The Pastor’s Jealousy

Temple Baptist Church - 10-15-2008

2 Corinthians 11:1-15

Introduction:

A. We have spent several weeks dealing with the three-fold heresy mentioned here in verse 4. False teachers have been and are certainly among us, bringing in damnable heresies! They have perverted the doctrine of Christ, the person of the Holy Ghost, and the glorious gospel of Christ. Satan’s desire is to blind the minds of the lost and bewitch the minds of the saved.

B. Paul is having to explain both his words and actions concerning these false teachers to the Corinthian Church. Many times, church members do not understand why the Pastor does the things that he does. He is sometimes regarded as too harsh or having his own “agenda” at heart when he deals with “wolves” among the sheep.

C. God has given his pastors discernment in the area of wolves and heresy that He has not given to others. The pastor is God’s shepherd to lead, guide, feed, comfort, love, chastise, and protect. He has both God’s command to follow and God’s enablement to accomplish those commands.

D. The pastor has been given the “oversight” of the church. Simply put: the work of watching over God’s sheep! While we all enjoy the sweet fellowship of the assembly, the pastor’s ever watchful eye is scanning the horizon for any sign of an enemy who would corrupt or interrupt the local church.

E. Notice with me the heart of God’s man as put forth by the Holy Ghost in these verses.

1. The Concern Of The Servant – vs. 1-3 “bear with me! … I fear!”

2. The Chastity Of The Bride – vs. 2 “espoused you…present you…chaste virgin to Christ”

3. The Craftiness Of The Serpent – vs. 3 “beguiled Eve…corrupted (you)”

4. The Coming Of The Apostasy – vs. 4 “he that cometh preacheth another”

5. The Caution Of The Apostle – vs. 13-15 “For such ARE false apostles, deceitful workers”

F. The Holy Ghost used the word “Jealous” in verse 2. Everyone of us understands what it is to be jealous. Before I was saved, we had a saying that speaks volumes about jealousy: “Never “monkey” with another monkey’s monkey!” “Mess” with me but don’t “mess” with my wife!

Proverbs 6:34 For jealousy [is] the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

Song of Solomon 8:6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love [is] strong as death; jealousy [is] cruel as the grave: the coals thereof [are] coals of fire, [which hath a] most vehement flame.

G. God is a jealous God and fully expects his “undershepherds” to be the same! DON’T “MESS” WITH MY CHURCH OR MY PEOPLE! I want to look at the work of the pastor in relation to the infiltration of these false teachers.

1. The Shepherd Work Is To Watch – It is the duty of the Pastor to watch over the sheep.

Luke 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Psalms 78:70-71 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: 71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

1 Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; (To look upon; to inspect; to care for)

2. The Shepherd Is To Worry – It is the duty of the Pastor to keep the sheep on his mind and in his heart.

Psalms 40:17 But I [am] poor and needy; [yet] the Lord thinketh upon me: thou [art] my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

Psalms 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, [are] thy wonderful works [which] thou hast done, and thy thoughts [which are] to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: [if] I would declare and speak [of them], they are more than can be numbered.

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

2 Corinthians 12:20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and [that] I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest [there be] debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

3. The Shepherd Is To Warn – It is the duty of the Pastor to give biblical warning.

Ezekiel 33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take [any] person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

Acts 20:29-31 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

4. The Shepherd Is To War – It is the duty of the Pastor to stand tall and fight when Satan roars against the church!

1 Samuel 17:34-35 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered [it] out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught [him] by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

John 10:12-13 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

1 Corinthians 15:32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

Acts 13:9-10 Then Saul, (who also [is called] Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, 10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, [thou] child of the devil, [thou] enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?