Church Members' Duties to Their Pastor, p.3

A Miller scriber Bibles let's go back to our study in first Timothy first Timothy chapter 1 were still in verses 15 are the 17 and 18 of first Timothy chapter 5 this is a series I'm calling of this exposition of first Timothy, I'm calling beautifying the bride because that's what Paul's doing, he it is in essence pastoring the church at Ephesus through Timothy. He's writing to Timothy. He's aged young Timothy's been left in charge and is a dark Timothy, let's get this church functioning according to God's wisdom and according to God's design so that the church does what it's owner to do it magnifies it shows forth God's power. God's wisdom and God's beauty. So all these components in all of these parts are essential for the church to show God's wisdom, beauty and power.

Folks, it's not enough for the church to be successful. Let's not go as a whole lot of what's called success in church life today that dishonors God's success in man's eyes. We want the church to be successful in God's wisdom by God's power for God's glory. We wanted to make a statement that his way is better than our way. His his design is wiser than our design. So that's what we dive in here and while first Timothy second Timothy Titus, the pastoral epistles are not exhaustive and they are quite comprehensive of the main things we need to grab hold of.

Now we come to this section in first Timothy 517 and 18 and now we are on part three of church members duties to their pastors, church members duties to the pastor. You may not want to take notes today. It's going to be a little bit more involved.

Maybe I find if you do, but you may not want to and I might give us a disclaimer that I would not have spent this much time and would not have put together this message that his application if it were not for the number of church leaders and pastors who follow our ministry and they need to hear this and the fact that this will be part of what I'll be teaching in the pastoral training institutes of your out there somewhere. I think you know I need this refresher would not cost money to sit under these lectures, brother. Just going to be doing at the Akron professional training Institute well if you like what I'm sharing your go to get 40 hours of this kind of stuff thoroughly biblical but radically practical holy local church centered stuff, and when you get through the pastoral training Institute you have a notebook of all of these areas of church life.

You can turn to and to be built on what we've experienced here Christlike church is not just theory and is not just doctrine and theology is vital is that is its doctrine and theology in shoe leather. How can we live it out by let's look at it together. First Timothy chapter 5 verses 17 and 18. Paul writes to Timothy to make sure in the church at Ephesus.

He says this. The elders who rule well or to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says you shall not muzzle the ox while he's thrashing and the laborer is worthy of his wages. Now while this is an expectation about church leaders and about pastors. And while it is true, it would just be untrue if I didn't say it, your grace life exemplified the truth of this verse you have through the years learned and made faithful practice of honoring and double honoring your pastors. I'm not saying you've arrived.

We all need to keep repenting and keep growing, but nevertheless you are a good model of this, but nevertheless there still some things you can learn as we go through this again so want you to listen and think on the things you need to understand better in the ways you need to grow for second Timothy 116 is a good good verse.

The Lord grant mercy to the household of a nest for us or he is often refreshed to me and was not ashamed of my chain here was a man in this household who made it their aim to be a blessing to God's preacher household of a nest for us. They just their goal to be an encourager and a help to God's preacher of grace like church.

I think you guys have the spiritual gift of encouraging pastors is a brother, Jeff, I read the Bible out also the spiritual gift of encouraging pastors and their well it's a figure of speech.

I know that's not quote a spiritual gift, but I do know hundreds that's not generally hundreds of pastors who come to our conference or come through here and say brother, Jeff, your people are such an encouragement because I read the things in the Bible the local church ought to be doing and how they help to be doing it. I get on your folks and they embrace it, but don't resist it or not against it. They embrace it and they encourage me to keep on going. So thank you for being that kind of people.

So were going to look at this again now we come to a major area of application from these troops. Let's remind ourselves of what the text has told us so far it's okay Timothy, as you begin to install elders in the church there.

The local church there.

First of all when an elder holds that office that position. He's to be honored know that's not said exactly the text, but it's thoroughly implied the office of pastor teacher ought to be honored.

Then he says if a godly office of pastor teacher has presided well uses the phrase rule well then he's worthy of double honor, and then he goes on to say, and especially so if he's worked hard at preaching and teaching so you could imply triple honor. I'm not literally saying that's what it says is that I would exist but that's the implicate of the text honor if he's had a track record you wanting for a while and he's done well. Double honor if he's done well for or while, and has been working hard in particular preaching and teaching that especially take good care of him. Now the word honor there in the context can only mean material or financial compensation.

