Collierville First Baptist Church

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Let me pray and we'll get started. Father, thank you so much for what's going to take place above us. I thank you, Heavenly Father, for every kid that's going to be a part of that ministry. I thank you for Allen Whitney, for the amazing job and Kelly and the amazing job that they're doing. Father, I ask you for the filling in the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

00;00;25;07 - 00;00;53;06
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Help me to teach the Word of God with accuracy tonight and may you be honored and glorified in Jesus name. Amen. Okay, tonight we're going to finish Hebrews. I tell you, it's a it's a bucket list thing for me. I'm serious. A bucket list thing for me was to preach verse by verse through the Gospel of John. Check that box.

00;00;53;08 - 00;01;21;25
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Verse by verse. Thing was to to, preach verse by verse through Hebrews. Check that box. Man, I'm fired up at, the opportunity to teach these two great books of the Bible to you. Let me, you take your Bible, turn to Hebrews 13, Hebrews 13.

00;01;21;28 - 00;01;59;17
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We're going to cover verses 15 to 25 tonight. Now, remember, you will never understand the book of Hebrews if you don't understand its roots in the Old Testament, its roots in the Jewish system under the law, the Jewish priests who serve the Lord under the old Covenant, the mosaic covenant. They had to go in regularly, and they had to offer animal and grain sacrifices as a part of their religion.

00;01;59;20 - 00;02;36;23
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But when the New covenant was ratified and the blood of Jesus, everything changed. Everything changed. The animal and grain sacrifices. That was a part of the old covenant was ended under the New Covenant. Now that that caused, some Jews who were part of the church or were considering being a part of the church, some misgiving, because you can imagine your whole life, everything is built on the sacrificial system.

00;02;36;25 - 00;03;01;13
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Then the Lord Jesus is incarnated, lives a perfect life, offers a perfect sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, is resurrected from the dead, and the new covenant is initiated. And so these new believers who are becoming who are Jews and they're becoming believers, are becoming a part of the New Testament church. They gotta be asking themselves, but what about the sacrifices?

00;03;01;15 - 00;03;29;25
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And that's one of the reasons that the author of Hebrews wrote this. I mean, from beginning to end, it's about the superiority of Jesus. It's about the superiority of the New covenant over the Old covenant. It's about the superiority of the blood of Christ over the blood of animals. So, I just want to give you that little backdrop before we move into this thing tonight.

00;03;29;27 - 00;04;03;28
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Now, as believers, we're exhorted to do several things. And these last few verses, of Hebrews chapter 13. Remember, we've been, toward the end of the book for, for a couple of weeks, of study. And, one thing that we've noticed when we get to chapter 13 there just, a list of exhortations that the author is pounding into the hearts of the believers in the church.

00;04;04;01 - 00;04;43;08
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And here's another exhortation. Number one, offer up pleasing sacrifices to God. Now, when you study the New Testament, there are several sacrifices that the Lord expects out of New Covenant believers. Okay. The first sacrifice we should offer to the Lord is that of our body. Our body. Romans chapter 12, verse one. Therefore urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

00;04;43;14 - 00;05;14;24
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So notice, present your bodies a living and holy. What sacrifice? That's one of the sacrifices that God expects out of us. Not. Not the sacrifice of little lambs or or rams or, grain sacrifice. But the sacrifice of our bodies. Okay. Doctor. Jerry vines, a Southern Baptist pastor for a year. Tremendous preacher. Prays this every morning. Look at it.

00;05;14;26 - 00;05;39;19
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Oh, Lord, this day is best. I know how I offer these hands to you. Don't let me do anything with these hands you wouldn't want me to do. I offer these ears to you. Don't let me hear anything with these ears. You wouldn't want me to hear. Offer these eyes to you. Don't let me see anything with these eyes you wouldn't want me to see.

00;05;39;21 - 00;06;15;16
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These feet are yours. Don't let me go anywhere with these feet. You wouldn't want me to go. These lips are for you. Don't let me speak anything with these lips. You wouldn't have me to speak. That's a great prayer. As you. As you daily seek to offer your body as a living and holy sacrifice to God. You know, the Bible says in first Corinthians chapter six that we're to offer our body as a sacrifice to God, to the glory of God.

