Latest / Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast / #20240225 - Honoring Our Pastors - 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 & Hebrews 13:7,17

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#20240225 - Honoring Our Pastors - 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 & Hebrews 13:7,17 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

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Welcome to the Study of God's Word with pastor and author Ed
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Taylor recorded live at Calvary Church in Aurora, Co.
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To learn more about the many resources available through a
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bounding Grace media or to tune into our live stream services,
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visit us online at Calvary, Co dot Church or download our free
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Calvary Church app. Now here's Pastor Ed to take us
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into our study. Amen.
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Would you? Take your Bibles, open them to a
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couple. Places.
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Hebrews. Chapter 13.
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Hebrews Chapter 13 and 1st Thessalonians Chapter 5.
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Hebrews 13 and 1st Thessalonians Chapter 5 and I've.
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Entitled Our Bible Study today. Honoring our pastors.
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Honoring our. Pastors, we have a.
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Responsibility to honor our pastors.
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As we'll. See in a moment.
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To love them, to remember them, to esteem them highly, to
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respect them, to serve them, to support them.
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And I believe that God. Chooses the pastors.
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And leaders that he puts. In our.
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Lives. I believe it's in his sovereign
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choice to put the men in our lives that we need in order to
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grow up spiritually, and I know that doesn't seem to fit well
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within our current thinking of. Churches Today and choices.
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Like, you know, the emphasis of the freedom that we have, we we
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truly do emphasize freedom. But you know, God has given us
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freedom within limits. You know the.
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Bible even. Speaks of the freedom of the
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Lord is where the. Spirit is, it says, the Bible
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says, wherever the Spirit of the Lord is.
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There's where the freedom is, so it's not like this.
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Absolute. Freedom where we can do
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everything that we want to do. Whenever we want to do it, God
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places. Limits on it.
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And, you know, there's a lot of movement in churches today
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because there's so many. Churches that there's a.
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Lot of movement where people are looking for this pastor and that
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pastor and looking. For the perfect church.
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And even today, you might be here.
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Looking for a church? And examining this church and
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wondering if. This is home.
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For you and there's certainly. Seasons for that for sure.
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That God would move you on. But this idea of moving around,
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moving around, moving around. Searching for the perfect
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pastor. I think you found out by now he
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doesn't exist the list. That you've.
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Developed, it just will never be matched instead.
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It would be better for you to receive the choice that God.
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Has for you. Why?
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Because God knows you. He knows how you'll grow.
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He knows what you'll need. He knows.
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The voice that will speak to your.
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Heart. You know that that's what you
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want from a. You not only do you want to be
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in a. Church that teaches.
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The Bible not just uses it, not just has it up on the pulpit as
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a decoration, but you want to be in a.
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Church that teaches. The Bible, but you also want to
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be in a. Church where the pastor.
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Where he's when he's teaching hits your heart, not just your
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mind, because, you know, there's a lot of intellectual.
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Study with the. Bible and Understanding the
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Bible. But you want to be in a place
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where the where you move and your heart where the Bible's
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taught and you're moved and your heart is changed and God knows
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who you need and you know the Bible.
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Jesus would say. In his teaching of us.
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He would tell us that the shepherd, the sheep hear the
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shepherd. 'S voice, and of course.
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The the reality of that is that every true believer.
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That's the interpretation every. True believer will hear the
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voice of Jesus. But by application, I believe we
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can make an application related to the men that God puts in our
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lives. That's why, if you're listening
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to the radio or different Bible studies, some pastors relate to
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you more than others. It's not necessarily something
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negative. It's just your ears are.
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Tuned to a particular frequency that God has the.
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Pastor, just for you. And you want to submit to that
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because God chooses for you and me the leaders He knows that
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will shape us and mold us and make us into the men and women
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that He wants us. To be so, God will.
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Put a man in your life that will.
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Speak the truth to you and He's there by the will of God.
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It's God's desire for you. And your family?
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And you say, well, Ed, where's that in the Bible?
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I've never even heard that before.
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In Jeremiah chapter 3 and verse 15.
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Listen to what? God says through the prophet, He
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says it to the prophets of the. Children of Israel under the Old
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Covenant. And then you have to say, well,
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how much more now in the New Covenant?
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How much More does God want to give us A?
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Pastor and teacher to help. Us understand.
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Listen to what he says. Jeremiah 3 verse 15.
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God says. I will give you.
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Shepherds, according to my heart.
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Who will feed you with? Knowledge and understanding and
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that. Is.
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God's will for our lives. It's his purposes.
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And you know, it was in 1991. Nineteen, back in 1991, before
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the Internet. Was invented, it was back.
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In 1991, that God. Brought me to a church and gave
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me my pastor, Jeff Johnson, on. February 13th of this year.
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My pastor, Jeff Johnson went home to be with the Lord.
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He had a five year battle with cancer and it was a ruptured.
