Faithful and Ready

Following and serving Jesus will be at times discouraging. It will be discouraging because we live in a fallen world populated by people who sin.

We have been called to be faithful and ready: Faithful to persevere in following and serving Jesus and Ready to proclaim the truth and love of Jesus.

Faithfulness and readiness are not easy and we need to remember several things so we can be faithful and ready.

2 Timothy 4:1
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom.

Remember WHO we are serving.

We serve the One who is:
The Judge
The One Who Is Returning
The King

God is our God and our King and our Savior.

Isaiah 33:22
For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; He will save us.

In Acts1:11 we are told that just as Jesus left He will return.

So remember we serve Jesus who will return as Judge, King, and Savior.

2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching.

Remember WHAT we are to do.

We are to:
Publicly Proclaim the Word of God
Hold Each Other Accountable
Encourage Each Other

In publicly proclaiming God’s Word we are to hold up the standard (Jesus) that we are to be accountable to, but also bring others alongside us and encourage them in their walk with Him.

We are to proclaim the gospel with patient teaching style. Our teaching is done by word and by our actions. We don’t force it down people’s throats. We don’t try and make people believe what we think they ought to believe. With love, grace and mercy, we share and show the gospel.

2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Remember it will be HARD.

The gospel is uncomfortable.
The gospel is changeling.
The gospel is offensive

We are not to be unnecessarily offensive, but if the whole truth of God’s Word is proclaimed it will cause people to either repent or revolt. The gospel goes counter to our culture because the culture is fallen. It is counter-cultural and so it will offend people who agree with the values of this fallen culture.

We are still to proclaim the gospel.

2 Timothy 4:5
As for you always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Remember to watch our ATTITUDES.

Our attitudes are to be of a collected spirit. Our spirits are not to be confused or chaotic but collected and at peace because Jesus is in control of our lives.

Our attitudes are to be enduring and preserving.

Our attitudes are to be positive, not negative. We are to share the Good News, not the bad news of Jesus.

Paul tells us in Philippians 2:5 that we are to have the same attitude in us that Jesus had.

Proclaiming the Good News with the peace of Jesus and confidence in Jesus will be effective. It is the balance of loving people, even if tey reject you and the gospel, but not be intimated by the rejection.

2 Timothy 4:6-7
For I am being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith.

Remember we are to be SURRENDERED.

Paul says he is be poured out as a drink Offering. He is surrendering his life to do God’s will.
Paul says he has fought the good fight. He is faithfully fighting spiritual battles under the authority of King Jesus.
Paul says he has finished the race. He is running the race of life in a way that pleases his coach - Jesus.
Paul says he has kept the faith. He has been faithful to obey and serve his master - Jesus.

Jesus set the model for surrendering to the will of God in the Garden of Gethsemane when, in Luke 22:42, Jesus prays, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

We have to surrender to the will and authority of God if we are going to be faithful to Him and ready to share the gospel.

2 Timothy 4:8
Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only for me but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Remember what we will RECEIVE.

The crown is a stephanos, a victor’s crown. It is not a diadem, a king’s crown. The diadem belongs to Jesus. Jesus as king will give us a victor’s crown as we serve Him with an attitude that glorifies Him, doing what He has given us to do, even in the difficult times. We can only do that as we surrender completely to His authority in our lives.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is the followers of Jesus serving Him as our Judge and King and Savior.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is proclaiming the gospel.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is serving God in the hard times with a Jesus-like attitude.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is submitting ourselves fully to King Jesus and receiving a victor’s crown from Him.

In Faithfulness and Readiness Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
                                                     Joe