JOY IN THE MINISTRY JOURNEY

It has been a very busy week—day and night of ministry. From 8 to 8 yesterday, I was on the go. Then, this is time change Sunday, and we lose an hour of sleep as our body tries to adjust to the new schedule. We also are aware of how this can potentially shrink church attendance and that even those who come are yawning. Poor, pitiful me! 

Except we don’t have to surrender to such an attitude. The feelings are real, but there Is a greater reality. It is a privilege to be chosen to serve the King! It is an honor that He would give me almost fifty years of Gospel ministry and enough strength to keep going. I do not have to mount a horse to get to church or face a firing squad for my faith. Amazing grace is available to equip me—His Spirit to empower me!  So, I choose to press on with joy!

PRIORITIES FOR THE PASTOR

I have heard it said, “There is not enough time to do all you want to do. There is not enough time to do all others want you to do. There is enough time to do all God wants you to do.”  Whether it be as a preacher at a small country church, a pastor off a metropolitan megachurch, the president of a corporation, or the president of this country we all have 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year—and we do not know how many years. What we do with that time is determined by our priorties.  Leading our family and our flock well is essential. Jude lays out in verses 20-23.

The first priority here is BUILDING. “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith.”  We cannot build the church, if we do not build ourselves up. John Maxwell speaks of “The Law of the Lid” as one of his irrefutable laws of leadership. My leadership is a lid, and only as I lift my capacity will I be able to lift others. How do I build them? “Preach the Word,” Paul commanded in 2 Timothy 4.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. If the Word won’t do it, it won’t get done.

The next priority Jude lists is PRAYING, “praying in the Holy Spirit.”  When I work, my hands can accomplish what a man can do. When I pray, God works, and will accomplish what only He can do. Someone has said, “There is much to do after we pray, but nothing to do until we pray!”

Then, we find the priority of LOVING, “keep yourselves in the love of God,.”  The Great Commandment is to love God with all our being and then to love others as ourselves. God’s love for us is our model and His love in us is the means. Without love, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13 that we are just a lot of noise as we speak. 

Further, we focus on LOOKING, “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”  We have talked about faith and love. Now, we focus on the third Christian virtue of hope. The blessed hope in the return of Christ is one that must be sounded forth from our pulpit and a motivating force in our life and ministry. Ours is a hopeless world apart from Christ, and people are searching for it. Give it to them and they will soak it in!

Last, but not least, let us labor in REACHING, “And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” This is evangelism, and it must claim a priority. This is the Great Commission. The fires of Hell await those who reject Christ. Let us do all we can to “rescue the perishing…snatch them in pity from sin and the grave,” as the hymn exhorts.

There—that should keep us busy!  Do this for your family and your flock and you will be a success in God’s eyes. What else matters?

YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME

“You’ve got a friend in me!” That’s the title of Randy Newman’s song from Toy Story. It is also my heart for other pastors. I consider it one of my primary tasks and a privileged service as an Associational Mission Strategist for Haywood Baptists. 

Some wonder what good an association of churches is—and I will quickly answer there are many blessings that flow from such a fellowship. There is greater Kingdom impact when churches work together for advancing the Gospel than if one church tries it alone. We pool our resources. We learn from one another. None of us have all the gifts and together we are better. 

The unity pictured in an association of churches is what Christ prayed for in John 17. As we are bound together in truth and love, the world not only hears the Gospel, but sees it. In a world that is increasingly polarized, we can stand against that tendency united by truth. From the outset, God told us, “It is not good for man to be alone.”  I say to our pastors—you are not alone. You’ve got a friend in me.  I will be your sounding board, a counselor, a listening ear, a confidant, and a resource. Get in touch. You need it, and I do too!

THE HORROR OF THE HERETIC

The focus of 2 Peter 2 is the features of false teachers. If the Devil cannot beat the church, he will join the church. His best weapon is to place a man in the pulpit as a pied piper to lead the people to their doom. Often, such preachers seem solid and sound, but inside they are hollow and rotting—as a tree destined to fall. Their crash not only destroys them, but those who have gathered under their branches.  The horror of the heretic is not only experienced by him, but by those he influences.  How does this happen?

There is REFORMATION.  “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning,” (v. 20). The sad reality is that you can have a knowledge of the Lord and Savior intellectually and even emotionally without knowing the Lord and Savior personally. We see this often in people who will make a profession of faith and yet do not have a possession of faith as there is no perseverance in faith. This not only happens to people in the pew, but preachers in the pulpit!  They exhibited behavior that attested to salvation at first. But it is reformation and not regeneration. The outside conduct was clean while the inside character was still corrupt. Jesus described such hypocritical religious leaders in his day as “white-washed tombs,” beautiful outwardly, but inside there was death. Eventually, such become entangled again in the world and are overcome by it.

