The Gift of Elders — Denny Kenaston

Hello, this is Brother Denny. Welcome to Charity Ministries. Our desire is that your life would be blessed and changed by this message. This message is not copyrighted and is not to be bought or sold.

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God Builds His Church Through Frail People

Somehow, in spite of us, God builds His church, doesn't He? And you can be sure that it was in the mind of God to build His church with frail human beings. It is in the mind of God. That when it's all said and done, all we can do is throw our crowns at His feet and He gets all the glory.

Whether it be here on this earth or whether it be in eternity, both places, God wants us to throw our little crowns at His feet and give Him all the glory for whatever He has done. That no flesh should glory in His presence.

Paul said, no flesh. Well, I greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus this morning. Grateful for how God has led in the service already. You see, we never really know what's coming next around here, do you?

My children said a couple of weeks ago, what is a regular service? I like that. We just allow God to move, lead and direct. And we never know when we get here if there's going to be an anointing, if we're going to have weeping, if there's going to be a time of rejoicing or a season of prayer.

We just never know. But God knows and we just submit to Him. Well, ordination time is always a joyous time in the life of a congregation. That's the way we found it through these many years. This morning and all week long, my heart has been rejoicing in the activities that lie ahead of us today.

There are places where it is considered a sad thing that we're having an ordination. The people weep for the ones that are being ordained. The sisters cry on the shoulder of the wives of the ordained.

And the people shudder at the thought that they might be chosen to stand up and lead the congregation. Through the years we have sought to change that mindset. It is not a sad day. Yes, it's a sober day.

But it's not a sad day. It's a joyous day. God, in His mercy, has looked down upon us and guided us and directed us and blessed us. And we are having an ordination today. I believe that's how we should look at this day.

Ordination as a Good Work

Just like the Bible says, it is a good thing, according to 1 Timothy chapter 3. If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good thing. Yes, weep over it. Yes, pray for your brethren. Yes, my sisters, be an encouragement to the sisters of the ordained.

But it's a good thing to be ordained into the ministry. And we thank God for that. It's a good thing to be called by God and the church into the ministry. Through the years we have sought to lift that standard up.

And I feel it's important to do it. Because we have many young men in this congregation. And how they view the work of the ministry will affect all of us in the next generation. Well, this evening, I believe Brother Aaron will be addressing the elders that we're ordaining.

And he will be addressing them and their responsibilities to God and the church. That's the message this evening. But this morning, it's my responsibility to address the church. And their responsibility to God and to their elders.

The title of my message this morning is this. The Gift of Elders. This is not a new message for me. I think I've preached it ten times. It's a message that I preach at ordination time all around the United States when we have ordinations.

The Gift of Elders. The New Testament is full of scriptural direction on the subject of the responsibility of the church to their elders. And I've been given this assignment. It seems like the right time to address this subject.

It's the teachable moment. But I want to preface my message this morning with these words. And I've known for two weeks that I'm going to be sharing this message this morning. So, I've been reflecting on the words that I'm going to say.

I thank God continually for the way this congregation takes care of and responds to their elders. I thank God continually. So, while we are going to speak this morning on our responsibility to our elders, I want you to know this message is not a rebuke, but rather it's preventative maintenance that we continue to open our hearts to the principles, the scriptural principles, which God breathed out in His Word on how we should relate to those whom God calls and whom we call to be the leaders among us.

So, I just want to preface the message with that. I consider it a privilege that I get to serve here. I talk to lots of pastors outside of our context and some even in our context. And I know how it can be.

And I just thank God for the way this congregation responds to their elders. I find in the scriptures a beautiful balance. And the scriptures are that way in many places. God balances His Word with other words.

The messages today are the same. One this morning and one this evening. God gives balance in the scriptures. God gives instruction to the church and how they should respond to their elders. God gives that instruction for the church.

God gives other instruction to the elders and what their responsibilities are to the church. And if the elders take heed to the Word concerning their responsibility and the church takes heed to the Word concerning their responsibility, those two come together so beautifully and balance out to a lovely relationship between the church and its elders and the elders and the church.

