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Good morning, church. How is everybody? Beautiful
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outside. Right?
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What do you say we warm up the Lord by singing? Let's stand together. We're gonna sing at your name. And when we sing Yahweh, know what Yahweh means. Yahweh means the self existent one.
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The self existent one.
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Alone. And there's no one like our God. And there is no one like our God. We will praise you. Praise you.
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There's no one like our God. We will sing. We will sing. There is no one like our God. We will praise you.
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Praise you. Jesus is our God.
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Alright. Y'all can have a seat. I have a few announcements this morning. See? Whoops.
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One of the first announcements is that screen's out. Did y'all notice? I saw everybody looking that way, and I wondered what was going on over there, but that's what's going on over there. We are still meeting. We're still eating.
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Every Monday night at Firstbee, we're having meal, music, a message. What's tomorrow night?
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Yep. Tomorrow, we're in James, James 2. It's about not showing partiality, not not showing preferences. And Felix and Guadalupe are are cooking and meal music message. Just know that you're invited.
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The door's open. The more the merrier. Thank you.
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Fantastic. Monday nights at the same time, we have Awana starting off in this room. Because kids matter to God, we're pouring scripture into the minds to reach the hearts of the next generation, and it's fun too. We just have a ball. A lot of people in this room to start off with, and they split up into council time and games and everything else.
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It's great. Men's fraternity. That's meeting every Wednesday morning at 6AM. Every Wednesday morning at 6AM. It's really, really good.
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The book that they're going through together this year, The Resolution for Men, is a fantastic one. So 06:00 in the morning, and the food is always good at that one too. There will be plenty of protein and probably fat too. But anyway, there's always fruit if you need it. Men's fraternity, 6AM every Wednesday morning.
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There is a women's retreat that's coming up, and Amy Litzelman is involved. Is Amy sitting nearby here? So White Pine Ski Lodge. It's with Amy Litzelman, and that is RSVP tomorrow. It's tomorrow, women's retreat.
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That's all I know about that. Sorry. Packing party is happening. Oh, here she comes. KC knows more about this, and Blake has a microphone.
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Hi,
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everybody. I actually did wear this for Halloween around the town square, and only one person asked me about it. I was hoping lots of people would ask. They just probably thought I was weird. So this Thursday, we're wrapping boxes.
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So there's several ways you can help. If you just wanna donate money for people who turn in boxes and forget to include the $9, that's great. If you have extra school supplies or brand new stuffed animals or whatever, toothbrushes and toothpaste, you can donate that way. Just send your items along and we'll put them in boxes. If you wanna come and help wrap random shoe boxes, you can come and do that.
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Luckily, the boxes that they sent us, they're perfect. They don't need to be wrapped. They're ready to go. So every box has an envelope inside of what you need to do. Please follow the directions because they do have specific things of what not to send.
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It's super easy, super fun. These boxes literally change lives. They change families' lives. They change children's lives, so we're super excited about it. So this Thursday, 06:30, the last day to turn your box in is November 18.
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So make sure you remember that. All the details are in the bulletin. Thanks.
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Thank you. I'll take that. Thank you. Casey or Nick, if you have any more questions about that, Casey McCooey or Nick Staren will be able to answer them. Refit.
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How many of y'all know what refit is? Refit revolution? There are a few of you in here. If you come by here on Tuesday night at 05:15 and there's a disco ball, and there are lights shining all around, and there are people that are dancingexercising, that's refit. And it's actually a ton of fun.
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I'm taking that on lots of people's word. I have not myself actually done it yet. Tuesdays at 05:15, 06:15, and Thursdays, it's 05:30 to 06:30. So this building is always, always, always busy, but there's always a purpose behind what's going on in here. So Refit Revolution.
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Sam, would you stand? This is our leader right here, Sam Samantha Compton. She is going to be here Tuesdays, 05:15 to 06:15, and Thursdays, 05:30 to 06:30. That's one of the founders right there, and that's one of the moves, I assume. Right.
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Okay. Community Bible study is back on for this Wednesday. It was originally postponed slash canceled for this week, but, Ed, it is happening. It's on. We're studying Hebrews together right here in this room, 06:00PM on Wednesday this week.
