Clarify Leadership & Membership

WE: Intro

Who here has heard the tale about the church that split over the color of the carpet?

Right!

I cannot count the number of times I have heard about this famous, unnamed church.

As I was preparing for this sermon,

I was thinking about some cautionary tales for churches.

And this infamous story kept coming to mind.

So, I searched and searched and searched online,

And I could not find any evidence of this happening to a real church anywhere!

That is when I realized,

We use this parable because it is so ridiculous that it is safe enough to use when discussing conflict in the church.

Now, there are a variety of reasons why churches have conflict over the years.

And even if some church somewhere some time did in fact split over the color of the carpet,

The essence of this conflict is rooted in the failure of leaders, members, or both.

So, this morning,

We are in Hebrews 13:17-19.

Looking at a lesson that addresses both Leaders & Members,

Who are all One Body.

This year,

Our focus is on clarifying our mission, leadership, and membership,

To unify our body,

To glorify God.

The aim of our study in Acts was to help clarify our mission.

So, this morning, the aim is to Clarify Leadership & Membership.

And Lord willing,

As the weeks go on,

We will spend more time clarifying leadership specifically,

Then clarifying membership specifically.

Which will lead into weeks focused on unifying our body,

Which will then lead into weeks focused on glorifying God.

So, as we begin this series on Clarify to Unify to Glorify.

Slide

Our outline this morning reflects the two areas we are aiming to clarify:

Leadership (vs. 17-18)

Membership (vs. 17-19)

Leaders & Members find joy in serving together to glorify God.

WE: Hebrews Background

Now, Hebrews is a massive book when it comes to explaining Christ and the gospel.

It is one of the deepest, richest, and clearest of all the books in the Bible.

Yet, with all the depth of head knowledge,

Hebrews is also a very practical book.

Philip Hughes explains in his commentary that “Hebrews was written to arouse us from a lethargic state of compromise and complacency,

[It] is a tonic for the spiritually debilitated.”

One important note about Hebrews,

Is that we do not know for certain who the author is.

But it is clear he has a pastoral heart,

As he seeks to bring believers into a steady, focused, and persevering walk with Christ.

Andrew Trotter Jr. says the author,

“Shows the combination of toughness and tenderness that is so crucial in ministry. Even when his warnings are as stringent as any in the NT, he makes sure to encourage those whom he believes are on the right track.”

So, knowing this richness about the book itself and the pastoral heart of its author,

It should come as no surprise that the critical relationship between members and leaders would be addressed.

If there is a divide between members and leaders,

It would completely undo the Christ-centered message of Hebrews.

Earlier in Hebrews,

The author exhorted members to remember their leaders from the previous generation,

Then, moments later, tells them to also follow their current leaders.

Some commentators have assumed that the author may have an unspoken reason for addressing this.

The context around this time was difficult.

You had persecution from Claudius they had gone through,

Then even more violent persecutions from Nero that followed.

So, it is definitely possible that in light of these persecutions,

The church’s doctrine began to dull,

Or the unity among leaders and members had become strained.

Reasons like this may have been why the author was addressing theological errors,

Including warnings against returning to Jewish legalism,

And addressing the relationship between members and leaders.

So, much of this letter teaches about Christ from an OT lens.

But the meat of the letter really starts in ch. 5.

Then, ch. 10 begins giving specific exhortations,

And by the time the author gets to ch. 13,

He gives a series of instructions for the whole Christian community,

Applying all the head knowledge to the daily life of Christians.

God: Clarify Leadership (vs. 17-18)

One of these applications comes in vs. 17-18,

Where the author Clarifies Leadership.

Slide

Right off the bat,

We have to acknowledge that this does not mention elders or pastors.

It says to obey your leaders.

Or to translate it literally,

The ones leading you.

Based off other NT teachings,

It would seem this is referring to at least a plurality of elders,

The ones who teach, train, and shepherd the church,

Which is the function of plural eldership.

This is especially important in our context today,

Because there are more books, podcasts, and influencers teaching about leadership than ever before.

And yet,

It seems we have perhaps the greatest shortage of godly leaders in churches.

Churches need godly leaders who exemplify a Christian life,

And explain the Scriptures.

That is what Hebrews is clarifies here.

It is not giving us an exhaustive teaching,

But it does explain how leaders lead biblically.

First and foremost,

Leaders serve and incredibly protective purpose.

