The Preacher's Peril

Ascension Presbyterian Church Longwood

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Please turn in your Bibles to the book of James and chapter 3 gonna be reading the first 12 verses

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This is God's holy and infallible Word My brethren lot let not many of you become teachers

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Knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment For we all stumble in many things if anyone does not stumble in word.

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He is a perfect man Able also to bridle the whole body

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Indeed we put bits in horses mouths that they may obey us and we turn their whole body

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Look also at ships although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds

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They are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires

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Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things

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See how great a forest a little fire kindles The tongue is a fire a world of iniquity the tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature and Is set on fire by hell

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For every kind of beast and bird of reptile and creature of the sea is tamed and has been tamed by mankind

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But no man can tame the tongue It is an unruly evil full of deadly poison

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With it we bless our God and father and with it we curse men who have been made in the similitude of God Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing

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My brethren these things ought not to be so Does the spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?

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Can a fig tree my brethren bear olives or a grapevine bear figs? thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh

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Please pray with me now Oh Lord, we thank you for your word and the importance of preaching

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I Pray that your people would be instructed today and encouraged in the faith that they would see their need and provision of Christ That they would walk with greater joy and thanksgiving and greater obedience

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And we ask these things in Jesus name Amen Please be seated

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If you are you have your pen I have a revision today for the title and the

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Verses covered we're going to be covering James chapter 3 verses 1 through 12 1 through 2 1 through 2

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James 3 1 & 2 I originally gave this title out a couple of weeks ago

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And I had to revise it James chapter 3 verses 1 & 2 and the title of the message today is entitled the preachers peril the preachers peril for those of you who had benefit from a simple thesis of the message it is this pastors and Bible teachers will receive a stricter judgment

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Pastors and Bible teachers will receive a stricter judgment Those of you who need an outline this is taken directly from the text let not many of you become teachers

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Number one let not many of you become teachers And two we all stumble in many things

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Number one let not many of you become teachers Number two we all stumble in many things the preachers

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Peril O Lord may your ministers whom you called to serve as teachers in the church

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Faithfully and joyfully discharge their duties May they preach

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Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit Warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom

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That they may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Allow them to be an example to the believers in word and conduct and love and spirit and faith and purity

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Let them give attention to reading to exhortation to doctrine Cause them to meditate upon these things

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That they might be entirely given to them and that their progress may be evident to all

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Cause them to heed themselves and their doctrine Let them rule well and be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine

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Have them rebuke those who are sinning that they might repent May they commit these things to other faithful men who will also be able to teach others

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May we follow the faithful Apostles doctrine their manner of life purpose faith long -suffering love perseverance persecutions and afflictions

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May your servants be Bible men men of God and complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work

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No, Lord, we ask that you would equip the Saints to do the work of ministry as a result

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Let's look at our text in James chapter 3 beginning at verse 1

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We just concluded the faith without works is dead section over a number of weeks and we now get into chapter 3 and the subject of the tongue is

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Revived The words that proceed out of the mouths of Christians are very important back in chapter 1 verse 19

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We were charged to be slow to speak in Chapter 1 verse 26.

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It says if anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue But deceives his own heart this one's religion is useless in Chapter 3 the fullest treatment on the subject is given and James will even again pick it up in chapter 4

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This is so central to James's correction and it has many applications the

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Christians proper use of words How we speak requires the bridling of our hearts

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Today, we're only going to get through verses 1 & 2 Because it's very important that we understand the sobriety and the seriousness of the pastoral office and the peril that exists for preachers and teachers of God's Word Someone whom we hold in right high regard is

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John Knox the great Scottish Reformer and He was really called into service during the

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Reformation period beats first serving as a bodyguard for Wishart and later called to be the preeminent preacher of the gospel for Scotland and Knox was so burdened and overcome with the weightiness and responsibility of the faithful proclamation of God's Word that He wept uncontrollably

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Before giving his first sermon it was said of John Knox that he feared no man and yet when he was confronted with the task of Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ on that first time.