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Ulcer that led to sepsis that. Ushered him into the presence of
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the Lord. After 50 years of faithful
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service, I have a pastor. That made it 50 years.
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He didn't steal from the church. He didn't mess around with other
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women. That wasn't his wife.
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He didn't lie. He wasn't deceptive.
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He finished his race well, and God gave that man to me.
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I didn't choose. I walked into that.
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Church lost as lost could be. And so when I'm saying.
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These things, I understand them. From a real perspective, this
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was the man that God had for me and my family and his ministry
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and his faithfulness in my life has now extended.
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Here to Colorado, 50 years. It's no small thing to.
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Serve. God in the same place.
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For. 50 years and God used that man and his ministry to
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literally change. My life and change my.
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Family and even. Add to my family.
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Being born again kept my wife and I together, saved our
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marriage and even added to our family it was.
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There at Calvary. Chapel in Downey, CA, where I
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experienced first hand, where Paul says in Romans chapter one,
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verse 16. I am not ashamed.
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Of the gospel of Christ. It's the power of God to
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salvation, the gospel. The good news is the.
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Power of God. For your life right now, and God
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wants to work in your life. Understand this as we.
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Speak about pastors today. We know and there's no.
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Doubt whatsoever that Jesus Christ is our great.
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Shepherd we follow him. He.
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Is the one we look. To our eyes are.
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Fixed and fastened upon. However.
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We also publicly thank God for the men.
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The spiritual leaders. That he's placed in our lives
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for our own spiritual health. And growth.
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We commonly call those men pastors under shepherds.
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In Proverbs chapter 22 and verse 28 it says do not remove the
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ancient landmark which your. Father's have set.
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These men have set an. Example for us.
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You can say in a very real way that we stand on the shoulders
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of the men that have come before us and as we speak.
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About. Our pastors here in this church
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or my pastor, Jeff Johnson, we recognize that they're not
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perfect men, not men without. Flaws, but that's what.
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Makes it all the more. Glory to God.
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For using imperfect men to bring such change in our lives.
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And pastors have a responsibility.
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But listen, church, we also have a responsibility to our.
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Pastors. And so you're sitting in a
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church. Today, that exists.
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Because of the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit that started in
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another. Church 33 years ago.
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It's interesting because we're doing some cleaning up and
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things in our house and painting and stuff.
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So I was forced to. Clean out my Home Office, which
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I haven't done for 11 years, so it was just a mess.
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But you know, messy offices mean that work takes place there.
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You understand that, right? Clean offices, no work, Dirty.
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Offices, you know you have your opinion on that for.
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Sure, but I had to clean up so I some things.
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Showed up that I forgot. I had and one of them was this
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VHS tape. OK, VHS tape.
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It looks like this actually. These are.
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VHS tapes for you. Young UNS.
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Google it TikTok. It you'll find a lot.
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About VHS tapes, but this is how we used to have to watch.
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We had a VHS. Machine and a rewind machine.
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Remember, you just take it out. And.
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So this tape's very. Special though, because.
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It is the 25 year anniversary service on tape of Calvary
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Chapel Downey. It happened the year before I
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left, the year before we moved here. 1998 is when we had this
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service. I remember I was in the service,
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sitting in the sanctuary, celebrating the 25 years of
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faithfulness that God had given to.
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Pastor Jeff up to that? Point.
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And it was one of those moments, too, in that service, where in
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my? Heart of hearts.
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God used that. Service in my heart of.
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Hearts. I was one of the times I said,
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you know what? Lord in my own.
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Heart. I just said it to myself and to
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the Lord. And like if you want to.
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Do that again if you want if. If you want to do this again, I
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will. Go anywhere to be able to see.
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This happen. Again, and what I meant by that
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is like I'm willing to start from nothing to go somewhere and
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start from nothing and. See what you will do.
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By blessing your word. As it gets.
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Taught. And he brings us here to Aurora,
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and wouldn't you know it. This year.
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We celebrate 25 years, our own 25 years.
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Of ministry that's built on that.
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History Pastor Jeff was the. One of the first pastors.
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Out of Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa.
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That planted a church there in Downey.
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Where he grew up which? Downey was very near where I
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grew up, and God used him in that original generation to
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teach the word in his own community.
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And so it's no small thing for a guy to be somewhere 20 years 20.
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Five years, 50 years, The fruit of Pastor Jeff's.
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Legacy continues on as many are reached with the gospel and a
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lot of people came out of Calvary Chapel Downey.
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There's quite a few of them right here in Colorado, You
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know, Pastor. Louis is here.
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Pastor Jason Klein was here for a while.
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You know, Aaron Lorkovic came out of when he was here.
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He's in Texas now. Pastor Jeff Fadness, one of our
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missionaries up in Georgia region near Russia.
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I mean, there are people all over the country that have come
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out of that church, including people that we've sent out.
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Over the years, but today? I want to spend some time
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reminding us of the importance of serving and supporting.
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Our pastors. The pastors.
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That God has given us. That we should do this.
