The Duties of Discipleship

Will take your Bibles and go to first Timothy as we continue through this New Testament epistle. It's a very practical book. A lot of practical expectations.

Of course primarily it's the practical guidance of Paul to Timothy as he's left Timothy behind in Ephesus to set things in order in the local church. I call this beautifying the bride because that's what it's all about. As we fashion the church that is order or range. It and function in the church biblically, rightly, then the church will be the beautiful organism creation, God wanted to be and that's got to be the driving force of your life not in overstate that. That's gotta be the driving force of your life that you want to see God's church for us in this time.

Time and space history. That's the local church for us. We want to see it fashioned structured and functioning biblically because that's what we been about for decades now, striving to be thoroughly biblical in the totality of our doctrines and our methods so we come now to first Timothy chapter 1 verse 18 a, sorry, that's as far as I got first Timothy one verse 18 a.

Paul writes to Timothy as he's continuing. And he says this in verse 18 this command I entrust to you, Timothy. This command I in trust to you, Timothy now call this the duties of discipleship and I see there's two sides to this. The immediate and specific context. Of course, is Paul telling Timothy here, something some duties that you must make sure you carry out as a pastor as a church leader that does not leave out the fact that God has called all Christians to the duties of discipleship. So today will lean on that side we will look at every Christian's duties for the Lord in the local church and then next week. Lord willing, will focus more on the pastors duties are right now this this phrase this command I entrust you the word command here is actually a term that was used in the military of this day.

It has the idea of to order.

I'm ordering you Timothy send attention obey what I'm telling you.

So in this case. This is not a suggestion. It's not an option. It's not an opinion of Paul's. It's an order, it's a duty to be obeyed and I just want to build on that concept that, are you listening Christianity has duties assigned to it of eggs. This is so out of vogue in professing Christendom today but affect pastors far and wide actually promote church membership in a Christianity that's costless it's almost meaningless. Matter fact is like come here and watch us.

Bless you and encourage you. Well, that's wonderful all that's always a part of church, but you don't hear a lot about duties today calling it he amplifies this a little bit.

He says this command I in trust to you the word entrust their means to lay it before you make it clear's like these in a Timothy this is an older and there's no debate about what I'm saying here. This is clear as a bail, you understand what I'm saying now.

Specifically, I think you have to go back up to verse three look at their pieces are urged upon my departure for Macedonia remain on an emphasis that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrine. I think that's the specific thing he's referring back to the Timothy I'm commanding you to carry out this pastoral role teaching true doctrine ordering the church to function according to the true doctrine and at the same time is never one of the other. They always go together at the same time refuting, correcting and fixing the problem of sound doctrine that's crept into the church now, Timothy. This is not opinion. This is not suggestion if done option. I made it clear to supply all honor this order.

This comes from Paul, his mentor, and beyond that Paul had the office of apostle which had authority in every church, so let's talk about the word duty for just a moment.

Again, it's a foreign concept to so many so-called churches. I'm trying to discipline myself to not call them churches and I may not try to be funny.

This is not tongue-in-cheek.

Gotta be some irreducible minimums that you embrace and walk in. If your church there some irreducible minimums that you should embrace and walk in. If you're a married couple certain things you have to do to be married and function is married will that's the way the churches we been Golconda movements."

The church in the last several decades. We you know that the seeker friendly movement the church growth movement and all in all the Michelin movement etc. etc. as if the 2000-year-old Bible is not sufficient.

We got come up with new stuff new clever ways to package it etc. etc. well, here's the movement that concerns me the most is the latest movement and is quite big and is gaining a lot of ground.

The non-church movement is a movement of breasts that so shallow, so ridiculously intentionally unsound, you can't call it a variety of the church, by the way, brothers and sisters. There are no varieties of the church. This book is the truth.

I can't put my variety.

I can't put my latest niche. My latest viewpoint on the church.

The church is God's church and he's written the manual he dictates to me what his church is to be like it matters not to me how excited people cannot get about a certain trend or certain bad is it true that gets us back to the word duty did do you come in the church life grasping, embracing, standing on the fact that whether I'm thrilled this week or not, whether I'm blessed this week or not, whether the music did anything for me this week or not, whether I like the ladies in my small group are not what I like the guys in my small group or not. I have duties to my Lord in his church. That's what I want to get to this morning, but that's a foreign concept to me literally no not again this is not pastoral verbiage of the above. A big exaggeration.

