WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:02.640 God, you are a gracious God and Father. 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:06.719 We are thankful to be gathered here today as your people looking at your word. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 God, I pray that you would change us. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:20.160 I pray that you would bring your word to bear in our life, that the ways in which we walk against you and we would seek out our own pleasures and our own kingdoms, you would crush them. 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:21.359 God, be with me. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:23.519 Let me say the words that you want me to say. 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:33.039 God, I pray that the things that are not of you would fall on deaf ears, but the things that are of you would be carried forward through your spirit and that they would change lives. 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:35.520 God, be with us, give us your spirit. 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:37.039 For Christ's name. 00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:37.759 Amen. 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:39.039 Okay. 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:40.799 Let me read the text. 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:43.600 1 Timothy 5, 17 through 25. 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:53.439 It says, Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 00:00:53.759 --> 00:01:01.200 For the scripture says, You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain, and the laborer deserves his wages. 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:07.200 Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:15.439 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:25.680 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:30.879 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others. 00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:32.719 Keep yourself pure. 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:38.879 No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent frequent ailments. 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:45.359 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:50.400 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:51.840 This is the word of the Lord. 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:53.040 Thanks be to God. 00:01:53.519 --> 00:02:03.120 Okay, so like I said, the main idea for today, the thing that we want to look at and try to understand, is that God gives the congregation for the care of the pastors. 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:06.560 God gives the congregation for the care of the pastors. 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:09.199 So I want to start with why why is that important? 00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:15.039 Why would God give the congregation for the care of the pastors? 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:21.599 So the first thing is that pastors are vital, critical to the health of the church. 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:26.319 So the role of the pastor is not just to sit in an office and study. 00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:36.879 The role of the pastor is to go before God and to know and consume his word so that he is able to spit it out to God's people. 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:41.199 He's in a lot of ways God's messenger to his people. 00:02:42.560 --> 00:02:46.319 The word of God is food for our souls. 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:50.800 If the pastor is cut off, the body goes unfed. 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:55.360 The role of the pastor is vital to the health of the church. 00:02:56.560 --> 00:03:00.960 Secondly, pastoring can be a very difficult position. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:02.960 It's a tough gig. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:05.759 It has extreme highs and extreme lows. 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:08.240 Does anybody work with people here? 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:09.199 Work? 00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:12.240 Yeah, people not sitting at home in your underwear. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:15.759 If I asked you, hey, what are the challenges of your job? 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:18.960 I don't care what your job is, most of them are people-based. 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:29.120 So imagine a pastor whose whole job is people, and not just people when they're having a good day, but like in the most crisis situations that they ever walk through, they call them the pastor. 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:35.039 So it is a people-based job that has very high highs but very low lows. 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:44.960 Um and I know right now Pastor Matt Cordy is at Central trying to like skirt around the fact like, well, it's you know it's just different, like I don't want to diminish your jobs. 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:47.840 I'm going to say it, it's an incredibly hard job. 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:51.919 Um there are some stats from the Francis A. 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:55.280 Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership and Development. 00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:59.759 70% of pastors do not have someone they consider a close friend. 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:05.840 80% of pastors feel unqualified and discouraged in their work as a pastor. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:12.080 90% of pastors report working between 55 and 75 hours per week. 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:14.719 55 and 75 hours per week. 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:21.279 80% of pastors believe that pastoral ministry has had a direct negative effect on their family. 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:25.439 And 70% of pastors constantly fight depression. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:30.240 So I I I manage people, lead, lead people at the job I'm in. 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:38.480 If I let if I if I spit out those stats to a person I was interviewing, no one would take any job that I have to offer. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:39.199 Zero. 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:41.120 Like, hey, I would love to pay you. 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:44.000 There's a three out of four chance you're gonna be totally depressed. 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:45.040 You want it? 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:50.720 Pastors feel a high call by God to carry out his important work. 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:54.560 They're critical to the health of this converse congregation. 00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:56.639 It is a very difficult job. 00:04:56.800 --> 00:05:02.879 So therefore, God aids and cares for a pastor by giving them a body. 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:04.800 And that's what we're gonna dig into today. 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:15.759 So if we look in starting in verse 17, we see that we as the people of God, the body of God, should care for our pastors with appropriate appreciation. 00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:23.120 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who label in preaching and teaching. 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:24.560 I just want to note one thing there. 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:31.199 So it says, let the elders who rule well, it doesn't say let the lazy elders that don't do anything be worthy of double honor, rule well. 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:35.600 So we've already looked at this probably a few months ago previously. 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:37.120 We looked at this in chapter three. 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:40.480 Uh, I believe it's Casey that walked through the qualifications of an elder. 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:43.600 So it's just this list of, hey, this is what a pastor should look like. 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:53.600 So this right here is pointing back to say the pastors that are doing that well and that are toiling and laboring and preaching and teaching, those those men are worthy of double honor. 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:56.399 What does that mean? 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:00.720 What does it mean that we should consider them worthy of double honor? 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:03.680 So literally it means a two-fold honor. 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:12.480 Um I I one time was at a church and I was getting prayed for, and this guy was rubbing my belly, asking for a double portion, that I would get a double portion. 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:14.959 I'm guessing he got that from here. 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:20.319 I don't think that that was correct, but it does mean a two-fold honor. 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:22.079 So this is this is what that means. 00:06:22.399 --> 00:06:35.279 As a people who are in submission to pastors, the ones who are ruling well, especially the ones who are laboring and toiling and preaching and teaching, we should show them respect and we should compensate them. 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:37.120 We should pay the man. 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:38.480 So respect. 00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:47.519 A healthy church, if we want to act appropriately, we will respect men who are toiling hard for our benefit. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:54.800 A healthy church will hold in high esteem the pastor who carries the weight of being God's messenger. 00:06:55.279 --> 00:07:01.920 And a healthy church will place proper importance on the ones who are placed by God to care for their own souls. 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:06.319 We need to look at pastors and pay them honor by respect. 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:14.000 And honestly, this is not a call that is different than how you should treat anybody else. 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:28.160 If you look in Romans, you see that we we're supposed to outdo one another in honor, showing one another respect, holding your brother in high esteem and importance, but it's specifically important for the men who are put in place to care for your soul. 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:35.199 So the first thing that we should do to give them honor is to respect them. 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:38.000 The second thing is compensation. 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:39.439 Pay the man. 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:50.240 Paul quotes here both Moses when he says you should not muzzle the ox when it is treading out the grain, and he quotes Jesus when he says the laborer deserves his wages. 00:07:50.399 --> 00:08:01.120 So Paul is appealing to two uh church authorities, one being God, Jesus, and he's saying, quite frankly, pay pay them what they are worth. 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:04.079 This gets very abused. 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:04.800 I got it. 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:07.439 Like, I've been in those churches, I see it. 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:10.639 Um it is distorted. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:13.360 You see pastors rolling around with Lamborghinis. 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:23.680 Uh there's a personal opinion, I think, hilarious Instagram page called Preachers and Sneakers, where it shows pictures of pastors with$17,000 kicks on. 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:26.560 I bought these shoes in 2008. 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:27.680 These are 11 years old. 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:30.879 I know that you don't have$16,000 to put on your feet. 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:33.120 People abuse this text. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:38.639 There are pastors that are wicked and they are out solely to get your money for their own selfish gain. 00:08:38.799 --> 00:08:39.840 That's not what this is saying. 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:42.080 It's saying pay them what they're worth. 