Honoring Your Leader

(Acts 20:28). Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

( 2 Ti 4:2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

3. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

5. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Honoring the Man of God

1 Ti 5:17-18

I. The Instruction to the Church

1.Respect

2.Recognize

3.Receive

(Heb 13:17). Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you

II. The Intention of the Church

1.Support

2.Stand

3.Shield

Jer 3:15. And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding

Eph 4:11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

III. The Investment to the Church

1.Muzzle

2.Material

3.Maintain

“Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn” (De. 25:4).

“Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat” (Mt 10:9–10).

“And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you” (Lu 10:7-8)

.“For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?” (1 Co 9:9).

“Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (1 Co 9:14).

(Ga 6:6 )

(1 Th 5:12).

Returning to the subject of elders, Paul discussed the local church's responsibility to acclaim these God-appointed men for their rule. "

Let the elders that rule well...," he began (1 Ti 5:17). The word translated "rule" here is the same one used in 1 Ti 3:4 to describe an elder's rule over his house. The word is proistēmi, which means "to superintend."

The local church is not a democracy where action is decided by a majority vote.

A democracy might be man's view of the ideal form of government, but God's ideal is an absolute monarchy in which all power rests in the hands of Jesus.

In the church, Christ is the Head, and the Holy Spirit is the Executor.

The Holy Spirit raises up elders who are to make decisions as He leads and who are to be given honor if they do their tasks well.

Thus, the church is to be ruled by men who have been gifted, proven, and appointed by the Holy Spirit.

The Ephesian elders were well aware of this fact (Acts 20:17, 20:28).

Elders are to be acclaimed for their reward.

In 1 Timothy 5:18 Paul explained, "For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn" (see Deut. 25:4). And, "The labourer is worthy of his reward" (Matt 10:10)

Evidently, Paul envisioned elders being paid for their service to the local church because the word translated "reward" means literally "pay."

The word for "labour" suggests growing weary, becoming exhausted from toil and effort.

The word used here, labourer, is sometimes used in reference to a farmhand or a manual laborer.

Evidently, elders are expected to earn their financial support by sheer hard work and are to be remunerated accordingly.

Jeremiah 3:15

15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.