There is no door of prayer.
The curtain has been torn in two. You go right to God with these things. I don't care how many decades it takes. Satan is hoping to wear you down by time. Our response to that is, in a word, endurance. We just keep moving forward.
We're still there, still kneeling after all these years on behalf of another. I know for sure I'd not be a Christian if it weren't for my mother and sister praying for me. This is Cross-Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the Book of First Peter.
Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about Cross-Reference Radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. Today Pastor Rick will be teaching in the fifth chapter of the Book of First Peter and his message called Pastors. He is asking for you personally. He's singled out from everybody else around you. The Lord is asking for you. He's asking for me. He's asking for a dedicated life. Another thing that I think many people in Christ seem to stumble over, to be confused about – well, it's very simple.
There's nothing confusing about this. When God called me to the ministry, it took him over a decade. Let me rephrase it because it makes it sound like he was dragging his feet, although I was thinking that.
I've called to this ministry and had no church, nobody to follow, nobody to do anything with, as far as my calling goes. For years, it hurt so much. It was like a longing. If you've ever been away from home a long time, you know that longing you have to get home? It was that intense. And I have to sometimes remember that. Remember how it was when you were pulling on the leash? Have you lost any of that?
Have you lost the shine? What are you going to do about it? Because God wants the dedicated life, not the moonlighter, not the one who just sees it as a paycheck. He wants the life. When you come to church, he wants the life.
When you go get in your cars and begin to deal with your flesh, he wants the life. It doesn't matter. To us, serving mere human beings is not the same as serving God according to the flesh. But according to the Spirit and according to God, it is the same thing. You've done it to the least of these, you've done it to me, Jesus said. And so I must be careful that I don't have this attitude that I'm serving God and trampling on people around me. And John calls that out in his first letter and he says, you're a liar. You cannot love the Lord and hate on those around you at the same time. He says, as overseers, and there's that word episkopos, which is applying to the pastors, not by compulsion but willingly.
I guess I mentioned someone has to lead. A headless anything that is functioning is scary, even if it's not. When you see a bug in the backyard with no head, you say, hmm, I just saw one the other day. It was a big bug. All that was left was the head. The body was eaten.
Not by me. So what about a church that has no head? Or what if it has many heads, like Medusa?
That's pretty spooky too. That's not how the Lord has arranged it. And we must not be embarrassed by this, ashamed of it, or feel like we have to somehow defend ourselves. This is how it is given to us. It is handed to us. We have a controlled, free will system in Christ. To me, to not believe in free will, in regard to salvation or anything else, is irrational.
But compulsion means to be forced to do something unwillingly. And so Peter is saying, you pastors, don't feel like you're forced to do this. That's not who Christ is looking for. You know, there will be times where a man is in ministry and he may feel locked in. That's right, bind the sacrifice to the altar. Because the Lord knows if He let your flesh have its way, you would collapse under the pressure.
So he knows how to put things in place. God rails for all of us who serve the Lord. Maybe you serve in the ministry of the church and you're a little weary of it. But you are concerned how you might look if you're absent without leave. You're concerned, how is it going to be a witness to my children if I'm no longer serving in church because I didn't like something petty? And so you get up and you serve nonetheless. That's what it takes.
What should you hear? If you meet with a little pressure, quit. Give up.
Satan would love that. It would be three cheers in hell over that decision if you ever made it willfully. Now, willfully does not always mean sustained joy. Sometimes it is all an uphill push, but it must be done. Mowing the lawn, is it? There's no joy in that always, but it has to be done.
And I'm taking volunteers for my house. Anyway, pastors become eventually disappointed in the work. The results aren't what they thought. Ministry is not what they thought. The people are not what they thought.
Not all the people, but enough. And these things, again, they can stack up against him. They can make him feel cornered. And the Lord will let it happen to do his work in that man, that flowing from him will be a reality that will be useful to those whom he has been entrusted to oversee as an under shepherd. Christ knows what he's doing.
He has many tools to do it. 2 Corinthians 5, 14, for the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus, that if one died for all, then all died. Paul says, it is Christ and my love for him that keeps me moving forward.
The stakes are very high. Eternal salvation of souls is involved here. Christ died for me, a sinner.
It makes perfect sense that I should serve as one whom he died for, in the interest of others. 1 Corinthians 9, he says, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. He's not casting pearl before swine in that statement, as Christ said, and we need to watch out for that. You cheapen the gospel when you try to jam it down people's throats. It is far better to be led by the Holy Spirit, and when you get the shot, you're ready and you take it.
Sometimes it takes a long time, because we're not ready. Christ is still working in us. Satan challenges every noble cause that you come in touch with in Christ Jesus. I can stand up here and preach all the high things I can preach, and each one of them will be right, and each one of them will be tested. And so you can run away, oh pastor, from the ministry if you want to, but remember, on the battlefield, desert is a shot, often in the back.
I don't want to be one of those. He says, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly. We're in verse 2. Have the prosperity teachers ever read there? Do they know these words are in the Bible? Can you imagine me standing here saying, if you put a seed offering in of $100, God will bless you, and you'll get $200 back, and then a congregation being dumb enough to do it over and over.
