1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:04,980 Now, please would you open your Bible at first Timothy, and chapter five. 2 00:00:04,980 –> 00:00:10,200 We’re continuing our series on the distinctives of a gospel-centered church, and today we’re 3 00:00:10,200 –> 00:00:13,320 looking at gospel leadership. 4 00:00:13,320 –> 00:00:17,920 Chapter three in verse 15 tells us what this letter is all about. 5 00:00:17,920 –> 00:00:22,959 Paul says that I’m writing these instructions so that people will know how to conduct themselves 6 00:00:22,959 –> 00:00:26,799 in God’s household, which is the church of the living God. 7 00:00:26,820 –> 00:00:31,180 In other words, this whole letter is about how to behave in church. 8 00:00:31,180 –> 00:00:36,860 It’s about how the church can be most effective in fulfilling the work that Jesus Christ has 9 00:00:36,860 –> 00:00:38,939 given us to do. 10 00:00:38,939 –> 00:00:45,000 What will make the difference between a healthy church and a dysfunctional church? 11 00:00:45,000 –> 00:00:49,180 For a healthy church will accomplish much for the advance of the gospel. 12 00:00:49,180 –> 00:00:53,279 A dysfunctional church may accomplish very little. 13 00:00:53,320 –> 00:00:59,160 And so what Paul writes for us here in this letter that is uniquely about how the church 14 00:00:59,160 –> 00:01:02,759 is to go about the work that Jesus Christ has given us to do. 15 00:01:02,759 –> 00:01:09,300 This is of great importance for us and especially in these days, when we are seeking to do more 16 00:01:09,300 –> 00:01:12,000 for the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. 17 00:01:12,000 –> 00:01:18,080 This is speaking to us about issues that are of great importance with regards to that being 18 00:01:18,080 –> 00:01:20,000 accomplished. 19 00:01:20,099 –> 00:01:27,279 Now I want you to notice in that context how important leadership is in this letter. 20 00:01:27,279 –> 00:01:31,519 In fact right from the beginning in chapter one, the first thing Paul says in that first 21 00:01:31,519 –> 00:01:38,120 chapter is that Timothy, who is the pastor of this church in Ephesus, that he is to stay 22 00:01:38,120 –> 00:01:42,879 there in order to accomplish certain things for the good of the church. 23 00:01:42,879 –> 00:01:48,919 So Paul’s first concern, as he writes to a leader in the church, is about the continuity 24 00:01:48,919 –> 00:01:49,919 of leadership. 25 00:01:49,919 –> 00:01:54,540 The stability of leadership, which clearly is going to be crucial to the health and effectiveness 26 00:01:54,540 –> 00:01:56,080 of the church. 27 00:01:56,080 –> 00:02:03,040 Then you remember we came to chapter three, which was all about the character and competence 28 00:02:03,040 –> 00:02:05,360 of effective Christian leaders. 29 00:02:05,360 –> 00:02:11,160 What is it that we have to pursue and cultivate in order to maximize our usefulness to Jesus 30 00:02:11,160 –> 00:02:12,360 Christ? 31 00:02:12,360 –> 00:02:14,740 So chapter one begins with leadership. 32 00:02:14,740 –> 00:02:16,919 Chapter three is devoted to leadership. 33 00:02:17,020 –> 00:02:22,339 Now we come to chapter five and Paul returns again to the theme of leadership, which simply 34 00:02:22,339 –> 00:02:29,240 tells us how important this issue is with regards to the effective functioning of a 35 00:02:29,240 –> 00:02:31,139 gospel church. 36 00:02:31,139 –> 00:02:34,779 And that is why it is important for us to look at it today. 37 00:02:34,779 –> 00:02:42,199 You may remember from last week that the first part of chapter five is about gospel compassion. 38 00:02:42,199 –> 00:02:46,839 Now the second part of chapter five is about gospel leadership. 39 00:02:46,839 –> 00:02:52,360 And I think these two hold together in this way that verses one to sixteen are about how 40 00:02:52,360 –> 00:02:57,479 we care in the church for those with the greatest need. 41 00:02:57,479 –> 00:03:03,440 And verses seventeen to twenty-five are about how we care in the church for those with the 42 00:03:03,440 –> 00:03:05,919 highest responsibility. 43 00:03:05,919 –> 00:03:07,940 That’s what hold this chapter together. 44 00:03:07,940 –> 00:03:11,820 How we as a body of believers care for those with the greatest need. 45 00:03:11,820 –> 00:03:13,500 That was our subject last week. 46 00:03:13,500 –> 00:03:17,240 And today how we care for those with the highest responsibility. 47 00:03:17,240 –> 00:03:19,059 That is those who lead us. 48 00:03:19,059 –> 00:03:21,899 And that is verses seventeen to twenty-five. 49 00:03:21,899 –> 00:03:23,820 And that’s what it’s about. 50 00:03:23,820 –> 00:03:30,919 Now, I want to make three observations before we get into the scriptures this morning. 51 00:03:30,919 –> 00:03:39,740 The first is, of all the messages in this series, can you understand that for me this 52 00:03:39,740 –> 00:03:42,259 is the most difficult one to give? 53 00:03:42,259 –> 00:03:47,020 It is very difficult to speak about something that you yourself have been called to do. 54 00:03:47,020 –> 00:03:51,160 And you as a congregation have graciously called me to be one of the leaders in the 55 00:03:51,160 –> 00:03:52,160 church. 56 00:03:52,160 –> 00:03:56,179 And so I’m very sensitive about speaking about something that I myself am part of with 57 00:03:56,179 –> 00:03:58,279 oth others doing. 58 00:03:58,279 –> 00:04:00,699 So I just want you to know that I am aware of that. 59 00:04:00,699 –> 00:04:04,520 I have prayed much about this last week. 60 00:04:04,520 –> 00:04:10,419 And even as I speak now have a very special sense of needing the Lord’s help to speak 61 00:04:10,940 –> 00:04:15,279 faithfully and humbly in a way that is helpful. 62 00:04:15,279 –> 00:04:18,380 But the subject is before us in the scriptures. 