 Let's open our Bibles together to 1st Thessalonians. We're in chapter 5. We're continuing our series and Moving towards a conclusion today. We're going to look at verses 12 through 14 As you open up your Bibles and get settled in for the study I'd remind you that as mentioned we do have our baptism tonight and I invite you to be part of it. We're going to have an evening service. It begins at five o'clock I'll be sharing some things related to baptism, but I am giving you an actual study There will be a study not simply a few words about baptism. There'll be a study worship and a study then we're going to go out to the pool and We'll be performing the baptism You will notice that some will be kept under the water a lot longer than others that's because I know them and Some may not make it out and so that'll So tonight we'll have our baptism on Wednesday We pick up and continue our series in the book of Proverbs will be looking I believe at chapter 29 this upcoming Wednesday night invite you to be with us and Fellows we do have our men's breakfast next Saturday We have a combined men's breakfast meaning that we'll be joining with some of the men from Calvary Chapel upland as well as Calvary Chapel Ontario Randy walls from upland and my Curcioli from from Ontario both were assistants to me here and Went out and planted their churches both of them planting their churches over 20 years ago And so I thought it would be nice to get two of the fellas together have a breakfast with some of their men and our men combined and Have Three three teachings we should be concluded before noon or around noon And so I invite you to be part of that and if you're going to have the breakfast We need you to purchase your breakfast tickets before you leave because we have to make our order tomorrow And they need a count and so if you plan on being with us and having breakfast with us Which is a good breakfast then I invite you to go and buy your breakfast before you leave so that we can Order the amount of breakfast tomorrow, and it'll all be prepared So today we're in 1st, Thessalonians 5 We're gonna look at verses 12 through 14 as we continue our series And I wanted to kind of pose the question and and somewhat answer the question What is a church because I believe that there's a need today in our society to once again understand what a church actually is and Paul is giving to us some insight in into what a church is here in these verses And so let's read verses 12 through 14 and we'll get into our study this morning 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 verses 12 through 14 Paul writes we urge you brethren to recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and Admonish you and To esteem them very highly in love for their works sake Be at peace among yourselves Now we exhort you brethren warn those who are unruly Comfort the faint-hearted uphold the weak Be patient with all Now I want to develop something for you here We're gonna develop a foundation a context because we need a context to view these scriptures through We need to have a foundation that we can apply to this so that we we understand what Paul is saying and how that pertains to the church There in Thessalonica you see what he's doing here in verses 12 Following is actually closing with instructions concerning what has been called life in the church and The instructions are intended to encourage this church to be strengthened especially in their community Now in our day, this is something that is very important for us to remember It's important to remember that the church is a community a community of like-minded believers We need to remember that church is not simply a location and certainly not simply a building And that's something that I think that many have forgotten today As I survey the church, I see that that many Believers aren't even settled into what they would call their home fellowship There are those who refer to multiple places as their home But they're their home church for certain days or certain nights for example if you say what is your home church? They'll say well my home church is and they'll mention something a church that I go to on Sunday morning But then my other home church is where I go on Sunday night And then I have a third home church that I go to in the midweek Or I may have a combination of churches that I call my home church I just go on the internet and I like a certain church's style of worship And so I enjoy the worship with them and then I go to another page and I and I hear the teaching And so we kind of like create churches to our own liking and that's taking place today quite quite a bit There seems to be a restlessness there seems to be in many people a Constant search for something. That's new something. That's different. It's a mindset that you actually see Portrayed by the Athenians out there in the book of Acts in chapter 17 verse 21 It was a mindset of certain Athenian philosophers It says in Acts 17 21 all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there Spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing And that's kind of like what's happening right now in the church They're looking for some new thing. There are those who question whether it's necessary or even possible to have what would be called a home church Others wonder if it's even necessary to attend church services at all You see the thought of going to church services isn't part of their spiritual quest And they ask the question do we have to go to church in order to be saved? Well, let me answer that quickly the answer to that obviously is no Church membership is not the same as being a Christian There are many believers who desire to be in a church service, but