1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,680 You're listening to Key Life Fellowships Pulpit ministry 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,880 podcast. We thank you for tuning in as we 3 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,280 learn from God's Word together. If you would like more 4 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,720 information regarding Key Life or to speak with one of our 5 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:20,920 pastors, please visit us at keylifefellow-ship.com. 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,080 Amen. We pray that we do truly find 7 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,600 satisfaction for our soul in Christ and Christ alone. 8 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,320 We all know it's true that prior to Christ we spent enough time 9 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,480 trying to find satisfaction in this world. 10 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,920 Now I'm thankful that we no longer have to look for a 11 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:43,920 satisfaction that we cannot find. 12 00:00:45,480 --> 00:00:49,640 But the true satisfaction found us where we were and our sin and 13 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:53,560 in our self deceit and the misery of our wickedness. 14 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,720 Christ Himself, the one who satisfies the broken hearted who 15 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,760 come to Him, has satisfied those of us who are in Christ and then 16 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:04,000 we rejoice in that. Amen. 17 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,280 If you have your Bibles, if you would turn to First Timothy 18 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:13,360 chapter 5 as I am excited to return back to our study in the 19 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:18,640 Pastoral Epistles, the series titled Biblical Ministers and 20 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,000 Biblical Ministry. And I pray that we have learned 21 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:26,240 how to be both, both biblical ministers and to run and to lead 22 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,360 biblical ministry the way that we should to serve one another 23 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,720 and to serve the Lord as appropriate according to 24 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,400 Scripture. But here in First Timothy 25 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:41,280 chapter 5, as we will finish out this chapter of Scripture, we 26 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,680 come to a topic and to be quite honest. 27 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:49,280 And to be frank with you is very awkward for me to preach. 28 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:53,320 Now, don't do well with awkward. Awkward makes me nervous. 29 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:59,560 Awkward frightens me. But I come to this an awkward 30 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,840 subject, right? Because I'm going to talk today 31 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,880 about honoring church leaders, right? 32 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,160 So I'm going to stand before you today in the congregation and 33 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:14,480 I'm going to say honor me to many of you. 34 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,000 You say who? Great. 35 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:22,040 It's going to be a quick message to others, hopefully you want to 36 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:27,000 understand why. Why should we honor our pastors, 37 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,040 our elders? Why should we honor the leaders 38 00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:36,840 in the church? Though it's awkward, though it's 39 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:43,240 rather uncomfortable for me to talk about, it is biblical and 40 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,200 I'm not going to jump over it just for the. 41 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:49,280 Sake of my comfort. Or to somehow relieve my 42 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,760 awkwardness in preaching this text. 43 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,760 It's important that we as a church understand this. 44 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:02,600 We are to honor our ministers, and I am only one of many 45 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,240 ministers who are leading this congregation. 46 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:09,280 I want you to understand that there are many elders and 47 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,880 pastors who lead this congregation and lead this 48 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:17,640 congregation well. And I pray that we would honor 49 00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:21,640 them appropriately. I pray that we would honor them 50 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:24,760 biblically. It's not for a topic that most 51 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:27,600 of us have probably never even heard addressed, right? 52 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:29,560 Because of the awkwardness. What am I going to do, stand in 53 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:30,760 the pulpit and tell them to honor me? 54 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,520 Yes, if you preach the full counsel of the Word of God when 55 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:35,000 you get there, that's what you're going to preach. 56 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:37,560 And hopefully they'll understand that. 57 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:39,520 They'll honor you. They'll honor the other pastors 58 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:41,960 and leaders in the church, and they will honor church 59 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,760 leadership the rest of their life, long after you're gone and 60 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:46,720 you're with the Lord. Why? 61 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:50,600 Because that's pleasing to God. So before we ever get into it 62 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:55,920 today, when you honor those who God commands us to honor, you 63 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:00,240 honor God. And when you dishonor those who 64 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,920 God commands that we honor, you dishonor God. 65 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,640 It just got real, didn't it? I hope it did. 66 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:09,640 I hope it got real. I hope today that you don't 67 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,040 roast the pastor over lunch, if that's what you're in the habit 68 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,240 of doing. I hope today that instead you 69 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:19,160 would pray for him, you would encourage him, you'd honor him 70 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,920 as the Word of God has prescribed for us to honor the 71 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:24,840 leaders in our church. First Timothy chapter 5 verse 17 72 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:27,760 when we pick up right where we left off. 73 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,760 And it says this, The elders who direct the affairs of the church 74 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:37,720 well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is 75 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:42,320 preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, Do not 76 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:46,560 muzzle the ox while it is treading out drain, and the 77 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:51,600 worker deserves his wages. Do not entertain an accusation 78 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:54,800 against an elder unless it is brought by two or three 79 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:58,680 witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked 80 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,320 publicly, so that the others may take warning. 81 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:07,960 I charge you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect 82 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:12,400 angels, to keep these instructions without partiality 83 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,440 and to do nothing out of favoritism. 84 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,800 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in 85 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:24,560 the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. 86 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:31,000 Stop drinking only water and use a little wine because of your 87 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,480 stomach and your frequent illnesses. 88 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:38,120 The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of 89 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,440 judgement ahead of them. The sins of others trail behind 90 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:44,600 them. In the same way, good deeds are 91 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:50,760 obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden. 92 00:05:50,840 --> 00:05:52,920 Let's pray together, Father, in the name of Jesus, we come to 93 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:56,840 you, thanking you for your word, thanking you that everything in 94 00:05:56,840 --> 00:06:01,680 your word is important and we are not at some passage that we 95 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:06,400 ought to just skip around or look to something else, or to 96 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:10,360 seek to be entertained with something more appealing. 97 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,840 Toss. God, I pray that we would see 98 00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:19,760 the importance of this, that the entire church would see that 99 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:26,760 honoring their leaders comes with great reward and to 100 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:31,080 dishonor them will also come with great discipline. 101 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:34,600 God, we pray as we look at this topic that you would teach us 102 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,560 all that we need to know about it, all that you have divulged 103 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,960 in your Word, bring it to light. Give us wisdom, give us 104 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:44,480 understanding through the power of your Spirit who lives in 105 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,520 those of us who are in Christ. We pray that you would be 106 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,360 glorified through it and we pray these things in Christ's name, 107 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:54,120 Amen. As we approach this most. 108 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,760 Awkward subject for me. I want us to consider some 109 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,600 things. I want us to consider what the 110 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,880 Scripture is actually saying here regarding honoring church 111 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,000 leaders. The first thing that I want you 112 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,200 to take note of is there in those first 2 verses that we 113 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:15,840 looked at, verse 17 and 18, and that is just that honor is 114 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,040 expected. Well, watch how Paul approaches 115 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:22,040 this as he's teaching young Timothy, the pastor there at 116 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:26,040 Ephesus, who would be leading alongside of the elders and the 117 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,400 teachers and those men who are in leadership there. 118 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:33,120 He says the elders who direct the affairs of the church well 119 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:39,880 are worthy of double honor, especially those who work in 120 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:44,800 preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, do not 121 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:49,480 muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain, and the 122 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:54,880 worker deserves his wages. Paul here approaching Timothy. 123 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:59,440 And Paul knows full well the work and the weight. 124 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,800 Of church leadership. As an apostle who has at this 125 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,960 time served the Lord faithfully for years, he's riding to young 126 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:11,840 Timothy and he's instructing him to pass along the teaching that 127 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:16,880 those men of God who lead in the church are to be honored. 128 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:23,160 And not only are they to be honored, they are to be doubly 129 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:25,840 honored. And then he goes on and he says, 130 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:32,200 especially those who teach and preach, Paul makes this very 131 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:34,559 clear that this honor is expected. 