Evening Sermon

March 23, 2008

The Burden of a Pastor

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The Session at Providence in Charlottesville interviewed one of their new members last week who was thinking about the possibility of going into the ministry. He was a young man, 24 years old, and just at the beginning stages of that process of being called to the pastoral ministry. The interview took me back to that stage in my life, as many of his thoughts and responses about the ministry were much the same as I had had then.

Passages like what we have tonight also stimulate those thoughts, because they focus upon that calling and ministry which the Lord placed upon me as a young man. And the passage before us tonight is a reminder to me of that sense of calling to the ministry because it is a definition and explanation of what the ministry is all about. But as I said last week about the whole subject of preaching, Paul is not writing this letter nor am I preaching upon it in order to teach you what a minister of the gospel ought to be like. Rather, this text about the great burden of a pastor is a text that teaches you what ought to be taking place in your own life through the ministry of the word among you. This is the measure of church life and health. This is the way in which we determine how successful we are as a church. Indeed, we'll come to the end of this sermon with,

v.5 "For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ."

That's to be a description of the church, a description of you within the church. A description of your life, "your good order." "The steadfastness of your faith in Christ."

Sadly, the motivation and calling of a minister these days is often something in the model of a business agenda. Business success. Marketing. Salary. Prestige. External accomplishments. Even community notoriety and influence. The minister is called to be an executive officer, the chief executive officer presiding over a chain of command designed to make the church as big and prosperous as possible. But Paul doesn't utilize that worldly model of the business world to teach about the church. He isn't a distant, unapproachable executive or bureaucrat who is an effective administrator of a large organization. He is a man whose very life demonstrates what it is that enables the church of Jesus Christ to be healthy. So for him, this is,

I. THE MOTIVATION OF MINISTRY. v.1

He identifies a struggle. A conflict. The Greek word actually comes into the English language as the word "agony." Paul is in agony for the church. The word actually comes from the Greek idea of an athletic event, a struggle or contest where competitors fight against each other in order to be triumphant in victory.

The word is used in, 1 Tim. 6:12 "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."

Likewise, Heb. 12:1 "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

So that is Paul's ministry, his agony. Simply put, it was,

A. A burden for the souls of God's people. That was his introduction. That was the definition of his labors. It was the devotion of his heart to them, for their souls. Or their hearts, according to verse 2. His concern was their heart. And it didn't even matter if he had met them or not!

An old expression used as a description of the work of ministry in terms of the pastor as a physician of the soul. The comparison was obvious. A physician as ordinarily referred to, is a doctor of the body. A doctor who cares for the needs of the body and treats any diseases that affect the health of the body. So it is of a minister of the gospel with regard to the souls of God's people. A soul-doctor. That's Paul's burden and agony.

Specifically, it is,

B. A zeal for the spiritual maturity of God's people. That's what is defined by those words in, v.2

Just look at his interest in these precious saints, "that their hearts may be encouraged." Strengthened, consoled, comforted, instructed. The Greek word means all of those things.

And then he adds, "being knit together in love." That's the burden of the pastor for the church, that the body be knit together as one. There is nothing individualistic about the Christian life, it is the life of a body joined together. There is nothing solitary about being a Christian, for spiritual maturity is that we be knit together.

And the hard part of that, is that it includes others. Others whom you can't control. Others who act independently of you, and are different from you. The goal of the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that the church be knit together.

Just as an aside, in our culture today of megachurch, that goal is all but eliminated, for knitting together in love implies, first of all, that you know one another! It doesn't mean that we just meet together every week or so in the same room and don't get into fights. It means that there is actually a tangible evidence and demonstration of love for one another.

Then spiritual maturity is defined with the words, "attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding." Full assurance of understanding. Full confidence of what you have learned and know. Specifically, "the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ."

Such a lofty goal, isn't it? Why is it that all too often we settle for something far less. We settle for such an inadequate knowledge of the mystery of God, namely the gospel. We settle for something very much different than a full assurance of an adequate understanding of the doctrinal foundation of our faith. Christianity, if anything, becomes merely pragmatic. Merely equated with some degree of social conservatism. Christian maturity and the Christian life means that you live according to certain social standards and conventions, and while those might be good standards in and of themselves, they do not define what Paul defines here.