For example, the scripture is very clear. God speaks to leaders and He says to the leaders, Be servants. Be servants. But God did not speak those words to the congregation. It wouldn't be good if we thought in our minds, Oh, we're getting two more servants.

They're my servants. I can ask them to do this and ask them to do that and they'll do this and they'll do that. They're my servants. Oh, isn't this wonderful? I'm getting two more servants today. That would not be good.

That would not work out right. No, that's what God says to the leader. God says, you leader, I'm putting you in a place of prominence. Be a servant. Take the low road. But to the congregation, God says, esteem them highly in love.

That's what God says to us. Now, it's good for us to hear those words. But if the elders hear those words and say, Hey, you guys need to look up to me and you're not esteeming me highly and this isn't right.

It won't come out right. Just like it doesn't come out right with husbands and wives. If the wives preach to the husbands the things that God tells them to do, or the husbands preach to the wives the things that God tells them to do, we all can testify that doesn't build a very good relationship.

Amen? Amen, sisters. It doesn't come out right. We rejoice this morning at the beautiful balance that God will give all of us today. Beautiful nuggets that will balance together and make a beautiful relationship between elders and congregation and congregation and elders.

Ephesians 4 and the Gift of Elders

I'd like us now to open our Bibles to Ephesians 4, so that I can explain why the title is given the way it is. It is the gift of elders. In Ephesians 4, in verse 7, we find these beautiful words, But unto every one of us, unto every one of us, is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. That's speaking about Jesus. He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. Now he that ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things. By the way, God is doing some of that filling all things today. He's doing it from his throne. Verse 11, And he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers.

He gave. This is where I get the title, The Gift of Elders. He gave. There are several gifts mentioned here, but not all the gifts are mentioned here. But these are ministry gifts. These are leadership gifts, which God gives to men.

That he might fill all things. He fills all things to those men, and he also fills all things through those men. And we see that in verse 12. Why? He gave. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

Now, there's two ways that commentators view that verse that I just read to you. Some commentators say that God gave apostles and prophets and evangelists and pastors and teachers to do the work of the ministry.

There to perfect the saints, there to do the work of the ministry, and there to edify the body of Christ. And I have no problem with that. Elders are supposed to do those things. But other commentators would say, and this would be my opinion on this verse also, that he gives these gifts unto men that they might perfect the saints, that the work of the ministry can be done by the saints, that the body of Christ can be edified by the saints.

That's a different view. One puts three or four men ministering in a congregation and everyone else sitting and listening. The other releases the gifts in the body of Christ and has the whole body edifying itself in love, which if you read down further in verse 16, you'll see that that is the picture that Paul is speaking about.

He gives us the picture of a body, a body that edifies itself in love. A body is made up of many different members, but the body takes care of itself. This body, my body, edifies itself in love. It took care of me today.

These hands washed my body today. These hands took care of me today. These hands picked up water and allowed me to drink it today. This body has been edifying itself all day long in love. And God wants this body to edify itself also in love.

And because God wants that, He gives this body the gift of elders. It is their responsibility to equip the saints. And that's what that word perfecting of the saints means. It's there to equip the saints so that we can all do the work of the ministry and all of us can edify ourselves and each other in love.

That's God's goal. Till we all come unto a perfect man, a mature man, a mature expression of the body of Christ in this locality. That is God's heart. So thus, the gift of elders. Let's think about the gift for a moment.

Receiving Elders With Gratitude

Let's look at the perspective of the gift. I know that some of you know very well what I'm saying. Some of you may not. But you know, there are many, many people who would long for just one elder. Amen?

They would long for one. Many people have had none for years. A gift. Now, how do you receive a gift? If you see its value, how do you receive a gift? How shall you receive your elders? With gratitude.

With gratitude. As we realize, God is giving us a gift. Men who are willing to pray also. God is giving us a gift. Consider this also this morning, brothers and sisters. Who is the giver of the gift? It is the God of heaven.

I think it's two, maybe three weeks ago. But remember when I had the message about where were the men? And we looked just briefly, we didn't really go into it, but we read the Scriptures there in Isaiah chapter 3.

What happens when God's people turn away from God? God Himself takes the leaders away from them. Well, just like God takes the leaders away from those who turn away from Him, God also brings leaders to those who sincerely want to do what is right.

And thus, this morning, we must also look up into the face of God and realize that God is looking down on us and blessing us. Because of the sincere desire of our heart, God is looking down on us and blessing us.

Not because we're perfect. Not because we don't ever make any mistakes, but because of the sincerity of our hearts that we want to do what is right. God is giving us leaders. It is a gift from the Lord.

Scriptural Responsibilities Toward Elders

I want now to turn to some verses in the New Testament. 1 Timothy, if you'll turn there. I want to read these three portions of Scripture and then look at seven clear points in the New Testament. Seven very clear principles in the New Testament that God gives to us to help us to understand how we should respond and our responsibility to the elders that God gives us.

First of all, 1 Timothy 5, verse 17 through 19. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn, and the laborer is worthy of his reward.

Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them, I believe the context here, them, the elders that sin, rebuke before all that others also may fear. Now over to 1 Thessalonians 5.

I'm not going to make a lot of comments on these words because I want to address them in points here. 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 12 and 13. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake and be at peace among yourselves.

And lastly, let's turn to Hebrews 13 and then we'll look at these points. Hebrews 13. First of all, verse 7. Hear God's word this morning. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

And verse 17. 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 this is unprofitable to you.

This is unprofitable to you. Alright. Let's look at these seven principles in the New Testament. The first one that we would like to consider, the church's responsibility to elders. It's clear in these verses that we read that we are to esteem them.

Esteeming Elders Highly

We are to esteem them. And the Scripture is very clear on this. This word esteem means to give them a place of high honor. To give them a place of high honor. And you may say, now wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.

It's not good for them to be in a place of honor. They need to be humble. That's true. They need to be humble. And God says to them, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. But God does not say to the church, humble your ministers.

Give them a place of high honor. Highly esteem them, the Scripture says. We all know, all of us brothers we know, what it does to our hearts and our lives when our wives highly esteem us. Nobody is worried about getting lifted up in pride when your wife is highly esteeming you.

In fact, it works the other way. It brings humility to your heart. It causes a fire of desire to burn in you. It makes you want to do and be more what she wants you to do and be. More than the other. And my dear brothers and sisters, it works the same with men in the eldership.

If you highly esteem them, it will humble them. They will walk away saying, I don't deserve this kind of honor. And they will see their mistakes and wonder how you could honor them. And all of that will work like a flame of desire in their heart.

And they will go further because of it. We know that it works that way in our homes, doesn't it? Brothers, even sisters, when our children highly esteem us and give us a place of high honor, we just want to lay down our lives even more for them and be what we're supposed to be and serve them the way we're supposed to.

And it works that way in the eldership in a local church. God says to the leaders, Be humble servants. Wash the feet of the brothers and the sisters. Expect nothing. Serve with all your heart. And when you get done, say these words in your heart.

I have done what I should. I am an unprofitable servant. But to the congregation, God says, esteem them highly in love for their work, say. Even the Scripture says, double honor for those who are ruling well.

And do you notice those verses it says, especially those who labor in the Word. You know, sometimes I'm not sure if we realize what goes in to this good food we get around here. Sometimes I'm not sure if we realize how many hours of labor went into that fresh piece of bread that we got on Sunday morning.

God says, especially those who labor in the Word. And brothers and sisters, it is a labor. It is a labor. It is not an easy task. It doesn't come easy for any of us. When I think about this subject of esteeming them highly, I thought about this and it's fresh in my mind because I was just away from having meetings in an unknown place to me.

But you know, brothers and sisters, an open, supportive, respectful, interested face is one of the sweetest things that you could give to your elder. Do you know that? I'm talking about right now while you're sitting in the service.

It's one of the sweetest things you could do for your elders. It was a way of meetings in a new place, in an unknown place, standing before 300 people and most of them I didn't know. Do you know what I looked for in that congregation while I was sitting there skinning them, preaching a hard message to them?

