And then, Lord willing, in the
second service, I'd like to preach what the scriptures have to say
concerning the church, the congregation, and their responsibility or relationship
to the pastor. Now, I realize that in these
two messages, we, Lord willing, shall look at and see what does
God have to say concerning the union between a pastor and the
congregation that God has placed him over as far as being an under-shepherd. And I do pray that the Lord might
bless these messages. I've prayed about this and asked
the Lord, give us some direction, give us some guidance. If we
want to know what the Lord Himself blesses, what the evidence is
of God's blessing, then let's see what the Lord has to say
concerning the unity of a body where God has raised up a pastor. What is that pastor's responsibility? What is the church's responsibility?
Before we begin, let's ask our Lord's blessing. Our Father, as we call upon You
this morning, I ask you, Lord, would you bless our worship?
Lord, would you take these words that are spoken? Lord, would
you, by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, cover that which
is said? Lord, make it effectual by the
intercession of our blessed High Priest. Lord, cause us to hear. cause us to see. Lord, I ask
You now that Christ might be honored. For it is in His name
we pray. Amen. I've entitled this first
message, God Called Pastor. And I'm going to be, not yet,
but if you want to turn over, I'm going to be in 1 Timothy
3. And I'll be looking at verses 1 to 7. We'll look at those in
just a few minutes. But I want to begin by saying
that preachers of the gospel, talking about faithful preachers,
are actually God's blessed gifts to His church. Jeremiah 3.15 says, the Lord
speaking, and I will give you pastors according to mine heart,
which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. Now, I know
according to God's Word that the Lord Himself gives pastors
to His people. These are men that are called
according to God's will and God's purpose. And these men that God
calls by the grace of God, by a new heart in regeneration,
they are given a heart for God's honor and God's glory and God's
praise and for God's people. God's preachers, they love the
Lord's people because they love the Lord. Now, men that love
the Lord, men that are called of God to pastor, are men that
Almighty God has given a heart to feed the sheep. John 21. Hold your place or mark it there
in 1 Timothy and turn over to John 21. John 21, our Lord speaking
after His resurrection. He's on the seashore there and the apostles
see Him. They're sitting there. They've
been eating. And our Lord, in John 21, verse
15, beginning there, sets forth this truth. It says, So when
they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas,
lovest thou me more than these? Now, there's speculation, and
it's not told what the Lord was actually referring to. Was He
referring to the other apostles? Was he referring to the fishing
boats that they had just gotten out of? It doesn't matter. The Scripture says that the Lord
asked him, Do you love me more than whatever else was there?
And he saith unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.
He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith unto him again the second
time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea,
Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed
my sheep. He saith unto him the third time,
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? And Peter was grieved because
he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto
him, Lord, Thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee.
Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. God's preachers, called
by the grace of God, given a heart to pastor. The Lord gives them
a heart to feed God's sheep. And that pastor realizes that
he needs the feeding just like everybody else. God's pastors
are servants. Servants of God. Romans 1.1 Paul,
a servant of Jesus Christ. Willing, obedient, loving of the brethren,
a bond slave. of the Lord Jesus Christ, I want
you to look at Exodus 21. I'd like to read the first six
verses. Exodus 21, verses 1 to 6, concerning
a bond slave. This is what a bond slave is. Now these are the judgments which
thou shalt set before them. If thou buy a Hebrew servant,
six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out
free for nothing. If he came in by himself, he
shall go out by himself. If he were married, then his
wife shall go out with him. If his master hath given him
a wife, and she hath borne him sons or daughters, the wife and
her children shall be her masters, and he shall go out by himself.
And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife,
my children, I will not go out free. Then his master shall bring
him unto the judges, he shall also bring him to the door unto
the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with
an awl, and he shall serve him forever." Now this was the law
of a bond slave. If a master bought a slave, the
slave served six years. Seventh year, he was free. He
could go. If he came in by himself, he
goes out by himself. If he came in with a wife, he
goes out with his wife. But if he came in and the Master
had given him a wife, they had children. The former slave could
go, but he had to leave the wife and kids with the Master. That
was the law. But if that former slave said,
my master, I love him. He's been fair to me. Done everything
he said. Provided for me. I have now a
wife and a child. I love my wife. I love my children.
