A Pastor's Work

Good morning, everyone. Sure is good to see you all. Thank you for that special music. Really appreciated it. It's nice to hear special music back home. We don't have it every week, and so I think we could get spoiled having that. So it's really beautiful. Really appreciate that, Mitch. Well, it's good to be here! It's good to see you all.

Look forward to meeting you all. As you heard Mr. Antion say, we've been around a little bit. They've always made fun of us being from New Orleans several years ago, being well-seasoned.

Everything's seasoned in New Orleans. Someone was telling me, yeah, I heard that you were there about five years, which we were about five years in New Orleans. Then we moved up to the Minnesota area, and we were there about 15 years. Maybe just a touch over. So we figured if that pattern continues, I'll be your pastor for the next 45 years. Not sure if you're going to be happy with that or not, but we are glad to be here.

We're not totally moved yet. I know a number of you have asked how things have been going. It's been a very busy summer. Lots of things going on, different camps, getting our house ready to sell and all kinds of different things going on.

Officially, the house has been on the market just a few weeks now. We were praying that we'd get some people looking and get an offer. And sure enough, we got an offer on our house, and it just reminded us that we need to pray more specifically, that it's not just an offer, but that it's a good offer. So we are praying a little bit more specifically about those kinds of things. But we have learned that it makes you keep your house ready for people to come over at any moment. And so that's been a little bit of a challenge, but we are a little bit worried about that. Our daughter, Prisca, as you'd heard, is going to be starting college out here at Cincinnati State around Labor Day.

Hopefully by that time my wife will be able to move out permanently. That's our plan for the moment. Now that leaves one problem. That leaves our son back in Minnesota to hold down the fort there. We'll see how he does. So we do need your prayers. A quick sale would be much better than worrying about how things are going back home. But I think it should be fine.

We're looking forward to that, and hopefully God's blessing will be able to wrap that up and get out here permanently. Now, plan to be out here myself and then get the rest of the gang out as soon as possible. So we'll see how that works out. It's been a little bit of a challenge, but we are certainly looking forward to it and looking forward to meeting all of you and serving you as well. I did hear an interesting story someone was telling me about new pastors, and he told me the story of a new pastor that moved in to his new congregations area.

Got done giving his very first sermon, was standing on the side of the hall meeting people, talking to different individuals, and this one fella kind of walked by and just said something kind of off the cuff. He said, pretty dull sermon, pastor, and just kept walking. And the guy kind of just leaned back and tried not to pay too much attention, just kept talking to some of the other people.

Sure enough, that same fella starts working his way back around. He walks by and he says, not much meat, pastor. And the pastor didn't want to think, he's just a new guy. And here's this fella saying these things. And sure enough, he comes back around one more time and he says, pretty boring sermon.

And he just kept on walking. So finally the pastor said, what is the problem with this fella? Who is this guy? What is going on with him? And the man who was talking to one of the deacons, he said, oh, don't worry about him. He just repeats everything he hears. Well, we'll try not to be that guy. But it may bring up the question, what exactly is a pastor anyway? What is a pastor? I know we're familiar with the term, and I'm sure that we probably realize it has something to do as being a shepherd.

It has roots from the original word. Actually, it's from the French. It means to shepherd. It means to take care of or herd, be a herdsman. Now, that's kind of funny because it gradually began to be used in a church setting. So it worked its way from being a shepherd with sheep out in the pasture to pastoring and keeping and guarding people. And so when you think of the word pastor, that may come to mind.

Now, how does a pastor function? Most people would agree, at least to one degree or another, a pastor like a herdsman is supposed to provide stability. A pastor is supposed to comfort. He's supposed to reassure people. And he's supposed to give direction, like a herdsman would do. I think most of us would probably agree with that. But where many might not agree as readily is how a pastor is supposed to do those things. How does a pastor do those things? What's the manner that a pastor is supposed to provide stability? How is he supposed to provide comfort?