they can't attend There are those who are in isolated locations. Perhaps they're in the military. They're on a mission. They're incarcerated They're incapable of actually leaving and attending church service with other believers There are others who are dealing with conditions that make it difficult for them to be around people They watch online and by the way, there are some right now watching online and we welcome you We love you and we would love to have you with us, but we understand that this is no judgment on you There are those who are physically ill They're unable to attend, but they would if they could There are cancer patients Who can't be around people because of their treatment who would love to be here, but they can't There are those with other kinds of physical illnesses. They do watch online my mom broke her back and Never got out of the bed that she was She was on for the last year of her life and I have a picture of my mom It's one of my favorite pictures of her and she's in her bed and she's got a little stand next to her and she has her Computer and she was watching church services online And she's got a little hand up because my mom was one of these energetic types Would just pump her fist and and I could almost hear her She's watching me as I'm teaching and my sister took a picture of my mom with her hand up and me on the screen And I could almost hear my mom saying shut up David. I don't want to hear that I could almost hear it But my mom would have loved to have been in church services had she been able to she would have attended So when it's possible to be part of a local group of believers, that is something that you should do It's where it is made possible for you to use your spiritual gifts to pray to serve to have fellowship to be accountable To receive communion to receive baptism It's a community the church is a family interestingly enough the church The word church never speaks in the scriptures of a building It doesn't speak of a special place that people would meet The word church in the greek is ecclesia It's used around 49 times in the new testament The word ecclesia literally means the called out ones It would be speaking of a congregation It would be speaking of an assembly and very often would refer to a synagogue And so the church is really called Is really spoken of as the called out ones the ecclesia In first peter chapter 2 verse 9 the apostle tells us what we're called out of Because if you're called out Ones you must be called out of something and so in first peter 2 verse 9 He says you are a chosen generation A royal priesthood a holy nation his own special people That you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light So we have been taken out of spiritual darkness and translated into the kingdom of god's son When you read your bible theologically the word church can be used in various ways The word church refers to all believers who have ever lived and those who are now in heaven And in that capacity that would be referred to in systematic theology as the church triumphant You also have what is referred to as the church universal The church universal speaks of all genuine believers throughout the world Paul refers to it in this way in 1 Corinthians 12 when he says in verses 12 through 14 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body So it is with the body of christ Some of us are jews some are gentiles Some are slaves some are free But we have all been baptized into christ's body by one spirit And we have all received the same spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts not just one part It's the church universal people throughout the world made up of many parts It's also called the church militant It's referred to as the church militant because we engage in spiritual warfare There used to be well-known hymns that were sung in the church About being god soldiers god's army And and that's because it was a recognition that we're engaged in warfare spiritual warfare We fight against sin the world system. We wage warfare against the devil In 1 Peter 5 8 and 9 the apostle said be self controlled and alert Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour resist him Standing firm in the faith because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same Kind of sufferings you're talking about spiritual warfare and the enemies on the prowl to destroy You also have what is called the church visible Which refers to a visible community? It speaks of members of churches often attending and serving in a church But in the church visible not everyone is a believer Though people may think that they are in services just like this and throughout the world There are people who are There amongst the congregation that then that's what it's referred to as the church visible But then you have what is called the church invisible And the church invisible is the genuine believers They were the ones they are the ones who are in the church visible, but are known by god as genuine Like it says in 2 Timothy 2 19 the lord knows those who are his Or what jesus said in john 10 14. I'm the good shepherd. I know my sheep and am known by my own You know before I was a christian. I did go to church. I sat in church services I wasn't a christian. I would have been looked at theologically as being part of the church visible But those around me who were believers in christ known to god as his who follow jesus They are the church invisible and so you see that the church is spoken of in a variety of ways throughout scripture So in the new testament the church the word church can also be used to refer to believers who meet in a certain location and that is referring to what is called the church local