I don't want to go out. I'm going to stay. I'm going
to serve you. I'm going to serve you as a bond
slave. willing to stay with you. They'd
go and they'd take him to the judges, make the case known,
take him over. As a sign of that, they'd take
his ear, take an awl and bore a hole right in his ear.
That's a sign right there. This man willingly belongs to
another. Didn't want to go out. Wanted
to stay with his master. These words were spoken prophetically
by our Lord concerning a bond slave, a willing, loving slave
that gives himself now. Now he's a bond slave. Psalm
40, verses 6 and 8, our Lord said these words prophetically,
Mine ears hast thou opened, burnt offering and sin offering, Hast
thou not required? Then said I, Lo, I come in the
volume of the book. It's written of me. I delight
to do thy will, O my God. Yea, thy law is within my heart. Unto the Lord. God's pastors,
as all believers do admit, Lord, I'm your servant, your bondservant. Called by your grace. A servant
willing, willing to stay. Made willing in the day of your
power. Servants of God in service to God's people. Servants to
God's church. A servant of Jesus Christ called
to be an apostle. Separated unto the gospel of
God. A servant. that the Lord Jesus
Christ called by His purpose and His grace and appointed to
be an apostle. That's what Paul said, I'm a
servant first and God appointed me. He called me to be an apostle. I could say this, Marvin, a servant
of Jesus Christ called to be the pastor at Katie Baptist Church. The Lord appointed apostles,
he appointed evangelists, pastors and teachers. Why? The scripture
says for the perfecting, for the equipping, for the maturing
of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying
of the body of Christ. Men who are servants of God,
made to be pastors to God's people. Oh, the joy and the safety and
the comfort of being His servant. Who do you belong to? I'm the
Lord's. I'm the Lord's servant. Galatians 5.13, For brethren,
you have been called unto liberty, only use not liberty for an occasion
to the flesh, but by love serve one another. That's all of God's
people. They're servants. Servants of
God. Servants to each other. Serving
one another. Love and serve one another because
we belong to Him. We're not our own. We don't belong
to ourselves. We've been bought with a price.
The Lord Jesus Christ has bought us. The Father gave us to Him. He redeemed us by grace and by
willing submission. Willing in the day of His power.
We give ourselves by a new heart unto the Lord of glory. Servants
to Christ, servants to His church. And all the while, they know
what they are in themselves. Romans 7, 18, For I know, Paul
says it in me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing,
for to will is present with me. But how to perform that which
is good in myself I find not. What can I do of myself in myself? Nothing. Nothing. His servant. But knowing the frailty of what
they are in themselves, they know who they represent. You're looking at a frail creature
that is knowledgeable of what he is in himself. Somewhat. I
don't know the depth of it. And you don't know the depth
of your frailty either. But we know something of it.
But even though we know the frailty, every pastor called of God knows
this. He knows what he is in himself,
but he knows who he represents. 2 Corinthians 5.20, Now then,
we are ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador does one thing. He represents the one that sent
him, and he says whatever the one that sent him has to say.
When an ambassador of the United States goes over to another country,
they're speaking on the behalf of the United States. They're
not there to set forth their own thoughts and opinions. They're
ambassadors. Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ as though God did beseech you by us. What God's pastors are doing
is they are verbalizing what God has to say. These are not
the words of a man. These are the words of God Almighty. These are God's thoughts, God's
purposes, God's will, God's words. And we are ambassadors to be
faithful servants, sticking to the Scriptures. What does God
have to say? As though God did beseech you
by us, we pray you in Christ's name, be you reconciled to God. God's preachers are men who are
to be addicted. to the ministry, addicted to
the ministry of the saints, consecrated, devoted to the ministry and to
the service of God's people. This is not a part-time ministry. This is not a part-time service. God's preachers are men that
are servants of Almighty God He's called to that ministry.
