1 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,960 Welcome to the Liberty Baptist Sermon Archives. 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,040 The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist 3 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,040 Church in Easton, MA. You can find out more about us 4 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:17,280 or contact us at my libertybaptist.org or just look 5 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,760 us up on Facebook. And now we hope that this 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,080 message from God's Word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:28,280 All right, First Corinthians chapter #4 You know, as you read 8 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,600 the Old Testament, particularly the prophets, the minor 9 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:33,200 prophets, the minor prophets, and of course we talk about the 10 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:35,880 minor and major prophets. We're not talking about the fact 11 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:37,440 that some are more important than others. 12 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,040 You know, some are major and important and some are minor 13 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:41,480 importance. In fact, we went through a 14 00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:43,920 series in Sunday school a few years ago going through the 15 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,480 minor prophets. But really we go through this 16 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:49,440 issue and talking about major and minor prophets saying this, 17 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:52,840 that the major prophets are larger, longer books and the 18 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,600 minor prophets are shorter. But if you're reading through 19 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,960 both the major and the minor prophets, you're going to read 20 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,920 this phrase quite a bit. And that phrase is that thus 21 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,400 sayeth the Lord. Thus sayeth the Lord. 22 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,080 Now, why is that important? Well, because you know that when 23 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:12,040 the prophet is speaking, he's not speaking in and of his own 24 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:15,520 self, that when the prophet is speaking, he's not saying what 25 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:17,640 he wants to say. AJ, can you put that down 26 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:19,120 please? Can you put on the floor, 27 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:20,960 please? All right. 28 00:01:20,960 --> 00:01:21,960 Thank you very much. All right. 29 00:01:21,960 --> 00:01:23,840 Should I bring it up with me? This would be kind of cool to 30 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,080 have. This is why we have AI tracking 31 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:27,280 on the. Yeah, that's all right. 32 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:29,000 So should I put that up here tonight? 33 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:30,880 Right there. All right. 34 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:32,680 I've never really, you know, preached before the. 35 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:34,720 Let's see. Yeah, that's not. 36 00:01:35,320 --> 00:01:37,200 I don't know if that'll improve the preaching or not, all things 37 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:39,120 considered, but let's just leave this right over here. 38 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,000 And you guys, both of you stay put right there. 39 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:42,240 OK. Very good. 40 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,280 So thus saith the Lord. Hey, the whole point of it is 41 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,320 this. They're the Lord's words and 42 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:50,600 they didn't have the Bible in the way that we do today. 66 43 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:53,640 books inspired by the Lord all together in our hands. 44 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:56,480 And we know by the way, this is thus say at the Lord, we don't 45 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,720 have to have questions or wonder if what we have here is the 46 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,480 perfect and inspired and eternal word of God. 47 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,440 It is from cover to go. But in the Old Testament you 48 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:07,400 heard this a lot thus say at the Lord. 49 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:10,440 But there's another phrase that was also a lot like thus say at 50 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,760 the Lord that maybe we don't talk about as much, but it's 51 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,120 also very real. And that's this, the burden of 52 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,000 the Lord, the burden of the Lord. 53 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,800 Isaiah is the one who employs it the most. 54 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:27,040 He'll say the burden of Babylon, the burden of Moab, the burden 55 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:29,600 of Damascus, and on and on it goes. 56 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,520 Why would he say that at the start of his messages? 57 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:36,160 Well, he would say it because it talked about the seriousness of 58 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:38,480 the message that was about to be delivered. 59 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,160 Listen, this wasn't a message that was to tickle the ears. 60 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:45,160 This wasn't a message that was just a man speaking because he 61 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,320 just wanted to speak and he wanted people to hear him. 62 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:51,160 No, no, there was a heavy burden that was laid upon these people 63 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,760 and Isaiah wasn't the only one to employ it. 64 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:55,720 There would have been others as well. 65 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,800 In fact, 7 different prophets use this phrase all the way to 66 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,680 Malachi chapter one verse one, the burden of the word of the 67 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:07,800 Lord to Israel by Malachi and the burden can be looked at two 68 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,840 different ways. One, the person who had received 69 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,000 it, the burden was upon them. But also, I think it's very 70 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,440 clear just looking at Scripture and understanding the office of 71 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,680 prophet would be this. The burden was heavy on the 72 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:22,000 prophet as well as on the people receiving it. 73 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:25,360 Meaning this, that the prophet wasn't just speaking it lightly. 74 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,800 The prophet wasn't just saying it because again, he had 75 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,800 something that he wanted people to hear because he wanted to be 76 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,400 heard. No, no, he knew the seriousness 77 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,040 of the gravity of that which he was to do. 78 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,520 And because of that, it was called a burden. 79 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,600 Now, no doubt the people in Corinth looking at the New 80 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,880 Testament now thinking that are probably thinking that Paul's 81 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,240 words to them have been very weighty and very burdensome. 82 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:53,000 They, they might even be getting tired of what Paul is saying to 83 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,000 them and how Paul keeps having to put them in check. 84 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,640 And again, we're only in the first few chapters of this book, 85 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,520 let alone all that we're going to see in the 16 chapters of 86 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:03,560 First Corinthians. They might be getting a little 87 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:05,360 bit tired. They might even be thinking that 88 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:07,800 a burden has been laid upon them by Paul. 89 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,720 But I would suggest to you tonight that it wasn't just the 90 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:14,680 burden that was laid upon Paul, but it was, or rather laid upon 91 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,720 the people, but it was also that there was a great burden laid 92 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:22,000 upon Paul as well. Paul cared for these people. 93 00:04:22,280 --> 00:04:24,880 Thank you, Justin. Paul cared for these people. 94 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:30,240 Paul loved these people. Paul ached and hurt for these 95 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:34,200 people because as he's preaching the word of God, he's not just 96 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,600 speaking about this like it's some nine to five job. 97 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:40,720 He's not just clocking in and clocking out. 98 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:44,560 You know, he cares in the very depths of his soul for the 99 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,000 people of Corinth. You might even argue that he 100 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,400 cares more for the people of Corinth than the people of 101 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,200 Corinth care for themselves. And his burden for them was 102 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:56,520 great and it was real. The title of my message tonight 103 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:00,920 is a different one and it's this, it's the ministry is not a 104 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:05,000 career. The ministry is not a career. 