The Charge of a Pastor

Introduction:

What exactly does it mean to be a pastor? That’s exactly what I would like to know. Of course I’m kidding! But you know, there are a lot of different opinions out there on what a pastor is supposed to do, and yet there is only one that really matters - God’s! We start off the Book of Timothy tonight by taking a look at Paul’s pep-talk to Timothy. This is sort of like that half-time speech at the football game when the coach encourages his team to remember who they are and keep fighting. That’s what Paul does here. He wants to remind Timothy to keep fighting the fight that he was called to.

Read text. Pray.

1. The Pastor Must Teach the Word (v. 3)

Teachers were very important to the early church ad many ambitious people saw the position as an opportunity for personal gain and power and prestige.

Today, I’m afraid we might be returning to this as we have seen the rise of the celebrity pastor.

How can the church grow if it doesn’t eat?

How can the church discern if it isn’t taught the truth? (counterfeit bill example)

Myths refers to something untrue. This could be Jewish myths like those recorded in the apocryphal books like Enoch. They really were nothing more than the doctrines of demons.

Illustration: We have a plethora of false teachers in modern evangelicalism that are claiming that God personally spoke to them. They believe that their experiences put what they believe God has said on the same level as Scripture. Then they usually introduce some new teaching that is an aberration of the true Word of God. This is exactly how cults form and it is happening, even in our own denomination right now.

2. The Pastor Must Guard the Word (vv. 3b-4)

Most false teachers come out of the church

Most false teachings are a distortion of the Word

3. The Pastor Must Model the Word (vv.5-7)

With Love

With a Pure Heart

With a Good Conscience

With Sincere Faith

Pastors’ will have to give an account for every soul under their care. Perhaps we should be content with the souls God has given us.

Hebrews 13:17 ESV

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

4. The Pastor Must Share the Word Correctly (vv.8-11)

Paul will give more on this later

The Law is to convict sinners and lead them to understand the need for a Savior

Paul lays out the behaviors of those who do not practice the Law by listing some of the offenses in the order of the 10 Commandments

We are entrusted with using God’s Word correctly

James 3:1

James 3:1 ESV

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Not everyone is called to teach in the church, but everyone is called to be a student. Also, everyone is called to make disciples.

Conclusion:

Many of you may be thinking tonight that this message is just for pastors. You may be thinking, “Thank goodness I don’t have to answer to God for other people!” Well, let me hopefully change your thinking tonight on that. All of us may not be called to be a vocational pastor. However, all of us disciple and “pastor” others. You may be a father that has been given the command to lead his family. You may be a mother having to do this because dad is not interested in spiritual things. You may be walking with a new believer and teaching them about the Bible.

Pastors are called to a higher standard for a reason. It is so that the congregation can follow and emulate his walk. What a heavy weight that is, but it is not a burden we have to carry alone. We are called to follow Jesus, and as we follow Christ we lead others who join in behind us.