Qualities of a church and its leaders
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 11 viewsNotes
Transcript
What makes a good church?
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
When Jesus asked His disciples who they said that He was, Peter, always one to open his mouth, stated that...
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
For this, Jesus blessed Peter and stated...
“on this rock I will build My church”
Have you ever taken the time to consider, what makes a good church?
What are the qualities the church of God should have.
What makes a church sound?
What should it be doing?
And how should that church be doing it?
What should their leaders look like?
Lets take a look.
What is the Church?
What is the Church?
The Greek word translated “church” is [ekklesia /ek·klay·see·ah/]
a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly.
“The Church” is not this building, or even this organization.
It is the gathering of those who have been called.
This congregation, this gathering, this synagogue is but a small part of Christ’s church.
It is not the role of the church to get people saved, that commission has been given to all of us:
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
So if the purpose of the church isn’t to save others, what is it for?
Qualities of a Sound Church
Qualities of a Sound Church
If you want to know what a good church looks like, there is a very nice summary in the epistle to Titus.
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—
Paul sent this letter to Titus for a reason.
Paul is instructing Titus on how he is to set the church in Crete in order.
And in chapter 2, Paul gives an overview of what things should look like.
But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:
Paul starts out with an admonishment for Titus to focus on sound teaching.
What is this sound teaching?
that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;
We older men are to act in a certain way.
Temperate, dignified, moderate, these are all good.
Sound in faith: our understanding of the Gospel, of Scripture as a whole is to be correct.
[Sound] in love: we are to live correctly in agape love.
Putting others before ourselves
[Sound] in patience: steadfast, able to endure.
We are to have the shoulders that bare the weight of others.
Compare this with how older women in the church are to be:
the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—
Older women are to behave in a reverent manner,
In a way befitting their station as older women.
For example,
Not speaking falsely about others.
Not over drinking.
Teaching good things.
But teaching who?
that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
The older women are to instruct the younger women in how to act in a reverent manner:
Think about that for a minute.
Think about yourself when you were young.
What ideas did you hold that age and wisdom have shown to be false?
Older women are to pass along that wisdom,
Even if the younger women reject it.
What is this wisdom for younger women to follow?
Love their husband & their children.
The words “love” here are actually two different Greek words.
Both are based on the word “Philos”, brotherly love or friendship.
In other words, not Agape, as we so often see.
Remember, Eve was created to be a helper to Adam.
And thanks to the curse:
To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.”
This may sound unpleasant, even unfair to the modern ear, but it is What God has said in His Scripture.
Remember, we older men are told to live correctly in agape love,
Which includes wanting what is best for our wife and children,
Even at the sacrifice of our own lives.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
The older women are also to be moderate and faithful.
Good, homemakers, and another word that is painful to modern ears...
obedient to their own husbands.
Notice why God says the younger women should act this way.
So that the Word of God would not be blasphemed, slandered, or spoken evil of.
Could it be that so many in the world today slander God’s Word because so many young women refused to follow the admonition of previous generations?
Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded,
Paul said the older women were to instruct the younger women how to act,
Similarly, Titus is to encourage the younger men to be of sound mind.
But how?
By being an example.
in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.
Men, we are to be a pattern of good works.
Something for the younger men to aspire to.
We aren’t simply to have integrity, but to show it.
To show what dignity and incorruptibility are.
To speak words of wisdom and truth.
Words that cannot be condemned.
We are to be such an example, that those who oppose are are ashamed,
Because no evil they can say about us could possible to true.
There is one more group that Paul wants Titus to teach.
Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
We don’t have slaves in America today,
But we do have jobs… and bosses.
Shouldn’t we be obedient to our bosses?
Not back talking or stealing, either time or material?
Shouldn’t we, like Joseph?
So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.
Shouldn’t we be such a trustworthy employee that our bosses can turn everything over to us without concern?
So what does a sound church look like?
It isn’t judged based on size or programs, but on the character of the people who are in the church.
Are the older men and women sober, revenant sound in faith, love, and patience?
Are they teaching the younger generation to be so as well?
