Scripture referenced 9 passages
The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
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Psalm 63 opening worship, quoted 'because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you'
1 God, you are my God. I will earnestly seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water.
2 So I have seen you in the sanctuary, watching your power and your glory.
3 Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.
4 So I will bless you while I live. I will lift up my hands in your name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest food. My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,
6 when I remember you on my bed, and think about you in the night watches.
7 For you have been my help. I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings.
8 My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up.
9 But those who seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
10 They shall be given over to the power of the sword. They shall be jackal food.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God. Everyone who swears by him will praise him, for the mouth of those who speak lies shall be silenced.
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Keep this verse
1 Timothy 1:5
the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith
5 but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith;
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1 Timothy 1:15
trustworthy saying that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost
15 The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
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1 Timothy 3:1-7
the main passage for the sermon, qualifications for overseers
1 This is a faithful saying: if a man seeks the office of an overseer, he desires a good work.
2 The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching;
3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
4 one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;
5 (but if a man doesn’t know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the assembly of God?)
6 not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
7 Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.
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Luke 10:33-35
the Good Samaritan caring for the wounded man, used to illustrate the kind of care an overseer gives the flock
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion,
34 came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’
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1 Samuel 16:6-7
God telling Samuel not to look at Eliab's appearance, for the Lord looks at the heart
6 When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely Yahweh’s anointed is before him.”
7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
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Matthew 5:16
let your light shine before men so they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven
16 Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
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James 2:17-18
faith without works is dead, show me your faith without works and I will show you my faith by my works
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
18 Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith.
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Romans 15:5-6
closing benediction, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
5 Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus,
6 that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Recap
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
Pastor Ray was back after being away the previous Sunday, and picked up where the series in 1 Timothy had left off. Working through just seven verses in chapter three, he walked the congregation through what Paul says a church overseer ought to look like, and why that list matters for First B right now.
What was said
Paul opens 1 Timothy 3 with one of his recurring "trustworthy sayings," and Pastor Ray connected it back to the one from earlier in the letter: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. The third trustworthy saying follows from that. Because Christ saves sinners and brings them into a body, the body has to be led, and that is where the office of overseer enters the picture. Aspiring to it, Paul says, is aspiring to a noble task.
The first quality on the list is being above reproach, and Pastor Ray was careful to say that does not mean sinless. The Greek word carries the idea of not being open to justified blame. When the full context of a situation is understood, the charge against this person should not hold up. The qualities that follow, being a one-woman man, sober minded, self-controlled, respectable, and hospitable, are basically a picture of what above reproach looks like in ordinary life.
Hospitality got some attention. The Greek word combines the word for brotherly love with the word for stranger or outsider, the same root that gives English the word "xenophobia." An overseer is supposed to be the opposite of someone who fears outsiders; he is to have a brotherly love for people he does not yet know.
The requirement that an overseer be "not a drunkard" drew a comparison of how different Bible translations handle the underlying Greek. Several were read aloud. The phrase literally means someone who does not linger close beside the wine, which Pastor Ray took as a warning against dependency rather than a blanket prohibition on drinking. He was straightforward that his own background is Southern Baptist, that he generally does not drink, and that the Bible's actual prohibition is against drunkenness rather than any use at all.
The household management requirement was handled with honesty about its harder edge. An overseer who cannot manage his own household well is not the best fit for caring for the church. The word translated "care for" in that verse is the same word used in Luke for the Good Samaritan, the one who binds up wounds, covers costs, and comes back to check. That is the weight of what overseeing is supposed to look like.
Two disqualifying patterns closed the list. A recent convert should not be placed in the office because the risk of pride is too high, and Pastor Ray noted that the same pride was what brought down the devil. And an overseer must be well thought of by people outside the church, not because reputation is everything, but because hypocrisy is the trap the devil sets, and the disgrace that follows when a leader does not practice what he preaches does real damage.
Pastor Ray was frank that the elders at First B do not typically find people campaigning for the position. In practice, the elders talk among themselves about who might be a good fit and then approach that person. He said he could see people in the congregation who would make excellent elders, and he closed by reminding everyone that the aim of the whole charge, as Paul states early in the letter, is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. The series continues next week with deacons.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
- Pastor Ray pointed to 'the aim of our charge' from 1 Timothy 1:5: love that issues from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. What does that kind of love actually look like in the day-to-day life of a church community?
