Call of Duty
11/5/2026
Elijah McSwain, Sr.
2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NKJV) — I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Within the gaming world, there is a particular game called Call of Duty. This precise game was made with a specific purpose and design to send out soldiers on certain missions to perform designated tasks or duties. The programming within its graphical design has a set of predetermined instructions for each individual mission for every soldier to follow. These functions are to be carried out with precision, accuracy, effectiveness, a sense of urgency, and devotion. Each player or character is destined to fulfill their mission in an effort to complete the game by its graphical design.
In this passage, it is duly noted that the preacher has been charged with a spiritual duty to be fulfilled and carried out. The prolific writer of this Pastoral Epistle is the Apostle Paul, who is writing to his young protégé and successor, Timothy (2 Timothy 1:2). John MacArthur alluded to the idea that, in this letter, Paul was aware that the end of his life was drawing near; therefore, he passed the non-apostolic mantle of ministry to Timothy. In the passing of the torch to young Timothy, Paul exhorted him throughout the entirety of this epistle to continue to be faithful in his duties (1:6), to hold on to sound doctrine (1:13, 14), to avoid error (2:15-18), to accept persecution for the gospel (2:3, 4; 3:10-12), to put his confidence in the Scripture, and to preach it relentlessly (3:15-4:5). 1 With this in mind, let us consider the components of Paul’s charge to Timothy as Timothy was given a Call of Duty.
The Charge Administered
In verse one, Paul solemnly administered a charge to Timothy. He declared, I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The word “charge” implies that a command or injunction was given to be carried out. Paul ascribed spiritual responsibility to Timothy at the orchestration and command of God. His call of duty was not a mere directive given through human establishment, but God directed Paul to authoritatively give a direct command of dutiful allegiance to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Too many times, human authority is the driving force that prompts people into ministerial work that God has not assigned or ordained. However, your call has been ordained of God. Since you have been charged with a spiritual duty, Romans 12:1 instructs you to present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. The role of the preacher and pastor is one of service to the Lord who is holy, righteous, divine, sovereign, supreme, majestic, and the God of our salvation.
Therefore, Paul inevitably instructed Timothy that his dutiful service to the Lord was under the surveillance of God and Christ. The ESV renders the words, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus.” As the charge was administered by Paul, Paul affirmed to Timothy that he was operating under the authority of the Godhead relating to the First and Second Person of the Trinity. This charge was to represent the God of heaven and earth, the God of creation, the God of redemption, the God of salvation, the crucified Lamb, the risen Redeemer, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. Therefore, the charge could not be taken lightly, as God’s ever-seeing eye was taking into account what Timothy was destined to fulfill in the service of the Lord.
William MacDonald stated, “All service should be carried out with the realization that it is watched by God’s all-seeing eye.” 2
Paul informed Timothy that the service performed under the watch of God and Christ will one day be evaluated by them. He stated in verse one, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and kingdom.” Christians will be evaluated in general for their Christian service. However, those who teach and preach as pastors or preachers will be evaluated with a stricter evaluation. James 3:1 (NKJV) declares, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” We are not coming before Christ to be judged for sin because that has been taken care of at the cross. However, we will undergo an evaluation for the righteous deeds performed in our bodies and the doctrine that we taught. Our spiritual work will be appraised. With this in mind, pastor, work the works of Him who sent you while it is day; when night comes, no man can work. Carry out the charge of faithful service to God and Jesus Christ.
Acts 10:42-43 (NKJV) is written, “And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” 1 Timothy 6:13-14 (NKJV) mentions, “I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing.” Brothers, remain faithful and steadfast in your calling and charge of pastoral ministry.
The Exhortation Given To Preach
Verse two implies that Timothy was to “Preach the word!” Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and teaching.” The Word of God is what the preacher and pastor should proclaim weekly. The Word of God should be the regular diet of the preacher and the diet of the church. Paul did not say to preach the latest social issues, trending topics in the news, political affiliation, and how to achieve economic status regarding prosperity and wealth. Paul did not advise Timothy to preach the year of breakthrough, the year of anointing, this is your season, name it and claim it, nor to preach for self-glorification or edification. But Paul urged Timothy to preach the Word. The Word is God’s revelation to mankind. It is the mind of God that expresses the will of God. The Word gives light to those who are lost in the darkness of sin, and it is a source that gives biblical enlightenment to the body of Christ. As a result, preaching is the functionality and duty of the preacher and pastor to point people to God.
Preaching the Word is theocentric (God-centered), Christocentric (Christ-centered), and Holy Spirit-saturated. Preaching is the means to direct the minds of humanity to the Person of God, the Person of Christ, and the Person of the Holy Spirit.