Millions and millions of Southern Baptist. The largest Protestant denomination, though we are declining. By the way, barely even show up for church, much less embrace that they have any duties to perform. That's why we changed the now decades ago to begin teaching people lovingly always sweetly in our spirit always been teaching folks who want to come in to membership their duties to being a church member.

If you're not going to strive at least try and some of these areas then why do you don't need to join yet you're welcome, as in the tender will love you and welcome you and include you in so many ways, but membership has some responsibilities. It has some duties. I mean think about it for moment. When's the last time you heard a TV preacher talk about the duties following Jesus Christ. Actually, I hope you're not listening to TV preachers, I mean were talking about you talk about wicked nonsense, there's a good word to but there are defined what's the last time you heard anybody talk about the duties of being a Christian or to your local church. Can you imagine Joel O'Steen coming autosave today. I'm going to talk to you about your duties to the local church released reports of his audience as three force of his audience, plus or goats that are not sheep it takes a sheep heart to respond to these truths go heart good like this stuff the hot topics today in church are how to have peace in your life have a life full of joy. I have a life of happiness, how to have a life that successful to have a life that's fun, how to have a wonderful marriage to raise your children to be good kids, etc. no that's good. By the way, and church has some of that but the truth is, all of these things that should be involved in any true church are the byproducts of our duties to God and his church.

They're not the main things that the overflow ladies you better hope that guy when he said I didn't just mean as long as the thrill is there. I'm in no when the thrill is gone, he still committed to his duties to his wife in his marriage and the course vice versa. Paul frequently exhorted Timothy about his duties as a pastor, for example, over in second Timothy for wanting to listen how Paul does. This is strong. I solemnly charge you to just notice the weight he puts on this in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus. We should judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom pulsing obscenity everything I can to tell you that the gravity and the seriousness of this duty you have is God's path preach the word not use the word in your message, preach the word very big difference. Their menu gotta be discerning. There's a difference when using the Bible and preaching the word preach the word be ready in season and out of season musical be a lot of times when it's not going to be fun of the people clamor for something different, you'll start losing folks if you just keep preaching the word. That's not a good season but even when it's out of season, you keep on this is your duty. This is your charge brothers and sister. There are duties in Christianity preach the word be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and extra instruction. Jesus taught in a weighty matter about our duties as a Christian. Luke 17 versus seven through 10 decide which of you having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when these come from the field come immediately and sit down and eat but will he not say to him prepare something for me to eat and properly clone yourself and serve me while I eat and drink and afterwards you may eat and drink what I won't go over today's social justice climate will it verse nine he does not think the slave because he did the things which were commended. Does he so you tell US Christians he means when you do all the things which are commanded you safe whereon were the slaves.

We've only done that which we ought to have done is it when you do all your duties I commanded you to do your attitude should be what the Lord's done for me. I started yet. The concept is.

The point is the duties he's laying out Paul understood his own duties. We know he exhorted Timothy heavily on a number of occasions.

But Paul understood that he didn't sign up for this thing. He had an us a commission placed upon him duties to perform for his Lord. First Corinthians 916 and 17 pulses where I preach the gospel have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion, for woe is me. If I do not preach the gospel for if I do this voluntarily will have a reward, but if it gets my way old. I have a stewardship entrusted to make deposit alternate sense of the I didn't sign up for this job. Pulses I didn't write my own job description. God did that. I submit that him and I carry out my duties moms and dads, grandmothers and granddad's teacher children and teacher grandchildren that gathers joy in church in their sweetness. And there's a lot like you can't get anywhere else.

But first and foremost foundational. He usually does understand your duties to God and was church all of today's believers have their duties and those duties are centered in the local church. I was reflecting back in my study this week how that dawned on me one day because I may not. I'm a little bit some a little bit Tom. I've Artie told just a bit obsessive and log.

He laughed and said amen.

So I don't say that again I don't know of another word so as a young Christian I would just think I would get these text about loving your brothers in serving each other and I thought that mean just every Christian everywhere, so I just cannot lose my mind for a while I got this guy know it work in this kind on the neighborhood and then I got church people I could wrap my arms ready was exhausting and overwhelming and then understood, no, no, no. The New Testament is written to local admin is like everything worked in I can get that sure we do good. Everybody asked were able. The Bible says in Galatians 610, but on the focus on not sure which. Then I can really fulfill my duties to God. If I get inside that context that the key is make sure you're not sure solid church that's very key. Now we do have duties to Christ in all areas of life that affect others and sisters, the totality of your life is spiritual.

