Scripture referenced 19 passages
The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
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1 Timothy 5:17 opening verse on elders who rule well being worthy of double honor
17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.
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Keep this verse
1 Thessalonians 5:12
same Greek word used for those who are 'over you' and labor among you
12 But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you,
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Romans 12:6-8
gifts of the Spirit listed, including the one who leads with zeal
6 Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith;
7 or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching;
8 or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with generosity; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
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Deuteronomy 25:4
do not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain, applied to paying ministers
4 You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the grain.
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1 Corinthians 9:8-10
Paul quotes the muzzled ox law and argues it was written for our sake
8 Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn’t the law also say the same thing?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it for the oxen that God cares,
10 or does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope.
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1 Timothy 5:18
the laborer deserves his wages, cited after the ox illustration
18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox when it treads out the grain.” And, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
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Luke 10:7
the laborer deserves his wages, Jesus sending out disciples
7 Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t go from house to house.
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Matthew 10:10
the laborer deserves his food, Jesus sending out disciples without bag or sandals
10 Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.
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1 Corinthians 9:14
the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by it
14 Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News.
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Deuteronomy 19:15
a single witness shall not suffice, only on two or three witnesses shall a charge be established
15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.
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Matthew 18:15-20
church discipline passage on winning your brother and where two or three are gathered
15 “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
18 Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”
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James 2:1-9
show no partiality, the man with the gold ring versus the poor man in shabby clothing
1 My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality.
2 For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in;
3 and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing, and say, “Sit here in a good place”; and you tell the poor man, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”;
4 haven’t you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?
7 Don’t they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?
8 However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
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1 Timothy 4:14
elders laid hands on Timothy ordaining him, do not neglect your gift
14 Don’t neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders.
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1 Timothy 5:23
use a little wine for your stomach and frequent ailments
23 Be no longer a drinker of water only, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.
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1 Timothy 3:3
overseer must not be a drunkard
3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
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1 Timothy 3:8
deacons not addicted to much wine
8 Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for money;
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1 Timothy 5:24-25
sins of some are conspicuous and go before them to judgment, good works also cannot remain hidden
24 Some men’s sins are evident, preceding them to judgment, and some also follow later.
25 In the same way also there are good works that are obvious, and those that are otherwise can’t be hidden.
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1 Timothy 6:1-2
bond servants to regard masters as worthy of honor so God's name is not reviled, and those with believing masters must serve all the better
1 Let as many as are bondservants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and the doctrine not be blasphemed.
2 Those who have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brothers, but rather let them serve them, because those who partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.
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Revelation 1:5-6
closing benediction, to him who loves us and freed us from sins by his blood
5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood;
6 and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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Recap
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
This message came from 1 Timothy 5:17 through 6:2, part of First Baptist Jackson's ongoing chronological study of the New Testament. The pastor worked through four distinct sections of the text at a quick pace, covering how the church should treat its elders, how church discipline works, what ordination requires, and how believers are to conduct themselves at work.
What was said
The passage opens with a charge to honor elders who lead well, and the pastor was careful to show that the word translated "rule" is a positive one. It carries the sense of diligent, humble leadership that earns a reputation over time, not authority pressed down on people. The honor Paul has in mind is concrete, and the ox-and-threshing-floor image from Deuteronomy makes the point plain: a worker should benefit from the labor they perform. John Calvin's commentary was quoted at length to show that God included that command not out of concern for livestock but to train people toward fairness, and Martin Luther's simpler observation was offered alongside it: oxen can't read, so the instruction was written for us.
On church discipline, the sermon traced the two-or-three-witness standard back through Deuteronomy and into Matthew 18, and the pastor pressed on what that passage is actually about. He said people tend to reach for Matthew 18 only when there is a conflict and want someone out, when the whole point of it is winning a brother back. At the same time he was direct that the two-witness requirement cannot be used to silence victims of abuse. Where only a perpetrator and a victim are present, one person coming forward may be the first of several who know nothing of each other, and the church needs to hear about it.
The section on ordination was given personal weight because the elders had ordained Renzy Reno at six in the morning earlier that week. The pastor noted the original Greek word means hastily or quickly, not simply early, so the command is against rushing someone into the role without a track record. Renzy's decade and more of continuous ministry in camps, youth programs, and support roles at First B was the example of what it looks like not to be hasty. The surrounding instruction about partiality, drawn from James, made the counterpoint: ordaining someone because of wealth, power, or appearance rather than godly character is exactly the kind of evil thinking Paul warns against.
The brief parenthetical in verse 23 about Timothy using a little wine for his stomach drew a comment about how differently readers respond to it. Some insist it refers to unfermented grape juice; others point to genuinely bad water conditions in Ephesus. The pastor's point was not to settle that argument but to name what the passage cannot become, which is a verse people mine for permission. Scripture either bends us or we bend it, and someone who knows the first drink leads to drunkenness should not use this verse as cover.
The closing verses on employees and supervisors were updated plainly: if you are in a contract of employment, the instruction to bond servants applies to you. Whether the boss is a Christian or not, the way a believer works is a witness, and the name of God and the teaching can be reviled or honored by it. Florian, one of the church's elders who works the self-checkout at Smith's, was held up as a living example of someone whose manner at work carries a ministry without anyone needing to announce it.