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You can see your bulletin for information on any other Bible studies. If you look at your bulletin about this one, it will be wrong because it's on. Okay? It's not off like the bulletin says it's on. But you can see your bulletin about any other ones, and I think that that's all of my hat.
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Do y'all have any more that I've forgotten? Okay. Would y'all stand up and just greet one another? And we'll bring you back together with a song.
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If you're trying to feel the same old ones inside, there's a better life, there's a better life. If you got pain, he's it, somebody testify. If you believe it, if you receive it, if you can feel it, somebody testify. Changed. He's a chain ring.
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We pray on that. God, how true. How true. You have come to give us life and life to the full measure. That's what you are about.
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You are about life and you are about freedom. And God, I know that just because by virtue of being human being, I know that there are many in here in this room that are are feeling just bound, chained up. And God, I pray that you would bring life and freedom to each who calls out to you. Would you do that, God? You are capable of it.
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You are strong. You are mighty, and we give you thanks this morning. Thank you for your deep love for us. Amen? Amen.
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God, we stand here thankful that that's exactly the case. Your wounds have paid our penalty in full. God, if we were to boast in anything, let it be in you. Let it be in you. Who are we?
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Who are we that you would choose us? Who are you that you would call us out of darkness into light? Who are you to give us life and or who are we to give that you would give us life and freedom? We just pause to thank you for that, and thank you that you overcame this world, and because you have, we will. Amen.
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You can all be seated and I'm gonna ask Ray, would you
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pray this morning? God almighty, we thank you for just for being you, Lord. I I as Carl was speaking a minute ago about who are we? Who are we? I thought of that song.
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Who am I that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name, would care to get involved at all in the my life and lord, I pray that we all feel a sense standing before you of being small and insignificant but made significant by the blood of Jesus that you can bring us into your family and that you can do great and mighty things and you can have a spreading influence. The gospel once it has touched our life. Lord, we can be carriers and we spread that on. So, we pray that you do that through us this morning in word and in deed and one of those deeds right here, lord. At the time where we give back a portion of what you've given to us, we pray that you'd take it and you would spread the good news of the gospel to the uttermost parts, to the most extended and far long reaches of this world.
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We pray that you'd bring hope and light that faith would begin something new in someone's life where they can look forward to an incorruptible hope with you. In Jesus name, Lord, we pray that you would spread your love through us this day. Through these offerings, lord, we pray you'd multiply em and do your kingdom's work. Amen. Amen.
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All right. So first Peter five:one-three. One through three. It starts off like this. Therefore, I I exhort the elders among you.
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Now, you know that this was written to a group of people. They're written in these far flung reaches of the Roman Empire but since he starts off with this portion, he's saying, I'm exhorting the elders. This is actually pretty heavy. This is a heavy section of scripture and so the last time that I came to this was about a month after I was here. It was the fifth week that I had been in Jackson and I got to this place and I said, you know what?
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I'm not sharing that with the whole crowd. I'm not doing that because it's a real it's a high standard and it's this razor's edge balance of how we are to serve. We're to serve willingly but it describes how it is. And I think it goes though after six years of being here and after seeing that it's not just the people who are elders officially right now that are to be going by this. Does that make sense?
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So we have at this church right now, we have eight elders. We have had as many as 11 at a time officially since I've been here. We've had as few as seven. 11 gets a little cumbersome, but seven was a heavy load for everybody, and so we raised it back up to nine, and then after Mark's death, it brought it down to eight. It's the first time we've had an even number, although we've always made decisions unanimously in the past.
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So that's the way our elder board is here. It's truly an elder led church. I'm one of the elders. Carl is one of the elders. So that you know, so so when I'm preaching this, I'm preaching it to myself and I'm preaching it to Carl but all of the other elders and anyone else in this room who has ever been an elder anywhere else and anyone else in this room who is seeking to lead anyone else in the way of faith.
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Does that make sense? Okay. So saying that, I've got some fairly pointed questions that I want to start out with. Okay? This might even go for civil servants.
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I think that it does. I feel like it does, and we're in election season. I don't feel like it. Here we go. James Stewart wrote a book called Heralds of God and it was particularly for preachers and he said, why are you in this work at all?
