The Fostering of an Assembly (Shepherding), Part 2 — A.J. Higgins

Okay, um. Not to rush things that there's a quite a bit of overlap in these portions. They're not all Clear pigeonholes, but we come to Hebrews chapter 13 and the three mentions there of your leaders.

We only read two of them. The last one is saluting them and my fellow countrymen from Italy saluting them as well.

Strange. Scotland's not. Nor Ireland. Go to the front. Was that the barbarians. The front page of the Bible. Duncan Dunsire. Scotland.

Along with we King James who was a Scot. Yes. He was as was Mary. Okay. Hebrews chapter 13. To say there are a number of things here in the in this section. We want to look at we Won't look at the lives of these men.

The Legacy and Example of Assembly Leaders

We want to look at the legacy they left the light they shed through the Word of God and Their leadership of the assembly now. Those that had the rule over you considering the end of their life now. There's several different ways and our brethren may have a different take on what this means.

We have to remember that in the day that we're reading up here Leadership was a very very very dangerous place to be. Because when persecution arose they go for the leaders first. Which is why if you're ever surprised why Peter has to encourage men to take the role of leadership.

You know men men are clamoring to be leaders today. Peter had to encourage them because being a leader meant you'd be the first to be taken and martyred. So it may well be that the men that were looking at here considering the end of their life the issue of their life.

It may well be martyrdom. They were faithful all the way to death and They had left a life That was Exemplary and a life that others could follow. So in keeping with whatever other summers was mentioning earlier beyond a man's teaching ability.

Beyond a man's eloquence his life is vital in leadership. You can teach what you know. But you can only reproduce what you are. Okay, you can teach what you know, but you can only reproduce what you are and if your goal is to See other spiritually growing then your life is vital as a leader.

So in the context of Hebrews would you take it that these were men that were exemplary in that they had not turned back to Judaism and Bringing that into the context of today Christendom is often marked by judaistic Practice practices.

So They maintain separation not only from the world but from the religious.

Environment around that could well be what's in view again for them. It would have been apostasy. Probably a mark that they were never really genuinely saved going back to the sacrifices. But it was still a very very costly thing and they would.

You know, they had chapter 10 suffered the loss of all things. Wasn't just a matter that they didn't get the best jobs or didn't get the best Benefits, but they lost everything as a result of being Christians and there were some who likely were martyred.

And as I said, the leadership would be first to go.

The Elder's Ability to Teach and Feed the Assembly

What an issue that creates a slight division of opinion back home is is the the degree or extent to which an overseer Must be capable of teaching and you know, you've got that here who have spoken unto you the Word of God.

My mind in it for what it was worth is That apt to teach is found in first Timothy 3, but I don't think that that necessarily means That he's a public man. I think that what it means is that He can sit down in his front room.

And if there's an issue about should I marry an unsaved boy and it's a young girl in the meeting? Well, you could say well, let's have a look at 2nd Corinthians and what it says about the unequal yoke.

And I think it's teaching on that Low key level that they know their Bible and they know what it says. It's not so much Although it does see spoken unto you the Word of God I'm just reluctant to conclude that what that means is it necessarily an elder must have the gift to teach no.

No, no, actually whether you are looking in John 20 Acts 20 dumps our John 21 acts 20 1st Peter 5 or the negative of it in Ezekiel 34 the first thing feed the people of God. Now that does not mean getting up on the platform of preaching.

Just means providing food. Making sure they're fed. Could even be the idea of inviting others in to feed the people. Making sure the people are being fed and that is the primary Responsibility. I would take it since it's first on the list and it could be very private.

A man who can give the scriptural Explanation for why we're doing what we are doing or why you should be doing this rather than necessarily the gift of teaching wouldn't first. Timothy chapter 5 help as well verse 17 where it says.

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor especially they who labor in the word and teaching and. So that implies That there needs to be among the elders those who are capable of teaching publicly and That's their focus.

And is that in their own assembly? You see again a little conviction of mine, which I formed early on and I've never seen any reason to to depart from it we I think we've got things a little bit back to front in the meetings where If gift is given to somebody my opinion is that it's primary Focus and the place that it should primarily be developed and exercises locally.

