[0:00] We're picking up in 1 Timothy today, and we're going to look at the first four verses. Today's message is more of an introduction with application, and so we're going to look at the first four verses. if you'll stand with me. 1 Timothy, excuse me.

[0:28] Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope, to Timothy, a true son in the faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord, as I urged you when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus, that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification, which is in faith. So Lord, again, we thank you for your word. We pray that, Lord, you would instruct us, that you would teach us, that we would have an open ear today. We thank you for your faithfulness in our lives and how you meet us where we're at. And you have that word for us, Lord, and we thank you in Jesus' name. Amen. You can all be seated.

[1:38] So the title of today's message is, What Does a Pastor Do?

[1:46] There was a little boy that was asked one time in Sunday school what he wanted to be when he grew up. And he said, I want to be a pastor. And they said, really? Well, why do you want to be a pastor? And the little boy said, because they only work one day a week.

[2:06] What does a pastor do? You know, several years ago, I had an elder at one of the local churches here in Redmond. And he wanted to know basically how my counseling load was because they were overwhelmed and inundated with so much counseling. And I said, well, I have very little counseling that I do. And I said, because the reason is because on Sunday morning and Wednesday nights is our counseling sessions.

[2:44] And so many times people would plan on making a counseling appointment or they would make a counseling appointment, but then they would cancel it because they would say, the Lord, he answered my question on Sunday morning or I answered my question on Wednesday night or I would hear how God would speak to people. And then when I do get counseling, usually it's somebody just started coming to the church from some other place. And or it has to do with maybe answering a hard question or dealing with decision making and things like that. And so that was not that's been 30 years that's held true and because God's Word is our counsel and by the Holy Spirit he personalizes it and there would be times and it's kind of funny and I learned it over the years as pastor that was such a a good message.

[3:58] How the lord this is what the lord said to me because at the beginning of the message you gave this scripture reference and so I read that scripture reference that's probably before the days of having it up there and I turned to it and then the lord started to speak to me and I didn't even hear the rest of the message and that the lord would answer their question had nothing to do with me it's all about what god says and what god does and so and so it's been amazing but so what does a pastor do and it tells us in Ephesians chapter 4.

[4:40] 11 through 16 and he himself gave some to be apostles some prophets some evangelists and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men and the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. But speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, for whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effect of working, by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. So what does a pastor do? he works at keeping the enemy out of your head.

[5:52] He teaches the word of God.

[5:56] When God's word is being taught, the devil who wants to deceive and he wants to undermine, but he will fail because you have the word of God as the sword of the spirit in the battle. When the battle rages, it's often in the mind and in your thought life and so forth. And it's a wonderful thing when a Christian stands in the battle at hand with sword drawn and in a strong grip of confidence warding off the confusion and the deceiver who comes. And so this is the goal of a pastor. After a good sermon preached can feed somebody spiritually, minister to them for a day. They could ride that wave for sure, a good sermon preached. But the difference between preaching and teaching is like the difference between catching a fish and giving it to somebody and feeding them or teaching them to fish and feeding them for a lifetime. That's the difference.

[7:24] And so that's equipping the saints. You see that in verse 14. So that you're no longer children tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine because you go through the scriptures and you study the word.

[7:45] And so we depend upon that. And you see that verified here in our verses. You know just looking at verse 3 and 4 as I urge you when I went into Macedonia remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith and so charging some And so oftentimes there is that direct conflict that will occur, but you will charge some, and that might be directly or indirectly, simply by teaching God's Word. And the reason is because truth confronts and persuades. And the Holy Spirit backs His Word. And so it's amazing how God will work in that way.

