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The full installation service for Pastor Rob Kimsey as part of our Lord's Day Worship. November 12, 2023 https://laurelbiblechurch.net/
Today we do want to express my gratitude toward you and what an encouragement. I know some folks were praying for me online and those that couldn't make it grateful for your prayer and support.
Today we are here to worship the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is the Lord's Day and part of our
Lord's Day worship today we were going to be doing an installation service where I will be installed as the new pastor of Laurel Bible Church.
Praise God. And I just want to acknowledge a few of our guests today and some of the men that were part of the ordination council yesterday.
And so today we have joining us Pastor Seymour Heligar from Grace Community Church of Long Beach.
He has been a pastor there for about 10 years now. Faithful man of God, Bible preacher.
We're in for a treat this morning as we hear him open the word for us. Seymour is also the host of a podcast called
The Pastor's Soapbox which I highly recommend to you. Biblical principles and how to apply those in today's ever -changing culture.
We are also joined by Brother Justin Peters and so we get to see Justin a little bit in that trailer but for those of you that are not familiar with Justin he's a gifted evangelist and has a really important ministry of discernment helping us to think through biblical issues today and even warning us about some of the prevalent false teaching and false teachers.
So you can go to justinpeters .org or is it justinpetersministries .org I believe? Praise God.
And yeah I highly highly recommend. He does have a YouTube channel and he has a podcast called
Didache. Didache just the Greek word for teaching. Again a really important just biblical insights on how to think rightly about some of the things that are going on in our world today.
And so finally we're joined by Pastor Joe Schreibweis just a really faithful Bible teacher, a godly man.
He is the pastor of Valley Bible Church. Joe is also a very gifted biblical counselor and a member of the
Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. We're grateful to have you here with us today brother. And so yeah
I just want to acknowledge these men and thank you for being here with us and it is a blessing to our congregation. And yeah at this time
I would just invite Joe to come up and read the Word of God and open us in a word of prayer.
Well it's a joy to be with you this morning. I just want to say greetings from Valley Bible Church on the south side of Billings there.
I know some of our men have been coming and preaching for you as Rob has transitioned. It's just a joy to really serve the
Lord with you here in the Yellowstone Valley. Thankful for your church. Want to just keep encouraging you all in the
Lord. So it's my privilege to open up this service to be a part of installing
Pastor Rob as your pastor this morning. So after Pastor Seymour preaches some of us will gather and lay hands on him and pray over him near the end of the service and looking forward to that time.
But we're here to worship. It's the Lord's Day. It's Sunday and so I'm going to read this morning from 2nd
Timothy chapter 2. If you want to follow along with me in your copy of God's Word. 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verses 1 through 13.
So please follow along with me as I read 2nd Timothy chapter 2 beginning in verse 1.
You therefore my son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
Suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.
Also if anyone competes as an athlete he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.
The hard -working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. Consider what
I say for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead descendant of David according to my gospel for which
I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal but the word of God is not imprisoned.
For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen so they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.
It is a trustworthy statement for if we died with him we will also live with him.
If we endure we will also reign with him. If we deny him he also will deny us.
If we are faithless he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself.
Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Dear righteous heavenly father this morning corporately we want to come to you and remember the
Lord Jesus Christ as we're commanded to in this passage. We want to remember him risen from the dead the descendant of David the prophesied messiah who's come to ransom sinners the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
We remember the child given to us the son who was born the wonderful counselor mighty
God prince of peace. This morning we want to fix our eyes upon Christ the author and perfecter of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross despising the shame and sat down at the right hand of God.
For it is indeed a trustworthy statement if this life if we died with Christ we will also live with him and so help us to endure so that we will one day reign with Christ.
But we are also convinced that if we falter in this life if we deny you that you still remain faithful.
Christ remains faithful and he cannot deny himself. So together we pray that collectively we would be built up this morning through our worship of you through the preaching and teaching of your word through our singing together through our prayers may it all be edifying.
Lord we pray that we would be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and on this special Sunday as we think of pastor
Rob we pray that in particular for him may he be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
May you give him an enduring ministry. May he entrust your word to faithful men who will be able to entrust it to others.
May he suffer hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. May he live a sanctified life as an athlete competing according to the rules of your word and may he always labor as a faithful farmer enduring till the end.
So this morning father we pray let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight and we pray this together in Jesus name amen.
Good morning we all stand let's sing in Christ alone. In Christ alone my hope is found.
Here is my light, my strength, my song. This corn is still, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are still, when strivings cease.
My comforter, my all in all, here in the love of Christ, I stand.
Who took on flesh, fullness of God in hell, this faith, this giver of love and righteousness, scorned by the ones he came to save.
That cross, as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.
For every sin on him was laid, here in the death of Christ I live.
There is a glorious day, up from the grave he rose again.
The vagueness in victory, its curse has lost its grip on me.
For he is mine, but with a precious blood in hand, this is the power of Christ in me.
The night is arrived, Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from his hand.
Till he returns, or calls me home, here in the power of Christ.
How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that he should give his only
Son to make his wretch his treasurer.
How great the pain of searing loss, the
Father turns his face away, as wounds which bar the
Chosen One bring many sons to glory.
Behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon his shoulders.
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice, come out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held him there, until it was accomplished.
His dying breath has brought me life, I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom.
But I will boast in Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart, his wounds have paid my ransom.
May I come forward to receive the afternoon, please? David, would you prepare for the afternoon, please?
When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast.
When the tempter would prevail, he will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hope through thy fearful path.
For my love is often cold, he must hold me fast.
He will hold me fast, he will hold me fast.
For my Savior loves me so, he will hold me fast.
Those he saves are his delight, Christ will hold me fast.
Precious in his holy sight, he will hold me fast.
He'll not let my soul be lost, his promises shall last.
But by him at such a cost, he will hold me fast.
For my life he bled and died, Christ will hold me fast.
Justice has been satisfied, he will hold me fast.
Praise with him to end his life, he will hold me fast.
Till our faith is turned aside, when he comes at last.
We kind of wanted the kids to sit in today, so no children's church,
I guess, is what I want to say. Well, good morning to you.
It's good to be here this morning, and there's so much I could say concerning this day, today, yesterday, and also my dear brother and his family,
Brother Rob. And I would love to do that maybe some other time, but I do want to make sure that there's thoughts and affections given to the preaching of the word of God, and that's what
I'm here to do this morning. So let us pray. Father in heaven, I come before you in the name of Christ Jesus, your son, our
Savior, our great high priest, our king, who rules with wisdom, righteousness, power, and might, who guides his people and enables us in salvation to pursue godliness with thanksgiving and gratitude.
I praise you for this time that you have ordained before the foundation of the world to proclaim your wonderful words of life as we witness the installation of my dear brother in Christ, Rob Kimsey.
