Who will literally just prefer to make life somewhat bitter for you. And you need to maintain ministerial sanity. As a professional soul winner.

In the process of teaching and preaching. When he talks about do the work of an evangelist. He's talking about each of us, all of us.

Must be professional soul winners. And unfortunately, because I am now one big reverend doctor, one big man. It's like my lips have been sewn together.

With every opportunity that may come my way. To share the good news of our Lord. Oh, may the Lord deliver me.

May the Lord grant me grace. That I will not keep passing by. Every opportunity to share the good news of our Lord.

And if it's in the context of a church. Every now and then. Please give people invitation.

In other words. Provide them. Give them opportunity to respond to the message of the gospel.

Under no circumstance should you assume. That oh, I have been in this church for several years. No, they are all right.

They are not all right. It may be one single Sunday. The Holy Spirit will convict someone.

Who is even the foundation member of that church. And very likely he will have been a member for several decades. And the Holy Spirit will begin to convict such an individual.

You don't wait until you bring maybe an evangelist or a preacher of reviver. Before. Such an individual will now extend invitation for your people to respond.

Do the work of an evangelist. Yes, we have those who are set apart. For the work of evangelism.

Itinerant evangelism. Yes, we do. But as a pastor.

Is cumulative. It is still part of our world. And then we need to maintain ministerial sanity.

By fulfilling. Completing. Discharging all the duties of our ministry.

Fulfill. Your ministry. Discharging.

Fulfilling. Completing. And this ministry denotes Christian work in general.

When you talk about. Willingness to serve the people of God. Going extra mile.

To do many jobs. That even your juniors. Are only qualified to do.

Covering up. For the mistakes of your subordinates. And you will have taken care of whatever they messed up with.

Without anyone knowing who even did it. Eventually they will get to know. Discharging.

All the duties of your ministry. There are some pastors. No, I'm only called here to preach and teach.

I don't visit anybody. I don't go anywhere. And the so-called.

Helpers in the church will possibly tell the pastor. Such and such. His case is very critical.

That is when the pastor must go extra mile. To go and visit. Even if you are not used to visiting at all.

And for you to say no. I don't visit anybody. That's part of discharging.

The duties of your ministry. And the last thing that we see in this passage. Is that preaching and teaching the word.

Requires serious reflections. On faithful role models. And that is what we find in verses six to eight.

About Paul. For I am already being poured out. Like a drink offering.

And the time has come for my departure. I have fought. The good fight.

I have finished the race. I have kept. The faith.

And now therefore. 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 men but also. To all who love.

His appearing. So there is need for us to begin to. Reflect.

On. Faithful role models. Now Paul used this.

Almost as a cup. To the charge. Look.

It's you alone. That I have now. And you know what I have done.

You have been a witness. A living witness. And if I have done this.

And this. And that. Please.

Go ahead. With that charge. In relationship.

To declaring the whole. Council of God. Go.

Do that. So there is serious reflection on role models. Like Paul.

One who saw violent death. Coming. And considered it.

A drink offering. I will soon actually. Be poured out.

This carcass. This body. Will soon.

Be mutilated. The real. God's own.

Water God. Use this whole. Physical body to cover.

It's not going to. Suffer anything. He could see.

Death coming. But he will not. Run away from it.

Role models who serve the Lord. Faithfully in the midst of rejection. In the midst of denial.

Injustices. And the like. We have them.

And some are seated here. Some. Are somewhere.

Out there. And let me tell you some of them may not be pastors. May not be.

Bishops or archbishops. And all of that. Some simply.

Lay man lay woman. Willing. To give it all it takes.

So please not just any. Commentary. How will you reach yourself? In regard to contending for the purity.

Of our faith through proclamation. I think this is. That moment.

As I conclude. Considering the various. Social political challenges.

We face today all over the world. And in view of the threats. Against the church.

Particularly in Nigeria. Can any minister afford. To be less than diligent.

In preaching and teaching. The word of God. Second Timothy chapter two.

And verse 15. The word of the Lord. That is so familiar with you.

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. I pray. The Holy Spirit of the Lord.

God Almighty. Will continue to help us. To do our very best in proclaiming.

The ancient words. The word of truth. The word that can straighten.

Our crookedness. The word that has answers. To all the issues.

Threatening issues. Even before the church today. Let us pray.

Again our father. Just as we sang a while ago. Ancient words.

Ever true. We ask you to grant us grace. To be faithful.

To the word of God. The word. You elevated.

That you enhanced. That you breathed into. That you so honored.

Just like your name. May we. Be given that grace.

To embrace. That word. And keep applying.

And keep proclaiming. Thank you glorious father. In Jesus Christ name.

Amen.