Motivation For Gospel Ministry - [1 Thessalonians 2]

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let's turn our Bibles to 1st Thessalonians tonight we had a little detour we're in the book of 1st Thessalonians found in the
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New Testament while you're turning there, there are three of us that I can think of now in the congregation that just about two weeks ago were at Thessalonica.
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If you were at Thessalonica two weeks ago raise your hand that's right you are the elect for coming on a
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Sunday night on Mother's Day they're the hyper elect, the super elect to go to Thessalonica to be there and so this book really warms my heart as I think about this is a real place, this was a real church with a real
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God working on the people and they were very much encouraged by the ministry of Paul but then gospel ministry has its critics since we aren't
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Jesus, since we are frail and fallible people from the apostles on down to preachers and elders today people are critical of leadership how do you know your leadership is good?
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Can you trust your leadership? I can make it really direct how can you trust the leaders at Bethlehem Bible Church?
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Mike and Steve and Harry and Scott and Perdeep can you trust us?
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How can you trust us? Is it just a feeling? Is it a hope? See Paul was at Thessalonica and he was preaching the gospel there and then he left and sometimes when there's a a separation others can come in we certainly believe that Satan is real and Satan wants to destroy what the
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Lord is building and the way you destroy a church is you start pecking away at the leadership most of the people who are
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Christian people would say oh we know God's word is true we know Jesus is the only way so Satan destroys churches by making people who are at the local church not trust their leadership and so this is really good because I don't want you to trust
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Bethlehem Bible Church's leaders for just trusting sake but I want you to examine what the scriptures say and then be able to say do you know what as these men follow the
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Lord I want to follow these men as they point us to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I want to follow them.
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Friends you have to trust your pastors otherwise it's hard to sit here every week and listen to us tell you about Jesus Christ so this is a very fascinating passage people come and go in a local church and there are times
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I hate to admit it where people say you know what I don't know if I can trust you by either their actions are by their deeds
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I'm not sure you're believable I'm not sure you're credible can we trust the leadership at Bethlehem Bible Church and 1st
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Thessalonians addresses that very issue Paul first writes in chapter 1 just for a quick review that Christians that are elect make progress and he says in chapter 1 verse 2 as he writes this book we give thanks to God always for you constantly mention you in our prayers remembering before our
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God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our
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Lord Jesus Paul just really knew the Thessalonians had progress in gospel ministry and Paul was pleased by that he loved the
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Lord for that and he loved the people as well he says in verse 4 of chapter 1 for we know brothers loved by God that he has chosen you and then he gives reasons why he sees the election of God manifesting itself in the life of the people now in chapter 2 versus 1 through all the way chapter 3 verse 13
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Paul is trying to correct misinformation about himself people are starting to spread rumors and Paul now vindicates his ministry he's not trying to defend himself for himself sake but because the gospel is at stake gospel preaching brings critics and Paul is going to try to vindicate himself before in chapter 4 and 5 he talks about things that will help them grow let me give you the outline tonight
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I'm going to give you several let's see how do I want to work this I want to work this little bit differently
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I think as we go how do you recognize godly leadership at Bethlehem Bible Church how do you recognize that this is the right kind of leadership how can you trust the elders and pastors here biblically gauging gospel ministry at Bethlehem Bible Church and at every church you know what
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I could say this is kinda the leadership's report card you shouldn't trust me because you think
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I'm nice you shouldn't trust me because you think I'm I've got a neat wife you shouldn't trust me because the church is growing we've got a nice budget should you trust me how can you trust me and this is not just good for gospel ministers this is good for lay people who serve in all different aspects if this is how you're supposed to trust gospel ministers this is what you should be like in your own life now you get a hint of what's happening in chapter 2 verse 1 for you yourselves know brothers that are coming to you is not in vain this is one of the reasons why
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Paul writes this because people were saying you know what what Paul did when he was here makes no difference they're criticizing
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Paul trying to destroy the work that he had started it's hard to put together the puzzle of the exact people who are doing this we're not told maybe
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Judaizers if you look down in chapter 2 verse 16 by hindering us from speaking to the
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Gentiles that they might be saved there are accusations hurled against Paul you can just imagine how many people here like baseball many people's favorite team is the
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New York excuse me is the San Francisco Giants or you by the way
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I told Scott Walken this the other day I bought a Boston's Bruins shirt for the first time and now
