The following is a sermon transcript from our Sunday Service at The Rock Church in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Each week, we gather to worship, learn from God’s Word, and grow together. This transcript is provided as a free resource to encourage and equip you in your walk with Christ. While you’re welcome to read and share this content for personal use, we kindly ask that it not be redistributed or published elsewhere without prior written consent from The Rock Church.
Introduction: “Are You Ready?”
Are you ready?
Ready.
What do you mean, pastor? I’m ready for the Eagles today. They’re playing at one o’clock. I got the food set up. I was really disappointed when you said there’s a meeting. But I’m ready for the birds—anything goes. But I’m confident.
No, no, no, no, no, no. Are you ready?
What do you mean—for the test? Yeah, I’ve studied. I’ve worked hard. I put all my effort in. I tried, and now it’s time to rest. I’m not going to be anxious anymore.
You see, readiness, of course, implies preparation for action, expectation for hardship, discipline under pressure, and strategy for success. It’s hard work. It’s physical training, mental preparedness.
I love what the Coast Guard has as their motto: Semper Paratus. We’re Semper Reformanda, but they’re Semper Paratus. It’s a Latin phrase that means always ready.
The chorus of their fight song goes like this:
Semper Paratus is our guide,
Our fame, our glory too,
To fight to save or fight and die,
I, Coast Guard, we are here for you.
But what if every Christian had a fight song too?
“Always ready is our God,
The fame and glory of Christ,
To fight or to serve or fight and die,
I, the Lord, He is here for you.”
Shifting Our Focus to the Lord
How do we shift our focus away from ourselves and onto the Lord? It means several things.
The Lord has already fought and won. He has paid the ultimate price in His blood. He has brought every believer—and will bring every believer—into His kingdom. It’s this already but not yet.
And it does something in the soul. It clarifies the calling on our lives. It refocuses us on the true source of spiritual strength. It instills confidence, joy, peace, and trust that God is working all things together for our good and His glory.
It changes our mindset from the power of self to the power of God.
You see, gospel readiness says:
“I’m ready for every work the Lord has for me. I’m ready for His return. I’m ready to face opposition, setbacks, hardships, suffering. I’m ready for God to use His church to further the kingdom.”
On the other hand, we could easily forget about the Lord’s imminent return, leaving ourselves trying to fix everything right now.
“I’ve got to fix my problems now. I’ve got to avenge every wrong done against me.”
We shift all the focus onto ourselves, thinking that somehow we’re in charge of convincing lost people to be saved. We become despondent when even our own children, that we raised in the fear of the Lord, are far from Him.
We think that people are basically good and will naturally do what is right and good—forgetting just how deep sin has affected all of us.
And worst of all, we become despondent, angry, and emotional, rather than calm, cool, and collected.
Instead of being watchful and careful, we are rash and reactionary. We demand our rights, but forget that, you know what? True justice from God—you don’t want that. That’s eternal separation from Him.
You see, God doesn’t owe us mercy, yet He freely gives it to us. It’s new every morning. God doesn’t owe us grace, yet it was poured out in the person and work of Christ, according to the Scriptures.
The Goal: Shifting Focus from Self to Christ
The goal this morning is to shift the focus away from ourselves and onto Jesus.
That is really the fundamental truth that we need most in our day. It’s everything in our pursuit of gospel readiness.
Take note of this—the big idea:
Gospel readiness shifts our focus away from self and onto Christ.
I’m very simple here. I like to keep things simple.
There are four ways readiness plays itself out:
- Readiness for the coming of the Lord instills confidence that Christ will set all things right—not us.
- Readiness to proclaim the gospel of the Lord affirms that God is sovereign over salvation.
- Readiness to turn away from the Lord demonstrates the depths of our sin.
- Readiness for every good work from the Lord consists of a collected spirit and singular focus on Christ.
Part 1: Readiness for the Coming of the Lord
Instills confidence that Christ will set all things right.
Christ, the Ultimate Judge
2 Timothy 4:1 — “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom.”
Pause right there. There are obviously two worldviews that stand in stark contrast to one another.
On the one hand, many in the progressive camp believe that we are becoming better. We are progressing with all the technology and all the advancements in medicine. They think that the purpose of human existence is progress.
“We’ve got to keep moving forward. We’ve got to look to what is new. We’ve got to reject all that is old.”
Why? Because the old way, well, it’s antiquated. It’s irrelevant. As a society, we have improved so much, and so we must be all about change—all about making things right. All of the emphasis is on human will and exertion.