Now I said church local on purpose. It's actually the local church But I was afraid I'd say the local church in in salt a bunch of locals But the local church or the church local you see it in in scripture acts 11 22 Speaks of the church in jerusalem If you read the book of romans or first and second carinthians the book of galatians Ephesians philippians or colossians You look at first and second thessalonians first timothy philemon Hebrews james third john the book of revelation. They all mention that the church was meeting in certain cities or locations The church of corrent the church of rom the church of Ephesus or philipi Well the church Can meet in local areas But the question what is a church is important in order to understand what paul is saying A church is made up of believers in jesus christ Been born again Who regularly meet to worship god through jesus the church is a community That will proclaim jesus christ as lord and savior The church worships jesus sings praise to him gives thanks to him The church are those who are taught god's word through devotions as well as in studies and services The church celebrates baptism and celebrates communion together The church recognizes the need of and respect the role of spiritual leaders in the fellowship And the church serves one another financially supports the work that is performed for the lord And that is where there's confusion and a growing weakness with the body of christ Because christianity has become fragmented Individualized and depersonalized We all know the term jesus is my personal lord and savior And that is a term that has come through uh through up to us historically through a variety of means including Through billy grams a wonderful ministry where he would speak about receiving christ as your personal lord and savior And in his ministry as well as the ministry of many others who use that term It was intended to communicate that it's not enough for a person to attend a location But they need to have a relationship with god through christ It's not enough to be water baptized and say thus i am a christian. That's that's not what made you a christian So you need to have an individual personal faith in christ And that's why billy graham would say that we need jesus as our personal lord and savior Who was simply emphasizing the fact that we needed to have a relationship with god through christ on an individual basis Unfortunately, what has happened Is people have said well, that's my personal faith and thus i don't need other people and that's simply not true And that has caused a fragmentation of the church and the church has become almost selfishly individualized It certainly is depersonalized Paul does say that we need a relationship with christ But we also need to remember that faith is lived out in a sometimes messy community I mean let's face it You got saved and you're entered into a a group of people who are still in process None of us have fully arrived. It's a messy community You know, I was born into a family. I was raised in a family and and frankly My mom and my dad had four kids and and they didn't ask me permission to have the other three They didn't they didn't say, you know Would you mind if we went on to have a couple more kids a couple sisters, you know because I just I had a vetoed that idea and I was said no and you can get rid of my big brother while you're at it, you know You know, they didn't ask me permission to add to the family. I didn't select those who were part of my family I didn't select them. I didn't have the choice. They simply were born into it And and this church as you look around this group of people who believe in christ You know, you didn't necessarily choose the person next to you or in front of you or behind you You didn't say necessarily that's the one that I want. Maybe you did maybe You didn't but god chose them and they're your family. They they belong to you and and uh And and you belong to them and and that's what we need to begin to understand in this day Is we actually really do need one another We need to understand that the church is a gathering of like-minded believers Believers who who love jesus christ and who are learning to love one another We need to understand that and and by the way this loving one another's like the song that you sing We are known by uh by our love christians are known by their love Well, that's the mark of a believer and and and the loving of one another is what makes us different than any other organization You can be on a baseball team. You don't have to love your fellow Baseball players a softball team football team. You don't have to love your fellow Athletes and all you're part of a team, but it doesn't require that you love one another You can be in a fraternal organization or a sorority if you will and you don't necessarily have to love your Fraternity brothers or Sorority sisters you don't have to in order to be part of that organization You can be in a lodge and a variety of other organizations and there's no requirement You don't sign up and say I will love these people. You don't have to do that But to be a believer requires that you love one another That's what jesus said by this shall all may know that you're my disciples If you have love one for another and so love is what makes the church what it's supposed to be It's what makes us a community It's what makes us a family in the lord jesus christ and and this family meets at various times in various locations We can have large meetings on sundays or a wednesday We can meet in people's homes or community centers for that matter We can meet together in a resort or beach or a backyard Because church isn't an event It's a family that gets together