Tim Robinson's Installation Service

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Tim Robinson's Induction Service January 14, 2024

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I'm going to welcome everybody here this evening. We are blessed in so many ways.
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God has taken our congregation over the last eight years with Pastor Jeff and to see how the fellowship, how the strength of the power of the
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Word of God. Jeff is an evangelist in case you don't know that.
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I guess at one point in time he was over at Lifetime Athletics and he met some young men there.
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One of them has been used by God in powerful ways, has raised him up in powerful ways.
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Tonight we are going to celebrate a calling that God has given to Tim and given to our church, a gift in Pastor Tim that can be with us.
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We're going to have a couple of opportunities to hear a charge. I'll give one,
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Pastor Jeff is going to give a charge and then there's a special speaker. I'm going to let you introduce him.
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I won't say anything about it. This is God's night.
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This is to his glory and the emphasis in this glory tonight as he gives us is you,
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Pastor Tim, and the young lady that sits next to you because you're part of this also,
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Mary Elizabeth. I'm going to open us with a word of prayer and then give the initial charge.
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Our dear Lord, Heavenly Father, we come to you in recognition of your sovereignty, in recognition of the love that you have given us, in recognition of the blood of Christ.
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We are unworthy, but yet you found in your grace the calling. We celebrate tonight your church.
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We celebrate tonight the fact that your church is a reflection of you to your glory. We celebrate tonight because you have allowed your church to be represented here in Mount Laurel.
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Now, Lord, we celebrate tonight because you have called Pastor Tim. We turn this over to you for your glory in Jesus' name.
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Amen. My brother, Tim, the Lord's called you to bring his word to a dark and a lost world.
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Romans 10 .14 puts it this way, how then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?
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And how are they to believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
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This passage gives me three thoughts that I want to share with you. The first is we know this, the world is under the influence of Satan.
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He is relentless and he is always on the attack. And this world that we live in is saturated with false gospels.
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God gives us the true gospel. In this passage, we can understand that those who have not yet called on the name of the
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Lord, a preacher is needed. But I would also say that those who have called on the name of the
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Lord that are still under the influence of the flesh, that are still on the attack by Satan, a preacher is needed.
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So my charge to you tonight is going to come out of 2 Timothy chapter 4 verses 1 and 2.
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I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead and by his appearing and his kingdom.
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Now hear these words. Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season.
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Reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching.
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Three messages. First, preach the word. Your message must always be grounded in truth.
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It must have the truth of the gospel as its foundation and as its entirety of message.
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Don't let the world influence you in any way. Don't let the culture of the world, don't be desirous of increase through compromise and always, always be encouraged because we know that the word of God will not return void.
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So preach the word. The second message is that you are to be ready in season and out of season.
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Pastor Tim, there are going to be times when you are called on to preach and there will be times when you are called on to teach.
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There will be times that you are called on to lead youth and you should be ready for these and these should be times when you bring out the truth of all life, of all of God's word.
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But Tim, there are going to be times that just happen as life may happen. And so he says, preach the word in season and out of season.
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You are not just a pastor when you are here at the church. You are not just a pastor if you're in the pulpit or teaching a class.
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You are a pastor 24 -7. And so on all occasions, Pastor Tim, be ready to preach the word in season and out of season.
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You are also given a charge that you are to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with patience and instruction.
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Pastor Tim, you need to know your flock because each of the people that you will be ministering to are going to have needs, are going to have stresses in their life.
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You need to know who your flock is and you need to know about them. And then you need to be willing to meet the needs of your flock, whether it's to reprove them or to rebuke them, to exhort them, to encourage them, but always done with patience and instruction that comes from the word of God, with the love of God.
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And so I give you three challenges off of this charge. First, Pastor Tim, be a man of prayer.
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Let your day be salted with prayer. Let the activities of your life be salted with prayer and always, always be in study of the word of God because that will hold you up.
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I encourage you to know the God of the gospel, not just the gospel of a
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God. And so when you're preaching and when you're leading and feeding others, I'm encouraging you,
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I'm challenging you to lead them to know the God of the gospel.
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Rely on the Holy Spirit. It is him that it will open the hearts of those you teach, of those you reach, of those that you shepherd.
