Archives for April 2024

One teaching that distinguishes Christianity from all other religions is the extremely challenging doctrine of the trinity. At face value it seems simple enough; three persons, one God. But like God Himself, it is a concept that is as deep and mysterious as it is unfathomable. Is it biblical? Is it True? Let’s find out.

Did you know that the word “bible” is NOWHERE to be found in the Bible!  Yet who would contest that the Bible is not “The Bible?”  It would be an absurd to claim that. Of course it is. 

However, there are some who argue the same thing about God!  They say that since the word “TRINITY” is not found in the Bible, the concept is not taught there!  Nothing could be further from the truth!  Guess what?  The word “monotheism” is not in the Bible either, yet no one denies that the Bible teaches that there is only one God!

One truth that distinguishes Christianity from all other religions is the extremely challenging doctrine of the trinity.  At face value it seems simple enough; three persons, one God.  But like God Himself, it is a concept that is as deep and mysterious as it is unfathomable.  And that’s how it should be.  If there is a God, we should be able to grasp the concept, and yet be swallowed up with amazement at his incalculable nature and endless glory! 

The Bible is quite blunt about the trinity.  Unequivocally it asserts that there is only one God  (Romans 3:30, Deuteronomy 6:4).  It also states clearly that the Father is God (1 Cor 8:6), that Jesus is God (John 1:1&14), and that the Holy Spirit is God (1 Cor 6:19)!  One God or three?  Our little brain has a difficult time picturing this!  How can three be one?

Fortunately for us, God created the universe in His own image and left his footprints everywhere!  The universe itself could be described with the trinity of words, TIME, SPACE, and MATTER.  Without time, we would not be able to move about!  We’d be frozen in one place!  Without Space, there would be nowhere to go.  And without matter there would be nothing in our universe to go to.  We humans need all three to exist.  The universe would not be a universe without all three.  They combine into one singular reality we call the time-space-matter continuum.  Three attributes, one reality. 

Take time for example.  God created time in His image.  Past, present and future.  The past is not the present which is not the future!  One essence, time; three distinct periods –just like the trinity.

Another footprint is three dimensional space.  We describe space with the words “Height, width, and depth.”  All three dimensions are an absolute necessity for navigation through our universe.  With these dimensions we create houses, cars and skyscrapers, and can see spherical objects, distance and outer space.  We might even describe the trinity as the “three dimensions of God!” 

And matter itself can be in liquid, gas, or solid form.  An illustration of the trinity.

And there is more. Man is body, soul and Spirit. My body is physical, my soul is my personality, and my spirit is what relates to God and gives me life.  I am a tri-unity myself!  I have three parts, yet one me… unless of course you consider that I have a split personality!   

But God is not made of any of the building blocks of the universe.  He is the creator of time, space and matter, but is not part of the universe.  To look for God in the universe would be similar to looking into a computer to find the computer maker.  The computer maker is a flesh and blood human, but the computer is made of hardware and software.  We must look outside the computer for the inventor and creator of the computer.  And we need to look outside of creation for the inventor and creator of the universe!

The very first verse of the Bible is one of the most profound sentences ever crafted.  It says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”  Genesis 1:1

In the beginning:  That’s time.  God was there before time, he created it and is not constrained by it.  Unlike us God does not need time to go from one place to another because He is already everywhere!

In the beginning God created the heavens:  That’s space.  God existed before space was created.  He is not a spacial being.  In fact John 4:24 explains that “God is spirit.”  That means that his essence is invisible and immaterial. 

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth:  That’s matter.  God existed before matter came into existence.  He has no atoms, nor any of the building blocks of the universe.  We like to say that He is outside the universe, or perhaps dwells in a different dimension. 

How does this relate to the Trinity?  Are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit three gods or One?  We’ve already pointed out that God’s essence is SPIRIT.  Essence is the intrinsic nature or quality of something that determines its basic make up.  God’s essence is spirit; He is invisible; He can’t be readily seen with the human eye.  He is immaterial; He isn’t made up of the basic building blocks of this material universe.  He’s boundless; He isn’t subject to time or space. 

By definition God is eternal, limitless, infinite, perfect, and all powerful.  This, by the way explains why there can only be one God.  It is impossible to have more than one infinite God.  An infinite being, by definition lacks nothing.  For there to be two different Gods, one must lack something the other has.  However, a being that lacks something is not infinite! 

Furthermore, having more than one God still does not answer the question where did God come from.  It stands to reason that only an eternal, limitless, infinite, perfect and all powerful creator could have created everything.  If we assume that something created that God, then he would not be limitless or eternal.  Therefore there can only be one God.

Why can there be only one God?  Let’s explore two possibilities.  Let’s say that there were two gods.  Here’s the problem with that.

A.  If one of these gods ever got the upper hand, it would mean that the other one was not all powerful, thus there really would only be one God.

B.  If both were equal and had to share power, neither one would be God because God by definition doesn’t share power, he is ALL POWERFUL.  Thus there can only be one God.

God’s essence is that he is eternal spirit:  He is ONE God.  That is WHAT He is.  But he exists in three persons.  That is WHO He is.  The best explanation we can come up with to illustrate this is that I am a Human.  That is what I am.  But I am Dennis.  That is who I am. 

God reveals Himself in three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Because we are three dimensional, time based, spacially limited beings, we can’t understand a five or ten dimensional being like God.  God is so complex that he is ONE God, who is revealed to us in THREE persons. 

Augustine, while puzzling over the doctrine of the Trinity, was walking along the beach one day when he observed a young boy with a bucket, running back and forth to pour water into a little hole. Augustine asked, “What are you doing?” The boy replied, “I’m trying to put the ocean into this hole.”  A light went on in his head.  Augustine realized that he had been trying to put an infinite God into his finite mind.

John 17:3 says that it is “eternal life to know God…and Jesus Christ, whom God had sent.”  It’s exceedingly important to know who God is because Jesus set it forth as a requirement for “eternal life”.