How is he supposed to organize or show governance or leadership? How is he supposed to show instruction? That's where it begins to break down sometimes on the areas that we agree on. And so I thought it might be helpful, first time out here, to take a look at God's Word. Not what I say, but look at what God has to say. In fact, He gives so much instruction in the Bible about a pastor's job description, the work of a pastor, and how a pastor is supposed to fulfill his responsibilities.

So let's take a little bit of time to look at a pastor's work. There's one particular scripture that I thought might be helpful to focus on. It's one that Jesus Christ Himself spoke. It's over in Matthew 23. You're going to turn there with me in Matthew 23, right at the very beginning of that chapter.

Jesus Christ was addressing this very topic. What are the things that He says that's interesting as He begins this talk? He's talking to the multitudes, and the disciples were there. And He gives them instructors that include the role of a pastor. And in fact, He addresses responsibilities, and He addresses roles, roles and responsibilities, or I like to say, titles and tasks. Titles and tasks. Notice what He says here. It says, Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.

Therefore, whatever they tell you, observe. But observe and do, but do not do according to their works. For they say, and they do not do. They bind heavy burdens hard to bear, and they lay them on men's shoulders. But they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad. They enlarge the borders of their garments.

They love the best places at the feast, the best seats in the synagogues, the greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men. Rabbi! Rabbi! Oh, they love the highlight. They like to be the star. They like to be the big shots. That's who they were. That was their attitude. And yet, here Christ contrasts that with what real pastors are supposed to be like, what real members are supposed to be like. Verse 8, He says, But you do not be called Rabbi, for one is your teacher, the Christ. And you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father, for one is your father, he who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers, for one is your teacher, the Christ.

But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. So here Christ begins by saying, there's a problem. The problem is there's a misunderstanding about titles versus tasks, titles versus responsibilities. In a sense, what he's doing is he's separating the office from the accomplishment or the doing, from the responsibilities. So there's an office, there's a position that men hold, but Christ is taking that and saying, this title, does it really belong to these men? Are they supposed to be the teacher? Are they supposed to be the rabbi? Are they supposed to be the father? Christ says, no, that office, that title, that really belongs to someone else, doesn't it? Who does that belong to?

See, ultimately that belongs to Christ. But what Christ himself is pointing out here, he's saying that Christ shares the responsibility for administering, whether it's a rabbi or a teacher or a father. You see, he shares that responsibility. So these are titles that really only God can hold. That's how he designed it, that's how he made it. And yet, pastors are held accountable to fulfill many of these duties. But how they do it, how they do it, has to be done by Christ's authority, by His responsibility, by the power that He gives, by the power that He shares. And so how does He do that? How does He do that? Well, He uses three examples here. I thought it might be helpful to focus on these three examples. The first one He gives, He gives pastor versus master. Well, more or less. Pastor versus master. He says, do not be called rabbi.

Do not be called rabbi. In other words, it's a teacher. Literally, it's the word teacher. Or when you think about it, did you notice what He said before this? What did they like? They like the best place in the market. They like the greetings, they like the seats, at the fees. They like the big shots. You see what Christ is referring here to then is this idea of lording it over people. Lording it over people. That was part of this rabbinical system. The rabbi, he's at the top. He's at the top of the pecking order. We all have to recognize that. We all have to honor him. Call out his name in the marketplace. Oh, hey, Rabbi Ben Joseph, good to see you today. You see, that's what they loved. But there was something wrong with that system. Lording it over people. Christ says, that's not the way it's supposed to be. The pastor is not the master. That's not the way it's supposed to be. Christ said some very specific things about authority. You know, where did He say the authority belonged? With the rabbi? With the pastor? No. He said, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. That's just a few pages over in Matthew 28. He says that Christ had the authority. In fact, He said all judgment as well was committed to the Son. So Christ has authority. Christ has judgment. So when it comes to the pastor versus the master, you see, when pastors give advice or counsel, do we take that authority upon ourselves? Or do we point to the authority of the Word of God? Do we point to the authority of Jesus Christ? You see, that's the biblical principle. We point the people to the standard, the standard to live by. This is the standard, isn't it? This is the standard that we live by. So we point people to Jesus Christ. We bring people to the standard. Now, if you've ever been through the Growing Kids God's Way, that's one of the principles in growing kids, is that as you raise your children, you don't change the standard for the kids. You bring the children to the standard. You teach them the standard. And that's what Christ is saying here. We're to bring people to the standard of Jesus Christ. We want to grow to the fullness of Christ. And as a pastor, we don't have to be a slave master in that regard. But we give advice and counsel, and we tell you this is the best way to go and bring you to that standard. In fact, if you want to hold your place here, flip over to 1 Peter 5. 1 Peter 5, verse 1. Peter gives some instruction to the ministers, to the pastors, right here at the beginning of chapter 5. He says, The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed. So he's talking to the pastors. What does he tell them? Verse 2, Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers. Aha! Back in Egypt, we're an overseer, right? We're going to get out the whip and we're going to nail you, right?