00;06;15;19 - 00;06;45;08
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Our bodies are our are the temples of the Holy Spirit, and we're to glorify God in our bodies. Now some people say, well, the body is not important. In fact, in the first century, when a lot of these books were being written, the Gnostics believed that the body was useless and the only thing that mattered with them was the spirit and the soul.

00;06;45;10 - 00;07;17;12
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And they say, you can do anything with your body. It won't affect you spiritually. All right, that's not biblical. You are to glorify God and offer your body as a sacrifice to God every single day. And then here's another one. The second sacrifice we should offer to the Lord is our tithes and offerings. And Philippians chapter four, verse 18, Paul wrote, but I have received everything in full and have abundance.

00;07;17;13 - 00;07;50;23
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Now what's he talking about? Well, the Philippian church took up an offering. We take up a mission offering our world mission offering, and we send it to various mission organizations and individuals to help them in their ministry. That's exactly what the church in Philippi did. They took up an offering, and they sent it to the Apostle Paul to help him in his ministry to extend the gospel of Jesus Christ.

00;07;50;26 - 00;08;21;11
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Look at verse 18, for I have received everything in full and have abundance. I am amply supplied, having received from a Paradise. That's what you sent a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. Notice an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. The church's gift to the Apostle Paul in his ministry pleased God. Have you ever thought about when you give your tithes and offerings?

00;08;21;18 - 00;08;48;26
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Have you ever thought about the fact that you're offering a sacrifice to God? I'll tell you what it would take. It would take your giving of offerings to a whole different level. If you would understand that what you're doing is something that the scripture, makes much of, and that is giving your tithes and offerings and offering these tithes and offering as a sacrifice to God.

00;08;48;28 - 00;09;20;18
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Now, the third sacrifice we should offer to the Lord is our praise. And this is where we get into our text. Hebrews 1315. We. We ended with verse 14. Last time through ham. That's Jesus, the end. Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God. That is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to him. Notice what the sacrifice is here in verse 15.

00;09;20;21 - 00;09;59;13
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It's the sacrifice of our lips as we praise God, as we thank God. Now this sacrifice comes through Christ. That preposition is really important. Listen, you hear those kids? We can only bring an acceptable sacrifice of praise to the father. Only if we offer it through Christ. Christ? Jesus Christ is the altar by which we offer a sacrifice of praise to God.

00;09;59;15 - 00;10;28;00
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Now, offering up a sacrifice of praise to God requires that we publicly confess our faith in Jesus. In Romans chapter ten, verse nine and ten, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with a heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with a mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

00;10;28;03 - 00;11;01;14
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A continual sacrifice of praise comes out of lips that confess and acknowledge that Jesus is our Lord and our Savior. Now here's the four sacrifice we should offer to the Lord, and that's doing good to others. Look at verse 16 and do not neglect doing good and sharing. For with such sacrifices God is pleased. Now do you see what the writer of Hebrews is doing?

00;11;01;16 - 00;11;34;07
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He says, it's not like we've ended the sacrificial system. There are sacrifices under the New Covenant. They're just totally different. They are superior sacrifices, not physical sacrifices that make sense to everybody. This means yes, this means now everybody understand that. All right. Look at this. Doing good can cover a multitude of ministries. Man, we got a lot of Christians in this church who do a lot of good things.

00;11;34;09 - 00;12;00;19
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When somebody gets sick in one of our group classes, that class will rally together and they'll cook food and and they'll send food over there to their house for a week. I know that this church was so good to bless. And Lisa, that food was brought over. They were taken care of. They knew that they were loved. And that's exactly what this taught.

00;12;00;20 - 00;12;29;15
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That's part of doing good. Okay. Doing good can include picking, a senior up, adult up and taking them to a doctor's appointment. It can be picking someone up and bringing them to church with you. I saw one of our church members this past Sunday with, a young lady in the car with her, and she had evidently picked this young lady up and brought her to church.