I looked for faces that were looking at me like this. And I found a few. Do you know when that meeting was over, I went to those people whom I didn't know. I didn't know who they were but I went to them and I shook their hand and I blessed them and I thanked them for the encouragement that they were to me.

You know, three out of five of them were ministers. They knew. They knew. Imagine what that does when a minister looks down into your faces. Esteem them highly in love. The Bible says along this line of esteeming them, don't rebuke them.

That's what it says. Don't rebuke them. Rebuke not an elder but entreat him as a father. May I say this? The blessing will fall back on you in many, many ways. It will fall back on you and I don't have time to speak about all the ways that it will but you know, when you have that heart attitude toward your elders, you will receive more from them.

When you have that attitude toward your elders, your children will receive more from them. When you have that attitude toward your elders, your elders will labor more for you and the blessing will fall back on you.

Isn't God good? How beautifully those things work together. Number two, follow them not obey them. That's another point. Follow them. Hebrews, remember the verse, whose faith follow considering the end of their life.

Following the Example of Godly Elders

Follow their, by that I simply mean this, brother, sister, we are to follow their example. See how they love the Lord and do likewise. See how they serve and follow their example. See how they live out their Christianity and seek to pattern yourself after it.

Whose faith follow? Peter said to the elders, admonishing them that they are not to be lords over God's heritage but examples to the flock. That's the encouragement that God gives to an elder. But what a tremendous blessing it is to an elder to be in the midst of a people whom he knows they are following my example.

Examples to the flock in devotional life, in family life, in personal convictions, in business life, in church life. Follow their example. You know, some time ago, a brother said to me, Brother Denny, we like the church here.

We like it. The preaching is good. We don't agree with everything you do, but the sermons are good. We like it here. I'm not sure if he realized what he was saying, but do you know that's what they do in the Baptist churches and evangelical churches all over America?

They like the good sermons. Oh, that guy. I know. He's kind of a fanatic. He's kind of extreme. You know, he's a little this and he's a little that. You know, you know how he is. And so, we just leave him there.

Oh, no. Oh, no. The Bible says, you watch that life and you follow his example. Watch and see how he raises his children. Listen in your ear to see what kind of a devotional life he has. Follow his example.

See what he does in his free time and follow his example. Look at the convictions that he's living out. See what his everyday Christianity looks like and follow his example. Whose faith? Follow. What an easy way to serve a people.

A people who want to follow. Amen? Number three. The Scripture admonishes us to pray for them. To pray for them. Paul was constantly asking for prayer. Pray for me. Remember me in your prayers, he said.

Pray that I'll be able to say the Word of God the right way. Pray for me that God will give me utterance. Oh, what a beautiful request for prayer. That God would give me utterance. These were the kind of prayer requests that Paul gave as he wrote letters to this place and that.

All the places where he had been, he passed back to them. Don't forget me. Pray for me. We are to hold them up in prayer. Pray when they're facing decisions. Pray for them on Saturday when they're preaching on Sunday.

Pray for protection over them from the enemy. Pray a covering over their family. Because the enemy is stalking their family. Be sure of it. He is stalking their family. This guy and all these things he says and the way he's living.

If I can just knock those children out, then everything will be done. His mouth will be shut. Pray for his family. The enemy is stalking his family. Pray at your times of devotion in your home. Pray at the meal time.

Lift up your ministers in prayer. And have times, special times of prayer for your ministers. You know, I read an article some time ago written by a minister who decided out of a burden, out of the longing burden that his people would hold him up in prayer.

He decided to do an experiment one Sunday morning and he came together with the church on a normal Sunday morning and before he started his message, he just broke his heart before the congregation and he said these words, I really, really need your help this morning.

How many of you this morning while I preach, how many of you would just hold me up in prayer? I mean, not just a little prayer here and then your mind is off on everything that I'm saying, but how many of you will just hold me up in prayer all the way through my message this morning?

How many will do that? And I mean, how many of you, how many think, you know how many people raise their hand? They all raise their hands. You know why? Because they knew it was right. They knew it was right.