Well, no, that's not what that word means. Not an overseer, like in Egypt. This word overseer is an episcopale, one who cares for you, one who guides, one who watches over the flock.

And so he says that's what we're to be. We're supposed to be like a caregiver. Like a caregiver. It says, Not by compulsion, but willingly, Not for dishonest gain, but eagerly.

Sometimes that verse 2 has been called the presidential scripture. You probably are familiar with that, right? Because in the King James it says, Not for filthy lucre.

Oh, sorry about that, Mr. Lucre. Oh, well.

Now, what do you do what you do? Why do you do what you do? What's the purpose for doing the things that you do? He says, Not being lords over those entrusted to you. That was the problem with the whole Jewish system. They were lording it over them. But he says, Being examples to the flock. And when Christ the shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that doesn't fade away.

You see, pastors are to bring people to God's standard. That's what it's about. They're to serve as caregivers who love the people, who care for the people, who serve the people.

As if you don't, it only brings trouble. You probably heard the story of the class that was going over the story of Jonah at Sabbath school. They were going over the story of Jonah, and they went through the whole thing. How Jonah was swallowed by this great fish. And after three days and three nights, the fish just spew them out on the shore in the dry land. As they were talking about this story, the teacher said, Well, what lesson can we learn from that? What lesson can we learn from this fish just spitting out Jonah on the dry land? What does that tell us?

Of course, one of the little boys raised his hand in the back, and he said, You know what? It proves that even a fish can't stomach a bad preacher.

That is about it, isn't it? Even a fish can't put up with that.

So the pastors don't force their flocks to do something. They show the way, the way to the green pastors, the way to the good life of living God's way, continuing to grow, continuing to serve, continuing to do the things that are pleasing in God's sight to bring us to the standard of Jesus Christ. You see, that's the pastor versus the master. In fact, there's an interesting section of Scripture over in the book of Colossians. Colossians 1, verse 9.

Here, the apostle Paul focuses for a little bit on the role of a pastor. And he again contrasts this idea of being the all-authoritative over-ruler of the people.

And of course, here, writing to mostly Gentiles, people that were not Jews, he talks about what is the job of a pastor? Colossians 1.9. He says, For this reason, since the day we heard it, we don't cease to pray for you, and ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Now we have some insight.

Some insight into a pastor's job is to pray and to preach. Pray that people would be filled with God's will, His wisdom, His understanding. And what's that going to help them do? Verse 10. That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long-suffering with joy. Verse 12. Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. You see, the focus isn't on the master, not the human being, but the ultimate master, God the Father. Giving thanks to the Father. He's qualified us to be partakers. Verse 13. He's delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us to the kingdom of the son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood. Verse 24. He says, I rejoice in my sufferings and fill up in my flesh what's lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church. So what does a pastor do? A pastor sacrifices for the people. Verse 25. He says, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God, which was given to me for you. The focus is on God, not on the physical man.

Stewardship, overseeing, guidance. Notice how those words fit together so well. Not lording it over others, not the rabbi, but a steward. Verse 27. It says, To them God will to be made known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. And so a pastor, verse 28, preaches, To him we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily. So Paul's goal was to preach Christ.

