The Word of God and Administration — John Dennison

Now good afternoon, everyone. It's nice to see everyone here and trust God will help us this afternoon. Both the speaker and listeners and that we'll all be blessed from the consideration of Holy Scripture.

But we do need God's help. So we will now turn to him and speak to him in prayer. Our Father we're thankful that as we gather together today on this Beautiful Saturday here in Garnevillo that we can give.

Thanks. We've come to know the Lord Jesus and we appreciate who he is. He was truly a man of the Word of God. His delight was in the law of the Lord and in his law that he meditate day and night. We know that the scriptures filled his mind saturated his soul and so we see the clear connection as the man who never stepped out of the will of God.

A Man who was never uncertain as to the will of God for him. We're thankful for his example and We know that this was costly because it was thy will that took him to the cross. But even there he became obedient unto death even the death of the cross.

So we rejoice that we have a Savior and we would love to have more of his attitude towards the Bible and More of his obedience help us to consider this passage and the other messages to follow Lord we truly need the help of the Spirit of God and ask that the Word of God will impact our thinking and our hearts.

This afternoon we pause to pray for those in need. For our two sisters Linda and Shirley and their different health concerns and the families that are related to them. Who suffer or share in the trials and uncertainties and the burdens with them?

There are likely others who are in trials who are present in this building and perhaps no one here on earth knows what they're going through. What struggles they may face? But there is no lack of information in heaven.

Let us know all and pray that even today there will be encouragement and help for each one here. We look to thee for the gospel this evening. Praying that tonight will be a night of salvation as we commit ourselves into that good care and the worthy and precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen. Now I would ask you to turn with me to 1st Timothy.

Elders and the Word of God in Church Administration

Chapter 3. 1st Timothy chapter 3 this morning. We try to look at the subject of.

The Word of God the Bible the scriptures and how they should Guide us in the formation of our conviction the Word of God and our convictions. Now we want to look at the Word of God and Administration in the local church and it just has impressed me and reading through the New Testament the number of statements where you have the Leaders in a local church elders and along with mentions of them you have mentions of the Word of God and I want to just have a little Scattered reading of some of these passages and hopefully you'll be able to pick up in each one the mention of the scriptures the Word of God.

We'll just start in chapter 3. 1st Timothy chapter 3. Verse 1 this is a true saying if a man desire the office of a bishop if a man desires the work the role of an overseer he desireth a good work. A Bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife vigilant sober of good behavior given to hospitality.

And this is one word in Greek apt to teach apt to teach. Now go over to chapter 5 and Again there's some Teaching given about elders then Bible one of the Bible names for church leaders verse 17. Chapter 5 verse 17 let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor especially they who labor in the Word and doctrine.

Then turn if you would please to the book of Titus. 2nd Timothy follows and then Titus chapter 1 and You'll notice that in verse 7 again Paul is writing to Titus now who's in the island of Crete? Before it was Timothy who was in Ephesus now It's Titus in Crete, and he says in verse 7 for a bishop and elder a local church leader.

A bishop in the Bible just to remind us is not somebody who is over a number of churches it is somebody who is Sharing responsibility for the leadership of one local church. And we have requirements for a bishop verse 7 for a bishop must be and there are requirements that follow.

Look at verse 9 holding fast the faithful word as He hath been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince. The gainsayers or the people who are in opposition or contradicting the truth now go to Hebrews if you would please chapter 13 and here we'll have another mention of local church leaders.

Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 7 remember them which have the rule over you. Who have spoken unto you the Word of God? Whose faith follow considering the end of their? Conversation their conduct their manner of life, and they have spoken unto you the Word of God.

And the last reading for right now will be in Acts chapter 20, please Acts chapter 20. Acts 20 verse 17 and From Miletus to he sent Paul sent to Ephesus and called the elders and you will notice. Often pointed out.

It's always plural the elders the bishops the overseers. The shepherds. Three words that are commonly used. Three of the words that are commonly used to describe these men and their role here. They're called elders plural of the church.