There is then REGRESSION.  “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them,” (v. 21).  They had facts in their head, but without faith in their heart. The doctrinal facts about Jesus are essential, but are not enough. They can stir the  feelings but unless they move us to submission—to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior—there is no salvation. Eventually, these depart from the faith. Today it is called, “deconstruction.”  We have heard of notable preachers who have departed from the faith. 

Peter illustrates it this way: “But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’” (v. 22‬‬).  Dogs and pigs behave as they do because of what they are. You can take a dog to the most exquisite cafe and he will still consume what he regurgitates. You can wash and perfume a pig, but it will roll in the mud at first opportunity. Without regeneration there is eventually regression.

The horror of the heretic is the end—and that is RETRIBUTION. Peter states it, “the latter end is worse for them than the beginning,” (v. 20), and stresses, “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them,” (v. 21). The ultimate horror of the heretic is hell—something he no longer believes in. It often begins with him avoiding the topic in his sermons, and moves to questioning it in his heart, to denying it in his unbelief. When he discovers the reality of God’s wrath it will be too late. The gravity of that judgement will be immense as it not only is in measure of his own apostasy, but increases in intensity due to those he has dragged down to hell with him!

God help us—help me—to not have such an end, but rather have the testimony of the Apostle Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Tim.‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭8‬‬).

Peter once wavered. He denied the Lord three times!  Yet, he did not stay there. He fell in the mud, but got up and cleaned up!  He repented because he was regenerated. If you are struggling, listening to seductive false teaching, then cast yourself in brokenness upon the Lord. Trust in Him! Believe His Word.

Without question, the greatest evangelist of the last century was Billy Graham. Yet, his grandson, Will, recounted that it almost did not happen.

He wrote, 

“a very good friend and contemporary of my grandfather’s, a man named Charles Templeton, had begun challenging my granddaddy’s way of thinking. Mr. Templeton, who had preached with Youth For Christ as well, had gone on to study at Princeton, where he began to believe that the Bible was flawed and that academia – not Jesus – was the answer to life’s problems. He tried to convince my grandfather that his way of thinking was outdated and the Bible couldn’t be trusted….

One night at Forest Home, he walked out into the woods and set his Bible on a stump – more an altar than a pulpit – and he cried out: ‘O God! There are many things in this book I do not understand. There are many problems with it for which I have no solution. There are many seeming contradictions. There are some areas in it that do not seem to correlate with modern science. I can’t answer some of the philosophical and psychological questions Chuck and others are raising.’

And then, my grandfather fell to his knees and the Holy Spirit moved in him as he said, “Father, I am going to accept this as Thy Word—by faith! I’m going to allow faith to go beyond my intellectual questions and doubts, and I will believe this to be Your inspired Word!’

My granddaddy wrote in his autobiography that as he stood up his eyes stung with tears, but he felt the power and presence of God in a way he hadn’t in months. “A major bridge had been crossed,” he said.

(From an article by Will Graham, https://billygraham.org.uk/p/the-tree-stump-prayer-when-billy-graham-overcame-doubt/)

THE SUCCESSFUL SOUL-WINNER

 

If we are faithful to share the Gospel, the Lord will make us fruitful in it. Here is the promise of Proverbs 11:30:

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, 
And he who wins souls is wise.”

Every believer is commissioned to be a witness for Christ, (cf. Matt. 28:18-20). Pastors are to set the standard in that we are commanded to be soul-winners, as we “do the work of an evangelist,” (2 Tim. 4:5c). To neglect to do that is to fail to, “fulfill your ministry,” (2 Tim. 4:5d). 

1 Peter 3:15 tells us three characteristics of a successful soul-winner.

First, we need A SANCTIFIED DEVOTION, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.”  We have been set apart for God—to be used by Him. He has purchased us with the blood of Christ. We belong to Him and that gives Him the right to command our conduct. Thus, I am either soul-winning or I am sinning!  Our devotion to Him leads us to reach out to those made in His image. We love our Father and out of that we love our fellowmen who are created in His image. 

Second, we need A SWIFT DECLARATION, “and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.”  We are to always be ready—praying for and searching for opportunity to share the life-changing power of the Gospel. We are to demonstrate that transformative dynamic every day. People must see the difference in us, if we are to be used to make a difference in them. I must exude hope, so that they express questions to me concerning that hope—and wonder how they may have it. 

We live in a world desperate for hope. People are looking for it and failing to find it in what the world offers. They should see it in us. The Spirit of God will open doors, if we are looking for them. Then, we are ready with a Gospel defense. The Greek word for “defense” is apologia, from which we get our term “apologetics,” meaning a reasoned explanation of the Gospel. People are looking for answers and we are to have them on the ready.