Slide

It says leaders keep watch over your souls.

Keeping watch has strong imagery from the OT of a shepherd or a watchman,

Who vigilantly and sacrificially watching out for danger.

The shepherd comparison is a common one.

Slide

One example comes from Jeremiah 23.

After God speaks judgment against the shepherds of the people of Israel who scattered the flock,

He went on to prophesy about future leaders in Jer. 23:4, saying,

Jeremiah 23:4 ESV

I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.

So, a faithful church leader is called to be a faithful shepherd for the flock of God.

In fact, the NT refers to elders as undershepherds and Christ as the Chief Shepherd.

Likewise, the OT refers to the Son of Man as a Watchman for the house of Israel.

So, Christ is the Chief Watchman and faithful church leaders are to be under-watchmen.

A watchman was a person who was like an ancient alarm system for a city.

Their duty was to stay alert through the night at city walls,

And sound the alarm when they see enemies approaching.

So, the comparison here implies that a faithful leader is to do the same,

Sound the alarm when danger is coming for God’s people.

And there are consequences when a watchman failed to warn of danger.

Slide

Look at how God describes the watchman’s responsibility in Ezek. 33:6,

Ezekiel 33:6 ESV

But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.

So, the point that Hebrews is getting at in light of this OT imagery,

Is that keeping watch is a careful and meticulous responsibility.

A shepherd keeps watch over sheep,

A watchman keeps watch over a town.

Leaders, however, keeps watch over souls.

The soul is the center of a person,

It transcends just their physical being.

So, a leader is to watch over the whole person.

Spiritual leaders must be alert and discerning in caring for the church.

Spiritual leaders do not neglect physical aspects of the church,

But the chief responsibility of elders are the members of the body.

Slide

The Apostle Paul expressed this when he met with the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28-30,

He said to them,

Acts 20:28–30 (ESV)

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Paul was telling these elders to watch out for dangerous teachings that were not true.

There are many heresies, half-truths, and fake doctrines that get passed off as truth.

And this is a subtle thing.

So, watching over a church demands teaching truth,

Teaching theology.

Theology, is simply the word for the study of God,

It is the foundation of the local church,

And it is what drives the daily life of the church.

But I would argue,

That in the church today,

We prioritize what we see as pragmatic,

Over what is more biblically centered.

The result is that both the structure of the church,

And our individual lives begin to resemble the world more than the NT.

All the while we continue to profess that we believe in a biblical centeredness that we do not practice.

So, it is the responsibility of spiritual leaders to remain alert and watchful for this.

But also,

There are so many false teachers promoting their false doctrine on TV, social media, and more,

Masquerading as Christian leaders.

So, elders must also remain on full-time alert for these fierce wolves Paul warned about.

You see, this was not just a first century problem,

Fierce wolves continue to ravage churches,

So, elders are called to stand against their errors.

But sadly, leaders don’t just stay alert for deception outside the church,

We must also be alert for deceitful behavior within the church.

A prime example of this from the Bible is the little book of 3 John.

There is a warning about Diotrephes,

Who seized hold of leadership in a church like a dictator.

He is described as “an ambitious, self-seeking, power-hungry individual who aggressively sought to be at the head of things and to rule over others.”

We can only imagine how he may have masked his true motives with religious words,

And perhaps even good deeds,

Using the church to fulfill his hunger of self-centered pride and lust for power.

John exposes his deceitful behavior,

Calling the church to resist his wickedness.

John is an example of what leaders are supposed to do.

Expose deceitful behavior before it wrecks the church.

So, leaders must be alert for divisive behavior.

Sometimes, I think if I had one wish,

It would be to make all divisiveness in churches disappear.

But the reality is,

On this side of heaven,

We will always face this battle in the church.

Because we all still sin.

That being said,

Scripture says that leaders bear the responsibility of standing firm against divisiveness.

This includes rebuking, admonishing, and exercising church discipline.

These are not popular aspects of church life,

But they are not popular aspects of home or civil life either.

However, despite their lack in popularity,

We would likely acknowledge their necessity in home and civil life,

Thus, we must acknowledge their necessity in church life also.

So, leaders must not hesitate to diminish divisiveness.

Because the health and unity of the church is at stake.

But leaders do not only keep alert for dangers,

Leaders must also be alert to the church’s spiritual development.

This includes knowing, teaching, and encouraging spiritual growth.

