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We're going to start in Romans
chapter 12, Romans chapter 12.

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And we will be in verse eight
here this morning.

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We are continuing our study,
looking at the spiritual.

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It's about theoretically
knowing about the grace of God, about

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the truths that God has told
us to believe, but now it's about

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living it.

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And in verse number one, he
tells us that it's our reasonable

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or logical service to present
our bodies a living sacrifice.

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And so part of that sacrifice
to God is service.

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And part of that service is
identifying the spiritual gifts that

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God has given us to use within
the body of Christ.

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So it's serving one another,
so that we ultimately serve the Lord.

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And so it's very important for
us to understand our place in the

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body of Christ.

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Now, the phrase body of Christ
is a unique phrase because if you're

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not used to church, you might
not understand what that means.

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But what the Bible tells us is
that the church is the body of Christ.

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Therefore, we're working
together for one purpose.

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And that purpose is to glorify
God through the preaching and teaching

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and the multiplication of the
word of God.

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And So in Romans 12:8, we get
to our next gift.

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So far we've looked at the
gift of, as we see in verse number

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seven, the gift of ministry.

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Or we even see in verse number
six, the gift of prophecy.

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We see the gift of teaching,
we see the gift of exhortation, and

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we saw the gift of giving.

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Now we're going to look at the
gift of administration.

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The King James here says he
that ruleth with diligence, verse

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number eight, that word there
ruleth essentially just means this,

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to administrate, to oversee.

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And so what we see here in
this passage of Scripture is that

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the Bible says that there is a
gift of administration.

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Not everybody's gifted with
the gift of administration.

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Not everyone's gifted with the
gift of teaching.

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Not everyone's gifted with the
gift of mercy.

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What we're going to see here
is that these are unique gifts given

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to different people with the
different grace that is given to

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us in verse number six, as the
Bible teaches us.

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So what is the definition of
the gift of administration or leadership?

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Well, it's the God given
motivation to organize people, resources

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and ministries so God's
purposes are accomplished efficiently

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and effectively.

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I want to say that again just
so that you can take that in.

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The gift of organization or
the gift of ruling or the gift of

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administration is the
motivation to organize people, resources

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and ministries so God's
purposes are accomplished efficiently

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and effectively.

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I want you to know one part of
that definition that's so important,

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and that is God's purposes,
not our individual purposes.

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Oftentimes, people that are
gifted with the gift of administration

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are all about getting their
purposes accomplished.

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And again, what we've seen is
that people can exercise these gifts

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in the way of the flesh or in
the way of the spirit.

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So what we see is that
oftentimes when people are exercising

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the gift of administration in
the flesh, it becomes not about God's

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purposes, but.

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But it comes about their own
purposes, and that eventually turns

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to what we would call manipulation.

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And so the motivation for this
gift is to see God's work accomplished

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through wise planning,
organization, sometimes delegation

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and oversight.

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The person who has this gift
of administration sees the big picture.

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They're able to organize
people and projects well.

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They're able to delegate
responsibilities according to people's

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abilities.

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They're able to set goals and
develop plans.

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They're able to enjoy bringing
order out of chaos, and they work

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diligently to accomplish God's mission.

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You might say, pastor, why are
we going through all of these gifts?

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Why is it important?

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What does this mean for me?

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Pastor Ethan talked about that
last Sunday evening.

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If you want to go back to that
message, I would encourage you to

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do so.

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But here, just briefly this
morning, why are we studying the

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gifts?

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The reason why we're studying
the gifts is so that we all can be

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more efficient and effective
in our service for the Lord within

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the body of Christ.

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I don't know if you've ever
felt this way, but sometimes I have

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felt this way that I'm trying
to serve God, but my wheels are spinning

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like I'm not accomplishing anything.

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I don't find joy.

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I don't find that what I'm
doing is effective.

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I don't find any satisfaction
in the service.

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And oftentimes the reason that
comes about is because we're serving

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in areas that God has not
called us to serve in.

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We're just doing what we think
is right.

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But the Bible says that we're
equipped to be effective in the work

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of the ministry.

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Ephesians chapter 4 says that
the leadership of the church is called

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not to do all of the work of
the ministry, but to equip the saints

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for the work of the ministry.

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So all of us that are part of
Middletown Baptist Church, all of

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us that are part of the body
are called to be ministers.

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All of us are called to serve
at some capacity.

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I can't serve at every capacity.

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You can't serve at every capacity.

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But if all of us come Together
for the purpose of the edification

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of the body and for the
exaltation of Christ, we're able

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to come together and be
effective in accomplishing God's

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goals within our life.

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But just as we have seen with
all the other gifts, sometimes we

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can exercise these gifts in
the flesh.

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So what does it look like to
be a spirit filled administrator?

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And what does it look like to
be a flesh filled administrator?

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Well, let's look at the spirit
filled characteristics first.

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First of all, a spirit filled
person who is walking in the administrative

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gift would lead as a servant
rather than being a dictator.

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Sometimes the person who has
the gift of administration essentially

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doesn't mean to do this, but
becomes a dictator.

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And so it's not about being a
dictator, it's about being a servant

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leader.

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A spirit filled administrator
empowers others.

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Instead of doing everything
personally like you guys have seen

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maybe or experience, maybe a micromanager.

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Well, a person who is spirit
filled in the gift of administration

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is not a micromanager.

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They're about empowering
others to do the work of the ministry.

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Someone who's spirit filled
working in the gift of administration

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would value people more than projects.

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Sometimes the person that's
been gifted with seeing the big picture

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values the project more than
the people.

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And that can become a huge
issue because we know that the gospel

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ministry is a gospel ministry
to the people.

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And so it's not about the
project, it's more about the people.

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Another way that we could see
a spirit filled administrator working

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is that they make decisions
prayerfully guided by God, giving

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God the glory for their
success and not taking the glory

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from themselves.

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And ultimately they would lead
with humility and diligence.

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That's what Romans chapter 12,
verse 8 says anyway.

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It says that a person who's
been given the gift of administration,

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or he that ruleth with
diligence, that phrase there, ruling

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with diligence essentially
just means doing their best for the

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cause of God, doing their
utmost for the Lord.

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And we even know that there's
other passages of scripture that

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speak to this.

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First Corinthians, chapter 14,
verse 40 says for things to be done

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decently and in order.

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So it's God's plan for us to
have some sort of order, some sort

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of direction, some sort of
plan for our gospel preaching church.

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Some churches are just going
about saying, you know what, we're

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just going to figure it out as
we go.

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And that can be kind of
frustrating, right?

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I don't know about you, but
there's times in my life where I

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want direction I want clarity.

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Well, that's what the
administrator brings to the table.

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God wants us to have clarity
and direction and a plan for the

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future.

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Sometimes churches can over
plan, sometimes churches can be over

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administrated.

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And there could be so much to
say that it is reduced down to a

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process or a program.

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We can't be that way either
because we have to allow for the

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Holy Spirit to guide us.

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We have to be open for God to
move us, to change us.

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And so there's a balance here.

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And so what we can see here is
that a spirit filled Christian who

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was walking with the gift of
administration, leads with humility

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and diligence and allows God
to direct.

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But then we look at the flesh
filled characteristics.

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Person who's walking the flesh
can become controlling or overbearing.

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They may value efficiency over relationships.

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Well, if it's working, then
who cares what people feel?

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That's a problem.

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There's another thing that
they can do.

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They can become impatient with
slower people.

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People that don't see the
vision right away.

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You maybe have accomplished
something in your life and you saw

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it all happening from the very beginning.

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You said, you know, I saw this
five years ahead.

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I saw how this was all working
out, but maybe someone else didn't

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see how it was working out.

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Sometimes that happens within
the church.

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Sometimes people can see the
way that God is working, but other

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people can't.

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And what happens is, is the
people that see the direction that

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God is moving can get
frustrated with people that don't

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see it right away.

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And so the fleshly filled
administrator can become impatient

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with people that don't see it
right away.

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It can lead to micromanaging.

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It can lead to lead to a place
of lack of trust with people that

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are around.

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It can lead to someone finding
identity and their accomplishments

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and not in Christ.

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Folks, as a believer, our
identity should always be in Christ.

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Our victory is always in Christ.

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Our success is always found in Christ.

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What happens sometimes is that
a flesh filled administrator will

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look at what's been
accomplished for the Lord and take

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the credit for themselves.

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And we also can see that
sometimes a flesh filled administrator

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can neglect compassion while
pursuing results.

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There's no compassion, there's
no mercy, there's no grace.

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It's like, hey, you know what?

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If you're not part of my plan,
get out of the way.

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Because we got things to do.

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And though there should be
someone that has that direction,

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that has that plan, that has
that purpose in their hearts and

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in their minds, there should
also always be with that truth, love

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and Compassion and
consideration for those that are

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part of that process.

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And so we could go to a lot of
places in Scripture to point out

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examples of this gift being
acted out in a practical way.

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But I think the best place we
can go is Acts, chapter 6.

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So go with me from Romans
12:8, where it says for us to rule

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with diligence, and go with me
to Acts chapter six, verses one through

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seven.

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We're going to look at how the
early church in Jerusalem dealt with

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a problem of administration.

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Because what happens within
the church is that sometimes there's

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growth, sometimes there's
blessing, but sometimes with blessings

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and growth come difficulties,
more people, more problems.

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And that's happened quite
frequently within churches in America

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and around the world, that as
the church grows, there's more administrative

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needs.

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And with those administrative
needs, people can be hurt, people

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can be left out, and people
can have wrong perspectives on how

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to deal with those people who
have been hurt.

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So here in Acts chapter six,
we see that the church is growing,

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which is a good thing.

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We see that they have a good
problem, and that is the problem

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of growth.

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And we see in verse number
one, it says, and in those days when

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the number of disciples was
multiplied, now we, as the American

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church, see that verse and we
say, wow, everything must be going

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well, because there's that multiplication.

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And it is.

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That is a good thing.

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The church should always be multiplying.

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A healthy church will always multiply.

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An unhealthy church won't multiply.

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So this church is a healthy church.

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They're growing in the truth
of God.

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But with this growth comes a problem.

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What's the problem?

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See it with me.

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It says, then arose a
murmuring of the Grecians against

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the Hebrews.

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Now, this never happens in
churches today, right?

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There's never any murmuring.

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But back in the church here,
there was some murmuring going on.

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There were people complaining.

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00:11:56,230 --> 00:11:58,070
There were people that saw a problem.

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And instead of dealing with
the problem, they went to leadership,

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and they said, here.

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Here's all of our issues with
it, which sometimes that's the way

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to go.

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Sometimes there is a proper
channel in which we bring our concerns

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to leadership.

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And we see two groups of
people that are essentially feuding

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here.

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00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:16,360
We see that there's the Grecians.

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00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:18,200
Now, who are the Grecians?

