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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/stephen-grant/elders-overseers/
1st Timothy, please chapter 3 and we want to read in verse number 1. This is a true saying If any man desire the office of a bishop he desirous a good work. I'm reading from the authorized version of the Bible and It perhaps gives well, it does give a false impression there for us in our generation.
The idea of the word bishop is the idea of overseer or elder and that's our subject this evening or this afternoon. So if any man desire the work of an overseer he desires a good work. The bishop or the overseer must be blameless the husband of one wife vigilant sober of good behavior given to hospitality apt to teach.
Not given to wine. No striker, not greedy of filthy looker but patient not a brawler not covetous One that ruleth well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity. For if a man know not how to rule his own house How shall he take care of the Church of God?
Not a novice lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must have a good report of them. Which are without Lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil and that's our reading and Although that is our base reading.
We are initially at least going to be in various other scriptures Particularly referencing various other scriptures and so if you're taking notes and then you're going to have to be fast. Now why speak about this subject?
Well let me just say this to you by way of context that I know a little about this subject because I Function as an elder in my local assembly back home in Scotland. So that's one thing to say so what is said is applicable to me and Is as applicable to me as anyone else.
The second thing to say is this that when we think about the subject of elders, it's important for us to understand if we've never understood it before or if we have and perhaps we need reminded of the biblical instruction for the care of God's people in a local assembly.
For the administration of that assembly for the oversight of that assembly and for the care of those who make up that assembly. There are many different ways that Christians organize themselves in the world today whether you want to call the movements denominations and standalone churches, whatever it may be and Particularly those who are younger are going to have to make up your own mind for what the Bible teaches about this very subject like every other subject I Remember when that happened to me?
I wasn't 14, but I was 17 and I left home at 17 to go to university in a different city and I had a very sheltered upbringing and then I was Dropped off by my mother In this city. I didn't really know anyone and I went to university there.
That shows you how long ago it was because we had no mobile phones and in those days in what we called the student accommodation we had to share rooms and So I had to share a room with someone I never knew and it was an introduction to the big world for me.
I Was so young I was completely without fear and I was walking down the hallway towards the dinner area and This man came out this young man came out and stood in the corridor as I was passing and we exchanged Hello's, how are you doing?
And so on and I noticed in his bedroom as I saw the door open that there was a Bible by his bed and So I just said to him are you a Christian? He said he was now that was unusual. His name was Jamie Grant, which was a bit freaky and because my name was Stephen Grant.
But anyway, and he was also doing the same course I was doing. But he said to me he said would you like to come to the Christian Union tonight? Well, I'd never been to anything. Apart from our assembly.
So I said yes, I would and I went. And I met on that first night of being away from home a whole lot of Christians Who are from completely different backgrounds from me? Now that was an education to me and Through universities some of these Christians remain good friends.
Some of them still remain good friends to me now but during that first period I had to establish for myself from the scriptures. What I believed about a local assembly. What I believed about church gatherings and the organization if you like of an assembly.
Because simply referring to what someone else had said or what I'd been to. That wouldn't cut it in that environment when young people are debating and discussing the scriptures together. It was a good learning experience for me.
And I want to try and adopt that kind of context today and speak about elders in a local Assembly, let me just say at the beginning that the consistent pattern throughout the New Testament is that each local assembly each local church is Shepherded by a plurality that is more than one preferably more than two of God ordained elders.
That is the consistent the singular pattern and example and instruction of our New Testament. Now we're not interested today in who does what out there. That's their business and not ours. But what we are interested in is to dig into the scriptures to see what the scriptures say about this subject.
Now why I've just made a statement to you and I need to justify that statement. Well, let me give you some examples. Titus chapter 1 verse 5 Paul says for this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order that the things that are wanting and ordain elders in every city as I had appointed thee elders in every city.
Not elders over every city. Acts chapter 14 verse 23. You've got the example of Paul and Barnabas who were pioneering missionaries and It says this that when they were in Darby Lystra Iconium and Antioch they appointed elders in every church.
Paul's first letter as we've read it to Timothy Chapter 5 verse 7 as he writes he refers to the elders who rule well at the church at Ephesus. So there were elders in Ephesus. When the gospel was being preached and assemblies were being established.
Elders were being appointed in each of these different places and assemblies. In fact Paul in Acts chapter 20 in verse 17 when he's traveling past Ephesus. He calls for the elders of the church to come to him that he might pray with them and give them Apostolic instruction because he thought he wouldn't see them again.
Now those elders knew who they were. They were a recognized defined body of men Who traveled in response to an apostolic call and came. They weren't shy. They accepted the name the responsibility and the role and they responded to the Apostle Paul.
