Positioned For Promotion
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The Blessing of Aspiration
The Blessing of Aspiration
Aspiration can be positive and negative.
Aspiration can be positive and negative.
The Bible provides many warnings about selfish ambition
This type of ambition is a strong drive for personal success without moral inhibitions.
What is Aspiration?
To have ambition toward something.
Aspiration is to make something ones aim.
20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation,
Aspiration in the Bible is seen as
Desire
Ambitions
Pursuit of Power
Power comes from God
Power comes from God
Two words for Power
Authority
Ability
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
Authority is positional power.
Authority is positional power.
John Maxwell contends that positional power is the lowest form of leadership.
Most people will live their whole life with little understanding of positional authority.
There will always be work if you don’t care about the position.
Ability is the agent that opens the door of opportunity.
Ability is the agent that opens the door of opportunity.
21 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
How was Moses to choose a leader?
How was Moses to choose a leader?
There were 4 test for leader.
Ability
Reverence for God
Trustworthy
Loyalty
16 A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before the great.
18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
What is your greatest leadership challenge?
What is your greatest leadership challenge?
Everyone has the opportunity to lead someone.
Everyone has the opportunity to lead someone.
To lead is
To simply go first in a way that others will follow
To influence action whether you do it or not
To serve others through mentoring
Positioned for Promotion
Positioned for Promotion
1 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.
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.
15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
Office of Authority
Office of Authority
Two Basic Offices
Overseer or Bishop
Deacons
Observations of Authority
Observations of Authority
What are the 4 areas of Authority?
Four Areas Addressed
Character
Care
Competence
Commitment
Four Areas Addressed
Character (1 Timothy 3:2-3)
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.
Four Areas Addressed
Character
Care (1 Timothy 3:4-5)
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?
Four Areas Addressed
Character
Care
Competence (1 Timothy 3:6
6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Four Areas Addressed
Character
Care
Competence
Commitment (1Timothy 3:7
7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
What is the purpose of this text?
What is the purpose of this text?
This text tells us what it is like to be in a place of spiritual authority.
This text tells us what it is like to be in a place of spiritual authority.
It is a life under examination.
It is a life under examination.
Under this reality
It is important to obey the rules
Be the example of faith and good citizenship
To be in authority is also to be under authority
Judgement is aways available
Under this reality
It is important to obey the rules (Hebrews 13:17
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.
Under this reality
It is important to obey the rules
Be the example of faith and good citizenship (1 Timothy 4:12
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.
Under this reality
It is important to obey the rules
Be the example of faith and good citizenship
To be in authority is also to be under authority (Romans 13:1
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Under this reality
It is important to obey the rules
Be the example of faith and good citizenship
To be in authority is also to be under authority
Judgement is aways available James 3:1
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
Patterns of Conduct
Patterns of Conduct
15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
Patterns of Conduct
Are important to every culture
Also applies to church culture
Why would anyone want to do ministry under constant scrutiny?
Why would anyone want to do ministry under constant scrutiny?
It is easier
++To stay in the crowd
++To not draw attention to ourselves
++Do not stick out
Verse one of the text lays the foundation for the whole passage.
1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.
Timothy was given a difficult task.
Timothy was given a difficult task.
It was his greatest leadership challenge.
It was his greatest leadership challenge.
3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,
4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.
His greatest challenge was
Not correcting doctrine
Not debunking myths
Doing it alone
Sometimes you will need to lead yourself.
What are key components to aspiration?
What are key components to aspiration?
To lead effectively you need
Inspiration
Education
Motivation
These are the key components of Aspiration
35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.