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He he wept uncontrollably with the weightiness of the task

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There was a pastor who is reported as saying there is no special honor in preaching

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There is only special pain The pulpit calls those anointed to it as the sea calls its sailors and Like the sea it batters and bruises and does not rest

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To preach this pastor said to really preach is to die naked a little at a time and to know each time you do it that You must do it again

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William Perkins whom we're studying in our men's group Gives four things that preachers ought to do in the delivery of sermons

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He says they are to read the text distinctly out of the canonical scriptures

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They are to give the sense and understanding of it being read by the scripture itself and They are to collect a few and profitable points of doctrine out of the natural sense and then finally they are to apply

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The doctrines rightly collected to the life and manners of men in a simple and plain speech and to add to all this they must have

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Not only some rhetorical skill. They must have a life that adorns their doctrine

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They must be men of character Martin Lloyd -jones on preaching says the work of Preaching is the highest and greatest and most glorious calling to which anyone can ever be called the weightiest of all matters fall upon the head of Christ's ministers and Therefore we must see the preachers peril

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Look again at verse 1 My brethren Let not many of you become teachers in an age where everyone is famous and everyone is an expert

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Everyone has a mouthpiece Everyone has a voice

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The words of James ring true to us Let not many of you become teachers

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Many aspire to the office of pastor and it's a good thing

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Paul says But it is a terror To serve in this capacity either as one who is uncalled or to do it unfaithfully

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Let not many of you become teachers, so where's the peril in this?

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knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment

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In preparation for this one of the duties of the preacher is to first preach the text to himself and I was under heavy conviction about the the seriousness the obligation of the calling of the office

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I Have assurance that I was called but but to hear that I would

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Receive a stricter judgment that that should give us pause. I wonder how many preachers

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Paused in this week leading up to their preaching and knowing that they're going to receive a stricter

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Judgment every word every idle word will be judged Well, let's get into some of the language of the text.

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It's a very simple message But there's some language that we need to consider first.

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We have to Ask what is a teacher It comes from this is the noun form of the verb to teach

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And a teacher is to be seen as a master it's terrifying an instructor acknowledged for their mastery and their field of learning in particular for the preacher for his

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Understanding and proclamation of the Bible and he needs to be competent in theology

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In the New Testament, it's it's one who teaches the things of God and the duties of man

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He is one who is fitted to teach or thinks himself so Hebrews 5 you ought to be teachers, but you still need milk

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It's Referring to the teachers of the Jewish religion Jesus refers to Nicodemus as the teacher of Israel in John chapter 3

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It's referring to false teachers who by their great power as teachers drew crowds and some of them were

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Deceptive it refers to people like John the Baptist the greatest of all who are born of women

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And of the Lord Jesus Christ the preeminent teacher the Apostles were teachers and time and again those in the churches that undertake the work of teaching with the special assistance of the

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Holy Spirit and sadly the false teachers 2nd

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Timothy 4 who worked their way in among The Christian Church Not many of you should set yourselves up in this position

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James has been dealing with false teaching and it seems that the the false teaching is espoused and posited and proclaimed by false teachers there there must have been some coming and influencing the church who were really not called or qualified to be teachers and leading the church

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Astray There's another element to this that I Think we should consider and it's found in a couple passages of Scripture.

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I'm not going to have you turn there I'm just going to read them one of the most chilling of these is related to the prophetic office which the

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Pastoral office is the New Testament expression of and it's found in Ezekiel chapter 3

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This is what the Lord says to Ezekiel Son of man,

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I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel Therefore hear a word from my mouth and give them warning from me.

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That's a very good Concise argument of what a preacher ought to be. He needs to get into the

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Word of God He needs to hear and understand the Word of God and he needs to communicate it accurately to the people

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When I say to the wicked the quote continues from Ezekiel You shall surely die and you give him no warning nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save His life that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity

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But his blood I will require at your hand This is the peril of being a preacher

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Don't do anything to let one of these precious little ones to sin or to stumble or to be tripped up If you warn the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness

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Nor from his wicked way. He shall die in his iniquity But you have delivered your soul

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Again when a righteous man turns from his righteousness so we have on the one hand the loss the wicked being called to repentance and Now the righteous being called back to their righteousness, which they have departed from When a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity

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I lay a stumbling block before him. He shall die Because you did not give him warning

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He shall die in his sin and his righteousness, which he has done shall not be remembered

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But his blood I will require at your hand Nevertheless, if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin

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And he does not sin. He shall surely live because he took warning also, you will have

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Delivered your soul Paul to Timothy in chapter 1 of his first epistle as I urged you when

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I went into Macedonia remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith

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Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart From a good conscience and from sincere faith, which some having strayed have turned aside to idle talk

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Desiring to be teachers of the law understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm the author of Hebrews speaks of preachers and leaders in the church who keep watch over your souls as those who

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Will give an account This is terrifying to me

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Everyone who's been under my care as a pastor as an elder The Lord is going to require an accounting for me about the condition of their soul

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Let not many of you be teachers should point out

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Since this is true Make it easy for Mark and I to shepherd you avail yourselves of us

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Come to us call upon us invite us to your house invite us to meet with you

