An Elder Must Be A Disciple And Not A Scribe — Zac Poonen

Dear brothers, it's a real privilege and honor to be able to speak to you. Many of us are preachers of the word of God. And it's very easy to forget that this is an honor that God gives you. Because so many people listen to us patiently, it can go to our head and make us think that we are somebody very important.

Patience as the First Quality of Love

That is how through the years, hundreds and thousands of preachers have backslidden and gone to hell. I've discovered one thing. One of the things I've discovered is that all interruptions in life are to teach us patience.

Not only in situations like this, but in different things that happen in our home. We all want to have our hearts filled with the love of God. And 1 Corinthians 13 says that the number one quality of love is patience.

And I've seen through all my Christian life that that's one of the greatest things the Lord wants to teach me. Never to be even slightly disturbed if something we plan goes wrong. Not even slightly disturbed if somebody does not do things exactly as we want them to do it.

And in a meeting, if the lights go off or something else goes wrong, the mic stops working. Or in our home, maybe the wife makes a mistake or there's too much salt in the food. Or something very important message comes to her for us and she doesn't tell us.

The Bible says God works in us to will and to do his good pleasure. But we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling. That by the way is in Philippians 2 verse 12 and 13. But do you know what it says after that, that we have to work out our salvation from?

Or Philippians 2 verse 14. Work out our salvation from all murmuring and complaining. The first step is to eliminate murmuring and complaining with our tongue. But if you're satisfied with that, you'll never progress.

But to eliminate murmuring and complaining in our heart. We have to work out our salvation till we are 100 free from this. So thank God for all the things that go wrong that helps us to come to a life of perfect victory.

God's Calling and the Danger of Spiritual Pride

I was thinking of Jeremiah. Turn to the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a very young man when God called him to be a prophet. Jeremiah chapter 1. The Lord says in verse 4, before you were born I appointed you a prophet.

Do you know that whatever ministry God has given you is something he chose for you before you were born? I'm not talking about a ministry to which some man has appointed you. There are two types of elders.

Those appointed by some man, even by Paul. But some of them may fall away like Demas. They go to hell. Even though they are appointed by Paul. Judas was appointed by Jesus. And if you read in Luke chapter 6, it says there he became a traitor.

He was not a traitor when he was chosen. If he was a crooked man from the beginning, Jesus would not have chosen him. But Jesus chose him because he was a sincere wholehearted person. But I think because of his ministry in Matthew chapter 10 it says he healed the sick and raised the dead.

The Lord gave him that ministry. How much he did that I don't know but that is the ministry God gave him. But that went to his head. He became proud. And he fell away. So bad that Jesus said it is better he was not even born.

You know to become an elder is to rise very high. You are the highest person in your church. If you are really a servant of the Lord, you will seek to go down to the feet like Jesus was at the last supper.

To wash their feet. That is what I pray for myself all the time. Lord never take me away from the place where I am washing people's feet. I mean that is a very spiritual thing to say and you can also say that.

It is very easy for anyone to say it. And you can repeat it and get honor for what a humble elder brother is. That seeking honor for your humanity itself shows that you are so high. The flesh is so corrupt.

You have to live before God's face 24 hours a day. But I am just telling you how we people may ask why did God allow Jesus to choose Judas if he knew he was going to betray him. You must not have such a foolish thought that somebody had to betray Jesus so Jesus chose Judas.

Jesus could have been caught and captured and crucified even without somebody betraying him. And we can say why did God allow Paul to choose Demas if Demas was going to fall away and become a backslider.

God deals with us as we are now not as we are going to be 10 years from now. When we were unbelievers God treated us as unbelievers. When you become a child of God he treated you as a child of God. And you became a whole hearted disciple he treated you like a whole hearted disciple.

For many years you were humble he gave you grace. Then slowly you started becoming proud and God began to withdraw his grace. Then slowly you started becoming proud and God began to withdraw his grace.

Then slowly you started becoming proud and God began to withdraw his grace. Because they have become so proud in their own eyes. The Lord says my name is I am that I am. Not I will be not I was. I am means I live in the present.