[8:58] And so, you know, having said that and knowing that Timothy was being urged to be there at Ephesus to deal with these things, and we know Timothy was called into the pastorate and he was being ministered to by the Apostle Paul. But I think a little background needs to be given here because of the Apostle Paul, the relationship to Timothy. And so now we, by looking at it this way, move away from preaching to teaching, which gives us traction, is the way I like to look at it, on the field of battle. And high protein, less carbs. You know, I'm not called, if you will, to be a dietician, but a doctrinalistician. Does that make sense? Not a dietician, but a doctrinalistician. No such word, but that's what I'm called to do. And so just the other day, I had somebody talk to me, interested in coming to our church. And he says, I know you know your service is at 10 o'clock, but when's your Sunday school? And I said, same time.

[10:26] He says, oh, you mean you don't preach, you teach. And I said, yeah. I said, but we get a lot of preaching in the middle of teaching too. We mixed it too where some have a background where they come to the sermon and there's that preacher preaches. You know, maybe that's when they beat the pulpit or something. But if you want to be taught the word of God, then you go to Sunday school. And so those who would go to Sunday school and then come to the preaching service, they're getting a well-rounded, you know, preparedness, as you will, as a Christian, just like we would do here. We just do it at the same time. And we emphasize the teaching.

[11:13] And so by doing this, we're doing that. And so Paul probably spent more time with Timothy than any one person. And Paul getting up in age is preparing the next generation of leaders and the instruction that he is giving timothy is also for all future generations of pastor leaders and and so first timothy is considered one of those pastoral epistles from one pastor to another other you might say and and how to conduct yourself in ministry and a lot of that information is conveyed through personal experiences that you learn along the way if you're in ministry for 30 or 40 years and then somebody comes along and gets saved and has a real heart and you recognize God's doing a work and you kind of take them alongside and then you begin to teach them things and some of those things took you 10 years to learn how wonderful it is that you could pass that on so quickly and hope that they would learn from your hardship days and difficult days and your mistakes and so forth and so Paul he gives us insight to their enduring and enduring relationship.

[12:41] We see that there in verse 2 timothy a true son in the faith and so the king James has king James has it as my own son in the faith enduring and enduring and so the apostle Paul he invested into timothy like a father does into a son's life and ministry does get very personal.

[13:11] And that's the best kind of ministry. And so that's why oftentimes somebody can really only invest, truly invest in discipleship into just a few people that they're spending time with and able to pour into. And, you know, we try to multiply that as much as we can, but there's something very personal that the Apostle Paul is communicating. And so, I mean, I can relate in one sense as my dad taught my brother and I a trade so well that out of high school I earned journeyman wages. And at 21 years old when I was running a painting crew, when every one of the nine on the crew were 20 years my senior, I can relate to when Paul tells Timothy not to let no man despise thy youth. He says that in this letter, the fourth chapter, verse 12, let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word and conduct and love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

[14:34] And so, depending on the training that a person receives and the experience that he has, even at a younger age, can minister into the lives of older people. We see that, of course, in the disciples of Jesus Christ, who were even teens and very young when Jesus took them in. They became the leaders of the church. church we still we saw that in the Jesus people movement as well as when god decided to make that statement again and these hippie 18 year olds and 19 year olds were getting saved and god was putting his stamp of approval on them and calling them into the ministry calling them to be pastors and here were these 21 22 23 year olds having some of the biggest churches in America.

[15:34] Because the Holy Spirit decided to do that. And it was by his work, and it continues to be by his work and by his doing. And so I remember as a 22, 23-year-old and being the head, the foreman over a crew on the job, and it didn't take too long to gain their respect mainly because they couldn't keep up with me.

[16:06] And then the example I set was to be a good steward, a hard worker, be on time, you know, be responsible and so forth and so on. And they would respect that. Now this list that Timothy is given to be an example at his young age is different, of course. You know, be that example to believers in word and conduct and love and spirit and faith and purity. But by being that, then they would respect that man of God.

