Pastors (Part B)

How is it going to be a witness to my children if I no longer serving a church because I didn't like something petty so you get up 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 three cheers and hell over that decision. If you ever made it willfully and willfully does not always mean sustained joy. Sometimes it is all an uphill porch but it must be done.

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 continues his message called pastors as he teaches through first Peter chapter 5 word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth. Peter saw that he watched him heal people watched him walk on water, raise the dead, he saw him transfigured the glory of God upon him. Incidentally, those who believe in soul sleep that Transfiguration allies unimodal Moses of their today wake up from their nap. I just a passing thought I should not going on the trip. Some of you like some people believe you go to sleep. Just a sleeping when you die in the Bible I believe rejects that anyway he had been to the empty tomb saw the proof he saw the risen Christ. He wants to materialize in the upper room and he watched him ascend into glory on the Mount of olives, so he says a partaker of the glory of Christ. He had experience these things, and he also knew that eternal life was granted to him and that he would be forever with the Lord. Verse two now, so I says pastor the flock of God.

That is the Greek word by my you know we it means to shepherd to feed as a shepherd is translated shepherd the flock of God. It is a correct translation, but in our language. Today we lose sight of the word pastor means to shepherd. That's what it means it's from the Latin shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly I don't care who you are. If you disagree with the assembly of the saints in the structure of leadership and you disagree with Scripture. There a lot of people that claim Christ and in him and haw about this is probably good.

They don't go 10 churches because they would just be creative of a situation where they would have to be dealt with and I don't know of any pastor that likes to draw the rod and have to use it.

But this shepherd the flock of God, is it not an echo of the Lord's commission to Peter himself pastor the flock, feed them, tend them shepherd them take care of them. No matter what they do. Back to you well is the same charge to the people in the pew. You are to uphold Christianity to preach Christ to make yourself available in love even to your enemies. No matter what they do to you. Peter's ordination was on this day. John chapter 121 verses 15 to 17 we all know this. If you been around the Scripture you know it, but maybe it's new to you. Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonah, do you love me more than these he said to him. Yes, Lord know that I love you. He said to him, feed my lambs. Now Peter probably thought that was the end that okay to that but it did not stop there.

He said him again a second time, Simon son of Jonah, do you love me, he said him yes Lord you know that I love you. He said to him, tend my sheep. He said to him 1/3 time, Simon son of Jonah, do you love me Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time. Do you love me and he said to him, Lord, you know all things you know that I love you.

Jesus said to him, feed my sheep.

You can't pastor you cannot witness effectively. If you don't love the Lord if he is not your passion through thick and thin as we would say feed my lambs give the new converts nourishment so they can grow tend my sheep take care of the spiritual needs of God's people. According to the Scripture and uphold it to tend to something to watch over it to make sure it is as best you can, functioning as best it can undo your trust and trusted hand feed my sheep give pastoral application from God's word. What does it mean that when he says, teaching them to observe all things go out and baptize in the name of the father the son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe this accountability. Unfortunately, many think that grace is permission to allow sin to be sin on checked were not accountable to anyone because we have grace.

Unfortunately, there are those that behave this way. Hebrews chapter 13 remember those who rule over you talking about spiritual matters not not in your private lives dictating to you where you should work with car. You should have who you should marry that it's called that type of behavior shepherding it is nonbiblical it is to be rejected, but in the house of God. These men rule over the house of God, as did the rulers of the synagogues in the Jewish system of belief ruled over the synagogue. He says they rule over you have spoken the word of God to you whose faith, follow considering the outcome of their conduct that we know is not talking about being a tyrant over them peers going to say that it was we read when we stood we read, not as lords over them, but certainly leaders amongst them, and so again.

Hebrews 13 seven spoken the word of God to you.

The role of the shepherd.

These metaphors are not supposed to be wasted. The metaphor for the flock is descriptive, the metaphor for the leader of the flock is the shepherd. We are supposed to be very mindful of these things. Find out what they mean and then work them not just sit down and have a Bible study and get up and behave as though we did not have the Bible study. These things are supposed to produce results in our lives as I'm standing up here speaking to you would supposed to do something not just give you some naptime. Okay see this is why we need a laugh track here. Some of you are sleeping through that one, so writing to Christians in local assemblies business there is the universal church.