00;12;29;16 - 00;13;00;08
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That's that's what this is doing. Good. And it's a sacrifice that pleases and honors our Lord. Now, it could be sharing food with the needy. Being a helpful neighbor. I read about a guy that, a preacher, his neighbor was down on his luck, and and he went, this preacher went. And Moody's yard. This guy was not a believer.

00;13;00;10 - 00;13;32;01
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And it started a real relationship. And this preacher was able to lead this guy to Christ because he started that relationship by mowing his yard for doing good, okay. Doing good to others. It means that we were willing to sacrifice our time, our talent, our treasures to meet the needs of other people. And then here's a second exhortation in our text tonight.

00;13;32;01 - 00;14;06;00
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And I feel a little uncomfortable with this one, because I don't want you to think that I'm toot my own horn. I'm not toot my own horn. I'm going right out of the Bible. Okay. So I want you to understand that. Number two, respect your spiritual leaders. The writer of Hebrews challenges believers to receive the teaching of those who have been gifted by God and called to be pastors of local New Testament churches.

00;14;06;02 - 00;14;35;07
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And Hebrews 1317. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Now, in light of what this epistle teaches about the readers, you remember the readers. They were all over the map.

00;14;35;09 - 00;15;04;11
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The folks who received this letter, they were all over the map. Some of them were were true believers, and they were a part of the New Testament church. But they were really being tempted and, and and challenged because of persecution. And they were being tempted to go back to Judaism because it was easier and safer for them. And then there were people who were Jews and and they were considering being a part that were not believers.

00;15;04;11 - 00;15;35;23
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They were considering being a part of the church. And and of the kingdom, but they were backing away because it was easier for them just to to fall back into the comfort zone of Judaism. Okay. Now, obviously, the leaders of the churches that he's writing to, they had to be strong in the Lord. I mean, they had to be real strong.

00;15;35;26 - 00;16;03;26
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Wow. Now notice says obey your leaders and submit to them. Now, in, lent, skin is come to say one obeys when he or she agrees with what he or she is told to do. From the Scripture. They obey because they agree with it. Like what we just said about doing good. If you're here tonight, you say, well, I agree with that.

00;16;03;29 - 00;16;26;07
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That's a great way for me to offer a sacrifice to God by doing good to other people. Then then you would obey that. You would do that because you agree with it. But look at this. When you talk about submitting, it means that you choose to do what the Scripture says, even when you don't agree with it. That submission, okay.

00;16;26;07 - 00;16;58;22
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You don't agree with it. You don't it don't really it doesn't really float your boat, but you're willing to submit to the leadership of a godly, spirit filled pastor who's teaching the Word of God. Now everything hinges what I'm about to say. Everything hinges on a pastor who teaches and preaches the word of God. Okay. I would say to you that if a pastor does not teach and preach the Word of God, this other stuff is null and void.

00;16;58;25 - 00;17;38;24
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Amen. I'm serious. Null and void. I could give you examples tonight. I'll give you one. His name? Todd Bentley. Todd Bentley is a part of the New Apostolic Reformation. It is a group that is there. They're charismatics on steroids. That's. That's what they are. And he. He called himself up, prophet that he he believed that God gave him new revelation.

00;17;38;26 - 00;18;11;27
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Not in the Bible. And he believed that if you got sick, you got sick because you didn't have enough faith. You know where he is. He's in the hospital. He almost died. And earlier, his whole ministry came apart because he was found out that he was very immoral. Now, I cannot tell you the number of people that flock to this guy.

00;18;11;29 - 00;18;49;15
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They flock to him. They thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. And he was not teaching the scripture. That's why I tell you over and over again, it's so important that you understand the Bible. That's why we say that the Bible is our final source for faith and practice. And at any point, if you're under somebody, whether it's me or somebody else, whether you're under somebody or you're listening to somebody and they don't come to you from the scripture, then you have every right to reject it.