And they came and met with him. In fact, the book of the Acts indicates this. That they were also elders in the church at Jerusalem. Acts chapter 11. Acts chapter 15. Acts chapter 28. You have reference to elders in the church of Jerusalem.
Now all that establishes this simple basic point. That a New Testament local church as we read of them had elders in each of these churches. But we need to go beyond that. What about our terminology. Well the word elder or overseer or pastor.
All are words that refer to the same role within a local church. They are not different people. They are different ways to describe the same people. Now I need to establish that statement. Well in the New Testament, there are two Greek words, which are employed Interchangeably for this role the service of being an elder.
There is the word from which the word Presbyterian comes from and that is the word that is usually translated elder and. Then there's another word from which the word Episcopalian comes from and that is usually translated overseer or in our authorized version bishop.
You have these two words Providing different aspects of the same function and the same individual so for example the word elder Emphasizes the maturity of the man and the dignity of his office. The word overseer refers more to the function and activity of that individual.
So he is an elder he is mature there is a dignity to that function and that function is the overseeing of the flock of God. Within his care and responsibility. He is an overseer. Now these words are used interchangeably of the same individuals for example.
In Acts chapter 20 and verse 17 it tells us as I've mentioned That Paul calls the elders of the church. There's the word elder. You remember I've just mentioned that that is the word from which the word Presbyterian comes from and that is the word that indicates maturity and dignity.
He called the elders. But then as he speaks to the elders In verse number 28 of Acts 20. He says to these men Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers.
So there's the second word used of the people who were called elders. But Paul says you're also overseers. It's the same group of people and. And then in first Peter chapter 5 verses 1 2 you have the same interchangeability of expression.
So that Peter writes this. The elders which are among you I exhort who am also an elder and A witness of the sufferings of Christ and also of a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. He says this Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight.
Thereof there's the word again. So Paul says I'm speaking to you elders and I'm saying to you you need to take care how you discharge your responsibility of being an overseer of your oversight of the assembly of the flock of God.
Now I also mentioned that these elders in a local assembly Should not be in the singular. There should not be one elder for one assembly. That would be an unbiblical pattern an unbiblical format. You see in Scripture.
These elders are always referred to in the plural. Only. Once really are they referred to in the singular and that is when John is writing of himself in 2nd John and in 3rd John and Peter also himself uses the word in the singular when he says I am also an elder.
Every other occasion it's in the plural. James for example chapter 5 verse 14 Call for the elders of the church to pray for those who were sick plural. Philippians chapter 1 verse 2 in the opening greeting of his epistle to the Philippians Paul writes to the overseers plural and beacons at the Church of Philippi.
Hebrews chapter 13 verse 17 the writer of the Hebrews calls upon his readers to obey and submit to the elders the leaders plural. Who keep watch over? Their souls. Check it out for yourself there is a an Expectation there is an assumption within the New Testament that every local assembly will be shepherded and cared for by a group of men Who bear the character of elders and overseers?
Now I say again, don't you worry about what other churches do or what other people say but rather just come to Scripture and establish these basic truths about a New Testament local church. Well, what about the function of these elders.
What do they do? Well as the apostolic era came to a close The function of an elder the office if you like of an elder, I know that's a clumsy phrase it emerged Clearly as being the most authoritative individual in a local assembly.
Now what I mean is this. That the elders were subject to the authority of Christ. He is the shepherd. He is the great shepherd. He is the over shepherd if you like and Underneath Christ are the elders the shepherds of the flock and there is no one in between.
Not a single individual fills that gap. The Apostles had a unique role During that apostolic era. But that role has gone so in relation to the assembly over which they have authority and responsibility and accountability.
There is no one else Has that authority and accountability Between them and Christ. Now that is a Fundamentally important truth of the New Testament. I Have no right to come to Garner Villa. I have no place to come and usurp the authority of the local elders in this Assembly, it's unbiblical.
It's inappropriate and it should not happen. Likewise, you cannot come to the assembly in Bridge of Weir and Despite the fact we might ask for your help and enjoy your fellowship. You're not accountable for these Saints before the Lord.
I and the other brethren are and In order for us to discharge that accountability. We need to take that responsibility as well that by the way is sometimes expressed as a principle of Autonomy and whenever you hear that word, it's not a biblical word, but it's a biblical principle.
It comes from this teaching of Scripture an example of elders. Now what then do elders do? Well, probably a lot more than you think. Because much of what is done Cannot be advertised and should not be advertised.