You never ever look at your life like a pie in each slice of the pods a different part of your life.

The social life of fame, a life of work life and in my church life or my spiritual life absolutely boring to the Scriptures know the totality of your life is Christianity.

The totality of your life is spiritual.

It's on the totality of our lives as we the ice we are husbands or maybe were wives is where children are where employers are where employees are citizens. The Scripture addresses these things were to fulfill our duties and all of those areas, though not all of those areas apply to all of us. Of course, but all Christians, all born again" called out ones in the quote. That's the word church accuracy at major called out one called out from what you're called out from Satan's kingdom to God. Your called out from the world to God's church you're called out from the group send that both the collectivities and organizations you may belong to in the world. That's all over the center for you are your called out from that to a new group a new organism.

The local church your God's adequacy of your gods called out one all who are born again all who are the called out ones you have duties for God in your local church. Hebrews 1023 through 25 let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful and of the receipts and keep on keeping on. Now that's specifically how are we to do this. Verse 24. Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds are you supposed to be considering how you're going to help them carry on their Christianity lovingly and with good deeds while the folks in your small group. The folks in your local church can't do this for all the Christians everywhere course that you can focus there and get it done. Verse 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, you cannot get with people to learn one another well enough to trust bond build some sort of transparency so that you can encourage one another to go on for God. He said don't forsake the meeting together. So Marty doing that as the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing now will expand on how this works. What does this look like okay only do my duties for my Lord in his local church. What does that look like well. Paul was Timothy's mentor and hopefully all of you had a mentor are to maybe it was apparently was a grandparent are our decorations lady Amanda Hollander. She's just gave birth to a baby and in between having baby. She's been ordering carpet stuff up in July will get some of the renovation started scoping will be beautiful and will be nice to walk on the carpet and not have looked solid but are not on their forget when Amanda told me that her grandfather was such a spiritual and godly patriarch for the family. He was a mentor to the whole family. Thank God for those amen we all need mentors.

Paul was Timothy's mental like the New Testament is full of that example, Paul might be the only guy you can find you didn't have a direct mentor and even then he had Ananias and some others who helped him early on, to understand and grow. But you know God's given no matter who else you may have and sometimes our mentors come and go, we have someone for a while then maybe they move often changes but you always have one mentor that never goes away. Your pastor or your pastor's let's come way it was with Paul as the apostle mentor and Timothy the pastor and now God ordained that you, God gives you. Pastore's who mentor you and your service to the Lord now for the remainder of our time ago. Go to first Thessalonians chapter 5.

To do that turn older first Thessalonians chapter 5 it's only about three pages back first Thessalonians chapter 5 because as Paul's writing the church at Thessalonica. He amplifies just how easy it is and how simple it is for you to listen for you to know you are doing your duties to God are. This isn't hard. It is just so simple and by the way, this is something I know I'm preaching to the choir this morning because you've embraced this many years ago, but like most of you, embrace it before I became senior pastor, but now we've grown and how to live this out better, but first Timothy 512 and 13, gives us an understanding of how were to live this out now.

But here's what I want you to understand first of all is that context is everything, always remember that context is everything.

Matter fact when you're studying your Bibles and you see in the New Testament the word us our way those plural pronouns almost without exception, unless specifically it says differently you can say local church local church local church local church jerk that's in the fog. The Bible really has almost no instruction to an individual, almost never.

It's always church, church, or the whole church family and that's one of the hard things for Americans. We have this rugged individualism that has good in it, but it out about the bad because in Christianity you can't think in terms of individualism you missed the point because the Bible is written to a group. Local churches, the context is everything versus nine through 11 here. First Thessalonians chapter 5 is the context it builds the contents foregoing in verses 12 and 13 pieces for God has not destined us our appointed us to wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we live together with him. Notice the wording, there he says God has appointed you, not to wrath, but for salvation and all those words. The Bible uses for our salvation were chosen were called were elect were predestined and I would got reported their big labor. One of those, you did nothing. You are the subject acted acted upon by God but that's for another sermon God appointed you, not for wrath and illegal zoning amplifies that who died for us.