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.
- The pastor talked about the word translated 'rule well' being a positive word meaning to lead diligently and humbly, not to lord over people. Think of a leader in your life, inside or outside the church, who led that way. What did it look like in practice, and how did it affect the people around them?
- The ox and threshing floor illustration, drawn from Deuteronomy and used by both Paul and Calvin, makes the point that workers deserve to benefit from their labor. Where have you seen that principle honored well, or ignored, in a workplace or ministry setting? What was the result?
and 3 more questions in the guide
Read the full transcript 8,709 words
0:01
Speaker 1Good morning, everybody. How are y'all? Good morning. So, would y'all please, if you would, stand up and we'll sing em in from the from the vestibule out there. It was a pretty good party in the first service and they're hanging around afterwards as people will do.
0:16
So, if you would, stand up on my invite. Scott up here, Scott Humphrey. Would you sing with us? Blessed Assurance, hymn number five seventy two.
0:30
Speaker 2Blessed assurance Jesus is mine oh what a foretaste of glory divine praising my savior all
0:59
Speaker 1long this is my story this is my song praising my savior the
2:22
Speaker 2praising my savior all day long this is my story this is my song praising my savior
2:40
Speaker 1Blessed assurance. Wonderful words of life. That's what brings us blessed assurance right there. Trusting in the sun. Trusting in the one that God created for the very purpose of salvation.
2:51
Wonderful words of Y'all can have a seat. We have a few announcements this morning. Let me see if I can get to my clicker here. Youth group is off this week. If you are a youth or if you know a youth, they're off this week, so they're not doing the 06:30 to eight on Tuesday nights as normal.
5:09
It's not happening this week. So June 10, this is one of our church photo days. So if you're here and you're a regular attender actually, if you're a guest, just try to confuse us, okay? Have your picture made on the way out and give them your name and your information. You'll go in our directory.
5:24
We're we're actually trying to get all regular attenders and members to if you would, give us your image, your picture, and we'll put your information in the directory. We also like to put pictures on the way down the hall. Right now we have a bulletin board that has pictures with names because sometimes you've met too many people too many times to ask them their name, right? Have you ever experienced that? Scott, have you ever experienced that?
5:46
No? So if you would, let us get your picture. There'll be a couple guys taking out pictures after the service today. Amanda McMullen is trying to compile a history of First Baptist Church. Now, we have actually a pretty good handle on the first one hundred years of this church but the church is a 107 years old.
6:06
So, if you would like to add your story to this history of First Baptist Church, we would love to have you add that part of the story. If you would, contact church office. What is the best way to do that, Diane? FirstBJackson dot It's on the bulletin office at firstBJackson dot org, and if you would send that, that would be helpful. We'll forward that to Amanda and help her compile in her communications project about the history of First B.
6:32
There will be a five ks color run they're calling, a patriotic color run. So even if you don't want to run the five k, you can come out dressed in red, white, and blue June 30 at Jackson Hole High School Stadium at 10:07 a. M. Young Life is gonna sponsor this five k run, walk. If I do it, it's gonna be a walk.
6:55
Jacksonhole.younglife.com if you'd like to register and sign up. But it's a patriotic color run. So come out and support Young Life. They if you don't know what Young Life is, it is a ministry that primarily deals with un churched teenagers. They have wildlife for middle schoolers, young life for high schoolers.
7:14
Connect hour. So we have between services at about 10:00, or 10:10 today, but usually about 10:00, we have a connect hour that starts because we have our first service and y'all are in the second service, 11:00, and from ten to eleven we have connect hour. We have had for the past two years a coordinator who's done a great job. Nancy Terraziano has been our coordinator for the past couple years, but she moved. She moved down to Alpine, so she's no longer going to be doing it.
7:42
So this anonymous figure right there, that could be you. You could be our new connect hour coordinator. Now that does not mean that you have to do it every week. It just means you have to coordinate who will be doing it each time. It's nice to have somebody that can fill in if somebody is not able to make their time, but this could be you right there.
8:02
If you feel like that works with your gifting and you would like to, then please let us know and we will show you the ropes, let you know how it is to do that. Mike Demetrius, our youth director, actually covered it this morning, but next week if nobody comes forward, it's gonna be like, there's no coffee down the hall, there's no donuts down the hall. Nobody has coordinated it if it's not happening. That's sad, isn't it? Okay, so if you would, reach out to us.
8:28
We'd love to have somebody that would help out with that. Rolling River Rampage, Vacation Bible School is happening the twenty fifth through the twenty seventh. You can sign up through a link on our webpage, but also you can see Liz Owings. She is our children's ministry coordinator person. So Liz Owings is the one in charge.
8:46
Rolling River Rampage. We'll go with this little cute otter and not that crazy rampaging rat right there. Alright, this is gonna be our cute little mascot for the week or for the three day Vacation Bible School, 9AM to noon. If you don't know how many of y'all know what this is right now media? Do you know what it is?
9:04
Just a few of you in here. So right now media is kinda like the Christian version of Netflix. There are thousands of resources online, thousands of Bible studies, series of the Bible studies, lots of different old and new, but Right Media, like I said, Christian version of Netflix, by virtue of the fact of you being here this morning, you qualify to be on our role under Right Now Media. The church pays for this service like one would pay for Netflix, right? But anybody who comes to church here, we can hook you up to this service for free.