Leaders must pay attention to the content of instruction,

Must be involved in discipling and mentoring,

Must have a grasp on the church’s maturity and ability to discern false teaching.

Slide

Again, Hebrews says leaders are watching over souls like a shepherd or a watchman.

Any shepherd or watchman who fails at their duty must answer to God for their negligence.

The same is true for the leaders of Christ’s church.

All will give account to God.

And look at what Heb. 4:13 says about giving our account to God,

Hebrews 4:13 ESV

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

If I can take a moment here,

And as an elder,

Simply confess,

How Heb. 13:17 terrifies me more than any other verse in the entire Bible.

On one hand,

I am accountable to you all.

By all means,

Your expectation of me and any other leader,

Should be that we would be faithful and diligent,

Don’t take this work of accountability lightly.

You should maintain the high expectations of elders and deacons outlined in Timothy and Titus.

This expectation covers our personal walk, our ministry of the Word, and our example for the body.

However, I mean no offense to you all when I say this,

But your accountability is not what terrifies me about this verse.

The part that terrifies me is the greater day of accountability,

The day when I stand before the Lord in judgment.

Because other Scripture expands what this day entails.

James 3:1 says that teachers will incur a stricter judgment.

1 Peter 4:5 says elders,

1 Peter 4:5 (ESV)

...will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

2 Tim. 4:1-2 says to preach the Word...

“...in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,

Who is to judge the living and the dead.”

God is clear, there will be a time when the leaders He appoints will have to give an account for their leading.

That is why this is such a terrifyingly humbling passage to me.

Because this means when my time is done,

I will have to stand before God and give evidence of the leadership He has entrusted me with.

On one hand,

This makes me want to run with my tail tucked so often.

But on the other hand,

I realize that all leaders must serve with this understanding.

And this should affect the quality of our leadership.

But it should also affect the quality of obedience with which members respond to that leadership.

This eternal reality should never slip past the sight of both leaders and members.

This means there is great seriousness that accompanies spiritual leadership,

And a lot of emotion tied into this responsibility.

Slide

As vs. 17 highlights,

Both joy and grief can be emotional responses to the demands of leadership.

When members respond to leaders,

This both enables leaders to carry out their duties,

But it also produces joy.

Because Christlikeness is being formed in the church.

Grief, however, will result when there is neutrality or outright rebellion against the Word or spiritual disciplines.

So, there is a lot to being a leader.

There is more than just a title.

Slide

It also calls for what the author of Hebrews expresses in vs. 18:

A clear conscience and acting honorable in all things.

Some think that the author may have had some charges brought against him.

Perhaps people were saying he was pursuing personal gain or being a poor leader.

We are not sure,

But his emphasis of a clear conscience seems odd if there were no accusations against him.

However, he does not seem to feel the need to give any lengthy explanation.

Likely because,

Leading up to this point in Hebrews,

He has already shown his grasp of God’s Word, his love for the gospel,

And his passion for the church’s spiritual growth.

So, near the end of his letter,

He quickly adds in that he has a clear conscience.

The way it is worded,

It is as if he as going through this self-examination,

And is persuaded that he has a clear conscience.

In light of what he just wrote in vs. 17,

He clearly believes that his conduct in relation to the church can stand the scrutiny of both the church and God.

And it is not like he is not boasting,

As he says,

He desires to act honorable in all things.

So, he is not claiming he has arrived spiritually.

Rather, he is affirming the seriousness of his ministry,

Reassuring his readers that he is exercising his leadership in a careful way.

That he is exercising his leadership with the sobering reality that he will have to give an account to God for the way he leads.

So, no, the author is not being prideful here.

Rather, he is modeling what must be true for all leaders in Christ’s church.

That we are leading with the sobering reality that we will have to give an account to God for the way we lead,

Desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in everything,

Exercising our leadership with a clear conscience.

At the start of vs. 18,

The author expresses the weight of accountability and the seriousness of the task,

By asking the church to pray for his conduct.

He desires to conduct himself honorably,

He longs for it.

But knowing he is still a sinner in need of grace, he does not rely on desire alone.

So, he asks the church to pray.

He knows a leader cannot just teach and implore others in the church while ignoring his own conduct.

Because leaders have weaknesses.

The enemy attacks, exploits, and tempts all believers,

Leaders grow tired and weary.

And the temptation to cast aside the burden of leadership is often a great one,

That we have seen many succumb to.