63 00:04:18,380 –> 00:04:23,760 And it is therefore important as all the Bible is for the people of God. 64 00:04:23,760 –> 00:04:26,619 The second thing I just want you to know before we get into this. 65 00:04:26,619 –> 00:04:33,559 Is that as I speak and as I prepared this week I speak from the depth of my heart with 66 00:04:33,920 –> 00:04:40,720 thanksgiving to God for his abundant blessing in leadership in this church. 67 00:04:40,720 –> 00:04:45,040 I’m talking about our pastors, our board members, our elders. 68 00:04:45,040 –> 00:04:52,320 Folks the Lord has blessed this church through the years in an unusual way with wise and 69 00:04:52,320 –> 00:04:54,200 mature leaders. 70 00:04:54,200 –> 00:04:58,739 But as I look at those who have been called to leadership at this time, pastoral and lay 71 00:04:59,119 –> 00:05:06,320 In my opinion, that gift has never been stronger or greater than it is at the present time. 72 00:05:06,320 –> 00:05:09,959 And one of the effects that I would hope would come from this message and from the Bible 73 00:05:09,959 –> 00:05:18,540 today in our hearts is I hope that this message will increase your sense of thanksgiving for 74 00:05:18,540 –> 00:05:21,480 the abundant goodness of God. 75 00:05:21,480 –> 00:05:27,260 Many of us know from our life experience over the years that the effective functioning of 76 00:05:27,279 –> 00:05:33,239 pastors and board and congregation together really is crucial to what can be accomplished 77 00:05:33,239 –> 00:05:35,519 in any local church. 78 00:05:35,519 –> 00:05:40,920 And it is important for us to have our eyes open to the blessing of God and to recognize 79 00:05:40,920 –> 00:05:46,839 the good gifts of God as they are given, and to rejoice in them, to seek to steward them, 80 00:05:46,839 –> 00:05:50,100 to recognize them, and to protect them. 81 00:05:50,100 –> 00:05:54,880 And I hope that that will be a large part of the effect of this message that I bring 82 00:05:54,880 –> 00:05:56,920 to you today. 83 00:05:56,959 –> 00:06:00,640 The third observation, before we get into it, is simply this, and this concerns the 84 00:06:00,640 –> 00:06:04,779 wider church, churches throughout our country. 85 00:06:04,779 –> 00:06:11,320 Earlier this year I had the opportunity of speaking at a Bible Conference in Iowa. 86 00:06:11,320 –> 00:06:17,019 There were a number of speakers there, and one of the speakers on the team was a professor 87 00:06:17,019 –> 00:06:22,380 from a seminary in another part of the country and serving another denomination different 88 00:06:22,380 –> 00:06:23,579 from our own. 89 00:06:24,220 –> 00:06:30,339 And over the time that we had together that week, I asked him one lunchtime, I said, the 90 00:06:30,339 –> 00:06:36,420 students that are graduating from the seminary where you teach, what is it that they are 91 00:06:36,420 –> 00:06:37,420 going to do? 92 00:06:37,420 –> 00:06:43,339 We have our young folks who are coming, preparing for ministry, they’re going to a seminary, 93 00:06:43,339 –> 00:06:47,420 large numbers, and then they’re graduating, and my question was, what are they doing after 94 00:06:47,420 –> 00:06:50,040 they graduate? 95 00:06:50,119 –> 00:06:54,720 And he said to me, well, largely, the largest number are doing one of two things. 96 00:06:54,720 –> 00:07:04,480 Either they are going on to work with students or they are going to plant a new church. 97 00:07:04,480 –> 00:07:12,559 So I said to him, why is it that there are not more of your students who want to become 98 00:07:12,559 –> 00:07:17,000 pastors and serve in local churches? 99 00:07:17,000 –> 00:07:19,500 And you know what he said to me? 100 00:07:19,500 –> 00:07:29,000 He said, they’re scared to death about all that they’ve heard of working with church 101 00:07:29,000 –> 00:07:30,880 boards and church congregations. 102 00:07:30,880 –> 00:07:36,140 It’s what he said, scared to death. 103 00:07:36,140 –> 00:07:44,119 Now, I have to tell you that in my experience that is widely true, not only in other parts 104 00:07:44,119 –> 00:07:45,959 of the country. 105 00:07:45,959 –> 00:07:50,399 I have spoken over these last years with many, many young folks who have a heart for ministry 106 00:07:50,399 –> 00:07:52,260 and have found the same largely to be the case. 107 00:07:52,260 –> 00:07:54,940 I want to go and plant a new church, why? 108 00:07:54,940 –> 00:07:59,260 I’m scared to death of working with an existing church. 109 00:07:59,260 –> 00:08:03,260 And the effect of that is simply this. 110 00:08:03,260 –> 00:08:09,019 It is becoming harder and harder for churches to find pastors. 111 00:08:09,019 –> 00:08:12,540 You just need to look around and you will see that this is true. 112 00:08:12,540 –> 00:08:15,859 It’s true across the country. 113 00:08:15,859 –> 00:08:22,579 And folks, that is why this Scripture today that reflects honestly an area in which we 114 00:08:22,579 –> 00:08:28,899 have been so blessed, that is why this Scripture is of huge importance for the church in our 115 00:08:28,899 –> 00:08:30,839 country. 116 00:08:30,839 –> 00:08:37,400 Because this passage in 1 Timothy chapter 5 is all about how pastors, elders, and a 117 00:08:37,400 –> 00:08:44,059 congregation can work together in partnership, in harmony, in a way that honors Jesus Christ 118 00:08:44,099 –> 00:08:47,140 and advances the Gospel. 119 00:08:47,140 –> 00:08:53,340 If this could happen in churches across our country, much more would be accomplished for 120 00:08:53,340 –> 00:08:55,460 the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 121 00:08:55,460 –> 00:09:00,460 And you folks are wise and experienced enough to know that this is true. 122 00:09:00,460 –> 00:09:06,239 The issue of pastors and board members and congregation working together in harmony is 123 00:09:06,239 –> 00:09:08,820 critical to the advance of the Gospel. 