Thank you for his family, for next to every strong, godly man is a strong, submitted, help meeting a godly wife.
Thank you for Laura and the children and for their unwavering support of your minister, of your ambassador, who's been sent on a task in Laurel, Montana to proclaim and to preach
Christ alone and him crucified. So as we unfold your word this morning, we believe in the very power of the
Holy Spirit to illuminate us, to inform us, to convict us, and to transform our affections so that we may be more like Christ.
May every ear among us be attentive to the very words that you are speaking through your slave, that if there is anyone here attending, yet in their sin, dead, separated from your life, oh,
God of heaven, we ask for their eternal good and your glory, that you will save them.
Open their eyes to see their rebellion and their resistance, that they are not law fulfillers, but they are lawbreakers, that because they have transgressed one of your laws, they have transgressed all, and that they will see the glories of Christ Jesus, your son, who came so that he might become their righteousness and their sanctification.
And after opening their hearts to hear the gospel, that they will repent, turn from their sin, having a change of mind, a change of heart, and a change of direction, and turn to Christ alone to receive the eternal gift of salvation, so that they may enter into the joys of salvation.
And for your people this morning gathered, I pray that their hearts will be well prepared and knitted in the truth, so that they will receive the engrafted word from you, which is able to continually save their souls in the great work of sanctification.
We commit this time to you and your sovereign hand to use both the preacher and the people to speak the word, to hear and receive it with joy and thanksgiving.
In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we make these petitions for your glory and for the good of your church.
Amen. Well, you've heard the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, or that images are a better means of communication than words are.
But have we profited from that change, from reading and communication to images, pictures, social media, images?
Well, the answer is probably no. In general, anyone born after the 1960s may suffer from a reading or listening deficit.
Experts who are in the field of learning and education compile data to support that position, that people in general, due to pictures and images, do not know how to listen well.
So it's not just a matter of children or adults having attention deficit disorders, it is actually lack of listening skills undeveloped.
The growth of television in the homes beginning in the late 1900s and the surge in social media harms the ability to listen well.
So the God -given tools in His common grace for development are a gift of mercy, but they are largely ignored today.
Now, that is not what our text this morning says directly. But there is a correlation, there is a relationship between the listening deficit and the preacher.
The pastor is interacting with a society that is largely underdeveloped in the basic skill of listening well.
Well, you couple that issue with the heart and the heart's inability or maybe unwillingness to heed the words of the living
God and so the pastor's task is enormous. You have today in our society men and women who would rather hear something novel, they would rather hear something appealing, they would much rather be entertained.
The dopamine expectation is so high they would prefer visual and emotional stimulation than the preaching of the words of the living
God. Now, we would agree that Timothy did not have to wrestle with advanced technology, but without question he had to wrestle with the diminishing desire for biblical preaching.
So when a pastor steps into the pulpit or he's initiated into the pulpit ministry, he's dealing with not just a natural deficit, but a spiritual deficit of hearing of the word of God.
And that is a common problem today as it was during the time of our text this morning.
I want to turn your attention, therefore, to 2 Timothy, the fourth chapter. Please turn there with me. What God has to say in the answer in a world where the interest is surging instead of the simplicity of preaching and the power of the preaching of God's word, society tends to want less of preaching and not more of it.
But what is the antidote? What is the solution? What is God's supply? Well, it is more preaching, dear listener.
It is more of the word of God, dear listener, not less of it. And it is not more in time.
I don't have to preach for two hours, although I can try. It is not the length of the sermon.
It is the substance of the sermon. It must have within it the very words of our living
God. So in our text this morning, 1 Timothy chapter four, primarily actually 2
Timothy chapter four verses one through five, Paul's charge to Timothy is to preach the word of God, to preach at all times, using scripture alone as the basis for preaching.
The word of God is a basis for correction. The word of God for the basis of instruction.
So God's generals, God's men, God's preachers are never at their best when they are contemporary.
They're never at their finest when they are novel. They are at their best when they're faithful preachers of the word of the living
God. Now, a few observations leading up to our text for this morning.
As you would know that this is Paul's second inspired letter to Timothy. The first epistle was written to encourage
Timothy that he should command the church not to teach anything but what
Christ has commanded his apostles to teach. Not to read, not to rehearse, not to recite anything but that which is the very words of God to his people.
And so as you would know, false teachers came into the fellowship and produced nothing but conflict and sin.
But faithful preachers like Paul, their goal is far different. The goal of their command is love from a pure heart and a good conscious and unhypocritical faith.
False teachers and those who follow them are not interested in those virtues at all but a general of God, a man of God, a servant of God, a slave of Christ is interested in sound truth for the hearts of the listener.
Now our second inspired letter we're in today and this morning to Timothy, the pressure is on young Timothy and he's struggling.
He wants to give up. And this final letter is to encourage the young evangelist to keep moving forward in ministry.
As you recall in the early part of this letter, Paul tells him, do not give up because God does not give to his servants his ambassadors a spirit of timidity.
Another way to look at that word timidity is to say that God did not give his ministers an attitude of cowardice because a spiritual cowardice does not have the courage to stand for the truth under pressure but God's generals are even to the point of death.
We can also acknowledge from the very beginning of this second epistle that Timothy has no power, no power in himself to withstand spiritual opposition.
He has no power in his own might, in his own ability to serve the believers in Ephesus or in any church but he can join in suffering for the gospel as Paul says according to the power.
It's on that anchor of truth that every pastor can serve, labor, pray, and preach the word of God.
They can counsel, care for, and lovingly serve the people of God without giving up.
Let us read 2 Timothy chapter 4 verses 1 -5 will be our focus this morning.
Hear the living abiding inspired infallible word of our
God. I solemnly 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.
Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and teaching for the time will come when they will not endure a sound doctrine but wanting to have their ears tickled they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths but you be sober in all things endure hardship do the work of an evangelist fulfill your ministry
Before we dig into this text I want you to notice with me dear friends and beloved in Christ the first command in verse 2 to preach the word is the chief command and then the method and the attitude of the preacher follows but this is not just a charge to the preacher this is just not a charge to the servant of God this is also involved in the congregation so I have good news for you as you read this passage you are in the text but by appearance it's not a good look is it in verses 3 and 4 but this analysis is born out of love for you and truth about the human heart the preacher is charged with the task of preaching because the congregants are not always receptive of the truth and so whenever you and I or anyone crave after poor preaching the end is never good so this text is urgent for us today it is a matter of eternity to hear and heed
God's word because the preacher's task is eternal eternal and you must remember that if he ever thinks of temporal progress or earthly success he is no longer preaching for your soul but a preacher who preaches for your soul is consistent in presenting the words of the living
God to you and so this morning this is not just a charge for the preacher but it's for the congregation and so the sermon's goal or the message this morning or the lesson this morning is your pastor's eternal attitude and why you need him your pastor's eternal attitude and why you need him so number one we'll ask in the form of questions and they'll be like three main questions for our outlines and the first question is this what is his eternal attitude what is it well first of all a true servant of Christ a preacher, a pastor knows that God ordained him that God ordained him notice in verse 1 he says
I charge you but he says solemnly charge you in some translations in the
Greek world to solemnly charge someone was to install them to an office it is like taking the oath of office but here it is eternally significant this is a serious charge it is a sovereign charge a heavenly charge it is an authoritative charge
God has ordained Timothy the spirit of God enabled Timothy Christ sanctified
Timothy but this call this charge never precedes or comes before salvation but the call to ministry is still a part of God's effectual call this is not some general affair the
God who effectually calls sinners to salvation effectually calls pastors to pastoral ministry this is eternally significant as you remember
Paul says that Christ strengthened him but he says regarded him faithful putting him into service when
God puts anyone to service when God puts anyone to service for him it is an eternal call before the foundation of the world you remember
Yahweh's words to Jeremiah in the first chapter of Jeremiah verse 5 he says before I formed you in the innermost parts what
I knew you that is an intimate reference to salvation that God called
Jeremiah to salvation in an intimate fellowship with him before the foundation of the world and he says before you came out of the womb
I set you apart and then for Jeremiah Yahweh declared
I have given you as a prophet to the nations so there is an intimate reference to the call not only to salvation but to ministry that is what we call the objective call to ministry where God by his power and grace and sovereign goodness calls a pastor to shepherd his flock now men such as myself and others here who are pastors in pastoral ministries and our brother
Rob we didn't have the same experience as Jeremiah did but God's call to ministry and I hope you're listening is before the foundation of the world it is not an option it is a necessity it is a sovereign call in a very similar way he calls sinners to salvation now the subjective part of the call is when someone senses or somehow is aware of that call there's a burden it's a good one there's a desire it's a strong desire but then his life matches the doctrine and he cannot he will not dare not do anything but preach
Christ in paraphrasing the words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon if a man has a desire for ministry but is comfortable doing anything else do not pursue ministry do that something else but when he can do nothing else the necessity is on him and woe if he does not preach
Christ he will and he must it's a glorious call it's a glorious charge because God ordained him to pastoral work but number two
God will judge him for his pastoral faithfulness God will judge him for his pastoral faithfulness that is also in verse 1
I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead by his appearing and his kingdom so the charge in the presence of God the
Father and God the Son you see the bond between the man in ministry and God so it's not simply something he picks up but it's not a hobby it's not a secondary occupation there's something significant about the office and although that is true for everyone in a good vocation who is charged with an office that demands an oath like this no one presidents and leaders take oaths but it does not carry the same eternal weight
God the Father and the Son stand as witnesses to this moment and recognize as you look at this text that the final lines in verse 1 are associated with the charge in verse 2 that as the preacher considers the ministry considers the calling he sees the weightiness of the judgment of God the weightiness of the reality that he has to stand before God to give an account for the deeds that he's done sometimes you have to wonder if false teachers don't realize the gravitas of this truth what a judgment do not many of you become teachers because you will incur a stricter judgment what severity
I remember a professor saying a few years ago imagine standing before God and looking at all the text that you got wrong as a preacher what a gracious judgment that's just using a sanctified imagination what about those who continue to run rampant to the scriptures with no sense of respect and honor they read the word of God and say this is what
I think and feel about it or the preacher knows that there's a judgment coming that he's going to have to give an account for every word he preaches every cynical statement on the pulpit every critical and harsh statement on the pulpit every crass cold immoral joke on the pulpit he's going to have to give an account for every drop of every ounce of every letter of every word this
Christ is coming to judge the living and the dead just as a quick observation the true servant of God will recognize and acknowledge the lordship of Christ over the preaching knowing the terror of the
Lord he says I persuade men that Christ will judge everyone impartially for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may be recompensed for the deeds in the body according to what he has done whether good or bad according to 2nd
Corinthians chapter 5 verse 10 he says therefore knowing the terror of the
Lord we persuade men not for the faithful pastor this is not the fear of eternal judgment or torment it is not the fear of punishment it is a holy reverence for the
Lord Jesus Christ a faithful preacher is not interested in the applauses of men not at all it is good to encourage the preacher when he preaches well that you're grateful for what he's preached but it's almost always better to know that the preaching is transforming your heart but the pastor may be aware also of the court of congregational opinion but there's a greater affection than love he wants to hear the words well done thou good and faithful servant oh don't get me wrong a true servant of Christ loves the people but he only loves you to the degree that he loves
Christ he will only serve to the degree that he's serving Christ and because he loves you and if he truly loves you he will always remain faithful to the word of God because God will judge him for pastoral faithfulness but then there's a 3rd eternal attitude we just looked at the 1st so God ordained him to the pastoral work
God will judge him for his pastoral faithfulness and number 3 God called him to preach faithfully
God called him to preach faithfully that is in verse 2 of our text notice that with me preach the word be ready in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all patience and teaching now you and I may know this but it is worth repeating that God's priority for the pastor dear listener is to preach
Christ from the pages of scripture so Paul is stressing here this great sense of urgency in preaching the word of God I do want you to acknowledge and recognize this that a man can only draw from his well of interest if the pastor is not interested in the word of God he will notice the difference in the pulpit and in his life shallow preaching is a result of a shallow well it is not deep there is no depth there is no depth in Christ there is no depth in study there is no depth in meditation of the word of God there is no depth to understand the original meaning of the word of God it is just shallow preaching because the heart is shallow but oh a man of God a slave of Christ is immersed in the word of God because God called him to preach faithfully and he cannot do so unless he is devoted to the scripture if you look back for example 2
