How A Church Cares for Its Leaders

Open your Bibles, if you would please, to 1 Timothy chapter 5.

1 Timothy 5 · chapter mention

! 1 Timothy chapter 5.

1 Timothy 5 · chapter mention

!

We're going to be picking up at verse 17, and it opens this way.

It says,

Let the elders who rule be counted worthy of double honor.

Let the elders who rule be counted of double honor.

So, there's at least two reasons why this is challenging this morning.

First is because when we hear the word rule,

I don't know about you, but there's flashes of,

what does that mean?

Who am I submitting myself to?

And how in the world can I possibly honor that kind of leader?

A kind of leader who rules.

We've come to understand the challenges of authority

that are misappropriated and overused in our culture,

and so we tend to bristle against leadership and authority and rule.

So, we need to understand what the Bible says about that kind of spiritual leadership.

What does it look like?

The second reason why this is a challenging passage

is because it seems a little self-serving, to be quite honest with you.

Because as an elder, here I am trying to instruct you,

as we're walking through this passage,

Honor me!

Ha ha!

Hey, you need to give me double honor.

You need to consider me worthy.

That just doesn't go well.

And so, it's not really a passage that I prefer to preach, quite honestly.

But this is how we do it.

Working through passages, working through texts.

And so, we preach the things that we like,

and we preach the things we don't.

And we understand this guiding principle.

We understand, as Paul will write in the second letter to Timothy,

he'll say in chapter 3, verses 16 and 17, he says,

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it is profitable.

Right?

Profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction, and righteousness,

so that the man of God might be perfect, thoroughly equipped,

for every good work.

And so, this is in God's word, and this is good for you.

This is good for me.

God has given us leaders.

And leaders are good.

And when we come to understand the right kind of response to leaders,

then we come to enjoy the benefits of good spiritual leadership.

All throughout the Bible, we have seen God's design for leaders.

And it's not the kind of leadership that we would come to assume in culture today.

If we were to characterize leadership in culture today,

some of the things that might come to your mind are things like charisma.

Man, he's full of energy.

He draws attention.

He's inspirational.

Or he's a great vision caster.

He knows what's coming.

He knows the steps on how to get there.

He can cast that vision, and he can draw people along with him.

Maybe he has the gift of communication.

He knows how to articulate difficult concepts.

He knows how to inspire and draw people to his message.

Maybe he has that winning personality.

Or he has that courage.

Or maybe he has this driving work ethic.

Whatever it is that we associate with good leadership,

that's maybe some of the ideas that we get.

But I want you to know, in God's economy,

the best spiritual leaders are the best followers.

The best spiritual leaders are the best followers.

Make no mistake.

Those who have learned to lead God's people,

those who have been entrusted with the greatest responsibility

of providing direction and leadership and authority

and care and love for God's people throughout time

have been those who have learned to walk in the steps of God.

To know what the Bible says

and to align their heart and life

to do what God's Word says.

That's why when the Apostle Paul is giving qualifications

for spiritual leaders back in chapter 3 of 1 Timothy,

that's what he brings to the surface.

That's what he wants to bring out front.

It's not how great they are at communicating.

It's not how gifted they are at crafting vision

or their strategic nature.

No, it's all about their character.

It's all about do they know what the Bible says

and have they incorporated it into their life?

The greatest spiritual leaders are the ones who've learned

to be the greatest followers of God.

We think about Moses.

I mean, I love the exercise

and I would just encourage it for you.

Even this afternoon, read through the book of Exodus

and just do this exercise.

Every time you see,

and God said,

followed by,

and Moses did,

underline those phrases

and you will be blown away.

The leadership of God over Moses' life,

that was preeminent.

That's what made him a spiritual leader.

It shows up in the life of Joshua.

Here he's concerned about stepping in

to the shadow of this great leader Moses.

And what's the encouragement that God gives to Joshua?

We find it in Joshua 1, 8, and 9.