We could refer to this worldview as humanism, where the chief end of all man is the happiness of man.
The Biblical View: Things Are Not Improving
Now, of course, there is another worldview that comes to us through the lens of Scripture. It’s the understanding that things are not improving—they’re actually getting worse.
Thank you so much for the encouraging word!
Why is it that we are the most advanced in technology and medicine, while at the same time more depressed than we’ve ever been, more unhealthy than we’ve ever been?
There’s something wrong. Something is broken.
And we come back, of course, to this issue: are we moving toward the betterment of society, or are we moving closer to the second coming of Christ?
Paul’s Reminder to Timothy
Why does the Apostle Paul find it necessary to remind young Timothy that Jesus is coming back to make all things right?
Well, quite obviously, Timothy—in his youth and inexperience—might have had a bit of an aggressive agenda for the church.
We know he was timid. We know he was a little shy. But part of his youthfulness might have driven him toward something else.
This is typical of those who are younger: having grandiose dreams of changing the world. These are good things in many senses—to have big dreams starting with small goals.
It’s quite possible that Timothy was ready to come into the church with zeal and enthusiasm to do what? To fix everything.
Or worse yet—to act as the judge.
I could picture myself in this scenario: “Okay, false teachers, you want to do this right now? Are you ready? I’m doing this with you. Let’s go to battle.”
The result? Not patient endurance, but hot-headed fights.
Instead of making appeals from the place of grace, it’s a demand from a position of authority. It’s all about the law: “I’ll show those bad actors who’s in charge.”
Now, of course, this is not the way.
God Will Set All Things Right
What we’re seeing in the world today is, in fact, evil going from bad to worse. We just read it last week.
We can focus all of our plans on making everything right. We can say, “I’m part of the living church of God. I’m part of the church of the living God. I’m going to make it my goal in life to remove all the evil in the world.”
Notice that Paul is not asking Timothy—he’s charging him.
It’s like Paul is giving a testimony under oath before the highest Judge of all the world. It’s a reminder for all of us that there is nothing hidden in the sight of God.
Isn’t it strange that evil thinks God doesn’t notice?
They think they’re getting away with it. What’s that all about?
Well, of course, they think that because they’re not getting punished, it must be okay.
“Wow, God, you’re so powerful, and yet you’re allowing people to get away with some terrible atrocities.”
Oh no. That is—and never will be—the case.
The Mistake of Self-Focus
You see, we make a mistake when we shift our focus onto self, onto human progress, onto the personal power of change, and forget that not one sin will go unpunished—from the smallest to the greatest.
Christ holds the records of all wrong, and it will indeed be a glorious day when He returns and makes all things right.
It will be wonderful—but not for everyone.
The Bible says that the second coming of Christ is the great and terrible day of the Lord.
Why? Because God is going to judge the living and the dead.
1 Peter 4:5 — “They will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”
All must give an account before the glorious and powerful risen Christ who is over all.
It means that either you are found to be righteous, or you’re not. It means that we’re found to be in Christ—or we’re not.
This is the great confidence that we have in Christ: that He will set all things right.
God’s Justice and Our Role
It’s not up to us to ultimately set everything right.
Now, does that mean that we abandon all activity—stop fighting for the oppressed, the unborn, the lowly? Of course not.
It was the minor prophet Amos who declared to God’s people, “Thus saith the Lord, I do not accept your worship.”
Why?
“I do not accept your sacrifices, your singing—I don’t accept any of it.”
Why?
Because God’s people were taking advantage of the poor, and the Lord hated it.
Gospel Readiness Shifts Our Focus
You see, gospel readiness shifts all of our focus away from self and onto Christ.
Gospel readiness says that God’s people are ready for Christ’s return.
Yes, we engage in the spiritual fight. We pray. We reach out. We agree with God’s perfect justice.
We seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, knowing that all things will be added to us.
In other words, we need not worry about our needs. God will provide for us as we make it our priority to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.
It’s a focus on the rule of Christ—the present reign of Christ. Not ours.
It’s not our kingdom. It’s not about being ready to advance our interests, but the interests of King Jesus.
Abraham’s Confidence in the Judge of All the Earth
You recall from Genesis chapter 18 — it was Abraham who asked before the Lord, “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
What was happening?
Sodom and Gomorrah. You’re familiar with the story. The level of wickedness in the earth had reached a fever pitch, and Abraham’s concern was for the innocent.
