Sermon Tone Analysis

Choosing Leaders: Careful Selection Required

1. Looks can be decieving:You really don't know the person - "some mens judgment comes before and some after" simply meaning “evident before it is examined,” which of course is equivalent to “very evident,” St. Paul’s meaning, therefore, would be: Some men’s sins are notorious, requiring no careful inquisition in order to find them out , these are plastered all over them, going before them, easily evident to everyone, regardless of that persons excuses or explainations to justify themselves.

If they don't correct their behaviors they will face God's judgment.

But there are also some whose sins are not so evident, they do a great job of masquerading them or hiding them - "follow after them".

It is not till after close inquiry that they are found out.

They go up to the judgment-seat apparently innocent, but after a while their sins come pouring out (think of the Parable of Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25).

This enforces the caution, “Lay hands hastily on no man.”

Assessing a persons character (godliness) as it pertains to or reveals spiritual maturity is vital in the selction of who is in leadership positions within the body of Christ.

Ver.

.—In

like manner for likewise, A.V. there are good works that are evident for the good works of some are manifest beforehand, A.V.; such as for they that, A.V. There are good works, etc.

It is much best to understand τινῶν, as the A.V. does, and render the good works of some, answering to τινῶν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι of ver. .

Such as are otherwise—i.e.

not manifest beforehand—cannot be hid.

“They will be seen and recognized some time or other” (Ellicott).

Alford seems to catch the true spirit of the passage when he says, “The tendency of this verse is to warn Timothy against hasty condemnation, as the former had done against hasty approval.

Sometimes thou wilt find a man’s good character go before him, … but where this is not so, … be not rash to condemn; thou mayest on examination discover if there be any good deeds accompanying him: for they … cannot be hidden.”

Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.).

(1909). 1 Timothy (p.

102).

London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP: Overview from

1, 2 Timothy; Titus The process and content of teaching are both important in Christianity.

But so is the person of the teacher or leader.

Paul, about to die, now emphasized to his young successors the importance of selecting reliable local church leaders.

and are the key New Testament passages which describe the qualifications for spiritual leaders.

There are many other passages in the New Testament that help us understand Christian spirituality.

looks at it from the perspective of love.

looks within, and describes the fruit that the Spirit produces in the person who walks in step with the Lord.

Other passages describe the quality relationships that mark the church as God’s family (as and ).

But the pastoral passages are unique.

They describe the spiritual person in terms of observable behavior!

You and I cannot look into the heart of another person and measure his peace and joy.

But we can observe an individual’s way of life, and see by what he or she does the extent of that person’s progress toward Christian maturity.

Strikingly, it is spiritual maturity that is to be considered when we choose leaders.

It is not how much a person knows, not how many degrees a person may hold, not a person’s status in society, or their personality.

What Christians are to consider in choosing leaders is the extent to which a person’s life demonstrates the transforming touch of Jesus Christ.

Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987).

The teacher’s commentary (p.

971).

Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

In our last study we noted Paul’s deep concern with effective communication of the faith to succeeding generations.

Sound doctrine and the distinctive Christian way of life must be taught.

The Pastoral Epistles even describe a system of teaching that is divinely designed to transmit both truth and life.

Dr.

Merrill Tenney pointed out that the topics touched on in Titus alone constitute a fair digest of New Testament theology, and goes on to list the following:

• The personality of God (; )

• The qualities of His love and grace (; )

• His title as Saviour (; )

• The saviourhood of Christ (; )

• The Holy Spirit ()

• The implication of the Triune Being of God ()

• The essential deity of Christ ()

• The vicarious atonement of Christ ()

• The universality of salvation ()

• Salvation by grace, not works ()

• The incoming of the Holy Spirit ()

• Justification by faith ()

• Sanctification (purification) of His own people ()

• Separation from evil ()

• Inheritance of eternal life ()

• The return of Christ ()

These truths are to be affirmed and maintained.

But if we read Titus again, we find that this brief book also gives a fair summary of Christian lifestyle!

Here we read about:

• Godliness ()

• Faith (; )

• Qualities of leaders ()

• Ministry of leaders ()

• Temperance ()

• Love (, )

• Self-control (, )

• Endurance ()

• Dedication to doing good (; , , )

• Personal integrity (, )

• Seriousness ()

• Subjection to authority (; )

• Trustworthiness ()

• Rejection of sin ()

• Humility ()

• Considerateness ()

• Peaceableness ()

• Harmony ()

It is both doctrine and a way of life that Paul yearned to pass on to the next generation through the system of teaching and communication that the pastorals describe.

Yet the apostle was deeply aware that no system is foolproof; we must pay the closest attention to the human element.

So over and over Paul focused attention on the “reliable men” () to whom the transmission of the faith is to be entrusted.

Men who will be “qualified to teach others.”

2.

You cannot take someone where you haven't been; you cannot give to someone what you don't possess -

Selection of Leaders: , In both 1 Timothy and Titus, Paul described the qualifications and responsibilities of church leaders.

They are to manage (take care of) the church ().

They are to be entrusted with God’s work ().

They are to both encourage sound doctrine and to refute those opposing it (v.

).

In essence, leaders are responsible for both the beliefs and the lifestyle of the local Christian community.

Whether our leaders are called pastors or elders or deacons, they are responsible for the communication of the faith.

What sounds foreign to us about Paul’s guidelines for selecting these leaders is that he did not stress academic or intellectual equipment.

True, leaders must “keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience” (), and “hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught” ().

But apart from this commitment to sound doctrine, and a grasp of truth that enables the leader to encourage, rebuke, and explain (), little is said about knowledge.

What the apostle did stress was character, or quality of life.

The person recognized as a leader and given responsibility for teaching in the church is to be above reproach, married to but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable and upright, hospitable, not an alcoholic, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome or quick-tempered, not a money lover, a good manager of his family, not a recent convert (who might be susceptible to conceit), well respected by non-Christians, not overbearing, a lover of good, holy and disciplined.

Qualities such as these, rather than verbal skills or success in business, or the capacity to preach a good sermon, are to be given first consideration in selecting local church leaders.

A chart found in my Theology of Church Leadership (Zondervan) lists 28 such characteristics, and gives a brief explanation of each.

We should ask, “Why?”