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So when asked to speak about the Shepherds Conference I was thinking about what is the Shepherds Conference or what was the Shepherds Conference? These are some of the things that I came up with. It was soul-penetrating.
It was Christ glorifying. It was the singing of 3 ,200 men singing nothing but the blood of Jesus. To the point where he felt like the only proper position of worship was lying on the ground prostrate.
Where the weight of God was just that heavy. It was if we had entered it into a preview of the throne room of God the 3 ,200 men singing from the congregation and the Choir of about two to three hundred singing at us all surrounding kind of this middle area.
Basically a little preview of the throne room of God if you multiply that by infinity or so. That may be exactly what the throne room of God is. So that was just kind of the general sessions not to mention kind of the individual sessions.
So what did I learn what changed in me? That's kind of what I'll talk about next. Well, eventually I'd like to preach at some point after this. Maybe not I Went through the preaching track and the first one was called how to prepare for the task of preaching.
It was it was presented by Bill Barrick. So I went in thinking all right, what commentary should I be using? How am I gonna do the outline? How should I prepare that sort of thing and he comes out with this?
Basically the sole Thing that we need to do when we're preparing for a sermon is besides spitting into the microphone consecrating purifying actively pursuing Obedience to Christ in the inner man. So speaking of the inner man the purity of the inner man.
So this struck me as if like I was on a highway In the middle of the highway with a Mack truck coming directly at me. It just it killed me. Completely ruined my notion of what I was thought I was going to be learning.
For his intro. He used first Timothy 416. It is keep a close watch on yourself and the teaching Persist in this for by so doing you will save both you and your hearers. So one of the things that he set up this conversation with was a quote from Richard Baxter a Puritan pastor in His words were this take heed to yourself lest you unsay with your lives what you say with your tongues.
Basically another Mack truck just hit me. I thought to myself What do I have in my life that basically diminishes my ability to preach the Word of God to share the gospel and for? God before the foundation of the earth to Be used as an instrument to save his elect.
If there's any if there's any pleasure I mean Steve talked about this morning alcohol if there's any pleasure from anything that We do in this life. It pales in comparison to the ability to be used by God to save his elect.
So thinking about this a little bit more we go through and Looking at the the verse. It's a simple if-then statement basically. It says I'll read it once again. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.
Persist in this basically Paul urging Timothy to Immerse himself in this and watch himself. For by so doing you'll save both yourself and your hearer. So it's a simple if-then statement if a then B. So being kind of a math geek, I basically said alright if not a then not B.
Meaning what should I not do in order to make sure that I am NOT used by God to save both myself and my hearers. Here are some of the things I came up with from the qualifications Of the elders and the deacons.
First of all, don't be above reproach that will that will make sure that your ability to preach the gospel and the effect of the Gospel is diminished. Don't be the husband of one wife. Don't be sober-minded.
Do not be self-control. Do not be respectable. Do not be hospitable. Do not care if the person you're witnessing to understands. Make sure you're a drunkard. Be violent not gentle. Make sure you're looking for a fight all the time.
Be quarrelsome. Love money above all else. Be dignified. Be undignified. Be double-tongued and always make sure you're speaking out of both sides of your mouth. Be addicted to much wine. Be greedy for dishonest gain.
So these are some of the things that I came up with. I'm like, alright. Am I doing any of these things to not be used by God in order to save his elect? So what do I what do I do that ruins destroys negates the message?
I? Preach the gospel. I preach when I proclaim it to my family to my friends to my neighbors. It's kind of a this Mack truck just completely ruined me to the point where I examined myself I said, all right, what Christian liberties are not Christian liberties.
How am I sinning? That is diminishing my ability to Preach the gospel and share the gospel with people and have God use me as a tool to save his elect. So that's kind of the lesson I learned in order for personal application.
There's two things that kind of came to mind right away at number one we my wife and I went to Napa Valley and we Enjoyed wine past tense and just thinking, you know. The pleasure of wine doesn't even compare to the pleasure and joy of being used by God to save his elect.
The second one was coming from a church that kind of dressed down I really enjoyed wearing like cargo pants and all that kind of stuff and I just thought you know what when I'm going to a Wedding or a funeral or anything like that.
I usually dress a suit. Well dressing the suit. Well When we come here Who we celebrating we're celebrating the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Enough said. So what happened to me in this conference?
I got a preview of the Saints gathered around the throne room of God number two Helped me understand how to best prepare for teaching and preaching in the future focusing on the inner man and purity and Then convicted me to the core That the joy of Christian liberties or the pleasure of Christian liberties pale in comparison to the honor and Privilege of being used by God to save in time those who he elected before the foundation of the earth.
So do you unsafe with your life what you say with your tongue or to again quote Richard Baxter? Taking it to yourself lest you unsay with your lives. What do you say with your tongues? Everybody it's amazing.
You stand in front of a corporation and you are doing presentations and it doesn't bother you but you stand in front of And in the preacher's pulpit and it's kind of like suddenly your heart races mouth gets dry.
