Proclaim & Protect Priority #2, Teaching & Authority, Congregation, 1 Timothy 3

Proclaim & Protect Priority #2 The Teaching Ministry of the Church

1 Timothy 3:1-13

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.  (1 Timothy 3:1–13, ESV)

Priority #1 Pray for every kind of person to be saved. 

Priority #2 The Teaching Ministry of the Church

Teaching, Authority, and the role of every church member. 

Teaching holds a high place in the church because it’s how the gospel is proclaimed and protected. 

Jesus exercises His authority by the Word and through the Holy Spirit. 

Authority is not something that we spend a lot of time teaching about in the church, especially on Sunday mornings. We have moved this to special classes and away from the larger congregation because we want things to be more interesting so people want to come to church. 

Why do I bring up authority?

Look at 1 Timothy 3:1

Scripture slide for 1 Timothy 3:1 

Because the Word gives instruction and qualifications for a group of men known here as overseers. This office of leadership in the church is also referred to in other passages as pastors, shepherds, and elders. There are four different terms used to describe this office of leadership in the church. Each of them providing a depth of understanding to the role these men play in the church. The other office mentioned in the passage here is Deacon, and Deacons are listed as either deacons or other times as servants in the NT. Again, the terms used for the office provide depth to our understanding of the role that they play in the church.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 tells us this letter was written so that we would know to organize and be as a church that accomplishes its mission… and the mission Paul mentions here is to proclaim and protect the gospel. 

As we move through the passage, I’d like to take this message and focus our attention on the big picture as it relates to authority in the NT. Because, the manner in which authority is understood and taught in the NT is the way that God intends for it to be today. 

1 Timothy: Proclaim and Protect the Gospel

Authority in the church =‘s Jesus 

Authority =‘s Responsibliity 

(Much to say about this next week as it relates to elders, deacons, etc. but today our goal is understand the relationship of authority between Jesus and the congregation. 

Jesus is  the Chief Shepherd, and the church is his sheep. 

Overseers are the under shepherds, and they are called to lead the sheep by teaching, equipping, caring, and shepherding. 

Deacons are called to serve the church by caring and leading the church. 

The congregation is the final authority on the most important matters in the church- Membership, Doctrine, and Discipline. 

Jesus gives authority to the church in Matthew 18. 

Matthew 18:15-20

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”  (Matthew 18:15–20, ESV)

Based on the role that Jesus gives the church… 

Every Christian should be in a covenant or committed relationship with other believers in a church. (Membership)

The keys to binding and loosing are related to the gospel and affirming or denying of faith. If someone refuses to listen to the truth of the gospel and how Christ would have them to live- take it to the church… If he refuse then, let them treated as an unbeliever. Jesus promises his presence and help to the church- 2 or 3, not one, but to the gathering, the ekklesia, the body of Christ- the church. 

Every member of a church has God given responsibilities to one another. 

This is carried out in many different ways, and are given to us throughout the Bible in the form of the “one anothers” (Love, bear with, stir, rebuke, pray for, etc) 

The congregation is the final authority on the most important matters in the church- Membership, Doctrine, and Discipline. 

In Galatians Paul holds the church accountable for doctrine. he tells them that he holds them responsible for following bad teaching, when they should have identified the untruth and continued in the way of the gospel.  You can see this in Galatians 1 and in Galatians 3. 

Galatians 1:6-9

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.  (Galatians 1:6–9, ESV)

Galatians 3:1

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. (Galatians 3:1, ESV)

The congregation is the final authority on the most important matters in the church- Membership, Doctrine, and Discipline. 

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians to the church about their role in what is called discipline,. This is connected to the relationship that God desires for us to have with one another, and it’s why Jesus says what he says in Matthew 18. The church affirms believers as they come into the church… and each member has a responsibility to one another 

1 Corinthians 5

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.  (1 Corinthians 5:1–5, ESV)

The church, on behalf of Jesus and in obedience to the Word, is the authority on membership, doctrine, and discipline, 

Teaching is a priority because it’s how God equips each congregation to fulfill His plans and carry out its responsibilities. 

This is why there is so much dedicated in the NT to teaching, teachers, and the relationships between the church and its leaders. 

Unity in the church is established in Jesus but experienced in relationship with one another. 

This means that unity begins with Jesus as Savior. If someone isn’t saved, they cannot be together “in Christ.” 

Our unity with God and one another requires that we walk together in the light. 1 John… you cannot fellowship with God and one another if you are walking in the dark. The teaching and preaching of the gospel in the church is the means by which God saves, but it also the means by which God convicts. And, we must love God more than we love one another… so that we will do what he wants, when we don’t want to approach one another in sin. But, we do because we love Him and one another more than we love ourselves. 

Unity in a healthy church depends on:

Faith in Jesus

Agreement in doctrine 

Covenant relationships with God and one another.

The characteristics of a unified church depend on what the church is unified in.

To many churches today are unified in everything but Jesus. They find their unity in age, in music, in economic status, in hobbies and interest. But, this isn’t the way of the church. The book of Revelation paints a picture of the church that is multifaceted and made up of people from every walk of life, every tribe and tongue… and this happens when Jesus is the unifier. Left to ourselves, we will build and grow churches that look just like us. But, Jesus is building a church that loos like Him… and that means that Jesus is our unity and Jesus is our goal. 

What I mean is that our definition of success depends on Jesus and what he says success looks like. 

Unity in Jesus produces a church that is faithful to God and His Word and fruitful in the work of the Spirit. 

Scripture Slide- Galatians 5:16-21

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  

Scripture Slide Galatians 5:22-26

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.  (Galatians 5:16–26, ESV)

Walking in the Spirit happens in relationship with the Lord and one another… and it’s goals like this that God has given us overseers to aim us toward. We will talk more deeply about the offices of roles of leadership in the church next week… but as we begin our descent toward closing the sermon… There are a few things to take note of for the church that wants to fulfill it’s Biblical responsibilities. 

A church that takes serious the responsibility God has given, will be a church that makes membership meaningful. 

Membership is all over the NT… you have leaders, you have members, and they have accountability to one another. They are being brought in, and some are even being dismissed… and then some who are dismissed are being brought right back in. It’s impossible to read the Bible and make an argument against some kind of covenant community that is the same thing as membership,. 

But, membership is meaningless in so many places that Membership is often judged by experiences rather than by the Word. But, for a church and the Christian who want submit to Christ and His Word… things like baptism, Lord’s supper, and membership are going to be important. 

Meaningful church membership is a reflection of a living commitment to Jesus. 

A faithful and fruitful church has a Biblical scorecard that aims its members toward Jesus and an increasing reliance upon the Holy Spirit. 

Bringing this home… and making it personal: 

Remember that your relationship and commitment to the rest of the church is a reflection of your relationship with Jesus.

How would you characterize your relationship with Jesus? 

How would you characterize your relationship with the rest of the church? 

How are you handling your responsibilities as a church member?