Eternal present. And so that present means he treats you as you are right now. Not as you were yesterday not as you will be tomorrow. His name is I am. I live in humility everyday. Jesus said learn humility from me Matthew 11 29.

And if we are learning humility from Jesus we have to become more and more humble everyday. Not in the eyes of men. In our own thoughts about ourselves. So let's turn to Jeremiah 1. The Lord chose him to be a prophet before he was born.

And if you are a God appointed elder and not a Zakpoonan appointed elder then God chose you before you were born. You seek to be an elder appointed by God even if a human instrument was used. Then you were chosen before you were born.

But Paul said in Philippians 2 that many of his co-workers were seeking their own. And that can happen to any of us. Where we are blessed in our ministry people appreciate us and it goes to our head.

Or what is worse we get into a little financial difficulty and then we begin to expect money from our believers. There are so many ways to backslide. One of the things that has preserved CFC through the years is that we do not pay any of our elders.

And that money from the offering box does not go to pay any elder. And in that respect we are different from every single denomination on the face of the earth. There are some individual churches who follow this principle.

But as a whole group of churches I have never heard of any. God has called us to be a testimony in this area. I don't keep checking the finances of all the churches. I don't have time for that. Jesus knew that Judas' carriage was stealing.

But he did not ask Judas to give an account to him every day. And I don't do that either. We must all live before God's face. If you don't have a fear of God there is no use having a fear of Zakaria. I am not here to check up on all those things.

So we must not take it for granted that because I have a ministry it will remain like that forever. But see here Jeremiah's response in humility when God called him. Jeremiah 1 .6 He says Lord I don't know how to speak.

I am a youth. I said that to the Lord when I was a young person. I was preaching out in the streets when I was 22 years old. Lord I don't know how to speak. And I don't know whether you believe me but I say the same thing today.

I have been preaching for 60 years. And I still say Lord I don't know exactly what to say. God has given me intelligence. I can sit down and prepare a nice message. But how do I know that is the word of the Lord for his people at this time?

That is the only message worth preaching. Old Testament prophets had a burden. Some of these Old Testament prophets you read the first verse it says the burden of the word of the Lord. We must have that burden.

Without a burden then we only preach from our head. It goes to people's heads. It does not change them. Without a burden then we only preach from our head. It goes to people's heads. It does not change them.

A Burdened Ministry That Produces Spiritual Fruit

You know the first time I took a complete Bible study in the book of Revelation was when I was still working in the Navy when I was 24 years old. I studied the book of Revelation and I preached it because I studied other commentaries on that book.

And over a period of 6 months or something I took a Bible study with that small group. It was all very clever. But at the end of it I found people were defeated by sin. So I said Lord what is the use of all these Bible studies?

I began to seek earnestly for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You know we can preach a very clever sermon. It's like a farmer who is going around sowing seeds. But if there is no crop what is the use of that seed sowing?

But if there is no crop what is the use of that seed sowing? That's worth nothing. So the important thing that we need to ask ourselves is how is the crop coming up in our church? What is the condition of the brothers and sisters?

Not how wonderful sermons you preach every Sunday. What is the crop like not what is the seed like? We must judge ourselves all the time. I preached hundreds of sermons in these last 60 years. I have a habit of judging myself every single time after I preach.

Did I say all that I should say? Was there something I should not have said? And sometimes I go to YouTube and listen to my own message again. I listen to the whole thing. To see whether I spoke as God wants me to speak.

To see whether I spoke as God wants me to speak. It's because of a verse the Lord gave me many years ago. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 31. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 31. If we judge ourselves rightly we will not be judged.

I say Lord in the final day when I stand before you I don't want to be judged. I can imagine people going one by one to the judgment seat of Christ. And the Lord looking at the video of their lives. 50 years of their life he observed very quickly.

And he gives each person a judgment. What attitude they had, what their motive was they are judged. I said Lord when my turn comes I don't want you to be able to point out even one thing in me that was wrong.

Not what people think of me. People think of me listening to my messages and hearing about my ministry. But Lord you look at the heart. All the opinion of men is worth nothing. In that day when you judge me.