132 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:39,200 And it's expected, yes, for all who are in leadership here at Ty 133 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:41,880 Fellowship, we have what we know as elders. 134 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:45,240 Some of them are ruling elders. Some of those teach and preach, 135 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:47,600 though all of them must be apartment to teach. 136 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:53,000 We know that historically, not all elders stood in a prominent 137 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,920 teaching or preaching role. Though they knew the word of 138 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,600 God, though they knew sound doctrine, and though they were 139 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:02,760 required to be apartment to teach, it doesn't mean that they 140 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:07,240 were the ones there employed by the church to do the majority of 141 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:11,120 the teaching and the preaching. And so he singles that 142 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:15,760 particular group out with that word, especially that these men 143 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:20,880 are to receive double honor, but especially those who teach and 144 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:22,720 preach. I told you this was going to be 145 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:23,840 awkward for me. Why? 146 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,880 Because I am the one who stands in the pulpit week after week 147 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,880 and who predominantly teaches and preaches the Word of God 148 00:09:30,680 --> 00:09:34,240 here in this room. But there are many pastors who 149 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:36,800 are here on staff in this church, who are leaders in this 150 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,160 church, who are teaching all of the time. 151 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:41,680 And there are various Bible studies. 152 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,120 There are various age groups, specific ministries like our 153 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:49,800 student ministry and our college ministry, our small children, 154 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,720 our preteens. There are ministers who pastor 155 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,680 and who lead these groups on a consistent basis. 156 00:09:57,680 --> 00:10:00,920 Right now, just next door, some of you attended it at 9:00 157 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,760 there's an enriched Bible study. And there are men there who are 158 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:06,120 leading you in teaching and preaching the. 159 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:10,480 Word of God. And they deserve double honor. 160 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,840 Not because I think so, not because I could benefit from 161 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:15,600 this, because I can promise you this. 162 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,920 I benefit from you honoring me. It is a great encouragement when 163 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:23,320 you do, but not just so that I can benefit from it, so that 164 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:28,600 those who teach alongside of me would also benefit, he says. 165 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,080 Especially those who preach and teach. 166 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:34,440 Now we know all church. Leaders deserve honor and 167 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:39,800 deserve double honor. That is what we are to give to 168 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:41,480 them. You read in your Scripture 169 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:43,840 reading just a moment ago. He says we now we ask you 170 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:46,080 brothers in First Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 12. 171 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:49,520 We ask you brothers to acknowledge those who work hard 172 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:52,560 among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you 173 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:56,840 hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work, 174 00:10:57,280 --> 00:10:59,720 live in peace with each other. What is? 175 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,960 Paul telling the believers there in his letter. 176 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:06,400 To the Thessalonikins, he is saying this. 177 00:11:06,560 --> 00:11:12,520 He is saying honor is expected toward your leaders, just as 178 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:17,360 he's saying here to those in Ephesus through Timothy who will 179 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,800 be passing this long. Paul also says in Romans 13, 180 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:25,320 verse seven, he says give to everyone what you owe them. 181 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,600 If you owe taxes, pay taxes, right? 182 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:32,120 When the IRS says you owe taxes, pay them or suffer the 183 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,960 consequences, he says if revenue, then revenue. 184 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:37,800 If you're supposed to pay somebody for a job that they 185 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,120 did, pay them, right. This is all common sense stuff, 186 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:42,600 isn't it? He goes on. 187 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:46,000 And he says if respect, then respect. 188 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:51,560 If honor, then honor. And God's Word is very clear 189 00:11:51,560 --> 00:11:56,520 that we are to honor those especially who teach and who 190 00:11:56,520 --> 00:12:00,960 preach the Word of God. We can and we count, devoting 191 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:04,240 their lives to the Scriptures, to studying the Word of God, to 192 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:08,440 preparing, to praying so that they can deliver the message 193 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:12,760 that you need, so that you can grow spiritually by what they 194 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:16,560 have brought forth. Paul says they deserve double 195 00:12:16,560 --> 00:12:19,960 honor. What does he mean by this? 196 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:23,680 He's saying to take care of them. 197 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:29,720 Reserve that special honor for those who labor in the word. 198 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:35,120 Many of you don't have a clear understanding to what it means 199 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:38,360 to labor in the word, the battle that comes along with that, the 200 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:43,000 work that that entails. But it is a. 201 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:47,400 Great work, and it is a hard and at times difficult task. 202 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:52,680 We ought to properly honor those who have dedicated their life to 203 00:12:52,680 --> 00:12:55,760 that task. John Owen said this. 204 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:59,120 He said it is the duty of the church to value, esteem and 205 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:03,200 support those who labor in the Word and doctrine. 206 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:08,320 It's our duty as a church to honor those. 207 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:12,240 Who are laboring studying the word? 208 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,560 Learning the word, growing in the word. 209 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:19,480 Why? So that you can be fed the word. 210 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:25,640 He says honor them. Honor them by supporting them, 211 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,960 by encouraging them. But also we can't leave out the 212 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:34,960 fact here that in verse 18 he's talking about compensating them. 213 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:37,320 Now let me just make this. Clear. 214 00:13:37,680 --> 00:13:41,400 Right up front. I am not looking for a raise. 215 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:45,320 I don't want to raise. I don't need a raise. 216 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:48,720 Key Life Fellowship and the leadership here and you folks 217 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,800 who faithfully give to this ministry, you take care of all 218 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:57,360 of your pastors who are on staff, who are paid to teach and 219 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:00,760 to preach the Word of God and to lead in these ministries. 220 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:04,280 Thank you for that. You honor us by taking care of 221 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:07,760 us, and we're thankful for that. So I'm not trying to get a raise 222 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:09,120 here. But what I want you to 223 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:12,640 understand that when I talk about honor being expected, 224 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:17,280 especially for those who teach and preach, I am saying that 225 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:22,160 when we honor them properly with compensation, we're actually 226 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,040 enabling them to do the Lord's work. 227 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:30,080 I could not do what I do for the Lord and for you, the members of 228 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:31,040 this. Church. 229 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:36,000 If I had to have a second job in order to support myself and my 230 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:40,120 family, I could not give all of the time, I could not give all 231 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:43,800 of the energy and I could not give all of the effort that I 232 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:49,000 give, yes. 1st for Christ, but. Secondly, for all of you, but 233 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:52,240 thankfully, because you have honored the Lord and you are 234 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:56,680 honoring me, you're enabling me to do the Lord's work, but. 235 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:01,600 What if you didn't? Things would be difficult, 236 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:04,640 wouldn't they? Things would be difficult. 237 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,000 Paul uses an Old Testament analogy here. 238 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,160 In fact, he borrows from Old Testament scripture, which he's 239 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:14,160 very, very skilled at doing. He says do not muzzle the ox 240 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:15,600 while it's treading out the grain. 241 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:18,400 And the worker deserves his wages. 242 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,640 Borrowing from two different Old Testament passages, he says, and 243 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:24,400 don't, don't muzzle that ox. He's working. 244 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:27,520 He's doing all of the labor he ought to be able to when he 245 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:30,760 needs to, when he's treading out that grain, just bend down and 246 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:33,520 get a bite of it so that it will sustain him, so that he can 247 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:36,000 continue doing the work of treading out the grain. 248 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:41,000 He's saying we ought to treat our ministers in the same way, 249 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:45,360 refusing to hinder their efforts. 250 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:50,040 By simply making things difficult for them, I have been 251 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:52,600 a part of churches. Many of you may have been a part 252 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,600 of churches where they thought that what they were to do for a 253 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:58,480 minister. Is just to keep them just barely 254 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:04,680 above the poverty level if that high and that the pastor was 255 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:09,280 willing or should be willing to suffer more then the CEO in that 256 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:11,720 church or the one who owns that company or the one who's a 257 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,320 successful businessman that that all of you ought to be taken 258 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:18,280 care of. But the minister, he, he, he 259 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,120 ought to just, you know, minister till he dies, and then 260 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:23,440 so long we'll replace him with another. 