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Exceptionally well. We should go over the top.
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In honoring and blessing and taking.
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Care of our pastors. Longevity and faithfulness among
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pastors is on the decline today. In the broader church.
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More pastors are committing adultery on their wives, more
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pastors are stealing and lying in the churches there, and more
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pastors are abusing people and taking advantage of people.
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And more pastors are under so immense pressure than ever.
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Before they did a survey. Last year in 20 or a couple
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years ago in 2022 and in that survey and report it was found
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that. 42. Percent of the pastors surveyed
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were considering quitting within the year, 42%.
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What that means is, if you want to put it in perspective, what
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that means. Is, is you're driving through.
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Town on your way to church and you're passing 10?
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Churches, It's like you're passing. 10 valid strong
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churches in our community. There's a good chance that.
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Four or five of the men pastoring that church are
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considering throwing in the towel.
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Also, if you pay attention, you notice around town a lot of
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churches put up signs. They put up signs in the corner.
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We did that for many years when we were meeting in the school
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and they're letting you know we're in town.
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We want to see. A church started.
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In town, see a church, but I've been in this town now for 25
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years and let me say I've seen a lot of churches come and a lot
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of them go and not make. It because it's hard.
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It's hard to shepherd the flock of God.
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It's hard to pastor. And because of that, God knew
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ahead of time what's what our responsibility is in in
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supporting our pastors and what I'm about.
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To share with you. Is my perspective and how?
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I've applied the Bible. In serving my pastor.
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All these 33 years. This is this has been my.
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Attitude. This is how I've applied it.
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This is how I. Applied in serving the pastors
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that serve alongside of me. Over the years.
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Here in this church. Because consider some of the
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things pastors are concerned about.
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You know whether they are dealing with any of.
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These or all of these? But the passors considering
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quitting here are some of the reasons.
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These are just they were like 50 reasons or. 30 I forget, but I
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took the top. 8 so. Number one was the immense.
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Stress of the job. Then Passors were feeling lonely
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and isolated. Then #3, the current political
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divisions are making pastors going, You know what?
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I just want to go sell. Insurance man, I don't want to
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get involved in this anymore. The people have lost their minds
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and forgotten the gospel, and they're getting involved in
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stuff that I don't. Even they're not even listening.
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To me anymore, they don't. Even hear the Bible anymore.
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They're too caught up in this world and this.
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Kingdom and not the Kingdom of heaven, you know, I mean, I
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I've. Talked to a lot of guys because
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we have the. Privilege of pastoring pastors
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here. Another reason is they're
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unhappy. With the effect.
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That the ministries had on their family.
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And the stress and pain that they bring home.
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Another one, They're not optimistic.
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About the future. Another one.
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There's always fighting with the elders.
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And they don't want to fight with the elders anymore.
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And some. Churches are set.
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Up that way where? It's just constant.
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Conflict and it's not good. Another reason pastors are
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considering quitting is the churches are studying steadily
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declining. But the reason that really.
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Applies to our Bible study today is.
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A lot of pastors. Want to quit because they don't
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feel respected by their congregants.
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They don't feel taken care of. So today here at Calvary, we as
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of as of today. We have 16 pastors here taking
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care of the needs of the flock that doesn't.
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Include all the lay leaders or. All the different, Sir, but.
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On on our team. God has given us 16.
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Pastors. To serve you the precious flock
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of. Calvary and all the various
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ministries that extend from this.
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Church these. Men, along with their wives and
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families, have answered the call of.
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God to serve this church. Self, sacrificially and we
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appreciate. Them today, we thank them.
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God has called them. To serve here.
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And church, it's important that we support.
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And love and help and. Hold up, our pastors.
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That's a non negotiable and I want to show you a few things.
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That will help you. Turn over now to.
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Hebrews chapter 13 Hebrews chapter. 13 When you get there,
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notice verse seven. It wasn't too long ago in our
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verse by verse study. Of Hebrews that we studied.
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This more in depth. But if.
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By way of reminder, today I just want to remind you verse 7.
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Remember those who? Rule over you who have.
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Spoken the word of God. To you whose faith follow.
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Considering the outcome of their conduct, let me read that to.
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You in the NLT? Remember your leaders who
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taught. You, the word of God.
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Think of all the good that has come from their lives and.
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Follow their example of their faith.
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Turn over to verse 17. Now same chapter, verse 17.
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Obey. Those who rule over you.
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And be submissive. For they watch out for your
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souls as. Those who must give account, let
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them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be
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unprofitable. To you.
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You know in the in Lt. the New Living translation is.
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Translated, obey your spiritual. Leaders and do what they.
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Say their work is to watch over your souls.
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And they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with
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joy and not. With sorrow, that would
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certainly. Not be for your benefit, so
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there are. Those that God has.
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Put in our lives. To rule over us, To teach us.
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To be a covering for us. To teach us the word of God.
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To lead us and help us get back on track where necessary.