That doesn't mean you don't honor him with your heart and with others in other ways, but it has to include that context gives us no other option. So thinking about no. Why would Paul say honor double honor, and even more so of his work hard at preaching, teaching why such an emphasis on taking care of the pastor that they begin not and I said this in an earlier message for myself. After I was converted, age 19 and just came in the ministry all at once. That kind of thinking was rather shocking to me. I wasn't ready for that I was I was more of Roman Catholic vow of poverty theology which is un-biblical. But I would bid him closer to that than I would've been to anything else and I found out I was more conservative and then God and so we have to just repent where we are and get in line with what the Lord say but why would Paul make such a strong statement, especially involving the financial compensation to men in the office of elder well to main points in several subpoints under them and to get all this is basically application of the text. I because of the unique challenges you face when you work hard at preaching and teaching the unique challenges you face when you work hard at preaching and teaching is quiet a journey to going to the typical you're not typical my front of you say this, there are few churches, very few were young pastor but could be called in to take over and he'll not have to fight many many battles to get to the place where he can work hard at preaching and teaching and the overwhelming majority of congregations. He faces so many difficulties in getting the people to the place where they will allow him the freedom to do what the Bible tells him to do the poor. His energies in fridge is just tough and I face it everywhere I go I teach it over and over again.

I exhort, reprint, rebuke and reprove church leadership. Free your pastors up to do this diet unique challenges number one are a most everyone is working against his pursuit. Most everyone typically speaking, not absolutely, but typically speaking, when a pastor begins his work and they also dive in and say the great majority my energies is going to be in study and prayer, and preaching and teaching the majority of the folks around him whether there up to something sinister or not yet. Nevertheless, they work against his pursuit. I will down a couple things here 75% of professing Christians would discourage him in this pursuit and 100% of nonbelievers will, for example, if if you go out in the community and find the average loss person who has no real biblical training and you asked them what really should a minister be doing well tell you everything but studying and preaching and teaching helping the sick peppermint didn't get social justice to all kinds of community needs.

They're not bad.

Those are bad things there just secondary to what God says we must put first and then when you don't do enough of those public things and pour yourself into what Dante should do, then they'll tell you where your part of the problem. You're not doing what you want to be doing as if were supposed to go out to the unregenerate world and get their approval on our ministries.

Listen to make God because Amanda preaching and his approval is all that ultimately matters but nevertheless I think generally speaking, a man will find 75% of professing Christians and will when other will be against our be a factor against him, giving himself to study preaching and teaching and 100% of the world will be couple quick versus and ask for 18 when the religious leaders.

The God fears the ones who claim to be God's people of the day when they had some of them and I commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus, but these were the religious leaders of the day that's not important. That's not what you should be doing. That's what we stand against as you preaching and teaching the things of Jesus and then in second Timothy 414 and 15. We have a man name Alexander the coppersmith Alexander the coppersmith has a very successful and financially profitable business of making idols and selling them to the people will Paul come sir, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and tell them that though there idols a way that God is no statute and find God through the faith in his son Jesus Christ, and he was hurting the business been more than a few businessmen through the years who hated the preacher because his preaching undermined the sin in their business that was helping them make a lot of money.

So whether it's the religious quote God fears" of the day whether it's the secularists who just don't like his message. He faces a unique challenge when most everyone is working against his pursuit pursuit to be a faithful preacher and teacher of the word of God.

That's probably one unique challenge that would lead Paul to say something like, make sure you give them double honor number two. He has to daily fight is on the flesh. This is this is one of the tough ones it was it so tough for me and has been an especially our fleshly temptation to fear man.

The fear of man.

What will people think of me if I don't do this, will people complain our startup a movement in the church tend to be against me if I don't meet that need, or if I don't do what this person wants me to do and it just multiplies and multiplies. It's a difficult thing.

I think this is one reason why the apostle Paul said in first Corinthians 1531.daily daily, I have to remember that answer to one person, brothers and sisters when you call a pastor you do not hire someone, you affirm God's leadership to give you, God's man is not hired God hire Sam and he answers to God and he has to fight daily daily. The temptation what if I was off in this brother and he gives large offerings to the church on it only goes daily. He has to fight. Proverbs 29, 25 reminds us, the fear of man brings a snare, it does bring a snare when you're fearing what they're going to say and you begin to capitulate and not do it God's call to do acts chapter 6 is such a foundational verse. I think the church because it outlays with such resounding clarity. The importance of letting men have their time to study and pray and preach and teach acts chapter 6, verse one.

At this time. While the disciples were increasing in number complaint arose among the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. Here we have some racism in the church those of the Greek background were being kind overlooked and those of the Hebrew background being taken care of a prejudice in the church, by the way, were all sinners still repenting. Amen. But I'm tell you when stuff like this is failed. It must be repented of and done away with specially in the church. Verse two.

So the 12 some in the congregation of the disciples and said it is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. Wow. You know most led to churches that would get you fired.

If you came to most Baptist pastors at our dear sweet little ladies are not getting enough food and you say what is not right for me to take care of that identical study and preach this get some godly men to take care of that now but I'll do my thing and preach that's exactly what the text so they have a plan.