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These are Jews that have been
influenced by the Hellenistic culture,

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the Greek culture.

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These are.

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These are not people that are Gentiles.

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00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:29,560
The Gentiles haven't
essentially been grafted into the

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church till later on.

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But we see these are Jews.

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00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:35,040
That have had some influence
from the world.

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And they're coming together
with, as it says here, the Hebrews.

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These are the ones that are
the judaizers.

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00:12:40,220 --> 00:12:43,300
These are the ones that have
held to the old time tradition.

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00:12:43,460 --> 00:12:46,700
And so even though they're the
same people, there's difference in

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their culture, there's
difference in the way that they see

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00:12:49,020 --> 00:12:51,980
things, there's difference in
the way that they respond to the

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different traditions of the
culture there in Jerusalem.

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And oftentimes what we see
within our church is that sometimes

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it's not a spiritual issue
that causes a divide, it's sometimes

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a cultural issue or a
preferential issue.

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And we look and we say, well,
that person doesn't look like me,

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00:13:06,710 --> 00:13:09,670
so here's, here's why I don't
like them, or that person is getting

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favored over me.

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00:13:10,710 --> 00:13:12,590
So that's why we need to separate.

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And that's what the problem
really comes with here is this understanding

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that the Grecians are looking
at the Hebrews, and the Hebrews are

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00:13:20,510 --> 00:13:22,630
what they consider to have
better treatment.

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00:13:22,630 --> 00:13:25,030
So it says that they have a
problem with the Hebrews because

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00:13:25,270 --> 00:13:29,110
their widows were neglected in
the daily ministration.

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00:13:29,270 --> 00:13:30,560
Now what is this saying?

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00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:31,600
This is saying this.

286
00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,520
The Grecians are noticing that
their widows, the Grecian widows,

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00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,960
are being neglected where the
Hebrew widows are not being neglected.

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00:13:39,680 --> 00:13:42,720
Now, we could speak a lot
about this verse.

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00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,240
One thing we do need to
understand is that the Bible says

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00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:46,800
that we should take care of
our widows.

291
00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:48,240
That's a spiritual thing.

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00:13:48,560 --> 00:13:50,480
We should take care of those
that are in need.

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00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:54,080
In that culture, a widow was
someone who didn't have the resources

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to take care of herself.

295
00:13:55,530 --> 00:13:58,890
And so the church would come
in and by the love of Christ, take

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00:13:58,890 --> 00:14:00,570
care of them in many different ways.

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00:14:00,970 --> 00:14:02,970
So the church should take care
of the widows.

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00:14:03,210 --> 00:14:06,850
And we see that the Grecians
have a legitimate complaint in the

299
00:14:06,850 --> 00:14:10,050
fact that they weren't being
taken care of, particularly with

300
00:14:10,050 --> 00:14:10,730
their widows.

301
00:14:11,450 --> 00:14:14,530
And so the growth had produced
a ministry challenge.

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00:14:14,530 --> 00:14:18,290
And when we grow as a church,
or even if we're just sustaining

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00:14:18,290 --> 00:14:21,050
as a church, we're going to
face ministry challenges.

304
00:14:22,030 --> 00:14:23,950
And so how do we deal with
these ministry challenges?

305
00:14:23,950 --> 00:14:26,670
Well, one way to deal with it
is proper administration.

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00:14:27,390 --> 00:14:29,790
The apostles didn't ignore the complaint.

307
00:14:30,430 --> 00:14:31,950
They could have become defensive.

308
00:14:33,310 --> 00:14:34,230
But what did they do?

309
00:14:34,230 --> 00:14:37,830
They recognized a legitimate
problem that needed to be addressed.

310
00:14:37,830 --> 00:14:41,110
Look at it with me in verse
number two, then the twelve called

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00:14:41,110 --> 00:14:43,470
the multitude of the disciples
unto them.

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00:14:43,870 --> 00:14:47,230
Now, I want you to see the
distinction here because oftentimes

313
00:14:47,230 --> 00:14:49,150
when we think about Disciples,
we think about the 12.

314
00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:51,640
The 12 are the apostles.

315
00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:54,840
The disciples are the bigger
group of followers of Jesus.

316
00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,880
So we see that the 12, the
leaders, bring together all of the

317
00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:02,280
disciples unto them and said,
it is not reason that we should leave

318
00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:04,280
the word of God and serve tables.

319
00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:08,040
Now, at first you might say
they're not considering the Grecians

320
00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:10,520
request of taking care of
their widows, but they are.

321
00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:11,160
So.

322
00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:16,040
So the administrator sees the
issue, but is taking care of it before

323
00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:18,470
there becomes a bigger issue.

324
00:15:18,710 --> 00:15:21,150
So a spirit filled
administrator asked, what's hindering

325
00:15:21,150 --> 00:15:21,750
the ministry?

326
00:15:22,070 --> 00:15:25,550
What are people overlooking
what needs to be attended to?

327
00:15:25,550 --> 00:15:28,070
And what they see is that this
is a legitimate problem.

328
00:15:28,550 --> 00:15:31,350
So the problem, number one, is
that the widows were being overlooked.

329
00:15:31,350 --> 00:15:35,590
But number two, we see that
they establish their priorities.

330
00:15:36,070 --> 00:15:39,150
Anytime we're dealing with an
administrative decision within the

331
00:15:39,150 --> 00:15:42,390
church, we always have to
recognize the priorities at hand.

332
00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:46,240
So let's say, for example,
someone came into the church today

333
00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:50,800
and they sat down in their pew
and the pew was a little bit wobbly.

334
00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,960
And they said, pastor, there's
a problem with the pew.

335
00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:54,960
The pew is wobbly.

336
00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:57,840
And I said, okay, guys, we're
going to cancel the whole service

337
00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:00,680
here today because this pew is wobbly.

338
00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:03,000
We need to take care of this
because this is our number one priority.

339
00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,160
We need everyone out of the
building because we're going to have

340
00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:06,000
machinery in here.

341
00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:07,080
We're going to take care of things.

342
00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:09,840
No, you understand the
absurdity in that, right?

343
00:16:10,090 --> 00:16:12,090
The priority is the worship service.

344
00:16:12,090 --> 00:16:13,530
The priority is the Word.

345
00:16:13,610 --> 00:16:16,170
So we would say, well, let's
come up with a plan to get around

346
00:16:16,170 --> 00:16:16,730
that today.

347
00:16:16,730 --> 00:16:18,970
Maybe you can sit in another
pew today.

348
00:16:19,210 --> 00:16:22,570
Maybe we can fix it really
quickly with a makeshift fix and

349
00:16:22,570 --> 00:16:24,090
then fix it in a better way later.

350
00:16:24,410 --> 00:16:24,730
Right?

351
00:16:24,730 --> 00:16:27,770
You see that we put the
priority before the problem.

352
00:16:28,250 --> 00:16:30,610
So there's going to be
priorities and there's going to be

353
00:16:30,610 --> 00:16:31,130
problems.

354
00:16:31,370 --> 00:16:33,170
So what does the church do here?

355
00:16:33,170 --> 00:16:34,130
What does the leadership do?

356
00:16:34,130 --> 00:16:35,770
They don't say, well, you know what?

357
00:16:35,770 --> 00:16:38,610
We as the 12 need to go ahead
and take care of all those Grecian

358
00:16:38,610 --> 00:16:41,610
widows and neglect the Word of God.

359
00:16:41,770 --> 00:16:44,810
They say, no, our priority is
the word of God.

360
00:16:45,290 --> 00:16:48,690
So they recognize in verse
two, they say that it is not reasoned.

361
00:16:48,690 --> 00:16:52,930
It's not reasonable that we
should leave the Word and go serve

362
00:16:52,930 --> 00:16:56,330
tables, because the 12 could
have went and served the tables,

363
00:16:56,570 --> 00:16:59,290
but then neglect the Word and
the Word would not be preached.

364
00:16:59,290 --> 00:17:01,970
The Word would not be
demonstrated to the people so that

365
00:17:01,970 --> 00:17:03,130
there could be spiritual growth.

366
00:17:03,130 --> 00:17:08,710
And so the apostles understood
that everything was important, but

367
00:17:08,710 --> 00:17:12,310
not everything was Equally
important, when it came down to ministry

368
00:17:12,310 --> 00:17:16,510
decisions, their priority
remained prayer and the ministry

369
00:17:16,510 --> 00:17:17,230
of the Word.

370
00:17:17,710 --> 00:17:20,990
So administration begins with
knowing what matters most.

371
00:17:22,270 --> 00:17:25,270
So for them they said, yes,
the widows matter, but the Word of

372
00:17:25,270 --> 00:17:26,350
God is a priority.

373
00:17:26,350 --> 00:17:29,830
So we need to come up with a
plan so that the word of God can

374
00:17:29,830 --> 00:17:32,430
be preached and that the
widows are taken care of.

375
00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:34,320
So it's not a compromise.

376
00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,120
It's not, well, the widows
have to be left out.

377
00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:39,920
It's not that we neglect the
problem over here, it's that we have

378
00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,640
a priority that takes first
place and then we need to come up

379
00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:47,200
with administrative decisions
that can help get everything accomplished

380
00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:48,360
within the ministry.

381
00:17:48,839 --> 00:17:54,480
So they identified prayer and
the Word of God as the priority within

382
00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:55,040
their ministry.

383
00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,560
And I think that that should
be the priority for every ministry.

384
00:17:57,560 --> 00:17:58,920
We see that in verse number two.

385
00:17:59,740 --> 00:18:01,020
We see that in verse number four.

386
00:18:01,260 --> 00:18:05,100
They said, but we will give
ourselves continually to prayer and

387
00:18:05,100 --> 00:18:06,620
to the ministry of the Word.

388
00:18:07,180 --> 00:18:09,100
They didn't compromise their priorities.

389
00:18:10,780 --> 00:18:11,820
So we have a problem.

390
00:18:12,620 --> 00:18:13,660
That's the widows.

391
00:18:14,140 --> 00:18:15,620
Number two, we have the priority.

392
00:18:15,620 --> 00:18:16,300
That's the word.

393
00:18:16,300 --> 00:18:17,020
So what's next?

394
00:18:17,020 --> 00:18:19,500
Well, number three, they
develop a plan.

395
00:18:19,900 --> 00:18:23,380
They come up with an
administrative plan to not compromise

396
00:18:23,380 --> 00:18:26,060
the Word, but also to deal
with the widows around them.

397
00:18:27,630 --> 00:18:30,590
Verse number three, wherefore brethren.

398
00:18:30,750 --> 00:18:33,630
So they're talking to the big
group, the disciples.

399
00:18:34,350 --> 00:18:38,910
Wherefore brethren, look ye
out among you seven men of honest

400
00:18:38,910 --> 00:18:43,150
reports, full of the Holy
Ghost and wisdom, who we may appoint

401
00:18:43,150 --> 00:18:44,030
over this business.