[16:40] And then he would begin to pastor and to teach. And on Apostle Paul's first missionary journey, he came to Gerbe and Lystra, and there was a man there that was crippled. And so Paul, perceiving the man had faith to be healed, He prayed for him, and the man was healed. And God did this miracle. And it was amazing. And people are astonished when God does miracles as they would have been then. And we see it all through the scriptures. And the people that witnessed what happened, they misinterpreted the scene. And they said, they must be gods. And they look at Paul and Barnabas and said, they must be gods. Barnabas is Jupiter and Paul is Mercury, Mercurius. In other words, Paul being the main spokesman, he must be Mercury, the goddess Mercury. Or the god Mercury, and so the Greek gods. And so, of course, then the apostle Paul, he responded, no, we're just men.

[17:56] Don't sacrifice and, you know, worship us. Us we're just people like you and then like people do the next day they stoned them, and why because he was speaking the truth so they go from wanting to worship them to stoning Paul you know and it says in acts 14 15 and saying men why are you doing these things we also are men end with the same nature as you and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living god who made the heaven the earth the sea and all things that are in them like in other words saying what are you doing, sacrificing to us this power that you have witnessed is by the living god, that the one true living god who made heaven and earth and he's pointing them to that and Christians.

[19:00] We are to give all the glory to god just like we see there in scripture what you see in my life what you see in my family it's not me it's not my wife it's only god him alone is doing what you see god doing in my life, and Christians are to respond that way when people somehow they see that you have your life together other that your family is together that things are going well in one area or another you seem so confident well it's the lord and so Paul gives glory to god and then they stoned him, and that's what happens usually you know you speak the truth and you get the wrath of man who wants nothing to do with god and so we see that here in scripture, and then.

[20:13] As soon as I find my place so then Paul, His body is discarded outside the city as dead, and most likely he was. And the people of faith are around encircling him, and they're praying for him.

[20:39] And so, who wouldn't pray after you've witnessed something like that? Those standing for truth, they get stoned, body dragged out of town, and the followers of Jesus, and they start standing around. Are those in faith still trying to figure things out, praying to God?

[20:59] And then God touches him. Paul rose up. And what did he do? He went right back into the city to preach where he was stoned. The people of faith, they're watching. watching he gave a bold witness and all those that were watching were being ministered to, and he was being an example and he was teaching by an example what do pastors do they do that, they teach by example they get hit and they get up and they keep following the lord and then the onlookers that are praying for this pastor who's going through this that or the other thing I mean there was a time I wanted nothing to do with being a senior pastor. I was under a pastor down in Lake Elsinore, and a couple times of the year, he was getting hit so hard, it was brutal. And I was the assistant pastor, and I would hear the inside stories of these things, and he'd end up in the hospital like once a year, some major physical trauma going on. And I think, I don't want anything to do with being a senior pastor. No way.

[22:22] Well, the Lord had a different idea. But trials are different between one and another. You know, even Pastor John down there never was stoned and dragged out of Lake Elsinore or somewhere, but he would go through it. And so we can safely assume that Timothy was there. And if he wasn't an eyewitness he certainly heard detail you know concerning the encounter but most likely he was an eyewitness and I'll tell you that as god will often do he sets the stage, in our life. It's the same for you and me. Things that happen prior to your calling. Things that happen prior to salvation. Things that happen in your life that sets the stage for what God has planned for you.

[23:34] And so Timothy, his name means to honor God. Timothy was raised by a Jewish mother and grandmother of faith, and that Timothy's father was Greek. It was an unusual situation. As a matter of fact, it was unacceptable in Jerusalem for a Jewish woman to be married to a Greek. But it was unusual. unusual but unusual situations never stop god from working and it's amazing he works in amazing ways out of unusual circumstances he has in my life and you know you can probably say ditto.