124 00:09:09,140 –> 00:09:11,320 So I want you to hear me say this again. 125 00:09:11,320 –> 00:09:17,960 I speak out of a sense of thanking God for the blessing that he has given to us in this 126 00:09:17,960 –> 00:09:18,960 regard. 127 00:09:18,960 –> 00:09:22,679 And I want you to understand it and appreciate it. 128 00:09:22,679 –> 00:09:27,520 And I see for that reason that there are two great opportunities that are open to us as 129 00:09:27,520 –> 00:09:32,559 I think about the next ten years, if the Lord gives these to us. 130 00:09:32,559 –> 00:09:37,780 I think that there are two things that we have an opportunity here to do that will be 131 00:09:37,820 –> 00:09:42,520 for the advance of the gospel and for the good of other churches. 132 00:09:42,520 –> 00:09:48,479 One is, that we should be a church that is encouraging young men to go into pastoral 133 00:09:48,479 –> 00:09:49,479 ministry. 134 00:09:49,479 –> 00:09:52,599 That would be a great thing for us to do, and we’re seeing it already. 135 00:09:52,599 –> 00:09:57,200 You are seeing younger guys around the church these days who are finding their feet alongside 136 00:09:57,200 –> 00:10:02,080 the pastoral staff in ministry, getting a taste for it, serving, getting experience, 137 00:10:02,080 –> 00:10:05,520 visiting with the church board, all this kind of thing. 138 00:10:05,619 –> 00:10:08,239 And that’s a marvelous contribution to the wider church. 139 00:10:09,280 –> 00:10:14,900 We want to be a church that produces pastors in the next 10 years. 140 00:10:14,900 –> 00:10:18,820 So the first thing we can do is encourage young men to serve the Lord in pastoral ministry. 141 00:10:18,820 –> 00:10:27,919 The second thing we can do is to model a healthy partnership between pastors and board members 142 00:10:27,919 –> 00:10:36,140 and congregation because churches desperately need pastors and churches desperately need 143 00:10:36,140 –> 00:10:42,140 models of how congregation board and pastors should work together effectively. 144 00:10:42,140 –> 00:10:48,479 Now as the Lord has poured out his abundant blessing and we have a special stewardship, 145 00:10:48,479 –> 00:10:55,700 I want us to see that with gratitude and for us to catch a vision as to how in the Lord’s 146 00:10:56,219 –> 00:11:03,219 goodness this could be useful to other churches for the good of the gospel and for the glory 147 00:11:03,239 –> 00:11:07,099 of God. In other words what I’m saying to you is we don’t just want to have good 148 00:11:07,099 –> 00:11:13,640 leaders, we want to produce good leaders. We want to be a model of how leadership can 149 00:11:13,640 –> 00:11:18,119 work well in a way that will be a blessing to others. 150 00:11:18,119 –> 00:11:22,020 Now I hope then I’ve given you a sense of why this passage of Scripture that I’ve 151 00:11:22,039 –> 00:11:26,880 never spoken on before and may never do it again, I don’t know. But it is of very 152 00:11:26,880 –> 00:11:34,700 special importance for us and for the whole church in this country. What we have here 153 00:11:34,700 –> 00:11:43,559 is a beautiful portrait of a church in which leaders are honored and effective. They are 154 00:11:43,559 –> 00:11:51,099 protected and they are accountable and they bear fruit both now and forever. That’s 155 00:11:51,140 –> 00:11:56,059 a beautiful thing. It’s a wonderful thing for which we should thank God. Now I hope 156 00:11:56,059 –> 00:12:00,419 you have your Bible open, so we can see what it says here. Let’s look first at leaders 157 00:12:00,419 –> 00:12:07,039 who are serving well and they are held in honor. Verses 17 and 18. The elders who direct 158 00:12:07,039 –> 00:12:14,039 the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work 159 00:12:14,039 –> 00:12:21,039 is preaching and teaching. For the scripture says, Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading 160 00:12:21,159 –> 00:12:28,159 out the grain and the worker deserves his wages. There are many important things here. 161 00:12:30,159 –> 00:12:34,580 Let’s take them one at a time. Do you notice that phrase at the beginning, the elders who 162 00:12:34,580 –> 00:12:40,539 direct the affairs of the church? We noticed last time when we looked at leadership that 163 00:12:40,539 –> 00:12:44,840 leadership structures in different churches work in different ways, and that’s been 164 00:12:44,840 –> 00:12:49,080 true across denominations and across the history of the church. So let’s not get too hung 165 00:12:49,280 –> 00:12:53,419 up on elders, board members, deacons and particular designations. 166 00:12:53,419 –> 00:12:57,280 What is made very clear here is that those who are trusted with spiritual leadership 167 00:12:57,280 –> 00:13:04,280 in the church.. Notice the phrase direct. Do you notice that word, direct the affairs 168 00:13:04,799 –> 00:13:11,799 of the church? In other words, it is the spiritual calling of those who are given leadership 169 00:13:12,039 –> 00:13:18,559 within the church to give direction to the life and to the ministry of the church. Now 170 00:13:18,559 –> 00:13:25,559 this is very important. Notice elders, plural, you can underline the plural there. Direction 171 00:13:26,520 –> 00:13:33,520 does not come in a gospel church from one individual. That would be coercion. Second, 172 00:13:36,419 –> 00:13:41,419 direction in a gospel church does not come from every individual, that would be mass 173 00:13:41,419 –> 00:13:48,419 confusion. Direction in a gospel church comes from those who have been tested and who have 174 00:13:48,739 –> 00:13:55,739 entrusted to serve as its leaders, and that is what brings cohesion. Very important principle. 