Squaring up with God's Word (Qualifications of a Pastor, cont'd)

Introduction

Turn with me in your Bibles to I Timothy 3. This morning we’ll continue our study in Preparing for a Pastor, looking specifically at what the qualifications for the office of pastor are.

Last week, we began looking at the minimum qualifications in I Timothy, and we focused specifically on how the list of qualifications in I Timothy really represent more of a minimum than they do a list of qualities that make for the ideal pastor. We also talked about how the consistent witness of Scripture shows that the office of pastor is restricted to men.

Now, it may seem a bit unnecessary to spend an entire sermon on those things, but I think in this day and age, where all things traditional are under attack and questioned—even within the church—it’s important for us to look at what the Bible teaches and unwaveringly affirm it.

FCF:

That’s going to be important again today as we look at the rest of the qualifications listed in I Timothy 3. Even though these are the minimum standards for a pastor, that doesn’t mean they’re low standards. In fact, the standards that the Bible sets for the moral character of a pastor are almost absurdly high. But there’s a good reason for it, as we’ll see.

Scripture Introduction:

1 Timothy 3:1–7 ESV

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.

Prayer for Illumination

Transition:

A pastor is like a miter saw.

As a woodworker, this miter saw is one of the most often used tools in my shop. It’s really useful for making short, precise cuts that would be very difficult to make safely on a table saw and it’s a whole lot faster (and usually more precise) than hand-sawing a board.

But that all depends upon how well it’s set up. A while back, I decided to try to make a picture frame with 45 degree mitered corners, like this one (show example). It looked simple enough. Four boards, eight 45 degree cuts—easy peasy, right? But, as I made my cuts and lined up the pieces, I discovered that there were gaps between the edges once I got them all arranged. And, the edges seemed to have a slight angle to them in another direction so that when they were joined together, they didn’t sit flush. “Maybe I didn’t have the saw set properly at 45 degrees,” I thought. But, I checked and quickly realized that wasn’t the problem. I scratched my head and stared at the wood and miter saw, wondering what had gone wrong.

I was stumped. So, I did what any good woodworker in the 21st century does—I YouTube’d it. I quickly found a video on making good miter cuts and to my horror, I discovered a whole slew of issues I never realized that I had to account for. See, tools like this usually aren’t square from the factory—or in this case, from the garage sale down the street.

The fence has to be squared against the base.

The blade has to be squared against the fence (and mine wasn’t).

The blade has to be squared against the table.

The blade has to be a good quality blade, with lots of good, sharp teeth (mine wasn’t).

When you cut, your cutting stroke should be smooth and slow so that you don’t bend the board as you’re cutting it (mine wasn’t).

The blade itself has to be straight and true (I recently bought one that was bent and didn’t realize it until I put it on my table saw and saw it wobbling).

If you’re using a table extension, it has to be flush with the saw’s built in table (mine wasn’t).

Now, you might be like me and look at the saw and think, “yeah, that’s good enough.” But the problem is that these little errors get compounded upon one another. The errors propagate all throughout whatever you’re building so that no matter how hard you try, the end result is just off.

Main Idea:

A Pastor is like a miter saw. He’s called to rightly divide the word of truth:

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV 1900)

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

To do that properly, he has to be squared with God’s Word. If he’s not, those little errors, the little places in his life where he’s not squared with God and his Word, will get propagated throughout what he’s building and the resulting church will just be off.

So this morning, we’re going to look at three things:

What is the standard by which we measure a pastor—and ourselves!

How we should handle it when our pastor’s life (or our own!) is out of square.

The Square for a Pastor and all Believers. (vv. 1-7)

A Pastor must have a godly desire for the ministry. (v. 1)

That doesn’t mean that all that’s required is a desire for the ministry.

The office of pastor is not something someone aspires to by themselves—it requires a calling from God.

Paul was called by God on the road to Damascus, and he was very aware of that calling in his letters:

Acts 9:15 (ESV)

15 But the Lord said to him (Ananias), “Go, for he (Paul) is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

1 Corinthians 1:1 (ESV)

1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,

Old Testament prophets were called by God to their ministry:

Isaiah 6:8 (ESV)

8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV)

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

While the calling of being a pastor isn’t something you can take upon yourself, still...

Those whom God calls, he grants a godly desire for the ministry.

1 Timothy 3:1 (ESV)

1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.

When God calls a man into the ministry, he gives him a burning desire to do that ministry.

When God calls you into ministry, what once was undesirable suddenly becomes irresistible. Men with a deathly fear of public speaking find themselves drawn inexplicably to the pulpit. God plants a fire in your bones to minister to others. A compulsion—you have to preach and tell others about God and what Christ has done for you.

People often talk about running from the call to ministry. Typically, that happens when someone isn’t really sure yet. They think God might be calling them, but they aren’t sure. God rarely uses a megaphone—the call usually comes in a whisper. So it’s easy to miss if you’re not listening. But when God’s calling becomes clear, there’s no running from it. God changes your heart so that the desire for the ministry overwhelms you.