There's a number of leaders over what with a responsibility for one church. Paul talks to them. We'll break into his discussion with them. Verse 28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the wits the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood for I know this.

But after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise. Speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them after themselves.

Therefore watch and remember by the space of three years I cease not to warn everyone night and day with tears and now brethren. I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

And Soon II just a few verses more. He ends this discourse to the elders. I would like to read one more place in a few minutes. But first of all, I would like to continue and think about the Word of God and the administration and a church.

Looking at the Word of God and our conviction the simple conclusion was that Remember the question that I was asked and that I have asked. The question is can local church rule leaders. Can they make up rules?

Often they are called said that they're making up rules. Can they make up rules. The point of the first message was There's no need to make up rules. The Word of God is sufficient and when we gather together the principles and the precepts and the patterns are in the Word of God.

We have sufficient. We may not know what's in the Word of God. We may have to do more investigating more study go to work on it all. But we can find the answers the biblical basis to guide us in our convictions and for direction for the assembly in the Word of God.

Elders' Commitment to the Sufficiency of Scripture

But now we're going to look at this because I want to begin by looking at what the Bible says about elders and the Bible now I want to begin with the idea of the commitment of elders to the Word of God the commitment of elders to the Word of God and What I want you to notice is that First of all, you'll pick up that it's the Bible the Word of God becomes their default their default.

I know that in the list of the their requirements. They're not ideals requirements in 1st Timothy chapter 3 for elders. One of them is that they be apt to teach. I found it interesting comparing biblical Lexicons dictionaries to try and see what is the definition of this one word apt to teach?

It is interesting that mr. Thayer he gives a definition where he says it is the virtue that one has which renders one Teachable. Now that's different than what we would normally think. We would normally think that it's the idea that it's what makes someone.

The ability to teach they're apt they're able to teach. Some dictionaries do give the definition of skillful in teaching. So you get the idea that there is there's something about the Word of God here.

I take it that it's his default. When it comes to learning and forming convictions and making decision his default his go-to is. It is not to a previous generation. It is not going to commentaries as valuable as they are and there's plenty of fantastic ones back there highly recommended.

The go-to has to be the Word of God. For his own formation of character and for his own and for the giving out and for the direction. He is apt to go to the teaching. He is teachable and he is teaching that is his default mode.

And I think you can see that that's what Paul says when he writes to Timothy holding fast the faithful word as He has been taught you have the same thing. He has the Word of God. He teaches the Word of God, but he has received the Word of God.

He is teachable. You know, I'm looking out at this audience today. And I think some of you are thinking I think maybe young men are thinking well. You know, I think I this would be a perfect time to do the snooze, you know, you got an armrest here bad for preachers.

That's what you hold your head up with. And then if you're a sister you pull the covering down a little bit and you act sort of like you're praying. Some of you look like you know what I'm talking about.

When I'm speaking about the administration of assembly, my real interest is not a changing current as administrations. What would be the value of the Garneville Oh conference if some young people got the idea some young men got the burden and they Had the desire for the off not a desire for power for a name tag.

But they were desiring they were stretching out stretching out for what these characteristics that are here. And one of them is that you become a teachable person now. To become a sponge to get all the Word of God in you and to develop this default mode that when there is something I will go to the Bible because I know I can find the Defined it and that will be the defining Truth for me as what the Word of God says, you know, I was I realized that I was very very fortunate as a young person.

I was raised in attending the assembly in Stark Road and There were two men who did much of the teaching there. Mr. Alec Joyce and mr Jim valence and I owe a tremendous amount to them some ways. I'm ashamed to admit that I from there because I learned so little I have so little excuse but mr. Joyce was a especially with me personally he had a.

He was of the mindset that There is always a reason for why we do something and so he taught us to ask questions ask why? And so I took advantage of that I Thought some point he would get mad at me, but I did ask a lot of why's and he would always answer.