175 00:13:57,820 –> 00:14:03,559 Direction of the church. Secondly, especially those whose work is preaching 176 00:14:03,559 –> 00:14:09,479 and teaching. Now do you notice how the direction of the church and the ministry of the Word 177 00:14:09,479 –> 00:14:14,979 are not two different things, but Paul brings the two very closely together. The church, 178 00:14:15,020 –> 00:14:20,760 a gospel church is always a church that is under the Word of God. So the ministry of 179 00:14:20,760 –> 00:14:26,659 the Word and the direction of the church belong together. We are really serious about living 180 00:14:26,659 –> 00:14:33,179 out what God calls us to do. We really want God to shape our lives and to shape our church 181 00:14:33,179 –> 00:14:39,580 according to His Word. So we’re not to think of direction for the church here and the ministry 182 00:14:39,580 –> 00:14:44,219 of the Word here. The ministry of the Word reflects the direction of the church and the 183 00:14:44,340 –> 00:14:49,080 direction of the church reflects the ministry of the Word, as we seek together to put into 184 00:14:49,080 –> 00:14:52,960 practice what the Lord is teaching us from His Word. 185 00:14:52,960 –> 00:14:59,960 Third, those who serve well, Paul says, are worthy of double honor. Now, this means at 186 00:15:02,359 –> 00:15:07,940 least two things. The first is, very obviously, that we are to respect those who are trusted 187 00:15:07,940 –> 00:15:13,619 with leadership. It’s a principle repeated many times in the Bible. One Thessalonians 188 00:15:14,059 –> 00:15:20,539 5 and verse 12, respect those who work hard among you who are over you in the Lord, that’s 189 00:15:20,539 –> 00:15:26,520 one Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 12. So, we owe respect to those who are trusted 190 00:15:26,520 –> 00:15:32,200 with responsibility in the widest possible way. We saw that earlier in chapter 2, with 191 00:15:32,200 –> 00:15:37,179 regards even in the secular world, those who were given responsibility. 192 00:15:37,179 –> 00:15:43,000 But notice that Paul says something even more here. He says, those who serve well are worthy 193 00:15:43,000 –> 00:15:48,520 of double honor. In other words, it is right for us to respect those who are trusted with 194 00:15:48,520 –> 00:15:53,559 leadership, since we are the ones who have trusted that to them. 195 00:15:53,559 –> 00:15:58,799 But those who serve well, there’s twice the reason for us to be respectful and to hold 196 00:15:58,799 –> 00:16:03,099 those who lead us in honor. 197 00:16:03,099 –> 00:16:09,020 Now this honor includes not only the respect that we give, but quite clearly here, Paul 198 00:16:09,140 –> 00:16:15,700 includes in that, the support that the church congregation gives to those who give themselves 199 00:16:15,700 –> 00:16:22,700 full time to the ministry of the gospel. And they are supported by the giving of the congregation 200 00:16:23,159 –> 00:16:30,159 in the church. And Paul quotes two scriptures that speak about this very directly, and they 201 00:16:30,280 –> 00:16:36,599 always make pastors smile because of the two analogies that Paul thinks are appropriate 202 00:16:36,599 –> 00:16:37,919 for pastors. 203 00:16:38,179 –> 00:16:45,179 Number one, do not muzzle the ox when he is treading out the grain. Number two, the worker, 204 00:16:46,000 –> 00:16:52,340 literally the farm laborer, deserves his wages. So there you are. Pastors are compared here 205 00:16:52,419 –> 00:16:59,419 to oxen, treading out the grain, and farm laborers who are baling up the straw or whatever. 206 00:16:59,880 –> 00:17:06,880 Now, the analogies are significant, because these two analogies say one very obvious thing. 207 00:17:07,180 –> 00:17:13,900 Pastors should expect to work hard. That’s what the oxen and the farm laborer tells you, isn’t it? 208 00:17:16,400 –> 00:17:28,520 Our lay leaders work a full week in business, in various employment, and then give, as you give, 209 00:17:28,959 –> 00:17:36,560 service, hours to the ministry of the church on top of that. So, those who lead, 210 00:17:36,560 –> 00:17:42,900 those who are trusted with pastoral responsibility and given this immense privilege of being 211 00:17:42,900 –> 00:17:48,439 supported by the congregation to give ourselves wholly to this work. Boy, we do not want to do 212 00:17:48,439 –> 00:17:56,400 less than that, but more! And I do want you to know that the pastors who serve us as a 213 00:17:56,439 –> 00:18:03,339 congregation share that spirit and work hard in every sphere. I see it and I want you to 214 00:18:03,339 –> 00:18:10,079 know it, and I want you to be encouraged by it and to rejoice in it. Anyone who’s going 215 00:18:10,079 –> 00:18:18,160 into pastoral ministry should expect to extend himself and to work hard. And Paul says the 216 00:18:18,160 –> 00:18:24,760 church that calls him should pay him for his work. Now that pattern is very clear in the 217 00:18:25,760 –> 00:18:30,459 Bible. In the Old Testament, the priests were supported by the people of God, by the great 218 00:18:30,459 –> 00:18:35,199 congregation so that they could give themselves to the work God had called them to do on behalf 219 00:18:35,199 –> 00:18:41,400 of the people. Paul himself received support from churches that he planted and churches 220 00:18:41,400 –> 00:18:48,520 that he visited, though at times he supported himself as a tent maker. Here, Paul makes 221 00:18:48,520 –> 00:18:52,880 it clear that those who serve the church should receive their living from the church. That’s 222 00:18:52,880 –> 00:18:58,479 the principle in this verse. And it’s stated again, if you want to follow this up, in 1 223 00:18:58,479 –> 00:19:05,119 Corinthians 9, in verse 14, where Paul says those