Sunday, February 16, 2025 PM

Let's open our Bibles and turn back to Titus chapter 1 and we're going to be reading verses 5 through 9 this evening. We finish up our consideration of this passage and the need for a good church to have proper order and qualified leaders.

Let's begin with a word of prayer. Father we thank you so much for the time you've given to us and pray that you would bless our reading and our study of your word. I pray that you would encourage us as we see your desire and your design for your church.

Help us to praise your name and to rejoice in this truth. In Jesus name we pray, amen. Okay, Titus chapter 1 beginning in verse 5. For this reason I left you in Crete that you should set in order the things that are lacking and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you.

If a man is blameless the husband of one wife having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination for a bishop must be blameless as a steward of God not self-willed not quick-tempered not given to wine not violent not greedy for money but hospitable a lover of what is good sober-minded just holy self-controlled holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

The Character Required for Church Leaders

Now a reminder that this study that we're going through in Titus is something that we've looked at some detail in Timothy's school and in discussing the qualities of what it takes to be leaders in a church and I won't be the only one teaching through this series but when we get to chapters two and three others will be up here teaching the balance of the letter.

But as we think about this passage I think someone was noticing, Kurt was noticing that the handouts from 2013 so yeah it's from a long time ago that I first preached through Titus but we've been going through it afresh and looking at notes and studying it together for our time as a church.

We think about the character that's being described here in the life of these elders these overseers called bishops. The character is of utmost importance. Many of you have seen pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge perhaps even been across it seen it in real life.

It arches the East River and joins Manhattan to Brooklyn. In June of 1872 the chief engineer of the project wrote, to such of the general public as might imagine that no work had been done on the New York Tower because they see no evidence of it above the water I should simply remark that the amount of the masonry and concrete laid on that foundation during the past winter underwater is equal in quantity to the entire masonry of the Brooklyn Tower visible today above the waterline.

The Brooklyn Bridge is that major transportation artery of history that it is because 150 years ago the chief engineer and his construction team did very patient and daring work where no one would see it on the foundations.

We're thinking about character that's why this is the foundation work that is so essential something that is often not exactly visible at all times but is necessary to be there for the leaders of the church.

So we've been thinking about the qualities for leaders in the church that there must be a reputation that is not in doubt and that his relationships are not damaged. And two more qualifications first there's must be a righteousness with with depth and also the man must be resolute in his doctrine.

So think about the righteousness with depth and think about that from verses seven and eight and we're looking here at five negative descriptions and six positive or five vices and six virtues that are being emphasized here in the life of the leaders in the church.

What are the vices? The first one that is listed when we see self-willed self-willed see a man a bishop must be blameless as a steward of God not self-willed. Another translation would have this as arrogance.

The Greek word describes somebody who is obstinate in his own opinion arrogant refuses to listen to anybody else. That's not a great character trait for somebody who's going to be in leadership in a church.

Somebody who just obstinately maintains his own opinion asserts his own right as leader hey I'm the leader listen to me doesn't care about the the interests and concerns of others. In fact the word was used by the Greeks to describe the kind of man who when he stumbles on the street he curses the stones.

Maybe you've known folks like that in the workplace or in your extended family. The second vice flows naturally from the first notice self-willed. The next thought is naturally connected quick-tempered right.

The arrogant will be quick-tempered. The self-willed is going to be quick-tempered if a man is habitually angry if it's his custom to lose his temper and to to justify it this is not this is something that disqualifies a man from leading in church.

A man must humble himself in repentance and seek deliverance from the pride that inflames him. The third vice. The third vice is not given to wine or drunkenness and this again is naturally given. If there is a a man who is all about himself and and throws his anger around can't control his anger he also can't hold his wine.

This is the word means to have wine alongside him to always have a bottle. You know the the the archetype character who always is pulling out the flask from his pocket can't go anywhere without having something to to to keep him intoxicated.

