3.15- What is the work of a minister of God's word?

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3.15-


On about 4.1.69, nearly 50 years ago there was a big change that came in my life.

I had an idea about ministers that was off track.
I thought that they were trying to get us to quit doing all the fun things in life so that we could have a good life after we died for an eternity.
Then I had the chance to get to know God and His word in depth.  I was hired to be a public school teacher and coach.  This job led me to Boles Home School in September of 1968.  I was to teach PE, Biology, Bookkeeping, and Earth Science.  These were not revolutionary for me.  But there was another elective subject that I was asked to teach that changed everything in my life and thought structure.

Prior to this date, 4.1.69, I thought ministers had this job.
Stress men are foolish.
Stress men are disobedient.
Stress men are deceived.
Stress men are enslaved by passions and pleasures.
Stress men are full of malice, envy and hate.

After spending six months digging into the Scriptures to teach it to high school boys in an interesting and exciting way I found that the work of a minister was to 

Stress we are saved by God.
Stress we are saved by His mercy.
Stress we are saved by His kindness.
Stress we are saved by his love.
Stress that He has poured these things out to us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Stress that we are co-heirs with Jesus of all the blessings of being sons and daughters of God.
Stress that we have hope for eternity.

Titus 3.
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

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