Preach the Word | Pastor Jason McKinnies | Purpose House Church

SERMON NOTES:

Primary Text: 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Timothy 4:1–4

Paul writes 2 Timothy as his final letter. He is in a Roman prison, nearing execution. These are not casual instructions—they are last words of urgency.

When a man knows his time is short, he does not speak about trivial things.

Paul gives Timothy one central command:

“Preach the word.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

In a world of opinions, philosophies, and competing voices, Paul reminds the church that our task has never changed.

The church is not called to entertain the culture.

The church is not called to echo the culture.

The church is called to preach the Word.

1. The Authority of Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

The foundation of preaching is the authority of Scripture.

Paul says “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.”

The phrase inspiration of God comes from the Greek word theopneustos, meaning:

“God-breathed.”

Scripture is not merely the thoughts of religious men.

It is the breath of God captured in written form.

The Bible is unique in history.

• Written over 1,500 years

• By more than 40 authors

• On three continents

• In multiple languages

Yet it tells one consistent story of redemption.

Kings wrote it.

Prophets wrote it.

Shepherds wrote it.

Fishermen wrote it.

But behind every human author was the Spirit of God.

Peter confirms this:

2 Peter 1:21

“For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

Because Scripture is God-breathed, it carries divine authority.

Paul lists four functions of Scripture:

1. Doctrine — it tells us what is right

2. Reproof — it tells us what is wrong

3. Correction — it shows us how to get right

4. Instruction in righteousness — it shows us how to stay right

The Word of God is the standard for faith and life.

It is not culture that defines truth.

It is not government that defines truth.

It is not social consensus that defines truth.

God’s Word defines truth.

Jesus said:

John 17:17

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

If we lose confidence in Scripture, we lose the foundation of preaching.

Because the authority of the preacher does not come from personality.

It comes from the Word of God.

2. The Urgency of Preaching

2 Timothy 4:1–2

“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ… Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.”

Paul begins this section with a solemn charge.

“I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

In other words:

Timothy is not accountable to public opinion.

He is accountable to God Himself.

Paul reminds Timothy that Christ will judge:

• The living

• The dead

• At His appearing

Because Christ is coming again, preaching carries eternal urgency.

Paul then gives the command:

“Preach the Word.”

The word preach means to herald or proclaim publicly like a royal messenger.

In the ancient world, a herald did not change the message.

He simply delivered the message from the king.

Preachers are not editors.

We are messengers.

Paul says to preach:

“In season and out of season.”

Meaning:

Preach when people welcome it.

Preach when they reject it.

Preach when it is popular.

Preach when it is costly.

Faithfulness in preaching is not measured by applause.

It is measured by obedience.

Paul adds:

• Convince

• Rebuke

• Exhort

With all long suffering and teaching.

True preaching does not merely inspire emotions.

It transforms lives.

3. What Is Our Message?

2 Timothy 4:3

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.”

Paul predicts a coming season when people will reject truth.

Notice the phrase:

“They will not endure sound doctrine.”

Sound doctrine means healthy teaching.

Truth that strengthens the soul.

But people will reject it.

Why?

Paul says:

“They will heap up for themselves teachers.”

In other words, they will search for voices that tell them what they want to hear.

Not what God says.

They will choose teachers according to their own desires.

Then Paul says:

“They have itching ears.”

Meaning:

They want spiritual talk

without spiritual truth.

They want inspiration

without repentance.

They want encouragement

without correction.

"The chief danger of the 20th century will be religion without the Holy Spirit, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell."

— William Booth

But the church’s message must remain unchanged.

Our message is not:

• Personal opinion

• Cultural trends

• Self-help philosophy

Our message is the Gospel.

Paul summarized the message this way:

1 Corinthians 2:2

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

The message of the church is:

Christ came.

Christ died.

Christ rose again.

Christ is coming again.

That message has saved billions of lives.

And it is still the power of God unto salvation.

4. The Response to Preaching

Every time the Word of God is preached, it demands a response.

Scripture shows us several responses.

Some reject it

Acts 7 tells us that when Stephen preached, they stoned him.

Truth sometimes provokes opposition.

Some ignore it

Felix heard Paul preach in Acts 24 and said:

“Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”

Convenience is one of the most dangerous responses to truth.

Some receive it

Acts 2 says when Peter preached at Pentecost:

“They were cut to the heart.”

Three thousand were saved in one day.

Because the Word of God penetrates the heart.

Hebrews 4:12 says:

“The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.”

It pierces the soul.

It exposes the heart.

It calls us to repentance.

But the ultimate goal of preaching is transformation.

Not just hearing.

But obedience.

James said:

“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” (James 1:22)

Paul’s message to Timothy still echoes today:

Preach the Word.

Because Scripture carries the authority of God.

Because preaching carries eternal urgency.

Because the message of the Gospel is the hope of the world.

And because every soul must respond.

The church does not need:

More opinions.

More trends.

More clever ideas.

The church needs the Word of God proclaimed with power.

As Isaiah declared:

Isaiah 55:11

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void.”

God’s Word still saves.

God’s Word still heals.

God’s Word still transforms.

So, the mandate remains the same today as it was when Paul first wrote it:

Preach the Word.