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Why are you in this work at all? First question. Were you compelled by anyone or anything outside of God? I mean, the love of Christ compels me. That's a good reason but were you compelled to do it outside of God to do this?
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So, has anyone or any organization compelled your maid you come this morning to be here or to serve the way that you're serving? Was it the path of least resistance? After you grew up in church and did a Christian college undergrad, did it just seem like the thing to do to serve in this way? Did you feel obliged to do this because of any person or event, maybe a patron or parent in the past? Is it because if you don't believe that no one else will?
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Get Do that? Well if I don't do it, nobody else is going to do it. That's how you do it. That's not a good reason. Do you understand that's not a good reason?
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Is it because you're good at it, or is it because people pat you on the back when you do it, or because you do what they want you to do? So the next question, and then all the little sub questions under it may seem laughable. Are you in it for the money? Do you want to gain financially through ministry? Now, I say that but there are people who do.
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If you're paid staff here or you're paid staff in some parachurch organization, are you in it for the money? Are you here for the prestige of the office? Or position? Do you teach or do you preach to show off your intellect or just to appear intelligent? There are some people who have amazing ability to recall scripture but they twist it and they use it against people.
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And don't laugh about the money question. I I'm satisfied, you know, but there are people, you know, I hate to call names, but Jim Baker, you remember that from the eighties? He went to Bible College, you know. There are folks who have studied and really go after this but then they twist it and they turn it and they say, you know, my second jet, I really do need and the third one, I need it to be getting ready for when I need it too. It draws people sometimes into the wrong things.
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The workman is worthy of his wages but you should never let the wages drive you into a work that's like this and I think that the text is going to point to that. So, third question, beyond why you're here, are you excited to be here? Are you excited to be in the role? And I'm not just talking to just our elders but I'm talking to folks who lead at Awana or folks who lead at a Bible study or home fellowship. Are you excited to do it?
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Does it turn your crank to study practical theology, the intersection of faith and life? Do you wake up in the morning scribbling down ideas? Oh yeah, that's the best way that I could do that. Get an illustration you think, oh, that's perfect. I can hardly wait to for people to get this, you know.
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Do you keep a notebook at hand so that you don't lose that moment of creative inspiration? Do you have a hunger to know God and to know his word better and better so that you can pass it on to others and see the joy that it gives. Could you be characterized as eager to serve? However, God sees that and see that. Fourth question here and then a bunch of sub questions.
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Do you minister so that you will be able to exercise control? So, best seller for all the ages. Have you all ever heard of How to Win Friends and Influence People? You know the song? I mean, not a song.
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It's probably a song too but it's a book. A book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. It's written by Dale Carnegie. It has been a best seller since 1936 because apparently people want to win friends and they want to influence
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manipulate
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those friends. Okay? Do you do it so that you'll be able to exercise control? Are you looking for more followers on Twitter or friends on Facebook? Do you need an audience?
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Do you need loyal subject to feel good about yourself or your ministry? When you feel that support that's starting to wane, will you be angry? Will you be upset? Will you be incensed? I cannot tell you how many churches I've been in where they start to dwindle and when things start to dwindle, it makes the pastor mad.
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Have you all been there? Have you ever heard the sermon about Gideon's army? God's just whittling this down to the ones he wants. You just get rid of a few bad sheep. Are you by ministry trying to change people's behavior to fit your own aberrant theology or ideology?
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So, Jim Jones, you know, he started out as a pastor. He had a vision of racial harmony that was really refreshing and good and the church really needs and people started going and then he had to move to Guyana and kill themselves. David Koresh, Branch Davidians, right? This is heavy for me this morning. I'm sorry.
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Y'all look at me like, what in the world is going on? We will get to the scripture in just a minute. All of these things are answered by these three verses but I I want to I want you to feel the weight of it a little bit, you know? Fifth question, is yours an example of Christ centered living? Are you currently living your life and as a as an example before others?