and knows one another The apostle john wrote five of the new testament books in third john verse 14 He wrote I hope to see you shortly And we shall speak face to face Peace to you Our friends greet you greet the friends By name In other words, we know each other. We see each other. He didn't say, you know, prophetically text one another, you know instant message one another He said greet him face to face by name. There's this reality of the need to be with other human beings The one thing that god says in the beginning of scripture The first thing that he says is not good is that the man should be alone We were not created for isolation. We were created for community And we need to understand that it's interesting when paul closes the book of romans And you look at his last chapter of the book of romans. He mentions around 36 people in that chapter by name So that helps us to understand the importance of being part of a church fellowship Because of the relationship you can have One with another the relationship that you're supposed to have As people It is not a good thing for the church to become Isolated from one another We need one another As uncomfortable as I can be and I do get uncomfortable sometimes when I'm being squeezed somewhere, you know, my people I don't really know As uncomfortable as that can be I also realize that that's very human and that's a great need that I have I need to be around other people human beings. I don't want the isolation I need the accountability the relational things that go on when I'm with the church family And so paul is speaking concerning what a church is and and church life And and that brings us to verse 12 as he here in first asolonians chapter five verse 12 says We urge you brethren to recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the lord and admonish you And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake And goes on to say be at peace among yourselves So verse 12 notice how he says we urge you brethren that word brethren In the greek language is adelphis The word adelphis literally speaks of being born from the same womb So he's saying you are the church the church is the family of god You are brethren again. We need to understand that today He emphasizes this some 17 times in this letter seven times in the last chapter alone Each member of the body of christ is not only an individual each member is a family member And families need leadership and god-ordained leadership is needed in the church And this leadership is to be valued by the church, which is what he is now emphasizing Notice again in verse 12 here. He says we urge you brethren to recognize those who labor among you We urge you He urges them because our natural tendency is to take people for granted We also have a tendency of being suspicious of any spiritual authority that may be placed over us and That's easily understood in light of how one person's failure can Impact so many people it only takes one failed church leader to undermine thousands of faithful people Just one all it takes is one pastor to to To do something that is printed and it goes national and before you know it People from every state in the united states is aware of what that man has done it undermines Credibility in a terrible way one person's failure can impact many people But the fact is it is also easy to fail to appreciate those who have given so much It's it's not that we're not thankful But often it's something we simply take for granted There is an attitude that we americans have an attitude of consumerism and it can exist in the church We can have expectations of ministry and and forget the work that goes into the ministry So paul writes we urge you brethren to recognize those who labor among you Now in what way are they to recognize those who labor among them? Well They're to acknowledge them first as messengers of christ and the gospel acknowledge them as genuine shepherds and Realize that they are they are entrusted with god's word Now he had already pointed that out in chapter two in verse nine When he had said you remember brethren our labor and toil For laboring night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you We preach to you the gospel of god In the same chapter verse 13 he went on to say for this reason We also thank god without ceasing because when you receive the word of god which you heard from us You welcomed it not as the word of men But as it is in truth the word of god which also effectively works in you who believe And so he is regarded he's saying you regard them as those who've been entrusted with god's word It's like what first peter 125 says the word of god endures forever Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you Now why are you to regard them? Well, he had always stated in in chapter two verse four that they had been tested in And have been approved and they have been entrusted And so those who have been faithful should be honored He's saying treat them with love and treat them with respect for their work's sake Well someone says why? Why should we do that? What's the big deal anyway? Why should I do that? If we show them too much attention Won't they get proud and won't they get arrogant if we show them that we care about them? Won't they take us for granted and use us? Why should we do that? Well If that were the case then paul would not command us to respect and honor them The fact is they do what they do because they love you And they care for you in the lord Ultimately the leaders of the congregation give an account of their ministry Not just to people but to god In hebrews 13 17 the writer said obey your leaders submit to their authority They keep watch over you as men who must give an account