Third, we need A SUBMISSIVE DISPOSITION, “with meekness and fear.”  We are not to come across as arrogant. We have answers, but are not to be “a know-it-all.”  Only God is the “know-it-all,” in being “omniscient,” as theologians refer to this Divine attribute. Humility makes us a channel through which God’s grace can flow into and out of to others. “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble,’”(James‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬‬). Only the amazing grace of God can save sinners like we are and is required for us to lead other wretches like us to Christ. It has been well-said that evangelism is “one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.” Our disposition is one of submission to God, “fear,” and respect for others, “meekness,” as we are in reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit to make us successful soul-winners.

LEADERS—LEAD!

 

Jared Wilson lists four components of Gospel-driven ministry—the first one being, decisiveness. Here is what he has to say:

Decisiveness 

Pastors overly concerned about their own protection or reputation will  grow passive over time. The “bull in a china shop” pastor is not your only  alternative, however. Gospel confidence, as discussed previously, rightly  leads to leaders taking initiative. When you know who you are in Christ  and adequately meditate on your union with him (and thus your security  in him), you will be bold to take appropriate leadership steps. 

No one else is called to do this for your church. If you consistently let  those who are  not in leadership positions take initiative, they become the  real leaders, not you. Do not be afraid to be decisive. Pray much. Mull  things over, consult with others, research, then think, and think, and  think. But passivity is part of the original sin. Avoid analysis paralysis, and  don’t always be afraid of making mistakes. You’re going to make them,  even if  you take forever to do so. If your church has affirmed your calling  to lead, then lead. The grace of Christ frees you to operate with  boldness.

— Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor by Jared C. Wilson

If you would like to read more, follow this link:

https://read.amazon.com/kp/kshare?asin=B08BZ1JWWV&id=hybditfd6jemdpp4lxlpcyjbuu&fbclid=IwZnRzaAPHLIlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xNzM4NDc2NDI2NzAzNzAAAR6zYtFDoqlvp43ZPaLRjqzvOpWW88V6OkbUfB4GD_lhQptQy_gqeDtvwAUKUQ_aem_TE7Q3qE_a8Dwyt6liMaenw&reshareId=64XT7HY2FC6MEWRMWH4M&reshareChannel=system

HOW GOD PURIFIES A PEOPLE

Men, God works “through the word of God which lives and abides forever…Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you,” (1 Pet. 1:23b, 25b). Trust God and His Word. Preach the Gospel. Some seed will fall on hard soil and have no impact. Other seed will seem potentially received as people are moved emotionally or respond superficially only to fall away. But, some will respond fruitfully and their lives be changed for eternity. Let us preach the Gospel, confident in its power!

A PURIFIED PEOPLE

Sin separates us from God. This is a problem that we cannot solve. The distance between a Holy God and a sinful humanity is a chasm so vast we cannot cross. Since we are all sinners, we are all condemned. It is impossible to purify myself. That would be like trying to wash my hands in muddy water. Yet, God does not lower His standard. His demand is, “Be holy, for I am holy,” (1 Peter 1:16). 

God did what we could never do, for God can do the impossible. There was REDEMPTION.  Enslaved by sin, God came in human flesh—Jesus Christ the Son—to free us, “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot,” (1 Peter 1:18). By His blood, payment was made to purchase us. “What can wash away my sins?” That is the question, the hymn writer posed, and went on to answer, “Nothing, but the blood of Jesus!”  This was God’s one and only predetermined plan—that in the crucifixion of Christ, the penalty for sin has been paid, and in His resurrection, the confirmation of His work has been sealed. “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God,” (1 Peter 1:19-21). 

A miracle takes place—REGENERATION.  We are no longer, slaves, but sons—no more sinners, but saints, “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because ‘All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.’ Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:23-25). The seed of the Gospel is sown into the soil of the soul, and those who receive it are regenerated—born again of the Spirit working through the Scripture He has inspired. 

The evidence of being redeemed and regenerated is in RIGHTEOUSNESS. Having positional righteousness through redemption and potential righteousness through regeneration, there will be progressive righteousness in sanctification. This is not the root of salvation, but the fruit of salvation. 

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’ And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear…

 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,”  (1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬-‭17, 22). 

As God’s children, we bear His image, and this should be an increasing reality more and more. We must choose to think properly, “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind,” take this seriously, “be sober,” and trust fully, “and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”  From start to finish, salvation is all of grace. Yet, He does not do the work apart from us, but in us as we rely on God and apply His grace by a will surrendered to Him.  The Holy God is marked by truth and love, so that as His children we will exhibit obedience to the truth and pure and passionate love for the family of God.

The people of God are a purified people—not perfect yet, but progressing toward it. John stated it, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬-‭3‬‬)