I believe these are the first deacons.

Therefore, brethren select from among you seven men of good reputation for the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task will oversee them. They'll answer to us there in charge of this task. Verse four, but we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word in the later on ministry Spreading saying all that to say that Tom, I guarantee you there was some grumbling is among the early Christians about a lot in the past affect, are we not important factors is my mom and not important to the facts my grandmother not important. This all you can just see how the dominoes would've fallen but could you imagine how these early apostles had to die to the natural human tendency to please men at this point and stand on what was right is not easy to do. I remember the days long long time ago. 30 years ago when there was a prominent woman Sunday school teacher in this church and this will shock some of you but she told her Sunday school class that I was GM Joe and I've never wore sunglasses in the pulpit or anything like that to he's just a Jim Jones. He just got his ways don't do things and S waves going to him. Here's my point.

Look, you show me in the book where I'm wrong and I'll agree with you. I want to be biblical.

I want to be pleasing to God will she she left our church. 30 something years ago and she's in heaven today. I trust by God's grace. But anyway, that's the kind of stuff you it's not easy to hear that stuff so it's hard to keep remaining faithful, let me say this things like what I would call personal care are personal ministry mercy, rather ministries.

Those are important things, and those are good things, but once a church is over 30 in size. A pastor cannot any longer do what God has told him to do in studying and preaching and teaching and also do all the personal mercy care ministries church members would like for them to do so he has to start saying no.

Hopefully, kindly and sweetly, but he has to start saying no, and here's the catch on this thing. It's fairly rewarding to minister to someone and care for them and then be blessed by it really is a blessing to do that. I'm takes a blessing to me. Especially when you Jim Daly folks as long as I it's really hard not to want to do that, but I believe in many ways it's a satanic trap. Could you take 800 members or so like what we've got and then add folks outside of our church that are your friends and relatives that are very near and dear and close to you. If you are personally ministered to by single pastor every time there was a real critical need among all those people. That's it. It's virtually impossible not that a pastor wouldn't want to. But here's what I'm saying. He's battling his own flesh in the fear of man to know that I got a draw the line sometime in what this whole message I'm giving to you came from my time of meditating on the truth. This very, very few pastors have a congregation like you. That will give the pastor time to incubate and meditate on the truth of the word of God, you might be saying Lord give you too much if you got three messages on two versus one again. My disclaimer was this this this is for pastors primarily. That's why put the extra work in here I was some just started in my pastorate here and I we went to Apollo pastors conference. There were 45 bus pastors in the car and there's a pastor in the back seat and he that was back when we had beepers all member papers, let alone to young people don't know what I'm told why I remember because I used to preach in somebody's beeper go off the some of them would jump up like they were shot out of a rocket just below because you know they were their own calls. A nurse or something. It was important.

I need to get that buzz you need a good call that number on the beeper I kept hearing this blessing and I look in the back seat and it was the pastor behind me and he had a paper on and I said what is that he said that's a big piece and everyone my church member's have this number because all of them to get me anywhere, anytime 24 hours a day seven days a week.

Well I believe his heart was genuine, but my first thought was that how you going preach what God called you to preach if you train your people to call on you continuously, I mean a pastor has a battle to fight his flesh we could listen personally caring for people is a very powerful thing to the fallen flesh. It makes you feel good. It's a fight to SKUs with the fight.

He has to face at the end of the apostle Paul's life, he said, quote I fall the good fight. Whatever else I have fought the good fight means call included there. I felt myself. My friend Paul said I buffet my body, I fight myself and not allow myself to do what feels good. I what seems natural.

I what was going to make the people happy. I have to fight it and die to it. Stay on track with what I'm called to your so wonderful to support me in this, but we didn't start out that way.

We've grown to get there together through the years. Number three. Another unique challenge that maybe is one of the reasons the apostle says, especially those who work hard, preaching, teaching are worthy of double honor. Satan hates this working tirelessly works before Tim Satan hates it. First Thessalonians 218. The apostle wrote only wanted to come to you. I'll call more than once and yet Satan hindered us. I don't know exactly what that means but you can you can you can be sure and I know that I know that I have a an army of prayer warriors who are praying for your pastor to stay in the word. I know you are because that's what you want more than anything you wouldn't believe the stuff mentally, emotionally and physically. You have to get through to get into the word of God.

Sometimes it's just it's just tough, there weeks when it's just dry there's week 20 just not rewarding.

And then there weeks when it's just glorious beyond all compare. I believe Satan is behind a lot of those discouragements. Satan certainly works through lost church members and carnal church members sometime. Satan works through well-meaning church members who don't understand with the pastor's primary role. Her job is. Satan is a most masterful strategists. The attacks in countless ways in the preaching pastor faces satanic and demonic opposition that others simply do not face.