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Rely on the Holy Spirit. It's not your strength. It's God's strength. And it's not your glory.
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It's his glory. And finally, have confidence in the power of God. There are going to be times of challenge.
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There are going to be times that you're going to feel stressed. There are going to be times that you feel worn down.
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Rely on the power of God because that's what's going to make a difference in the ministry as you, as you step out and do his work.
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Tim, remember that the substance of our faith is the sovereignty of God in all things.
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But yet we know that God, according to his sovereign will, chooses to use people, men, women, to speak his truth.
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Pastor Tim, he has called you to speak truth. To quote William Carey, expect great things from God.
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Attempt great things for God. Tim, it's hard for me to believe that it's been already about six years since you were baptized.
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On that day, Timmy here, my son, was also baptized and one of you was called
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First Timothy and the other Second Timothy. We're just not sure which one is which. It has been a true joy for me as a minister and as a friend to see your progress in the faith.
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We have seen you grow from a young man learning the basics of the word to a man who has gone through seminary and has trained in righteousness and has grown such that everyone has seen your progress.
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Keep doing that. I have a word of encouragement to you, a charge that I would like you to focus on and that is character first.
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Character over the applause of men. Character over the accolades.
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Character over everything. There is a temptation when you come into ministry to begin to strive for outward measures of success and this has led, sadly, many ministers to fall.
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Many have started out well and you, Tim, have started out exceedingly well being so young in the faith to already become a pastor.
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You are on a fast track but I have a word for you from Second Timothy 2 verses 20 to 22.
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Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay.
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Some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use.
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Set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
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So flee youthful passions. Guard your heart from temptation.
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Open no doors to the evil one. Do not give the enemy a foothold. Let your heart be right before God and guard your heart from the temptations of the enemy.
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Flee youthful passions. But there's something that you are to pursue and that is righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with those who call on the
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Lord from a pure heart. If you focus on building from the inside out from a heart that is genuine before God and you build in that way, you will be found a vessel for honorable use.
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See, the key is to finish well not just to start strong and you must build character day by day.
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So let your routine, the habits that you build, be something that's sustainable for a life of ministry.
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That's daily prayer, daily time in the word, focusing on the things that are unseen, not on what's in the limelight, not what's on YouTube or what happens in the pulpit when everybody can see you, but who you are when no one's looking.
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When it is you and his word daily keeping your heart right before him.
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Build character from the inside. Focus on God's word. Pursue righteousness.
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It doesn't here say pursue fanfare or pursue the largest number in an audience.
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It says pursue righteousness. Let that be your ambition. Pursue faith.
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Pursue love. And I shared with the congregation when we called you to be pastor that what the elders and myself saw in you was not a polished minister, someone who has everything put together and has figured out what it means to look good on the outside.
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What we saw in you was love, faith, hope, love. But the greatest of these is love.
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Cultivate that. Love people as you do and let that love grow warmer and stronger over the years and peace.
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And do this along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
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And so that's my charge to you, brother. Focus on the purity of heart, the character of a minister, and let everything else come as God wills.
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What gift of grace is Jesus my Redeemer?
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There is no more for heaven now to give.
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He is my joy, my righteousness and freedom, my steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace.
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To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus, for my life is wholly bound to Him.
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Oh, how strange and divine, I can't sing, all is mine, yet not
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I, but through Christ in me. The night is dark, but I am not forsaken, for by my side the
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Savior, He will stay. I labor on in weakness and rejoicing, for in my need
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His power is displayed. To this
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I hold, my Shepherd will defend me, through the deepest valley
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He will lead. Oh, the night has been won, and I shall overcome, yet not
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I, but through Christ in me. No fate
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I dread, I know I am forgiven, the future sure, the price it has been paid.
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For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon, and He was raised to overthrow the grave.
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To this I hold, my sin has been defeated,
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Jesus now and ever is my plea. Oh, the chains are released,
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I can't sing, I am free, yet not I, but through Christ in me.
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With every breath I long to follow
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Jesus, for He has said that He will bring me home.
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And day by day I know He will renew me, until I stand with joy before the throne.
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To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus, all the glory evermore to Him.