To have a drunken man to lead anything is folly let alone the church. But there was an additional problem on the island of Crete they worship Dionysius which is the the worship of a god that rejoiced in drunkenness.

So to be a Cretan usually meant that you were very proud of how drunk and how often you were drunk. How drunk you were and how often you were drunk at the fourth vice flows naturally from that one not given to wine.

Notice. The next thing is not violent. So how many how many men would have never gotten into any fights in their life if they just hadn't been intoxicated. Right. How often is violence that what follows drunkenness.

How often how many people are in federal prison today because they committed acts of violence simply for the reason that they were intoxicated. Very very very high numbers very very high numbers. And so a man who was hasty to get into a fight must not be in the leadership of the church.

Fifth. Greedy for money. Not greedy for money. The idea is that any elder in the church whether the pastor or one of or any of the elders must not make money in it in a discreditable way. And a preacher must not adapt his teaching to the listeners and hoping to get more out of them.

The other elders must make their living in a way that is honorable. Now this is a list of vices that should be absent. Right. So this is the this is the list of the negatives. So not self-willed not quick-tempered not given to wine not violent not greedy for money.

And these are pretty obvious. These are pretty obvious. And they aren't only mentioned here and they're not only mentioned in the New Testament concerning elders but they're also mentioned of all kinds of Christians.

Not just not just the elders but certainly those who lead in the church. It should be clear that they are free of all these vices. You can't really be a shepherd of Christ's sheep. And these be definitive of your of your character.

The Virtues of Hospitality, Goodness, Sobriety, Justice, Holiness, and Self-Control

Now the list of virtues. The first one is something that we talked about last time that being of that being hospitable or as an awful loss. The lover of strangers lover of strangers. Churches met in homes.

Churches met in homes. Very obviously they'd probably be meeting in the homes of the elders. Paul would write to the church that meets in so-and-so's house. You know this is where the church would gather as we read about the description of the early church in Acts they they would meet in homes and break bread together and spend time together.

And to a lover of stranger a lover of strangers would be somebody who as a Jew would be welcoming Gentiles into their home. Or as a Gentile walking welcoming Jews into their home. Or anybody welcoming a Cretan to their home to love strangers to love the the the otherwise considered to be riff-raff.

Welcoming them into your home is in total agreement with the gospel mission of the church. And the second virtue beside being hospitable is being a lover of what is good loving what is good. That the elder would be devoted to that which is morally good ethically good relationally best.

It's a broad description. But that in all that the elder is doing in planning and praying and laboring it's just seeking for good. There is a flexibility to the word. But that's a good idea when you're thinking about the way in which Jesus said to Peter tend my lambs feed my sheep.

Right. You know love my sheep care for them. The idea of being a shepherd there's a lot of things to think about. But in all things that the shepherd is thinking about it's about good for the entirety of the flock.

So not only a lover of good but also next to that is sober-minded. Sober-minded sometimes translated sensible sensible. The idea here is that the man will not fall apart under stress. He's not going to come unglued under pressure.

He's going to keep his wits about him. In this sense he's going to be the pole and not the flag. If you catch my meaning as it has been shared with me I like that metaphor. The fourth virtue is just just not only sober-minded but just the idea is that the elder is going to strive to conform to the standard the will and the character of God.

It's going to strive to be in right relationship with others seeking resolutions that are fair and honest. Remember that Paul forbade Christians suing each other in the church in Corinth right. It's like you know you're members of this you're members of the same church and you're and you're going to be taking each other to the court.

Is there not no one wise among you. Certainly the elders could resolve this right. But and the elders if they're going to be righteous and just and consider what is right and fair then that would be something that the elders could arbitrate.

We also have the virtue as holy holy. Another way of translating that is devout. The elders should have an intimacy with God characterized by reverence. A man who is desiring to commune with God and abide with God who is devout.