9:38
If you would like to, just let us know through the church website again. A lot of website stuff. I don't ever say website up here very often. But if you would let us know, we will put your email in and then give you a password and you can sign in and have all these vast resources for free. So just let us know and we'll sign you up for it.
9:56
Monday nights at first beat. Oh my goodness, out of this world. I think it's what that's supposed to say. We're it's happening. Monday nights at First B is happening tomorrow.
10:06
Meal music and a message in the fellowship hall. It will be from the book of Luke. Carl will be preaching, but the meal, the music, and the message is always good. He determines the number of stars and calls it by name. Weird.
10:22
Other announcements. Are there any other announcements that I've forgotten? Hearing none. Here we go. There will be in the bulletin.
10:31
There are all kinds of announcements, prayer requests, and that paper bulletin that they handed you on your way in. If you didn't get one, you can grab one on your way out. Know what's going on. But I'm gonna ask you if you would, would you stand up and just greet one another for a minute? There are a lot of visitors among us today.
10:46
So greet one another and we will bring you back together with a song. Amen. Sing, when I survey the wondrous cross, hymn number three twenty four. Amen. Y'all can have a seat.
18:14
I'm going invite the frontline team to come forward. Won't you pray with me as I pray for the offering? Lord God, we thank you for the beauty of this season. We thank you for the beauty of the season and the mountains and everything that draws so many out here to be here with us, lord. Thankful for that time.
18:38
We look to you. We're the whole realm of nature, mind that were present far too small. Considering the scale of this place, that's a big statement. You God are immortal, invisible. You are the only wise God and so lord, we bow to you this morning.
18:55
We come together and collectively bow the knee to you. We're thankful lord for your good gospel, for being a part of the kingdom, and already and in the not yet. That incorruptible hope that we have in Jesus. Lord, we ask that you would accept these offerings this morning, that you would use them to further your kingdom here on earth, that we would, lord, together be spreading your gospel in both word and deed. Would you allow us the privilege, lord, of bringing souls into the kingdom.
19:30
Here in Jackson, across this nation and to the uttermost, to the ends of the earth. In Jesus name, would you apply and multiply these gifts to do your kingdom's work. Amen.
19:46
Speaker 3Very thankful to be here this morning and praising God through worship for music. Amen. I love to be at 11:00. You guys sound so beautiful. The 09:00, it's much crowded, but you guys sound much better.
20:01
Speaker 2This is yes.
20:03
Speaker 3I would like to recognize Reyna Wako because she's learning to play the harmonica. Oh, good. Wonderful.
23:34
Speaker 1That's our our French Romanian connection right there. That's great. We are up to first Timothy five and our chronological study of the New Testament. We've been walking through in the order that the books were written. If you're a visitor, this is where we are.
23:56
We find ourselves in first Timothy five seventeen. We're going to make it, I hope, as far as six two. It's an accelerated pace today, so listen fast. There's a lot in here, okay? If you'll listen fast.
24:10
I have a Georgia drawl. Have you noticed? I do have a southern drawl, but it's a very fast drawl. Honoring elders is where we start today, and it's kind of rapid fire in the text too. It's like a couple verses on one subject, a verse on another, a couple more verses, and then a verse.
24:28
So there are about four different things we're gonna hit really quickly today. You might wish that we would linger, but we're not going to. Okay? Just not this morning at least. And I plan on coming back from I stopped at verse 10 last week and 11 through 16.
24:43
I'm still dealing with. It's still processing. I just wasn't ready to hit you with that one this morning. It might come up in the text but I doubt it. So, honoring elders, we're going to start right there.
24:53
First Timothy five seventeen says, let the elders. Now, we have seen elders in chapter three, the qualifications or the attributes of elders were held up in chapter three. Let the elders, overseers who rule well be considered worthy of double honor. When I see this as an American independent individual, I see rule and it already starts to put me in a bad mood. Let the ones who rule.
25:18
It does say rule well. Let the ones who rule well. That's an accurate and good translation. Rule well of a of a word. In fact, if you look up the same word and see where else it's used in scripture which we often do in word studies, You'll see that it's in first Thessalonians which was Paul's first epistle.
25:35
So, we're up in about sixty four AD in first Timothy and this one was written around '49 or so. First Thessalonians, about '49. So, it's been several years. It's been fifteen or sixteen years. First Thessalonians, he uses the same word and he says, we ask you then brothers to respect those who labor among you and are over you.
25:56
That's a good translation also. They are people who are over overseers, rule well is what it says in the ESV version in Timothy. If we look in Romans 12, oh Romans 12, so great. The application of all that theology in chapters one through eight and he's speaking about the gifts of the spirit and he says, having the gifts that differ according to the grace that is given to us. We all are gifted, right?
26:22
All of us have been given a gift. First Peter says and Romans says, Corinthians says, if there's gift is prophecy, then, proportion to that faith. If service than in our serving, the one who teaches and is teaching, the one who exhorts in his exhortation, the one who contributes or gives in generosity and the one who leads, I like leads better. The one who leads, do so with zeal. The one who does acts of mercy, let him do it with cheerfulness.