105 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,720 You say, what do you mean that when it comes to, let's just say 106 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,000 being a pastor this evening, then it's not necessarily just a 107 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,960 nine to five job. There's just not a time that you 108 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,520 clock in and clock out. And this is the way it is in 109 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:22,480 many ways. It is a 24/7 position that there 110 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:26,040 are times that there are things that need to happen that go 111 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:30,160 beyond the scope of just what we would say our normal office 112 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:32,360 hours. And by the way, that's OK. 113 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,000 There was a few years ago that someone was in the hospital 114 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,280 here. I won't say who she is because 115 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:40,160 she's not here tonight, but she was in the hospital. 116 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,720 And I found out the very next day and I called her and I said, 117 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:45,880 you know, I wanted to come see you in the hospital. 118 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:47,480 Why didn't you tell me you're in the hospital? 119 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:49,720 She will past her. It was your day off. 120 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:54,040 And I said her name rhymes with Larsha. 121 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,840 I said, whoops, that slipped out. 122 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:03,320 But I said, I said, listen, don't ever do that again. 123 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:05,240 Now, I hope you don't have to go to the hospital again. 124 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,600 But if you do, don't worry about if I have a day off or anything 125 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,720 like that because the ministry is more than office hours. 126 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:14,120 The ministry is more than a career. 127 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,200 It's about people and it's about situations. 128 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,400 Wouldn't it be nice if all of life situations happen between 129 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:22,960 9:00 and 5:00? But typically they don't. 130 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,200 It's the ER visit in the middle of the night. 131 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:27,480 Why could it happen at 3:00 in the afternoon? 132 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:31,400 Why does it happen to happen? And 3:00 in the morning, why 133 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,920 does it seem like everything comes crashing down in the home 134 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:39,760 right before you're wanting to go to bed and you just want to 135 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:43,960 go to sleep and just something happens and something said or 136 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,720 something transpires and all of a sudden everything spirals out 137 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:48,920 of control? Well, tonight we're going to see 138 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,320 that Paul doesn't just clock in and clock out for the people. 139 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:54,400 Corinth has a great burden for them. 140 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,240 And I wanted to see what that burden looks for looks like here 141 00:06:58,240 --> 00:06:59,720 tonight. So let's go ahead and read. 142 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,320 You're already there. First Corinthians chapter #4 and 143 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:07,160 we're going to begin in verse #15 For though you have 10,000 144 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:10,080 instructors in Christ, you have not many fathers. 145 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:12,720 For in Christ Jesus I've begotten you through the gospel. 146 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:15,280 Wherefore I beseech you, be followers of me. 147 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:19,680 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my son, my 148 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,000 beloved son, rather and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you 149 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,400 into remembrance of my ways, which be in Christ, as I teach 150 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:29,960 everywhere in every church. Now some are puffed up as though 151 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:33,160 I would not come to you, but I will come to you shortly, if the 152 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:37,280 Lord will and will know not the speech of them which are puffed 153 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,480 up, but the power. For the Kingdom of God is not in 154 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,240 Word, but in power. What we, what will ye? 155 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:48,640 Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the 156 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:52,160 spirit of meekness? So Paul has some tough words for 157 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,120 the people of Corinth here in these words. 158 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,240 And of course, he has spoken to them very plainly and directly 159 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:00,520 all the way through this book. And certainly it's no different 160 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:04,440 here in chapter #4 But in these verses, Paul talks about how he 161 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:08,560 interacted with the people of Corinth as a minister of the 162 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:10,760 gospel. And really, as he does so, he 163 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:14,920 gives 3 of the differences between a ministry and a career. 164 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,080 Three of the differences between a ministry and a career. 165 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,800 And the first is this. We see Paul felt responsibility. 166 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:24,520 What's the first difference between a ministry and a career? 167 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:29,040 The 1st is responsibility. Listen, let's be honest, I know 168 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:32,240 when I worked, let's say my very first job at McDonald's and I 169 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:35,760 worked there from 5:00 to 9:00. I will tell you this, when I 170 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,640 left at 9:00, I didn't feel a lot of responsibility. 171 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,280 When I left, I wasn't going to bed at 11:00 at night and 172 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,600 saying, oh, I sure do hope that they're not overwhelmed in the 173 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:48,080 drive through. Well, I sure do hope they reach 174 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,840 their sales goal this evening. You know what I was doing? 175 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,360 I was trying to do the homework that I hadn't done earlier in 176 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,200 the day so I didn't get in trouble when I went to school 177 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:57,000 the next day because I was 15 years old. 178 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,840 I felt no responsibility. And a lot of us have had jobs 179 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,720 like that, haven't we were Listen, when you close the door 180 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,840 at the office, you didn't think about it again until you open 181 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:07,920 that door again. And by the way, there's nothing 182 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:11,280 necessarily wrong with that. Maybe you own your own business 183 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,080 or you have owned your own your business in the past. 184 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:14,560 It's a little bit different, isn't it? 185 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:16,440 But a little bit different. Why? 186 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:20,280 Because you are the business and everybody wants to call you 187 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:22,960 early, and everybody wants to call you late, and everybody 188 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:26,960 wants to pay you late, and everybody wants to get all of 189 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,120 these different things. And you wish that you could 190 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:32,560 pillow your head and just forget about it like you did back at 191 00:09:32,560 --> 00:09:34,040 McDonald's. But all of a sudden you're 192 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,560 thinking about the invoices you're supposed to be processing 193 00:09:36,680 --> 00:09:38,720 and when you're supposed to be sleeping at 2:00 in the morning, 194 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:41,600 you feel a little bit more responsibility, don't you? 195 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,080 So there's kind of levels. But Paul says he feels an even 196 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,120 greater responsibility because we're not talking about the 197 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:50,240 things of this world. We're not talking about the 198 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:52,080 things of this world that come and go. 199 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:54,280 And I'm not saying that a business isn't important. 200 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:57,520 Certainly it is in so many ways. But we're talking about things 201 00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:59,240 that are weighty and we're talking about things that are 202 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:01,400 eternal. And Paul felt a great 203 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:05,360 responsibility to them, far more than even a corporate job or 204 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:10,320 being in AAC level executive, that he felt this higher calling 205 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,440 and responsibility for these people. 