Timothy chapter 3 just a few verses up in verse 14 but you continue in the things you learned and became convinced of knowing from whom you learned them and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus all scriptures
God breathed and profitable for teaching for reproof for correction for training in righteousness so that the man of God may be equipped having been thoroughly equipped for every good work see the well of truth began for the preacher and the pastor when he heard the good news by the spirit of God the good news penetrated his hardened heart and his stubborn will and the change that God brought about in regeneration produced this affection for Christ affection for truth and then from that grew this desire to preach the word of God but listen to what
Paul says 1 Timothy 1 verses 15 -17 it is a trustworthy saying and deserving for acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners among whom
I am foremost if you just observe this because this is the gospel this is the glorious good news that Christ came that is the confession of his deity he always existed as eternal son of God from all eternity before the foundation of the world but then to say that he came is also to imply that this is a reference to the incarnation in his humanity truly
God becoming the God man to draw sinners to himself he came as a humble saved the son of a carpenter born of a woman born under the law to redeem those under the law to fulfill the laws demands of full obedience so you have even in this text in 1
Timothy chapter 1 two natures divine and human in one body to rescue lawless rebellious hostile sinners
Christ Paul says came into the world to save sinners when he says that it means that Christ came as a substitute to die in our place a perfect savior dying not just for imperfect people not just for flawed people not just for people who have these mess ups and hang ups that's just human folly he came for those who would mock him ridicule him accuse him slander him sin against him the helpless the weak the sinner the unable the hostile the rebellious the sinner who hated
God spurned his law spurned his truth dishonored his creation lived immorally pursued sinful pursuits this these are the people that Christ came for that would be us see the preacher acknowledges this he recognizes that he stands before the people he sees himself as a sinner saved by the grace of God and he wants to draw the unbeliever to this truth that God will open their eyes that they will turn from this and believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ for the gift of salvation and it would be folly for me to assume that everyone among us is in Christ the preacher never makes that assumption he appeals if you hear his voice do not harden your heart if Christ is calling to you from the preaching of the word of God turn to him today tomorrow is not the day because tomorrow can be the day of your death now is the day of salvation yes you are that sinner yes you are that rebellion because all have sin no one is righteous no one seeks
God the spirit of God calls to the preaching of the word of God to turn and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ today is the day not this evening not tomorrow not tonight not when you get things right you will never get things right you need the righteous ones to make all things right he's the
Lord Jesus Christ believe upon him and be saved that's the preacher that's the servant that's the vessel of Christ he recognizes these truths but then he will recognize and acknowledge as Paul said yet for this reason
I was shown mercy so that in me as a foremost Christ Jesus might demonstrate all his patience as an example for those who are going to believe upon him for eternal life you know dear listener faithful preaching is natural to the redeemed pastor as breathing and ears to the lungs but notice in our text it says preach the word be ready in season out of season the word ready for example when applied to the military context means to stay where you are assigned and stick to the task the task is to preach the word of God the inspired word of God from Genesis to Revelation and any preacher who dismisses any text of Scripture is not a preacher of the word of God if any preacher denies the full inspiration of the
Scripture he's not a vessel of Christ and we have so many cynical pulpiteers today but they don't love the
Lord you cannot love Christ and not love the word because he is the living word and through him you come to understand the written and revealed word
God and his word are one you cannot divide God and his word when you do so you don't love him
I know that men and women will see this that God will open their eyes to see the hostile pulpiteers
I'm not going to berate them too long they're not worth the time but it is worth mentioning that you want a man who loves the word who preaches the word who lives the word of God well if he is then get ready for him because the text says he needs to hold his position no soldier in active services entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier so for the pastor you must stick to the task remain in your post stay in the trenches at all times because guess what the time will come when they want you out of the trenches it says in the text that he must be ready in season out of season and here there is some tension with that both words in season and out of season are from the same
Greek word for time so Paul may be referencing a skill in the art of debate or debating and so the skill is you need to know the best time to speak so you're using your philosophical rhetoric or the art of communication to persuade the party who's listening well they do say timing is everything that is a bit of a stretch but there's some truth to that so maybe as a pastor he's looking at the audience there may be some level of disinterest in what he's saying maybe there's some bodily gestures displaying some lack of interest in what the preacher is saying in those moments the pastor does not use rhetoric to continue because right now the congregation's response may be indifference, apathy, frustration, anger and now he's going to employ rhetoric to try to win them back over Paul says no that's out of season they don't look interested but that's what they really need lovingly declare the truth that God has given you it is in those moments the pastor's mind must be on Christ and scripture he must rely on the
Spirit of God to impact the listener in fact the Apostle Paul as we look at the
Greek text and study it even more there's a great sense of urgency that methods of communication are important but the content is essentially more important preaching well and the oration or the verbiage or the language speaking in a way that people don't understand and not stuttering over your words all important but the content is infinitely more important so what is relevant is the preacher's readiness to dispatch the word of God faithfully under every condition because he's as an ambassador of Christ commanded to do so as you look at our text under that very same point he is to reprove in and out of season rebuke in and out of season exhort in and out of season with great patience and teaching just to give you an idea of what these words are to reprove faithfully is to expose the sin but you're not just exposing the sin the goal is to bring about conviction of sin oh that's an endangered word today is it not preacher don't convict me make me happy people want to leave worship happy instead of leaving holy but that's not the preacher's task he said well you know
I go to this church and you know I know someone goes to church man they're always coming home happy happy people are going to hell the essence of the
Christian life is not happiness is salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone that produces a life of godliness happy people are going to hell it is scripture says the work of the
Holy Spirit for example to convict or reprove the world of sin so what is a preacher doing the preacher is preaching the word of God and the spirit of God is doing exactly what
Jesus said will be done to bring about this this deep sense of conviction of sin and the desire to put that sin off so the pastor uses preaching of inspired scripture to reprove and the truth comes with such power it subjects the listener to the necessary conviction producing the fruit of confession of that sin and a turning away of that sin that's beautiful that's encouraging that I can hear the word of God this to me is miraculous maybe you just grew up as a goody -two -shoes person but I never had a pair of good shoes in my life this is glorious that I can actually hear the word of God and be convicted of sin and joyfully acknowledge that sin sorrow over that sin but yet joyfully put the sin off to put on the knees of righteousness me maybe you can do it
I'm amazed I'm amazed that I can obey God and do as well
I'm amazed that I can hear strong preaching from my hard heart and God softens my heart that's amazing it's miraculous