If you don’t believe in the Trinity, then you don’t understand who God is. You can’t possibly understand Jesus Christ—that He is God in human flesh.  And you can’t understand the Holy Spirit – that He is the very Spirit of God who promises to live within every believer!  Knowing the trinity helps us to know God. 

The Trinity is one of those things that distinguishes Christianity from all other religions. 

Islam:  There is only one god, and he did not have a son!  To the Muslim, the concept of the Trinity is like a three headed monster!  It is a horrible monstrosity.

Jehovah Witnesses:  There is one God, Jehovah is his name.  The Spirit is a force, and Jesus was an archangel before he came to earth.  When Jesus was born be became an average every day, run of the mill man!  Jehovah Witnesses deny the Deity of Christ and the personality of the Holy Spirit. 

Mormonism:  As man now is, God once was.  As God now is, man can become!  They believe that the Father is God, Jesus is God, Adam is God and you can be too!  Instead of a Trinity, they have a multiplicity of gods. 

Modalism:  Some religions that claim to be Christian erroneously see the trinity as three historical expressions of God.  God expressed Himself in the Old Testament as the Father, manifested Himself in the Gospels as the Son, and revealed Himself in the Book of Acts as the Holy Spirit.  One God, three different names for three different times.  This too is a false representation of God.

The Trinity in the Bible

First Mention:  Genesis 1:26-27 26 Then God (singular) said, “Let Us (Plural) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness … 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  (Whose image did He create mankind in?)

God speaks in the singular and plural numerous times:  Gen 3:22; Gen 11:7; Is 6:8

The Father and the Son together:  “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days.  Daniel 7:13-14

The Father and the Spirit together:  Ge 1:2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

The three who came to Abraham

Genesis 18:1-3 And the LORD appeared unto Abraham in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2  And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

The Three in the Birth of Christ

Luke 1:35 35  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

The Three at the Baptism of Jesus

Matt 3:16-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21 “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

The Three in the Great Commission

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:

The Father is God

1 Cor 8:6 “there is but one God, the Father, who made all things.”

What do we learn from the Fatherhood of God? 

1 John 3:1 – “Behold what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God”

Psalm 68:5 “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.

Jesus is God

Matthew 1:23 “Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

Hebrews 1:8-9 “The Father says to the Son: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

John 1:1, 14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” 

John 10:3-33 Jesus said, “I and My Father are one.” 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

1 Timothy 2:5 “there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

What do we learn from the Sonship of Christ? 

Hebrews 4:14-16 “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Philippians 2, “5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery though he was equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

The Spirit is God

In a definitive statement in 2 Corinthians 3:17 it says, “The Lord is the Spirit.”  You can’t get any clearer than that.  But here in first John, He is called the Spirit of Truth.  And verse six is describing the witness of the Holy Spirit at the very beginning of Jesus ministry when He went to see John and was baptized. 

Acts 5:3-4 Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit… You have not lied to men but to God.”

26 times the Bible calls Him “The Spirit of God.”

What do we learn from God the Holy Spirit?

John 14:16, “and I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.”

The Battle over the Trinity – 7

1 John 5

7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

Now I want to introduce you to the Battle over the Trinity.   As an illustration of this battle, 1 John 5:7 has become one of the most contested verses in the Bible.  Some of your Bibles have moved verse 7 to the margin.  This verse even has a name, It is called the infamous Comma Johanneum.  This is what it says.

7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.  1 John 5:7

This is one of the clearest statements on the trinity.  The reason our modern translations have moved this verse to the margin is because scholars argue that it is not in many of the older Greek manuscripts.  How did it get removed?  We’re not sure. 

But some think that it began sometime before the year 325, when a bishop named Arius who was very popular and powerful in Alexandria, Egypt taught that Jesus was not God.  He was called to a council in Nicaea and was condemned by the church.  While the Western church held firmly to the Scriptures, Egypt followed Arius.  Some believe that Arius removed this verse from what are called “Alexandrian manuscripts” which came from, you guessed it Alexandria, Egypt. 

Despite that it is missing from many manuscripts, we can point to nearly a dozen early church fathers who lived before the year 500, including Tertullian, Cyprian, Priscilian, etc who quoted this verse.^[i][ii][iii] 

So who’s right and who is wrong.  I’m not 100% sure.  I can tell you this.  I think it is a little easier to remove things than to add them.  Regardless of who is right, I only want to use this as an illustration of the battle lines that have been drawn over the trinity.  The trinity is a Christian belief that we get from many other places in the Bible.  It is under attack, because God is under attack. 

But let me just say this.  If you reject God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, you are missing, not only the truth of God’s Word, but you are missing eternal life. 

Jesus is the Christ

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot Him also loves him who is begotten of Him. 1 John 5:1

To the surprise of some, “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name. It is his title.  “Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos, meaning “anointed one” or “chosen one.” This is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Mashiach, or “Messiah.” “Christ” is His title, signifying Jesus was sent from God to be a King and Deliverer.  Practically, it means he is Inaugurated to the Highest Rank possible – that is to be seated at the right hand of God.

John had a lot to say about Jesus truly being the Christ.

1 John 2:22-23 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

1 John 4:1-3 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist.

2 John 1:7-9 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

John 6:69 we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

John 20:27-31 Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

Let me sum it up for you.  Jesus is the Christ.    1.  If you deny Jesus is the Christ – you don’t know God.  2.  The Christ has come in the flesh – Jesus came as a man.  3.  The Christ is the only begotten son of the Father.  4.  Jesus Christ is Lord and God.  By believing in Him you have life in His name.  To sum it up, the Bible teaches that Jesus is God

And it teaches that the Spirit is God, and it teaches that the Father is God;  Three persons, that’s who God is.  One God, That’s what God is!