So bear with me if I get a bit dry, so I've got some more here so Following the instructions from my shepherd. I was supposed to take five or eight minutes. But it's kind of tough if you think that you have to deliver Such a impactful week in five to eight minutes, so I'm gonna try and do it justice but I think it's going to be injustice to just give it five or eight minutes, so I believe I was going to get the sign to to cut it, so So instructions I've gotten was that I need to kind of give you an update of what it was.
Something I've learned what is something that has encouraged me and also what has convicted me and then also Kind of give you kind of one of the key Sermons or lectures that really had an impact on me.
So in following the fashion of being good at two issues I'm going to stick to those and also not to talk too much. So it's something I've learned. So first of all, I've learned that Harry has a very contagious laugh and a sense of humor and You have a great time with him.
Tim in fact can give Pavarotti a run for his money. So for those of you who sit here in his room, you might want to take some lessons from him when it comes to seeing Brian. Brian is the person that I Found that at nighttime falling asleep is the person that falls the fastest sleep and I promise you literally 60 seconds.
That man is out. We will not go into the story. Well, Kevin Can give Harry a good run for his money when it comes to the laughter and the two of them together boy. Your muscles will ache. Then Steve didn't think I'm gonna forget about you Steve.
Well, what can I say? I Don't know where he got his driver's license. Because he gave a new meaning to follow my lead. You wonder how he has the flock following him or keeping up with him. So and then Dave well, Dave.
You know how to pack in a in-and-out burger four by four animal style. I was impressed man. Little guy like this. He knows how to do it. And for those in the room here who doesn't know when I'm a four by four animal style in-and-out burger.
That is very Indigenous to California and it's really something to be experienced. So on that was the lighter notes trying to get my nerves into tact before I go into the more serious things. Okay, so encourage what encouraged me was the fellowship.
By these men and these men's desire to learn God. I was also convicted to study God. And even more so that I might shepherd those that are entrusted to me. So When you look at what was the famous or The sermon that I really liked was Tom Pennington.
And he spoke about pride. So, let me ask this question, what do you believe is the greatest danger to you or your ministry and each one of us have a ministry and Tom stated or Tom Pennington stated that we would have to say with one voice all of us in this congregation tonight.
It is pride. He continued to say that pride has become a virtue for today. Unfortunately. Something he had learned and I for that matter was that we live in a world with a lot of phony phony athletes with their drug enhancers.
Phony beauty with their plastic surgery, which we saw a lot of in, California. Phony economy credit card debt that goes out of control. Eleven trillion dollars in debt and that was when we were there.
It's much likely higher. Phony houses in terms of interest only mortgages. Phony feelings children having a feeling of being special with parenting focusing on self-esteem and phony friends. Using social media and for those of you in the room that uses myspace Facebook Twitter YouTube.
It gives you the illusion that people care what you are doing or providing a running commentary of your life. When it really doesn't we live in an era of the me generation. Now I'm not bashing that new technology in fact.
We know that it can be put to good use. We are listening to a podcast. We listen to People like MacArthur Piper and everything. So it's how we use this to our advantage. But what is the new technology doing for us in today's life.
It is an encouragement of narcissism self-promotion and pride on the grand scale. Narcissism has even found its way into the church or the so-called Church of all thing. With things like God didn't create you to be average.
Now I was going to try to do a Steve Lawson impression impersonation, but I'm not going to try that. But the question is if we all as Christians are not made to be average. Doesn't that change the level of average?
Something to think about. Well, I want to also turn to the scripture because Tom obviously then went and preached out of 1st Peter 5 Verses 1 to 11, but he turned to be 1st Peter 5 and he focused mainly on 5 to 11.
So I'm going to read it for us. Likewise you are younger be subject to the elders. Clothes yourself all of you. With humility towards one another for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time. He may exalt you. Casting all your anxieties on him. Because he cares for you. Be sober-minded. Be watchful. Your anniversary that your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion.
Seeking someone to devour. Resisting firming your faith. Knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world and. Then after you have suffered a little while the God of all grace who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ.
Will himself restore? Confirm strengthen and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. So what does pride that do? It isolates us from God. It isolates us from the grace of God and the God of grace.
In verses 5 to 11 Peter's talking about our relationship as a congregation to the church and the church to authority. Peter gives us three imperatives and. These pair of imperatives are in the present indicative time, which means it means that we have to do it still today.
And those three things that we can read out of Peter is be subject to the elders. Clothe yourself with humility and lastly Humble yourself before God. Tom went to explain how pride was the first sin in the universe and we know that Satan Is to blame and how that became also man's first sin.
I like the example of where he talked about the book that was written the ten most humble people I know and The other nine I taught Tom reminded us of all what Paul said in Corinthians 1. 1st Corinthians 4.
