The Minister: As a Farmer

Introduction

• This passage is important for ministers. But it is also important for all members of the church (cf. 2 Tim 3:16-17; Phil 3:17; Heb 13:7).
• A Minister of the Gospel must be like: (1) A child (v, 1-2); (2) A soldier (v. 4); (3) An Athlete (v. 5); (4) A farmer (v. 6-13); (5) A workman (v. 14-19); (6) An Utensil (v. 20-23); and (7) A slave (v. 24-26).
• In 2 Timothy 2:6, we consider how the minister and all who serve must be like a farmer.

1. The Minister Must Labour Like a Farmer
   a. The farmer must be willing to work to the point of exhaustion.
   b. He must be knowledgeable (cf. Dt 22:9).
   c. He must be disciplined (Prov 10:5).
   d. He must be patient (Jas 5:7).
   e. He must wait upon the Lord to give the increase (cf. 1Cor 3:7).

2. The Minister Must be First Partakers of the Fruit
   a. There are several different interpretations and even translations for this verse, e.g. “The husbandman labouring first, must partake of the fruits” (KJV margin; Matthew Henry, etc); “The hardworking farmer should be the first to take his share of the crop” (William Hendrikson, etc).

b. Others think that what Paul is suggesting is that the farmer cannot expect to sell his produce unless he can personally vouch for its goodness by partaking of them himself! Thus, a minister cannot expect those whom he ministers to benefit from his ministry unless he himself enjoys the fruit that his ministry is expected to produce (cf. RCH Lenski; Mt 23:3-5).

c. What is true of ministers is true of all of us who are labouring for the Gospel sake in some ways—whether as an officer in the church, as a parent, or merely as a witness.

Conclusion