For these reasons,

The author of Hebrews urges the church to pray for him,

To pray that this deep longing of honorable conduct in all things might be fulfilled.

And at the end of the day,

A spiritual leader may not be the most gifted public speaker,

He may lack in administrative skills,

May be out of his depth in a counseling setting,

Might lack the stamina for all his duties.

But a spiritual leader cannot dishonor the noble responsibility entrusted to him by the church through failing in his conduct.

Yes, these other areas are important.

But the spiritual leader’s conduct is the foundation of the biblical qualifications for the responsibilities entrusted to him.

If I or any other leader neglects our conduct,

It negates our ministry.

But if we can honor the Lord with our conduct,

Even in our weaknesses,

We will prove to be faithful.

Therefore, as Hebrews says, please pray for us.

Pray that this desire for honorable conduct would be fulfilled.

Pray that leaders would be faithful.

Because the body needs faithful leaders.

GOD: Clarify Membership (vs. 17-19)

Slide

But the body also needs faithful members.

If a body has faithful leaders but not faithful members,

Then the leaders will be filled with grief rather than joy.

And the body will not be healthy.

You see, the church is so much more than a social club with this religious undertones.

It is so much more than a business or organization.

The Bible presents a very different viewpoint of the church.

Earlier in Hebrews, the author says not to forsake assembling together,

Describing Christians as brothers and sisters,

As one united family.

He says that each member is responsible to encourage one another,

To spur one another on to love and good deeds,

To unite and draw near to God in prayer,

Through the blood of Christ,

Our High Priest.

And to stand together upon our common confession of Christ,

Mutually caring for one another in fellowship.

You see, it is only the church that enjoys this freedom of access into God’s holy presence as regenerate people.

So, we hold firm to our confession of Christ as Lord and Savior,

That we make when we are baptized in His name.

Because the church cannot exist with self-focused individualism.

This is the breeding ground for division.

Members are to look for ways to incite love and actions that characterize Christ in other members.

And this cannot take place by members’ continual absence from the body’s gatherings.

Every generation since the church’s birth in Acts has had threats come in the areas of both belief and behavior.

Rebellion of the mind denies what God tells us to think.

While rebellion of the heart disobeys what God commands us to do.

These two types of rebellion remain present today.

Slide

So, the author told the church back in Heb 10:23,

Hebrews 10:23 ESV

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

This is why members must constantly be engaged in inciting other members to love and good deeds.

But the question often becomes,

How do we put this into practice?

Well, the NT shows that God’s plan was to put the members of the church under the care of shepherds.

So, that leaders & members find joy in serving together to glorify God.

Bringing us back to what may be the most difficult part of our passage for any of us to accept.

Slide

The opening command to obey and submit.

Even coming from a leader’s perspective,

This is difficult for me.

Because culturally, these words obey and submit,

Seem to conjure up this image of a wicked slave owner,

Or an abuser,

Forcing their will upon another.

But this picture is completely absent to the author when he writes this verse.

Instead, he is inspired by the Holy Spirit to communicate the responsibility God has given to every member of His church.

God does not want any of His members to stumble from false teaching,

Or to be enticed by sin or the allurements of the world.

That is why He has warned us of all these things in His Word,

And He has given us the example of His own life.

But God’s mercy does not end there.

Rather, He also gives leaders to the church,

Entrusting the responsibility of addressing spiritual hindrances to them.

So, when false teaching springs up in the church,

Elders stand against that teaching for the sake of the church.

By properly wielding God’s Word,

Elders expose the error and warn of the danger of false teaching,

Seeking to keep the church out of spiritual harm’s way.

False teaching is not easy to recognize.

It takes a great deal of vigilance.

Nor is the agony of addressing false teaching easy.

This is why the ministry of the Word and prayer is so vital for elders.

The risk of offending others while standing for the truth is high.

The opportunity for ridicule,

Not only from the world but also from the church,

Is equally high.

So, thus comes the question,

How should members respond to those who keep watch over their souls?

Members could rebel and refuse,

Or even be apathetic.

Or, as Hebrews commands,

Members can obey and submit.

This is really the only response if you see the value of godly leadership,

And you trust that God has put that leadership in place.

If this is true,

And you still rebel,

Then your disobedience is extending beyond a specific leader,

And is instead going against God’s Word.

But remember,

This command is given to all members.

So, it is not like once a person becomes an elder,

They rise beyond the status of membership.