Obey them so that their work will be a joy not a burden For that would be of no advantage to you So the writer gives two reasons for them to be obedient to spiritual leadership one He said leaders watch over your soul When he says the leaders watch over your soul that speaks to their spiritual oversight the word watch over It speaks of being sleepless or being awake to be on watch to be attentive or ready He's saying that their leaders lose sleep over them Their concern for them is so great Leaders love them deeply Exercise great concern for them and even protect them And that's the heart of a shepherd But he also said in hebrews 13 17 that leaders give an account for their care for god's sheep You see james chapter 3 verse 1 says not many of you should presume to be teachers my brothers Because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly Spiritual leaders aren't perfect Nor infallible And people obviously will disagree with them Yet The attitude god desires is sincere appreciation for the leadership of the church He says let them do so With joy And not with grief When members of the church refuse to obey and disrespect their leaders It is painful And the work of ministry ceases being a joy. It becomes a burden. It's filled with grief Through obedience and submission They give their shepherds a great joy in their heart and that should provide them with the motivation to live properly for the lord Somebody once said you'll never find a happy pastor apart from a happy congregation And so He says respect them Recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the lord and admonished you Now when he speaks of labor Recognize those who labor labor speaks of growing weary or tired exhausted with toil burdens as well as grief You see ministry very often is hard work. It's physically tiring and it's emotionally tired Ministers labor long hours grow very tired as they labor Now long hours. Well, that can be difficult But long hours are not unlike any other work in terms of hours The true difficulty of ministry is that the labor being performed is spiritual And the minister works on something that is never finished in his lifetime I mean you can go out and you can be a contractor You can be a construction worker You may be building a home and all and you you have your plans and everything you lay the foundations You go and you begin to do work on it Eventually you build a house and and you're through building the house or whatever it is that you're building You walk away and you say it's done, but ministry is never through Ministry is not ever over Ministry continues through the lifetime of that minister And and that minister will will minister through the word of god and prayer in order that he might build up the body of Christ and and as he labors his work as opposed every step of the way by the enemy You see satan desires to undermine god's work in a person's life And that that minister does get tired. He does undergo a taxi. He does Get a maligned and he's often second-guest. He's injured. He's taken for granted. He can be threatened He can be stalked. He can be criticized for his messages. He receives hate mail He endures his children being judged He's mocked for the way that he speaks his wife can be harassed The board can tell him he's not worth his salary He can have his staff undermine him people casually disrespect him In today's church people comment on what he drives where he lives how he dresses how he looks His temperament the way he ministers all of that's under close scrutiny and he can get tired he can get tired And the minister labors and he and not only is he drained physically, but he's also drained emotionally Often they're not appreciated And often they're unloved by those that they love the most in 2nd Corinthians 1215 Paul said it like this. He said I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls Though the more abundantly I love you the less I'm loved And so the minister's greatest desire is to see the church mature in their love and faith in Christ Galatians 419 my little children For whom I labor and birth again until Christ is formed in you Or 3rd John 4 where John says I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth And that's why we bathe the church in prayer And that's why we do our best to teach the word So because of this work There to be respected treated properly In 1st Timothy 5 17 let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor Especially those who labor in the word and doctrine And he says in verse 12 again there to be esteemed because they're over you in the Lord The word over you means to care for to protect they guard you they love you they lay their lives down for you There are ministers who have been given authority that comes from God they use it for the well-being of the church And he goes on to say and they admonish you When he says they admonish that word admonish means to warn or rebuke Elders are there to love the sheep But elders don't get the roles confused An elder remembers what the role is that they have in the church And that allows them to correct someone when necessary The lines haven't been crossed My own pastor's name is chuck smith And pastor chuck was my pastor for many years And I got close to him. I I spent time with him. I served on a board with him I traveled with him went to israel with him Todd at pastors conferences men's conferences went on on Ministry cruises with him. I spent a lot of time with my pastor got to know him fairly well And uh, and uh, he was very important to me I loved him very deeply and his memory still is very deeply embedded in my heart and soul I loved my pastor very very much and And all and I got as I said I got fairly close to