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Oh, the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat, yet not
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I, but through Christ in me. When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat, yet not
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I, but through Christ in me. Yet not
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I, but through Christ in me. Before the throne of God above,
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I have a strong and perfect plea. A great high priest whose name is love, whoever lives and bleeds for me.
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My name is graven on His hands, my name is written on His heart.
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I know that while in heaven He stands, no tongue can bid me let depart.
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No tongue can bid me let depart. When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within.
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But I look and see Him there, who made an end to all my sin.
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Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free.
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For God the just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me.
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To look on Him and pardon me. Behold Him there, the risen man, my perfect spot,
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His righteousness. The great unchangeable
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I am, the King of glory and of praise.
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None with Himself I cannot die, my soul is purchased by His blood.
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My life is hid with Christ on high, with Christ my
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Savior and my God. With Christ my Savior and my
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God. None with Himself I cannot die, my soul is purchased by His blood.
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My life is hid with Christ on high, with Christ my
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Savior and my God. With Christ my Savior and my
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God. Before the throne of God above,
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I have a strong and perfect plea. A great high priest whose name is love, whoever lives and pleads for me.
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Amen. So I'll be seated. It is my distinct privilege to introduce tonight our preacher at Tim's Installation Service.
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I did not tell Tim who it would be. And the reason I did that,
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I don't know. I just thought it would be fun for Tim to be the only one guessing while all of us knew. So we do have the privilege this evening of hearing from the president of Cairn University.
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Now you all know that Tim is a graduate of Cairn University. But that would not have been enough for me to invite
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Dr. Williams. The reason I invited Dr. Williams is because I have seen him do what very few university and seminary presidents have been able to do.
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And that is to resist the leftward drift. Very often there is compromise with the culture and a leftward drift comes into what we thought were evangelical institutions.
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Dr. Williams has protected Cairn from that and has kept a conservative faculty that loves
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God's word that is not willing to compromise on the truth of God's word. It was an article that Dr.
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Williams wrote in November or December. I will send that out to all of you in a pastorgram to let you see what it was.
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But when I read that and how he nailed the point. You know how when you read something and it just hits the point on social justice and critical race theory in this case.
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And I just thought now that is how it needed to be said. And I found it just really helpful.
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So that is when I knew I wanted to invite Dr. Williams. And so Dr. Williams would you please come and share this church.
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Thank you. Thank you
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Pastor Jeff. It is a pleasure to be here. My first time here at this church.
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But it has been really great to walk in the door and see that there are some good connections to the university already.
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Some alumni in the house. And some of you coming to visit at the next open house at the university.
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So I bring you greetings from Langhorne. Let me just say over at Cairn University among other things.
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We are committed to being a resource for the conservative evangelical community around us.
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And actually across the country and around the world as we are able. So please I invite you to take advantage of all that we have available.
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Podcasts, resources. There is quite a bit out there. From the chapel series that we run.
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To the magazine and other things. As Pastor Jeff said. And you will send that around. You can find your way to us. Come over.
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It is really not that far. I made it here in about 35 minutes.
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It would have been 30 if not for that state trooper. No I am kidding. But it is really not that far.
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We consider this part of the neighborhood. We have a number of folks from over in New Jersey and down this way.
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So I just want to bring greetings to all of you. I want to thank Pastor Jeff for the invitation.
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And I want to congratulate Tim on this opportunity that the Lord has set before him to take up this post here at this church with all of you.
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And nice to meet Mary Elizabeth. I think that these are exciting days for you.
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The two of you. For this church. I have developed a skill over the years of sizing things up rather quickly.
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I can sort of walk in. I got my start in the horse business some years ago when I was a younger man.
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Much younger man. And I went to work at a Christian camp. And that is actually where I met my wife
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Dawn. Who is a registered nurse. I was running a horse program one summer. Dawn showed up as the nurse. I was sick a lot that year.
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And we met. And were engaged. Married. And served there.
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But in the horse business you learn very quickly to sort of size up what is going on.
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What the situation is with a herd. How something is going. And I always enjoy sort of walking in and looking around.
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And I will tell you just some observations. This is a church with great energy. I actually leaned over and said to Tim, do they do this every
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Sunday night or is this something special? This is a good crowd to come out for a Sunday evening.
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It shows your commitment to this church. And to your pastors. And to this new man that will be serving.