This is the key for success, Joshua.

You want to be a great leader?

Here's what it looks like.

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth.

You shall meditate on it day and night,

that you may observe to do according

to all that is written in it.

For then you will make your way prosperous

and then you will have good success.

Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and of a good courage.

Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed.

For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua, you want to be a great leader?

Follow me.

Know my word and follow my commands.

And I will be with you.

I will prosper you.

And I will fulfill my objectives through you.

Trust me.

Follow me.

And then lead the people to do the same.

That becomes the pattern throughout all of Scripture.

We don't have time this morning to talk about all of the examples through Scripture.

But we see it on and on and on as we move our way through the Scripture.

Leaders who are marked by humility.

Marked by obedience to God.

Courage to proclaim God's word.

To accept the challenges that come.

Men who have learned to listen and follow God.

And that's what we're going to see in our passage today.

We're going to see that those kinds of leaders that have risen up and have followed God in the greatest ways.

And are now entrusted with this great responsibility of leading and exercising authority over God's family.

They're to do it in a way that is recognized.

Do it in a way that is met with the care of God's family.

God's people.

In our passage there are going to be four commands.

Four imperatives that we're going to run across and move through as we work our way through this passage.

Four imperatives that we find throughout this passage.

That address us as a church in our response and care for the spiritual leaders that God has set over us.

First, a church must honor its leaders.

A church must honor its leaders.

Let me read this passage for us and then we'll jump into our text for today.

Beginning again at verse 17.

It says this.

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor.

Especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

For the scripture says you shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.

And the laborer deserves his wages.

Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.

As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all so the rest may stand in fear.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels,

I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.

Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others.

Keep yourselves pure.

No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

The sins of some people are conspicuous.

Going before them to judgment.

But the sins of others appear later.

So also, good works are conspicuous.

And even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

Excuse me.

We find four commands in this passage.

The first command is right there at the front of verse 17.

It says,

Be considered worthy.

That's our first command.

Honor your leaders.

And there are several ways that we're informed or encouraged on how to honor our leaders

and the reasons for why we should honor them.

Well, we honor them, first of all, because of their service to the body.

Honor them because of their service to the body.

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor.

Honor.

This word to be considered worthy is a present tense.

It's a present imperative.

It's a command that Paul is issuing to this church.

Recognize your responsibility to provide honor.

This double honor, as he says.

This respect.

It's really the word to know.

To recognize.

To be aware.

To call attention to.

Recognize those among you who are serving, leading, ruling well.

Recognize them and respect them.

Respect them in a way that calls attention to their life.

Respect them in a way that aligns your heart and life to identify and to submit to and to revere what God has called them to do.

There is this responsibility to esteem them well.

And we esteem them in a couple of different ways.

We esteem them by drawing attention to the work that they do and by supporting them in ministry.

But who are these elders after all?

Who are they?

Well, they can be older men or older women.

We actually see that at the beginning of this chapter.

These two words.

Presbyteros.

It refers to both older men and older women.

In verses 1 and 2.

It says,

Do not rebuke an older man.

That's our word.

Presbyteros.

And younger men as brothers.

Older women.

That's also presbyteros.

As mothers.

Younger women as sisters.

But it's also used extensively throughout the gospels.

The word elders refers to these spiritual leaders who were there among the people of God.

And it's often attached to scribes and Pharisees and to the religious leaders there in Jerusalem.

The elders that were there.

This word is common in Judaism to describe religious leadership.

It was also then applied to the spiritual leadership within the church.

These elders who were exercising leadership and authority among God's people.

We see that in chapter 4 verse 14.

Just look at that for a moment.

Where Paul tells Timothy,

Do not neglect the gift you have which was given to you by prophecy.

When the council of elders laid their hands on you.

This group of spiritual leaders in the church recognized the gifts that God had given to you.

They appointed you for ministry.