Let’s not forget the worker, that they are to be obedient and trustworthy.
Qualities of Leadership
Qualities of Leadership
Just as there is an order to life and the family, there is an order for the church.
Paul had left Titus in Crete to put things in order, and to appoint elders.
What should an elder look like?
Qualifications of Elders
Qualifications of Elders
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—
The word for elder is [presbuteros /pres·boo·ter·os/]
Which literally means elder, the older.
While related to it, the word used for older men and older women is different from the one used here.
Because presuteros can not only mean the older person,
But an office in the church.
As such, there are qualifications for elders.
if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.
We’ve already seen in chapter 2 what is expected of an older man.
Sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, love and patience.
But for a man to hold the office of Elder, he must also be:
Blameless:
Not perfect, but should not be someone with a reputation that can harm them.
Husband of one wife:
Polygamy was not uncommon in the ancient world.
But to hold the office of Elder, the man must be faithful to his wife.
Faithful Children:
If a man cannot raise faithful children, how can he help shepherd God’s children?
This may not seem fair, after all, what if the children are rebellious?
But that is the standard God has put in place.
For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,
An Elder is also to be a Bishop, or Overseer.
As such, his qualifications must extend beyond those of the older men.
Steward (administrator) of God.
His purpose is not to rule, but to serve God.
Not self-willed or short tempered.
Not someone who seeks what is his,
Temperate and in control of himself.
Not given to wine, violence, or greed.
Too much wine leads to a lack of control.
Violence and greed are examples of a lack of control.
If that is what a Bishop is not to be, what should he be?
but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
Hospitable:
Not someone who shuns being with others.
Gracious as a host.
Just:
Holding to what is right.
Holy:
Undefiled by sin.
Self-controlled, and faithful to God’s word.
Look at why these last two are important:
that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
Someone who can both encourage others who are right while convicting those who are wrong.
Tasks of Elders
Tasks of Elders
Why are Elders so important?
Because they have tasks to perform.
These tasks are not easy, neither are they to be taken lightly.
For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.
There is one word that has described mankind since the Garden of Eden:
Insubordinate.
We like getting our own way.
As if we can define good and evil.
This leads to idle talk and deception.
To be able to convict those who have these qualities takes the patience of Job, the wisdom of Solomon, and the heart of Christ.
Without someone able to stand for God and His Word in the face of these, we see not only households, but congregations being led astray.
One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.
It takes a level of inner strength to rebuke others.
To stand for the truth in the face of error.
To remain undefiled in the presence of those who have elevated themselves to the place of God.
That is why, when giving similar instructions to Timothy, Paul said a Bishop should:
not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
Conclusion
Conclusion
To be a good church, a congregation of those called to gather together, we must recognize the reason Paul tells us not to forsake the assembly.
How can we older men and women help train the rising generation if we are never with them?
Not just our children, but the younger men and women in our community?
How can we be an example, if we are never seen?
How can we exhort others if we are unaware of what is going on in their lives?
And be willing to help?
Just because we get together pretty much ever Sunday does not make us a good congregation.
Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
To help and guide the congregation, we need Elders.
Men with the qualities to guide and the strength to stand against error.
You may have noticed I’ve made no mention of Deacons.
Because Deacons are servants.
Unlike the Elders, they are not called to teach, as Paul states in his instructions to Timothy.
Neither are they called to exhort and correct others.
If any of you ladies are offended that Paul’s instructions about Elders and Bishops are exclusively for men.
I ask you to consider why?
Do you think it was Paul’s male chauvinism?
Could it be God’s punishment for what Eve did in the Garden?
Or could it be that God knows better than us all?
In today’s seeker friendly, all accepting, crowd obsessed churches, a truly good church may be looked down upon as an anachronism, “old fashioned”, backward, or even mean.
But I must ask, whom do you serve?
Do we serve the God of Heaven, is He our Father?
Do we serve Him in faith and in truth?
Do we follow Jesus’ commandments?
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
If we do not live by His Word, then who do we serve?
Who is YOUR father?
John 8:42–44 (NKJV)
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.