July 16, 2017 PM Service - A Noble Task by Pastor Josh Sheldon

The Sufficiency of God’s Final Word

Many times and in many ways God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these days he has spoken to us by his son and No glory to man at all, but I really appreciate the reminder of the full sufficiency the completeness of this word of salvation that we have now we don't know how the Heavens and the earth are going to melt as Peter says.

We don't know what the new earth is exactly going to look like. There's a Whole lot. We don't know most particularly when Jesus might return. But there's a lot we do know because what we've been given I was reminded this morning.

Again, and we can't be reminded of this too much is a full and sufficient word. That is given to us by the son, so there's no better word. There's no better way to be spoken to then this word of God. And impressed upon us by his spirit.

Reading and Framing 1 Timothy 3

Let us look at this word of God. From Paul to Timothy in 1st Timothy chapter 3 as we continue through that. We'll read the entire chapter. Is 16 verses. 1st Timothy chapter 3. The saying is trustworthy if anyone aspires to the office of overseer he desires a noble task.

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach the husband of one wife sober-minded self-controlled respectable hospitable able to teach. Not a drunkard not violent, but gentle not quarrelsome not a lover of money.

He must manage his own household. Well with all dignity keeping his children submissive for someone does not know how to manage his own household. How will he care for God's Church? He must not be a recent convert or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Moreover he must be well thought of by outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace into a snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be dignified not double-tongued not addicted to much wine not greedy for dishonest gain.

They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience and let them also be tested first. Then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified not slanderers, but sober-minded faithful in all things.

Let deacons each be the husband of one wife. Managing their children and their own households well for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves. And also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

I Hope to come to you soon. But I'm writing these things to you so that if I delay you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God. Which is the church of the Living God a pillar and buttress of truth?

Great indeed we confess is the mystery of godliness. He was manifested in the flesh vindicated by the Spirit seen by angels proclaimed among nations believed on in the world taken up in glory. Well has been quite some time.

Why the Office of Pastor Has Fallen on Hard Times

I think since the title Pastor has carried any special regard in society at large I mean scandals in almost every facet of Christendom have rocked the church and have left in their wake this jaundiced view of what it means to be a pastor.

The Roman Catholic Church is still and most recently dealing with priests accused of terrible kinds of sexual abuse. Well known men in the broader evangelical church have been exposed for adultery for Homosexuality and even for financial misconduct at a criminal at a felony level.

And if all this isn't enough Churches today are calling as pastors men and women who are openly engaged in relationships. Which the scripture roundly condemns? So it seems to me that the title the office of pastor has fallen on hard times.

In chapter 3 of 1st Timothy it does not provide us with an ironclad guarantee. But it seems that had it been more carefully followed in many of those cases were disgraced where Scandal has followed after the church by men in this office called pastors.

If it had been more carefully followed it might have prevented most of these disgraces. In this chapter Paul explains to Timothy and to the church the type of men who are to be entrusted as leaders. Much the church's responsibility.

Your responsibility as a church. To choose men as described here as it is those men's duty my responsibility. And any man who would take this pulpit. It's our duty to be the men of first Timothy 3 and as I've been saying it all throughout first Timothy.

That most of the things in here we can turn it around every time. It is the pastor's responsibility to be this or do this as much as it is the congregation's responsibility to ensure these things. What do we learn here in first Timothy chapter 3?

But the church leaders must be men of a spiritual quality that corresponds to the church itself. And what is it it is a noble work that is aspired to. It is a noble work that is being carried out because of the Nature because of the quality of the church itself this organization this entity.

This body that we call the church Caring for it Caring for your souls. Preaching the Word of God to you is a noble work. It has to be carried out by men of noble character. Noble character insofar as first Timothy 3 lays it out for us, and this I think is Paul's larger point this idea that the man who Would be a pastor, but would be an overseer.

And in this church we understand pastor overseer elder. That's all one in the same office spoken of in different contexts is something I will not argue for. I won't try to prove this afternoon. I simply tell you that this is an assumption that I have and this and many of the churches like it Right on work on that assumption on that basis.

But here's Paul's larger point that the leaders of the church Should be men of a quality that correspond to the church itself this noble work. The description of pastors in chapter 3 verses 2 through 7 and then deacons in verses 8 through 13 those detailed descriptions are Bracketed by something that I think is perhaps even more important than the detailed attributes themselves.

