So last week we had our special service, Roundup Sunday, and I wanted to thank everyone who attended, those who showed hospitality for our guests, and especially those who got their hands and feet dirty to make it a success from the preparation, from the cooking, the setting up tables, chairs, providing childcare, stepping up and serving in the kitchen, cleaning it up afterwards, See, my prayer is that our love for the Lord and one another was made evident before all those who attended that day, especially before our guest. See, may we bring that same passion that we had to serve the Lord and get it to happen. And from now on, and I'm confident that God will continue working in us and through us and make an impact. See, today's message is a continuation from two weeks ago from the same book and chapter from Hebrews 13. See, our duties as a church member was what it was titled. Your duties as a church member. In that text from verses one through seven, we saw plenty of applications that we can take, that our love for one another and to be consistent with that, our hospitality to be shown and our care for those who suffer adversity. To remind you, the three main points of that message was one, to love one another consistently. Second, to honor God, that we are to honor what God honors. and to live with that awareness that the Lord's presence is in our lives. As we read that passage, that he will never leave us nor forsake us. That's what enables us to be able to do what we do here. In this next section now, the author of Hebrews is now challenging to the readers to be loyal to the one who makes all of that possible and how that loyalty is to be demonstrated. To remind you of the purpose and themes, the number one in Hebrews is to encourage the readers as they went through intense persecution to hold fast to their faith and they live righteously in light of Christ's superiority. See, here in America, I would say I have never been persecuted because of my faith. I have never been persecuted for righteous mistakes. I've never been falsely accused and persecuted for those reasons, but I've had ridicule. I've had mockery be done, but never to the extent that these people were facing. People in and around the world face persecution very intense, and we need to always be in prayer and support for those people. I'm blessed to be able to say that I'm not persecuted today, but one day it may be coming. Maybe in my time, maybe afterwards, but one day I can see it coming to this nation. The second purpose is the author of Hebrews wanted to exalt Jesus Christ and His superiority over all things, that He is such as superior to the angels, He is superior to Moses and to Joshua, all those forerunners from the Old Testament system, Jesus is better and superior to all of those, especially the Aaronic priesthood and to the Old Covenant. And third, He wanted to warn the readers in the dangers of falling back into that system. See, because of the persecution these men and women were facing, They were a sense like, hey, we were just better off before we were ever Christians. So let's just go back to that, but we still wanna hold on to Christ. See, he is teaching here that Christ is better. He does not want you to miss out and leaving and forsaking following Jesus because you felt you were better off. But in reality, in real time, those who know the Lord, Christ is better. Keep pressing on, keep living out your faith in a hostile world. To begin the verse here, it says continued in verse seven, remember them which have rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation. That word conversation means the conduct or the way they live out their lives. says Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrines, for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with means, which have not profited them that have occupied their end. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they must give an account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. So Heavenly Father, we just pray that your word is exalted in your name above all things, Lord, especially as your word is being preached. So, Father, may our attention and our focus be upon you and what we can learn from this text and how we can all apply it to our lives. May we not leave here the same way we came in, but we leave challenged, that we leave better, and that we feel ready and growing, Lord, as that's what the goal of our faith is, Lord, is to continue it growing and to be able to honor and serve you with it. Lord, we love you. We ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. So the first thing that we have is how we show our loyalty to our Lord. First is to remember and regard your spiritual leaders, starting with what we are to do. Seven, again, remember them which have rule over you and have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Obey them. Verse 17. Now some would say, oh, he's skipping down a bunch of verse. The verse is actually parallel to one another. So I won't go on to the detail of it, but it's really cool how it works. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves. See, human nature seems to have an issue with authority. And after all, it's no surprise, even since the garden, sin always creeps in with a mindset to teach you that I know better, how dare someone tell me how to live my life or tell me what to do. I want to be in charge of my life. The truth is though, that God calls and puts people in authority, even into his churches. And if you're looking at this, wow, just another someone to tell me what to do. then you're on the wrong track and on the wrong mindset. Has been listening as we continue on. The word here, them which have rule over you, is a phrase we read on English language, but in the Greek it is one singular word. It's a singular word that means simply leader. A leader, and to lead, literally means to go before. So a leader, in the sense, is someone who goes before his people, gives them vision, direction, and sets the goals. It says in here in the context, who have spoken