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Saved to Serve: The Responsibility of the Pastor – Bible study

Saved to Serve: The Responsibility of the Pastor – Bible study

SAVED TO SERVE
The Responsibility of the Pastor

1 PETER 5:1-4

by Cooper Abrams

    INTRODUCTION: A budding artist once painted a picture of the LastSupper. He took it to the writer Tolstoy for his opinion. Carefully and understanding the Russian master of Wordsstudied the canvas. Then pointing to Christ declared, “You donot love Him”. “Why, that is the Lord Jesus,” exclaimed theartist. “I know but you do not love Him.” “If you truly lovedHim, you would paint him better.”

    The purpose of the Book of I Peter is to encourage believers tolift their eyes from present problems and trials and behold thewonders provided by an eternal perspective. The difficultieswe have now last only for a time, and the child of God waitsfor an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.

    In chapter five Peter emphasizes the responsibilities of everychild of God. Everyone in the church is exhorted to serve theLord diligently.

    I. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PASTOR.

      A. Peter exhort first the pastors of the churches.

        1. He introduces responsibility by mentioning theexample of Christ.

        2. Christ is the example to follow. Christ is theultimate example we are to model our lives after.

        3. The pastor is not the example or any otherChristian! Yes, we can be influenced by a godly pastor or Christian, but the ultimate example is Christ. This does not mean that we are not to be an example to others, we most definitely are. But men will fail, Christ never does.

      B. So our example is one of purity in word and indeed. Nothing less is glorifies God. There is no secondstandard.

    II. THE PASTOR IS EXHORTED TO “FEED THE FLOCKOF GOD.”

      A. Note that the flock which is the assembly ofbelievers belongs to God.

      B. Often people act better in the presence of thepastor or some other Christian. Folks everyone is always inthe very presence of God.

      C. If you hide or change your behavior around thepastor, or another Christian, that should you let your know that what you are doing is wrong. You have a spiritual problemand you will be held responsible, not by the pastor, but by God for every word and deed.

      D. The word “feed” is the word “poimaino”{poy-mah’-ee-no}; meaning to tend as a shepherd of(figuratively, supervisor): -feed (cattle), rule. The pastor isto guard, protect and feed the believers God has given himto shepherd.

    III. THE PASTOR IS TO TAKE THE LEAD ANDRESPONSIBILITY OVER THE ASSEMBLY OFBELIEVERS.

      A. It is God who calls and gives the responsibility ofbeing a pastor of a church. “Take heed therefore untoyourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the HolyGhost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God,which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).

      B. God appoints pastors to churches. The man Godcalls He expects to take the responsibility. In the OT we havethe example of Jonah, who when called would not obey theLord and suffered greatly until he obeyed.

    IV. THE PASTOR IS TO SERVE WILLINGLY. NOT BEINGFORCED TO SERVE.

      A. I Tim. 3:1, “This is a true saying, If a man desirethe office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.” 1 Timothy 3:1

      B. God puts the desire in a man heart. Yet, desire isnot enough.

      C. In the following verse God lists the minimumqualifications of a pastor.

      D. You see in Acts 13:1-3, it teaches that the churchshould recognize these qualities in a man. It is the local churchthat sends out a pastor.

        The church prays and fasts and earnestly seekGod’s will and the Holy Spirit leads the church to choose theright man.

    V. THE PASTOR IS NOT THE HIRELING OF THECHURCH.

      A. The Bible says, “Let the elders that rule well becounted worthy of double honour, especially they who labor inthe word and doctrine.” Timothy 5:17

      B. This means in respect and in financial support. Bytaking care of the financial needs of a pastor the church ishonoring him. He is not the employee of the church!

      C. Peter says the pastor should not serve of “filthylucre” which means money. But eagerly.

      D. The pastor does not serve for money, but becauseof his calling and because that is the responsibility God hasgiven him in the church.

        1. Some misunderstood and accused Paul of preachingfor financial gain. He replied, “For the scripture saith, Thoushalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, Thelaborer is worthy of his reward.” Timothy 5:18 He wasquoting Deut. 25:4. This principle was established by God in the Old Testament.