402
00:18:44,590 --> 00:18:49,070
Essentially what we see is
that the leaders say we need to delegate

403
00:18:49,070 --> 00:18:51,790
this ministry to someone else
who is qualified for this.

404
00:18:52,820 --> 00:18:54,980
And so the plan was this.

405
00:18:55,620 --> 00:18:58,220
They didn't just identify the
problem, go, yep, there's a problem

406
00:18:58,220 --> 00:18:59,540
with the widows, we're going
to move forward.

407
00:18:59,700 --> 00:19:02,980
No, they say that yes, there
is a problem and now there is a solution.

408
00:19:02,980 --> 00:19:04,500
Their plan included what?

409
00:19:04,660 --> 00:19:09,300
Selecting qualified servants,
delegating the responsibility of

410
00:19:09,300 --> 00:19:12,500
the widows to them, and then
establishing accountability.

411
00:19:13,300 --> 00:19:17,300
Administrators love turning
chaos into clarity.

412
00:19:17,990 --> 00:19:20,230
So a spirit filled
administrator doesn't just point

413
00:19:20,230 --> 00:19:24,790
out problems, they provide a
plan to have that problem resolved.

414
00:19:24,790 --> 00:19:27,430
And that's what we see
happening here in verse number three.

415
00:19:27,430 --> 00:19:30,270
Now it is important to note
that in verse number three, they

416
00:19:30,270 --> 00:19:35,190
chose the right people because
part of the administrative process

417
00:19:35,590 --> 00:19:38,590
is not just saying, well,
anyone that has a warm body can do

418
00:19:38,590 --> 00:19:39,110
this job.

419
00:19:39,110 --> 00:19:43,030
No, there is a process in
which we select the right people

420
00:19:43,740 --> 00:19:45,820
to delegate different
ministries to.

421
00:19:45,820 --> 00:19:50,060
And so verse three, he says,
look ye out among the seven men of

422
00:19:50,060 --> 00:19:50,860
honest report.

423
00:19:51,420 --> 00:19:56,380
They were honest people, full
of the Holy Ghost, which means that

424
00:19:56,380 --> 00:19:57,900
they're being guided by the Spirit.

425
00:19:57,900 --> 00:19:59,740
They're walking in faith.

426
00:19:59,740 --> 00:20:03,100
They're walking, yielding to
the Spirit and not the flesh.

427
00:20:03,180 --> 00:20:06,740
And then it says, with Holy
Ghost and wisdom, they're full of

428
00:20:06,740 --> 00:20:08,060
wisdom, God's wisdom.

429
00:20:08,620 --> 00:20:12,820
Notice that they didn't just
ask who, who's the best administrator?

430
00:20:12,820 --> 00:20:14,260
Who, who's the best servant here?

431
00:20:14,260 --> 00:20:19,220
No, they ask who the best, in
this case best Christian was.

432
00:20:19,220 --> 00:20:21,900
The one who was of honest
report, the one who had the Holy

433
00:20:21,900 --> 00:20:24,660
Ghost filling them, the one
who was guided by the wisdom of God.

434
00:20:24,740 --> 00:20:28,420
And so what we see is that
character always comes before competence.

435
00:20:28,900 --> 00:20:33,060
Sometimes we can see someone
who has the right tools on the outside

436
00:20:33,540 --> 00:20:35,780
but does not have the right
character for the position.

437
00:20:36,750 --> 00:20:39,270
These leaders said, no, we're
going to look at who has the right

438
00:20:39,270 --> 00:20:43,350
spiritual character and then
who could fill that role in an effective

439
00:20:43,350 --> 00:20:44,350
and efficient way.

440
00:20:45,070 --> 00:20:50,310
And so the Spirit filled
administrator understands that the

441
00:20:50,310 --> 00:20:53,430
right people are needed to be
selected to accomplish more than

442
00:20:53,430 --> 00:20:56,830
just a perfect program, but
ultimately the will of God being

443
00:20:56,830 --> 00:20:58,750
lived out in the body of Christ.

444
00:20:59,710 --> 00:21:03,500
So verse number three tells us
that they came up with a solution

445
00:21:03,500 --> 00:21:07,500
and that is to pick the proper
people for the plan.

446
00:21:08,140 --> 00:21:11,180
Verse 4, they remind us of the priority.

447
00:21:11,340 --> 00:21:13,180
We're going to give ourselves
to prayer.

448
00:21:13,180 --> 00:21:15,340
We're going to give ourselves
to the ministry of the Word.

449
00:21:15,340 --> 00:21:19,620
But then we see verse number
five and the same pleased the whole

450
00:21:19,620 --> 00:21:20,220
multitude.

451
00:21:20,540 --> 00:21:23,020
So, so this actually brought
about clarity.

452
00:21:23,100 --> 00:21:25,900
This brought understanding,
this brought unity.

453
00:21:26,300 --> 00:21:28,380
This was a solution that was received.

454
00:21:29,710 --> 00:21:31,910
This isn't always the case
within the church.

455
00:21:31,910 --> 00:21:34,870
Sometimes the solution that's
provided isn't unifying.

456
00:21:34,870 --> 00:21:39,390
But when the whole church is
walking in fellowship with God, a

457
00:21:39,390 --> 00:21:43,110
solution that comes from God
should bring joy, it should bring

458
00:21:43,110 --> 00:21:44,990
unity, it should bring satisfaction.

459
00:21:45,390 --> 00:21:48,190
And it says, they chose
Stephen, a man full of faith, of

460
00:21:48,190 --> 00:21:51,870
the Holy Ghost, and Philip and
Prochorus and Nicantor and Timon

461
00:21:51,870 --> 00:21:54,830
and Parmes and Nicholas, a
proselyte of Antioch.

462
00:21:55,470 --> 00:22:00,070
And then verses 6 and 7 tell
us that what came about from this?

463
00:22:00,070 --> 00:22:01,070
What was the result?

464
00:22:01,390 --> 00:22:02,910
How did this come about?

465
00:22:03,150 --> 00:22:04,830
How did this play out?

466
00:22:04,990 --> 00:22:07,990
Verse 6 is this whom they set
before the apostles.

467
00:22:07,990 --> 00:22:11,870
And when they had prayed, they
laid their hands on them.

468
00:22:12,910 --> 00:22:14,470
And so they prayed over this.

469
00:22:14,470 --> 00:22:17,190
There was great intention involved.

470
00:22:17,190 --> 00:22:21,230
They didn't just come into
this with no consideration.

471
00:22:21,850 --> 00:22:24,010
There was, lord, are these the
right people for the position?

472
00:22:24,890 --> 00:22:27,650
I think this is something that
we all should do within our ministry

473
00:22:27,650 --> 00:22:28,850
here at Middletown Baptist Church.

474
00:22:28,850 --> 00:22:30,970
We should prayerfully consider
every decision.

475
00:22:31,370 --> 00:22:34,970
Every individual that's placed
in a position should be considered,

476
00:22:35,130 --> 00:22:39,170
considered with prayer and
with Scripture and What we see in

477
00:22:39,170 --> 00:22:41,490
verse number seven, it says,
and the word of God increased.

478
00:22:41,490 --> 00:22:42,570
So they prayed over them.

479
00:22:42,650 --> 00:22:44,010
They laid hands on them.

480
00:22:44,010 --> 00:22:45,170
They commissioned them.

481
00:22:45,170 --> 00:22:46,490
And now what was the result?

482
00:22:46,650 --> 00:22:48,810
Well, the Word of God increased.

483
00:22:49,250 --> 00:22:52,490
And when the will of God is
coming about, the word of God will

484
00:22:52,490 --> 00:22:52,850
increase.

485
00:22:53,890 --> 00:22:55,490
So notice this progression.

486
00:22:56,370 --> 00:22:58,050
The problem was solved.

487
00:22:58,930 --> 00:23:00,290
The church stayed united.

488
00:23:01,410 --> 00:23:03,490
The apostles remained focused.

489
00:23:03,970 --> 00:23:06,210
The ministry of the Gospel spread.

490
00:23:06,370 --> 00:23:10,210
And what happened was that the
disciples multiplied.

491
00:23:10,450 --> 00:23:14,650
And the number of the
disciples multiplied in Jerusalem

492
00:23:14,650 --> 00:23:15,170
greatly.

493
00:23:15,730 --> 00:23:20,130
And a great company of the
priests were obedient to the faith.

494
00:23:20,610 --> 00:23:23,890
I want you to see the result
of this administrative decision.

495
00:23:24,290 --> 00:23:27,090
The result was that the Word
of God increased.

496
00:23:27,090 --> 00:23:30,770
And as the word of God
increased, disciples were multiplied.

497
00:23:30,850 --> 00:23:34,370
And as disciples multiplied,
there was more people obedient to

498
00:23:34,530 --> 00:23:35,250
the faith.

499
00:23:35,730 --> 00:23:38,130
This should be the goal for
every decision that we make within

500
00:23:38,130 --> 00:23:39,410
Middletown Baptist Church.

501
00:23:39,890 --> 00:23:42,250
We should make the decision to
follow God with everything.

502
00:23:42,250 --> 00:23:45,560
We should prayerfully consider
the right people for the right positions.

503
00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:49,320
And then let the Word of God
do its work in our midst.

504
00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:55,920
Let the Spirit of God lead and
convict and comfort and teach so

505
00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:59,800
that we can see disciples
multiplied in our midst.

506
00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,400
A healthy church produces disciples.

507
00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:07,160
A healthy church is made up of
healthy disciples.

508
00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:10,970
An unhealthy church, a church
that is stagnant, a church that is

509
00:24:11,130 --> 00:24:14,370
stunted in growth, will never
create more disciples.

510
00:24:14,370 --> 00:24:14,730
Why?

511
00:24:14,810 --> 00:24:16,130
Because we're not healthy.

512
00:24:16,130 --> 00:24:17,770
We can't reproduce if we're
not healthy.

513
00:24:17,770 --> 00:24:21,530
And the Bible says, only when
we're walking in the unity of Christ,

514
00:24:21,690 --> 00:24:26,130
when we're walking in His
Word, are we able to see that multiplication

515
00:24:26,130 --> 00:24:27,370
happen in our midst.

516
00:24:27,610 --> 00:24:29,250
And we can reach out into our community.

517
00:24:29,250 --> 00:24:30,970
And we can see more people
come to Christ.

518
00:24:31,130 --> 00:24:33,170
And that's the goal for every church.

519
00:24:33,170 --> 00:24:35,610
Or at least it should be the
goal for every church.

520
00:24:36,540 --> 00:24:40,300
I think it was last week when
I was mentioning something about

521
00:24:40,380 --> 00:24:44,060
what should be the answer when
people ask us why we're doing what

522
00:24:44,060 --> 00:24:44,540
we're doing?