So when we're speaking of an elder, we're speaking of spiritual leaders in the church.

The usage in the New Testament.

We see elders and overseers used interchangeably throughout the New Testament.

We saw that word overseer in chapter 3 verses 1 and following.

Here we see the word elder.

And those two words are used interchangeably in Titus chapter 1.

Titus 1 · chapter mention

Titus 1.5 says this.

This is why I left you in Crete.

That you might put what remained into order and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.

And then a couple verses later.

For an overseer as God's steward must be above reproach.

He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain.

And then on and on the list goes about his qualifications.

We see that leaders, elders, pastors, overseers are interchangeable words throughout the New Testament

to describe this spiritual leadership.

But what do these leaders do?

Well, they're leaders who rule.

They're leaders who exercise authority.

This word for rule is expressed and describes one who guides or directs.

One who provides direction for the affairs of the church.

One who provides this ongoing activity of authority over the church.

As we observe the way that Paul uses this same term for overseer,

we get a clearer picture of what they do.

Even looking back to chapter 3, he will use this same word for rule

when speaking of a way an elder and a deacon will manage their families.

Notice chapter 3, verses 4 and 5.

It says,

He must manage, that's our word to rule here in chapter 5.

He must manage his household well with all dignity.

For if someone does not know how to manage his own household,

how will he care for God's church?

Do you get the sense of the kind of leadership,

the kind of authority,

the kind of rule that a pastor is meant to express for the church?

The same kind of leadership that he exercises in his family?

The same kind of tenderness and care he provides for his children,

for his wife?

The same kind of affection that he will demonstrate to those members of his own household?

That's the kind of management that an elder is meant to exact in the church.

The New Testament is full of principles that will set the boundaries,

the guardrails, as it were,

on how an elder is meant to govern the church.

Christ will talk about and differentiate or contrast the leadership

between the world and the elders within the church

from Matthew chapter 20, verses 25 to 28,

Matthew 20:25–28

when he says this,

Jesus called them, speaking of his disciples to him and said,

you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lorded over them,

and their great ones exercised authority over them.

It shall not be so among you,

but whoever would be great among you must be your servant.

Whoever would be first among you must be your slave,

even as the Son of Man came not to be served,

but to serve,

and to give his life a ransom for many.

So the leadership in the church,

the elders, the pastors, the overseers,

their leadership is meant to reflect and resemble the leadership of Christ,

which was a leadership preeminently of service,

of spending, of love,

not in lording it over and using their position as a means of power,

but a ministry that will be directed by the word of God.

It will be displayed the self-sacrificing care of God.

It will be governed by the wisdom and directed by the wisdom of God,

empowered by the spirit of God,

and motivated for the glory of God.

In every way,

he is following after the Savior

and leading others,

encouraging others to follow along.

His ministry will be bold

and unwavering regarding the truth.

He will seek to protect the flock.

It will be marked with zeal and eagerness.

It will be impartial.

We find from 1 Corinthians,

it will be steadfast,

immovable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord.

It will be a ministry

that resembles Christ and points to Christ.

It's not a leadership for personal gain.

It's not a leadership for fleecing the flock.

It's not a leadership that is lording it over others.

But it's also not a leadership that's weak.

It's not a leadership that avoids conflict.

It's not a leadership that will resist and run away from problems.

No, it steps in.

It's bold and seeks to guard others from danger.

It's a leadership that's not just about making decisions,

but in equipping others for ministry.

This multiplying kind of leadership

that elders and pastors are meant to have.

Despite popular opinion,

strong, godly leadership is good.

It's good for you.

It's good for us to have strong leaders

that stand in the gap.

It's good for us to have strong leaders

who point the way to Christ.

It's good for you to have leaders

who care for your soul

and seek to encourage you

in things that may be difficult.

It's good for you to have leaders

who are able to devote themselves

to the word of God

and to instruct you in ways

that will lead you and point you to him.

Good leaders are good for the church.