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:54.559 The elders at Missio Day are not misusing this, and they have set in place accountability to make sure it doesn't happen. 00:08:54.799 --> 00:09:05.679 There's a combination of both staff pastors like Pastor Justin and lay pastors like Pastor Jordan who make sure that there's accountability on the finances of these churches. 00:09:06.159 --> 00:09:10.639 Uh they they all have equal authority, just different responsibilities. 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:13.840 And it's done for many reasons, but one of them is accountability. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:20.159 So I'm telling you this as a congregation that you can trust that the men of this church are not abusing this. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:31.519 So, what does it mean when he says, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching? 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:39.600 So all pastors should deserve honor, all men should deserve honor, but he specifically calls out the ones who get up and toil in teaching you the word. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:10:01.200 Uh elders must grasp the good doctrine and have the ability to communicate the truth of God's word, whether they are preaching, like Pastor Justin gets up most mornings on Sunday and does, or if they're teaching across the coffee shop table or in a classroom setting, there is there's um toil and work that goes into that. 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:06.080 They have to diligently understand God's word and be able to communicate it to you and apply it to your life. 00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:07.279 So we should honor that. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:10.879 We should honor it with respect and we should honor it with compensation. 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:16.000 Secondly, we should care for our pastor's with affectionate accountability. 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:24.879 So the first thing showing honor, the second thing, care for your pastors with affectionate accountability. 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:39.360 So we see in verses 19 and 21 that there are, we see that there are certainly elders, certainly men that are worthy of double honor, that are worthy of compensation, but we pick up here that there are also elders that are not. 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:44.559 Sadly, there are leaders in the church, in the past, in the present, and there will be in the future, who fail. 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:48.480 They fall and they are not ruling well. 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:53.279 Here, Paul gives us how to hold those elders accountable. 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:57.360 So we see first we must understand accountability, it's a good thing. 00:10:57.519 --> 00:11:02.480 It is not a bad thing, it is not a wicked thing, it is a good thing. 00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:10.480 Accountability is not the absence of care, but rather it builds into and nourishes care for the soul of the pastor. 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:15.919 Uh it's like if you go bowling and you throw up those bumpers. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:21.120 It is helpful to guide you down the path to accomplish what you're wanting to accomplish. 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:24.159 It holds you accountable to move forward. 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:32.320 And so God gives the congregation, the church, the right and the calling to hold people accountable, even the leaders. 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:45.759 So Paul is highlighting to Timothy that elders are not untouchable, they're not superhuman, uh, they're not put on a special platform in that regard, and that as a church, we are to care for them. 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:51.519 And there will be times that the church must, in love, hold the elder accountable for their conduct. 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:54.720 So that's a fun one to preach, right? 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:55.840 So, how do we do that? 00:11:55.919 --> 00:12:00.639 How do we rebuke an elder or care for the elder with affectionate accountability? 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:03.759 I think Paul points us in three directions with this. 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:08.480 He gives us principles that we find that are not only right here, but also throughout Scripture. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:13.919 The first one, I think, is that we need to be very discerning and or maybe even cautious. 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:15.279 Discerning or cautious. 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:20.720 So, verse 19, do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:28.080 Elders are more vulnerable to accusations than you are, as a just a normal member of the church. 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:31.519 Uh public figures are more vulnerable to accusations. 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:41.519 The fact that someone like Pastor Justin gets up here every Sunday and spends time meeting with people all throughout the week, they're more in front of people and they are therefore more vulnerable to accusations. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:43.440 We need to be aware of that. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:50.559 Secondly, we need to understand that pastoring is one of the only livelihoods that is character dependent. 00:12:50.879 --> 00:13:01.679 I don't know your job, but I would bet if your spouse left you or you left your spouse or you got, I don't know, into some other character fault, you're not going to lose your job. 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:03.200 A pastor will. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:08.960 If they fall below the character qualities of 1 Timothy 3, they will lose their job. 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:16.559 So I believe that Paul is putting before us, use discernment and use caution in his instructions to us in this verse. 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:21.840 We should investigate the legitimacy of an accusation before repeating the accusation. 