Ephesians 4:4-16

This morning we have before us the great occasion to install Clayton Elder to serve as an elder for our church.

!

And I'll do my very best this morning to answer each of these questions with a summary statement,

followed by some form of explanation, however brief, for the sake of our time together.

However, before we dive into these questions, I want to help each of you recognize that a study of the office of elder,

an office that God has given to the church, should not be a boring academic.

Pursuit.

This should not be a study reserved for those who may someday go into vocational ministry.

You see, Christ Jesus is the builder and sustainer of the church.

So it matters that we understand how it is that He does this.

If we love Christ, we will love His church.

And we will be concerned about how He has ordered the church to function.

We should appreciate the way that He is building us together into a body for the praise of His name.

And the appointing of elders is a part of that process.

So in order to do so, we're going to need to look at a number of texts this morning.

But I'd like to begin with Ephesians chapter 4, verses 4 through 16.

Ephesians 4:4–16

Before I read this, I remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us.

It was written for His glory and our good.

And as such, we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.

Beginning in verse 4 of Ephesians chapter 4.

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

One God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Therefore, it says, when He ascended on high, He led a host of captives and He gave gifts to men.

In saying He ascended, what does it mean but that He had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?

He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens that He might fill all things.

And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry,

for building up the body of Christ.

Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God,

to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

So that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine,

by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head,

into Christ, from whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped,

when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

This is a very classic ecclesiological text.

That we have this Christ, right, who came and dwelt amongst us, who has now ascended,

and in His ascension, He has gifted people in the church.

That the church might minister to itself, to one another.

That we might not be immature, but rather mature.

And it's a beautiful text to this end.

That we not be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.

That we not be deceived by those who will work to deceive the church.

But that we would speak the truth to one another in love.

That we would properly exemplify Christ in the places which we live

because we're doing this work of ministry together.

And Paul says he gives gifts to this end.

Draw your attention back to verse 11.

Paul says that Jesus gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers.

And why did He give them?

To equip the saints for the work of ministry.

For the building up of the body of Christ.

That these gifted people would be passing along equipping that we would be built up in this way.

There is a lot of understandings about what is meant by apostles and prophets of angels.

I don't want to get into any of that.

But I just want to draw your attention simply to this idea of shepherds and teachers.

And in the Greek, the and is not there.

And so I think more properly it should be understood as pastor-teachers.

Both the title and the description of what it is that this particular gifting does.

Jesus has given to the church pastor-teachers to do this work of equipping

so that the church can build itself up in love.

That we would be more like Christ.

That's why it matters that we consider this topic.

Why do we care?

Because we want to look like Christ.

Because we want Christ to be honored.

We want Christ to be glorified in this place.

So we need to care about the questions I have posed to you this morning.

And we most certainly need to care about the answers.

So let's look at them, I hope, in brief.

We'll see.

Number one.

I'm going to move pretty quick this morning.

Number one.

Who are elders?

Who are elders?

Very short summary statement.

Elders are men qualified and appointed.

Elders are men qualified and appointed.

Come with me, Will, if you will, please, to 1 Timothy chapter 3.

1 Timothy 3 · chapter mention

1 Timothy chapter 3.

1 Timothy 3 · chapter mention

Here Paul writes to Timothy, who's in Ephesus.

The saying is trustworthy.

If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.

Therefore, an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled,

respectable, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

He must manage his own household well with all dignity, keeping his children submissive.

For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?

He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

So, you'll find, if you're being astute in this text, that we don't see the word elder anywhere in it,

but we see rather the office of overseer.

And without belaboring the point this morning, put forth to you that these terms are interchangeable.

The idea of overseer, elder, pastor, bishop.

All of these are words used to describe the very same office.

So, we note in this text, first off, that these overseers or elders, which is speaking to a spiritual maturity, are men.

Note in almost every verse, the male pronouns.

I think it's in all of them except verse 3, if I'm not mistaken.

Verse 1, he desires a noble task.

Verse 2, he's the husband of one wife.

Verse 4, he must manage keeping his children.

Verse 5, how will he care for God's church?

Verse 6, he must not be a recent convert, or he may become.