Well, what does the Bible say? So I was almost to the point where I was going to say what does the why do we? Do this? What does the Bible say? I knew the first part of the answer but often he would flip it around and he would come up to me and say so Why don't we have one loaf of bread on the table, I don't know that you've always had one on the table here.

I would never work with him. He was always get back. Why there's got to be a biblical basis. Why we have nothing to fear. Why? The answer is there. I might not know it. I might it might scare me that I might find that it's there.

But why? That default mode. You see that was the default mode of the Lord Jesus. I Hope you caught what we read. Remember the first temptation. Why the first temptation was here he is he's hungry very hungry a very natural a very God-given appetite that we all have and yet when that with all of that need and all of that appetite the Lord Jesus says.

There is something that this is such a bad word to use anymore. I'm sorry, but there's something that Trump's Personal need and desire. What is it? It is written that will take precedence over Impulses and desires and needs the Word of God is the default.

Then you come to the second second temptation. What was that? Well, you remember he took him up on the in there in Matthew's gospel he took him out the pinnacle of the temple and he told him to leap off and He quoted that from Psalm 91 those two verses.

Well sort of quoted he left out a part of it. What was he there. He says now listen I'm not going to appeal to your emotions and I'm not your desires and your needs. What I'm going to appeal to is your your logic so follow the logic now.

Since you are the Son of God that the Father supposedly just declared there at the baptism since you are the Son of God. And since they you are the Son of God you can command angels and God has angels under his control.

So we're following the logic now and since the Bible says in Psalm 91 that the angels will so why don't you then? Therefore you get the logic now because this because that therefore jump what Trump's logic.

No, that's wrong. What chumps Trump's reasoning that's the better choice of the word because God is the most logical being there is. What Trump's arguments and reasoning? It is written. That was his default.

You see so often in our world if I can include myself among the younger people here under a hundred. We are all trained Logic Rationality and it has to make sense. And that's where we start that's our default.

Give you an example one man. Why there's lots of research out there one man one person standing in front of an audience just talking is the most is the least effective way of communicating right say makes sense so you so so so so.

Just one man preaching a gospel message. That doesn't make sense. Like you should have something going on up there something visual shouldn't you? You see are we going to start with it is written go ye unto all the world and preach the gospel.

Or are we going to go through logical steps. Now mind you I Stick around for the hymn sing you might see some kind of illustration. I'm not doing a drama. Don't worry. You might see something but when it comes to the preaching of the gospel, we're going to set that aside because you say well, it doesn't make is it do we go to the book first of all and Then analyze our our reasoning.

Sometimes the fault is in our reasoning or in our research the Lord Jesus the default when it came more important than Then the need more important than Argument the default was and last of all It was opportunity and emotion opportunity and emotion.

You can be the king of the universe. I'll give you all the kingdoms. He's going to have them one day. Just skip the cross just a small thing there. Just skip the cross and have the kingdom. Who wouldn't want to be king of the world if there any other human being would take it like that.

Thank God our Lord Jesus. His default was not Opportunities and his default was not emotion his default was is it it is written. You see that's the go-to. That is the discipline the default discipline in the commitment of overseer apt to teach.

Holding Fast the Faithful Word

And then you'll notice the devotion in this commitment it says holding fast the word of holding fast the word. Now when it says holding fast, that's one Bible dictionary gives that as a as a as an attachment.

Holding fast. I can't help but think of that. I always forget the man's name. I just remember his father's name. What was the man's name? His father's name was Dodo. What was this? Eliezer or something like that.

Holding on holding clinging to unwilling to let go of the grip. Now this is not going on to just some custom in some practice and something. We've always this is holding on to the truth the doctrine the Word of God holding fast holding fast the word of life now I think you you and I can understand this that as As he has been taught I am very grateful because I am fifth generation Christian and I am a fourth generation that's in the assembly a local assembly.