And the Lord gave me this verse. If you judge yourself now in that day there will be no judgment for you. If you judge yourself now in that day there will be no judgment for you. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 31.

And I try to live by that. Not only in the sermons I preach. The way I live with my wife at home. The way I deal with my children when they are small and now when they are grown up also. I judge myself about what I read, what I look at.

How I spend my time. I am not perfect. But I want to judge myself according to the light I have. I keep asking the Lord for more light. And that helps me to remain humble before the Lord. Because the Lord points out little little things which other people don't see in my life.

Which even my wife who lives with me cannot see. No slightly emotive it was wrong here. Or a moment of pride. It wasn't for a long time just for a moment. There was no action of pride but just a little thought.

I say Lord I want to eliminate that. I have taught for 45 years let us press on to perfection. And God is my witness I have tried to practice that. I seek to compare myself only with Jesus and not with any other human being.

I want to encourage all of you my dear brothers to do that. And don't be just challenged to do that today. Make it a policy for the rest of your life. Jeremiah started off as a humble person and he continued as a humble person.

Jeremiah's Burden for a Backsliding People

He preached for more than 40 years. His main burden was how to deliver God's people from Babylon. That kingdom of Judah was backsliding just like the northern kingdom of Israel. And God had punished the kingdom of Israel by sending the Assyrians to capture them.

You read that in the book of Kings. And then the kingdom of Judah was going okay for another 100 years. Then they were also backsliding. The Lord sent Jeremiah to say see what happened to the other kingdoms same thing can happen to you.

If you don't respond in repentance you will also go to captivity. If you don't respond in repentance you will also go to captivity. Jeremiah 1 .7 Don't be afraid of them. I am with you to deliver you.

And the Lord touched my mouth verse 9 and said I put my words in your mouth. And then he says I have appointed you verse 10 last part to pluck up, break down, destroy, overthrow, build and plant. So there was a double ministry first of all to destroy all that was wrong and then to build what was good.

And he did that faithfully. But people laughed at him and made fun of him. He was tempted to be discouraged. People were not listening to him. See what he said. In Jeremiah 13 This is a tremendous challenge for any true servant of God.

He says in Jeremiah 13 verse 17 If you will not listen to me I won't just criticize you my soul will weep for you in secret for your pride. My eyes will weep and flow down with tears because the flock of the Lord has been taken captive.

He loved those people like he loved himself. And just like you would weep if your child is sick. Every one of us will really have sorrow in our heart if our child is seriously sick. But there are very few elders who look at their people in their church like that.

But that is a truly godly elder. Who says these are the Lord's children. And God has appointed me to look after them. If they are spiritually sick it should concern me. I cannot have the same capacity to love the people in the church as I love my own children that is impossible.

God can do that I can't do it. But I don't condemn myself for that. There are different circles in which we can extend our love. Our immediate first circle is obviously our family whom we will love the most and care for the most.

And then our fellow elders and some disciples who are very close to us. And then others. Jesus also had a small group of three in the inner circle. That was Peter, James and John. And then a bigger circle of twelve.

And then many others. So there is nothing wrong in having circles like that where we are more committed to a smaller group. But we must have a concern for the church and not just preach and go away. In Jeremiah 20 we read that people laughed at Jeremiah's message.

Jeremiah 20 verse 7. In the middle of that verse I have become a laughing stock everybody mocks me the whole day. I speak and I cry aloud and I proclaim. The judgment of God is coming. It has resulted in reproach and division the whole day long people make fun of me.

People make fun of him when he preached about judgment and repentance. And he was tempted verse 9 to say okay I will not speak anymore. Because these people are making fun of me. But when he decided not to preach He decided not to preach.

In the 9th verse he says that his words were like a burning fire in my heart. So I could not preach. We have read about the two disciples who walked to Emma. Maybe three hours they were listening to Jesus explaining the scriptures.

And they said at the end our hearts were burning when he spoke the scriptures to us. And we must pray that when we preach it must be like that. People's hearts must burn. Not by this way politicians speak just stirring up their emotions.