1 Corinthians 16, 16 says, "...submit yourselves unto such and to every
one that helpeth us and laboreth." Labor. Addicted to the ministry. They're stewards of the gospel. God's preachers, God's pastors
are men called to exercise responsible care over the possession that
God Almighty has entrusted them with. They'll be considered as such,
stewards of the gospel. Men that have the treasure of
the glorious gospel of free grace in earthen vessels at the excellency
of the power may be of God and not of us. I know, I'm convinced,
the message that we preach, that God's pastors preach, this is
the power of God in salvation. I know it is. Because God said
it is. I know that the glorious gospel
of God's free grace is a treasure. You think about and consider
for a moment the treasure that Almighty God would give anybody. In an earthen vessel, a frail
creature that possesses the knowledge of God's grace in the person
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every pastor stands before God's
people preaching and declaring this blessed treasure of the
glory of God. 1 Corinthians 4, 1 and 2 says,
Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and
stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required
in stewards that a man be found faithful. Faithful. Faithful to preach. Faithful
to the truth. Faithful to God's people. Because
he is faithful to Almighty God. A frail creature, yes, but an
ambassador, a man that is a steward, who possesses this treasure in
an earthen vessel, he knows all the while he must hear what he
preaches. The Lord's pastors, they consider
the ministry that they've been called to. They're to give attention
to that calling. 1 Timothy 4.16, the scripture
says, take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine. Continue
in them, for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them
that hear thee. God's pastors, they are to take
heed unto themselves, that is, to their attitude and to their
conduct. Take heed. You think about, they
are to think about, who they represent and who they stand
before. The elect of God. God's sheep. I'm convinced there's God's sheep
in this place this morning. A pastor is to take heed to himself. You don't mistreat them. You
don't drive them. You're to lead them. To teach
them. You teach them what God Almighty has to say. You take
heed to yourself and take heed unto the doctrine that you preach. 1 Corinthians 1.23, but we preach
Christ crucified. Now that does not mean that all
that a pastor stands up and proclaims is that the Lord Jesus Christ
died upon the cross. We know that. We know that. But
when we preach Christ crucified, This is what that verse of scripture
right there said. That Almighty God, before the
foundation of the world, purposed that He would choose a people
in His Son. He chose them because He loved
them. He chose them because Christ
would surely redeem them. And the Father who saw the Lamb's
blood slain from before the foundation of the world first trusted in
Christ those that He chose and gave to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ came into this world and lived before Almighty
God as their representative, and they in Him As He walked,
they walked. When He went to the cross, when
He laid down His life, they were in Him. And under the judgment
of Almighty God, they, in their substitute, were crucified with
Christ. They were buried with Him. They
were raised with Him. They are ascended with Him and
seated with Him right now. Christ crucified sets forth the
accomplishment, the finished work of all that Almighty God
ever purposed to do. Men will stand in purpose today
and say, we preach Christ crucified, that He made salvation possible.
That's not what that means. Christ crucified summed up in
the words of our Lord when He said from the cross, The accomplishment
of the redemption of God's people is finished. But we preach Christ
crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block. Unto the Greeks, foolishness. But unto them which are called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom
of God. That's God's pastors. That's
who they are. That's their calling. I want
us to consider for just a moment the qualifications of a pastor. Whenever God Almighty calls a
pastor, the Lord is going to prepare him. He's going to equip
him. And he does so for the Lord's
good. For the good of God's people,
for the Lord's purpose, is what I meant to say. Ephesians 4.12,
as I said a while ago, for the perfecting, for the growth, for
the maturing of the saints. For the work of the ministry,
for the edifying, for the building up of the body. Now, I want you
to take your Bibles now, and now we'll look at 1 Timothy chapter
3. And I want us to look at the
first seven verses. And this is the qualification
now. Whenever God calls a pastor, I told you what a pastor and
his attitude is supposed to be. Now here is what God Almighty
has to say about His pastors. If you want to know the blessing
of Almighty God, not only on that pastor, but on that church,
this is what God has to say. about a pastor. 1 Timothy 3, verse 1, this is a
true saying. This is trustworthy. This is
relied on. If a man desires the office of
a bishop, if a man possesses an earnest and irrepressible
desire for the work of the ministry, for the office of a bishop. Not
because of glory to himself, but if Almighty God has given
a man a heart to be a pastor, he desireth a good work. He has a heart for a beautiful,
for a valuable, for a virtuous toil, labor, calling. The Scriptures set forth that
the office of a bishop, one called of God, it's a work. It's a work. It's a labor. It's a toil. It's not just a
job. I'll guarantee you that most
of the world, or all of it I'm sure, those apart from Almighty
God calling a man out of darkness, most people believe, Well, what
does he do? Well, he's just a preacher. If
you can't do anything else, you can be a preacher. Mr. Spurgeon, I told you this. Mr.