- Pastor Ray said that in his experience at First B, he has not seen people craving the position of overseer for the power it holds, and that the list of qualifications can feel daunting because we know only one person was truly sinless. What do you think keeps people from pursuing leadership in the church, and is that always a bad thing?
and 3 more questions in the guide
Read the full transcript 6,690 words
0:00
Speaker 2Hey, my friends. Good morning. Good to see you all. What do you say we stand up? We start in worship from Psalm 63, because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
3:34
Speaker 1We're going to sing a few more but I've got some announcements. If y'all want to have a seat and I don't have the clicker up here, Blake. So, if you just go through it or throw it to me, one. We've got some announcements. The Monday nights at first b is happening down the hall.
3:48
What's happening, Carl?
3:49
Speaker 2Yep. We're on tomorrow. Parable of the lost sheep and there's gonna be really, really good food tomorrow. So just know that you're invited. 06:00, meal, music, message.
3:58
Speaker 1Alright, thank you. We also have Awana that's happening during that time. So, the kids club pouring scripture into the minds and the hearts. We pray for the kids right here. Starts out in this room and then spreads out over most of the church while Monday nights is going on down the hall.
4:14
I'm thankful for that time for the kids but I'm also thankful for for the volunteers. It is a time where a lot of people come together to serve. It's a really really good time. So, thank you all for doing that. Tuesday night, youth group will be 06:30 to eight right here at the church.
4:30
That's happening, middle school and high school, youth group. This is coming up again. It's that time of year. The Bar J Chuckwagon is going to start the year up Memorial Day weekend, and that's a norm. But the first one of the first things that they do in that normal year where they work from Memorial Day to Labor Day nonstop is that first Tuesday, May the twenty ninth, it's a turning point benefit.
4:54
So beforehand, there is a silent auction that's going on. So get there early. The gates open up at 05:30. Dinner will be at seven But if you get there early, there'll be sign up sheets for doing a silent auction. There's always a lot of good stuff.
5:09
There's also a painting by Bill Solchuk usually. Is that happening? I'm not as in the know as I used to be, but Bill Solchuk usually paints a full size oil painting that'll be great, I'm sure. But that's happening. Tuesday, 05/29/2018.
5:25
Plan on being there. We have tickets here at the church if you want to get in touch with us. $25 for adults and kids age 12 and under are $12. So that's gonna be a good time. Rolling River Rampage.
5:39
The Rolling River Rampage Vacation Bible School is happening June 25 through the twenty seventh. It'll be in the mornings, 9AM to noon. So if you wanna volunteer, we could use volunteers, and Liz Owings will have more details. And that's always a good time. That's something that the community of Jackson kind of rallies around.
5:59
And I appreciate what Liz is doing to prepare for, what Krista did to prepare for it for all these years and it's built up quite a following. We usually have about a 100 kids. So twenty five to twenty seventh of June, 9AM to noon is the Rolling River Rampage. Mark your calendars or type it in your phones. You get a pass right here.
6:17
Type it in your phones right now. For all other announcements and there should be some and prayer request, definitely check your bulletin. There's a paper bulletin. If you didn't grab one on the way in, you can grab one on the way out and it has all kinds of useful information for you. Are y'all alright this morning?
6:33
Is the sunshine really blinding you? Have the last four or five days been too much? Oh my goodness. It's so good to be here. Would you stand up, greet one another warmly, and we will bring you back together with a big big song.
8:21
Speaker 2Alright. My heart is open wide.
8:25
Speaker 3My heart is open wide. Fought by now that fall, but you have never felt me yet. Your promise still stands. The grit is your fearfulness, fearfulness. I'm still in your hands.
12:09
This is my confidence. You've never failed me. Your promise still stands. Great is your fearfulness, your fearfulness. I'm still in your hands.
12:29
This is my confidence. You never found Jesus, you're still in love. Keep me within your love. I will sing your praise again. Your promise still stands.
13:27
Great is your faithfulness, faithfulness. I'm still in your hands. This is my confidence you've never hands. This is my golfer dance. You never found me.
14:02
Yeah. And I've seen you move. I've seen you move. You moved the mountains, and I believe. I see you do it again.
