Temple Baptist Church - 2-19-2023
1 Peter 5:1-4
Introduction:
A. As I continue to preach on the local church, I want to spend another Sunday Morning preaching on your gift, the pastor. Not to “beat my drum”, but to help give you a biblical understanding of who and what he is to be.
B. There are a couple of dangers involving the perception the people of local churches that I need to address quickly.
1. The danger of not opening the gift that God gave to each one of us concerning the pastor. With many people in our day, the pastor is just the preacher. God gave you a pastor! What is the difference?
a) If the pastor is just your preacher, then he will not be allowed to be a part of your life outside of the local church. He is just someone that you listen to on church days.
b) If the pastor is just your preacher, then you can take what you want and reject what you do not want concerning the preaching of God’s Word.
2. The danger of not having a proper perspective of God’s man, your pastor. This will cause you to do one of two things.
a) 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.
b) 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.
C. 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.
D. The Work of the Pastor-Teacher. We saw this last week:
Ephesians 4:11-12 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
1. For the Perfecting of the Saints. Helping God’s people to grow in the Lord. “Be no more children.”
2. For the Work of the Ministry. To oversee the local church by guiding and protecting, not to become a dictator.
3. For the Edifying of the Body of Christ. Educate, enlighten, exhort, and enrich. To build up, not tear down.
E. Just some simple truths that will help you to understand this man who fills your pulpit. The word “pastor” or “pastors” is found 9 times in your Bible: 8 in the Old Testament and this 1 mention in the New Testament. This means that God, in Ephesians chapter 4, is all that you need to know concerning your pastor.
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 Just 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 mentor.
c. 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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