A Pastoral Anniversary Celebration

ANNIVERSARY Sermon for Pastor_______ April 2001.

PRAYER . . . MAY THE WORDS OF GOD AND HIS MESSAGES SPOKEN THIS HOUR BE BOTH A WORD OF COMFORT AND CHALLENGE

WE PRAY THAT IT WILL CHALLENGE THOSE WHO ARE COMFORTABLE

AND COMFORT ALL THOSE WHO ARE BEING CHALLENGED THIS DAY.

There has been much teaching on the role of the pastor and his relationship to those God has placed in the local CHURCH under his authority.

Throughout the Bible, God’s people are referred to as "sheep" (Psalm 79:13, 100:3) and sheep have need of a shepherd to both feed and tend to their needs.

Both the Hebrew and Greek, translation OF "shepherd," CAN also BE translated "pastors."

AND SCRIPTURE SAYS pastors or shepherds were given to the Church as a gift. (Ephesians 4:11)

SCRIPTURE DEFINES THE DUTIES OF THE shepherd/PASTOR Feed the flock Strengthen the diseased Heal the sick Bind up the broken Bring back those who were driven away AND Seek for the lost

AND SCRIPTURE IDENTIFIES THE ROLE OF THE SHEEP UNDER THE CARE OF THE SHEPHERD/PASTOR.

SOME "MUSTS" for sheep Must know the voice of the shepherd. Must follow the shepherd Must eat what the shepherd feeds Must heed the warnings of the shepherd.

THE SHEPHERD CAN ONLY LEAD IF THE SHEEP FOLLOW.

NEXT we ALSO affirm that the role of the Pastor/shepherd is ordained not by man but by God.

This office is established by God WITH the business of the church to fulfill the Great Commission THROUGH PASTOR/SHEPHERD servant leadership.

When God wanted His people delivered from an oppressive pharaoh, He used a Servant/leader named Moses.

When he needed Jerusalem’s wall rebuilt, He used a Servant/leader named Nehemiah.

When He wanted His people to experience a golden era, He used a Servant/leader named David.

When He wanted to build a temple, He used a Servant/leader Solomon.

When he needed a statesman-prophet, He used a Servant/leader named Isaiah.

And when He needed a fearless church planter, He used a Servant/leader named Paul.

Throughout history, whenever God has needed someone to initiate, organize, and carry out an important project, He has called upon Servant/ leaders.

NEXT, I WANT TO CLARIFY A COMMON PHRASE THESE DAYS THAT I OFTEN HEAR THESES DAYS that most say that leaders are born not made.

True, IT MAY APPEAR THAT some are born with leadership ability CAESAR, NAPOLEON, ALEXANDER THE GREAT . . .

But I affirm that leaders are made not born - they are made through God’s teachings.

They are made through God’s appointment.

They are made through God’s CALLING AND COMMISSIONING.

They are made through God’s INDWELLING POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST.

FIRE BAPTIZED IN HOLY GHOST . . .

MANY CLAIM TO BE CALLED BUT FEW ARE COMMISSIONED/CHOSEN.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FIRST CALLING AND SECOND CALLING. THE FIRST CALL IS TO DISCIPLESHIP. THEN CALLS TO THE ORDAINED MINISTRY, THEN TO OFFICE OF BISHOP, APOSTLE PROPHET, BUT KNOW THIS, IT IS GOD WHO DOES THE CALLING.

IT IS ALL GODS WORK, IF THERE IS GIFT AT BIRTH IT IS OF GOD, IT IS NOT NATURALLY A GIFT THAT YOU CAN CLAIM. IT IS ALL OF GOD.

BUT IF CERTAIN PERSONS APPEAR TO BE RUTHLESS, IT IS BECAUSE THEY TOOK SOMETHING DIVINELY GIVEN, AND USED IT FOR THEIR OWN PURPOSE.

LIKE A CAESAR, NAPOLEON, ALEXANDER THE GREAT

THIS IS WHY WE THANK GOD WHO IS THE GIVER, HONOR THE GIVER, NOT THE GIFT.

SO MY TASK TODAY IS TO GIVE HONOR TO GOD AS WE ACKNOWLEDGE Pastor_________ FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVANT/LEADERSHIP IN RESPONSE TO HIS CALLING.

AND IN HIS honor I wish to lift up several images of servant/leadership of God in which to acknowledge their marks of character that a Pastor possess.

Firstly this afternoon I want to talk in Genesis 37 we read of a dreamer by the name of Joseph.

BEING A visionary IS NOT ALWAYS an easy time. Joseph felt the jealousy of others, in this case, his own brothers. Joseph was almost killed for the dream by them.

BUT Joseph did not lose sight of the dream despite the difficulties, remaining faithful to God and the dream. HARD TIMES WORK LIKE REFINER FIRE.

WE KNOW ALL OF THE TROUBLES JOSEPH ENCOUNTERED. AND YOU WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD HAVE CHANGED THE DREAMERS vision of the future. But it didn’t. .

A dream will provide you with a reason to go, a path to follow, and a target to hit. IT WAS ONCE SAID THAT, "If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up somewhere else

SO I PRAISE GOD FOR Pastor,________ FOR SEEKING AFTER HIS DREAMS. I KNOW THAT It takes hunger, tenacity and commitment to see a dream through to become a reality.

AND IF ANY ONE OF YOU TODAY. have not already discovered your dream, you hopefully realize how much you are missing?"