The preacher is to preach the riches of the kingdom of heaven in light of man’s malady of sinfulness, in light of God’s remedy for sin, and in light of God’s goodness, forgiveness, and love. The focus of biblical preaching is God, His standards, commands, precepts, judgments, and what He requires of mankind, particularly His followers. The focus of preaching is the gospel message of Calvary, where Jesus hung, bled, died, and was resurrected for the sins of the world on the third day. The proclamation of the gospel message and the whole counsel of God being preached is vital to the spiritual maturation of the church and its mission to reach the lost. The Word of God is the central component to the life of the church and the heart of the pastor as he realizes that the God of the Book, the Bible, governs the life of the church through the preached and written Word.
David Strain stated, “If preaching is basic to God’s discipleship program, and He has called pastors to proclaim His Word with Christian discipleship in view, it follows that the preacher must faithfully nourish his hearers with a rich and balanced diet of biblical instruction”. 3
A rich and balanced diet of biblical instruction must be given when preaching seems to be in season and when it seems to be out of season. Paul declared in verse two to “Preach the word” in season and out of season. That means to preach the word at all times. When they don’t want to hear it, preach the Word. When they are eager to hear it, preach the Word. When they have spiritually closed ears, preach the Word. When they have opened ears, preach the Word. When they are interested in the Word, preach it. When they are disinterested in the Word, preach it anyhow. Preaching may be in season and out of season for congregants of any local church. Any congregation can grow numb to preaching in various seasons of church life, but you are called to faithfully preach the Word.
Preaching for the preacher should always be in season.
Men of God are called to preach in season and out of season. You should always be eager, enthusiastic, ready, devoted, and intentional in sharing the Word of God. The unchanging eternal Word of God is needed in a world that is constantly changing. It gives stability to the hearer. The Word gives direction for those who need guidance. The Word gives comfort for an ailing heart. The Word enlightens the soul. The Word of God is transformative and more. Thus, preach the Word. For the psalmist recognized the value of God’s Word in Psalm 19:7-11 (NKJV) —“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.”
Preaching the Word is necessary. Part of our spiritual growth is to hear messages that convince us, persuade us, exhort us, encourage us, rebuke us, and correct us. The functionality of preaching includes correcting behavior, combating false doctrine, drawing attention to sin, encouraging individuals to live godly, stirring up listeners unto good works, and indoctrinating people in the truth of God. Your preaching should be convicting. Your preaching should be compelling. Your preaching should be engulfed in the truth of God. Your preaching should be geared toward shaping the spiritual formation of the hearers.
Therefore, preach the whole counsel of God. Preach convictional sermons. Preach correctional sermons. Preach compassionate sermons. Preach encouraging sermons. Preach doctrinal sermons. Preach it all for His glory and the good of the life of the church. Paul stated, “Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering (patience) and teaching. 2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV) is penned, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Titus 1:9 speaks of holding fast the faithful words that you have been taught, that you may be able by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. Paul states to be longsuffering and given to teaching toward those who oppose you. You will have enemies of discouragement, enemies of contention, enemies who are rebellious, enemies of progress, and enemies of wholesome doctrine. But you still are commanded to preach, as this is your rightful duty. The reason for this is that, according to 2 Timothy 2:25-26 (NKJV), “in humility correcting those who are in opposition if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” Preach so that the stubborn can be delivered, the rebellious can be liberated, the hostile can be released from Satan's gripping power, and those entangled in darkness can find freedom in God’s light.
Furthermore, in verses three and four, Paul alluded to the times and desires of the people. The time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine. They will devise and conjure up a preacher that fits their mold. They will seek a yes-man they can control. They will have itching ears and an appetite to feast off of junk food. They will clog their spiritual ears. They will turn away from the truth. They will be turned aside to fables, myths, fiction, tales, and modern-day falsehoods. Let me drive it home: They will be willing to stop attending church and stay at home to listen to a popular contemporary preacher who does not care about them but only wants them to sow a seed. They will stop attending until you get on a subject matter that they like. They will rave about this preacher and that preacher but will not honor God’s gift to the house of a local congregation as Pastor-Teacher. They will become deaf to what God is saying through you. They will tune you out by going to sleep as soon as you start preaching and then wake up as soon as the sermon is over. But it is funny how they can stay awake during every part of the service except for the sermon. After 10 minutes of preaching, they will tune you out because they are thinking about the ball game, etc. They will text on their phones. They will scroll on social media. They will have sidebar conversations during the preaching moment. They will go in the back of the church as soon as you start preaching, then run back in as soon as the sermon is almost over. They will be bold in trying to persuade you to give in to damnable doctrines, heresies, and worldly philosophies. But you must stay the course to preach the unadulterated biblical message. Sound the alarm in spite of it all and stay on duty.
Ezekiel 3:18-19 (NKJV) notes, "When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. “Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.” 1 Timothy 4:13-16 (NKJV) records, “Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” Continue to preach the Word, because you have a crown waiting over there, which the Righteous Judge will give you on that day. He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (cf. Matthew 25:21).
