Do the Work of an Evangelist

by Edwin Crozier

Timothy’s job is to preach the word. However, he needs to be prepared for folks not to listen. No doubt, there will always be the faithful. But Paul has already told him the difficult times are coming. Clearly, if there will be people who have the appearance of godliness but deny its power, there will be people who do not listen to the word when it is preached. There will be preachers willing to tickle the ears, and there will be audiences willing to have their ears tickled.

This may be the most difficult thing for Timothy to face. Not out-and-out persecution. Not the worldly beating down the door and dragging the evangelist to prison, torture, and death. Rather, the friends, the Christians, the churchgoers who push back against the word. The supposed believers who subtly, and sometimes not so subtly, encourage the preacher to modify the teaching to fit the times.

And this is where preachers have to be really careful. After all, we very often are products of our own times. We may be filtering our preaching through our own upbringing without even realizing it. We may be tickling our own ears unawares. That is why we must be diligent in the word, allowing the word to shape us instead of the other way around.

Paul tells Timothy that, no matter what changes come and go among the audience, he must always do the work of an evangelist. That is, he must always do the work of proclaiming the good news, proclaiming the victory of our King over death, over sin, over all things. He must always do the work of proclaiming the King’s edicts and instructions.

Instead of wandering off into myths, Timothy must always be sober-minded. He is to be sober-minded even in the face of suffering. He is to do the work Paul has outlined in his letters and fulfill the ministry. Don’t cave. Don’t wander. Don’t compromise. Don’t quit.
The work of the evangelist is to announce the message of Christ. He is to announce it to people who have never heard it before. He is to announce it to people who have. He is to announce it to people who have not yet heeded it. He is to announce it to people who have been in the Lord’s army for years.

We all need to hear the message. We all need to hear the message again and again. Someone needs to proclaim it again and again. Thank you to those who take up that mantle and promote the gospel in every way.