So you could say then in the Denison family. The only thing we've ever known is local assembly. Another thing about a Denison is We're not given to change too easily. I kind of like things the way they are.

So now do I hold on to things because. Well, the could I say this carefully now with all due respect. The value and anything that I have been taught is the measure in which it agrees with the Word of God the value in any example through generations that I have received is in the measure that it is the carrying out of the Word of God as You have been holding fast the faith the faithful word.

This word that is ongoing that is faithful and true that is trustworthy this word. You can trust it. You have been taught that how devoted are they to the Word of God? Paul writes to Tim and then he says listen.

Elders can be worthy of double honor. I take it that that includes potentially some financial honor. That's my own point of view likely not necessary too much our day, but they're in other cultures. It is absolutely essential.

It is very something to take keep in mind, but put that aside. Who's what he says who which one what kind? Those that are laboring. The idea is they're working to exhaustion. What are they working into exhaustion in?

Visiting. Oh, thank God. We need more that we can visit. We need more visitation. Praying yes, we need to pray we need to pray far more than we do but what is recognized there is that they are laboring in the Word of God and That when the word and the teaching the word and the teaching they in that it could be actually the Word of God and the Presentation of it it could be preaching and teaching as some versions give it could be even the preparation the word as it's being delivered.

The point is that they are investing themselves in the word. This is their default mode and they go to the book. They invest in the book. They study the book. That kind of devotion to the book young man here today if you want to be helpful in God's assembly if you would like to one day be a great help to the assembly and be a true leader.

Start laboring in the book. Give up time. Put your energy into the book the Word of God. But then you'll notice as well that what he says they're holding fast the word faithful word as he has been taught.

Notice their dependence that he may be able. That he may be able to exhort and to convince the gainsayers now try and picture this. There are men coming around and everything that has been practiced and everything that has been taught by the Apostles.

They're coming around and they're questioning it and they're putting it into doubt and they're opposing it and they're contradicting it all. How do you deal with that? Titus hold fast the faithful word.

You get that Word of God get the Word of God and then when you go to face them. You will have to why there's going to be some people discouraged by that you're going to have to come alongside. You're gonna have to come alongside and you're going to have to comfort the discouraged and you're going to have to confront the difficult Difficulty you're gonna well, how will you do that?

He says you take you by sound doctrine you get the healthy doctrine that's in this book. That's what you'll use when you put that out. That's what will give spiritual health to an assembly. Depending on the Word of God.

What it what is the writer to the Hebrews say? Remember them that have the rule over you. What have they done? Why they have distributed the funds of the assembly regularly. Thank God for that. They have looked after the stewardship of the hall and the chairs and the care of it.

Thank God for that. They have developed gift by getting people involved again, we can give thanks to the Lord. But what they have done those leaders that you are remembering is they have spoken unto you the Word of God.

The main role of leadership in an assembly is the Communication and the passing on of truth that is found in the book. That's the main goal. That's the main rule. They have spoken and not only that he says you imitate their faith and so I appeal to young men here today.

Be a wonderful thing of young men who are going to be elders in God's assembly one day. That you understand. I have got to get to know the book before I can speak the book. And not only do I have to get to know it so I can speak it.

I've got to live it whose faith follow. You consider the end of their their conduct look at how it's living out in their lives. Look at what it's done for the assembly the way that you pick up on that the values of those and you carry it on.

You depend on the Word of God as you look out on the future. The commitment that's all wrapped out their default. Their devotion and their dependence upon the Word of God. But then we read in Acts chapter 20 there Paul calls those elders down and I want to just gather some thoughts from there Acts chapter 20 there you have a situation.

The Word of Grace as the Preservation of the Assembly

That's that's really a bit difficult. I thought I think they may have thought that everything was going well in Ephesus. But Paul calls him down and he says after he speaks to them goes over the history of the work and the assembly there.

He says under that to them take heed therefore unto yourselves and all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers. Here's what you're supposed to be doing now, you remember what you're supposed to be doing to feed.