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Whom you know and has been serving here. But it is a good energy in this church. It is very clear that there is a spiritual sensitivity.
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And just in the little while that I have had to interact with Pastor Jeff. Not just spiritual sensitivity. But some really good spiritual sensibilities as well.
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Which is important in the day in which we live. So I am excited to be here this evening to share some thoughts.
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Primarily to you Tim. But also to you as a congregation. Because I do think that we find ourselves in some very interesting times.
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Times in which it is easy to be discouraged. But we should be reminded of certain promises from the word of God.
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Not the least of which is that Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us. But also this. That as we watch the church struggling to find its way.
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And by implication parachurch ministries. And as Pastor Jeff mentioned. Colleges and universities are not exempt from the pressures of the world.
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We are reminded that it is the Lord who builds this church. And the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. Jesus Christ is at work.
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In this world. And the church, his bride and body is carrying out that important work.
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And for all the things that are taking place and all the different kinds of ministries that are happening. It is the church that is the body and bride of Christ.
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And the manifestation of that body and bride in the local church body is absolutely essential.
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There is no finer or more important work to do. And you are fortunate to have a pastoral staff that is committed to biblical ministry.
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And blessed to have a congregation that obviously supports that as well. Where evangelism and discipleship a love for God's word and his people is evident.
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Not just on your website but in the room. And so I want to commend you along those lines and tell you what a privilege it is to be here.
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And I do want to share a passage of scripture from 1st Timothy. I've had references to 2nd
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Timothy and so I'll move to 1st Timothy. And I have a great love for these two letters that Paul writes to Timothy.
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1st Timothy and 2nd Timothy. I love the personal dimension of these letters.
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What an encouragement it is to actually see that Tim is not someone who fell backwards into this church but is a product of the church and its ministry.
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And that's a blessing actually to have a relationship like that. To watch someone grow.
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That is a tremendous blessing. And I love these letters that Paul writes to his spiritual son
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Timothy because they have that sort of personal tone to them. Paul knows Timothy and Timothy knows
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Paul. Paul knows the work that he has set before Timothy and Timothy has watched Paul actually do that work himself.
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There's something really personal and organic and relational about these letters. But because of that because of that strong personal connection and because of the profound personal faith that these two men exhibit there is also no holding back on sharing things that are weighty.
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I think one of the things that I fell in love with reading these two letters over and over again when
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I came to faith as a teenager and quickly found myself in the camping ministry, I thought wow here's Paul writing to this young guy and he's giving it to him straight.
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I mean the word charge is in here several times. I charge you, I charge you,
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I charge you, I charge you. There's no mistaking this reality that when the apostle
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Paul is talking to Timothy about the work in the church, he expects it to be taken seriously.
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I'm often asked when I'm talking to groups of rising leaders, they'll ask me sort of, so do you have any parting advice?
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And I always like that because there's one thing I always forget to say in the middle and I like to say at the end that I say to young and emerging leaders and it's this, take your work very seriously.
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Yourself, not too much. And the apostle Paul is doing that for Timothy.
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He is laying it on that there are certain things about this work in the church that you must understand and commit to and I'm charging you as your spiritual father to take this work very seriously.
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It doesn't mean that there aren't going to be moments of joy and it doesn't mean it's not carried out with love and it doesn't mean it won't be personal but Paul seems to want to impress upon Timothy the weight of it.
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And so often when I read through these two epistles I'm struck by, I find myself saying what must it have been like for Timothy to actually receive this instruction and to think about it.
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Now I'm on the other side of my fifth decade and I actually start thinking what it must have been like for Paul.
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He says that I'm already being poured out like a drink offering. He's at the end of it. He says I've fought the good fight,
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I've run the race, I have endured, I'm awaiting the crowns that are there for me and I'm passing this on to you as you carry out this work.
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The apostle Paul when he says I'm looking now back at my life and I'm looking to the next generation of ministry leaders and he turns to Timothy to give him all of this wisdom and all of these exhortations and encouragements and all of these charges, if you just reflect back, it's easy to say well here's the senior statesman
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Paul at the end of his life saying go get him Timothy. Here it is, go get him. We forget that this
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Paul is the one we read about in the book of Acts that says he ravaged the church.