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And there it's important to pause here for a second and
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let's just say, make sure that we understand this.
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If there's sin going on with leaders, you don't need to
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submit to sin. There's abuse or nonsense.
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You don't need to submit to that.
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That's not what we're talking about here.
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You know That's the exception, not the rule.
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I know it gets all the attention, but the exception is
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pastors going rogue and making bad decisions.
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What the norm? Is is that you've got.
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Men and women faithfully serving men and their wives Faithfully
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serving you. Certainly not perfect, but
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faithfully serving you. Self.
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Sacrificially that's. The norm and as we.
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Like to say here as I as I like to help.
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You understand? Wherever there is godly.
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Leadership that is being matched.
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With godly submission, that's relationship.
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In the body of Christ. And here in Hebrews, we're
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reminded, hey, remember them, take care of them, encourage
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them. It's going to be good for them,
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but it's also going to be. Good for you.
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God's not requiring blind submission from you.
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He's not requiring. Like like you follow.
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Some heavy-handed lording over you, pastor.
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Not at all. But he is encouraging you.
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To follow. And make it easy.
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For your pastors to serve you. You know when you have.
18:13
A pastor that's following the teachings.
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Of Jesus. Where Jesus.
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Taught us, if anyone. Desires to be first, He should
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be. Last and the servant of all,
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when you have pastors like that, then it's met you.
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And I were to meet them with serving and supporting them
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because God's ordained. That he's put the pastors.
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In our lives. He's put the.
18:32
Pastors in our lives. Turn over to 1st.
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Thessalonians, Now Chapter 5. First Thessalonians Chapter 5.
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Notice with me and Chuck and when you get.
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There go to verse 12. 1st Thessalonians 5, verse 12.
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And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among
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you and are over you. Same mindset.
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As ruling over, they're over. You and the Lord and admonish
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you, and esteem them very highly in love.
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For their work's sake. And here's the best way that you
19:09
can bless your. Pastors.
19:10
Be at peace among yourselves. Yes, yes, yes, yes.
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Yes. Yes.
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Abide in Christ and be. At peace man and.
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It's. It'll make things.
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So much. Easier.
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Here's the NLT New Living. I love it on.
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How they translated it? Dear brothers and sisters,
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honor. Those who are your leaders.
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In the Lord's work, they work hard among you and give you
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spiritual guidance. Show them great.
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Respect and wholehearted love. Because of their work and.
19:39
Live peaceably with each other. It's like Paul.
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'S going? I beg.
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You guys respect your. Leaders honour them, support
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them, esteem them very. Highly express your agape love.
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To them. You know, historically the
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church. Has gone through two different
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extremes when it comes to. Leadership and pastors.
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One is, you know, some churches and ministries will.
20:02
Elevate pastors to the place. Of worship and put them on
20:05
pedestals and make them something that they're not.
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And don't do that. But the other extreme is that
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pastors aren't respected. They're they're not.
20:15
They're not seen for the calling of God upon their.
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Life or the? Hard work that they give.
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To the ministry, they they are slandered and gossiped about and
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and torn down and you know. The the proper path.
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When it comes to pastors is in your worship.
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Of Jesus we need to. Learn to serve and support those
20:35
men God. Has ordained to shepherd our.
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Lives. It reminded me, you know, back
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in the early days back in California when I was serving.
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With Pastor Jeff. I was never on staff there.
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But there was a short. Season in a couple years.
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Where that's all I. Wanted was to be on staff there.
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That's what I thought. My.
20:53
Future was, that's all. I wanted, I thought, Oh my
20:56
goodness, if I just. Worked at a church it would be
20:58
like. Working in heaven it's not.
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But I was where I was at. It's like it was going to be it.
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And so I was. Serving with other pastors.
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You know, and let me just be clear here when we talk about
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discipleship from pastors. Or we talk about A.
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Pastor or mine? I don't want you to get in your
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mind like I hung out with Pastor Jeff all the.
21:17
Time I did not. He had a calling in his life.
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You know what it was? Pray study the Bible.
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And teach me and that's. What he did very faithfully.
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He's like, well, how did you grow in the ministry?
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I came to Bible. Study like you.
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I got my the Bible out on one hand, notes on the other one,
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and I paid attention because if God put that man in my life to
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help me understand the Bible, then I need to allow him to
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teach me the Bible. And so when he taught it to me,
21:42
I received. It.
21:43
Checked it from the word and lived it out.
21:45
So when you look at relationships with pastors, you
21:47
know, because here's the thing. Many pastors.
21:50
Die the death of A. 1000, Unrealistic expectations.
21:55
And we need to be careful not to put these unrealistic
21:58
expectations on pastors. For them to be something that
22:01
they're not. They have a calling in life.
22:05
Listen, you know what they're calling is number 1 to?
22:07
Love their wives. They need to be faithful and
22:10
loving their wives #2 they. Need to raise their kids.
22:13
In the ways of the. Lord.