unto you the word of God. This tells us that the context is referring to spiritual leadership. See, earthly leadership such as government is also still to be obeyed according to other passages, but that is not the focus of the text here. Biblical leadership comes from the authority of the word of God. Therefore, the leaders appeal The leader is to communicate what God says. That is the central role of the leader. So it's not about this someone is telling me what to do, but someone that God appoints to tell you what He says to do by His word. And it first says, remember them. It's those who minister the word in God in season and out of season. Remember those who have poured the scriptures into your life over the years. Remember them with thanksgiving, with prayer, with considering how they live their life, considering your love for them. 1 Thessalonians 5, 12-13 says, And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, those who are making the ministry happen, those who are making it possible, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake, and be at peace among yourselves. See, assuming their character and conduct is consistent with what they teach, you take example and you learn from the way that they walk their faith. 1 Corinthians 11, 1 says this, Paul writes this, be ye followers of me, even as also I am of Christ. Philippians 4, 9, those things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do in the God of peace shall be with you. Christians all need to understand that when new people come in, when babes in Christ or younger Christians, the example they're gonna learn of how to worship the Lord, how to live for the Lord, how to speak, they're going to be watching your lifestyle above all. So leaders and preachers, teachers need to be very aware of this. The first one they're gonna know of how a Christian is supposed to behave is not so much digging so much into the word of God, which we should be doing, but they're going to examine and look upon your lifestyle, the way you treat others, the way you treat your families, the way you treat our guests. the way you speak, the way you handle hardships, the way you handle even success, they're watching your life and they're going to be taking examples of it. It can be whether what to do or what not to do. But if you're looking for the perfect pastor or the perfect leader, you're going to have to find someone else and someplace else because it's not here. It's not here or it's not anywhere that I know of. There are no perfect preachers or people, but there are indeed characteristics and standards to which God holds them to and that they can follow. And if you do happen to leave and find a perfect church, you better make sure you leave because you're just going to mess it up. Next we read, obey and submit yourselves to them in verse seven. Obedience and to submit yourselves means to yield themselves to the leadership, to yield it. Sometimes the question is immediately asked, well, what if they're doing something against God's word or teach you to sin? Do we still follow? Well, here's the answer. Romans 13, 1 explains this, that let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. Now here, it's in the context of earthly rulership for governors. It says here, for there is no power, that word power means authority, exousia is the original word, that the powers that be are ordained of God. For there is no power but of God, meaning God is the highest authority and he is the only one who can grant and give that authority. Peter, before the religious leaders of his day, he says this to them. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than man. If there is indeed no power but of God, then no one has the authority to make you sin or cause you to sin. So yes, in these cases you would not submit yourselves to be sinning against the word. However, I think you and I both know as good as well that majority of the time when people choose to oppose their pastors, it hardly ever has to do regarding the Word or them teaching you falsely. The application here is simple though. We are to obey those who rule over us. When speaking on the authority of God's word, leaders have the right to tell us how to live and to walk with their God according by his word. It's not about us telling you our opinion, how we think you should live, but communicating the word of God in which what God says. And this doesn't mean that you're always going to agree on just everything, but we need to understand, we need to be teachable. And if you disagree with the application or the doctrine, then all right, there is room for disagreement on what I would call the non-essential things. But if you're going to disagree, be sure that you're doing so with a disagreeable attitude and that you do so on the basis of scripture, not on the basis of your own intuition, your own thoughts, or how you feel about it or upon your emotions. You can disagree, but be disagreeable. And of course, if you're going to be open to the corrections of the scriptures, I will be, and every pastor will be as well. If you thought this verse seemed, well that sounds very self-serving for a pastor to preach on such a thing, or it gets a preacher a little puffed up, then the next statement answers that one on why. It's why we do this. Verse 17, for they watch for your souls, as they must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. Pastors, elders, leaders are held to a higher accountability to the Lord. Not only do they give an account for themselves, they will also give an account on your behalf of how you shepherd the flock. A highly honorable position indeed, but not one to be taken so lightly. 