523
00:24:45,020 --> 00:24:46,620
Why do you have a children's ministry?

524
00:24:46,940 --> 00:24:48,460
Why do you have a teen ministry?

525
00:24:48,620 --> 00:24:49,900
Why do you take teens to camp?

526
00:24:50,380 --> 00:24:51,660
Why do you give in the church?

527
00:24:52,380 --> 00:24:54,300
Why do you have a first
impressions ministry?

528
00:24:54,860 --> 00:24:56,020
The list can go on and on.

529
00:24:56,020 --> 00:24:58,500
Why do we do what we do at
Middletown Baptist Church?

530
00:24:58,500 --> 00:25:00,540
The biblical answer should be this.

531
00:25:01,100 --> 00:25:03,230
To make disciples.

532
00:25:04,190 --> 00:25:05,910
You say, no, I don't believe
that, Pastor.

533
00:25:05,910 --> 00:25:08,350
I don't believe that it should
be that.

534
00:25:08,350 --> 00:25:08,950
It should be that.

535
00:25:08,950 --> 00:25:11,310
We have a place where we're
safe and healthy.

536
00:25:11,390 --> 00:25:13,630
Those are all very, very
important things.

537
00:25:13,630 --> 00:25:17,030
But if you go back to Matthew,
chapter 28 in what's called the Great

538
00:25:17,030 --> 00:25:22,510
Commission, it's very clear
what God delegates to us in what

539
00:25:22,510 --> 00:25:26,110
Jesus Christ tells us at the
very end of his earthly ministry.

540
00:25:26,590 --> 00:25:27,910
Matthew, chapter 28.

541
00:25:27,910 --> 00:25:31,340
The church is called to do
something very specific.

542
00:25:32,700 --> 00:25:34,540
It's not about having more ministries.

543
00:25:35,820 --> 00:25:39,820
It's not about having more
followers of a person or a program.

544
00:25:40,460 --> 00:25:42,300
It's not about having bigger buildings.

545
00:25:43,260 --> 00:25:44,700
It's not about having more money.

546
00:25:45,260 --> 00:25:51,820
Jesus says in verse number 19
of Matthew, chapter 28, what we are

547
00:25:51,820 --> 00:25:53,740
all called to do within the church.

548
00:25:55,340 --> 00:25:59,930
He says, go ye therefore, and
teach all nations.

549
00:25:59,930 --> 00:26:02,890
In the Greek, that phrase
teach all nations literally means

550
00:26:02,890 --> 00:26:08,050
make disciples, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of

551
00:26:08,050 --> 00:26:11,370
the Son and of the Holy Ghost,
teaching them to observe all things

552
00:26:11,370 --> 00:26:11,890
whatsoever.

553
00:26:11,890 --> 00:26:15,370
I have commanded you, and lo,
I am with you always, even to the

554
00:26:15,370 --> 00:26:15,930
end of the world.

555
00:26:16,490 --> 00:26:20,970
Jesus's goal, God's goal for
the church is to grow the church

556
00:26:21,210 --> 00:26:24,250
to multiply disciples and
glorify him.

557
00:26:24,490 --> 00:26:27,610
I think that sometimes people
say, well, the main goal for us is

558
00:26:27,610 --> 00:26:28,570
to glorify Christ.

559
00:26:28,810 --> 00:26:31,770
Yes, the way that we glorify
Christ is by making disciples.

560
00:26:32,250 --> 00:26:33,090
So you say, well, why?

561
00:26:33,090 --> 00:26:35,370
Why are you talking about that
in a sermon about administration?

562
00:26:35,530 --> 00:26:39,130
Because even our
administration at the church, even

563
00:26:39,130 --> 00:26:43,290
the leadership decisions
should be based around making disciples

564
00:26:43,290 --> 00:26:43,930
for Christ.

565
00:26:44,250 --> 00:26:46,490
Not what makes sense on paper necessarily.

566
00:26:46,730 --> 00:26:50,890
Not what financially gives us
the best standing, not what brings

567
00:26:50,890 --> 00:26:52,810
us the best PR in our community.

568
00:26:53,330 --> 00:26:56,450
No, the decisions that we make
within the leadership of the church

569
00:26:56,530 --> 00:27:00,410
should always be focused on
the priority of making disciples

570
00:27:00,410 --> 00:27:05,330
for Jesus Christ, gaining
unity in the midst of the body.

571
00:27:05,410 --> 00:27:08,010
And so this decision that was
made, you know, what could have happened

572
00:27:08,010 --> 00:27:12,530
within Acts chapter 6, the
disciples, or the apostles in this

573
00:27:12,530 --> 00:27:15,930
case, could have been like,
well, you know what, the Grecians

574
00:27:15,930 --> 00:27:19,820
have been a problem for us for
some time now, and their complaints

575
00:27:20,060 --> 00:27:21,740
are really not benefiting us.

576
00:27:21,740 --> 00:27:24,780
So let's just let them kind of
drift off to another church.

577
00:27:24,860 --> 00:27:27,860
Well, back then, they didn't
have the luxury of having multiple

578
00:27:27,860 --> 00:27:28,540
churches in town.

579
00:27:28,540 --> 00:27:30,860
Like today, people can just
drift to church to church.

580
00:27:31,420 --> 00:27:35,540
Back then, they had to deal
with this issue, and so they didn't

581
00:27:35,540 --> 00:27:37,260
neglect the Grecian widows.

582
00:27:37,260 --> 00:27:39,380
They didn't hear it and say,
well, thanks for your opinion, but,

583
00:27:39,380 --> 00:27:43,900
you know, if you're not on the
bus, you know, get off or we're going

584
00:27:43,900 --> 00:27:46,600
to run you over, basically, is
what many times people do within

585
00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:47,840
administrative decisions.

586
00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:50,160
And so what they do is they
say, no, let's address this.

587
00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:52,080
Let's address this with a
proper solution.

588
00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:55,840
And that proper solution
brought about the word of God being

589
00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:59,040
increased and that disciples
were multiplied and that people followed

590
00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:02,160
in such a way that they were
able to grow in the knowledge of

591
00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,760
God and grow in the wisdom of
God and ultimately glorify God.

592
00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:09,360
And so good administration
never draws attention to itself.

593
00:28:10,890 --> 00:28:14,570
It's the goal of a good
administrator to remove obstacles

594
00:28:14,570 --> 00:28:16,970
so that God's work can flourish.

595
00:28:17,450 --> 00:28:21,330
Folks, I'm tired of taking all
the responsibility upon myself, thinking

596
00:28:21,330 --> 00:28:26,970
that I'm the one that is
responsible for the success of Middletown

597
00:28:26,970 --> 00:28:27,690
Baptist Church.

598
00:28:28,170 --> 00:28:30,730
I'm not responsible for the
success of Middletown Baptist Church.

599
00:28:30,730 --> 00:28:31,690
You know who's responsible?

600
00:28:32,090 --> 00:28:32,570
God.

601
00:28:33,850 --> 00:28:38,480
All I need to do is submit to
him, follow him, obey him, listen

602
00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:40,600
to him, make decisions that
glorify him.

603
00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:42,160
And folks, that's the same
thing for you.

604
00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:44,560
There's the pressure of
success is not on you.

605
00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:44,880
Why?

606
00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:48,080
Because our Lord is already
perfectly successful in every way.

607
00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:52,360
We just say, hey, I want to
follow him, I want to obey Him, I

608
00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:55,040
want to make decisions that
align myself with his work.

609
00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:58,560
And folks, we're going to be
prosperous, successful Christians.

610
00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:00,320
It's not about financial prosperity.

611
00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:03,080
It's not about having health,
wealth and everything we've ever

612
00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:03,440
desired.

613
00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:07,260
No, it's about walking in the
will of God and therefore there will

614
00:29:07,260 --> 00:29:08,060
be blessings.

615
00:29:08,300 --> 00:29:13,660
Administration exists so that
we can all glorify God and multiply

616
00:29:13,820 --> 00:29:15,500
his work here on this earth.

617
00:29:16,060 --> 00:29:19,060
So a spirit filled
administrator solves problems, clarifies

618
00:29:19,060 --> 00:29:23,900
priorities, develops plans,
empowers people, and celebrates kingdom

619
00:29:24,140 --> 00:29:27,780
progress where a flesh filled
administrator creates unnecessary

620
00:29:27,780 --> 00:29:34,690
policies, controls instead of
equips, focuses on systems over souls,

621
00:29:35,410 --> 00:29:39,610
values efficiency more than
people, and becomes frustrated when

622
00:29:39,610 --> 00:29:41,330
others don't work the same way
as them.

623
00:29:42,530 --> 00:29:45,330
So we look at those two things
and we say, well, yeah, but I, I,

624
00:29:45,330 --> 00:29:48,450
I know that we have to have
order within the church to do decent

625
00:29:48,530 --> 00:29:49,330
things in order.

626
00:29:49,410 --> 00:29:50,530
I agree with you.

627
00:29:50,530 --> 00:29:52,530
As a church, we should do
things in order.

628
00:29:52,530 --> 00:29:55,690
But with the concept of
understanding that everything that

629
00:29:55,690 --> 00:29:59,430
we're doing is for the purpose
of, of the gospel of Jesus Christ

630
00:30:00,070 --> 00:30:01,590
and multiplying disciples.

631
00:30:02,470 --> 00:30:04,990
I was just talking to our
Bible study this morning and I said,

632
00:30:04,990 --> 00:30:05,310
you know what?

633
00:30:05,310 --> 00:30:06,310
We love lists.

634
00:30:06,710 --> 00:30:08,710
Most people love lists.

635
00:30:08,710 --> 00:30:10,630
And I, and I said, what if I
did this?

636
00:30:10,870 --> 00:30:14,830
I said, okay, next Sunday
we're going to have a list of the

637
00:30:14,830 --> 00:30:19,150
hundred things that you must
do to be a good member of Middletown

638
00:30:19,150 --> 00:30:19,910
Baptist Church.

639
00:30:20,070 --> 00:30:21,830
And you've got one week to do
all of them.

640
00:30:22,150 --> 00:30:25,230
And some of the things that
you would do are feasible.

641
00:30:25,230 --> 00:30:28,750
You know, like give to the
church, read my Bible, pray.

642
00:30:28,750 --> 00:30:30,390
Okay, I can do that, I can do that.

643
00:30:30,870 --> 00:30:33,750
And some of you come back on
the next Sunday.

644
00:30:34,710 --> 00:30:36,710
And I say, how many of you
finish your list?

645
00:30:38,070 --> 00:30:40,990
And let's say 20% of you stood up.

646
00:30:40,990 --> 00:30:42,990
And you guys are the studious ones.