What you have you did not receive did you not receive it from God? In addition, he further went on to say that God only bestows grace where there's humility and he even quoted Spurgeon. If we can do anything in Christ God will allow us the opportunity to try it.
How am I doing for time? So that was a turning point for me, so I have another half an hour to go. There's a path to humility and Tom pointed out three steps based on the scripture. Obviously, the first thing is just to submit to human authority.
That's placed over you become a slave or Servant, but I like the word slave because we all are born slaves to God. Are we serving our wives our children by feeding them with God's Word or Have our burdens become too much for us as we are trying to solve them instead by our own power.
Three embrace God's governance his providers a Test for us. What do I cast on God and prayer? And what do I try to do myself? And this is where Excuse me, and this is where it hit really hard for me prayerlessness.
Is the believers declaration of independence? So I want to conclude We may not called to serve our wives at as this is true as a true act of Love and it was demonstrated by Jesus when he washed his disciples feet.
Serving our wives is Where we feed them with God's Word. The shepherd conference is a place where the shepherds are given the opportunity to worship together. As you heard from Tim with 3 ,200 men and if that's only a glimpse of what it will be to be in front of the eternal throne.
Then I want to be there and lastly To study under to study God under the great God fearing men. So that they can feed the flock. So brothers come to the shepherds conference and feed the flock.
First I would like to thank God for a safe journey and secondly thank BBC for this most memorable trip. This has been a goal of mine to attend the conference since I came to BBC. I Remember the men being so excited to go and hear the word being preached at Pastor John McCarthy's Church and want to attend with them.
I was not a member of the church at the time. But I was praying that God willing next year at this time. I will be one of those men attending the conference. One year later by the grace of God. I was one of those men getting prepared to leave for the conference.
The effort the opportunity to attend the shepherds conference has been such a blessing to me and to all the men who attended as well. Upon arriving at the airport. I began to take in my surroundings of palm trees and feel the warm air.
I was glad I was away from all the snow and cold. Immediately, I began to see brothers helping one another. With loading their luggage and belongings. This was something that I began to see more and more during the past few days.
This kind of service was not only contagious, but you could not help but see everyone partaking in some form of helping one another. From our beloved pastor guiding us and making sure all was taken care of to the brothers themselves.
It was a reoccurring theme all over campus at Grace Community Church. The service was amazing. They had volunteers All offering everything from food to even sunblock. Also hearing God's faithful servants preach his word to us so that we may be equipped to be more effective servants of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There was so much conviction felt throughout the conference. Although there were so many different topics being spoken each one was present presented clearly and biblically. I Was very encouraged by these men of God with this kind of encouragement.
Lord willing I strive to be like one of these teachers. I understand the seriousness of Teaching the true Word of God like Christ. I would like to follow his example. The conference as a whole was about strengthening and equipping men for better service in the body of Christ.
As for me, the conference was about leadership. I learned so many different aspects on leadership from teaching and leading as a biblical husband and father. Which I hope Lord willing to apply sometime in my future to teaching and leading within the church.
I learned that it's not easy to lead biblically, but with God's grace and faith in Christ. I'm up to the task and Jesus said to him if you can all things are possible for one who believes Mark 9 23. The Lord presented a unique opportunity to open up and to get to know my brothers in Christ in a more intimate level.
It was amazing to hear the different backgrounds and testimonies. But still seeing the same grace that God has given each and every one of them leading them to salvation. Specifically I'd like to thank Dave Farrah for his leadership and counsel throughout the conference.
I Was really an asset to make me feel at home amongst brothers. This has been a wonderful opportunity that we are all blessed to with to get to know each other better and encourage and strengthen one Another.
I've learned so much in the past few days. The conference has made an impact on me bringing me closer to the Lord in prayer and in his Word. Hearing all the men sing together and being drowned out by the singing of the hymns was definitely a highlight to the conference.
You couldn't help but think that this was a glimpse of what heaven would sound like continuously praising our maker. I would definitely recommend and encourage all to attend the next conference as As it is a great opportunity to serve the Lord and one another.
By not only being hearers of the word, but doers of the word. I'm not preaching this evening either. But I want to share with you a wonderful blessing. That was mine. I'm thankful for the privilege and the opportunity I had to be able to go to the Shepherds conference.
I know that I can speak for the other men and that I don't think we'll ever be the same. It was truly a blessing. I Believe we have a greater desire to serve our Lord. While at the conference and since These words keep coming to me from Matthew 4 for Man shall not live by bread alone.
But by every word that comes from the from our God. Well, we had plenty of bread and Time after time we had words from godly men. Oh How wonderful to be fed three days on the Word of God. I Was impressed with Grace Community Church.
They have a wonderful gift of just caring for people. The gift of hospitality. My numbers don't quite agree with Tim. I guess we counted a little different but There was some 3 ,000 men who pre-registered and a few others that came in later the sanctuary seats.
3 ,000. Grace had some 750 volunteers. So they had one volunteer for every five of us. So they were there to care for us and supply our many needs. I Know the blessing which Tim mentioned was to be a part of a choir of 3 ,000 men.