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[i] https://www.puritanboard.com/threads/1-john-5-7-manuscript-evidence.51763/

[ii] http://www.defendproclaimthefaith.org/1_john_57_and_the_record_in_heaven.html

[iii] http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/1john57-exegesis.htm

These are stressful times to be alive.  Are you troubled about the future?  If you are, you might have some good reasons to be.  It seems like we are in the end times.  And people are always trying to read the signs of the times and predict when Jesus will return.  Troubling times lead to wild prophetic predictions.  Make no mistake about it, Jesus is coming again.  We don’t know when! 

2 Thessalonians was written to correct prophetic errors. 

For those who are foolhardy enough to make predictions, good luck. 

Get Ready, Jesus is Coming Soon 1

Are you prepared for Jesus Coming? 

Bible prophecy has an essential purpose:  to bring hope and comfort.

The terminology of Jesus Second Advent. 

The Coming – παρουσία parousia coming, presence, an arrival. 

This is talking about the future visible return from heaven of Jesus. 

It can refer to His coming at the end of the tribulation (Matthew 24)

It can refer to the rapture of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4).

The Gathering – ἐπισυναγωγή episunagoge gathering together. 

Who is being gathered here?  This is OUR gathering together to Him. 

This is what we call His coming FOR the saints.  1 Thess 4:15-19

It is not his coming WITH His saints. 1 Thess 3:13, Rev 19:14. 

The Day of Christ.

The Day of the Lord is a period time at the end of time. 

All end time events are included in the term “The Day of the Lord.”

The day of Christ is the coming of Christ for His saints. 

Be Careful Who You Listen to 1-2

Have you ever been afraid that you will be left behind?

Jesus coming is good news for the Christian, not bad news. 

Shaken – σαλεύω saleuo – to agitate the mind, to disturb one’s peace. 

troubled – θροέω throeo – to trouble is to frighten, or alarm needlessly. 

The rapture should bring comfort not dread.  1 Thess 4:16-18

Be Discerning, You Haven’t Been Left Behind 2

There are many false prophets and false predictions.    

Three erroneous sources of information we should stay away from. 

Wrong Spirit – “do not believe every spirit.”  1 John 4:1

There are only two sources of information. 

If it is true, it comes from God and His Word! 

Wrong Message –Beware of who you listen to. 

Wrong Book – Our source of authority is the Bible! 

Before you read other books, you must be grounded in the Word of God.

While other voices may deceive, God’s Word is the Truth.   

Get ready!  Jesus is coming again.  Don’t let current events or confusing teaching shake your faith.  Instead of listening to the wisdom of the world, get into the Word of God, let it dwell richly in you, and profoundly change you, and you will discover that the truth will set you free!

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These are stressful times to be alive.  Ever since the pandemic of 2020, which saw fear explode like lightning, we’ve been a little bit off kilter.  The same year, a contentious election year, chaos spread, fueled by lawlessness, riots and bizarre reporting.  That was a very bad year.

Now, four years later, let me ask you this: are you still as troubled about the future as you were then?  If you are, you might have some good reasons to be.

There are numerous indications that this year is shaping up to be a doozy of an election year.  And the world situation is looking more and more like World War III.

Russia has been at war with Ukraine, and taxpayers have been footing the bill to the tune of 74 billion dollars in military and humanitarian aid.[i]  What’s that going to do to the economy?  My personal economy feels like they’ve taken the cash right out of my bank account to pay for it. 

Just a few days ago, on April 13, Iran launched nearly 350 attack drones and missiles against Israel in the ongoing Israeli, Hamas war.[ii]  That day the stock market tanked.  It’s still dropping. 

And let’s not forget the eclipse!  Some Christian prophecy teachers have claimed that the eclipse was a sign of imminent judgment on America.  The line of the eclipse made a big X across the United States and intersected on a city called RAPTURE, Indiana.  What a coincidence that is.

People are always trying to read the signs of the times and predict when Jesus will return.  And I get it.  Troubling times lead to wild prophetic predictions.  It has happened before, and it will happen again.  Here are a few lessons from history:

In the 1830s Seventh Day Adventists predicted that Jesus would return in the Spring of 1844.  But He didn’t.  That became known as the Great Disappointment.[iii]  Seventh Day Adventists quickly pivoted and claimed that, oops we misunderstood the times and misunderstood prophecy, instead of coming to earth that year, Jesus really went into the Holy of Holy’s in heaven to begin a thing called the Investigative Judgment. 

They are not the only ones.  Jehovah witnesses predicted that Jesus would return in 1914, and then again in 1925.  But He didn’t.  When 1925 passed uneventfully, attendance dropped dramatically.[iv]  Jehovah’s Witnesses quickly pivoted and claimed that, oops we mistakenly thought Jesus was coming physically to earth, when all along it was an invisible coming![v] 

And they are not the only ones.  There have been many mistaken predictions about Jesus coming.  And yet, make no mistake about it, Jesus is coming again.  We don’t know when!  But what we do know is that 2 Thessalonians was written to correct these kinds of prophetic errors.  There are several errors that Paul set out to correct, and the first one is this. 

Let me phrase it this way, Paul might have said:  For those who are foolhardy enough to make predictions, good luck, the Day of Christ’s coming is not yet.  Jesus has not come and left you behind.  So don’t get all shook up about it. 

Let’s start with a simple truth that the New Testament repeats over and over:

Get Ready, Jesus is Coming Soon 1

Are you prepared for Jesus Coming?  There is so much confusion in the Christian world about end times events that you will never find anything near a consensus on what’s really going to happen.  And because of that, numerous pastors won’t even teach on this subject. 

It is a shame that the enemy has done such a good job at sowing discord and disagreement among Christians that it causes some people to skip over and miss out on some of the most important scriptures in the Bible! 

