Fulfill Your Ministry

(2 Timothy 4:5-8 – Fulfill Your Ministry)

It’s funny how a scripture can deeply affect you and you know that the Lord is speaking to you. The scripture today, and especially the words of the title of this message, “Fulfill your ministry,” have done that to me today.

Paul wrote these words to Timothy when Paul knew that he was not going to be around much longer. He knew that he was soon to die and go to his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. But in his last words to Timothy he encouraged him and exhorted Timothy to “fulfill your ministry.”

And I can attest myself that those words are not just for Timothy as they ring true to those of us in ministry today as well.

Fulfill Your Ministry

Before going any further, let us look at what Paul had to say to Timothy in these few verses.

5 As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 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 to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.(2 Timothy 4:5-8)

Timothy had a ministry as an evangelist in the church. It was his role to go out into the churches and the towns and cities, and evangelise to bring people to the Lord. He was fulfilling the first part of the Great Commission which was to make disciples for Jesus. Part of that role would also be to fulfill the other two parts of the Great Commission, which was to baptise the new converts, and to teach them all that Jesus taught. In his role he would at least begin that process with the new converts until they were assimilated into a church.

Paul told Timothy to fulfill your ministry without fear or favour. He needed to be prepared to endure the suffering that was to come as he worked at being an evangelist, and to never back down from serving the Lord.

Paul recounted stories of his own suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ and the gospel, and how he had not held back. Paul proclaimed the fullness of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and he taught and wrote letters to the churches in his own efforts to “fulfill your ministry.”

And we are glad he did because those letters teach us how to live in Christ. He taught the inner workings of the New Covenant and how everything fits together so that we can achieve maturity in Jesus Christ.

Keeping the faith

The other point in this section of scripture that we can learn from is to always keep strong in the faith. If you are to fulfill your ministry, and knowing the challenges you may face, it is essential that you remain strong in the faith.

An evangelist is one who spreads the words, like a farmer throwing out seed as he walks through it to plant his fields. The seed of the word may be blown by the wind and end up in many different places where it does not or will not take root and produce a crop. Jesus spoke about this in the parable of the sower.

The essence of this is that even though the seed is sown, not everyone who hears it will accept it or be able to come to maturity in it.

That doesn’t matter and it should not matter to those who have been called to do a ministry for the Lord. To fulfill your ministry is to do the work you have been assigned. It is then the work of the Lord to convict the hearts of those who are the recipients of your ministry so that they may seek further and hopefully be saved.

This is why it is so important to keep the faith and be strong in the faith. We must never give up as we work in the service of the Lord. You and I are called to fulfill your ministry and do the work that the Lord has assigned you, nothing more and nothing less. We are serving Christ and the work is His. It is not ours and we cannot save anyone as it is only the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who is the Saviour.

Fulfill your ministry – My Testimony

I feel I should give a personal testimony with respect to this subject today.

Many, many years ago the Lord instructed me and brought me into His ministry saying, “Speak to my people.” That is the reason that this blog exists. It is also the reason why I do a podcast, write books, develop Bible plans for the YouVersion app, preach, develop training plans, and so on. All of these are my ways to “fulfill your ministry,” and to “Speak to my people.”

However, in the past few weeks because of some personal issues I felt like I had lost my way. I wasn’t sure whether this is what I should be doing and I have been praying to the Lord for direction.

It was not until I opened the scriptures to read what I was to write about today that I got the answer I wanted, and the direction that the Lord was giving to me.

When I read the words, “Fulfill your ministry,” that Paul wrote to Timothy, it felt as though the Lord was saying these same words to me. It felt like He was saying, “You have asked me for direction, and this is it: fulfill your ministry.”

I have been tremendously encouraged by these words and so I say the same thing to you: Fulfill your ministry.

Everyone of us has a ministry in the Lord. It may not be to stand on the world stage and speak to millions, and in fact it might just be to help in your church, to speak to your friends, and to live a life befitting a Christian and a Child of God. But whatever your ministry is, do it to the best of your ability. Go the whole nine yards and then go the extra mile in serving Christ. Fulfill your ministry and serve the Lord, strong in the faith that will lead you to salvation and the eternal life that can be had no other way.

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