Recently, I taught about the topic of Forgiveness primarily using the short book of Philemon, which speaks exclusively about this subject. Rather than reprint the entire recap of my message, I chose instead to give some notes that I made about Philemon when teaching through the New Testament last year. This should give an appropriate overview of the topic and the book.
SURVEY OF THE LETTER OF PAUL TO PHILEMON
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK
Section 1: The Human Author of the Book of Philemon – Paul (vv. 1, 9, 19)
Section 2: The Date and Setting of the Book of Philemon
Philemon lived in Colosse (Philemon 1-2; Colossians 4:9). He had trusted Christ as a result of Paul’s ministry (Philemon 19). Philemon’s house served as a meeting place for the church in Colosse (vv. 2, 5-7).
A servant of Philemon named Onesimus had apparently stolen from Philemon. Onesimus fled to Rome, thinking he could hide there. In Rome, however, Onesimus met Paul, who led him to Christ (v. 10). Onesimus then became a valuable helper to Paul (vv. 11, 13). Paul grew to love Onesimus (vv. 12, 16) and wanted him to stay in Rome (v. 13). However, by stealing and running away from Philemon, Onesimus had sinned against his master and broken Roman law, and Paul knew those issues had to be dealt with. Paul therefore decided that Onesimus should return to his master Philemon in Colosse (vv. 12-14).
Paul therefore wrote to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus—formerly a thief and a runaway slave—but now Philemon’s brother in Christ. Paul sent Onesimus (and the letter to Philemon) with Tychicus, who was returning to Colosse with the letter Paul wrote to the Colossians (see Colossians 4:7-9). Therefore, the original letters to the Colossians and Philemon were carried by the same person at the same time. Paul probably wrote the book of Philemon around A. D. 60-61 while he was under house arrest in Rome (see Philemon 1, 9-10, 13, 23).
Section 3: The Key Word in the Book of Philemon – Forgiveness
Section 4: The Theme and Purpose of the Book of Philemon:
The theme of the book of Philemon is the transition from bondage to brotherhood that is brought about by Christian love and forgiveness.
The purpose of the book of Philemon is to explain the current situation to Philemon and to instruct him as to how the runaway slave Onesimus, who had become a Christian, should be received back home.
Section 5: Outline of the Book of Philemon:
1. Paul’s Prayer of Thanksgiving for Philemon (vv. 1-7)
2. Paul’s Petition on Behalf of Onesimus (vv. 8-16)
3. Paul’s Promise to Philemon (vv. 17-25)
CHAPTER 2: CONTENT OF THE BOOK
Philemon 1-25
1. Paul’s Prayer of Thanksgiving for Philemon (vv. 1-7)
a. Introduction (1-3)
i. Author: Paul (1a)
ii. Recipient: Philemon and the church that met in his home (1b-2)
iii. Greeting: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (3).
b. Paul praises Philemon’s good character (4-7).
i. His faith in the Lord Jesus
ii. His love for all the saints
2. Paul’s Petition on Behalf of Onesimus (vv. 8-16)
a. Paul appeals to Philemon regarding Onesimus (8-11).
b. Paul declares that Onesimus is now a brother, not just a servant (12-16).
3. Paul’s Promise to Philemon (vv. 17-25)
a. Paul urges Philemon to welcome Onesimus back (17).
b. Paul promises to repay any debt that Onesimus owes to Philemon (18-21).
c. Paul declares his intention to visit Philemon soon (22).
d. Conclusion (23-25)
i. Greetings from Others (23-24)
ii. Greeting from Paul – “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (25).
CHAPTER 3: CONCLUSION TO THE BOOK
Section 1: Interesting Features from Philemon
1. The book of Philemon is Paul’s shortest letter recorded in the New Testament.
2. Paul wrote the book of Philemon in his own handwriting rather than his frequent custom of using a secretary (v. 19), perhaps due to the personal nature of the contents.
3. Paul used a great deal of tact in asking Philemon to forgive Onesimus.
4. Slavery was widespread in the Roman Empire, and an accepted part of life in that day.
5. Paul used an interesting play on words involving the name of Onesimus, which means “useful” or “profitable” (vv. 10-11).
Section 2: Truths to Apply from Philemon
1. God sovereignly brings people into contact with the gospel, the way that he did with Onesimus and Paul in Rome.
2. God changes the minds and hearts of those who have been sinned against, in addition to the minds and hearts of those who have sinned.
3. Forgiven people ought to be forgiving people.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Can an offering to the Lord be too big?