So the church has not only the responsibility,

but the joy of honoring those leaders

because of their ministry,

but also because of their instruction in the word.

And that's where we turn next.

They honor those leaders

because of their instruction in the word.

Notice at the very end of verse 17,

it says,

especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

Everything in the Christian life

is due to the word of God.

Faith comes by hearing

and hearing by the word of God.

You have a relationship.

I have a relationship with God

because of the ministry of the word.

Whoever that ministry came from,

it came through the word.

And so it's the word of God

that lifts you and restores you

in relationship to God himself.

And it's the word of God

that strengthens you

for the work that God has called you to.

As Jesus prays in John 17,

he says,

sanctify them by your truth.

Your word is truth.

So the people of God

are strengthened and carried along

by the word of God.

What a joy it is

to have spiritual leaders

who have given themselves to know the word

and have sought to teach that word to you.

They labor in teaching and preaching.

This word for labor is the work

to describe that which is hard.

Matter of fact,

it's the work that comes

to the point of fatigue and exhaustion.

It tuckers them out.

It makes them collapse into bed.

But they do it because they're doing it,

their work heartily as to the Lord

and not to men.

They do it because they are expending themselves

for the things that matter.

The church of Ephesus

would have known precisely

what Paul was talking about

in this labor of ministry

that he gave to them.

Both public ministry

and private ministry.

We find this ministry

of preaching and teaching

and I think the translation

does us a bit of a disservice.

It says,

those who labor in preaching

and teaching

and we get this image

in our mind

of what that must look like.

We imagine somebody

standing in front of a group

preaching or teaching them

or somebody perhaps

that's in a Sunday school class

or in some way

teaching or preaching.

But the literal translation of this

is those who labor in the word

and doctrine.

These are not verbs.

These are nouns.

They have given themselves

to the logos,

to the word of God.

They have given themselves

to the teaching,

to the instruction,

to the word of God itself,

to the doctrine of God.

They've committed themselves

to know what the Bible says

and so in every interaction

that they have,

both personal and public,

it's an interaction

that is governed by their love

for the word

and is instructive

and is helpful.

God has blessed Maranatha

with great teachers.

And I'm not speaking of myself.

The legacy of godly teachers

in this church are immense.

I think about the 60-year history

that we have as a church

and I think I am really only

the third main pastor

who's been here.

I know there have been four.

One was here for a short period of time

but the legacy of faithful teaching

and the ministry of building up

the body because of the faithful teaching

of the word of God.

But I also think about

the commitment of your other pastors

to the word of God.

I think of Pastor John

every single Sunday morning.

His commitment to the word of God

in making sure that the songs

that we sing

in the transitions

between the various songs

that are introduced

and making sure that

they are Christ-centered

and biblical

and sound in theology.

His interactions with you,

especially teenagers

and young men

on Tuesday morning

is instructive and helpful.

It demonstrates his love

for the word of God.

And then Pastor David,

how many of you

at this church

have been blessed

by the ministry

of Pastor David and Brenda?

And I don't want to forget

about Kristen.

Their ministry,

Pastor David and Brenda,

especially the couples

in the counseling,

the leaders,

the small group leaders,

the various leaders

of the ministries

here at our church

and the significance

of that commitment

to the word of God.

You know when you ask them

a question about the Bible

that you can trust the answer.

It's an answer

that has been undergirded

by a commitment

to truth,

to teaching,

to the word.

They've been faithful

because of their faithfulness

to the word.

They deserve your honor

and respect.

I appreciate this quote

from the book

The Path to Being a Pastor.

It says,

These will be men

who are masters

of the word

and mastered

by the word.

Men who are

masters of the word

and are mastered

by the word.

That's what we're talking about.

We're talking about

somebody who has

the gift of teaching.

Well, over a century ago,

as Charles Haddon Spurgeon

said of John Bunyan

who wrote

Pilgrim's Progress,

he said this

of John Bunyan.