Think about it for moment who did Satan attack more than anybody in the days of Jesus.

Jesus while Satan hates the word he's the living word is a literal living word of God. So where's Jesus manifested today. The preaching of the written word of God, and that's why he attacks he Satan low I have you heard this phrase in this.

This is one of those phrases makes me want to go run through a wall just just frustrates me when I hear here's the phrase, are you listening, here's what a church member says well he's not a very good preacher but he's a good pastor where in heaven's name did you get that nonsense. Preaching is pastoring all of us can have the gift of service. All of us could have the gift of mercy. All of us could love one another in agape, but not all of us are called to preach preaching well and preaching faithfully and preaching in the power of the Spirit is the best shepherding of the flaw. Not that they are not of the things I still enjoy I've done several funerals in last few months. I still enjoy the weddings I still have counseling appointments.

Are we. We mark off hours every week for counseling apartments in the office and I still enjoy that. But you've got to be careful because that can be a satanic trap because Satan does not want Jesus to be manifested to the preaching of the word of God. They are number four.

Another reason, perhaps while the apostle Paul said this office is worthy of double honor is. He occupies a lonely place he occupies a lonely place. The apostle Paul is an example of having experienced this in second Timothy 410. He says for Dimas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and going to Thessalonica creations has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Paul's life is saying a pretty much by myself. I pretty much found myself alone. Here's one that really tugs at your heart. Second Timothy 416. At my first defense.

No one supported me, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against what he means is the first time I was called before the Roman government through the agency of the Jews and count and threatened all those that I saw come to faith in Christ. Those who are my associates at that point strike back and didn't stand with me decades ago when you called me to be your senior pastor. We had a good man in the church and he came his brother, Jeff, you need to be our pastor.

We need the preaching of the word and we believe your God's men to do this and I said you know a lot of things will have to change in the church about come your pastor there. Some things are just dark sounded just not biblical. I said I want to know one thing just laughs it when I begin to chase these things. Are you going to stand with me. Are you going to run for the tallgrass. One thing for you to say we need you as our past nothing say were with you if you become our pastor and his defense. To this day.

He stood. I thank God for men like that even our Lord Jesus found that in his greatest hour of need in the garden of Gethsemane. He asked the disciples to pray and twice. He went to check on them and they were sleep.

The occupies a lonely place for a faithful pipe preaching pastor. Even his close friends will not completely understand even his family doesn't completely give it get it and even his wife as a wonderful is a blessing up after fly can be. Nevertheless, even the most faithful of life does not quite grasp it. I'll never forget talking with the pastor just south of here in Houston. Knowing quite well. I think he's in heaven now, but he told me one day, said brother Jeff from the moment I surrendered to the ministry. My wife has hated every day of it. So in this case, did you face the other difficulties. But he came home every day to a wife who hated what he did the occupies a lonely place. No one can fully grasp the calling and the load that he carries. But you know what God gives you some that generally do a lot of you I think genuinely strive to grasp and support your pastor certainly do. I'll never forget Wayne and Nancy Crafton. Most of you remember Wayne and Nancy they they came here from Detroit. He grew up in Hamilton. I believe it wasn't. He became a cop in Detroit. I usually don't say cop that's working and when he came to grace like church.

He and Nancy came to me as a brother, Jeff, we want to join your church and we want to take the senior adult ministry. We want to take it off of you went on a visit that were going to love them were going of the holes are Google hospitals with ongoing nursing homes will take care of it because we want that off of you and I said that is amazing.

I've been pretty by say anything like that to five.

It was some years later, said Wayne. Where did you get this and he limited by the way he lived it out. He and Nancy lived completely ready to get that kind of insight that kind of compassion. He said when I was in Detroit, there were a lot of Baptist churches up there, but some I don't know about this church and we had a visitation program and on the night we go out to try to witness and reach out to prospect for the church usually was just me and the pastor and one night we were out visiting together. We knocked on a couple doors and didn't find it see anybody so we thought we go to the doughnut shop is you know the cops were all the donut shops and have a cup of coffee and fellowship.

Just a minute for went back home and so we were having met doughnut and he said I looked at my pastor. I could see how weary look how tired he looked. I could sense he was discouraged and I said pastor what's wrong, Wayne said the pastor told me brother why I just can't keep up. I needed this and to do that.

I left the administration I have another need this person's right to commit suicide.

This leads intensive care.

I got a stood to preach.

I just don't know if I can go any further and Wayne sit right there I determined men Nancy ghost and the rest of our lives have been God's pastor.

So there are many and many of you have that kind of heart who try to come alongside and is not because the pastor suffering and you're not. I know a lot of you struggle in a lot of ways you have heavy burdens and loads. But here's the thing to think about your eternal soul depends on the preaching of the word is the final centrality to your eternity based on the preaching of the word.