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I'm rooting for the Boston Bruins once again and so I'm a local okay I want you to know that but you won't see me wear it here
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I'll wear that in California here I'll wear the San Francisco Giants shirt how's that gotta go with winners you can just imagine wait till the
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Apostles out of town and then like a pitcher stands on that pitching mound coming up and ready to pitch just hurling abuse hurling criticism putting things in the people's minds how can we trust
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Paul and if you can't trust Paul you can't trust his message we don't really know exactly who was doing this whether it was
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Jews or Gentiles it still remains a mystery but we do know that people didn't like him and then when
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Jesus builds a church Satan tries to destroy it through the use of people we do know if you go to Acts chapter 17 what happens let's flip over to Acts 17
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I wanna show you a little background to show you how things kinda foment you ever take an
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Alka -Seltzer tablet and drop it into water plop plop what you guys are just products of your pop culture aren't you it just fizzes and agitates and where Paul went the gospel of life where it went
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Jesus Christ in him crucified where it went there was an agitation there was trouble because Satan hates that message you look at Acts chapter 17 it's fascinating to see what happens here
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Acts 16 things didn't go so well initially as you can read on your own
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Acts 17 verses 1 to 10 now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia they came to Thessalonica where there was a synagogue of the
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Jews and Paul went in as was his custom and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the scriptures explaining and proving that it was necessary for the
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Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead and saying this Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the
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Christ some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas as did a great many of the devout
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Greeks and not a few of the leading women but the Jews were jealous and taking some of the wicked men of the rabble they formed a mob set the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason seeking to bring them out to the crowd and when they could not find them they dragged
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Jason and some other brothers before the city authority shouting these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also and Jason has received them and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar saying that there's another
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King Jesus the people in the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things and when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest they let them go verse 10 the brothers immediately sent
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Paul and Silas away by night to Berea and when they had arrived they went into the
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Jewish synagogue you can get the idea that the agitation and the fomenting anger is around there because Paul's preaching the truth and when the truth is preached people don't like it some of the
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Thessalonians were caught up in this Paul was there and he ministered now he writes to them and he tells them this is how you should recognize gospel leadership how do you recognize gospel leadership let me ask you a series of questions that's our outline tonight question number one what have you personally observed in the leadership at Bethlehem Bible Church what have you personally observed now the context here is
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Thessalonica what have you observed but it works its way through other churches as well and so you could ask yourself the question there goes all my notes by the way there's a reason why you number your notes what's the reason that's the reason right there so how can
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I trust Mike the guy can't even keep his notes together I'll never forget the day quite a while ago we had some missionaries from Idaho here
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I think it was 1998 -ish and the associate pastor from Idaho was here he never really preached much on Sunday morning and so he came up to this pulpit to preach when it was located back there and he had a glass of water here and he was the neatest guy by the way
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I remember he stayed at our home over on the lake at Sterling there he was up at four o 'clock working on his message and praying and he got up and things just went from bad to worse he dropped his notes and they weren't numbered he picked them up to try to rearrange them and then he took the glass of water by accident hit it and dumped all over and I just thought you know what we might as well just sing a
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Gaither song and close I mean it just needs to just be over but mine are numbered what have you personally observed in your leadership here people are gonna talk people are gonna be criticized
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I've been at my wits end this is years ago after the big church split met with another pastor in the area and he said
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Mike you better make sure that you have your integrity before the Lord and can you preach the gospel when no one else thinks you have integrity so what you have to do is when you hear things from other people what have you personally observed at Bethlehem Bible Church look at verse 1 for you yourselves know brothers that our coming to you is not in vain
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Paul says to the church at Thessalonica we were there you know us you've seen us you mean somebody's gonna say one thing and that's gonna discount everything we've done look up the verses look at verse 1 you yourselves know verse 2 of chapter 2 as you know chapter 2 verse 5 as you know verse 9 you remember verse 10 you are witnesses verse 11 for you know your own knowledge don't you know don't you know
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Pradeep has ministered here to you for 11 years don't you know I ministered to you for 16 years