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Knowing that we're going to have to give an accounting It's terrifying to be a husband and a father knowing that you're gonna have to give an accounting for your leadership in your family how much more so the pastor in the church

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Paul told the Ephesian elders who came to him in Acts Chapter 20

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He said I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men

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For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God and I take this to mean

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That the warnings of Ezekiel chapter 3 Paul has said I have faithfully discharged those duties

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Peter gives the sternest of warnings Against heretical teachers 2nd

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Peter chapter 2, but there were also false prophets among the people

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Even as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies even denying the

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Lord who bought them and Bring on themselves swift Destruction and many will follow their destructive ways because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed

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By covetousness, they will exploit you with deceptive words For a long time their judgment has not been idle and their destruction does not slumber

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Just one more to give weight to this argument if anyone

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Teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words Even the words of our

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Lord Jesus Christ into the doctrine that accords with godliness He is proud knowing nothing

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But is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words From which come envy strife reviling evil suspicious useless

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Wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth who oppose that godliness is a means of gain from such withdraw yourselves

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So how many of you want to become pastors now? Let not many of you become teachers

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Knowing that you're going to incur a Stricter Judgment Judgment here is the word that's used throughout scripture, but it has

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Its result as an emphasis this word crema It's used for the everlasting damnation and torment of the unredeemed

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Or positively the eternal benefits that come from the

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Lord's judgment in favor of The redeemed Every decision every action we make carries inevitable eternal results forensically, it is the sentence of the judge and this word aligns with the word that's popular today mega a mega judgment awaits the preacher who teaches false doctrine my brethren

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But not many of you become teachers Knowing that you will receive a stricter judgment

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Who's sufficient for these things? But God gives more grace

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God himself has called men to be preachers and teachers

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The Holy Spirit has enabled faithfully throughout history there be those who would faithfully proclaim

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The doctrine of Christ and him crucified they would encourage and build up the

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Saints And some of you are now are saying well, I'm so glad I'm not a preacher or a teacher

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But this principle carries over into the life of every Christian believer

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I'm so glad I'm not a pastor and this doesn't apply to me you might think Fathers you are teachers in your home

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You lead your wife and children Mothers you are teachers in your home you teach the children other women

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Children you're called to honor your father and your mother and And Hazel and Riley have to be

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Good examples to their younger siblings Eleanor has to be a good example for Antigone.

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She's going to teach Antigone Jacob has to be a good example to all of his

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Younger siblings you see we all have this obligation and duty To be faithful in the discharge of our

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Christian duty. We are all in some measure Teachers Do you remember the

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Great Commission go therefore and make disciples of all the nations Baptizing them in the name of the

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Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded and you know,

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I am with you always even to the end of the age It's given to the apostles

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But to be carried out of the church to the end of time We are a group of learners

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Therefore we're a group of teachers to be a disciple is to be a learner and a teacher You and I have an obligation and duty to teach accurately

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Christ and his salvation and and actually we have to Also be very skillful in teaching what man's duty is to God and to his fellow man.

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We all have to grow in our skillfulness as teachers and examples

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Well, there's something here that Is also an encouragement.

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This is our second point And it's surprising that this would be an encouragement.

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I think you'll agree that it is at the end In verse 2 it says we all stumble in many things one of the chief things that Ministers fall into is pride and James has a

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Good warning for them He says to stumble to fall to sin to transgress to err is

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Something that's going to happen in the life of the Christian The preacher and teacher is going to stumble in many things and not be infallible and not be sinless

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So he should be filled with humility Something happens when men get behind microphones in front of Sunday school classes.

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They get haughty They think highly of themselves They lord it over the people they condescend in their speech toward the people and James gives a correction right here in this

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Description we all stumble in many things Remember in James chapter 2 it says in verse 10

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For whoever shall keep the whole law and yet stumble in one point he is guilty of all

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We all stumble We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3 from last week.

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You remember that in connection to James 2 It may be most strikingly in Matthew 18 6

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Think about the role of the teacher whoever causes one of these little ones to sin or to stumble

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It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea

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It's how serious this business is We're all imperfect

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We all stumble not many of us should aspire to this office

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But we have Christ If anyone does not stumble in word

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He's a perfect man and that word of course means more completion for us in our language than sinless perfection

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He's able also to bridle the whole body the Bridling of the tongue requires the bridling of the heart if the heart is bridled of the tongue is bridled in the whole body is bridled

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We're gonna have more about that subject in the weeks to come

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Pastors and Bible teachers are going to receive a stricter judgment. I have some words of application for you now and We'll conclude it and this is done

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Today we need to give thanks to God for the perfect teachers