And the result? People came to the standard. They ordered their lives to be like Christ. It says to present every man perfect in Jesus Christ at his return. So that's our goal. Our goal is to be perfect, to bring people to the standard of Jesus Christ, to have a relationship with God the Father, to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, to fulfill our part in that relationship. And so, can a pastor force you to do that? He can't force you to do that.

We can encourage you. We can exhort you. But you have to decide to do that. And it's part of our job to show you how wonderful and how awesome God's way is so that you will continue to grow in that tremendous relationship that we have with God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Of course, it doesn't let the pastor off of any responsibility. Well, it's all up to you. You have to do everything, right? Well, it doesn't work that way either. The pastor's held it accountable.

There's just a couple of pages over here, 1 Corinthians 14, where it says, God's not the author of confusion. He's not the author of confusion, but peace. And it's interesting that at the end of that phrase, it says, as in all the churches of the saints. Well, who's responsible for that? Well, the pastor would be. The pastor's responsible for that, for administering that stability, for having peace, properly organizing the flock. That's a pastor's responsibility. A couple of pages later, it says, let all things be done decently and in order. And so that's certainly part of the pastor's job to promote organization, to promote stability. And by doing that, we're supposed to strive and grow. And so we need direction. We need guidance. Sometimes we need parameters. Sometimes we need those kinds of things. We need governance. That's not a bad thing. Authority's not a bad thing. We need authority. Every one of us has to have authority in our life.

But we've got to understand who the ultimate authority is. Not proud overlords, not lording it over people, but humble servants of Jesus Christ. That's what it's all about. And that comes from God through His Word. So ultimately, it certainly reminds us Jesus Christ alone is our master. And we have to remember that His direction is what counts. Guidance from Him, control and direction from Him. All right, now if you've still got your place held back there in Matthew 23, there's a second aspect that He mentions here in verse 9.

He said, don't call anyone rabbi. He said, don't call anyone on earth your father.

Matthew 23 verse 9, don't call anyone on earth your father. Now that may sound strange, especially to some religious people. Some religious people grew up calling a man who wasn't their father, Father. Many of you maybe grew up in the Catholic Church. My father, my dad always used to have a little saying about that. He used to say, well, I can't understand why the guy wants to be called Father when he dresses like mother. Of course, with all the robes and the gowns and all that sort of thing. Of course, there was the little boy, too. He said, my father's a doctor, and how did it go? My father's a doctor, so I can be sick for nothing.

And then the other little boy said, well, yeah, that's nothing. My father's a minister, so I can be good for nothing. When it comes to a father, where does real love originate from? Where does real encouragement, real appreciation, where are the foundations of love and encouragement and recognition, where does that start? Ultimately, it starts with our heavenly Father and comes through Jesus Christ. And so as pastors, we're to tend and care for flocks by showing them how important developing a relationship with their real father is all about.

Because here on earth, some of us have had abusive fathers. We've had difficult families to grow up in. We can't imagine what a loving family is like if we just think of our physical family. And yet, God the Father is the ultimate Father, the ultimate one who cares for us and loves us and sustains us. Romans 8, verse 14, talks about this important relationship.

The second aspect is, I suppose Christ was comparing a pastor versus the papa, the Father. The pastor versus the papa. Don't call anyone on earth your Father. Well, pastors aren't supposed to be in that role. They're not supposed to take that on themselves. Romans 8, 14 points it out pretty clearly here. It says, "...as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God, for you didn't receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, join heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." You see, this points to the ultimate relationship with our Heavenly Father. Not one of adoption. We think of adoption today, but this is the Roman version of adoption, where you legitimately become a son, a son or a daughter of God. We cry out, Abba, Father, our loving, dear, Father. And so this should affect everything that we are, everything that we do, all of our relationships. Shouldn't it? If we have the right Father, if we look to the right individual as Father, our spiritual Father, that relationship with God should impact everything and every other relationship that we have. I mean, think about it for a moment. Should our relationship with God impact our relationship with each other, with the brethren? Absolutely. Absolutely. Doesn't that separate the relationship between those that are in the church, those who are being led by God's Holy Spirit, and those that are on the outside, those who are not? You see, don't we have to answer to God for the things that we say, for the things that we do, our conduct, the relationship that we have with Him? Don't we answer to God? Doesn't that affect our relationship with Him? You see, as God and His influence affects our life, God governs our life. He rules over us as we allow Him to, and ultimately He blesses us.