261 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:29,280 It shouldn't be so. We should refuse to hinder the 262 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:34,160 efforts of these pastors by taking care of them. 263 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:38,200 Again, Deuteronomy 25 four, where God establishes this and 264 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:41,080 Paul borrowing from it. Do not muzzle an ox while 265 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:45,840 treading out the grain while your pastors are working hard 266 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:50,520 for you. Take care of them. 267 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:53,280 Honor them by taking care of them. 268 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:55,840 Make sure that they're taken care of. 269 00:16:57,760 --> 00:16:59,520 Why? Because in doing so, you are 270 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:03,320 obedient in honoring them the way that God says for them to be 271 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,119 honored. I'll put a muzzle over their 272 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:12,119 mouth. Make sure that they're able have 273 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:15,280 all of their needs met as well through serving the church. 274 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,400 There are many who like to criticize this right. 275 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,480 You shouldn't be employed by the church. 276 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:20,760 That's not what the Word of God says. 277 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:25,760 The Word of God makes it very clear that those who preach and 278 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:29,440 teach the Word of God ought to be honored by being compensated 279 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:34,600 through the gifts of the church. What a noble task that they have 280 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:36,720 been entrusted with and shouldn't they be honored in 281 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:40,080 that way? Of course I know it's easy for 282 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,680 me to stand here and say Amen. Yes, they should. 283 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,240 But I'm not asking you to agree with me. 284 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,600 I'm asking you to agree with the Word of God and what the Word of 285 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:52,360 God is clearly saying here. First Corinthians Chapter 9, 286 00:17:52,360 --> 00:17:55,000 verse 7 says this. Who serves as a soldier at his 287 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,240 own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does 288 00:17:57,240 --> 00:17:59,800 not eat his grapes? Who tends to flock and does not 289 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,480 drink the milk? Do I say this merely on human 290 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:04,480 authority? Doesn't the Law say the same 291 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:06,520 thing? For it is written in the Law of 292 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:07,640 Moses. Here we go again. 293 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:10,520 Do not muzzle an ox while it's treading out the grain. 294 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,800 Watch what Paul says here. Is it about oxen that God is 295 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,760 concerned? That's a rhetorical question 296 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,200 that we know the answer to. No, He's using oxen as a 297 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:23,240 parallel, as a metaphor. He says. 298 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:25,120 Surely He says this for us, doesn't He? 299 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:28,920 Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and 300 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:31,520 threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the 301 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:34,240 harvest. If we have sown spiritual seed 302 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:37,200 among you, is it too much? If we reap a material harvest 303 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:40,200 from you? It goes on as if others have 304 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:43,000 this right of support from you. Shouldn't we have it all the 305 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:45,600 more? But we did not use this right. 306 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:47,960 On the contrary, we put it up. We put up with anything rather 307 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:49,840 than hinder the gospel. Paul said we should be 308 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:52,400 compensated by you, but if you're not going to compensate 309 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:53,640 us, that's OK too. We're not going to let the 310 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,000 gospel be hindered. You know what the church told me 311 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:57,520 tomorrow, Kirk, we can't pay you anymore. 312 00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:58,960 You know what? I'm going to be here Monday 313 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:00,360 morning. I'm going to be with the parent 314 00:19:00,360 --> 00:19:02,720 of sermon to give to you guys and God's going to take care of 315 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:06,440 me and they're going to answer for not honoring me properly 316 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:13,920 when we honor the ministers, the leaders of the church in this. 317 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:20,280 Way when we compensate them for their work, we're doing 318 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:24,440 something very biblical. I find it interesting that most 319 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:27,000 of the time the people who think that the ministers ought not to 320 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,640 be paid by the church or the lost people in the church, 321 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:35,040 because the believer understands this, that that. 322 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:37,560 Minister who is responsible for their spiritual well-being. 323 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:40,600 If he worked for another company 40 hours a week, he couldn't 324 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:43,960 give much time to helping them benefit from spiritual growth. 325 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:47,800 And he couldn't. In fact, we would all be 326 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:51,080 malnourished if that were the case. 327 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:57,960 So by honoring them as expected, we're enabling them to do the 328 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:02,080 Lord's work. We're simply compensating them 329 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,720 for that which they do. How many of you have a job? 330 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:09,240 How many of you at payday you want to be taken care of, right? 331 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,880 How many of your companies pay you before you do the work? 332 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:17,840 No, none of them do, because that's common sense. 333 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,360 You do the work, then you earn it, and then you get paid. 334 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:24,880 And so a minister who does. Well and leading ought to be 335 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:31,040 taken care of. Deuteronomy 2414 God establishes 336 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:32,760 again this principle and the law. 337 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:35,920 He says, do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor 338 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:38,560 and needy, whether that work is a fellow Israelite or a 339 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:40,280 foreigner residing in one of your towns. 340 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:44,480 Pay them their wages each day before sunset because they are 341 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,600 poor and are counting on it. Those ministers who are paid by 342 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:51,320 the Church are counting on it. Without your support they would 343 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:55,520 be poor, or without their spiritual nourishment you would 344 00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:58,080 be malnourished spiritually. Let us not. 345 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:00,520 Forget that he says otherwise. They may cry out to the Lord 346 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:04,000 against you, and you will be guilty of sin over all these 347 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,320 churches who think that it's the thing to do. 348 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:11,080 Starve your ministers to death. And if they fizzle out, they 349 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:13,040 just didn't really love Jesus anyways. 350 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:16,920 And if they last, you know, hey, that God will take care of them. 351 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:20,560 You know how God takes care of those leaders in the church who 352 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:22,600 preach and teach, who are worthy of double honor? 353 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:26,000 He takes care of them by you doing what you're supposed to 354 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:31,480 do. Are you doing? 355 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:36,760 That are you honoring those leaders as expected and as 356 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:41,040 mandated by scripture? Are you seeing to it that they 357 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:45,640 are compensated for their work? Let me make this simple for you 358 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:49,720 to understand. If you receive spiritual benefit 359 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:54,480 from the teachers and the pastors in this church and you 360 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:59,120 don't give a dime toward the ministry here, that make sure 361 00:21:59,120 --> 00:22:03,120 that they are taken care of, that they are compensated for in 362 00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:06,520 the work of the ministry, you're not honoring them. 363 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:12,640 And if you're not honoring them, you're not honoring God, and you 364 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:16,360 don't have to Amen that you don't have to get fired up about 365 00:22:16,360 --> 00:22:20,000 that. That is clearly spoken through 366 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:23,800 the Scriptures. You are to take care of them. 367 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:28,680 First Corinthians Chapter 9, verse 13 says, don't you know 368 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:31,000 that those who serve in the temple get their food from the 369 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:34,160 temple and that those who serve at the altar sharing what is 370 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:36,720 offered on the altar? He's talking about Old Testament 371 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:38,600 compensation. Those who worked in the temple 372 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:41,000 were compensated by the temple. And watch this. 373 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:44,360 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach 374 00:22:44,360 --> 00:22:48,680 the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. 375 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,760 It should. And how does that happen? 376 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:59,360 You honor them by honoring God, by being obedient in your life 377 00:22:59,360 --> 00:23:05,440 in the area of giving, honoring those leaders in the church so 378 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:09,840 that they're not treading out grain with a muzzle on, being 379 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:16,640 starved as they feed everyone else the mistreat church. 380 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:22,440 Leaders is counterproductivity. Understand when you mislead or 381 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:29,160 you mistreat the the pastors in the church, when you mistreat 382 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:33,400 them, you are inevitably mistreating yourself. 383 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:38,240 Can I ask all of you this this morning when you came to the 384 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:44,440 service, do you expect my best? Do you expect my best effort all 385 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:46,400 week? You expect my devotion to 386 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:49,120 studying the word of God and being sound and doctrine. 