No, all leaders remain members of the body.

So, this command is given to leaders too.

There exists this mutual submission among elders.

I am not obeying God if I walk into an elders meeting and say,

“Listen up boys, I am the leader, so you have to obey and submit to what I say,

And the same goes true for the rest of this church!”

No, the leading of elders and the following of members unifies the church as a body.

But sadly, many churches are characterized by individualism that bristles against this unpopular call to obey and submit.

But it does not matter how unpopular this idea is,

God has determined that His Body functions with a plurality of leaders and members who value obedience and submission as a joyful responsibility.

And the author’s goal seems to be to persuade his readers of that,

To unify the body.

The context around this letter seems to suggest that the church was reluctant to accept their new generation of leaders.

They were not giving the respectful submission that leader’s were warranted.

It is not hard to imagine that these new leaders were being compared unfavorably to the previous leaders.

Or even worse,

The church was being swayed by other winsome teachers who contradicted Scripture.

Slide

So, even going back earlier in ch. 13,

The author tells the church to consider the leaders’ way of life.

Observe them, he says,

And imitate their faith.

As you do,

The author continues in ch. 13,

Remember Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

So, their teaching can be held up against the gospel to be judged for accuracy.

The leaders are given the responsibility of teaching, shepherding, and protecting.

But all members have their own personal relationship with God through Christ.

Leaders are not conduits to God like the priests of the OT.

Christ is the priest.

By His blood,

All can know and have relationship with God.

And by His blood and Spirit,

All are joined and knit together into His body.

So, the author goes on to say,

The church should be active in doing good and sharing with one another.

This is what leads up to the command to obey and submit.

Slide

Obey here does not mean that you follow a person rather than Christ.

Leaders are only leaders as far as they imitate Christ and adhere to His teaching.

We never obey or submit when Scripture is clearly in conflict.

A leader cannot claim these verses for their absolute authority.

Only God has absolute authority.

When it comes to obedience and submission,

Phil Newton came up with what he calls “sanctified common sense.”

Yes, Hebrews commands obedience and submission.

But that does not extend to every crevice of your life.

Certainly you can, and should, seek counsel from leaders about your finances, business decisions, or relationships.

But leaders do not assert control over these areas of your life.

As Phil Newton says it,

“Elders keep watch over your souls, not your bank accounts.”

The elder’s responsibility is to teach the Word of God to the members and give an example to follow.

This is the context in which the members obey and submit.

Implicit to this command to obey is the presence of trust.

And that seems to be part of the author’s goal,

To persuade members to trust their leaders,

As an extension of their trust in God.

The root of the Greek word translated to obey is the same in vs. 18 where the author says,

“We are sure.”

The definition of this shared root word is “to be persuaded or convinced.”

So, when the author says to obey here,

He is not speaking of mindless obedience.

Rather, the idea is that members would hear the teaching from an elder,

See how serious that elder is in following that teaching,

Then, obediently do likewise.

So, this means an elder can never adopt the motto,

“Do as I say and not as I do.”

No, elders must set an example that members can imitate.

That is how you are persuaded their leading is correct.

The author is expressing this idea that members should,

“Trust his leading because he trusts God has led him to lead.”

Then, by pairing the command to obey with the command to submit,

The author makes it clear that trusting leaders requires surrendering control.

Again, because you trust that God has established this leader in His church.

Therefore, members willingly place themselves under the leadership of their spiritual leaders.

So, obedience is trusting the teaching of your leaders,

But submission is letting go to trust the function of your leaders.

And if leaders are persuading with sound doctrine and faithful action,

Then members are to submit.

But let me briefly share one healthy clarification about submission.

You do not have to always consult with a leader before you buy something or make a life decision.

Remember, you have a personal relationship with God through Christ,

And you are filled with the Holy Spirit.

So, spiritual maturity grows as you seek wisdom directly from God regarding life decisions.

That being said,

Our lives are best regulated when we walk in submission to the authorities God places in our lives.

This is true with laws from our government, rules at school, and directions from a boss.

But it is also true in the church,

Where God raises up spiritual leaders.

And our willingness to submit to authority is often a test of our willingness to submit to God.

So, do not find this command to obey and submit offensive,

Rather, understand that it is a command for healthy life in the church.

Slide

The author ends vs. 17 with a plea to let leaders lead with joy and not groaning,

Because it would be unprofitable to do so.