My calling came on a Wednesday night revival service when I was 14. It came after a period of time in my life when I had been distant from God, living in sin. I was in a relationship that I knew displeased God and my parents, but I had sinfully refused to break it off. God mercifully brought conviction in my life and I repented and began restoring my relationship with God and my parents. And it was during that summer, at a revival service that I hadn’t even planned to attend, when God called out “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” when I answered, “Here I am, send me!”

My church was having a business meeting that night and I had decided to skip it because, well, business meetings are boring and I was 14. So, when my grandma called and invited me to go to the revival service at a nearby church, I initially declined. But, I came under conviction about skipping church, so I called her back and told her I would go. Going into that service, I planned to become a doctor when I grew up. But my heart was inclined towards God and my conscience was tender. Spiritually, I had both ears open and listening. I can’t tell you how I knew what God wanted me to do. It was just as if when Bro. Albert read that verse God was speaking it directly to me. The burden for ministry flooded my heart and I couldn’t do anything but submit to that call, though I briefly tried. I stood there during the invitation gripping the pew in front of me until my knuckles were white and I was about to pass out. The call caught me by surprise, though it doesn’t always (or even usually) happen like that. For most guys, it’s a slowly growing realization. But for me, it was sudden, unexpected, and strong. It was my Damascus Road.

When I finally stepped out into that aisle, a burden lifted off my shoulders and I felt as if I almost floated down that aisle. And I can tell you without hesitation that despite all of the difficult times, challenges, and sacrifices that ministry has brought me it has also brought me more joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction in Christ than I could ever hope for. It has truly been a wonderful blessing to my life and I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life.

God is still calling men to preach. Just a couple days ago my pastor told me about two men in my home church that have been called into the ministry in the past year or so.

Perhaps there’s someone here today that God is calling into the ministry.

A Pastor must be a man of godly character. (I Tim. 3:1-3, 7)

Almost everything in this next section applies just as well to normal believers as it does to pastors!

He must exibit self-control in all aspects of his life. (vv. 2-3)

“self-controlled, respectable, ....not a drunkard, not violent…not quarrelsome…not a lover of money.” (v. 3)

He must be in shape: physically, spiritually, relationally, etc. He should not be given to excess.

He maintains discipline in what he eats and drinks and in how he handles his money and his temper.

A pastor cannot lead his people to be sold-out, radically captivated by God’s love if his own heart is in love with the world.

A husband and father cannot lead his family to be sold-out, radically captivated by God’s love if his own heart is in love with the world. He may say that he loves Jesus more than anything, but his family will know what truly holds his heart.

He must have a sharp mind for Scripture. (v. 2)

This applies to pastors in a special way, though it should be the goal of EVERY believer to grow enough that we are ‘able to teach’. Remember the rebuke of Hebrews 5:

Hebrews 5:12 ESV

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,

“sober-minded…able to teach”

He doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist, but he needs to have a better than average knowledge and understanding of the Bible and the ability to teach it to others.

We will spend an entire sermon on this aspect of pastoral leadership

Enough experience to humble him.

This doesn’t forbid young men from being pastors, but they need to have enough experience as a Christian to be humble

The constant attention and admiration that pastors receive is enough to cause many to fall into sin.

He needs to be aware of his own sinfulness and guard against it. He needs to be able to keep his pride in check with a proper understanding of who he is before God.

Flattery has been the path that has led many pastors into adultery, and others into pastoral dictatorships where it’s their way or the highway. “Be careful little ears what you hear.”

His marriage and family life must be solid and worthy of imitation. (vv. 2, 4-5)

1 Timothy 3:2–5 ESV

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?

Can a divorcee be a pastor?

Options for interpretation in I Timothy 3:2:

Summarize these positions briefly, don’t get bogged down here.

“a one-woman man” (i.e., faithful to his current wife)

The ESV Study Bible (Chapter 3)

Many commentators understand the phrase to mean “having the character of a one-woman man,” that is, “faithful to his wife.” In support of this view is the fact that a similar phrase is used in 1 Tim. 5:9 as a qualification for widows (Gk. henos andros gynē; “one-man woman,” i.e., “wife of one husband”), and in that verse it seems to refer to the trait of faithfulness, for a prohibition of remarriage after the death of a spouse would be in contradiction to Paul’s advice to young widows in 5:14. Interpreters who hold this first view conclude that the wording of 3:2 is too specific to be simply a requirement of marriage and not specific enough to be simply a reference to divorce or remarriage after divorce. In the context of this passage, the phrase therefore prohibits any kind of marital unfaithfulness.

“Not a polygamist”

The ESV Study Bible (Chapter 3)

Another view is that “husband of one wife” means polygamists cannot be elders. Interpreters who hold this view note that there is evidence of polygamy being practiced in some Jewish circles at the time. On this view, the phrase means “at the present time the husband of one wife,” in line with other qualifications which refer to present character. On either of these views, Paul is not prohibiting all second marriages; that is, he is not prohibiting from the eldership a man whose wife has died and who has remarried, or a man who has been divorced and who has remarried (these cases should be evaluated on an individual basis).

