The NT Church is Primarily a place for God. It’s a place for God’s Word to be established. It’s a place for God’s Son to be exalted. It’s a place for God’s people to be equipped. It’s a place for God’s plan to be engaged.
I. The Foundation of God’s Church - The Worldview of our Faith is TRUTH. The Truth of God is found in His Word:
a. In the Spoken Word - Genesis 1; Matthew 4:4 (mouth of God); II Timothy 3:16
b. In the Written Word - Exodus 20 (finger of God); I Peter 1:16-21
c. In the Word Made Flesh - Jn 1:1,14
II. Two Worldviews - Truth & Lies
(As in Crete so in every place people gather corporately - You will either hear the Word of God or the word of man, I Thessalonians 2:13. There will be truth or tales. Why should truth be so important to us?
1. Satan seeks to destroy truth through deception and doubt - In John 8 he is called a liar and the father of lies.
a. The truth sets people free – John 8:32
b. The truth makes people holy - John 17:17
c. The truth leads people to Heaven - John 14:6
d. The truth fights off the Tempter and his temptations - Mt. 4:1-11
III. What a Pastor Must & Must not be -
(Looks can be deceiving - Most of you know who David is. Many of you know who Samuel is. Few know much of anything about Eliab - I Samuel 16:6-7. He was the oldest son. He was the obvious choice. But he wasn’t.
1. What a pastor must NOT be - 1:6-7
2. What a pastor MUST be - 1:8-9
3. A lover of strangers (hospitable) - “never met a stranger (philoxenos vs xenophobia); Luke 10:25-37; Romans 1:8-13; Galatians 6:9-10
4. A lover of good things - II Tim 4:6-8
5. A sensible man - Level-headed, Keeps a cool head - Acts 23:5
6. Just - upright; a stand-up guy
7. Devout - practice what you say you believe
8. Self-controlled -