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Pastor Steve eight years and the list goes on don't you know you can see is there anything in our behavior that makes you think we've done gospel ministry the wrong way with bad motives for selfish reasons
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Paul said you know you know that it wasn't in vain take a look at the text again in verse 1 that our coming to you was not in vain it was blessed by God that word vain there in the
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ESV in verse 1 means empty if you have a jar and it doesn't have any coins in it it's an empty jar if you have your hand open like this with nothing in it it's empty handed it's used of empty words
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Paul says when we showed up we preach the gospel and it wasn't a failure because God blessed the message
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God blessed the ministry oh of spite of us certainly no one's perfect but there's been a change wrought in your life remember who you were and now remember who you are and God uses instruments to do that he's used your elders to do that very thing there's no growth in the ministry of people that you can't trust like a false teacher 2nd
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Timothy 3 but they will not make further progress for their folly will be obvious to all as also that of those two who came to be
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Janice and Jambres you ask yourself the question has the ministry here been void of growth void of gospel truth people question leaders all the time slandered all the time
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I don't want to make this a big personal vindication because we don't have any big problems at the church now but you would not believe what
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I've been called I've been called Hitler I've been called Stalin I've been called an adulterer
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I've been called a theft and my favorite one of all time was I was called the Unabomber that was so good
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I had to put it in the first book friends you know I'm frail you know
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I'm not perfect but I've lived with you for 16 years and when one person says oh what about this or what about that a group of people leave the church and make questions and what do we do our sinful minds if we're not careful we default to well maybe the leaders are the problem maybe they've got issues what
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Paul said is you know just look back at the track record how long have you been here how long have we been here we're not trying to say we're the
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Messiah but as the Word of God has worked in us and we try to preach it to you you know better you know you know number two how do you recognize real gospel ministry by the way if you're an
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Awana teacher or a VBS teacher or a Sunday school teacher there's something to be said for just working in the ministry year after year faithfully working so people go you know what
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I can see that person and they're just there they're just always ministering doesn't mean you can't change ministries or take a break or anything like that I'm just talking about when you're in ministry be all there where you are be all there have you personally observed what have you personally observed in your leadership question two have your leaders boldly proclaimed you the
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Word of God and the gospel of Christ have your leaders boldly proclaim to you the
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Word of God and the gospel of Christ verse 2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi remember they got thrown in jail as you know we had boldness in our
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God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict in other words
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Paul says in good season and bad season we preach the gospel to you right sounds like 2nd
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Timothy chapter what preach the word be ready in season and out of season bad leaders preach themselves bad leaders preach be good bad leaders preach moralism bad leaders preach book reviews
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Paul he said I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God he said that to another church false teachers don't preach that they have an obstacle they have some kind of issue and they run when there's trouble in a church what to the leaders preach who do they preach when they're defamed when there's a church split when people are cruel to them do they keep preaching
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Christ Jesus are they run they change the message
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I think they change the message you think of Jesus saying the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy
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I have come so that they may have life and that they might have it abundantly I am the Good Shepherd the
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Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep the hired hand who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and runs away so the wolf attacks and the sheep attacks the sheep and scatters them gospel ministers like Jesus get persecuted but they still keep preaching
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I remember years ago in the church split I was so real by everything I didn't know what to do and so somebody told me when you don't know what to do you preach the book of Romans so I just said
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Romans 5 Romans 6 Romans 7 Romans 8 stand up and just deliver the word counterfeit teachers they don't want suffering
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Paul distinguished himself from a lot of these people when he wrote to the Corinthians five times
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I received from the Jews forty lashes less one three times I was beaten with the rod once I received a stoning three times
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I suffered shipwreck a night and a day I spent adrift in the open sea I've been on journeys many times in dangers and from rivers in dangers from robbers in dangers from my own countrymen in dangers from the
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Gentiles in dangers in the city in dangers in the wilderness in dangers at the sea dangers from false brothers in hard work and toil through many sleepless nights he just kept preaching even though he suffered shamefully at Philippi preaching the gospel no matter what gives you insight into Paul's pastoral heart question number three how can you see and notice the real