You recall the Lord Jesus said to Peter. Remember the question do you love me. Peter said, you know that I love it. What did the Lord say? Twice he said feed once he said tend. Feed my lamb feed my sheep tend my sheep feed my lambs.

I just take the simple mathematics of it all. Tending and caring for things is very important. But giving spiritual food that is the critical part. But what I want you to notice here is the completeness of the Word of God for overseers to the completeness of the Word of God.

I know I'm circling back over this but I just want to remind them because here they are balls as I've got some. Don't you love it when people give you great news? I'd like to tell you something. I'd like to tell you about the future of the assembly in Ephesus.

Can you imagine them all this is gonna be good. I wonder how we're gonna be seeing soul state. This is gonna be a prophet experience. Now. This is actually yeah. He says there's going to be some coming around you after as soon as I leave after my departing.

Grievous wolves, I don't know why you have wolves here, but I learned last night you have coyotes. And that's not a hockey team in Arizona, those are real animals that do a lot of damage. He says the grievous wolves are coming in these men who are almost sounds like a devouring lion almost of that kind of character.

Doesn't it you're certainly doing his kind of work. He says grievous wolves are going to come in. They're going to enter in among you. Not sparing the flock. He said you men are gonna have to be unguarded looking around and watch the Influences from the outside of men who are going to come could I just say?

Men who are going to come without a letter of commendation and with a letter of commendation. They're going to come and they're going to enter in among you. They're going to come right into the assembly and they are not going to spare the flock.

You can picture these men, okay back-to-back. We'll have our Bibles ready. We'll be looking out for these men, but then he says something else. He says and not only that. Also, he says of your own selves.

Can you imagine those men sitting there? I wonder if any of them went told you you were gonna do that.

Were any of them looking among you.

Among the church. No, he says among you. He says there's going to be among you are going to be some that are going to rise up speaking perverse things. Speaking things that are not the sound healthy thing.

There are things that it they're going to be turning away. Turning aside from the right path. I Don't know whether this impresses those of us who are with local responsibility, but it hit me this week again.

What could ruin the assembly and West Phoenix? What would be the easiest way to destroy the assembly in West Phoenix? Who could do the best job of destroying the assembly in West Phoenix. Me. He says take heed unto yourselves we're all capable you can get caught up in movements and ideas and new ideas and you and Here he says now.

He says take heed yourselves. But look he says personal preservation and collective present. How will the assembly be preserved? How will you be preserved to not get eaten up by a grievous wolf? How will you get preserved to not forget drawn away after somebody who's charismatic?

Somebody who is fun to be with somebody who's got ideas. How will you not be caught up in that? What will preserve you false as I know? He says III am going to commend you to God. He said I knew God was my resource.

But how will God help me? He says I commend you to God and to the word of his grace. The preservation of the assembly the preservation of you individually because being by the way I hope we're all praying for those who are leaders in the assemblies.

Because there are very vulnerable to attacks very vulnerable. We are very vulnerable. We it's it's not the most encouraging Activity all the time, but here you have he says now listen the word of grace.

The word of God and the word of his grace. This book will give you enough to preserve the assembly. It's not new ideas necessarily not that we need don't need to rethink how we might do some things. But what we need to do is the word believe in the Word of God.

That's the preservation. That is the complete Word of God that God has given to preserve the assembly. But I want to just break away from this for a moment. And I want to go to Acts chapter 15 just give you a chance if you now completed your siesta, I'd ask you to This be at that day and we're going to read in Acts chapter 15.

The Jerusalem Council and Applying Scripture to Controversy

Let's either read the scriptures or throw water. So I decided I'd read scripture Acts chapter 15 because I want you to see some exam an example here a real live of example of Elders in action and notice the role of the Word of God and their experience verse 1 and certain men which came down from Judea Taught the brethren and said except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses.

You cannot be saved. So there were people who went from Judea where Jerusalem is and they went down to Antioch and they were giving this teaching that you had to be circumcised and To be saved likely it was okay to believe in the Lord Jesus.