14:17
You made a way. Well, there was no way.
15:22
Speaker 2Your promise still stands.
15:26
Speaker 3Your promise still stands. Great is your faithfulness. Faithfulness.
16:24
Speaker 2Gotta thank you, just for your faithfulness, your loving faithfulness toward us, your kindness toward us, your mercy toward us, that you are always extending the invitation in our direction to trust in you and to walk with you. And thank you that your promises are true. I thank you, God, that you follow through in every aspect of your life. You followed through when you went to the cross. You lived in obedience to the father.
16:53
You did all these things that that we could not in our place, and for that we truly give you thanks. Amen. You can be seated, and, frontline team is up here forward. I'd like to if you if you don't know them yet, I'd like to introduce to you. This is Didi, and this is Paco.
20:42
And, they just got married, And, I wish that they were staying because this is wonderful, is it not, to have her and Paco and join us? Yes. But we're sending them. We're sending them to Spain. They're going to be missionaries there, and, they are going to, I trust, really be doing wonderful things there, because God has gifted both of them and give them a lot of love, and a lot of talent.
21:12
And so I'd like to pray, not only for them, but for this offering and for this morning and just give thanks. Alright? God, we do, just begin by saying thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
21:22
Thank you. How can how can, Lord, we not we not see you? You make yourself known in so many ways. All we gotta do is is step outside and, and pick up a blade of grass, And, we just see and experience your creation everywhere. Your goodness everywhere.
21:46
Your mercy, God, we see through the scripture, through the life of Jesus. Thank you, God, for your Holy Spirit to live and to move and to act and to will in our lives. Thank you God for every gift that you've given us, and we recognize that these gifts aren't to be, hoarded or, to be held on to so tightly. But when we open our hand to you and when we open our hand to others, that's where true freedom and true joy is found. So, God, I pray that we would, like the song we sang earlier, we would take a hold of you.
22:26
We'd recognize every blessing that you've given us, that we'd live our life to the best of our ability with your help for you. And, God, we recognize we'll stumble and we'll fall, but I thank you God that you are there to pick us up again. And I pray that we keep moving in your name. Let's sing that again. Oh, you never faint.
25:21
Speaker 3Oh, you never faint. When I look at you, You spoke so tenderly. And now if I choose to believe, you love me.
27:25
Speaker 1Amen and there they go. Peak Children's Church starting right now downstairs. That's fun. Thank you, Carl Clemmer and his orchestra. That's fun.
27:42
So it's good to be back. I was in Georgia last weekend for my folks' fiftieth anniversary. It was really, really nice to be there, and I thank you all for giving us the the, you know, the time to be there. I did preach. I just didn't preach here.
27:57
They do that pretty much when I get home. They usually text about 04:00 in the afternoon. Say, hey, oh, you want to preach?
28:02
Speaker 3So,
28:03
Speaker 1I did that on Sunday last week but I'm glad to be back and back into the rhythm. Normal Sunday, we're back to our normal scheme of things. So, we're up to first Timothy three. First Timothy three in the in where we are. It's been so long because there was Easter and there have been a couple of speakers in between the last time that I spoke about this.
28:25
So as a reminder, that's the whole enchilada for today. It's only seven verses, alright? That's what we're going through. You don't have to read it now. We're going to get through seven verses.
28:38
It's not going to be four chapters or three chapters of Acts like it was on Easter but I want you to remember something. There are couple things that Paul says. First of all, the aim of our charge, you remember that one, the aim of our charge one five. The aim of our charge is love love that issues from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. We've been saying that one pretty much at the beginning of every message but I want to go back to this for a second because this week, we're going to start off with in chapter three.
29:07
This saying is trustworthy and Paul says that it's like, bank on this but he's already said that one time before in first Timothy. He will say it again in first Timothy and then he'll say it again in second Timothy and so he's wanting to solidify or assure them of something that he really feels that they ought to know. For whatever the situation was exactly that they were dealing with, this is something that needs to be known and in the beginning, love that issues from a pure part of good conscience and a sincere faith. Just a few verses later, he says, and this saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance by everybody that claims Christ. Everybody has to and everybody has to agree with this.