206 00:10:12,560 --> 00:10:14,840 What does he say in verse #15 about it? 207 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,320 He says, for though you have 10,000 instructors in Christ, 208 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:23,400 yet have ye not many fathers. He says this I acknowledge, Paul 209 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,440 says I acknowledge a lot of people helped you in your 210 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:27,720 Christian growth. I acknowledge a lot of people 211 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:31,040 helped you along the way. You know, I'm 42 years old now. 212 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:34,920 I'll be 43 here next month. And I will say this, I had a lot 213 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:37,200 of people who've taught me a lot of things along the way. 214 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:41,560 I am not a self-made man. I'm just a conglomeration, if 215 00:10:41,560 --> 00:10:45,080 you will, of maybe dozens, if not hundreds of people who've 216 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:47,760 taught me a little bit here and a little bit there along the 217 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:48,880 way. Whether they were school 218 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,440 teachers or whether they were church people or whether they 219 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,520 were people in a business setting or just in life in 220 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:57,200 general. There've been so many people. 221 00:10:57,200 --> 00:10:59,600 I've had all of these instructors, but I will say 222 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,440 this, I have only one Victor Rivero in my life. 223 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:05,960 What do you mean? Victor Rivero is my father, in 224 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:08,680 case you don't know. And I might have a lot of 225 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:14,200 instructors, but I've only got 1 dad, the one who helped bring me 226 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:17,240 into this world. He was part of that process of 227 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:20,560 me being here today. And Paul is saying this. 228 00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:23,120 Listen, I know you've had a lot of people who've helped you 229 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:25,320 along the way. I'm not so puffed up that I 230 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:26,840 think I'm the only one that's helped you. 231 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,280 But he, but he says this. I have been a spiritual father 232 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:33,120 to you. I was there on the ground floor. 233 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:37,000 I was there to help you at the times that you need it the most. 234 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:40,680 And sure, he had an Apostolic responsibility, if you will. 235 00:11:40,680 --> 00:11:43,080 And it talks about, we mentioned this before in First Corinthians 236 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:47,240 chapter 12 and Ephesians chapter 4, that those are real offices 237 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:50,560 that are not active today, the office of an apostle. 238 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:54,120 But he didn't feel like a father to them in belief just because 239 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:57,240 he was an apostle. He felt like that because he was 240 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:00,480 there at the very beginning as the church was established. 241 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:02,640 And what did he do? It says it right there in verse 242 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,160 15. He were, he begot them in the 243 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,040 gospel. He was there for their spiritual 244 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:10,680 birth. He was there leading them to 245 00:12:10,680 --> 00:12:13,520 Christ. And so because of that, he felt 246 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:15,520 a responsibility. Paul put it this way. 247 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:17,640 There shouldn't be any spiritual orphans. 248 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:20,760 There should not be any spiritual orphans. 249 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:22,480 What does that mean? A lot of times, even if 250 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:25,440 especially independent Baptist churches, we put so much 251 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,840 emphasis on seeing people saved. And by the way, we should. 252 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,640 In fact, I get nervous about churches that don't put an 253 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:34,440 emphasis on people getting saved. 254 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:37,040 Amen. We want to be reminded all the 255 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:38,920 time that people need to be saved. 256 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:40,360 We need to hear the prayer request. 257 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:43,040 We need to have the big days. We need to have the tracks. 258 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:45,160 We need to have the outreach. We need to have all of it. 259 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,960 But listen, it doesn't end with those things. 260 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:50,160 It's just the beginning. Why? 261 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,720 Because if someone's saved, then we just drop them off and leave 262 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:53,960 them alone. What do they become? 263 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:57,960 Spiritual orphans. There's no one there to help him 264 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:01,680 that there's no spiritual father, if you will, to be 265 00:13:01,680 --> 00:13:03,480 there. Paul wanted to see people saved. 266 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:05,800 He wanted to see them grow. He wanted to see them in 267 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,720 spiritual maturity and he wanted to see them in good health. 268 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:11,320 No, the Paul, it wasn't. They're saved. 269 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:12,760 At least I'll see them in heaven. 270 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:15,400 He says. No, there's so much more for 271 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:17,880 you. There's so much more that I want 272 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:20,320 for you than just punching your ticket to heaven. 273 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,960 He says, you need to understand what this is about. 274 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,560 And it burdens me. And I have a responsibility to 275 00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:28,680 be able to help you with these things. 276 00:13:28,680 --> 00:13:33,000 And that's why he says in verse #16 wherefore I beseech you, be 277 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:34,800 followers of me. Now, I don't want to dwell too 278 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:37,080 long on this because we've already talked about this a 279 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,840 little bit before in some previous messages, but it's not 280 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:42,560 Paul and his arrogance saying follow me. 281 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:46,360 The Holy Spirit is not inspiring an arrogant statement by the 282 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:48,560 apostle Paul. So we look at this and we say, 283 00:13:48,560 --> 00:13:50,880 well, why would he say follow me? 284 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:53,840 We understand that what he's saying has to be true. 285 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,960 So how do we adjust our thinking to make sure we're thinking the 286 00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:58,920 way the Bible is telling us to think? 287 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:00,640 Because I don't know about you, but I would be very 288 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:03,400 uncomfortable by telling people, hey, you want to learn what it 289 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:04,840 is to be a Christian? Just follow me. 290 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:08,240 You know why? Because I know me and some of 291 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:10,640 you know me, and you might think that that would be a little 292 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:14,760 arrogant for me to say, but what Paul is saying here is so much 293 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:16,920 more than that. Now listen, who? 294 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:20,480 Who is our example, our true example? 295 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:22,840 Our only example is Jesus Christ. 296 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:26,800 Jesus Christ lived this life here on this earth. 297 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:33,760 He lived for 33 years and sinned never once He showed us the way 298 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:37,360 to live. But God also in his benevolence 299 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,920 and grace has given us other people as well to help us along 300 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:46,520 the way to show us how to live like Christ here and now where 301 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,960 we live. Imagine hiking up a mountain and 302 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:52,240 we could say that we're at the base of this mountain. 303 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:56,440 And imagine going up to the top of the mountain and you have an 304 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,800 experienced climber who goes all the way to the top. 305 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:03,480 First we watch him as best as we can from the base, get to the 306 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,400 top, and then he calls us and he says, I'm at the top. 307 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:08,640 I made it. It can be done. 308 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:12,600 That's encouraging. But now imagine you had someone 309 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:14,600 else who is also an experienced climber who says, all right, 310 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,520 it's our turn, let's go. We're going to go a few steps in 311 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:19,680 front of you. When you go, I'm going to tell 312 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:21,840 you, hey, step here. There's a good place to get a 313 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,200 foothold. Hey, over here, there's a good 314 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,120 place to rest for a few minutes because it's going to get to a 315 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:30,320 really high elevation here or we're going to go into a really 316 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:32,680 steep incline. We better get some rest for a 317 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:34,800 few minutes. These just a few steps ahead of 318 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,440 you showing you the way. Sure, there's already somewhere 319 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:42,160 at the top saying it can be done, it's done, but someone 320 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:44,880 else can say, but let me show you every step of the way as 321 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:47,480 well. You realize Jesus Christ showed 322 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:49,760 us the way. He's at the top saying this, if 323 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:54,640 you will, it can be done. Read the word, see what the life 324 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:57,600 of someone who has lived perfectly is. 325 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:02,960 But God in his grace and his benevolence has also given us 326 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:06,080 other believers who listen, are a few steps in front of us. 327 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:09,880 I'm thankful for some older believers who've said especially 328 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,840 like in ministry, who've said, you know, when you get to this 329 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,080 place in ministry, here's something you want to watch out 330 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:19,280 for because it caught me by surprise and I wasn't ready. 