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:26.399 And if found legitimate, we need to communicate it to the people who are able to do something about it. 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:47.759 I will caveat, if if there is an accusation that is crossing legal boundaries, um crazy things, I'm I'm not saying, and I don't think anyone else would say, don't alert authorities, but um we need to investigate the legitimacy because as public figures go, accusations can spiral and roll downhill and become crazy things. 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:51.440 Secondly, we need to be courageous. 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:58.320 Verse 20, as for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all so that the rest may stand in fear. 00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:09.120 We should be cautious in our accusing and hearing of illegitimate accusations, but if the accusation is legitimate, we must show care for our elders by having the courage to rebuke them. 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:20.159 It is unloving, not loving, to recognize sinfulness in anyone, but but especially a leader, and do nothing about it. 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:21.919 It is unloving. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:23.200 So what do you do? 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:33.120 Speak to them, go talk to them, uh, speak to the elders about it, and oftentimes it is clarified and it was a miscommunication in my personal experience. 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:44.399 Um if that does not resolve it, you should follow the instructions here and take it to another brother, take it to another elder, maybe. 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:48.480 That's probably most appropriate, uh, and then let the process roll down. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:52.080 So that the eld. 00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:56.320 I'll say this. 00:14:56.639 --> 00:15:00.159 Leaders must never be able to sin with immunity. 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:14.559 There are many churches, many churches, where literally leaders are held on a platform in their life, in their conduct, and they're untouchable, and they're immune to all accusations. 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:15.919 That is wicked. 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:18.480 And the elders would not affirm that here. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:20.720 So we must be courageous. 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:23.759 It is uncomfortable, but we must be courageous. 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:26.559 Lastly, we need to be fair. 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:31.919 Verse 21 I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:40.399 We must seek to avoid favoritism in holding certain people, certain elders accountable and not others. 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:44.320 In life, it is infinitely hard to not show favoritism. 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:45.759 It is a very hard thing. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:52.720 If someone is in authority above you, you will be less likely to go before them with their faults. 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:59.440 I do I do these skip level meetings at my work where I meet with the people that report to people that work for me. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:02.799 I know I'm getting max 25% of the truth. 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:07.519 They're not going to tell me anything because I'm an authority figure, so I have to dig and dig and dig. 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:20.480 But it is a likely thing that we show favoritism or partiality to people who are in authority over us because we uh don't want to enter into conflict and call out what we feel like is sin. 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:22.559 Second is likability. 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:26.639 If you are a likable person, you will probably be shown favoritism. 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:30.879 People because they like you won't want to show you your faults and your sins. 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:43.120 And so, as a congregation, specifically with our leaders, but with everyone, we need to be careful that we are not falling victim to just because we like someone, we're not gonna tell them the blind things that they can't see. 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:46.000 And then lastly, the value, the the value. 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:54.879 If someone is very gifted, and especially if in their giftings they're serving you, like most pastors are, you are slow to call them out and to bring sin to them. 00:16:55.120 --> 00:17:08.480 So I think Paul is telling us be fair, be careful, don't get caught in the trap of because authority, likability, or gifting that you are slow to bring forward sin that may be killing a pastor. 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:14.960 And lastly, we should care for our pastors by participating in and affirming the assessment process. 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:20.640 So at Myssiodei, uh there is a lengthy assessment process for one to become an elder. 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:24.400 Uh we see here Paul saying, do not be hasty in laying on a hand of hands. 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:29.200 Do not be hasty in appointing new leaders of the church, nor take part in the sins of others. 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:30.880 Keep yourself pure. 00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:34.799 I uh left a little bit early that they're still there right now. 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:39.759 Uh there's a group of guys at a retreat, they were in an elder discovery cohort. 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:48.160 So essentially, those guys over the last six months were asking and trying to answer the question, how am I called to lead within this church? 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:51.359 That is the first step to becoming an elder here. 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:53.200 Six months to just think about it. 