Pastor’s Purpose

Philippians 2:16 Holding forth ythe word of life; that zI may rejoice in the day of Christ, that aI have not run in vain, neither aalaboured in vain. 17 Yea, and if I be †boffered upon the sacrifice and cservice of your faith, dI joy, and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.[1]

I.   Rejoice

     A. Competed

     B. Completed

II. Rejoice

     A. Sacrificed

     B. Served

III. Rejoice

     A. Sacrificed

     B. Served

Introduction:  We have been exposing Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi.  Last week we took a slight detour.  We celebrated the life of our nation and explained how we might return to the purpose that allows God to hedge and protects nations.  I personally remembered a professor whom God used to inspire my ministry.  We heard Jesus’ words from Matthew’s gospel account about priority of the Christian life.

Later that evening we went into a church conference concerning worldly business.  Paying bills is necessary in this world and should certainly be one thing that His church should find consensus in.  If there are controversies they should be resolved during the conference and then the decision made by church, if shared with others, should show how love of church family unites us as no other secular group can realize.  The debate of how we reach consensus should never be taken outside so that the church’s weakness’ are laundered in public.  The strength of the church is seen when faith in the decisions that we make together are seen by others outside.

Today we will continue surveying Paul’s letter to the Philippians to understand how a church who gained Paul’s praise did what they did way back then.  Paul had since left them and moved on yet he still loved and communicated with them.  He wanted them to continue to work out their own spiritual life of church family in a way that was pleasant to Jesus so that they would be blameless and harmless and without rebuke in the world so that they would be known as “sons of God.”

When we left off a couple of Sundays ago, Paul had reminded them that they were indeed living in a perverse and crooked nation.  The only light that could break the darkness was the light of Jesus which shined through them.  It was a reminder to continue and to grow stronger together.

So what was in it for Paul?  He helped build the church there at Philippi but now he was a prisoner in Rome; probably never to go back to see them again in this life.  There have been many pastors who have come here and gone from here in Merry Oaks Baptist Church.  What do you suppose they are thinking now?  For that matter, what was their motive for being your pastor?  What do you think about when you think of them?

My prayer is that they are remembered and cherished.  I pray that there is a conversation between the pastors that have gone on and many of you who are here serving where those pastors laid the foundation of faith.

I pray that the pastors that have been instrumental in my spiritual life can have the same thoughts about me that Paul had with those he served and was served by.

Scripture:  The scripture is Philippians 2:16-18.  When you have found it please rise to your feet for the reading of God’s written word.

Prayer: Please be seated

Message:  Today’s text is a continuation of a long sentence.  Paul had a style of writing several points into one extended sentence.  Last time we learned that we shine in this perverted society when we illuminate, or hold forth, send out, the truth of the gospel.  When others say what they have been brainwashed into believing is OK, if they ask our opinion, and they always do, we have the opportunity to speak the truth or the word that brings life.

The first of three rejoices Paul mentioned here in this text comes when Paul stands before Jesus at the Judgement Seat as he describes here as the day of Christ.  The accomplished purpose that Pastor Paul saw as his success was that he ran the race.  Paul could have much more easily decided to not compete in his competition.  His decision to go on the journey that God chose for him was not worthless because the Philippians had been faithful.

We today are still competing with the corruption and perversion that attempts to disrupt worship of God alone.  God has chosen some to be pastors.  There are many pastors who step up to the battle only to turn and run before they get started.  There is no harm in deciding not to pastor unless you are sure that is what you have been called to do.  If you have been called to some other ministry then run that race with all the energy that you allow God to charge you with.  But if God calls you to a purpose that you know He has equipped you for, do not quit until you have completed your assignment.  Sometimes that is very difficult.  Take my word for that.

Many times I thought perhaps I overstepped my purpose.  Most pastors do question.  Some pastors who were actually called to be pastors fall along the wayside under the pressures from congregations who would rather be comfortable than convicted.  Never fear; God does not forget what He called us to do and He will not give up even when we often do.  Elijah was ready to give up even after the task was completed but God had more for him to do.

I’m sure that Paul felt sometimes that he had failed.  Had it not been for the communications from churches such as the church in Philippi, Paul may have lost hope in his purpose.  But Paul did not run in vain nor was his work in vain.  His labor in a church that continued was his source of joy.  He had completed the planting of that church which the church carried on.  Paul rejoiced because he competed and completed setting the cornerstone of the church at Philippi.

Next Paul speaks of what would come after his time as pastor.  Today we are right here and now seeing the thing that Paul spoke of.  The sacrifice of Paul’s committed life was celebrated there in Philippi after Paul had left this life.  His legacy carries on even today as we here celebrate his faithfulness.

Not only that but nearly every time we hold the communion service here at Merry Oaks, we use Paul’s words that he repeated from Jesus.  The service of our faith would not be what it is without Paul’s having first sacrificed and served.  Paul also rejoiced in that.  He knew that his sacrifice and service would live on after his life here was behind him.  His legacy of love for Christ and the church would not be forgotten. 

Picture in your mind those things that other pastors left as a legacy here in Merry Oaks.  That is the second of the three rejoices in the outline today.  To know that what was started when a pastor served and sacrificed will continue long after you leave is certainly a reason for a pastor to rejoice.  It is a shame that many leave and only take bitterness with them when they could instead find contentment in having served.  Paul followed God and was joyful in their continuation of faith.

So what is the third joy?  Who rejoices in the sacrifice and service of the old ex-pastor?  The church!  Paul said there in verse eighteen that being a successful past pastor means that the congregation also rejoices in the legacy that was started so that they never forget.

I look back on the wall at the names of pastors who were here before that got many to commit to reading through the Bible in a year.  There are pictures that carry the names of one artist that served here.  There are hearts of many who cry out with stories of faith and commitment.

Yes Jerry, there are many stories of Pastor Jack.  Russell remembers Alan.  Thank God for that!  I know that I could go on and ask each of us here what a pastor meant to them and we would go past 12noon.  So that is the third rejoice.  It is from the congregation.

Pastors do not forget where God led them to serve.  My Sunday prayer list takes me a bit longer to go through each week as I remember all the churches where I have served in the interim periods in churches who were seeking the pastor to fill the pulpit and spiritually lead the congregation.  I fondly remember each one and pray that the time that God had me in those churches was not in vain.

Each and every place God took Rachael and me helped to build us so that we might have a foundation on which to serve alongside with you now.  I rejoice in that!

Prayer:

Invitation:  This church has been building for many years and God has not completed His building program.  I see faith that has grown stronger and relationships that have grown closer.

How to you grow a church?  You ask God to grow the believers’ faith and the church family grows stronger.  That is church growth.  I have seen it here!  Have you?

The invitation today seems to be very greedy on my part.  It is this; I invite you to give me joy.  I invite you to love each other in such a way that when I am finally called away from this place that there will be stories of an old pastor who came here past his prime but God brought a congregation to a closer place of being as a congregation with a deeper love for God and each other.

If we decide one Christian at a time to do that, His light will shine in this place, in this state, in this nation, and in this world so that the devil will not be able to quench the fire that lights up God’s pathway to love.

Please consider this as we sing and kneel if you are led so that lives will be forever changed.

y So Heb. 4:12.
z See 2 Cor. 1:14.
a Gal. 2:2. See 1 Cor. 9:24.
aa 1 Thess. 3:5. So Gal. 4:11.
† Gr. poured forth.
b 2 Tim. 4:6. Comp. 1 Thess. 2:8. 1 John 3:16.
c See Luke 1:23. Comp. Rom. 15:16.
d 2 Cor. 7:4. Col. 1:24.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Php 2:16–18). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.