Pastors (Part C)

There is no door curtain is been born into your right to God with these things. I don't care how many decades it takes. Satan is hoping to wear you down by time I respond so that is in a word, endurance. We just keep moving forward were still there, still kneeling after all these years on behalf of another. I know for sure. I'd not be a Christian if you were for my mother and sister praying for me this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of first Peter, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today. Pastor Rick will be teaching in the fifth chapter of the book of first Peter and his message called pastors is asking for you personally singled out from everybody else around you Lord is asking for you is asking for me is asking for a dedicated life. Another thing that I think many people in the in Christ seem to do to stumble over to be confused about what is very simple.

Something confusing about this when God called me to the ministry. It took him over a decade. I will let me rephrase it because it makes it sound like he was dragging his feet.

Although I was thinking that I have called this ministry and had no church nobody to follow nobody to do anything with. As far as my calling goes for years. It hurts so much like a long if you've ever been away from home a long time. You know that longing. You have to get home.

It was that intense and I have to sometimes remember that.

Remember how it was when you were pulling on the leash. Have you lost any of that.

Have you lost the sign when you going to do about it because God wants to dedicated life, not the moonlight or not, the one who just sees it as a paycheck. He wants the life when you come to church. He wants the life when you go getting your cars and begin to deal with your flesh, he wants the life doesn't stop to us serving mere human beings is not the same as serving God. According to the flesh but according to the spirit and according to God. It is the same thing you've done it to the least of me is you've done that. Of these, you've done it to me. Jesus said so I must be careful that I don't have this attitude that I'm serving God and trampling on people around me. John calls that out of this first letter he says you're a liar.

You cannot love the Lord and hate on those around you at the same time, he says as overseers and there's that word Episcopal also from that which is up applying to the pastors, not by compulsion, but willingly I guess I mentioned someone has to lead a headless anything that is functioning is scary, even if it's not something that when you see a bug in the backyard would know had just I just saw in the other. There's a big bug you know what was left was the head with the body was eaten by me so what about a church that has no head. What if it has many heads like Medusa is pretty spooky to that's not how the Lord is arranged and we must not be embarrassed by this ashamed of it or feel like we have to somehow defend ourselves.

This is how it is given to us. It is handed to us. We have a controlled free will system in Christ to me to not believe in free will in regard to salvation or anything else is irrational, but compulsion means to be forced to do something unwillingly and so Peter is saying you pastors don't feel like you're forced to do this is not who Christ is looking for. There will be times where man is in ministry and he may feel locked in the tribe on the sacrifice to the altar because the Lord knows if he let your flesh have its way you would collapse under the pressure. So he knows how to put things in place guardrails for all of us who serve the Lord. Maybe you serve in the ministry of the church in your little weary of what you are concerned how you might look if you're absent without leave your concern. How is it going to be a witness to my children if I no longer serving in church because I didn't like something petty so you get up and you serve. Nonetheless, that's what it takes. What should you hear if you meet with a little pressure quit give up. Satan would love that. The three cheers and hell over that decision. If you ever made it willfully now, willfully, does not always mean sustained joy. Sometimes it is all an uphill push, but it must be done mowing the lawn is this some joy that always, but it has to be done and I'm taking volunteers for my house anyway. Pastors become eventually disappointed in the work results what what they thought ministry is not what they thought the people are not what they thought. Not all the people, but enough in these things get. Again, they can stack up against him. He can make them feel cornered and the Lord will let it happen to the two do his work in that man that flowing from him will be a reality that will be useful to those whom he is been entrusted to oversee as an under shepherd. Christ knows what he's doing has many tools to do it. Second Corinthians 514 for the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus that if one died for all, that all died. Paul says it is Christ my love for him. That keeps me moving forward. The stakes are very high eternal salvation of souls is involved here, Christ died for me, a sinner makes perfect sense that I should serve as one whom he died for. In the interest of others. First Corinthians 9. He says woe is me.

If I do not preach the gospel is not casting pearls before swine. And that statement as Christ said and and we need to watch out for that you cheapen the gospel when you try to jam it down people's throats is far better to be led by the Holy Spirit. And when you get the shot you are ready and you take it sometimes takes a long time because were not ready. Christ is still working at us.

Satan challenges every noble cause that you come in touch with in Christ Jesus.

I can stand up and preach all the high things I can preach in each one of them will be right and each one of them will be tested so you can run a whale pastor from the ministry. If you want to. But remember, on the battlefield.