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He dragged men and women from their homes and took them to be persecuted if not killed.
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This apostle Paul who says the passage that was shared at the beginning with patience with love, exhort, encourage this apostle
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Paul as the senior statesman of the church who's turning to this rising leader and says I charge you with these things.
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This is the apostle Paul who in the book of Acts is tormenting the church and on the road to Damascus Jesus says why do you kick against the goats don't you see how hard it is for you?
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And the miraculous conversion and the period of humility and learning and studying and being discipled then finding himself launched into advancing the church which he had been hunting down to eradicate.
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It's a remarkable transformation. When Paul is charging Timothy to be a faithful steward of the gospel it's because he himself has been changed by it.
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I think it's so easy to read the drama and the position into all of this without seeing Paul has come to the end of his life and he's saying now the church is going to move into Timothy's hands and Paul is pouring out his heart to Timothy as he himself is being poured out as a drink offering he's been beaten and left for dead on more than one occasion.
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Shipwrecked, lost in a fog, dragged from one trial to another separated from his friends and families thwarted, he's been in privation and starvation he's been destitute.
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The Apostle Paul has lived quite a life and here he comes to the end and he's basically saying to Timothy I'm going to impart a few things to you.
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There are many things that he imparts to Timothy in these two letters and I just want to Tim for your sake focus on one that I think is profound and a good one to remember because I have at times made a mistake about first and second
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Timothy when I was young and coming up and being discipled I think I fell in love with the book of Timothy because someone said oh yeah this is
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Paul charging a younger man to carry out ministry and somehow I thought Timothy and I were in the same boat at 18 or 19 you're 29 this guy's got you by a few years
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Timothy is no child and yet the Apostle Paul says this to him which is really something in chapter four of first Timothy the
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Apostle Paul says this to Timothy let no one despise you for your youth but set the believers an example in speech and conduct and love and faith and purity until I come devote yourself to the public reading of scripture to exhortation to teaching do not neglect the gift you have which was given you by prophecy when the council letters laid their hands on you practice these things immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress you read through this and you'll see recurring themes like the ones that were already shared like that one from first Timothy and the other one from second
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Timothy about being ready to preach the word in season you'll see these recurring themes but this phrase is an interesting one let no one despise you for your youth but set the believers an example in speech and conduct and love
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I can tell you that for a long time I read this wrongly I read it this way don't let them look down their noses at you just because you're young don't let them despise you just because you're young almost like he's saying to Timothy hey don't worry about them looking down don't let anyone cast a judgment don't let anyone make you feel less than you are because of your age that's not what's being said here what's being said here is don't let anyone blame what you're doing on your age what the
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Apostle Paul is saying to Timothy here is don't let anyone despise you because of your youth in other words don't let anyone say what do you expect he's just a young guy what do you expect he's only been in the faith a little what do you expect he's just a new pastor what do you expect the
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Apostle Paul is saying to Timothy don't let anyone excuse your conduct judgment ministry and actions on the basis of your age don't let them say well after all in fact what he says to Timothy is not only don't let your age be a reason for people to despise you rather set an example he's actually laying it on pretty heavy for this young man he's basically saying you don't get a pass because of your age and don't let any don't behave think act minister carry out your calling in a way that would allow people to blame that on your age rather you set a higher bar you set the example that laying on a burden which is what
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Paul is doing if you think about it is counter cultural we live in a day and age which attempts to sort of smooth everything out and stroke everybody's egos and comfort and Paul is at the end of his life
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Timothy is taking on new responsibilities and Paul says I charge you be ready be a workman who's not ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth holy cow
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I gotta do that right and then be a good soldier fight the good fight don't get entangled in this thing holy cow okay there's that then teach the younger ones this okay and then settle these disputes and then be ready in season and out of season to preach the word and you gotta think
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Timothy's saying what in the world did I sign up for why would I do this that's always the way to think about Jesus' disciples hey guys drop your nets come with me
