“You Cannot Do It Alone!” Why Every Church Needs Multiple Shepherds

“You Cannot Do It Alone!” 

Why Every Church Needs Multiple Shepherds: 

Exodus 18:13-27; 1 Peter 5:1-4 

“Now these things happened as examples for us. They were written down for our instruction.”

(1 Corinthians 10:11; Hebrew 13:7; Romans 15:4) 

Ex. 18:13-27- what was true back then, is true now. This narrative illustrates two important lessons


1)


2)

Sermon Outline of 1 Peter 5:1-4 

I) The _______________________ Shepherding Mandate.

(1 Peter 5:1-3) 

II) The Eternally Glorious ____________________.

(1 Peter 5:4) 

As a humble, battle-tested leader the Apostle Peter empathizes with the lesser known church elders from Asia Minor (1 Peter 1:1-2) which is now Turkey.

The Three-fold Basis of Peter’s Shepherding Mandate 

We have:

A) A ______________________ Calling

(1 Peter 5:1a) 

B) A ________________________ Witness

(1 Peter 5:1b) 

C) A _______________________ Reward

(1 Peter 5:1; 1:6-7) 

What's Next at Lake Country Bible Church?

Over the past two years it has been my joy and privilege to feed the people of God that make up Lake Country Bible Church. I am truly blessed to minister to such a humble (Isaiah 66:2) and hungry congregation (1 Peter 2:2-3). We believe that, by God’s design, the expository pulpit is the rudder of the church and we covet your faithful prayer partnership!

Here is a summary of where we have been and what we believe is on the preaching horizon:

After 18 years of faithful ministry our founding pastor, Pastor Sal Massa, retired in May of 2017. Pastor Sal had begun a verse-by-verse study of Revelation but was unable to complete this great prophecy before he retired. In order to enhance shepherding/preaching continuity between my predecessor and I, and in effort to not leave the sheep hanging (the end of the story is the very best part), I committed to finishing this expository study.

Sunday morning (5/19/19) marks the end of a long and rewarding journey. My prayer is that we will not forget the many lessons that the Holy Spirit has taught us along the way. By Divine design, the prophesied future is intended to impact the here and now. The Christian life does not make sense without this future hope. God calls His saints to live each day in the light of Christ’s imminent return. That is the heart and soul of biblical “eschatology;” (studies related to the end times).

As we transition into our summer schedule, we are going to begin a new sermon series. I have attached a tentative schedule of what will be covered over the next few months. This new series will highlight what King Jesus expects from those who shepherd and lead His flock. It will also address the primacy of the local church, the need for meaningful membership, and what the Lord expects from “the people of his pasture” in terms of their relationship with local church pastors and elders. The current plan is to begin a new book study after the busy summer season end.

In addition to what has been taught during our worship service a number of men have been teaching the Psalms on Wednesday night. Before his retirement Pastor Ray worked through the Minor and Major Prophets.

Our Women Teaching Women ministry has enjoyed two studies through the book of James and Habakkuk. The College and Career group has worked their way through 1 Peter and the book of Acts. In addition to these offerings, during the Sunday School hour we have recently worked through Galatians, the Spiritual Disciplines, and an Old and New Testament study on biblical manhood and womanhood.

As a reminder we do not offer Sunday School during the summer months and our worship service begins at 9:30 AM. Our summer schedule begins May 26th and ends September 1st.

Together for the gospel,

Pastor Caleb Kolstad

Forthcoming Sermon Series 

Summer 2019 at Lake Country Bible Church

How Jesus Governs the Universe; Rom. 13; Eph. 6; Heb. 13:17

How Jesus Runs His Church- Selected Scriptures. 

Why These 66 Books and No More? How We Received the Bible

Have you ever looked at your Bible and wondered, “How do we know that these 66 books, and no others, comprise the inspired Word of God?”

That is a critically important question, since there are many today who would deny that these 66 books truly make up the complete canon of Scripture.

The Roman Catholic Church, for example, claims that the Apocryphal books which were written during the inter-testamental period (between the Old and New Testaments) ought to be included in the Bible. Cult groups like the Mormons want to add their own books to the Bible—like the Book of Mormon, The Doctrines and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. And then there are popular books and movies, like The Da Vinci Code, that claim centuries after these books were written Christians (like Constantine) determined what was in the Bible.

So, how do we know that “all Scripture” consists of these 66 books? How do we know that the Bible we hold in our hands is the complete Word of God?

