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These are the words that I cling
to and hold to and read probably more than any other passage of
Scripture. But when I think about preaching and the opportunity
that I've been afforded here even this afternoon, preaching
is a privilege. Preaching is a privilege. Very
few men get to do what we do. Those of you that are sitting
in this room and you have been given the opportunity to break
forth the Word of Life, You have been allowed to stand behind
a pulpit of wood and declare the Word of God, thus saith the
Lord." What a privilege. I got to thinking about how many
independent Baptist churches are in Canada. Where's Pastor
Stone? He would know this offhand, wouldn't
he? I was going to say 300. In my notes it says 300 plus,
so approximately 300. How many young guys would be
in Bible schools that would be training for the ministry, looking
at becoming pastors and things of that nature? Maybe you could
find a couple of hundred. In Canada, there's a couple of
schools where young men are going out and so you take 300 plus
a 200 and you get to 500 and if that's not the same number
you come up with, when you get the opportunity to preach, you
can have your number. Amen. But I look at it and I say we
have about 500, maybe a thousand. Even if you went a thousand preachers
in Canada, Think about this for a little while. The number of
doctors in Canada is 69,267. 69,000, almost 70,000 doctors. That's a noble profession. And some would even say that's
a calling. And I could understand that.
There's some Christian doctors that are amazing and God has
called them into that ministry. And I look at it and I, wow,
but there are almost 70,000 doctors in Canada as compared to 500
preachers. Very few men get to do what we
do. The number of lawyers in Canada, there's thousands of
them. The number of superior court
judges, 841. The number of aerospace engineers,
and for those of us that had to look that up, those are rocket
scientists, amen? Aerospace engineers in Canada,
2,146. Over 2,000 aerospace engineers, rocket scientists, 500 preachers. Very few men get to do what we
do. The number of politicians in
Canada? Way, way too many. Way too many. If you have been afforded this
kind of privilege, it's amazing. There's nothing like it. Nothing. Men go out seeking thrills and
adventure and all of those things in life, and I go, try preaching.
Try preaching. You can't beat it. You can't. So Josh, should God, per adventure,
give you an opportunity, and I venture to say He has a few
times already, but to give you a pulpit and allow you to break
forth, His Word is a great privilege. Never forget that. Never. We are in great company. I look
into the Old Testament and I see men like Noah, who according
to 2 Peter chapter 2 and verse 5, was a preacher of righteousness. I look into the scriptures and
I see men, the prophets. You have Samuel and Nathan. You
have Elijah and Isaiah and Jeremiah. You have Ezekiel, as we referenced
even this morning in one of the messages. You have Ezekiel and
what a life this preacher led. Amazing to study his messages
and the living sermons that he had to declare and live out before
the nation of Israel. We're in that company. If you
are a preacher of righteousness or you are a preacher of the
gospel of Jesus Christ, you stand in the company of these great
men. We read about them in the scriptures and we go, that's
amazing to see what they did with their lives, but understand,
we too are called to be preachers. And that's a privilege. I take
a look at the apostles, and you see Peter and James and Paul
and Timothy and Apollos and Stephen. Consider Acts chapter 7, and
here's a man who is filled with the Holy Ghost, standing and
delivering a message to the Jews, and he was recompensed by being
stoned to death for that message. But I think, what a man of God,
as we heard even this morning, that he would deliver that message. You read those sermons, whether
they be in Acts chapter 2 or Acts chapter 7, or any of the
other sermons that we see in the book of Ezekiel or Isaiah,
and I think, we stand in great company. Men? We have great preachers in the
past, we see them in the scriptures, but there's so few. There's so
few. We admire them, and I look up
to those men, and I use them as my mentors. We also have great
preachers today. Josh, we have great preachers
today. In Canada, we have great preachers. Great men of God. We've heard some this morning.
We need more. We need more. Young people that
are sitting here, I look out and I see young men. We need
more. 500 in Canada? We have 70,000 doctors
and 500 preachers? We need many more. There's a
world that needs to be reached. And how shall they hear without
a preacher? We stand in great company from
those days that we look at in the scriptures, days gone by.
We read about men from the past who have gone and preached the
gospel around the world, great men that we call them, great
Apostle Paul, great preachers from days gone by, and we appreciate
all of the things that we can read about them, but we need
them today. And Josh, you're being called into that ministry. We have a great calling. 2 Timothy
1, verse 9, the Bible says, "...who hath saved us and called us with
a holy calling." not according to our works, but according to
His own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began. You know, God calls preachers.
1 Samuel chapter 3, you remember the account of God calling Samuel.
He was just a young boy and I think about him laying in bed and God
calls to him and he runs to Eli and he says, Eli, you called
me. He said, no, I didn't call you, you go back to sleep. And
you know the account how that he was called three times and
finally Eli figures out that it's God calling this young man.