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Would you rather just live anonymously and might you be more comfortable if you could live anonymously and just interact with people at a safe distance rather than the distance of pulpit to pews? Or maybe pulpit to pews is a better example because it's a little easier to do this than it is real life one on one ministry in a lot of cases. Do you share your real life with God's people Or is there some act or artifice? And then the sixth one is ultimately, what do you stand to gain by doing what it is you're doing, leading others? What is it that you stand to gain?
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Considering all of the above, all these other hard questions. What is it that you stand again? So looking at it in those ways, it may seem like a very selfish list, but I think it's James. He's studying James, and it's talking about looking in the mirror soberly and taking a real good hard look at yourself and seeing. Am I leading the ones that God has allotted to me?
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Am I am I leading my family? Am I leading my friends? Am I leading anyone who'll come to me? I think that we need to look at that and consider it. So if you do that, why why why are you in the work at all?
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That's to consider. If you're leading anyone and it can be one person, two people, or your family, why are you in it? Here we go. Therefore, I exalt the elders among you and this is Peter. Now, the great apostle leader of the disciples, therefore, I exalt the, I exhort the elders among you.
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As your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ. So, Peter, the great and mighty, you know, he wouldn't classify himself that way especially not after his rejection of Christ and his sifting. He wouldn't classify himself as the great apostle. He sees himself just like this. Your fellow elder.
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Actually, technically, it's the fellow elder. It's a definite article. The fellow elder and witness of the suffer ings of Christ. So, some of these people in these far flung reaches are probably not people who've been scattered from seeing Jesus at the crucifixion and then, now, these are mostly going to be, they're Jewish and Gentile believers but they're mostly people who are out in the far flung part of the Roman Empire and we're not actual eyewitnesses to the sufferings of Christ. Do you get that?
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So, he's saying, I am a fellow elder with you. I know what that's like but I'm also witness of the suffering of Christ and I'm a partaker also. He throws that in there also. You are partakers of the glory that is to be revealed and I am a witness of the sufferings of Christ but I'm also a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed. So, we're living in the already in the not yet.
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Already, Christ has suffered and died for sin and made an end to sin for anyone who will trust in him. He's dealt with it. He's taken you from the kingdom of darkness like Carl said and placed you into the kingdom of marvelous light and day by day, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is allowing us to walk in submission to him sanctified and being sanctified. So, we're in between the already and the not yet of witness of the sufferings of Christ and the partaker that is to be revealed in the future time. So, I exhort the elders among you.
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I'm a fellow elder. I'm a witness of the suffering. I'm partaker also and this is the only imperative in this passage. Shepherd. Shepherd the flock of God that is among you and that's where I pick up no matter who you're leading, okay?
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No matter who you're leading, if it's in your family, you are to be shepherding the flock of God that is in your family. Leading him in the way that they should live, okay? By example, also through your words. You should be blessing and not cursing, right? Yeah.
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Shepherd the flock of God among you and then he breaks it down. I'll go through shepherding here. It's shepherding or pastoring is distinct from feeding and he does use feeding also in this passage but the word focuses on tending or just making sure that you are guarding and guiding and folding the flock, bringing em in, gathering em in. If one of em gets away, you go after em and bring em back in, right? Includes guarding, guiding, and folding the flock and is really ultimately only provided by Jesus Christ.
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It's very very difficult to exercise any real control over another human being. It's a perceived control. You have the authority that they will grant you. You have the authority that they will give you. God has given you the authority over your family.
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God has given elders authority in the church but do you have you all noticed that people don't submit very well to authority? It's not something that we do very well. So, if you live your life as an example of others and it is something that is winsome and loving and caring, then people are more likely to listen to. You, do you agree? And you'll be, you'll actually be a better person to listen to.
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So, ultimately, Jesus Christ is the chief shepherd. He'll mention him in a minute but he's the one who calls under shepherds or Peter calls him elders. He calls him overseers in some other places to guard and guide his people by his direction. So what I have to offer, I often tell people, I say, I don't really feel that I have any authority outside of the authority that scripture has in your life. I am supposed to be someone who has studied it and maybe a little bit further down the road and I try to share what it is that I have learned with you.
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That's my idea. That's what I hope. That's what I pray. So, shepherding comes from that authority. I'm going to keep looking at that screen.