331 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,120 Wouldn't it be good in your Christian life to be able to 332 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:25,000 look up to another believer and realize they were just a few 333 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,120 steps ahead of you, not thinking they're perfect. 334 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,800 But listen, what's the point that we're all still following 335 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:33,600 the one who already made it, which is Christ. 336 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,480 Like the guy in front of you says, hey, I got a better way. 337 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:38,360 Let me just let me get out my machete. 338 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:40,640 Let's just start bushwhacking this thing, you know, and start 339 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:42,160 going through. Listen, you want to follow 340 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,560 somebody like that, and there's plenty of people spiritually who 341 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,760 live and act that way, but God has given us others. 342 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:51,200 That's what Paul is saying here. He said, listen, if I take a 343 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,560 step, you take a step this way. If I take a step this way, you 344 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:56,560 take a step this way. But I will tell you this, I'm 345 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:59,800 only going to take the steps this way and that way, the way 346 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:01,440 that Christ has told me to take them. 347 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,599 Follow me. Remember, as I follow Christ, 348 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:07,240 let me ask you, are you the kind of believer that someone could 349 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:09,800 follow you a few steps behind and get to the right 350 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:12,720 destination? It's a tough question, isn't it? 351 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:15,359 It's it's tough to think because a lot of times we're thinking, 352 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:18,160 man, I'm having trouble myself. And so I kind of think of us 353 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:21,599 maybe as a chain, you know, a kind of a group of us all going 354 00:17:21,599 --> 00:17:24,800 down the same path, one ahead and then another behind and 355 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:26,599 another behind, and we're all just doing our best. 356 00:17:26,839 --> 00:17:28,800 But there's Jesus Christ, who's at the top. 357 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:30,920 He says it can be done. How? 358 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:34,920 In our flesh? No, but with his Spirit, his 359 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,200 Holy Spirit who always guides us in the things that are right. 360 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:41,000 Paul had a responsibility. He, he, he said, listen, you 361 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:42,600 follow me. We don't live. 362 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:46,640 Do as I say and not as I do. It's not the preacher saying, 363 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:49,000 well, I'm going to tell you what you ought to do, but I'm going 364 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,640 to go home and I'm going to live whatever way I want to live. 365 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:58,120 It's about this. Who we are is who we are not 366 00:17:58,120 --> 00:18:01,720 just on the outside, but who we are on the inside as well. 367 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,120 Once said discipling is more than teaching right principles, 368 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:08,920 it is also living those principles before the ones who 369 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,440 are being discipled. What is discipleship? 370 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:13,760 Is it sitting with somebody and reading a book with them for a 371 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,920 few weeks? That could be part of it, but 372 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:21,000 it's also sitting with somebody and saying this is some things 373 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,760 I've done in my Christian life I wish I hadn't done. 374 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:27,560 I'd like you to avoid them. Or saying these are some things 375 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:30,880 that someone taught me that have been a help to me and I want to 376 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,840 teach them to you. That's what true discipleship is 377 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:36,160 like. And this is what Paul is saying 378 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,840 here. Christ shows us the model and he 379 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:43,680 uses other mature yet imperfect Christians to show us the way. 380 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:48,440 So first of all, Paul looking at ministry as not being a career, 381 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:51,320 said that he felt responsibility for these people. 382 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:54,720 But secondly, we also see this, that Timothy brought 383 00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:55,880 remembrance. Did you see? 384 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:57,880 We read just a few moments about Timotheus. 385 00:18:58,120 --> 00:19:00,880 Timotheus would be Timothy. When you think of first Timothy 386 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:03,680 and Second Timothy, these are letters that Paul wrote to 387 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:07,320 Timothy about what it was like to be a pastor, what was like to 388 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,120 be a minister. Now you may not realize or 389 00:19:10,120 --> 00:19:12,800 recognize where Timothy came from, but if you were to turn 390 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:16,400 and don't do this now to Acts chapter 16, we're introduced to 391 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:19,920 Timothy for the first time. It says then came he to Derby 392 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,800 and Lystra being Paul. And behold a certain disciple 393 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:26,000 was there named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman which was 394 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,680 a Jewess and believed, but his father was a Greek, which was 395 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,880 well reported of them by the brethren which were at Lystra 396 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,400 and Iconium. So as Paul is on his second 397 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,320 missionary journey, he comes in contact with young Timotheus, 398 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:41,600 young Timothy. Now, Timothy came from a home 399 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,840 situation that was not ideal. His mother was was a Jew and 400 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:48,120 believed in Jesus Christ, but yet his father was a Greek. 401 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,840 His father was a Gentile and it seems clear that he was not a 402 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:53,600 believer. In fact, you can go to second 403 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,560 Timothy, you find that it's mentioned about the faith of his 404 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,040 mother Lois and his grandmother Eunice. 405 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:03,040 His father's never mentioned, but Timothy was a believer and 406 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:05,200 he grew and he did that, which was right. 407 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:08,120 By the way. You don't have to have a perfect 408 00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:10,600 home life growing up to be able to serve God when you're an 409 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:13,240 adult. Let me just run that by you one 410 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:15,520 more time. You don't have to have a perfect 411 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:19,040 home life growing up to be able to serve God as an adult. 412 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:21,680 You don't have to be shackled by your past. 413 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:25,760 You don't have to hold the anchor of your past for the rest 414 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:28,800 of your life and say, well, I know I could have been a real 415 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:32,320 servant of God if I had just had a home life that was stable, if 416 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:35,560 I had just been saved, you know, when I was at a young age. 417 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:38,120 Well, well, well, sure, there are things that maybe we all 418 00:20:38,120 --> 00:20:41,040 look at our lives and wish were a little bit different or maybe 419 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:42,960 a lot different. But we do know this. 420 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:46,840 You can still serve God. Now where you're at that there's 421 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:49,920 nothing holding you back if you know Jesus Christ your Savior. 422 00:20:50,120 --> 00:20:54,120 And so Paul, it mentions that he's going to use Timothy for 423 00:20:54,120 --> 00:20:57,520 his purposes to be able to bring some things in remembrance. 