What You Should Demand of Your Pastor
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
When choosing your pastor, do not demand …
I. Eloquence or Salesmanship — Demand a Man Who Boldly Preaches the Whole Counsel of God (v. 1)
I. Eloquence or Salesmanship — Demand a Man Who Boldly Preaches the Whole Counsel of God (v. 1)
A. Eloquence
Eloquent means forceful, moving, fluent.
In other words, I didn’t come to you as a great communicator.
In the passage we studied last week, Paul explained to the Corinthians how worldly wisdom contrasted with the wisdom of God. He ended with encouraging them to boast only in the Lord and continues by giving his own life and preaching as an example saying, “And so it was with me!”
In other words, Paul is saying, “My preaching is nothing to boast about in terms of form, but I do boast in its content, the stupid, offensive, powerless cross of Christ.
Now, is there anything wrong with a pastor who is a good communicator?
No, but if good communication is the primary focus it will always result in poor preaching.
When people tell others about their pastor, whether they like him or not, what is often their central focus?
He’s a good story teller, OR he’s not a good story teller
He’s engaging, OR he’s not engaging
He’s relatable, OR he’s not relatable
Almost every time someone tells me about their pastor, these are some of the first things I hear.
All of those things are great. I would desire for all pastors to be good story tellers, and to be engaging, and to be relatable, but here is the first thing I hope you always say:
Let me tell you about my pastor. Every Sunday, no matter what, he preaches the Word of God.
But a pastor isn’t just called to preach the Word of God, he is called to preach the full counsel of God’s Word.
B. Salesmanship
The phrase whole counsel or whole will or whole purpose comes out of Acts 20:27
27 “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.
Do you remember this account?
Paul has spent major time in Ephesus doing what he always did. He went to the synagogues to tell the Jews about Jesus, and when they rejected the message he preached, he went to the Gentiles.
Acts 19 tells us that Paul’s ministry had great effectiveness:
20 So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.
But there were some silversmiths in Ephesus who weren’t too pleased with Paul because he was bad for business. The more Paul preached and people turned to Jesus, the less idols they sold, so they started a riot in the city.
After all the opposition, Paul tells the elders in Ephesus that he did not shy away from proclaiming the whole counsel of God, which can be summed up in Acts 20:20-21:
20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, you might be thinking to yourself that the simple theme of repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ are commonplace in American pulpits. Unfortunately, that is largely not the case.
There are too many pastors who have become salesmen instead of heralds.
Salesmen are more concerned about doing and saying anything to turn a profit.
In the movie Flywheel, Jay is a dishonest used car salesman.
Around the dinner table one night, his wife asked him if he sold any cars.
Jay says, “One.”
“Which one,” his wife asks.
“The black ‘88 Honda.”
“The one that was wrecked? How much”
“Six”
“Six thousand?! You said that car wasn’t worth three, Jay.”
“Well it was worth six thousand to the buyer.”
“Did the buyer know it was wrecked? You didn’t tell him, did you?”
In order to sell a car, Jay left out key pieces of information that might have turned the buyer away.
There are a lot of pastors who do the same thing. They are more concerned with attendance on Sunday, or the amount of giving, and so they omit key pieces of information in Scripture in order to make it more palatable.
The whole counsel of God includes repentance toward God. If you need to repent, it means your a *shocker* sinner!
The whole counsel of God includes faith in Jesus Christ, which means more than just “believing” that Jesus Christ exists, it means living a life that evidences that fact.
Paul didn’t come with eloquence and he didn’t come to fill a seat or make a checkmark on his converts list. Paul came to proclaim the testimony of God.
C. Preaching
Proclaiming means preaching. It literally has the meaning of one who heralds.
Now if you think about a herald who was sent to deliver a message on behalf of a king, but he changed that message because it sounded better to him, what do you think would happen to the herald?
Preaching is the most important ministry in the church.
Why?
Because the preached Word of God is the Word of God, and God thinks its very important that His Word is heralded because it pertains to “all manners of life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).
Preaching gets a bad rap in our society today.
Just in case you think you’re the only one who struggles with preaching, let me read you what Anthony Trollope had to say about preaching in his book Barchester Towers in 1857:
“There is perhaps no greater hardship inflicted on mankind in civilized and free countries than the necessity of listening to sermons.”
I had no idea what I do week after week was so hazardous!
Preaching is vital, but don’t just take my word for it, here’s what Jesus had to say about it:
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
Preaching is the primary method God uses in His church to equip, meaning to prepare (you!) for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.
Well that’s Paul not Jesus.
Well, it’s Jesus’ speaking through His Word, but okay you win. Here’s what Jesus said when he sent the seventy out saying, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”
16 “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
You want to change the world? It starts with a preacher who proclaims the whole counsel of God.
Not because of the preacher as a man, but because of the message the preacher proclaims. Preaching is, “Thus saith the Lord!” that the cross, the cross the world thinks is stupid, offensive, and powerless, has the ability to change hearts and minds. And when a church hears the Word of God, receives the Word of God, believes the Word of God, and puts the Word of God into practice, the world can’t help but feel that effect.