They have to teach. Check out 1st Timothy 3 verse 2 as we will in a moment. They have to guard the flock. Acts chapter 20 verses 28 to 29. They have to oversee. We have an expression in Scotland. They are the people who keep their eye on you.
They keep their eye on you and so they should. They should step back and see the big picture of what's happening. They can't just deal with you and not deal with something. They they have to see how the assembly is all Interconnected and step back and see the big picture for the health and well-being of the whole assembly.
To oversee and not get kind of dragged into micromanagement of this that another in the assembly. They have to give counsel acts chapter 21 verse 23. They have to handle disputes. Acts chapter 15. They have to visit and pray for the sick James chapter 5.
They have to supervise the distribution of finance in relation to the assembly. Acts chapter 11 in verse 30. Those responsibilities. Put elders at the core of a New Testament assembly. Not lording it over the assembly.
But in amongst the assembly working engaging in everything aware of everything. Checking things. Supervising caring asking questions that you don't want to hear or give the answer to inquiring texting phoning you.
That's the elder. Discharging his biblical Responsibility. Now, there are two central passages in the New Testament that deal with the qualifications of an elder. We've read from one of them in first Timothy chapter 3.
There is a parallel passage in Titus chapter 1 verses 5 through to verse 9. I don't have the time to take up both of these passages in detail. But before we get to the passage about the qualifications of an elder.
What about our? responsibility toward elders. You know, sometimes We can be fixating on the elders discharging their responsibility and we can be very quick to point out and identify failings on the parts of The elders and That's not a difficult thing to do because well if Andrews children were sinners I'm afraid to say that your elders are big sinners and We are all big sinners.
So you'll find fault if you're looking for it. Don't you worry about that? But perhaps rather than fixating in that perhaps we should be more aware of our responsibility biblically towards the elders.
Because I'm not going to have to give an account of how an elder served when I go to the judgment seat of Christ. But I am going to have to give an account as to how I discharge my responsibility toward the elder not the other way about.
Well, what then does the Bible teach about our responsibility toward elders. Well number one. We are to obey them. Now nobody likes that word. I Don't like the word but the Bible does say Hebrews chapter 13 verse 17.
It uses the word obey. It says obey them that have the rule over you and Submit yourselves for they watch for your souls as They that must give account That they may do it with joy and not with grief.
For that is unprofitable for you. Number one Obey. Number two Recognize. Recognize first Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 12 We beseech you brethren to know them which labor among you and Are over you in the Lord and admonish you Recognize them.
Identify them acknowledge them To be what they are. You cannot be in a local assembly unless you submit yourself to the biblical authority of the elders. It is one of the key aspects of coming into fellowship.
You are not saying that you will agree with them all the time or whatever that's not the issue but the issue is that when you come into fellowship you acknowledge that God is a God of order and That he has ordained an assembly to be shepherded and to be subject to the authority of elders.
Who are subject to the authority of Christ? Thirdly. Protect your elders against gossip. Now, there's a simple way to do that. Don't gossip. Don't gossip first. Timothy chapter 5 verse 19 Against an elder receive not an accusation.
But before two or three witnesses, can I just say very kindly to you If someone is going to tell you something about your elders. And it's not going to be good. You be very careful what you are willing to listen to about your elders.
Because if you receive from someone an Accusation against your elders and you do it not in the way not in the company of two or three witnesses. You are actually breaking the instruction of structure.
It is a serious thing to gossip about your elders. It's a serious thing to gossip about anyone. But it's very destructive to the harmony of the assembly. We must not do it for We are to remember our elders and we are to imitate our elders.
Now I know back home that the young people in my assembly imitate me not in a good way and As anyone who speaks from a platform knows you put yourself up here to be Imitated and sometimes you catch the young people doing it.
It's all very embarrassing. That's not the idea. It's not that you are to insist on people being like clones of you. What would the world be like? 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 I Can tell you this truthfully? That when I was growing up I Wanted to be the sort of Christian I Can think of one in particular that one of my elders was.
That's true. I And for his counsel and I can say of a truth that I have tried to follow his faith and As elders we ought to Understand that and we ought to live in a way that we can be followed. Fifthly and perhaps most controversially, I don't know.
We are to renumerate them. Now that just means pay them now. We don't have paid elders. I'm certainly not a paid elder not in money in any way, but not a paid elder. No, no. What does it mean then because it does say it?
First Timothy chapter 5 verses 17 to verse 18. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor. Now, that's a financial term. You cannot argue it to be anything else. Especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.
For the scripture says thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn and the laborer is worthy of his reward. Let me give you an illustration. I Go over to Indonesia one of the young men there is one of the elders in the assembly and The work that he does is a lot for the Saints.