Singing the hymns and the praises of our Lord. It was just unbelievable. I Don't know what you think when occasionally On us in our services. We have maybe a hundred men come forward to sing. And what a blessing that is and I pray it is for you as well.
But just think 30 times that. It was a joy to be with Pastor Steve Brian and Tim and Harry and Ferdie and Kevin. We had such a wonderful time together. We bonded as brothers and then I can't say enough pastor Steve his Learning or his qualities of himself as he ministered to us pastored to us as he was our shepherd it was Truly a thrill to be with him.
And with the rest of the men, we had our serious times of listening and learning. At the sessions in the seminars there were times for one-on-one fellowship and for conversation. There were times of laughter.
Laughter is good medicine, isn't it? We laughed together until our sides hurt. Not a word to you men at BBC who have not had the opportunity to go to the Shepherds Conference. I want to encourage you to mark your calendars.
I believe it'll be in March of next year. For some of you a week out of your vacations is a lot. But it will be a blessing long and do it to you and to your wives. So I just pray that you begin now planning and thinking and talking with your wives about this opportunity.
Along with the general sessions there were several seminars that we could choose from. I chose for Seminars in leadership. I chose these leadership seminars because I was sure they would help me in my visitation ministry.
Most of the seminars were really directed to pastors. But they were applicable to each and every one of us in whatever role that we have inside and outside the church so whether you're a parent or a teacher or a leader in your work.
These lessons would have been helpful to you and the seminars in leadership were the marks of godly leadership the maturity of godly leadership the mandate for godly leadership and the ministry of godly leadership.
So I just want to spend a few minutes talking to you about one of these the marks of godly leadership. The scripture reference and I won't read it but it's 1st Corinthians 4 verses 14 to 21 and Paul is talking and teaching the Corinthians here by a letter that he wrote and What he wrote applies to us.
He really uses a little irony in his in this section of scripture. But in it we see five marks which apply to each one of us as we minister to other people. The five marks of godly leadership are concern character courage conviction contentment.
And let me just say a few words about each one of them. Paul teaches that concern be shown out of love for the Corinthians. He loved these Corinthians and He was Trying to get them to Be the kind of people that he taught them to be that they would change their talk and their walk.
Paul is saying that we are nothing without Christ character. Paul says in verse 16. This is one that really hits home with me. I urge you then be imitators of me. That is why I sent Timothy my beloved and faithful child in the Lord to remind you of my ways in Christ.
Can I say this? Can you say this Christ? Examine my life and let others examine my life. Can they see Christ? Or you can ask my wife or my children or my grandchildren what I'm like. Do I have Christlike character?
This is my desire, it's my sole desire to be more and more like cross Christ. Do I build Contentment and character courage as leaders as parents. We are not to run from problems approach people with patience and lead.
Always rely upon the Word of God. Conviction. Make your decisions with true convictions lead with a conviction that Christ is the only way Contentment. Paul didn't send Timothy as a cop-out. So that he didn't have to visit the Corinthians.
Paul made sure by saying I will come if the Lord wills. Paul was content in his trust in the Lord. Paul says in verse 7 First Corinthians chapter 4. What do you have that you did not receive? Be content with what you have.
I just like to share with you in closing the words of a chorus that we sang together and Harry and I who room together would hum this. This tune and it's called the power of the cross. And it goes like this.
Oh To see the dawn of the darkest day. Christ on the road to Calvary. Tried by sinful men torn and beaten then nailed to a cross of wood. This the power of the cross. Christ became sin for us. He took the blame bore the wrath.
We stand forgiven at the cross. Oh to see the pain written on your face bearing the awesome weight of sin. Every bitter thought every evil deed crowning your blood-stained brow. This the power of the cross.
Christ became sin for us. Took the blame. Bore the wrath. We stand forgiven at the cross. Now the daylight flees now the ground beneath quakes as its maker bows his head curtain torn in two dead and raised to life finished the victory.
This the power of the cross Christ became sin for us. Took the blame bore the wrath. We stand forgiven at the cross. Oh To see my name written in the wounds for though you're suffering through your suffering.
I am free. Death is crushed to death. Life is mine to live one through your selfish love. This the power of the cross. Son of God slain for us. What a love. What a cost. We stand forgiven at the cross.
You add anything to that I think we should all close in prayer. I.
Love all you men. It was a great time of bonding. Martin Lloyd-Jones once said Preaching should make such a difference to a man who is listening that he is never ever the same again. At the Shepherd's Conference you find just this kind of preaching will never ever be the same again.
Which thankfully is faithfully preached here at BBC. Has such power that even 3 ,000 miles away I was convicted. I was in awe. I was changed. I Was motivated to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, you know the Shepherd's Conference you guys all know.
They bring lots of big-name preachers Steve Lawson Al Mohler Phil Johnson and draws men from all over the globe. Literally and sometimes there's this misconception. Maybe it's only me. But sometimes all these big-name preachers One might think might make John Seem and I couldn't even say it.