26:49
God loves a cheerful giver, right? The one who leads, that's the same word as those who rule well. Pro estimate, proestimate is the word there and it means to preside or to rule over, to give attention to, to direct, to maintain, or practice diligently. But it's positive. It is a positive word.
27:09
It's used positively. It's never used negatively like someone who rules with an iron fist and thumb down on people. It is one who is diligent to take the lead. Humble leadership underlines the effectiveness of influencing other people by having a respected reputation. One who has built a solid track record and this happens by setting the example of excellence by living in faith.
27:35
Now, what is Paul been saying to Timothy? This whole book, he's been saying, stick to what it says. Don't stray away from what the scriptures say, Timothy. You know it. You've known it since you're a little boy from your mom and your grandma and you know this stuff.
27:49
Now, practice it. Live in it. Dwell in it. Impress it on others. Command and teach these things but don't get off of the subject.
27:57
Don't go after silly fables and wives tales. Don't do that. Paul to Timothy and I to you say, let those who are elders, who rule well, who lead well, be considered worthy of double honor. So, it's saying you should honor those. Now, who are elders in the church.
28:17
We have an elder board here. And when I called them up after preaching this message, I called them up to take communion to, and I had two of them. One of them was kind of nudging the other one because after the sermon, they didn't want everybody to look at them and go, Oh, there they are. But I think that the humility and the modesty in just that little that little interchange there was that they are actually leading well by example, the guys that are on the Elder Board. We've been blessed here to have a elder board that is really faithful to God and humble before him.
28:49
So, let the elders who rule well or lead well be considered worthy of double honor especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. So, in this church, normally, either I'm up here on Sundays or Carl is up here on Mondays, right? Other end of the hall but still on the platform. So, for those who labor in preaching and teaching and preparation and I believe that the preaching is proclamation of the word of God but I think the teaching is both teaching you like I do up here kind of academically in some ways appealing to your intellect hopefully but it's also teaching people how to deal with the word of God in their own life. So, the counseling ministry, I think, comes in to the preaching and teaching.
29:30
So, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the scripture says, you shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain. So how many of y'all have an ox? Anybody? This might be an antiquated thing.
29:44
It was even antiquated when he used it in some ways. I mean, they were still using oxes at the time but this verse had been around for seven hundred, eight hundred, what, two thousand, close to two thousand years. From Deuteronomy 20 five:four, you shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain. That's what it says. And Paul had just quoted it.
30:01
You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain. So this, if you don't know what this is, this is, can you see that? Kinda? This one's a little brighter. This one's a little brighter today.
30:13
So this is a threshing floor, that whole circle, and it's filled with both the chaff and the grain. When they go out into the field and they scythe it down and they gather it up and they bring it in, put it into the threshing floor, this actually, these pile of rocks around here, that is a thresh hold. It holds all of the thresh together. And its thresh hold keeps it inside of that, and they tread these or walk these oxen around on top of the chaff and the grain. The chaff is lighter, grain is heavier, grain falls down to the bottom.
30:50
Now we need, human beings need the grain. That's what we're looking for. We don't care anything about the chaff typically, but they, the oxen eat both the grain and the chaff. And while they are walking around in circles and walking around trying to tread this out and helping their master there. While they're helping, it says do not muzzle them while this is happening.
31:12
So don't put over their face something so that they can eat. While they are doing the work, they rightly can receive from the their labor. Does that make sense to you? Okay. Paul uses this more than once.
31:26
He uses it in first Corinthians nine and he says, do I say these things on human authority? He's hitting the Corinthians with a bunch of questions. Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the law say exactly the same? For it's written in the law of Moses, you shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.
31:43
Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Now, I'm going to ask you, is it for oxen that God is concerned? Either answer will suffice right here. Okay. Yes, it was.
31:57
I mean, when he wrote it, yes, it was and Paul follows that next verse up with, does he not certainly speak for our sake, for our benefit? It was written for our sake. You know who this guy is? It's a drawing of John Calvin. So, John Calvin elaborates on this passage and this is just like John Calvin, very wordy, kind of long, very meticulous.
32:20
Listen to this. Apologize for so many words, but this is pretty good. Though the Lord commands consideration for the oxen, he does so not for the sake of the oxen, but rather out of regard for men whose benefit even the very oxen were created. Therefore, the humane treatment of oxen ought to be an incentive, moving us to treat each other with consideration and fairness. God is not concerned about oxen to the extent that the oxen were only the creatures in his mind when he made the law when for he was thinking of men, he wanted to make them accustomed to being considerate in behavior so that they might not cheat the workmen of his wages.
32:59
Do you get the analogy? So while someone is working for you, they should benefit from their labor. Even though you are the one being enriched by it, they should not be treated badly. They might not cheat the workman of his wages for the ox does not take the leading part in plowing and threshing, but man. And it's by man's effort that the ox itself has set to work.
33:20
Therefore, what he goes on to add, He that ploweth ought to plow in hope, etcetera. It's an interpretation of the commandment as though he said that it is extended in a general way to cover any kind of reward for labor. Do you get that? So Luther, you know who this is? This is Martin Luther.