I mean everyone will do themselves a great service to attend a place of worship where the preacher lays the truth out in love and kindness and tenderness and there's times for encouragement as this text says but today we are a lot short in conviction and too long in comfort our comfort is in the future presently enjoyed in Christ but because of present sin this conflict the preacher preaches so that the spirit of God works with the preaching of the truth to bring about the necessary conviction and biblical change but also faithful preaching rebukes says this in verse two in season and out of season you're reproving in season out of season you're rebuking so it's not when the people want it when they ask for it this is not taking a straw poll which sermon do you want to hear today no that's not relevant what's relevant is the preaching of the truth at all times and so rebuke here it involves a very severe preaching addressing the congregation because the preacher is saying ladies and gentlemen
God is disapproving of this sin there's a way upon the heart of the listener that God is not pleased with this sin when this happens the congregation might start thinking does the pastor work for the
FBI he's definitely there's a tap in my home he's literally in my business because God is sometimes
I don't even want to have a conversation with the congregation before I preach or throughout the week because when
I stand before it's not that I'll do that to talk to them when I stand before them
I want them to know that these are the words of God and if God has gotten into your business then he wants you to know he doesn't approve of the sin but this is true of biblical preaching because it is true of the word of God the word of God is living it is active and it is sharper than any two -edged sword and piercing as far as division of soul and spirit of both joints and marrow and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart and there is no preacher hidden from his sight but all things are uncovered and laid bare to the eyes of whom we have an account to give and here's the reality the preacher preaches for an all -knowing an all -seeing
God and as he preaches the word of God it penetrates your heart you're rebuked for your sin you're rebuked for your laziness you're rebuked for your lack of response to the word of God that's faithful preaching but also in and out of season he exhorts and that could mean exhorting to obedience the word of God but also could involve encouraging the saints there's a time to exhort the believers to obey the word of God or to encourage them to remember the joys of their salvation in the times of sorrow of suffering of near death that to be absent in the body is to be present with the
Lord Jesus Christ he's aware that the believers need encouragement he should acknowledge them for their service to the
Lord and let them know that God is not unjust to forget their labor of love and as a pastor he's not blind to their labor of love he encourages them to remain steadfast in the word of God in prayer with all patience and careful teaching the text says because he will need to bear up with the challenges of ministry but the kind of patience here at the end of verse 2 stresses an aspect of provoking when he says with great patience and some would say great patience and careful teaching it's a long process of bearing up with people who will provoke you not to bear up but you know this
Greek word is found in Galatians chapter 5 where all saints share in this blessing the fruit of the spirit the preacher must have this as much of his fullness as possible because people will provoke him and y 'all look like very nice people
I drove through Montana got in the airport and even the animals greeted me it's just beautiful the bear the bear didn't bite there was a moose bench
I mean you guys have animals in the wild you still have them in your homes but okay fine just really nice people but you're sinners aren't you now nice sinners sounds contradictory but that's what you are you love yourself you love your sin you idolize your sin you love enjoyment you love pleasures that's why there's such thing as mortification because we have it he has to bear up with that patiently because he knows he too is a sinner saved by the grace of God but now
I have some good news for you we know that the pastor's eternal attitude is there because God ordained him to the pastoral work
God will judge him for his pastoral faithfulness God called him to preach faithfully but now let's talk about the beautiful congregation at Laurel Bible Church filled with sugar and spice and everything nice that's what verse 3 and 4 says you're spicy
Christians filled with all the sweetness no no you're not in all the kindness there's a problem why do you need an eternity minded pastor you don't need an entertainer you don't need a pulpit manipulator and we've got to just have a coffee break right now we've got to stop putting our children in situations where they're just having fun the word of God says that we're supposed to teach our children when we're walking when we're sitting when we're eating we're going by the way you didn't say you hand them off to a local daycare center and they care for the kids 8 hours a day you drive by 30 miles an hour you throw
McDonald's bag or whatever Montana McDonald's bag into the daycare center for them to eat you're in a hurry in a flurry it's a flash they don't see you they don't hear about Christ the coffee break is almost done and then you drop them off to church so that they can have fun and then as they get older guess what they want to go somewhere because they just want to have it sounds like a secular song to me a secular mantra it is without question the philosophy of the world and you say
I'm quite comfortable saying that because I'm not your pastor and I don't think I'm coming back anyway it's how the world functions it's how the world lives our children are not here to have fun they're here to hear about Christ and then we pray that God will save them so that they can say that in his presence here it is there is fullness of joy and not your right hand there are pleasures forevermore we want our kids to know
Christ they can have fun anywhere else but here the preacher says they must know him that is true for the adults because why do you need an eternally minded pastor the coffee break is done you've enjoyed it praise
God number one is the second question the second outline you lack spiritual endurance you lack spiritual endurance this is so profound for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine or the time will come when you will not think about your spiritual health so you may not live that way all the time but because we are all prone to wonder we all have those seasons we do tis the season isn't it not to be jolly it is right isn't it you guys think
I'm tricking you well you say I want a santa sermon this year lighten up on the incarnation talk about the presentation of the gifts no no thanksgiving is coming up I want a turkey sermon with turkey stories turkey themes no here it is pardon me
I want a national rifle association sermon I need a break from just preaching the bible let's talk about current events the word for sound in verse 3 is a reference to good health and so they would use that term to refer to doctrine and sound doctrine is consistent when it matches the truth when it is from the word of god what is right what is faithful accurate that will lead to spiritual growth in comparison to false doctrines that usually lead others astray what is involved in this the time coming when they will not endure sound doctrine is the unwillingness to bear up there it is patience in verse 2 of the pastor he is going to deal with a congregation to some degree lesser or more than other people of their unwillingness to bear up with his preaching and you know what happens there right there is always something wrong with the sermon but nothing wrong with the listener the pastor has to bear with people who will not bear up with biblical preaching and one commentator says when you reach this point you no longer listen willingly you listen resistibly you listen as a critic you listen as a cynic you listen as a tutor but not a student of the word of god when you do not bear up it means that your tolerance level is low so what is also implied here is a general sense and this is so so fearfully humbling because we are all prone to do this is a general sense of rejection but of course at first it doesn't seem as if you're rejecting it could be just a subtle dismissive attitude toward the preacher's sermon but it could be as I said earlier conveyed in bodily gestures to the point that as you even listen to the sermon preach you're imagining what a different preacher might sound like and guess what everyone else will always sound better than your pastor when you get to this point you would even prefer a bot preacher you know those robots you know this every satellite church is a robotic church if someone attends a place of fellowship and the pastor is on a big screen he's pastor pixel or pastor bot he's not a man of god he's fake he's not real he's a fraud you say well a lot of them are preaching the truth they can't be preaching the truth and deny the essence of pastoral ministry
I preach publicly and from house to house Paul says in Acts chapter 20 he's touching fellowshipping with the people there's no communion with your pastor and it's a satellite campus and there's no communion he's not a pastor he's a fraud but he preaches the bible he's still a fraud oh you're too harsh that's exactly what