Now he also has a shop. He sells second-hand mobile phones and. That's a big business in Indonesia, by the way. Well, you know when he is laboring so much for the assembly he's not in his shop his shop is shut.
Now in Indonesia, there's no social security or anything like that if you don't work you don't eat. So when he is working in the things of the assembly, he has no income. No income at all it falls into the category of first Timothy chapter 5.
So that the assembly should understand that and should support him in his work when he is working in that sense. And he has no income because he's serving the Saints in some aspect meeting some need we need to be aware.
That there is sometimes need created in some Context in some environments as a result of someone serving faithfully as an elder that may not exist in your Context, but it doesn't exist in some of the context I go to.
It's in the Bible in first Timothy chapter 5. Lastly first Timothy first Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 13. We need to respect our elders. Says he steamed them very highly in love for their work's sake.
And be at peace among yourselves. Isn't it interesting? That when Paul is speaking about the elders and our responsibility to them. He uses the word peace. Peace so much lack of peace is found in people.
Not discharging their responsibility. Towards the elders. Now I'm not going to speak any more about that. These are the scriptures. These are the points feel free to look at it yourself. How then our elders appointed how are they appointed now.
Winston Churchill spoke about a mystery wrapped in an enigma and. Well, sometimes it's a little bit like the appointing of a Pope and you're waiting for the red smoke to come out the Vatican or the White smoke and it's all mysterious and no one really understands how elders become elders.
But the Bible actually tells us. It says in verse number 28 of Acts 20. I've repeatedly quoted it. Paul speaks to the elders at Ephesus and says this. Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers.
Now what does that mean? Is that some sort of mystical thing? No, it's not. Is that an administrative process? No, it's not. What is an overseer? An overseer is someone who is engaged in a work because they have the quality and the character to do that work and are called to that work by God and They are recognized as such by the local assembly.
But the assembly doesn't make them an elder. God makes you an elder. Because God shapes your character. So that you are suitable to carry out the work the Holy Spirit makes overseers. This is not a Promoted post this is not something that you get to because your father was an elder and therefore you.
You receive this as some kind of inheritance. This is because you have allowed the Spirit of God to produce the fruit of the Spirit and you have been shaped and formed and Fashioned and through life's experience have proved God so that the assembly recognizes.
You are actually someone who has the character spoken of in the scripture and are doing the work Spoken of in the scripture, so we will recognize you to be who you already are. I Remember my father who's known to some of you telling me there was someone came up to him at the back of the meeting as some people do and They had a question.
The question was How can I become an elder? The answer was quite simple. Just go and be one. Just go and be one. Oh. That wasn't the answer. That was actually what he wanted to know was how could he get on the oversight?
That's not what the Bible speaks about. If you want to be an overseer You need to allow God the Holy Spirit to work in your heart and your life that these Characteristics that I might not get to that these characteristics might be displayed and that you might engage in the work of Shepherding and helping and the assembly will recognize that and you will gather together with the other elders.
It's the Holy Spirit who makes elders. It's the assembly that recognizes them. So first Thessalonians chapter 5 in verse 12. This is the New American version says this but we request of you brethren that you Appreciate those who diligently labor among you and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction.
The scriptures give no indication as to the exact process of recognizing elders. That's not really the big idea. You know if an assembly if the overseers Make an announcement to an assembly and say well, you know, we've invited such-and-such to gather with us and We've invited them to gather with us because you know he's been doing this work and he has this character and we want to acknowledge that and recognize it and if the rest of the Assembly are Absolutely stunned and shocked.
Then there's a problem if the assembly See it clearly and yes, it's so obvious. Then that's the right choice. They've done a good thing by recognizing such a person. Well, let's just come very quickly to first Timothy for ten minutes.
Now why read this passage? This passage is not to beat you over the head if you're an elder and make you feel inadequate. I know you already feel inadequate. I do all the time. The work is overwhelming.
The need is so great and constant. The responsibility is onerous. For that day of accountability that's lying ahead for those who serve the Lord in this capacity and have the care of his people. There's a day coming where we've got to give an account and it's not something.
I think any elder is looking forward to That day of accounting so I'm not here to make you feel inadequate about your character or conduct. But rather this I want to speak to the young again, you know, I've been in many meetings where there has been a big appeal To the young To serve the Lord in the preaching of the gospel.
I Remember I responded to such an appeal when I was in my 20s and I left my work I was commended to do that very thing and teach the word and preach the gospel and so on and There are some times that we hear big appeals in in ministry for people to go to the mission field.
And Absolutely, who am I to? Diminish that in any way I wouldn't but I don't really hear so much of this. The greatest need really amongst us is that the Lord would raise up from among us and Develop the character of those amongst us young men Who will be fitted at an early stage?