424 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:00,400 You see, Timothy could do something that Paul couldn't. 425 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,200 Look at. Verse #17 for this cause have I 426 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,960 sent unto Timotheus, who is my beloved son and faithful in the 427 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:08,480 Lord. Now why was he a beloved son? 428 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:10,680 Well, we know that it's not because he was his actual 429 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:12,520 father. Again, he was a father in the 430 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,120 faith. He was faithful in the Lord who 431 00:21:15,120 --> 00:21:17,520 shall bring you into remembrance, remembrance of my 432 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:18,920 ways. You know, if they didn't 433 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:22,320 remember what Paul's ways were, if they didn't remember what 434 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:26,080 Paul's manner was, Timothy said this, Paul said this. 435 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,400 Timothy will remind you who I am. 436 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,240 Timothy will remind you what I've done. 437 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,080 It's amazing to me how much we need to be reminded. 438 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:35,520 Do you ever just get sick of yourself? 439 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:38,440 How much you need to be reminded about the basics of the 440 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,160 Christian life? I mean, how many times we have 441 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,000 to get cut off in traffic to get to the place where we're not 442 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:46,960 angry about it? When you figure that out, let me 443 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:48,280 know because I haven't figured it out yet. 444 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:50,800 Obey that. That's where we got everyone 445 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:52,160 together. Let's just have the invitation 446 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:52,720 right now. All right? 447 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:56,080 How about that? But listen, we know, but we need 448 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:58,560 to be reminded, don't we? It's almost constant. 449 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:01,320 Paul had been with them for 18 months. 450 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:05,040 Then he wrote them a letter inspired by the Holy Spirit. 451 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:08,640 Almost 10,000 words. This book is, is equivalent to 452 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:11,920 about a, a, a front section of a newspaper. 453 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:14,520 Anybody remember those? The front section of a newspaper 454 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,000 on a Sunday. He's given them a lot of 455 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,200 information and he still says this. 456 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:21,640 But you're going to need Timothy to come see you because I can't 457 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:23,880 be there right now. And he's going to need to remind 458 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,600 you of some things too. So I guess I say that to say 459 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:29,000 this tonight. If you get a little bit 460 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,760 discouraged about needing to be reminded, don't get discouraged. 461 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:34,480 And it's part of the human condition. 462 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,080 I know we looked at it a lot in Second Timothy because Paul, or 463 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:39,000 rather Peter talked a lot about bringing things into 464 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:40,960 remembrance, bringing things into remembrance. 465 00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:43,920 We need to be reminded, but it's why we need to be in the Word 466 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,520 every day. It's why we need to be at church 467 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:49,280 every time the doors are open. You say, well, I've been saved 468 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,200 for 30 years, 40 years, 50 years. 469 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,400 You need to be reminded until you meet Jesus in glory. 470 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,120 And I'm not saying it's you because it's you, because it's 471 00:22:58,120 --> 00:23:02,040 me, because of me and my flesh as much as it's you and your 472 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,680 flesh. He says, Timothy, listen, the 473 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,720 ministry is about reminding. Listen, in a workplace 474 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:10,360 situation, if somebody needs to keep getting reminded about 475 00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:13,000 something over and over and over again, you know what you do 476 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:14,920 eventually, maybe you're the boss, you're the manager. 477 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:17,440 You say something like this. I don't think this is working 478 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:19,880 out. You know, I think you're great. 479 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:21,440 You know, you got a great personality. 480 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,040 But this isn't really working out for either of us. 481 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:27,000 I hope you, you know, where can I forward that last check to? 482 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:32,080 But Paul didn't feel that way. What did he say? 483 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:34,600 Say. Listen, as long as you're in the 484 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,360 Church of Corinth, here's what you need to know. 485 00:23:36,360 --> 00:23:38,600 I'm going to keep bringing these things to your remembrance. 486 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,560 As long as you're part of the body, I'm going to keep 487 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:44,800 reminding you, whether it's me in person, whether it's me in 488 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:48,520 letter, or whether it's sending someone else to come and tell 489 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:52,680 you, I'm going to remind you. And I'm going to teach you in 490 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,960 Christ as I teach everywhere in every church. 491 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:57,720 And what I love about Paul was this. 492 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:01,080 Who he was in Corinth was who he was in the churches of Galatia, 493 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,480 which who he was in the Church of Antioch, which who he was 494 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:06,880 when he was ministering to the Church of Jerusalem, where they 495 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:09,640 had some differences and had some doctrinal problems that 496 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:12,760 they had to hash out. Paul was always the same 497 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,240 wherever he went. And so it was really easy for 498 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:17,720 Timothy to be able to explain how Paul lived for Christ 499 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:21,080 because Paul seen that he, or Timothy rather, had seen that 500 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:23,000 Paul was the same wherever he went. 501 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:28,800 He says, I want you to bring these things in remembrance, but 502 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:33,320 Paul not only brought the responsibility or felt 503 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:36,520 responsibility, and then he not only had the remembrance of 504 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:40,280 Timothy, we also see that Paul promised rebuke. 505 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:43,200 Paul promised rebuke. And this is a part of ministry 506 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,320 that I think maybe is not necessarily the most exciting 507 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:48,400 part of ministry, but it is part of ministry. 508 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:51,600 The ministry sometimes necessitates rebuke. 509 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:55,160 If rebuke is not offered when something is going wrong, then 510 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:57,840 we have not done our jobs as ministers. 511 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:00,880 In fact, it's interesting, one of the very last verses that 512 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:04,120 Paul writes by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost to Timothy, 513 00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:09,120 Second Timothy 4/2 Preach the word, be instant in season, out 514 00:25:09,120 --> 00:25:14,560 of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all lung suffering 515 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:17,800 and doctrine. Now, is rebuke pleasant? 516 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:20,480 It is not. And I wouldn't give you a plug 517 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:24,200 nickel for a pastor who enjoys rebuking other people. 518 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,320 No, I'm serious. I've met those before in 519 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:34,360 leadership that seem to get this sick, sadistic joy, kind of just 520 00:25:34,360 --> 00:25:38,120 ripping people's faces off. But this is not what we find 521 00:25:38,120 --> 00:25:42,400 here in the Word of God at all. But although it is it rebuke is 522 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:47,640 real and it is serious and it is severe, but yet I don't believe 523 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:49,920 Paul got joy out of it. I believe from what we see 524 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:51,720 already, it broke his heart to have to do it. 525 00:25:52,360 --> 00:25:54,440 Why? Because he knew they could be so 526 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:58,200 much more in the Lord. Well, what was going on here? 527 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:00,840 Paul promised rebuke, first of all, because of the puffed up 528 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:04,240 words of the Corinthians. And when we talked about them 529 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,840 being like the balloon that needed to be popped, well, look 530 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:10,000 at what it says in verse 18. Now some are puffed up as though 531 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,440 I would not come to you. This kind of reminds me of the 532 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,480 teenager who has the big party at his house because his parents 533 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:19,560 are out of town for the weekend. And all of a sudden, you know, 534 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:21,400 the parents come around the corner and they say, what's that 535 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:22,560 sound? You know, where's that coming 536 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:23,560 from? And they realize that their 537 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:27,040 house and they walk in and about 100 teenagers all scatter all at 538 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:28,280 the same time. I'm not saying they have 539 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:29,560 anything. They don't know anything about 540 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:33,080 this, but I'm just saying this could be something that is is a 541 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:35,480 very real thing. And they are becoming puffed up 542 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:37,840 because it said this. What's Paul going to do to us? 543 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:41,200 He's not around here. Hey, what's Paul going to do? 544 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:45,320 Hey, he's not like brother Garcia and can't just swipe in, 545 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:49,920 swoop in rather through FaceTime and preach. 