1 Peter 5, 1-4 writes this, The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also, Peter himself, an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also 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 in samples or examples to the flock. First and foremost, your pastors and leaders are to be examples before the congregation, before the flock. And when the chief shepherd, which is Christ, shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. See, your leader's duties are not for themselves to be served, but for them to serve the Lord by leading you in living as an example before the flock. See, both leaders and followers need to understand this clearly. We don't get to just preach and teach what we feel like. We are charged to preach the word, what God gives us for that specific day and that specific time. We are accountable to a so much higher power and ought to be far more concerned and pleasing the head of the church rather than pleasing man. You should want your pastors to preach the hard truths." See, I've never actually understood why someone who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ would ever want anything different. I want the pastor to be a little more gentle with me. I want the pastor to preach on this subject, this subject, this subject, because it's easier for me to absorb and hear. I don't understand why anyone would want anything but the truth and nothing but the truth. You wouldn't want your doctor to tell you all the things you want to hear, would you? Well, you might have cancer, but I think we're in good hands. But no, most likely not. You wouldn't want your pastor to tickle your ears. Why would you want your preachers and your leaders to do the same? Why wouldn't you want your pastors to teach you exactly how it is and call it for what it is? End love, but end truth. It burdens my heart to see more and more pastors leaving the ministry. Many leave because they can't take the stress and they can't just take the burden anymore. Lately, an unfortunate trend from pastors stepping down is through moral failure. This is not a light position. Satan is always on the attack. And the one Satan will use often to attack the pastor are the members of his church. Not just the pastors are to be on guard, but also even the flock to be on guard, to protect and guard their leader. I love it when members stand up for their pastors to other members. It shouldn't be the pastor constantly defending himself, defending himself, but when the member's guard says, that is my pastor, and they take joy and they pride of it. It makes our job and responsibility all the more joyful and able to do. This passage is to remember your leaders are also applicable for those in current leadership. If you're going to become a good leader, you need to first become a good follower. Everyone in leadership can still remember and regard their leaders at one point. I plan to continue learning everything I can through Pastor Dale here. See, our pastor at Lighthouse is indeed retiring from LEAD, but he is not leaving the ministry. He kept going until his body and his health no longer allowed him to continue doing it. But he still plans for what he can to give Lighthouse Baptist Church his all as the Lord grants and permits him to do it. See, the common practice from churches is for the requiring their previous pastor to leave the church so that no confusion of leadership happens or that people have attachment to their previous pastor occurs. Yet, I don't see a need for that or that being a problem here at Lighthouse. Some organizations actually require it for when a pastor retires or steps down, he's required to leave. But we as Lighthouse Baptist Church are an independent church and not in subjection to any kind of higher organization or convention to tell us what to believe or what our policy follows to be. Our authority comes straight from the Lord and decisions not laid out in scripture are decided by us as a church, as one of his local bodies. See, when the previous pastor retires and leaves, guess what happens? So does all of his wisdom and all of the knowledge accumulated over the years. If it be the Lord's will that I will be the new lead pastor here, I don't want Pastor Dill to leave. I'm not even gonna think about ever asking him to leave. See, I recognize that I can still lead and be mentored at the same time. We love our pastor here and we don't want to ever see him leave. We want him to continue doing everything he can and take care of his health and take care of his family. from this point, verse 17 tells us that they may do it with joy, not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. See, cooperative conduct is not only a joy to the leaders, but it is profitable for the whole body. The Lord tells you to do things for your sake. He establishes this leadership in His church because you need it. If it was by pure democracy, it's only going to lead to chaos. We do decide and rule as a congregation, but we are led by proven godly men selected and elected by the church as elders. We are elder-led congregational rule as the form of government that we at Lighthouse Baptist Church have decided on. And I believe that is the biblical standpoint. And I will tell you, this is actually a very rare way of leadership nowadays. We see here that we are to remain loyal to the unchanging one. In verses eight, it says, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever. This means that Jesus has never changed and will not change. It's been described by theologians as the immutability of Jesus. And not just that he will not change, he is incapable of changing. God cannot contradict his character and cannot ever abandon his nature. So what's the relevance? Why is it relevant to consider faithfulness of our former spiritual leaders and to ground ourselves in traditional Christian doctrine which they taught? It's because Jesus is unchanging. Our spiritual walk should be consistent as the ones who taught us, and our doctrine should be the same as they taught us, because we serve an unchanging Savior. See, the earthly leaders are gonna come and go, and even pastors and leaders, but He, Jesus Christ, is always there, unchanging from time to time, from the beginning even until the end. He never needs to be replaced. He never needs to take a vote. And nothing can be added to His perfect work. From His person, to His plan, to His purpose, and to His promise, Jesus Christ is