Imagine you are in your Sunday morning church service, and the pastor makes the following statement: “Our recent offerings have been so large that we will not take up a collection for this week. Thank you for your generosity.”
What would your first reaction be? Surprise? Confusion? Happiness? So many questions would probably come into your mind because a scene like this would be so unfamiliar.
The reason I propose this parable is because of the reaction that Moses received when he asked the congregation of Israel to help him gather items for the building of the tabernacle. Moses passed along the Lord’s request, “Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD” (Exodus 35:5).
So the people responded by bringing building materials, furnishings, wood, animal skins, linen, thread, oil, incense, stones, gold, silver, bronze, and so forth. Not only did the people donate their material items, some of them even volunteered their time and skills to contribute in the construction of the tabernacle. Read the following account from later in the same chapter:
“And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments” (Exodus 35:20-21).
Obviously the people took great pleasure in participating with God’s people to do God’s work. No one wanted to be left out, even if it meant a sacrifice of time and goods. The participation eventually became overwhelming.
“So they continued bringing to [Moses] freewill offerings every morning. Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work he was doing, and they spoke to Moses, saying, ‘The people bring in much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded us to do’” (Exodus 36:3-5).
Can’t you just see Moses, who was previously reluctant to lead this group of people, standing with mouth agape as he hears this? It would be like a church contributing to a project that needed to be funded and operated, and then going far above what was asked of them.
“So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the whole camp, saying, ‘Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.’ And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much” (Exodus 36:6-7).
Oh that God’s people today would be willingly generous to the point of abundance. So much in our world needs our attention, and most of us have the means and skills to accomplish much to do the Lord’s work. But will we?
What would your first reaction be? Surprise? Confusion? Happiness? So many questions would probably come into your mind because a scene like this would be so unfamiliar.
The reason I propose this parable is because of the reaction that Moses received when he asked the congregation of Israel to help him gather items for the building of the tabernacle. Moses passed along the Lord’s request, “Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD” (Exodus 35:5).
So the people responded by bringing building materials, furnishings, wood, animal skins, linen, thread, oil, incense, stones, gold, silver, bronze, and so forth. Not only did the people donate their material items, some of them even volunteered their time and skills to contribute in the construction of the tabernacle. Read the following account from later in the same chapter:
“And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments” (Exodus 35:20-21).
Obviously the people took great pleasure in participating with God’s people to do God’s work. No one wanted to be left out, even if it meant a sacrifice of time and goods. The participation eventually became overwhelming.
“So they continued bringing to [Moses] freewill offerings every morning. Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work he was doing, and they spoke to Moses, saying, ‘The people bring in much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded us to do’” (Exodus 36:3-5).
Can’t you just see Moses, who was previously reluctant to lead this group of people, standing with mouth agape as he hears this? It would be like a church contributing to a project that needed to be funded and operated, and then going far above what was asked of them.
“So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the whole camp, saying, ‘Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.’ And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much” (Exodus 36:6-7).
Oh that God’s people today would be willingly generous to the point of abundance. So much in our world needs our attention, and most of us have the means and skills to accomplish much to do the Lord’s work. But will we?
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Hail the Sun of Righteousness
I’ve always been a big fan of Christmas, and in recent years I have come to increasingly appreciate the hymns of Christmas. The theology of the incarnation of Christ is remarkable, and singing about it causes as much joy as it does contemplation. So imagine my shock when I noticed a “spelling error” in one of my favorite seasonal tunes.
It all started, innocently enough, during a Sunday morning church service about a year ago. We had just reached the magnificent third verse of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” when I noticed the PowerPoint slide read as follows:
“Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and Life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.”
Did you see it too? Sun of Righteousness? “Surely that can’t be right. Fred Holcombe (our music minister) must have overlooked that error,” I concluded. It had to be “Son of Righteousness.” And just to prove myself right, I grabbed the hymnal in front of me and searched for the song, found it, and read the same thing again, “Sun of Righteousness.” What a mistake Charles Wesley (writer of the hymn) made comparing the “Son” of God to the “sun” that burns in the sky.
(Total side note: Every time I think of how the sun and stars burn, I’m reminded of the following dialogue in the brilliant scene from “The Lion King” which goes something like this, since I’m going completely from childhood memories here: And yes, I’m about to use a parenthesis inside of a parenthesis. Sue me.
( Timon and Pumbaa staring at the night sky)
Pumbaa (a gastro-intestinal beast of a warthog): “What do you suppose all those lights are up there?”
Timon (a sarcastic meerkat): “They’re fireflies. Yeah, they all got stuck up in that big black thing.”
Pumbaa: “I always thought they were balls of gas burning billions of miles away.”
Timon: “With you, everything’s gas.”
I warned you. Total side note. That had absolutely nothing to do with the point of the article.)))))))) Just making sure I closed all the parentheses there.
Back to Wesley. How could such a revered scholar and song writer have missed this! Jesus was the “Son” of God, not the “Sun.” Well for about the next three or four months I was at a loss for explaining any of this. And then I read something in Malachi that caught my eye, where God says: “But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings” (Malachi 4:2). Oh my! I shouted, “The editors of my NKJV did the same thing!” (When I’m sure I’m right about something, I’m sure I’m right). I determined that my two years spent studying Hebrew ought to solve this problem.
(This is about to get boring. If you don’t care about Hebrew words and their usage in Scripture, feel free to skip down to the next paragraph. On the other hand, this is the most important paragraph of the whole shebang so don’t skip it. Endure the boredom.)
The Hebrew word for “Sun” in Malachi 4:2 is “shemesh” which means (wait for it…) sun (yep, s-u-n. You’re welcome for that insight). It’s the most prominent word for sun in the whole Old Testament. When Scripture talks about the sun standing still (Joshua 10), it uses “shemesh.” When Solomon uses the phrase “under the sun” thirty-plus times in Ecclesiastes, he uses the phrase “thachath ha shemesh” every time. Apparently, Malachi meant “sun.” So did the NKJV editors. So did Wesley. So did Holcombe. They were right and I was wrong. (There, I said it. Moving on.)
But why “sun”? How is this Messiah like the sun? Turns out the word “shemesh” is related to a similar Aramaic word for activity. Just as the sun is constantly active, so the Messiah would be continually and actively portraying righteousness, making Him the “Sun [universal center of activity] of Righteousness.” Malachi was prophesying that the coming Savior would be a beacon of flawlessness, perfectly representing God because He is God. There is even a play on words here: “the Sun … shall arise.” The rising of the Sun of Righteousness brings healing for those who fear the name of God.
So my arrogance was flattened, but my knowledge increased. I’m sure it’s for the better. Then again, since “knowledge puffs up” (1 Corinthians 8:1), I’m sure I’ll be back to my arrogant self in no time. Until then, sing it with me as we celebrate Jesus’ first coming and wait for His second: “Hail the Sun of Righteousness…with healing in His wings!”
It all started, innocently enough, during a Sunday morning church service about a year ago. We had just reached the magnificent third verse of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” when I noticed the PowerPoint slide read as follows:
“Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and Life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.”
Did you see it too? Sun of Righteousness? “Surely that can’t be right. Fred Holcombe (our music minister) must have overlooked that error,” I concluded. It had to be “Son of Righteousness.” And just to prove myself right, I grabbed the hymnal in front of me and searched for the song, found it, and read the same thing again, “Sun of Righteousness.” What a mistake Charles Wesley (writer of the hymn) made comparing the “Son” of God to the “sun” that burns in the sky.
(Total side note: Every time I think of how the sun and stars burn, I’m reminded of the following dialogue in the brilliant scene from “The Lion King” which goes something like this, since I’m going completely from childhood memories here: And yes, I’m about to use a parenthesis inside of a parenthesis. Sue me.
( Timon and Pumbaa staring at the night sky)
Pumbaa (a gastro-intestinal beast of a warthog): “What do you suppose all those lights are up there?”
Timon (a sarcastic meerkat): “They’re fireflies. Yeah, they all got stuck up in that big black thing.”
Pumbaa: “I always thought they were balls of gas burning billions of miles away.”
Timon: “With you, everything’s gas.”
I warned you. Total side note. That had absolutely nothing to do with the point of the article.)))))))) Just making sure I closed all the parentheses there.
Back to Wesley. How could such a revered scholar and song writer have missed this! Jesus was the “Son” of God, not the “Sun.” Well for about the next three or four months I was at a loss for explaining any of this. And then I read something in Malachi that caught my eye, where God says: “But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings” (Malachi 4:2). Oh my! I shouted, “The editors of my NKJV did the same thing!” (When I’m sure I’m right about something, I’m sure I’m right). I determined that my two years spent studying Hebrew ought to solve this problem.
(This is about to get boring. If you don’t care about Hebrew words and their usage in Scripture, feel free to skip down to the next paragraph. On the other hand, this is the most important paragraph of the whole shebang so don’t skip it. Endure the boredom.)
The Hebrew word for “Sun” in Malachi 4:2 is “shemesh” which means (wait for it…) sun (yep, s-u-n. You’re welcome for that insight). It’s the most prominent word for sun in the whole Old Testament. When Scripture talks about the sun standing still (Joshua 10), it uses “shemesh.” When Solomon uses the phrase “under the sun” thirty-plus times in Ecclesiastes, he uses the phrase “thachath ha shemesh” every time. Apparently, Malachi meant “sun.” So did the NKJV editors. So did Wesley. So did Holcombe. They were right and I was wrong. (There, I said it. Moving on.)
But why “sun”? How is this Messiah like the sun? Turns out the word “shemesh” is related to a similar Aramaic word for activity. Just as the sun is constantly active, so the Messiah would be continually and actively portraying righteousness, making Him the “Sun [universal center of activity] of Righteousness.” Malachi was prophesying that the coming Savior would be a beacon of flawlessness, perfectly representing God because He is God. There is even a play on words here: “the Sun … shall arise.” The rising of the Sun of Righteousness brings healing for those who fear the name of God.
So my arrogance was flattened, but my knowledge increased. I’m sure it’s for the better. Then again, since “knowledge puffs up” (1 Corinthians 8:1), I’m sure I’ll be back to my arrogant self in no time. Until then, sing it with me as we celebrate Jesus’ first coming and wait for His second: “Hail the Sun of Righteousness…with healing in His wings!”
Thursday, December 1, 2011
A Change of Perspective: How God’s Providence is Causing us to Serve Others
God has a way of taking our experiences and expectations, and using them to change our perspective about Him. That has happened in our youth ministry lately, and the lessons are making an impact on our leaders and teens alike. As we shared testimonies with each other on Sunday night (Nov. 27), it was obvious that God has been working.
The first thing that was very evident was the sovereignty and providence of God. One story was told of how God provided a house for a family who was experiencing financial trouble. In addition, God sent many church members to help make the move easier on the family. Another story explained that a young man’s mother had to be taken to the emergency room over Thanksgiving weekend because of a severe infection. God spared her life, but she likely would have died had she not received the right care at the right time.
Still another told of how she had run away from home, and God is providing for her through caring family members. Another’s parent needed a job, and God has given this family another opportunity for work and ministry. Another told of losing a loved one recently. Another told of the divorce of her parents. On and on the testimonies came, some causing us to laugh and praise God, and others causing us to cry, and praise God anyway. Yet with each story, the teens were able to say, “God has helped me through this. He has provided. He never stops caring for me.”
It’s one thing to know that God is sovereign. We can usually come to terms with the fact that He knows all and controls all. But when it comes to the providence of God, we have a harder time grasping that. The difference is this: not only does God control all things, but He cares and is intimately involved in working things out for the ultimate good of His people, so that He can receive the most glory.
Through these things, God has taken our eyes off of ourselves, and turned them towards others in need. In September, we spent a weekend retreat learning from video sessions with Max Lucado and Francis Chan that we are made to make a difference, and that we should have courage and develop character to stand strong for Christ. Those challenges have led us to visit a children’s home to play games with underprivileged kids, fill boxes for Operation Christmas Child, donate and deliver food to needy families for the holidays, and spend the day before Thanksgiving serving food and spending time with homeless people downtown.
Even the things we’ve studied from God’s Word recently have emphasized that God is always good and always worthy of our obedience, no matter what the circumstances may be. In Jonah, we saw that God used a reluctant missionary to turn an entire city to Him. In John’s epistles, we saw that our fellowship together is strengthened when we serve God by serving others together. In Esther, we saw that God often works behind the scenes to bring about great salvation and deliverance for people. And on November 13, Jeremy Mattheiss taught us that we can best relate to Christ when we are looking to serve the needs of others, rather than asking, “What’s in it for me?”
I don’t tell you these things to brag on us, but rather to brag on God. We are not good people. And any hope we have of being right with God is found in what He has done for us, not what we might attempt to do for Him. I tell you these things to let you know that God is not silent in our youth ministry. He has caused us to see things with a different perspective. There has been a great deal of pain and loss in our church recently, and it affects our young people too. But these events are causing us to look for Him, and to recognize that we have much to be thankful for, because the King who came once is the King who is coming again.
The first thing that was very evident was the sovereignty and providence of God. One story was told of how God provided a house for a family who was experiencing financial trouble. In addition, God sent many church members to help make the move easier on the family. Another story explained that a young man’s mother had to be taken to the emergency room over Thanksgiving weekend because of a severe infection. God spared her life, but she likely would have died had she not received the right care at the right time.
Still another told of how she had run away from home, and God is providing for her through caring family members. Another’s parent needed a job, and God has given this family another opportunity for work and ministry. Another told of losing a loved one recently. Another told of the divorce of her parents. On and on the testimonies came, some causing us to laugh and praise God, and others causing us to cry, and praise God anyway. Yet with each story, the teens were able to say, “God has helped me through this. He has provided. He never stops caring for me.”
It’s one thing to know that God is sovereign. We can usually come to terms with the fact that He knows all and controls all. But when it comes to the providence of God, we have a harder time grasping that. The difference is this: not only does God control all things, but He cares and is intimately involved in working things out for the ultimate good of His people, so that He can receive the most glory.
Through these things, God has taken our eyes off of ourselves, and turned them towards others in need. In September, we spent a weekend retreat learning from video sessions with Max Lucado and Francis Chan that we are made to make a difference, and that we should have courage and develop character to stand strong for Christ. Those challenges have led us to visit a children’s home to play games with underprivileged kids, fill boxes for Operation Christmas Child, donate and deliver food to needy families for the holidays, and spend the day before Thanksgiving serving food and spending time with homeless people downtown.
Even the things we’ve studied from God’s Word recently have emphasized that God is always good and always worthy of our obedience, no matter what the circumstances may be. In Jonah, we saw that God used a reluctant missionary to turn an entire city to Him. In John’s epistles, we saw that our fellowship together is strengthened when we serve God by serving others together. In Esther, we saw that God often works behind the scenes to bring about great salvation and deliverance for people. And on November 13, Jeremy Mattheiss taught us that we can best relate to Christ when we are looking to serve the needs of others, rather than asking, “What’s in it for me?”
I don’t tell you these things to brag on us, but rather to brag on God. We are not good people. And any hope we have of being right with God is found in what He has done for us, not what we might attempt to do for Him. I tell you these things to let you know that God is not silent in our youth ministry. He has caused us to see things with a different perspective. There has been a great deal of pain and loss in our church recently, and it affects our young people too. But these events are causing us to look for Him, and to recognize that we have much to be thankful for, because the King who came once is the King who is coming again.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
The Word Preaches Itself
I have a phrase that I’ve used quite a bit over the last few years. I’m sure it’s not original to me, but still I have adopted it: “The Word preaches itself, and I just try to not get in the way of it.” Our pastor, Dr. Euler has made similar statements throughout the years, such as “The Bible is always truer than my (or anyone’s) preaching of it.” The point is that I should only be concerned with explaining what the Bible says and what the Bible means when I am teaching it to others.
A paragraph I read recently from Scripture works exactly this way. I could not say it any better than Scripture, so I will simply copy it here. It is what Samuel said to his congregation (he was a prophet in Israel) when they needed a word from him:
“Do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the LORD, and serve Him with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.” (1 Samuel 12:20-24)
See what I mean? What else could I possibly add to that? And I certainly wouldn’t dare remove anything from it. What Samuel says here is exactly what I want to say to the teens of Grace Baptist Church: I urge you to follow the LORD, serve Him only, don’t chase empty things, you are God’s hand-picked people and He cannot/will not disappoint, consider how great He is. And oh by the way, while you’re doing all of those things, I will not stop praying for you while I teach you the only way worth living.
A paragraph I read recently from Scripture works exactly this way. I could not say it any better than Scripture, so I will simply copy it here. It is what Samuel said to his congregation (he was a prophet in Israel) when they needed a word from him:
“Do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. For the LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the LORD, and serve Him with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.” (1 Samuel 12:20-24)
See what I mean? What else could I possibly add to that? And I certainly wouldn’t dare remove anything from it. What Samuel says here is exactly what I want to say to the teens of Grace Baptist Church: I urge you to follow the LORD, serve Him only, don’t chase empty things, you are God’s hand-picked people and He cannot/will not disappoint, consider how great He is. And oh by the way, while you’re doing all of those things, I will not stop praying for you while I teach you the only way worth living.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
The Easiest Way to Fail at My Job is to Not Teach the Bible: An Encouragement to Join us on Sunday Evenings
As I reflect on my first three months as a full-time youth pastor, several things stand out to me. First of all, even at times when I have felt overwhelmed in my position, things have worked out in marvelous ways. Over the summer there were several things that I experienced for the first time, such as leading a mission trip, organizing a summer camp trip, planning and promoting various service projects, recruiting helpers, and executing a variety of day trips. In each of these adventures, I had to lean on the Lord and on others to help me make good choices for the direction of our youth ministry.
Secondly, as you may have noticed from the above list, I have found myself involved in a great deal more than what many typically think of as “pastoral duties.” And yes, a pastor is how I view myself. I am a shepherd, and the youth group of Grace Baptist Church is my flock. The point has already been made that the sheep are keeping the shepherd quite busy. And I have never had more fun in my life.
The third thing that has stood out to me ties the above thoughts together. It seems an almost impossible task to prioritize the ever-growing list of things to do as a youth pastor. But I have been reminded time and again that the most important thing I can do is to teach young people the Word of God. No matter how many activities we have, how many teens show up, how many small groups we have, I will fail at my job if I am not first and foremost helping my flock to know God through His Word.
As much as I enjoy my various roles, my title is not “activities coordinator” or “trip planner.” I am grateful that the majority of compliments I have received from the parents of those in our youth group (and I am not worthy of any compliments) have been something like, “Thank you for what you are teaching our children about the Lord.” My title is Youth Pastor, and I take that responsibility very seriously.
Certainly the Bible does not use the term “youth pastor,” but the New Testament is exceptionally clear about what the duties of a pastor are. And as I’ve stated earlier, those same duties belong to me. Consider this quote from Paul to a group of pastors he was about to leave:
“Now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears” (Acts 20:25-31).
Paul was not alone in influencing the people. But he was one of the few who chose to influence them for Christ and His kingdom. And because his ministry of teaching in that area was coming to an end, he told the pastors that their primary task would be to continue to teach the flock the things of God, just as he did. If they didn’t, a different kind of influence would bring them all down.
Later, when Paul wrote letters to individual pastors, he gave them guidelines that all pastors should follow. And when listing these guidelines, Paul put most of the emphasis on the character of the person rather than on his abilities. In fact, he only names one ability: to be “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2). Out of the seven verses in that paragraph that describe the right kind of pastor, the only stipulation concerning ability is that of teaching.
In a very similar statement to Titus, Paul again emphasizes a pastor’s character then adds that he should be “holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict” (Titus 1:9). A pastor is not many things with one of them being a teacher. Rather, a pastor is primarily a teacher of “the faithful word” to his flock. A teacher is not always a pastor (Ephesians 4:11), but a pastor is always a teacher.
Peter had this to say to pastors:
“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away (1 Peter 5:2-4).”
Rest assured, I am doing this job for a paycheck. Not for the one that shows up in my bank account every so often, but for the “crown of glory” that will be mine if I willingly serve my flock. I am here to say that I commit to willingly serving my flock—the youth ministry of Grace Baptist Church—by prioritizing the preaching and teaching of the Bible above all else. And when we commit to learning about God by studying what He has told us about Himself, I am convinced that we will be motivated to help other people know Him as well.
Secondly, as you may have noticed from the above list, I have found myself involved in a great deal more than what many typically think of as “pastoral duties.” And yes, a pastor is how I view myself. I am a shepherd, and the youth group of Grace Baptist Church is my flock. The point has already been made that the sheep are keeping the shepherd quite busy. And I have never had more fun in my life.
The third thing that has stood out to me ties the above thoughts together. It seems an almost impossible task to prioritize the ever-growing list of things to do as a youth pastor. But I have been reminded time and again that the most important thing I can do is to teach young people the Word of God. No matter how many activities we have, how many teens show up, how many small groups we have, I will fail at my job if I am not first and foremost helping my flock to know God through His Word.
As much as I enjoy my various roles, my title is not “activities coordinator” or “trip planner.” I am grateful that the majority of compliments I have received from the parents of those in our youth group (and I am not worthy of any compliments) have been something like, “Thank you for what you are teaching our children about the Lord.” My title is Youth Pastor, and I take that responsibility very seriously.
Certainly the Bible does not use the term “youth pastor,” but the New Testament is exceptionally clear about what the duties of a pastor are. And as I’ve stated earlier, those same duties belong to me. Consider this quote from Paul to a group of pastors he was about to leave:
“Now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears” (Acts 20:25-31).
Paul was not alone in influencing the people. But he was one of the few who chose to influence them for Christ and His kingdom. And because his ministry of teaching in that area was coming to an end, he told the pastors that their primary task would be to continue to teach the flock the things of God, just as he did. If they didn’t, a different kind of influence would bring them all down.