I believe that's why gift is given to a local body now. I believe it is also true in Ephesians that there are people that are gifted to work in a wider sphere. But I Really think that the primary focus of I'm over here in Wisconsin and well there is I do come over other places every now And again, but this is not normal for me.

My normal ought to be Mayfield and That is where really? If I've got a teaching ministry, that's primarily where it ought to be exercised. It's not right that a man preaches all the conferences around the country and never speaks in John Newton.

Mm-hmm Jack Hunter said many many years ago. One of the saddest things that he saw in the assemblies in his day was the lack of a teaching elderhood. And he wasn't talking about public speakers he was talking about men who could teach and Handle themselves locally.

Look after. Because you've got in John 21 it was mentioned you've got tending and feeding the sheep in the flood and and and the lambs and. That's the two things. Tending you're going to guard and guide and you're going to feed them the Word of God.

Considering the issue of their conversation or manner of life the end of verse 7 there in Hebrews 13. So obviously these men are living their lives before the Saints. They're not everywhere at once, right.

The issue of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and Forever. Be not carried about by diver divers and strange doctors. Just putting all that together. There's a steadiness about Mm-hmm.

They're the same today as they were yesterday.

Yeah, I believe William at that statement there Jesus Christ yesterday today. This is not it's not a doctrinal statement by the eternality of Christ. I think the essence of it is is unchanging nature.

He was to say I was he was the same amongst them.

Whatever the circumstances were and that. But it's brought in because this is the character of these men's life. That's the point. Yeah, yeah, you talked about the steady man. It's a word of God. It's not his own thoughts or fancy teaching.

Just good steady word of God just the basics. Doesn't change and that goes right on down there.

Don't be carried about with divers Alan. I know this is my Bible reading and I'm supposed to get the questions. But let me give you a question. Things are different in Scotland than they are in this country, but.

What suggestions they have for us. The majority of ministry that an assembly gets? Is 15 minutes after the breaking of bread and there may there usually is an assembly Bible reading somewhere during the week.

Where does gift develop and where does this local man? Who is this local elder who is apt it? Well is the ability to teach. Where does he begin to exercise his gift?

I believe locally and I mean my my experience home is different because in Scotland and all the meetings I've been associated with there's an afternoon ministry meeting for 45 50 minutes as well as the gospel we occasionally have a word after the breaking of bread, but As a rule if there's going to be ministry given I am I my experience is that you can't really teach something.

Like the priesthood of all believers or the unity of the Church of Christ of the deity in him. You cannot do that in 15 minutes. I don't think so. I I think one one of the things one of the few things maybe that Scotland has to teach Ireland England and elsewhere is maybe we've just got one thing right.

Which is that we give opportunity for gift to develop locally because in Mayfield We have a speaker booked to come to our meeting once every five weeks and the rest. It's Robert Ernie John who's now not so well as he used to be Mark David myself.

And we take it on board and I do think just looking within my own soul that I have a great debt that I owe to Robert McPhee. He was the man that laid that down and that is I he's long gone. No, but the legacy he has left.

I think has has been a great blessing to me. We have over I think in our assembly. We've over 60 Ministry meetings that local brethren can participate in and many of the prairie assemblies are the same good.

So it must be a United States thing. Yeah, we have problems here. Although we we don't trump our problems. You just.

But I I don't know you were mentioning about Me you go around place. I do too, but I personally feel more comfortable ministering from the local assembly where I am so shit with because I know the needs and it seems as if it's.

When you go to someplace else You go with an exercise you're trying to meet what might be needs. But you really don't know the needs as much but when you're at your home assembly There just seems to be a greater liberty in what I feel about and and you have a sense of well.

You know, what's the need to be said? And so you do say it with in the fear of God are you implying the same thing or not?

I I'm not clear about that. I find that there's there's a benefit sometimes to meet in anonymity. So I've come here to America. I really don't know your local issues and I can never speak my mind with complete impunity.