You see in chapter 3 verse 1 Paul calls the work of the overseer a noble task. Now if you're reading along in our ESV it says it's a good work. Many English translations say a noble task. I like that better.

I like that better. It tends to set the work of a pastor as something higher than just a good work. Now note that I said that the work is on a higher plane. Not the man himself, but the duties he assumes he assumes as an under shepherd of Christ.

That is the noble task. The deacons are also described in terms of men whose spiritual qualities are up to the task at hand and by up to the task. I just mean this common expression that means a person has the skill sets and the inclinations that are needed to get a job done.

So I am going to avoid this afternoon detailed descriptions of all those individual requirements that we have in chapter 3 verses 2 through 8 2 through 13 excuse me 2 through 13. And I'll do to tell you why I'm gonna do this why I'm going to avoid this.

One of the reasons is that the words speak well enough for themselves. In other words it says not addicted to too much wine. We know what that means. I Mean common sense would tell us that a man who drinks a couple of gallons of wine a day.

But then says with a slurred voice well. I'm not addicted to it. I just enjoy it. Well common sense would tell us. No, that is not what Paul means. You appear to us to be addicted. Basic common sense much less Scriptural biblical wisdom.

Would tell us what that means. What does it mean to not be a striker. To not be pugnacious to be the husband of one? Wife there's some issues there that we're not going to deal with. Does that mean he could never have been divorced or anything like that.

Well, that's a whole can of worms. I don't want to deal with today because I want to look at what's in verses 3 3 1 and then 16. The words speak for themselves. Common sense would tell us what they mean.

It doesn't mean they're not worthy some time of detailed exposition. They are in the Word of God. They are there for our good. Another time though God willing we can go through and take each one of them apart and hopefully to our benefit.

Another reason is even using our best judgment with men. We've known for a long time. Mistakes are still making. Mistakes are still made. I'm sorry stakes are still made. At both of these offices pastor and deacon I said before at this church many years ago before I was here I think before I was even saved a longtime deacon who was affirmed by the body and believed by a council of pastor and deacons at this church.

After a long time as an exemplar of what it means to be a deacon just said you know I've had enough of this. My goal now is to divorce my wife and marry the woman with whom I've had an affair for many years.

But he had on the outside filled First Timothy 3 and the church did take what sounded like responsible steps to make sure he was that man. Mistakes can still be made. I don't want to go through the details of each attribute because I think it Obscures this more important point that we're looking for men whose spiritual maturity is such that they can be entrusted with the noble task of overseeing the pillar and buttress of truth of course the truth being The gospel.

And one last reason that I'm going to avoid all the details. Understanding again. We can't come back to him another time. Is that most of us have had these terms explained to us several times? We know what they mean.

The first thing I want to note is that the overseer is to be a man who desires the task he desires this. Not a spur-of-the-moment. Ambition and this is made clear in verse 6 he must not be a recent convert.

Exactly what recent means we're not told. Wisdom again must prevail. Wisdom and a good measure of common sense I would argue. And that common sense might tell us that one year is probably too short a time.

Is it not. And if a man aspires to one of these offices wouldn't we think ten years of waiting would be too long? And I can't hold that too Tightly because the scripture doesn't say that one year is too short and does not say that ten years are too long.

Common sense wisdom unity of the body prayer must prevail. But how long then if not to be a recent convert. How long the answer is long enough that we as a body can Hebrews 13 17 Submit to them entrust them to watch over our souls and can at all hazards make their work a joyful endeavor.

However long that is before we can say as a body. Yes, we can that we can do that. We here at Providence we tend to want to choose our pastors from within. This passage in 1st Timothy 3 does not insist upon that.

It simply doesn't so we need to hold that as a preference an area where we do have some freedom. But even so wherever a man is brought in from his desire for the work must be somehow established and confirmed as Well as his qualities his spiritual qualities the way he conducts his life.

What we don't want is a Saul One who hid among the baggages so he wouldn't be noticed. We don't want an Absalom a young Turk whose desire was only for prestige and power. What we need to avoid for sure is a Manasseh who led Israel into rank idolatry.