546 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:52,520 Paul is gone. He was nowhere to be head. 547 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:54,440 And it was almost like, you know, that Paul, man, he's 548 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:56,240 pretty tough. Yeah, boy, he sure is tough. 549 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:58,880 And Paul, when he comes, if something's not right, he'll 550 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:00,840 rebuke us. Boy, he said that right. 551 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:03,080 He don't let anything slide. Well, you know what? 552 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:06,760 Here's some good news. Paul's not around, and they're 553 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:09,680 getting a little puffed up, almost like, well, Paul doesn't 554 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:11,160 know. Now, here's the folly of all 555 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:13,440 that. Let's say Paul never knew. 556 00:27:14,360 --> 00:27:16,960 Let's say Paul died not long after he left Corinth. 557 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:20,200 For the 18 months he was there, all never knew. 558 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:23,360 Let's just say for the sake of argument, who does know? 559 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:27,240 God knows. This shows you how warped their 560 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,280 perspective was. Listen, if you're afraid of me 561 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:32,880 finding out your sin, but you're not afraid of God finding out 562 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:35,040 your sin, your perspective is warped. 563 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:38,840 If you say, boy, I wouldn't want my pastor to know what's going 564 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:41,760 on, but the Heavenly Father knows exactly what's going. 565 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:45,120 It's not that he will find out. He knows what you thought about 566 00:27:45,120 --> 00:27:46,600 it. He knows when you'll mold it 567 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:49,200 over in your mind. He knows when it's conceived. 568 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:51,800 He knows when it's done. He knows the effects. 569 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:54,520 And he doesn't need you to inform him, and he doesn't need 570 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:57,480 you to pray to be able to tell him so that he finds out. 571 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:02,760 He needs you and desires you to pray to him, to confess it and 572 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:04,960 to get it right. But they're so puffed up and 573 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:07,240 they're so arrogant. They're like, man, what Paul 574 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:11,120 going to do about it? What's God going to do about it? 575 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:15,320 It's not even on their radar. But he says this, I'll come to 576 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:18,520 you shortly. And if the Lord will and we'll 577 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:22,280 know not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the 578 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:25,720 power. Now what it's saying here is 579 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,560 this like 1 commentator, put it this way, I like this. 580 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:31,240 This is a central principle of great importance. 581 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:34,800 Faith that does not result in right living may have many words 582 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:37,320 to support it, but it will have no power. 583 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:40,160 A person's true spiritual character is not determined by 584 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:43,800 the impressiveness of his words, but by the power of his life. 585 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:48,480 Oh, Corinth had a lot to say, but when you got down to it, 586 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:51,120 just like that balloon that popped, there wasn't anything 587 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:52,960 there. There was no power. 588 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:56,520 There was no power there. There was nothing there. 589 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:00,440 And he says, For the Kingdom of God is not in Word, but is in 590 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:02,360 power. It reminds me of Matthew 7 591 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:05,520 verses 21 through 23. Not everyone that saith unto me, 592 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:08,880 Lord, Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he that 593 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:10,960 doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. 594 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:14,440 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not 595 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:16,840 prophesied in thy name? In thy name have cast out 596 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,400 devils, and thy name have done many marvelous works. 597 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:23,000 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you depart 598 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:27,400 from me, ye that work iniquity. They talk the talk, but there 599 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:29,000 was no spiritual life within them. 600 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:31,120 There was no power. Why? 601 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:34,760 Because they were not believers. Now, I'm not saying that 602 00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:36,920 everyone here was an unbeliever. We do know this. 603 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:38,920 There'll be wheat and tares in the church. 604 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:41,520 We do know this. There'll be wolves in sheep's 605 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:44,240 clothing in the church. Now, I don't go around trying to 606 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:47,200 look for the for the wolves. I don't go around suspicious of 607 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:48,680 them. But I will tell you this, 608 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:51,240 they've come and gone over the years here and there. 609 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:52,840 Why? Because we're special? 610 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:54,560 No, because we're just like every other church. 611 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:56,440 And God told us this is the way we'll be. 612 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:00,360 But he says this. Listen, it's not about the 613 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:03,840 words. Anybody can say words, but it's 614 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:06,920 about power. It's about power. 615 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:09,520 And these people, they didn't have it. 616 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,200 Paul says this, I'm going to come and I'm going to expose the 617 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:18,880 spiritual frauds that you are. That's really what he's saying 618 00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:22,040 here. I'm going to expose you for who 619 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:25,240 you are. They look close, but they're not 620 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:27,280 right. You ever watch one of those 621 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:30,000 videos online, especially recently, you watch a video 622 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:31,560 online and you're watching it for a couple minutes. 623 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:34,160 Something about this isn't right, but you just keep 624 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:36,040 watching it for a minute and then it kind of kind of draws 625 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:37,840 you in. And then you start to realize 626 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:39,880 somewhere near the end, or maybe it's in the comments or 627 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:44,160 something like that, you realize it's AI generated, you know, and 628 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:46,280 that's why that guy had six fingers on his hand, you know, 629 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:49,320 while he was talking. Or that's why, you know, the the 630 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:51,400 words on the on the board weren't spelled right or 631 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:53,200 whatever it was. It's because it wasn't even 632 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:58,080 real. It looked so close, but then you 633 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:01,400 come down to it, you realize, no, it's nothing there. 634 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:05,360 Well, what do we see here? There's going to be some 635 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:11,200 believers that look awful close to what God wants and God 636 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,080 desires, but he says this, there's no power there. 