I have been meditating recently on the mandate to "preach the Word" in 2 Timothy 4:2. Part of my pondering relates to the command "be prepared in season and out of season." What does it mean to be ready to preach out of season? I have a few thoughts, and I'd like to hear yours, too.
George W. Knight comments: "The essence of this clause is that Timothy is to be at the task of preaching the word whether the time is perceived to be good or bad" (New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Pastoral Epistles, p. 454). We preach, then, whether it is convenient or not. The convenience factor may relate either to the hearers or to the preacher.
I am reminded of some times when I preached the Word even when it was inconvenient for me or for my listeners:
? During a summer when our church was reeling from two simultaneous church discipline situations involving respected leaders who walked out on their spouses;
? During a brief stretch when a small but influential group was questioning my leadership and complaining that they were not getting fed;
? During my father's dying process and then during his funeral;
? During a worship service in which I stood by a friend whose young son lost his life in a car accident earlier in the week;
? During an outdoor service in a little village in Haiti which ended up being disrupted by some voodooists.
What stands out about all these situations, though, is how God strengthened me to preach with even greater conviction and clarity than usual. In some cases, the response of the listeners was more striking, too. In each of these situations, I would gladly have taken off the day or the month and let someone else preach. I was wiped out ? emotionally and physically ? when I finished preaching. But it was as much a responsibility and privilege to preach then as it is to preach when it feels more convenient.
What experiences do you have in preaching the Word "out of season," and what stands out to you as you reflect on them?
Posted by Steve Mathewson at 11:08 AM on February 10, 2009
Comments
I found that during a time of testing where the prince of the world used a respected leader to test me and the other leaders was a time of very effective preaching for me. I agree with you, Steve, clarity of the message was somehow easier to communicate. Listeners commented favorably more so than at other times of ministry.
Posted by: Ed Pomelear on February 13, 2009
Steve, I want to say you are an exceptional person since you can deliver the message within you parent's funeral. This is commendable. I remember when I was in the midst of many Christians who claimed to be children of God but where in the midst of a religious crisis which they participated in killings, but I have to tell them it is wrong to do that because we are called to rescue the perishing not kill the perishing. Thanks for this opportunity to share.
Posted by: Yohanna Yusuph Garba on February 16, 2009
Among the "out of season" experiences for me are the times when I am discouraged about the lack of responsiveness of the church to God's word. I realize at those times that I need to make sure my heart is right and keep plugging away.
Posted by: Steve Campbell on February 16, 2009