2016.11.27 Acts 14&20 Titus 1&2
The character and responsibilities of
Elders
Good morning everyone…. It´s great to be here with you
this morning…. As most of you know, we go through the Bible verse by verse…This
morning we are going to take a detour from the Gospel of John and talk about
Elders… You will remember that Paul and Barnabas were sent out as missionaries
from Antioch… As they went… They made
disciples… They planted Churches… And they appointed Elders in every church…
Why?
Because they knew that these young believers were weak
and needed to be fed and cared for….. Because
the Great Commission is not only to make people genuine Christians… it is to
make healthy Disciples… look me at Titus
ch2..v1…
Titus
2: 1,2 & 7
NLT Neues Leben
1 As
for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching.
2
Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to
live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.
7
And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind.
Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.
1 Was immer du sagst, soll der gesunden Lehre
entsprechen.
2 Lehre die älteren Männer, selbstbeherrscht, vorbildlich
und besonnen zu leben. Sie sollen einen starken Glauben haben und liebevoll und
geduldig sein.
7 Und du selbst sei ihnen in allem ein gutes Vorbild und
ein Beispiel für die Glaubwürdigkeit und Würde deiner Lehre.
In this text Paul reminds all godly leaders of our
responsibilities… Teach self-control… be worthy of respect… live wisely… be
full of faith and filled with love and patience…
Paul and Barnabas appointed Elders to teach and shepherd
the disciples... That is exactly what we see in the early church… Look with me
at Acts 14… v21-23…
Acts
14: 21-23
NKJV slt 2000
21
And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples,
they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of
the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must
through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” 23 So when they had
appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them
to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Acts 14: 21-23 slt 2000
21 Und nachdem sie in dieser Stadt das Evangelium
verkündigt und eine schöne Zahl Jünger gewonnen hatten, kehrten sie wieder nach
Lystra und Ikonium und Antiochia zurück;
22 dabei stärkten sie die Seelen der Jünger und ermahnten
sie, unbeirrt im Glauben zu bleiben, und [sagten ihnen,] daß wir durch viele
Bedrängnisse in das Reich Gottes eingehen müssen.
23 Nachdem sie ihnen aber in jeder Gemeinde Älteste
bestimmt hatten, befahlen sie sie unter Gebet und Fasten dem Herrn an, an den
sie gläubig geworden waren.
Here we see great examples of Godly Leaders… They were
making disciples…
Making
disciples
1
strengthening the souls of the disciples… v22
2
exhorting them to continue in the faith… v22
3
They appointed elders to pastor and shepherd the people after they had gone…
v23
4
commended them to the Lord… v23
Look at point 3… 3
Elders and pastors are a necessary part of God´s plan to nurture and care
for His people… Here we are Blessed
to have a great group of leaders… We
have a leadership circle of 12 men
that meet regularly with me… All of them will become elders or Deacons in time…
They are men who love and serve and care for the church… We have so many that
we think we will soon be able to send out church plants as we pray and seek the
Lord to give us wisdom…
The Word of God is the pattern that we use for life and
ministry… What do we learn from the Bible about Eldership?
Eldership
1
Biblical Eldership….. is church Leadership that
follows the scriptures
2
Pastoral Eldership….. shepherding and protecting
the flock
3 Qualified
Eldership…… There are several scriptures that show
us the qualifications of men to become Elders
4 Appointed
by God… The Holy Spirit appoints them… We seek to
know the Lord´s will as we look to appoint Elders… It is not a popularity
contest…. We look for Godly servant hearts
5 Elders
lead the church… This is done best by a group of
qualified elders
These five principles will help us to understand Biblical Eldership more easily…
Let's look at point number one...
1 Biblical
Eldership is eldership by the book……. Men of God…. men with servant’s hearts…
Men who lead and serve and protect the church…
We believe that Biblical Eldership represents accurately
and fairly what the Bible teaches about eldership…... The Lord appoints some men
to lead and serve and care for his people…
2 Biblical
Eldership is Pastoral… Elders are shepherds… Paul and Peter both
use this word to speak of the role of Elders in the early church… They take
care of the brothers and sisters in the body… The role of the elders to Pastor… To shepherd the flock is a very
common way of looking at what the Lord expects His “servant leaders” to do… Their
motto is to serve and protect… When we speak of Elders then… They are Shepherds, Teachers and Pastors… All of them servant-leaders…
We can learn a lot about the forming of The leadership of
the early church in the Acts and the Epistles… I put up a picture from Ephesus
at the beginning of the sermon today because we learn a lot form Paul´s
ministry to the Elders… Here is the picture again…
Look with me to Acts
20… v28… As we look at this text… Paul knows that his time is short… and he
calls for the Ephesian Elders to come to him… He exhorts them with these words…
Acts
20: 28-32 NKJV
28
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy
Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased
with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves
will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves
men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after
themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not
cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
32
“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is
able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are
sanctified.