00;18;49;17 - 00;19;19;13
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In fact, you should reject it. Every believer in this room ought to have a strong sense of discernment. Now, your discernment not should not just be a gut feeling. I'm afraid a lot of people, when you think about biblical discernment, you think it's a gut feeling. It's not a gut feeling. That's not discernment. I'm talking about the kind of discernment I'm talking about comes from knowing the Word of God.

00;19;19;16 - 00;19;42;14
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You know, the Word of God. And you know, when somebody says something that does not line up with the Word of God and you can reject it, you can absolutely reject it, and you should reject it. Does that make sense? So here we are. When it talks about a bang, here's a pastor. He's teaching the word of God.

00;19;42;16 - 00;20;16;24
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Okay. And there's somebody sitting out there, and they they they resonate, resonates in their heart. And they say, hey, that's exactly what Scripture teach. I need to do that. That's obey. Okay. But submission, it's with somebody sitting out there and the pastor's preaching something that ruffles their feathers. Your pastor ever preaches anything that ruffles people's feathers? Yeah, I can tell you that happens.

00;20;16;27 - 00;20;44;16
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And yet they know. They know that it's come from the Bible, and they're willing to submit to it, even though they're not ready for it. And God begins to work in their heart, and he eventually makes them for what they're against. Okay, that makes sense. Okay. All right. Spiritual leaders have been given to churches. I'm not talking about just me.

00;20;44;16 - 00;21;14;27
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I'm talking about the pastors. Okay? Spiritual leaders are there to help believers. Number one, navigate the challenging path of faith. And, Psalm 23, it talks about the paths of righteousness for his namesake. How many of you have discovered that sometimes it's difficult to navigate those paths of righteousness, and then to understand and the truths of the Bible.

00;21;14;27 - 00;21;57;06
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That's why God has blessed the church. In fact, in Ephesians chapter four. And we'll look at it in a minute, but it talks about how the Lord Jesus, when he ascended back to heaven, gave gifts to the church. And those gifts were, pastors, prophets, evangelists. It was gifts to the church. And those gifts are there to help people understand the truths of the Bible, to navigate the challenging path of faith, and to apply those truths to their daily lives, to grow and to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus and to deepen their understanding of God's will.

00;21;57;08 - 00;22;37;00
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Okay, now can you imagine the chaos and the confusion in a church that had no pastors? You know, you read the Old Testament, the Book of Judges, and the Bible says that everyone did what was right in their own eyes. That's what it would be like in a church if you didn't have pastors to teach the Word of God and to lay the body of Christ down the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

00;22;37;02 - 00;23;03;20
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Now, no, no says, for they keep watch over your souls as those who give an account. Can I be honest with you? The fact that I am accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ for the souls of the people that he's entrusted to us here at Cardinal First Baptist Church, keeps me up at night sometimes. I'll be honest with you.

00;23;03;23 - 00;23;40;06
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That's why I study so hard. I spent hours developing Sunday morning sermons. I spent hours working on Wednesday nights, Bible studies. And I do that because I know that one day I'm going to stand before the Lord Jesus, and I'm going to give an account for Casey. So for Rene, so. For Nancy. So I'm going to give an account.

00;23;40;14 - 00;24;17;20
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I'll tell you that, that that's a sobering thought. Spiritual leaders are called by God to watch for danger and to warn the church when danger approaches. You say, what are you talking about, pastor? Well, have you noticed that every so often there's a new truth, a new doctrine, a new movement like the New Apostolic Reformation that comes on the scene and everybody flocks to it.

00;24;17;23 - 00;24;49;19
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And if somebody does not stand in the pulpit and teach the truth as opposed to the lies that are being taught, how is the church going to be aware of the danger? How can you be aware of the danger and warn your own kids and your grandkids, and make sure they don't follow down that path? That's why it's so important that we teach the Bible and preach the Bible in our churches.

00;24;49;21 - 00;25;17;11
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But the warning has to be given early enough so that people can avoid the danger before it comes on over the top of them. You understand what I'm saying? Now, what does that mean? Well, it means that that as the pastors of the church, they have to look at what's going on in the culture. They have to look at what's going on in the, in the church, universe.