What. One of the problems I find it's maybe in my personality is I know all the issues in Mayfield and therefore have a peptic ulcer before I. You know raise some of the difficult ones because it's so difficult to speak about sensitive local issues.

I'm not saying it absolves me from the responsibility, but I actually find it to be honest. Easier to speak where I'm largely unknown and I find it very difficult. It's maybe a confession thing. I find it difficult to speak at home.

Aren't there men that come among you and you'd think they knew. Yeah problem, which they don't. Yeah. So really if we were guided by the Spirit We should have a very exercise to have the right word not just a correct word.

But the right word for the place where we are. Yeah, brother. We're veering away from. Because we agreed that the the elder is not necessarily a public man. The word in Timothy 3 skilled in teaching doesn't place them on the platform it places them across the table.

He's able to handle the Word of God. When someone comes with the wrong doctrine He can identify it right away and he knows how to correct it. When someone comes with a question is able to help. It's a one-on-one basis more than with a collective company.

I think though our brother Bruce raised from first Timothy chapter 5 those that labor in the word and teaching. That there should be as you mentioned the teaching oversight and there should be those in the oversight.

Not every one of them but there should be those in the oversight who can publicly teach the doctrines of the Word of God and could I make a soapbox, sorry. Sit back sometime at the end of the year and think of the ministry given in your assembly.

How many basic doctrines have been dealt with? I did that one year and I was I was shocked. You know the deity of Christ the humanity of Christ the impeccability of Christ, you know, we never touch those subjects you know a 15-minute word of encouragement or.

You know a blast at the sisters or something and that's that's what we get. But I mean there should be a conscious effort made to teach basic doctrinal truths. Throughout the year now, you know I'm not an example.

But what we did is set up a four-year program. Your number one is things relative to the Godhead in the Word of God. Year two truths of salvation. Year three truths of the assembly. Year four truths of prophecy and then recycle but just having a plan that you follow these Important basic fundamental truths of the Word of God and and convey them to another generation.

Isn't that recognition? I? Remember reading that little book by Philip Keller on a shepherd looks at Psalm 23. And he mentioned that that it's largely up to the shepherd. To make sure that the sheep have good pasture and it's the shepherds.

You know wisdom and and careful Handling of the way the sheep are pasturing in the various pastures that enables them to have good pasture on an ongoing basis and I think we're we're often as you say to to unaware and again, maybe we struggle with this Idea of how much human?

Direction do we do we allow into this work? But but we should I think we really should take stock and I think sometimes it comes out most. Sadly when somebody gets saved among us and they come into the You know among us in an existing assembly, and we just presume they're going to pick up where we are.

Yeah, and just get fed properly and not think of what they need. You brought up Fred Hill, and it says remember them that have had the rule so in remembering him I never remember him publicly preaching the gospel or ministering the Word of God.

Never once. But he was sure that there were men there capable to do so. But you could ask him and it was. I didn't go to breakfast with him because I live too far away. But every Sunday, I wasn't invited someplace else.

I was on his right hand and no matter who was there and I prayed with the familiar pronouns. Mr. Paisley could have been there and he'd. I'd be sweating. Cold sweat and he'd reach over and pat me on the hand and say Richard, please I was to give thanks for the food.

And he but you there wasn't a question. You couldn't ask him. Yeah, I Mean, yeah, he give you sometimes it wasn't a scriptural answer. But he'd tell you what he thought about it, and he was saying he said to us to me I guess that.

If you if there isn't the ability in your own assembly to handle a problem or to bring ministry to bear. You're still responsible to see that those topics are covered. Very good. So invite invite men who can cover them to make sure that the Christians are fed.

Approachability and Accountability in Oversight

Richard has highlighted something that maybe we haven't touched on as far as one of the Requirements something that you mark an overseer is approachability. I That's the totally wrong opposite attitude the wisdom that is from above James chapter 3 easily entreated approachable someone who's open and Never, you know, if you just blow them away never asked me that kind of question again never questioned that again.

They'll never questioned it again. You've lost them. You know, they may say some outrageous things have some outrageous questions. Listen and Give them the answer in a gracious way and be approachable to all the people of God.