There is another motivation for Paul. Not just a burden for the spiritual well-being of God's people, not just a zeal for their spiritual maturity, but as a good shepherd is always on guard against the dangers of wolves, we see in verse 4 the utmost concern for,

C. Protection against spiritual dangers. That's what a shepherd does. He stays up all night while the sheep are sleeping, so that a wolf can't come into the fold and kill the sheep as they are unaware. He is the sentry posted at any military installation, posted for the specific and essential purpose of standing guard against attacking enemies.

Thus Paul writes, v.4

How easy it would be! To be deceived, deluded. And the Greek word has the idea of speaking around, talking all around something in order to deceive. Circumventing the truth in such a way that it actually sounds good!

Let me give you a couple examples of such deceivers. First, in general terms, Acts 20:29 "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock."

Rom. 16:17 "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple."

Or, 2 Tim. 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."

I could, of course, give many other examples. The point is that the church must be protected. And false teachers must be identified. For the sake of the church. For these false teachers are often able to teach with "very persuasive words." Enticing words, words intended and designed to deceive you.

Those are the types of words we hear all too often in political speeches. How I long to hear words from a politician that simply reflect core beliefs, a straightforward, unchanging, consistent declaration of, "This is what I believe about government. If you agree with that, vote for me." But instead we get appeals, we can speeches designed to win our approval by people who are saying what they think it is that we want to hear.

In the church, such teachers are wolves! Deceivers. But let me go back to the whole idea of our knowledge of the mystery of God in verse 2. Here we come to,

II. THE FOCUS OF MINISTRY. And quite simply, that focus is Jesus Christ.

Now look at verse 2, especially the end. v.2 "...and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ."

If you have an NIV or a NASB or ESV, the words "both of the Father" are simply not there. And that is not because those translators didn't believe those words or that they are not true. The idea is not at all that the Father is not believed to be God. It simply is that the Greek texts that have those words "both of the Father" are unreliable. On the basis of the actual texts that are still in existence today, I believe the words were actually added later. The better texts, the more accurate and reliable texts, have just the reference to Christ. I can't get into all the details of how you evaluate questions like that, but I am well convinced that the reference in the original Greek text is to Christ alone here, for emphasis. And, thus, Christ is clearly identified as God.

And the point of Paul's emphasis is that that mystery of God now revealed is a mystery that finds its revelation in Jesus Christ. And so the focus of ministry is,

A. A right knowledge of Jesus Christ. That's Paul's burden. His agony. That the people of God would understand the mystery that is now revealed, the mystery that in Jesus Christ alone we have eternal life. Let's look at a good cross reference.

Eph. 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles-- 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. 8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him."

There the focus of the mystery is upon Jesus. It is the mystery of Christ. It is that Jews and Gentiles alike would be partakers of his promise in Christ. The gospel is the "unsearchable riches of Christ." That's the mystery you must fully know. Jesus Christ is the focus of the true knowledge of God's mystery. Even as we studied last week,

Col.1:28 "...Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus."

Paul has already written about this Jesus,

Col. 1:15 "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist."

Col. 1:19 "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell."

Col. 1:27 "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

So this is your maturity. This is to be the focus of my ministry. This is to be the work of the church. That you would gain a right knowledge of Jesus Christ. And essentially integral to that is,

B. A right understanding of Jesus' glory. v.3

As with the idea of mystery, don't take from that word "hidden" the idea that we can't know them. But rather, just the opposite. Hidden in Christ means the same thing as revealed in Christ! Hidden in Christ means that he has it in himself, and now he himself is being revealed!

And what does he have? What is his glory? "...All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." What you need to know, all that you need to know, has reference to Jesus Christ. The goal of the ministry, the goal of the church, is for you to know Jesus. As the Bible reveals him to you, as the Bible declares him to you.

That is true at the very outset of spiritual life, for the gospel can be well stated in these simply terms,

1 John 5:11 "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."

This is also true in the ongoing exercise of the Christian life. Don't let anyone deceive you by convincing you that the kingdom of God is a matter of eating and drinking! That is Paul's conclusion in,

Rom. 14:17 "...for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another."

Instead, let your maturity as a Christian be measured by the consistency and depth of your faith in Jesus Christ, "rooted and built up in Him." That is the immediate application that Paul makes, as we will study in the coming weeks.

v.6 "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."