“Lord, don’t destroy everyone. Suppose there’s just fifty, Lord—would You not do it? What if there were just forty?”
And then he goes down and down and says, “What if there were just ten?”
And the Lord says, “For the sake of ten, I won’t destroy them.”
Can we not all agree that the Lord is slow to anger?
God’s Character: The Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever
We talk about sin, we talk about wrath—this is significant.
You see, most consider the Lord of the Old Testament as some different guy than the Lord of the New.
They’ll make the claim:
“God was so angry in the Old Testament, but in the New, He just turned into that blonde-haired, blue-eyed, flowing, beautiful man. Whoa, that was amazing. He became so gentle. He was so angry before.”
It’s simply not true.
The Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore.
It’s the very kindness of the Lord that leads us to repentance.
It’s the fact that He is slow to anger, abounding in love—that He’s given all of us an opportunity to turn from our sin.
God doesn’t take pleasure in punishing the wicked.
He desires all men to come to repentance, to be saved.
The problem is not with God. It’s with man.
It’s with his heart that is prone to evil and his willingness to pursue anything for self.
You see, the Judge of all the earth will do right.
Take confidence in the Lord—that He’s going to set all things right.
The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord
When the Lord appears, all are going to see Him.
All will be in fear of the great and terrible day of the Lord.
The good news of the gospel is that Jesus is going to establish His perfect kingdom and righteousness.
The kingdom is upon us—it’s already, but not yet.
And when the not yet comes, Christ is going to set it all right—in perfect order.
He’s going to remove every spiritual force of wickedness, every power that is hostile to Him.
Every burden that bears down on your soul will be gone.
It’s all going to be no more.
That’s the power of our God. That’s the Jesus who’s going to set all things right.
Be Ready for His Appearing
Be ready for that.
Be ready for the coming of the Lord.
Set your hope completely on the Lord Jesus.
Be not surprised when wickedness runs throughout the whole world, jumping up and down, thinking, “Look at me! I can do what I want!”
No, no, no, wickedness—remember this:
Gospel readiness shifts all the focus away from self and onto Christ.
Be ready for the coming of the Lord.
When you set your heart on the Lord and His coming, it does something in you—it changes you.
It instills confidence that Christ alone will set all things right.
Part 2: Readiness to Proclaim the Gospel
Affirms the Lord’s sovereignty over salvation.
Preach the Word — Always
2 Timothy 4:2 — “Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”
Now, in light of the Lord’s return—in light of the hope that He will make all things right—should our zeal in gospel proclamation wane or get more intense?
Of course, it should get more intense.
It should propel us to a greater concern for the lost. It should produce in us great compassion for those who are perishing, for those who are hopeless.
There are many who do not yet know the power of God unto salvation. And that’s what’s so amazing about our God—He chooses the weak and the broken, people just like us.
He uses the weak things of the world to shame the wise.
The Call to Herald the Gospel
We consider Paul, the apostle, who knew nothing but Christ and Him crucified.
“Preach the Word, brother.”
In other words, Paul is calling young Timothy to make it his aim in life to proclaim—to herald, to shout from the rooftops—this glorious gospel.
Since you’ve been made wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, encourage others to do the same.
Don’t worry about the results—they are up to the sovereign King of the universe.
God is calling us to proclaim this gospel whether we feel like it or not.
Preaching with Grace, Not Force
Now surely this is not a license to be rude. Don’t be rude.
Don’t force the words of life upon people regardless of whether they want to hear it.
Let’s consider the words of life—the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Consider it like a flowing river.
And just because someone doesn’t want to drink from that river, we don’t let that stop us—we let that river flow.
According to God’s sovereignty, He will cause those whom He has effectually called to drink.
Some look at this flowing river as a stench, as a vile, nasty thing. Others look at that river as the pure water to refresh the soul of a weary people in a dry land.
God’s people, whom He has elected before the foundations of the world, will come—and will drink.
They will drink with joy.
God’s Sovereignty in Salvation
You’ve heard the saying: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”
That’s the work of the Spirit—reserved for God alone.
Because God is sovereign over salvation—meaning that He is uninfluenced and unchanging in His plan of redemption, having defined a number of people He has called out—we need not worry if someone doesn’t drink.
If no one drinks, does that make the river pointless? No, no, no, no, no.
God will cause them to drink—those whom He has called.
