"Esteem Them Very Highly"
I Thessalonians 5:13
Any church to whom God has given a faithful pastor is blessed, honored,
and privileged beyond description! Few in this world have the privilege of
sitting under the ministry of a faithful man, who seeks the glory of God and
the welfare of their souls, a man who faithfully gives himself to the work of
the ministry, prayer, study and preaching, and faithfully preaches
the gospel of Christ to them. Those who are so blessed of God ought to
demonstrate their gratitude by giving that man their love, loyalty, obedience
and honor (I Thess. 5:12-13; I Tim. 5:17; Heb. 13:7, 17). Cherish that man who
is faithful to your soul, pray for him, take care of him and follow him.
I do not suggest that a
man deserves such honor and respect from a congregation simply because he holds
the title and office of pastor. Ordination papers do not confer upon men
respectability! Paul does not merely say, "Esteem them very highly in
love." He says, Esteem them very highly in love
for their works sake!" What is their work, which merits the highest esteem
of God's elect?
1. THEY ARE SERVANTS! We are "your servants for Jesus'
sake" (II Cor. 4:5). That does not mean that pastors are under the thumb
of their churches. It means that they serve the interests of men's souls, not
their own interests.
2. THEY ARE STUDENTS! They addict themselves to the study of God's
Word (I Tim.
3. THEY ARE STEWARDS! "Let a man so account of us, as of the
ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God" (I Cor. 4:1).
God has entrusted into the hands of faithful men the gospel of his grace for
the welfare of his church. And those men who have that trust are faithful to
it.
Don Fortner