[24:21] We're all unusual we all have unusual experiences and god somehow or another, Make something beautiful out of it if you trust him. Don't ever be, you know, eliminate yourself from serving the Lord because of your past. Your past is just what it is. Even the apostle Paul says, you know, I'm least of the apostles, not worthy to be an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. He came against the church. He threw Christians in prison. He saw to the death of prison. He stood before Stephen when Stephen was martyred. He says, but although I'm least of the apostles, not worthy to be apostles, but I am what I am by the grace of God. And so now I work harder than all of them. That's how his past, you know, worked in his life. And so I would say the most unusual of a past you have is the greater purpose that you have than to serve in the grace of God. You know, hopefully we can understand God's grace equally. But what I've learned is sometimes people understand more of the grace of God because they've been forgiven more.

[25:34] And so somehow or another, we seem to understand it just a little bit more.

[25:39] And so God's working this thing out. And so, you know, we don't have all the details, but most likely it was then that Timothy and his mother and grandmother came to faith, Paul's first missionary journey, because Paul's second missionary journey, we have recorded in Luke and Luke tells us in Acts 16 verses 1 through 3 then he came to Derbe and Lystra and behold a certain disciple was there named Timothy the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed but his father was Greek he was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium, Paul wanted to have him go on with him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in the region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. And so it's interesting because Paul was adamant against circumcision because all of your, the religious element and the scribes and Pharisees were all pushing for circumcision of all those in order to be saved. And the Apostle Paul teaches many places against it, especially Galatians.

[27:07] But then here he circumcised Timothy to keep Timothy able to then go with him to the next stop.

[27:19] The next stop that they were going to, Timothy was known. And so in order for Paul's ministry to be able to go in and have Timothy, he would have to be circumcised. And so for that purpose, he circumcised Timothy. That's what I call being really close-knitted, you know.

[27:44] But anyway, and so the next place. And because he was known in that area so not to hinder it was necessary maybe even for one person think about it god cares enough for that next person so much that he prepares us to minister to them and sometimes it takes painful preparation to do that so not to throw a wrench in the works of what God's doing and preparing you. You know, another occasion there was Titus who was not circumcised, but he didn't need to get circumcised. Matter of fact, he didn't get circumcised and Paul said, not necessary. And he's able to continue on powerful minister of the Lord. And so we have that contrasting example in scripture. And I think we can take away from that, that number one, do not compare what ministry God has for you and what God would have for another.

[28:47] So God had for Timothy that. God had for Titus something else. And yet God used both of them mightily, equally, powerfully in Scripture. And also number two, the intensity and even the level of difficulty But we need to settle in with God. He knows what's best, even when I don't understand why. Why me and not him?

[29:19] We need to be settled on it doesn't matter what God chooses, he chooses. Peter had a problem with that, remember, after the resurrection. And God, Jesus revealed to Peter that his future meant that he was going to be martyred. And in John 21, 21, 22, Peter, then he looked over at John. He looked at him and said to Jesus, but Lord, what about this man?

[29:50] And Jesus said to him, if I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow me. Don't worry about John. Don't worry about what I'm doing in their life. Don't worry about the plans that I have to work out through him. You must be concerned with what you're to be doing. And that's what the Lord would say to us. Be concerned about what you're to be doing. And Timothy, at this time, was somewhere around 18 to 21 years old. Ouch! Okay, you want to come with me? Well, come over here first. Let's go over there.

[30:37] You have to be fully committed. Now, this letter Paul writes to Timothy would be approximately 12 to 15 years after Acts 16. So and so it's about Acts 16 is about AD 50, and so Timothy was 18 to 21 12 to 15 years later he's somewhere at 30 to 33 years old when he receives this letter young man receiving this instruction and this high calling, what happened in that 12 years that he's hanging around with Paul and he's watching and he's learning you would think can it happen much quicker than that probably but not for most it's years and decades and then finally okay you know we can we can do this we can do this, and even the apostle Paul after he got saved he disappeared for four years in Arabia and then it took 14 years finally he made the statement was you know what I've learned I was a sinner but now I'm the chief of sinners that's what I learned in 14 years which means that I have a better understanding of the grace of god is what he was saying.