22:15
And then thirdly, through the expression of their home,
22:18
they're to come and be among. Us serving us self
22:21
sacrificially. And I can say over the years
22:24
I've watched many pastors come through here and generally we've
22:27
had exceptionally good men serving our.
22:30
Church over the years. We now right now have an amazing
22:34
team that God is assembling for what he wants to do in the
22:37
future, that the men that are serving right now as pastors in
22:40
this church, they are loving their wives, ministering their
22:42
kids and serving here self. Sacrificially, however, if.
22:46
You come to them. Well, I need to be their best
22:48
friend. You're going to be.
22:49
You got to. Let the Lord.
22:50
Do that kind of stuff, you know that don't know who your best
22:53
friend's going to be. We don't know who what God has
22:56
in store for you. But if you start.
22:58
Lopping on unrealistic, unrealistic, unrealistic
23:03
expectations on your pastors. You will be frustrated because.
23:09
That's not God's heart. For you, God's heart for you is
23:12
to. Serve your pastors and support
23:14
them. That's what God's heart.
23:16
Is, and it reminded me back in California.
23:18
When I all I. Wanted to do.
23:19
Was be on staff and so some of the other pastors.
23:22
Were telling me. Hey Ed, your name came up in
23:24
staff meeting today. Really.
23:25
What do you say? What do you say?
23:27
Is it time? Is it time?
23:28
No, we were just talking about something.
23:31
And your name came up Oh well, next.
23:33
Time it and it was that type of thing until.
23:35
God. Completely delivered me from
23:37
that. However, he took that thought
23:40
away that prideful. Oh, if they.
23:42
Mentioned my name. Somehow he took it away from me.
23:45
And you know what? He.
23:45
Replaced it with. He replaced it with this
23:48
thought. As I approach my pastor.
23:50
I I thought. If my name ever comes.
23:52
Up in a staff meeting, I don't want it to be negative and he I
23:57
want him when he. When he thinks of me or my name
24:01
comes up in a ministry I'm overseeing or something, that
24:04
I'm being expected to do that when my name comes up, I am one
24:08
less person, my pastor. Needs to worry about.
24:12
That he knows if he gave me something, it is done the way he
24:15
wants it done when he wants it done.
24:18
And he doesn't need to worry about me.
24:19
He's got enough things in his life.
24:21
He doesn't need to worry about me.
24:23
He doesn't need to worry about what I'm responsible for.
24:26
Because my heart. Is to be faithful because God.
24:29
Called me in that church. To make his life easier.
24:32
So that he could be faithful to do what God?
24:34
Has called him to do. It is work church.
24:37
You notice those words in First Thessalonians?
24:39
It is work. Notice in verse 12.
24:42
He uses the word labour. And then in verse 13 he.
24:45
Uses the word work work sake. Ministry is work.
24:50
It is. Hard work the word.
24:54
Labour means to work into fatigue, to be worn out and many
24:59
a day. A pastor will leave.
25:01
The building here or leave a memorial service or leave
25:04
something. Some hospital visit weary, as if
25:08
they had manual labour. Exhausted, pouring into the
25:13
lives it is. It is.
25:15
Work to beg. You not to divorce?
25:19
It is work to beg. You to get your eyes on the Lord
25:22
it is. Work to beg you to.
25:23
Stop with all these unrealistic expectations.
25:26
Get your eyes back on the Lord. Serve him.
25:28
It's not about you and what you want.
25:30
It's. Work it's work to study.
25:33
And wrestle with the text and. Pray over it.
25:36
It's work. And so because of that, we honor
25:39
our. Pastors to wreck it.
25:40
Because, you know, you're like. Well, you walk into a.
25:42
Church like this and go What do you do all?
25:44
Week, man. 45 minutes a couple of times a.
25:47
Week. That's a good gig.
25:48
You know, I think I'd like that. And it also reminded me in a in
25:53
the. Sanctuary back in California,
25:55
that's. My in those.
25:56
Early days I'd. Sit in the back and I'm
25:58
wondering, you know, I think. I could do that, I think.
26:01
I could do that. Talk for 50 minutes.
26:03
I can talk for 50 minutes. Not really understanding.
26:07
What it took? For a man to stand in the.
26:09
Pulpit. There's a lot.
26:11
That goes into it a lot. Ministries work.
26:15
We're not around. You know, we're not gathering
26:17
together playing video games and pickleball.
26:20
And you know, it's like we do get away for some fun, but.
26:23
It's work. It's work we.
26:26
Recognize and love and esteem. Those because of their lives.
26:31
And the effort that they place into their lives and the hard
26:34
work that goes into it, we have our part.
26:39
We need to consider an agape Love how we can make it easier
26:42
for our pastors, not harder. How we treat the leaders, How we
26:46
treat the pastors. How we treat fellow believers.
26:50
Let me show you an example of this.
26:52
Again, it's very personal. Turn over to Exodus chapter 17,
26:57
Exodus chapter 17. This is one of the.
