"Pass It On"

“Pass It On”

June 26, 2016

2 Timothy 2:2

“The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

I am a blessed man. God seems to just keep pouring His goodness out on me in so many ways. Last week it was Father’s Day and I felt so much love from my kids and grandkids and Julie. Julie’s Birthday was a couple of Saturdays ago and we had a barbecue for her and, again, there was just so much love. God just seems to keep pouring His blessings on us. I won’t go into how many ways – but my heart rejoices at His goodness. I will tell you one blessing was when my cousin, Dave, used his air miles to get me tickets to fly home to Minnesota in a couple of weeks. I’m going to stay for about 3 weeks and do some writing there – when I am not visiting. It’s been 3 years since my Mom died and since I have been to Minnesota, so I am looking forward to seeing my brothers and sisters and the hundreds of other relatives that live there. I miss them. God called me into an occupation where I had to leave family and friends to serve him – and I have been doing that for over forty years.

Jesus said, “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.” Mark 10:29-30

I had to leave my family decades ago – but God has given me another family! Really He gave me two more families. My wonderful wife, my kids and their families and my grandkids. We are very close. There is a lot of love in this family unit. I feel so blessed by my family.

But God has given me another family with many brother and sisters and spiritual children. It’s my Church family. And I feel such a closeness and love for, and from, each one. I am a blessed Pastor. I total understand and relate to John’s words in his third letter and Paul in his letter to the Philippians.

“Some of the brothers traveling by have made me very happy by telling me that your life stays clean and true and that you are living by the standards of the Gospel. I could have no greater joy than to hear such things about my children.’

3 John 1:3-4

“Dear brother Christians, I love you and long to see you, for you are my joy and my reward for my work. My beloved friends, stay true to the Lord.”

Philippians 4:1

I have no greater joy than to see you, my spiritual children, doing well. I watch on facebook as you minister to one another and share your faith. When a brother is stumbling and hurting another brother or sister lifts him up and ministers to them. That makes my heart happy. When you share a Scripture or Bible teaching – it makes me happy. I am so proud of you.

I have been getting ready for my trip to Minnesota this last week and have been getting speakers for the Sundays I will be gone. We have a fine group of men from our church who are going to share a message from God. For some, this is their very different from what they normally do, but I have every confidence in them. I know them to be men of God.

In our Scripture this morning the Bible instructs us: “The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:2

That is kind of what I am doing. As I have thought about this I believe there are three things these men and all of us, needs. First, they need to be a believer. You would think that would be a given – but I have heard many televangelist that I question their faith and their motives. See, if you are believer you will produce certain kinds of fruit. The first being obedience. The Bible says,

“If you love me, obey me” John 14:15

“The one who obeys me is the one who loves me; and because he loves me, my Father will love him; and I will too, and I will reveal myself to him.”

John 14:21

“Jesus replied, “Because I will only reveal myself to those who love me and obey me. The Father will love them too, and we will come to them and live with them. Anyone who doesn’t obey me doesn’t love me.” John 14:23-24