387 00:23:49,360 --> 00:23:55,000 Do you expect that the answer should be of course we expect 388 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:57,040 that. Hold me to that. 389 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:05,760 You expect that, but if you expect that and that is 390 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:11,560 delivered, then it should be rewarded and to do opposite of 391 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:15,280 that is to kick yourself in the knee. 392 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,520 Hebrews chapter 13 verse 17 it says have confidence in your 393 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:22,280 leaders and submit to their authority because they keep 394 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:26,600 watch over you as those who must give an account do this so their 395 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:32,080 work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no 396 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:36,920 benefit to you. You expect me to devote myself 397 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:40,480 to the work of the Lord and the work of the gospel for your 398 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:43,360 benefit. And God's Word is teaching us 399 00:24:43,360 --> 00:24:47,520 today that if that is my expectation, I should never 400 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:51,560 mistreat, but I should honor those pastors by making sure 401 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:53,200 that they are taken care of. Why? 402 00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:57,440 So that they don't fall into an attitude of, of just not having 403 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:01,800 any joy at all or an attitude of complacency or apathy. 404 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:04,480 They don't have to worry about those things. 405 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,680 They know that they are going to be taken care of by the church, 406 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:10,600 so they don't mind pouring it all out. 407 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:13,560 Understand that those who are in the. 408 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:17,960 Church who truly love Christ will honor them, make sure that 409 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:20,800 they're taken care of and so the church leaders should be 410 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:25,840 honored, should be expected because the Bible says that it's 411 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:29,640 so they should. Be receiving care and even 412 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:32,240 compensation for the work that they do. 413 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:35,000 Why? Because the one who lives for 414 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:39,360 the gospel ought to make his living in the gospel. 415 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:41,840 I make no apology for that. Why? 416 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,240 Because the Word of God has spoken again. 417 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:46,640 I know what all the critics say, right? 418 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:51,200 They really pay you to preach for a few minutes on a Sunday 419 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:53,440 morning, knows so much more to it than that. 420 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:58,880 But you don't quite understand. Is this one hour or so? 421 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:07,760 And I do say, or so lightly. Most of the time it requires A 422 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:12,320 workweek that none of you would be able or willing to do because 423 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:16,520 God has not called you to do that, nor is He empowered and 424 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:20,080 equipped you to do that. The only reason that I can do 425 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:22,080 that, the only reason that the ministers on staff here can 426 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:24,320 endure what they endure is because the power of God living 427 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:31,840 in them enables them to do that. So they're expected to be 428 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,680 honored biblically. The second thing that I want you 429 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:39,240 to consider is this. Honor is not an exception. 430 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:44,960 No, we are to honor these men. No, I can boldly say, honor me 431 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:49,400 that honor does not buy me any kind of exception. 432 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:50,960 And you'll understand what I'm going to mean. 433 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:52,880 Here in a second when we read the rest of this. 434 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:56,080 First, he says in verse 19, do not entertain an accusation 435 00:26:56,080 --> 00:26:58,880 against an elder unless it is brought by two or three 436 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:01,480 witnesses. He's saying here, don't make an 437 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:04,960 exception to how we handle accusations, right? 438 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:07,320 Because there's many churches who they hear one thing about a 439 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:10,720 pastor without any witnesses and they want to hang him for it. 440 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:14,200 You know why they've wanted to hang him anyway, and now they 441 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:18,680 finally have a reason to get rid of him running down the road. 442 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:22,160 I'm so thankful that we're not a church who somehow enjoys 443 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:24,280 because I have been a part of those churches and I have seen 444 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:26,600 those churches. Well, they somehow enjoy running 445 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:30,000 their pastors away. You know what I pray for? 446 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,280 Every one of our pastors that are here, I pray that they stay 447 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:36,560 here till the day that the Lord calls them home, but they get to 448 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:38,280 see the full fruit of their labor. 449 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:44,520 So many people in today's instant gratification society 450 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:47,920 don't ever get to see the fruit of their full labor in ministry, 451 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,120 right? They're quick to up and leave 452 00:27:50,120 --> 00:27:54,000 when things don't go their way or people are mean or ugly to 453 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:55,520 them. Let's not be those people. 454 00:27:56,680 --> 00:28:00,160 And Paul is telling them here, the believers there at Ephesus, 455 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:02,640 first to Timothy, who would receive this, and then to pass 456 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:06,840 it along, that we're not to entertain an accusation against 457 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:10,360 an elder, just as we wouldn't entertain an accusation against 458 00:28:10,360 --> 00:28:12,960 anyone else in the church, that it must be brought or 459 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:15,560 established by two or three witnesses. 460 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:19,320 What is he saying here? He's saying that they shouldn't 461 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:24,840 be unfairly scrutinized. I understand that we as 462 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:29,800 ministers live in a fish bowl, but we as ministers are also 463 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:34,640 human beings, aren't we? I promise you can come up here, 464 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:39,480 you can pinch me, it'll hurt. You can cut me and I will bleed. 465 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:43,760 I'm not a superhero, nor are any of the other leaders in this 466 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:48,800 church superheroes, so they don't deserve unfair scrutiny. 467 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:51,400 I love that he begins this because in a moment he's going 468 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:54,320 to say when they do wrong, they're going to have to answer 469 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:56,680 for it, and they're not going to get any exception for when they 470 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:02,280 do wrong. But we're not going to tolerate 471 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:06,920 unfair scrutinizing of the pastors. 472 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:10,280 He says do not entertain an accusation against an elder 473 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:12,200 unless it's brought by two or three witnesses. 474 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:17,360 I wonder where he got this from. Paul, being the Old Testament 475 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:21,040 scholar that he was, goes immediately back to Deuteronomy 476 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:26,760 chapter 19, verse 15 when it says this one witness is not 477 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:30,840 enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense that 478 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:34,480 they have may have committed. A matter must be established by 479 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:40,240 the testimony of. Two or three witnesses Now if 480 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:43,160 the Old Testament doesn't carry any weight for you, Jesus while 481 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:47,600 he was here on this earth during his earthly ministry in talking 482 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:51,200 about how we are to address those who commit some kind of 483 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:54,280 offense or sin. Matthew chapter 18. 484 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:58,200 The Lord says this. If your brother or sister sins, 485 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:01,200 go and point out their fault just between the two of you. 486 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:03,920 If they listen to you, you have won them over. 487 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:07,520 But if they will not listen, watch what Jesus says. 488 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:11,160 Take one or two others along so that every matter may be 489 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:16,600 established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 490 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:18,840 Where do you think Jesus got that from? 491 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:23,560 Deuteronomy chapter 19. What we just looked at the law. 492 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:25,680 It tells us how we are to handle this. 493 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:28,080 And you know what? This is the exact way we are to 494 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:31,240 handle it when the. Pastor is accused of something. 495 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:37,200 Have a good friend and I shared this story at another time in 496 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:39,560 history so I hope I don't bore you with it, but I can't help 497 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:42,200 but think about it. My good friend Bobby Clark was. 498 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:47,120 Removed from a church at one point in time because some lady 499 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:51,600 in the church came by his house, was delivering something to his 500 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:55,920 wife, walked to his back porch, opened a trash can, went to put 501 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,600 her trash, paper towel or something from her automobile 502 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:01,920 into the trash can, and as she looked into the trash can, she 503 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:05,800 saw empty beer bottles. You know what she didn't do? 504 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:09,480 She didn't ask any question. She didn't understand that that 505 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:12,120 weekend some kids in the town were going around drinking and 506 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:14,600 thought that it was funny to throw their empty beer bottles 507 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:16,720 in the pastor. 'S yard and you can. 508 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:19,480 Identify because you were once lost. 509 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:22,320 That would be a pretty funny joke for a group of lost 510 00:31:22,320 --> 00:31:25,440 teenagers. However, it was not a funny 511 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:27,560 joke. When said lady leaves his house, 512 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:33,440 goes to her husband who happened to be the chairman of the 513 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:35,800 deacons at this particular Baptist Church. 514 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:38,240 And if you were raised in a Baptist Church, you know that 515 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:40,640 the chairman of the deacons is a can to. 516 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:45,120 Well, the Grand Poobah of the Royal Order of the Water 517 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:49,640 Buffalo. You're familiar with Fred 518 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:51,120 Flintstone. You know exactly what I'm 519 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:54,440 talking about. This was a big deal. 520 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:58,960 His wife went to him and, and and said this brother Clark has 521 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:03,080 a drinking problem. I've seen all the evidence and 522 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:07,120 that's all she needed, right? Turns out they had another axe 523 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:09,520 to grind and this was just a sharpening stone. 