Jesus talked about in Matthew chapter 6. He talked about that your that your piety should not be only public right. I only give when people are watching. I only pray when people are listening. I only fast when people are watching.

This is the piety. The so-called being devout of the Pharisee. And Jesus wasn't against praying when other people are around. He did that. And he wasn't against being pious in front of other people. But his point was if that's where you're doing your piety is in front of other people then you've got a problem because he advocated for the the practice of piety.

In other words your personal religion where you are where you are organizing your life in order to draw closer to God and grow in your love for God. It's something you do in your inner room in your closet in private.

And your reward is with your Heavenly Father. Your reward isn't from people's applause and like wow what a great person you are. But your reward is with your Heavenly Father as that relationship grows and deepens.

The sixth value is also incredibly important this word self-controlled. Self-controlled. This is a part of the fruit of the Spirit. Self-control isn't it. Being self-control has the idea that you are mastering the passionate impulses of the self.

For what cause. To. Because you're staying loyal to Christ. The self is always like put me first put me first. Gratify this gratify that. And yet the self-control is saying no you know what. My life and my my resources and all this.

You know this really belongs to Jesus. And I'm gonna be more concerned about what he wants me to do with my life than what my flesh would want. So all of these virtues could be seen as characteristics that a man might try to generate through sheer effort.

I mean if you really really tried he could probably pull this off in one interview you know over time. However this is unsustainable by the power of the flesh. This is just not something that you can pull off on your own.

This is when we think of somebody who is blameless in the steward of God who is not self-willed who is not quick-tempered who is not given to wine who is not violent who is not greedy for money but who was hospitable.

Who loved what was good who was sober minded who was just and holy and self-controlled. I think of Jesus Christ all right. And that's that's Jesus Christ right. There I see his character all over these descriptions and and for the and for the spiritual leader whether in the home or in the church or in society.

The spiritual leader who would evidence this character of Christ is the one who abides in Christ. Isn't that what Jesus said. If you abide in me my words abide in you. Right. He wants us to abide in him because he's the vine where the branches.

We can't bear fruit unless we abide in him. And this is really the fruit that he would like to see in our lives. But it comes by our relationship and abiding and dependence upon Christ communing with God.

And that is how this character comes through our lives not by gritting our teeth and pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. These virtues are not only for leaders they're truly for all Christians because they are found in Christ abiding in Christ and the fruit of the Spirit are not reserved for the clergy.

And then the parishioners have to make do with lesser graces all right. We're not Catholics. All of us are priests. All of us are Saints. All of us are in Christ. And so all of Christ is for all of us right.

So in abiding in him these are the fruits that should be present in all of us but especially our especially our leaders. Right. Romans 12 verse 2 says. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the will of God is that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Why Church Leaders Must Be Holy and Healthy

So why. Why should this character be present amongst the leaders. Well because the church must be holy and the church must be healthy. The church must be holy set apart unto God clearly evidencing the character of the church needs to be healthy.

A a slovenly selfish shepherd. It's going to have a sick flock of sheep. That's just how it goes. No count worthless shepherds and have a flock that is in bad shape. How often how often did the prophets preach against the leaders in the old covenant and and bring charges against these shepherds who were no count that were hirelings that would flee away.

Jesus even called them looking for shepherds of better character with better foundation. Not only should the leaders be righteous in their in their character but also resolute in their doctrine. Verse 9 says holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching so that he will be able both to exhort and sound doctrine and to refute those who can contradict to convict those who contradict holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught holding fast the faithful word.

This the whole that idea of holding fast is is a word that expresses the intimacy of holding somebody's face close to yours as if maybe you would hold your spouse's face this close to yours or you would come close to your child and hold their face close to yours.

This is the kind of devotion the kind of love the kind of focus is in view here of holding fast the faithful word. My old mentor Phil Newton put it this way. He doesn't just prepare lessons to teach but embraces that word as necessary for his own soul.

