In today’s program, Joni shares 2 Timothy 4, saying that we need to preach the Gospel all the time, even when it is uncomfortable. You never know whose life might be changed!
I have always taken seriously 2 Timothy 4.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and let me tell you why it’s so important to me.
Starting in the first verse of that chapter, Paul says to Timothy - and, oh, my goodness, he uses such strong words - he says, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom…” Yikes! Okay, after all that, here comes the point Paul’s trying to make. He says, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season.” Now, okay, although this is a charge for Timothy, a pastor, it’s really for any of us. You and I, I mean, we’ve got this incredibly solemn charge. We’re to speak the word, and we’re to speak it in season and out of season, that is, when it’s convenient, and when it’s not convenient.
Many years ago this was the Bible verse that prompted me to accept an invitation from a Christian student at, what was then, Towson State University in Maryland. This young believer wanted me to come to his campus and take part in Soapbox Wednesday in the student union. Well, this guy was really enthusiastic, explaining that this Wednesday event is a real free-forum where anybody can stand up on this “soapbox,” you know, like just rise to the platform, and just start speaking. Now, there was no guarantee that any of the students would listen. Most would probably go on talking, studying, playing cards, eating pizza, snacking, whatever, but you just got up and started sharing, and you hoped that somebody would listen! To be honest, I really didn’t want to do this. But I was thinking of Paul’s solemn charge to Timothy and how we should be ready to give the Word of God, when it’s easy and when it’s not easy.
So, the following Wednesday I arrived at the student union and once the forum was opened, I wheeled to the platform and I just started sharing my story. People saw my wheelchair, so they stopped doing what they were doing, probably to be polite. I guess the wheelchair “disarmed” them, and, believe it or not, God brought many curious student-listeners to pull up their chairs close and listen that day. After I shared my testimony, which included a clear presentation of the Gospel, that there is a heaven to gain and a hell to avoid, I wondered if anything would ever come of it. I never heard back from a one of those students that day, but, still, my young Christian friend was very grateful that I participated. Okay, so now, fast forward almost 50 years. Because a month ago, back east at a funeral, a man approached my friend Steve Estes.
And this stranger told Steve that he once attended Towson University, and one day while in the student union building he saw a crowd gathered in the corner. And they were listening to someone talking about Jesus. The speaker was this young woman in a wheelchair. The stranger told Steve that it was me. And as he listened to my story that day in the student union, the Holy Spirit gripped his soul and he repented. The guy came to Christ and, since then, never once did he look back from the plow. Oh, my goodness. We never know, do we. It took 50 years for me to hear of any fruit from that very difficult day at Towson State University. So friend, I charge you to keep sharing your testimony and lace it with the Word of God. Preach the good news when it’s convenient, and when it’s not, ‘cause you just never know whose life you’re going to touch for Jesus Christ. And you just might find out about it decades later! That’s your good word today at joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends