Instructions from a Father
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Intro:
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me.
Today as we gather to honor Pastor J.R. Tucker, each person here is a representation of the influence Pastor Tucker had on the lives of so many people.
I am deeply humbled and honored to share in the celebration of his life. While there will be tears shed, this is a day of rejoicing. Pastor is in the place he preached about, sang about, and prayed about.
I would like to speak from the thought of, [Instructions from a Father].
As I think of Pastor Tucker, the word that comes to my mind is father. He was a father who stood out among ten thousand instructors. He had integrity and a reputation that was worthy of imitating.
If we were to read every letter Paul wrote in the New Testament, we would see a man who was open, honest, and intentional in his instructions.
Why would Paul take time to minister, teach, and train people who were often a disappointment, who often ignored his advice, and who did not always listen? What kept Paul dedicated to the churches and people he led?
Paul was not an instructor, he was a father. He never married, he never had children, and he never adopted, but he was a spiritual father to many people in many different places.
Had he been a mere instructor, he would have taught and trained, but the moment the church failed, he would have mored onto someone else.
But as a father, he stayed with them, weathered many storms, enjoyed many moments of celebration, and stayed faithful to the task of fulfilling his assignment on earth.
As I think of Pastor Tucker, the word that comes to my mind is father. He was a father who stood out among ten thousand instructors. He had integrity and a reputation that was worthy of imitating.
I first met Pastor in September 2000. Our family was looking for a church to attend and we decided to try out Harvest Life. My grandmother and I went on Saturday to see if anyone was at the church to give us service times.
By coincidence Pastor was standing outside and he informed us, Sunday School begins promptly at 9:30 and Service follows at 10:30.
The next morning we came, the next week we came again, and on the third Sunday morning, Mom and Dad told us, “we like the church, if we get to visit with the pastor this morning, we will make this our home church.”
I prayed the entire time during Kid’s Church, asking God that mom and dad would meet Pastor Tucker. After Kid’s Church we went to the sanctuary and I was so happy to hear Pastor Tucker say, “I have noticed you the past two Sundays, I wanted to come and welcome you to our church.”
From that point forward, our family was like so many families who was fortunate to sit under his leadership. During my childhood and early teens, I listened with others, the instructions from our pastor.
He preached with authority, allowed the Holy Spirit to have his way, and he taught Sunday School with conviction, especially on matters of Creationism!
But my life changed when I was fifteen, it was then Pastor took me under his wing and I began to learn from a father. Sure he instructed me, but when I messed up or failed, he didn’t quit encouraging me.
When Pastor Isaac called with the news of Pastor transition to heaven, I began to think of some of the instructions he gave me, ones that stick with me to this day.
I learned how to place a handkerchief in a suit coat the right way.
I learned the importance of having my shoes shined before I go to the pulpit.
I learned it is better to underline or highlight my bible with a red pencil so it will not bleed through the page and make it harder to study.
I also learned to have these red pencils scattered everywhere so they are always readily accessible
I learned to how to properly conduct a “song service” knowing how to lead the piano player and not the other way around.
I learned to get nice furniture. He told me, “Daniel, one day you will get married, she will not want to move into the house if you have poor quality furniture. Get something nice, made of good quality.
I then learned future spouses have differing opinions of nice, I mean who knew that all the nice furniture needed to match and follow a similar color scheme?
I learned to always leave a good tip at a restaurant, even if the service is poor and even if you have to inform them of the said poor service.
I learned the value of a good study bible, one made of genuine leather, with a good concordance, and many notes.
These lessons began when I was fifteen. I went to Pastor and asked, could I meet with you this week. He said sure, give me a call at 623-2765. I replied, can I get something to write that down.
He answered, use your brain and memorize that son. (to this day I have hundreds of phone numbers committed to memory, so I will not waste offering envelopes writing down people’s numbers.
When I sat in his office, I told him, Pastor, I feel called to ministry and I do not know what to do. Immediately he answered, get a good study bible, with a good concordance, and many notes.
I learned the value of a good study bible, one made of genuine leather, with a good concordance, and many notes.
And learn to speak correct grammar. He told me, there may be doctors, lawyers, school teachers, or other educated people who will not tolerate poor grammar.