Since he is also involved in giving direction to the church and correcting others lives he must receive his motivation and content for these things through the word. He not only understands biblical doctrine but is in diligent in applying the very same to his life and his practice.

So resolute in doctrine is not simply I know the information about what good theology is and I'm going to make sure that everyone else is saying the very same information in the right way but rather holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching.

Why. Because this is the the truths of Jesus Christ that shape the man and that shape the church. Christ is washing his bride with the water of his word that faithful word. And that's why the under shepherd to Christ should so devote himself to that.

And so this is this is a high priority in the Apostle John warns us in his letter of 2nd John in verse 9. Anyone who goes too far does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who abides in the teaching he has both the Father and the Son.

Somebody gets bored with Jesus and goes too far. This is this is not a small thing this is this is everything. And the responsibility of the church is to recognize that even so second John verses 10 and 11.

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching right the the teaching of Christ do not receive him into your house right where you have church and do not give him greeting. For the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds right.

So don't let the Jehovah's Witnesses have a Bible study in your house. Probably not a good idea you just you just preach to them on the front porch and that's fine. Why is it important that we have men leading the church who are resolute in their doctrine.

First of all because the church is the pillar in the support of the truth. The church is the pillar in the ground of the truth. 1st 1st Timothy chapter 3 verse 14. Paul says. I am writing these things to you hoping to come to you before long.

But in case I am delayed I write that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God which is the church of the Living God the pillar and support of the truth. So it's important because what happens if there is false doctrine and bad doctrine in the church what happens to the church.

And if that happens to the church then what happens to truth. Is the magistrate have some place to look for truth. Do families have some place to look for truth. As the salt of the earth we got to be salty the light of the world.

We can't put a basket over that light. We're a city set on a hill. So let's be sure that we shine bright as the church. The church has that responsibility to continually set forth what the truth is time and again no matter what the situation is in a time of confusion where claims are being made and nobody seems to know what the truth is about.

What is right or what is wrong. Or what is true or what is false what is valuable and what is worthless. There should be a turning to the church and say well church what do you say. And that ought to be clear and ready.

And that's why we need leaders in the church who hold fast the faithful word. The second reason is because the church must be protected from sedition and trickery notice the elders are to refute those who contradict.

Paul told the elders in Ephesus that they were responsible for guarding the flock from wolves from the false teachers that would come in and not spare the flock. Now that doesn't mean that the elders are to go on patrol and try to find some poor coyote somewhere to beat looking for conflict all the time.

That's not. That's not what the elders would do. It's not a license to go hunt up doctrinal controversy. But in my limited experience as pastor I don't think you have to go hunting for it'll come for you it'll come for your flock.

You just have to be ready to stand firm in the Word of God when it comes. Paul says in Galatians chapter 1 verses 6 through 9. I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting him who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel which is really not another only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you he is to be accursed as we have said to you before. So and now I say again if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you have received he is to be accursed.

And so Paul was standing firm holding fast the faithful word desiring that and loving the Word of Christ even willing to take such a ardent stand for the sake of the churches in Galatia. When we reflect about the qualities for leaders in the church one of the things that da Carson points out is that the most extraordinary thing about the biblical prerequisites for elders is that they're not at all extraordinary.

These are not extraordinary things. Not really it's not. It's not too much to ask that a man be self-controlled not addicted to alcohol or money able to control his temper. That a man would be gentle and faithful to his wife patient and the like.

We're just demonstrating Christian character. Lord has blessed the church and given to the church leaders and gives him the grace to lead. And we know what direction to go. He's the shape of our character.

And he is the one who leads us in the course that he wants us to go. So we thank God that we have the true head of the church Jesus Christ the true shepherd of the church is Jesus Christ and the elders are simply the under shepherd following him all right.

Closing Doxology

Well let's let's close by singing the doxology together praise.

God from whom all blessings flow praise him all creatures. Here be his father's son and we are dismissed.