524 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:15,760 But ultimately it cost him his place as the pastor of that 525 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:19,600 church and they dishonored him by entertaining an accusation 526 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:24,200 that was not brought forth and established properly according 527 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:28,040 to the word of God. They took one lady's second hand 528 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:31,800 information out of a trash can that she never even began to 529 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:33,960 wonder how did they get there or even ask. 530 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:38,440 And he lost his job. You know the sad thing about 531 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:39,600 that? There were probably people on 532 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:41,320 his side who knew that he wouldn't have done that. 533 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:43,440 But there were probably others who didn't know him very well 534 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:47,400 and thought that their pastor was some drunkard who got 535 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:50,080 excommunicated from the church. And that's the farthest thing 536 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:51,840 from the truth. I know him personally. 537 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:58,920 So Paul begins this section on the fact that honor is not an 538 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:02,560 exception with saying we're not going to make exceptions when we 539 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:06,400 accuse elders. We're gonna bring witnesses just 540 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:10,440 like we do with everyone else. However, though they shouldn't 541 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:15,960 be unfairly scrutinized, they should be unbiasedly held 542 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:17,640 accountable. Watch what he says next. 543 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:21,480 He says those who sin are to be rebuked. 544 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:23,920 He says there are those who are going to be accused of things. 545 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:26,760 And for some reason, people just like accusing the pastor of 546 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:28,560 things, right? And I had a group in the church 547 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:31,640 not too terribly long ago. They left, but they accused me 548 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:35,080 of not believing in John 316, and the reason that they did 549 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:38,960 this is because I believe the entire chapter of John chapter 3 550 00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:42,200 and the entire Gospel of John. And I wasn't just going to 551 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:45,960 single out John 316 just to make them happy because of the 552 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:48,840 particular theology that they had. 553 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:54,320 So they became angry with me and looked for a charge, and that's 554 00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:58,680 all that they could find. But anybody who knows me knows 555 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:02,040 that I do believe in John 316. In fact, the theme of John 316 556 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:04,320 has been my life, the preaching of the gospel for gods who loved 557 00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:06,720 the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever 558 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:08,480 believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting 559 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:10,760 life. But you can't John 316, until 560 00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:12,639 you do the rest of John chapter 3. 561 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:15,920 And that is God intervening into your life supernaturally by His 562 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:19,320 Spirit and by His power, regenerating you to new life so 563 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:22,320 that you can John 316. Because if you couldn't, John 564 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:25,199 316. John 317 would be a very scary 565 00:34:25,199 --> 00:34:26,760 thing. Which tells us we were condemned 566 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:28,960 already. And it's God who rescues us from 567 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:31,600 our condemnation, not we in and of ourselves. 568 00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:37,199 But yet there are people who brought accusation against me. 569 00:34:37,199 --> 00:34:41,040 Accusation was completely false. And thankfully they didn't bring 570 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:43,960 any accusation that would hold water to any of our elders, 571 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:45,719 which would call for my resignation. 572 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:54,080 But there is the instance where an elder or pastor or leader in 573 00:34:54,080 --> 00:34:57,680 the church. Does commit a public sin? 574 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:01,200 What do we do with that? He says those who are those who 575 00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:03,720 sin are to be rebuked publicly. Why? 576 00:35:03,720 --> 00:35:06,560 Because their sin was public. This is not talking about the 577 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:09,080 general congregation. This is not talking about the 578 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:11,640 horrible tradition that you once saw in the church where a 579 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:14,440 teenage girl became pregnant and you paraded her before the 580 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:17,400 church and made an embarrassment of her and the boy was nowhere 581 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:20,360 to be found. This is talking specifically 582 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:23,200 about the elders who serve in a public ministry role. 583 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:27,520 He says they're be to be rebuked publicly so that the others may 584 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:29,840 take warning the other who the other elders so that they can 585 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:33,680 say, I don't want to commit an open and public sin so that I 586 00:35:33,680 --> 00:35:37,680 can be rebuked publicly. I want to live a life that is 587 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:39,760 above reproach. I don't want this happening to 588 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:41,200 me. It's called church church 589 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:43,680 discipline. And I know it's foreign to the 590 00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:46,080 American church, right? We don't even think about it any 591 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:47,760 longer. But it's biblical. 592 00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:52,360 He says I charge you in the sight of God, in Christ Jesus 593 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:56,320 and the elect angels. Why would he say I'd charge you 594 00:35:57,240 --> 00:36:00,160 in the sight of God? Of course, Speaking of the 595 00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:04,200 Father, Christ Jesus and the elect angels, why would he even 596 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:06,280 mention that? To keep these instructions 597 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:10,200 without partiality and to do nothing out of favoritism. 598 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:15,840 Why would he involve the Father, the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, 599 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:18,000 and the holy angels? They are all instruments of 600 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:21,680 God's justice. The instruments of God's 601 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:24,840 justice, they're not going to miss a thing. 602 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:29,200 And so he's saying, Timothy, I'm reminding you that you were 603 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:32,400 going to stand before a God who does not miss a thing. 604 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:36,640 So don't show partiality to those elders that you may like 605 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:38,080 particularly more than the others. 606 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:42,000 And when they mess up, you have to address this. 607 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:49,880 You can't just ignore it. Can't be biased and holding them 608 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:52,440 accountable, right? Because I'm sure like everyone 609 00:36:52,440 --> 00:36:54,800 else, Timothy was probably closer to some people than 610 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:56,360 others. And what if he was really close 611 00:36:56,360 --> 00:36:59,280 to one of these elders who fell into some type of public sin? 612 00:37:00,360 --> 00:37:02,040 He would be tempted to say, you know, I'm going to make an 613 00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:04,000 exception for him because he's my really good friend. 614 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:05,520 I'm going to, I'm going to look past this. 615 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:07,400 And Paul says you can't look past it. 616 00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:13,440 Got to use them to teach the others not to fall into the same 617 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:19,160 kind of reproach. They should be unbiasedly held 618 00:37:19,160 --> 00:37:22,200 accountable. Galatians chapter 2 we see an 619 00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:24,240 example of that and 11 through 14. 620 00:37:24,240 --> 00:37:25,920 I would ask that you read it on your time. 621 00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:28,320 But what was happening here is Peter. 622 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,720 Came to Antioch and had a confrontation with Paul, and 623 00:37:31,720 --> 00:37:38,240 Paul condemned him to his face because what Cephas or Peter was 624 00:37:38,240 --> 00:37:41,200 doing is he was teaching things that were not an accord. 625 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:45,240 To sound doctrine in reference to the Gentiles, he had isolated 626 00:37:45,240 --> 00:37:49,080 himself from them and Paul stood up and it says down there in the 627 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:52,840 last verses there around 14 of that small section of 11 through 628 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:56,680 14, he says, when I saw that they were not acting in line 629 00:37:56,680 --> 00:37:59,240 with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them 630 00:37:59,240 --> 00:38:02,640 all, you are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and do like a 631 00:38:02,640 --> 00:38:05,080 Jew. How is it then that you force 632 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:07,680 Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? 633 00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:12,800 What happened here is. Paul openly confronts Cephas 634 00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:17,640 Peter, and he openly confronts him with the error that he was 635 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:20,000 involved in. And he could have said, well, 636 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:24,360 you know, Cephas is an apostle like me, and he's a pretty good 637 00:38:24,360 --> 00:38:27,040 guy. And he's, he's a little off on 638 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:29,040 what he's teaching, what he's living. 639 00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:34,120 However, it was a public sin. It was open. 640 00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:38,440 And So what happened? Paul addressed Cephas openly. 641 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:43,400 He rebuked him sharply. That's exactly what Paul tells 642 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:45,760 Titus to do in Titus chapter one, verse 13. 643 00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:49,120 And confronting those leaders who end up being false teachers, 644 00:38:49,120 --> 00:38:52,360 he says rebuke them sharply. Don't play around with this. 645 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:54,840 It has to happen. It has to happen now. 646 00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:56,400 Don't let it. Continue. 647 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:02,080 Don't show any bias. Don't show any favoritism. 