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McCoy in gospel ministry what are Christ like ministers one make sure you watch them over time to listen to what they say now number three have your leaders preach sound doctrine to you have your leaders preach sound doctrine to you verse 3
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I'm not trying to say that every time a leader makes a decision it's always right
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I'm not trying to say leaders never sin I'm saying that if the Lord is building Bethlehem Bible Church then people are going to try to attack it so how you gauge it you go on hearsay you go on slander do you go on gossip you call everybody who's left and say what do you think or do you go to the
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Bible in first Thessalonians chapter 2 Paul says do your leaders preach sound doctrine to you verse 3 for our appeal does not spring from error now it's interesting that word appeal there is a kind of preaching there's a kind of preaching that means thus saith the
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Lord it's called heralding preach the word that's what that kind of thing is but this is a word for preaching but it's more gentle it's more persuasive this is
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Paul's preaching that's kinder more persuasive and here he says for our persuasive preaching does not spring from error and the word error there is gospel error
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I preach truth in other words Paul says I don't preach error interestingly that word error is where we get the word planet what do we call them planets
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P -L -A -N -E -T is Pluto a planet I don't know but I do know the Greek word for planet and it means to what planets from our perspective it looks like they do what wonder stray planeo this seems like they just go off into some place and Paul says when
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I preach the Bible to you I didn't go off and teach some weird stuff to use the exact same word in 2
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Corinthians chapter 4 I didn't adulterate the word pretty strong language
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Paul says I'm in a long line of faithful men to steal from Steve Lawson's terminology from the prophets to Christ the baton has been passed and my job isn't to change it and to add and to subtract
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I'm supposed to just proclaim to you the truth it's not false it's the true truth so you ask yourself the question have
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I heard something from Paul's mouth have I heard something from Bethlehem Bible Church mouth that is weird doctrine because eventually weird stuff has to come out of weird people it's just a matter of time do
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I hear weird things do I hear things that like for instance Jesus really isn't God do I hear there's not a
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Trinity do I hear Jesus didn't have a body do I hear these things or do
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I hear the truths of Christianity do I hear substitutionary atonement do
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I hear Jesus as representative do I hear bodily resurrection do I hear grace alone through faith alone through Christ alone to the glory of God alone through the
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Bible alone false teachers don't do that they have to try to do some funky thing I'll deny the physical resurrection or say it's grace plus some sacramental thing you ought to ask yourself the question because here's how
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Paul said it to the Church of Thessalonica when the attacks come just set back and say well have these men live before me have these men told me the truth has there been fruit in their life and do they teach sound doctrine number four do crazy accusations stick to your leaders do crazy accusations stick to your leaders who would ever say this about Paul this is why
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I think it's crazy verse Thessalonians 2 .3 first he says for our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive now that word impurity can either be generally something dirty but more specifically it means sexual impurity and most every commentator thinks people are trying to accuse
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Paul of some kind of weird sexual sin remember everywhere you go in those days religious prostitution was characteristic of life and here's what you do false teachers are known for greed false teachers are known for power and false teachers are known for what illicit sexual behavior can you imagine
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Paul the Apostle Dr. Thomas my old professor MacArthur's old theology professor said a casual reference to such in this pagan environment would have shocked no one doubtless
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Paul's enemies were attacking him on many fronts including this sin so prevalent among traveling religious teachers constant use of this word impurity for sexual sins in all literature of the time is persuasive for giving it the same meaning here so what do you do you can't attack the message because you know
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Paul's message is right so now you say you know what but the guys got some girl on the side the guys got some kinda scam you're trying to say you know you can't trust the guy unbelieving false teachers were sexually immoral listen to 2nd
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Peter false prophets also arose among the people just as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly introduce destructive heresies even deny the master who bought them bringing swift destruction upon themselves and many will follow their sensuality and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned
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Paul also says in verse 3 impurity or any attempt to deceive some human devised method some deceitful way of going about things something shady that guy's into something shady he doesn't do
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God's methods God's ways he does his own deal he doesn't deal in a straight fashion he's not a straight shooter this is the same word used in 2nd
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Corinthians 11 for such men are false apostles deceitful workers Paul said
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I didn't just say to myself whatever works I'll do management business no I'm gonna do
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God's methods God's ways no matter what because on this rock I will build my church in the gates of Hades will not overpower it when