33:36
There are big differences between Calvin and Luther in their comportment and in their portliness. I mean he's a heavy guy. Calvin looked almost dead. There are lots of different Yeah, I mean, look at this guy and see how thin and gaunt he looks. This is Martin Luther and what he said on this passage using Paul's use of Deuteronomy 25, he agrees with Paul that it is for us because oxen can't read.
34:03
Speaker 2I love that. I love that.
34:05
Speaker 1It was written around the same time and yeah, that's the difference in Luther and Calvin right there. Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the law say the same? You shall not. Look at this part right here.
34:17
If we have sown spiritual things among you. Now, Paul ministered in Corinth and in Corinth, money was a big deal. Sports were a big deal. Sexuality was a huge deal in Corinth and he was trying to present the gospel in a way that they could understand it and not be suspicious of it. Do you get that?
34:35
He was completely chased and pure while he was there. He also built tents. They made tents, did leather work, that sort of stuff because he knew that they would say, oh, he's just doing that for the money. He's he's a peddler of God's word. He's like, no, no, no, no.
34:50
I will, I'll earn my own money while I'm here because for you, it's important. Now, Paul received a salary in other places. He received what we would call love offerings in some places. He was benefited in other places but in Corinth, he had not done that but he's arguing for his right right here. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much?
35:11
If we reap material things from you, get paid. If others share this rightful claim on you because there were other powerful teachers in Corinth and he was saying, if others share this rightful claim on you, did not we even more? But he follows up in first Timothy five that the laborer deserves his wages. I think that's in general too. It's in general that a workman deserves the wage.
35:39
You should treat people fairly that work for you. But in this particular context, he's talking about the elders who labor in preaching and teaching. Those are the ones that deserve their wages. So, that's the end of that little section. There's another section right after that but I want to say this, the labor who deserves his wages is exactly quoted from Luke to remain the same house eating and drinking.
36:03
This is when Jesus sent out his disciples and he said, go and don't take anything with you. Just know that I will provide but I'm going to provide through those that you minister to. Drinking it, what they eating and drinking what they provide for the laborer, that's you, to the disciples, deserves his wages. Matthew ten ten says it this way, don't take long. Any bag for your journey or two tunics or sandals or staff for the labor deserves this food.
36:30
He's saying that I will be providing for you in the fact that you are ministering. Corinthians again 14 says, in the same way the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. So, I understand and I appreciate. There are some denominations and there are some other ways of doing church where people just kind of take turns. Okay?
36:56
They just take turns and they don't have any paid staff and that's fine. I don't have any argument against that. But Paul is claiming and God is claiming that it is right for pastors to receive a salary. Okay? I said this morning, so it's alright if people want to just take turns, but who's next?
37:15
All right. Yeah. Okay. So church discipline is the very next thing. It just goes right into it.
37:22
Church discipline, five nineteen. It says, do not admit a charge against an elder. Now the elders, it's given clear qualifications for who fits that. And it's a pretty lofty thing. Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
37:41
Now that comes from an Old Testament background too, also in Deuteronomy. A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he's committed only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall charge be established. That's a normal biblical thing. It had been that way in Judaism for many years and he was saying that again. Jesus, Matthew 18, this is the typical church discipline passage.
38:09
We always go to this. In fact, honestly, in church, when we go to this, it's usually because there's a kerfuffle and we're trying to get through it. We don't really pay attention to the it's to win your brother. It's to be able to say, I'm out of here or you need to be out of here one. I think pay attention to this whole passage right here and see how many times it says, you have gained your brother.
38:27
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault. That's one on one. Between you and him alone, if he listens to you, then you've gained your brother. You've won your brother. Praise God.
38:37
I love it when that happens when you go and say, man, this was not right. Can you help me get through this as I help you get through this? We want for this to be under the blood of Jesus and reconcile but if he does not listen, take one or two others. So, that'd be two or three, right? One or two others along with you that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
39:01
That's Old Testament. He's using that. If he refuses to listen to them, then tell it to the church. So, it gets to be more, right? By the way, there's an excellent podcast.
39:13
I'll tell you more about it later but Chris did one recently, a podcast about church discipline that I thought really hit this point home. If he refuses to listen, then tell the church And if he refuses to listen even to the church, then let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it'll be done for them by my father in heaven and then this quote that we hear very often that comes in the context of church discipline.
39:47
We use it all kinds of ways for where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst or there I am among them. He's saying, to come together, the body of Christ has to function collectively. That make sense? And so we're holding one another accountable but it works best this way. The two or three witness thing.
40:08
Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. I want to stop right here and say this is good practice and this is something that's great but I do also want to recognize that there are sins that happen where there are only two people present and the perpetrator and the victim are the two and it has gone a long long time even in Christian circles. It's gone a long long time with people being able to get away with abuse because of people not believing them. And so in the moment of Me Too and a lot of other the Time's Up movement, I wanna say that please, please, please, if there is any sort of an abusive situation going on, we need to know about it. We need to know about it.
40:52
We won't take it lightly, and we won't immediately cast the elder out. But if there is one witness that comes forward, there may be two or three that you know nothing about. Does that make sense? Insensitivity to it, I try my best to help and do so, I hope, often when people come that are victims of past abuses. And I don't want for anybody to hide or feel like they're gonna be not believed.