What we do want is Men of a spiritual quality that corresponds to the church itself. The false teachers who Timothy was to silence were possibly the antithetical examples. There's good evidence that each of those positive qualities that Paul gives for the pastor and for the deacon Has a corresponding negative quality in the men who Timothy was told by Paul.

I want you to silence these men these false teachers these guys who are teaching about the law and proclaiming confidently things they know nothing about and it's not a far-reach to say that. If the pastor is not to be or the deacons to be not double-tongued.

These false teachers were in fact double-tongued. If a pastor is to be not addicted to much wine these false teachers Might have been addicted to much wine. Paul is saying in a sense Everything they are is what a pastor shouldn't be and everything a pastor should be.

These men are not none of these Falsehoods. These false teachers could be said to desire a noble work to be in charge. Yes I'll have that to make people obey. Well I have two of those and on top of all that might I have an extra helping or two of spiritual abuse and one extra Spoon of the money that I so love.

That's what Tim that's what Paul is warning him against. Another of his letters he tells him do not be hasty to lay on hands. So again wisdom sound judgment common sense must prevail. Even understanding that it is a hazardous endeavor.

That the church can exercise all wisdom and prayer be unified excited and still. End up looking back and saying we made a mistake. But it's not until the disaster comes that we can look back and review how we did things and say now we see where we Erred and God willing learn from the error.

He says if anyone aspires To the office of overseer he desires a good work. The word aspire and the word desire. These are strong verbs these strong words the first one aspire means to reach out after something for oneself.

It's really interesting for oneself. It's it's what we call the middle voice where you do something for your own. Benefit it doesn't mean selfishness. It only means that the action indicated by the verb is performed by the subject of the verb.

It's not done for him. It's not done to him. He does it for himself. He aspires for this and he has desire. There's other word he desires a good work a noble work as you've heard I think is better. He desires this noble work.

Desire means to fix upon something with ardor and passion. The focus of all this emotive response to the possibility of being an overseer or a pastor one who can watch over the care of souls. Is the nobility of the work itself?

There's no ordinary endeavor. You know a CEO of a big company might do his work hardly as unto the Lord. A Plumber might work and leave each job site with the water flowing and all the sinks draining.

Having worked hardly unto the Lord, and this is good, and this is honorable work is a blessing from God. Work is itself ennobling and dignifying. But being a CEO being a plumber electrician or programmer or a lawyer.

Whatever you are those work are not in and of themselves intrinsically noble. The good work and work is noble and work is dignifying. A work is a blessing. But many of those jobs if not all of them can be performed as well by non-christian is by a Christian.

The work of a pastor the work of a deacon. This work is so strongly desired and stringently specified that this is a work that is noble in and of itself and The man must correspond to that work. This is men who are CEOs must be trained in finance.

They have to know that the debits go on the left and the credits go on the right. Men who do plumbing need to be trained and correspond to that work. But this work as Paul says is a noble task. And we have to be sure that the men who would take over that task on our behalf which in this case in this church now is myself.

Though we all in that sense in a sense pastor one another help one another edify one another build one another up Declare the word to one another. We need to be sure That this is a quality that corresponds to the work that is being taken on.

And that's why it's so important that church leaders be of this course this quality that they Correspond to the task to the church that they would care for a Noble work and so should they be. You know there's an episode of Seinfeld where George Costanza Impulsively quits his job one of the few jobs he had and later on he's talking to Jerry.

And I'm not gonna quote very much of it because I can but he's sort of Ruminating about what kind of job he might do and he just throws out these these these crazy ideas like he says well You know I like sports.

Maybe I could be a general manager of a baseball team and Jerry says something looks like yeah, you do like baseball. But I think they want you to play baseball for a while before you become a general manager.

He says maybe I could be a broadcaster. Maybe I could be a talk show host you know somebody once said you you ask interesting Questions George. I like talking with you. Maybe I should be a talk show host and Each case Jerry he listens sympathetically and he has to point out that George Just doesn't seem to have the experience or the skill sets to make whatever he's proposing realistic.

So if we apply that to our present interest It'd be like this. It's a pastor. Well. I could be a pastor. Maybe I could even be a deacon you know how often I say spiritual things. Someone even said to me one time George.

You know that was pretty spiritual and then Jerry Jerry would answer to him say yeah. That might work, but I think that they want you to know something about the Bible and then there's this problem that they want you to live by what the Bible says and George would claim that that's unfair a move on to think about being a marine biologist or a nuclear physicist or something like that.