He said,

Prick him anywhere

and you will find

that his blood

is Bibline.

The very essence

of the Bible

flows from him.

He cannot speak

without quoting a text

for his soul

is full

of the word

of God.

That's the kind

of leader

we desire to be.

That's the kind

of leader

that you

need to commend.

They've distinguished

themselves

as those

who love

the word

and love you

to the word.

Finally,

in this section,

you honor them

because of the teaching

of the scripture.

What does the Bible

say about how you

honor your leaders?

Verse 18,

for the scripture

says,

you shall not

muzzle an ox

when it treads out

the grain

and the laborer

deserves his wages.

The second part

of this quote

that's drawn

from Christ's words

in Luke,

the first part

of this quote

that's drawn

from the Old Testament.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 25 · chapter mention

chapter 25,

4 simply says,

you shall not

muzzle an ox

when it treads

out the grain.

When the ox

is doing the work,

it's pulling

that stone,

it's rolling

over the grain,

you have a responsibility

as the farmer

to ensure

you're doing

that oxen

good service.

Paul reasons

that if God

could show

concern

in the law

for an ox,

then the congregation

obviously

needs to show

concern

for their pastor.

That makes sense.

And Christ himself

in his own words

to his disciples

in Luke chapter 10,

Luke 10 · chapter mention

he says this,

after the Lord

appointed the 72

others

and sent them

on ahead of him

two by two

into every town

and place

where he himself

was about to go,

he says,

go your way,

behold,

I am sending you

out as lambs

in the midst

of wolves.

Carry no money bag,

no knapsack,

no sandal

and greet no one

on the road.

Wait a second,

Jesus,

what are you

asking us to do?

Carry no money,

no knapsack?

How are we going

to care for ourselves?

Well,

don't worry.

Don't worry.

Remain in the same house,

eating and drinking.

What they provide

for the laborer

deserves his wages.

Do not go

from house to house.

And I appreciate

that second piece,

the integrity

of staying where you are

in trusting the provision

that God has given

to you,

not in trying to search

out better options.

Oh,

that house over there

has a pool.

I think I'm going

to go over there.

Even though this place

that I'm at

is kind of stinky

and kind of small.

Trust the provision

that God has given

to you.

Trust that God

will provide.

And church,

be those

who honor

through support

in honoring God's word.

And I can say

my experience

at Maranatha

has been

that you

have excelled

in this.

I'm grateful

for how you

have allowed

the pastoral team

to serve

without having

to worry

about financial

things.

you have

excelled

in your care

for your pastors.

Thank you.

Next,

the next responsibility.

We find

in verse 19,

it says

a church

must

protect

its leaders.

A church

must

protect

its leaders.

Notice,

do not

admit

a charge.

That's another command.

Do not

admit

a charge

against

an elder

except

on the

evidence

of two

or three

witnesses.

This word

for charge

is the word

for formal

charges

that are being

brought.

One commentator

says this,

quote,

there are

always people

eager to

falsely accuse

a man of God.

They may

do so

because they

resent his

calling,

they reject

his teaching,

they resist

biblical authority,

they resent

virtue,

are jealous

of the Lord's

blessing on

his life.

Ultimately,

however,

they demonstrate

by making

such accusations

that they

have become

messengers

of Satan,

end quote.

We live

in a time

that is

hostile

to leadership.

We live

in a time,

and I just

read a book,

and I won't

tell you the

title of the

book,

but I just

read a book

that the

whole thing

was about

making sure

you keep

your leaders

in check,

and it

doesn't

incorporate

really,

as far as

I'm concerned,

any real

biblical,

any biblical

instructions

related to it.

It's all

built in

culture,

it's all

built on

the day

and time

in which we

live,

and not

established

on the

foundation

or principles

of God's

word.

And Paul

will move

to this

next.

Certainly,

your leaders

are not

without

problems,

okay?