Not so with top when you bring in all these other preachers. I'm happy to inform you though. They even at 72 years old after 42 43 years of faithful preaching John can bring it. And he did. I Will never be the same again after listening to a message that he titled the false coronation of the true King Preach from the very text that we actually read this morning mark chapter 11 I thought well, that's really ironic the way that God worked that out.
Wasn't that lucky? I don't intend to encapsulate that message for you here in the next five minutes. You can listen to John's message online. It's listed under general session number three. If you don't listen to any of them, please listen to that message.
And I would strongly urge you to listen to that. What I will say is this. I Have a new passion for preaching and teaching in Christ Church. So that's what he called it by the way in verse 17 of chapter 11 quoting from Isaiah 56 7.
He said my house should be called a house of prayer for all the nations. Listening to John exposit this text from Mark 11 made me see Christ in a whole new light. I was breathless. Do you know that this passage records for us the only destructive miracle of Jesus entire ministry.
There's actually two destructive acts recorded here, but they're linked and they represent one of the same thing by analogy. I'm not going to give it away. I'll just pass along the warning that John gave when he said Please don't call this passage talking about Mark 11.
Please don't call us the cleansing of the temple. Because it wasn't any different after Jesus ransacked it. Rather this was an attack and a preview of coming judgment. What this passage does show in Mark 11 is that Jesus was concerned with how God is to be worshipped.
Now follow this. Christ is passionate for man to be in a right relationship with God, right? So when the temple is corrupt. Which is why Jesus was running through there. Tipping tables over when the temple is corrupt worship is corrupted and When worship is corrupted man's relationship to God.
To Christ himself is corrupt. And isn't that the very reason that Jesus took on frail humanity? So that he could restore men back to a right relationship with himself though it cost him His life on the cross.
Okay, it's hard to boil down the entire experience of the Shepherds Conference into one or two points. And yes, I did say the word experience of word that we tend to shy away from here at BBC along with words like feelings.
But that's a pretty accurate representation of the whole conference it's an experience unlike any other as has already been mentioned. The conference is as close to what I envision heaven might be like as as I might be able to get 3 ,500 men, okay guys, you have three different numbers here.
Tim said 3 ,200. Dave said 3 ,000. Here's the deal. There was 3 ,200 men that were registered an additional 300 men just walked in and said hey, we're here. You know, we want to hear the word preached and so there's about 3 ,500 men.
That did attend the conference. I don't know how many. We've got them all in there or not, but so you have 3 ,500 men singing hymns of loudest praise. I don't think any of us can hardly do it justice to try to explain what that was like.
And the best analogy that I could think of was this. Imagine if you will you're on a battlefield with thousands of other men and the trumpet has just sounded The battle has been won and you are victorious so you and your comrades band together and you begin to march home and Because of the euphoria of the victory and the rest and knowing the battle is won you and your comrades begin to sing and as you sing.
There is a sense of camaraderie. There's a sense of brotherhood. There's a sense of pride. There's a good pride and bad pride now. So hold on. Now that pride as you sing with your brothers is in praise and adoration of your fearless leader who led you through The battery to the battle to this victory.
You might be singing praises to your great general. The general who brought you through the battle. So that's the closest thing that I could think of to what the worship was like 3 ,500 men all banded together in unison not just in their singing but in their thoughts.
And while they're thinking about the words that they're singing and enjoying as I did listening to one another Sing at the same time. I would venture to say that the majority of those men all United in singing praises were singing to their one true general the divine general Jesus Christ and give me goosebumps.
It literally does. I said to Tim hey, look at this. In fact, I think one of the men actually said it might have been Tim. I've been when the other got one of the other guys. But after we sang on that first day one of the men said This is worth it.
Even if we didn't do anything other than this This is worth it. And so the reason I like him a shepherd's promise to heaven is because in heaven We'll all be doing what I heard singing the praises of our God and Savior Jesus Christ our general who has won the battle.
And I think we'll be talking theology the whole time. Something else that we do at the Shepherds Conference. Just the sweet fellowship of brothers in Christ who love to talk about our great God. I'm sure we talked about other things.
But it was a good fellowship. Here's my second and final point. If you've ever thought I don't know my pastor very well. Or I don't know my my associate pastor very well enough. Or if you haven't had the opportunity to be in Pastor Mike's discipleship or to spend some good quality time with Steve.
To get to know him a little bit better and you're wondering When is that time ever gonna happen to be able to get to know my pastor better and to see the other side of him? A little bit better. Have you ever won the opportunity to get to know your pastor a little bit better?
Might I suggest to you that you sign up for the Shepherds Conference just to be able to do that. Because the Shepherds Conference is a time where your pastors have an opportunity to let their hair down.
I'm sure they shepherd you. I'm sure they disciple you. And I'm not saying that sin runs rampant. But that you would just see a side of them that would. I'm not saying you would see a side of them would be shocking to you.