He blesses us. And so when we move into the realm of, let's say, marriage, should our relationship with God have an effect on our marriage? Well, of course it should. Our relationship with God, God designed it that we all answer to God. Each of us in a marriage, husbands, wives, we answer to God.

We have to fulfill our vows before God. God then joins us together, doesn't He? He seals us, in a sense. He joins us. He watches over us. He governs us. His way is what I'm striving to live by. His way is my way. I submit to His will as a husband. That's the goal. And then what does He do?

He builds that marriage. He grows that marriage. He encourages us. He nourishes that relationship.

And so, certainly, that relationship with our Father affects our marriages.

In fact, it's not really any different between pastor and congregation, is it?

You think about it as a pastor and his congregation. Does God bless us?

As we submit to Him, He certainly does. As we submit one to another, He does. He encourages. He builds us up. I think it makes an important point as well. Whose congregation are you, anyway?

Are you suddenly now my congregation?

Not in that sense, no. You're not my congregation. You belong to Christ. You belong to Christ.

Remember what Christ's final instructions were to Peter? Did He tell Peter, Peter, tend your sheep, tend your flock, feed your lambs. Right? Is that what He said? No, He didn't say that. You see, Christ is the ultimate. He's the one in charge. Right? So He said, feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep. So we are Christ's. We are Christ's. It always is such a stark reminder. How many people follow a man? You see, that can't be. That should never be. We need to be having our focus on the ultimate. We need to focus on Christ. We do what He says. And so, we're committed to Him. We're committed to Jesus Christ and then ultimately God the Father. And so, the ultimate objective then, as we do that, as we do that, God has a powerful impact on us.

The objective should be over in John 1720. Notice John 1720. Here, Christ is praying just before the crucifixion. Here's a section of Scripture we read every year at the Passover.

And it's a reminder that you're not my congregation and I suppose in the same sense I'm not your minister. We all belong to Christ. We're supposed to be His bond servants. We're supposed to be His people. And in John 1720, here's Christ praying just before the crucifixion. He says, I don't pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. That's us. And that they all may be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be one in us. So, the ultimate objective is to be one. To be one, body. To be one in the Father and Jesus Christ. And look what's going to happen if that follows. As we submit our lives to God, does He join us together as one? Does He govern over us? Does He show us His way?

Do we submit our will to Him? Of course, and what He says, He's going to build it. He's going to encourage it. He's going to nourish us. And ultimately, the gospel will be preached.

Do you see that? Verse 23, it says, I in them, you in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you've sent me, and have loved them as you have loved me.

So, there will be an absolute result as we are one in Jesus Christ. The gospel will be preached. We will have a tremendous relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ. And so, as a pastor, the pastor provides loving care, compassion, encouragement that comes through Christ. It's the only way it can be accomplished. It can only be done from God through His Word.

And so, ultimately, we're all pointed back to the source, to the ultimate Father, to our spiritual, heavenly Father. God alone is our Father. So, all love, all approval, all encouragement, where does it ultimately come from? It comes from the Father through Jesus Christ. All right, back in Matthew 23, verse 10, there was a third aspect of the work of a pastor that Christ referred to here. This third one is kind of an interesting one.