We can’t afford to let that happen.  Bible prophecy has an essential purpose:  It is meant bring hope, comfort, and encouragement and lead us to a place of readiness!  I find that the only safe thing to do is to study diligently and let the Bible speak for itself.  That’s what we are going to attempt to do today. 

And Paul was not shy when it came to teaching on prophetic subjects.  Look at 2:1

Now brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled.

Some people find prophecy concerning, but Paul was afraid that we might not concern ourselves with it the way we should.  We should pay close attention to prophecy, and we should get ourselves prepared for Jesus coming.

Now let’s understand some of the terminology of Jesus Second Advent.  There are three words used in these verses that we need to understand.  Coming. Gathering.  And the Day of Christ.

The Coming – παρουσία parousia coming, presence, an arrival.  This is talking about the future visible return from heaven of Jesus.  The Second Coming is not a single event, but rather a series of events.  It can refer to either His second coming at the end of the 7-year tribulation period (Matthew 24:27, 37, 39), or to His coming to rapture His Church prior to the 7-year period known as the tribulation (1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 4).  It is a generic word for His Coming, so we must look at the context to determine its meaning.

The Gathering – ἐπισυναγωγή episunagoge gathering together.  Let’s ask the question, who is being gathered here?  Israel?  No.  Unbelievers?  No.  In this case the coming refers to OUR gathering together to Him.  This is what we call His coming FOR the saints.  It is the same thing referenced in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-19 where the Lord descends with a shout, the dead in Christ rise, and then we who are alive and remain are caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  It is different than his coming WITH His saints referenced in 1 Thess 3:13 and Revelation 19:14, where Jesus comes with his saints to judge the world. 

The Day of Christ – The Day of Christ is found in verse 2.  Some of your Bibles call this “The Day of the Lord.”  Most manuscripts call it the Day of Christ.  This is the only time we have the Day of Christ referenced in the New Testament.  That brings us to another day.  The Day of the Lord.

Now the Day of the Lord is a period time at the end of time.  Some people see a parallel between the 7 days of creation and the earth’s history.  God created the universe in six days, and rested on the 7^th day.  So far we have had approximately 6000 years of recorded history, and the last 1000 years yet to come is known as the thousand year reign of Christ.  All the end time events, the Great Tribulation, the Return of Christ and the Millennial Reign of Christ are all included in the term we call “The Day of the Lord.”  It is the broad day, when God sets all things to rights.

As I see it, The day of Christ is not to be confused with the Day of the Lord.  Let me see if we can show you, from the context what the Day of Christ is.  In Verse 1, Paul told us he would be talking to us CONCERNING the coming of the lord and our gathering to him… and then we are told not to be shaken, as though that day, or the Day of Christ had already come! 

All this is to say that the day of Christ is the day when Christ returns FOR his saints.  Jesus is coming again soon!  The next event on the prophetic horizon is the coming of Christ FOR His Saints.  Get Ready!

Be Careful Who You Listen to

Earlier in our service, we sang the song titled, “I wish we’d all been ready.”  One of the repeated lyrics of the song is “there’s no time to change your mind, the Son has come and you’ve been left behind!” 

Some people don’t like the idea of the Rapture, because, they say it causes paranoia, or the fear that you’ll be left behind.  Why would the rapture cause paranoia among church goers, unless there are some here who truly haven’t trusted Christ as Savior.  Because the rapture is meant to bring comfort, not anxiety, hope not dread.  Yet some of the Thessalonians thought that the event had already happened and that they were left behind.

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled,

His coming is good news for the Christian not bad news!

Don’t be shaken – σαλεύω saleuo – a motion, similar to the idea of a shaking produced by winds, storms, or waves, to agitate the mind, to disturb one’s peace. 

Don’t be troubled – θροέω throeo – to trouble is to frighten, or alarm needlessly. 

Let me tell you what the rapture should do.  1 Thess 4:16-18

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

2 Peter 3:4 calls this “the promise of His coming.”  Titus 2:13 calls it the “blessed hope and glorious appearing.”  John 14 says, “Let not your heart be troubled; I’m going to prepare a place for you.”  And 2 Timothy 4:8 promises that there is a crown of righteousness waiting for all who love His appearing. 

For the Christian, Prophecy is encouraging, not disturbing.  a proper understanding of the end times leads to comfort, hope, peace, encouragement and joy.  But an improper understanding will lead you astray!

Be Discerning, You Haven’t Been Left Behind

There are many false prophets and false prophecies and false predictions.  This is what Paul was combating! 

we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as if the day of Christ had already come

And Paul mentions three erroneous sources of information that we should stay away from. 

Wrong Spirit – Some of you may be following the Wrong Spirit.  1 John 4:1 says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 

By spirit, we mean that there are only two sources of information: true or false.  If it is true, it comes from God and God’s Word, if it is in error, it ultimately can be traced back to Satan.  Believe me, you don’t want to be responsible for promoting doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1)!  Test the Spirit of a man against the Word of God! 

Wrong Message – Some of us are listening to the Wrong Message.  Beware of who you listen to.  I know so many Christians who are listening to incredible, amazing, powerful, false teachers!  They are on the radio, TV, the internet, youtube, and everywhere you look.  They even say some good things!  But they are leading thousands astray.

Wrong Book – And likewise, some are reading the Wrong Book.  Paul’s letters became our books of the Bible.  Let me give you an example.  I know of a Bible Study where they are discussing a book about how to live in a post Christian era.  They asked me to review the book.  I couldn’t find one single Bible verse in the book!  Should we read or study the book?  Any book that doesn’t have God’s Word as its final authority is potentially putting you in danger of buying into non-biblical ideas.  Here’s a thought!  Maybe you should study the Bible!  What a novel idea!

Do you think I’m going overboard?  Ask the Apostle Paul.  There are numerous books, messages and prophecy teachers with numerous points of view on the end times.  And we Christians should be aware that our viewpoint isn’t the only one.  We probably should be acquainted with other viewpoints. 