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Shepherd the flock of God that is among you. So, here's the letter. So, here's this passage so far. Elders, those who are in leadership positions. Actually, the word was a technical term of office in Judaism before it was transferred over into Christianity but elders is also someone who is mature, an older person.
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So, elders just like it is in English, elders. Be shepherding. That's what you are to be doing. Be shepherding. Exercising oversight.
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Exercise and oversight modifies shepherding. Yes. What do shepherds do? Have you all watched shepherds work? They are in the field and they are watching over the sheep.
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They're seeing what's going on and they know what's going on. So, exercise and oversight watching them but not under compulsion. It's not because you gotta be there. It's because you get to be there. Does that make sense?
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Not because you got to, because you get to. So exercising oversight, not under compulsion. It's not like, oh my goodness, one of those sheep
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is straying away. My dad's gonna kill me if I don't get that sheep.
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Do you get that? It's like, I get to keep these sheep for my dad. You know? He trusts me. Wow.
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Amazing. Exercise and oversight, not under compulsion but voluntarily. So, I'll do that. That's a hard question to raise your hand to sometimes but voluntarily. You'll exercise oversight.
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According to the will of God. Now, if it's just exercise and oversight by my own opinion, then, that doesn't do anybody any good. It might make me feel good but it doesn't do any of y'all any good if it's just my opinion. It has to be according to the will of God. This is for all of us who are seeking a lead according to the will of God.
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We do it voluntarily, not under compulsion. According to the will of God not for sorted gain. This is answering every question I ask by the way. If y'all didn't notice that, I just asked the questions first rather than after. It's not for sorted gain.
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Sorted, the word for death in Spanish is sordo and sordo death. It means unhearing, right? So, sordid gain is that which is unheard of. You don't do it for some sneaky, little transaction. You're not doing it for unheard of gain.
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Not for sorted gain but with ignorance. You do it. You wake up in the morning thankful that God has you in the position. Feeling the weight of it, still saying, thank you lord. You know, when you're watching a football game or a a baseball game and there's one player on the team that's just super eager and at the end of the game, that's the guy that you want to have the ball.
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You don't want somebody that's reluctant like, oh my goodness, I can't believe I have to do this. I hope I remember the play. No, it's somebody that is like, you know that he's gonna be your go to guy and the other team knows that he's the go to guy. You know? They're going to be focusing on that go to guy and elders, you are going to receive more opposition than if you just duck out.
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Not for sordid game but with eagerness. I want the ball. I want the ball. I want to carry the ball further down the field. I want to do what I can for God, not for glory but for God.
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Eagerly nor yet as lording it over those who are allotted to your charge. If I asked, and I'm not going to, but if I asked, everyone in the church who has ever been hurt by church, I've got my eyes closed because I don't even want y'all to raise your hands and let me see them. I think it's gonna be 90 something percent. Who has been hurt by someone else that was supposed to be in leadership in the church? Almost everybody has.
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There's a razor's edge, and it's really easy to fall off the razor's edge into exercising too much control for the wrong reasons or not exercising enough control for an abdication or a sense of apathy. Don't lord it over the people who are allotted to over to your allotment. It actually says, not those allotted to your charge but your allotment, the ones that God has seen fit to bring into your sheepfold shepherds whether they be family or whether they be a small group or a house fellowship or a church or a region even in some cases nor yet is lording it over those who are allotted to your charge. This guy right here. Y'all know who that is?
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It's a painting, obviously. This is a painting of Martin Luther, and this is Katie Von Bora, a runaway nun that became his wife. And these two paintings were both painted by the same guy, and they're painted by Louis Cranach the Elder. Louis Cranach the Younger was also a painter, but this is Louis Cranach the Elder painting of Martin Luther and Katie Von Boren and these two together were in ministry and they they had a lot of change that happened right around that time, right? He wasn't the first reformer but he was a part of the reformation and in the church at Wittenberg, he nailed up these '95 thesis and it started a protest and a protest reformation, you know.
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After that, the word was not terribly well received. After that, we've been fighting for five hundred years, but this guy and this gal were in this church in Wittenberg. So Wittenberg, there's a Protestant church, a Lutheran church now in Wittenberg and Lewis Cranach, the elder painted this altar piece for it and so you can't see that from there. I know you can't see it from there. This is baptism right here and this is communion right here and this is the this is the last supper with Jesus and and his disciples.