Keep the fountain flowing. Don’t turn off the source from which it springs.
Charles Spurgeon said this:
“The gospel is like a fruit that’s in season all year round.”
Wouldn’t you love an apple tree in your backyard producing apples or peaches every season of the year?
You’re always on call for the gospel.
There’s no “Do Not Disturb” mode, no “Out of Office” message, no sign on the door that says Gone Fishing.
Always be ready.
The Nature of Gospel Proclamation
John Stott, the great British theologian, described gospel proclamation as:
- Urgent
- Relevant
- Patient
- Intelligent
Seriously? Yeah.
It’s urgent because the day of the Lord is at hand.
People are suffering in silence. People are not aware of their need. They know something is missing, and they know something is terribly wrong—but they need someone to tell them the gospel.
It’s urgent because tomorrow’s not promised.
How different our gospel proclamation would be if we knew people were going to die tomorrow. How urgently we would plead with them: Come to Christ!
Overcoming Fear and Hesitation
We can be busy. We can be focused on ourselves.
We might say, “Oh, I could never proclaim this gospel. I need to get my life together. I need to be a better Christian.”
All of these thoughts flood our hearts—and of course, we’re afraid.
“What if I’m rejected? What if I don’t have all the answers?”
Again, it’s not about being the best apologist for the faith or the most articulate speaker.
It’s about knowing nothing but Christ and Him crucified.
This is the power of God. This is the gospel of Christ—that He was buried, rose from the grave, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and is coming back for us.
It’s knowing that the gospel itself is the power—it is the power of God unto salvation.
God is sovereign over salvation. He promises to save a people for His own possession.
The Gospel’s Relevance for All
Also notice—the gospel has great relevance for every human being.
There’s not one person who has ever lived that doesn’t need the gospel.
Notice the language Paul uses here: reproving, rebuking, exhorting.
Where there are doubts, the gospel brings reproof—it challenges us to think differently about salvation.
It’s not works-based righteousness. It’s not a religion of moralism.
It’s not moral therapeutic deism—“God exists, I want to feel good about myself, follow the golden rule.”
No—it begins with God’s holy, perfect law, the schoolmaster to lead us to Christ.
Otherwise, people will simply ask: “Why do I need Jesus, you crazy Christian? Is He going to make my life better? What’s He going to do for me?”
The Standard of God
No—we are called to bring the declaration that the Judge of the whole earth will do right.
He will punish all sin and wrongdoing.
It doesn’t matter if you think you’re a good person—the standard for God is perfection.
And the only one who has met that standard is Christ alone.
Will you stand before the fiery eyes of the Lord with perceived goodness like filthy rags before God?
As gospel proclamation goes forth—as its power goes out—trust the Spirit to bring conviction of sin.
The Spirit will show the sinner they need Christ, just like He showed many of you.
The Role of Rebuke and Encouragement
So young Timothy is given a charge here—not only to reprove, not only to challenge others—but to rebuke others with the gospel.
In other words:
“Don’t believe the lies that you can earn your way to God by your works. Don’t believe the lie that God only loves you when you’re performing well.”
We all need correction in our lives. We need swift rebukes from people we love.
Why? Because it’s so easy to be deceived, to fall into sin, to focus on self, to forget that Christ alone is sufficient for life, that His Word is enough.
There’s no secret formula or hidden knowledge.
There’s no Gnosticism or theosophy. The mystery has been made known—the person and work of Christ has been revealed.
Exhortation and Encouragement for the Weary
What about that last word — exhortation? What’s that all about?
Consider the times in your life when fear has overtaken you. What do you need in those moments?
You need exhortation. You need encouragement. You need rest in your weariness.
It’s the cares of the world that cloud our thinking and our focus. We become consumed with all the to-dos and the must-haves.
So, the gospel brings great encouragement to the weary soul.
Jesus says, “Come on, I’ll give you some rest. You want some rest? You tired? You tired of running? Come on.”
How does it do that?
It points us away from ourselves — away from pietism, away from all your personal discipline.
“I missed my Bible reading today, I’m in sin!”
Give me a break.
Nothing in the gospel is a message about what you must do.
It’s all about what Christ has done for you.
It’s already done.
It’s the sinless Savior of the world who lived a perfect life and fulfilled all righteousness.
He’s the only one who could fully pay for all your sins — the whole of them — past, present, and future.
Take great comfort in Christ’s cross, in the forgiveness of your sins that He alone accomplished.