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I'll make you fishers of men that sounds pretty cool by the way when you're old they're gonna hang you upside down on a cross when
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Christ Bonhoeffer said when Christ calls a man he bids him come and die for all of us not just those who are set apart for pastoral work in the church but for all of us to follow
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Jesus is to take up your cross daily to die to yourself so when the
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Apostle Paul is laying it on Timothy here one charge after another one thing after another he is not just impressing upon him the seriousness of the job it's actually the faith is not to be trifled with you're a follower of Jesus Christ you've been bought with a price you've been redeemed by the sacrifice the atoning sacrifice of Jesus who was obedient to the death even death on a cross live like that matters
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Jesus' disciples experienced the same thing right I mean Jesus is calling them to himself they think he's gonna bring political liberation they think he's gonna get rid of the
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Romans they think he's gonna do this they think he's gonna do that Jesus is constantly confounding them basically saying listen you're looking for certain things from me that might not be a good thing remember there's this great picture in the gospels where Jesus is healing people and word is spreading and the crowds are coming in such numbers that they're actually beating on the door right we want to be with Jesus we want to see
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Jesus they're bringing their sick relatives they're bringing everybody around and it goes on for a long period of time and then the disciples realize
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Jesus is missing and they're looking for him and they find him off in a quiet place in the backyard somewhere praying and they're like Jesus what are you doing you got a whole crowd out there like big stuff's going on here what are you doing he says let's go away to the towns over there that I might teach there also because that's what
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I came to do you can imagine the disciples saying is he nuts like we've you talk about throwing a wet blanket on a marketing boom like we're healing people and they're coming out of everywhere and Jesus says no no you don't understand it's not my it's not it's not my purpose to do these things
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I've come to actually teach the father's way and he actually moves away and every time the disciples start to feel this momentum they start thinking with with their worldly minds like the numbers the huge numbers oh get rid of the
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Romans oh political this oh this is cultural power this oh Jesus says now we're going to take a turn and so much so that at the end when he says they're going to kill me they're like please stop talking like that well this is the issue to follow
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Christ is to take up your cross and go after him and that's for all of us but what the apostle
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Paul is saying to Timothy now in these charges is when you lay your hand to this work you are taking up a charge that's supposed to take all of you and the culture around you will want to say hey you know
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I read this and I think I probably I probably would have said you're going to be fine
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Tim it's going to be great you're going to knock him dead you're more gifted than anybody we know you've got this going for you and you've got that going for you and basically
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Paul says I charge you do this I charge you do this take this seriously don't let your age be an excuse for those
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I'm being poured out like a drink offering which means you're going to too eventually there's this sense in which
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Paul is not trying to make Timothy feel better about what he's doing he's trying to impress upon him you're to be a good soldier in the service of your king you must obey these orders and take it very seriously that doesn't mean you're not going to have fun this place loves you
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I can tell she loves you which is a good thing and someone tell him smart men always marry up always marry up right amen that's right there's lots of things to enjoy there's lots of things to laugh about to smile about there's lots of things to have fun with in this work of the church but Paul is laying out some sober charges to Timothy that he is to be as was said focused on his own godliness setting an example in purity in speech in attitude he is to be able to handle the word and ready to preach whenever a good soldier who doesn't become entangled in frivolities and trivial things and civilian pursuits someone who is furthering the gospel and doing the work of an evangelist fulfilling your ministry these are heavy weighted charges and I do think that it's worth thinking about those in the context in which we find ourselves so if I may make a few observations there is an all out assault in the world in which we live on truth there is this sense that all of us as human beings are truth makers what
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Paul is telling Timothy throughout these two letters is be a truth seeker you don't get to make it up it's not your truth my truth anybody's truth it is the truth rightly dividing the word of truth the culture is bent on destroying the idea of truth the temptation is for all of us who are followers of Jesus and I think doubly so on those of you who are ministers pastoring is to take a little off the pitch when it comes to truth because it's such a hard pill for people to swallow it would be more comfortable to sort of take a little off the pitch and talk in more relativistic ways that put people at ease it would make their life more comfortable it would make my life more comfortable but I'm reminded of the wisdom of C .S.
