In 1988, some of you, many of you knew
me, I became very ill. And I was in the hospital for
several months. And during that period, I had a lot of time to
think. I was on my back, I couldn't
read, I was seeing double. And all I could do is think.
And there were two things that were paramount in my mind at
that time. First, I was so thankful that
I could look at death without fear because of Jehovah Zedkinu. I really believed that the Lord
was my righteousness and that although everything I thought
about myself was true and worse. That's not the point. I had the
very righteousness of Christ so I could face death truly without
fear. What a blessing. And the second thing that was
paramount to my mind at that time is I was so thankful that
the Lord had given me a pastor who was more concerned about
me knowing the Lord's name than his own name. That was so precious
to me. You see, I learned that from
somebody. That way of being able to face
death at that time with joy, with assurance, actually looking
forward to dying, if that's the Lord's will. Knowing I'd be brought
into glory because Christ was my righteousness before God.
Somebody taught me that. Now, the Lord taught me that.
But the Lord taught me that through a man, my pastor. I could talk about Brother Mahan
in my opinion. He's the greatest preacher of
the 20th century. That's what I think of him. I esteem him. I love him. I'm so thankful that
the Lord gave me him as a pastor. I want to preach tonight on the
pastor from this passage of scripture, and it's important for you and
I to know what a pastor is, because if we don't, we may be listening
to a wrong voice. And that scares me. When the
Lord said, strive to enter in at the straight gate, what is
the first thing he warned about? Beware of false prophets. Beware of false prophets. Now,
turn with me for a moment to Jeremiah chapter 23. The Lord says, Woe be unto the
pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith
the Lord. Look in verse 9. My heart within
me is broken because of the prophets. All my bones shake. I'm like
a drunken man, like a man whom wine hath overcome because of
the Lord and because of the words of His holiness. Verse 13, I've
seen folly in the prophets of Samaria. They prophesied and
bailed and caused my people Israel to err. Look down in verse. Twenty, the anger of the Lord
shall not return until he had executed, until he had performed
the thoughts of his heart in the latter days, you shall consider
it perfectly. I've not sent these prophets. Yet they ran. I've not spoken to them. Yet
they prophesied. Do you want to hear somebody
like that? Somebody the Lord hadn't sent. You see, there is
something called a God called preacher. It's a special call. Not everybody, not every believer
has this call. If if I'm a true pastor, that
means God has called me to this. And if you're going to hear from
the Lord, you're going to hear from the Lord through this mouth.
That's an awesome thing to think about. I don't want to be somebody
running on my own. I want to be somebody that the
Lord has sent, and woe to that person who runs on his own. Here's what happens with these
fellows. Look in verse 7. Verse 31, Behold, I am against
the prophets, saith the Lord. They use their tongues and say,
He said it. The Lord said this. The Lord
said that. The Lord says, I'm against those people. Behold,
I'm against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord,
and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies and
by their lightness. Yet I sent them not, nor commanded
them, therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith
the Lord. Now, if you're hearing someone
whom the Lord hasn't sent, You're not going to get any spiritual
benefit, but you'll be hurt. You'll be hurt. Now, it's important
for you and I to understand what a pastor is, according to the
scriptures. I turn back to our text in Hebrews
chapter 13. Verse seven. Remember, then, which have the
rule over you. Now, people have taken that and
run with it, you know, the rule of the elders, the rule of the
pastor and their religious assemblies that are
under what they call elder rule, and everybody reports the elder
and he tells them what they can do and what they can't do and
what they can spend and what they can't spend. And I mean,
it's just ridiculous. It doesn't that doesn't have
anything to do with what this passage of scripture is saying.
It says, remember then, my marginal reading says, that are your guides.
That are your guides. Now, my only purpose, if I'm
a God called pastor, is to point you to the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's it. I've got no other purpose and
that's not what I'm doing. I'm in trouble and you're in
trouble. That's why it's important for us to understand what a pastor
is. Remember them which have the rule over you that are your
guides. And here's what these fellows have done. These ones
who have the rule over you. They've spoken unto you. What? The word of God. That's what
I want to hear. I want to hear the Word of God. I don't want to hear the words
of a man. I don't want to hear a man's opinion. I don't want
to hear a denominational doctrine. I want to hear the actual Word
of God. I want God to speak to me. And that's what God does through
the preaching of the gospel. They've spoken to you the Word
of God, whose faith follow, follow, considering the end the
purpose, the goal of their conversation. And what is the end or the goal
of the purpose of their conversation? Jesus Christ the same. They preach
Him who is the same, the immutable Jesus Christ, who He was, who
He is, and who He always will be, Jesus Christ the same. Now,
that's the end. That's the goal of their conversation. Look in verse 17 of this same
chapter. Obey them. that have the rule
over you, that are your guides, again, my marginal reading says. And I'm going to say a little
bit more about this in a moment, but that word obey is not a reference
to submitting to their authority. It's not saying you need to do
what they tell you to do. What that word actually means
is be persuaded by, be persuaded by. That's the actual word in
the original. Be won over by. You see, when
I'm preaching the gospel, I'm seeking to persuade you to believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ. I want you to be persuaded. I
want to persuade you to walk in obedience to him. I want you
to be persuaded. That's what the pastor does.