29:49
This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and in a statement of humility, he says, of whom I am the foremost. Remember, the whole Damascus Road experience. He was on his way persecuting Christians and the grace of God through Jesus came to him. So, Christ Jesus came into the world, saved sinners. That's a trustworthy saying deserving of full acceptance and then, he starts off first Timothy three with this.
30:16
He says, this this saying or thus saying, it's trustworthy. If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, if anyone aspires to the office of overseer because great, Christ Jesus came to save sinners and when you accept him, you are saved but then, he brings you into his body and we have to deal with one another and getting together and being together and dealing with one another, a lot of the Christian life is figured out by how you deal with one another. If anyone aspires to the office of overseer so there is such a thing as an office of overseer. In this church, we take overseer, which the word is episkopos if you want to know it, episkopos in this case. Episcopos.
31:03
Epi means over and then skopos like scope, Your scope to see. You're an overseer. So this saying is trustworthy. If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, so it is kind of an official position. It could be anybody who oversees what is happening.
31:20
There are a lot of individuals in Jackson who are sort of pan church. You know, they go to this church and this church and I'm fine with that. So, just so you know. The body of Christ, the capital C, body of Christ is very important. It's nice to have a church home but it's also nice to just see what's going on and there are some people who are lovingly and carefully attempting to bring all of the body Christ into unit and I love that.
31:47
If anyone aspires to the office of overseer and in this church, we call those elders. He desires a noble task. It has been my experience since we've been here that I don't know of anyone who is aspiring like they are desirous and lusting after the position of overseer because of all the power it contains. That's been my experience here. But Paul is saying this because think about Ephesus.
32:17
We already know of a couple of troubles that they were having in Ephesus. There were false teachers who were spreading bad doctrine, and the way that they related to one another was not good. They were looking down on others. In some cases, they were very wealthy that were shaming the poor who were in the same body. It's the same body of Christ but he's saying, it's not a position of worldly power but if anyone desires to be an overseer, they desire a noble task and it's primarily about the nobility of the task of looking out for God.
32:58
Looking out for the church, looking out for his people. So, if anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. That's the way it starts off. Therefore, because of the nobility of the task, because of the nobility of the task, an overseer and here we would say an elder, must be above reproach. Some of your translations, if you're looking in your own Bible, say blameless.
33:32
That's scary and I think that's one of the reasons why people are not clamoring after the position because it seems very daunting because we know there was only one perfect and sinless one and that was but when Paul says, an overseer must be above reproach. This is the word. Yeah, it's a long Greek squiggly word. It has an A in the front of it. In this case, that's a negative particle.
33:54
So, not whatever is in the rest of the word and it's not to be apprehended or not apprehensible. He is not somebody that's going to be dragged down on charges. He's not open to blame. Now, sin, it's not saying sinless but he's not open to blame. One who is morally careful and responsible.
34:15
He's not sinless. Of course, but he lives a life that's governed by what he believes and he believes in Christ. He's seeking to live after Christ's model. Above reproach. Here, the accuser trying to seize someone's character by unjustified censure is shown to be groundless when the matter is understood in its full context.
34:36
That's from the lexicon. Greek English lexicon. When it's understood in the full context, have people been wrongfully accused? Leaders of the church, have they been wrongfully accused? Well, certainly they have.
34:49
Jesus was wrongfully accused. But when it's understood in its full context, they would be above reproach. So the husband of one wife. Oh, the sticky wicket. This one is one that has people always in a fury.
35:11
What this one is clickers. Of one woman, man. That's what it means. I'm going to just shoot you straight as I can this morning. This is what it says.
35:27
It's going to be a lot of Greek this morning just because I want you to see, I haven't changed it. Nobody's changed it. This is what it says. Exactly. Of one woman, man.
35:38
Of one wife, husband. Gunaikos depends on the context as to what it is. It's either woman or wife. That's what it means. Of one woman, man or of one wife, husband.
35:49
We would probably say man of one woman or man husband of one wife. That's the norm for what we would say. A one woman man is a good translation. He's someone who is faithful to his partner. Does that make sense?
36:04
Okay. So that's what it says. Sober minded. Sober minded. The word there is this, not intoxicated, literally, free from any negative intoxicants or influences, but figuratively it means clear minded, circumspect, someone who is morally responsible, pays attention, is free from life dominating influences.