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Lewis who said if you choose to seek comfort over truth in the end you will have neither and only in seeking truth will you find true comfort
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Paul there's so many references in here to enduring hardship and suffering and he knew what that meant in the form of stonings and beatings and imprisonments and privation and shipwrecks the suffering in our day in the context in which you serve and you serve is so far they're not dragging us into the street and stoning us or beating us and leaving us for dead but there is no less the idea that we must endure suffering when we are ridiculed for believing in absolute truth when we're believing in the authority of scripture when we're holding to the idea that human beings made in the image and likeness of God are sinners in need of salvation we keep holding those things and proclaiming those things the pressure will come to find something else that is more palatable more comforting more winsome in our approach so I think that when
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I look at the charges given to Timothy one of those about about focusing on enduring and fighting the good fight and holding to it is to not let the culture push you in a direction that you know to be counter to the word of God it will want to affect your sensibilities the way you judge things and think about things hold hold hold the second thing
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I think about the world in which you minister now is not just that people want what
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Paul warns Timothy here in the end time people will come wanting to be tickled and itched and want to hear things that make them feel better about themselves it's actually worse than that for us
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I think because the issue is other people in our ranks will say it's ok to give them that it's ok it's ok it's ok it's ok it's ok to go easy and that's really problematic because that's not really loving people as the
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Lord commands us to do because when we love them we want them to have all the blessings of God that come from believing in his truth and pursuing him it isn't just that people will come in those times wanting their ears to be itched and wanting to be tickled in ways that makes them feel better about themselves it's that those in our own ranks will say it's ok to do that and we have to resist that urge and I think one of the ways in which that happens is go to our brother's initial charge is that there are many crises facing the evangelical community in the days in which we live and we can talk about the philosophical ones and we can talk about the assault on truth and we can talk about the political and cultural issues the rejection of God's authority and his created order and all of those things but when but when a disregard for the word of God creeps into the church that's the slippery slope the slippery slope is when we no longer uphold the pulpit and the teaching of scripture and the preaching of scripture and Paul's charges to Timothy throughout these two letters they're replete with these ideas that you keep teaching, you keep preaching you keep holding this forth you keep the word of God central, you be a workman who needs not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, be ready to preach in season and out of season.
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There are so many things that aren't just about enduring suffering and fighting the good fight but also holding to the word of God.
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Now how will we know that you're doing that when you're actually feeding on it yourself feeding the sheep with it caring for your flock according to scripture.
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People ask me all the time, no, you can't really tell when a church has lost its way regarding scripture, you most certainly can you most certainly can we talk about the things we love, we spend time doing the things we love and I think that it is apparent that Paul wants
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Timothy to have a scripture oriented ministry so Tim, you are taking on sober responsibilities in this role it is a burden that you should embrace with joy and by God's grace and you should conduct yourself in a mature manner, setting an example, you should focus on the word at the center of it and then there is this idea of being a good soldier, an evangelist that we not lose our way about the gospel and discipleship
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Paul doesn't tell Timothy to strike up a publishing house or to create some sort of platform for himself, basically tells him to get in the church and do your work, fulfill your ministry as a pastor, as a shepherd as a teacher as a carer for the flock as the good shepherd
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Jesus expects you to be and so I think not only should you be focused on the scripture but you should be focused on Jesus and the gospel we lose our way when we start thinking there is another way and I think that Paul throughout both of these letters just keeps driving these nails there is a verse in Ecclesiastes it says the word of the preacher are like well driven nails let the words of the apostle
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Paul be driven deep into your understanding of what it means to take on this new charge here and keep hitting those nails yourself the words of the preacher are like well driven nails it's a beautiful picture my wife and I have a little place that's built before the 1840's sometime in the 1830's the first construction and in one room there is original floors beautiful actually not so beautiful but I'm not getting rid of them because they are original and the 19th century cut nails are still there but I got to keep whacking them and driving them because the house moves and the wind blows and the boards shrink carrying out this work recognize there are all kinds of forces just keep driving the nails that matter deeply don't be distracted by the things that don't
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I think Paul is telling Timothy at the end of his life do this well because it matters and that's my prayer for you
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Tim God has given you enablement, gifts, abilities a great place to serve with people who love you and care about you and know you do this well do this well at this time we'll call on all elders those who have formerly served who are still elders in our mind even though if not on the board at this moment anyone who's been an elder please come on up we still look to each of these men as the spiritual leaders of the church
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Dr. Williams thank you those words were well driven nails amen well at this time church what we're going to do is lay hands on Tim and I'll just ask a few of the elders as you feel led to pray over Tim commissioning him to this role and congregation if you could also just in your hearts all of us together be praying for this man of God at this time