There are a number of ways we could answer such questions; in fact, we could spend weeks studying the doctrine of canonicity, carefully walking through the relevant biblical and historical details. And there are many helpful books that can guide you through that wealth of information.

But in this article, I would like to offer a simple answer that I hope will be helpful – because it gets to the heart of the matter.

It is this: We believe in the 39 books of the Old Testament, because the Lord Jesus Christ affirmed the Old Testament. And we believe in the 27 books of the New Testament, because the Lord Jesus Christ authorized His apostles to write the New Testament.

The doctrine of canonicity is grounded in the lordship of Jesus Christ. If we believe in Him and submit to His authority, then we will simultaneously believe in and submit to His Word. Because Jesus affirmed the Old Testament canon, we affirm it with Him. Because He authorized His apostles to write the New Testament, we also embrace it.

Is “Missions” Undermining the Great Commission?

"The final marching orders of Jesus to his church in Matthew 28:18–20 and Acts 1:8 are where we derive the term “Great Commission” from. Here is that specific task, given to Christ’s church, with the expectation of fulfillment:

“All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:18–20)

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

For our times, though, the clarity of that task seems to have been replaced by a degree of fuzziness, usually encapsulated in the word “missions.” Missions has become a catch-all that can mean whatever we want it to mean. Missional churches, missional communities, missional living, people on mission, my neighborhood is my mission field, short-term missions, long-term missions; the list is never ending as to what qualifies as mission or missions. What once was commonly understood to mean taking the gospel to the unreached people groups, while having to cross significant obstacles (new languages and cultures, severe climates and countries, governments hostile to Christianity, etc.), has now been swept up into the kaleidoscope of “missions.”

An Eye-Opening Comment

Exodus and God’s Eternal Plans (pt. 2)

In part 1 of this series, God established a theology of salvation in Exodus 1-2 by raising up a deliverer and initiating deliverance. In the following chapters, we observe God’s revelation of this salvation. The details of the text present rich theology ingrained into these familiar passages. 

PHARAOH ATTEMPTS TO STEAL GOD’S GLORY

Exodus 5 opens with Pharaoh’s insolent speech. The king of Egypt questions the supremacy of God: “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?” (Ex 5:2). He also asserts himself in the place of God when he declares, “Thus says Pharaoh,” (Ex 5:10) an intentional mockery of “Thus says the Lord.” Pharaoh believes God is nothing, insults His words, and claims to be divine.

In his audacity, Pharaoh commands, “let the labor be heavier on the men” (Ex 5:9). The word for “let the labor be heavier” is the word “glory.” Pharaoh is essentially saying, “Let me demonstrate my glory by placing Israel under hard labor.” With these arrogant words, Pharaoh is both stealing God’s glory and disputing His authority.

Pharaoh repeats this offense when he hardens his heart. The word used for “harden” is the same word “glorify” (כבד). The use of this word exhibits the attempts of Pharaoh to harbor his own glory rather than attribute glory to God. God has once again been challenged by Pharaoh, as he arrogantly asserts that he deserves all glory. 

GOD REVEALS HIS POWER

In response to this affront, God reveals Himself more fully. With plagues He devastates Egypt, the world’s first superpower.

These plagues unveil His glory and supremacy in the following 4 ways: 

1. The plagues display God as Creator.

Why are there ten plagues? The number “ten” points back to the creation account in Genesis. When God creates the world, He speaks ten times (Genesis 1:3–30). Another set of “ten” in Exodus confirms this association. The ten commandments are called in Hebrew literally the ten “words,” or ten “speakings.” This again refers to the ten times God spoke in creation. The ten plagues parallel this logic. They show in sum that God is Creator; He is absolutely supreme.

2. The plagues establish the lordship of God over the world.

Encouragement for Those at the Crossroads of Life: College Bound

I do not want you to experience what too many church kids have experienced.   Many adults will have their deepest regrets in regard to the choices they make from age 18 to 26. These years are the crossroads of life. You decide many things during these years – will I continue to worship God outside my parents’ influence? Will I still gather with God’s people in worship on the Lord’s day? Am I going to work hard to earn a living? Am I going to be generous with what I have? With whom will I choose to spend my life?

Sadly, many have walked away from the faith during these critical years, never to return. My desire and prayer is that this will not be your story.

Whether you go to school in the bubble of a Christian college or a secular university; whether you are headed into the workplace or taking a gap year – the danger remains the same.

I want to give you three words that will help you handle your newfound freedom and maximize it for your spiritual growth.