We agree that there Christians all over the world. Most of them we will not meet in this life will have to wait to what gathered around the throne, but then there is the local assembly. Every bit of the body of Christ, and that is to the application. Peter is is is talking about is he singles out these under shepherds the flock of God in the midst of persecution they were still the flock of God. God did not desert them. Remember first Peter is written to Christians who are in the persecution of Nero is not fully escalated, yet it does not seem from the writings of Peter but we know from history. It is going to Proverbs 27 verse 23 be diligent to know the state of your flocks. Attend to your herds has to be attention given to the flock by the shepherd or else things will begin to break down tear be torn down. That is never good shepherds rod is an emblem of protection from predators, foreign and domestic in the church and out heresies to try to creep in from outside trouble that tries to rise up from the inside my office I have a illustration of a shepherd there with a rod in his hand, which I think should be an M-16 but but that's that's okay artist to get things wrong and the wolves were on the you know in the background and the little lamb. This is by his legs and and so that is still to remind the shepherd he is there not bearing the rod in vain Christians, many tend to believe that shepherd should have no rod of correction.

The problem with them and that view is that they disagree with Christ they disagree with God with you ever see the shepherds take the rod out and administer church discipline. You probably won't like it. Just remember, they don't like it either alternative. Many times, first Timothy chapter 5. Those who are sending rebuke in the presence of all that the rest may fear. We cannot do this today for several reasons lawsuits. This is one of what we are trying to humiliate anyone.

And yet if they insist, if they keep pushing. Maybe they will find themselves exposing away that they would've been better to avoid. First Corinthians 4, Paul writes what you want. Shall I come to you with the rod or in love and spirit of gentleness.

We need to get these things in our head because as Americans were so into freedom. That's good.

The body of Christ as a whole know the thing and you do not and I do not know how to automatically fit into this body of Christ.

I have to be taught. I think most people like to learn but a lot of us don't like to be taught going to have to put your pride down to make progress with the Lord, because God resists the proud, I don't want God resisting me is no contest. It's not like a tug-of-war and I might come out of top it's you lost in the I wasn't even ready do it again doesn't work that way, but it is critical to understand. He says to shepherd the flock of God. It's God's flock. It's never the pastor's flock.

Oh yeah passing you view pastor can say you will deliver the flock that you don't my flock and just in conversation, but is certainly not in a possessive sense as far as his tour of duty, senescence, but among you, so is saying to the pastors shepherd the flock which you belong to you. One of the sheep to yeah your teeth are a little bit sharper because the Lord has fit you with these implants, but you're still one of the sheep and don't ever forget it is an inclusive word pastor part of the flock.

He says it again the next step will Paul doesn't pollute writes about Paul saying and in acts chapter 20 verse 28 is a red earlier its reference to here in verse one, Moses included himself amongst the people of God. He did not say lawgiver I'm above these people not at all. Numbers chapter 11 and Moses said the people whom I am among our 600,000 men on foot.

Yet you have said I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month will really should just cut it off where it says the people whom I am among Moses included himself there when he said to the Lord. If your presence is not go with us.

Do not bring us up if your presence does not go with us.

He's one of them. He did not say if you're not going with them. The no bring them up part of the flock. The emphasis on the vital role of pastor is found throughout Scripture just take this one Jeremiah 315.

I will give you pastors according to my heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. We find that carried out to the New Testament throughout the New Testament. My observation is that churches that do not follow this pattern. This commended pattern I should say they don't do well. I don't think they serve well serving.

He says he says among users serving as overseers now Lord is not asking first from us out. Tears of hard work. Our prayers, our money or help. But first on his list is asking for you personally singled out from everybody else around you. The 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. 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 it out in his 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 that which is applying to the pastors, not by compulsion, but willingly I guess I mention someone has to leave a headless anything that is functioning is scary, even if it's not something that when you see a bug in the backyard with no head, 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. That's right by the sacrifice to the altar because 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 here 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 it this of 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 to 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. Again, they can stack up against him. He can make them feel cornered and the Lord will let it happen to the two to do his work in that man that flowing from him will be a reality that will be useful to those whom he has been entrusted to oversee as an under shepherd. Christ knows what he's doing as 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. In 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 in us.

Satan challenges every noble cause that you come in touch with in Christ Jesus. I can stand up in 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 is is not for dishonest gain but eagerly reversed to have the prosperity teachers ever read that they know these words are in the Bible 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 overcome the carrot in front of car that's dishonest it's a lie to 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. Pastors only need to talk about how what you should given type.

As 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 and 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 department 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 these 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 peddling 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 are you enduring then 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 just as unashamed and write out their 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 that's passed shepherding the flock is that the word on that just goes on the activity we connect the dots on her own move.

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