Verse 7, he must be so that he.

Beloved, this text is only seven verses, and yet it contains eight pronouns, plus the title of husband.

Should we have any doubt that Paul meant for elders to be men?

Many do.

So, let's make the point just a bit further.

In the same letter, 1 Timothy 2, verse 8-13, Paul writes to Timothy,

1 Timothy 2:8–13

Let a woman work quietly with all submissiveness.

I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man.

Rather, she is to remain quiet.

For Adam was born first, then Eve.

We will not unpack all that this text means this morning.

I want to draw us specifically to, though, the authority that Paul mentions.

He says that he does not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man.

We understand this to be spiritual authority.

He's talking in the context of the church.

And I will admit that there is some, maybe much, ambiguity here.

This is a bit of a gray area.

What exactly is spiritual authority?

For example, can I read a book authored by a woman?

Many conferences will have women come and speak at them.

Passion, for example, each year typically has Beth Moore,

who really faithfully teaches the Bible.

Is it okay for us to go to such a thing?

I'm not going to answer those questions for you this morning.

I have answers for them.

You're welcome to come ask me later.

But we can be sure that in the case of elders, there is no ambiguity.

That in the context of the local church, that it would be considered authority for a woman to be in such a position.

Our text uses this word overseer, episkopon.

Episcopon, right?

Where do we get the title from elder from?

In the parallel text in Titus chapter 1.

Titus 1 · chapter mention

Presbyteros, to oversee or to protect or to guard.

Right?

This is a spiritual authority given to this office.

And ladies, I will let you know that I do not stand before you with any pride about that at all.

I stand before you with trembling.

In God's good order, he has determined that men would serve as elders.

And men who serve well in that position do so with a great deal of humility.

Why me?

Why, oh, me?

These are men.

These are men who are also qualified.

Not just any man, but a qualified man.

And we have in this text, in 1 Timothy, a list of qualifications.

We also can see a very similar list in Titus chapter 1, verse 5 through 9.

Titus 1:5–9

A parallel text.

But are these the only qualifications?

Certainly we want men giving leadership to read their Bibles and pray.

We want these men to be characterized by a personal holiness that we can observe in this way.

So what I think that Paul is doing here is he's speaking specifically to these qualifications that are, in fact, observable.

The recognized quality of this man.

How is it then, right, that we as a church are meant to look and see if a man is qualified?

By these observable qualities.

These things that are coming out of who he is.

That express his very character.

And there's a concern, not just about the church's observation,

but how it is that this qualified man interacts with those outside of the church as well.

Beginning of verse 7.

Paul says, moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders.

So when the lost world looks at the church and see who gives leadership to that church,

they respect these people.

These are good qualities, right?

This is a man worth respecting.

And Paul gives us both some positive and some negative.

So he states things in the pot of must be this, should be this,

and some things that he should not be.

So notice verse 2.

These are all positive.

Above reproach.

The husband of one wife, so he's not a womanizer.

Sober-minded, controlled in his thinking.

Self-controlled, controlled in his actions.

Respectable, hospitable, welcoming to people, and able to teach.

Verse 3, we see some in the negative.

Positive, not a drunkard.

Not violent, but then the positive, gentle.

Not quarrelsome, always stirring up controversy.

Not a lover of money.

And then back to verse 4.

In the positive again, he must manage his household well.

As an example for how he would manage a greater house.

A house of faith.

He must keep his children, if he has children, submissive.

And then back to the negative again in verse 6.

He must not be a recent convert.

He could become puffed up if he's a recent convert.

He must have learned the lesson of humility.

And these are, of course, qualities that we would want to be true of any Christian person,

with one possible exception, the being a husband.

And an elder must be a model of holiness.

We don't say, this is for an elder.

An elder should be qualified in this way, but other people don't need to obtain to these qualities.

Well, of course we want all Christians everywhere to be above reproach.

To be sober-minded.

To be self-controlled.

To be respectable.

To be hospitable.

We want these things to be true of all Christian people.

And I believe what he's trying to communicate here, Paul, is that these men are supposed to lead in this.

Elders are supposed to be models of holiness.

Not perfect, but excelling in that pursuit of perfection.