When you choose your pastor, don’t demand eloquence or salesmanship. Demand that they are a man who boldly proclaims the whole counsel of God.
When choosing your pastor, do not demand …
II. Intelligence or Personal Agendas — Demand a Man Who Determines to Make Jesus Christ Central (v. 2)
II. Intelligence or Personal Agendas — Demand a Man Who Determines to Make Jesus Christ Central (v. 2)
A. Intelligence
Intelligence should not be your primary concern when choosing a pastor.
Paul says, “We preach Christ crucified!” That’s the gospel, the good news that proclaims the world is full of sinful people in need of a Savior and Jesus Christ came, died, and rose again to accomplish that purpose because He loves you.
Paul was a smart guy!
He studied under some of the most learned teachers in Jewish thinking. He studied under some of the most learned teachers in Roman rhetoric. He was an intelligent man.
Peter, a disciple who walked with Jesus, says this of Paul in 2 Peter 3:
16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Peter says, “Hey I walked with Jesus and it’s even hard for me to understand some of the concepts Paul addresses.
Paul is able to take that intelligence and set it aside for the benefit of the gospel.
There are pastors who flaunt their intellect, and people often walk away thinking, “Well, I have no idea what he said or where he got that, but he’s smart so it must be true.”
Whether or not someone is, by your standards, intelligent does not matter. What matters is can you come to church, listen to the pastor, and see exactly where he gets his information. Can you open up your Bible and see what is being preached in black and white?
A pastor should never let their intelligence hinder the simplicity of the gospel message.
B. Agendas
Personal agendas should not be your primary concern when choosing a pastor.
Would it shock you to learn that I am a very opinionated person?
It turns out that everyone has an opinion on just about everything. I mean think about some of the things that people might place on a pedestal above hearing Jesus Christ preached.
The timing of the rapture
How to grow a church
Politics
Does this mean a pastor should never talk about these things?
The Word of God pertains to all matters of life and godliness.
But some pastors take a personal agenda and weave it into every message.
And some people look for a pastor not with the gospel in mind, but with their agendas in mind.
All the things I just mentioned are important, but did you know the world comes with its own agendas?
The world comes with agendas about:
Creation
Gender
Marriage
Divorce
I have an agenda that I aim to weave in every message — it’s that the world is full of sinners, that Jesus Christ loves and died for sinners, and every person needs to repent and turn to Christ for salvation.
C. Get Out of the Way
There is a story of a little girl who attended the same church week after week. One week a guest speaker came to speak, who just happened to be smaller than the pastor. As the little girl sat there listening, she realized for the first time she was able to see the stained glass window of Jesus behind the pulpit.
So she turned to her parents and asked, “Where’s the man who usually stands there so we can’t see Jesus?”
I have personal opinions. I preach from places of conviction. Other pastors have personal opinions. Other pastors preach from places of conviction.
But if that personal opinion or that place of conviction ever gets in the way of allowing others to see Jesus, there’s a problem.
When you choose your pastor, don’t demand intelligence or agendas. Demand a man who makes Jesus Christ central.
When choosing your pastor, do not demand …
III. Confidence or Capability — Demand a Man Who Relies Upon the Holy Spirit (vv. 3-4)
III. Confidence or Capability — Demand a Man Who Relies Upon the Holy Spirit (vv. 3-4)
A. Confidence
If there was someone in Scripture who you thought fit the definition of “confident,” it’s likely the apostle Paul would be at the top of your list.
But Paul says he came in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
What does that mean?
It means exactly what it says. Paul is being vulnerable with the Corinthians and saying, “When I came here, I was fearful and scared and weak.”
Some people think this refers to the “thorn in the flesh” that Paul speaks of in 2 Corinthians 12:7.
Some people think this refers to the overwhelming nature of the task Paul was called to.
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; 14 and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.
Some people think Paul was fearful because of the persecution and opposition he had faced.
I mean think about some of the things Paul went through.
Everywhere Paul went where did he go first? To the Jews! And every time what happened? They ran him out of the synagogues.
Everywhere Paul went there were threats on his life, or he was beaten, or he was stoned, or he was run out of town.
Everywhere Paul went there was intense opposition to his presence because of the message he heralded.
If you faced that on a daily basis, you would be scared too!
But look at what God spoke to Paul when he got to Corinth:
9 And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; 10 for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”
And what happened?
The book of Acts tells us that Paul settled there for a year-and-a-half, laboring to grow and disciple a community of believers.
Paul may have been weak, and fearful, and trembling, but the God he served, and the Word he preached, gave him the confidence to keep going.
But can I just tell you these attitudes never left Paul?
B. Capability
Every pastor should fill this position in weakness, and fear, and trembling, because there is no pastor who is capable of filling this role on their own.
Weakness is, whether or not you see it, is an attitude of the heart. It’s a pastor’s recognition that their physical, mental, and emotional capacities are wholly inadequate to fulfill their call without a complete reliance on the Holy Spirit.