27:01
Passages of Scripture that. I've internalized over the years
27:05
as it relates to my pastor and I can say all the way to the end,
27:09
you know, I was. Pat I was texting as he was
27:12
battling through. Cancer.
27:13
I was texting him and his wife Karen all throughout the
27:17
treatments and things going on, staying in touch with them.
27:20
Even been back to California a few times in the last.
27:23
Five years to teach. At Calvary Downey and to support
27:26
and and to. Be out to serve him and serve
27:29
alongside of him, which is a great privilege and and it's
27:31
amazing. Just the things that God.
27:33
Allows you to be a. Part of when you are seeking to
27:36
help and seeking to serve. So this recent.
27:40
Bout just up to February. 13th I was.
27:43
Texting them almost every day saying praying for you.
27:46
Scriptures Whatever the Lord. Put on my heart.
27:49
On one of the texts and I forget.
27:50
What day it was exactly. But one of the texts.
27:53
He was in the ICU. He was on a ventilator and he
27:57
was battling his final sickness. Pastor Jeff was And the response
28:01
to the. Text was.
28:03
Hey, do you want to pray with him right now?
28:04
And I'm like. Sure, so boom, I called right
28:06
away, not wanting to intrude. They invite me into their.
28:09
Lives I get to pray. I get.
28:11
To pray for pastor. Jeff on speakerphone right
28:14
there, because he had been the day I prayed with him, he was
28:16
off the ventilator and he was just.
28:18
Recovering, we were very. Hopeful that he.
28:19
Was going to get out of the hospital and so we prayed and
28:22
said Amen, I say. Pastor Jeff, I just want to
28:24
know. I just want you to know I love
28:26
you. And he could barely talk.
28:28
You know and he. Goes I love you.
28:29
Too. That was the last thing he said
28:30
to me and it reminded me because.
28:34
When my son. Collapsed 11 years ago on a
28:38
Saturday morning. Before we before he collapsed.
28:42
That morning, I felt this burden.
28:44
To send a text to him and I didn't send it as a group text,
28:48
I sent it individually so I woke.
28:50
Up in the morning. And I sent a text to my son.
28:52
I love you. And then I started over.
28:56
And I sent a text to his former. Wife, I love you.
28:59
And then I sent a text to my grandson.
29:01
Who was only three months? Old so he shouldn't have a
29:03
phone. By then but I also.
29:05
Texted him. I love you.
29:07
And those were the last. Words, you know.
29:09
Visibly. I guess so.
29:10
We didn't have Audibly. But visibly we were able to
29:13
share. With my son.
29:14
Before he passed away. You see, it's very important
29:16
that you. Posture yourself.
29:19
You. Posture yourself in positions.
29:21
Where God could give you those gifts.
29:24
Because you don't know. You don't know what's going to
29:26
happen. It's so different from the.
29:29
Take, take, take. Mindset, but when God really.
29:32
Flips that. Switch in your heart to.
29:33
Give give give give you. Just.
29:36
Don't know when and how God's going to use you.
29:39
And you have to have a real love for your pastor and his family,
29:44
the men that God. Has called to serve you here
29:46
this. Is not like a business
29:47
transaction here. This is we're dealing with the
29:49
souls. Of men and women here.
29:52
It's very. Relational and here you'll see
29:56
in. Exodus 17 It's like a battle and
30:01
we need your help. Notice verse 8.
30:03
Now Amalek came and fought. With Israel with ref.
30:05
Adam and Moses. Said to Joshua Choose.
30:08
Us some men and go. Out fight.
30:10
With Amalek tomorrow, I'll stand on the top of the hill with the
30:13
rod of God in my hand. So Joshua did as Moses said to
30:17
him and fought with Amalek. Moses, Aaron, and her they went
30:22
up to. The top of the hill.
30:23
And so it was when Moses held up his hand.
30:26
That Israel prevailed. And when they let down his hand,
30:30
Amalek prevailed, but Moses hands became very.
30:33
Heavy. So they took a.
30:35
Stone and put it under him and sat on it and Aaron and her
30:39
supported his hands one-on-one side and the other on the other
30:42
side and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
30:46
So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the.
30:50
Edge of the sword. This is a real battle, Children
30:53
of Israel coming out Moses. God's leader.
30:56
God's. Appointed leader has the support
30:58
that he needs. Through Joshua, through Aaron,
31:01
through her, and there's a. Battle a real battle.
31:04
Going on and we see in the in in this, in this true story that
31:08
Moses said I'm going to go up on the hill and I'm going to lift
31:11
my hands on the rod and and really.
31:13
It's a place of. Prayer and surrender and
31:16
whenever. And then all of a sudden you
31:17
notice when his hands were up, there was victory in the valley.
31:21
But because his hands, if you ever try to keep your hands up
31:23
like this, you can't do it for very long.
31:25
And it starts becoming heavy and heavy and heavy.
31:28
Aaron and her. Were up there.