648 00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:08,840 Do what needs to be done. So being in a position of honor 649 00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:11,560 as a pastor, as a leader in the church, it doesn't exempt you 650 00:39:13,000 --> 00:39:16,440 from the judgement and the discipline that goes on in the 651 00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:18,720 church, the accountability that we should have. 652 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:21,760 It doesn't exempt you from that. And I know we live in a time 653 00:39:21,760 --> 00:39:24,760 where it seems like it somehow does. 654 00:39:25,240 --> 00:39:28,640 We see it over and over and over again, but God's word is spoken. 655 00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:34,080 No exception should be made for church leaders if they publicly 656 00:39:34,080 --> 00:39:37,360 sin, which should be. Publicly reviewed. 657 00:39:38,320 --> 00:39:42,640 And if accusations are brought against them, we shouldn't treat 658 00:39:42,640 --> 00:39:45,440 them any different than we treat any other church member. 659 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:47,800 We should say, well, who's bringing these accusations? 660 00:39:48,240 --> 00:39:50,520 Well, so and so said that she heard from so and so and they 661 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:55,240 said, no, that doesn't work. You bring me two or three people 662 00:39:55,240 --> 00:39:58,240 who are witnesses. You know what that means. 663 00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:01,280 They saw it, they know it to be true. 664 00:40:01,440 --> 00:40:05,880 They have verifiable evidence and that is not hearsay. 665 00:40:06,200 --> 00:40:09,240 That is not you saw it on social media. 666 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:12,920 No, you saw it with your own two eyes, right? 667 00:40:13,240 --> 00:40:15,160 That's what a witness is. We all understand that, don't 668 00:40:15,160 --> 00:40:17,880 we? We all understand that that is 669 00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:19,800 what a witness is. Why is that important? 670 00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:21,680 Because people accuse pastors of all sorts of things. 671 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:23,960 He said this and he said that. I've been accused of saying 672 00:40:23,960 --> 00:40:27,160 things that I never would have said just because somebody 673 00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:29,920 wanted me to say that. I remember one time somebody 674 00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:31,400 accused me of saying something in a sermon. 675 00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:33,320 I came to my office all upset with me. 676 00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:36,040 You said this. I said, no, I didn't say that. 677 00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:37,800 Oh, yes, you did. I was there. 678 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:39,440 I said, I'm telling you right now, I didn't say that. 679 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:43,360 You think I haven't mulled over every single word that I said, 680 00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:44,960 every single way that I've? Said it. 681 00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:47,920 Oh, you said it. I said, well, this is real easy. 682 00:40:49,200 --> 00:40:52,880 So you remember when I said it? Yeah, you were between .1 and .2 683 00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:54,520 right there. OK. 684 00:40:55,880 --> 00:41:02,000 Technology's awesome, isn't it? I pulled up the recording of the 685 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:06,880 sermon, and I said it just exactly the way that I said it. 686 00:41:08,120 --> 00:41:10,160 But he heard it in a different way. 687 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:13,880 You think the enemy doesn't run wild with things like this, 688 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:16,080 right? You know what he said. 689 00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:17,960 Thankfully, this was a man of. God, he said. 690 00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:21,160 Pastor, I'm so sorry. I need you to forgive me. 691 00:41:21,160 --> 00:41:25,120 I have no idea how I heard that that way because you said it the 692 00:41:25,120 --> 00:41:29,440 completely opposite of that. I said, yeah, I forgive you. 693 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:32,800 I just want to make sure that you know that the accusation 694 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:35,040 that you're bringing against me is not true because what he said 695 00:41:35,040 --> 00:41:37,680 that I said was almost borderline heretical. 696 00:41:41,120 --> 00:41:43,200 So we shouldn't unfairly scrutinize ministers, but in the 697 00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:46,760 same sense, we shouldn't show any bias. 698 00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:49,440 We're holding them accountable, right? 699 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:50,680 What have said? Man would have come into my 700 00:41:50,680 --> 00:41:52,560 office, and what I did say was heresy. 701 00:41:52,680 --> 00:41:53,840 Should I have been held accountable? 702 00:41:53,840 --> 00:41:54,920 Yeah. I committed a public sin. 703 00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:56,480 You know what I need to do? No, I don't think that's 704 00:41:56,480 --> 00:41:59,480 dismissal from Pastor It. It was an error. 705 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:00,920 I think I get up the next week and say, you know what? 706 00:42:00,920 --> 00:42:03,000 I made a mistake. I said this this way, but I 707 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:04,680 didn't mean that at all. It came out of my mouth. 708 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:08,080 And can't we all say that we've all had those moments where 709 00:42:08,080 --> 00:42:09,760 something came out of our mouth and it was far different than 710 00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:12,920 what was in our brain? Yeah, we'd have an opportunity 711 00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:18,080 to correct that. So we show honor to these men of 712 00:42:18,080 --> 00:42:20,400 God, we don't make exceptions for them. 713 00:42:20,760 --> 00:42:23,240 We don't treat them any differently than we would any 714 00:42:23,240 --> 00:42:28,040 other accusation, and we don't biasly hold them accountable, 715 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:29,560 right? Only holding them accountable 716 00:42:29,560 --> 00:42:32,920 for what we want or those particular people that we want 717 00:42:32,920 --> 00:42:36,520 to hold accountable, not others. So no exception should be made 718 00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:38,720 as we honor the leaders in the church. 719 00:42:38,720 --> 00:42:42,320 Thirdly, for considering these things, I don't want to leave 720 00:42:42,320 --> 00:42:45,200 out this most important part here, verse 22. 721 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:47,880 It says do not be hasty in the laying on of hands. 722 00:42:48,320 --> 00:42:50,040 I do not share in the sins of others. 723 00:42:50,040 --> 00:42:55,200 Keep yourself pure. What is Paul saying to Timothy 724 00:42:55,200 --> 00:42:56,960 here? Is he changing subjects? 725 00:42:56,960 --> 00:43:00,000 No, if he was changing subjects, I would have ended in verse 21. 726 00:43:01,160 --> 00:43:04,000 He's on the same subject here and I don't want you to forget 727 00:43:04,000 --> 00:43:06,600 that. He says do not be hasty in the 728 00:43:06,600 --> 00:43:09,160 laying on of hands and do not share in the sins of others. 729 00:43:09,200 --> 00:43:12,520 Keep yourself pure. What is he teaching Timothy 730 00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:13,720 here? He's teaching in this and we 731 00:43:13,720 --> 00:43:16,680 need to learn it. Honor is earned. 732 00:43:17,320 --> 00:43:21,040 It's not just given honor. The place of honor in the church 733 00:43:21,040 --> 00:43:23,760 that belongs to those pastors and those elders and those 734 00:43:23,760 --> 00:43:25,520 leaders. It is earned. 735 00:43:25,520 --> 00:43:28,280 That's why he starts there. Don't be hasty in the laying on 736 00:43:28,280 --> 00:43:29,360 of hands. Now. 737 00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:32,480 He's not coming up with some kooky charismatic doctrine of 738 00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:34,680 laying on hands for for a miracle. 739 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:40,400 He's talking about the laying on of hands when someone is 740 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:44,800 commissioned and ordained to ministry to lead in the church. 741 00:43:45,040 --> 00:43:47,960 That's what the laying on of the hands is. 742 00:43:49,080 --> 00:43:52,200 And he's saying don't just do this for any person who says I I 743 00:43:52,200 --> 00:43:56,760 feel like I'm called to preach. Well, don't ordain them the next 744 00:43:56,760 --> 00:43:59,640 service and give them a church and the pulpit the next week. 745 00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:03,520 That would be foolish. He's saying that they have to be 746 00:44:03,800 --> 00:44:05,000 properly vetted. Why? 747 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:09,760 Because honor is always earned. It's never free. 748 00:44:09,760 --> 00:44:12,480 You shouldn't just receive it because somebody gives you a 749 00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:15,400 title. The sad day that we live in that 750 00:44:15,400 --> 00:44:18,560 so many people in the church are just chasing after a title so 751 00:44:18,560 --> 00:44:21,080 that they can have the honor, but they want the title. 752 00:44:21,080 --> 00:44:23,480 They want the honor, but they don't want the hard work and 753 00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:27,120 they don't want the responsibility, he says. 754 00:44:27,120 --> 00:44:31,640 Don't be hasty and laying hands on these men and commissioning 755 00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:35,200 them to gospel work. Why? 756 00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:40,640 Because honor is earned initially, it has to be earned 757 00:44:40,640 --> 00:44:43,200 first. Again, we're not to give someone 758 00:44:43,200 --> 00:44:46,080 the place of honor who's not lived and honorable lives up 759 00:44:46,080 --> 00:44:50,800 until this point. And this is information that's 760 00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:55,320 not to be treated as light or to approach it haphazardly. 761 00:44:55,320 --> 00:44:58,280 This is important. Because we have seen it, many 762 00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:01,200 novices who enter into the pulpit, they enter into 763 00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:05,320 ministry. Only to fall out of ministry 764 00:45:05,320 --> 00:45:09,000 because they weren't qualified for ministry. 765 00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:12,480 And instead of them being people of honor, they become 766 00:45:12,480 --> 00:45:15,720 dishonorable. And not only dishonouring to 767 00:45:15,720 --> 00:45:19,200 them, but also dishonouring to the church that ordained them or 768 00:45:19,200 --> 00:45:22,640 the church that they serve. In so, honor's earned. 769 00:45:22,640 --> 00:45:26,240 It's earned initially. Again, a church leadership is 770 00:45:26,240 --> 00:45:30,360 not a position that should just be given to anyone. 771 00:45:32,200 --> 00:45:35,920 Paul instructs Timothy, as we saw in First Timothy chapter 3 772 00:45:36,200 --> 00:45:41,680 earlier instructs that they'd be evaluated, that they'd be 773 00:45:41,680 --> 00:45:44,520 examined. That they actually live up to 774 00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:47,880 the standard of above reproach before they're ever ordained. 775 00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:50,680 First Timothy, chapter 3. We saw this. 776 00:45:50,680 --> 00:45:53,760 I'll remind you of it. As we read it, it says this in 777 00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:55,680 verse 6. He must not be a recent convert 778 00:45:55,680 --> 00:45:58,240 or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgement as 779 00:45:58,240 --> 00:46:00,040 the devil. We don't want that to happen to 780 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:02,320 anyone. He must also have a good 781 00:46:02,320 --> 00:46:04,800 reputation with outsiders so that he will not fall into 782 00:46:04,800 --> 00:46:08,600 disgrace and into the devil's trap. 783 00:46:10,240 --> 00:46:13,000 So it must be earned. Man, you don't take a guy in 784 00:46:13,000 --> 00:46:14,560 just a little while, we're going to have baptism. 785 00:46:14,560 --> 00:46:17,120 You don't take a guy who gets baptized today and says, I think 786 00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:19,320 God wants me to be a preacher and ordain him tomorrow. 787 00:46:19,320 --> 00:46:21,320 The elders lay their hands on him and commissioned him to 788 00:46:21,320 --> 00:46:23,160 work. Throw him in the pulpit. 789 00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:27,280 You do him a disservice. Why? 790 00:46:27,280 --> 00:46:30,840 Because he hasn't. Earned the honor serving in that 791 00:46:30,840 --> 00:46:33,040 position. It's earned initially, but it's 792 00:46:33,040 --> 00:46:38,280 also kept by integrity. He says do not be hasty in the 793 00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:41,320 laying on of hands and do not share in the sins of others. 794 00:46:41,720 --> 00:46:44,120 Now many think that he's saying here do not share in the sins of 795 00:46:44,120 --> 00:46:46,720 others. He's saying the sin of hastily 796 00:46:46,800 --> 00:46:49,200 commissioning people to ministry. 797 00:46:49,720 --> 00:46:52,640 Perhaps Paul is saying that there are others who are laying 798 00:46:52,640 --> 00:46:55,120 hands on people and ordaining them to service and they 799 00:46:55,120 --> 00:46:57,800 shouldn't do so. He could be saying that do not 800 00:46:57,800 --> 00:47:00,120 share in the sins of others. Or he he could be talking about 801 00:47:00,120 --> 00:47:03,080 sin in general. Either way, it doesn't matter. 802 00:47:03,080 --> 00:47:06,240 He's telling Timothy to avoid sin in your life and he throws 803 00:47:06,240 --> 00:47:08,400 this tag on there. Keep yourself. 