Fear is a healthy fear of the One whom a pastor heralds on behalf of.
16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
For a pastor it is not merely their salvation which is at stake, but the salvation of all those who God has entrusted into his care. A pastor must never forget Whom he is answerable to.
Trembling is the sum of both weakness and fear. It’s when a pastor recognizes self-reliance will not only destroy himself, but his family, his friends, and the flock God has entrusted to him.
Paul was able to continue ministering in Corinth and all around the world, not because of his capability, but because of the capability of the One who sent Him.
Now, I want to talk about this because this is near and dear to my heart.
My dad now pastors a church that is very different from this one.
My family is blessed to serve a church community that is very supportive and encouraging of our ministry. Don’t ever stop being that way.
My dad on the other hand serves a very broken church who is more prone to criticize than encourage, specifically when it comes to preaching.
All the time he hears, typically indirectly because people are rarely bold enough to voice their criticisms directly, that he repeats himself too much.
You know what I see all throughout the Bible? Repetition. You know why? Because there’s a lot of thing that God thinks are really important, and if they aren’t repeated people will ignore them or forget them. And instead of thinking, “What’s so important about what he keeps repeating?” people complain.
Why do I bring that up?
Because did you know that every godly pastor I know goes home discouraged Sunday afternoon?
Every pastor goes home thinking:
I could have said that better.
I could have phrased that differently.
People weren’t as responsive as I had hoped.
People were getting restless, maybe my message should’ve been shorter.
That would have been a better analogy.
I wonder why this family or this person hasn’t been at church in a few weeks, was it something I said?
A pastor is their own worst critic. There is no criticism someone can levy against a pastor’s preaching that they haven’t thought of themselves.
Every godly pastor I know is constantly reminded of their own weaknesses and shortcomings in filling this position. They do not need you to help point them out.
Build your pastor up, not because they fit your definition of what confidence or capability looks like, but because you see evidence in their life of dependence upon God.
How do you know if they rely on the Holy Spirit?
C. Relying on the Holy Spirit
You can know if your pastor relies on themselves or the Holy Spirit by examining their prayer life.
All throughout Paul’s letters, we see evidence of a praying man.
When Paul writes to a body of believers or another leader, he reminds them not only of his own constant prayers for them, but urges them to do the same.
Why?
Because prayer is direct communication with God that says, “I’m not confident. I’m not capable. I need You to step in and work, because I can’t do it on my own.”
D. The Spirit, that is Power
The power of the cross is not seen through:
The strength of the preacher
The confidence of the preacher
The capability of the preacher
The power of the cross is seen in:
People who don’t know Jesus, but upon hearing God’s Word proclaimed, give their lives to Jesus.
People who do know Jesus, but upon hearing God’s Word proclaimed, reorient and rededicate their lives to live for Jesus.
People who do know Jesus, but upon hearing God’s Word proclaimed, witness and testify to others that they may hear and believe the Good News too.
Paul says, “The evidence is not in me. The evidence is what the Holy Spirit is doing in the lives of those who hear and believe this message.”
When you choose your pastor, don’t demand confidence or capability. You will always be disappointed. Demand a man who recognizes his dependence upon the Holy Spirit’s work.
When choosing your pastor, do not demand …
IV. Entertainment or Personality — Demand a Man Who Tends, Challenges, and Strengthens Your Faith in Jesus Christ (v. 5)
IV. Entertainment or Personality — Demand a Man Who Tends, Challenges, and Strengthens Your Faith in Jesus Christ (v. 5)
A. Entertainment or Personality
Everyone has opinions about what a pastor should look like, sound like, be like.
People have opinions about how a pastor should dress.
Suit and tie, jeans and a t-shirt, robe and a clerical collar
People have opinions about how a pastor should sound.
He should be engaging, he should be outspoken, he should be quiet, he should be more empathetic, he should be less assertive.
What was Paul like as a preacher?
6 We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days. 7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. 9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” 11 When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left.
People have opinions about how much of a pastor’s time and energy they should receive.
No matter what, no pastor will fit every single person’s preconception of what a pastor should look like.
God has called various men with various backgrounds and various personalities to be His heralds. There is no cookie-cutter pastor.
So what did Paul do?
With the Corinthians, because they were so enamored with eloquent speaking and powerful delivery, Paul intentionally limited his rhetorical skills.
He did this because when people began to see the life transforming work of the Holy Spirit, they wouldn’t put their faith and trust in Paul, they would put their faith and trust in the God who was able to use a broken, weak, boring, faithful vessel to get His work done.
Men will always fail you, disappoint you, or let you down. The power of God will not.
Instead of expecting your pastor to check off all the little boxes that fit your desire of how he should be, ask yourself this one question:
Does my pastor seek to tend, challenge, and strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ?
When you choose your pastor, don’t demand entertainment or personality. Demand he shepherds and feeds you, not according to your standards, but according to God’s standards.