There are some preachers who can preach like politicians. It's a stirring up of the emotions. And you are deceiving yourself if you think that is the Holy Spirit. Hundreds of politicians in every country can do that.

But if it's the anointing of the spirit it changes people's lives. But before it can burn in other people's hearts it says in verse 9 here the last part It must burn in my heart first. It was burning so much in me that I could not hold it in.

The fire just came out of me. But in spite of all his preaching for 40 years The children of Israel still backslid and went to Babylon. And turn with me to the next book in the Old Testament, Lamentations.

Lamentations of Jeremiah. That comes after Jeremiah. Lamentations chapter 4. Dear brothers, please see if this verse 1 applies to your church. How dark the gold has become. How the pure gold has changed.

They say that unlike iron which can rust, gold cannot rust. Iron will rust but gold will never rust. But how terrible it is when gold itself has started rusting. We have to examine ourselves whether our church is going in that direction.

There will always be backslidden half-hearted people in every church. That cannot be avoided. We must ensure that in the core of the church there are strong wholehearted people. And that in a few years, maybe 5 or 10 years, we have raised up at least 1 or 2 brothers like us who can take over the ministry.

I am sorry to say that in some churches nobody is raised up even after 20 -30 years. In CFC churches. And the reason is the man on top. The man on top is ruling like a king. Like a dictator. Then nothing will develop there.

It will be a barren church in God's eyes. But God's will is that just like Jesus raised up leaders in 3 and a half years. That's a tremendous challenge to me. Lord, in 3 and a half years you raised up people and said okay I can go now.

You take care of the ministry in the whole world. How he poured himself out so that others could be prepared for the ministry. Not everybody was like that. We read in John's gospel. In John chapter 6.

The Word of the Cross and the Cost of Discipleship

When Jesus spoke about the way of the cross. He said unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood. You have no life in you. Verse 51 and 53. He was speaking about taking up the cross and dying to self. All the way 51 to 56 he repeated that.

And it says in verse 66. As a result of this message many disciples withdrew and did not walk with him anymore. The word of the cross of death to self. Will drive away many people even today. But if you don't preach that and you just have nice singing and all types of other encouraging messages.

You will have a bunch of half hearted people in your church. But if you want to test your church, preach the word of the cross. Take up your cross every day and follow Jesus. Do that yourself. And tell others to do it.

And then you will find very soon you will find how many people are serious about following the Lord. Verse 66. Many of his disciples withdrew and did not walk with him anymore. They were not Pharisees.

It says they were disciples. They believed and respected Jesus. They wanted to be his disciples. But they heard the word of the cross and it fell away. And Jesus did not go after them. I find that many times.

One rich young ruler Jesus said you got to give up your money and come after me. He went away. Jesus did not say hey come back, come back. Let's start with 10%, then 20%, then 30%. Let's slowly go to 100%.

No it was not like that. Cut off your love for money in one shot. Otherwise you can't follow me. You don't want it? Then goodbye. I don't want to see you again. And Jesus did not go after these people.

There were 12 left, his 12 disciples. Since there were only 12, we read in verse 67. All the others went. And what did he say to them? He didn't say please don't go away from me. At least you stay with me.

Not at all. He was ready to be alone. You cannot be a servant of God unless you are willing to be alone for God. And he told them do you also want to go away? And Peter rises up and said Lord where shall we go?

You have the words of eternal life. And that's not because Jesus said nice words to Peter. Jesus had turned around and told him you are a Satan for seeking the things of man. What a strong word. He never spoke a stronger word to anybody else.

In the garden of Gethsemane he put his arm on Judas' head. And called him friend. But he looked at his closest disciple Peter and called him Satan. Because he loved him. And when Peter was seeking his own he had to give him strong words of rebuke.

When we really love people we will rebuke them strongly in love. Not in anger. Some people hear this and say I am going to rebuke. But they usually rebuke in anger. Jeremiah rebuked when he wept in secret.

Jesus also wept over Jerusalem. He did not seek to butter people and please them in order that they will stay with him. That is politics. In the church we speak the truth. If you get offended and go, you can go.