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:57.039 And then from there, it literally I left last night with like the last session. 00:17:57.200 --> 00:18:04.480 It was uh, if you want to do this, you need to lead a community, you need to multiply that community, and then you need to go through this other assessment process. 00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:15.920 I'm like, listen to him like we took six months to think about it, and now he's putting probably like a year and a half, two years, minimally, if I if you kill it, before you would, before they would lay their hands on it from you as an elder. 00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:23.200 There's a reason for that, because right here we are warned to not be hasty, to put men into leadership too quickly. 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:26.799 He says, Do not take part in this and keep yourself pure. 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:34.559 I I have never, ever in my life heard someone say that they waited too long to be to walk into pastoral ministry. 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:38.480 I've seen a lot of people flare out and crash. 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:41.839 I have never in my life heard a single person say, I waited too long. 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:51.839 Your elders do not want you to move quick, want to move quick in giving away the authority that comes on with the eldership because they care for you. 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:59.039 So, as a congregation, step into this process, buy in and participate in the assessment process. 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:03.680 When you are asked about an elder candidate, give an honest opinion. 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:10.559 Meet with that person, get to know them, take part in this because you have a responsibility to care for your pastors. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:21.279 Hold your elders accountable to not be hasty men, especially in such deep matters of importance as electing new leaders of this church. 00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:28.319 Keep with the teachings of the Bible to joyfully submit to your pastors, but hold them accountable not to be hasty. 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:35.279 See, there comes a point where we share in the sins of others if we fail to lovingly call them to repentance. 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:40.960 We share in the sins of others if we fail to lovingly call them to repentance. 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:52.240 We must be discerning, we must be courageous, and we must be fair to faithfully care for our elders, or our spouses, or our community leaders, or our friends. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:54.079 We have to step into this. 00:19:56.000 --> 00:20:00.960 Lastly, in verse 24, Paul closes with a section that I think it's a bit odd. 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:04.400 It's like kind of a pithy Yoda-ish saying towards the end. 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:12.000 Um he says, the sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:13.200 I'm just gonna look at that part. 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:14.720 So what is he saying? 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:16.880 Some sins are obvious. 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:22.319 Um I don't have to explain that. 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:28.960 You know that you can look at people, you can look at your own life, you can see some sins are very obvious. 00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:31.519 What we are warned here is that some are not. 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:36.160 Some are hidden, some are buried, likely in deep shame. 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:42.160 And what what I see here is a very clear promise. 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:49.279 I'm confident, I can stand here, and I can I don't I don't know most of you, to be fair. 00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:56.000 I know for a fact that there is unaddressed and there is buried sin in the lives of people in this room. 00:20:56.400 --> 00:21:01.359 I I would bet a lot of money on that, but I'm not gonna do that because I'm in a church and you shouldn't gamble. 00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:11.039 The other thing that I am confident in because of this text, I'm confident that in time all of that will be revealed. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:15.839 There is not an unaddressed or buried sin that will not come to light. 00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:25.359 Sin, like a terminal disease that's sprouting forth in someone's body, will one day show its effects to the world. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:28.559 Sin does not discriminate. 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:37.440 I I don't care if you are the highest leader or the lowest lay person, sin does not discriminate, and everyone needs to handle that with care. 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:45.519 So this this is um this is an interesting text that I get to preach today. 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:55.359 Um this is this is even harder than I thought. 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:59.519 Um four years ago I was a pastor here. 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:05.039 Ah man. 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:07.279 One moment. 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:13.599 Okay. 00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:16.480 Four years ago I was a pastor here. 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:21.039 Due to my sin, I was disqualified from this office. 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:29.839 I confessed my sin to my wife and the other elders, and then later I publicly confessed it to the members. 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:32.000 That was hard. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:34.079 It was like the hardest week of my life. 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:36.799 It was probably the hardest thing I've ever done. 00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:41.119 I don't know if I can do this. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:51.839 This is like kind of weird, but I I wrote a letter that I read to the members that night, and I'm I'm reading to you like a trimmed-down version of that. 00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:53.440 So this is a little weird. 00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:54.160 I got it. 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:58.960 I'm about to read a letter to you that four years ago I read to the members of my church. 00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:05.119 Thank you for gathering together on short notice. 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:07.440 Know that I'm glad that you're here. 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:13.839 I know there has been anxious anticipation of what tonight's all about, so I'll get straight to the point. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:18.960 We've called the body together tonight so that I can publicly confess my sin to you. 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:23.039 After my confession, I will be officially stepping down from the office of Elder. 00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:27.599 I have been full of shame and incredibly broken. 00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:37.279 The result of my actions have been even more devastating to me, and I've seen the shame and grief impact those closest to me. 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:40.160 As a pastor of the church, I have failed you. 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:46.400 I was ensnared by sin in a moment of weakness that was predicated by a season of stale communion with God. 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:49.440 I covet your forgiveness and your prayers in this moment. 00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:57.440 Although I have felt that I've almost drowned in shame and guilt this past week, I'm incredibly thankful for what God has done. 00:23:57.680 --> 00:24:01.039 It is by his gracious hand that my sin has been brought into the light. 00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:06.319 He has dealt kindly with me, showing me mercy, cleansing me from unrighteousness. 00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:08.960 I am able to echo the words of the psalmist. 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:13.680 Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:16.160 The Lord is my strength and my shield. 00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:19.440 In my heart, him my heart trusts, and I am helped. 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:23.839 My heart exalts, and with my song I give him thanks. 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:28.160 The Lord is the strength of his people, he is the saving refuge of his anointed. 00:24:28.400 --> 00:24:30.720 Oh, save your people and bless your heritage. 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:33.839 Be their shepherd and carry them forever. 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:39.279 Confessing is hard, and I've been a mess all week thinking about this moment, and obviously still am. 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:45.440 But the Lord has brought about a peace in my heart to confess, repent, and find healing in him alone. 00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:53.119 I've been at times almost giddy thinking about what the Lord is going to do in my heart, in my marriage, and in the ministry of reconciliation I will have. 00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:59.200 It is with great joy that I enter a specific season where I will cry out, Search me, O God, and know my heart. 00:24:59.359 --> 00:25:01.039 Try me and know my thoughts. 00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:05.519 See if there will be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:14.799 The Lord has been gracious to give me a weighty and present example that these words of Jesus in the book of Luke are powerfully true. 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:20.799 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:28.720 Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:30.480 I'll close with this. 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:38.160 But when Christ had offered up for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:45.759 He sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:51.279 For by a single offering he has perfected all of those who are being sanctified. 00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:59.119 I am confident that in my confession, repentance, and stepping down from this office, that Jesus wins. 00:25:59.359 --> 00:26:04.079 And in his victory, I am declared righteous and fully accepted by God. 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:13.039 So why did I tell you that? 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:14.559 Why did I read that? 00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:17.440 Pastors are shepherds. 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:21.200 And shepherds are first and foremost sheep. 00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:25.759 Placed under the care of a chief shepherd, Jesus Christ. 00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:30.400 Even the best shepherds among us are still sheep. 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:31.759 What are sheep? 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:33.920 They're stinky. 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:35.119 They wander. 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:36.319 They eat weird things. 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:37.839 They poop everywhere. 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:40.000 They do stupid stuff. 00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:44.480 And as sheep, in our wandering, we separate ourselves from God. 00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:46.400 You can't stop it. 00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:48.160 You're not perfect. 00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:53.599 But God, in his rich mercy, gives us a perfect shepherd, Jesus. 00:26:53.839 --> 00:27:02.640 Jesus lived a perfect life, never wandering, never falling victim to being hasty, never dishonest, never disloyal. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:19.039 And he died a death on a cross in our place, absorbing and taking the punishment that we deserve for our frequent failings, so that we might have life and be eternally present with him in paradise. 