He's persuading. That's what preaching is. It's
not just throwing out some stuff academically. God giving a lecture.
No, I'm persuading you to believe. That's what this thing is of
hearing the pastor. It's being persuaded by what
he says, being won over by what it says. Doesn't mean he tells
you to jump. You say, I have absolutely nothing to do with
what this is of like obeying the pastor. Like I said, this
has been abused so horribly by preachers who God never sent
them and they're on some kind of power trip of some kind or
they're control freaks or something like that. That's not what this
is about. Be persuaded. by them that have
the rule over you, and submit yourself. You submit yourself
to them if they're really telling the truth. That's the wise thing
to do, isn't it? You submit yourself unto them,
for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account,
that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for this
is unprofitable for you. Now, I give an account to the
Lord. You know what that means? That
means I bring your name before the Lord in prayer. And I ask
the Lord for his blessings upon you. I pray for you. I pray for you individually.
I pray for you every day. Lord knows if that's so, but
I do. Now with some people, when I pray, I pray with joy. What
an encouragement. What a blessing. Others, I may
be praying with grief because of the condition it seems that
they're in. So he said, make sure you make
it to where your pastor prays for you with joy and not with
grief. They have to give it account
for your souls. I turn over to Ephesians chapter
four. Ephesians chapter four. Beginning in verse nine. Well, it's verse 8, I'm sorry.
Wherefore, he saith, when he sendeth up on high, he led captivity
captive, and gave gifts unto men. Now, notice verses 9 and
10 is in parentheses. It's a parenthetical statement
that can be removed, and you can read verses 8 and 11 together. So let's read it that way. Wherefore, he saith, when he
sendeth up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto
men, and he gave some. Verse 11. Here's the gifts he
gave. He gave some apostles. Now the apostles were the men
who were taught directly by the Lord himself. There were only
12 apostles. Paul took Judas's place. Matthias was a mistake. I think
it's very interesting that the very first act of the apostles
was a wrong act. They got Matthias in there and
the Lord never put him in there. And Paul, and the scripture speaks
of the 12 apostles of the Lamb, not the 13, the 12. And Paul
took his place. Now, there are no apostles today.
And whenever a man claims to be an apostle, he proves that
he's a phony. Nothing more. He's not real.
There are no apostles. And then next, he speaks of prophets.
They were given to the early church, and these men could tell
the future. Remember how Agabus in the book of Acts told Paul
what was going to happen to him? They were men who had the gift
to tell the future. There are no prophets. And then
he gave some evangelists. Evangelists, I think, are what
the missionaries are. Cody and Walter. They don't pastor
churches. They travel around preaching
the gospel in different places. And then he gives pastors and
teachers. This is of God ordained office,
a pastor and teacher where God appoints a man to this position. Turn to Matthew chapter 9. Verse
36, but when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion
on them because they faded. and were scattered abroad as
sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples,
The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labors are few. Pray
ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth
labors into his harvest. Now, if I am a God-called pastor,
if I am, God sent me in that purpose. God sent me. Now, I
want to hear, like I said, I want to hear somebody that God has
sent, don't you? I don't want to hear a man-made preacher. I don't want to hear a mama-made
preacher. I don't want to hear a religious-made preacher. I
want to hear somebody that God has sent. Now, the requirements
of a pastor are clearly spelled out in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus
1, but let me give you some of the titles of a pastor. First,
a pastor. All that means is a shepherd.
A shepherd. What does a shepherd do? He feeds
the flock. What does he feed the flock with?
The gospel. The word of God. What does a
shepherd do? He leads the flock. He doesn't
get behind them and drive them and beat them. He leads the flock.
Follow me as I follow the Lord Jesus Christ. And if I can't
say follow me, I have no business being a pastor. I've heard people
say, I won't follow any man. Well, you won't follow Christ
because if you follow Christ, you're going to follow a man.