41:19
So please come forward. Please come forward and say so. Do not accept a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. And then it says, as for those who persist in sin. So elders are not infallible.
41:34
They're not above sinning. Hopefully, if one of the brothers, the other elders comes to him and says, listen brother, I'm seeing this and it's not matching up with what you say that you believe or what we claim to believe as Christians. Let's get this right. But if there is someone who persist in sin, then rebuke them in the presence of all. Is that all elders or all the church?
41:59
Yes. I think elders is a good medium step but especially with Corinthians thrown in there. I think that it is in the presence of all so that the rest may stand in fear. There is a healthiness to having a little bit of fear and reverence and awe of God and the the position that Paul calls earlier, he who seeks the office of overseer seeks a noble work. So, as for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all so that the rest may stand in fear.
42:30
That is about church discipline and he says, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and elect angels, he's saying, God's always watching. Christ who saved you always knows whether you are submitting your will to him or whether you are stubbornly going forward on your own. And of the elect angels, messengers of God, I charge you to keep this rule without prejudging. Doing nothing from partiality. As soon as I see the word partiality or prejudging, I think of James.
43:03
Do you all think of James? James where it says, do nothing out of partiality. Show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man comes in wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, he comes into your assembly and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and you say, you sit over here in a good place. Why you say to the poor man, you stand over there or you sit down right here at my feet.
43:34
Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? If you really fulfill the royal law according to scripture, you shall love your neighbor as yourself, then you're doing well. But if you show partiality, you're committing sin and you're convicted by the law as transgressors. Do you see that there's a lot of weight in treating people especially in this, it was about economics, you know? Do you see a guy?
44:01
He's like, oh man, that guy got lots of money. It'd be really nice to have him on our board. We had him on our board. We'd have access to his money. Do you get that that's pretty evil?
44:11
If you look at the same exact guy and go, man, what a godly guy that is. He really does fear God. He keeps his precepts. He's not a drunkard. He is a faithful husband.
44:21
Wow. God, thank you for bringing this guy to us but if you start doing it based on anything other than that, you've become, he says, with evil thoughts and you've become judges. Don't show partiality. And in this particular one, it's socioeconomic, I believe is what he's talking about. This next passage, Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands.
44:47
Most of y'all have been in church most of your life, and you know when it says laying on of hands, you probably know what it means. But imagine you just started reading this for the first time. It says, don't be hasty in the laying on of hands. Is that like during the welcome time where somebody just hugs a little too fast? You know what I mean?
45:02
Is it is it like a policeman taking someone down, laying hands on them? In this case, it is about ordination. So he's saying, don't be hasty about ordaining someone, Bringing them in and putting them in the position of elder or pastor, teacher. Don't be hasty with that. Last week, when I was speaking, I was talking about older widows and I remind, I I brought up and use that Bible right there that missus Zany Bennett, she was an older widow that in my childhood.
45:33
I remembered throughout my whole life and she died the Tuesday before. So, I was able to use her as an example. We're talking about older widows. This week, we're talking about ordination and we know it's ordination because earlier he said this to Timothy, do not, Timothy, neglect the gift that you have which was given to you by prophecy. When the council of elders laid their hands on you and ordained you for this ministry, they gave you the authority to minister.
46:03
Practice these things. Immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress. He's not saying you're perfect but he does say, you are God's man for this job. So, he's ordained into the ministry. This week on Tuesday, we ordained Renzy.
46:18
Renzy Reno, a lot of y'all know him. He was the youth director here for four years and he continually has served God. He he started off in a Christian camp. That's where he met Kale when he was already doing Christian ministry. He was in Buffalo, Wyoming where he did Christian ministry as a youth director.
46:39
He's done youth director positions two or three different churches and then was here playing the utility role of leading music and doing whatever we ask of him for the whole time, sound man, tech, everything. And he's constantly been in gospel ministry. Seriously, how many years? Like thirteen, fourteen, fifteen years, something like that. So it wasn't a hasty move, but Tuesday morning at 6AM oh, did you all know that the elders changed their meetings from six in the evening to six in the morning?
47:05
Yeah, he says thumbs up. Morning people, unite. We did Renzi's ordination at 6AM and it said, do not be hasty in the laying on of hands. And I looked it up. The the word actually does mean hastily or quickly.
47:22
I was looking for it to mean do not do this early. But but it does actually mean hastily or quickly. So don't do this just because. And in fact, the next thing says don't take part or nor take part in the sins of others. Now, the sins of others might have been that they were trying to hastily bring someone into the elder board or the overseer role.
47:47
I think that that's what it is. I think why why Paul might have said that here. I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. He just said that a minute ago, right? And then, he comes up with this.
48:00
Nor take part in the sins of others. So, don't just get somebody on the board because he seems to be either rich or powerful or good looking, alright? Seriously, I'm serious. We're not looking for the the same things that the world is looking for. We're looking for somebody with a heart after God.
48:19
Keep yourself pure. He continually through the whole book of Timothy, he's saying, you stay pure. You stay with it. You stick to this. Keep yourself pure.
48:31
Don't be drawn in by riches, power, fame, glory, or attractiveness. You stick to what it says. Twenty third verse, in parenthesis, no longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. Now, last week, I had four imperatives in the sermon last week. Last week, the first one was be honoring.