00;25;17;13 - 00;25;40;09
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And they have to be willing to take what's going on, compare it with the Bible and say, hey, that doesn't that doesn't that doesn't work. And you gotta be willing to sit down or stand up and tell people what is wrong and how to avoid it. The greatest thing I can do for you is to teach you the truth.

00;25;40;12 - 00;26;15;29
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If you know the truth, you'll be able to recognize a lie. You will. So. Pastors and and spiritual leaders are accountable to God for the souls of those entrusted them. Look at James three one. It says, let not many of you become teachers of my brethren, knowing that as such you will incur stricter judgment. That one keeps me awake at night to stricter judgment.

00;26;16;02 - 00;26;47;14
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You know, I looked at those little kids up there a few minutes ago. And I thought about how important it is that we teach them the truth. Because they're going to be bombarded. My grandkid, I've got a a 19 year old, a 16 year old and a seven year old. And those grandkids are going to be bombarded with missiles from hell.

00;26;47;17 - 00;26;59;20
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And if we as families and churches, if we do not teach them the truth, they are going to be sitting ducks for the enemy.

00;26;59;23 - 00;27;30;08
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And sometimes when you have to warn, and I've had this happen for I've had people say, pastor. You're too rough on these folks. Now they don't say exactly those words. What gives you the right to say they're wrong? I've had people say that. And here's what I say. I tell you what gives me the right to tell them they're wrong.

00;27;30;08 - 00;28;06;09
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Because I know what's right. And this word is right. And so we. These are things we have to do. Now, look, I've got several scriptures here that I want to read to you. They're jam packed with stuff about pastoral leadership. First Peter chapter five, verses one through four. Therefore I exhort the elders among you now when you see the word elder, elder, overseer and pastor are synonymous.

00;28;06;12 - 00;28;34;19
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They're synonymous. Okay. It just described different parts of their responsibilities. Okay. Therefore, I exhort the elders among you as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed. Look at this. Shepherd the flock of God among you. I think one of the things, and I would imagine Ed would agree with this.

00;28;34;21 - 00;29;00;29
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One of the things that seems to be missing in a lot of the younger pastors is the shepherding role of the pastor. It's the shepherd means to care. I tell you, I tell young pastors, I told I told AJ before he left to go to Alamo. I said, AJ, don't go in there and try to make a bunch of changes early on.

00;29;01;01 - 00;29;29;07
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Don't do that. You go in there and when one of your your older members or middle aged man or woman is having open heart surgery, you bet that hospital at 530 in the morning, you pray over them. And said, AJ, I promise you this. If those people know you care about them, they'll listen to you and that support you.

00;29;29;07 - 00;29;56;06
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And you can fill your pockets full of leadership chips. And I tell young pastors, do not do not frivolous honestly waste your leadership chips. Don't do it. You save them for really important things okay. And that's so important. That's what it means to shepherd. It means you care. It means that. That you're there for them. What? What does the shepherd do?

00;29;56;08 - 00;30;21;05
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And then in the first century, was the shepherd behind them driving them, or was a shepherd in front of them, leading them? Tell me, what did they do in the first century in the Bible? In front, leading them, leading them, not behind them with a whip? No, in front, leading them because he knew their night. The names of the sheep.

00;30;21;07 - 00;30;31;02
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He took care of the sheep. If a sheep was wounded, he would he would take care of that wound on that sheep.

00;30;31;05 - 00;31;02;05
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Shepherding. Shepherd. Verse two. Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily. According to the will of God. And not for short game, but with eagerness. One thing you don't ever do in ministry you don't go into ministry for money, ever, ever. You know what my my pay was in my first church in 18.

00;31;02;07 - 00;31;25;24
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I got $125 a week. I had a wife and two kids. We were in New Orleans going to seminary, got $125 a week. But you know what? The Lord took care of us. The Lord took care of us. So I guarantee one thing. I didn't go into ministry from coaching for money. I didn't make much in coaching either.