36:32
So sober minded. Some translations just say sober and some say sober minded. Some say circumspect. There are a lot of different ways that that goes. Look at how these things go though.
36:45
Above reproach and then it explains what that looks like. He doesn't cheat on his wife. He's sober minded, circumspect, not rash, doesn't fly off because he's self controlled. That's next. Self controlled.
37:00
Acting with God's definition of balance. Someone that is general, genuinely temperate, well balanced from God's perspective. True balance is not one size fits all nor is it blandly static. Some people say and it has been said, you gotta be middle of the road boring. If you're going to do that.
37:19
That's what temperate. Come on. He has no personality whatsoever. Can't make anybody mad ever. Doesn't ever say anything that upsets anyone.
37:28
Sofron describes a man who does not command himself but rather is commanded by God. So, that is what the word for self controlled means. Respectable. Respectable. I'm going to just give you every single one of em, okay?
37:44
And there are a lot of em. Most of em are positive, some of em are negative. Cosmion, orderly, virtuous, decent, modest, well ordered. Literally, it's ordered, lives an ordered life. Hence, is well prepared, is well ordered.
38:00
Now cosmion comes from cosmos, which means the universe or the world, and they saw, Greek culture, they saw that the world operated with a certain order, that planets acted with order and you could kind of trust how things were going to go. Does that make sense? So Cosmion, respectable, well ordered, well prepared, hospitable. I like this one a lot. We hear a lot about this is a word, phyloxenon.
38:32
Phylo phileo, is brotherly love. Philadelphia is the city of brotherly love, right? Philo, brotherly love. And then xenon is outsiders or strangers. Now what have you heard a lot about in the past few years?
38:49
Xenophobia, xenophobia, xenophobia, xenophobia, xenophobia, phobia is a fear of outsiders. This is the opposite of that. This is having an a love for, a brotherly love outsider, for the stranger, for the one that you don't know or not familiar with. That's what an elder is supposed to be. An overseer is supposed to be hospitable, have brotherly love for the outsider and the stranger.
39:17
Able to teach. So for the last few weeks, y'all been hearing from other elders. They're supposed to be able to teach. I've heard from a lot of you that they are. That's really good.
39:27
Encourage them. Able to teach, didacticant, didacticant. Able to teach or apt to teach. They are teaching generally. People come to them because they are respectable and self controlled and sober minded, temperate.
39:45
People come to em and say, listen, I've got an issue that I'm working through. Can you help me? And they say, I can. Let's go to the Bible and see what it has to say about that and they help people through issues by teaching. Whether it's one on one or whether it's upfront.
39:58
Typically, we think of being upfront but it does not have to be that. It's just someone who is a teacher who can teach. Not that they're doing it all the time but they're ready to. They're apt to. That's where we get our English word didactic.
40:13
Not a drunkard. This is the English standard version of the Bible right here that I'm using. Not a drunkard. That next word, I'm going give you all of them. ESV says not a drunkard.
40:26
The NIV says not given to drunkenness. NLT says, he must not be a heavy drinker. That's that New Living Translation, good translation. Not dependent on wine. That's the Berean Study Bible.
40:42
Not given to wine. That's the old King James and the Young's Literal Translation. Not addicted to wine. NASB and the Holman Christian Standard Bibles, HCSB And he does not transgress concerning wine. The ape.
40:59
That is the Aramaic Bible in plain English. It's not just an ape. Not a drinker. I think that goes too far, but for the context, I think it goes too far. That's the web, the World English Bible, because it does not say in fact, later on in first Timothy, he says, Timothy, you're having trouble with your stomach.
41:22
Have a little wine for your stomach. The waters around here is awful, you know? He says that. So it doesn't say not a drinker. The web Bible does say that.
41:30
I don't drink, you know? My folks don't drink. I have been known in the past on rare occasion during a wedding when I feel like it's going be an insult to have one. Maybe. I also, quick story, five minutes before midnight, 2003 turning into '2 thousand and four, New Year's Eve.
41:51
I had a neighbor run to me and came up just a few minutes before midnight. Ray, Tanya, come to the house right now. He was our neighbor four doors down. We ran back down to the house with him. What's going on?
42:00
What's going on? When we get there, he says, this is Ramon. Ramon is gonna bless our New Year. Okay. Okay.