        2. The Bible says, “Even so hath the Lord ordainedthat they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 9:14

        That is God’s plan. It is a very humbling experiencefor the man who must live by generosity and faithfulness ofothers.

    VI. THE PASTOR IS WARNED NOT TO “LORD” OVERTHE FLOCK.

      A. “lord” 2634. katakurieuo {kat-ak-oo-ree-yoo’-o};from 2596 and 2961; to lord against, i.e. control, subjugate:-exercise dominion over (lordship), be lord over, overcome.

      B. It has the idea of a strong person domineering overa weaker person.

        1. You see everyone is to follow the Lordwillingly. A pastor can not make people do what is right. Hecan teach and set the example, but the responsibility is theindividuals.

        2. Often any exercise of leadership ismisunderstood as being domineering.

        3. Ideally the pastor preaches the Word of God,

          “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:2

        Then those that sin hear the truth can repent, be savedand faithfully follow Christ.

        Paul said to Timothy,

          “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if Godperadventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgingof the truth; And {that} they may recover themselves out of thesnare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2Timothy 2:25-26

        The pastor’s heart felt desire:

          “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching everyman in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect inChrist Jesus:” Colossians 1:28

        Pouring his heart out to the Corinthians Paul said,

          “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: forI have espoused you to one husband, that I may present {youas} a chaste virgin to Christ.” 2 Cor. 11:2

        Paul explained the pastor’s calling and task to theEphesians:

          “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; andsome, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For theperfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for theedifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity ofthe faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto aperfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness ofChrist: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, bythe sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” Ephesians 4:11-15

      ILLUS: One commentary notes the following about shepherds:

        His life was a hard one. No flock ever grazed w/o ashepherd and he was never off duty. There being little grassthe sheep were bound to wander, and since there were noprotecting wall, the sheep had constantly to be watched. Sheepwere always liable to stray and get lost. The shepherd’s tackwas not only constant but at times dangerous. He guarded thesheep against wild animals and especially wolves who wereever ready to destroy the flock.

        Sir George Adam Smith, who traveled greatly inPalestine, wrote, “On some high moor, across which at nightthe hyenas howl, when you meet him, sleepless, far-sighted,weather-beaten, leaning on his staff, and looking out over hisscattered sheep, every one of them on his heart, you understandwhy the shepherd of Judea sprang to the front in his people’shistory’s, why they gave him his name to their king, and madehim the symbol of the providence, why Christ took him as thetype of self-sacrifice.”

        Constant vigilance, fearless courage, patient love forhis flock, were the necessary characteristics of the shepherd. (William Barclay’s Commentary on John.)

    VII. THE PASTOR IS TO SET THE EXAMPLE TO THEFLOCK.

      This means he lives by what the Bible teaches. There is no more pitiful person than a man who does not live by the wordof God that he preaches.

    VIII. THE PASTOR’S REWARD. 5:4

      A. God promises a crown of glory to the faithfulpastor of the church.

      B. It appears on first reading that the glory is thepastor’s. He is glorified.

        1. Rev. 4:10, says our crowns are cast at the feetof Christ who is only deserving of glory.

        2. The hearts desire of a truly called andcommitted pastor is to bring glory to Christ.

        3. There is no reward without faithfulness.

    CONCLUSION:

      1. There are principles found here that apply not onlyto the pastor, but to everyone. Next week will continue in thischapter and examine them.

      2. Each of us is responsible for our area ofresponsibility.

      3. Folks the operation of a church is different fromany and all organizations on this earth.

      4. It is headed by Christ! It is lead by an undershepherd at the appointment of God.

        The ultimate example is Christ. The standard isone of purity and righteousness for every child of God, becausethat was what Christ was.

        The pastor is supported financially by the churchyet is appointed and called by God. The pastor is not theemployee of the church, yet the church must recognize andappoint God choice to the position.

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