Talk about carrot in front of the cart. That's dishonest. It's a lie.
It's a misrepresentation of the truth. Paul said, except for these chains, I wish you were all together like me. Paul was not a rich man when he said that. Pastors are to feed the flock, not fleece the flock. Jeremiah 48, 10.
And let me pause there. Pastors don't really need to talk about how much you should give and tithe, because you already know. Christians already know what they're supposed to do when it comes to that. And we come to it when we come to it in Scripture, and that's it.
May I never make money an issue like that with the flock. Anyway, Jeremiah 48, but at the same time, I don't want to be sound as though I've got my act together, and then I don't want to tell you I don't have it together either. Jeremiah 48, 10. Cursed is he who does not, pardon me, cursed is he who does the work of Yahweh deceitfully, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood. Who wants to do God's work deceitfully so they can gain? Well, it's a person that doesn't believe God is who he says he is, that they're going to be accountable to him.
The unbeliever pretending to be a believer. 2 Corinthians 2, I have a few of these I want to read. For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. I like when Paul says we're not peddling the word of God.
As so many, because even in his day when the apostles were still ministering, there were already these charlatans, these swindlers popping up, and they're here to this day. But you should know them. You should know them by their words and their behaviors. Mainly their words. Because if their words don't match what the scripture says, then why are you enduring them?
Why are you supporting them? Empowering them. 1 Thessalonians 1, 5. For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. Paul says to the Thessalonians, you know what kind of men we were. We showed up to you bleeding from the caning we received in Philippi. You know what we were doing with the gospel.
I love that. It's just unashamed and right out there. And not worrying about anything but the truth. He goes on in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 8. So affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. See, that's pastoring. That's shepherding the flock. He doesn't have to put the word on that.
He just holds up the activity. We connect the dots on our own. Again, 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, verse 7. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you. Hirelings for pastors falls outside of God's design. Men who think that pastoring is just a profession, you go to seminary, you graduate, you're hired by a church, and then you conduct the rituals and rites of that particular group without any passion for truth and the word and the people.
That's less than what it should be. A pastor has to think things through in the presence of God concerning his field of ministry. Just as you do, you should have a field of ministry too. There should be people in your life that you're concerned about the salvation of their souls. That's your field of ministry. And if the door hasn't opened to say anything to them, the door of prayer stands open. In fact, there is no door of prayer.
The curtain has been torn in two. You go right to God with these things. I don't care how many decades it takes. Satan is hoping to wear you down by time. Our response to that is, in a word, endurance. We just keep moving forward.
We're still there, still kneeling after all these years on behalf of another. I know for sure I'd not be a Christian if it weren't for my mother and sister praying for me because I was out there. I mean, I was a kook. Well, I was an Antichrist.
You don't get any crazier than that. You can be sane among men but an absolute fool in the eyes of heaven. Verse 3, Nor is being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. So, I mean, who sees the pastorate as an opportunity to be a tyrant? We're told right here, you're not supposed to. Bully the people. Rule over them in a false way outside the parameters given to us in Scripture.
In God's house, we rule. Nothing wrong with that. And you should be glad because some of the pastors wanted sort of a psychedelic carpet.
No, they did not. But imagine if somebody did. Well, you need somebody who can stand up and rule and say no. You don't have to see this all in the negative because there are people who do the wrong thing out there.
It does not mean there are not right people out there also. Yes, some doctors are a little crazy but you're grateful for a lot of other ones, aren't you? Especially your dentist.
You ever had a toothache, you can't wait to get to that person. Anyway, that's not in my notes. Second Corinthians, this is chapter 1 verse 24. Not that we have dominion over your faith, we are fellow workers for your joy. We're not trying to invade your lives.
You know, in Switzerland and Geneva there, John Calvin and his men, they were invasive. They were just no end to what they were dictating to the people, telling you you can't wear this, you can't do that. You have to just abide by the word of God. Now there are moral things that you have to not do. Thou shall not steal, still enforce. Thou shall not murder. Thou shall not wear ugly clothing.
That would wipe out half this generation. Okay. Second Corinthians 10 verse 8, for even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority which the Lord gave for us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed. Let me reread that. For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed. Paul says I have authority, I have apostolic authority, I'm not ashamed of that. But it's not something you should be terrified of unless of course you're trying to pull one over on us.
Then you should have good cause to be concerned. Should it be any other way? Pastors are not supposed to be pin cushions for people. Paul tells Titus, speak these things, exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
Don't take the mess. This is biblical. It's necessary. And there's no reason why Christians should be rebuked by their pastors. Most I think are not.
But there are those that from time to time they are. We continue, he says, over those entrusted to you, who are those? The people of God of course in the local church. You cannot be entrusted, have people entrusted to you in the universal church.
