The call of Matthias

Introduction

Last week we briefly examined our introduction to Acts, this will we will examine the call of Matthias and how this sets the precedence for the calling of elders *pastors* within the church.

I won’t spend much time on the subject of Judas, he was indeed called to be in the ministry for the very purpose of betraying Jesus. He was the son of perdition and while in Judas’s own sin, sinned against the Lord the providence of God was in this very act before it ever happened.

Due to the Judas taking his own life and not being restored in the repentance that may have come, thou scripture is silent on Judas on this regard. It has left a spot of an apostle.

I want to make a note the office of Apostle while Pastoral, that office has ceased despite what the Charismatic churches teach. To be an apostle of Jesus one must have seen Jesus, been called by Jesus *as in Paul's” case and affirmed by the 11.

None of the early church apostles are around today and Jesus is in heaven so no one has witnessed his death and Resurrection that is alive today. The office of Apostle is closed, but the office of Pastor remains open to qualified men.

I should note this as we live in a day and age where women as special as they are believe no distinct roles of the gender are given. There are distinct roles and men only can take the office of Pastor.

Today we look at this calling in three major points;

Why Jesus cares about the structure of His Church?

The calling of Pastor within the Church.

The duty of the Pastor.

Jesus and the structure of the Church

Jesus cares greatly for His bride, the church and how the church ought to operate. Church polity is perhaps outside of baptism and ones end’s time view the third largest separation in the church.

There are a couple things very clear in this passage, as I don’t want to spend this sermon debating but rather pointing to what is clear.

This passage has the 11 elders of the church calling the next Apostle. It is not the ladies of the church, it is not the members of the church. The apostles are appointing the man to take place as an Apostle.

It is also within this room that other elders (not apostles) were. Matthew Henry notes this in his commentary.

I want to make this abundant clear , the role of Apostle has ceased. They had a very important calling in setting up new covenant church, structuring the church, appointing elders to establish local congregations, but an apostle is one who has witnessed the life and Resurrection of Jesus.

Today we have two offices only in the church, the office of Pastor (elder) and the office of Deacon. Both offices according to scripture and our Baptist Faith and Message is male only. To deviate from this is to deviate from scripture.

The elders (the Apostles are elders, just with a different aspect of their initial calling) are to teach the word of God, pray for the soul, equip the saints for the work of ministry. We will dive deeper into this in Acts chapter 6.

Deacons are called to serve in the psychical needs of the church body such as fixing the lights, servicing the church body with physical needs that may arise, financial handling of gifts and offerings.

It is not to say the Pastor does not do these things, but that is not his primary over sight. The primary oversight is the preaching of the word and the soul care of the believer.

Not every man even if qualified will be called to the office of Pastor or Deacon.

This calling first must be from the Lord which is the inward calling of every young man to one of the offices. He desires a good thing but will be judge more firmly.

That church then calls the man to the office and as we see in this passage there is typically a vote on this man. Biblical what is done is the church elders have affirmed the man as a Pastor for consideration, and that man is placed before the congregation for a vote.

This man is then entrusted to call his own session of elders, appoint his session of deacons so that the body of believers maybe ministered unto effectively.

This is what is going on with the calling of Matthias, he is being appointed to a high calling. To an office that will shepherd and lead over a congregation.

Which is why such care must go into the call of a minister. It is not a popularity vote, it is calling of a shepherd.

Many men may desire the office of Pastor, but we have far too many men seeking pulpits that are not qualified and far too many unqualified men in the pulpit.

This is where the Apostles did right in having the 11 call and appoint two men for consideration of the calling of Apostle.

In this room during the casting of lots were other Pastors, elders not apostles. They were casting proper votes of two men that were vetted.

Qualification of Pastor

1 Timothy 3 lays the foundation of the character the man must be to even be considered a Pastor. I have no doubt the men the 11 chose to present were qualified men, I do have doubt today of many churches who present unqualified men.

The church in America has lowered the call of Pastor to a job, rather than a calling. Pastor is not a job despite the right to earn a living for his wages, it is not a job. It is a calling that is not part time labor, it is full time even when the man sits down for dinner with his family, his mind is always on the sheep.

Is this man sober minded? Can he teach the word faithfully, is his doctrine sound *does it align with the doctrine of the church being called to?* Is this man managing his household? If his wife is unruly and kids every where he has not managed his household. If he can not manage his household, he is not qualified.

Christ cares deeply for the proper calling of a minister of the word; for He entrusted that man to care for the sheep.

Christ the Head of the Church

It should go without saying, that Christ is the head of the church. Not a Pope, not a Presbytery, not a congregation, not a board of elders.

Christ is the head of the church. He is instructions of who should be called as an elder of the church. I want to instruct you on this; that sat under many ministers most have been good Pastors.

I have met Pastors that I wonder how or why they were in the office of Pastor. These men are the ones who promote self, not Christ. These men are the ones who prefer the office over the mission. These men are the ones who everything is about themselves, and Christ is far from their mouth and certainly their heart.

If a man called to the office of Pastor is not in love with Christ that man has no place to be your shepherd. Christ is the head of the church and its his name that shall be given every sermon, and every visit.

Application

Today you have an application of this very passage, to call me as your Pastor. But I have been asked to share with you my “resume” and I will honor that brielfy but I rather point you to this;

Waughtown Baptist is a historic church in the Southside of Winston-Salem NC. We are south of 52, we are today in a very tough area to grow a grocery store let alone a thriving church by today’s standards.

If your voting on me to be the guy that builds programs and has our building busting at the seams, I’m not your guy. I don’t like numbers in the church, I want souls to come to Christ. I want our baptismal filled rather than collecting dust, I want you to know Christ in deep ways, to grow in gospel truth, to walk humbly with God, and to be equipped for the ministry he has prepared before you.

I don’t Pastor to have you enter a weekly service for an emotional high. You find the Psalms and faithful hymns being sung. You will find the bible opened and expounded, you will leave with the call of Christ pressing upon you.

The call of ministry is to give Christ to the people; so I ask if I have not given you Christ then vote a solid no. If you have been given Christ and will trust my leadership to guide you into a deeper walk with Christ, to pray over you, to equip you for the work of ministry then vote yes.

The lots will be castled today and may the glory of Christ be had. Christ cares deeply for his church because Christ is the head of the church.

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Chris to give brief background