But I just want to say that I thoroughly enjoy the fellowship that I have with my pastor at these conferences. This is actually my second conference. Steve was actually gracious enough to pass to Stephen.
His wife were gracious enough to houses at their place the first time back in 2002. And Mike was there that time but listen, it's just such a joy to see your pastor enjoying himself. So it's a joy to see him in a different light as it were.
It's a joy to see him spending time with his friends because listen you have to remember something. Our pastors are here to serve us. Let me explain you must remember that we are their mission field as it were.
Remember Our pastors across the country to minister to God's people in a place. That's not their home Steve. I'm not sure where you originated from but I'm sure it's not, Massachusetts. Los Angeles. Los Angeles 3 ,000 miles.
Okay. Now Steve would tell you his eternal home is in heaven but this is Steve and Mike's and Kim's and Dave's and Perdeep's this is their mission field you guys to serve you guys. Yes, they serve the Lord, but they're here to serve you.
So remember that we have pastors who have crossed the country to minister to us in a place. That's not their home and I just love to see them in their natural environment. It's good, it's one thing to see a pastor in his element.
Right here behind the pulpit. It's another thing to see him when he's just being a guy enjoying doing the same things that you enjoy. I Thoroughly enjoyed that the fellowship was sweet. The men were a joy to be around and boy, I love my pastor.
Sharpest Commons is a place where Fellowship is cultivated in a way that isn't always Opportunistic around here. Around around here. We all have jobs wives families kids, and it's not easy to be able to say.
Hey, hon kids I'm gonna go hang out with the guys for a week and just sing hymns and It's hard to do that, but the surface conference and while it is in a bubble you are in a bubble there. I Think it's worth it to be able to be in that bubble to remember that.
To be able to come back here. So that we can apply what we've learned. To be faithful preachers and teachers and appreciate the faithful preaching that we have here at BBC. I've come with convictions that I don't ever want to forget.
And the last thing I want to say is thank you Bethlehem Bible Church.
Thank you so much for this opportunity. It is is really a real joy and I appreciate it very much. Thank you. Two years ago.
I was sitting in our living room as a disheartened Biblical pastor and so I decided to go on the grace to you website. Received some encouragement from the Lord through Pastor MacArthur, and I looked at the 2008 Shepherds Conference and I said to my wife what a Opportunity that would be to go there someday, and I had that opportunity this year and Words are beyond what I can express.
I I was trying to spend the time to accurately study the Word of God and Preach the unadulterated Word of God. Trying to work by vocationally doing that and something Pastor MacArthur said then in the 2008 conference.
He said give your time as a bible occasional minister to your people but Not to the neglect of the word. Because the best you have to give them is in the pulp. Never thought I'd be able to go to the conference, so I'm so eternally grateful for that opportunity.
It began with a bang as some of the men have said already. I'm not going to get into the numbers. How many men were there? It began with a bang because the the 300 male choir the first day. Saying all hail the power of Jesus name.
Unfortunately as Ferdie and I have commented they picked the wrong version number 97 not number 96. Which we know that's the version the true elect sing. I couldn't sing a Verse all hail the power of Jesus name so powerful.
I was welling up with tears. By the end of the conference at least on Friday Pastor MacArthur said let's sing all hail the power of Jesus name. And he picked the right version. So Ferdie and I are singing the right version, which is I won't kill your ears.
Hopefully all hail the power the true elect version everybody else all other 3498 however many there were we're singing all hail the power of Jesus name and so was the organist. So pastor John being sharp even at 72 stopped us after the first verse.
And I looked at Ferdie, and I said all right, he's gonna bring us back to the true version. But unfortunately even pastor John makes errors once in a while, and he said we'll just continue with the version we started with.
The bonding I would have to say as many of the men mentioned already was was unbelievable between the men. And what was most interesting to me was? What God used to bond us together? On the flight out there.
Because they don't serve much food on the flight. It was fun to watch Tim who was sitting next to me Drool as I described the Greek lamb I had been eating the previous week, and how it fell off the bone the bonding also occurred.
With Brian many of the main sessions. He would sit next to me and of course my laughter has been already Expounded about earlier today. So as I would burst out laughing at a joke one of the preachers would say I turned to Brian to see his reaction.
But I hadn't stopped laughing. So my laughter would just explode in his ear so my deepest apologies if his ear is hearing has gone. I know it has caused major major marital communication problems. But I think the greatest bonding for me was I've never gotten not only a spiritual workout, but a physical workout.
My abs were in so much pain and God used a new Instrument a new exercise equipment to do that for me, and that was Ferdie through his lap through the laughter he put us through. But to say the least the bonding was tremendous.
On a serious note three things that I took away from myself the importance of having a pastor's heart. I knew pastor John through his teaching. I've read just about every one of his books. I've heard his teaching through the radio through CDs.