From then on, I developed a relationship with a spiritual father. Of all the instructions I received, I have yet to mention the most important one.
In all that Pastor Tucker taught, here was his main instruction: depend on the anointing. For nearly seven decades of ministry, Pastor depended on the anointing.
He explained and exemplified what it means to be anointed. To be anointed is to be set apart by God for His purpose. The anointing is more than a feeling, it is our identity.
We are saved, filled with His Spirit, set apart, therefore, our lives denote an individual who is anointed. I want to look at three areas where Pastor exemplified what it means to be anointed, we will see, [His Anointed Life], [His Anointed Leadership], and [His Anointed Legacy].
Because of this, I want to see three things, [His Anointed Life], [His Anointed Leadership], and [His Anointed Legacy].
Let’s begin.
1. His Anointed Life
1. His Anointed Life
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
Though Pastor was raised in a pastor’s home, he understood his parents relationship with the Lord did not guarantee he would one day go to heaven.
He made a personal commitment to follow Jesus Christ. That commitment changed everything. However, in talking with Pastor, he shared of the day when Jesus baptized him in the Holy Spirit.
He was a teenager, he said in those days you had to lay on the ground with your hands raised toward heaven. As he prayed, it felt like warm oil flowing from his hand, down his arms, and when it reached his mouth, his english turned into a new language.
He began to speak in tongues and something changed in him. It was similar to what happened to David. The Lord anointed him, set him apart, and from that day forward, he overflowed with Holy Spirit power.
He explained this experience as one that stabilized him. He did not waiver any longer. He was committed to God’s plan for His life and consistently depended on the Holy Spirit for supernatural help.
The Lord opened a door for him to go to Southwestern Assemblies of God College in Waxahachie, TX. I remember asking him, how did you make it, how did you know you were called?
He shared about an afternoon where he was discouraged, the enemy caused him to question his calling. He went to the sanctuary, and prayed through. He told the Lord, I will not get up until I know that I know this is what I am supposed to do.
He shared as he prayed, such confidence built up in his spirit that he left understanding, God has anointed me, therefore I will trust and depend on Him.
As we look at what he did in ministry, he always reminded me, talent and natural abilities accomplish nothing if you do not depend on the anointing.
We know from his life, if there are times we are discouraged, needing direction, or feeling attacked by the enemy, we get down, we pray, we trust the Lord, and we ask the Lord to fill us with His Spirit once again!
Throughout his life, he was anointed...
2. His Anointed Leadership
2. His Anointed Leadership
1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
The prophet Isaiah spoke of the effects of the anointing. Jesus confirmed it when he stood in the temple early in his ministry, explaining when the Spirit of God comes upon us and we settle it in our heart, the Lord has anointed me, marvelous things follow.
When a Christians realizes they are anointed, they will:
preach with authority
bring healing to families
pray people through to freedom
declare God’s favor
provide comfort to those who mourn
lead the church in Spirit-filled worship, praise, and preaching
Enabling those in the church to be righteous and holy
I cannot think of a passage that better depicts the leadership of Pastor Tucker. For nine years he traveled as an evangelist.
In the services people were saved, baptized in the Holy Spirit, healed, and drawn closer to the Lord.Pastors were encouraged, people began tithing and the churches were strengthened.
Pastors were encouraged, people began tithing and the churches were strengthened.
Of the revivals he held, the one he told me about in most deliberate detail was in Enid, Oklahoma. After having a small wreck, he arrived at the church late, (which had to have flustered him).
When he walked on the platform, he told me there was a small hand waving to him from the back. As a man of integrity, he did not take a girl out on a date during the revival.
However, the night after the revival concluded, he took this lady on a date, married her a few months later, and for over six decades Pastor and Betty typify anointed leadership.
She was not only behind him, but beside him in all they did together. In every church they pastored, the congregation grew, buildings were built and rebuilt, and people understood the importance of being thoroughly Pentecostal.
I feel it is safe to say Pastor could not have done all he did in nearly seven decades of ministry had it not been for the helpmate God gave him, a woman of class, integrity, insight, and anointing, thank God Pastor found Betty!
I once asked why God blessed the churches they pastored. He explained when a Pastor determines to let the Lord work through him, he will make it and God will bless.