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I think of the other elders at Bethlehem Bible Church I don't think of deceitful I don't think of Pradeep and say shady
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I don't think of Scott Brown and say he's got some kind of he's not a straight shooter and the list goes on with the other men actually
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I found out this week that I am a cult leader someone said I've been called that a lot you're a cult leader actually in some kinda really weird way
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I kinda think that's nice because why because at least people know this is a different message than they're getting someplace else but if you call somebody a cult leader this isn't the nice part then you better not trust them because they're shady they got girls on the side they're after the money don't trust them see the thing is if I tell you the truth but you think
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I'm not trustworthy doesn't matter what I say question 5 how do you recognize real ministry and again there's not any big deal going on at Bethlehem Bible Church this is not you know what if there was let me just put you at ease if there was
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I wouldn't preach this Sunday night to 32 and a half people I would have saved this for Sunday morning so everybody could have heard you know what alert alert people are questioning my authority no but I'm just preaching through the text and here it is and criticism does come my way criticism does come the way the elders but that's just the way things go but how do we really know these people are doing the right thing question 5 are your leaders man -pleasers or God -pleasers are your leaders man -pleasers or God -pleasers verse 4 but just as we have been approved by God tested by God you can imagine
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Paul being tested first he saved on the Damascus Road and then a series of ways that God test him so he's capable to do this task so we've been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel he didn't come up with the gospel he's just gonna pass the baton of the good news about the resurrected
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Jesus the substance of a sin bearer on to the next person so we speak false teachers like to please men so they can get them to follow them not to please men though this is gospel preaching but to please
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God who tests the hearts how do you know if people are biblical teachers or not well their desire should be to please the
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Lord and not to please man that's the issue and the word there to please God is present tense the aim of gospel ministers is to please the
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Lord I want you to be pleased with me but if the Lord is pleased with me and you're not pleased with me then
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I I can live because I mainly preach for the Lord and not you man -pleasers or God -pleasers listen to what
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A .T. Robertson said few temptations assail the preacher more strongly than this one to please men even if God is not pleased though with a dim hope that God will after all condone our overlook nothing but experience will convince some preachers how fickle is popular favor and how often it is at the cost of failure to please
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Paul says as God is my witness I tried to preach to please him and not the people
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I'm not after myself it's not lights camera action look at Paul it's I've got guilt and grace to talk about sin and the
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Savior to talk about no wonder Paul said to Timothy in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 when you preach you reprove you rebuke and you exhort reprove this is sin rebuke you do that sin people who are false teachers don't do that they want to give people what they want to hear because they want to prey on the people and get rich from the people have an easy life they don't want to talk about cross bearing and crucifixion of self and lordship in the narrow way cross offends
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Norman Wells said may God help us to return to a gospel that glorifies God antagonizes
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Satan, squelches sin, convicts sinners, produces repentance routes false teachers, abolishes false religions, promotes sound doctrine and brings about the miracle of regeneration that makes a hell -bound sinner into a new creature in Christ Jesus false teachers don't do church discipline why because they want people pleased.
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Number six how do you recognize Christ -like ministers after all that's what we're after right under shepherds of the
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Lord Jesus Christ question six are your leaders in it for the money are your leaders in it for the money oh that would be horrible if Christian pastors did things for money that was their motivation.
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Verse five for we never came with words of flattery that was big that back then because if you could make people feel good as you spoke to them they would give you money after that we didn't come with words of flattery as you know
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Paul was accused of a lot of things but I don't think he flattered people with his words nor with a pretext for greed
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God is my witness I'm not manipulative I'm not in it for the money
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Paul says I'm not making demands on you although I could have as an apostle
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I could have said you owe me money Paul said I didn't do that should preachers get paid yes should they do it for the money no you can look at first Corinthians chapter 9 and see if pastors should get paid shall you not muzzle the ox while he's threshing no you shouldn't
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Paul says I'm not in it for the money and you know what false teachers are it doesn't take you long to turn on TVN and find that out does it send your money to Jesus and this is my address
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I hate that Titus 1 for there are many rebellious men empty talkers and deceivers especially those of the circumcision who must be silenced because they're upsetting whole families teaching things they should not teach for the sake of what sordid gain it's disgraceful gain improper gain filthy lucre and they try to flatter people as a cloak to exploit them to get selfish gain that word their pretext for greed always is a bad thing
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Paul says God is my witness I didn't do it what kind of leader is