Dessert is a shot often in the back. I don't want to be one of those he says not for dishonest gain but eagerly in verse two of the prosperity teachers ever read their pen. Do they know these words are in the Bible. Can you imagine me standing here saying if you put a seed offering in of $100. God will bless you and you will get 200 back and then a congregation being dumb enough to do it over and over, carrot in front of car that's dishonest it's a lie is a misrepresentation of the truth Paul said, except for these chains. I wish you were altogether like me. Paul was not a rich man when he said that pastors of the feed the flock not fleeced the flock. Jeremiah 4810 emblem pause there passes only need to talk about how what you should given ties because you already know. Christians already know what they're supposed to do when it comes to that, and we come to it when we come to an inscription and that's that's it may mean I never make money an issue like that with the flock anyway. Jeremiah 48, but at the same time on I don't want to be sound as though I'm got my act together and then on the want to tell you I don't have it together either.

Jeremiah 48, 10 curses, he who does not apartment curse is he who does the work of Yahweh deceitfully curses he who keeps back his sword from blood who wants to do God's work deceitfully so they can gain wealth. A person that doesn't believe God is who he says he is that they going to be accountable to him, the unbeliever, pretending to be a believer second Corinthians 2 I ever feel he is I want to read or we are not as so many peddling the word of God. But as a sincerely but as from God we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

I like when Paul says were not telling the word of God as so many because even in his day, when the apostles were still ministering there were already these charlatans, these swindlers popping up there here, to this day, but you should know that should know them by their words and their behaviors mainly their words because of their words, no matter what the Scripture says then why you enduring them, why are you supporting them, empowering them. First Thessalonians 1. Five for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance. As you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake, Paul says to the Thessalonians.

You know what kind of men we were. We showed up to you bleeding from the caning we received in Philippi. You know what we were doing with the gospel. I love that this is unashamed and right out there and not worrying about anything but the truth goes on in first Thessalonians chapter 2 verse eight. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives because you had become dear to us. See that's pastoring that's shepherding the flock is that the word on that just holds up the. The activity we connect the dots on her own again. Second Thessalonians chapter 3 verse seven for you yourselves know how you ought to follow us.

We were not disorderly among you hirelings for pastors falls outside of God's design men who think that pastoring is just a profession. You go to seminary you graduate your hired by the church and then you conduct the rituals and rights of that particular group without any passion for truth in the word and the people. That's less than what it should be pastor has to think things through in the presence of God concerning his field of ministry.

Just as you do, you should have a feel of ministry to this should be people in your life that you're concerned about the salvation of their souls. That's your field of ministry and I feared the door has an open to say anything to them. The door of prayer stands open fact there is no door of prayer.

The curtain has been torn into you go right to God with these things.

I don't care how many decades it takes.

Satan is hoping to wear you down by time, our response to that is in a word, endurance. We just keep moving forward were still there, still kneeling after all these years on behalf of another. I know for sure. I'd not be a Christian if it were for my mother and sister praying for me because I was out there. I mean I was a kook.

Well I was an antichrist. You don't get any crazier than that you can be saying among men, but an absolute fool in the eyes of heaven, verse three, nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. So the that I mean who sees the pastorate as an opportunity to be a tyrant who told right here you're not supposed to bully the people rule over them in a false way outside the parameters given to us in Scripture and God's house we rule know nothing wrong with that.

We are made love and you should be glad because some of the pastors wanted sort of a psychedelic carpet did not. But imagine if somebody did you need somebody who can stand up and rule and say no as so you don't have to see this all in the negative because their people do the wrong thing out there does not mean they are not right people out there also. Some doctors are a little crazy, but you grateful for a lot of other ones aren't you special your dentists you have had a toothache and can't wait to get to that person anyway.

That's not in my notes. Second Corinthians, this is chapter 1 verse 24. Not that we have dominion over your faith. We are fellow workers for your joy trying to invade your lives. You know an engine in Switzerland and Geneva. There John Calvin and his visit men.

They were invasive they were there were just no end to what they were dictating to the people telling you you can't wear this you can do that you have a dispute, just abide by the word of God.

Now there are moral things that you have to not do thou shall not steal still in force.

Thou shall not murder, thou shall not wear ugly clothing that was why God hath this generation.

Okay. Second Corinthians 10 verse 84 even advised both somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave for us for edification and not for your destruction should not be ashamed. Let me reread that for even if I should both somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction should not be ashamed pulses. I have a thought have apostolic authority unashamed of that but it's not something you should be terrified of.

Unless of course you're trying to pull one over on us then you should have good cause to be concerned should be any other way. Pastors are not supposed to be pincushion for people of Paul tells try to speak these things exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you don't take the mass. This is biblical, it's necessary and as he did is no reason why Christians should be rebuked by their pastors. Most I think are not, but there are those that from time to time.

They are we continuances over those entrusted to you.