[32:04] It was huge. And so when Paul took Timothy along, when his training began, and notice in verse 3 where Paul says, you know, that he urged him to remain in Ephesus. So he had to urge Timothy, meaning timothy most likely was not keen on the idea who knows what happened in Ephesus who knows what they were dealing with in Ephesus sometimes we want to sidestep those difficult things so maybe timothy would rather minister in Hawaii.

[32:53] Oh send me to Hawaii you know you know what you don't want to be in Hawaii if you're not called to Hawaii you don't want to be anywhere else if you're not called there you want to be where it is that god's called you to be or else don't go there and and so we need to be sensitive to the lord but we should realize we will be most blessed and satisfied to be where god calls us, and I could imagine myself ministering in Hawaii first of all I heard the fishing is incredible, I totally love the coast when I lived in southern California I could go there in 20 minutes when I was a kid I rode my stingray bike to the coast I loved to fish in the ocean I had my little fiberglass boat with my 75 horse Yamaha outboard motor and I used to putt around San Pedro and Long Beach Harbors in there with my little boat, catch all kinds of fish. I miss that. I mean, it's so much better than Prineville Reservoir and Ochoco Reservoir. I know what I'm going to catch there if I catch anything at all.

[34:08] But it's best to be four hours from the coast if God wants you four hours from the coast. And this is where God's called us, and I know it. And Timothy needed to be encouraged in Paul's second letter when he wrote five years later in Paul's last letter that he had written before the Lord took him home. And he had to keep reminding Timothy, who by the way in the new testament is the only one who is specifically called a man of god, no one else is called that he's going in this letter in first timothy 6 11 but you oh man of god flee these things and pursue righteousness godliness faith love patience and gentleness you're calling me a man of god but I'm fearful you're calling me a man of god but I have so many problems, so many issues. Yet you're calling me a man of God, and I'm the only one called that in the Old and New Testament, in all your letters.

[35:18] How special a message to us. And so Paul, all the way to the end, had to remind Timothy of basics. Do not be fearful. Timothy, quit it. Do not be fearful. full sort of like that second worship song we sang you know about being delivered from.

[35:43] I'm no longer a slave to fear timothy you're no longer a slave to fear, and and so in Paul's second letter he writes this in chapter one therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands for God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God now you know I don't want to be a missionary I don't want to say I'm going to be a missionary because God may send me to some God forsaken place in Africa and I don't want to go there. So I don't want to commit my life to the Lord. I don't want to be a missionary. I don't.

[36:42] God might. Well, let God do what God wants to do in your life and just submit because God knows what's best. And so Paul is telling Timothy not to be given over to this fear. You're always fearful of all these things. Fear of that and fear of this. Timothy, you're no longer a slave to that kind of thinking. You've been set free all the way to the end. And man of God, man of God, these inconsistencies in Timothy's life, I believe, were lifelong. Joshua had to be told, do not fear. But wait a minute, Moses isn't here anymore. I always relied on Moses. Now Moses is gone, you're giving me his ministry? That's a lot to be fearful of. Do not fear.

[37:34] No, the Lord is going to be with you. And then Paul, you know, he says, therefore, do not be ashamed. He continues there. Do not be ashamed. It's God's call for his purpose. You need to trust him. Yeah, you see all that I'm going through. People are saying, if he was really of God, he wouldn't be going through that hard thing. Don't be ashamed of the things that the Lord brings. He's the Lord. He's the good shepherd. If something happens in in your life it's for a reason you know the painful reason you're going through that is so that your ministry is open to that next person and you know what that next person is worth it he's worth it to god because Jesus died for them the most ultimate sacrifice and you know for most of us like but you don't want to be inconvenienced for the next person.

[38:27] And so like I said there's a little preaching with teaching you know it happens and so and so there timothy is encouraged and and then he you know continues there and he says hey, you know to timothy when he says in that same second timothy chapter one in case that's gone But in the eighth verse, you know, not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God. And so that's where the blessings are. That's where the power rests, in obedience to these things.