But before you go checking out the competition, so to speak, you must be so grounded in the Word of God, and in teachings and doctrines of the New Testament, that you will be able to spot error and you will be able to compare everything with Scripture.  Otherwise you are in danger of having your heart shaken and your mind troubled because you don’t know what to believe.  While other voices may deceive God’s Word is the one Truth you can depend on.  Until you are rock solid, grounded in the firm foundation of the Word of God, don’t go nosing around in the enemies account. 

Paul put it this way, when talking about being grounded in the Gospel:  Galatians 1:6-9

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

Get ready!  Jesus is coming again.  Don’t let current events or confusing teaching shake your faith.  Instead of listening to the wisdom of the world, get into the Word of God, let it dwell richly in you, and profoundly change you, and you will discover that the truth will set you free!

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[i] https://www.cfr.org/article/how-much-aid-has-us-sent-ukraine-here-are-six-charts

[ii] https://www.axios.com/2024/04/17/israel-iran-attack-retaliate-strike-postponed

[iii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Disappointment

[iv] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unfulfilled_Watch_Tower_Society_predictions#:~:text=In%20his%20ethnographic%20study%20of,kids’%20names%20down%20for%20school.

[v] https://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/1800s.php

What are you going to do if they come for you?  Jesus told us to turn the other cheek.  The beatitudes tell us, “Blessed are the peace makers.”  And in one of the most stunning Scriptures ever recorded, Jesus commanded us to love our enemies.  And despite our peace loving, quiet living, respectful behavior, Jesus warned, “If they hated me, they will hate you.”  (John 15:18)  

Persecution is the norm for the Christian.  Peter 4:12-16

I Pray that You Would live a Worthy life 11

The call of God is the governing factor in the life of every believer. 

Your calling is your divine purpose.  It is why God put you on earth. 

If you don’t know your purpose, you will flounder.

If you do know and you live out your purpose, you will flourish. 

Four calls in Scripture. 

1.  There is the call to ministry.  Jn 15:16

2.  There is our vocation.  1 Cor 7:20. 

3.  There is the call to salvation.  Heb 3:15

4.  There is the call to the Christian to live a worthy life. 

Our Call is what it means to be a Christian.

It is a heavenly calling. Hebrews 3:1

It is the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:12-14

Our purpose is to live by the principles of Jesus Christ! 

 “Lord help me to live a worthy life“

I Pray that You Would Be Blessed! 11

God wants to be good to you and bless you. Mat 7:11

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Ps 23:6 

“Oh that men would praise the LORD his goodness!” Ps 107:8

God’s goodness is not dependent on our circumstances. 

God is good to everyone.  Believers get ALL His good pleasure. 

My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives. Jn 14:27

We get the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. Phil 4:7

“Lord help me to experience your goodness!”

I Pray that You Would Be Diligent for Christ 11

This prayer is the encouragement we need to serve in times of trial. 

I will show you my faith by my works.  Jas 2: 18

Let us not grow weary while doing good works. Gal 6:9

This is your work of faith and labor of love.”  1 Thess 1:3

You can tell how much you love Jesus by how you serve Him.

The motivation and energy to serve others starts in prayer

Not my will, but your will be done!  Lk 22:42

“Lord help me to rise above my circumstances with faith that works!” 

I Pray that You Would Glorify Jesus Christ 12

One simple, spiritual exercise that will change your life: glorify Jesus! 

glorify ἔνδοξος endoxos or doxology means praise to God. 

Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit – Glorify God.  1 Cor 6:19-20

There’s only one way to glorify Jesus; if you have God’s grace.

“Lord I want to glorify You!” 

These are values persecuted and troubled believers need in their lives.  You should pray these prayers for yourself.  “Lord help me to live a worthy life in the good times and the bad times.  Lord help me to experience your goodness no matter my circumstances.  Help me to rise above my circumstances and be empowered with a faith that works!”  And, most important of all, Lord Jesus I want to glorify You!”  In Jesus Name; Amen. 

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We Christians don’t like to think of ourselves as the bad guys.  In fact you won’t find a more law abiding group of people than Christians.  Jesus told us to turn the other cheek.  The beatitudes tell us, “blessed are the peace makers.”  And in one of the most stunning Scriptures ever recorded Jesus commanded us to love our enemies. 

And despite our peace loving, quiet living, respectful behavior, Jesus warned, “If they hated me, they will hate you.”  (John 15:18)  Persecution is the normal condition of Christian living.  Expect it.  In fact the Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:12-16

12 Beloved, do not be shocked when a fiery trial comes to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you will also be glad with exceeding joy. 14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s affairs. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God because of it.

Don’t be shocked.  Persecution is the norm for the Christian!

We all know that times are getting worse.  We have heard the warnings that Christian repression is coming.  In fact, Incidents of arson, vandalism and other hostile acts against U.S. churches rose to over 436 last year, more than double the number recorded in 2022, and more than eight times the number of incidents recorded in 2018.  According to a report by the Family Research Council, at least 315 occurrences of vandalism, 75 arson attacks, 10 gun-related incidents, 20 bomb threats and 37 other hostile incidents took place at churches in the US last year.[i] 

And worldwide, the situation is even more desperate.  Over 365 million Christians face hostility, discrimination and persecution.  5,898 were martyred last year.  There were 5,110 churches attacked, and 4,765 Christians arrested for their faith. 

So the question remains, “What you going to do when they come for you?”  Our message today answers that question.  And the basic answer to that question is this:  You need to be prayed up so that when that time comes you are ready for it.  And in fact the best way to prepare for hard times is to begin praying right and living well, right now.  Today I will give you four powerful character qualities that you can pray into your life right now that will enable you to successfully endure difficult times when they come.  And believe me, they will come.

So let’s understand where we are in the book of 2 Thessalonians.  Paul has been talking about persecution.  And his warning to us is to GET READY for persecution, because it’s coming.  In fact, verse 4 sets the scene and explains the context:

We ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.