Take great comfort in the power of the resurrection — the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is alive in you.
The Patience of Gospel Proclamation
But also notice the patience of gospel proclamation.
Patience? No.
Paul tells Timothy — always be ready to preach the Word in season and out of season, whether you feel like it or not.
Whether it’s day or night, whether it’s hard or easy, whether people are responding or they’re not — preach the Word.
But do it in a number of strategic ways:
- Answer their doubts.
- Correct them in their sin.
- Comfort them in their fears.
- Do it all with great patience.
Waiting and God’s Perfect Work
How many of you have lost loved ones that are not saved? All of you.
And how many of us are crying out to the Lord, “May it be so today! God, I’m tired of waiting.”
If there were a switch on their hearts, we’d flip it on and they’d come to Christ — we’d do it in a heartbeat.
So why?
Why does the Lord make us wait?
Why doesn’t God just respond immediately to every cry and request of your heart?
Well, patience accomplishes a great work in our hearts.
Raise your hand if you love the perfect work of patience.
James 1:4 — “Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
God is actually using the waiting period in your life to perfect you.
“No, pastor, you don’t understand — this waiting part is killing me. It’s crushing me. I am discouraged.”
Here’s a question:
Are you willing — would you even consider — letting patience do what only it can do?
“Well, that’s easier said than done.”
Of course. Patience wouldn’t be necessary if it were easy.
But that perfect work of patience is bringing us closer and closer to Christ.
It’s part of the means that God uses to form Christ in us.
The Long-Suffering of God
How else could the Apostle Paul count it a privilege to share in the sufferings of Christ?
Your hardship is a sharing in the sufferings of Christ.
Consider how patient, how long-suffering the Lord was with you.
I’ll just speak for myself — it took Him 21 years.
I was dead in my sin and rebellion.
And in that wretchedness, in that departure from God, Christ still died for me.
As we proclaim the gospel, we must be patient with people.
We must remember that God is working according to His plan and purpose — a plan hidden from us.
Deuteronomy 29:29 — “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever.”
But that which is revealed — right here, come on — belongs to us!
We have the Word. We have the promises of God. We have the commands of God.
Let’s go, church. Come on. Let’s get up. Let’s go out.
A Reasonable, Intelligent Faith
But also — don’t forget how this gospel proclamation is instructive.
You see that in the text? It teaches us about God.
We have a reasonable faith. We have a rational faith.
God doesn’t call us to abandon intellect or rational thought.
Our faith makes sense — because it makes sense of God, of the world, and of man.
It clarifies confusion and sets forth for us what’s truly best.
It provides freedom from the bondage of sin.
What a gospel!
John Stott said it well:
“The gospel proclamation is urgent, relevant, patient, and intelligent.”
Part 3: Readiness to Turn Away from the Lord
Demonstrates the depths of sin in the heart of man.
A Warning to Professing Christians
2 Timothy 4:3–4 —
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
What I want us to understand in these two verses is that this is not referring to the world.
Sorry—what was that?
No, this is actually referring to professing Christians.
Wait a minute, pastor—how could that be?
How could anyone who is truly a believer turn away from the truth?
Notice I said professing Christians.
Not everyone who professes to be a Christian is actually one.
How do we know? Paul tells us.
He describes the behavior pattern that will be common to them all.
The Pattern of Falling Away
Number one: they will not be able to hear the truth.
They’ll be closed off. Why?
Because the sin nature—the worship of the god of self—is so strong, so deceptive, that they can’t take it.
“Oh, come on, pastor. Why do you need to talk about God’s wrath? Why can’t you make it a little more positive? What’s all this about repentance, sin, suffering, hell? I just don’t want to hear it.”
That’s exactly how many professing Christians think.
They want to come to church and feel better about themselves.
They want to hear nice stories, motivational speeches, or self-help advice.
Why? Because it’s another way to soothe their guilt, to tamp down the conviction of sin, to give themselves a license to live however they want.
“Doesn’t God love me just the way I am? Surely He won’t hold me accountable. Nobody’s perfect, right? If I just live the best life I can, God will reward me.”
Oh, we could build a big church like that—only emphasizing positivity, never saying anything negative.
But it wouldn’t honor the Lord.
It wouldn’t advance His kingdom.
It wouldn’t be faithful to His Word.
The Grammar of the Gospel
I love what Sinclair Ferguson said—if you love a Scottish accent, you’ll be hooked immediately.