647
00:30:42,990 --> 00:30:45,270
You guys are the ones that
love to finish things.

648
00:30:45,270 --> 00:30:46,830
And you say, I did my list.

649
00:30:46,830 --> 00:30:47,430
I'm good.

650
00:30:48,230 --> 00:30:49,710
I said, okay, how do you feel?

651
00:30:49,710 --> 00:30:50,470
I feel great.

652
00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:51,640
Okay.

653
00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:55,160
Started all over again this
week, but now the list is going to

654
00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:56,200
be 200 things.

655
00:30:56,600 --> 00:30:58,960
Oh, no, that's going to be tiresome.

656
00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:01,720
Right, because we're never
going to be able to do enough.

657
00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:05,520
Then you got the other people
that say, oh, Pastor, I didn't do

658
00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:06,360
anything on that list.

659
00:31:06,679 --> 00:31:07,560
Well, how do you feel today?

660
00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:08,600
I feel super guilty.

661
00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:10,640
Well, you know what?

662
00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:12,400
You should feel guilty because
you didn't follow my list.

663
00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:14,600
No, that's not biblical teaching.

664
00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:17,480
Biblical teaching is there's
therefore now no condemn nature to

665
00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:18,600
them who are in Christ Jesus.

666
00:31:19,270 --> 00:31:21,590
It's not about me dictating to
you a list of rules.

667
00:31:21,670 --> 00:31:25,350
It's about following God with
all of our heart and align ourselves

668
00:31:25,350 --> 00:31:25,750
with him.

669
00:31:25,750 --> 00:31:29,030
Yes, there's things that we
have to set up for order and decency,

670
00:31:29,430 --> 00:31:33,670
but at the same time, we can't
allow the process and the program

671
00:31:33,990 --> 00:31:36,870
to dictate the spirit of God
moving in our midst.

672
00:31:37,910 --> 00:31:41,230
What if someone says, well,
Pastor Josh, you know what?

673
00:31:41,230 --> 00:31:44,910
I know we meet on Sundays, and
I know we meet on Wednesdays, but

674
00:31:44,910 --> 00:31:47,990
I just really have a desire to
meet on, on Monday nights.

675
00:31:49,030 --> 00:31:50,470
And I say, well, you know what?

676
00:31:50,550 --> 00:31:51,750
That's not part of our program.

677
00:31:51,990 --> 00:31:52,550
Okay?

678
00:31:52,710 --> 00:31:55,070
You can meet with people and
study the Bible on Mondays because

679
00:31:55,070 --> 00:31:56,310
that's just not part of our program.

680
00:31:56,470 --> 00:32:01,630
You see how if we're so rigid
in our program that we, we stop the

681
00:32:01,630 --> 00:32:03,350
working of the Spirit within
our midst.

682
00:32:04,230 --> 00:32:07,230
So we should have order, we
should have rules, we should have

683
00:32:07,230 --> 00:32:07,750
procedures.

684
00:32:07,750 --> 00:32:08,870
Those are great things.

685
00:32:08,870 --> 00:32:11,430
And the Bible says to do them
decently, in order, but with the

686
00:32:11,430 --> 00:32:14,680
lens of administration through
the lens of the gospel.

687
00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:18,440
And so what we see is that
Jesus Christ is the greatest administrator.

688
00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:21,240
Jesus perfectly organized his
earthly ministry.

689
00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:23,240
He called 12 disciples.

690
00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:24,800
And you know what?

691
00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:26,760
He didn't pick the people that
we would have picked.

692
00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:28,319
I, I'm.

693
00:32:28,319 --> 00:32:30,640
I firmly believe that I
probably wouldn't have gone to the

694
00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:34,840
fishing docks there in the Sea
of Galilee and picked my disciples.

695
00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:37,240
I would have probably picked
them from somewhere else.

696
00:32:38,050 --> 00:32:41,330
But Jesus picked his 12 disciples.

697
00:32:42,370 --> 00:32:44,930
And then later on in Luke
chapter 10, he appointed 70.

698
00:32:45,650 --> 00:32:47,490
Then he sent disciples two by two.

699
00:32:47,650 --> 00:32:50,890
And then he organized the
feeding of the 5,000 by having crowds

700
00:32:50,890 --> 00:32:52,930
sit in groups in Mark chapter six.

701
00:32:53,090 --> 00:32:55,090
And then as We've already seen
this morning.

702
00:32:55,490 --> 00:32:59,970
Before ascending to heaven, he
commissions or delegates his followers

703
00:33:00,130 --> 00:33:03,290
with a clear mission in
empowering them through the Holy

704
00:33:03,290 --> 00:33:04,370
Spirit to do his work.

705
00:33:05,710 --> 00:33:09,630
And most importantly, Jesus
ordered everything around God's redemptive

706
00:33:09,630 --> 00:33:09,950
plan.

707
00:33:10,510 --> 00:33:14,350
Every miracle, every
conversation, every journey that

708
00:33:14,350 --> 00:33:19,070
he took to Jerusalem and to
other places moved with intentionality

709
00:33:19,390 --> 00:33:20,270
to the cross.

710
00:33:20,750 --> 00:33:25,110
And so through his perfect
leadership example, he accomplished

711
00:33:25,110 --> 00:33:28,110
the Father's will and
established the church that we are

712
00:33:28,110 --> 00:33:31,750
beneficiaries of today to
carry the Gospel to the ends of the

713
00:33:31,750 --> 00:33:32,030
earth.

714
00:33:32,030 --> 00:33:36,260
And so what it means for us
today is that if we want to be good

715
00:33:36,260 --> 00:33:40,100
leaders, good administrators,
we need to be good followers.

716
00:33:40,900 --> 00:33:43,780
Not everyone is called within
the church to be a leader, to have

717
00:33:43,780 --> 00:33:44,660
the gift of administration.

718
00:33:46,020 --> 00:33:50,060
We know that even with some of
these gifts, you might be gifted

719
00:33:50,060 --> 00:33:53,620
by God and naturally desire to
do these things and have the natural

720
00:33:53,620 --> 00:33:54,820
motivation to do these things.

721
00:33:54,900 --> 00:33:57,740
But there's other times in our
life where we are called to situations

722
00:33:57,740 --> 00:33:59,980
where we do need to do
something outside of our comfort

723
00:33:59,980 --> 00:34:00,340
zone.

724
00:34:00,980 --> 00:34:02,420
We used the example last week.

725
00:34:02,500 --> 00:34:04,820
You know, there's the gift of
giving, and some people naturally

726
00:34:04,820 --> 00:34:05,100
give.

727
00:34:05,100 --> 00:34:07,220
But let's say you're sitting
out there in the pew today and you

728
00:34:07,220 --> 00:34:10,020
say, well, you know, God
hasn't gifted me in giving, so I

729
00:34:10,020 --> 00:34:10,660
don't need to give.

730
00:34:10,660 --> 00:34:12,420
No, that's not the way that it works.

731
00:34:13,060 --> 00:34:16,340
You might not be naturally
gifted in the gift of administration,

732
00:34:16,660 --> 00:34:19,300
but there might be a time in
your life where you need to lead

733
00:34:19,940 --> 00:34:25,180
and you need to get a place
where you are growing in your understanding

734
00:34:25,180 --> 00:34:29,710
of God and His example so that
you can clearly lay out in an efficient

735
00:34:29,710 --> 00:34:31,830
and effective manner for
someone that you're leading.

736
00:34:32,790 --> 00:34:35,750
I think a good example of that
would be that every single person

737
00:34:36,230 --> 00:34:40,230
in this room should be leading
someone within their home.

738
00:34:40,950 --> 00:34:44,870
So let's say example dads, you
say, well, I'm not gifted in administration.

739
00:34:45,750 --> 00:34:48,910
I understand that, but you
should be leading your children to

740
00:34:48,910 --> 00:34:51,350
understand Christ in a clear
and effective way.

741
00:34:52,070 --> 00:34:54,360
You might have a ministry
within the church, and you say, pastor,

742
00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:57,160
just give me the list of, of
things that I need to do, and then

743
00:34:57,160 --> 00:34:57,760
I'll do them.

744
00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:01,200
I understand that we need
followers within the church, but

745
00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:04,840
at the same time, there is a
level of leadership that needs to

746
00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:08,320
happen within the church,
program within ministry.

747
00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:11,440
And so the way that I think
about it is this.

748
00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:13,840
A good leader is a good follower.

749
00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:16,960
A good leader is a good
follower of the right person.

750
00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:20,400
And in this case, a good
Christian leader is a good follower

751
00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:20,960
of Christ.

752
00:35:21,830 --> 00:35:24,790
And so the main thought would
be this the gift of administration

753
00:35:24,870 --> 00:35:26,550
is not about controlling people.

754
00:35:27,750 --> 00:35:31,110
The gift of administration is
more about coordinating God's people

755
00:35:31,430 --> 00:35:33,830
to accomplish God's purposes.

756
00:35:34,470 --> 00:35:36,150
Some of you are gifted in this way.

757
00:35:37,189 --> 00:35:41,510
Exercise that gift with
leadership, with grace and mercy,

758
00:35:41,750 --> 00:35:44,990
and helping other people
accomplish what God has called them

759
00:35:44,990 --> 00:35:45,390
to do.

760
00:35:45,390 --> 00:35:46,710
Don't be a stumbling block.

761
00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:50,680
I've been part of certain
systems in which the leadership was

762
00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:51,840
a stumbling block to the people.

763
00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:54,400
They didn't have the freedom
to worship, they didn't have the

764
00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:56,560
freedom to teach, they didn't
have the freedom to lead in the way

765
00:35:56,560 --> 00:35:57,840
that God had called them to lead.

766
00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:01,720
What if I told you all I'm
gifted in teaching and I'm also an

767
00:36:01,720 --> 00:36:04,520
administrator and all of you
need to teach the exact same way

768
00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:04,960
as me.

769
00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:08,440
So you need to study the same
books as me, you need to have the

770
00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:12,480
same style as me, you need to
have the same time frame as me, you

771
00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:14,480
need to have the same follow
up questions as me.

772
00:36:14,910 --> 00:36:17,550
The problem with that is that
many of you might be gifted in the

773
00:36:17,550 --> 00:36:20,190
gift of teaching, but gifted
in another manner in which you're

774
00:36:20,190 --> 00:36:21,470
teaching with visuals.

775
00:36:21,470 --> 00:36:23,470
Are you teaching in a shorter
amount of time?

776
00:36:23,470 --> 00:36:24,990
You're teaching with different questions.

777
00:36:25,150 --> 00:36:28,190
And so for me to
administratively put someone into

778
00:36:28,190 --> 00:36:31,230
a box and say, no, you know
what, it has to be my way or no other

779
00:36:31,230 --> 00:36:35,350
way, that's limiting the work
of the gospel that can happen within

780
00:36:35,350 --> 00:36:35,950
the church.