who preach the Gospel should receive 224 00:19:05,119 –> 00:19:15,180 their living from the Gospel. Now, some churches have given such emphasis to the priesthood 225 00:19:15,180 –> 00:19:24,140 of all believers that they have really lost sight of God’s particular call to pastoral 226 00:19:24,140 –> 00:19:29,719 ministry. So let me just ask this question, and then I want to answer it. Is it right 227 00:19:29,719 –> 00:19:34,599 to hire a pastor? Dangerous question for this guy to ask. 228 00:19:34,599 –> 00:19:40,420 Now, some of you might come from traditions where that is a question in your mind. Is 229 00:19:40,880 –> 00:19:50,939 honorable thing to do? Candidly, you know this, the largest part of our church budget 230 00:19:50,939 –> 00:20:00,739 is devoted to supporting our staff. Is this the right thing to do? My answer to that question 231 00:20:00,739 –> 00:20:05,339 and from the Scripture is absolutely it is the right thing to do. It is the right thing 232 00:20:05,339 –> 00:20:12,739 for a church to do because ministry advances through God’s people under the leadership 233 00:20:12,739 –> 00:20:18,339 of those who are called by God and recognized by the church to devote themselves to this 234 00:20:18,339 –> 00:20:24,859 work. Folks, our primary investments are always in people. 235 00:20:24,859 –> 00:20:29,719 Last week we talked about the Benevolent Fund. What’s the Benevolent Fund used for? To help 236 00:20:29,719 –> 00:20:35,160 care for those who have particular needs in the congregation and in the community outside. 237 00:20:35,160 –> 00:20:39,800 Now, what about the General Fund? What is the General Fund used for? The budget to which 238 00:20:39,800 –> 00:20:46,699 we give and are giving every week. The largest part of it, by far, is given to the support 239 00:20:46,699 –> 00:20:54,359 of the pastors we call and the missionaries we send. It’s invested in people because it 240 00:20:54,359 –> 00:20:58,839 is in this way that the Gospel is strategically advanced. 241 00:20:59,680 –> 00:21:05,819 That’s a principle that we need to grasp, and in which we should rejoice. 242 00:21:05,839 –> 00:21:10,079 Now that’s only the beginning, let’s move on. Because not only do we have a beautiful 243 00:21:10,079 –> 00:21:17,680 portrait here of leaders who are serving well and are held in honor. That’s a beautiful 244 00:21:17,680 –> 00:21:24,359 thing for us to pursue. But also Paul speaks here, and this is very important, about leaders 245 00:21:24,359 –> 00:21:32,719 who are protected and the same time held accountable. Now again I want to speak from the scripture 246 00:21:32,719 –> 00:21:38,119 and to encourage you with regards to the way this is exercised in our church. Leaders who 247 00:21:38,119 –> 00:21:42,099 are protected and accountable. Notice verse 19. 248 00:21:42,099 –> 00:21:48,040 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three 249 00:21:48,739 –> 00:21:56,760 witnesses. And then he says, verse 20, those who sin are to be rebuked publicly so that 250 00:21:56,760 –> 00:22:02,959 the others may take warning. Now there are two points here and they are both of great 251 00:22:02,959 –> 00:22:08,579 importance and many of you have been around church for long enough to understand the great 252 00:22:08,579 –> 00:22:16,880 significance of these two things. Number one, good leaders need to be protected from bad 253 00:22:16,880 –> 00:22:24,459 people and number two good people need to be protected from bad leaders. These two things 254 00:22:24,459 –> 00:22:31,099 are always threats to the work of the church of Jesus Christ and both of them are addressed 255 00:22:31,099 –> 00:22:36,339 in two verses that must always be kept together and they are right here in verse 19 and 20 256 00:22:36,339 –> 00:22:41,900 of 1 Timothy chapter 5. Good leaders must be protected from bad people and good people 257 00:22:42,099 –> 00:22:49,099 must be protected from bad leaders. Now look at what is said about protection here. Godly 258 00:22:49,660 –> 00:22:56,219 leaders – remember this – will always be under the attack of the enemy. We all are. 259 00:22:56,219 –> 00:23:03,219 Satan is the accuser of all of us but where a person is put in a position, where people 260 00:23:03,560 –> 00:23:08,180 are put in a position by a congregation and asked to take the lead and trusted with the 261 00:23:08,180 –> 00:23:14,979 responsibility of leadership, you can be certain that Satan sharpens his arrows and points 262 00:23:14,979 –> 00:23:21,979 them in that direction. That is why we all need the belt of truth as the first part of 263 00:23:26,219 –> 00:23:31,579 the Christian armor, otherwise Satan will surely have a rout among us. 264 00:23:31,579 –> 00:23:36,619 Now, John Calvin says this commenting on this very verse – I think he must have been having 265 00:23:36,619 –> 00:23:41,020 a bad day when he wrote it – but let me tell you what he wrote. He says, 266 00:23:41,780 –> 00:23:49,260 “…none are more exposed to slanders and insults than godly pastors. They may 267 00:23:49,260 –> 00:23:56,260 perform their duties correctly and conscientiously, yet they never avoid a thousand criticisms.” 268 00:23:56,699 –> 00:24:03,540 He must have had a bad breakfast that day. Who had visited his study before he wrote 269 00:24:03,540 –> 00:24:13,099 it? I don’t know. But you know what? It’s true. Paul was constantly slandered by false 270 00:24:13,099 –> 00:24:25,359 teachers, and our Lord Jesus Christ was repeatedly slandered and falsely accused. The gossip 271 00:24:25,359 –> 00:24:31,359 about him was that he was a glutton and a drinkard. 