Verse 10 died for us. The plurality of the group so that when the way the playground to the great local church. We are awake or asleep leave the church will live together. That's all of us again with him. He's a, here's my words. Whether you live on the earth. You always have PO met each other when you die in heaven you still have him and each other. Are you listen to me church say the collectivities always emphasized in all these preachers I used to grow up hearing that would the great majority the pertinent sermons would be addressed to an individual and how to live your life better and they weren't really always wrong. I don't mean that. But they missed the point so often because it's not about you having a better life is much as you in the church family and the collectivity of the church living out your life. So the context here is strongly the local church.

He continues on in verse 11 therefore encourage one another. That's encourage one another in the context of the Lord's coming. One day he's not did this and this for Rasa. Let's encourage each other to keep on keeping on. Together, encourage one another. That's the group again and build up one another. That's the group again. Just as you. That's plural for the whole group are also doing so, he says all you need to keep getting together to keep meeting together you keep striving together to keep encouraging and building up each other to be the best Christians you can be for the glory of God.

Malachi 316 is a good cross reference here. Those who feared the Lord spoke to one another and the Lord gave attention and hurt those who feared the Lord spoke to another.

Here's the context the world around them, hated them hated their doctrine and hated their gods that sound familiar to you.

You and I live in a world around us hates our doctorate and hates our God, so much so that Tom, the Christian community. I mean the real Christian commute today reminds me of the Romanians I visited many years ago right after after the assassination of their dictator touch SQ and the people there were just muted this blank as I knew I could say something in the government would pounce on them any that is say something about their Christian faith and we were kinda getting that way in America were kind afraid to talk about our doctor talk about our convictions talk about our morals. I mean with the social me today with I mean 500 people could make you think 10 million people around you, a member that's used to the weightiest brothers and sisters, are you listening to me it's usually not nears mean if you think it is is like the guy who was still in frog legs to the restaurant owner who had the seafood buffet, farmers admit, I've got bullfrogs, I've got thousands of them.

I'll bring you at least 100 set a frog legs for your seafood buffet the restaurant so that's great. I need three times at me so I got three times admit he said all right. Next next Friday afternoon deliver them to me and I'll tell you phone they worked on the agreement Friday afternoon came, the farmer showed up and he only had $0.10 frog legs and restaurants and I've been advertising this all week what you mean only tense if you should get hundreds and hundreds like hundreds and hundreds less.

The weight is when our world decries against us.

They know how to amplify their voices. We found out in the last election is love silent people still have convictions about what they believe what they stand for. But as that happens is Malachi 316 says the people of God get together and they speak truth to each other as though we can blaspheme our God and blaspheme our doctrines. We continued ending together to build backup encouraged to stay like that by now the long run. Stay strong, build each other up with the local churches for some of you slipped on me this week you slipped on me this week. Some of your thinking went off track. Best way. That's why wears me out on Sunday because I got to get the truth back in there every Sunday.

I get that silly nonsense kick back out again.

That's what preaching is on the show that to you very specifically here in a moment. So the point is, when you get when you get the first first Thessalonians 512 and 13, which were going to camp on the rest of our time. The context is local church local church local church local church and our duties to one another in the local church. All right, here's what I want to say God gives pastors to the local church to organize and oversee our duties, one to the other on and I used to have. I used to be swayed by this are not swayed but no longer. So try so by coming inside brother Jeff God led me to do this ministry group of diff gods led me God's gift to me to do this ministry that Mr. yet. I just what we need is a thousand different people walking in here and tell me what their ministries will be. Can you imagine the chaos in the disorder of that there can be no functioning of the church.

If there's no honoring of the leadership to oversee it and got it just can't be. And so Paul writing to this local church Thessalonica when he gets to verses 12 and 13 ineffective saying this, your duties to the church starts with your duty to your pastor.

Did you hear that our duties to the church starts with our duties to the pastor. I mean, how in the world we been at this almost 4 decades together.

We been striving to be biblical in our doctrine and our methodologies. How can a guy waltz in here and save all God told me to do this don't dismantle this air dismantle that area because I know what God wants us to. I will say what you meant buddy. I love you the timeout you better open a Bible and show me where were wrong number two you need to show me where you done this for 20 or 30 years and it work better.

First, the Bible, then experience, here's my point. Simple corneas your duties to the local church begins by understanding your duty to the pastor and I'm not making this up enough, you will hear this many places, because pastors are scared to preach this.