42:09
Alright. I'm not Spanish. I'm thinking through all the subjunctives of what I'm gonna say to bless this New Year. And just before I start to say the opening, our father, he hands me this much scotch in a glass. And here I am, mister Southern Baptist missionary.
42:29
Lord, bless this drink we're about to receive. That's what came out. That's not the normal pattern of my life. That is a true story too. What it literally means is not.
42:46
Para is beside or close beside, and then oinas is wine. Not someone who lingers close beside the wine. It's a euphemism for being a drunkard, but most of the translations get it right. I say not a drinker, not not to have one occasionally. The Bible does not absolutely say, do not drink.
43:05
The Baptist faith and message of 1952 does, okay? It does and there are a lot of denominations that do and my seminary said, we had they had us sign off that while we were in seminary there, we would not drink. Now, that was not because the Bible says, do not. It says, do not be drunk. Now, if you are an alcoholic, stick with the web, Bible, please.
43:29
Please, if you know that that's your thing, don't put yourself in the position of having that take over your life. Don't linger close beside the wine. Don't look for excuses to find. Okay. So that's what it says.
43:43
Not a drunkard, ESB, not violent. And actually, if you look at the order of these, drunkenness often leads to violence. In fact, some translations add those two together, the not a drunkard and not violent, as being someone who is raucous and ready always for a fight. Not violent is may plecton. Now may is another one of those negative particles.
44:09
It's a tiny little word that negates whatever comes after it. Not a striker, pluctanous striker. Not a brawler. Not someone who's itching for a fight, looking for a fight. Not a contentious person.
44:25
Not violent is what ESV says. These are plectra or plectrums. You know what those are? They're guitar picks. They're always making noise by striking something.
44:38
I just like when things tie together, it helps me to remember em. Not somebody who is constantly striking. A plectrum is what a guitar pick is. Not violent. Holla.
44:53
Holla. That's but. I like when we have that in there. Holla. It's just like but.
44:59
It's not drunken, not violent, but gentle. It is the opposite of drunkenness. It is the opposite of violence to be gentle. That's the word right there. I think I just skipped over that.
45:14
Y'all know what gentle means? Good. I'll skip that one. Not quarrelsome. So, it's not just that they're not fighting going to fisticuffs.
45:23
Pugnacious is what the King James says by what by the way. Not pugnacious is looking for a fight. Not quarrelsome. Amakant. That's another one of those where the negative particle is upfront.
45:37
It's somebody who is always looking to argue, always. You can know that when you go to them, if you say black, they're gonna say white. That's not what we're looking for in an elder. That's not what we should be looking for in an overseer. That's not what Paul was saying.
45:54
Timothy should be looking for. Do you think he had a church full of that type of person? It sounds like it from the rest of first Timothy. It sounds like he had a lot of people that were spouting false doctrine. They were very proud of their doctrine.
46:12
Not somebody who is quarrelsome. Next, not a lover of silver, not a lover of money. The ah not. The let oh, lover of. Silver.
46:26
Think of an example. Someone who loves silver. Judas. Judas for 30 pieces of silver betrayed Christ. Not someone who has money, money, money, money, money is all it's about.
46:42
That goes on from there. That's a long list of adjectives, you know? Adjectives positive and negative, and then it goes on from there. So he must manage his household well. Now at this time, household meant, yes, husband, wife, children, maybe slaves.
46:56
He points to it in the end of first Timothy that this man might even have a household. So it would go beyond just your nuclear family but also to your business, whatever you are given to manage. You must manage that well in life if you are to be an overseer of the flock. He must manage his own household well With all dignity, keeping his children submissive. Now that is one that causes some fights too because with all dignity, that clause, does that go with with all dignity he keeps his children submissive or does it go with he keeps his children submissive and they have all the dignity for him.
47:34
I think it's rightly put in the ESV just like this. With all dignity, keeping his children submissive. Now, I know you can do the right thing and you can act in the right way and you can live out a Christian life and you can still have people reject you. You can still have your own kids reject you. I know that.
47:52
I understand that and I lament when that happens. I I see it happening and I hate it when it happens. It doesn't say this person's not a Christian. It doesn't say this person's not a good person. It just says they're not the best choice for overseer.