637 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:17,000 There's nothing there. And just like those videos 638 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:20,400 wouldn't hold up in court, just like those videos don't hold up 639 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:22,440 and even the court of public opinion because they're not 640 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:24,680 real. What do we find? 641 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:29,680 Well, that believer that has the talk but doesn't listen, they 642 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:31,960 need to be exposed for their own sake. 643 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:34,840 They don't mean parading them in front of the church and trying 644 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:38,840 to make them look the fool. No, through the Word of God. 645 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:42,320 They need to be rebuked and to be told why so they can get 646 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:43,640 right. That's going to become very 647 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:46,800 important in chapter #5 that's going to become so vitally 648 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:50,720 important in chapter 5. And contrast that because you 649 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:53,960 have Paul's promised rebuke, the puffed up words of the 650 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:57,560 Corinthians, but then there's Paul letter B, the powerful 651 00:31:57,560 --> 00:32:00,840 words of Paul. So Paul has to offer rebuke. 652 00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:04,320 Now again, it's the same thing here in a, in a workplace 653 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:07,440 situation. In a workplace situation, if 654 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:11,040 someone has to be rebuked and it has to be done, eventually there 655 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:13,720 comes that point where you cut bait, they're fired, they're 656 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:17,400 gone, that they don't come back. But Paul says, this man, I love 657 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:19,240 you too much to just kick you to the curb. 658 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:23,200 He says, I want you to know there's going to be a rebuke and 659 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:25,640 it's going to be sharp, but there's a reason behind it. 660 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:28,400 Now, by the way, there will be church discipline in chapter #5 661 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:30,160 and we're going to talk about what that is. 662 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:33,240 But even then, somebody being removed for the body, not 663 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:36,080 because it's an Amish shunning, but it's because you want them 664 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:39,960 to get right so that they come back into the body, not so that 665 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:42,040 they can be excluded and never come back again. 666 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:47,280 But Paul says this, you know, if they spoke words with no power, 667 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:49,920 Paul spoke with words and power. Why? 668 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:52,280 Because he lived the life that he said he was going to live. 669 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:55,360 Since for the Kingdom of God is not in Word, but in power. 670 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:59,080 And addressing verse #20 aren't you glad the Kingdom of God 671 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:03,840 isn't just words? That is real, and we're going to 672 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:07,320 find out how real it is, and the world will find out how real it 673 00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:11,720 is one day, and just as real as the Kingdom of God is heavenly 674 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:16,960 and it will be earthly. That is how real we are to be in 675 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:20,000 our spiritual life, not just a bunch of talk. 676 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:24,080 And he says this, What will you? Shall I come unto you with a 677 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:27,560 rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness? 678 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:30,080 It's almost like Paul saying this. 679 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:34,000 You know what, we could do this the easy way or the hard way. 680 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:36,840 And there's a part of me that likes that interpretation of it 681 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:39,000 because, you know, it kind of like, yeah, you know, it kind of 682 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:40,160 feels tough, you know what I'm saying? 683 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:45,880 But but I wouldn't necessarily put it that way because he says 684 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:47,080 this. What will you have? 685 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:49,720 He's not saying what he his options are. 686 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:52,720 He's asking them, which would you rather have for me? 687 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:57,880 He says, do you want me to come at you with the rod or with the 688 00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:00,920 spirit of love and the spirit of meekness? 689 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:04,840 Now I'm not going to lie, I struggled with this verse and 690 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:07,360 knowing that this verse was coming, for the last few weeks 691 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:09,440 I've struggled with it. One of the reasons why was 692 00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:13,840 because even when someone applies the rod, there has to be 693 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:17,560 love, right? Even when someone, a a pastor 694 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:20,320 has to apply the rod of rebuke, it must be done in love. 695 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:23,600 And we've talked about before the fact that meekness is not 696 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:28,760 weakness, right? First Corinthians 13 verse 6 697 00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:32,000 even says love rejoices, not in iniquity. 698 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:37,560 So the idea is that, well, well, shouldn't Paul be loving and 699 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:41,600 meek and not just talk about the rod like it's one or the other? 700 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:44,159 Can't it be all of those? And really, the best way I think 701 00:34:44,159 --> 00:34:48,400 I can explain it would be this. There've been several times 702 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:51,159 before in the past and it's not happened as much recently, but 703 00:34:51,320 --> 00:34:53,760 it has happened in the past where AJ got very close to the 704 00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:56,400 street and got to the point where it looked like he was 705 00:34:56,400 --> 00:34:59,600 about to run into traffic. AJ has eloped over the years. 706 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:01,400 That doesn't mean we don't got married without our permission, 707 00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:04,080 all right? That just means same idea. 708 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:06,640 He just ran away without us knowing about just going out a 709 00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:08,360 door, bolting out a door. I'm not talking about running 710 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:11,080 away like, you know, a knapsack over his shoulder or something 711 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:13,080 like that, but just going out the door that that's what I'm 712 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:15,640 talking about, eloping. And sometimes if he got close to 713 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:17,680 a road, that could be a real, real problem. 714 00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:21,280 Now, if he got close to the road and it looked like he was about 715 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:24,160 to make that move. Should I say something like 716 00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:30,800 this? Now, AJ, you ought not to do 717 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:33,680 that. I, I I wouldn't do that if I 718 00:35:33,680 --> 00:35:35,440 were you. You know, you can choose 719 00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:37,280 whatever you want. But. 720 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:40,120 But it would really be good if you don't go out in traffic. 721 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:46,120 Or if I see him about to step out on over that curb, I go, 722 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:48,360 hey, grab his arm and pull him back. 723 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:52,040 Now I know what I need to do. Yeah. 724 00:35:53,440 --> 00:36:02,360 I said, hey, Yeah, OK. I I hope that. 725 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:03,920 I hope that didn't go online. All right. 726 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:07,960 He said I was fired. Some of you been wanting to hear 727 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:09,880 that, those two words for a long time. 728 00:36:09,880 --> 00:36:12,200 All right. But yeah, OK. 729 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:14,080 All right. All right. 730 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:18,360 Thank you, son. All right, So what was needed? 731 00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:21,240 You know what was needed? The rod. 732 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:25,440 You know what the problem is? Corinth. 733 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:29,480 What I said was Corinth is playing. 