804 00:47:08,840 --> 00:47:15,160 Pure live a life of integrity. Paul is reminding Timothy to 805 00:47:15,160 --> 00:47:21,320 remember to live a pure life as a leader in the church that it 806 00:47:21,320 --> 00:47:25,160 is important. Your testimony of your life is 807 00:47:25,160 --> 00:47:29,480 important. You must continue to live a life 808 00:47:29,480 --> 00:47:33,600 of integrity if people are going to truly honor you biblically. 809 00:47:34,760 --> 00:47:37,360 We've seen it over and over and over and over again where a 810 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:38,200 person. Comes in. 811 00:47:38,200 --> 00:47:39,880 Maybe they even come in with the right heart. 812 00:47:42,360 --> 00:47:44,560 They enter into this position of high honor. 813 00:47:44,560 --> 00:47:47,560 It is the highest calling of mankind. 814 00:47:52,000 --> 00:47:58,760 And they enter into this and they initially earn it by being 815 00:47:58,760 --> 00:48:03,000 above reproach, by being exactly what Scripture says that they 816 00:48:03,000 --> 00:48:06,080 are, to be above reproach, faithful to your wife, 817 00:48:06,080 --> 00:48:08,840 temperate, self controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to 818 00:48:08,840 --> 00:48:14,640 teach. But they become complacent. 819 00:48:15,680 --> 00:48:19,080 They become satisfied, They become lazy. 820 00:48:20,760 --> 00:48:24,720 They become apathetic. And then before you know it, 821 00:48:24,720 --> 00:48:29,360 they're not keeping integrity. And if they're not keeping 822 00:48:29,360 --> 00:48:31,480 integrity, should they be honored? 823 00:48:31,560 --> 00:48:36,760 No, absolutely not. They should not be honored if 824 00:48:36,760 --> 00:48:40,720 they're not willing to continue and living a life that is above 825 00:48:40,720 --> 00:48:42,920 reproach. Again, we see so many times 826 00:48:42,920 --> 00:48:45,880 people think, well, I'm a pastor and I'm in this position of 827 00:48:45,880 --> 00:48:48,640 honor, therefore the rules no longer apply to me. 828 00:48:48,800 --> 00:48:52,240 I am successful. I have a rather large church and 829 00:48:52,240 --> 00:48:54,760 I'm somebody. And before you know it, pride 830 00:48:54,760 --> 00:48:57,480 takes root in that person. And before you know it, they 831 00:48:57,480 --> 00:49:00,960 compromise and they don't keep themselves pure and they lose 832 00:49:00,960 --> 00:49:04,760 all honor that is rightfully theirs if they just would have 833 00:49:05,080 --> 00:49:08,080 made in a position of being blameless and above reproach. 834 00:49:09,600 --> 00:49:13,800 You see it time and time again. Let's be reminded that honor is 835 00:49:14,640 --> 00:49:22,560 not only earned initially must be it's kept by integrity no 836 00:49:22,560 --> 00:49:24,440 matter what others may be doing, right. 837 00:49:25,360 --> 00:49:30,280 I don't know when pastors became the the standard for pastors, 838 00:49:30,280 --> 00:49:31,720 but somewhere in church. History. 839 00:49:31,720 --> 00:49:35,760 Recent church history. Pastors think, well, if pastor 840 00:49:35,760 --> 00:49:40,320 so and so can do this, well then I can do that too. 841 00:49:41,240 --> 00:49:44,720 But last time I checked, and just correct me if I'm wrong, 842 00:49:44,720 --> 00:49:48,720 the standard to which we are to measure our lives is Christ and 843 00:49:48,720 --> 00:49:51,960 not some person. And so I, as the pastor ought to 844 00:49:51,960 --> 00:49:55,640 be continually saying, Lord, take everything out of me and 845 00:49:55,640 --> 00:49:59,160 also me that does not look like Christ, not that does not look 846 00:49:59,160 --> 00:50:00,880 like brother so and so down the road. 847 00:50:02,600 --> 00:50:05,440 Because if I'm not careful, I'm going to fall into the same 848 00:50:05,440 --> 00:50:08,880 shame as those other men who are not keeping their eyes on 849 00:50:08,880 --> 00:50:13,840 Christ. And I'm to fix my eyes on Jesus 850 00:50:13,920 --> 00:50:17,960 the author and the perfector of my faith, as all good ministers 851 00:50:18,000 --> 00:50:21,480 are to do. We have to keep. 852 00:50:21,640 --> 00:50:27,800 Honor by our own integrity, living blameless life above 853 00:50:27,800 --> 00:50:29,720 reproach. First Timothy chapter 3 already 854 00:50:29,720 --> 00:50:32,040 read that section. He uses the term above reproach 855 00:50:32,240 --> 00:50:34,160 and tied is chapter 1 versus 6 and seven. 856 00:50:34,320 --> 00:50:37,120 He uses this term. An elder must be blameless. 857 00:50:37,560 --> 00:50:39,920 Faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are 858 00:50:39,920 --> 00:50:42,600 not open to charge of of being wild and disobedient. 859 00:50:42,840 --> 00:50:46,080 And since an overseer manages God's household, he must be here 860 00:50:46,080 --> 00:50:47,240 at his end. Blameless. 861 00:50:47,320 --> 00:50:49,760 Not overbearing, not quick tempered, not given to 862 00:50:49,760 --> 00:50:52,560 drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 863 00:50:52,680 --> 00:50:55,160 He tells you what blameless is. You know the difference between 864 00:50:55,160 --> 00:50:57,000 blameless and above reproach. You know what it is? 865 00:50:57,000 --> 00:51:00,040 Nothing. You're saying the exact same 866 00:51:00,040 --> 00:51:03,320 thing. We are to be blamelessly above 867 00:51:03,320 --> 00:51:06,880 reproach. If we are above reproach, no one 868 00:51:06,880 --> 00:51:11,960 can bring a worthy accusation against us established by those 869 00:51:11,960 --> 00:51:14,760 witnesses. According to the word of God. 870 00:51:15,960 --> 00:51:18,720 And so when we talk about honor, and Paul makes it very clear 871 00:51:18,720 --> 00:51:21,720 here that honor is earned. It's earned initially. 872 00:51:22,680 --> 00:51:25,560 And it's continually earned as it is kept by integrity. 873 00:51:25,560 --> 00:51:29,440 Just because I was an honorable pastor 10 years ago does not 874 00:51:29,440 --> 00:51:32,680 mean that I am still an honorable pastor now. 875 00:51:32,680 --> 00:51:37,640 It's important that I consider every single day and every 876 00:51:37,640 --> 00:51:40,240 single day I rely on the power and the strength of the 877 00:51:40,240 --> 00:51:43,520 indwelling Holy Spirit so that I can continue to live a life that 878 00:51:43,520 --> 00:51:46,400 is honorable, so that I can continue to be conformed to the 879 00:51:46,440 --> 00:51:50,600 image of Christ. So we see honor is earned as we 880 00:51:51,200 --> 00:51:53,760 contemplate, excuse me, not con complicate. 881 00:51:53,760 --> 00:51:55,760 I don't want to complicate. I don't want to contemplate. 882 00:51:56,720 --> 00:51:58,560 As we contemplate these things, honors earned. 883 00:52:00,440 --> 00:52:03,680 It brings us to our fourth point today. 884 00:52:04,320 --> 00:52:07,720 And I love this because there are those who say this is out of 885 00:52:07,720 --> 00:52:09,320 place. This is Paul just going on some 886 00:52:09,320 --> 00:52:10,840 rant. This is Paul going on some 887 00:52:10,840 --> 00:52:12,560 tangent. This is Paul just communicating 888 00:52:12,560 --> 00:52:16,840 in Pauline style. Just random pulling stuff out. 889 00:52:17,240 --> 00:52:20,200 It's not. It is so beautiful. 890 00:52:21,000 --> 00:52:27,880 It is so perfect, it's so right because Paul is going to 891 00:52:27,880 --> 00:52:32,080 actually turn and do what he's saying to do. 892 00:52:33,600 --> 00:52:36,680 He's telling Timothy, honor the leaders among you, and they 893 00:52:36,680 --> 00:52:39,720 should honor you as well. And the church should honor 894 00:52:39,720 --> 00:52:43,960 those leaders, especially those who preach and teach the Word. 895 00:52:44,040 --> 00:52:46,480 Is Paul one who preached and taught the Word? 896 00:52:46,480 --> 00:52:50,360 Of course. And this preacher and this 897 00:52:50,360 --> 00:52:53,960 teacher is now going to turn to another preacher teacher there 898 00:52:53,960 --> 00:52:57,400 at Ephesus. You know what he's going to do? 899 00:52:59,120 --> 00:53:02,960 He's going to show him honor. And in showing him honor, he's 900 00:53:02,960 --> 00:53:06,520 going to encourage him. Did you know the greatest 901 00:53:06,520 --> 00:53:08,600 encouragement that you can give to a pastor is when they're 902 00:53:08,600 --> 00:53:10,040 living an honorable life, honor them. 903 00:53:12,640 --> 00:53:13,680 They're living an honorable life. 904 00:53:13,680 --> 00:53:17,360 Honor them. Let them know that what they're 905 00:53:17,360 --> 00:53:21,200 doing is worth while. Let them know that their 906 00:53:21,200 --> 00:53:24,360 ministry is not in vain. Let them know. 907 00:53:24,480 --> 00:53:26,800 And when they teach you something and you've never 908 00:53:26,800 --> 00:53:28,680 learned before in the word of God, let them know. 909 00:53:28,680 --> 00:53:32,160 Thank you for teaching me that. It changed my whole perspective 910 00:53:32,160 --> 00:53:38,160 online. Watch what Paul does again. 911 00:53:38,280 --> 00:53:43,080 Many people think he ended the thought and picked up somewhere 912 00:53:43,080 --> 00:53:46,120 else. He doesn't, he says stop. 913 00:53:46,120 --> 00:53:48,480 Drinking only water and use a little wine because of your 914 00:53:48,480 --> 00:53:50,000 stomach and your frequent illnesses. 915 00:53:51,640 --> 00:53:54,680 Paul is actually going to model what it is that he's teaching 916 00:53:54,680 --> 00:53:58,640 Timothy to teach the church, and he's going to honor him. 917 00:53:59,600 --> 00:54:02,080 He's going to honor Timothy knowing that it's going to 918 00:54:02,080 --> 00:54:05,360 encourage him and he shows him this honor. 919 00:54:05,360 --> 00:54:08,080 How does he do it? By being concerned about his 920 00:54:08,080 --> 00:54:12,400 physical well-being. You know how many churches that 921 00:54:12,400 --> 00:54:16,280 I have been on staff ad and been involved with who They didn't 922 00:54:16,280 --> 00:54:17,960 care about your physical well-being. 923 00:54:21,440 --> 00:54:23,520 They didn't care if you lived. They didn't care if you died. 924 00:54:23,520 --> 00:54:25,200 Just keep pouring out everything you have. 925 00:54:25,200 --> 00:54:26,680 One day you'll be like a big pen. 926 00:54:26,680 --> 00:54:28,520 When you run out of ink, we'll throw you away and we'll get 927 00:54:28,520 --> 00:54:32,760 another one. It happens. 928 00:54:35,680 --> 00:54:38,200 Paul stops and he gives concern for his physical well-being. 929 00:54:38,200 --> 00:54:40,560 I know this is the one of the scriptures that people like to 930 00:54:40,560 --> 00:54:43,160 just take out of context and use it to justify your drinking of 931 00:54:43,160 --> 00:54:47,040 alcohol. If you want to do that, that's 932 00:54:47,040 --> 00:54:52,360 fine, but it's wrong. He says stop drinking only water 933 00:54:53,560 --> 00:54:57,120 and use a little wine because of your stomach. 934 00:54:57,160 --> 00:54:59,640 And I know they're little wine, not enough to get drunk off of, 935 00:54:59,640 --> 00:55:04,360 just a little. And he says, use a little wine. 936 00:55:04,360 --> 00:55:07,840 You know what he didn't say? Budweiser, Bud Light, Crown 937 00:55:07,840 --> 00:55:12,840 Royal, Jack Daniels. Why? 938 00:55:12,840 --> 00:55:15,120 Because a little amount of those will make a man drunk. 939 00:55:16,120 --> 00:55:19,320 Drunkenness is always a sin. I don't have to argue with you 940 00:55:19,320 --> 00:55:21,360 about that. But it's interesting that 941 00:55:21,360 --> 00:55:22,320 people. Always like to take this 942 00:55:22,320 --> 00:55:25,040 particular portion of scripture out of context to try to justify 943 00:55:25,040 --> 00:55:26,240 social drinking. Drink a little wine? 944 00:55:26,240 --> 00:55:27,160 Well, you just drink a whole bottle. 945 00:55:27,160 --> 00:55:33,320 You think that's a little? I'm sorry that my common sense 946 00:55:33,320 --> 00:55:36,560 is disrupting your justification of your sin. 947 00:55:40,120 --> 00:55:41,720 He's not even. Talking about drinking here at 948 00:55:41,720 --> 00:55:44,280 all. He's talking about an ailment 949 00:55:44,280 --> 00:55:48,560 that his friend has physically, many believe. 950 00:55:48,560 --> 00:55:51,280 Perhaps he had some type of ulcer, maybe he had some type of 951 00:55:51,280 --> 00:55:52,600 bacteria. I'm not a doctor. 952 00:55:52,600 --> 00:55:55,000 I don't claim to know. I don't know that I buy into any 953 00:55:55,000 --> 00:55:56,680 of the claims because I was not there. 954 00:55:57,840 --> 00:56:00,720 I'll say this, he obviously had an issue with his stomach. 955 00:56:00,720 --> 00:56:04,200 And you know what Paul said? Take care of yourself. 956 00:56:05,800 --> 00:56:07,440 Take care of your stomach. Why? 957 00:56:07,440 --> 00:56:09,120 Because if you get sick, you're no good. 958 00:56:09,120 --> 00:56:11,560 To those believers there at Ephesus, who's going to teach 959 00:56:11,560 --> 00:56:13,080 them? Who's going to lead them? 960 00:56:13,560 --> 00:56:16,440 Paul honors him, and in honoring him, he's encouraging him. 961 00:56:16,600 --> 00:56:21,040 Take care of yourself. Physically, I love it when 962 00:56:21,040 --> 00:56:23,520 people notice that we as ministers become tired. 963 00:56:23,520 --> 00:56:29,320 And we do thank you for those of you who noticed that right, who 964 00:56:29,320 --> 00:56:33,680 don't just keep wanting us to continue to plow with no rest, 965 00:56:34,560 --> 00:56:37,120 weary as we may be. For those of you who have some 966 00:56:37,120 --> 00:56:39,640 compassion and some concern and say, hey, pastor, you seem 967 00:56:39,640 --> 00:56:42,480 pretty tired, is everything OK? You know what? 968 00:56:42,480 --> 00:56:44,040 It's OK to ask me those questions. 969 00:56:45,480 --> 00:56:46,800 Get ready, because I'll be honest. 970 00:56:50,960 --> 00:56:53,400 But it means so much here for Timothy to hear from Paul. 971 00:56:53,400 --> 00:56:58,400 I'm concerned about your physical well-being because if 972 00:56:58,400 --> 00:57:05,720 your stomach issues continue to plague you, you're going to be 973 00:57:05,720 --> 00:57:07,200 hindered in the work of the ministry. 974 00:57:08,240 --> 00:57:10,520 We can't have you being hindered in the work of the ministry. 975 00:57:11,160 --> 00:57:14,160 Drink a little wine, right? That was for medicinal purposes 976 00:57:14,160 --> 00:57:16,360 in the day. Never to get that. 977 00:57:16,440 --> 00:57:19,200 Stop using this to justify your drinking. 978 00:57:20,200 --> 00:57:25,200 It's silly because if you use this to justify your drinking, 979 00:57:25,200 --> 00:57:27,280 you limit yourself to a little wine. 980 00:57:27,320 --> 00:57:31,480 Anything else, you've done nothing, made no case at all, 981 00:57:32,880 --> 00:57:38,040 and you must have a stomach issue to do it biblically. 