Getting out ahead of others in this pursuit of growing up into Christ's likeness.

This means, for Clay, that he has to press in.

And when others wonder what it looks like to follow Jesus, they must find an example in him.

In the way that he picks himself back up when he does sin, repents, and follows once again Christ.

That he's out ahead.

That he's pressing on in holiness and helping us do the very same.

There's an additional exception in our 1 Timothy 3 text.

And that is this idea of being able to teach.

Paul expounds upon this in Titus 1 and verse 9 where he writes,

He, this elder, must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught.

So that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

An elder is to know the word of God and be able to communicate in the affirmative and in the negative.

They must be able to say, yes, this, as well as have the boldness to say, no, not that.

We want all people to be growing up in this type of maturity.

Elders particularly must lead in this way.

Knowing the word of God and being able to communicate it.

This means for Clay.

That he needs to continue to be a faithful student of the Bible.

We need to give him space and time to be able to do such a thing.

That he would be ready in season and out of season to instruct us in the truth as he's done well in the past.

So these are men qualified and appointed.

There are two instances of elders being appointed in the Bible.

We see this in Titus 1, verse 5.

Titus 1:5

Paul writes to Titus,

This is why I left you in Crete that you might put what remained into order.

The things that had yet to be finished in establishing these churches.

We see it also in Acts chapter 14, verse 23.

Acts 14:23

It says,

Now, some will argue from these two texts that only apostles could appoint elders.

And therefore, elders should no longer be appointed in the church.

This case is made fairly broadly.

However, we don't believe that Titus or Barnabas were apostles.

Barnabas is called an apostle in Acts 14, verse 14.

Acts 14:14

But this is likely the more general use of the term which means messenger.

One who is sent with a message.

Further, Paul does not command Timothy to appoint elders.

But simply instructs him how to recognize men that should be appointed.

And the understanding is that they were appointed by the churches in which they served.

And finally, 1 Timothy chapter 3, verses 1 through 7.

1 Timothy 3:1–7

And Titus chapter 1, verses 5 through 9.

Titus 1:5–9

1 Timothy chapter 1, verse 1.

1 Timothy 1:1

Would have no relevance to us today if we were not to have leaders in our churches.

Consider that.

If we're not supposed to have leaders in our churches, these have no relevance to us at all.

But are we supposed to have leaders in our churches?

Let's suggest to you, yes.

Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 17 says,

Hebrews 13 · chapter mention

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who have to give an account.

Given as gifts.

Those who are going to keep watch over you.

Who are going to care for your souls and give an account for your souls as a result.

And so the church should recognize and appoint elders for every congregation.

With much care and concern, observation and consideration.

We should be both recognizing and raising up men who will lead in our fellowships.

That we might grow into Christ's likeness.

This is good for us to the glory of God.

So who are elders?

Elders are men qualified and appointed.

What do elders do?

That's the next question.

What do elders do?

You'll find much of that answer in the previous answer.

But let me expand now a little bit.

Summary statement is,

Elders labor.

If you're taking notes, I'll do it one more time.

Elders labor in prayer.

Let's go through each of these quickly.

First, they pray.

Elders pray.

1 Timothy chapter 2 in verse 1.

1 Timothy 2 · chapter mention

We read already this verse.

First of all, then I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.

Elders recognize that without prayer, nothing happens.

Elders recognize that apart from the power of God at work in our church, we can do no beneficial thing.

And so elders pray and we lead out in prayer.

Acts chapter 6 and verse 4.

Acts 6 · chapter mention

Just after the first deacons are appointed,

because the apostles were being troubled by this issue of feud distribution,

which was an important issue.

It needed to be addressed.

But rather than getting mixed up with that administration,

they appointed men to do that work.

And then they, here we see in verse 4 of Acts 6,

said,

But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.

We also see prayer to be a particular ministry of elders in James chapter 5 and verse 14,

James 5 · chapter mention

where James writes,

Is anyone among you sick?

Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him.

It's an activity because we know we need God's power in the other ministry,

the preaching of the Word,

but also because it is a ministry itself that we would pray for those who need help in our congregations.

So elders pray.