Now you will. Follow me as I follow Christ. And I tell you what,
I want to follow anybody who's following Christ, don't you?
I really do. I want to get in line with them. Anybody who does
that. And what does a pastor or a shepherd
do? He protects the flock from wolves. Wolves in sheep's clothing. They're
also called an angel. That simply means a messenger. bringing the message of God. The pastor is called a bishop
or an overseer, one who looks out and looks over. A pastor
is called a teacher. What do teachers do? They teach.
They teach, simple enough. I love when Philip came up to
that eunuch, and he's reading Isaiah the prophet, and he's
in that chariot, and Philip came up to him and he said, do you
understand what you're reading? And I love his answer. He said, how
can I? Except some man should guide
me. This is the way the Lord speaks. God has manifested his word through
preaching also, which was committed to my trusted. Please, God, by
the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. And
a pastor is called an elder, which speaks of spiritual maturity
And if God puts a man into this, he gives him for it, and he fits
these necessary requirements. Turn over to 1 Timothy chapter
3. And if a man does not fit these
requirements that Paul gives both in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus,
he should not be a pastor. And God gives us this See, if you want to know what
a pastor should be, and he can't be a pastor if he's not this,
listen up. Verse three, or verse one. This
is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, being
a pastor, a shepherd, he desires a good work. Now this is where
this call begins, really begins with a desire. But where there's
a desire, there's also going to be a gift. And where there's
a gift, there will also be a hearing. Somebody's going to listen to
it. And that is always true in this call of God for a pastor. But it begins with a desire.
If a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work.
And beloved, it's a work. It is a work. Verse two, a bishop then must
be, this is absolutely necessary, he must be blameless above reproach,
not open to censor. Now, if he's not, he can't be
a pastor. Now, you know as well as I do
that that doesn't mean sinless, but it means blameless in the
sense that his life is above reproach the way the world views
him. It's necessary. If he's not,
he has no business being a pastor. It says next, the husband of
one wife. That means he can't be a polygamist.
He can only have one wife, not three, not four, only one. But
I also think the implication is, is he has to be a husband.
I don't believe somebody that's single It shouldn't be a pastor. I'm just sure of that. Because
he says the husband of one wife. And also says they have to be
able to rule well their own house. Well, you can't rule well your
own house if you're single. And it says if they don't, well,
how can they rule the church of God if they don't know how
to rule their own house? So we see that that's important. A
pastor has to be a family man. I mean, you can see all kinds
of problems, really, with a pastor being single. He must be the
husband of one wife. Vigilant. Temperant is what that
means. Sober. Sound minded with common sense
is what that means of good behavior, modest and orderly, decent, respectable,
I'm giving the dictionary definitions I got out of vines for all these
words given the hospitality. He's going to love me. I mean,
if you don't love people, you're a people person, if you're a
pastor, you have to be. And if you're not given to hospitality,
you have no business being a pastor. Act to teach. Able to teach. Able to communicate the gospel.
Able to communicate the gospel in a simple fashion. If someone
doesn't have that ability, God never called them to be preachers. A true preacher is a gentleman. He's not out looking for a fight.
He's not out looking to be contentious. He's not a quarrel, quarrel-er. Not greedy. Next is not no striker. Not somebody looking for a fight.
Not greedy, a filthy lucre. He's not a covetous man. You
know, when Paul Summarize his ministry. He said, I've coveted
no man's silver or gold or apparel. Now, most religious, I tell you,
you know, you think of the way most preachers are. They seem
like they're not really preachers. I don't know what to call them,
but they're covetous men. They're always after people's
stuff. I mean, God never called anybody to preach like that.
And I'm not listening to somebody like that. I have no desire to.
Not a covetous man. One that, but patient, but patient. not a brawler, not somebody looking
for a fight, not covetous, one that rules well his own house,
having his children in subjection with all gravity. Now, let me
go back to that patient. My notes are in general, I have
a hard time reading them. Patient means gentle. It means
approachable. It means someone who's humane
and considers the circumstances. It's somebody who doesn't hold
people's feet to the letter of the law. Patient. And this is
absolutely necessary in a pastor. All these things. One that rules
well. His own house. Having his children
in subjection with all gravity. For if a man don't know how to
rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of
God? Not a novice. Not a novice. Less being lifted
up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover,
he must have a good report of them which are without, lest
he fall into the reproach and snare of the devil. Now, that is absolutely necessary. Now, I got to thinking about
this. There are three things that are necessary If I'm going
to hear a man, the three things that have to be settled about
that man, if I'm going to sit there and listen to it, if he's
going to be my pastor, number one, he's got to know the truth.