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Lord God you are the sovereign Lord God you have established your church on the profession that thou art the
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Christ the son of the living God and Lord in your sovereign will you call and you raise up men to do your work and you have raised up Tim we rejoice in you we anticipate your hand of power so Lord we lay our hands on Tim submit him to your will we pray in Jesus name
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Lord I just want to lift up Tim I want to lift up his ministry
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Lord God his impending marriage I thank you so much for Tim's ministry thus far his impact on the youth of this church it was evident in all of the young men that were saved and have themselves gone on to pursue ministry as well
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Lord God and Tim's influence on their lives has been evident Lord God I just I pray that you would help him to endure what will be attacks that come his way
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Lord God this is a dark world getting darker and I pray that you would give him the endurance the strength the encouragement to run the race well
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Lord God that he would have everything that he needs to be able to be an effective and powerful minister for your gospel
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Lord God and I pray this in Christ name Amen It's a trustworthy statement that if any man desires the office of an overseer it is a noble task that he desires to do and Father we thank you for this man who has had it on his heart to minister to your flock
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Father and Lord you've brought him here to this church Father by your gracious and just all powerful and sovereign hand
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Father as we've heard about Paul maybe the agent giving the charge to Timothy but in this church
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Father there are still folks that are fairly young that are elders and are going to be working side by side with this man and what a joyous and wonderful time it is to bring this band of men together that want to honor and serve you
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Father and Tim Lord just continuing in the faith and in the power that you have given him
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Father we are blessed to have him and we are so thankful Father that you will protect him that you will give him wisdom and I believe as John said that you will develop all of the beautiful spiritual disciplines that will make him grow into the man of God you want him to be we're so thankful for Tim and we pray in your name
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Lord and Father I pray for our brother tonight we thank you so much for the privilege that we have to serve you and particularly him that he is a beacon of life love and truth
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Lord for what you have to ask of him for overall we ask that you have him finish strong in whatever he does have him finish strong Lord it's not about today it's about the end and help him
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Lord as he continues to go on building his family building his community building his ministry building his faith building his truth
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Lord that in all those things that he does that you are driving him and we as brothers as elders here are with him through this
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Lord lifting him up all the way we ask this in your name Father I thank you for the gifts that you have provided Tim and ask that he would be able to use them for your glory as he continues in the ministry here we are just so thankful and praise your holy name so Father we pray that you would fill this young man with your
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Holy Spirit we pray that you would fan into flame the gift of God that is in him Lord God anoint him and use him empower him for the work that you've called him to do we pray that your spirit would touch him in his study when he's alone with you and build character from the inside out
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Lord God we pray that when he speaks it would be as one who speaks the oracles of God we pray for him as a pastor teacher
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Lord God that you would use him for the work that you've called him to do bless him in this we pray as a congregation as elders as Cornerstone Church we pray over him in Jesus name
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Amen Amen and would you stand and we'll close in a song Congratulations Thank you
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Dr. God bless you sing sing like never before oh my soul
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I'll worship your holy name the sun comes up it's a new day dawning it's time to sing your song again whatever may pass and whatever lies before me let me be singing when the evening comes bless the
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Lord oh my soul oh my soul worship his holy name sing like never before oh my soul
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I'll worship your holy name you're rich in love and you're slow to anger your name is great and your heart is kind for all your goodness
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I will keep on singing ten thousand reasons for my heart to find bless the
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Lord oh my soul oh my soul worship his holy name sing like never before oh my soul
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I'll worship your holy name and on that day when my strength is failing the end draws near and my time has come still my soul will sing your praise on and be ten thousand years and then forever more bless the
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Lord oh my soul oh my soul worship his holy name sing like never before oh my soul
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I'll worship your holy name I'll worship your holy name
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Lord I'll worship your holy name Amen.
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Aren't we blessed? Wow. Praise God for this evening. Kerry Meyer has brought cake and cookies.
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Thank you so much for doing that. Guys, stay and eat. Fellowship. Enjoy a little bit of time. I guess it's in the classroom to the right.
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So stick around. Enjoy the time of fellowship. Let me close with this verse as a final charge.
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Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching.