What Every Man & Woman Needs from their Pastor
Colossians 1:27-28
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT
What do we need from the man of God in our lives?
What does God need from the shepherd He placed in our lives?
Do we want the man of God to be shackled, muzzled, or in fearful need of personal favor?
Do we want him to obey God first or obey us first?
Do we want him to be a God-pleaser or a people pleaser (gainsayer)?
Do we want a pastor or a politician in the pulpit?
Do we want a hireling or a true shepherd?
Do we want the pastor only to preach or counsel what we want to hear or what we need to hear?
THIS IS GOD’S PLAN NOT OURS
We must remember that the relationship of shepherd and sheep (pastor and saints) is God’s idea not ours. God’s plan is perfect. We are not perfect; God is perfect. The flesh naturally resists God’s Word and His will. But, people filled with the Holy Ghost who love Jesus Christ and His Word are taught to know better – to live a better life.
God gives us a pastor to love, lead, protect, and correct us. When it all works according to God’s design the reflection of His heartbeat and plan come alive among the flock.
Jer 3:15
And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Acts 20:18
And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons
I recently received a photo that deeply blessed me. It was a picture of two of our men and me when they were little boys. What a joyful memory! My, how the time flies. When I showed it to one of the men in the photo he said, “Love you, Pastor! You’ve been there every step of the way.” Things have a way of coming back to us. We will all reap what we have sown. I’m grateful for the blessing of what was portrayed in that photo (what I sewed) so many years later!
God has given unto us the ministry and word of reconciliation. Our mission is to help people be reconciled to God through the new birth. In short, our mission is people-souls.
2 Cor 5:18-20
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
FOUR THINGS EVERY ONE OF US NEEDS FROM OUR PASTOR
The apostle Paul outlined the things we all need from our pastor in his letter to the church at Colossae:
Colossians 1:29
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Paul let them know that he had been:
PREACHING TO EVERY MAN (2 Tim 4:2; Eph 4:15; 1 Cor 1:21; Rom 10:14-17; Tit 1:3)
WARNING EVERY MAN (Acts 20:27; 27:32; 2 Tim 2:7)
TEACHING EVERY MAN (2 Tim 3:14)
PRESENT EVERY MAN (Heb 13:7, 17)
We all need the man of God in our lives to actively preach Jesus Christ. We need biblical godly warnings and reminders. We need sound doctrinal teaching in order to be spiritually healthy.
One day we will all stand before Jesus and give an account for our lives – for whether or not we obeyed Him and His Word. We will give an account on how we followed the man of God as he followed Christ. Likewise, our pastor will stand before Jesus Christ and give an account for our souls – whether or not he preached the truth. What a sacred and fearful thought!
Our pastor must continue to preach and teach the truth. He must be ready to present every one of us before the face of Jesus Christ on that last day.
Edited by: Cindy Adams