“only ever married once”

The ESV Study Bible (Chapter 3)

A third view is that Paul is absolutely requiring that an elder be someone who has never had more than one wife. But that does not fit the context as well, with its emphasis on present character.

“above reproach in his marriage and family life”

The ESV Study Bible (Chapter 3)

Above reproach heads the list as the key qualification for an overseer; it is then expounded by the words and phrases that follow in these verses (see note on Titus 1:6).

Why didn’t Paul just say, “A man who is divorced, or a polygamist, or an adulterer cannot be a pastor”? Perhaps it’s because his focus is more on the quality of a man’s marriage now as he’s being evaluated for ministry rather than upon mistakes he’s made in the past? Or perhaps its because Paul knew that if he was overly specific, we wouldn’t look any deeper at ourselves. Like the good little Pharisees that we are, we’d just check all those boxes and move on without a second thought.

The general principle here is that a pastor should be above reproach in all areas of his life, especially his marriage and family. The principle of verse 5 applies not just to disciplining children, but also to the marriage relationship as well.

For if a man cannot remain faithful to his wife, how will he remain faithful to God’s Church when a more attractive option comes walking by? If a man cannot serve his wife selflessly, how will he wash the feet of God’s church? If a man cannot endure harsh words and treatment from his wife, a woman whom he knows loves him in her heart, how will he endure criticism from his Church? For if a man cannot forgive and unconditionally love his wife, how will he forgive and unconditionally love the Church? If a man cannot counsel himself and his wife through difficult marital issues, how will he counsel you?

Marriage is a picture of the Gospel. A pastor is called to preach the gospel and lead by example.

I once was in a church when the Senior pastor stood up and called for the church to give its approval to another one of their pastors who had recently been divorced and was now seeking to remarry with a woman in the church. He started his appeal by saying, “Now I know what the Bible says about marriage and divorce, but...”

It’s kind of like when someone says, “No offense, but...” what always follows is offensive! When someone says, “I know what the Bible says, but...” what follows is almost always a flat contradiction to Scripture.

While the Bible doesn’t explicitly state that a divorced man cannot be a pastor, the implications here are clear: a Pastor must have an exemplary marriage. Remember, if a Pastor is out of square with God’s Word, those errors will inevitably find their way into the church. In a culture with rampant divorce and infidelity, pastors need to be above reproach in this aspect.

This applies to laypeople as well. How’s your marriage? What kind of gospel picture does your marriage present to the world?

Husbands—are you being faithful to your wife?

Wives—are you lovingly submitting to your husband?

His children (v. 4-5)

The same is true of his parenting.

No parent is perfect, but there should be evidence of godly leadership in the home.

His discipline should be firm, but loving and grace-filled.

He should lead his family in their spiritual growth.

Parents—are you discipling your children? are you disciplining your children? with grace and love?

When the pastor’s life—or your own—is out of square with God’s Word.

No one is perfectly “squared” with God’s standard.

If you’re listening to this and concluding that your own life falls far short of God’s standard, then you’re understanding Scripture rightly. And if you’re hearing this and thinking, “Where in the world would we find a man that meets such qualifications?” Then you’re on the right track. The problem is that God demands perfection, and in this life, perfection isn’t attainable.

The fact is that no matter how hard I try to square up every aspect of this saw, getting it “perfect” simply isn’t possible. I’m going to make cuts that don’t line up right, and the test of a good woodworker is knowing how to fix those imperfections and never being satisfied with “good enough.”

The list of qualifications for a pastor sets a very high bar, but a pastor doesn’t have to be perfect to be a good pastor. No pastor is perfect, and no church is perfect. The best pastors sometimes make sloppy cuts with the Word and their lives don’t always line up with what they preach. No father or mother, husband or wife, boy or girl is perfect. We all fall short of God’s standard. So as you evaluate pastoral candidates, remember that none of them will be perfect. No one is perfectly self-controlled. No one is a perfect teacher. None of our marriages are perfect. Extend grace to those who have been called by God to preach the gospel of grace.

And that’s why a pastor has to be captivated by the gospel—because the gospel proclaims hope for imperfect people, for sinful people.

We all need God’s grace and mercy.

Perhaps as you’re listening today you’ve been brought under conviction. Your marriage is not what it ought to be. You have become aware of your failings as a parent. Your lack of self-control haunts you. As you stare at God’s rigid, unbending, righteous standard you realize that your life will never measure up.

Paul felt the sting of inadequacy as well.

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 ESV

7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The beauty and wonder of the gospel is that God takes our inadequacies, our weaknesses, and even our sins and he uses them for his glory. When we’re weak, Christ’s strength is available to us. When we sin, he gives us grace and forgiveness. When we are insufficient, he is sufficient.

But that sufficiency and grace is only applied to those who have given their lives to Christ.

If your life doesn’t measure up to the standard, don’t shrug your shoulders and give up! Repent and turn to Christ! His mercy and grace are enough to cover over any sin you’ve committed. He can make you a better husband…wife…father…mother…son…daughter. He can make you right before God. Christ is the master carpenter. He can cover over those imperfections so that when God looks at you, he sees perfection.