He talks about the grammar of the gospel.
It’s the balance between both the negative and the positive:
- The negative is sin; the positive is grace.
- The negative is wrath; the positive is forgiveness.
You cannot have one without the other.
You must have gospel balance.
Without both, we don’t have the gospel—we have a diseased fruit.
We have a genetically modified diet of processed spiritual junk food with zero nutritional value.
And that, sadly, describes much of the modern church.
Junk food theology.
The Itching Ears of a Corrupted Heart
The readiness of so many to turn away from the Lord—to turn away from truth—shows how deep the sin in our own hearts runs.
Those itching ears!
“Oh, would you scratch those ears? I can’t take it anymore. Please just comfort me. Tell me I can keep sinning like I want. Give me the best platitudes. I want my best life now. Give me riches, give me prosperity, give me the good news—don’t tell me the bad!”
We’re reminded of Exodus 32.
Moses had gone up the mountain, and the people grew impatient.
“When is this guy coming back down? Aaron, where’s Moses? We’re tired of waiting!”
And Aaron? He gave in. He satisfied the desires of the people’s hearts.
He made them a god—a golden calf.
They worshiped it.
Instead of waiting patiently upon the Lord, they wanted to fix the situation themselves.
And they got what they wanted.
They corrupted themselves, going against God’s command: “You shall have no other gods before me.”
Modern Idolatry: Making God in Our Own Image
“Oh, pastor, that’s silly. Why would they make a golden calf and worship it?”
We do the same thing—when we make God in our own image.
When we reshape Him into what we think He should be, apart from His Word.
Because we want the easy life, the good life, and the freedom to do whatever we want without accountability.
It’s what happens when professing Christians’ ears are dulled.
“I can’t hear. I can’t see. I’m not really interested. I’ll just keep doing what I want.”
This is the posture of the false convert.
False Teachers and the Internet Buffet
And of course, these false converts flock to their favorite place—the world’s buffet of teachers.
Where? The World Wide Web.
They cast their nets far and wide, picking and choosing their favorite voices.
“Oh, that one’s great—Joel Osteen tells me to have my best life now.”
“That deliverance minister says all my problems are because of demons in me. He says if I just cast them out, I’ll be fine!”
They love it.
It’s captivating, entertaining—full of secret formulas and new revelations.
But it’s not the gospel.
Acts 17 tells us about Paul in the Areopagus, speaking to philosophers who loved nothing more than “something new.”
And today’s church isn’t much different.
People want the new, the novel, the secret knowledge.
They want Jesus Calling, or The Purpose Driven Life, or any other formula that sounds deeper than simply, Christ and Him crucified.
“It’s too basic, pastor. All you give me is the gospel. I need something more!”
No.
The gospel is enough.
It’s the power of God.
Guarding Against Wandering Hearts
This readiness to turn away from the Lord—it’s something we must guard against all our lives.
How’s that hymn go?
“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.”
That’s me. That’s you.
How’s that possible?
Because sin is pervasive, deceitful, and destructive.
We face a real enemy—a spiritual adversary, an actual person called the devil.
That’s why vigilance is required.
It’s why gospel readiness isn’t passive—it’s daily dependence on Christ.
Part 4: Readiness for Every Good Work
Consists of a collected spirit and a singular focus on Christ.
Be Sober-Minded and Steadfast
2 Timothy 4:5 —
“As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
You see, gospel readiness involves our willingness to do two things.
What are they?
Soberness and suffering.
When Paul says, “Be sober-minded,” is he telling Timothy, “All those breweries and taverns you like to visit—cut them out”?
No, he’s not talking about alcohol here.
Being sober-minded has a lot more to do with being careful and calm under pressure than it does with abstaining from drink.
When our emotions are unrestrained, we might as well be drunk—it’s the same effect.
The Discipline of Emotional Sobriety
With every newsflash, challenge, and crisis, we can lose our minds—or we can say,
“Lord, You’re sovereign. You are working all things together for my good and Your glory.”
Doesn’t that sober your mind? Doesn’t that still your spirit?
Even when it feels like the world is falling apart, God is holding it all together.
That may sound trite, but it’s true.
Soberness is not just self-control; it’s spiritual alertness.
What do drunk people do? They stumble and fall. They don’t know what’s going on around them.
If you’re drunk on emotion, you lose awareness of God’s hand in your life.
If you’re drunk on the pursuit of self, you stop looking around for what God is doing.
