Pastor Appreciation Sermon

Feed My Sheep

In John 21:15–19 Jesus is speaking to Peter after His resurrection.

Peter: the bold and brash Disciple, Jesus’s “ride or die”, the one who said “I will lay down my life for you”, the one who denied Christ 3 times.

Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loved Him.

Jesus would say “Peter, do you love me?”

Peter responded each time “YES! You know I love you.”

3 times Jesus asks Peter “Do you love me?”

Peter answers “Yes! You know I love you” to all accounts

After each answer from Peter, Jesus responds with

1. Feed my lambs 2. Tend to my sheep 3. Feed my sheep

Jesus is the TRUE Shephard, but he has a special calling to Pastors to Feed His Sheep, Jesus’s Sheep, the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ.

This is the calling of a Pastor, Preacher, and Teacher. To feed Jesus sheep, feed His Church.

What do we feed them with? Konohiki? Laulau Plates? Poke Bowls?

Pastors feed them with the Word of God. Unadulterated, unfiltered, and for the entirety of what it is. Not just bits and pieces.

If the Bible is the Word of God then how dare we not teach all of what the Bible says.

A good Bible preaching Pastor should feed you in such a way that you will know if you are being fed truth or lies from other teachers, and that you will be able to discern false teaching from true theology and doctrine.

Pharisees Hating Jesus

Matthew 12:14, Mark 8:11, Mark 12:13–14, Luke 6:11, John 5:16

Do you know what all these verses, and many more have in common? It talks about how the Pharisees and others wanted to do harm or prove Jesus wrong, they HATED Him.

The question is “Why did they want to bring harm to Him, and why did they try so hard to prove Him wrong?”

Because He challenged their own righteousness and exposed their sins.

The Word Will Offend the World System and the Unrepentant Heart

Hebrews 4:12–13

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jesus brought forth the truth with full conviction even if it offended people.

If a Preacher does not present the Word in a way that makes you feel guilty for your sin, expose the brokenness of who you are, and brings you to the need of the grace of God, then what are you being fed?

If the sermon does not move you to think less of yourself and to solely rely on God then what are you being fed?

The prophets in the Old Testament when had a message that came directly from God, it was almost always about destruction and being scattered from their land IF they do not repent of their sins and turn back from pagan worship towards the one true God.

God spoke through the prophets to get the attention of His people, to turn from their wicked ways and back to Him, often in a harsh tone.

It challenged them, exposed their sin, probably offended them, but it was an act of mercy and love on behalf of God.

In Act 7, Stephen, also known as the first MARTYR for Christ. Martyr is someone who dies for their faith. He was dragged out of the city and stoned to death. Why? Because he was preaching Jesus Christ, and all that Jesus taught challenged the people, discredited their own righteousness, and it offended them, so they killed him.

Preaching the Word of God, Preaching Jesus will offend people. But if it is the truth it needs to be shared. Why does it offend? Because we often delight in our sin and own self-righteousness and do not want to give an account of our sins.

John MacArthur wrote a book that challenged the idea of “Christian Psychology”

When his publisher got a draft he had a meeting with John MacArthur, to discuss the book. The publisher asked John “Do you know how many people would be offended by this book? Do you know WHO will be offended by this book?”

John responded with “If we do not offend them then we can’t correct them. If we do not expose their wrong thinking how can we give them the truth they need.”

The Word of God is truth, the truth will set you free, and the truth can and does offend.

John 8:31–32

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him,

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Hebrews 4:12–13

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

The Word of God cuts our flesh that is filled with sin

The Word of God judges our thoughts that is filled with evil

The Word of God pierces the spirit that is within us that is not of God

A Nation without the Word

As we look around our nation and the world you can see how broken it is, how much sin has corrupted the lives of people, how much the devil and his demons have cause so much destruction, and how much evil is ruling and reigning in the hearts of so many.

Imagine this, imagine if Pastors taught the Word for what it is and in such a way that the Gospel message goes to its hearers, penetrates their hearts, and they go on sharing the Word themselves.

Imagine how much more peace there would be in the world if the Word of God is preached with power and conviction

Imagine how much less crime there would be if the Word of God is preached

Imagine how much less suicides there would be is the Word of God is preached

Imagine how much less people would be in delusion on their gender identity if the Word of God is preached

Imagine how much more babies would be born and not killed in the womb if the Word of God is preached

Imagine how much less women and young girls are sold into sex slavery if the Word of God is preached

Imagine how much more love will be seen if the Word of God is preached

The world, America, me and you do not need an inspirational speech we need to know truth!!!

2 Timothy 3:16–17

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Scripture that is breathed out by God is what the world needs to hear.

NOT inspirational speeches that throw in Christian Words, Bible verses, and feel good punch lines that make you rely on yourself and make you the center of the universe.

This broken world needs to hear the truth that is able to save souls and convict the sinful nature in all of us. And turns our entire being to the reliance on God.

And that comes from Preachers and Teachers feeding the congregation with Scripture. Leading the Bride of Christ towards its first love revealed in scripture.

Cling to the Bible in the Storm

I heart a testimony of a sister in Christ during hurricane Iniki.

She said that has the category 4 hurricane came over the island with wind speeds up to 143mph, as she could hear the loud whistling wind around her and the destruction of her surroundings, so she clung to her Bible to give her peace through the storm.

O my beloved, if only we all would cling to the Word of God is such a way through all seasons of our lives. Yet, we would not cling to it if we do not know the power, truth, and authority of it.

What Kind of Pastor Would I Be?

What kind of preacher would I be, what kind of teacher would I be, what kind of Pastor would I be if what I teach do not cause you to cling to the Word of God for truth and comfort, to cling to the Bible for guidance, to cling to the Bible for the beauty of what it is?

What kind of preacher would I be? Dare I say, I would be a false teacher destined for eternal damnation.

Galatians 1:8

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

(Good News Translation: “may he be condemned to hell”)

LORD have mercy on me and those who do not teach the magnificence of your Word, the authority of your Word, the Gospel found in Your Word, and the Jesus revealed in Your Word.

How to Truly Appreciate Pastors

In light of today, Pastors Appreciation Day, leis and “Thank you” are great.

But if you truly want to appreciate your Pastors you need to whole heartedly be praying for us

Pray that we are bold in speaking the truth that will expose sin

Pray that these sermons are filled with biblical doctrine and theology that reveal the character of God

Pray that we lead you closer to love and reliance to Jesus Christ

Pray that we will feed you with the Word of God that you may be full of truth and light

Pray that we will study the Word and be in love with it

Pray that we will be men of God that will preach the Gospel and Teach the Bible

Pray for us to take full hold of this calling, as this calling has no place for hesitance or room for second guessing.

James 3:1

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

God will judge us with a greater strictness because we have chosen to teach His Word to His flock

I understand the weight and consequences of this calling, and I stand before you all and God and say Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes Yes Lord Amen.

If all my emotion and passion seemed a bit “over the top” then I have not done a worthy enough job preaching the beauty, power, and authority of the Word of God.

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Connection to Jesus (Call worship Team)

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

John 1:14

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

One cannot read this and not believe that it is referring to Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the Word

To know the Word is to know Jesus

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

To know the way, the truth, and life is to know Jesus, and to know Jesus is to know the Word

Conclusion

What has God been saying to me this year so far?

Ezra 7:10

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord , and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.