But what I saw there. I knew he was a great teacher. I knew it was a great expositor. I saw his pastor's heart. He said in the Q &A if you guys remember with Phil Johnson. He said if God were to take away the master seminary ministry if he were to take away The grace to you radio ministry he wouldn't mind he loves the people of his church.
He really does. I saw that and somebody quoted actually one of my favorite authors dr. Martin Lloyd-jones who said at one point to love what you preach is one thing. To love those to whom you preach is quite another.
The importance of having a pastor's heart number two. I was encouraged that the great men of God had feet of clay. That encouraged me. I Think one of the men mentioned it earlier when Pennington was talking about pride.
He mentioned an illustration from Spurgeon's life. He said that one time after Charles Spurgeon came down from preaching and the old lady came up to him and said that was the finest Sermon you have ever given in Spurgeon's response.
I know. That's what Satan was just telling me during the Q &A as Phil was doing with pastor MacArthur, and I know Phil will be here in May. Pastor John said that a W pink known for a lot of classic words Ie the attributes of God said towards the end of his life.
He was a recluse because he wasn't able to see how the difficulties and hardships He went through in life. God could actually use that when I shared that story with my wife. She looked at me. She says are you telling me you're gonna end up being a recluse and Martin Luther the reformer of all of them Said one day or a period of time in his life.
He was kind of melancholy and depressed so his wife came down in the black gown. She used to wear at funerals. Luther looked at her and said who died. She said God. He looked back at her and said that's foolishness She said to him.
It's true. Otherwise. Dr. Luther would not be so sorrowful. Great men of God with feet of clay. So if in the next few weeks you do see my wife in a black gown, you'll know why. The final thing that I took home for me is the balance of Ministry the balance on the one hand of the seriousness the sacredness the solemnness of ministry pastoral ministry.
But the joy pastoral ministry also. The solemnness was brought forth over and over again by all the preachers and of course They didn't do it in concert with one another. The first day Phil Johnson spoke from 2nd Timothy 4 preach the word and he said the intro where Paul says there in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and in view of his Appearing in kingdom and Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead.
I give you this charge preach the word. He said that is the solemn oath a sacred commission from God himself. If that wasn't enough the same night pastor John talked about that. When he talked about I'm sorry Brian the cleansing of the temple but he said that pastoral ministry is serious business and it should not be taken flippantly or trifle with this stewardship that God has given us.
And if that wasn't enough about the seriousness of pastoral ministry. Then the next day Rick Holland spoke from the first part of first Peter 5 where Peter says shepherd the God God's flock and he said pastoral work is serious Responsibility it's not for wimps and for the faint-hearted.
He actually went to a passage of scripture that hit home with me Ezekiel 34 a couple of verses. I'll just read for you. He says son of man prophesy against the shepherds of Israel prophesy and say to them even to the shepherds.
Thus saith the Lord ah Shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves should not shepherds feed the sheep. You eat the fat you clothe yourself with the wool you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep.
Thus does the Lord God behold I am against the shepherds and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. The seriousness of God's Commission in our lives and.
Then pastor MacArthur on Sunday morning for those of us who stuck around. Tired from Colossians and he mentioned that God is looking for people to be placed in his ministry who tremble at this responsibility.
So over and over again God is hitting home to me the seriousness the solemnness the sickness of this. But he didn't leave it there. Pastor John said from Colossians that Paul said he rejoiced in suffering for the sake of the church.
That the spirit of the ministry is joy. There's on the one hand the balance of we are to be serious about this. This is not games. We're playing but on the other hand, it's something we love to do in serving our Lord and Savior.
To say the least I was so pumped after I'm like Lord. I need to preach. So we were on the beach of Santa Monica and God gave me an audience of one. Along with Dave and and Kevin. Dave and Kevin had engaged a young man.
My middle-aged man on the on the pier there in Santa Monica and I'd come on and kind of joined them and they were talking about church. Very openly with a man and Dave asked him I remember what church he goes and he says well I don't go to church anymore.
I go sometimes when my girlfriend drives him. So I was listening into the conversation. I I leaned in and I said to them. Well, obviously you've been in church around. I said, do you know the Ten Commandments?
Yeah, I said, can you listen for me? So he starts listening them. She'll not murder. She'll not steal. She's not committed adultery. I kind of brought in the first half of the deck a lot. Oh, yeah, and don't have any other gods besides me.
I said right. Yeah. Sure. He said I said have you kept them? He hesitated just a little he says yeah, I'm a pretty good guy. I Said so you're claiming to be perfect. He grabs his fishing pole walk through the middle of the three of us.
He said I don't want to talk to us about anymore. But that's okay the law of God. Through the law we becomes the knowledge of sin and I know that no one can come to the Father unless No one can come to Christ unless the Father who sent me who sent him draws him and all who are appointed for eternal life Will believe so I thank the Lord for the opportunity to be there and I praise his name for it.
Thank you. I'll be.