00;31;25;27 - 00;31;59;19
Unknown
Yeah, I'll be very honest with you about that. Look at this. Verse three. Not yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge. Listen, a pastor, a good, biblical, caring, shepherding pastor should never be a dictator. Ever, ever. But proven to be examples to the floor. Verse four. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

00;31;59;22 - 00;32;28;27
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That's. That's a crown that is given to pastors who serve well. That's my goal. I want to finish well. I know I'm in the fourth quarter, but you know what? I want to finish well. I want to bear fruit in old age, just like it says in Psalm 92. You ought to read that psalm sometimes. Amazing Psalm art.

00;32;28;28 - 00;33;02;28
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Look at Titus one five through nine. This is Paul writing to Titus. For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I direct. Notice it. The Apostle Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said, Titus, listen, every time a church is planted. I want that church to be planted with a pastor, an elder.

00;33;03;00 - 00;33;42;29
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It's big with church planning here in West Tennessee and the state of Tennessee. And and I guarantee it never leaves a church to plant without a pastor. There's always a pastor. It's exactly what Paul wrote to Titus, namely verse six, if any man is above reproach, the means of pastor perv. There's no such thing as perfect, pastor. The husband of one wife having children who believe not accused of dissipation or rebellion for the overseer.

00;33;42;29 - 00;34;32;01
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And remember, the word overseer and elder and pastor are synonymous. Okay. For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-will, not quick temper, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid game, but hospitable. Loving what is good, sensible, just, devout. Self-control. Look at this. Verse nine. This is a qualification that everybody who becomes a pastor has to have, holding fast the faithful word, which is in accordance with the teaching, being true to the Word of God, so that he will be able both to exhort and sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

00;34;32;03 - 00;34;58;16
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Ephesians chapter four, verses 11 to 16. Paul wrote, and he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

00;34;58;16 - 00;35;29;12
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As a result. Look what he write as a result. We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves. Look at. They're carried about by every wind of doctrine. Listen, I've had people say to me, pastor, I read about this new doctrine. I said, what? There's no such thing as a new doctrine. Our doctrine is thousands of years old.

00;35;29;13 - 00;35;56;17
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Old Testament, new Testament. There's no such thing as a new doctrine. I hope you understand that. That's why we say again, the Bible is our final source for faith and practice by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming. You say, nobody would ever do that in the church. Oh, yes, they would too, in a heartbeat. But speaking the truth in love.

00;35;56;20 - 00;36;36;14
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We're to grow up in all aspects into him who is the head? Even Christ, from whom the whole body being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Now, as you look at first Thessalonians chapter five, verse 12 to 13, but we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you talking about pastors and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction.

00;36;36;17 - 00;37;19;21
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Look at verse 13 that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. Listen, this past Sunday we had a pastor and his wife in our church. They are hurting. They're so wounded. This pastor pastors a a good size church, and this church is run by the deacons. The pastor is not able to lead because the deacons have decided that they're the leaders.

00;37;19;23 - 00;37;58;06
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And this pastor is a godly guy. He teaches the Word of God. Let me say somebody. There's no in Scripture that says that deacons should run to church. Nowhere, nowhere. It does say in the Bible that the pastor should lead the church. Lead the church. Teach the church. Shepherd the church. Care for the church. I feel so sorry for this guy.

00;37;58;09 - 00;38;28;13
Unknown
He's applying. There's a church here in town. He's got a resume. I hope and pray. And he gets out of there. The church has got his resume by here in towns a lot smaller, a lot smaller. The church he's pastoring little. This this church runs between 350 and 400. And even though they've got the money in the budget, the deacons will not allow the pastor to hire any staff.

00;38;28;15 - 00;38;42;15
Unknown
They've got one part time staff member and the pastor who's only full time guy. He's killing himself. That's not right.

00;38;42;17 - 00;38;53;12
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What this is saying is we should respect our spiritual leaders. We should respect them.