Spurgeon said, he said, God's preachers are men that they could,
if they so desired, be qualified to do just about anything they
wanted to do. Men that God calls out of doing what they were doing
and gives them a heart for the work of the ministry. If a man
desires the office of a bishop, overseer, under-shepherd, he
desires, he longs for a good work, a godly work. God is good. There is none good
but God. If a man has a heart to be a
pastor, Almighty God has given him a heart from good work. This is an evidence of God's
calling. A pastor is a man that's satisfied
with no other calling. He desires the work of a bishop. But with that calling, Almighty
God now is going to set forth qualifications of those men that
He calls. And if you want to know a man
that God's called, here it is right here. And I'm telling you,
I've read over these things, and I've read over these things,
and I'm telling you, these are in myself. These are hard, hard
verses to read. But it does not change the fact
that this is what God says concerning men that He calls. Verse 2 says,
Then, must be. Now whatever follows, those words
right there. He must be. He must be. This is not up for debate. Not up for discussion. A bishop. Then, must be. Necessity. is laid upon this
office, he must be blameless. Well, I can tell you the first
thing I know it doesn't say there. I know that it does not say,
and obviously we would know, that this office of a bishop
does not mean that a man is blameless in himself before God. I know
that. We'd go back and we could read
Scripture after Scripture after Scripture of the frailty of our
flesh. But this Scripture right here
means that a man must be unrebukable or without scandal or charge
among men. Now, we realize that there's
none in themselves perfect. We know that. Not before men. God's people possess a new heart
that is perfect before God because it's a new nature that sinneth
not. This is talking about before
men. A pastor that God calls must
be without scandal, blameless before men. That is honest and
upright in his conduct. A pastor is to strive to give
little occasion for blame. He is to shun that which would
bring reproach to the office. I heard Brother Henry say one
time, he said, a man that falls into gross sin. Actually, he was talking about
adultery. My pastor, he said, no, it's
not totally without the possibility. I know that. But get out of the
ministry. Get out of the ministry. Get
out. Taken and blameless a pastor
is to be. Strive to absolutely bring no
reproach. When I walk in the town of Fairmont
or wherever I go, people that know that I am a pastor at Katie
Baptist Church, I represent this church. I represent God's calling. A pastor must be blameless. If that pastor was not to be
blameless, God would not have written it. Blameless. He must be blameless. Secondly,
he must be the husband of one wife. Now, I do not doubt for
one second that that, I know that it absolutely means that
he cannot be, must not be, a polygamist. I know that. But the Scripture
sets forth, the wording of that Scripture says that that man
must be married. He must be married. Look at verses
4 and 5, concerning this must. Verse 4 and 5, 1, that ruleth
well his own house. having his children in subjection
with all gravity. For a man know not how to rule
his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? Just turn over, just hold your
finger right there, just turn over to Titus. Titus, just a
few pages. Titus 1.6. I could start at verse 1, but
it's talking about the qualifications of a bishop. Here's Paul in Titus
1.6. If any be blameless, The husband
of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot
or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless
as the steward of God, not self-willed, not sinning and angry, not given
to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre. God's pastors,
according to God's Scripture, those that pastor over assemblies,
over a church, he must be blameless. He must be the husband of one
wife. Marriage is a picture of the relationship between the
Lord Jesus Christ and His bride. It's a picture. It's a type. A man that is unmarried does
not know. He doesn't know anything about
ruling well in his own house. He knows nothing of teaching
his children, his wife. He knows nothing of that relationship.