Sometimes they're just cowards. They're just afraid. Some men are generally trying to be humble, but it's a false humility, even though they're genuine if it's not, because if I don't preach this straight to you teach this to you on this. Honoring the Lord. I'm doing a disservice to you and a disservice to the church at large. So I will not backup one iota from what I'm about to say and preach it's as much God's word, as Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Let's look at it together. He tells them in verse 12 we requested of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligent labor among you and will going to all that just a moment. So when he says he read requested it interesting in this case, unlike Paul statement to Timothy. He does not command. He does not require he does not short charge goodies in the flow of the preceding context and what he seemed to be saying is others you know you grasp it's right it's proper. You grasp that it's essential for your well-being that you do what I'm about to tell you to do so. He lovingly affirms in this request that they go ahead and do what they know to do. They arty believe in their heart and ideas fulfill your duties to your pastor. Now here's the likelihood this is this is a newer church. It had been around very long and newer churches, especially when there started out of radically pagan environments like Thessalonica have lots of issues.

Those were spelled out very clearly in the Corinthian church as we see in first and second Corinthians, and so they have a young pastor or pastors who are Marine who are learning you're still growing. You are still repenting, so it BGC perspective. Some of the older got to say about what they're doing yet. Remember knows what he's doing when he placed them in that all be careful raising your hand and your voice against the God called minister Nephi's hireling.

You get by with it, but if he is God's careful.

So Paul writes to the church they had seen these men for some time, but likely there during the new. Here's what he says to them about their duties I pieces. First of all understand the sovereign hand of God put you in the church and under your pastor's rule. He said you gotta remind yourself God did this.

You didn't sign up for his family God that you say I think I'm going to join a local church, God puts you in the local church. You know he put you there.

When you find the biblical one. He says in verse 12 very clearly you appreciate those who diligent labor among you, and have charge of you. Here's the phrase for now in the Lord in the Lord. He said all of you who are in the Lord. No sovereign hand of God save me, put me in his family and put me in the local church and put me on the pastor's charge or rule then ask you fresh how did you get quote in the Lord." How do you become site, how did you become one of his did you get in the Lord by self renovation.

You said you know I'm just going clean myself about a little bit dirty elements lobby.

I'm a little bit unkempt, morally and ethically, I will clean some things up you got in the Lord, you know that that absolutely none. Did you get into the Lord by religious participation.

Then they rumbled join the church on bullet preach a bad task down there. I'll start taking the Lord's supper supper and I'll start attending the services of your and some churches.

I'll start going to the mass and I'll start doing the things the process. Today I'm going to participate. I'm going to do this by religious participation that get you in the Lord and get you in the church, but also get you in the hail. If you're not in the Lord Paul says here. Those who are in the Lord need to grasp this truth in this duty with the three spiritual are our brother self renovation are religious participation. What about works accumulation is and how you got in the Lord one just go start doing some good works I will start tithing.

I will start helping the lady down the street that needs help, I will have about some of the children's program at the church and here we go had not. Is that how you get in the Lord know you do those things because you got it upon his brothers and sisters. It was not self renovation. It was not religious participation. It was not works accumulation. It was a spiritual regeneration that got you in the Lord God used the human means of a preacher preaching the gospel or some servant of God, sharing the gospel and God's Holy Spirit gives the message of the gospel your heart can escape the weight of your sin became real and faith in Christ birth within you. That's how you get in the Lord. So I just give you disclaimer. If you're not in the Lord.

This nonbloody you don't expect it to make sense. Don't expect your heart to grasp it and embrace it. This is only for those who are in the Lord. But if you're in the Lord. I you understand it's the sovereign hand of God that saved me and placed me under the rule of a God called pastor were talking about duties to God begin with duties to our pastor II he says here, be aware of them and respect them. Talk about your pastor to be aware of the him and respect them. He says in verse 12 that we requested you, brethren, that you appreciate those the idea of appreciation here is the idea that Tom you take them seriously. You listen to them.

There on the scale of those you listen to until you if you if you if you polled the average Bedminster evangelical.

The pastor's importance to them is barely a blip on the radar screen of their lives, much less being more Paul said that to be of high use corneas of all the people in your life in which its right to show honor and respect.

Make sure the pastors up high on the list. This instruction so important because, listen to now, the world doesn't want your pastor to be that half the devil doesn't want him to be that how your lists, your religious friends at work in school don't think he should be the how and the list and your flash scoffs against this, which is this what had to be an intentional effort to say I'm going to put the pastors up there because were better men because we hold an office of responsibility for your soul. So the sovereign hand of God put you in the church and put you under the pastors really should be aware that secondly be aware of your pastor and respect them. Thirdly, your pastors are proven he says in verse 12, first Thessalonians again 512 over to Christie read in your appreciate those here is to diligently labor among you that even though in this immediate context there.