I didn't send up this way. By the way, God did so him staying revived and refresh that was Paul used the word Paul used of the household of the mistress giving refresh benefits your eternal soul. I would say over my years of pastoral ministry have more pastors discourage me to be faithful in what gods call me to do that. I've had pastors who encouraged me. Why do you think that today we have pastors from all over the country. Literally all of the world asking to connect with those to be encouraged to be mentored by our ministry is because they see what you're living out. They see the way I'm functioning and ministry I may want to know how can we get there is because they look around in their towns and in their county symptoms on their statement that we can't find anybody to encourage us in these waves, but you guys are on this track.

Would you help us course to this day we've always tried to be there and help them one number five.

Another reason why this there's this is a unique and challenging task, and maybe why Paul said, I will.

The reason Paul said consider them worthy of double honor. It's a draining task. This would be obvious after D would not. It's a draining task Spurgeon used to say that preaching is hard work preaching drains all of your motion shock. I know how guys preach and don't feel it. I don't get that. I feel it to my bone marrow when I preach when I get through preaching on Sunday for like I just came out of a washing machine just as John just gone.

Sometimes people ask me important questions on Monday. Nancy don't ask me thing on Monday.

I can't think on Monday. Sunday not.

I can't think it all its addresses has unique draining. Think I'm glad that when I was in my young adult years I worked heavy construction nonunion.

When I got the tying reinforcement bar in building concrete frames are shoveled gravel. I know what a hard days work is and I'm glad I got to do that because it's allowed me to now transfer that over and begin to learn what how draining mind, emotion and heart work is Spurgeon also said preaching his heart works on the pastor's heart is broken. He has to labor with a broken tool. Again, that's to the detriment of those under his ministry.

Thank you again for being the kind of church that encourages pastors I believe. I believe this with all my heart. You think if one pastor stays faithful, the multiplied effect on the countless number of souls you can even count it all is the greatest where you can multiply God's ministries.

Take care, faithful pastor and you do such a good job of it.

You know, and I used to think this again.

I'm guilty of most of these things when I first started out in ministry. So many people view the pastor as superhuman or he's God's panties called of God, so has this extra special ability to do all this stuff really doesn't describe the opposite. You know God has a pattern of calling weak men.as a pattern of calling men with with with lots of physical maladies.

You know the number of mentors. Should I study through the generations. The old great preachers of the past who struggle with deep depression. Spurgeon, Spurgeon, the most published author.

This ever existed more minute bread Spurgeon sermons many other preachers ever preach the road sermons Spurgeon used to say beneath the castle of despair is a dungeon and that's where I live. Much of the time. God just seems to call weak vessels you know why the glory and surpassing greatness may be of God, not of men. It's draining. Spurgeon spent the last what 15 or so years of his life. You know he lived the last 15 or so years of his life he lived on the French Riviera in a posh condo because he was too sick to preach, he come back and preach some get sick, go back the Spurgeon. My been part of his own problem because the Bible does tell pastors to get away and rest. April didn't do much of it nevertheless is a draining thing a pastor can find himself in vicious cycles number one.

Every member tends to have a subjective list of the things they think the pastor was hard to do.

Every church member tends to have a subjective list of the 10 things I think the pastor heart if he had a follow-up there's a bunch of different things he supposed to do not agree/shows within the typical situation. I remember him one of our management faithful for years when he was another church. They put out a questionnaire they without pastor I put on a questionnaire and asked the church what do you want in a pastor you're going to run the wall again cares what you want in the pastor. God gives pastors there in their job description come from with this man said you know what he said I had to ride in evangelistic keys and in the didn't have that list as well. The option if I was interviewing for church and I said we pulled told our people. Here's what they want to pastor, I'd say you're talking to the wrong man. I'm not interested in going anywhere was to give me the whims of the people that you hope to the text and say here's what we want that I'm interested so the church can sometimes have all these different expectations and he feels like he's never met those fully and then his wife and children often feel neglected because you can't get around and give them the attention that they need yes so little left in the tank for them. I think that's one of the reasons why we well it is one the reasons why we have for many, many years now. Invited pastors in our network church plant pastor come here for a week to stay on my farm, you can stay in a hotel just chill out for we can get some rest.

Get the things off of you for a while. Jesus said this the first time he sent his disciples out to preach think it was a two day preaching tour today. Mark 631 and 32 and he said to them come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while for there were many people coming and going and they do not even have time to eat.

He said the people going to kill you if you don't get away from you. To be effective for them. You don't have to pull away from it really was a gift from God. When a man called me from Idaho and said I want to sell you my dad's farm had been hung on it for years and I thought far had zero in the back zero but I went to the bank and it kept working out. Get working out and about for will be the bank on the farm and it's my secluded place I can get away their and I know my friends in Africa and in Europe are going to say what's a bush hog Linthicum told an animal, but I get on the bush hog and I put those stoppers in my ears and I get fired back up again to come do what I did a few told me in the past you've got have these office hours. You gotta do this and this.