You see this office in the church this office of overseer. Pastor elder. Is something far beyond just getting stuff done or just making a living. A man could be educated to the hilt. He could have more letters behind his name than Carter's has pills.

He can have a mind that was shame on Einstein he could be more eloquent than an Abraham Lincoln yet still be as far from being qualified to be a pastor as Costanza would have been from being a doctor.

The Church as the Household of God and Pillar of the Truth

If verses 2 to 13 give us the specific attributes of pastors and deacons it is verse 1. With the noble work and the verses 14 through 16 which describe the nature of the church over which they are going to have this noble work.

That's where the model is. That's where I think the overlaying template is. If a man cannot wear this garment he has entered into the wrong shop and no alterations are allowed. This the suit must fit no compromise in materials is permissible.

So in verse 1 he simply says it's a noble task that he desires that he aspires towards. But look down again at verses 14 through 16 as I said the details of the qualifications. Are there in verses 2 through 13.

Bracketed by these the noble work and now by this I hope to come to you soon. But I'm writing these things to you so that if I delay you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God. That's Paul's purpose statement for writing the writing this entire letter.

That Timothy would know how people are to behave in the household of God. But he goes on to describe it there at the end of verse 15. Which is the church of the Living God a pillar and buttress of truth?

And then he goes on to give us what this truth is. Here's the gospel. One of these one verse gems that we have. Great indeed we confess is the mystery of godliness. He was manifested in the flesh vindicated by the Spirit seen by angels proclaimed among the nations.

Believed on in the world taken up in glory. He wants Timothy didn't know the standard of conduct. In God's house in God's temple in the church, which is the body of Christ the instructions are comprehensive.

In chapter 1 there is much said about wrongful conduct seen in the person and the character of the false church. Teachers in chapter 2 he writes on who can authoritatively bring God's Word to bear on God's people and now the gravity of it.

All is really made clear. Why is this a noble work? Well first in the middle in the middle of verse 15. It's the household of God that is in view. We spoke last week about church order and how it's supported by Paul's allusion back to Genesis and the creation ordinance is there.

The temple that was Eden has been superseded by the temple of the Living God. His assembly indwelt and inhabited by a spirit. Is literally the assembly of God. People of God come together to worship him.

This is the context. This is where the noble task is carried out in God's house where Christ is ministered to his blood-bought children. Now look at the end of verse 16. The Household of God is given this further description as a pillar and buttress of the truth.

Now our ESV your English standard version that we Use here. It's is one of the few that says it's a pillar and Buttress of truth. Most others have the pillar and the buttress of the truth. Giving it more of an exclusive ring which I appreciate.

Not just any old pillar or any old truth the pillar and the buttress of the truth. The truth of which the church is the ground and support of Which we together are the support and the bulwark is of course nothing but the gospel.

No one else has this. I don't mean that we here at Providence Bible Church have the gospel better than any other church. I At-Large. We are the only ones who have this this gospel. There's no repository of truth outside of God's Word.

There's no temple of the Holy Spirit except for God's people. There's no Savior, but Jesus. Chapter 2 verse 5 said there was one God and one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus Who gave himself as a ransom for all.

You know if chapter 3 verse 1 is a trustworthy saying. You remember the other one was way back in chapter 1 verse 15. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. These are both trustworthy sayings worthy of full reliance.

With that in mind we can look at verse 16 this description of this mystery of godliness. This is probably an ancient creed or a gospel hymn in the earliest Church. Outside of this great truth this gospel that Jesus Christ came into the world for the sake of sinners there can be no godliness.

The gospel is the great truth of which we are the pillar and the the buttress. Look again at that. He was manifested in the flesh. John 1 says in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

And then verse 114 says. And the Word became flesh. Jesus Christ eternal. God was God in the flesh. He was manifested in the flesh in him in Jesus Christ. God became man without stopping being God. But became fully man.

He was vindicated by the Spirit. You remember the Spirit lit and remained on him when he was baptized. His work on the cross was fully accepted was vindicated by his resurrection. It says in Romans 4 25 he was raised for our justification a Vindication that his work was complete.

That his work was sufficient that the cross answers. Finally our sins he was vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels. What does Paul mean he means angels were there throughout Jesus's earthly life.