The point is, don't let anyone cheat you, by imposing upon you traditions of men, by compelling you to conform to the basic principles of the world.

v.20 "Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-- 21 "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," 22 which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh."

Paul even goes so far to say to the Corinthians,

1 Cor. 2:1 "And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

When that happens, when your faith grows strong in the power of God, then Paul declares, he is happy! That is the very essence of,

III. THE PERSONAL JOY OF MINISTRY. Paul speaks of that joy freely, he rejoices in the work of God in the people of God. v.5

I'll speak for just a moment in the third person, as if I weren't talking about myself here among all of you, and say very simply that you ought to be very concerned to make the work of your pastor a joyful labor. A joyful agony, if I can use that English word in the same way that the Greek word is use. And you ought to be concerned to make your pastor joyful in his labors because the Bible says you should! And that labor that is shared by all the Elders together in the church should likewise be joyful.

So how can you do that? Well, I don't need to give you my opinion. I'll give you God's answer.

Heb. 13:17 "Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, 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."

If I were preaching to Elders and pastors, I would emphasize those words that just jump out at us, "they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account." But that message is for another day. Tonight, the emphasis is what comes next. "Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you." And how do you "let them?" How can you provide for the joy of those who watch out for your souls? That's easy. Honor them. Or, as the Bible says, Obey them! So that they can enjoy their labor despite the awful responsibility they have before the Lord. And, indeed, how unprofitable it is when the labors of ministry must be performed with grief.

Thankful, if I may return to the first person, there is much joy in my labors among you. And there is much of this honor given. I have certainly known the trials of laboring in grief during my years of ministry, and I have known as well the great joy of watching over the souls of God's people. And so I do labor among you in the same sense as Paul labors for the Colossians,

v.5 "...rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ."

But first notice Paul's,

A. Personal affection. v.5 "For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit."

This, more than anything, shows forth the nature of the ministry, that the minister is not and cannot be detached from the people, detached in his affections. How grievous it is when there is no affection, and indeed, many a minister today has no interest in actually knowing the people to whom he ministers. Let alone to have affection for them. Or perhaps, there is the desire but because the churches are so huge, because the structure of the church itself prevents it, he simply cannot!

Paul does not say, "If you are having a spiritual problem, please call my secretary during business hours so that she can schedule a meeting for you with me six weeks from Tuesday from 9:30 until 10:00 in the morning. That's not ministry. No, this is how the church is built, when this relationship is established, v.5

So where does the joy of ministry come from? From the work of God in you, producing first of all,

B. The evidence of orderly lives. What a good thing this is, lives well ordered. Well adjusted.

What does good order look like? It means your life is stable. I don't necessarily mean that the circumstances of your life are stable, because you often have no control of them. But you are stable in the midst of whatever circumstances you might have. You are stable. The things of life are in order, and that would have specific reference to to different things depending upon your stage in life.

For children, that means you are living in a way that honors your parents, that you are obedient. For parents, it means you are being faithful in leading your family. For couples, it means that you are happily married, and successful resolving whatever issues might arise.

If you are in the workforce, it means you are working faithfully. If you are older, it means that your life reflects the wisdom of your years.

Actually, the best description of those sorts of things that define a well-ordered life are the qualifications for Elders and Deacons. Most of those qualifications actually have to do with simple, basic Christian maturity. Let me read some of the things on the list in,

1 Tim. 3:2 "...[he] must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience."

That's a well ordered life. And that is the goal of ministry, and its great joy. Along with,

C. The stability of unchanging faith. v.5 "...rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ."

Let me tell you a secret, and I won't embarrass any of you by mentioning names, but there are people I visit when I need to be encouraged. In other words, when I need someone to be a pastor to me, there are certain people I go visit. Among you, as it has always been in the three different churches I have pastored.

I go to visit people who have the stability of unchanging faith. Now, they might think that I'm visiting them as a ministry to them. And they might appreciate it. But I also appreciate that ministry given to me.

What a delight it is to my soul to visit someone whose unchanging faith is so stable that nothing changes it. Nothing undermines it, nothing. I rejoice "to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ."

So that's the goal. Such maturity. Such a godliness of life. And it will only come when our focus as a church is upon Jesus Christ, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

In the weeks to come, we'll look at the specifics of that maturity, that you might "walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."

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