He must be. Thirdly, he must be vigilant. That is, temperate. One that
is watchful. One that is alert concerning
himself, and those that he pastors. Watchful and alert concerning
the wiles of the devil. Watchful. Listening. Watching himself, but watching
out for what goes on in the congregation. When he sees, when he detects
something's not right, be vigilant. Be careful. Be watchful. Be on
guard against false doctrine and sensitive to the leadership
of God's Spirit. He must be vigilant. He cannot
have that attitude, well, it just doesn't matter. People are
people. Be watchful. Wise, wise as serpents. Harmless as doves. Praying, asking,
admonishing. Be vigilant. 1 Peter 5.8 says,
Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil is a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. He
must be vigilant. He must be watchful over God's
people. He's God's servant. He's the
servant of God's people. Next, sober. Sober. Psalm 9. sober-minded, controlled, having
his desires and his passions under control, sensible of good behavior. Margin says modest. Modest. In strong concordance at that
good behavior. A word that is called decorous,
I think I pronounce it d-e-c-o-r-u-s, decorous. It means decent in
taste, decent in manners, and decent in his appearance. Whatever
is commonly accepted for decency. A man that God calls, that is
God's pastors, servant to God's people, he must be of good behavior,
be decent. on television. It's the same
one that I watch and I get mad at. Stuff like that. They want to be one of the good
old boys. And they'll get their motorcycle riding. There's no
problem. If you want to ride a motorcycle, I'm glad. But I'm
not talking about coming up here and me bringing the Harley up
here and getting on my leathers and all that stuff and all the
boots and stuff like that. Trying to be one of the good
old boys. Associating. I just want to relate. No, he
must be of good behavior, decent. He must be given to hospitality,
fond of guests, friendly, one that associates with familiarity
with others, but especially God's people. The hospitality. He must be apt
to teach. Almighty God must qualify that
man. He must be skilled in teaching. One that is gifted by God. Able to communicate the truth
of the gospel. To be instructive. And well instructed
in the things of the kingdom of God. If a man does not know
how to set forth what God has taught him, then God didn't call
him to be a pastor. God's pastors are gifted to be
able to preach. They know something in their
heart and God gives them an ability to preach. They must not be given
to whine. The margin says, ready to quarrel
and offer wrong as one in wine. It doesn't mean that they are
forbidden to drink a glass of wine. That does not mean what
it is. It means that they do not act like one who is given
to wine and is out of control. One that strives after being
a peacemaker. They must be no striker. Not quarrelsome. Must be peaceable. They must not be greedy of filthy
lucre. A pastor has the right of support. But there is nothing that hinders
a pastor Like the greed of just base gain. Money hungry. Not greedy, a filthy lucre. A pastor called of God doesn't
use the ministry or lower its dignity for filthy gain or for
monetary advances. Let me tell you the fastest way
to pick up on an attitude, that right there which says, not greedy,
a filthy lucre, is when someone tries to get to somebody else
or get them to do something for him by saying, well, now you
know I'm a preacher. I don't know if you knew that
or not. I'm a preacher and I was thinking,
is there a special rate or something for preachers? Is there something
you can help me out with a little bit right here? I'm a preacher.