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:22.480 Why am I telling you this? 00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:25.440 Because confessing sin is the hardest thing in the world. 00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:30.880 Everything in you doesn't want to do it because all you see is the difficulty that lies ahead. 00:27:31.039 --> 00:27:31.920 You know it's gonna hurt. 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:34.160 You know it's gonna hurt people around you. 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:45.200 In the last paragraph of the letter that I wrote four years ago, I'm blown away by how eternally true that is. 00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:46.799 I'll read it again. 00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:54.240 I am confident that in my confession, repentance, and stepping down, that Jesus wins. 00:27:54.480 --> 00:27:59.680 And in his victory, I am declared righteous and fully accepted by God. 00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:04.640 So I'm telling you this because my hope is that you enter into that. 00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:10.640 You enter into a life that is honestly searching your own heart to confess and repent sin. 00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:16.960 So confess sin, looking at your sin, the ways that you wander, and saying what God says about it out loud. 00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:20.240 So seeing God, seeing your sin as God sees your sin. 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:27.759 And repentance, submitting to God, being led by the Holy Spirit in new directions with new behaviors. 00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:36.720 I hope that we live lives that we are seeking ourselves to confess and repent, but also that we care about those around us, and especially our leaders. 00:28:36.880 --> 00:28:42.559 That we take it seriously, that only through confession and repentance can we find life. 00:28:43.119 --> 00:28:44.720 It's how Jesus works. 00:28:45.119 --> 00:28:51.519 He says, by doing this, by confessing your sins and by repenting, you are embracing his victory. 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:59.039 You're saying to God when you confess and repent that I believe Jesus is victorious. 00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:03.920 I don't have to continue to be stuck in the shame due to my hidden sins. 00:29:04.160 --> 00:29:08.319 I don't have to continue to put up fists when people accuse me of sins. 00:29:09.119 --> 00:29:22.720 Because I'm called to confess and repent, and I know that Jesus is a perfect chief shepherd, and he has given me mercy, he has given me grace, and he does lead me to the victory that he has already accomplished. 00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:24.079 So what? 00:29:24.319 --> 00:29:28.400 Pastors are people too, and as a church, we must care for one another. 00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:30.640 How do we do that? 00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:33.440 I will give you three quick things and we'll end. 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:40.160 As a people, when we are called to care for our pastors, we need to be refreshing to them. 00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:41.599 It is a hard job. 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:42.960 We need to be encouraging. 00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:45.440 There will be people that complain about sermons. 00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:48.079 There will be people that make false accusations. 00:29:48.319 --> 00:29:52.160 We need to be as a people who love our pastors well, encourage them. 00:29:52.400 --> 00:30:00.240 I hear stories, I know there's someone that every Monday sends an email thanking pastors for their sermons and asking how they can pray for them and help them. 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:01.759 We need to be those people. 00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:06.319 And again, everything I'm gonna say is specifically towards pastors, but also just people around you. 00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:12.480 Like, are you a person that people walk away from feeling full of life or are they depleted? 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:14.400 Be encouraging. 00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:18.000 Secondly, protect the reputation of your elders. 00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:24.400 When you hear the things about your elders, encourage those things that you're hearing from. 00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:26.160 Sorry. 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:34.079 When you hear things about your elders, encourage those who are saying those things to go to the elders. 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:37.359 And when they've offended you personally, let them know. 00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:43.440 Protect the reputation of their eld of your elders by speaking with them instead of speaking about them. 00:30:45.920 --> 00:30:49.759 Lastly, pursue the repentance of your elders. 00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:56.559 I I pray that I never have to see another pastor read a letter like I had to read four years ago. 00:30:56.960 --> 00:30:58.400 I I hate that. 00:30:59.039 --> 00:31:04.079 When they are veering, when they're heading out of bounds, have a conversation with them. 00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:09.839 In love, like care for them well by not letting them creep into wandering. 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:14.319 Let me pray and then Pastor Jordan will lead us. 00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:22.640 God, your mercy is everything we need to find life in you. 00:31:23.119 --> 00:31:31.920 God, I pray that your spirit takes what was said today to spur us on into getting more of you. 00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:56.720 God, I pray that we would honestly, and maybe for the first time, embrace you as a savior, as a good shepherd, and that we would stop spinning our wheels trying to earn anything, but that we would truly feel and find hope in the good news that Christ has died, he has been risen, and he offers us eternal life. 00:31:57.039 --> 00:31:59.119 I pray these things in Jesus' strong name. 00:31:59.200 --> 00:31:59.599 Amen.