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Paul he's not after money just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many take a look at verse 6 verse 5 is about financial motives verse 6 is about getting praise and position and power and clapping and yes
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I'm on the stage and look at me nor did we seek glory from people whether from you
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Paul said or from others though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ could have demanded money but I could have never demanded applause and praise from you false teachers do the exact opposite they want all the praise and power to go to them don't we want as pastors don't we want as elders don't you want as a
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Sunday school teacher not the praise of people but the praise of the Lord of course if people encourage you that's great that's not what motivates a gospel oriented layperson or minister question 7 we have just a few more to go question 7 do your leaders love you do your leaders love you how do you recognize real ministry real leaders are you at the right church can you trust us do your leaders love you verses 7 and 8 and okay just between us tonight since it's
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Mother's Day here's my Mother's Day message here's a little verse about moms okay so we everybody got some stuff today you
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I didn't hear a sermon on Hannah this morning but here's a special Mother's Day verse just for you okay isn't that nice but we were gentle among you takes a real man to wear pink purple takes a real gospel centered minister to have these feminine like qualities that were so good in a mother that should be used in ministry to we're gentle among you like a nursing mother taking care of her own children just how much does a nursing mom love her child how much is a mom lover child how much is a mom take care of her own children so being affectionately desirous of you we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves because you had become very dear to us sounds like the attitude of the
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Lord Jesus Christ when he emptied himself taking the form of a bond slave in Philippians chapter 2
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I was gentle among you the word mother there is trophus which means a nurse one who feeds or a wet nurse a nursing mother warmly cherishing nourishing it's used a birds that cover their young it's used a birds that cover their eggs with their feathers it's used of Jesus taking care of his church in Ephesians chapter 5 feeding loving protecting nourishing providing
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Paul said what are those false teachers do those false teachers do the exact opposite and and I was among you and you know it in this is the way
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I live Paul said I loved you I wanted to share everything with you not just the gospel but everything you're dear to me a deep affection knit in the hearts of the people and their leaders no guile that a mother has when she feeds a baby not selfish but selfless devoted to her little one did
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Megan have her baby today I wonder I think so it's a good day to be born today isn't it
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May 12th evil shepherds are the exact opposite listen to Ezekiel 34 son of man prophesy against the shepherds of Israel and say to them this is what the
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Sovereign Lord says woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves that doesn't sound like a mother should not the shepherds feed the flock you eat the fat you close yourselves with the wool you slaughter the choice animals but you do not feed the sheep you have not strengthened the weak you have not healed the sick you have not bandaged the injured you have not brought back the strays or sought the lost but with force and hardness you've ruled over them
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Paul talked about false apostles in 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 they take advantage of you they're arrogant towards you they strike you in the face now does that sound like a mother with her little baby taking advantage of the baby arrogant towards the baby striking the baby in the face hardly
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Philippians 2 says for there is no one like Timothy who is readily to who will readily demonstrate his deep concern for you others are busy with their own concerns not those of Jesus Christ it's a really a neat feminine metaphor for gospel ministry not just by pastors but lay people as well number 8 just a few more to go number 8 are your leaders hard workers how do you recognize gospel ministry are your leaders hard workers verse 9 for you remember brothers our labor and toil we work night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you while we proclaim to you the gospel of Christ for Paul it was manual labor he could have said you give me money for gospel ministry but he didn't want to do that so he just labored pastors should be hard workers the ones that devote themselves to the word are worthy of double honor they need to work and toil and sweat and labor you don't know how many people
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I've met my life and I tell them I'm a pastor and then like such a cake job you only have to work one morning a week by the way if you're in a liberal denomination it's true prayer breakfast and ecumenical fellowship and this that and the other
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I want you to know and I'm not gonna talk about myself here but I want you to know the majority of the elders at Bethlehem Bible Church I have to say to them
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I kid you not I have to say to them you have to work less you have to serve less you have health you have a wife you have kids and you are working your fingers to the bone and I applaud gospel centered ministry and work but you have to be careful
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I love the story of Spurgeon he was on the train and he was seated in the first -class section and another pastor in town he didn't care much for Spurgeon and he walked past Spurgeon to go to the second -class part of the train he said to Spurgeon proudly
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I'm taking care of the Lord's money by being in second -class
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Spurgeon said I'm taking care of the Lord's servant as he was in first class and to some of my dear brothers on the elder board
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I have to remind them they work a full -time job and they basically do full -time ministry and ministry that many of you don't even know that exists behind the scenes these men are hard workers by the way as I'm talking bluntly and personally