him and um I still remember him saying even when I was speaking to him on one occasion You know, he said I like to be called chuck, but I always called him pastor I never called him pastor I never call him chuck without the name pastor or the title pastor before And I remember when my father died prior to my father dying I had approached chuck at a conference and I had spoken to him and I had said to him Pastor I said I want you to know God has been good to me. He gave to me my father And he gave to me you I said I have the best of both worlds I have a pastor that I love as a father and I have my own father That has been a great man in my life and and then my father died And when my father died I was at a pastors conference and I was seated next to pastor chuck And I turned to him and I was speaking to him and I said to him I said, you know pastor, I said, uh, the lord took my dad to be home with him My dad said home with the lord now I said, but I still have you you're still my father You're taking the place of my dad. I mean, that's how deeply I love this man pastor chuck I got close to him, but I still remember on one occasion I was speaking to him and he said something to me and I said, yeah, man And when I said, yeah, man to him he looked at me like You know, he did not like that He did not like that. I thought, man, I thought we're friends. Give me five, you know No, he didn't like that, you know, you know, I crossed the line without realizing it I didn't know it and I mean, I wish I could have drawn back those or yeah, man But I learned my lesson and I realized, you know that as close as I could be to this man He he deserved my respect and and that's how it how it works in ministry And so elders elders know who they are You see one of the problems that churches sometimes have is when the elders forget That they're spiritual leaders and they try to become like the people in the church in the sense of saying Oh, yeah, I do that. I say that and I'm this way and all of that And they can lose the respect of the sheep and I and I think that's not a good thing at all You know, sometimes there are those who want to be so close to the sheep that they fail to realize that the sheep doesn't need a buddy The sheep needs a pastor the sheep doesn't need another friend The sheep needs somebody that can be spiritual leader in their life And and though that pastor may love them in a friendly way and we do we have friends in the in the church We love very much. We have coffee with and we visit with I never forget who I am I know who I am. I'm I am not just my name David Rosales I am the pastor of the church in the pastor of that man across from me or that woman. I'm speaking to I know who I am And I'm not going to be somebody's buddy. I'm going to be somebody's pastor I will be the friend in the sense that I can be but I always remember who I am I want to retain the respect of that person Because I you know, this is true That people will love their their their shepherd When they start seeing things about them that they think are much like them Sometimes they can lose respect for them. No, I don't put things on. I'm not pretending to be holy in front of you That's not one of my problems to be honest with you. I just am who I am But I at the same time know What I'm supposed I'm supposed to be I'm the pastor of this church I'm not I'm not Somebody who bounces around plays around teases and things like that in weird ways I know I'm supposed to be because at any given moment somebody may need a prayer somebody may need A scripture somebody may need an ear to hear somebody may need somebody to cry with them or to laugh with them That's what they need. They don't need a buddy. They don't need a pal And they always need to remember that spiritual leaders need to remember who they are And because they sometimes have to admonish as he's saying here and again that means a warn or to rebuke We need to remember So that we may have to correct and do so And the lines have not been crossed He says in verse 13 esteemed them very highly and loved for their work's sake esteemed them very highly Love them very deeply because of their spiritual work among you Don't take them for granted value them And then he moves on and he says and be at peace among yourselves Be at peace among yourselves Division will always undermine effective ministry Division is one of the basic tools that satan uses to undermine works in matthew 12 25 Jesus said every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation Every city or house divided against itself will not stand So unity in the Lord is to be pursued and guarded Ephesians 4 3 says we're to be endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace And so that's something that we work for and work at We need to remain at peace amongst ourselves and because of this he moves into verse 14 And says now we exhort you brethren warn those who are unruly Comfort the faint hearted uphold the weak and be patient with all So he gives four orders here in verse 14 to the elders This is intended to safeguard the unity and the peace in the church One, warn those who are unruly The word unruly is a word that was used in greek society concerning those who wouldn't show up for work It would also be used of soldiers who are out of rank And so what he's saying there are those who are unruly there are lazy soldiers who are not pulling their weight So he says warn them encourage them exhort them They need to pull their own weight. It's not right for somebody else to do things that they could be doing It's not right for somebody to be exercising their spiritual gifts when this person's not exercising theirs We're a body of Christ. We should be working together. So