I don't think I'd make it because I got to have what Jesus gave these men coming off two days of ministry come to a secluded place and rest so you be good again later. So he says come away by yourselves and brothers and sisters.

If you don't come away you'll come apart now. So that's work for some of you some of you need to come away from some of your labors and difficulties member my sermon working. Rest is one of my most popular sermons because the whole time at the to quit working so much arrestable yell just love it less true for all of us and some of you need to hear that word this morning.

Some of you business guys who started on your home on business, you'll grasp this in some of the others will grasp it to the degree to for the pastor of the church. The hardness of responsibility never completely comes off.

I don't care where he is or how far he travels my wife preaches at me all the time.

Jeff, we don't need to go somewhere and you meet with the pastor will need to take a break and you read theology books and think about that one can just take it off. It's just hard for me to do and that's moans, but even if you do your best.

You're still up. I'll never forget. Before I became the senior pastor here. I was I had off on Tuesday when I was associate pastor and I mean I went hunting I went fishing and I didn't care about anything. It just I was just free member Bob Pittman telling me brother Jeff when you get behind this viscous different ability, but I work as hard as he does. I worked, but maybe longer hours need us. I get tired too and then all of a sudden he left the now just to sit behind that very desk.

I found that is different is you never really take the harness off. The only well I'll say the most purebred redneck I know is David Young but he's a good brother and a godly man to a man and David used to work in the Logan Oracle woods with work horses and mules and around work horses little bit but I like David he come from way back and sticks to David one night when the horses well trained. I mean, years and years. All that horses know yet but they will not put the harness only will you put that hard self. He knows the commands, I got tightened, get with these colonies pull in these Dragon logs all day long.

If an evening you bring him back because I seen this happen when I take that harness off of the evening that a horse a job wiggling snorting buckle a bit and he'll settle down. Then he can rest. I stay with us and what you think would happen if they never took that harness off. He said it probably kill it, as it psychologically knows of the harness is owned I got be tensed of bridge account pastors never really get to take the harness.

You know why because the turkeys all you're called to task where you, your children, your grandchildren's eternal destiny depends on the faithful preaching of the word of God.

One of the apostle Paul said, who whose able for such task, you could pick who can contemplate that he would help choose the sovereignty of God of goblin sovereign. I quit tomorrow. Number six, maybe one of the reasons why Paul said the challenges are unique in the man's were the double honors because so few are teaching you what I taught today. So if you're saying these things, so fewer psychopaths are scared to death say these things under forget that I remember Alvin Lynch was with us he was elder than Albert will remember this but the elders went here. John MacArthur, I want to John MacArthur Shepherd conferences in Chattanooga Tennessee.

There probably wouldn't 80 people there many years ago and I got a young pastor got up and said Dr. MacArthur you talk so much about preparing and studying and preaching exhibit in my church.

There's no way to have time to really do that there has been do this and that they expect this and that and I remember Dr. MacArthur stopped him very bluntly said tell them that's not your job.

I was shocked.

I was shown to accurately you tell those vacant until the ladies by calling you that's not your job is what John MacArthur told to not think about that. The countless millions tens of millions around the world have been blessed pajama golfers preaching and teaching. If he hadn't had that kind of conviction he'd never been able to do that kind of work you don't hear that. That's just not being said, often so many are not doing that since channels for your other pastors will be listing this brothers we got a teacher people. These truths they need to hear it's in the word of God. Double honor means what double Army's so many pastors have quit today. I don't think quit the pastor though that's tragically happening at record rate but they quit trying to quote work hard and preaching and teaching."

As Paul teaches here and they quit because they say they can't do the longer there's no way they can continue on preaching and teaching and studying and do everything else that's expected. All right, let's move on.

I have three thoughts under the II, which is incomplete notions here some thinking are some notions that are true, but if you don't get the balance truth. They begin they are actually completely false notion that's true, but it's incomplete and they're pretty prominent in the church. Olympic mosquito illustration how the whole balance of the traits important in verse 18 of our text Paul says dogma. Also, the aux Wally's threshing was acting a Bible. Celeste got to make sure none of our church members. Most of their aux Wally's threshing.

That's not what he saying he saying is that's an illustration of don't let the pastor preach and be faithful in serving you without taking care of him materially. You need the whole fall to understand was that the Old Testament is true.

If you missed the balance completion of the New Testament you missed everything Jesus fulfills the law. He frees us from the condemnation of the law. We need the whole thought first incomplete notion of one that my honor and my offering goes to God I'm in you that's an incomplete notion honor and my offering is unto God. Of course it is, of course it is.