982 00:57:40,160 --> 00:57:43,320 So it says drink a little wine for your stomach and your 983 00:57:43,320 --> 00:57:46,320 frequent illnesses. We know that people had all kind 984 00:57:46,320 --> 00:57:50,120 of illnesses from bacteria, things that were in their water 985 00:57:50,120 --> 00:57:53,080 system, and this wine, this fermented drink would kill those 986 00:57:53,080 --> 00:57:56,560 things. The point here is he's thinking 987 00:57:56,560 --> 00:58:02,280 about the physical well-being of Timothy Paul's encouraging him. 988 00:58:02,960 --> 00:58:05,800 Take care of your health, take care of yourself. 989 00:58:06,600 --> 00:58:10,840 Watch this, take a break, relax faster. 990 00:58:11,560 --> 00:58:15,680 Hey, it's OK for you to go on a vacation. 991 00:58:16,320 --> 00:58:20,360 I've been in places where if the pastor went on a vacation, it 992 00:58:20,360 --> 00:58:25,840 was the end of the world. I remember I went on a mission 993 00:58:25,840 --> 00:58:30,960 trip one time for two weeks, working with indigenous people 994 00:58:30,960 --> 00:58:34,520 in Mexico and places that most of you wouldn't even believe 995 00:58:34,520 --> 00:58:38,560 still existed. I was not staying at the Ritz 996 00:58:38,560 --> 00:58:42,920 Carlton. It's bad when you're there two 997 00:58:42,920 --> 00:58:45,720 weeks and the best meal that you had the entire time was a can of 998 00:58:45,720 --> 00:58:47,840 Vienna sausages and mustard and saltine. 999 00:58:47,840 --> 00:58:52,320 And I'll never forget, I got home from that trip and I had a 1000 00:58:52,320 --> 00:58:56,080 family vacation scheduled that summer, a week in between my 1001 00:58:56,080 --> 00:58:58,400 mission trip and that other trip, and I had a lady in the 1002 00:58:58,400 --> 00:59:03,960 church rebuke me because I was just on vacation for two weeks. 1003 00:59:07,400 --> 00:59:08,840 But isn't that the way some people think? 1004 00:59:09,880 --> 00:59:11,600 Not, Paul. He says, drink a little wine for 1005 00:59:11,600 --> 00:59:13,800 your stomach issue, Timothy, so that your health will be what it 1006 00:59:13,800 --> 00:59:16,560 needs to be, so that you can minister to the people that you 1007 00:59:16,560 --> 00:59:19,400 need to minister to, and so that nothing will hinder that. 1008 00:59:19,800 --> 00:59:22,600 So he talks about his physical well-being, but he also talks 1009 00:59:22,600 --> 00:59:24,960 then about his spiritual well-being. 1010 00:59:25,560 --> 00:59:28,560 He says the sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of 1011 00:59:28,560 --> 00:59:31,160 judgement ahead of them, and the sins of others trail behind him. 1012 00:59:31,160 --> 00:59:32,880 He's going to use a comparison here. 1013 00:59:32,880 --> 00:59:35,680 He's going to use the comparison of unrighteous deeds. 1014 00:59:36,440 --> 00:59:39,400 That will be noticed with the comparison of righteous deeds 1015 00:59:39,400 --> 00:59:41,280 that will inevitably be noticed. Why? 1016 00:59:41,440 --> 00:59:44,680 Because Timothy, just like any other pastor, is probably at 1017 00:59:44,680 --> 00:59:47,960 times sitting there and he's wondering, is any of the good 1018 00:59:47,960 --> 00:59:52,280 that I'm doing worth anything? Is anybody getting it? 1019 00:59:53,320 --> 01:00:00,880 Is anybody's life being changed? Am I getting through or is my 1020 01:00:00,880 --> 01:00:02,920 ministry for nothing? Is it all in vain? 1021 01:00:07,080 --> 01:00:09,640 So Paul assures him and encourages him, he gives them 1022 01:00:09,640 --> 01:00:17,520 this honor, encourages him not to not grow weary and his well 1023 01:00:17,520 --> 01:00:20,640 doing. He said just as the sins of 1024 01:00:20,640 --> 01:00:22,400 people, we'll find them out, right? 1025 01:00:22,400 --> 01:00:24,640 Isn't that what Scripture says? Be sure your sins will find you 1026 01:00:24,640 --> 01:00:30,040 out, Timothy. You worry about your spiritual 1027 01:00:30,040 --> 01:00:35,720 life and all the good that you're doing is going to come to 1028 01:00:35,720 --> 01:00:37,560 the surface at some point in time. 1029 01:00:37,600 --> 01:00:42,520 It will be noticed. If by no man, it is noticed by 1030 01:00:42,960 --> 01:00:48,040 God, it will be made obvious. Your good deeds are for 1031 01:00:48,040 --> 01:00:49,080 something. What is he doing here? 1032 01:00:49,400 --> 01:00:51,880 He's encouraging him and he's honoring him. 1033 01:00:52,720 --> 01:00:55,520 And nudging him toward spiritual well-being. 1034 01:00:55,520 --> 01:00:58,320 Keep on keeping on Galatians 619. 1035 01:00:58,440 --> 01:01:00,200 Just what he tells to the church at Galatia. 1036 01:01:00,200 --> 01:01:02,880 He says let us not become weary and doing good, for at the 1037 01:01:02,880 --> 01:01:06,440 proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 1038 01:01:06,600 --> 01:01:10,480 I read this every single day. It sets on my desk. 1039 01:01:10,480 --> 01:01:15,600 Why? Just as George Whitfield said, I 1040 01:01:15,600 --> 01:01:19,040 tire in the work, never tire of the work. 1041 01:01:20,160 --> 01:01:24,720 I know that this work that I do and the pastors of this church 1042 01:01:24,720 --> 01:01:30,520 know that the work that they do, it's for something. 1043 01:01:32,000 --> 01:01:37,400 Better put, it's for someone and it does not go unnoticed. 1044 01:01:38,120 --> 01:01:42,440 And so we strive to stay well, not just physically but also 1045 01:01:42,440 --> 01:01:46,440 spiritually, so that we continue to do the good works that he has 1046 01:01:46,440 --> 01:01:50,840 prepared in advance for us to do, knowing that one day we will 1047 01:01:50,840 --> 01:01:57,600 see the fruits of our labor. What an honoring thing for Paul 1048 01:01:57,600 --> 01:02:00,640 to say to young Timothy, a young protege. 1049 01:02:00,640 --> 01:02:05,440 Keep on keeping on. It's just as those who sow in 1050 01:02:05,440 --> 01:02:07,480 unrighteousness are going to reap a harvest of 1051 01:02:07,480 --> 01:02:10,440 unrighteousness. You who sow in righteousness 1052 01:02:10,920 --> 01:02:15,160 through spiritual means, you're going to reap a harvest of 1053 01:02:15,160 --> 01:02:17,800 righteousness and your work is not going to be in vain. 1054 01:02:20,080 --> 01:02:23,480 What encouragement for this young pastor? 1055 01:02:23,480 --> 01:02:26,680 What encouragement for me, a pastor, the pastors of this 1056 01:02:26,680 --> 01:02:32,240 church, to know that there are people who honor us by caring 1057 01:02:32,240 --> 01:02:35,680 for our physical well-being and who honor us by caring for our 1058 01:02:35,680 --> 01:02:38,920 spiritual well-being. Reminding us, us not in vain, 1059 01:02:41,520 --> 01:02:45,120 must be constantly encouraging our pastors, our elders, our 1060 01:02:45,120 --> 01:02:50,360 leaders in this way to press on spiritually to continue to run 1061 01:02:50,360 --> 01:02:54,240 the race to win the prize, just as Paul says to do in 1062 01:02:54,240 --> 01:02:57,320 Philippians chapter 3 verse 14, when he says, I press on to the 1063 01:02:57,320 --> 01:03:01,240 goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in 1064 01:03:01,240 --> 01:03:06,040 Christ Jesus. May we press on as leaders. 1065 01:03:07,600 --> 01:03:14,480 May you encourage those leaders to press on and in doing so, may 1066 01:03:14,480 --> 01:03:16,800 we continue to press on together. 1067 01:03:17,440 --> 01:03:21,680 True Honor, as displayed by Paul here for his dear friend. 1068 01:03:23,800 --> 01:03:27,600 True Honor will care for and encourage other leaders in the 1069 01:03:27,600 --> 01:03:30,080 church. May we do the same. 1070 01:03:31,360 --> 01:03:34,880 So how do we wrap all this up? Well, it's real simple. 1071 01:03:36,560 --> 01:03:44,360 Church member, are you honoring your leaders as you should? 1072 01:03:45,720 --> 01:03:49,160 It's not optional. We saw earlier it's expected, 1073 01:03:49,160 --> 01:03:54,200 it's mandated by scripture. Are you doing this? 1074 01:03:56,160 --> 01:03:57,640 You must. Why? 1075 01:03:57,640 --> 01:04:01,480 Because in doing so. You will reap. 1076 01:04:01,480 --> 01:04:05,480 Spiritual benefits. If they are doing their task 1077 01:04:05,480 --> 01:04:10,800 well, keep honoring them, keep encouraging them, keep loving 1078 01:04:10,800 --> 01:04:15,040 them. Those leaders in the church, you 1079 01:04:15,040 --> 01:04:17,760 know who you are. You know the role that you have. 1080 01:04:19,520 --> 01:04:27,560 Be reminded, honors earned. It's earned and it's kept by the 1081 01:04:27,560 --> 01:04:31,320 way that you live your life, the way you conduct your ministry, 1082 01:04:32,920 --> 01:04:37,000 and the way you serve the Lord. Live honorably. 1083 01:04:37,640 --> 01:04:41,640 If you can't resign from church leadership. 1084 01:04:42,240 --> 01:04:45,280 It's that simple to the unbeliever. 1085 01:04:46,160 --> 01:04:48,560 And I know what you say, Kirk. What in the world could an 1086 01:04:48,600 --> 01:04:50,560 unbeliever get out of this message? 1087 01:04:50,840 --> 01:04:53,200 Nothing. Nothing. 1088 01:04:55,160 --> 01:04:57,800 An unbeliever is sitting in a seat or her seat right now 1089 01:04:57,800 --> 01:05:00,440 wondering why should we listen to the Gray haired? 1090 01:05:00,440 --> 01:05:03,520 Man with glasses and a green shirt standing behind a block of 1091 01:05:03,520 --> 01:05:07,360 wood. None of it makes sense to you. 1092 01:05:09,480 --> 01:05:11,800 Did you know this? There was a young man in the 1093 01:05:11,800 --> 01:05:14,200 service at 9:00. It didn't make sense to him 1094 01:05:14,240 --> 01:05:19,440 either till he surrendered his life to Jesus as Lord and Savior 1095 01:05:20,080 --> 01:05:23,360 in the earlier service. Today you said Kirk, Are you 1096 01:05:23,360 --> 01:05:25,880 kidding me? You You preached about honoring 1097 01:05:25,880 --> 01:05:31,880 pastors and someone was saved. Yes, that's exactly what I'm 1098 01:05:31,880 --> 01:05:33,360 telling you. I'm not in charge of saving 1099 01:05:33,360 --> 01:05:34,840 people. I'm in charge of proclaiming the 1100 01:05:34,840 --> 01:05:36,560 word of God as I get to it. Here it is. 1101 01:05:36,560 --> 01:05:41,360 You know what God says, keep being faithful to that which 1102 01:05:41,360 --> 01:05:43,640 I've given you to do, and I'll keep being faithful to that 1103 01:05:43,640 --> 01:05:48,400 which I am only able to do. He is the only one able to do 1104 01:05:48,400 --> 01:05:56,320 that. In just a moment, along with the 1105 01:05:56,320 --> 01:05:58,560 others who came forward for baptism, you're going to get to 1106 01:05:58,560 --> 01:06:00,960 witness that. A man who was saved just an hour 1107 01:06:00,960 --> 01:06:04,960 ago, he says, I'll get baptized in my clothes today. 1108 01:06:07,000 --> 01:06:08,760 He'd heard the gospel. He'd heard the gospel. 1109 01:06:08,760 --> 01:06:11,600 He'd heard the gospel. And then God used a message 1110 01:06:11,600 --> 01:06:16,960 about honoring your pastor to show him his need for Christ. 1111 01:06:18,720 --> 01:06:21,840 By the power of the Holy Spirit, he was regenerated a new life 1112 01:06:21,840 --> 01:06:26,040 and he now believes, Amen. Perhaps that's you. 1113 01:06:27,080 --> 01:06:29,360 Maybe you've heard the gospel over and over and over again. 1114 01:06:29,360 --> 01:06:31,360 You can't figure out why. This stuff just doesn't make 1115 01:06:31,360 --> 01:06:32,600 sense. The natural man does not 1116 01:06:32,600 --> 01:06:33,840 understand the things of the Spirit. 1117 01:06:36,560 --> 01:06:41,200 Until you get Christ right, nothing else will seem right. 1118 01:06:41,240 --> 01:06:44,680 It will make no sense to you. And my prayer for you is this, 1119 01:06:44,680 --> 01:06:48,160 that God would have mercy on your soul today, that He would, 1120 01:06:48,160 --> 01:06:51,440 just like the young man Aaron, who I am Speaking of or I spoke 1121 01:06:51,440 --> 01:06:54,760 of a moment ago, that he will open your eyes to see that you 1122 01:06:54,760 --> 01:06:57,120 are a Wretch. You were a Sinner, you were 1123 01:06:57,120 --> 01:07:00,000 alienated from a holy God because you were a transgressor 1124 01:07:00,000 --> 01:07:02,320 breaking the laws of God by your very nature. 1125 01:07:03,800 --> 01:07:08,360 And it is only in Christ and he will show you mercy and offer 1126 01:07:08,360 --> 01:07:11,760 you forgiveness, complete cleansing for all of your 1127 01:07:11,760 --> 01:07:14,760 wickedness and your impurity. Would you trust Christ today, 1128 01:07:14,760 --> 01:07:16,960 crying out to him as the only hope that you have? 1129 01:07:18,240 --> 01:07:20,320 Jesus said, come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy 1130 01:07:20,320 --> 01:07:21,880 laden, you're sick of that life of sin. 1131 01:07:21,880 --> 01:07:23,840 And the only reason you're sick of that life of sin because he's 1132 01:07:23,840 --> 01:07:28,520 going to let you know that you are come unto me, all you who 1133 01:07:28,520 --> 01:07:30,480 are weary and heavy laden. And he promises this. 1134 01:07:30,480 --> 01:07:34,880 I will give you rest while you have toiled in your sin long 1135 01:07:34,880 --> 01:07:39,600 enough. Come to Christ today and enter 1136 01:07:39,600 --> 01:07:42,480 in his rest. He will not turn you away. 1137 01:07:42,640 --> 01:07:44,280 Let's pray to God the Father in the name of Jesus. 1138 01:07:44,280 --> 01:07:47,400 We thank you for your word. We thank you that it does what 1139 01:07:47,400 --> 01:07:51,680 it does, what it alone can do through your power. 1140 01:07:53,360 --> 01:07:55,280 And I pray that you would convict the hearts of those who 1141 01:07:55,280 --> 01:07:58,000 need conviction today, that you would draw the Sinner who is in 1142 01:07:58,000 --> 01:08:00,960 need of repentance and eternal life and forgiveness in Christ. 1143 01:08:02,120 --> 01:08:04,120 God, I thank you for these who are going to publicly profess 1144 01:08:04,120 --> 01:08:05,720 Christ through baptism in just a moment. 1145 01:08:05,720 --> 01:08:09,280 We rejoice with them, and we rejoice in you for saving them. 1146 01:08:10,920 --> 01:08:12,280 Again, Lord, thank you for your word. 1147 01:08:13,640 --> 01:08:16,000 Thank you for giving me the courage and the strength to not 1148 01:08:16,000 --> 01:08:18,760 shy away from something because it's awkward and uncomfortable, 1149 01:08:19,960 --> 01:08:22,000 but to deliver it just as you have delivered it to me. 1150 01:08:23,319 --> 01:08:26,359 May you be glorified through it may accomplish your will. 1151 01:08:26,359 --> 01:08:32,279 In Jesus name we pray, Amen. You've been listen to Key Life 1152 01:08:32,279 --> 01:08:34,760 Fellowships Pulpit Ministry podcast. 1153 01:08:35,160 --> 01:08:38,319 Join us each week for more teaching from God's Word.