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Christ and the Holy Spirit Men are filled with error and stumbling

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But our Lord is the great teacher, isn't he? He's our

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Shepherd the Holy Spirit has Provided his word and he provides this power for the truth to be conveyed through these earthen vessels of pastors and teachers

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Let's give thanks today that God has called Some to faithfully preach and teach in the churches

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Pray that they would be strengthened in the work Secondly, I'm going to ask you to pray regularly for your elders

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Charles Spurgeon when asked about the greatness of his preaching and of course his mental capacity

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His ability to illustrate the scripture is unrivaled in many respects a genius of language

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But he had 800 people preach praying in the basement during his sermons

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Lift up mark and I as we lead the church Pray regularly for us that we might faithfully preach

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Christ to the glory of God That you would know the duties that you have as men women and children who live before The face of God pray for the ministers in the

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CPC this week. We're praying for Tom pinning a very good man Who's has a small church like ours in Kansas and he's a solo pastor pray for Tom pinning today for his faithfulness and encouragement and The work pray for all faithful ministers, whatever denomination they may be

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Serving in pray that they would be faithful and their proclamation of Christ and third

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I Really want you to apply this principle to your life

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You teach your families your co -workers your spouses the lost about Christ You are living

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Testimonies, you're either speaking the truth or you're lying about Christ with the words that come out of your mouth in the lives

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That you lead in their presence We learned last week or two weeks ago in the

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Philippian studies That Christians were referred to as little Christ's In the early church and it was a term of derision

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But it's a true term of us we are Christians we represent Christ to the world or are we representing him accurately

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Are we speaking the truth about him and his doctrine and his love his grace his forgiveness?

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And also his high standard of holiness What are you saying?

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About Christ, what do your words and actions preach? about Christ and fourth

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Our text today calls every pastor and Christian to humility

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Pride is so weak and humility is so strong We all stumble in many ways pray that I would stumble less and less as a minister of the gospel

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Please forgive me in the ways that I stumble show me grace because I am going to stumble

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You and I should labor and strive toward full maturity and stumble less and less

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But our stumbling shows us time and time again our desperate need of Christ Preachers and teachers desperately need

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Christ and every saint in the pew needs Christ in his gospel every day We stumble in all ways, but we have a high priest who never stumbles

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We have teachers who are inept and can't teach as well as they ought but we have a teacher in heaven

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Who always teaches faithfully in Christ? our faith assures us of Our need of Christ and our glorious provision of Christ.

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Hallelujah What a Savior and finally

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Pray that all faithful ministers would not grow weary in the good work and that even now maybe today maybe one of our young men that he would call faithful young men to this glorious task to preach

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Christ and him crucified and to be beaten every day by the waves and Assured that they have to get up and do it again

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The preacher is in great peril, but we have a

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Savior who gives great promise Pastors and Bible teachers will receive a stricter judgment.

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Oh terror For me and all

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Christians stumble and sin Should make us humble But all this teaches us that we have a

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Savior and a shepherd to lead us To save us to protect us To guide us in all truth

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Please pray with me now Lord, we are humbled that The great sins of the tongue are magnified by your ministers

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You know Lord, I pray that you would have a guard on my mouth and my lips That I would speak your truth that same be true for brother

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Mark For all of your ministers and all the churches Oh Lord We pray that your

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Holy Spirit would reinvigorate and revitalize your servants who? labor in the word and doctrine

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Oh Lord, the the pastoral office is Held in the lowest of esteem even lower than a used car salesman in the culture.

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But Lord, we know that you Esteem it very highly and I pray that you would equip and encourage those

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Who do this work? You pray that you would call young men to serve in this capacity

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The average age of a pastor is over 60 years old. Oh Lord, would you call?

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10 ,000 preachers better than us To service young men prepare them that they might preach

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Christ and him crucified No Lord I pray that a great wave of humility would wash over us and that that humility would cause us to be thankful for the salvation of Christ and the intercession of the

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Spirit great provision of a high priest a mediator who sympathizes with our weaknesses and Yet without sin.

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Oh Lord. We have a teacher in you who doesn't fail You never stumble

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Lord, we thank you that you're the one not The ministers who are building you're the one who's building the church.

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No Lord. We ask as Mitch pray that you would build Ascension That the church would grow that that we would grow in weightiness and depth that our

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Our faith would be deeper and stronger and more fruit -bearing but also

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Lord that we'd have a greater Ministry to the community and new believers would be brought in and and people who don't go to faithful churches that they might be brought in we ask that you would prosper the work of our hands as we

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Strive to be your faithful people here in Longwood We ask all these things in Jesus name