48:55
And actually, I could use those for this week. Be honoring elders this week. It was be honoring widows who are truly widows last week. Be distinguishing. Like, be distinguishing the difference between those who are truly widows and those who are not really.
49:10
Be distinguishing this week. I could use again. Be serving like constantly be serving and open to what God would have you do. Like, I don't know. Connect our coordinator.
49:22
Be serving. Anything, anything really. Be concerned and being concerned was about Christ's reputation. My closing charge last week was what would an outsider that came in here rightfully be able to criticize? We wanna think about Christ's reputation and so those were the four imperatives from last week.
49:43
I wanna say, this one be distinguishing because there is a difference in using a little wine and being drunk. Okay? If you see this verse and you go, thank you, Paul. You've given me what I need. I have biblical backing.
49:58
I can have that drink that I've been wanting. It's funny also because when you're reading all the commentaries and you're reading, when I'm reading this, laboring in this work trying to do this, you read it and people are all over the map on this one. When it's the use a little wine for the sake of your stomach. Some people insist that that was wine that didn't have alcohol in it. It was grape juice only.
50:22
And then others are saying, well, the water was nasty in Ephesus. It was absolutely awful and if he had dysentery and frequent ailments, then it would be good for him to mix a little wine with his water, kill whatever's in there. Using a little wine is different than being a drunkard. In fact, in chapter three, he says, not a drunkard for an overseer. Also, in chapter three, for deacons, servants of the church, not addicted to much wine.
50:50
Be distinguishing. Don't just seek to justify self. If we take scripture seriously, it will bend us and if we don't take it so seriously, we will bend it to our will. Does that make sense?
51:02
Speaker 2Okay.
51:03
Speaker 1So, be distinguishing between. If you know that you struggle with alcohol and that the first drink only leads to the second, third, fourth, and then a bout of drunkenness that you cannot control without God's help. Then, don't do it. Don't use that little wine. Don't use any wine but Timothy needed to according to Paul.
51:23
Other thing is the commentators always say, this proves that this was written by Paul in sixty four AD because nobody would go in there and put that in the year 200 or 300, whereas some people try to place this book. This is sign of it really being it. Do you all remember this gal? Granny. Granny Clampett.
51:44
She was always had her little brown jug with the triple X's on it, and she was always claiming medicinal purposes. Alright. The sins of some people are conspicuous, like Granny. No. Don't use it as an excuse is my point.
51:59
It goes on and says the sins of some people are conspicuous. Would you agree that some people you see and you go, wow, that sin is flagrant. Right out there in the front, everybody can see it, my goodness. Well, if you go back to that list of overseers qualifications, many of those are sins that are conspicuous. And it's saying, you're shooting yourself in the foot if you get guys on the elder board that are obvious sinners.
52:26
But he goes on to say, these go before them to judgement. So, let's say downtown, you're talking with somebody and you say, well, Billy Bob, good name. Billy Bob is an elder down at that church. Yeah, he's a drunk. If they they immediately are able to judge him immediately on that.
52:45
Well, he's a drunk. They might be able to do it because he's wrong. Oh, he cheats on his wife. Whatever. There's some sins that are just conspicuous and they go before them to judgement.
52:55
Those are probably not the best guys to have in the elder position. Your reputation precedes you. But the sins of others appear later. Everybody has sinned. Everybody has sinned and people have sinned in their lives.
53:09
It's all. Some of em are really conspicuous but there are some that are not seen. They appear later. They've given a mechanism, right? If there's someone who persist in sin, then you rebuke them and you bring them before the church.
53:21
There's church discipline there but the sins of others appear later, lets us know, stay humble just because someone sin is conspicuous does not mean they are a worse sinner. It's just more obvious. And God reaches out to save the vilest offender who truly believes that moment from Jesus apart and received. So, also, Paul says and this is the end of chapter five, good works are conspicuous and even those that are not conspicuous cannot remain hidden. Sometimes, we put missionaries and preachers on a pedestal and we think, wow, look at all those good works that those people have done.
53:59
He's saying, even the ones that are not obvious, they can't remain hidden. God sees what's going on and if you continue and you persist in this as Paul has telling Timothy to do, if you keep on doing good, then, it will eventually come out. Alright, last two verses and we'll go we'll go into a time of communion. Have you been able to keep up? It's been fast.
54:25
I know there are a lot of words. Let all who are under a yoke as bond servants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor. Might they not be worthy of honor? He's saying, regard them as such. Whether they are or they aren't.
54:41
Whether your boss is a Christian or not a Christian. Where he's an outright heathen or a cult leader. Let all who are under a yoke as bond servants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they're brothers. Rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.
55:10
Are you getting that? I'm gonna update it. This is updated. Because bond servants, when we hear that, we're like, oh, I mean, I'm not a bond servant. Do you get paid for what you do?
55:19
You do. Are you bound in some sort of a contract with this company that you have agreed in what the terms of your employ? Yeah. So let all of those who have to work, because there are some people who don't have to work, right? But let all of those who have to work as employees regard their own supervisors as worthy of all honor.