Could we I'm sorry to move quickly just I want to get to Watching for your souls giving an account and praying for you. So could we have some help now on verse 17 of Hebrews chapter 13?

So would that be an ongoing account? Certainly. Some might think it'd be the judgment seat of Christ. Yeah, but I think there should be an ongoing account.

Okay, our brother Lavery has suggested. This is ongoing. I would take it as the judgment seat of Christ, but that there's no difficulty there. I think as part of my stewardship I will give an account of the judgment seat of Christ for my stewardship and leadership.

But certainly in what way would I give an account now?

Give me some help there. Well, I think just keeping in touch with God and.

Taking care of God's people. Yeah, I have taken. I had taken the doing it with grief being the watching. I say, you know that it would be. You know weeping over the people of God because of their waywardness and because of failure.

I mean I inclined to think it's it's a giving an account to God. But it does rather enlarge a view of the judgment seat doesn't it? Because the classic teaching of the Bhima is that it's you and you alone.

But this if we're right and thinking and I think we are That this is this is a final account being given of your stewardship given account of your stewardship. Actually, one of the things you're going to have to talk to the Lord about or he's going to have to talk to you about.

Are other people? And that that is not usually how we think about the Bhima we just think it's me and me alone. But this puts it in a kind of slightly a wider context. Is it you know? We look I mean one of the things that bothers me a little bit sometimes about what said and talked about oversight is You some I think we sometimes we overplay the consensual Aspect to oversight because we are so alarmed at Giving the impression to the Saints that we are dictatorial or or control freaks.

And I think maybe in doing that we're just maybe Overreacting to the spirit of the age which rebels against authority I just want to put in a little plea that I think is founded in Scripture that although It is true.

The oversight is Meant to be exercised on a compassionate and caring basis. And although we don't Lord it over the Lord's heritage. We mustn't lose sight of the fact and I think it's scriptural that there is authority there.

And you have to do what they say if you're a young man in the meeting Here today and an overseer says to you. This is what you have to do do it and The modern world of which is really uncomfortable with that kind of hard edged control.

But I think on I think it is a definite stream of thought in the New Testament. I mean we went through this in our Bible reading not so long ago. The I think am I correct in recollecting that the word rule is the word that's translated governor further back and Luke's gospel the He that is to be governor and in Israel.

So I think there is I mean, maybe maybe it's just me but I do think there is an Authority element that we mustn't lose sight of.

Yeah, I think personally that we we always have to balance the tendencies that we're moving towards. And and. And while we we certainly do not Want to have any impression of a dictatorship. And all that implies.

And some men tend towards that concept of authority unfortunately. But we have to recognize it and I believe it's in the same parallel as in the family. The father Carries that final responsibility for what happens some 23 by I've I've roared.

And I staff the rod as far as I recollect sandy is is Served a different function from the staff, but the two have got to be held in balance one with the other.

Yeah, very good. Yeah, just for the sake of young believers I think that is the tenth time our brother Alan mentioned something bothering him deeply. He really is a very happy believer. Really? I don't want you thinking.

Think brother Sandy you you covered it earlier Matthew 23 The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat all that they bid you that Observe and do do not after their works and you go on to a whole series of woes.

What the Lord is doing is he's he's preserving Moses seat he's setting up Moses seat and so in the elderhood is Given the elderhood a place and we must recognize it. Therefore there must be submission.

You may not like what you're told you mean you may think that the The brethren who are telling you you may not think very much of them. That's the elderhood and we are.

To submit to the elderhood. That's what it's all about. And I think also my brother would have would agree that there should be a scriptural reason given for why the particular behavior or Issue is being raised rather than just a command with no scriptural basis.

Well.

Nothing immediately springs like Bothers me. What I have found in my little experience of life is there are some some sheep that are nightmares. Have you ever had the expression herding cats. No, well it what it means is just an impossible.

You can have cheap behavior herded cats, you know, they head off in every direction. And what I have my my experience is that there are some that require firm handling. You know, and I'm a while. You would never say I command you you would never use that kind of language.