He's got to have the gospel. He's got to preach the gospel
of God's free and sovereign grace. God is sovereign. Men are dead
and sinned. God elected a people. Christ
died for the elect and accomplished their salvation. God's grace
is irresistible and invincible. They will persevere. He's got
to preach that. He's got to preach the truth
of how God saves sinners. If he doesn't preach the truth,
I don't want to hear him. Secondly, he's got to live what he believes.
If somebody doesn't live what they believe, I have no desire
to hear them. I don't care what they say is
the truth. If they don't live what they believe, I don't want
to hear them. It's absolutely necessary for
me to hear someone and listen to what they're saying. It's
absolutely necessary for them to Live what they believe. And thirdly, if I'm going to
listen to somebody, that person has to have my best interests
at heart. I don't want to hear somebody that just wants me to
be part of their program or part of their ministry. I hate the
way preachers talk about my ministry. That's the worst thing. Blasphemous
to talk like that. I don't want to be part of somebody's
program. I want that person I'm listening to first to have the
truth. Second, I want him to live what he believes. And thirdly,
I want him to truly have my best interest at heart. And that is
what, like I was, like I said about Brother Mahan, when I was,
I was so thankful that the Lord gave me a pastor who was more
interested in me knowing the Lord's name than his own. That
was so special to me. And I think I really learned
to appreciate him at that time. Now, that's what I need in hearing
a man. Now, what does, what does the
pastor do? Well, look back in Hebrews chapter 13. Hebrews chapter 13. And remember them which have
the rule over you. They're your guides who have
spoken unto you the Word of God. Now, I preach the Word of God. Whatever God says in His Word,
that's what I preach. Now, I ask you to try what I'm
saying according to the Scriptures. I'm not saying you blindly believe
something because I say it. Try it from the Scriptures to
see if I'm not preaching the Word of God. But what God's Word
declares, that's what I preach. I preach God absolutely sovereign
because that's what the Word says. I preach that God elected
a people because that's what the Word says. I preach that
Christ died for the elect and accomplished their salvation
because the Lord said, I lay down my life for the sheep. We
preach the word. Timothy, Paul said to Timothy,
preach the word. And that's what we do. We preach
the word of God. And if you're going to hear from
God, you're going to hear from God through a preacher. You know,
that's humbling, isn't it? We like to think that the Lord
would speak directly to us without a preacher, but it don't work
that way. The Lord's It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching
what's going on right now to save them that believe. That's
how important preaching is. And that's why it's so important
that I understand what a pastor is. They've spoken to you the
word of God. Now look what he says next. Whose
faith follow. Believe what I believe. Look
to Christ as I look to Christ. Walk with Christ as I walk with
Christ. Whose faith? Follow. Imitate them. Next, he says, and here's why,
considering the end, the goal of their conversation, Jesus
Christ the same. My goal is to preach Jesus Christ
the same. Yesterday, today and forever. And I want to preach how my standing
in Christ It's what it was yesterday before time began, what it is
today and what it is right now. It never changes as I'm united
to the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to preach Jesus Christ
the same yesterday, today and forever. Look in Acts chapter
20 for a moment. Paul's giving a summary of his
ministry. He says in verse 17, And from my leaders, Acts chapter
20, verse 17, and from my leaders, he sent to the Ephesus and called
the elders of the church. And when they were come to him,
he said unto them, you know, from the first day that I came
into Asia, after what manner I've been with you in all seasons,
serving the Lord with all humility of mind. and with many tears
and temptations which befell me by the lying weight of the
Jews, and how I kept back nothing." Do you want to hear a preacher
that will keep something back? That won't tell the whole truth?