In the context of persecution, Paul pauses to pray for the people of the Thessalonician church.  This is his prayer for them, and this is my prayer for you when you face troubles, problems and persecution.

I Pray that You Would live a Worthy life 11

There are a few things we need define in order to live right.  The first is our calling, and the second is our worthiness. 

What is our calling?  In every age the call of God has been the governing factor in the life of every believer.  It is our solemn responsibility to learn what is the nature of our calling, and having discovered it, to walk consistently in it. 

Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling

Your calling is your divine purpose.  It is why God put you here on this earth.  Why has God placed you here?  Do you know?  If you don’t know your purpose, you will flounder; if you do know and you do everything in your power to live out your purpose, you will flourish. 

There are several different calls in Scripture.  1.  There is the call to ministry.  We saw an example of that last week in the commissioning of Pastor Craig.  God calls and gifts some to leadership in the church.  2.  There is our vocation.  1 Corinthians 7:20 says that is a calling as well.  While the world thinks that you must find the right profession in order to be happy, God’s viewpoint is a little different.  In God’s eyes finding the right profession is not as important as living a God honoring life in whatever profession you land in.  You bring honor to your profession by living for Jesus.  3.  There is the call to salvation.  Even now the Holy Spirit is calling and convicting and wooing sinners to himself.  Today if you hear God’s still small voice calling you, answer him and trust Him as Savior.  4.  And then there is the call to the Christian to live a worthy life.  That’s the one we are looking at today.

Our Call is what it means to be a Christian—to find out who we are in Christ, and to live out this truth daily.  This is how God calls all Christians to live. Many Christians don’t live worthy of their calling because they don’t know or understand it—they don’t know all that Christ did for them, or how he calls them to live in light of what he did.  Every believer must discover this calling and live our lives to fulfill it. 

Hebrews 3:1 says “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus.”  Our calling is a heavenly calling, and it is patterned after Jesus Christ.  Live the way Jesus told us to live, and you will fulfill this calling. 

In Philippians 3:12-14 Paul says, “12 Not that I have already attained perfection; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have already arrived; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Ours is an upward calling.  Our God given purpose in life is this:  to live by the principles of Jesus Christ!  This is why were put on earth!  This is our calling.  Once you understand this, you will throw yourself into the study of the Scriptures and do everything you can to apply them to your life. 

In order to live worthily.  Axios (worthy) has the root meaning of balancing the scales—what is on one side of the scale should be equal in weight to what is on the other side. our actions should match our words.  The believer who walks in a worthily of his high position as a child of God will do his best to live that out.[ii]

In order to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, we must practice godly character.  This is what Paul is praying would take hold of the Thessalonians while they are persecuted.  And this is my prayer for you.  Lord help me to live a worthy life in the good times and the bad times, in prosperity and persecution.  This is a worthwhile life.  This is my calling.

I Pray that You Would Be Blessed even though persecuted! 11

Did you know that God wants to be good to you?  And he just doesn’t want to be good to you, he wants fulfill ALL his GOOD PLEASURE and GOODNESS in you!  God wants you to experience his good pleasure and his goodness even when you are in the midst of persecution or problems. 

Therefore we also pray always for you that God would fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness in you

In the great Shepherd’s Psalm, David sang, Ps 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

And in Ps 107:8 David prayed, “Oh that men would praise the LORD his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”

God’s goodness is not dependent on our circumstances.  You can be in the midst of trial and trouble and persecution, and still experience God’s goodness! 

Matthew 7:11 says, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

God is good to everyone.  He gives us dazzling sunshine in the summer, beautiful snow in the winter; He sends us fields of marigolds and daffodils in the spring.  Everybody gets some of the goodness of God.  But the believer gets ALL His good pleasure, and all His goodness.  We get his fullness!

That’s what Jesus meant in John 14:27 when he said, “Peace I leave to you; My peace I give to you. Not as as the world gives do I give to you.”

And that’s what Paul meant in Philippians 4:7, that we get the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.”

You can experience the goodness of God if you want it.  His goodness is always there.  What’s the old saying?  “God is Good…”  (ALL THE TIME!). 

I pray that you would be blessed!  “Lord help me to experience your goodness!”

I Pray that You Would Be Diligent for Christ 11

I don’t know about you, but when I feel mistreated or overwhelmed, I just want to curl up and hide.  I don’t want to face the world; I don’t want to serve Jesus; I don’t want to do anything.  But that’s the point of this prayer for the persecuted! 

Therefore we also pray always for you that God would fulfill the work of faith with power

God knows when we are harassed;  He knows when we are overwhelmed; and this prayer is just the bit of encouragement we need in times of trial.  Listen to the words of this prayer again:  That God would fulfill the work of faith with power!  “the work of faith with power!” 

What is the work of faith?  James 2: 18 notes, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Galatians 6:9, “And let us not grow weary while doing good works, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

1 Thess 1:3 calls this “your work of faith and labor of love.”  When you love Jesus, you want to serve God.  That’s one of the ways that you can tell just how much you love Him!  We Christians should check ourselves to make sure that we are not growing weary, but instead we are energized by God’s spirit. 

This is the work of faith with power?  How do you get the power of God to do works of faith?  Where do you get the motivation and energy to serve others?  It starts in prayer, and in complete dependence on the Holy Spirit.  When you pray, “not my will, but your will be done in my life!”  God infuses you with His power.

I pray that you would be empowered by His might in well doing.  “Lord help me to rise above my circumstances with faith that works!” 

I Pray that You Would Glorify Jesus Christ 12

This is the bottom line.  Your life will instantly be better when you do one simple, spiritual exercise.  When you glorify the name of Jesus Christ!  Try it!  “Lord, I glorify Jesus.  I want Jesus name to be lifted up and adored.  It’s what I want to do.  I want Jesus to be glorified in me.” 