The Duty To Fulfill
In verse five, the Apostle Paul tells Timothy to be watchful, endure affliction, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry. Being watchful is to remain sober in mind. It entails not being blinded by folly, not being carried away by fables, not being persuaded by unbiblical notions, cultural trends, church cultural preferences, and not forsaking the proven path just to fit in with the in crowd.
Albert Barnes once wrote, That being watchful is to “be vigilant against error and against sin, and faithful in the performance of duty.” 4
Being watchful includes watching over your own soul, taking the Word of God seriously, and preaching dutifully as you are led by God. It applies being alert, sober-minded, aware, and on guard in all things. Therefore, watch well. 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NKJV) implies,
“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” Keep your eyes open that you may fulfill your duty. In addition, you are to endure afflictions as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Trials will come. Hardships will arise. Despair will try to creep in. Challenges will surface. Discouragement will brew on the horizon. Mental anguish will attempt to overrule your peace. Defeat will attempt to set in to derail you. But as a good soldier, you must endure. Don’t allow afflictions to cause you to abandon your post. Don’t allow setbacks to cause you to relinquish the duties and the tasks at hand. Stay the course and be willing to run on all the way. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 reminds us, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” James 1:2-4 (NKJV) is written, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
It is also imperative to do the work of an evangelist. Adam Clarke acclaimed, “Preach Christ crucified for the sins of the whole world for this, and this alone, is doing the work of an evangelist, or preacher of the glad tidings of peace and salvation by Christ.” 5 Preaching has an evangelistic approach. The duty of the pastor or preacher is to act as a representative for God as a means to preach the Good News of the kingdom of heaven. The evangelistic work that you are assigned to do involves being a bringer of good tidings. It is the clarion call to announce the salvific message of salvation. It is a service of proclaiming God’s wondrous plan of salvation so that men, women, boys, and girls will come to know the Savior. Part of preaching is to equip the saints and evangelize the lost. Evangelism is a means of pointing people to God through Christ.
Bruce Hurt noted, evangelistic preaching is “the work of proclaiming the life, death, resurrection, and saving grace of Jesus Christ to sinners in need of salvation (cf. 1 Cor 15:1–4). The centerpiece of the work is proclamation of Christ crucified and resurrected from the dead (1Co 1:23, 1Co 2:2). Evangelism is not an add-on to our ministry, but is central to fulfilling God’s calling. A ministry that neglects the Gospel is an unfinished ministry!” 6
Lastly, Paul directs Timothy to fulfill his ministry. Despite the ups and downs, despite the highs and the lows, Timothy was to fulfill his ministry. He was not to be detoured by atmospheric shifts in church culture. Nor was he to be persuaded by the continuous sway of people who desired to hear another version of the gospel. He was not to be distracted by pressure among his peers. He was not to allow criticism to stop him in his tracks. He was not to allow internal battles and external battles to cripple his faith and call of duty to proclaim God’s Word. He was to press toward the prize of a higher calling in God. He was to have the completion of his mission in view. He was to be devoted to a life of service on God’s program. He was to remain ever faithful to his charge and call of duty. He was to be faithful unto death.
It has been stated, “Paul knew that starting well is easy—finishing well is costly. Many begin with passion, but pressure, hardship, distraction, or disappointment cause them to drift, stall, or walk away. Against that backdrop, he turns to Timothy with a sobering reminder: ministry is not a sprint of excitement but a marathon of endurance. God has entrusted Timothy with a specific calling, a sacred stewardship, and a responsibility no one else can complete for him. The charge is not merely to serve for a season, but to carry the work all the way to the finish line. “Fulfill your ministry” is the summons to stay faithful when it’s hard, to persist when results seem small, and to complete every task God assigns—until the final breath.” 6
The Songwriter Penned These Words:
A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never-dying soul to save, and fit it for the sky.
To serve the present age, My calling to fulfill, may it all my pow’rs engage To do my Master’s will!
Arm me with watchful care
As in Thy sight to live,
And now Thy servant, Lord, prepare a strict account to give!
Help me to watch and pray, and still on Thee rely,
Let me not my trust betray, but press to realms on high. 7
Say Lord use me in they service
Draw me nearer day by day
Lord I am willing to run on all the way
If I falter while I am trying
Please don’t be angry
Please help me to stand
Lord I am willing to run on all the way. 8
Brothers, we have a call of duty. Commit to pastoral ministry. Commit to sharing the biblical message. Fulfill your ministry.
Notes
The MacArthur Study Bible
Believer’s Bible Commentary
David Strain. Expository Preaching: Blessing of the Faith. 2021.
Barnes, Albert. “Commentary on 2 Timothy 4:5”. “Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible”.
Clarke, Adam. “Commentary on 2 Timothy 4:5”. “The Adam Clarke Commentary”.
Mahalia Jackson. Run All The Way.