And I'll

be the

first to

admit that

your leaders

make mistakes,

your leaders

sin.

I'll go so

far as to

say that

there are

times where

we sin

against you,

and that

will be dealt

with in just

a moment.

But so

often in

today's day

and age,

the smallest

offense,

the smallest

problem,

I can't even

remember,

this is going

back several

years now,

and I had

somebody come

to me and

said,

I'm really

angry at

you,

Pastor Andrew.

And I

said,

really?

Tell me,

what did I

do?

And he

said,

well,

six months

ago,

you walked

down these

stairs,

you walked

right past

me,

and you

didn't even

acknowledge

me.

I'm like,

wow,

why didn't

you tell me

this six

months ago?

I am so

sorry,

we could have

cleared this

up a long

time ago.

But this

is the day

and age

in which

we live.

And by

the way,

I'll tell

you,

there are

actual

ministries

that target

pastors for

this specific

purpose.

They want

to dismantle

the ministry,

they want

to discredit

the ministry,

they want

to blow

up the

church.

Can I

encourage

each of

you

to

seek

to

honor

your

leaders,

to give

them the

benefit

of the

doubt.

I'm

thinking

particularly

of 1

1 Corinthians 13 · chapter mention

Corinthians

chapter

13,

where Paul

says that

the quality

of love

is it bears

all things,

it believes

all things,

it hopes

all things,

it endures

all things.

Now,

certainly,

the apostle

Paul isn't

trying to

set leaders

apart and

trying to say

that they

don't have

any accountability

because that's

where we go

next.

You need

to protect

your leaders

but you

need to

understand

that a

church must

also

discipline

its sinning

leaders.

A church

does have

a responsibility

to hold

their leaders

accountable.

We find

that in

verses 20

and 21.

As for

those who

persist in

sin,

rebuke

them in

the presence

of all

so that

the rest

may fear.

In the

presence of

God,

of Christ

Jesus

and the

elect angels,

I charge

you to

keep these

rules without

prejudging,

doing nothing

from

partiality.

We're all

aware,

especially in

the last

several months

and several

years,

of the

failures of

really prominent

pastors.

We know

the devastating

effect that

that sin

has on

individuals that

they're interacting

with and the

churches that

they serve.

We know

how that

discredits

their

ministry,

how that

dishonors

the name

of God,

how that

brings a

measure of

tarnish to

the beauty

of the

gospel.

We recognize

the significance

of sin and

the effects that

it has on

the church

itself.

And the

leaders of

God's church,

those who have

been called to

spiritual leadership

within the

church,

because of

the public

nature of

their ministry,

the apostle

Paul is

helping Timothy

understand public

sin must be

treated in

public ways.

And so when

he's confronted

and when he

persists in

sin and when

you see this

characteristic of

his life continues

and there's no

posture for

repentance or

changing his

heart,

you must stand

before the

congregation and

rebuke and

provide discipline

and confrontation

of him in the

presence of

all.

Why?

So the rest

will fear.

It stands as a

significant warning

to the rest of

the body of the

seriousness of

sin.

It helps to

expose the

nature of his

leadership and

helps to

protect and

preserve the

body of Christ

from those

things that

would cause

harm.

Timothy, as

we've seen

throughout this

letter, going

back to chapter

one, what is

the mandate?

He is to

charge some so

they teach no

other doctrine.

Why?

Because it

would lead to

shipwreck.

That's what he

says later on

in chapter one.

It has eternal

ramifications.

So for the

sake of the

beauty of Christ

and the gospel

message, do what

is necessary to

keep him in

check.

Rebuke him in

the presence of

all so the

rest may fear.

So the rest

might understand

the seriousness

of sin.

So the rest

may come to

terms with how

their sin is

also leading

maybe to

smaller effects

in the circles

in which they

run.

You have a

responsibility to

protect him, but

you also have a

responsibility to

discipline him.