It makes no sense at all. This is the local assembly that he is talking about and this entrusting of course is from God as we read in John chapter 21 to feed and to tend the sheep, the flock and the lambs of God. It is a God entrusted system. A steward is someone who manages someone else's property. Pastors in that sense are stewards. Hebrews chapter 13, in that 13th chapter of Hebrews, three times the writer mentions the rule of the leadership, ruling over the flock.
Again, you should not be intimidated by that unless of course you are pushing against the law and the order. Obey those who rule over you, Hebrews 13, 17, and be submissive for they watch out for your souls. Now how many of you say, I don't need them to watch out for my souls, I'll watch out for my own souls. Jesus is my Lord. I mean they've done these kind of things but that's not what the Bible says.
That is true but it's not the whole truth. We are joined to others for they watch out for your souls as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. Well I've made a list of people who have not allowed me to watch out for them with joy and I'm going to bring the wheelbarrow in with the list in one moment.
Of course I have not, that would be petty. Verse 4, and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you shall receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. Again, the fact that there is a Chief Shepherd presupposes that there are Under Shepherds, otherwise it would be a redundant title. And he has Under Shepherds, those are the pastors. A senior pastor as they're known today, a phrase I'm not fond of, but for the sake of illustration, is never anything more than an assistant pastor to the Lord. He says that he will appear, that is visibly be seen of course, and we will see the Lord one day eye to eye. You will receive the crown of glory, comforting words, to those who labor anywhere in ministry. Here again though, to the pastors. Why would he have to say this?
Because he knows. You know, when I first attended the pastors' conferences out in Marietta, California years ago, I was struck by how much pampering was available to us. There was water everywhere.
You could bottle water on ice and cold, there were snacks, cookies, candy, Twizzlers, just fruit, coffee, everywhere. And they just made you feel like, relax, take your shoes off, kick back a little bit. And in the early years, I didn't really understand, I just accepted, this is nice, these are nice people. Well I've been around a while, and I think what they were saying, we know you've taken a lot of hits, and we want you to just rest before we send you back. To hear the Bible say to the pastor, you will receive the crown of glory is refreshing. You can lose sight of these things.
You can begin to say, why am I doing this? Second Timothy chapter four, finally Paul says, there is laid up for me. The crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but to all those who have loved his appearing.
There are rewards. Paul is saying as a Christian, I will receive a crown of righteousness, and not only me, all those who serve the Lord. Here Peter says, pastors will receive a crown of glory for their efforts.
I don't wake up in the morning repeating that to myself, crown of glory, crown of glory, keep your head in the game. That would not be good, but if a pastor sticks to it over the years, he will mature into the role that God has for him, so that when they carry him to his grave, he will be missed, and the people will be asking the Lord, what are we going to do now? How is that vacancy going to be filled? And let the Lord do just that.
Let him fill it. There are men that have gone on to the Lord that I miss very much, and I'm still asking how. I mean Dave Hunt, for those of you who know who Dave Hunt was, where are you going to find another Dave Hunt right now? A. W. Tozier, Chuck Smith, and Vernon McGee.
Where are you going to find these? In other words, the men that have lived their lives as best they can in the interest of the flock and the king, and when they go home, we miss them. Not just because we say, boy I miss oh so and so, but their contribution was unique, it's hard to find, it was a gem. And may the Lord allow us to always raise up replacements who will allow the flock to say, I know where we're going to find them. Luke's Gospel, chapter 17, almost done, verse 10. So likewise, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say we are unprofitable servants, we have done what was our duty to do. So a pastor who says, well I'm going to receive a crown, can also say at the same time, but I am not worthy. You know, we cast our crowns before the king. He says that does not fade away. Of course, the crown, when he speaks here in verse 4 of the crown, that's Stephanos, that is not the diadem, the royal crown that belongs to the Lord Jesus only. This is the wreath made of vegetation.
It would become a dry leaf arrangement in time, and then crumble up and fade away. But the one that we will receive from the Lord, the crown we will receive from him, does not fade away. When Moses was called to see the promised land that he would not get to enter on his first trip, those of you who know the story, he makes it in during the transfiguration, but before that he does not get to go in. He doesn't know this at the time, but he's going to die, and God told him, I'm going to show you the land, and then I'm going to bring you up here.
Moses was concerned for the people. Who's going to lead them? He asked God that question.
Okay, I'm going to be with you, but what about the fly? He's a pastor to the end. What I was trying to say earlier about when these great men go, who fills that spot? For Moses, it was Joshua, a worthy candidate, a worthy appointment. Numbers 27 verse 17, we'll close with this.
Moses says to God, who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of Yahweh may not be like sheep which have no shepherd. We're so glad you tuned in today to study the book of 1 Peter on Cross Reference Radio. Cross Reference Radio is the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia, and we're blessed to bring you God's word with each broadcast. If you'd like more information about this program or want to listen to additional teachings from Pastor Rick, please visit our website, crossreferenceradio.com. We also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast, so you'll never have to miss a program. Just search for Cross Reference Radio in iTunes, Google Play Music, or your favorite podcast app. We hope you'll tune in again next time to join us as we continue our study through the Scriptures right here on Cross Reference Radio.
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