272 00:24:31,560 –> 00:24:38,560 That’s what people said about him. And then others even went so far as to say, 273 00:24:38,560 –> 00:24:43,479 you know what’s the deal with him? He’s got Beelzebub, which means he’s devil 274 00:24:43,479 –> 00:24:48,020 possessed. That’s what they said about the Lord Jesus… 275 00:24:48,020 –> 00:24:54,380 You know, the pattern with slander is always the same. Someone comes up with some story 276 00:24:54,380 –> 00:25:00,920 or some false statement and it gets passed around and then the next hundred people say, 277 00:25:01,119 –> 00:25:07,319 finish this statement for me. Well there’s no smoke without fire. 278 00:25:07,319 –> 00:25:14,140 You see? The next time you hear that phrase, there’s no smoke without fire, just remember 279 00:25:14,140 –> 00:25:21,140 that they said about Jesus, he’s a glutton and he’s a drunkard. So I don’t know how that 280 00:25:23,400 –> 00:25:30,400 fits with no smoke without fire. The truth is that Satan sometimes brings lies and slanders. 281 00:25:30,760 –> 00:25:37,020 And he seeks to do it to the destruction of the local church. Therefore, because Satan 282 00:25:37,020 –> 00:25:44,020 works havoc in the church through these things, elders must restrain the fabricators of gossip 283 00:25:47,239 –> 00:25:53,060 and slander and lies. That is a holy calling that is given to spiritual leaders in the 284 00:25:53,060 –> 00:25:58,199 church, and that is the whole point that is at the center of verse 19. Because Satan works 285 00:25:58,239 –> 00:26:04,619 havoc in the church through these things, elders must restrain the fabricators of gossip 286 00:26:04,619 –> 00:26:11,619 and slander and lies. Martin Luther said of this verse, he said there are two great evils 287 00:26:14,079 –> 00:26:21,079 here. The first he said is to promote rumors and untruths, and the second is to be willing 288 00:26:21,420 –> 00:26:28,420 to believe the evil and not the good. The folks, I found that convicting. It’s a great 289 00:26:29,380 –> 00:26:36,380 evil to promote rumors and untruths, and it is a great evil to believe the evil and not 290 00:26:38,959 –> 00:26:45,959 to believe the good. Satan works havoc in churches in this regard, and it happens over 291 00:26:46,219 –> 00:26:53,219 lunch tables and breakfasts and phone calls and cell phones. So as God has granted to 292 00:27:00,300 –> 00:27:07,300 us in these days such abundant blessing, I want you to see what a gift this is and what 293 00:27:08,219 –> 00:27:15,219 a stewardship it is, and how Satan would seek that we should do less for the gospel. 294 00:27:16,079 –> 00:27:21,780 And let us commit ourselves in our own mind and heart that we will not be the promoters 295 00:27:21,780 –> 00:27:26,619 of rumors and untruths, and that we will not be willing to believe the evil, and not the 296 00:27:26,619 –> 00:27:33,619 good. Protection. Good leaders do need to be protected from bad people. Thank God for 297 00:27:35,000 –> 00:27:40,900 spiritual leaders, for elders who will do this. I thank God for that. 298 00:27:40,900 –> 00:27:44,739 But alongside that, and we mustn’t separate these two things. There’s always the other 299 00:27:45,300 –> 00:27:49,079 need. Good people need to be protected from bad leaders. And, that’s the whole 300 00:27:49,079 –> 00:27:54,119 issue of accountability. Verse 20. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the 301 00:27:54,119 –> 00:27:58,540 others may take warning. Now Paul is clearly here talking about a 302 00:27:58,540 –> 00:28:05,540 leader, a pastor, an elder who harms the church by his sin. And Paul says that the elders 303 00:28:06,219 –> 00:28:10,520 here have a special responsibility to deal with this also. In other words, what we’re 304 00:28:10,540 –> 00:28:17,540 being taught here is that leaders must be held accountable. 305 00:28:17,540 –> 00:28:24,540 And again for your encouragement, I want you to know how much I thank God for the wisdom 306 00:28:25,040 –> 00:28:32,839 with which this is practiced in our church. Pastors, including myself, are accountable 307 00:28:33,839 –> 00:28:40,839 to the church board. We serve under their authority and their authority was given to 308 00:28:41,959 –> 00:28:47,420 them by you, the congregation, who approved them to be the members of the board. They 309 00:28:47,420 –> 00:28:54,420 have been given authority to protect us, the pastors, and to hold us, the pastors, accountable. 310 00:28:54,839 –> 00:29:01,839 This is a good thing. The board can deal with difficulties that may arise in a way that 311 00:29:03,359 –> 00:29:09,880 would not be possible for the entire congregation as a whole. That is something for which thinking 312 00:29:09,880 –> 00:29:16,199 people should be deeply and continually thankful to God. 313 00:29:16,199 –> 00:29:22,920 So what we have here, folks, a wonderful pattern for pastors, and lay leaders, and congregation 314 00:29:23,079 –> 00:29:29,119 to work together in a partnership that is productive for the advance of the gospel. 315 00:29:29,119 –> 00:29:35,040 The congregation appoints the board, and the board is responsible to the congregation. 316 00:29:35,040 –> 00:29:40,400 The board trusts the leadership of ministry to the pastors and the pastors submit themselves 317 00:29:40,400 –> 00:29:45,939 to the authority of the board. The pastors are called and trusted to lead, and the board 318 00:29:46,079 –> 00:29:52,660 holds them accountable for their leadership on behalf of the congregation. 