Later, when Paul wrote letters to individual pastors, he gave them guidelines that all pastors should follow. And when listing these guidelines, Paul put most of the emphasis on the character of the person rather than on his abilities. In fact, he only names one ability: to be “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2). Out of the seven verses in that paragraph that describe the right kind of pastor, the only stipulation concerning ability is that of teaching.
In a very similar statement to Titus, Paul again emphasizes a pastor’s character then adds that he should be “holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict” (Titus 1:9). A pastor is not many things with one of them being a teacher. Rather, a pastor is primarily a teacher of “the faithful word” to his flock. A teacher is not always a pastor (Ephesians 4:11), but a pastor is always a teacher.
Peter had this to say to pastors:
“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away (1 Peter 5:2-4).”
Rest assured, I am doing this job for a paycheck. Not for the one that shows up in my bank account every so often, but for the “crown of glory” that will be mine if I willingly serve my flock. I am here to say that I commit to willingly serving my flock—the youth ministry of Grace Baptist Church—by prioritizing the preaching and teaching of the Bible above all else. And when we commit to learning about God by studying what He has told us about Himself, I am convinced that we will be motivated to help other people know Him as well.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Alaska Adventures
On June 12, 2011 at 12:15pm I boarded a plane from Chattanooga with eight other people from Grace Baptist Church: my wife Brandi, my brother Josh, church secretary Sara Wexler, recent grads Jon Welsh and his sister Tina, and teenagers Cameron Gorsline, Janna Holcombe, and Lindsey Estes. After a four hour layover in Chicago, we flew into Anchorage, Alaska at 9pm local time, which is 1am eastern. The scenery as we got closer to Alaska was increasingly impressive. We beheld snow-covered mountains and near-continuous daylight (Anchorage only has about 3 hours of night in the summer months).
We were driven to Calvary Church by our friends Tom Kilpatrick, Al King, and Linda King. Our group was fed a meal and given a rundown of how our week would go. Monday morning’s orientation informed us of our objectives for the week: morning service projects and an afternoon Bible school in a trailer park called Penland Park. Joining our group were two college students from Texas, Russell McCarson and Lauren Cartwright.
Our first encounter with Penland Park was less than spectacular. We had an open, fenced-in area with a concrete slab about half the size of a basketball court. There we served lunch to about three dozen children from ages 2-14. Some of our group members walked through the neighborhood inviting children and families to the gathering. Poverty was evident as we watched these children.
After lunch, Lindsey attempted to teach our daily Bible story, which was about Zacchaeus. The discouraging thing was several of the kids weren’t interested in our story. Only about nine children stayed to hear it. It was obvious that most of the children had very little or no Bible knowledge, and we tried to tell them who Jesus was and how he loves them and why we were there.
We concluded the day with some crafts and games that seemed to draw the crowds back. We told the children that we would return the following day, but I couldn’t help but be disappointed about the day as a whole. I wondered if we would have any spiritual impact.
That night we did some hiking up a mountain and were able to slide down some snow covered slopes. However, Josh did not make it on the hike with us because he was throwing up. Jon had been sick the Saturday before the flight, and apparently it spread to him. Little did I know that this sickness would affect our entire week.
On Tuesday morning we were able to help out another church as they served groceries to needy people in the city. Then it was back to Penland Park. My fear was that it would not go much better than Monday, but I could not have been more wrong. The same children who were shy and indifferent about us on Monday now anticipated our coming and looked forward to seeing us and interacting with us. Many of them stayed for our Bible lesson about kindness, and we were able to explain to them the kindness and love that Christ showed for them on the cross.
Tuesday’s experience set the stage for a great rest of the week with the kids. However, the sickness that started with Jon and Josh now was affecting Sara and Brandi. Just when it seemed that our week was finally showing progress, our team members were dealing with a spreading sickness. But they did not allow it to get them down. They fought through it and determined to devote themselves to the tasks.
On Wednesday through Friday, we spent our morning times going to a Christian preschool and worked to prepare classrooms for the upcoming school year. The leaders of this school were extremely impressed with the character and the work ethic of our team members. I took pride in the fact that we were responding admirably in the midst of difficulties.
Wednesday night saw Cameron, Lindsey, and I fight through the sickness. However, God allowed it to pass before Thursday night, and our entire group was finally healthy when we went back to the park for a neighborhood block party at which we were able to spend more time with the kids and their families serving them dinner and playing games. Some leaders from Calvary Church played music and gave a gospel presentation. All of us were able to converse with many people that night about the gospel and to display for them the love of Christ.