Acts 20: 28 -32 sch 2000
28 So habt nun acht auf euch selbst und auf die ganze
Herde, in welcher der Heilige Geist euch zu Aufsehern gesetzt hat, um die
Gemeinde Gottes zu hüten, die er durch sein eigenes Blut erworben hat!
29 Denn das weiß ich, daß nach meinem Abschied
räuberische Wölfe zu euch hineinkommen werden, die die Herde nicht schonen;
30 und aus eurer eigenen Mitte werden Männer aufstehen,
die verkehrte Dinge reden, um die Jünger abzuziehen in ihre Gefolgschaft.
31 Darum wacht und denkt daran, daß ich drei Jahre lang
Tag und Nacht nicht aufgehört habe, jeden einzelnen unter Tränen zu ermahnen.
32 Und nun, Brüder, übergebe ich euch Gott und dem Wort
seiner Gnade, das die Kraft hat, euch aufzuerbauen und ein Erbteil zu geben
unter allen Geheiligten.
Paul spent more time with this church and these elders
than most…. He said…. Look out…. Be
careful…. Protect the flock… The role of the elders is to Pastor… To
shepherd the flock… That includes protecting from false Doctrine and from
wolves… They requires Godly leaders…
There
are several scriptures that show us the qualifications of men to become Elders…
We will not have time for all of them…
Let´s take a look at what Paul told Titus… take your
Bibles and turn to Titus chapter 1… V5…
Titus
1: 5-9
NKJV sch 2000
5
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things
that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— 6 if a
man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused
of dissipation or insubordination.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward
of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent,
not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded,
just, holy, self-controlled,
9
holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by
sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
Titus 1: 5-9 sch 2000
5 Ich habe dich zu dem Zweck in Kreta zurückgelassen,
damit du das, was noch mangelt, in Ordnung bringst und in jeder Stadt Älteste
einsetzt, so wie ich dir die Anweisung gegeben habe:
6 wenn einer untadelig ist, Mann einer Frau, und treue
Kinder hat, über die keine Klage wegen Ausschweifung oder Aufsässigkeit
vorliegt.
7 Denn ein Aufseher muß untadelig sein als ein Haushalter
Gottes, nicht eigenmächtig, nicht jähzornig, nicht der Trunkenheit ergeben,
nicht gewalttätig, nicht nach schändlichem Gewinn strebend,
8 sondern gastfreundlich, das Gute liebend, besonnen,
gerecht, heilig, beherrscht;
9 einer, der sich an das zuverlässige Wort hält, wie es
der Lehre entspricht, damit er imstande ist, sowohl mit der gesunden Lehre zu
ermahnen als auch die Widersprechenden zu überführen.
Here´s the list of Elder qualifications from this text:
Elder
qualifications
1 Blameless
2 a
good steward of God
3
Husband of one wife
4 Having
faithful children
5 Not
self-willed
6 Not
quick-tempered
7
Not violent
8
Not greedy for money
9 Hospitable
10
Soberminded
11
Just, holy, self-controlled…
Let´s take a closer look…
1…Blameless…..
that does not mean perfect…… It means that the brother must not have any
constant sin issues in his life…. He must not be living a life of unrepentant
sin…. blameless: This word literally means
"nothing to take hold upon." There must be nothing in
the life of the leader that others can use to attack his life or the church….. No
one could stand up and rightfully accuse the man of grievous sin……
2…a
good steward of God… He knows that everything he has comes from the LORD…. This is important, because
he was a steward of God's house…. The greater the master is…. the more faithful
and responsible the servants are expected to be……
3… Husband
of one wife… The idea is of "a one-woman man…. It
does not mean that a leader must be married….. If that were the case, then both
Jesus and Paul would be disqualified from leadership. Nor is it the idea that a
leader could never remarry….. The idea is that the leader has his focus upon
one woman - his wife….. He is not a womanizer……
4….Having
faithful children…. The leader must have raised his children
well…… here the submission of the children to discipline and restraint is
emphasized…. 1 Timothy 3:4…says… having
children who respect and obey him… seine
Kinder ihn achten und ihm gehorchen…
In other words… Not children
who are wild and out of control….
5….Not
self-willed: Not one who is determined to have his own
way in everything… Selfish people are disqualified from leadership… They show
their self-willed nature in arrogance… stubbornness… and pride…
6…Not
quick-tempered: Those who are quick to get angry….. are also
disqualified from leadership…..
The ancient Greek word used
here (orgilos) actually refers more to a settled state of anger….. than the
flash of an occasional bad temper…… It speaks of a man who has a constant
simmering anger…… A man who nourishes
his anger against others….. close to the idea of a bitter man…..
7…
Not violent: "The Greek word includes not only
violence in action, but also violence in speech… The word came to mean one who
browbeats his fellow-men…
8… Not greedy for money: Especially in the
last days… men will use “godliness” as
a way to get money… 1 Tim 6: 3-6… For
point 9 -11… We are Looking at v8,9…
Titus 1: 8,9 NKJV sch 2000
8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy,
self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that
he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who
contradict.