encourage them In Galatians 5 13 for you brethren have been called to liberty only don't use liberty as an opportunity for the flash But through love serve one another Then he says comfort the faint hearted These are those who think that the the enemy is too great. There's no way we're gonna make it The enemy is just he's gonna he's gonna win. So he's saying remind them remind them remind them You can do all things through christ who strengthens you Remind them. We are more than conquerors through jesus christ Remind them. God has given to us power from heaven the ability to do that which he has called us to do He didn't give to me a command that he doesn't give me the power to to obey Command them remain strong. Don't be timid. You can do it. Don't give up hope hold fast. Don't let go God is on the throne. He's not gonna leave you hanging. He's with you. He'll never leave you never forsake you He will be with you You will have victory in christ because he gives it to you remind them the battle is the lords You can fight your own battle if you want or you can have somebody on your side who has never lost a battle Choose who you will have fight your battles and trust him in it Because the lord doesn't lose In romans 8 31 what then shall we say to these things if god is for us who can be against us? Remember that the battle is the lord's great problems gives god great opportunities He shows himself strong if i did not trust the lord to do what he knew I knew he could do if i didn't trust him to do that i'd still be in a home somewhere in norwalk doing a home bible study for six people But i know god is able i know god is capable I know god can do abundantly above all i ask or think all i need to do is get on the same page with him And begin to move in his spirit and then i get to see him as he unveils himself step by step Victory after victory and i see god glorified So hold fast Don't let go He's there for you He's there for you You also uphold or support the weak You strengthen the spiritually weak you do so by the word you do so by by by love you you have fellowship with them I've been given the opportunity in september to go to colorado to speak at a regional calvary chapel pastors conference And the assignment that has been given to those who are going to be teaching relates to endurance And uh my dear friend uh randy walls and his wife janette uh are my wife marie and my closest friends and we Spent a week just this last week together. I took a week off and and we spent time together And i was sharing with them about the assignment And it relates to endurance And i said you know i'd like to talk to you about it a little bit And it's something i can share briefly with you i said it's something i'd like to ask you guys about I said because the assignment that we have is to speak on endurance And i said and there's so many things that you can say concerning that i mean just look at this church 37 years That's a model of endurance my my ministry has been going since 1973. That's a model of endurance people have asked What has kept you strong? How do you continue to minister over? You know one decade over another decade over another decade into another decade How how have you ministered for 45 years? And remained faithful how and so i have ideas of that of course the lord gives you strength in this and that But as i was speaking to them i said you know what it is and i want to share this with you This is important. I hope it makes sense and i and i do so Trying to be as real as i can and There have been many times when i have I've just said i can't do this anymore somebody once asked Have you ever quit the ministry? And i said yeah every sunday But there are times that that that That people who are not in pastoral ministry That it's just not something you can understand anymore than than i can understand if you're a police officer I don't understand your job. I don't know what you go through I can never understand a housewife or a woman in any way. Can i understand a woman? Such knowledge is far beyond me You know what i mean though I i i don't understand many things and and i would never expect that you would be able to jump into my skin and say Oh, i get it because you don't but i can say this That there have been many times in my ministry again i started teaching in september of 1973 That's when i began my ministry 1973 Every week Bible study after bible study Thousands of bible studies thousands of hours of study And you multiply that over the years And and and i've had people who have approached me and said things to me Like i hate you I remember a woman approaching me after a bible study and she said i hate you i just can't figure out why And i'm looking at her and say honey, we'll talk at home. No, uh Not in front of the people No, she says i hate you and i can't i don't understand why She says i she says either it's because I have sexual attraction for you. She said it in front of my wife I mean because i have sexual attraction for you or i hate authority I said you hate authority There's no doubt in my mind your problem is a hatred of authority I mean i have had some of the strangest things said to me after bible studies that you can't imagine Some of the strangest things about my clothing about my shoes about whether i i mean it is amazing what people are seeing and not listening to That's just people right and there are times that you're going through pain that nobody would understand a child who's going wrong A sorrow in your heart that it's so deep That you can't speak and you want to give up And you want to give up It's not that god isn't good. It's that you think you're not There's something wrong with me Why what have i done lord and