Being an elder is a demanding and weighty responsibility;

Leading the congregation in God’s ways,

Teaching God’s Word,

Living exemplary lives of Christian faith,

Constantly keeping watch over the souls of the church,

Guarding from deceit, error, sin, and worldliness.

Therefore, the author says to let elders do this with joy and not grief.

Although these responsibilities are demanding and weighty,

It should be a delight for an elder to carry out these responsibilities.

It should be a joy to lead, teach, set an example, and watch over souls.

It should be something that is looked forward to each day.

And the author of Hebrews puts the responsibility of aiding joy on the members.

Saying that this can be done through willing submission.

This demands a humble attitude.

If a member is jealous of a leader,

Or bitter towards leaders,

Or just generally resentful about being under someone else’s authority.

Then the joy of those leaders will be sapped,

Or worse, division and strife will grow throughout the body.

It is nothing but trouble when we rebel against this clear teaching of Scripture.

So, let leaders keep watch with joy.

Every member can contribute to the overall effectiveness of the leader’s work,

Simply by checking their attitudes toward the leader God has placed over them.

Groaning can be caused by a variety of things;

A hardness toward God’s Word,

Arrogance in a general sense,

Or arrogance toward the leadership.

Regardless of what causes it though,

It is unprofitable for the whole body.

Raymond Brown says,

“If spiritual leaders have to labour under grim and hostile conditions in the local church, then that does not work out to the members’ immediate good and certainly not to their ultimate advantage.”

This means neglecting obedience and submission is harmful to the whole church.

Why?

Because we are one body.

We are a family of believers who live with each other,

Labor with each other, learn from each other,

And love each other.

And when one of us is joyful,

It spreads through all of us.

However, when one of us are groaning,

That too will spread through all of us.

So, one person’s attitude can affect the whole church.

When one person is agitated toward their leaders,

The whole body is affected.

And earlier, I talked about how leaders will have to give account,

Well, it is also true that all members will have to give an account for how we respond to those who lead.

Dennis Johnson explains this well in his commentary, he said:

“A godly self-interest should move hearers to hear and heed their leaders, because they provide spiritual protection, and ‘it would be of no advantage to you’ if, on the day of reckoning, leaders must report that the hearers’ have resisted God’s word.”

So, vs. 17 is shockingly packed with responsibilities for leaders and members.

Slide

Therefore, in vs. 18, the author of Hebrews asks his readers to pray for him and other leaders in the church.

He urges them to pray,

So, that they might conduct themselves honorably as Christians,

And as leaders.

Yes, technically he gives this as a command,

But it is also a privilege for the hearers.

They are being asked to fill a priest-like role for their leaders.

This is something God does,

He graciously invites believers to pray for one another,

And when we do,

God welcomes us to His throne of grace!

Slide

Then, the author ends his series of commands in vs. 19 with a note of urgency,

Urging the church to follow these commands,

So, that he may be restored to them sooner.

We do now know what the precise circumstances of the author is here.

In fact, we don’t even know who the author is.

But it is clear he has previously ministered among them at some point.

And here, it is clear that he is eager to join them again soon.

Later, he says that Timothy had been released.

Most likely, Timothy was in prison.

Perhaps the writer mentions this a little later because he is planning on coming with Timothy.

We’re not sure.

Whatever the hindrance is,

The author knew it needed God’s intervention for him to overcome it.

Most importantly,

He knew he needed the prayers of the church,

To live honorably before God,

And to fulfill his responsibilities to the church.

YOU:

Slide

The lesson in all this,

Is that members do not only need leaders.

But leaders clearly need members of the church,

Especially their prayers.

As an elder,

My specific needs are different from the other elders and leaders in our church.

But each of us need the prayers from the members of the body of FBC Afton.

Your prayers are paramount.

Without your faithful prayers,

Our ministry will fail.

But with them,

There is no limit to what God might do through our body.

WE: Vows

So, this morning, I join in with the author of Hebrews,

Urging you to pray for the leaders of FBC Afton.

Pray for our personal walks,

Our spiritual disciplines.

Pray for our roles in our families.

Pray for our grasp and understanding of God’s Word.

Pray for our teaching of God’s Word.

Pray for our times of counseling,

And our times of witnesses.

Pray for our times of vision-casting and decision making.

Pray that in the end,

Leaders & members find joy in serving together to glorify God.

Pray.