48:05
Does that make sense? Or if someone does not know how to manage his household, how will he care for God's church and the care for right there struck me too. Care for that word. A lot of these words are only used one time in the whole Bible or more often than that, some of em are used twice in the Bible. One is in the list of what elders should look like to Timothy and then the next letter he wrote was to Titus and he uses the same words in the letter to Titus.
48:32
So, we have most of these qualities are twice in the Bible. The words are used at least twice. This one, the words used three times. Once right here, for if someone does not know how to manage his household, how will he care for God's church and the care for there is this, Epimeleomai and this is where it's used in two verses in Luke but a Samaritan as he journeyed came to where this man who had been beaten up and robbed where he was. When he saw him, he had compassion.
49:07
He went to him. He bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then, he set him on his own animal and he brought him to an inn and he took care of it. That's the kind of taking care that an overseer is supposed to be doing for the flock of God. And the next day, he took out 2 denarii.
49:26
That's two days wages and he gave them to the innkeeper saying, take care of him. You look over him and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back. It's looking for and investing in that guy in this case and in the church. If you're an overseer. It's a heavy, it's a heavy thing.
49:47
Right now, we have nine elders. When I got here, I think we had 11. We had 11 most of the time. We dropped to nine. Then, we went to seven.
49:56
We don't have any specific numbers. We don't want to wear anybody out and there have been some good times, bad times, difficult times, and sometimes things do wear on you. Last year, we had seven and one moved and when he moved, we just had six and I felt the burden of it And I thought, let's get 11 again. Spread this load a little bit. Right now we have nine.
50:20
Me, neofuton. Me, neofuton is that. Me, neofuton. Not a new futon. Does that really mean not a new futon?
50:33
I will say as a two hundred and sixty something pound man, just lay the mattress on the floor. I have broken more futons. Spending the night with people. Not a new futon. That's what happens when you invite Ray over.
50:46
You have to get a new futon. No, it means not new. It's phyton actually. Not newly planted. This is not a neophyte if you're a word person, not newly planted.
51:00
He must not be a recent convert. When Jesus was explaining the parable of the soils and the spreading of the word, did he say that every single person where the seed was planted was going to bloom and grow and live, thrive, and prosper? No. He said that there would be some that would spring up and look great but then they would dry up because roots didn't go deep. So, he's not to be a recent convert.
51:29
Why? Well, this one Paul answers. I wouldn't ask why in such big letters if he didn't give us an answer. Here's the answer. He must not be a recent convert or he may become puffed up with conceit.
51:41
That's pride, swelled up with pride and what does God resist? God resist the proud but he gives grace to the humble. Now, recent convert, your faith could certainly be strong, and I'm not saying that it's not. He's just saying that when you're picking an overseer, a recent convert is not the best one to pick. Just like somebody who drinks too much or just like somebody who cheats on his wife.
52:08
There are lists of things that it's just not a good idea, Timothy. Don't do this. He may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Now, there are two ways of looking at this too. It can either be the same condemnation condemnation that the devil has because it was pride that got him cast out and so pride is the same condemnation of the devil or other people see it as the devil condemns because conviction is from the Lord but condemnation is from the devil.
52:41
I actually think that it's he may fall into the same trap that the devil fell into and therefore suffer the same condemnation. His faith not having been real, just appearing to be real. So, he must not be a recent converter. He may become puffed up with conceit, fall into condemnation of the devil. God resists the proud but he gives grace to the humble.
53:01
That comes back around and around and around again. Three times exactly like that in the New Testament and several more in the old. First Timothy three seven, says, moreover, in addition to all that, he must also be well thought of by outsiders. That first part where it said, an overseer must be above reproach. There are a lot of high profile cases of seeing pastors fail.
53:32
Are there not? Yeah. It's exhausting. It's exhausting to see. And what does the media glory in more than anything else when one does stumble and fall?
53:45
Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders. But why? He answers that question for us too. So that he may not fall into disgrace. Into a snare of the devil and that one, there's no way to think about it except for it is a trap of the devil.
54:04
It's a trap of the devil. The disgrace that comes from not practicing what you preach and teach. Does that make sense? Hypocrisy is what everybody's looking for. Jesus says, don't be a hypocrite.