I have followed that policy all these 45 years. If somebody has got offended and gone away I never go after him at all. I say goodbye, I love you but I am not going to come after you. But if a person has gone astray by deception like a sheep that slipped over the cliff.

Then like Jesus I must go after him and bring that person back. Like the younger prodigal son just said I do not want to stay in this house I am going away. The father never went after him. Even when the father heard your son is eating what the pigs are eating, he is so poor.

Never sent him money, never sent him any food packets, nothing. That is the love of God. That is the love of God. That is the love of God. Till that person repented and came back. When he repented and came back he made a big feast for him.

There is a dignity about a true servant of God. He goes after lost sheep but he does not go after rebellious sons. So that will happen in every church. We have to stand in a church like Jesus stood. But we have to make sure that God himself supports us there.

The Scribe Must Become a Disciple

And for that Bible knowledge alone is not enough. If you turn with me to Matthew chapter 13. In Matthew 13 Jesus said In verse 52. In the last part of that verse he talks about the head of a household who brings out from his treasure new things and old things.

We can say the elder of a church is like the head of that church. There must be a secret treasure he has. A life of God. Not just knowledge of the Bible. A walk with God that has come out of the knowledge of the Bible.

A walk with God that has come out of the knowledge of the Bible. And from that experience he brings out all those old experiences he has had that has taught him so many things. Those are the old and treasures.

That we have accumulated through many years of walking with God. That we have accumulated through many years of walking with God. Because we are still walking with God, God is giving us new treasures.

So we are happy to bring out the old treasures and new ones. Two truths that we have preached for 25 years and new truths also. Two truths that we have preached for 25 years and new truths also. Not some truth that is not in the Bible.

But something that has become a new revelation for us. We want to be a head of a household like that. See the first part of verse 52. The scribe has to become a disciple. A scribe is a person who knows the Bible thoroughly.

In my lifetime I have met many scribes who are not disciples. I have met people who know the Bible better than me. I have met people who know the Bible better than me. The knowledge of the Bible is in the brain.

Without any problem they will find the verses here and there. They will say many verses by heart. They are better than me. They are not disciples. I have met numerous preachers like that. In the pulpit they show off their Bible knowledge.

The first verse, that verse, the other verse and so many great truths. But when I look at his life. The way he has brought up his children. Or the way he lives at home. Or the way he relates to his junior brothers and sisters.

I say he is not a disciple. I don't want to follow him. I will go astray like him. My children will also go astray like him. I don't want to follow a scribe who knows the Bible. I want to follow a disciple who is following Jesus.

Even if we cannot quote verses from memory. We need to ask ourselves as elders. Are we scribes or are we disciples? What Jesus said in Matthew 16 verse 21. Who were the people who were going to make him suffer?

Who were the people who were going to make him suffer and kill him? See here. Matthew 16 verse 21. Jesus said he will suffer many things and be killed. From whom? From the elders and the chief priests.

Because they are seeking their position. But see here. The Bible scholars. The Bible scholars will kill Jesus. And I tell you Bible scholars are killing the Holy Spirit today. When you don't value the Holy Spirit.

And you only want to have knowledge of the Bible. Ask yourself my brother. You really long to be a spirit filled person everyday. In the Acts of the Apostles we read about people who are filled with the spirit.

In the Acts of the Apostles we read about people who are filled with the spirit. We read about some other people. There are people who are not only filled with the spirit. There are people who are always filled with the spirit.

Full of the Spirit, Wisdom, and Impartiality

We must not be just people who experience a full filling of the Holy Spirit. See Acts chapter 6. Verse 3. They wanted to select people who will be honest and upright in distributing food without partiality to the Jews and the Greeks.

Verse 1. There was a complaint That the Greek Jews were not being given as much food as the Hebrew widows. That means some of the Christians were distributing more food to the widows of their own tribe.

That means some of the Christians were distributing more food to the widows of their own tribe. That means some of the Christians were distributing more food to the widows of their own tribe. He is from my community or my caste.