He started out by talking about the pastor versus the master and the pastor versus the papa and the second one. Well, here, he refers to the professor versus the pastor. Matthew 23, 10, he says, do not be called teachers. That's what the New King James says. Do not be called teachers. In fact, this word for teachers, this is the only place in the New Testament this word is found. Only place. So, oftentimes, it's translated differently. Maybe your translation says master, some say leader, some say guide, depends on the translation you look at. It's interesting if you looked it up in the Latin, it's the word that the Greeks use for professor or doctor. Doctor. Do not be called doctors in a teaching sense. Don't be called a doctor. Well, why not? There's something wrong with that? Well, it depends how you use it. Because ultimately, where's our instruction really come from? Where does our guidance come from? You see, ultimately, that comes from God. 2 Timothy 4.1 is a stark reminder of that. Look at 2 Timothy 4, verse 1. Here, the Apostle Paul is instructing the young minister, Timothy. In fact, he gives him a command. He gives him a charge here in chapter 4, right at the very beginning of that chapter of 2 Timothy.

Notice what he tells him. He charges Timothy, and I suppose by extension, all of us as pastors, I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. What does he charge them? What does he command them? Verse 2, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching.

So what's wrong with being called a teacher, or a doctor, or the leader? Well, it depends how you take it. It depends what the intent is behind it. Who is the ultimate teacher?

You see, he gives instruction. Pastors are charged before God, before Jesus Christ, to preach the word and to give His people His truth. Remember whose people we are? We're His people. We're God's people. It's not the minister's truth. It's God's truth. It's His word. And so he says, convince, convince, which literally means to convict or reprove, set people right. Sometimes that's what it takes to expose things, to bring things to light. See, there's plenty of responsibilities that a pastor has. That's part of it. And it happens through whose truth?

His truth. Hopefully not somebody's interpretation of His truth, but through His truth. He also says we're to rebuke, which can mean to warn. We've got to watch out sometimes. We've got to be careful. We've got to admonish people. We've got to caution people. There's lots of difficulties out there. There's lots of snares, lots of challenges, lots of things that we face. And sometimes that rebuke means to correct. And sometimes that has to happen. He also uses the word to exhort.

That's an interesting word. To exhort, it can mean to comfort. Don't we all need some comfort and encouragement sometimes? Absolutely. So exhorting one another can be encouraging. Life can be pretty challenging at times. Sometimes we need some encouragement. We need some comfort. We need to be strengthened. And that's part of the pastor's responsibility, part of their command in order to do that, because that's part of fulfilling what it says in verse 2. Preaching the Word. Preaching the Word. And he says, how that's supposed to happen. And so as we do that, we preach the Word. You know, we might be familiar with that passage. Bring every thought into the subjection of Christ. That's what we're to do. Pastors are to preach that. But you know, pastors can't do that for you, can they? But we can preach that. Can we work out your salvation? No. Philippians 2, 12 says, work out your own salvation. But we can encourage, we can rebuke, we can exhort.

Right? We can't exercise your senses. We can't do that. Hebrews 5 says that we can't do it for you.

But we certainly can encourage and comfort and strengthen and bring those things to light. That's part of our job, to do those kinds of things.

We don't do it by our own authority. It can only happen through the authority that comes through Jesus Christ.

Matthew 24 kind of ties in here with 2 Timothy.

Matthew 24, 45, you know it. You probably don't even have to turn over there.

It talks about the faithful and wise servant. Who's a faithful and wise servant whom his master made ruler over his household to give them food in due season? Do you see who is the overseer of the household? It's a servant.

A servant is the ruler over the household. A faithful and wise servant that appointed himself to be over people? No, it doesn't say that. It doesn't say he appointed himself.

It says, his master made him ruler over his household. The master made him the overseer.

The master is still the master. He's still the one in charge. He's still the one that gets all the credit. But the one that has to carry out some of those responsibilities is the servant. And part of that servant's responsibility as a pastor is to give food in due season. And as a pastor does that, it says he's blessed. So a pastor should never point someone to themselves, should never be the one that takes credit for the teaching or the instruction. That can only and should always go to God. That's where it starts. In fact, there's an interesting summary of this. It's over in Acts 20. I will turn there. Acts 20, verse 18. I know we just went over this not too long ago in our Bible studies. I just thought I'd bring this to your attention. A little bit of a side point, I guess you might say, but something that just kind of jumps out at you when you begin to talk about this idea of a pastor's work. Here in Acts 20, we see some interesting aspects that Paul cites as he comes into Asia. And as he comes into Asia, notice what he's doing here.