But it's incomplete.

Second Corinthians 85. Paul commends the Macedonians and he said, first they gave themselves to the Lord. Of course they did. They honor him first and then they gave us themselves to us. God's called preachers by the will of God that he's talking about them getting offerings that the church of Jerusalem, the city gate. They gave themselves to the Lord and gave themselves to help the men of God who are raising this offering for the church in Jerusalem our love.

I respect in our honor to support God listen to me is not separated from loving honoring and supporting the man of God say that again in Scripture our love, respect and honor and support to God is never separated from loving honoring and supporting the man of God not going to take the time overview. First Corinthians 9 again let me go to first rent is 913 and 14 were first print is nine 1314 is a do not know that those who perform the sacred services eat the food of the temple and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share in the altar, so also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel so you bring your office I bring it back to God. Know your bring it to God to the end of supporting the men of God. Thus, the complete notion. Malachi chapter 3 to be on your screen.

Here we have the Jews in rebellion and of all things God brings up the priesthood and he brings up them, bringing their ties and offerings to support the priesthood. But notice how it's worded worded Will a man rob God you are robbing me but you say, have we robbed you. God responds in ties and offerings.

You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me. The whole nation of you bring the whole tithe into the storehouse want to honor God worship God. Of course that's not what he says here so that there may be food through the priest your material support. The priesthood may be food in my house. Test me. Now this is the Lord of hosts to follow not open for you the windows of heaven and pour of your blessing until it overflows via I will review the devour for you so that it will not destroy the fruit of the ground nor your vine in the field-tested scrapes as the Lord of host. We have a devour in our land is called COBIT 19. I wouldn't dare ask my God to save my household from the devour. If I was robbing God. If I was robbing God. I get it right and then continued, ask God help but notice the context you bring your offering to the Lord's temple is used for the priest support and that is a type that skewed over unto the New Testament. Some people say will pastor that's Old Testament.

It sure is. It's more serious than the New Testament you have more light you have more truth. They only had a shadow of Jesus we look back and know Jesus came, how much more serious.

Hebrews chapter 10 says how much more serious but is violating the law of Moses to trample under feet the blood of Christ is somebody else paying my salary for the match.

Saurabh and Steve, Sarah, but Tom soured with David's all of us, somebody else paying that because they're taking up your slack because your God, Robert, I would ask you to do anything that I have not done myself and live myself. It's not about the amount of money is not about the balance in the bank. It's about you bringing the offering to do your duty for services been performed for you by God's man and it's a spiritual discipline every week when you bring the tithe and offered invite you, God, I'm trusting you, not me. I'm trusting you.

Not my business. I'm trusting you, not my employer. All right number two under incomplete notions something is not complete.

The church has many ministries and all are profitable. Of course, of course, we do so many botnets, incomplete preaching is the primary thing preaching just the hub of the well remember where illustration preaching the word and the power of the spirit is the centerpiece because the hub drives everything else. Listen to make everything else depends on faithful preaching of the word from the pulpit if the pulpit is waiting every other ministry will be weak and if the pulpit is sound of the other ministries eventually takes times of guys will be sent everything depends on the so maybe that's one reason why Paul picks out working hard, preaching and teaching as the office where we needed to be especially faithful in showing double honor. What happens in churches, we begin emphasizing gifting and service. All she is so gifted, we gotta get her involved in this this and this mission, we are so gifted, we gotta get him in this in this ministry. She works so hard we better get them doing this always such a hard faithful worker we got again and those that's good things about the white that's secondary to one of the things there's one other thing that's absolutely foundational and primary are all the gifting and all the service is worthless. Are you ready for it if you could guess it gospel humility. God wants you humbled more than he want you serving. He wants you doing your service with every moment of your sweat every moment of your diligence every moment of your exhaustion every moment of your giving to help the church before he wants in every moment you to say I'm unworthy even to do this and you know it builds gospel humility in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ preaching the word and the power of the spirit, so I got updated to work. That gives us a sleep new humble, hard and tender in spirit and then with that spirit of humility. You can go forth exercising our gifts and doing our service in the body were not doing it for us were doing were just grateful that we get to doing that were not inhale and that builds unity and oneness. Some of you sit here this morning. You got one problem in one foot problem only your stinking pride get over yourself and line up with the book's about just sometimes and you get the preaching. I just feel like what was me good. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Jesus said that's not funny, that's true, it's meant to do that alone. What was me, but thank God for Jesus.

What Savior you love the word of God. I'm trying to get through. You know some gone the ministry out there going into the ministry. This is kind of stuff he needs to be talked, you don't get this put in your 40th year, you don't get this. Your 812 or 16. These things are locked beating Arnel and and both they come out slowly.

Prime preaching is the primary means of the saving of the soul.