PURPOSE

Purpose is word number one. Too many students transitioning from high school to college lack purpose. They don’t know the why behind what they’re doing. They don’t even know why they’re going to school except that it’s expected. Most don’t know why they’re here on the planet.If you waste your days, you waste your life

It is sad to see these college years lived with such a lack of purpose. If you don’t understand your purpose in these pivotal years, you will waste an extraordinary portion of your life that could have been maximized for your future self and for the glory of God.

If you wrote yourself a letter 20 years from now, I’m confident that you would tell yourself to live these years with purpose, to be mindful of the tremendous opportunities and freedoms at your fingertips, and to use these in a way that would bring God the most glory and your soul the deepest growth.

Paul, in Ephesians 5:15-16, writes,  Be careful then how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.

This verse first tells you to be mindful of how you walk.

This is one of the most abundant metaphors in the New Testament – walking. It’s just one foot in front of the other. The Christian life is about getting up each day in order to be obedient to Jesus.

The Christian life is not ordinarily filled with the exhilarating sweeps and swoops of a rollercoaster, nor daily do we experience the majestic peaks and dark valleys of the Himalayas. Instead, the majority of the Christian life is spent walking – one foot in front of the other. It requires consistency, balance, and care as you find your footing."

Then the author defines the Christian walk as it relates to time.   "In these transitional years, you have the opportunity to harness the time to benefit your soul. Time is ticking; the clock is turning. Another day has passed, and with it, a myriad of opportunities that, when judgment day comes, you will wish you would have seized.

The author tells you to redeem the time. But you likely do not think of an hour as something to redeem. The word redeem comes from slavery. Slavery was far different in the ancient world than the evils with which we relate the term. Slavery was a condition that people could be bought out of – or redeemed from.

Redemption is an intriguing word to use in reference to time. It’s as if to say you could buy back time. The word for time used is one that refers to periods of time – epochs, ages, stages, or moments. It refers to longer sections of time; not so much measurable units as periods of life.

However, do not make too much of the distinction between stages of time and minutes of time, because stages are made of minutes. Seconds become minutes and minutes become hours and hours become weeks and weeks months and months years and years decades and decades lifetimes. If you waste your days, you waste your life.

This does not mean that you must nail down every detail of your future life. The Bible warns against this kind of thinking. But a wise man plans. In Proverbs, the wise man plans how he will sow seed and harvest it to yield a profit. Planning is deeply biblical.

This can be done in simple ways – like not changing your major 700 times; like finishing the classes you start; like learning to be responsible with the small amounts of money you have. All these habits you train yourself in today will later pay dividends.

None of this is flashy. But before you can be the next Hudson Taylor, you must understand that Hudson Taylor had his act together. And that’s what I’m pleading with you to do.

I’m telling you the truth. I’m telling you what I believe you would tell yourself decades from now: to use these years better than you would have. 

PROGRESS

Too many young Christians don’t make enough of the word progress.

The Mandate of Biblical Inerrancy, Authority, and Sufficiency: Expository Preaching

"Preaching ought to reflect our conviction that God’s Word is infallible, inerrant, and If we believe that “all Scripture is inspired by God” and inerrant, must we not be equally committed to the reality that it is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17)? Expository preaching is the proclamation of the truth of God as mediated through the preacher

Paul gave this mandate to Timothy: “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (2 Tim 4:1-2, emphasis added). Any form of preaching that ignores that intended purpose and design of God falls short of the divine plan.

The only logical response to inerrant Scripture is to preach expositionally. By expositionally, I mean preaching in such a way that the meaning of the Bible passage is presented entirely and exactly as it was intended by God. Expository preaching is the proclamation of the truth of God as mediated through the preacher.

GOD’S WORD IS INFALLIBLE AND INERRANT

Too often, preaching does not reflect the reality that God’s word is infallible and inerrant. In fact, there is a discernable trend in contemporary evangelicalism away from biblical preaching and a drift toward an experience-centered, pragmatic, topical approach in the pulpit.

Many evangelicals hold to limited inerrancy, but they cannot have their cake (trustworthy Scripture) and eat it too (limited inerrancy). If the Bible is unable to produce a sound doctrine of Scripture, then it is thus incapable of producing, with any degree of believability or credibility, a doctrine about any other matter. If the human writers of Scripture have erred in their understanding of Holy Writ’s purity, then they have disqualified themselves as writers for any other area of God’s revealed truth. If they are so disqualified in all areas, then every preacher is thoroughly robbed of any confidence and conviction concerning the alleged true message he would be relaying for God.