Acts 20, verse 18. They'd come to him, they said, You know from the first day that I came to Asia in what manner I have always lived among you. Verse 19, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews, how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, and testifying to the Jews and also to the Greeks' repentance toward God and faith.

Faith, it says, toward our Lord Jesus Christ. He says, In see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me, nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race and the ministry which I've received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Well, who was the master? Who was the ultimate father? See, Paul had it straight. He had it perfectly straight. He said he was serving the Lord. Verse 19. Notice that? And what did he do? He proclaimed the gospel. He taught, verse 20, publicly, and he taught privately. He taught the word of God. He taught repentance. We see that at the end of verse 21. And faith. And where did he receive that responsibility? He didn't take it upon himself. He says in verse 24, he received it from the Lord. Right? He received it. He didn't take it upon himself. And so what did he do? Verse 25, it says, I know that you all, among whom I've gone, preaching the kingdom of God. He said, you won't see my face. I'm heading off. He knew he was going to prison. Therefore I testify you. I'm innocent of the blood of all men. I haven't shunned to declare you the whole counsel of God.

You see, he's reiterating the pastor's work, isn't he? Declaring the whole counsel of God.

So he says, therefore I'm going to force you to do these things. No. He says, take heed to yourselves and all the flock which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, to guide, direct, convince, rebuke, exhort all of those things. Right?

Down in verse 31, he says, remember that for three years I didn't cease to warn you.

It says, day and night with tears. Verse 32, so now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace. He didn't commend them to Himself. Listen to everything I've said, my wonderful wisdom, my great insight, my wonderful knowledge. No. I'm commending you to the ultimate knowledge, to the ultimate wisdom, to the ultimate understanding, to God and the word of His grace, to Jesus Christ. He says, that's able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

I underline those words in my Bible. Serving the Lord, proclaimed, repentance, taught publicly and privately, the ministry from God, preaching the kingdom, declaring the whole council, taking heed, shepherding, warning, but commending to God. Because ultimately, He's the teacher. He's the ultimate teacher. You see, He's the professor. He's the one who guides and teaches and directs.

So when you look at these three aspects, you look at the true Master, you look at the true Father, you look at the true Teacher. Christ makes the work of a pastor pretty clear, doesn't He?

Pastors are to lead their flocks to Jesus Christ. They do it by example. They do it by teaching.

They're to work and to strive to present the flock as a pure bride to her bridegroom, to Jesus Christ when He returns. Their job is to equip the saints to serve, to speak the truth in love, to tend to their needs, to ensure their safety and their health, to guard them, watch over them, to protect them. Those are all the aspects of a pastor's job. So we should keep in mind ultimately, then, who the real true Master is. We look to God the Father and to Jesus Christ for stability, for their leadership, for their authority. We look to our one true Father, only to God, for His comfort, for His direction, for His encouragement. And as our true teacher, we look to Christ. We look to His example. We look to His direction. We look to His correction.

So let's be sure we look to Christ. Let's be sure, maybe before we quit, one final passage, one final scripture. First, 2 Corinthians 1.24. 2 Corinthians 1.24.

Just a short little verse. As Paul began his second letter to the Corinthians, you remember his first letter. It was pretty caustic, pretty hard, pretty direct, pretty specific. He definitely convinced rebuked, exhorted, he corrected them. Now in the second letter, he heard of their change of heart, how they repented. And he realized that they took the reins and they changed. And in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 24, he began that letter by saying, not that we have dominion over your faith, but our fellow workers for your joy, for by faith you stand. Now in King James it says, we are helpers of your joy. I like the way the New American standard puts it. Verse 24, it says, not that we lord it over your faith, but our workers with you for your joy, for in your faith you are standing firm. So as pastor, I won't be a ruler over your faith, brethren. It's not my job. But as one appointed by our chief shepherd, I look forward to being a fellow worker for your joy.