Watchfulness in Evil Days
Paul told the Ephesian church, “Make the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”
Why did he say that?
Because he knew our natural tendency—to get lax, to coast, to say, “Lord, You take care of it.”
There’s a difference between trust and indifference.
Instead of remaining calm and carrying on, we get distracted.
We watch the news, experience setbacks, get fired up—and worse yet, we blame God.
“Lord, why are You allowing this to happen in my life? Why is this season so difficult? When is it going to end?”
Instead, we are to look for our redemption that is drawing near.
The coming of the Lord is at hand.
Once we are delivered into glory, there will be no suffering or hardship to recall—only the joy of being completely consumed in the presence of Jesus.
Even if we remember how hard life once was, it will pale in comparison to the glory that awaits us.
Enduring with Hope
This truth should motivate us to endure.
Don’t grow weary. Don’t think that your service to the Lord is in vain.
“Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”
This isn’t about guilt or striving to “do enough.”
It’s about being ready.
Don’t let your emotions get the best of you.
Don’t get distracted by the chaos of the world.
Trust that the Lord is in control of all things—nothing escapes His decree.
Whether small or large, He has ordained it all.
God’s Sovereignty and Our Readiness
Now, what am I saying—God is the author of evil?
No.
I’m saying God knows all things and has decreed all things.
We are not open theists here.
Even when it doesn’t make sense to us, we keep looking to Christ.
God is the Judge; He will make all things right.
So, what is your aim in life?
Paul tells Timothy, “Fulfill your ministry.”
Don’t leave anything undone.
Keep pressing on.
There’s no retirement from faithful Christian service.
While you’re here—this side of eternity—God is calling you, using you, shaping you.
He’s asking you to be ready, to be watchful, to look for opportunities to serve.
Let God Lead the Work
Remember, it’s the Lord’s work.
We don’t sit down with a whiteboard and say,
“Okay, Lord, here’s my plan—would You bless it?”
No, He says, “I’ve already written the plan. I just want you to be available.”
It won’t be complicated. It won’t be secret knowledge.
It will be simple, Spirit-led obedience.
So herald Christ—do it with zeal from the Spirit.
Since God is the one calling you, He will supply the grace you need to carry out the work.
We’re resting, but we’re abounding in the work of the Lord.
We’re trusting, but we’re engaging in faithful service.
We don’t sit back and wait—we move forward with the cause of Christ, knowing that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Christ is Lord.
That’s our God. That’s His power. That’s His grace.
Gospel Readiness in Summary
Don’t forget that.
Write it down. Meditate on it. Put it on your doorposts.
Revel in the goodness of the Lord.
He’s redeeming a people—and He will finish what He started.
What a comfort. What a joy. What a Savior.
Closing Exhortation and Prayer
As we close, we’ve considered the importance of readiness.
I feel like the last few weeks have all circled back to that theme.
The Lord is coming soon. The Lord is sovereign over salvation.
The Lord knows how deeply sin has corrupted us—deeper than we’d like to admit.
But His grace runs even deeper.
And the Lord is calling us to stay calm. Keep focused. Carry on.
Keep your eyes on Christ. Don’t lose sight of Him.
Gospel readiness shifts the focus away from self and onto Christ.
We are soldiers here—the church militant.
Jesus, our commanding officer—He will do it.
Don’t ever think that God depends on you to accomplish His plans.
He doesn’t need any of us—but He chooses to use us.
He says, “I know you’re weak. I know you lack wisdom. But I’ll supply it all. I’ll show My glory through you.”
A Prayer of Readiness
So let’s think about that in application—a simple prayer:
“Lord, ready me. Ready me for the work You’re calling me to—at home, at work, in the community.
Ready me, Lord. Empower me by Your Spirit.
Shift my focus away from myself and onto Jesus.
Remind me how faithful You are, even when I’m not.”
Let’s take a moment now for confession.
Confess your sin. Confess your need for Christ.
Confess that you need encouragement from Christ.
And then receive the assurance that only Christ can give.
His work is finished. His grace is sufficient.
And it’s all for His glory.
Ready to Take Your Next Steps at The Rock Church in Mount Laurel?
The Rock Church in Mount Laurel, New Jersey exists to help people know God, follow Jesus, and make disciples who multiply. Whether you’re new or already part of our church family, we’re here to help you stay connected! Plan your visit to experience a Sunday with us, or download the Church Center App to stay updated, join a group, register for events, and more.
