PASSING THE BATON: Thoughts On Transitions

Memorial Drive 8/30/20 PASSING THE BATON: Thoughts On Transitions I Corinthians 3:1-15, Other Texts Scripture doesn't use the metaphor of passing a baton, it does use the metaphor of having a sound foundation and then building on it well, FOUNDATIONS LAID AND BUILT UPON ... Even Mature Believers Are TEMPTED and CAN FALL Into Fleshly Thoughts and Actions ... "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man ..." (I Cor. 10:13a) Temptation and the failure that can follow can clearly be a problem for any believer and any church! Even mature ones! THEY faced a temptation YOU will face! We Can Be "Jealous" and "Fleshly" In CHAMPIONING A Person or A Cause ... You're going to have differing ideas on WHO should come and HOW and HOW SOON we should get him here! Their temptation and failure was in championing one over another! Strong sentiments eclipsed mutual love precisely in the area you are now entering as a church! Men Are But Servants While GOD IS THE BUILDER ... They were acting like "mere men" rather than Spirit-filled folks! Who is Apollos? Who is Paul? Just servants given opportunity! But it was GOD that was causing growth! (Vs. 6, 7, 9) If GOD is the builder, and men, a man, or any future pastor, is merely a "servant" and "fellow-worker" of GOD'S, then the greatest desire of your hearts mustn't be "Who do I want?" or "Who do I champion?" but "Who does GOD want?" If GOD'S SPIRIT is grieved in the process, growth and blessing will be hindered! The Only SUFFICIENT Foundation Is CHRIST ... Christ Himself IS and MUST ALWAYS BE preeminent in all we think and do! "If Christ is truly preeminent here, and if exalting Him and honoring Him is your greatest desire, then you WILL love one another in a way that supersedes every possible difference of opinion in WHO should come as your pastor and HOW we should move ahead with the process!" Every Church That God Is Building Has MULTIPLE WORKERS ... Each one, with his own gifting, is part of building on the foundation laid! The Outcome Will Be TESTED BY FIRE ... Will you be stronger spiritually, more in love with God, and stronger and more loving in your relationships with one another, when you come out the other end of this transition? AN EXHORTATION TO ELDERS ... * Continue to Teach the Whole Counsel of God and Guard This Body of Believers 2 Timothy 4:3 A time is coming when sound doctrine will give way to personal preference I Timothy 4:6 Pastors must constantly nourish their people on sound doctrine Titus 1:9 Pastors must hold fast to the faithful word and exhort in sound doctrine Acts 20:27-28 Paul preached the whole counsel of God's Word and called elder/pastors to do the same * Continue to Lead by Being Examples To the Flock "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock." (I Peter 5:1-3) AN EXHORTATION TO THE CONGREGATION ... * Concerning Your Regard for and Submission to Your Pastor-Elders Ephesians 4:11-12 Pastors are given to equip saints to build the body I challenge you to acknowledge not only their divine CALLING but their ROLE and RESPONSIBILITIES in the fellowship. In Acts 20 and I Peter 5 ELDERS are OVERSEERS who SHEPERD (Pastor) the flock There are men among you that God has called and gifted to PASTOR you! And while ONE is leaving, FOUR are not! Hebrews 13:17 Obey and submit to them! Let them serve with joy and not grief Your new lead pastor: * Don't compare! * If married, let his wife be his wife! * Love them and give them abundant grace! 2