If you are affected by caste system I don't believe you are a disciple of Jesus at all. If you look down on somebody else who belongs to another caste. You are not a disciple of Jesus. Even if you secretly look down on someone of another caste.

I want to tell you, you are a disciple of Satan. Only Satan despises people. But here it says. Even for distributing food They had to select people who are full of the spirit. People full of the spirit will not show partiality.

That's what we learn here. If you show partiality to anybody in your church. Whether it is your son Or your wife Or your close friend Or a fellow elder Or someone from your own community Or someone who has been with you a long time.

Any type of partiality. You are not a man of God. You are holding hands with Satan. And you will destroy the church. That's what these people were doing. And the apostles said we got to rectify the situation.

And they did not say now select some people who are good organizers Or educated people. The apostles said we don't care whether they are educated or not. They must be full of the Holy Spirit. And they did a good testimony.

They have wisdom Even if their bible knowledge is not so good. Here are three things mentioned Which should characterize every elder brother. A good testimony in the church and in the community. Full of the Holy Spirit.

And full of wisdom which is more than knowledge. Knowledge is just knowing where some verse in the bible is Or knowing some doctrine. Wisdom is how to live in. How to handle a difficult situation. How to love one's enemies.

How to bless those who curse us. How to remain humble after preaching. A powerful sermon that blessed many people. That is wisdom. And one of these men full of the spirit Was Stephen who became a very powerful prophet.

You read his long sermon in Acts 7. I read his long sermon in Acts 7. He was chosen to distribute food. He was humble enough to go around distributing food. I did not start my ministry by preaching. I was a young brother in a church.

On Sunday when I started my ministry I used to distribute food to people. No matter how humble a job is We should be ready to do it. We should be ready to be a prophet for him. The scribe must become a disciple.

Surpassing the Righteousness of the Scribes

If you want to be a disciple And not just a scribe. Let me turn you to Matthew 5 verse 20. Let me turn you to Matthew 5 verse 20. Jesus speaks about scribes here. Whenever you read the words of a scribe You should remember that he is full of the Bible.

I spent 60 years studying the Bible. But it must work out in our practical life. Here in Matthew 5 verse 20 The Lord says. The righteousness of the scribe is not enough for you. The scribes had a certain amount of righteousness.

But that would not qualify them to enter God's kingdom. The scribes had a certain amount of righteousness. But that would not qualify them to enter God's kingdom. Jesus told his disciples. In Matthew 5 verse 1 and 2 He is talking to his disciples primarily.

He is not talking to the worldly people. He says. Your righteousness must be more than the righteousness of the scribes. And more than the righteousness of the Pharisees. Pharisees also were a group of people who studied the Bible.

In fact in Matthew 23 Jesus says everything they teach is right. That means it is right according to the letter. But not the spirit. Just because somebody agrees with you in doctrine Does not mean he is a disciple.

We have a doctrinal statement in our church website. We believe in a trinity. We believe Jesus became a man and descended like us. We believe Jesus became a man and descended like us. He is equal to the father.

He died and rose again. You have to repent and believe in him. If you want to be saved. People can agree with all that. It only proves he is a scribe. His righteousness must be more than that. In what way?

The Pharisees prayed 3 times a day. What should we do? Pray 5 times a day? They fasted twice a week. Shall we fast 3 times a week? They accurately gave 10 Shall we give 15 How is our righteousness to exceed theirs?

There are two things called quality and quantity. You can exceed something in quality or in quantity. You can exceed in quality or in quantity. If people want to buy a camera or a phone. Why don't they buy a camera made in China?

Why does he buy a camera made in Japan? In the market. Millions of phones are made in China. Very cheap. Japanese and Korean phones are very much more expensive. Why do people pay more? Why do people pay more for a car made by a good company?

Why do people pay more for a car made by a good company? How many phones are made in this company? How many cars are made in this company? We always look for quality. Jesus looks for quality. Your righteousness must be a superior quality.

Your righteousness must be a superior quality. Not in quantity. Jesus said the Pharisees would travel land and sea To preach the gospel. Their gospel. What a sacrifice they made to travel here and there as missionaries.