Finally, in

verses 22 to

25, a church

must promote

its leaders.

A church must

promote its

leaders.

It says,

do not be

hasty in the

laying on of

hands.

That's our

imperative.

That's our

command here.

Nor take part

in the sins of

others.

Keep yourself

pure.

No longer drink

only water, but

use a little

wine for the

sake of your

stomach and your

frequent ailments.

sins.

The sins of

some people are

conspicuous, going

before them to

judgment, but the

sins of others

appear later.

So also good

works are

conspicuous, and

even those that

are not cannot

remain hidden.

There's the

principle of

promoting, and

this laying on

of hands is

likely the

confirmation of

these men, these

leaders who have

risen up within

the church, this

confirmation of

their role of

leadership, similar

to what we saw in

chapter 4, verse

14, that council

of elders that

laid hands on

Timothy, kind of

commissioning him

to ministry.

This is what we're

talking about here.

And Paul wants

Timothy to

understand, because

of the serious

nature of

leadership, take

your time.

Be patient.

Don't rush

into it.

And there's two

amazing,

benefits that we

see here.

We see that the

sins of people,

some people, are

obvious, they're

conspicuous.

You wait long

enough, you're

going to see

their sin.

You're going to

see their sinful

tendencies, you're

going to see how

they relate to

others, you're

going to recognize

whether or not

they're fit for

ministry.

That's why in

chapter 3, the

apostle Paul says

make sure that

he's not a

novice, these

elders, and for

deacons, make

sure that they're

first tested.

You want to make

sure the leaders

that you have

are those who

represent the

consistent, faithful

integrity of

walking and

following after

God.

They do that

long enough, you

will know their

true nature.

You'll either see

their obvious

sins, or the

flip side is

you're going to

see their obvious

works, their good

works, their true

heart, their

faithful character,

their integrity,

their love for

others, their

zeal for the

scriptures, their

passion for

service, their

humility and

obedience.

You'll see those

things, they're

going to come to

light, just trust

the process and be

patient along the

way.

Having godly

leaders is so

important, Timothy.

Take your time, be

patient, but the

other principle

that's important for

us to understand

here too, is that

it is the church

that's responsible

for promoting

leaders to their

place.

Going back to

chapter 3, verse

1, it says, the

saying is

trustworthy.

If anyone aspires

to the office of

overseer, he

desires a noble

task.

Therefore, an

overseer must be

above reproach, and

so on and so

forth.

In other words,

just because a

young man

aspires to

leadership and

wants this good

thing, is not

an automatic for

them to serve in

that position.

Make sure,

Timothy and

church, that

their life is

squared up with

the gospel.

And it's the

church that will

do the work of

confirming those

young men for that

kind of leadership.

And so, the

beauty of the

church in that

role of raising

up godly leaders

and doing it in a

way that shows

their confidence in

the Lord and

their patience in

the process.

All of this, of

course, is

possible because of

the work of

Christ.

We have a church

family.

We have church

leaders because of

what Christ

accomplished for us

on the cross

through his death

and through his

resurrection.

We're going to

transition now to

our time of

communion.

I'm going to

pray, invite the

men who are

helping to come

forward and

we'll observe

this time of

communion.

Father, thank

you for your

kindness to us

in giving us

spiritual leaders.

Thank you that

they do it

through the

instruction of the

word of God and

through the power

of the spirit of

God.

God, I pray

that as your

people, you would

help us to be

faithful in our

care for our

leaders.

I pray that we

would recognize

them as you have

called us to,

support them,

love them,

promote them,

and Lord, even

discipline them

when necessary.

And God, I pray

that you would

help this church

to grow in

likeness to

Jesus Christ.

That we would be

ever more

effective in the

gospel message that

you've called us to.

ever more

resembling the

perfections of

Christ in our

life.

Obedience and

submission to you.

Thank you for

sending your son

to begin that

work in us.

We pray in Jesus'

name.

Amen.