That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The word glorify comes from the Greek word, ἔνδοξος endoxos from which we get our word doxology meaning praise to God.  One of the most powerful things you can do with your lips is to praise the Lord!  It will change your life.  You should glorify God with your lips, and you should glorify God with your life.  In fact 1 Cor 6:19-20 say

Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 

Listen, there’s only one way you’re ever going to glorify Jesus, and that is if you have the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in your life.  Only when God does a supernatural work in your life, changing your indifferent heart to one of humble gratitude to Jesus for the amazing work that He did by dying on the cross for our sins, only when grace invades your life will you ever want to honor Jesus this way.  If you have it wonderful, praise Him!  If you don’t, you have no idea how much you need the Grace of God. 

I pray that you would glorify Jesus.  “Lord I want to glorify You!” 

This is Paul praying for persecuted believers.  These are values persecuted, harassed, harried, troubled believers need in their lives.  We need these four principles to become part of our character so that we will be able to live them out in times of trial.  You should pray these prayers for yourself. 

Would you bow with me in prayer:

Lord help me to live a worthy life in the good times and the bad times.  Lord help me to experience your goodness no matter my circumstances.  Help me to rise above my circumstances and be empowered with a faith that works!”  And, most important of all, Lord Jesus I want to glorify You!”  This is my prayer now, and this is my prayer should I face trial, trouble or Persecution.  In Jesus Precious Name; Amen. 

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[i] https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/feb/20/attacks-on-us-churches-more-than-doubled-in-2023-f/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20report%2C%20at,incidents%20fell%20into%20multiple%20categories.

[ii] https://bible.org/seriespage/12-how-live-life-worthy-christ-s-calling

Today we’ve chosen one of the primary passages in the New Testament detailing the sacred and noble task of the Pastor and Shepherd.  This a charge for the pastor to keep; it explains some of the primary tasks of a Pastor.  But it is not for the pastor alone, because there are some responsibilities that the people have as well.  That leads me to ask two questions, “What is a pastor’s job, and what is our responsibility to him?”  Those are questions we are going to answer today.

The Pastor’s Charge 1

It is a Divine Charge

The pastor has a “Sacred responsibility to perform a noble task.” 

The Pastor should be an example of how a godly man should live. 

It is a Divine Call

The pastor stands before God as His ambassador. 

Men do not just decide to be pastors on their own, God calls them.

The pastor is an imperfect man serving a perfect Savior. 

It has Divine Accountability

The pastor will receive special scrutiny. 

“Teachers will receive a heavier judgment!”  James 3:1

Elders will receive the unfading crown of glory. 1 Peter 5:4

The Pastor’s Task 2

Preach It!

The pastor’s #1 job is to speak for God. 

Pastoral evaluation question: “Does the pastor preach the Word?” 

Expository preaching makes the meaning of the Word clear.

Prepare it!

Be prepared and ready in season and out of season.

God’s man should be so deeply established in the Word, and when he bleeds bible. 

Deliver it.

The sermon should be written to convince you of the truth.

The sermon should be written to correct and rebuke erroneous ideas.

The sermon should be written to encourage and build you up. 

That job takes patience, because people take time to change. 

We teach the whole council of God so that people will “get it!”

The Pastor’s Danger 3-4

People will disappoint us.  People will fall away.

Our culture is in such chaos that truth is on the scaffold.

The Pastor’s Ethic 5

Sadly the ministry is filled with affliction and heartbreak. 

A pastor should the work of an evangelist. 

A pastor must fulfill the ministry.

 God gave you a job to do, finish the job.  Keep on keeping on.  God is not finished with you yet.  Keep preaching the Word, encouraging the saints, making disciples, and keep on sharing the Gospel.  The job is not finished until God calls you home!  Even if it seems doubtful that we will ever change the world, we need to be faithful in the place God has planted us.  That’s what a pastor is called to do.

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Today marks the beginning of a new era at Pine Grove.  We’ve been praying, God has answered;  In a resounding way.  Today we install Pastor Craig Kinney and His wife Candy as our associate Pastor, and begin the transition which, God willing will culminate in a multitude of blessings, numerous people won to the Lord and great growth among God’s people.

And for our message today, we’ve chosen to consider one of the primary passages in the New Testament detailing the sacred and noble task of the Pastor and Shepherd.  This a charge for Craig to keep; it explains some of the primary tasks of a Pastor. 

But it is not for the pastor alone, because there are some responsibilities that the people have as well.  That leads me to ask two questions, “What is a pastor’s job?  (everybody seems to have an opinion) And what is our responsibility to him?”  Those are questions we are going to answer today.

The Pastor’s Charge 1

It is a Divine Charge

Let me begin by saying that whatever the pastor’s responsibilities are, it is a charge.  The word “charge” means a “Sacred responsibility, a solemn affirmation of duty, a divine trust, a noble task.”  The Pastor stands behind a bully pulpit in one of the most vulnerable positions; as an example to men and women of how a godly man should live. 

Craig and Candi, I charge you to affirm that you will carry out this sacred task in the power of the Holy Spirit, to best of your ability. 

It is a Divine Call

The reason that it is sacred is because the pastor stands before God the God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as His ambassador.  The pastor is called by God to speak for God.  The ministry is not merely something an individual can do, but what he must do. To enter the pulpit, that necessity must be laid upon him by God.  The pastor must have an inner compulsion to preach the Word.  Men do not just decide to be pastors on their own, God calls them.

Who is worthy of that?  There is no such thing as a perfect pastor.  I am an imperfect pastor.  Amen?  Criag is an imperfect pastor.  But you are imperfect people!  That makes us a perfect match.  There has never been a perfect church.  There has never been a church without pastors with human flaws. 