8 sondern gastfreundlich,
das Gute liebend, besonnen, gerecht, heilig, beherrscht; 9 einer, der sich an
das zuverlässige Wort hält, wie es der Lehre entspricht, damit er imstande ist,
sowohl mit der gesunden Lehre zu ermahnen als auch die Widersprechenden zu
überführen.
9…
But hospitable: A leader among God's people must be gracious
and welcoming… and one who loves what is good… Men who continue love the things
of this world… are not yet qualified to be leaders among God's people…
10…
Soberminded: This describes the person who is able to
think clearly and with clarity… They know how to deal with serious subjects in
a serious way…This does not mean he has no sense of humor… It means that he
knows the value of the things of God… And he does not cheapen the ministry or
the Gospel message by foolish behavior….
11…
Just, holy, self-controlled: A pastor or leader in the
church must be just (right toward men),
holy (right towards God), self-controlled (right towards himself). These
are all related to each other… Scroll down for v9…
V9… After listing the
qualifications of elders…..
Paul ends the list with this statement….. the candidate for eldership must…
v9…
hold fast the faithful word…Holding on to and faithfully teaching
the Word of God… so that he will be able
to… This
assignment to shepherd God´s people has many responsibilities... I would like
for us to look at 4 general areas…
Responsibilities
of Elders
1.
Teaching… the Word of God… everything that pertains to a Godly life…Teach sound
doctrine… rightly diving the Word…
2.
Exhorting… Encouraging… Do the right thing … You can do it… Sometimes in the strongest of terms… Stop it…
to encourage us to obedience and trust… and be able to
3.
Protecting the flock….. Refuting false teaching and resisting false teachers
and wolves…resist those who contradict the truth… In other words an Elder must know the Bible… He
must be able to communicate and teach it to others… He must be able to
recognize false teachers and stop their poison from harming the sheep…
Paul said to the Ephesian elders… wolves are coming… guard the flock… so this is again something the
elders have to be able to do… teach,
protect and warn…
Number
1 is teaching… It is a very important part of the Elders
responsibilities… Many of you…. I hope all of you are leading and teaching and
encouraging and protecting… In the home and in Children´s ministry… Older women
discipling the younger… etc… Teaching does not necessarily mean standing up
here… But it does mean helping all of us to look to The Word of God for answers… To help all of us to think Biblically… To make disciples…
To
summarize… For Elders we see… a very strong emphasis on character and on teaching… but there is
another very important part of the ministry of Elders… it is number 4 in our list…
4.
Leading and managing… This includes ministering to both the
spiritual and practical needs of the church…
Is it necessary that all Elders stand up front and teach
the Word of God….? no it is not… Are there Elders who lead and manage and serve
the church in other ways?... I think the answer is yes… Turn with me to 1
Timothy 5….v17….
1
Timothy 5:17 NKJV sch 2000
17
Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially
those who labor in the word and doctrine.
17 Die Ältesten, die gut vorstehen, sollen doppelter Ehre
wert geachtet werden, besonders die, welche im Wort und in der Lehre arbeiten.
The Greek phrase here is saying that Elders who rule well
are worthy of double honor….Especially
if they also preach and teach… So It is
possible for a man of God to know his Bible and display the Godly character
of an Elder…. But focus on leading and running the more practical affairs of
the church as his main ministry focus…. He is focused on this fourth function
of Elders…
4.
Leading and managing…. they help lead the church forward…..
by example and in very practical ways…. For example in the many practical
aspects of caring for people….. praying
for and counseling people through their problems….. providing the training, tools
and environment that is necessary for the ministry….
We began this morning by looking at the description of
Biblical Eldership… We have looked at the
Qualities of Elders and the responsibilities of Elders… I am reviewing these
things this morning… because the time has come for us to begin to Appoint
Elders to serve and lead our congregation…
We seek to know the Lord´s will as we look to appoint Elders… It is not a
popularity contest… We look for men with
Godly, servants hearts… As we have seen… Elders need to be morally
spiritually qualified… they must have a good reputation… they must be examples
to the flock….
Pastoral oversight of the church… Is best done by a group of qualified elders… Ideally… There
should be at least 2 or three elders…..
Because this is a new church….. I have been under submission to the Elders who
sent me here to start this church…
We have also had The Elders of other Calvary´s
here in Germany help me serve and lead CCW… It has always been the goal to
appoint Elders from this church to lead and serve the believers
here… And we are preparing to do that… For about 4 years I have been meeting
with the Leadership circle of men in this church… We pray and serve this
church… They are those who are already serving and leading… Even though they do
not yet have the title of Elders and deacons… They are already serving these
functions and they are doing them well… This morning I want to present to you
three of these men… We want you to pray
with us over the coming weeks as look to appoint them as the first of several elders and deacons that we
hope to raise up… Please pray for us
as we look to follow the Lord´s will as we choose the Elders and deacons in the
coming weeks and months…
Let´s pray…
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