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I trust the men at Bethlehem Bible Church with my life I trust the men with my children
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I trust the men at Bethlehem Bible Church with you and your souls and I kid you not number nine are your leaders like good fathers this is my happy Father's Day sermon just a little ahead of time do we even celebrate
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Father's Day anymore once in a while okay are your leaders like good fathers verse 10 11 and 12 you are witnesses and God also how holy righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers for you know how like a father with his children by the way this is a good template for what dad should do we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charge you to walk in a manner worthy of God who calls you into his own kingdom and glory
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Paul just knew that there was something to the element of dads who teach dads need to educate that's the role of the father of course mothers do as well but here specifically in contrast to the gentle mothering and nourishing of a mom here dads you teach you teach by example and you teach with your mouth you act in a holy righteous and blameless way and then you exhort and you encourage and you implore doesn't sound like false teacher to me you know all this reminds me of the greatest shepherd of all let's just turn our
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Bibles to Psalm 23 and we're gonna just wrap up here and I want to remind you that when leaders do fail they've been forgiven by the
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Lord Jesus he's the great shepherd leaders look to the Lord Jesus and call themselves only simple under shepherds if we have a whole sermon on how do you recognize a good shepherd we better go to Psalm 23 and recognize in this pearl of Psalms as Spurgeon called it the great shepherd
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Jesus Christ I could read you John 10 but I want to just quickly go through Psalm 23 super fast if you thought this morning was fast take a listen to this
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I'm gonna read from the NAS the Lord Yahweh is my personal shepherd
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I lack nothing it doesn't mean I want oh I want this or I want that but I've got such a good shepherd there's nothing in this world that I lack no wonder the writer
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Hebrews calls Jesus the great shepherd of the sheep left to ourselves we lack everything but God is so good the
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Jewish Proverbs says he who gives us teeth will give us bread and now look at how he does the great provision all sufficient provisions what does he give he gives you rest verse 2 spiritual and otherwise he makes me lay down in green pastures he leads me beside quiet waters
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God knows sheep needs that sheep need that and sheep don't lie down easily it's hard for them to lie down but when they know there's a place of protection and trust and deliverance they lay down no wonder
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Jesus said come to me all who are weary and heavily laden and I will give you what rest green pastures spiritual rest he gives restoration to verse 3 he restores my soul if you're an unbeliever he can give you salvation if you're a believer he can restore you as well restore your vitality giving forgiveness cleansing you he gives real guidance to verse 3 he guides me in paths of righteousness for his namesake we like sheep have gone astray but he guides us for his name consistent with who he is he keeps giving he gives reliance in death verse 4 even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
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I fear no evil James Janeway said which of the valiant ones of the world can outface death who can look joyfully into eternity which of them can hug a fire stick embrace the flames the
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Saint can and more too because of this great shepherd look at the relationship we have with him verse 4 for thou art with me what did
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Jesus say he himself I would never leave you nor what forsake you the Lord is my helper
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I will not be afraid no wonder God is called Emmanuel God with us he gives us relief too verse 4 thy rod that's to knock down a wild animal and thy staff that's to keep a sheep in control they comfort me aren't you comforted knowing that the
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God of the universe will strike down the false and keep us in control with the rod and the staff he gives us repose verse 5 thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies in the most trying circumstances peace he gives rewards too thou hast anointed my head with oil smooth refreshing it's just what a gracious host would do to a visitor how much greater is
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God what does he also say in verse 5c he gives things richly thou hast anointed my head with oil my cup what overflows it's so gracious he gives his best it just runs over totally satisfying his guests verse 6 surely goodness certainly goodness absolutely goodness completely goodness that's the
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Hebrew idea there and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life that word follow is like a hound tracking you down the hounds of God's loving kindness won't ever stop chasing you
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God's loyal good love and blessings for his people found for us in Christ Jesus and I verse 6 will dwell in the house of the
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Lord for ever God's loyalty is so great he'll get me to the very and heaven is reserved for me would you pray for the leaders at Bethlehem Bible Church that we might more reflect this great shepherd the shepherd of our souls let's pray father we do now thank you for our time in the word tonight thank you that we have a great shepherd to think in revelation the lamb in the center of the throne shall be there shepherd he shall guide them to springs of water of life and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes thank you for that help us to trust in you the great shepherd with all our hearts help us not to lean on our own understanding father assist us as we want to acknowledge you in all our ways and I would pray for the leadership at Bethlehem Bible Church that you would keep them pure you'd keep them close to you the shepherd that you'd have them emulate the shepherd
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Jesus Christ father I pray that you give them hearts that are big for the congregation father