There are some that require clearer direction than others and some that will disobey at the drop of a hat. Now I grant you that they're rare and few and they're far between. But they are nevertheless sometimes there and I think I think we just need to remember that overseers are human.

They have issues that was always impossible to handle and every now and again issues come along that are incredibly difficult to deal with and It needs to be remembered that they wield authority on behalf of God.

They'll be answerable for it.

You know, but they have authority. Well, I was I was thinking I know most of the overseers in this part of the world and I can only think of one. That's under 60. Now I could be wrong. Most of them are my age or plus or minus and I think that one of the things we look for.

We've most of us have probably been overseers for 20 to 40 years. I Think we sometimes expect the next the handing off to the next generation. We expect them to be at our level of maturity that we are now not remembering what we were 30 40 years ago, but one of the things that we look for.

I think well, I'll speak for myself. Well, not that we command but when we were trying to encourage a younger brother and we asked them to do so. We don't command them, but we ask them to open the gospel meeting ask them to greet people.

Ask them to speak to the children. We asked them but we really expect them. Just to respond in a positive way. Showing that they're interested in the people of God interested in and developing their gifts and.

Maybe we don't ask enough, but I think there's resistance sometimes and we're we don't want to see that. I mean, you don't want it to force it on anybody. You weren't willing people under. But I think what Alan is referring to is where there has been clear violation of the Word of God.

How do we deal with that? And again, it depends on the person you're dealing with and. Your relationship with them and I think you know, all of that is vital. Would you have that in Titus? Rebuking sharply.

Yeah, but a little different with teachers I think but yeah, but I think we know what's been said is very helpful. And I think we should take it into our consideration. We do want to touch on the the ministry of prayer or the laboring in prayer here at least implied.

Watching for Souls Through Prayer

They did watch for your souls. I would take it that this is the idea of sleeplessness linked with time spent in prayer. Now this may surprise you. It should be the norm for every believer in the assembly to pray for every other believer in the assembly.

But it is imperative that leaders do it. Imperative that is part of your ministry is praying for their preservation and as you pray for them. Strangely enough, maybe this is not the experience of others as you pray for them.

You actually become a little bit more aware of some of their needs and you begin to have a sense of how to meet those needs so it's not just mentioning names and like a long list but praying for them actually gives you insight and Help in terms of how am I going to approach this situation?

There's a lovely little line in the believers tis this that bids the hard thought disappear. It's a different connection, but I speaking from my own self I have felt literally within a moment of starting to pray that the temperature begins to cool.

Thing. It's good for us to let them know we're praying for them, especially in specific things. So they come to us and they mention something you say well, I'll pray for you. You better do it and let them know that you're still can't be a glib sort of thing.

Yeah, and there's nothing wrong with asking believers, you know, what can we pray for for you? You know just I like to pray intelligently for you. What what is there that really we can.

Carry to the throne of grace on your behalf even tweet them and let them know you're praying. Yeah.

Any other comments on Hebrews 13. Before we move on to Acts chapter 20 for the last section of the meeting.

It does mention doesn't the great shepherd of the sheep right here at the end of this so it's so wonderful to Think of the ends up with the Lord of thought if he's a great shepherd of the sheep. There may be another shepherd of the writer had in view.

There's one's greater and I've thought it might be Moses. Well, you know brought the children of Israel out of the land that couldn't take them in. Yeah, we have one that brought us and bought us out of the slave market of sin and he's going to bring us safely through.

And Jeremiah it speaks of having been having Moses having brought them up out of yeah, and I think that's the Background for what we have here. Yeah, very good Acts chapter 20 then unless any have a comment and we'll move to that quickly and consider something there of the Resources the Word of God which is able and the person of God Who is available?

Paul's Model of Shepherding in Acts 20

This is very very similar to Joshua chapter 1 Moses. My servant is dead. I will be with thee and Observe all things that are written in the book meditate therein day and night and so forth. You have the Word of God and you have my presence.

God says that Joshua the land is before you. I won't forsake you. You'll be you'll be prosperous have good success. Here are the two resources we have so Paul is going to bring them to these two resources as he leaves them and Committing them to God and the word of his grace.