Pastors may not have been.

There's always been with you that will stand out long enough that the people had seen them encouragement about the genuineness and the diligence of their were you race like church on the other end of the spectrum is virtually impossible to find a church staff with a longer tenure than your church that you watch me write it 40 years. Many of our staff, 25, 35 years. He said you've watched them that they appear genuine to you the parent diligent about what gods call them to do, how they striven to be faithful even when it wouldn't fund my baby when he calls great difficulty. He said that's another reason why you want to see your duty to God, beginning with your duties.

To honor your pastor IV God appointed them to this rule, God appointed them first WebCam will request. If you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligent labor among you have charge over you in the Lord. That's the phrase have charge over you really it means to take the rule over you in the day in which this was written, this wouldn't have ruffle any feathers even in the secular culture they got authority.

They just lived on Roman orgy, but in today's world this is scoffed is ridiculed. It's undermined and I'll always throw up the example of the Jim Baker Jimmy Swaggart somebody that all these people follow them and they were a phony.

What two sides of that coin.

First of all, if there phony. Thank God when they're exposed, you get out from under them getting get Volga and secondly don't let a few bad apples for the whole bunch God appointed if the literal wording. Paul uses to have charge over you. Here's what you need to know about a God called pastor the perhaps in my young and immature years, but I wanted to get almost 4 decades. I don't relish that truth God's given me charge W which means I give an account for your soul at the judgment bar of God it everyone for the sovereignty of God I'd never sleep in any pastor that's flippant about this thing, and foolish with it is not called God, eternal souls are on the line.

The Bible says your pastors are proven and God has appointed them to this charge. Remember what Paul said will not read it again, but Paul said I didn't choose this thing. I didn't volunteer for this thing. God called me into one of my will is his will until you're looking at a man in the pulpit this morning who knows God called me to this job in any manner can't say that Lucas people straighten I need to resign immediately.

Now committees in churches committees can be helpful, but committees do not have the rule over the church of Jesus Christ Democratic voting in the church can be useful in some church decisions. Yet the democratic process alone does not leave the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is head of his church. Jesus is Lord of his church.

Jesus is the leader of his church and he administrates his Lordship and leadership through called men who must lead. According to the word of God is God appointed them to that role.

Now I don't care at all about many many areas of your life. I don't care what car you choose to drive. I don't care what clothes you choose to wear as long as their modest. I don't care whether you homeschool Christian school or public school as long as you're actively knowing what your children are being taught in a thousand other issues that are not my business.

Now I've had many guys a lot of our business minute call making a decision to pastor what you think would you pray with me and I'm honored to do that but I would never put myself that I don't understand these pastors that put on their people. All these extra biblical legalism. But you know like you got a dress like you came off the cast of Little House on the Prairie or something. I just don't understand that nonsense. Trust me, it's hard enough to get you guys to walk in the truths that are clear in the Bible, much less may make in a bunch of month modified Eileen toward liberty, not law offices of things that are's crystal clear in Scripture were all going to stand on and enforced one to another. Always lovingly, always treat with humility, but we gotta stand on something I'll be we basically I know they cannot have affirmed their old position with the Methodist Church for all practical purposes, is gone. Another some godly Methodists and some godly Methodist pastor so misunderstanding but the system is golf the fact that they had debate about whether or not they're going to embrace the sin of homosexuality, which see in this next let's just go down the list.

Mrs. get to where it sin anymore. If it wasn't for the African bishops who came over here and look for American bishops in the eye and said we don't care what you believe and we don't care how much money you give us. We can't be bought is right and wrong is wrong. Everyone for that.

They'd already voted to go that route is my calling things a clear look when things are clear on what you knows your pastor. I'm not dogmatic bulldog medic. All the other things liberty and charity. Amen. So I don't care about all that stuff but on the things God's clear about, and when it comes to structuring and ordering the church you to honor God's pastors number five here to honor them and see your duty to God as first your duty to honor your pastor because your pastors are gifted to give you brain transplant drug you got some bad stuff in your head.

Bad, bad, bad stuff.