Not greedy. A filthy looker. Not trying to
manipulate people to get them to do something because of the
dignity that you think you possess. They must be patient. Mild, gentle,
fair. Not a brawler. Not given to contention. Not covetous in a moderate way
that desires things that belong to somebody else. It goes right
back, all these things right here, all in one line. Same thought
process. Not given to the cares of this
world or the praises of men. Now verse 4, one that ruleth
well his own house, having his children in subjection with all
gravity. For if a man know not how to
rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of
God? One that presides beautifully
in his home, a pastor that knows The place that God has placed
him, the responsibility of ruling well with fairness, with honor
and with dignity, commendably, loving and treating his family,
his wife and his children according to the Holy Scriptures and to
the dictates of his heart that God has given him. in disciplining
his children according to God's Word. I've told you this. I mean, I remember when I was
pastoring in Tennessee, my kids were two years apart. That's close. You know, when
you start talking about having little ones, you have one born,
then you've got a two-year-old and a four. And the responsibility
of disciplining and ruling well in your home. The pastor is in
a fishbowl. And I would tell those kids,
I've told you this before, I'd tell those kids, listen, you
listen to me. Nobody, nobody wants to be around
unruly children. Not other children. and not adults. You kids, you listen to what
I'm saying. When your parents discipline
you, they do it because they love you. They do it because
they're obedient to Almighty God. Nobody wants to be around
kids that are out of control. Nobody wants to be in the midst
of a home that's in turmoil. Or man and wife, it's just always
man and wife. The man has no control, the woman
is trying to, but nobody. And God's preachers, they must
be ones that rule well in their house. They must have their children
in subjection. Because if he doesn't know how
to rule at home, he has no ability to rule in the church. to be
a pastor. Verse 6, not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride,
he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Not newly planted. Not a new convert. New converts,
men that Almighty God calls out of darkness, are not to be placed
in a position as a pastor. They must be taught. They need
to sit and listen. That God Almighty might call
them to be a pastor is a surety. He might. But a new convert,
because of being lifted up with pride, he cannot be a pastor. Verse 7, Moreover, he must have
a good report of them which are without, lest he fall into reproach. and the snare of the devil. I know that men by nature despise the gospel. There is a nature, an old nature,
that every man, every woman is born with, and that old nature
hates It hates God. It hates God's sovereignty. It
hates God's glory. It hates God's gospel. And because
it hates God's truth, they hate the people of God.
They may tolerate you. They may put up with you. But they truly don't want to
hear what you have to say. They hate this gospel. Because
man by nature, he wants to be the boss. He wants to be in control.
I'm the author of my salvation. I make the decisions. I chose. I walk down the aisle. I have
a free will. I know that man by nature hates
the gospel. But for a pastor, though men
may despise the one that he preaches and loves. A pastor must have
a good reputation of those, not only within the congregation,
but without the congregation. He must be one that gives men,
as I said a while ago, no reason to speak disrespectfully or shamefully
And to do it for good reason, what I'm saying, he does not
mean... Listen, a man that God calls, he must have a good report
of them which are without, lest he fall into reproach, snare
of the devil. Pay your bills. If you tell somebody
something, do it. And I'm telling you, there was
a fellow that I knew, still know him, Pastor. It's not men in our circles.
But I'll tell you what, he had the worst reputation in town. Just unbelievable. Nobody trusted
him. I'll tell you something, that
just meant that he could speak English more. That's all it meant.
I'll tell you something, and don't even rely on it. Even give it another thought.
It ain't going to happen. A pastor must have a good report. God's people have a pastor placed
over them. And Almighty God qualifies that
pastor. This is calling a pastor's responsibility. Last verse of Scripture, 1 Thessalonians
2. 1 Thessalonians 2, verses 1-8,
and then we'll close. 1 Thessalonians 2, verse 1, For
yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it
was not in vain. It wasn't empty. It wasn't worthless. But even after that, we had suffered
before and were shamefully entreated, as you know at Philippi. We were
bold in our God, to speak unto you the gospel
of God with much contention. For our exhortation was not of
deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile, but as we were allowed
of God to be put in trust with the gospel. Even so we speak,
not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. For
neither at any time use we flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak
of covetousness. God is witness. Nor of men sought
we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might
have been burdensome as the apostles of Christ. But we were gentle
among you, even as a nurse cherished her children. So being affectionately
desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you not
the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were
dear unto us." I pray that the Lord might be pleased, having
considered the calling of a pastor, the responsibility of that pastor,
that Almighty God might take these words and might bless these
words to our good and to his glory
for Christ's sake.