This Sermon was written and submitted by: Joseph M. Willmouth, Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Biloxi, Mississippi 39532. This contributed article is copyright protected, and the sole property of the contributing author.  It may be freely copied and used provided the above credits are included. Document expiration: indefinite. (Preached on November 3, 1996)

I. The Christian's Responsibility To Their Pastor (v.17a)

1. Recognize that God has appointed your Pastor, and that is where his authority comes from

A. "them that have the rule over you..."

1) "rule," {hayg-eh'-om-ahee: v, part, pres, dep, dat, m, pl}; to lead, i.e. command (with official     authority).

A) Present Tense; i.e., those who are presently ruling over you, or those who are presently your pastor.

B) This would preclude people from following after a former pastor; i.e., they have a new pastor but continue to go to a prior pastor for advise, instruction, etc...

C) Notice that this word is also in the Masculine Gender; This is addressed to the elders/pastor of the church (note that in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 all the qualifications for the position of elder/pastor are also in the Masculine Gender ... there is no doubt that God intended this position be filled by men and not women. Is this a cultural thing? For those who think that God has changed His mind need to read Mal.3:6; Num.23:19; Rom.11:29; James 1:17; Psa.119:8).

2) 1 Tim 5:17, "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine." (KJV).

3) Eph 4:11, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;" (KJV)

B. To disobey a godly Pastor who is following God's Word, is to disobey God because God has placed them there to fulfill His purposes.

2. Obey

A. The Greek, implies more than just blindly obeying, but also having confidence and trust in his leadership.

1) "obey," {pi'-tho: (v, imper, pres, pass, 2 per, pl}; to assent (to evidence or authority), to rely (by inward certainty), agree, assure, believe, have confidence, trust, yield.

2) Notice that this Greek word is in the Imperative Mood with the Present Tense; in other words, they were commanded to "obey now! And keep on obeying!"

A) This is a command and not an option.

B) John 14:23-24, "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me." (KJV).

B. Webster's defines "obey": To carry out the instructions or orders of. To be guided by.

A. To yield to the action, control, power of another or others.

1) "submit," {hoop-i'-ko: v, imper, pres, act, 2 per, pl}; to surrender, submit self.

2) Notice that this Greek word is in the Imperative Mood with the Present Tense; in other words, they were commanded to "submit now! And keep on submitting!"

- This is a command and not an option.

B. Webster's defines "submit": To defer to another's judgment or decision.

II. The Pastor's Responsibility To God (v.17b).

1. Pastors are the watchers of your soul.

A. "watch for your souls,"

1) "watch,"{ag-roop-neh'-o: v, indic, pres, act, 3 per, pl}; to be sleepless, i.e. keep awake, watch.

A) Indicative Mood; This implies the certainty and reality of the pastor's job to watch over the souls of his flock.

B) Present Tense and Active Voice; Pastor's are to watch over their flocks now and keep on watching over them (as long as he is their pastor).

2) "souls,"{psoo-khay': n, gen, f, pl}; rational and immortal soul, heart, life, mind.

B. Just as the task of a watchman was to warn the city against impending danger, the Pastor is to warn his people of spiritual dangers.

- Acts 20:28-32, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." (KJV)

A. "they that must give account,"

1) "must give," {ap-od-eed'-o-mee: v, part, fut, act, nom, m, pl}; deliver, perform, recompense, render, requite, restore, reward, sell, yield.

- This is in the Future Tense; indicating that they be held accountable in the future (i.e., at the judgment seat of Christ; 2 Cor.5:10-13; Rom.14:10-12; Eph.6:8)

2) "account," {log'-os: n, acc, m, sg}; something said (including the thought), account, cause, communication, doctrine, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.

B. Pastors will some day stand before the Lord and give an account of not only what they did, but what their flock did or didn't do for the Lord.

1) James 3:1, "My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation." (KJV) note the word "masters," is referring to teachers of God's Word.

2) We find the same accountability in the work place today. Bosses must give an account for what their work section did or did not do. If they did well, the boss could get a reward (like a promotion), but if they failed to do their work or even to meet the standards, the boss would also take the blame and could be fired or removed.

1 Pet 5:1-4, "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." (KJV)
 

III. The Result of having the right relationship (v.17c).

1. When a Christian is obedient to God, the result will bring JOY to their Pastor's ministry

A. "that they may do it with joy,"

1) "do it," {poy-eh'-o: v, subj, pres, act, 3 per, pl}; to make or do, execute, exercise, fulfill, gain, give, observe, ordain, perform, provide, purpose, work, yield.

2) "with joy," {khar-ah': n, gen, f, sg}; cheerfulness, delight, gladness, be exceeding joyful.

3) The pastor's job should bring him an on going joy, and if it doesn't then this would be an indication that something is wrong, either in his spiritual life or the spirituality of the church body (i.e., sin).

B. When there is joy in ministry and those who are being ministered to, it will bring spiritual growth to both parties.

C. The final result is church growth (both spiritually and physically), because all the people get excited about Jesus Christ and their church. When people get excited, other people take notice.

A. "grief," {sten-ad'-zo: v, part, pres, act, nom, m, pl}; to sigh, murmur, pray inaudibly, with grief, groan, grudge, sigh.

1) Look at the Greek descriptions of GRIEF: Sighing, Murmuring, Groaning, Sighing, bringing forth grudges, and even affecting His prayer life.

2) This is in the Active Voice indicating that this grief is "on-going," it doesn't let up!

A) This is more than just having a bad day, but is continual.

B) If your pastor is constantly grieved over the church members, then there is something seriously wrong with the spiritual condition of that church (and that church needs to read the Lord's responses to the sinful behavior of the churches in the book of Revelation).

B. The End Result:

1) "for that is unprofitable for you."

- "unprofitable," {al-oo-sit-el-ace': adj, nom, neut, sg}; gainless, pernicious (causing injury, destruction, or ruin; wicked, evil), unprofitable

2) God's Ministry makes no gains

3) It tears down the ministry and testimony (Pastor, Church, and Christian)

4) That Christian becomes a tool of the Devil

5) The disobedient Christian who took away the Pastor's authority, has now taken that Pastor's accountability upon themselves and will give an account to the Lord for their actions.

- 2 Cor.5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (KJV).

INVITATION:

- Are you a source of Joy or Grief to your pastor?

-- If you are not a source of Joy to your pastor, then there is no way that you can be a source of Joy to the Lord Jesus Christ, because you are not obeying His Word. That's called sin!

- Make up your mind today who you are going to serve: God or Sin.

-- Josh 1:7-8, "Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." (KJV).

-- Rom 2:13, "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." (KJV)

-- James 1:22,"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." (KJV)