A lot of it so bad it parades is good Christian thinking and it's not. It's been spun around and twisted up appreciate bad stuff in your work. Here's instruction. He says in verse 12. The last phrase these men have charge over you in the Lord and give view instruction. The word instruction comes from two Greek words, the two Greek words for instruction are these number one means the mind number two means to place into as of God says your pastor has been given to you by God to repeatedly hopefully powerfully consistently take the truth of God's hand in your mind and get the nonintrusive out of your brain.

You are in a continual flow of the brain transplant as a child of God. That's why dads and granddad to make sure your families are under clear, strong biblical teaching. Not this silly carnival nonsense is going on called Christianity today. None of truth in their messages to dislodge any error if you don't leave your sometimes thinking I had really thought about that way before that I'm failing my job or you've already arrived but according to Paul, you need instruction you needed place in your brain placed in your brain. And by the way I wanted it placed in my brain too and in my study of her weight God's place and stuff in my brain and kicking of the stuff out so I could come in here on Sunday after he's done it to me and yell at you for a while and hopefully you are wise enough hopefully here in the Lord. So you grasp the wisdom of coming in here with humility. Keep taking in the truth of God, and kicking out the error that's lodged so strongly in their you see you don't gain God's truth is a common five senses, you gain God's truth through the six cents of the Holy Spirit, God has ordained, but ordained pastors to faithfully labor in the word and preaching to put truth in your mind, and the Holy Spirit comes along any sentence out of you. Yes I call Nevada and throw out the other thought, so I can do all I can do with the Holy Spirit of God that you come up with any insight that let the other joke go you been thinking backwards, then your first bill you're not in the Lord is the Holy Spirit is in those who are in the Lord help Ephesians 411 and 12 and he gave us of your pastors are gifted to give you these brain transplants. He gave that means he's in the context of the gifts he gave the church in the comes Ephesians 411 says here's another gift he gave you apostles that offices nonprofits the office of prophets, golf evangelists I debate on that one. But here's the one I know is in effect and pastor teacher that here.

I would argue this don't mean elders in general. It means that Elder is uniquely gifted to be the preaching pastor. What is give me them for for the equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ, so he gave you as a gift to your pastor to help you in this process of dry brain transplanting old thoughts out new thoughts. Ian from the word of God. Romans seven highly esteem. Your pastors look at verse 13. First Thessalonians 5 and that you esteem them very highly literally the Greek means here with extreme abundance.

You hold them up with extreme abundance. Why, why would you do that well done amplified in the moment because their work is that valuable to your soul to your wife so your husband soul to your children's souls to your grandchildren souls there on the line because God's ordained preaching as a primary means to convert their soul. VII understand that your duty to Christ and his church begins with your duty to the pastor you need to draw strength for this out of the supply of agape pieces do all this in love verse 13 do it in love and they don't just mean do it in a loving way that's included what he means is there's been a new love transplanted into you when you are converted. This no love gives you appreciation for God's wisdom in God's way. In contrast to man's wisdom and man's weights so you could draw out that was put in you and the new birth and get this energy to do what's right. He honoring your pastor in fulfilling your duties. To honor your pastor. Romans 55 hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit. It was given to us you as I you have a reservoir supply of agape love unique new radical kind of love that you did not have beforehand. It's not this natural element, it's supernatural. It's placed up within you.

Therefore when you hear terms like what were preaching this morning. It's not a woeful drudgery to you is just an overflow that new love, God put so you say now I love God, and now I love Christ, and now I love his church and I love that he loves me and I love his wisdom is wisdom to justify me through his son Jesus Christ and I love his wisdom to sanctify me about putting me in a local church and putting me under the rule of a God call Pat your honoring the wisdom of God. When you do what Paul is writing to the church at Thessalonica eight embraced the value of their work. He said I do all of this will appreciate them and disrespect them, take them seriously. They did so diligently labor labor among them. In verse 12. If you've seen him enough to know you, you should follow them. They have charge over you, God placed them in this position of rule over you. They give you instruction either due to brain transplant on you. You need it so badly. Verse 13 you esteem them very highly super abundantly hold them up. You do it in love out of the reservoir of love God puts you in and you at the new birth and then because of their work because of their work. They have a work like no other work. The value of their work is beyond estimation. What's the value of your eternal soul. First of all it's hard work is not easy work that you can get in the pastorate if you got good human skills and good personality skills are not will save it.

