Lord's Day Worship - Installation Service (FULL) for Pastor Rob Kimsey

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 a been a pastor there for about 10 years now. A 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 justinpetersministries .org, I believe Praise god and yeah, I highly highly recommend. Um, he does have a youtube channel. And he has a podcast called didache. Didache just the greek word for teaching again.

Really important, uh, just biblical insights. On how to think rightly about some of the things that are going on in our world today. And so, uh, finally, we're joined by pastor joe schreibweiss. 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 uh, 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 really 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 second timothy chapter 2 if you want to follow along with me In your copy of god's word second second timothy chapter 2 verses 1 through 13.

So, please follow along with me as I read second 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 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 My life My song This torn is still This solid ground This is When fears are still.

Is.

Well, good morning to you.

It's good to be here this morning and there's so much I could say uh 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 uh 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 me in a godly wife. Thank you for laura and the children And for their unwavering support. Of your minister of your ambassador has been sent on a task In laurel montana. To proclaim and to preach christ alone in 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're speaking through your slave.

That if there's 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 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. Uh 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 in your sovereign hand to use both the preacher and the people. To speak the word to hear and receive it with joy and thanksgiving 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.

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 were in the field of learning and education compiled 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 our 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. And 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 second 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 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 in first timothy chapter four primarily actually second 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 as 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.

All 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 as 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 second timothy Chapter four verses one through five will be our focus this morning.

Here.

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 Their friends and beloved in christ the first command in verse two 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 three and four.

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 urgent for you today. It is a matter of eternity to hear and heed god's word because the preacher's task is eternal. And you must remember that if he ever thinks Of temporal progress or earthly success.

He's 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 of the message this morning of 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 One he says I I charge you but he says solemnly charge you in some translations. In the greek world 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 authoritative charge. God has foreordained 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 five.

He says before I formed you in the inner most 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 yowar declared I have given you as a prophet to the nations. So there's 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 and 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. Is a glorious call is 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 one. 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 one are associated with the charge in verse two.

That is 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 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 that. Imagine standing before god and looking at all the texts 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 well, I just 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 in 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 second 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 great affection and 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 third eternal attitude. We just looked at the first two god ordained him to the pastoral work. God will judge him for his pastoral faithfulness. And number three God called him to preach faithfully.

God called him to preach faithfully that is in verse two 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 but 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, you will notice the difference in the pulpit and in his life.

Shallow preaching. It was as a result of a shallow. Well. It is not deep. There's no depth. There's no depth in christ. There's no depth in study. There's no depth in meditation of the word of god. There's no depth to understand the original meaning of the word of god.

It's 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 second timothy. Chapter three 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 and 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 first timothy 1 verses 15 through 17. It is a trustworthy saying. And deserving full acceptance that christ jesus came into the world to save sinners among among whom I am foremost.

If you just observe this with me 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 humblest saved the serb the son of a carpenter born of a woman. Born under the law to redeem those under the law to fulfill the law's demands of full obedience.

So you have even in this text in first timothy chapter one 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 when you 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 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 will 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 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 could be the day of your death. Now. It's a day of salvation. Yes, you are that sinner. Yes, you are that rebellion because all have sinned. 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 the 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 in 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's worth mentioning That you want a man who loves the word who preaches the one who lives without 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. Inactive surfaces 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 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. He 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.