54:23
Brood of vipers. He's talking to the religious leaders. Oh, that's who I'm talking about. The overseers, the leaders. This is a to be continued.
54:31
Y'all ever watch Happy Days or any of those shows way back when when they get to the end of a thirty minute and it would go to be continued like, great. I gotta be here in exactly the same time next week sitting in front of this box watching this thing. Well, next week we're gonna go on to more deacons. These are elders. There's another office, deacons, wives, women.
54:51
We'll talk about that. I want you to go back again and think about this and all of the guys who are on the elder border looking at me sweating right now. This saying is trustworthy. If any aspires and I think that aspiring to the office is is one thing. If you want to get in, you want to get in but in every case that I know of, when the elders have thought about, when we're together, thinking about who would be an elder, we talk about it and we say, how about so and so?
55:20
How about so and so? How about so and so? And we're not sitting there going, well, you know, gossip, gossip, gossip, gossip, gossip. We're saying we don't want to put somebody in a position where it's going to be too much pressure and it is sometimes too much pressure. Do you understand what I'm saying?
55:41
The saying is trustworthy. If anybody aspires to the office, I think that once someone is named to the office, the aspiring really gets rolling. Then, I want to live up to this noble task. I want to be exactly what God needs for me to be and he gives us a real clear picture of what that's supposed to look like. So, he desires a noble task.
56:04
I want to look at this too. Say in all of that, there are some of you out there who would make excellent elders. When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, surely the Lord's anointed is before him but the Lord said to Samuel, do not look at his appearance or the height of his stature because I have rejected him. For God sees not as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart.
56:33
Paul has given us a list where he knows we're looking at the outward appearance. Do you understand what I'm saying? In general, you have to look at something. You cannot know the man's heart. So, Paul's given us a list.
56:45
These things will go well. I know there are some of you who have a heart after God that struggle and God is there when you struggle and his church should be there when you struggle and these overseers should be there when you struggle. We want to pray for you. We want to know if there's anything we can do to help. Please let us know.
57:06
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works. Is he saying do stuff you don't believe? No. He's saying, if you believe in me, Christ is saying, if you believe in me, take my yoke upon you. It's light.
57:25
Now, go and do good. Let your light shine before men. Let them see the rivers of life that are flowing out of you so that they may see your good works and they may then glorify your father who's in heaven. James, even so faith, if it has no works, it's dead being by itself but someone may say, may say, will you have faith and I have work? Show me your faith without works and I will show you my faith by my works.
57:51
It's going to show but our system and our minds and our eyes are somewhat flawed. We have the Bible to go by and these passages, first Timothy and Titus are the two where it says, this is kind of the way to order a church. So, as best we can in humility interpreting this, we're trying to go forward and next week is to be continued, alright? Deacons, we have a board of trustees that we call the deacons. I mean, that we call board of trustees that are really deacons and so, we'll go into that.
58:23
May I end with this? The aim of our charge. First B, is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Would you pray with me and the band, the whole orchestra, come on back up. We got one more song.
58:41
God almighty Would you never let us get to the point of having a seared conscience where we don't know what we are to do to walk in your way and your will. Would you give us that sensitivity to your spirit that we would make right decisions and good decisions? Would you give us, lord, the humility of recognizing that we are not perfect. We are not. In truth before you, none of us are blameless but lord, we pray that you would make us as this says, above reproach, that we would not be censured rightfully, that if we're found if we're being sought after for some wrong, lord, may it be proven wrong and unjustified.
59:31
God, I pray that you would have the say in this church and in this valley that we would all as members of the church triumphant. Bend the knee, bow to you and your decisions. Would you give us the cognizance to do that? And in Jesus name, Lord, would you keep us humble before you and keep feeding us exactly, Lord, what you would have us to know and to be. In Jesus name, amen.
1:00:04
Speaker 2Say we stand up and sing one more song again.
1:00:52
Speaker 3Have been so, so kind to me. Oh, the overwhelming, never ending, reckless love of God. Oh, he chases me down, fight till I'm found, leaves and I deny. I couldn't earn it, When I found the wealth, you paid it off for me. You have been so, so kind to me overwhelming never ending reckless love of God
1:05:01
Speaker 1and another in accord with Christ Jesus that together you may with one voice glorify the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
1:05:54
Speaker 3Love of God.
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