If you got good people skills of your good on your feet good at the gift of gab, etc. you can you can really can't have fun in the pastorate make a good salary. Julia hireling you will enter the judgment bar God. But if you try to reform the church to be biblically healthy, which is what every pastor is new in every generation is hard work first of the 4237 preach the word be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine not it might come. The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled the accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires and will turn away their ears from the truth. That means will turn away their ears from the pastor who preaches truth and turn aside to myths that you be sober in all things, endure hardship as to the pastor endure this hardship to the working evangelists, fulfill your ministry then pauses and thanked me for example verse six here from already being poured out as a drink offering in my time of departure, I fought the good fight. Paul said it was hard to find all the way to the end. We need more boys to be called in the ministry, but let's make sure God's call to Ms. too hard is too hard.

If God hadn't called not only to the hard work it's a heavy work. What I mean is weighty God is ordained in his primary glorious through his local church and when he calls you to have the rule over local church that's on weighty thing.

Gotta make sure your motives are right.

Make sure you're thoroughly biblical, eternal good of man is on the line. That's a weighty thing the Lord's work in the ministry is a heavy responsibility and humanly speaking, it would be overwhelming except for the sovereignty of God yet to throw back on yourself and talk to yourself as a pastor and say God called me to this. I'm not adequate, but he knows what he's doing. Paul talked about how he pastor with great sorrow and unceasing grief.

Paul talked about how he would preach the gospel to something Jerome of life. To some he's an aroma of death. He talks about who's adequate for these kind of thing. It's a hard work.

It's a heavy work. So consider. He says to the church members the value of their work. Lastly, number nine. It's essential for peace and God's glory in the local church.

It's essential that you honor the Lord and see your duty to the Lord as being faithful in your duty at your pastor because it's essential that you have peace in the church are to have peace of the church and glorify God through the church it if if your football team got together and everybody did their own thing and they didn't understand their duty to honor the head coach you just have chaos. Nothing would work well. It would need be no peace and let me know glory for that team. I can assure you that when he says live in peace here and where is it in verse versus on his five verse 13. The last phrase live in peace with one another. What he really means here the amplification of the great means and you will have peace with one another to the end of obtaining peace in the local church if you're all together humble and grasp God's wisdom and honor the things he says to do for your pastor's. Then there's going to be the end will be peace in the church, unity, sweetness, love, vast numbers of professing believers today believe that their duty to their local church is nothing more than showing up on Sunday morning getting blessed by the song service and getting something out of the sermon to help them be a better person that we well that's part of it was only maybe 10% at Skylark saying my purpose in buying a car is to have a place to relax because the seats are comfortable space if they have heating and cooling in them and they got good cupholders for my iced tea on my route 44.co well that's part of what is in the car but maybe only 10%, you're missing the point. That's not what a car is foreign just coming in and hoping your blasted util inside to live better than next week.

That's part of it, but barely 10% of what the church is on. If your primary view of a car is comfortable seats and good hope cupholders so you can relax. You have a warped or incomplete are both view of your car. A car is too expensive to buy for only thanked cars to valuable to use it for only that the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is to valuable to valuable you to come give the tip of your energy not be sober and serious about your duties to the local church to valuable MMI.

I say to you, you may not get your way survey. Also, you may not get your way pastor, you may not get your way with the good of the church of the glory of God is worth all of us viewing one another is more important than ourselves church is to valuable. Peter said the church of the Lord Jesus Christ was bought with precious blood, imperishable, spotless, the blood of Jesus Christ. No wonder John did not. I don't think John even raised his pen off of his parchment paper. When he came to write this next verse, I think the apostle John had one hesitation when he wrote first John 316 we know love about this, that he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the local church that's with that me you can't run through the world finding of a Christian laid on your life, or that's unreasonable, but in your family… Family that I charge you this morning on the authority of the word of God for the honor of Jesus Christ to renew your hearts to do your duties to God and his church. Some of you must.

Some of you must step it up a notch or two. You must now don't make this an overwhelming thing. Basically if you come to church and try to serve in your small group. I believe because we work hard to make this biblical. I believe you can face the Lord one day and say Lord I feel like I fulfill my duties.

I believe you will likely hear well done good and faithful servant. But we put this kind of energy to structure this church so that it's biblically sound. You better not face God on Greg, I read the judgment seat of Christ and say I coasted on that stuff. Do your duties to the Lord now. Then you'll find your life increasingly feel with love, joy, peace, success contentment, but they always follow your commitment to your duties. I'll I'm not worth it. Let me just tell you that upfront for the mass not worth it, but Tom all the rest of us. The Lord worth it. We do it for the Lord say amen