781
00:36:36,830 --> 00:36:39,790
Now we need to have a standard
of truth in the word of God.

782
00:36:39,790 --> 00:36:41,790
But if someone's in the
standard of truth in the word of

783
00:36:41,790 --> 00:36:43,980
God and they teach
differently, maybe they teach with

784
00:36:43,980 --> 00:36:47,060
a discussion time, or maybe
they teach through a video, or maybe

785
00:36:47,060 --> 00:36:50,220
they teach through going
through a book study, whatever it

786
00:36:50,220 --> 00:36:54,340
might be, hey, if the truth of
God is being elevated and celebrated

787
00:36:54,420 --> 00:36:58,580
and applied in every
classroom, then I would say, hey,

788
00:36:58,580 --> 00:36:59,420
we're doing a great thing.

789
00:36:59,420 --> 00:37:00,660
It doesn't have to be the same way.

790
00:37:00,900 --> 00:37:03,380
And that's what administrative
leadership looks like.

791
00:37:03,780 --> 00:37:06,500
It's like this, hey, if God
has called you to do this, I want

792
00:37:06,500 --> 00:37:10,280
to celebrate that, I want to
encourage you, I want to strengthen

793
00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:10,880
you in that.

794
00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:12,800
And so within the church,
guess what?

795
00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:15,680
No one is going to be the
exact same.

796
00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:20,880
Therefore, everyone has a
different way of ministry.

797
00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:25,399
And what we have to understand
is that just because someone is ministering

798
00:37:25,399 --> 00:37:27,960
or serving in a different way,
like maybe I wouldn't do it that

799
00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:28,240
way.

800
00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:31,360
At the same time, if it's
effective for the cause of the gospel,

801
00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:34,760
if it's effective in following
the word of God, we need to celebrate

802
00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:38,090
them and encourage them and
equip Them to do the work that they're

803
00:37:38,090 --> 00:37:39,690
called to do in the power of God.

804
00:37:39,690 --> 00:37:44,890
So Acts chapter six is a great
example of how there was a problem,

805
00:37:44,890 --> 00:37:46,890
and there always will be
problems within the church.

806
00:37:47,530 --> 00:37:50,570
But there was a biblical way
to deal with that problem within

807
00:37:50,570 --> 00:37:51,130
the church.

808
00:37:51,450 --> 00:37:57,610
And it was to come up with a
prayerful spirit led plan to address

809
00:37:57,770 --> 00:38:02,420
the problem at hand, to
identify the right people in the

810
00:38:02,420 --> 00:38:05,620
right way, with the Lord's
guidance, and then enacting that

811
00:38:05,620 --> 00:38:07,540
plan with prayer and unity.

812
00:38:07,780 --> 00:38:08,700
And what happened?

813
00:38:08,700 --> 00:38:10,580
The result was that there's multiplication.

814
00:38:11,620 --> 00:38:14,020
Folks, I want Middletown
Baptist Church to multiply.

815
00:38:14,260 --> 00:38:16,980
But for us to multiply, we
have to be healthy.

816
00:38:17,300 --> 00:38:19,620
For us to be healthy, we have
to be exercising.

817
00:38:19,940 --> 00:38:23,100
For us to be exercising, we
have to be following what God has

818
00:38:23,100 --> 00:38:24,420
called us to do within the church.

819
00:38:26,420 --> 00:38:29,340
There is a model out there
that says, well, you know, everything

820
00:38:29,340 --> 00:38:30,700
rides and dies with leadership.

821
00:38:30,700 --> 00:38:32,740
And I understand that model, I
understand that.

822
00:38:33,590 --> 00:38:35,990
But what I would say is, who
are we looking to for leadership?

823
00:38:37,430 --> 00:38:42,710
If we keep our eyes fixed on a
person, a person will fail us.

824
00:38:42,950 --> 00:38:47,430
If you wrap all of your faith
up into one pastor or one program

825
00:38:47,830 --> 00:38:49,510
or one movement, guess what?

826
00:38:49,510 --> 00:38:53,150
When that program or that
pastor stumbles or fails or turns

827
00:38:53,150 --> 00:38:56,470
away from the truth, that can
shatter our whole foundation.

828
00:38:56,710 --> 00:39:00,150
But if our foundation is based
in Jesus Christ, and we look to good

829
00:39:00,150 --> 00:39:03,570
leaders as guides, but
ultimately the greatest leader, the

830
00:39:03,570 --> 00:39:06,370
greatest guide is our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, then we're

831
00:39:06,370 --> 00:39:07,210
never going to fail.

832
00:39:07,210 --> 00:39:09,450
Because our eyes are fixed on
one that will never fail.

833
00:39:09,530 --> 00:39:11,330
He is the perfect object of faith.

834
00:39:11,330 --> 00:39:15,610
And if we put our faith in
him, in every situation, in every

835
00:39:15,610 --> 00:39:17,370
way, he will sustain us.

836
00:39:17,450 --> 00:39:20,450
He will give us the
sufficiency that we can only find

837
00:39:20,450 --> 00:39:20,890
in Him.

838
00:39:20,890 --> 00:39:24,210
And so in Acts chapter six, I
see a group of men who could have

839
00:39:24,210 --> 00:39:27,170
acted many different ways, but
they acted in such a way that they

840
00:39:27,170 --> 00:39:31,520
submitted themselves to the
Lord, found his path, delineated

841
00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:35,600
and delegated that path out to
the church there in Jerusalem, and

842
00:39:35,600 --> 00:39:37,880
they were able to see success
and multiplication.

843
00:39:39,640 --> 00:39:43,760
My prayer is that the legacy
of Middletown Baptist Church is not

844
00:39:43,760 --> 00:39:44,680
found in one man.

845
00:39:45,640 --> 00:39:48,680
Okay, so my prayer is that I'm
here for 50 more years.

846
00:39:49,320 --> 00:39:51,560
But even after those 50 years,
guess what?

847
00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:54,040
I'm going to be forgotten just
like everybody else.

848
00:39:55,250 --> 00:39:57,570
So the point is, is that we
want people to look to Jesus.

849
00:39:58,130 --> 00:40:01,450
We want people to see what
Jesus is doing in our church, what

850
00:40:01,450 --> 00:40:02,930
Jesus is doing in our community.

851
00:40:03,570 --> 00:40:06,610
The focus should always be on
him and what his plan is.

852
00:40:06,930 --> 00:40:09,850
And the way that we measure a
good leader is how much they're aligned

853
00:40:09,850 --> 00:40:13,810
with the Lord and not with
their own purpose or their own plan.

854
00:40:14,450 --> 00:40:18,410
And so within the church, we
must identify leaders and celebrate

855
00:40:18,410 --> 00:40:22,690
those leaders, but at the same
time point out that the Jesus Christ

856
00:40:22,690 --> 00:40:26,210
that we serve and that we
worship and that we read about and

857
00:40:26,210 --> 00:40:29,850
that we are all about within
our ministry must be our ultimate

858
00:40:29,850 --> 00:40:33,050
guide and our ultimate
administrator within the church.

859
00:40:33,610 --> 00:40:37,810
So I'm thankful for a church
that desires to be decent and in

860
00:40:37,810 --> 00:40:38,090
order.

861
00:40:38,570 --> 00:40:41,210
But I'm also thankful for a
church who is going to look to Jesus

862
00:40:41,210 --> 00:40:45,450
Christ for our hope, for our
guidance, for our sustainability.

863
00:40:46,740 --> 00:40:52,020
I don't know about you, but I
have done some research and statistically

864
00:40:52,100 --> 00:40:56,180
speaking, the American church
is declining.

865
00:40:56,580 --> 00:40:58,740
There's churches that are
closing daily.

866
00:41:00,420 --> 00:41:02,139
I don't know if this statistic
is true.

867
00:41:02,139 --> 00:41:04,700
You could fact check me on
this, but I'm going to say it anyway

868
00:41:04,700 --> 00:41:05,300
because it makes.

869
00:41:06,180 --> 00:41:06,980
It's a good point.

870
00:41:08,980 --> 00:41:14,670
I heard that there's more
openings for pastors at churches

871
00:41:14,670 --> 00:41:18,590
than actually people that are
looking to fill the roles.

872
00:41:18,670 --> 00:41:19,230
I just.

873
00:41:19,310 --> 00:41:22,790
Down at camp, there was a
church that was talking to his pastor

874
00:41:22,790 --> 00:41:24,990
or the, the deacon there, and
he said that we've been looking for

875
00:41:24,990 --> 00:41:26,670
a pastor for three years and
no one will come.

876
00:41:26,910 --> 00:41:29,230
You know, we don't have anyone
that will be willing to step up.

877
00:41:30,190 --> 00:41:31,230
You say, what does that mean?

878
00:41:31,230 --> 00:41:34,590
Well, it just means this, that
we don't need to take for granted

879
00:41:34,590 --> 00:41:37,390
that what we have here is
going to last forever.

880
00:41:37,980 --> 00:41:39,300
What we have to do is we have
to say no.

881
00:41:39,300 --> 00:41:41,100
We have to be busy about the
work of the Lord.

882
00:41:41,340 --> 00:41:42,300
We have to be thankful.

883
00:41:42,300 --> 00:41:46,020
We have to be walking in
fellowship with God so that we can

884
00:41:46,020 --> 00:41:48,820
multiply, so that we can start
more churches, so that we can train

885
00:41:48,820 --> 00:41:51,180
up a next generation to preach
the gospel message.

886
00:41:51,820 --> 00:41:52,940
I was with.

887
00:41:53,980 --> 00:41:54,780
Was it 14?

888
00:41:55,100 --> 00:41:56,940
We had 14 teens this week go
to camp.

889
00:41:57,340 --> 00:41:58,740
14 teens, two juniors.

890
00:41:58,740 --> 00:42:00,260
There was hundreds of other
kids there.

891
00:42:00,260 --> 00:42:04,390
And I saw many children worshiping.

892
00:42:04,550 --> 00:42:05,750
It was at the end of the.

893
00:42:06,310 --> 00:42:06,990
At the end of the.

894
00:42:06,990 --> 00:42:08,790
I stayed in the junior camp
most of the time.

895
00:42:09,110 --> 00:42:12,030
At the end of junior camp,
they had this song, they had this

896
00:42:12,030 --> 00:42:14,830
theme song that they sang all
week about praising the Lord.

897
00:42:14,830 --> 00:42:17,710
For the God of the beginning
is the same God that they're worshiping

898
00:42:17,710 --> 00:42:17,990
today.

899
00:42:18,070 --> 00:42:18,950
And then all of the.

900
00:42:18,950 --> 00:42:20,390
They said, all the adults stop.

901
00:42:20,470 --> 00:42:21,390
No adults sing.