Brief as brief as I can be. Just a couple of points of clarification. You know, I just want to be clear about the driving, you know, if I could just say something about that. There were a lot of road closures.
I mean I was telling the guys, you know all the way. Oh, you're gonna love this. It's gonna be easy to get to the church. We're just gonna take this off-ramp. Concrete barriers blocking it closed, you know.
Okay, we'll go to the next one closed, you know, etc. So we're coming back after the the day there at Grace Community Church, we're on our way back and we're taking some unfamiliar roads to me because I Mean, these are detours.
Everything's closed and so we make a right-hand turn and I'm thinking we're gonna be making another right to get on the freeway and all of a. Sudden it's a left so I get over the left-hand lane. What can I say if Ferdy couldn't hang with the big boys?
I don't know. I mean, you'll have to ask Dave Farrah, but I don't think Dave ever thought his life was in jeopardy. Of course he did have his eyes closed a lot. But but just a terrific time that the men were really great and you know I just I jotted down a few things and I'm not gonna go through.
Everything that I have here, but I just you know. We we've kind of painted a picture about what it's like. But let me tell you from the time you get into the parking lot, which is a little bit of work there.
At Grace Community Church, you know, there are people riding their bikes in the parking lot. You get to the front of the church and there are a bunch of greeners there including by the way the man who built the building.
Millionaire out there standing out there in the Sun handing out things saying welcome. How are you? Then you go in Registration pastor's wives the Associate Dean of the seminar his wife out there just a bunch of people volunteering to hand out registration.
Your registration badges. People out there serving food. This is all in the morning. Not talking about anything else yet. The concierge not only with sunblock breath mints. Whatever, you know band-aids whatever you need.
They they get it for you. Volunteers in the bookstore in shipping. Cleaning up the bathrooms for haircuts. Shoe shines. Lattes, you name it. It's there. That's it's it's unbelievable when you talk about a bubble.
Yes, it is a bubble and it's a what? If that's a bubble give me more bubbles. I I like bubbles too. See he wants to go next year. Might be a little young. I don't know but I I I you know, I will just say this.
I have some scripture and some things I was gonna do tonight. I would just say this that I was really encouraged by the men. That I met in ministry who were there, you know men who I knew as Deacons at Grace Community Church.
Who are now elders? But I was just Encouraged by the the common difficulties. We all face in ministry and the way we were able to exhort and encourage One another it was just really a very good time for that.
Obviously the great teaching fun with the books a little sidelight here. Everyone's why I'd get a little email and look at it. It's Brian. Brian wants to ask about another book. He take pictures, you know, send me an email.
What do you think about this book? I'm like. Those are good emails to get. It's just an absolute blessing and I would have to say the highlight for me of the conference. Was just looking at the men who were sitting there from Bethlehem Bible Church.
I remember looking at Dave looking at Harry and just going guys glad you came and what a joy it is. What an absolute joy to be there and we just had a great time great fellowship. You know, it really is something that we don't get to do that often.
It's kind of like, you know for me that is the ultimate camping trip. All right, we get to stay in a hotel. We get to go have great food get to go have great fellowship get to have great teaching. We just had a wonderful time.
You know for the ladies. Well, here's what I would say. I would say the wives ought to almost demand that their husbands go. You know when we talk about well, that's a week of vacation. Well. These people who are volunteering their time do it on their own vacation, too.
It's just an amazing thing and for you know, I even thought I kind of skipped this this morning. I thought you know young ladies ought to be here tonight because they had to be you know wanting to know who the young guys are who are going to these things because it's.
It's a great thing in a young man's life happy to have a Kevin there anyway. I would just encourage everyone to go. And I'll just close with this. Because this really for me this summed up The conference because I just sit there and I think.
How did I even get here? How is it even possible for me to be here? Colossians 1 verses 21 to 23. And You who were once alienated and hostile in mind doing evil deeds. He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him if Indeed you continue in the faith stable and steadfast.
Not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven and of which I Paul Became a minister. These things are too wonderful. I mean these truths and recognizing that it's not just me.
But it's every man from BBC who was there and every man who got up in the pulpit. Once alienated and hostile in mind doing evil deeds. But God has reconciled us. Let's pray father in heaven. What a great God we serve.
What a glorious God you are. How awesome you are in all your ways. Father we are amazed that you would condescend. That you would stoop to those who are Your enemies and that you would reconcile us to yourself through the work of your son Jesus Christ.
Father, I pray that Next year we would have twice as many men wanting to go. I pray that we would have Difficulties trying to figure out how to arrange to have so many men going Lord. I pray that you would use this time not just as a mini vacation.
But even as these men said tonight as a time of refocusing their attention On the Lord Jesus Christ on the gospel ministry on the preaching of his word Father, would you raise up leaders here? Servants deacons elders.
Those who would fill out flush out all the ministries here that we Bethlehem Bible Church Might be a mighty weapon wielded by you Father would you make these things happen? We pray in Christ's name.