But he arrested their heart and they did. They prayed for him while they listened. Their heart was lifting up to God in prayer. It was the best sermon he ever preached. It was the best sermon he ever preached.

So who got the sermon? The preacher or the people? And you know, I think there should be enough prayer engaged for the preacher, the one who's going to stand to minister that we can't really tell who got the message.

The people or the preacher? And it really doesn't matter. All that matters is that a message came from the throne room of God to the congregation this morning. That's what's important. This also is profitable for you if you will remember your minister in prayer.

May I also just say this? Maybe there are a few in this room whom God calls to pray, to spend much time in prayer. Hold those ministers up. Do it. You will never be sorry. Just yesterday a brother came to me and we were sharing and I shared with him a blessing something that happened in my family's life and his eyes lit up with joy and he said these words, Oh brother, my family has been praying that very thing for your family.

Ends like Aaron and Er. Amen. Number four. Know then. The scripture says, know then. Get to know then. Learn how they think. Learn what makes them tick. Learn what their burdens are. Learn what their visions are.

Learn what their dreams are. Find out the deep desires of their hearts. Know then which labor among you that are over you in the Lord. First Thessalonians 5. Now, if you're going to fulfill this scriptural principle you must spend time hearing them.

You must have a desire to know what is their vision. You should be thinking thoughts like this. My minister is coming to our house for a meal today. What questions can I ask? You know, sometimes you know, sit around on Sunday afternoon and just chit chat and you know, weather and this and that, you know, and go home.

But other times I'll go to someone's house and and I just sit there and answer questions for two hours. What's the difference? I think somebody wants to know. They want to know me. Get their heart on biblical issues.

What do you see in this? What do you think about this, brother? What's your conviction on this subject? These things take time. Sometimes a length of time. Sometimes just simply an interested heart on a Sunday morning.

You can find out. Oh, I know what's in that brother's heart. I know what motivates him. I know what his burden is. I know what his dreams are. I know what his vision is. Number five. Obey them. Yes. Obey them.

Obeying Elders Without Blind Submission

I know. Some of you probably had some bad experiences. Maybe you were in a different church setting and things didn't go well. Maybe the elders lorded it over you. Who knows? There are many people here today.

We have many different experiences. But I just want to caution us all this morning that we not overreact to a bad experience in our church life. These principles are in the Bible and they work. And every principle that God gives, He has a reason for giving it.

And great blessings will fall on all of us if we follow it. And much trouble will come if we say, for example, I know of little groups here and there around the United States. Four families. Us four and no more.

Right? You go to them. You meet them. They come to big meetings here and there when I travel. And there are four families. And these words is what I hear. We don't have any leaders among us. We don't believe we need them.

We don't believe the Bible teaches that. We just kind of all share together in the ministry. These are the words that I hear. Two years later, you go back again and it's still us four and no more. Or, it isn't even there anymore.

You know, that's an overreaction. That's a bitter attitude toward a difficult experience they went through. And I know they've gone through some and maybe you have too. But in that bitterness of soul, they've read this book and went right over all those verses that we just read.

They went right over them and did not see them. And somehow explained them away because of the bitterness of their soul. But the Bible's very clear. In not one place, but I think five places. Authority is a clear scriptural principle.

God has given the elders authority. We must acknowledge that. Now, that's not for them to acknowledge. They're not supposed to walk around saying, you know, I'm in charge around here, bless God, you're going to do what I say.

No, that's not for them. But that's for us. That's for us. This word obey, I want to quickly say, it's not the same obey as children obey your parents in the Lord. It's not the same word. And God is not saying to the congregation, just blindly and do whatever the elders tell you to do.

That's not what God is saying. But that word is rather a word of yielding to their desires. It has the connotation of allowing yourself to be persuaded rather than just do what you're told. Just do what you're told.

You do what you're told. No, but allow yourselves to be persuaded in the direction of those elders. That's what it means. We look through these verses in the scripture, we find words of submission. We find the word rule.

We find the word lead and follow. And all of these are a beautiful picture of a shepherd sheep relationship. There cannot be a shepherd sheep relationship if the sheep don't follow. Amen? So, the scriptures are clear.