[39:09] Yeah, there's going to be negative responses and there's going to be threats. But don't be that person who lives his life afraid that somebody's following them and it's just their imagination. You can't live life like that. So be encouraged. Again, like Joshua. And so many of the men and women of faith recorded in the Bible and in church history, what's recorded in the Bible and church history will always need to be re-encouraged, reminded, basic principles, the ABCs of things we know very well, even the Apostle Paul, which is passing on to Timothy what he had also received from the Lord. It's recorded in Acts 23.

[39:59] Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them commanded the soldiers to go down and make him by for are taken by force from among them and bring him into the barracks but the following night the lord stood by him and said be of good cheer Paul for as you have testified of me in Jerusalem so you must also bear witness at Rome Paul at towards the end and he's sharing the gospel and they want to kill him and the Romans have to rescue him Jesus went before him in the prison cell be encouraged Paul you're going to minister to me in Rome what is that saying in other words you're not going to remain in here I'm getting you out of here and then god blew his mind with sending a whole roman army to to basically usher him over to Rome at Rome's expense because that's where the blessing was. He was standing for truth, and then God blessed him. And so Paul was discouraged, down in the dumps. The Lord had to appear to him and encourage him and assure him that he was going to Rome, and God uniquely delivered him.

[41:17] And so we're out of time. I didn't get as far as I would like to, but but I have to trust the Lord that.

[41:32] That you heard from the Lord. I think that I'm always encouraged when I see in the scriptures the testimony of a man of God and how powerfully God would use them. And I find that they struggled through their entire life with things and had to be encouraged because that encourages me. Me so I never now now look at myself as thinking like you shouldn't be doing what you're doing, because if if you truly were this or that then you wouldn't have done that or this well you know.

[42:17] Very early on when I first time first time ever taught in church the pastor said hey can you teach on Sunday night and he happened to be having some other guy's teaching at different times. He was just trying to just wait on the Lord to see who was going to, you know, be that place in ministry. And so every single time a guy would teach on a Sunday night, I'd go, definitely, John, that's who you need to pick. That's who you need to pick. That was awesome. That's who you need to pick. And like, I was maybe sixth in line. Anyway, and at the end of the teaching, you get home and my wife goes, oh, that was really good, except for you said something that wasn't true and I go what you know that scripture there that you said you know this or that and I go yeah and she goes it doesn't mean that it means something else they went no way so I got my books out and I went and checked what she said she was right, I go oh that's it that's proof I'm never teaching again because because I wouldn't have done that if it was the holy spirit leading me I wouldn't have done that I wouldn't and she just laughed to me she said are you kidding me I've heard every good teacher that I've ever listened to make mistakes when they're teaching and I'm going no and so I had to come a long way.

[43:35] Long way, because I mess up. And you know what? I try not to, but I will. You can correct me if you want. That's okay. I'm also used to that. It's like water off a duck's back. You know, my wife still corrects me all the time, saying, the story wasn't like that. That's not who was there. That's not what happened. That's okay. It didn't change the meaning of it, you know?

[43:59] I grace myself all the time. I did learn that God graces me out. Why can't I grace myself out? Let's pray. Let's stand together. Lord, thank you so much for loving us and thank you for your grace and your grace abounds. Yeah, sin abounds, grace much more abounds, super abounds. Good thing, because we'd all be eliminated from our perspective places and our calling and our gifting and all those kind of requirements, Lord. And we thank you that we're not. we're accepted in the beloved your word says it I believe it, and even when I feel unacceptable I know that that's contrary to truth thank you for that Lord bless your people I pray in Jesus name amen now if you need prayer come forward afterwards somebody's requested being anointed with oil as James chapter 5 tells us that call upon the elders if you're needing a touch and a healing and that prayer of faith will heal the sick. And so we're going to have the anointing oil up here. And so anyway, if you need prayer, come forward. Okay, and the Lord bless you and amen. God bless you.