Paul said people's response will be like oh that's just unloving at least they're preaching the gospel which one the one that binds us together is the gospel not the one that builds enterprises it's fake stuff it's fraudulent stuff but see you would rather a pastor on a distant campus who's not actively involved in your life when you get this way why is it that people love those kind of meetings it's because they have no endurance for a pastor who will rub life on life with them preach the word of God communicate to them fellowship with them and confront them when sin is involved that's a lack of spiritual endurance and number two why do you need an eternally minded pastor you prefer what makes you feel good it says this in verse 3 for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but wanting to have their ears tickled they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires and Burger King wasn't even available then you had a
Burger King congregation have it your way but notice this text their saints listeners friends desires are many but they're personal their desires your desires my desires but there are many personal and they're selfish no that's just not it there are many personal selfish and then militate against God's will and that is the climax that when you prefer what makes you feel good you're saying that God's will for me on the
Lord's day is insufficient I've got to find something for myself see when when analyzing people and examining their decisions we've got to let the word of God be the final judgment on what they're doing we can't just say well they're looking for this ministry for that ministry that's a bunch of bogus baloney unbiblical stuff it's just not true when you hear a place where God is preaching his word
Christ is exalted sinners are brought to saving faith there's a great fellowship a unity in the spirit of God oh wait a minute that sounds like a church huh so why is the heart inclined to go elsewhere when the very need is met there right here in the text there's a lack of endurance and folk want to feel good so God gives his pastors his generals their orders but those with this desire will prefer pulpit personalities who defy
God's order and their choice of doing so is volitional it's intentional it's not circumstantial it's not
I need this for this and that no there's not some type of genuine need it's the fact that they're repulsive toward the truth but he says in this text that they will accumulate wow as if more is better they will add more in number of the same kind of teachers in part to justify what they do they will accumulate more to speak smooth words to them and the point here is that if your favorite so -called preacher tickles your ear or if the modern vernacular is
I need a preacher who can relate to me I don't like a preacher in a tie or a bow tie who dresses up on the pulpit
I was watching a video just recently of a cowboy church literally a cowboy church accommodating the masses but not fitting the worship for Christ what you're doing here is you're ordering in your playlist false teachers stacking your listing with a list of ungodly men see if there is a man who itches ears and gratifies the human desires not only is he not a pastor he's a false teacher not only is a false teacher but he's serving in the rim or the place of unbelief and there's a lot of them
I don't know the average but maybe for every one solid bible teaching pastor there may be 25 to 30 false teachers in the area in fact you look at the apostle
Paul when he wrote to Timothy and he said in Philippi that I don't have many who are one soul united for Christ as Timothy is
I have one guy I know and he knew of a lot of men in ministry didn't have a godly agenda when you're in this situation you need a preacher who will preach the word of God because you want an entertaining preacher you want a young and hip preacher tight jeans and tight shirt you'd rather someone entertain you to hell than preach you to glory that's in essence what's happening entertain me to the very gates of eternal damnation but please don't urge me to look up to my redemption see when you have this spiritual itch you do not want to expose the root cause you don't want the root cause to be exposed at all you prefer what makes you feel good you need an eternity minded pastor because he is not going to make you feel good but boy he will bring the love the grace the mercy the goodness the truth from the
Lord Jesus Christ to your wandering heart verse 4 you will turn from the truth if left to your devices you need an eternity minded pastor because he will turn from the truth if left to your devices this is profoundly sobering and that is why we need sound preachers and will turn their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths so an itching ear never wants to hear biblical truth and instead of having a desire for the truth the truth is repulsive to them and if you notice that in this text
Paul continues this ear analogy they turn their ears from the truth so here is the intentional refusal to listen to the truth and obey the truth they don't want to know what
God has to say so I want to go somewhere where God isn't speaking from his word to my own heart so if you and anyone thinks this way you end up setting your heart toward counterfeits it's like someone gripped by drugs that desired so bad they failed to consider how deadly it is that's what you find in this text and even poor biblical preaching is no big deal for you now it says in this text they will turn from the truth and toward myths
Paul uses the word myths in his first letter for example in 1st Timothy 1 verses 4 and 6 but it is always in contrast to what is eternal so it's not myths for the sake of myths or stories or dabbling to the law not knowing what the law says he also says it in 1st
Timothy chapter 1 it has to do with replacing the sound preaching of the word of God with just a bunch of foolishness it's like a circus on Sunday a clown show for the unconverted it is always in contrast to what is eternally important or true so the problem is not just myths or fiction rather it is that these conversations are spiritually fruitless they're not written in Christ they're not designed to teach and so you can replace the word myth with anything that opposes the truth and yes dear listener if the preacher does not have his charge from Christ and sticks with it he will vacillate and he will weigh the opinions of the congregation the opinions of the world he'll look at the church growth movements and how they grow they grow exactly how
Paul says in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 it is the ministry of reductionism they will reduce the word of God to its bare minimum there's nothing left stripped of its power stripped of its veracity stripped of its conviction stripped of everything essential for truth and eternal life and now you're left with a bunch of Monday morning nuggets that grows stale with every adversity it takes your attention away from Christ well because spiritual endurance is low personal and worldly interests will be high so they will turn away but you know the cure of this is not less preaching but more of it, more doctrine more conviction of the truth but you know in some subtle ways even as you're in a bible teaching context, a bible teaching church, there are the distractions that the preacher will have to deal with it's not just a turning away from the truth into myths and fables but turning away from the truth and turning to events and programs so instead of studying the word of God praying and depending on the spirit of God to enable him to study and to preach crying out for the salvation of the unconverted interceding for the flock that's not working so now let's talk about programs pastor, we don't need to exposit the word of God every
Sunday, we can have a program, a play, a concert remove the pulpit as they did in Martin Luther and put up a stage so people can have fun kids can come and they can perish in their sin, that sounds like a great church to me, like you said, well we're not going to do that here we've had a strong history of biblical teaching which is true, praise
God for that but we need a preacher who will plan more, so we've got to have a little bit more going on here, we've got to have these community ministries, it's community outreach right so here are the list of ministries, every church has to have these things it's not biblical but we've got to have it you've got to have a basket weaving ministry you just can't survive as a church without having a basket weaving ministry, you've got to have a tricycle ministry there is a chicken ministry a cowboy ministry, a rifle ministry a hunting ministry, a bingo ministry, a chess ministry, a checkers ministry you've got to have a hiking ministry, a biking ministry and I dare not leave out the all important all surpassing ministry the crocheting ministry every church has got to have the crocheting ministry going, it's the women will not handle this then the pastor instead of preaching the word of God, meditating, praying studying, he has to attend all the meetings he's no longer doing soul care he has to attend them, the ministries, the meeting, the gales for a successful ministry because they will turn their ears from the truth and will turn aside to everything else but, you lack spiritual endurance this is a gracious truth by God's word, you prefer what makes you feel good and you will turn from the truth if left to your own devices that's why you need a pastor with an eternal attitude but then finally, number three, the third question which is the third part of the outline, what does your pastor need to persevere?