Friday was the last day that we were able to spend with the kids at the park. What a long way we had come since Monday! It was difficult to say goodbye to a lot of them. One last time we were able to pray with them, tell them about Christ, and show them His love for them. We may never know how many of those children and their families were (or will be) directed into a relationship with Christ, but I feel like our work with them accomplished what we went to do. Since we only had a week with them, I know we made the most of it.
Saturday was sightseeing day, and we were able to soak in the beauty of what God had made. Jon experienced it more than any of us, as he swam in 40-degree water and climbed onto an iceberg! The best thing about our week was the way we saw God use our group to accomplish a great deal of work in several different places in spite of the obstacles of sickness and a difficult first day at the park. Our prayer now is that others there are building on our work and able to draw those families into a walk with Christ.
We were driven to Calvary Church by our friends Tom Kilpatrick, Al King, and Linda King. Our group was fed a meal and given a rundown of how our week would go. Monday morning’s orientation informed us of our objectives for the week: morning service projects and an afternoon Bible school in a trailer park called Penland Park. Joining our group were two college students from Texas, Russell McCarson and Lauren Cartwright.
Our first encounter with Penland Park was less than spectacular. We had an open, fenced-in area with a concrete slab about half the size of a basketball court. There we served lunch to about three dozen children from ages 2-14. Some of our group members walked through the neighborhood inviting children and families to the gathering. Poverty was evident as we watched these children.
After lunch, Lindsey attempted to teach our daily Bible story, which was about Zacchaeus. The discouraging thing was several of the kids weren’t interested in our story. Only about nine children stayed to hear it. It was obvious that most of the children had very little or no Bible knowledge, and we tried to tell them who Jesus was and how he loves them and why we were there.
We concluded the day with some crafts and games that seemed to draw the crowds back. We told the children that we would return the following day, but I couldn’t help but be disappointed about the day as a whole. I wondered if we would have any spiritual impact.
That night we did some hiking up a mountain and were able to slide down some snow covered slopes. However, Josh did not make it on the hike with us because he was throwing up. Jon had been sick the Saturday before the flight, and apparently it spread to him. Little did I know that this sickness would affect our entire week.
On Tuesday morning we were able to help out another church as they served groceries to needy people in the city. Then it was back to Penland Park. My fear was that it would not go much better than Monday, but I could not have been more wrong. The same children who were shy and indifferent about us on Monday now anticipated our coming and looked forward to seeing us and interacting with us. Many of them stayed for our Bible lesson about kindness, and we were able to explain to them the kindness and love that Christ showed for them on the cross.
Tuesday’s experience set the stage for a great rest of the week with the kids. However, the sickness that started with Jon and Josh now was affecting Sara and Brandi. Just when it seemed that our week was finally showing progress, our team members were dealing with a spreading sickness. But they did not allow it to get them down. They fought through it and determined to devote themselves to the tasks.
On Wednesday through Friday, we spent our morning times going to a Christian preschool and worked to prepare classrooms for the upcoming school year. The leaders of this school were extremely impressed with the character and the work ethic of our team members. I took pride in the fact that we were responding admirably in the midst of difficulties.
Wednesday night saw Cameron, Lindsey, and I fight through the sickness. However, God allowed it to pass before Thursday night, and our entire group was finally healthy when we went back to the park for a neighborhood block party at which we were able to spend more time with the kids and their families serving them dinner and playing games. Some leaders from Calvary Church played music and gave a gospel presentation. All of us were able to converse with many people that night about the gospel and to display for them the love of Christ.
Friday was the last day that we were able to spend with the kids at the park. What a long way we had come since Monday! It was difficult to say goodbye to a lot of them. One last time we were able to pray with them, tell them about Christ, and show them His love for them. We may never know how many of those children and their families were (or will be) directed into a relationship with Christ, but I feel like our work with them accomplished what we went to do. Since we only had a week with them, I know we made the most of it.
Saturday was sightseeing day, and we were able to soak in the beauty of what God had made. Jon experienced it more than any of us, as he swam in 40-degree water and climbed onto an iceberg! The best thing about our week was the way we saw God use our group to accomplish a great deal of work in several different places in spite of the obstacles of sickness and a difficult first day at the park. Our prayer now is that others there are building on our work and able to draw those families into a walk with Christ.
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