unchangeable. Culture may change. Our methods, how we do here, may change. But Jesus Himself will not change, and neither will His Word. We can take joy. Our Savior never changes, so we don't have to take confusion. Well, we'll see how Jesus is going to be next year. He always stays the same, and we can be grounded in that truth. We can remain loyal to His Word, be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrines, for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with means which have profited them that have occupied their end. See, the message of Jesus remains forever the same, and therefore, we should reject any other message. especially teachings that are foreign to the truth that is in Christ. Grounding yourselves in the Word with consistency is how this starts. See, in Ephesians 4, this is the same paragraph in where we see God giving apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. We see this as the purpose of God wanting us to be matured, to be edified, and to be united as a body. Says here in verse 14 that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie and wait to deceive. This starts with his gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior. See, anything contrary to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for our sins, and nothing but faith and trust in Him for salvation, needs to be immediately rejected. We don't even tease it, we don't even give it a platform. Galatians 1 through 6 through 10 says, I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. See, that Galatia was a very, very big region to cover. And the believers at this time were starting to accept this idea of teaching that, well, yeah, it's faith in Jesus Christ, but you need to start becoming a Jew at the works of the law if you want to truly be saved. That was a false gospel, which Paul didn't even give anything to be grateful about when he started his letter. He says, which is not another, but there that be some that trouble you who would pervert the gospel of Christ. Even adding the gospel is perverting to it. But though we are an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. In other words, let him be condemned to hell. As we said before, so now I say again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you that you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men or God, or do I seek to please men? If I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ. As a pastor here at Lighthouse Baptist Church, my commitment is I am not here in place in this position to seek to please men. I am seeking to please God. After the gospel is mastered, you start moving on to doctrine, the basics. The amount of resources that you can use to study your Bible is absolutely overwhelming. You are privileged in this day and age to be able to do such a thing, using softwares, using apps to be able to quickly stuff. You have concordance in your scriptures. You know, back in the day, they didn't have this chapter verse that you had to flip and flip around and find it within paragraphs. We are spoiled with how much the Lord has blessed us with resources today. we need to be protecting our doctrine. See, if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything. Our hearts are also to be established by grace and not by a legalistic system that these readers were tempted to fall back into. That's what it means that our hearts to be established by grace and not with meats. See, this may have been the very last sermon that I preach at Lighthouse as the associate pastor here. Now, if you didn't get the memo, There is a notice on the wall as of last week for a special business meeting to be held and voting. Part of your duty as a church member is to vote. Attend those meetings and vote. Part of protecting the doctrines of this church is by participating in this. Every member is absolutely necessary. I can't just move into the role of lead pastor by choice of one person or even a few. Sometimes I'm left pondering as the Lord gives me messages to preach as to why this one. See, this one and the previous sermon were being prepared prior to my knowledge about being transitioned in. And once it was decided on that with the elder board, things were just clicking as wise as the Lord has had me in Hebrews chapter 13. I believe that the church needed it and I needed it too. I have believed for a long time that God has called me here to become the pastor here someday. I've desired it, but what counts the most is what the Lord wants. It's even amazing when what the Lord wants is also what you desired. The Lord calls for loyalty to him, to your spiritual leaders and to his church that he places you in. He never changes. See, leadership may change here at Lighthouse, but the one who is truly in charge around here will not change, I can assure you. At Lighthouse Baptist Church, Jesus Christ will always be the one in charge. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I thank you for this time that we have together, from the message that we got to go through, Lord, and the message that you had me preach from your word. Father, all these things are not always the easiest to get through, but it's necessary and it's needed for our growth and for our benefit. So Lord, thank you for being the one who's in charge here, and thank you for your guidance and your hand to be upon us, Lord. Because without it, the moment you take your hand off, Lord, we truly in ourselves cannot do nothing. So may we yearn after your word, may we yearn for you, just as a newborn babe yearns for milk. And so, Lord, we love you, we desire you, and we recognize that we can trust you at every hardship and everything that enters our lives. So, Father, be with us as we continue our service, and thank you for our opportunity to bring you worship, and thank you for your word and up and foremost. Thank you for your unchanging character, knowing that you are the most dependable one we can ever rely on. And we ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Did you get all that? It's actually pretty clear.