I don't want to hear somebody like that. Do you? He said, I
kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you
and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying
both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance toward
God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold,
I go bound in the Spirit into Jerusalem, not knowing the things
that shall befall me there, save that the Holy Ghost witnesses
in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me, but
none of these things move me. Neither can I my lot dearer than
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry
which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify, here
is what I am preaching, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now behold, I know that you
all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see
my face no more. Wherefore, I take you to record this day, that
I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to
declare unto you all the counsel of God. Now take heed therefore
unto yourselves and to all the flock. He's speaking to pastors
right now. He says, take heed therefore
unto yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost
hath made you overseers or bishops, to feed the church of God, which
he purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my
departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing
the flock. And of your own selves shall
men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples
after them. Therefore watch. And remember
that by the space of three years, I cease not to warn everyone
night and day. I turn back to Hebrews chapter
13. Verse 17. Obey them that have the rule
over you and submit yourselves for they watch for your souls
as they that must give account. If I'm a true pastor, I am watching
over your souls. Now, I know I can't do anything
for you, but only the Lord can do something for you. But you're
going to hear me preach. And if I say something to you,
even personally, y'all listen to it. They watch for your souls
as they that must give account. And you know, this thing of being
being a pastor, I can't I cannot speak for anybody else. But I do not see how a pastor
can leave one church and go to another. That sounds like a job promotion. I couldn't. I couldn't. I couldn't. You know, it's the
hireling that leaves the flock, isn't it? The hireling leaves
the flock. What's the hireling? He's the
guy that's doing what he's doing for pay. Not because of the calling. It's his job. And he'll leave
the flock if there's any trouble or if he gets a better promotion
or something like that. I think it's interesting creatures
when they leave from one place to another. Why do they always
go to bigger churches? I want to go to smaller churches. You know, I mean, you can just
watch that. And that's why I just I don't understand how somebody
can leave the way they do. You know, I mean, if you if you
if you love the people you're preaching to, and there's a there's
a special bond and there's a special relationship in some respects,
it's like a marriage. You don't. Well, my work's over
here. I've heard preachers say, well, my work's over here and
I'm going somewhere else. Oh, so like I'm I'm I'm finished
married with Lee and I'm going to marry somebody else. You can't
do that. And that is the attitude of so many preachers going from
one place to another. No, they they watch for your
souls as they that must give account. Go back to Ephesians
chapter four for a moment. I stopped reading the verse 11.
But look what what is going on in this gift of the pastor and
teacher, it's for this purpose, looking, he gave some verse 11,
some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors
and teachers for the perfecting of the saints. for the work of
the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we
all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of
the Son of God unto a perfect man, a mature man, unto the measure
of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we be henceforth
be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with
every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness
whereby they lie and wait to deceive. Oh, can you see what
the false prophet does? But speaking the truth in love,
may grow up unto him in all things, which is the head, even Christ,
from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted
by them which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working
and the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body into
the edifying of itself in love." Now, that's what's going on in
the preaching of the gospel. That's the purpose behind it. One other scripture before I
close with how I should view my pastor. Turn to 1 Peter chapter
5. I just want to look and see what the Bible has to say. 1 Peter chapter 5. Peter says, The elders which
are among you, I exhort, who am also an elder and a witness
of the suffering of Christ and also a partaker of the glory
that shall be revealed, feed the flock of God which is among
you. with the gospel, taking the oversight
thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for a paycheck,
but of a ready mind, neither as being Lords over God's heritage,
thinking you're some kind of ruler, but being examples to
the flock. And when the chief shepherd shall
appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. How should I treat or view my
pastor? Hebrews 13, 7 says, remember
them. Remember to pray for them. Keep them in your mind. Follow
them whose faith follow. And Hebrews 13, 17 says, obey
them. And that means literally, be
persuaded by them. This is not talking about some
kind of authoritative thing where I tell you what to do, you better
obey me. I'm the pastor. That's all that's talking about.
Be persuaded by what I'm saying. Be won over by what I'm saying.
You know, when I preach the gospel, I'm persuading you, I want you
to believe. I want you to believe the gospel.
I want you to rest in the Lord Jesus Christ. Every time I preach,
I'm persuading you to do something. Now, he says, be persuaded by
them, be won over by them, by what they're saying. And then
in First Thessalonians, chapter five, verse twelve, let's look
at that. First Thessalonians five, verse twelve, and we beseech
you, brethren, to know them. Which labor among you? Know them well. Love them. Love them. That's what that word
means as much as anything else. Adam knew his wife Eve. Love them. Know them. Know them
well. Which labor among you? You know, this labor is not loiter. It's labor among you. and are
over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very
highly in love for their work's sake. Not because of the office
they're in, but they prove themselves. They prove themselves. You esteem
them very highly in love for their work's sake, and be at
peace among yourself. Count them worthy, as Paul said
to Timothy, of double honor, if they are true pastors. if they are in the work of the
ministry. Now, why make such a, why bring
the whole message on what a pastor is? Because you and I listen
to a preacher, don't we? And I want to make sure that
God sent him and that he fits the qualifications that God gives
in his word, or I don't want to hear him. Because if I hear
someone that God hadn't sent, I'm going to go wrong. That's
just the facts. If you hear someone that God
hadn't sent, you're going to go in the wrong direction, or
you'll have to grace to get out of there and go somewhere where
the truth is being preached. But may the Lord give us some
wisdom in this thing of understanding what a pastor is. Well, that's it. Let's pray.