902
00:42:21,390 --> 00:42:23,190
We want the kids to sing this
last verse.

903
00:42:24,070 --> 00:42:29,360
And it brought tears to my
eyes to hear, probably, I don't know,

904
00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:33,760
200 fourth through sixth
graders just singing about their

905
00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:34,240
Savior.

906
00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:35,600
And I was like, if.

907
00:42:35,600 --> 00:42:38,400
I wish all of you could just
Be transported to that moment.

908
00:42:38,480 --> 00:42:40,720
Because if you're ever tempted
to think that their kids are not

909
00:42:40,720 --> 00:42:44,000
loving Jesus and seeing the
truth of Jesus Christ, it was there

910
00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:45,280
in that moment.

911
00:42:45,600 --> 00:42:47,400
Folks, there's hope for the
next generation.

912
00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:51,160
But if we're not diligent
about leading and administrating

913
00:42:51,160 --> 00:42:54,410
the truth of God to the next
generation, we're going to miss the

914
00:42:54,410 --> 00:42:57,210
chance to see the torch pass
to the next generation.

915
00:42:58,730 --> 00:43:03,330
So live your life that God has
blessed you with whatever gift that

916
00:43:03,330 --> 00:43:03,770
might be.

917
00:43:04,170 --> 00:43:08,010
But understand that we need to
point children, we need to point

918
00:43:08,090 --> 00:43:11,770
teenagers, we need to point
new Christians to the truth of who

919
00:43:11,770 --> 00:43:12,890
Jesus is not about.

920
00:43:12,890 --> 00:43:13,850
Hey, you know what?

921
00:43:13,850 --> 00:43:15,530
Here's a list of rules that
you have to follow.

922
00:43:15,690 --> 00:43:18,730
No, it's about loving Jesus
and following him.

923
00:43:18,730 --> 00:43:20,570
What does Jesus say is the
greatest commandment?

924
00:43:21,190 --> 00:43:25,230
To love him with all of who
you are, heart, soul, mind and strength.

925
00:43:25,230 --> 00:43:26,710
And to love your neighbor as yourself.

926
00:43:27,190 --> 00:43:29,110
That is the Christian walk.

927
00:43:29,110 --> 00:43:30,950
You might say, well, that's
dangerous, Pastor.

928
00:43:30,950 --> 00:43:33,150
Don't preach that, because
that means people will just do what

929
00:43:33,150 --> 00:43:33,830
they want to do.

930
00:43:33,990 --> 00:43:35,910
The Holy Spirit will change
their heart.

931
00:43:36,310 --> 00:43:37,510
I can't change your heart.

932
00:43:37,910 --> 00:43:40,710
I've been around teens long
enough to know I can put all the

933
00:43:40,710 --> 00:43:41,310
rules out there.

934
00:43:41,310 --> 00:43:44,150
But as soon as I turn my back
from them, they're going to do what

935
00:43:44,150 --> 00:43:44,870
they want to do, right?

936
00:43:45,030 --> 00:43:46,710
It's Jesus who changes their heart.

937
00:43:47,190 --> 00:43:48,630
And by the way, that's not
just with teenagers.

938
00:43:48,630 --> 00:43:49,590
That's with adults, too.

939
00:43:50,870 --> 00:43:54,710
The truth is, is that I want
to introduce you.

940
00:43:54,950 --> 00:43:56,630
I want to introduce Middletown.

941
00:43:56,630 --> 00:43:58,030
I want to introduce Delaware.

942
00:43:58,030 --> 00:44:02,110
I want to introduce the world
to the joy and the satisfaction of

943
00:44:02,110 --> 00:44:05,870
having a walk with Jesus
Christ, knowing that he can change

944
00:44:05,870 --> 00:44:09,470
our desires, knowing that he
can change our addictions, knowing

945
00:44:09,470 --> 00:44:12,470
that he can change our heart
and take it from a heart of stone

946
00:44:12,470 --> 00:44:13,910
and move it to a heart of flesh.

947
00:44:14,640 --> 00:44:16,160
That's what we have to get
excited about.

948
00:44:17,200 --> 00:44:19,720
I want to build new buildings
here at Middletown Baptist Church.

949
00:44:19,720 --> 00:44:21,120
I like to start new ministries.

950
00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:23,360
I like to see people coming
into the building.

951
00:44:23,440 --> 00:44:27,840
But if we do all those things
outside of the purpose of leading

952
00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:29,840
people to Jesus, then we're
missing the mark.

953
00:44:30,640 --> 00:44:31,840
What is spiritual growth?

954
00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:35,240
Well, spiritual growth is
reading my Bible, praying, and going

955
00:44:35,240 --> 00:44:35,760
to church.

956
00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:40,280
Well, we all know that you can
read your Bible, pray and go to church

957
00:44:40,280 --> 00:44:41,040
and never grow.

958
00:44:42,150 --> 00:44:43,110
What is spiritual growth?

959
00:44:43,110 --> 00:44:44,550
It's being more and more like Christ.

960
00:44:45,190 --> 00:44:47,150
If you're more like Christ,
you're going to love to read your

961
00:44:47,150 --> 00:44:47,510
word.

962
00:44:48,310 --> 00:44:50,750
If you're loving Christ more
every day, you're going to love to

963
00:44:50,750 --> 00:44:51,430
pray to him.

964
00:44:52,310 --> 00:44:55,030
If you love Christ more each
and every day, you're going to love

965
00:44:55,030 --> 00:44:55,830
getting to church.

966
00:44:56,070 --> 00:44:57,309
Church isn't going to be a chore.

967
00:44:57,309 --> 00:44:59,510
It's going to be what you're
excited for every single time.

968
00:44:59,590 --> 00:45:01,350
I'm excited to be around the church.

969
00:45:01,430 --> 00:45:03,990
I'm excited to be around my
brothers and sisters in Christ.

970
00:45:04,150 --> 00:45:05,990
I look for every opportunity
to get here.

971
00:45:05,990 --> 00:45:07,150
Sometimes I think I live here.

972
00:45:07,150 --> 00:45:08,230
I think that's a good thing.

973
00:45:08,390 --> 00:45:11,110
Maybe one day I will just live
on the property so I can just stay

974
00:45:11,110 --> 00:45:11,670
around it.

975
00:45:11,750 --> 00:45:13,110
But the idea would be this.

976
00:45:13,590 --> 00:45:17,950
If we want to see true change,
it's not about sitting here and controlling

977
00:45:17,950 --> 00:45:20,510
people and leading people and
going, well, you got to be this way.

978
00:45:20,510 --> 00:45:21,630
You got to be this way.

979
00:45:21,630 --> 00:45:23,950
You better read your Bible,
you better pray, you better go to

980
00:45:23,950 --> 00:45:24,310
church.

981
00:45:24,550 --> 00:45:26,550
Those are all symptoms.

982
00:45:27,350 --> 00:45:30,430
Those are all things that
might happen if we're loving the

983
00:45:30,430 --> 00:45:32,710
Lord, and it will help us grow
in the Lord.

984
00:45:32,960 --> 00:45:36,200
But at the end of the day,
what changes us is the Holy Spirit

985
00:45:36,200 --> 00:45:37,360
changing our hearts.

986
00:45:39,360 --> 00:45:43,880
And I pray that we never get
to a place within our midst, that

987
00:45:43,880 --> 00:45:46,000
we just think that going
through the motions is enough.

988
00:45:47,440 --> 00:45:52,320
The church is not a social
club with a Christian theme.

989
00:45:53,120 --> 00:45:55,200
Sometimes that's how we see it
in America.

990
00:45:55,360 --> 00:45:57,320
We come together and we've got
a Christian theme.

991
00:45:57,320 --> 00:45:59,610
And now we can just have fun.

992
00:46:00,410 --> 00:46:01,770
And I like having fun.

993
00:46:01,850 --> 00:46:04,410
I was at camp for this last weekend.

994
00:46:04,410 --> 00:46:05,090
I had too much fun.

995
00:46:05,090 --> 00:46:06,410
I'm too tired, okay?

996
00:46:06,410 --> 00:46:07,370
I hurt my back.

997
00:46:07,370 --> 00:46:10,170
And I realize I'm getting
older and older and I can't do the

998
00:46:10,170 --> 00:46:10,890
things I used to do.

999
00:46:12,410 --> 00:46:16,650
But our goal, our priority,
must be disciples.

1000
00:46:17,290 --> 00:46:21,450
Administratively speaking,
it's disciples fellowshipping disciples.

1001
00:46:22,890 --> 00:46:27,400
Any ministry must be, let's
all become healthy disciples so that

1002
00:46:27,400 --> 00:46:29,520
we can see more disciples come
to Jesus Christ.

1003
00:46:29,920 --> 00:46:30,800
So you might say, I'm not.

1004
00:46:30,800 --> 00:46:31,520
I'm not a leader.

1005
00:46:31,760 --> 00:46:33,120
I'm not an administrator.

1006
00:46:33,120 --> 00:46:34,800
That's not the way that God's
gifted me.

1007
00:46:34,960 --> 00:46:38,560
I understand that not
everyone's gifted in all of these

1008
00:46:38,560 --> 00:46:39,040
gifts.

1009
00:46:39,440 --> 00:46:40,799
But what we can say is this.

1010
00:46:40,799 --> 00:46:46,200
God has given me a framework,
and that framework is number one.

1011
00:46:46,200 --> 00:46:47,600
To submit myself under him.

1012
00:46:47,920 --> 00:46:51,690
And if he calls me to be the
leader, lead people to him so that

1013
00:46:51,690 --> 00:46:53,010
they can lead people to him.

1014
00:46:53,170 --> 00:46:54,930
And that's true biblical administration.

1015
00:46:54,930 --> 00:46:57,730
To lead with diligence, to not
frustrate people.

1016
00:46:59,250 --> 00:47:02,130
You know, there's a lot of
things that I have preferences in,

1017
00:47:02,850 --> 00:47:04,330
and I'm going too long, but I just.

1018
00:47:04,330 --> 00:47:05,170
I got to get this out.

1019
00:47:05,170 --> 00:47:09,610
There's a lot of things that I
prefer, but if I put my Preferences

1020
00:47:09,610 --> 00:47:13,410
as the stumbling block in the
way of people who might need to grow

1021
00:47:13,410 --> 00:47:14,090
in the Lord.

1022
00:47:14,090 --> 00:47:15,970
I'm limiting their spiritual growth.

1023
00:47:15,970 --> 00:47:18,830
Now there's a time and a place
for me to teach and to disciple,

1024
00:47:18,830 --> 00:47:21,350
but there's a time and a place
for me to open that door and say

1025
00:47:21,350 --> 00:47:24,190
they need Jesus more than they
need what my preferences are.