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It's a round table instead of the long table of the Vinci but this is a Lord's supper which is a fairly traditional thing to have in a in a painting around that time period and then, he saw baptism as one of the sacraments. I I I would call it an ordinance. It was something that that God ordained but it's not a means of grace but this is one and this is communion being offered not by Luther himself because he was a priest before and they did Lewis Cranach, the elder, did not want anybody to be confused. It is not a priest that conveys upon you the blessing. That that's not the way that this works.
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He has a definite guy who's in his church who is ministering, who is a a protestant minister who's never been claimed to be a priest right here and he's offering, they're offering communion. At least that's the interpretation that most people agree with of this painting but this is what I'm looking at right here. This part down here is this and it's not a great. I couldn't find a really good image of it online but this is Luther and he's preaching from the front. They often had a little loft space where they would preach from that little crow's nest up here and this these are people who are listening and between them is Christ and him crucified.
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Are you with me? So, for Luther, what he was presenting every Sunday no matter the passage was Christ and him crucified and for the people, what they saw when they looked towards him was Christ and him crucified and so, the suffering of Jesus, I mean, I know we're baptist and we don't have Jesus on this cross and I want you to celebrate the resurrection but there is something about the suffering of Christ that we lose when we just completely take him off all the time. Does that make sense? Okay. Where are we in the scriptures?
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Exercise and oversight but not under compulsion but voluntarily and according to the will of God and not for sordid gain but with eagerness nor yet is lording it over those who are allotted to your charge but proving to be examples of the flock. When someone sees an elder, they should see someone who knows Jesus and him crucified and understands that he died for sin and it wasn't just your sin, it was my sin too. Does that make sense? So elders, be shepherding, be exercising oversight. Now these are not all parallel.
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The reason I wrote this bigger is because this is the shepherding is the imperative. All of this describes how we should be shepherding. Exercise and oversight, not on propulsion but voluntarily. I want to I want to do that. According to the will of God and not for sordid gain, eagerly, not lording it over your your position over people but all the while proving to be examples and whatever he has done and then, the fourth one, what do you stand against?
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What do you stand against the question? And when the chief shepherd appears and that's Jesus, you will receive an unfading crown of glory. Not not until then maybe. You actually can receive some glory now but deflect, deflect, deflect as much as possible. All of that onto onto God.
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And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory and then, now this, there are a lot of people that there there are a lot of people argue over who said what? Their quotes in the day of the internet, you can stick any quote with anybody's name and then people start thinking that's who said that but somebody said at some point, lead, follow, or get out of the way. Right? I think it was Patton. Lead or follow or get out the way.
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So, this part right here is young, you younger men, likewise, has said, you who are mature in the faith, those of you who who have been walking down the road with Jesus for a while, y'all be doing this. Be shepherding others. Be helping them stay in the good old gospel way, not in the ditch of legalism and not in the ditch of license but right here on the good old gospel way. Help em. You, younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders.
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Look up to people who you know are showing you Christ and him crucified. Look up to him and follow after them. And all of you, actually, all of y'all. Alright, hallelujah. All of y'all, it is.
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Plural. All of y'all. Clothe yourselves with humility towards one another. If you are so convinced that you are right and the other guy is an idiot, you're not likely to get along very well. Do you agree?
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In humility, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another. Actually, he said this earlier. He said, he had six verses in the beginning of chapter three about ladies and then he had a a heavy verse for guys and their prayer life. Treat your women well. Treat your woman well, your wife well so that your prayers may not be hindered and then he said, to sum up, this passage, all of y'all, be harmonious, be sympathetic, be brotherly, be kind hearted, be humble in spirit, Not returning evil for evil.
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Not returning insult for insult but giving a blessing instead for y'all, all of y'all were called for that very purpose that y'all might inherit a blessing. Be blessing others no matter what they do to you, okay? In humility. Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another. And then he backs it with, for God is opposed to the proud and he gives grace to the humble.