31:29
And they weren't up there to goof off and mess around.
31:32
They were there to take care of Moses.
31:34
And it's obvious here that they were paying attention because
31:36
they noticed it too. Hands up, Victory.
31:39
Hands down. Defeat.
31:41
And the brothers getting tired and So what?
31:44
Do they? Do they find a rock?
31:45
Without being asked. They find a rock, they sit Moses
31:49
down and they literally help him hold his hands up.
31:52
They support him. And I use this illustration.
31:55
A lot when it comes. To the men here as we serve one.
31:58
Another and now to you that it's important.
32:01
That you take the role. Within the Church of lifting up
32:06
the arms of your pastors, supporting them, holding them
32:11
up. Why?
32:12
Because when they're strong, victory.
32:14
Comes when they're weak defeat and we all pay the.
32:19
Price. Of defeat in a church and we
32:21
all. Celebrate the victory, that's
32:23
how. It is in a church family.
32:25
I also use this illustration. That because you kind of get the
32:30
illustration. I doubt that.
32:31
They stood here on Moses, hands holding it up.
32:33
I'm sure they got down under him and held him up like this.
32:36
Right up under his armpits. Which probably was pretty nasty
32:40
in the hot desert because it's not a it's not an easy thing to
32:43
do. But one thing they didn't do is
32:47
they didn't hang on his arms and make it harder for an already
32:51
weary man. And if you just have that
32:54
illustration that your role and my role is to hold up the arms
32:58
of our. Pastors.
32:59
Not hang on them. And make it harder for them.
33:04
Today I want to remind you from God.
33:05
'S word how important it is to support and help and serve
33:09
alongside the pastors that God has given to us.
33:13
I thank God for the many. Pastors I've served with.
33:16
I thank God for the many. Pastors I get to.
33:18
Serve with today, I thank. God for their wives.
33:21
And their families. Living out the calling.
33:23
Of the Holy Spirit together without.
33:25
Murmuring and complaining. I thank God that we can consider
33:29
the outcome of their conduct and follow them an example.
33:32
I thank God that. He would help them grow and
33:36
grace, you know, I think of one of the pressures that pastors
33:40
have to. Deal with is is this.
33:42
Phrase and I don't like. It.
33:44
And I'm grateful over the years we've minimized it here, But if
33:47
we can eliminate. It it would be great.
33:49
And that's the idea of. The pressure of their kids.
33:51
And you know them commonly as. Pastors, Kids, or PKS?
33:56
I hate that. Phrase They're not.
33:57
Pastors. Kids or P kids?
33:59
PKS They're kids. That's it.
34:02
They're just kids. So when the kids might be
34:04
running around or doing something and they get in
34:06
trouble or something, oh, you know.
34:08
That's the pastor's kid, no? It's a kid getting in trouble,
34:11
that's all. It's just the kid.
34:13
We don't, they don't need any more pressure on them of already
34:16
a pressure filled life. You know you're a pastor.
34:19
'S kid you. You should behave better.
34:21
Look, man, like, should we watch you and your kids?
34:24
Like, come on now. We all have kids.
34:26
We don't put any extra pressure on the.
34:28
Pastor's Kids. Kids.
34:29
Stumble and fall and they get in trouble.
34:32
They make difficult decisions. And you know what we do?
34:35
We love them. That's what we do in Agape.
34:37
We take care of them. And you know, I've raised my
34:39
kids in this church. We spent a few years in
34:42
California and Eddie had a few years in California and Josh had
34:45
a few. Years, but we raised.
34:47
Them here in this. Church.
34:49
This is where they. Grew up, and for the most part,
34:51
this church has been. Very gracious to our kids.
34:55
But we need to make decisions based upon supporting our not
34:59
putting all these expectations on them, but loving them and
35:03
serving alongside of them. That when you're reading like a
35:06
a thing in the Kinect or something, and you're like, we
35:08
need help, that's an invitation. Come serve.
35:11
Don't look for prominence. Don't think, you know.
35:13
Look at me just. Serve the Lord.
35:15
He'll take care of all that. He'll take care of all your
35:18
heart's desires if your heart's. Desire is him, but if it's
35:24
something else, you're just always going to be frustrated
35:26
and difficult and challenging and really, that's not the
35:29
God's. Will for your life.
35:32
I want to remind you. That your pastors are God's gift
35:36
to you. And he's using them in your life
35:40
and I'm grateful for my. Pastor he God chose.
35:42
Him for me, I didn't didn't even know about church, plant hopping
35:45
or any. I didn't even know I didn't even
35:47
care about church when I walked into one.
35:49
I could care less. I didn't.
35:51
Care about God, the Bible. I didn't care about anybody,
35:54
didn't even care much about myself.
35:56
But you know, even in that condition, God cared for me and
36:00
he put people in my life to invite.
36:02
Me to the right place. And this little family of.
36:05
Churches Calvary Chapel was perfect.
36:06
For me for just the. Loser life that I was.