And then we see him being called by God, this young boy, that's
an encouragement to all of you young men, that God is calling
preachers. And I think about Samuel and
the responsibility that God told him exactly what he was going
to do, even with Eli. Think about this young man Samuel
for a little while and realize that God called him and he showed
him exactly what he was going to do even with Eli and his house. And the very next morning, here's
the first challenge for this young preacher. Eli comes to
him and he says, what did God tell you? The Bible doesn't tell
us exactly how old Samuel was, but do you ever consider this
young man and how God tells him, this is what I'm going to do
to the house of Eli? And Samuel has to tell Eli what's going
to happen? Talk about standing upon the
truth! And being willing to do what God asked him to do? Same
thing holds for you, Josh. God's going to call you into
the ministry, and He's going to give you a message. And it won't always
be popular, and it won't always be politically correct, and it
won't be all of that and then some. And you're going to have
to deliver it. Just like Samuel did. Because
God calls preachers. In Exodus chapter 3, God called
Moses and he was there standing before the burning bush. And
of course we know the debate that Moses had with God when
he said, I want you to go to my people Israel and I want you
to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let my people go. And Moses
says, well, I stammer when I speak and I don't think I'll be, what
am I going to say if they say, well, we're not going to follow
you? And God said, who made your mouth? Who made your mouth? Moses had to admit that it was
God. Praise the Lord, he did. You can too. And he sent him
forth to do his bidding, Moses, this great servant of God. In
Matthew chapter 4 and verse 18 through 22, we see that Jesus
called Peter and Andrew and James and John, walking by the Sea
of Galilee as Jesus walked along there. And he saw these fishermen
and he knew who they were and he knew how he was going to use
them. And he said, I want you to follow me, Josh. Christ comes
by and he says, Josh, I want you to follow me. You need to
say, yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. And remember that. Remember it. God calls preachers. In 2004, God called me. Pastor Ken Rempel was a godly
man who led me to the Lord when I was 25 years old. God used
him in a great way in my life. He went down to Mexico to minister
to the people that he had come from. And he went down there
and six months later, God took him home. You say, wow. He raised his support, went down
to Mexico, and six months later, God called him home. With his
home-going service, we had our Missions Conference. I'd been
saved for a number of years, and I'd already felt God working
in my heart, but I didn't realize what he was going to do. Dr. Gene Burge preached our Missions
Conference. And with the home-going service
and the Missions Conference sandwiched together, And my pastor, preaching
the home-going service of Pastor Ken Rempel, who was the assistant
at Pima Valley Baptist Church when he led me to the Lord, and
there was this call that came across from the pulpit saying,
one of God's servants has gone home to be in glory, who will
stand in the hedge? A week later, we have our missions
conference, and Dr. Gene Burge calls out and says,
one of God's choicest servants has gone home to be in glory.
Who will take his place? And it was like God was speaking
to me. God does speak to hearts, Brother
McClain. And God was saying, you know what, John? I didn't
save you just to sit here. I didn't save you just to take
up space here. I saved you for a purpose. And
one of God's servants has gone home to be in glory. Will you
take his place? I said, God, I don't know what
this all means, but if you need me, I'm there. I'm there. I didn't recognize at that point,
Josh, that I was being called into the ministry. I just knew
my heart was broken. And I needed God. And I wanted
to do whatever He wanted me to do. Didn't matter. Didn't matter. And from that point on, God led
me into Bible school, and you know what? I remember sitting
in class in Bible school, and you know, class after class after
class, and you ask God, and you seek His will, and you say, God,
what's the purpose behind all of these things? What do you
have for me in my life? And there was one particular
night, and I remember the instructor, I don't even remember the class,
but he was going off on the different callings in life and things like
that, and he said, there's some of you here that are called,
you know, the overseas ministry Africa and this that or the other
and he said this phrase he said why don't some of you consider
Canada like okay I can do that God and I said God if you allow
me I will preach your word in Canada if you want me somewhere
else I'll go somewhere else but if you would allow me Lord I'd
love to preach in Canada I'm like Pastor Stone I love this
country I love this land and I want to see the gospel preached
in our country. But God calls preachers. What a wonder that God would
tap any of us and say, I want you to preach. I was telling
some of the men over lunch, if you had told me, and I'll give
you a little bit of background on myself, I am married and have
five children, but if you had told me 15 years ago that I would
be saved, married, and have five children, and preaching in Simcoe,
Ontario, oh-ho-ho-ho. No. No. You didn't understand. No. But God has His ways. And He calls men. He works in
their lives, brings them to a point, and they can say yes or no. Five hundred in Canada? We're a privileged people, aren't
we? To be able to do what we do? Never take it for granted,
Josh. The moment you think, oh, I deserve
to preach? Disqualified. It is a privilege. It is also
a position. a position of responsibility
to God first, as you've already heard. Pastor McClain, I commend
you on delivering that message and saying you need to answer
to God. He is the one in your audience. You must be constantly
aware that He is the one that you answer to. There will be
many people that will cry after your ear, and they will be trying
to turn your ear, and you need to get to know God in such a
way that you can hear His voice and shut out all the rest. You
are responsible to Him and you are responsible to preach His
Word. 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 2.
