2018-02-25 Philippians 1:1 Greetings (2): Elders and Deacons

GREETINGS (2): ELDERS AND DEACONS (Philippians 1:1) February 25, 2018 Acts 20; I Pet 5; I Tim 3, 5 Read Phil 1:1 – A guy went to visit a teacher friend who was upset. He had seen a survey showing his state was 47th had a state academic ranking of 47th. He said, “I just can’t believe it. We’re 47 out of 52!” It’s hard to criticize students if teachers are deficient, isn’t it?! The same goes for the church. We need leaders who know what they are about before God. So Paul addresses this epistle “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.” This is the only epistle where Paul mentions local leaders in the greeting, so it’s a good place to stop and overview them briefly. The NT is not an organizational manual, but it models two leadership offices – elder (overseer) and deacon – the 2 for whom Paul give qualifications in I Tim 3 and Titus 1. So, who are they, what do they do? I. Elders A. Make-Up (Who are they?) 1. Names – Ultimate leadership in the church belongs to one Head -- Jesus Christ. But under His headship, the NT models leaders called by 3 names – elders, overseers (KJV bishops) and pastors (shepherds). All 3 terms are used interchangeably to designate the same men. So in Acts 20:17 as Paul nears the end of his 3rd journey: “Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.” But in Acts 20:28 he calls these same men overseers: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for (pastor) the church of God.” Same men, different title to designate them – and their work is to pastor. So elders, overseers, pastors = same men! In Titus 1:5b Titus is to “appoint elders in every town.” In Titus 1:7 he calls the same men overseers! Elders and overseers are the same. Most telling is I Pet 5:1-2a: “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd (pastor) the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight (verb form of overseer).” Here are all three titles applied to the same men in the same text. So in the NT, local church leaders are sometimes called pastors, sometimes elders, and sometimes overseers (bishop). Why 3? Each title emphasizes a nuance of the position. Elder (πρεσβυτερος) emphasizes maturity – not so much age as spiritual maturity – someone 1 experienced in the Word and in life. This is the overall qualification. Overseer (επισκοπος) literally = “see over”. This is the function of the office – to oversee church ministries under the headship of Christ. Pastor shows the manner of oversight – like a loving shepherd caring for his sheep. By the 2nd century, bishops began to be appointed over multiple churches. And most denominations continue hierarchical practices to this day. But in the NT we find only local leaders. Local congregations had great autonomy. This is not to say other methods cannot work or do not have merit. The Bible does not give specific instruction on organization. But it models simple leadership at the local level under elders/overseers/pastors assisted by deacons. 2. Number – How many elders should a church have? It’s never spelled out. But it is always more than one. I know this goes against what many of you have believed; it’s not what you learned in business school, but the NT models a plurality of elders. Even here, Paul addresses the “overseers” (plural). Earlier, the church at Antioch collected relief funds for the impoverished believers in Jerusalem. Acts 11:30: “And they did so (collected funds), sending it to the elders (plural) by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.” When churches developed on Paul’s first missionary journey: Acts 14:23: “And when they had appointed elders for them in every church.” Paul told Titus to “appoint elders in every town” (1:5). On Paul’s 3rd journey he “sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.” One place, multiple elders. James advises anyone who is seriously ill to “call for the elders (plural) of the church (singular)” (5:14b). So, in a local church, under the headship of Christ, there is to be a multiplicity of elders, pastors, overseers. The number depends on size, need and qualified candidates. Now, the NT does have paid and unpaid elders. I Tim 5:17: “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor (pay, as the next vs. clarifies), especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” So a gifted teaching pastor might be paid to free him to study. Other elders work secular jobs, but still assume church leadership – much as we have in our own church. So why a plurality of leaders? 1) All men are sinners and plurality provides a check and balance system of accountability. 2) No one person knows the will of God perfectly. Thus a plurality of men truly seeking the Lord’s will are more likely to understand it. 3) Plurality removes the temptation of pride in good times and depression in bad. No one man gets all the credit or all the blame. 4) No one person has all God’s gifts. Multiple leaders provides greater 2 giftedness in leading a congregation. God’s pattern may not be the easiest, but it’s always the best. Our elders have determined that based on Paul’s admonition in I Cor 1:10c “but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment,” that we will make no decision unless we are unanimous. 3. Nature – So, what kind of men are these to be? The Bible leaves no doubt about that. In both I Tim 3 and Titus 1, Paul lists qualifications; they are intimidating. I Tim 3:2 Therefore an overseer must be • above reproach -- literally not able to be blamed. Not perfect. Paul was a murderer. But a blameless quality of life over a few years. • the husband of one wife -- literally a “one-woman man”. Some feel never divorced. But you could have a never divorced guy who ogles every woman who walks by. This is a man who over time, divorced or not and remarried or not, has demonstrated his devotion to one woman. • sober-minded -- cool in crisis, clear-thinking. Doesn’t lose his head. • self-controlled – Prioritizes life from God’s perspective, not man’s. • respectable –Not given to excesses. Behavior is commendable. • hospitable – literally “lover of strangers”. One who shares with others. • able to teach – not pro, nor even one with gift of teaching. But one who can articulate the essentials of the faith. One who values teaching. • 3 not a drunkard – literally, not lingering alongside wine. Not a teetotaler, but someone who avoids 2nd or 3rd glass that removes inhibitions. • not violent but gentle – self-controlled. Not defensive of one’s rights. • not quarrelsome – Not contentious. Someone who has to “win.” • Not a lover of money – not driven by material goals. • 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? – Work is not the standard. Home is. Acid test. Is this man involved with family? Leading at home by precept and example! Teaches kids. Prays with kids. Doesn’t delegate it all. • 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil – Someone with demonstrated spiritual maturity. Paul was a number of years before leading. • 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. – Can he pass a credit check? Known for honesty and integrity? Get along with people? Keep promises? 