1026
00:47:25,310 --> 00:47:27,830
And so what I would encourage
you to do is think about it from

1027
00:47:27,830 --> 00:47:31,030
the framework that every
single person is in desperate need

1028
00:47:31,030 --> 00:47:32,030
of Jesus Christ.

1029
00:47:32,269 --> 00:47:33,630
We want to get them there.

1030
00:47:33,710 --> 00:47:37,390
And once we get them to the
faith in Jesus Christ, then we lead

1031
00:47:37,390 --> 00:47:39,950
them and guide them into the
steps of spiritual growth.

1032
00:47:40,270 --> 00:47:42,270
I'm not saying those things
don't matter.

1033
00:47:43,390 --> 00:47:47,550
I'm not saying that the next
steps are unimportant because those

1034
00:47:47,550 --> 00:47:48,590
are so vital.

1035
00:47:48,830 --> 00:47:51,430
Because the next step of this
administrative process is not just

1036
00:47:51,430 --> 00:47:54,870
to have people get saved and
say, oh, you're saved, you just got

1037
00:47:54,870 --> 00:47:55,350
saved today.

1038
00:47:55,350 --> 00:47:57,950
All right, now you go need to
lead this ministry over here.

1039
00:47:58,429 --> 00:48:01,270
Make sure that you're coming
to church six times a week, make

1040
00:48:01,270 --> 00:48:03,830
sure you're dressed this way,
you talk this way, you act this way.

1041
00:48:03,830 --> 00:48:07,590
And they have no idea why
anyone's doing anything because now

1042
00:48:07,590 --> 00:48:10,430
we have a baby in Christ and a
baby needs help.

1043
00:48:10,910 --> 00:48:11,350
Okay?

1044
00:48:11,350 --> 00:48:14,870
My, my son's 2 and I still
think he's a baby because it's hard

1045
00:48:14,870 --> 00:48:17,830
for me to understand that he's
not a baby anymore.

1046
00:48:17,830 --> 00:48:21,030
But he's growing up and he's
running around, but he still is in

1047
00:48:21,030 --> 00:48:23,070
desperate need of someone to
take care of him.

1048
00:48:23,550 --> 00:48:26,790
We have some two year old
Christians that are running around

1049
00:48:26,790 --> 00:48:31,510
the church, figuratively
speaking, that need guidance and

1050
00:48:31,510 --> 00:48:33,510
we look at a two year old
Christian and we, and I'm saying

1051
00:48:33,510 --> 00:48:35,150
a two year old Christian
because you understand, it's like

1052
00:48:35,150 --> 00:48:35,950
the terrible twos.

1053
00:48:36,250 --> 00:48:39,130
That's a difficult time when
we look at a Christian, we say, yeah,

1054
00:48:39,130 --> 00:48:40,410
why are they acting that way?

1055
00:48:40,730 --> 00:48:42,250
They should know better than that.

1056
00:48:42,490 --> 00:48:44,610
They should be this way, they
should be that way.

1057
00:48:44,610 --> 00:48:45,530
Shouldn't they know.

1058
00:48:45,530 --> 00:48:48,090
You know what, let's never
assume that a two year old knows

1059
00:48:48,090 --> 00:48:48,890
what they should be doing.

1060
00:48:49,530 --> 00:48:52,289
I look at my, we're at the
wilds and if you've ever been to

1061
00:48:52,289 --> 00:48:56,650
the wilds, there's cliffs and
there's stairs and there's all different

1062
00:48:56,650 --> 00:48:58,810
ways that a 2 year old can get
into a lot of problems.

1063
00:48:58,810 --> 00:48:59,330
Okay?

1064
00:48:59,330 --> 00:49:02,280
And we had our two year old
this week there and, and he loved

1065
00:49:02,280 --> 00:49:05,440
to run around and I would say,
okay, I wasn't worried about my,

1066
00:49:05,440 --> 00:49:07,120
I, my, I had 11 year old there too.

1067
00:49:07,120 --> 00:49:08,960
I wasn't worried about my 11
year old running off the side of

1068
00:49:08,960 --> 00:49:10,720
a cliff, even though maybe I
should have been because they were

1069
00:49:10,720 --> 00:49:12,560
jumping off these things into
the water.

1070
00:49:13,280 --> 00:49:15,520
But I was worried about my 2
year old running, jumping off that

1071
00:49:15,520 --> 00:49:15,920
cliff.

1072
00:49:16,000 --> 00:49:18,760
So I needed to protect that 2
year old a lot more than my 11 year

1073
00:49:18,760 --> 00:49:20,720
old who was off and I didn't
watch him every second.

1074
00:49:21,360 --> 00:49:23,120
It's the same thing within the
Christian walk.

1075
00:49:23,280 --> 00:49:25,440
There's Christians that are
mature and we can say, okay, they're

1076
00:49:25,440 --> 00:49:27,720
good, they can start leading,
but there's others that we have to

1077
00:49:27,720 --> 00:49:31,100
say, no, we need to have a
little bit tighter control, not control

1078
00:49:31,100 --> 00:49:33,300
in the concept of you do this,
this and this.

1079
00:49:33,300 --> 00:49:36,500
But hey, this is how we're
supposed to walk as Christians.

1080
00:49:36,900 --> 00:49:39,940
We're not supposed to act this
way, we're not supposed to do this,

1081
00:49:39,940 --> 00:49:42,580
we're not supposed to think
this way, we're not supposed to turn

1082
00:49:42,580 --> 00:49:43,740
to this thing in this world.

1083
00:49:43,740 --> 00:49:46,660
And so, in so doing, we're
able to lead and administrate with

1084
00:49:46,660 --> 00:49:49,620
diligence effectively for the
cause of the gospel.

1085
00:49:49,780 --> 00:49:53,900
And instead of being
frustrated in the ministry, we're

1086
00:49:53,900 --> 00:49:58,110
empowered and excited to see
people grow at the proper rate.

1087
00:49:58,110 --> 00:49:59,790
And that's healthy discipleship.

1088
00:50:00,030 --> 00:50:01,230
And so that's administration.

1089
00:50:01,310 --> 00:50:04,230
We're going to come back next
week and we're going to look at the

1090
00:50:04,230 --> 00:50:06,590
very last gift listed in
Romans chapter 12.

1091
00:50:06,590 --> 00:50:08,950
And that's the gift of mercy
or compassion.

1092
00:50:08,950 --> 00:50:11,630
And we'll talk more about that
when we come back next week.

1093
00:50:12,030 --> 00:50:13,830
So we're going to go ahead and
conclude the service now.

1094
00:50:13,830 --> 00:50:15,830
But if you're able to stand
with me, every head bowed, every

1095
00:50:15,830 --> 00:50:17,990
head closed as the music
plays, we're going to have a time

1096
00:50:17,990 --> 00:50:19,830
of responding to the word of
God here.

1097
00:50:19,830 --> 00:50:22,680
This morning we talked about
it a lot.

1098
00:50:23,160 --> 00:50:25,000
We've covered a lot of ground
here today.

1099
00:50:25,800 --> 00:50:28,200
And though you might be
overwhelmed with a lot of information,

1100
00:50:28,360 --> 00:50:32,640
I pray that one thing stuck
out to you as a spiritual truth that

1101
00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:34,280
you can apply to your life.

1102
00:50:34,280 --> 00:50:37,400
And so here in a few moments,
the music's going to play and we're

1103
00:50:37,400 --> 00:50:39,600
going to give you an
opportunity to respond to the preaching

1104
00:50:39,600 --> 00:50:40,560
of the Word of God here.

1105
00:50:40,560 --> 00:50:43,920
This morning, we've talked
about many of these gifts, but today

1106
00:50:43,920 --> 00:50:45,800
particularly, we've talked
about the gift of administration.

1107
00:50:47,410 --> 00:50:49,770
Is the gift of administration
something that you've been gifted

1108
00:50:49,770 --> 00:50:50,050
in?

1109
00:50:51,010 --> 00:50:57,010
If so, are you utilizing it in
the spirit or the flesh?

1110
00:50:58,370 --> 00:51:01,330
If you've been utilizing it in
the flesh, turn it over to the Lord,

1111
00:51:01,650 --> 00:51:06,650
submit to him, be a good
follower as you lead others Maybe

1112
00:51:06,650 --> 00:51:09,810
you haven't been gifted with
the gift of administration, but you

1113
00:51:09,890 --> 00:51:12,610
certainly have opportunities
to lead in your own life.

1114
00:51:13,500 --> 00:51:15,540
Come this morning, turn it
over to the Lord.

1115
00:51:15,540 --> 00:51:19,500
Give your family, give your
job, give your home life over to

1116
00:51:19,500 --> 00:51:21,820
the Lord as you lead at
different capacities.

1117
00:51:23,980 --> 00:51:27,540
Ultimately, though, I think we
all need to submit ourselves to the

1118
00:51:27,540 --> 00:51:30,220
authority and the leadership
of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

1119
00:51:31,340 --> 00:51:35,380
Maybe today is just a reminder
for you to know that Jesus gave Himself

1120
00:51:35,380 --> 00:51:39,710
for you and then he calls you
and guides you and directs you to

1121
00:51:39,710 --> 00:51:40,710
a place of service.

1122
00:51:41,670 --> 00:51:43,630
Maybe you've lost your
thankfulness here today.

1123
00:51:43,630 --> 00:51:44,950
Maybe you've lost your joy.

1124
00:51:45,110 --> 00:51:48,630
Maybe you've lost your
effectiveness in the ministry today.

1125
00:51:48,630 --> 00:51:52,550
Come to the Lord and ask him
to give you that joy and that peace

1126
00:51:52,550 --> 00:51:55,430
and that strength to serve
with power.

1127
00:51:55,670 --> 00:51:57,990
Not your own power, but the
power of God.

1128
00:51:58,550 --> 00:52:00,990
If you need Jesus Christ as
your Savior here today, we've got

1129
00:52:00,990 --> 00:52:02,710
some folks standing up here
and we can show you in the word of

1130
00:52:02,710 --> 00:52:05,390
God what it means to know
Jesus and have a relationship with

1131
00:52:05,390 --> 00:52:05,670
him.

1132
00:52:06,210 --> 00:52:08,090
Lord, I pray that you be in
this time of invitation, working

1133
00:52:08,090 --> 00:52:08,610
hearts and lives.

1134
00:52:08,610 --> 00:52:10,530
We thank you for your love and
your grace.

1135
00:52:10,530 --> 00:52:14,250
We ask that you work in the
folks that have come already and

1136
00:52:14,250 --> 00:52:15,090
those that are coming.

1137
00:52:15,250 --> 00:52:18,090
Lord, we're just thankful for
the work that only your Holy Spirit

1138
00:52:18,090 --> 00:52:18,450
can do.

1139
00:52:18,450 --> 00:52:19,730
We ask those things in Jesus name.

1140
00:52:19,730 --> 00:52:20,080
Amen.