Number one he needs by the grace of God's self -control this is another one of the virtues of the spirit of God, verse five, but you be sober in all things to be sober or to exercise discipline, the discipline of examining everything carefully and biblically so brother pastor to my brother
Rob, to myself other pastors here, brother Joe even our great evangelist Justin Peters we cannot let our emotion or the success syndrome take us off of this course, this sobriety is to have the spiritual fortitude of strength to weigh everything carefully in light of eternity
I don't mean if a man is worth his salt, if he's human after all, friendships are important to him and we should cherish them, we should love them but they could never be more important than the necessity of exercising self -control to where even those who are close to you feel offended because the word of God has pierced their soul
Paul is encouraging Timothy carry the spiritual fortitude to weigh everything biblically to weigh it carefully, you need the spirit's self -control to view everything biblically, what's being asked of me what are they saying, what are they thinking, how is the word of God processing this because you don't want to take people's responses or comments personally the pastor must exercise this discipline of self -control, number two he needs this to persevere, spiritual stamina he says in verse 5 be sober in all things, endure hardship you must bear up on the suffering and the suffering here is two -fold there is a suffering for Christ to which the world would despise you, and that's every believer but there's a suffering as a pastor to which the flock may not always like what you say you're like what, me?
what? no, I'm not that type of person yes you are you don't like everything everyone says at every time and there'll be some moments in the preaching it's going to cut you you think the wrong way but it's cutting you the right way because whenever there's a sense, a feeling or an angst, anxiety or anger, there's a sin lurking onto the surface and by the grace of God the preacher's bringing it out you're not going to always like what he says but if you preach this faithfully you will need everything that he says so how does he bear up?
Paul says this in 2 Timothy 2 verse 3, suffer hardship with me as a soldier of Christ and how do you do so?
according to the power of God and we must remember this as believers as pastors, that we will never suffer in our power, we will suffer in our weakness by his power it's not our strength, it is his strength the words we may hear they may be harsh criticisms, slanderous statements, harsh responses there is the online slander there's the church gossip line because every church has one, how do
I know? because every church has people in it that was easy
Q &A, how do I know that gossip is in the church because people are there? Smile, Laurel Bible it says, bear up do not leave those sins unchecked but remember that these attacks against you are ultimately attacks against the
Lord Jesus Christ spiritual stamina comes from God, it is in the power of God that this comes
Pastor Rob, remember you're saved by Jesus Christ, risen from the dead of the seed of David, we just read this according to my gospel, for which reason
I endure hardship even to change as a criminal but the word of God has not been changed for this reason,
I endure all things for the sake of the elect so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory it is a trustworthy saying if we die with him, we will also live with him if we endure, we will reign with him if we will deny him, he also will deny us, if we are faithless he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself number three, what does your pastor need to persevere, self -control, spiritual stamina and number three, a heavenly focus, a heavenly focus do the work of an evangelist fulfill your ministry,
Paul says to Timothy, he says to Pastor Rob, he says to those in the pastoral ministry, do the work
God calls you to so yes, there are saints, pastors and you know this, but I need to say pastors are not fashion designers they're not skit writers they're not stunt men they don't have motorcycles on the stage and bikes on the stage, they're not entertainers your pastor is an ambassador for the
Lord Jesus Christ he's to love Christ preach Christ, love the truth love the people, serve you well by preparing for your soul well, well think about this you do not want a doctor coming to perform a critical life -changing surgery with oil on his hands and stains on his surgical attire you do not want a doctor who had no time to sharpen the surgical tools because he was under the hood of his car so all he has to this life -changing surgery is a dull blade and an exhausted mind will you have that?
the doc comes in the office and says, look, yep, we're going to have open -heart surgery, this is the tightest I've ever been
I don't even know how to use a knife, a scalpel, scissors I don't know how to use any of this, but we'll give it a shot will you stand that table?
what about the preacher? if your soul is infinitely more important should not the preacher set his life aside to the study and the meditation of the word of God your soul is infinitely more important than an unqualified, unprepared doctor so therefore the pastor's role is greater than the surgeon's life -saving surgery so make sure dear friends attendees, committed people at Laurel Bible, make sure he knows how to find his study because eternity hangs in the balance make sure he has a clear path to his study keep him from the world by removing distractions see him off to the battle for the
Lord as he wages war by the grace of God, to apply the word of God to his heart say to him, pastor, please do the work that God has called you to leave all the other tasks to us, what's left undone dear pastor, we'll leave it up to the
Lord but as for you, please by the grace of God fulfill your ministry why am I saying this?
because what Paul says in this text what God is saying through Paul is that there's a great sense of urgency for this preaching because eternity hangs in the balance for many do all other things but this one thing the preaching of the word of God it is sad but many pastors today look the opposite of preachers they look like cheerleaders, civic leaders and many of them protest like social justice leaders but the work is incomplete it is insufficient and it is deficient if the man of God is not fulfilling completing to its end its fullness and that is what the sense at the end of verse 5 is to fill the work out completely until the very end what is the end?
verses 6 -8 for I am already being poured out as a drink offering in the time of my departure is at hand for it has come
I have fought the fight I have finished the course fulfilled the ministry I have kept the faith notice the eternal implication here's the judge in verse 1 in the future there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the
Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing your pastor needs to be a man with a mind that is set on Christ and the future judgment his eternal attitude should be a man who knows that God ordained him to the pastoral work that God will judge him for his pastoral faithfulness and that God called him to preach faithfully friends listeners beloved in Christ you need an eternity minded pastor because you lack spiritual endurance you prefer what makes you feel good you will turn from the truth left to your devices and then to faithfully do and complete the work that your pastor needs he must have the spirit self control the
Holy Spirit's endurance and a heavenly focus to finish the work that God called him so I say to this man of God this morning man of God preach the word preach the word of God be ready in season and out of season and people of God I cannot stress this anymore that is the man that you need the man who loves
Christ love the truth love the word of God love the people and is unashamed to declare the gospel of our savior
Jesus Christ unashamed to compel sinners to believe in him and also to urge the believers to remain steadfast in the
Lord Jesus Christ stop hunting for a place of worship like you're hunting for your favorite wardrobe find a place where Christ is exalted the word of God is preached love is practiced and believers are looking with a great anticipation for the return of the
Lord Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead and just as a personal statement and I may be biased
I do believe that you have one here in your midst and our brother
Rob I want you to remember that with every godly man standing next to him is a godly wife and you have a marriage that exemplifies the gospel of our lord and savior
Jesus Christ as a wife submits to her husband the husband loves his wife as Christ loves the church and the man who pours his affection and his love toward his wife and his children will no doubt in Christ pour his affection to the church that's the man of God and I believe you have one here among your midst will you support him pray for him that God will keep him focused on the task at hand continue to love and to know the
Lord Jesus Christ and always remember that Christ is returning to give and render judgment for the deeds that he has done as his servant pray with me father in heaven no man is sufficient for this work but our sufficiency comes from you you have made us ministers of the new covenant what a glorious message for the old covenant