3 So – what a list, huh? If there is any man here saying, “Hey, that’s me!” you probably don’t qualify. None of us can say we’ve arrived, right? But this is the goal for every godly man – elder or not. And while we won’t get perfection in our leaders, we must take these qualifications seriously. Billy Graham modeled this so well. Amidst the scandals of other celebrity preachers, he stands out. Finances: He provided audited accounts of every crusade in the local papers as soon as the crusade was finished. He always took a straight salary equivalent to a senior pastor, no matter how much money his meetings brought in. He was never alone with a woman other than Ruth. He worked at these qualifications – in his heart and in his behavior. B. Mission (What do they do?) 1. Feed – Feed what? The Word of God. An elder’s primary burden should be to get God’s message into himself and into others. Three times Jesus told Peter in Jn 21, “Feed my sheep.” Why do people live such shabby, undisciplined, unhappy lives? Because they don’t know and obey the word. Hosea 4:6: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Elders are to insure that doesn’t happen on their watch. “Feed = teach! Physical food distribution in the early church became very time-consuming. So the apostles asked the people to appoint Spirit-filled men to do that. Why? Acts 6:2b: “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.” In Acts 20:20 at Paul’s last meeting with the elders from Ephesus, he reminds them how he was “teaching you in public and from house to house.” They are to follow his example. The church is a teaching station, equipping saints to live godly lives in a world gone mad. Paul instructs in Titus 2:1: “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.” I Tim 4:16 (on my wall as a reminder): “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” I Tim 6:2c: “Teach and urge these things.” What things? The Word of God. II Tim 2:2: “and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” II Tim 2:15-16: “ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.” Teach the Word – not your opinions. It’s all that matters. On Paul’s way out the door to be executed? 4 “Preach the Word” (II Tim 4:2). Do what? Preach. Preach what? The Word. Not your opinion, not current events, not political fads. Preach the Word. I Tim 5:17: Teaching elders as those who: “labor in preaching and teaching.” Labor – toil. Used of a farmer in his field. The Spirit inspires those who put in the work. My primary job is not to administer or fund raise or counsel or visit. All those are necessary. But job 1 is to labor teaching and preaching. That’s a several hour a day job, and elders are to insure that it is happening. Many years ago there was a conference where a number of pastors of large churches were on a panel and were asked, “How do you study?” The first said, “Well, I read my Bible every day.” Another said, “I always read a good sermon every week.” Another – “I’m too busy to study. I trust the HS to lead me.” John MacArthur said, “I must be weird, but I have to study 5 or 6 hours every day to be ready to feed God’s people.” His ministry has stood the test of time. His priorities were set by God, not by his desires or even those of his congregation. Feed my sheep. Teach my people. That’s the Lord’s instruction. 2. Lead – Next, elders are to lead – spiritually. Yes, there are business issues, but this is servant leadership that serves the congregation by praying for them, teaching them, urging obedience, protecting them from false teaching, helping them find their giftedness and ministry, and providing means of outreach. In short – helping people know, grow and go. We’re not here to copy someone else’s plan, but by the HS determine what our Head, Jesus, wants to do uniquely in this place at this time thru this congregation. This leadership is to be accomplished primarily – by example. Notice Paul didn’t address the saints at Philippi as under the overseers and deacons but with them. Eample. I Tim 4:12: “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” You lead; mine will follow. I Pet 5:3 requires the same thing of elders: “not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” The entry in John Wesley’s diary dated 31 March, 1731 says, “In the evening I met Mr. Whitfield in Bristol. I could scarce reconcile myself at first to this preaching in the fields, of which he set me an example; having been all my life (until very lately) so tenacious of every point of decency and order, that I should have thought the saving of souls almost a sin, if it had not been done in the church." Wesley, became one of the greatest open-air preachers who ever lived. But he needed an example. And so elders are to be examples in 5 speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, praying that someone else will come along and be even greater in those things as a result. That’s leadership. II. Deacons Well, we’re out of time to consider deacons in detail. But who are they? Acts 6 gives the example. They attend to the physical and pastoral care matters to free elders for the work of prayer and ministry of the Word. But check their qualifications in I Tim 3:8-10. They are virtually the same as those of elders with the exception of “apt to teach.” They are also spiritual people, devoted to helping ministries – keeping things purring in the background so that the ministries of the church can go forward with order and decorum. Conc -- So does the congregation have any responsibility here? Of course. Heb 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.” Overseers are ultimately responsible, not to the congregation, but to God. That’s who they’ll give account to. So, the people, having expressed their opinions, are to obey. “Even when I don’t agree?” Of course. The instruction is meaningless if applied only to when you agree. Christian unity isn’t always agreeing; it’s always being agreeable and submissive to leadership, short of a problem of immorality or heresy. I am deeply grateful for the unity we enjoy; but the Enemy would love to disrupt it. Dr. Emerson Eggerichs reports that at one of the “Love and Respect” Conferences he and his wife conduct, they held a Q&A session on “The Husband’s Authority in the Home.” One young wife made this unwittingly revealing comment: “I want my husband to be the head; I want him to be the leader. I just want to make sure that he makes decisions in keeping with what I want.” That could easily be our response to church leadership as well. Better to have our say, and then to take our Lord’s advice: “Obey your leaders and submit to them . . . as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy.” They will give account to God for their leadership. But we will give account for our followship. Let’s pray. 6