But you also had to be circumcised verse 2 when therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and Disputation with them. They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and elders about this question.

Now we won't read the whole thing verse 6 and the Apostles and elders came together for to consider This matter and when there had been much disputing Peter rose up and said unto them men and brethren.

Ye know that how a good while ago God made choice among us. Remember that vision up on the rooftop and there and when Peter with a sheet that came down God made a choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe verse 11 but we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ We shall be saved we Jews even as they Gentiles.

Then all the multitude kept silence and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul Declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them after they had held their peace. Notice this. James answered saying men and brethren hearken unto me.

Simeon had declared how God at first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name and To this agree the words of the prophets as it is written. Quotes from the scriptures here and Now look down at the end of his message Verse 19.

Wherefore my sentence is that we trouble not them which among the Gentiles are turned to God. But that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions of idols. And sacrifices the idols and from fornication and from things strangled and from blood for Moses old time in every city.

Hath in every city them that preach him being read in the synagogue Every Sabbath day now what happens then verse 22 then pleased the apostles and elders. With the whole church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas namely Judas named Barabbas and Silas chief men among the brethren and they wrote letters by them.

After this manner and you can read the letter later the letter lays out exactly Recounting of what took place and that conference with the elders and apostles in Jerusalem. Now this example I think learning from patterns in scripture is not just a narrative that we can look back and say well, that's what they did.

This is a guide that God has put in his word that can help us in Situations of crisis as leaders how we can deal with things. Remember the question is What about rules? Well, we don't need them and yet.

Did you notice what happened here? First of all notice how they got their conviction from Scripture the mention of Apostles being present the mention of Apostles being present and Peter as an Apostle saying I got a vision from God and he got Revelation because that's what the Apostles did.

They gave us our New Testament received it. So they represent the New Testament very clearly. Peter gives the New Testament revelation. Paul and Barnabas give their Paul who had received revelation as well.

He gives their practice and then James gives up gets up. What does James do? James turns to the book of Amos and what does he find in the book of Amos? There he finds Scripture principles in Scripture and the plan of God that the Gentiles should also be reached with the gospel.

So how did they form their their conviction? Well, just by the way, let me just notice something with you. It was the very trial they were facing with with this this ugly situation of people going out from them and a group of Pharisees Among them and they're all this confusion in conflict.

You say why do we have confusion in conflict? Why do people have to know why can't they just leave us alone? I Wish they would sometimes but that's just a personal thing. Have you ever noticed just to follow on our brother Sandy was talking about that in trial we get to know God.

Is it not when problems come that we often are driven to the Word of God and So it is the trial the trial that motivate them to go back and consider this issue. But it was the truth that united them it was the truth of New Testament revelation that agreed with Old Testament revelation and the personal revelation that Paul experienced and That was the truth.

Did I unite them? It says we came together being assembled of one accord. I don't know if I when children are different than them Arizona and children born in Michigan. But what I've observed in my little life as children are experts at Dividing leadership and all the people said amen because a divided leadership mom said dad said.

Divided leadership. Elder one said elder two said. And you got him. What is the uniting factor when it comes to an oversight? Is it personality? Lord help the brethren that have to deal with mine. Is it friendship that we all like fly-fishing.

I Don't know how you do that. How do you fish for flies? I didn't get that. Do we all like hunting? Are we all loving the same truth? What's the basis of a New Testament assembly that we're all in the body of Christ.

We're all saved. I Clearly see it in the Bible. It's based on a common doctrine. The Apostles doctrine the revelation of God. It's truth that will unite us that's where we get the conviction from Scripture but now I want you to think with me about counsel from Scripture because all of a sudden James says at the very end and.

So our conclusion is and basically what he says is yes. It is true that Jews are saved the same way Gentiles without circumcision. This is great. This is good stuff Bible based. But then he goes on to say.