Preach the Word. The Word of God has the power
to convict sinners, to separate saints, and it is the Word of
God that has the authority. I have no authority to stand
before you here this morning except the authority that I find
in the Word of God. And that's it. Of my own self, I can do nothing. Nothing. But as I stand behind
this pulpit and I stare into the pages of the Word of God
and I read forth those words, I can say, Josh, I charge thee. Because it's the Word of God. And all of us who preach are
responsible to that Word. We have so many today that are
compromising on the Word. The Word. And yet I see so clearly
in scripture, preach the word. Philosophies come and go, preach the word. Josh, in a day
of compromising Bibles and messages and ministries, don't you forget
the charge, preach the word. Preaching is a position. responsibility
it's also a position of servitude in John chapter 13 verses 4 through
17 and you can take your Bibles and go to the gospel of John
and we're gonna read just a couple of verses of scripture, but I
want you to see that preaching sometimes is used as a springboard
for so many different things, but it is a position of servitude
in John chapter 13 and you know the account about Jesus washing
the disciples feet and And the passage runs from verse 4 down
to 17, but I just want to read verses 14 through 17. The Bible
says, If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet,
ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an
example that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily,
I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, neither
he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know
these things, happy are ye. are ye if ye do them. Here you
have Jesus Christ who has girded the towel about himself and he
asks this question in verse 12 of our text passage. Jesus asks the questions of the
disciples. Do you understand? Do you get what I have just done
to you? And I thank the Lord that the Bible has the answer
because there's many times that I read the scriptures and I go,
God, what does that mean? And I thank the Lord that as
I continue to read, the answer rolls forth. The Bible says in
verse 15, Jesus Christ was trying to teach His disciples, and I
wonder sometimes how I miss out on the lessons that the Savior
wants to teach to me. But I think about that. And He
says, I have given you an example. Remember that for all the days
you are in ministry. You are a servant. You are to
serve those that are under your care. As you've heard, love those
that God allows you to minister to and serve. Christ was the perfect servant.
In John chapter 8, verse 29, Jesus said, I do always those
things that please Him. Preachers, can we say that? I do always those things that
please Him. That's a profitable servant.
That's a good servant. Josh, be a good servant. Christ
sacrificed for His disciples in teaching them. He sacrificed
for the lost in dying for them. And every last preacher in here
ought to say, Lord, I am your servant. We preach messages on
servitude to the people that are under our care. And sometimes
I ask myself, Lord, what kind of servant am I? Be a good servant. You will have to do it in God's
strength. And though you have a position of authority, it is
a position that allows you to serve more people. Preaching
is a privilege and a position and a process. of being conformed
into the image of Jesus Christ. In Romans chapter 8 verse 29,
we are told that God is going to do that work in us to make
us like Christ. And I look at the ministry as
a tool in God's hand to make me like Jesus Christ. A lot of
times we can lose sight of God and we have busy schedules and
we have difficult situations dealing with people. There are
demands and expectations, there's administration, there's counseling,
there's the pulpit ministry, etc., etc., etc. But Josh, never lose sight that
God is trying to conform you into the image of Jesus Christ.
And the ministry is just an avenue that God is trying to use to
do that in your life. You may get consumed with a lot
of people, but I would encourage you to get consumed with what
God is doing in your life. You get consumed with God, and
the ministry will take care of itself. You get consumed with
knowing God, and knowing His will, and allowing Him to mold
you into the image of Jesus Christ. That's what he's after. Whether
you're a preacher, whether you're a layman, whether you're a faithful
church member, it's the same goal in God's eyes. Sometimes
I think we preachers forget that. God wants you, Josh. You've heard
this morning already, he could raise up anybody. It was Brother
Mark Alcock. If he could raise up a donkey,
he could. If God could raise up stones
to cry out, He doesn't need you. He wants
you. It's an awesome thought. God
desires us more than what we think we can do for God. He wants
to mold you and make you into the image of Jesus Christ. He
wants to walk with you on a daily basis, fellowship with you, and
commune with you in an intimate way. And he's going to use the
ministry to do that. Please don't lose sight of that.
I've only been in the ministry for three years, but I wonder
how many times in those three years I think I've lost sight
of that. That God is using that tool in my life to make me like
Christ. Not always an easy thing, but
what a blessed thing to think that my God would look down on
me and say, I want you, John. I want you, Josh. Ministry is just another avenue
for me to develop my walk with God. And it's a process. Oh, my soul, is it a process.
But what a blessed process. Preaching is amazing. Absolutely
amazing. And I trust that you'll recognize
it as the privilege and position and process that it is. And that
God will bless you in your efforts, that God will heap upon you His
grace, and do a great work through you. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I thank you
so much for your blessed word, and I pray, Lord, that something
that was said this morning will have been a help to Josh and
also to others that may be sitting here. Father, we commit this
time into your hands and we ask that you would work in our hearts,
Father, that we would make decisions that will render us more useful
in your hands, that will draw us closer to Jesus Christ, that
will make us more effective in the work, and will remind us
of your great love for us. I pray you'd bless us as we continue.
In Jesus' name.
Preaching is a Privilege
Series Pastor's Conference March 2011
| Sermon ID | 32211218591 |
| Duration | 22:45 |
| Date | |
| Category | Conference |
| Bible Text | 2 Timothy 1 |
| Language | English |
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