But before we get that far there are some other things in the chapter that are very very helpful. And we don't want to dwell too long on them, but in verses 17 to 21 we have what our brother Summers reminded us of Paul's consistency his Consistency now there are there are features here that are vital for an overseer a shepherd to display there was transparency.

There was transparency, you know now Paul uses that many times in the Thessalonian epistle. You know, and then God knows what what you can't know. God knows but you know, there was transparency number one.

Number two, there was consistency from the first day until now. There was impartiality now. We should stay there for a minute. Jew and Greek didn't matter. Paul did not show favoritism a Sure fire recipe for destroying an assembly.

Show favoritism to your family that is a huge test and it is a difficult one to deal with but favoritism is a tremendous plague and to be Impartial now that doesn't mean we don't respect someone for their life and recognize Circumstances.

That's not showing partiality, but it does mean less as David did with a biother. He was conscious of a biother's faithfulness to his father. David and Solomon didn't deal with him as he did with Adonijah and with Joab but there needs to be impartiality to the very best of the ability and then Likewise there was His visibility nothing secret publicly in house the house and so on a man marked by consistency.

So some thoughts on verses 17 to 21 before we move to the end of the chapter.

It's clear that there is a defined body of people called the elders good because he says he called the elders of the church what one of the the legacies of exclusivism in Scotland is that there was a reluctance to acknowledge or Identify overseers in an assembly and a lot of decisions were taken by gatherings of the assembly to meet and deal with certain matters.

But this to me is pretty clear authority. For the proposition that even although the assembly had only been planted for what four or five years something along those lines. Maybe a bit less than that.

That still despite all of that a defined body of people who Paul could identify and they knew who they were Had arisen. It's interesting when in Titus when he sends Titus as his delegate to a Point to think it's his elders in every city.

Which is an interesting thing that the word of point or ordain is to point out with the hand. And I take it what he's saying there is that Titus would have been able to identify by observation. And therefore I identify For the purposes of this epistle who it was that should fulfill that role there it was in Crete to think yeah.

So even though the work was a very early stage. It's interesting how God can bring men on to maturity very rapidly, even though the workers of a new sort.

He says here from the first day verse 18. Then he says I kept back verse 20. I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you. I showed you I taught you publicly. And then in verse 27 all they declared all the counsel of God.

I think Paul went into that work with the realization. There's going to be an assembly established here and from the very outset I have to prepare these people. And you mentioned in your introduction that this is good for young people.

I think that's a Paul. He was dealing with all new Christians at this time. And but he knew that it was imperative for him to lay the groundwork for which they can build upon it.

Yeah, that is a very interesting observation how Paul acted when he went to Corinth. He chose not to use the philosophy and wisdom that marked him because he didn't want to fall into that trap. When he went to Thessalonica, he could see some that didn't want to work with their hands.

He worked with his hands. So he was very sensitive to the people. He was working amongst Establishing by his example what was going to mark what was going to be an example for them in the years to come when the assembly was planted.

So Just taking our brother Baker's observation when you deal with an unsaved friend from the very outset deal with them in the right way as far as your witness as far as your testimony as far as The lines you draw don't go to the bar with them so you can share the gospel.

The word the way you start out with them should be the way you want them to end up with you and Live before them that way. So Paul did that with every new area to which he went.

One of the things that you mentioned Sandy is that there is a kind of tension in the assemblies between our Approach to the breaking of bread where it is as we are exercised and led by the spirit. We give thanks in the prayer meeting as we are exercised and led by the spirit.

We pray in the Bible reading as we are led and exercise we contribute. Then you try and apply that principle to teaching. Now one of the I like you took a little note over The space of nearly a year what we had heard in Mayfield and ministry.

And it was very piecemeal as you pointed out. Great swathes of truth. Never touched. Is this maybe the answer to it Paul evidently must have? Appreciated. It was the whole council that needed to be narrated.

And I don't think you could do that without keeping an a weary eye and what it was that the assembly had was hearing. So there is there is I think alongside our wish to Acknowledge the liberty of the spirit to move side by side with that I don't think it's inconsistent.