A pastor carries the weight of his own failures.  And then a pastor carries the weight of the church’s apparent success, or failure.  The pastor carries the burden of mental exhaustion, physical infirmity, declining attendance, interpersonal conflict, financial stress, family problems, false teaching, and a myriad of other issues that threaten to bury him in darkness. [i]

And pastor Craig.  That means, if you are not called and sustained by God, you ain’t going to make it. 

It has Divine Accountability

When the Lord Jesus Christ comes to judge the living and the dead, the pastor will receive special scrutiny.  And for that there’s good news and bad news.  James 3:1 reminds us, “Let not many of you become teachers, by brothers, knowing that we will receive a heavier judgment!”  On the flip side, 1 Peter 5:4 says that “When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory”

This is our charge to you today:  Live up to your calling and live in such a way that Jesus will give you the thumbs up of a well done!

But there’s more…

The Pastor’s Task 2

The pastor has many tasks.  He must be a mentor, a discipler, an administrator, a counselor, a motivator, a vision caster, an evangelist, a trainer, a teacher of children and adults, an expert in human behavior and the list goes on.  But what is job #1 for the pastor?  Here it is: A pastor speaks for God. 

Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching

Preach It!

The Pastor should preach the Word!

If you ever go to another church, the first question you should ask is, “Does the pastor preach the Word?”  He may be interesting, but that is not enough. He may tell great jokes and use captivating illustrations, but that is not enough!  He may be a positive guy and be full of fire and life, but that is never enough.  He needs to be anchored in the Word of God, or he’s not doing his job. 

And by the way, what I mean by that is the he should make a regular practice of doing what is called, “expository preaching.”  That means that his job is not just to preach a good Bible message.  Expository preaching is deeper.  It is using the Bible as his text to explain it, and let the Bible speak for itself.  This kind of preaching is meant to expose the word to the listener, and shed light on it, so that when we are finished, you know what God has said.  Preach the Word.

Prepare it!

Be ready in season and out of season.

Now what does that mean?  ἐφίστημι ephistemi means that the Word is so ingrained in the individual that He is so deeply established in the Word, and when he bleeds he bleeds bible.  Some translations say, be earnest, be urgent, keep going, be persistent, be fervent, be prepared. 

No matter when the opportunity arises, preach it.  In good times and in bad.  When you have a house full, and when you don’t.  When the message is popular, and when it’s not.  Always be prepared.

Deliver it.

Convince, rebuke and exhort are three methods or directions a sermon can take; longsuffering is the attitude of the preacher, and teaching is something that should pervade all his sermons.

I am here to do everything in my power to convince you that this message about the pastor’s responsibility is one you need to take seriously.  If you have any other opinion, I hope I change your mind.  The pastor should preach to change minds.

I am here to correct erroneous ideas about the Word of God, and in this case to correct erroneous ideas about the job of the pastor.  Sometimes the pastor must rebuke error.

I am here to encourage you and build you up.  That’s what exhortation is all about.  Sometimes we rebuke the sinner, and other times we encourage the saints!  That too is the pastors job.

And that job takes patience, because in my experience people often take a long time to change.  That’s why we must teach the whole counsel of God, because at some point, I know that the Holy Spirit is going to turn on a light bulb in your life, and you are going say, “I finally get it!” 

The Pastor’s Danger 3

But Craig, as you well know, there are some dangers you will face!  People will disappoint us.  People will fall away, the time is coming when they will refuse to listen to the truth.  Today is that day!  Our culture is in such chaos that the world despises everything we hold sacred.  Whether it be marriage, race, gender or truth, some people just won’t listen.

Instead, they will shout us down and flock to teachers who will tell them only what they want to hear.  Why do they want to hear such fables?  Because they love their sin and don’t want to be convicted about it.  We can’t let the onslaught of the world discourage us!  Be strong!

It would be nice if the ministry was all joy, happiness and accolades!  Unfortunately, if we follow the example of Jesus or any of the Apostles, our ministry will be filled with persecution, shipwreck, trials and heartbreak. 

The Pastor’s Ethic 3

That’s why you need to be watchful, and aware of everything going on around you so that you are ready for the bad times and afflictions when they come. 

The bottom line?  #1 do the work of an evangelist.  Keep sharing the faith, no matter what.  #2  Fulfill your ministry.  Craig and Candi; God gave you a job to do, finish the job.  Keep on keeping on.  God is not finished with you yet.  Keep preaching the Word, encouraging the saints, making disciples, and keep on sharing the Gospel.  The job is not finished until God calls you home! 

Even if it seems doubtful that we will ever change the world, we need to be faithful in the place God has planted us.  Perhaps you’ve heard the story of the boy at the beach.  The tide was out, and a man was walking down the beach.  The man spotted a boy who was picking up star fish, one at a time, and throwing them in the water.  The man watched for a while, and then asked, “what are you doing?”  The boy replied I’m saving Star Fish.  The man looked up and down the vast beach where a hundreds of star fish were stranded.  He said, “There are too many of them!  You’ll never make a difference to all these star fish!”  The boy picked up another star fish and flung it in the water and said, “It made a difference to this one!” 

Maybe you want reach all the star fish in the world, but you can make a difference to that one.  And that’s how we roll.  Keep preaching the Word, no matter the obstacles, no matter the peril, finish the job God has given you to do.  Craig and Candi; that is your charge!  That’s what a pastor is called to do.

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[i] https://www.churchtrac.com/articles/the-7-most-pressing-issues-facing-pastors-today

According to ChurchTrac, some of the most pressing issues facing pastors today include: Pastoral burnout, Mental health challenges, Rapidly changing social issues, Declining attendance, and Financial stress

Lifeway Research found over half of all pastors › report sustained levels of stress, and over a quarter report feelings of loneliness. What makes this issue more difficult is that it’s two-fold. Pastors have to manage their own mental wellbeing, while acting as quasi-mental health professionals for their congregations.  Ministers provide pastoral care to congregants dealing with mental health issues like stress, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse in addition to balancing their own mental and spiritual health.