Paul says it was a ministry of death and it was great how much more of a greater glory and of substances the new covenant that we preach
Christ risen as Paul says remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead of the seat of David according to my gospel the pastor preaches of a living
Christ to the heart of those who may be dead but in him Christ gives them life and so now they hear the words and worship the living
Christ united by faith with him in him through him for his glory if there's anyone here among us who does not know the
Lord Jesus Christ I pray God of heaven that you would have softened their heart and opened their heart as you did for Lydia to hear the words of life we pray these things in Christ's name amen well at this time we're going to prepare to officially lay hands on our brother
Rob he went through the ordination process yesterday and I guess this is the time where I can just share my delight with this brother and his family he served with us for a little over three years and was nothing but a very source of light and encouragement a capable preacher strong preacher of the word of God he loves
God's people a tremendously gifted preacher gifted counselor he served us well and so our love for the family from the family of GCCLB to you brother they wanted to share that with you that they do miss you and your family greatly and I can't say too much because when we had your send off I was crying like I had a whole bunch of tears left and so I'm going to try to say less and I'm not up here looking like a weeping prophet but I do want to just express my love and gratitude to you my brother and pray
God's best to you so I'm going to ask our brother Justin and brother Joe who led this so well yesterday was a great time brother
Rob would you please come forward as we prepare to pray for you shepherd him and encourage him to see these gift things that are in him to sharpen him and encourage him all the more we pray for our brother we pray that he would shepherd your people that he would shepherd the flock of God among you
I pray that he would shepherd these saints here at Laurel Bible Church may he be faithful exercising oversight not for sordid gain but just diligently serving you
Lord I pray that when the chief shepherd appears that Rob would receive the crown of glory from the
Lord Jesus Christ Lord bless this man bless his ministry bless this church under his care and shepherding we pray that you would bring other godly men to serve alongside him raise up elder pastors to serve with him as he shepherds the flock of God I pray this in Jesus name
Father we give you our thanks and praise that in your kind providence you have brought
Rob Kimsey and his family to Laurel Montana to Laurel Bible Church I thank you that they are here
I pray for Rob Lord I pray that in everything he will seek
Christ he will seek the glory of Christ he will seek the furtherance of Christ's kingdom
I pray that you would enrich his time of study in your word I pray that your Holy Spirit do his work of illumination
I pray that he will have an insatiable desire for your word to know your word to know you and to serve you to bring honor and glory to Christ I pray that there would never be a time that Rob does not take the pulpit where he does not tremble at the weight of the task that is before him the responsibility the charge that is his pray that there never be a time when he is not overcome by the majesty of Christ and the profundity of the one whom it is that he is representing
I pray that that task will never become one that is routine to him but at the same time
I pray that there will never be a time when he does not enter the pulpit when he is not full of the confidence of who you are the power of your word
I pray that he would come boldly to your throne of grace I pray that he would have confidence in knowing that your word will not return to you void
I pray not only for his doctrine I pray for his life
I pray that he would watch his doctrine and his life closely I pray for his own personal holiness pray for his own progressive sanctification
I pray for him and his family I pray for Laura, pray for the children Jackson, Madison and Noah I pray that you would strengthen this family
Lord and may your richest blessings be upon them in every way and as Pastor Joe has prayed
I pray that you would bring good godly men around him to encourage him and to sustain him and to serve alongside him
Father we ask all of these things in the name of Christ Jesus our King Father we are grateful for this moment it is precious we are humbled by your grace to call anyone to such a great task we must always acknowledge that this is a supernatural gift thing it is not ordinary we simply do not have the supply to serve you and your people in this way it is in every sense of the word a daunting task but we are grateful that our dependency is upon you upon ourselves that is but upon you as Paul said that as he went through the very perils of life it was to teach him not to trust in himself but to trust in you
God who raises the dead and that at any given moment your servant your slave will have to constantly acknowledge his insufficiencies but the power, the supply the strength, the grace to do this great work comes from you but I must also pray for him as a man for he is human subjected to the very same struggles and with sin in the battles as anyone would have although there is an exemplary life he must live according to 1st
Timothy chapter 3 he's still wrestling with his own indwelling sin now because he's taken up this office for the king there's a hostile enemy who continues to fight for the moral fabric of preachers causing and arousing such temptations of the heart whether it be online or with other sinful relationships bringing such great scorn and scandal and mockery upon the church
I pray that you will keep this man pure and that I will keep his eyes on the
Lord Jesus Christ let him see holiness as a beautiful process of sanctification that there is no one like Christ and there's never a given moment where the temptation is ever sweeter than the glories of the
Savior I pray for his commitment to his wife and his children that the service of the church will not impede upon this important ministry for indeed it is not just essential but it is first priority for him and that he will have a balanced day and a balanced life of rest to make sure that he cares for the body and whatever is left undone he gives it to you but make sure that he's prepared his soul in sanctification through studying the word of God and to present the word of God which endures forever to the hearts and the minds of the people
I pray for the congregation that they will be receptive to the preaching praying for him encouraging him and Lord whenever the opportunity arises to provide some constructive help for him so that he will continue to grow as a man who loves you keep him humble before the cross of our
Savior may he look to Christ for the necessary grace to practice humility so that it will be that Christ will increase what
Robert Kimsey day by day, moment by moment, sermon by sermon will decrease for the glory of the
Savior we ask in his name and for your glory Father Amen. Glory be to Christ the one that follows the holding
Zion song but with Christian words Should nothing of our efforts stand no legacy survive unless the
Lord does raise the house in vain its builders strive to you who boast tomorrow's gain tell me what is your life amiss that vanishes at dawn all glory be to Christ all glory be to Christ our
King all glory be to Christ his rule and reign will ever sing all glory be to Christ his will be done his kingdom come honor that is above who is himself our daily bread praise him the
Lord of love let living water satisfy the thirsty with a prize we'll take the cup of kindness yet all glory be to Christ all glory be to Christ our
King all glory be to Christ his rule and reign will ever sing all glory be to Christ all the day the great
I am the faithful and the true the lamb who was for sinners slain is making all things new behold our
God shall live with us and be our steadfast light and we shall air his people be all glory be to Christ all glory be to Christ our
King all glory be to Christ his rule and reign will ever sing all glory be to Christ all glory be to Christ our
King all glory be to Christ his rule and reign will ever sing all glory be to Christ praise
God we're going to have a fellowship lunch as we conclude our service if you're visiting today everyone is invited to stay and join with us let me pray and we'll close our service for today
God thank you for this wonderful day of worship that you have given to us as we even think about these wonderful words we
God in our hearts desire wish to glorify you and magnify the name of Jesus Christ may all glory be to Christ and And as we,
God, exit our time of worship and continue really in worship and fellowship with one another, I pray that you would bless that time of fellowship, that you would bless the food, that you would bless our time together, that you would increase in us a unity, an affection, a love for one another that is based on the love for us displayed in Christ in the gospel of grace.
And so God, we just give you all the honor and glory today. Now, the
God of peace who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, our
Lord Jesus, equip you in every good thing to do his will by doing in us what is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever.
And God's people said, amen. Thank you. You are dismissed. You just need some help doing that.