In their lives and grow in maturity and Work in the local assembly so that when the day comes That the assembly recognizes them to be an overseer. You see friends I Would love if someone would catch a conviction in the heart and a call of God to serve him as an overseer in a local assembly.
Because although you will not become an overseer overnight and Although you will not Perhaps for a number of years be gathering with the elders and so on I can tell you this that the character required for such service Has to be started and shaped when you're young.
Because there are things that you could do. And there is character that could be developed in your life that will prohibit you From serving the Lord in this way when you get older. So would you hear the call of God today and Consider this high calling To shepherd the flock of God in your locality.
Never mind abroad that may be for some never mind preaching the gospel in different communities. That may be for others, but what about this for you? This unglamorous onerous Responsibility before God, but that which is vital to the health of God's people in your locality.
This letter was written to a young man. By an older man he was staying in Ephesus Ephesus. Ephesus already had elders. So the letter is different from the letter written to Titus. The assemblies in Crete had no elders.
Which is why one of the qualifications in first Timothy is not in Titus. Which is that of not being a novice because everyone was a novice in Crete. They were all new believers but you see this is an established assembly in Ephesus and It's a reaffirmation of the character of elders and Timothy is being encouraged in this.
Now I've just a few minutes and I'll just point at one or two things. This list in verse 1 to 7 is a description of character. It's not a tick box for a job application its character and When someone has character then they will have stronger and weaker points.
Not everyone will be the same. In fact, not everyone should be the same. He says this in verse 1. This is a true saying. If any man. Now that word man is not generic. It is gender-specific. It is masculine.
The word is masculine. In fact, every adjective used in verse 2 3 4 5 and 6 are all masculine adjectives and In this day where this is very unpopular. Let me say this the Bible teaches that elders in a New Testament must be men and not women.
There is no biblical authority for women to function in this capacity in God's assembly. None if any man and So if any man desire this is really the hub of what I have to say to you. My prayer to God is that someone in here would desire this.
Not desiring promotion or recognition but desiring to serve God in this work. If any man desire there's two words for desire in the New Testament. One means to reach out and grasp something and the other means a passionate compulsion.
When you bring the two words together in this verse, you have the same you have this idea. You have an inward compulsion that's causing you to reach out after something. Would that God would lay upon the heart of some upon the heart.
To reach out for this service for God and to be the sort of person this chapter speaks about. I'm not going to get to it, but go down the verses yourself and read the chapter with that in your mind. That you might allow God to shape you into this individual.
For example one or two that you might be blameless. Beyond accusation. That you would not live so that you get skeletons in your cupboard you've got Undischarged debts in your life. You've got unresolved disputes and Relationships.
You can't have that kind of thing if you want to serve God in this way. You must be blameless beyond accusation. You must be the husband of one wife. Now the literal translation I know it's debated by this expression.
But the literal translation is a one-woman man and the idea the word one being emphatic. The idea I judge is this that it's the character of the man That's being spoken of here as opposed to his marital status.
Now the two are connected obviously. This is the sort of man who does not have a straying eye. This is the sort of man that's faithful. This is the sort of man that's beyond that type of accusation. For if you have an elder in an assembly you need to be able to trust that man in the area of morality.
He needs to be vigilant and sober of good behavior. Go down the list. And when you come at the end of that list and it is a very significant list you discover this that there is something That we cannot jump over.
We shouldn't jump over any of it. The elder needs to be apt to teach. Now for some this is a problem. But you cannot escape it. It means just this. That you need to know the truth of God and be able to communicate it.
Now that might not be standing up here. It might be in a one-to-one. But it means that you can give the biblical answer when the question is asked, you know your book. You can actually explain the content of it to the flock that you're seeking to guide.
Otherwise How can you guide them and lead them in the ways of God? If you don't know them or can't explain them apt to teach. And I want to say to my younger men particularly If God would burden your heart about serving him in this way when you're young before you're even married you need to get into your Bible and You need to get serious about the study of Scripture.
Listen soft people skills and all that kind of thing are fine. But they are no replacement. For a personal understanding of the meaning of the Word of God. You've got to get into it yourself and the earlier the better the earlier the better.
Could have gone on. I'll stop but I do trust that God would speak to some today and that you might hear the call of God upon your heart today and fix and determine That I'm going to look into these sections and I'm going to to work in these in my own character.
And I'm going to serve God with a view to this being the pathway of service for me in An incoming day. Let's just pray and give God Thanks for the ministry and also the food that we're about to enjoy.
Let's pray.