319 00:29:52,660 –> 00:29:57,540 Now just before we move on from this, you will understand, perhaps not be surprised, 320 00:29:57,540 –> 00:30:03,640 that it’s quite common for us here to receive either letters or phone calls from leaders 321 00:30:03,640 –> 00:30:07,660 of churches who say, can you recommend a pastor, we’re looking for a pastor, do you have someone 322 00:30:07,660 –> 00:30:12,939 who might want to come and so forth and so on, and a lay leader from another church was 323 00:30:13,319 –> 00:30:20,319 to one of our people just within the last week or so and he said this, he said, we’re 324 00:30:21,900 –> 00:30:28,900 looking for a pastor and we don’t want anyone telling us what to do. So, my question was, 325 00:30:28,900 –> 00:30:35,900 who would go there? Who would I recommend? A risk of offending dog owners, that is always 326 00:30:49,079 –> 00:30:56,079 a risk, they were looking for a poodle pastor. Now, why do people say these things? Because 327 00:30:59,099 –> 00:31:05,140 they’re quite often heard. Sometimes it is because a little group of lay leaders want 328 00:31:05,140 –> 00:31:12,140 to run things themselves. But sometimes, there’s always another side, it is because they have 329 00:31:12,339 –> 00:31:19,199 been hurt by an authoritarian pastor in the past, and they’ve said, we’re never, never, 330 00:31:19,199 –> 00:31:26,199 never gonna have that again. So, if you were once bitten by a Rottweiler, it stands to 331 00:31:26,239 –> 00:31:33,160 reason, it stands to reason that you might think next time you’ll go for a poodle. 332 00:31:33,160 –> 00:31:40,160 But folks here is health, we don’t want poodle pastors, and we don’t want Rottweilers either. 333 00:31:40,540 –> 00:31:47,540 We want leadership and accountability, we want trust, and we want submission. And these 334 00:31:48,520 –> 00:31:55,520 are good gifts from God to be celebrated. And I hope that you are thanked that God is 335 00:31:56,459 –> 00:32:02,459 protecting God right now, and we’ll continue to thank God for these gifts among us today. 336 00:32:02,459 –> 00:32:07,579 Now, here’s the last thing. We’ve looked at leaders serving well and held in honor. We’re 337 00:32:07,579 –> 00:32:12,459 looking at leaders who are protected and who are accountable. Here’s the last thing, leaders 338 00:32:12,459 –> 00:32:19,459 who are bearing good fruit both now and forever. Now, verse 24 and 25, Paul is beginning to 339 00:32:20,459 –> 00:32:27,420 broaden it out in ways that speak to all of us in our service for Christ. 340 00:32:27,420 –> 00:32:33,859 The sins of some men, verse 24, are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them. 341 00:32:33,859 –> 00:32:40,859 The sins of others trail behind them. In the same way good deeds are obvious, and even 342 00:32:40,939 –> 00:32:45,619 those that are not cannot be hidden. 343 00:32:46,560 –> 00:32:53,479 What he’s saying here at the end of the chapter is that all of us, congregation, board, 344 00:32:53,479 –> 00:32:58,900 elders, pastors, whatever the role that we have within the body of Christ, all of us 345 00:32:58,900 –> 00:33:04,739 serve in the light of the coming judgment of God. And God sees all things, and He knows 346 00:33:04,739 –> 00:33:11,660 all things, and He hears all things, and He forgets no things. 347 00:33:11,939 –> 00:33:20,300 is hidden from Him. Now, Paul says the sins of some men are obvious. 348 00:33:20,300 –> 00:33:25,900 In other words, some people are just obvious sinners. You see very, very quickly a pattern 349 00:33:25,900 –> 00:33:32,520 of life that is destructive, and it’s just very obvious. But he says remember this, that 350 00:33:32,520 –> 00:33:39,000 the sins of others trail behind them. Others may present themselves in a way that seems 351 00:33:39,020 –> 00:33:46,000 very compelling and very attractive, and yet behind that, behind what you see at first, 352 00:33:46,359 –> 00:33:51,040 there is a life that is filled with all kinds of evil. That’s what he’s saying, the sins 353 00:33:51,040 –> 00:33:56,339 of others trail behind them. John Stott, in his commentary, calls this 354 00:33:56,339 –> 00:34:01,359 the iceberg principle. With the iceberg what is it, nine tenths below the surface, you 355 00:34:01,359 –> 00:34:06,599 only see one tenth on the top. And he said this, the same is true with regards to our 356 00:34:06,640 –> 00:34:12,639 first impressions of people. He says attractive personalities often have hidden weaknesses, 357 00:34:12,639 –> 00:34:19,639 whereas unprepossessing people often have hidden strengths. And Timothy must learn to 358 00:34:19,699 –> 00:34:26,699 discern between the appearance and the reality. People are not always what they appear on 359 00:34:27,860 –> 00:34:34,860 the surface. That is why we should exercise caution in appointing people to positions 360 00:34:35,540 –> 00:34:40,320 of leadership.That is the whole point of verse 22, where Paul says don’t be hasty in 361 00:34:40,320 –> 00:34:45,860 laying on hands. What he is talking about there is commissioning a person to leadership. 362 00:34:45,860 –> 00:34:52,860 He says don’t be too quick to do that, you get to know the character of people over time, 363 00:34:53,260 –> 00:34:58,139 because over time you will find that character emerges. Sometimes you will see good that 364 00:34:58,139 –> 00:35:03,139 was hidden for a long time. Other times things will come to light that were not obvious at 365 00:35:03,159 –> 00:35:08,159 the beginning, this is simply Christian wisdom for the church, and when it is followed it 366 00:35:08,159 –> 00:35:14,840 will keep the church healthy and protect the church from dysfunction. Then he goes on to 367 00:35:14,840 –> 00:35:21,840 say this, in the same way good deeds are obvious and even those that are not, cannot be hidden. 368 00:35:26,199 –> 00:35:32,979 So, what he is saying here is that some good works are immediately recognized, but other 369 00:35:33,219 –> 00:35:40,219 good works, ministries that remain very quiet, hidden, things that God’s people do that others 370 00:35:41,679 –> 00:35:48,159 don’t know about. Remember this, that the God who sees and will judge secret evil is 371 00:35:48,159 –> 00:35:55,159 the God who sees and will reward hidden good. That’s a marvelous thing for our encouragement, 372 00:35:55,159 –> 00:36:01,540 William Berkeley calls this, in a beautiful phrase, the impossibility of ultimate concealment. 