00;38;53;14 - 00;39;22;27
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When I went to, First Baptist Richland. And when I came here, both. Both pastor search teams. First Baptist Richland and First Baptist. Collierville. When I when Darlene I met with them, they looked me in the eye and they said, pastor, we need a spiritual leader. And I said, do you know what that means?

00;39;22;29 - 00;39;35;16
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Is dad was on that pastor search team. Those five guys look at me, and, there's a pastor. We're looking for a spiritual leader.

00;39;35;19 - 00;40;03;00
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And to their credit, they kept their word to me. They kept their word to me from day one that we came to this church. I felt like this church respected us. And I felt like this church allowed me to be the spiritual leader of the body, which is exactly what it should do. The same thing happened at Richland.

00;40;03;02 - 00;40;24;08
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You realize in both those church here and in Richland, I had a call right before I went to Richland in view of to preach in view of a call. And right before I came here to preach view of a call. And the person on the other end of the phone was anonymous in Richland. And he said, pastor, if I were you, I wouldn't bring my family down here.

00;40;24;08 - 00;40;47;27
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Your family's going to get hurt. Well, that'll make it go to your knees. But you know what? I felt like God was calling us to go down there, and we went and had a wonderful eight year, eight year, three month ministry. And I got a call before I came here to preach in view of a call from a pastor that I knew went down.

00;40;47;29 - 00;41;13;25
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He said, sure, I know you and I'm telling you you're going to get hurt if you go there. And man, those kind of things help your prayer life. And so we prayed and we felt like God was calling us to Carville, First Baptist Church. And we came. We've been here be 22 years in March. Wonderful, wonderful time. I'm telling.

00;41;14;00 - 00;41;46;09
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I couldn't have asked for any better churches than the ones the Lord has allowed me to pastor. The first one in the 18, in New Orleans. The second one, Mullins Station, run in 90. When I went there, I was so good to me and Darlene and and First Baptist Richland and first Baptist Carmen, wonderful ministry. And every one of these churches is allowing me to be a spiritual leader, and I thank God for that.

00;41;46;12 - 00;42;17;16
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Al Mohler made this state. Our Mohler is a president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and he wrote this becoming a pastor elder, a teacher in the church is no small thing. It involves the care of souls. Pastors and elders watch over the spiritual lives of their people and exercise their ministry before God, to whom they will give an account an extremely sobering reality.

00;42;17;19 - 00;42;37;06
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We are to let our leaders shepherd us with joy, not with groaning. Otherwise, their labors of love are of no vantage to us. Grudgingly obeying our leaders does not sharpen our hearts. It hardens them.

00;42;37;08 - 00;43;05;20
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I one of these days I don't know when. One of these days this church will look for the next pastor. And I want you to remember this stuff that we're talking about tonight. The next pastor will not be Chuck herring. But you know what? This church will form a pastor search team, and they will look far and wide.

00;43;05;22 - 00;43;29;09
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And they will bring in a guy who love Jesus, who loves the word of God, who values teaching the Word of God. They'll bring in a guy who will shepherd the people of the people who will embrace the core values of this church. I guarantee that, and I'm already praying for that guy I'm already praying for. I don't know who he is, but the Lord does.

00;43;29;11 - 00;43;54;12
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And I'm praying that there will be a smooth transition and that his church will just keep going for the glory of God. Now don't walk out of here and say, well, he's resigning. He don't know. I'm not. I'm you. Look, I'm just applying what we're talking about, what this church will embrace at some point in the future. Okay?

00;43;54;15 - 00;44;31;25
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Please. Please listen. Always respect your pastors. Respect them. Now I'm going to be perfect, but respect them. All right, here's a third one. Pray for your spiritual leaders. Now, if I hear rumors, I know where it came from. I'm going to take a picture of all of you. But. I might not should have said that a.

00;44;31;27 - 00;45;03;21
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All right, number three, pray for your spiritual leaders from one end of the Bible to the other. You can't help but notice the importance as the Word of God places on prayer. Hebrews 1318 and 19 pray for us. So, so, so the author of Hebrews is writing these. This epistle to these Jewish believers and the Jewish nonbelievers who are thinking about becoming a believer and said, pray for us.