In one of our times together, I wondered, was the church you once pastored, very pentecostal? He chuckled and answered, the church is only as Pentecostal as their pastor.
I knew the answer, Pastor loved allowing the Lord to have His way. He understood that we must study, we must come prepared to the pulpit, and we must be diligent to preach the truth, BUT if the Holy Spirit comes in and has other plans, by ALL means, get out of the way and let Him work!
His leadership proves the Prophet Isaiah was correct:
27 It shall come to pass in that day That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.
Because God anointed him, he did not settle, and he never became satisfied, knowing God always had more. He understood that pastors do not put in their time and then just quit.
Even when the church transitioned over a decade ago and Pastor Kent was elected as our pastor, Pastor Tucker didn’t lay out of church, he was always here.
He did not turn praying and preaching over to all the young guys, God still needed him and his ministry. Until the Lord took him home, he was lead an anointed life.
He modeled an anointed life, anointed leadership...
3. Anointed Legacy
3. Anointed Legacy
21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
The measure of Pastor’s success in life and leadership is the fact that he leaves behind an anointed legacy.
Legacy is defined, gift or a bequest, that is handed down, endowed or conveyed from one person to another.
Pastor was a visionary who led the church through transition. Over a decade ago, he identified that the Lord was ready to use a new generation to lead Harvest Life Church.
He had two grandchildren, Isaac and Mariah, who have not wavered in their faith. His legacy will live on through the lives of his family.
Then when transition hit our church again nearly two years ago, I believe that Lord empowered him one more time, anointing him with the necessary strength to see God continue the work He began in Midwest City so many years ago.
His legacy lives through his family.
Pastor was a visionary who led the church through transition. Over a decade ago, he identified that the Lord was ready to use a new generation
But that is not the extent of his legacy.
His legacy continues through the thousands of people he pastored throughout the years in Midwest City, Duncan, and in California. There generations of people who will go to heaven because of his anointed life and leadership.
His legacy continues through the thousands of people he pastored throughout the years in Midwest City, Duncan, and in California. There generations of people who will go to heaven because of his anointed life and leadership.
But that is the not extent of his legacy.
God gave him global influence. There are people in Mexico and Brazil who were affected by his missions work.
God gave him global influence. There
I think specifically of when he went to a Bible College in Brazil, and upon arrival noticed very few of the students were baptized in the Holy Spirit. He changed his plans and preached on the Spirit and the majority of them were filled.
There are pastors, churches, and families who have a Pentecostal pastor because of the legacy of Pastor Tucker.
But that is not the extent of His legacy.
For nine years he traveled as an evangelist. His legacy continues through the lives of people we may never meet in:
Oklahoma
Texas
Tennessee
Arizona
New Mexico
Iowa
California
and many other places
There are lives that were forever changed because Pastor and Better were invited to preach a revival.
And there will come a day, when the Lord returns for His church and His legacy will rise out of graves from coast to coast and various countries to meet the Lord in the air.
And we who are alive and remain will rise to meet the Lord in the air, ALL because we new a man who embodied what it means to be anointed.
Close:
But that still is NOT the extent of his legacy. If we leave this service thinking, those were nice stories and scriptures about a good man, then we missed the reason for his life.
He had a singular focus: to help people get ready for heaven and to teach people to live full of His Spirit, operating in our anointing.
My question for each person in this room is this, do we want to be a part of Pastor Tucker’s legacy?
Do we want his anointed life to be a model for our lives?
Do we want to follow his example and lead our families and ministries with excellence, integrity, and supernatural power?
Do we want to make sure that when Jesus returns, we will be ready to meet Him?
If we do not, than we have missed what Pastor Tucker taught, preached, and modeled for decades.
Today is a day of decision. We need to decide in our hearts, God has a plan for my life. We need to get it set in our minds, I will do all I can to serve the Lord.
And we need to surrender ourselves to God’s perfect plan.
With a crowd this size, I would do each person a disservice to cast this net and not bring it in.
Whenever I heard Pastor Tucker conducted a funeral, he always concluded with this simple fact:
Jesus is coming soon and we need to be ready.
Today we can follow his anointed example, take these instructions from a spiritual father and trust the Lord, depend on the anointing, and make the decision, I am going to live for Jesus.