Obey them that have the rule over you. God tells the leaders to be servant leaders. God tells the leaders not being lords over God's heritage, but examples to the flock. But God says to the congregation, follow your shepherd.

Open your heart to their direction. And you know, it's beautiful the way that God says it there. The last verse we read there in Hebrews, God even says to a sheep, you know, it is unprofitable to you if you're always making the trouble and making it hard and finding a fault and, you know, finally that shepherd is just not going to lead you because it's just too difficult.

This will be unprofitable to you. It is profitable to you if your heart says, Amen. There must be order in the household of God. If there is no order, a house will be divided against itself and it will fall.

It will not. God knows that. There will be times, and I might say, with my 23 years of experience here, those times are very few, but there will be times when you will just simply need to bow your heart and say, That's fine, you elders.

That's right. You do it that way. There will be those times. It will be profitable to you if you can yield to that, for they watch for your souls as those who must give an account, who must give an account.

I mean, as I understand that, some day those elders will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who judges the quick and the dead, and he will say, Why didn't you warn this one? Why didn't you step in there and give some direction?

And there they will be. Number six, church's responsibility. How do we respond to the gift of elders? Number six, we should support them. And by that, I do not mean just financially, but I do mean that.

But it's a whole lot more to support than helping him pay his bills at times. There's a whole lot more to support than that. Stand beside them. Affirm them. When they preached a tough sermon, go and bless them.

Go and thank them that they had the courage to say it like it is. Now, if he's worth his salt, he doesn't need that encouragement. He's going to do what is right anyway. But, oh, how helpful it is when he's given a tough sermon, and you go up to him afterwards and say, God bless you, brother, for that.

Write them a letter or a note of encouragement. Put yourself in their shoes sometimes. And then, respond how you think you would want and need at that time in their life. And, yes, support them financially.

This is good for us to consider what blessing falls back on us when we are careful to watch over our minister to see that he's free enough to get fresh bread from heaven, that he's free enough that he can take some of those counseling responsibilities, that he's free enough that he can watch over his own devotional life, keeping his personal fire burning, which I'm sure that they'll be challenged in those things tonight.

But, it's our responsibility to watch over that and make sure that they're free enough to do that. You know those scriptures there in Malachi where it says to bring the tithes into the storehouse and all of that, you know, and God says, you've robbed me.

They said, where in have we robbed thee? God says, in tithes and offerings. Then he says, bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse and prove me now sayeth the Lord and see if I won't pour you out a blessing that you can't even contain.

I'm not quoting exactly right, but I know those are the basic words there. You know, when I was a young Christian, I used to read that and think, oh, God's saying, just tithe and I'll bless your finances and you know, you can't out give God and I think you can apply those verses that way because God does take care of those who give.

That's true. But as I studied deeper into the relationship of what was done with those tithes in the Old Testament, it's very clear to me what God was saying. God was saying, you bring those tithes into the storehouse and then do with them what I've told you to do, which by the way was to free the ministers so that they can minister and see if I won't pour you out a blessing that you can't contain.

And I believe that's what God is saying there in Malachi. So, the blessing is way more than money in your back pocket. It's way more than that. It's spiritual riches in Christ Jesus which flow out to you out of the heart of a minister who has had time to seek the face of God.

Protecting Elders From Unfounded Accusations

Support them. And lastly this morning, protect them. Protect them? Yes. Protect them. We read the verses, but let me just give it to you again. Against an elder, receive not an accusation, but with two or three witnesses.

Receive not an accusation, but with two or three witnesses. Don't receive accusations against your elders. Don't ever do it without two or three witnesses. Oh, that would take care of so many things wouldn't it?

If on a Sunday morning after the service, a certain brother comes to you and says, you hear? What brother Aaron did? And you answer back, excuse me just a moment. Brother John? Brother Joe? Here comes brother John and brother Joe.

And then you turn back and say, now what was that that brother Aaron did? And that would cure so many accusations wouldn't it? What was that now that brother Aaron did? And if brother Aaron did something then we want brother Aaron to see what he did wrong.