53:12
Now, James is saying that. James says that. Peter says that. Proverbs says it, yes, indeed, God does scoff at the scoffer but he gives grace to the humble. So, I'd say, right now, we're coming to a time of communion and when we get to this table right here, you cannot come to this table proud.
53:34
You did not earn a space. You didn't earn a place. You haven't passed a test. You just answered affirmatively. Will you trust in the only blood that satisfies the wrath of God?
53:48
So, we're celebrating that right now. The the perfect life of Jesus, the body of Jesus who actually walked, was tempted just like we're tempted but was without sin. He led and he led well. This group of guys and he showed them the way that they should go and then after that, he died for them and then after that, all of those guys actually not Judas, sorry. All of those guys went on to go to their death too.
54:21
It's a heavy sermon it is and you could see why I skipped it the last time that I preached. I skipped over because at that time, I wasn't doing verse perverse interpretation. I was just doing sermons and it made sense to me to do em, you know, chapter at a time maybe, hit that point but I after six years, I'm more and more convinced that every single morsel here is good and I will struggle to find a way to present it because it's worth the struggle and I'm eager to do it. What's next? Communion.
54:53
Can I get the elders to come forward? No, y'all are proud to show your faces right now. I do believe that the elder board that is serving here served this way and I believe that everyone of the various boards over the years. I think that being on the elder board calls us into a greater sense of accountability not just before you but before our God and with our lives and with our wives, with our friends, and so, thank you. Would y'all pray with me as we ask God to bless?
55:27
God, would you bless us with with a humility that is true, that's not a humble brag, that's not a false or fake humility. Would you would you get us into a place lord where we can accept your instruction, your direction, and we can just accept your your offer of not just salvation which we have done. If we're taking this table right now, we trusted in the blood of Christ but your sanctification that's offered day by day that we can and we choose to submit our will to yours so that you would make us clean. We humble ourselves before you so that you may exalt us in due time. Lord, would you glorify yourself through us as we partake of that which brings us together in unity that every single one of us, lord.
56:20
Has to rely solely on Christ. Amen. Would you then, lord, turn our lives into a witness for you. In Jesus name, would you bless this bread as we distribute it? Thank you.
59:45
On the same night that Jesus was betrayed, he took bread after supper and after he had given thanks, he broke it and he said to his disciples that were gathered there with him, This is my body which is given for you. Christ lived in perfect submission to the Holy Spirit as he walked this Earth. He said, he gives that perfect record to us and he says, take and eat, take this in, and do it in remembrance of me. Jesus, we thank you for your perfect example. We thank you for your righteousness.
1:00:26
We thank you lord because of your blood, that righteousness can be imputed to us. Lord, by taking this communion, we say that we believe God and we believe that this is his way. This is his only way. When you prayed in the garden and you prayed, lord, if there be any other will, father, if there be any other way that this can happen, then let it be that. Take this cup from me but if not, thy will be done.
1:00:53
He lived a servant's life and complete perfect humility and obedience. We seek to follow after you because of your shed blood, lord. We know that we can. In Jesus name, would you bless this cup as we distribute. In the same way that he had taken the bread, he took the cup after supper and he said to his disciples there that this is the new covenant in my blood.
1:05:13
This is not a covenant of works. It's a covenant of grace. It's because of what he has done. This is a new covenant in my blood, Jesus said. Take this and drink and do it as often as you will in remembrance of.
1:05:31
Amen. Can I get the band to come forward? Here they come. Would y'all stand and we're going to sing We Believe We Believe. Actually, that's what it is.
1:05:40
We believe and I also want to say I'm thankful. I'm very, very thankful to be here, but I'm incredibly humbled to be here too. This is what we believe.
1:06:04
We believe in God, Father. We believe in Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit. We believe in in the Holy not We're the father. We believe in Jesus Christ.
1:06:43
We believe in the Holy Spirit and he's given us new life. We believe in the cruc crucifixion. We believe that he conquered death. We believe in the resurrection. And he's coming back again.
1:07:18
This is from Colossians three. Great benediction, I think. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion and kindness and humility and gentleness, patience, and bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has any grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you and over all these virtues put on love which binds them all together in perfect unity. May it be so.
1:07:46
In the name of Jesus in our lives, amen.