734 00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:32,000 Yeah, I did. This is why I should have 735 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:33,200 referenced him in the message. So. 736 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:36,560 OK, AJ, just a few more minutes. OK. 737 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:39,320 What? I needed, what? 738 00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:45,520 I needed what is what? I've never had a Heckler in 739 00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:47,080 church, and it's never been my own son. 740 00:36:47,240 --> 00:36:49,520 That's the other part. All right, AJ. 741 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:56,120 So Corinth is spiritually playing in traffic, and unless 742 00:36:56,120 --> 00:36:59,000 they pull themselves back, he's going to have to bring the rod. 743 00:36:59,920 --> 00:37:02,960 They are playing with fire. And listen, that doesn't mean 744 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:07,520 that he can't apply it in meekness and with love. 745 00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:11,920 Again, I shouldn't be coming down preaching and rebuking and 746 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:15,080 still ripping people's faces off and talking about how much of A 747 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:18,120 spiritual loser you are. You say, well, what are you 748 00:37:18,120 --> 00:37:19,480 talking about? There are places where that's a 749 00:37:19,480 --> 00:37:22,120 real thing. No, no, that's not what we're 750 00:37:22,120 --> 00:37:24,720 talking about. But I also shouldn't just say 751 00:37:24,720 --> 00:37:31,040 now, you know, it's maybe you all, if you feel like it, maybe 752 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:34,840 you should live right? You know, you know, I, I know 753 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:36,720 there's a lot of choices out there and really you should 754 00:37:36,720 --> 00:37:38,120 choose biblically. But you know, don't don't get 755 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:39,320 too mad at me or anything like that. 756 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:45,760 What really he's saying is this is that Corinth, you're going to 757 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:49,720 decide what approach I have to take by what you do with these 758 00:37:49,720 --> 00:37:53,720 words I'm giving you right now. I want to come listen not in 759 00:37:53,720 --> 00:37:57,880 softness, not in softness, but in spiritual meekness and love. 760 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:01,720 I want to speak to you kindly and calmly and lovingly. 761 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:04,120 He says, but I might have to bring the rod. 762 00:38:04,200 --> 00:38:06,000 But if I bring the rod, I'm still going to have to do it in 763 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:07,680 love. I'm still going to do it in the 764 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:09,840 right spirit. There's plenty of verses that 765 00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:13,160 talk about that, about the, the shepherd having the oversight, 766 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:16,240 not lording over the flock. First Peter chapter #5 that's 767 00:38:16,240 --> 00:38:19,440 very clear. But he says this I, I got to, I 768 00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:22,360 got to rebuke you. And this isn't just some 59 to 769 00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:25,920 five job where, you know, listen, you're fired, you're 770 00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:29,080 gone. Whatever he says, no, I'm going 771 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:31,000 to rebuke you because I because I want you to stay. 772 00:38:31,720 --> 00:38:34,600 It's for your best. It's what God wants. 773 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:36,840 First Corinthians 12. You're part of the body. 774 00:38:36,840 --> 00:38:41,040 He says, I want you to get it right now. 775 00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:44,680 I will say I've, I felt kind of self indulgent the last few 776 00:38:44,680 --> 00:38:47,480 weeks because I preached a couple messages talking about 777 00:38:47,480 --> 00:38:50,160 the ministry in First Corinthians. 778 00:38:50,680 --> 00:38:54,680 I preached a message in Second Samuel talking about preaching. 779 00:38:55,200 --> 00:39:00,240 And a lot of that deals with me. And so it's hard as a pastor to 780 00:39:00,240 --> 00:39:04,200 kind of constantly talk about yourself because, well, it's not 781 00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:06,480 something I want to do. But it's also in the text where 782 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:07,880 we're at. We're not stretching ourselves 783 00:39:07,880 --> 00:39:11,280 to find this in the text, but I will say this and then we're 784 00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:13,160 done tonight. Let me give you the quick 785 00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:17,760 application before he gives me the, the, the the gong show and 786 00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:20,840 I'm out of here. All right, I will say this 787 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:24,920 second Corinthians chapter #5 when Paul talks to him in a 788 00:39:24,920 --> 00:39:29,080 little bit of a better situation, he says unto you, has 789 00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:32,000 been given the ministry of reconciliation. 790 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:36,040 Now, who is the you? Could I maybe put it in our 791 00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:39,360 terms tonight? The you is you. 792 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:44,960 I'm in the ministry, and I've said this before, but you're in 793 00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:49,280 the ministry too. God has given you the ministry 794 00:39:49,720 --> 00:39:51,680 of reconciliation, which means what? 795 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:55,520 It's not a nine to five job. It's not something you turn on 796 00:39:55,520 --> 00:39:58,360 and you turn off. It requires you taking 797 00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:02,160 responsibility. It requires bringing people into 798 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:05,720 remembrance. Sometimes it requires a loving 799 00:40:05,880 --> 00:40:08,400 rebuke. Oh, James talks about that. 800 00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:12,560 It's your to to rebuke the brother, to be able to bring 801 00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:15,200 them back to you. You do it in the right spirit. 802 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:17,920 Not thinking you're someone better than someone else, but 803 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:19,960 just someone who's trying to help them along the way. 804 00:40:21,080 --> 00:40:24,040 But that all those things that you were thinking about for the 805 00:40:24,040 --> 00:40:26,400 last 40 or so minutes, Pastor, that that's you. 806 00:40:26,640 --> 00:40:28,960 Responsibility, remembrance, rebuke, Those are the things 807 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:31,840 you're supposed to be doing. I would say to you night, those 808 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:34,280 are the things that you're supposed to be doing. 809 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:38,040 And not just me. You know, there's someone in 810 00:40:38,040 --> 00:40:40,760 your workplace that needs you to have this. 811 00:40:40,760 --> 00:40:42,440 Now I know most of those people in your workplace are 812 00:40:42,440 --> 00:40:45,080 unbelievers. I'm just saying there's ministry 813 00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:48,920 that takes responsibility, remembrance and rebuke. 814 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:54,320 There's someone that you have maybe in your home that you need 815 00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:58,640 to be emulating Christ to them. And it requires those husbands 816 00:40:59,240 --> 00:41:04,320 to wives, dads to children, mothers to children. 817 00:41:05,240 --> 00:41:07,880 And I would even say this wives to husbands. 818 00:41:07,880 --> 00:41:10,880 We we know that the order of God's, but God's order for 819 00:41:10,880 --> 00:41:13,840 family is, but at the same time, both are supposed to be modeling 820 00:41:13,840 --> 00:41:15,400 Christ and ministering to one another. 821 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:18,920 The Bible's clear about that. That doesn't negate the fact of 822 00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:21,360 God's order for the family. They should still be serving 823 00:41:21,360 --> 00:41:23,280 each other and ministering to each other. 824 00:41:23,960 --> 00:41:28,160 Ministering is a whole lot more than just the pastor getting up 825 00:41:28,240 --> 00:41:31,560 and preaching messages. It's the pastor saying this. 826 00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:35,520 People's souls are everything. Now, should pastors have 827 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:36,600 boundaries? Yes. 828 00:41:37,360 --> 00:41:40,880 Do pastors get day off? Believe it or not, yes we do. 829 00:41:41,200 --> 00:41:43,800 And we have times where we don't answer our phones and we spend 830 00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:46,040 time with our family. We have those boundaries so that 831 00:41:46,040 --> 00:41:49,800 we're better pastors for you all, quite honestly. 832 00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:53,600 But at the same time, when that call comes in the middle of the 833 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:57,320 night, I'm ready to take it when the emergency happens, at the 834 00:41:57,320 --> 00:42:00,040 time when it shouldn't happen because emergency never happened 835 00:42:00,040 --> 00:42:03,120 when they should happen. I'm willing to come, willing to 836 00:42:03,120 --> 00:42:05,760 pray, willing to help. Our family is. 837 00:42:06,440 --> 00:42:09,000 But that's not just a responsibility for the pastor, 838 00:42:09,640 --> 00:42:12,880 for the preacher man. That's the responsibility for us 839 00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:14,840 all. Does it look different? 840 00:42:14,920 --> 00:42:16,600 It'll look different for you than it does for me. 841 00:42:17,240 --> 00:42:19,920 But do you have that responsibility, remembrance, 842 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:23,640 rebuke placed upon you as well in your own way? 843 00:42:24,000 --> 00:42:27,920 Yes, it belongs to all of us. And ask the Lord, how does this 844 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:30,080 belong to me? How do I become a better 845 00:42:30,080 --> 00:42:32,680 minister? How do I care about souls? 846 00:42:32,720 --> 00:42:35,240 How do I care about my brethren? How do I care about these 847 00:42:35,240 --> 00:42:39,280 people? And not just blow them off, not 848 00:42:39,280 --> 00:42:42,640 just come into church and, and come out and, and leave and 849 00:42:42,640 --> 00:42:46,040 never invest and never participate and never 850 00:42:46,040 --> 00:42:48,600 fellowship. How can I be an active part of 851 00:42:48,600 --> 00:42:49,880 that? God will help you. 852 00:42:50,200 --> 00:42:52,240 God will show you. Corn's got a lot of problems. 853 00:42:52,240 --> 00:42:56,360 We've just scratched the surface because chapter 5 gets us to the 854 00:42:56,360 --> 00:42:59,400 depths. But in the meantime, we know 855 00:42:59,400 --> 00:43:00,760 this. Paul loves them. 856 00:43:01,640 --> 00:43:04,320 Paul cares for them, even though they're messy. 857 00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:07,560 And believers today are still messy. 858 00:43:08,880 --> 00:43:11,920 They still are. Love them, care for them, take 859 00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:13,360 responsibility for them. Why? 860 00:43:13,360 --> 00:43:16,320 Because ministry is not just a career. 861 00:43:17,280 --> 00:43:19,960 Thank you for listening to the sermon from the pulpit of 862 00:43:19,960 --> 00:43:22,880 Liberty Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing 863 00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:26,360 to you, or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us 864 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:30,960 know by contacting us at info@mylibertybaptist.org. 865 00:43:31,240 --> 00:43:35,760 Or you can visit us this Sunday at 800 Washington St. in Easton, 866 00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:38,600 MA. May the Lord bless you as you 867 00:43:38,600 --> 00:43:39,800 grow in His Word.