i've gone through so many things not the this isn't a solve story I'm trying to be real. It's just that happens right and i was talking to my friend randy And i said randy what has kept me strong all over these years is my god is able my god works in me I know that but it's you and janette and friends like you that have helped my hands up In times when i couldn't hold them up myself Paul says comfort the weak guess what sometimes i'm weak too And sometimes i need someone who'll put their arm around my shoulder and say You'll be all right God's with you. We'll see this through together. Listen if you don't have a friend Pray that god gives you one. I have friends that have helped me through the valley of the shadow of death more than once And i've been in this pulpit Broken-hearted, but you wouldn't know it because i have people praying even right now There are men praying for me as i'm preaching this message I have support They comfort me when i'm weak You can comfort others I need you And you need me Like barnie said we're all one happy family But we need each other We need each other That's real That's real not that's not the man on the screen the perfect man who never fails That's not that man the wizard of oz We all need each other God made us Fearfully and wonderfully and we need see i have weaknesses you have strengths in And i need your strength And i have strengths that you have weaknesses in and you need mine We need each other. I'm not over you. I'm with you. I'm your brother I love you, but i'm also the pastor of this church And i will not ever lower myself to be anything less than that You didn't come for a buddy you came for a pastor I will be that in your life if you want it And i will do that And we will comfort one another And finally he said be patient with all You know in other words don't give up on the church Some of us are very difficult to be around I call them stinkers And some sheep are stinky little sheep. They're stinkers And we can be hard. We can be difficult. Who's to say we're not? I mean come on If you if you had a family at all, you know that if you had more than one brother or sister, you know You know that even dad and mom could be stinkers. I mean we we we can cause each other families cause each other problems That's just a fact. We do but we don't give up on one another We hold fast to one another you can be arguing with your brother But if somebody steps in it's like you and your brother now against that guy Because this is my brother You know and leave us alone. You know we'll deal with this and that's how you can be And I really need the church and I haven't given up on it. I'm not why would I Why would I don't give up on the body of christ? We can be difficult we can be But be patient He says be patient with all hold fast trust the lord Encourage them I have seen some people that I'll be honest with you. I thought oh this person. I don't I don't know. I'll give you one example and then I'll close Many many years ago. I I was teaching a pastor want to be class Guys who want to learn pastoral minister. I'm talking 25 plus years about 25 years ago at least And there's a fellow and I said at the beginning And I do this periodically I'll do these classes and I said at the beginning listen if you don't do your homework and And and the reading and things then just I'm going to release you. I'm not going to have you a pastor has to be Somebody who is actually disciplined to to do the things that are in front of them And if I give you an assignment, I'm expecting you to have it done And this one fellow who is in in my class Wasn't doing his assignments and there were minor assignments and and so he didn't do them like two or three in a row and that was it so, you know grace goes so far and then the law and so At the end he walks up and I said, you know, this is your last day in the class Why I said you don't do your assignments He says that I've been busy. I said so am I And you don't do your assignments. Well, I know I'm called by God. I said you may very well be But I know I'm called by God to be in this class and that's where you're wrong You're out I smiled. I wasn't mean Get out. No, I I was nice, but I'm firm I said, no, you're not in class anymore But I know I'm called well, we'll see And he he's the only person that I ever had to Say, you're no longer in this class because I'm firm about those things If you can't do your homework and your assignments, what gives you the idea you can pass through a church You have to be disciplined and you have to learn it here and I'm real firm about that Well, anyway, he left and he was hurt and he moved out of town And uh, now he passes a Calvary Chapel ministry You know, he he's a pastor in a church. I failed him But God didn't Because it awoke him It awoke him. I need to be disciplined. I need to learn these things I need to and he became the disciplined man. He needed to be all along And so even then You don't give up on people You just encourage them to do the right thing and then trust the Lord To work in their lives and guess what if that person is sincere God does a work If that person wants God God shows up. He does show up. It doesn't he he does show up God is there and he and he doesn't abandon you So don't Don't give up on the church In Colossians 3 12 and 13 As the elect of God holy and beloved put on tender mercies kindness humility meekness long suffering Bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another Even as Christ forgave you so you also must do That's not a suggestion. That's a command Did Christ forgive you? Yes forgive others forgive others Live at peace with all men And watch what God will do in your life. Don't give up On the church Hold fast