Angels strengthened him after his temptation and later at Gethsemane when he prayed for the cup to be taken away. And three times he asked his father to take that cup away and in Mark it says. And an angel came and strengthened him.

It was an angel who guarded the tomb and explained what had happened to Mary. An angel was there when Jesus was taken away. Telling the disciples that the Lord would return the same way that he left them.

So he's seen by angels. Who's proclaimed among the nations every nation every tribe? Paul's or Peter's first sermon was miraculously spoken and heard in several languages of the day. Paul's missionary journeys are legend missionaries since Paul have exerted no less courage and no less sacrifice and commitment than Paul did.

Longitudinal maps the 1040 window notwithstanding. Paul could say then 2 ,000 years ago that the gospel had been proclaimed. Which is a work that of course continues today? He was believed on in the world.

Some believe the word when they hear it some believed when they heard it then. Most scoff we know that. But some take it to heart. The Lord opened some hearts some eyes some ears softened some people.

He was believed on in the world. People do repent of their sin. People do believe the gospel of God's forgiveness in Christ Jesus. And it was taken up in glory he ascended back to the father and that is where he is now at his right hand ruling through the hearts of his people.

Interceding for us even now with the father this moment. That's what this great hymn was. It's a summary of the gospel. It's a description of why this work to which the pastor would aspire is a noble work.

He was manifested in the flesh vindicated by the Spirit seen by angels. Proclaimed among the nations believed on in the world taken up in glory. This is the one we represent. This is the one in whose name we gather.

This is why this work is noble, and this is why we need to be sure that the men who would presume to administer it for us. Correspond to it not perfectly of course. But it's a noble task and The men who come to to perform it for us must take it on with that kind of gravity.

That kind of seriousness that kind of sobriety of spirit that kind of effort to make the Word of God Plain and effective and noble to everyone. This is the truth to which leaders must correspond a truth to be believed a truth to be proclaimed.

It is a truth to be lived out. Pastors and deacons for that matter pastors and deacons together must know this gospel. They must apply it well in their own lives. They need to be able to help others apply it through teaching through example.

They need to be well regarded in and out of the church. Most of the detailed requirements we spoke of Are pretty easy to figure out. This is one that I really stumbled on as I was looking at it and wondering if we ever do preach this in detail.

What would I say about that? How would I be well regarded? What could I do to be well regarded out there? We know a Paul meant 2 ,000 years ago. He meant things like. His employer would say yes. He comes to work on time and he works hard and he gives me a full day's work for a full day's pay.

He's a good guy. Something like that. Your neighbors would say yeah, you know, he helps me out when he sees me loading up the moving van. He came and helped me and they helped me unloaded or loaded up when I was leaving.

That sort of thing is a good guy hospitable. Well thought of by outsiders not necessarily Christians, but outsiders. I If we look at the kind of people who are being ordained we have men who are married to men ordained and Joyfully ordained well thought of and the same thing with women at a big church in Washington DC very close actually to Mark Devers Church.

They're well thought of and I would argue that If I hold to the gospel if I preach to you the gospel as it is in this word the way we're used to hearing It for myself from Steve from Conley from all the men that we would divide as guest preachers here that gospel that word of God.

It would be the opposite. We not well thought of so, how would I satisfy this would they would say? Well, would you allow this or that sort of pastor would say no they would say well, we don't think well of you then.

It's a hard one. Some of these would be hard to bring forward from 2 ,000 years ago to today, but we know that this is a living word. We know that those words have meaning to us today. But you know the misuse of a noble calling to me.

To us really is of no matter. I Would suggest they stop deceiving themselves. God is not to be mocked. For us may we be those who look to God's Word without flinching. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11 says that Christ gives the church is leaders its pastors as a gift.

I would simply say that where Paul asks In first Corinthians who is sufficient for these things we answer with him. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us. But our sufficiency is from God who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant.

This is the Word of God. This is why we need to be careful who comes to this pulpit in any case and most Especially in these cases who fills the offices here at our local church pastors and deacons. It's a noble work.

We need to at all hazards make sure as best we can. With all wisdom with all common sense with our scriptures open and our knees bent before God. That we raise up men who correspond to the quality of the work itself amen.

I would have us before we take the table.