Temple Baptist Church - 3-22-2020
1 Corinthians 4:1-21
Introduction:
A. Many people never understand their pastor. Paul, when writing to the Corinthian Church, rebuked the divisions that were brought about through this ignorance. The Corinthians’ perspective was off. Not having a proper perspective of God’s man will cause you to do one of two things.
1. It will cause you to elevate your pastor to a plane of perfection that he cannot fulfill and, if he falls, you will fall with him.
2. Or, it will cause you to lower your pastor to a position of disrespect and, therefore, render his influence ineffectual and he will not be able to help you.
B. You need a pastor! God made it that way! Sheep without a shepherd will soon lose their direction, scatter, and fall pray to their enemies. God’s people are like sheep.
Matthew 9:36 says, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” I want to look at the person and position of the pastor tonight in order to help you better understand what God is doing in your life.
1. The Pastor Is God’s Man – vs. 1 - Ephesians 4:11-12 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
a. Be careful how you treat him.
b. Be careful how you talk about him.
2. The Pastor Is A Man – vs. 6 - 1 Corinthians 2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
a. He has feelings.
b. He has faults.
c. He has failures.
3. The Pastor Is Your Man – vs. 8 - Jeremiah 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
a. He is your gift.
b. He is your friend.
4. The Pastor Is A Hated Man – vs. 9-13 - 2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
a. He is hated because of the stand that he takes.
b. He is hated because of the Word he preaches.
c. He is hated because of the Lord he represents.
5. The Pastor Is A Loving Man – vs. 14-15 - 2 Corinthians 12:15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
a. He loves the Lord.
b. He loves the Word.
c. He loves the saints.
d. He loves the sinner.
6. The Pastor Is Beseeching Man – vs. 16-17 - Hebrews 13:22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. (Paul used the word beseech 24 times in the Book of Acts and the Pauline Epistles.)
a. He desires only the best for you.
b. He desires only the best for your family.
c. He desires only the best for the church.
7. The Pastor Is A Concerned Man – vs. 18-21 - 2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
a. He watches over you.
b. He worries over you.
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