00;45;03;23 - 00;45;32;23
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Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscious desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all thing. You know what that verse teaches me? It shows me that there were some people in this body of Christ, this group of Jewish believers and nonbelievers, who were accusing this pastor, these pastors, of not being men of integrity.

00;45;32;25 - 00;45;57;10
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And he's saying, look, look, we have a good conscious desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. Verse 19 and I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you sooner. So this the authors say, look, I want to come. Come and see you. I want to spend some time with the eyeball to eyeball.

00;45;57;10 - 00;46;02;26
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I want to help you.

00;46;02;28 - 00;46;32;14
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Now. Let's look at the benediction verses 20 and 21. I love this benediction. Have you ever just studied the benedictions of the Bible? I tell you, some of the richest, words in Scripture are found in benediction. Look. Look at this 120 and 21 now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant.

00;46;32;16 - 00;47;08;13
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Even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. And this benediction, these two verses sort of gather up all the major themes of Hebrews and two verses like it points to the supremacy of Christ, the atoning death of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, the ascension of Christ, and even the return of Christ right here in this benediction.

00;47;08;15 - 00;47;40;13
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You talking about two two verses, are absolutely pregnant with theological meaning. These two verses are now look at verses 22 to 25, which is the the last part of this letter. He said. But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation which I have written to you briefly. Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released.

00;47;40;16 - 00;48;15;13
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Now, if there's a part of me when I read this, I say, you know, Paul may have written this. Paul and Timothy were tied. Take notice. And our brother Timothy has been released. With whom? If he comes soon, I will see you. So he say the the author saying, look, when when Timothy is released and my, my associates are released and they can take care of the ministry where we are at that point, wherever they were.

00;48;15;15 - 00;48;34;01
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Then I'll come and see you greet all your leaders. This is the third time in this one chapter that he's mentioned leaders look at, let me find it.

00;48;34;03 - 00;49;02;03
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Verse seven. Remember those who led to you? That's the leader. Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. And then we saw it here and in verses 17 and, verse 17, obey your leaders. And here at the very end. That urge you bring with this word of exercise there, take notice.

00;49;02;03 - 00;49;32;14
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Our brother Timothy had been released with him. If he come soon, I will see. Great. All your leaders. Listen, every New Testament church in the first century had leaders. They had spiritual leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy. Great you, grace, be with you all. Listen, I can't think of a better way to end our study than this final verse.

00;49;32;16 - 00;50;07;25
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Grace be with you all. Every believer in this room, every believer watching live stream. You've been saved by grace through faith in Christ alone. Do you realize that none of us can keep ourselves saved? We can't keep ourselves saved. The Lord Jesus who intercedes for us from heaven according to Hebrews 725, he saves us forever. The Bible says, and he keeps us saved.

00;50;07;27 - 00;50;31;29
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And one day, by the grace of God, he's going to bring us home to glory, and we'll see Jesus, and we'll be like him, and we'll be perfected. And it's all because of grace. Aren't you glad of grace? For the grace of God. You know, I want to pray for you, and I want to pray this grace over your life.

00;50;32;02 - 00;51;02;24
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Let me pray. Heavenly father, I thank you that you've allowed us to go verse by verse through Hebrews. I thank you, father, that you've shown us the superiority of Jesus. You've shown us the blood atonement of Jesus. You shown us the resurrection of Jesus, the ascension of Jesus, and even the return of Jesus. And the words that we find in this book of the Bible.

00;51;02;26 - 00;51;31;07
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And, Heavenly Father, as we come to the end of our study, I pray in the name of Jesus that your grace would be like the dew of heaven over every body within the sound of my voice. And I pray that through your unmerited favor, you have made every physical, spiritual, and emotional need that we have according to your riches and glory in Christ Jesus.

00;51;31;08 - 00;51;47;07
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We love you, Lord. In Christ's name. Amen. All right. Thank you very much. You.