36:10
Living and just the lostness. That I was.
36:14
It was a church. Where you go, anybody's welcome,
36:17
even someone like. You Ed there's hope.
36:19
For Someone Like You, someone that's thrown your life away by
36:22
the time you're 23, someone who has hurt pretty much everyone
36:27
that's ever come in your life, you know there's hope.
36:29
For you, Ed. And I got.
36:30
A little gathering of people. That aren't going to be paying
36:33
attention to all the outward stuff.
36:34
They're just going to give you the word of God.
36:37
And the word of God is effectual.
36:39
I mean, I've sat under the systematic teaching of the word
36:42
of God with my pastor in the 8. Years I was at.
36:45
At church. And then?
36:46
And then I listened to him. At least weekly, but.
36:49
You know this year almost daily still receiving from my.
36:53
Pastor, Pastor Chuck. Smith and so many.
36:55
Others that God has. Put in our lives.
36:58
So I'm grateful. I learned a lot.
37:00
I'm learning a lot, and I believe that God wants us to
37:03
learn how to serve and love our pastors even better now.
37:09
In closing today. We came, I I found out that
37:13
there was a final video that Pastor Jeff made before he
37:18
passed away, and it's his final words.
37:21
You know when you his final. Recorded words as a pastor he
37:26
was. Exhorting some pastors at a
37:28
conference and it's. Just a quick little clip.
37:30
So I want to share with you some of the final exhortations that
37:34
come from my. Pastor to us.
37:37
Although he didn't speak them. Directly to us we receive.
37:40
Them that way so. Let's queue up that video.
37:45
Without faith, it's impossible to please him.
37:49
So we walk by faith, not by sight.
37:52
It's a faith walk that is trusting in the Lord and His
37:57
wisdom and not in your own. It's a it's a committing of
38:02
whatever you feel that the Lord's laid on your heart to him
38:08
and then go for it. We must step out in faith or
38:13
you. You don't go anywhere.
38:15
You you won't do anything. Faith is comes by hearing and
38:20
that of the word of God. So we would need to be sitting
38:23
at God's word and and just respond as God would have us
38:27
respond according to the word. And you're checking yourself and
38:31
you're making sure that you know this is, this is according to
38:35
what God wants me to do. So you do it and you take that
38:38
step and he blesses every time. I mean, it's amazing.
38:42
And even when you're kind of in doubt, if you'll just trust him
38:46
with it, he'll bring it to pass. In other words, he'll change it
38:51
to the place of of making you see really, you know, clearly
38:58
what he wants you to do. So it's it's something that as a
39:02
believer, it comes with years of following him and walking with
39:08
him. Great picture.
39:33
Would you stand together? I have some of the pastors.
39:35
Up here. At the front of the stage and I
39:38
want to invite you if invite you if you'd like to come up and lay
39:42
hands on them, we're going to pray for them.
39:44
So you want to come up just? Get out of your chair.
39:46
Come on. Up you have the freedom.
39:48
I'm encouraging you to do it. So if you have, you wash your
39:51
hands. Come on up.
39:52
I want you to. We're going to pray for our.
39:54
Pastors, they're all up here. We'll make room, come on up, And
39:58
if you can't get to a pastor, you lay hands on the person in
40:00
front of you. And so just keep.
40:03
Coming. Keep coming.
40:04
Keep coming. And then I'm going to pray
40:06
everyone else that isn't coming you can lay your hands like like
40:09
we. Did with.
40:10
Family dedication this morning. And we're going to pray for some
40:13
These aren't all our. Pastors, because they're all
40:15
different places. Different responsibilities, but
40:17
they're here. Right now and so let's.
40:20
Just join together and pray for them.
40:22
Lord we. Thank you for the men that
40:23
you've given us here in this fellowship to serve us to.
40:27
Lay their lives down. We pray in relation to their
40:30
wives and their children and all of the sacrifices and things
40:34
that we don't. Know and we don't see.
40:36
And we never will, because they're made to you, Lord, by
40:39
extension, God. We pray for all the lay leaders
40:41
and the men and women that serve in various ways, again, very.
40:45
Self sacrificially because they love you.
40:48
And they love this church. Protect them.
40:50
God keep them from sin and compromise Keep them from a time
40:54
like. Where we will be.
40:55
Able to say like my pastor, I finished my race well, I made it
40:59
through the finish line and I'm in the presence I served until
41:02
I'm in the presence of you. Jesus.
41:05
So. Bless your church.
41:06
Today in Jesus name. Amen.
41:10
We pray that you've been encouraged by this Bible study
41:12
delivered live from the sanctuary of Calvary Church.
41:15
For prayer, call us at 87730 Grace.
41:20
That's 877-304-7223. To listen to this message in its
41:26
entirety or to join us for our live stream services, visit us
41:31
online at Calvary, Co dot Church or download our free Calvary
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Church app. Be blessed as you Worship Jesus
41:38
this week.