Untitled Sermon (3)

Good morning Anchor Point. My name is Josh. I serve as one of the pastors here.

Today I want to talk to you from the Scriptures about who the Bible calls overseers or elders in the church.

The first thing I want to say about this subject is more will be said who these appointed men are in the church as we continue to work our way through the pastoral letter of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. Secondly, men who are appointed overseers or elders is not new to the New Testament church but like a thread is woven through the entire fabric of Scripture from Old Testament to New.

The text that Mark, one of our elders here, read addresses two big subjects about overseers or elders. The big idea I want to leave us today is this: the church is not to be led and organized according to western business models where there is a CEO at the top of the organization with a board of directors who manage and hold him accountable while he himself leads the entire organization. Some have adopted a business model for organizing and leading the church. But the church is not a business to be run it is a people who are living sent to proclaim the gospel and make disciples. As a people, they are cared for by elders and ....

Becoming and being an elder (3:1-7), and

The responsibility and treatment of elders (5:17-20).

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Let’s begin then with becoming and being an elders found in chapter 3.

Beginning in verse 1: The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Take notice of the two verbs: aspires and desires. Aspire means ‘to stretch out, to reach for’. desires expresses a long for or eagerness. Becoming an elder of a church therefore begins with a stirring in the heart of a man paired with a desire for the work. This implies a number of things:

1. Becoming an elder is not to be forced upon any man in the church either by another elder or the church body. It is to instead an offer and encouragement to consider. Have you every thought about or at all desired to served Anchor Point as an elder? Has it ever crossed your mind? I think you’d serve our church well in that role. Would you pray and talk to your wife about it? This is a way to explore and test if the aspiration and desire for the work is there. If it is there or begins to build over time, know that is it is an honorable work. If it’s not, it’s not.

2. Becoming an elder is not for every man in the church, so if the aspiration and desire for the work of an elder is not there, you are not a second rate Christian.

3. To be clear, aspiring and desiring to serve as an elder must is not to be for a “superior work or position” as it every other work in the church is an inferior work. It is very important to be very careful not to conclude this. Every work in the church is important and every work has its proper place, and not all are the same work.

The point Paul makes about about a man becoming an elder is this: there must be a decisive sense of call for the work and this begins with a stirring in the heart for the work.

In the rest of this text we will see that left alone aspiration, desire and even a strong sense of call is not enough. In other word: just because a man says “I want to be an elder” does not mean he should. This is because requirements are given to qualify a man to serve as elder.

Four "must be’s” are given. Let me point them out: verse 2 “an oversee must be” Verse 4 “He must” Verse 6 “He must not be” and verse 7 “He must be”

*First, an elder must be a man who models godly conduct and character in all areas of his life (v2-3).

Verses 2-3, Therefore, and overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

*Second, an elder must be a man who manages his home life well (v4-5).

Verse 4-5. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?

*Third, An elder must be a man whose spiritual life that has shown consistent maturity over time (v6).

Verse 6. He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

*Fourth, an elder must be a man whose community life models integrity (v7).

Verse 7. Moreover [one more thing], he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

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Transition Statement:

II. The Responsibility and treatment of elders (5:17-20)

*The Responsibility of the elders is to lead well and care deeply for God’s people in the church (v17-18).

Verse 17 “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. verse 18 For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wage.’

*The treatment of the all the elders must demonstrate “double honor” and charges against one of them must weighed with great care (v17-20).

Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you

-Double Honor treatment is especially for those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. verse 18 For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wage.’

-Charges against one of them must be weight with great care (v19).

-If a charges against is confirmed and there is no change, public discipline must take place so the rest of the elders are warned (v20).