55:39
Whether they're a Christian or not, whether they're a good person or bad person in our estimation or not, Let all who have to work as employees regard their own supervisors as worthy of all honor. So that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. If you have a good and positive witness in the way that you work, you're much more likely to be heard for what you believe, right? Amen. The next thing says, and even if you do have a believing boss, those who have believing bosses, Christians, you must not also be disrespectful on the ground that they're brothers.
56:16
They still are worthy of respect and honor. Rather, they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Do you get that? Whether your boss is a Christian or not, you are to work and do everything as if unto the Lord because it helps your witness. The reputation of Christ really is at stake.
56:42
I talked to I hate to use him as an example all the time but he sits right up front. He's and he's right at the closeout at Smith's. He's at the self checkout and I talked to two people yesterday at a party I've never met before And then we were talking about music, and as we were talking about music, said, so you play? I said, yeah, I play a little, I play a stand up bass. Oh, you play in a band?
57:00
Said, yeah, do it Sunday mornings and Monday nights we got a standing gig, you know. And so I said, so we got a piano player on Sundays and a mandolin player on Mondays that you might know. And they're like, oh, who is it? And I said, you know there's a guy at Smith's that works the self checkout? And then he goes, yeah, the the shorter guy?
57:16
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Accent, he speaks English Spanish and all kinds of I said Romanian is what he is. And I go, yeah, man, I love that guy. I actually go to bed at night thinking, man, I wish I could be more like that guy. Sorry, Florian, but he is one of our elders too actually.
57:32
He's one of our elders at the church. But that is a ministry and he's performing it at work. For a boss that I don't know whether his boss or Christian, not Christian, cares, doesn't care. I don't know but the way that he works as a ministry for this church and for this savior that we serve. Turning our attention to the savior and off of Florine.
57:53
We're going to go into a time of communion. I did not not mean to embarrass you, brother. Would I, could I get the frontline team to come forward, please? And would y'all pray with me? God, I thank you for your word.
58:08
I thank you that the power unto salvation is the gospel. I thank you that Jesus that you came, that you walked in this world, that you were tempted in all the ways that we are tempted, but you allowed the Holy Spirit of God to lead, you yielded your will to the will of the father. Even in the garden praying, if this be possible, any other way, if it be possible, any other way, then let's do that, lord but if not, thy will be done. I pray lord that all of us would pray that daily that thy will be done and you would clearly direct by your spirit. I thank you that Jesus had no sin and no sin record and was able to offer his life.
58:57
Perfect, spotless lamb as a sacrifice. For the sins of all of those who would believe. So, lord, right now, as we go into this time of communion, we do practice an open table. So, whether you have been a Christian believing in the blood of Christ in the name of Jesus has been your name. For many many years or whether during the middle of this service, you said, I bow the knee and I want to submit my will to the will of God.
59:27
I trust in his saving savior Jesus. We practice an open table. So, this is open for anyone who trust and believes in Jesus. Lord, for this bread, we ask you that you would bless it as we distribute it and that each one who would partake, lord, would recognize the profundity of your sinless life and example. In Jesus name, would you bless this bread?
1:00:16
Speaker 2There are things as we travel this earth shifting sands they can never be held in I believe in a hill called Mount Calvary I believe that the Christ who was slain on that cross has the power to change lives today for he changed me completely a new life is mine that is why by the cross I will I believe in a hill called Mount Calvary. I believe whatever the cause. And when time has surrendered and earth is no more I'll still playing to the old rugged cross I believe that this life with its great mysteries surely someday will come to and I believe in a hill called Mount Calvary. I'll believe whatever and when time has surrendered and earth is no more I'll still cling to that old
1:03:16
Speaker 1On the same night that Jesus was betrayed, he took bread after supper and after he had given thanks, he said to his disciples, there with him, that this is my body, which is given for you, take this, and eat, and do it in remembrance of me. Lord Jesus, we're thankful for your sinlessness, your perfect record sacrificially given for the ransomed. Lord, thank you for that. I also thank you for the blood that was shed, innocent blood shed on our behalf and so lord, as we distribute this reminder, this little plastic cup of grape juice. We distribute this reminder.
1:04:15
Lord, I pray that we would take that in and know that it is the blood of Christ that cleanses us from all unrighteousness. God, I pray that we would live a life that is constantly confessing of our sins and shortcomings so that you may be cleansing us from all unrighteousness. Throwing our sin as far as the East is from the West into the sea of forgetfulness where it will be remembered. In Jesus name, I thank you for the blood of the innocent lamb that was way that he had taken the bread, he took the cup, and he told his disciples that were there with him that this is the new covenant in my blood. Now, they did not completely understand what he was saying.
1:08:03
I'm not sure we completely understand what he was saying but we can have blessed assurance through trusting sacrifice and the blood that was sacrificed. He said, this is the new covenant in my blood. Take this and drink and do it in remembrance of me. Would you stand? Judy, think we're going to do the doc solid.
1:08:31
Is that fine? Is that fine? We'll just sing an acapella. Okay. Would you sing with me?
1:08:38
Stand and sing with me. Thank you.
1:08:41
Speaker 2Praise God from whom all blessings flow praise him all creatures here below praise him above you heavenly praise father, son, and holy
1:09:13
Speaker 1Amen. And now to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priest to his God and father. To him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Praise Jesus. Amen.
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