Who are those the people of God of course in the local church cannot be entrusted. Have people entrusted to you in the universal church makes no sense at all. This is the local assembly that he is talking about and this entrusting of courses from God. As we read in John chapter 21 to 2 feet to 10.

The sheep flock and the Lamb of God, the lambs of God is a God entrusted system of Stuart is someone who manages someone else's property. Pastors in that sense are stewards Hebrews chapter 13 and the 13th chapter of Hebrews 3 times the writer mentions the rule of the leadership ruling over the flock again.

You should not be Tim, intimidated by that, unless of course you are pushing against the law on the order obey those who rule over you.

Hebrews 1317 and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls. How many of you say I don't even want to have. I sold a lot of arousal after Jesus my Lord course.

I miss it done these kind of things that some of the Bible says that all of what that is true but is not the whole truth.

We are joined to others, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief that would be unprofitable for you what, I've made a list of people who've not allowed me to watch out for them with joy and I want to bring the wheelbarrow and with the list. In one moment course, I have not it would be Teddy first floor and when the shepherd there when the chief Shepherd appears, you shall receive the crown of glory that does not fade away again. The fact that there is a chief separate shepherd presupposes that there are under shepherds, otherwise it would be a redundant title he has under shepherds. Those of the pastors senior pastor is there no home today, a phrase I'm not fond of what for the sake of illustration is never anything more than a scene than an assistant pastor to the Lord. He says that he will appear that is visibly be seen, of course, and we will see the Lord one day I to I you will receive the crown of glory, comforting words to those who labor anywhere in ministry here you again though to the pastors.

Why would he have to say this because he knows you know when I first attended the pastors conferences out in Marietta California years ago, I was struck by how much pampering was available to us. There was water everywhere you could bottle water ice and cold. There were snacks, cookies, candy, twisters, just fruit, coffee everywhere and they just made you feel like relax, take issues of kickback a little bit and in the early years. I didn't really understand. I just accepted that this is a nice people while been around while and I think what they were saying we know you've taken a lot of hits and we want you just rest before we send you back to hear the Bible say to the pastor. You will receive the crown of glory is refreshing. You can lose sight of these things, you can begin to say why am I doing this second Timothy chapter 4.

Finally, Paul says there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give to me on that day and not to me only, but to all those who have loved his appearing. There are rewards Paul was saying as he Christian, I will receive the crown of righteousness, and not only me all those who serve the Lord. Here Peter says pastors were's route will receive a crown of glory for their efforts. I don't wake up in the morning repeating that to myself crown of glory crown of glory.

Keep your head in the game. Pat would not be good. But if a pastor sticks to it over the years he will mature into the role that God has for him, so that when they carry him to his grave.

He will be missed and the people will be asking the Lord what are we going to do now. How is that vacancy going to be filled. Let the Lord do just that. Let him fill it. There are men that have gone on to the Lord that I miss very much and I'm still asking how I meet Dave Hunter for those of you who know who Dave Hunt was we find another Dave Hunt right now.

AW toes are Chuck Smith and Vernon McGee where you going to find is it. In other words leave the men that have lived their lives as best they can in the interests of the flock in the King and when they go home. We miss them. Not just because we say why missile so-and-so but their contribution was unique is hard to find.

It was a gem. May the Lord allow us to always raise up replacements who will allow the flock to say I know we were going to find Luke's gospel chapter 17. Almost done. Verse 10 so likewise, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, we are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our our duty to do so pastor who says well I'm going to receive a crown can also say the same time, but I am not worthy. You know, we cast out crowns before the king. He says that does not fade away course Easter crown. What he speaks in here in verse four of the crown the Stefanos that is not the diadem the royal crown that belongs to the Lord Jesus only. This is the reef made of vegetation. It would become a dry leaf arrangement in time and then crumble up and fade away, but the one that we will receive from the Lord, the crown we received from him does not fade away when Moses was called to see the promised land that he would not get to enter on his first trip you. Those of you know the story he makes it enduring the transfiguration before that he does not get to go when he doesn't know this at the time but is going to die and God told him I'm going to show you the land that I'm going to bring you up here. Moses was concerned for the people delete them yes got that question okay I'm I'm going to be with you, but what about the flight is a pastor to the end what I was trying to say earlier about when these great men go who fills that spot for Moses. It was Joshua worthy candidate worthy appointment. Numbers 27 verse 17). This is God who may go out before them and going before them may lead them out and bring them in the congregation of Yahweh may not be like sheep, which have no shepherd move. We are so glad you tuned in today to study the book of first Peter on cross reference radio cross reference radio is the daily radio ministry of pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia, and we are blessed to bring you God's word with each broadcast.

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