Romans 10, six and seven says, but the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows. Do not say in your heart who will ascend into heaven, that is, to bring Christ down will descend into the abyss.

That is, to bring Christ up from the dead. Here's what he say if you decide not to muster up your energy site will get all the strength we can simply get the habit and find Christ and be say is that neither do you say let's get all our strength and if you could start the Laura Ramsey thing find Christ and find salvation you don't. That's not the way Christ dispelled. How is Christ found Romans 1014 and 15. How then shall they call upon him in whom I've not believed said they believe in him and have they not heard and how were they here without a preacher. You struggle to find Christ somewhere is heard in Christ is revealed to the faithful preaching of the word God and preachers out there. That's when your people will die for you when I've fallen in love with the Christ is been unfolded to them had manifested to them through your preaching is also that's priceless that's priceless.

Faith requires believing believing requires hearing hearing primarily requires preaching and preaching requires being sent or supported church has many ministries but they're not all the same, preaching the word is foundational. Number three under incomplete notions. The pastor must not preach for money see that to keep you alert for a few more minutes, the pastor must not course, absolutely. If there is a man quit preaching because the church firesale parties not making anything.

He's not called to preach, go back and get my tapes back when you paid me $50 a week. That was my first new mutual say he thought Nicodemus was the economists he thought a leper was a leaper, but he preached probably operates with the same passion and $50 a week as I preached today to make a little more than that now course, we don't preach for the money, but that's incomplete. You need that's incomplete.

First Corinthians chapter 9 Paul is rebuking the Corinthian church for refusing to pay him financially and tosses what soldier out there would serve in the Army without being compensated for it. What soldier he says workers fights at his own expense then pauses one buying keeper would keep the vineyard for a man and I get some of the proceeds. This is what livestock keeper would keep the livestock and I get some of the produce from the livestock. What Plowman could you hire to plow your crops and him not have hope of getting something back out of it but he says what thrashing to using first print is not just like he does at first in the five what thrashing should not have the muzzle moves otherwise treatment the grain is not to be treated cruelly.

He's allowed to feed on some of the grain while he is working for you.

Then he says in the Old Testament priest all the praise slipped out the offerings brought to the temple videos with first printings 9/11 12 so we so spiritual things in you. Is it too much. If we read material things from you.

If others shared in the right overview paid other preachers policy. If others shared the right and noticed the word he uses here right pauses. I have a right to expect you to compensate Paul didn't preach for the money but he did preach expecting it.

Big difference in those two ones. In biblical ones biblical. We did not use this right but we endured all things that we would cost no hindrance to the gospel of Christ temporarily.

Paul said you're fussing about paying me keep it. I don't want then on another occasion, he said, I've robbed other churches because you didn't do your part. I've taken from them, what you should've paid me because I minister to you faithfully so pastor must not ever preach for the money but he shouldn't preach expecting the money and Charles Haddon Spurgeon had some orphanages. There was so so much pain in the streets of London during the middle part of the 19th century.

Spurgeon tried to feed these orphans and he would often say he preached for souls. That was a phrase he used when he is out preaching outside of his church. It was his pattern to use the offerings of honorarium from outside the church to get to the orphanages. One day he was preaching at the end of his sermon outside of his church. He takes up an offering that words Deacon Sabina church and I thought you preach for souls who should I do this money feeds my orphans and orphans can't eat souls and if they did eat. Souls are not enough of your soul to feed one for one day we didn't take Spurgeon on, so there was a balance course he preached for souls that have been here the whole thing so brothers and sisters at Grace life church and brothers and sisters wherever you are. Hearing this, understand there's a two-sided coin here. Number one, the pastor must never preach for money. The other side the coin, the godly church would never fail to compensate him generously. Both are true and always true. I preach, the pastor should preach for God's glory and honor you give your tots offerings for God's glory and honor. But when I preach. It helps you personally and spiritually.

And when you give your offerings helps me personally, materially, that's what Paul said I sewed spiritually and you reap materially from that some insights and some application on church members duties to the pastor I'm done with this text in my final admonition to you Grace life if you as an individual. The only thing I know to really reprieve you all and I don't know who you are because I don't check your giving him a start this week.

No, I'm not.

I love you.

If you're not faithful in doing your parts not about the amount of money need. It's about you do you are robbing God. He's given you a service and I mean this honestly you may have had a better pastor than me a better preacher, but I've given you all up.you might find a better senior associate pastor the best for our benefit that fell things with mine. Years ago the met feller, but I'm telling you Matt gets it always got and we can going to the line for the stay the rest of us. These are good men who give up. The point is somebody else carrying your part of the you give an account at the judgment bar of God. If not give an account to the devourer between now and then. I'm not trying to scare you not try to be hard. I'm trying to help you fulfill the church member's duty God's preacher