373 00:36:01,780 –> 00:36:07,360 The impossibility of ultimate concealment, what is hidden will be made known. What is 374 00:36:07,360 –> 00:36:13,020 secret and hidden with regards to sin will be brought to account on the day of judgment 375 00:36:13,020 –> 00:36:19,639 and what has been unnoticed in beautiful acts of service will be recognized for what it 376 00:36:19,639 –> 00:36:25,899 is in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Berkeley says this, there are some whose good 377 00:36:25,899 –> 00:36:31,060 deeds are plain for all to see, and they have already won the praise and thanks and honor 378 00:36:31,060 –> 00:36:39,479 and congratulations of men. But there are others whose good deeds have never been noticed. 379 00:36:39,479 –> 00:36:43,780 They have never been appreciated, never thanked, never praised, never valued as they ought 380 00:36:43,780 –> 00:36:54,979 to have been. They have always been taken for granted. I wonder if the reason that Paul 381 00:36:55,360 –> 00:37:03,959 ends here is that in a healthy church leaders are often thanked. Your encouragement to me 382 00:37:03,959 –> 00:37:10,260 is a blessing more than I can put into words. But the person who does the most hidden job 383 00:37:10,260 –> 00:37:17,139 in the church most of us don’t even know. There may be things that you do for the cause 384 00:37:17,139 –> 00:37:23,860 of Christ that only you and maybe a couple of other people know about. And so after all 385 00:37:24,040 –> 00:37:29,500 this talk about leadership, positions where there is in the nature of things are things 386 00:37:29,500 –> 00:37:36,540 that are seen and visible to the congregation. Paul wants us to remember this that God sees 387 00:37:36,540 –> 00:37:43,520 what other people have missed. And Jesus said that even a cup of cold water that’s given 388 00:37:43,520 –> 00:37:49,760 in His name will certainly not go without its reward. The judgment of God that should 389 00:37:50,100 –> 00:37:57,260 fear to those who carry secret sins should bring comfort and joy to those whose good 390 00:37:57,260 –> 00:38:07,739 works in Christ are hidden from view. It’s beautiful. The impossibility of ultimate concealment. 391 00:38:07,739 –> 00:38:17,580 So, if you have not received the honor that is due, if you have not received the protection 392 00:38:17,760 –> 00:38:27,080 that you should have been given, remember the Lord Jesus Christ to whom you belong. 393 00:38:27,080 –> 00:38:33,300 Leaders hurled in honor — when the Son of God came into the world, we could not honor 394 00:38:33,300 –> 00:38:42,520 the one who angels adore with as much as a bed to be born in. And when He extended Himself 395 00:38:42,520 –> 00:38:51,179 in ministry to the point of exhaustion, He was constantly slandered. Glutton, He is. 396 00:38:51,179 –> 00:38:59,540 Drunkard. Beelzebub. He received no protection but was condemned without the proper testimony 397 00:38:59,540 –> 00:39:04,860 of witnesses agreeing together. That’s the world for you. That’s the world in which 398 00:39:04,860 –> 00:39:06,860 we live. 399 00:39:06,860 –> 00:39:11,479 But here’s the good news. The world never has the Last Word. God does. That’s good 400 00:39:11,479 –> 00:39:17,320 news, isn’t it? And God vindicated our Lord Jesus Christ, exalted Him to the highest place, 401 00:39:17,320 –> 00:39:22,840 that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow so that now through the death of the Lord 402 00:39:22,840 –> 00:39:29,560 Jesus Christ there is forgiveness of sins. And through the resurrection life of the Lord 403 00:39:29,560 –> 00:39:35,080 Jesus Christ, there is the power to live a new life and to bear new fruits that over 404 00:39:35,080 –> 00:39:40,840 time will become evident to all so that people would see the work of the Spirit and the life 405 00:39:40,919 –> 00:39:49,159 of Christ in us. Christ who dies and Christ who rises again holds these gifts in His hands 406 00:39:50,120 –> 00:39:57,080 as He offers Himself to us today. So let’s pray together, shall we? 407 00:39:59,320 –> 00:40:06,040 Father, we thank You for the gracious gifts that You are pouring out 408 00:40:06,040 –> 00:40:10,760 in abundance upon us in the Body of Christ in these days. 409 00:40:11,719 –> 00:40:18,760 And we ask, Father, that You will give us a thankful heart as we move towards thanksgiving. 410 00:40:20,120 –> 00:40:27,159 Make us a grateful and a joyful people. Help us to see Your goodness for what it is. 411 00:40:28,919 –> 00:40:35,719 Help us to steward and to cherish and to rejoice in and to protect and never to hinder 412 00:40:35,719 –> 00:40:41,719 the trust and the blessing that You have given to us as Your people. 413 00:40:43,879 –> 00:40:51,800 We ask that by Your mercy, You will enable us to do much for the advance of the gospel and for 414 00:40:51,800 –> 00:40:58,919 the good of others in these days for the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 415 00:40:58,919 –> 00:41:08,280 We ask that You would keep us from doing anything that would hinder the advance of the gospel in 416 00:41:08,280 –> 00:41:16,459 the very place where you set us down. And so with joy and thanksgiving for what it means to live 417 00:41:16,459 –> 00:41:21,780 our lives and to serve together before the all-seeing eye of Christ, before whom we will 418 00:41:21,879 –> 00:41:31,580 one day stand. We ask that we may serve You well in our short time and rejoice in You fully for 419 00:41:31,580 –> 00:41:36,100 all eternity through Jesus Christ our Lord. And everyone said, Amen.