Second, elders pursue holiness.

I've said already they lead out in this activity.

In Acts chapter 20 and verse 28,

Acts 20 · chapter mention

Paul instructs the Ephesian elders to pay careful attention to yourselves.

He goes on to say,

And the rest of the flock.

But he begins by saying,

Pay careful attention to yourselves.

Elders set an example in holiness.

What a weighty thing that we would lead out in this way.

In 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 3,

1 Peter 5 · chapter mention

Peter explains that elders should be examples to the flock.

And those qualifications particularly are a help to us.

1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

Elders should be able to say with Paul,

as he says in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 1,

1 Corinthians 11:1

Be imitators of me as I am of Christ.

Ultimately what Paul is communicating there is that you should look like Christ.

This is what he's aiming you at.

But he's giving you something tangible.

Something incarnate.

Here is a man filled with the Spirit who's following Christ well.

And I can see what that looks like.

I have some example before me.

That I might get in with him and be like Christ as well.

Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 7.

Hebrews 13 · chapter mention

The writer of Hebrews says,

Remember your leaders.

Those who spoke to you the word of God.

Consider the outcome of their way of life.

And imitate their faith.

So elders pursue holiness.

Third, elders pastor their families.

Elders pastor their families.

I remind you of 1 Timothy 3.

He must manage his own household well.

With all dignity.

Keeping his children submissive.

Why?

Because it serves as an example for how he will manage.

How he will pastor a larger flock.

So we see the family then as this smaller flock.

And he must do this well.

Now I do not believe that this means that an elder must have a family.

That he must have children.

Clay and Kathleen have yet to hold their baby.

The one's cooking up right there right now.

But if he does, he must first pastor his family.

And all Christians should be doing this work.

Ephesians chapter 6 verse 4.

Ephesians 6:4

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger.

But bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

This is the place that we begin discipleship.

In the home.

Leading our wives and leading our children to the truth of Christ.

The contemporary pastor Votie Bauckham said this.

There are many worthwhile pursuits in the world.

He's a pastor.

Note that.

But few of them rise to the level of training our children to follow the Lord and keep his commandments.

I desperately want my sons and daughters to walk with God.

And I am willing to do whatever it takes.

Whatever the Bible says I must do.

In order to be used by God as a means to that end.

So, elders pastor their families.

If an elder is not good for his family, then he is not good for the church.

And as such, as a church, we should be careful not to require too much of our elders.

We should be careful that we give space, time, that they might also serve and love their families.

Many years ago, I just decided I was going to put my foot down and say no sometimes.

Which is so hard to do because I love you guys.

But if I'm no good for my family, then I'm no good for you.

So, Clay's going to work on pastoring Kathleen and pastoring their new baby.

We need to give him space for that.

Time for that to be possible.

Fourth, elders prepare future leaders.

It is an indictment on many leaders' ministries that they do not duplicate themselves.

And we see this happen in our culture all the time.

A pastor leaves the church for whatever reason that may be.

And he has not raised up a single man that could step into his role.

Or he has and the church just hasn't recognized it.

This happens from time to time as well.

But more often than not, he himself is not a disciple maker.

He's not identified leadership quality within the church and worked within the church to see men raised up.

2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 2 says,

2 Timothy 2 · chapter mention

What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses,

entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

It's a good command that Paul gives to Timothy.

Pass along leadership.

That more people will be raised up.

That the church would continue to grow in holiness.

Elders prepare future leaders.

Invest themselves heavily in future leaders.

We have had the joy of watching Clay do this so well for so long.

Decades.

Investing.

I was so moved at Clay's wedding by the row of men who were standing in his wedding party.

It was like 50 men in your wedding party, I think.

A dozen.

Something like that.

It was moving to see this investment across many different generations of young guys that had come through the school and come through our church.

And Clay's faithful investment in them.

And I'm confident he'll continue to do the same.

This happens in a broad way.

It happens in preaching type settings.

Big teaching settings.

But I am also convinced that it must happen in a specific way.

The one-to-one kind of relationship where we give time for people to see our lives.

Not just broadcast the truth.

But also to take that and then draw it in.

That we're in relationship with one another.

It's a good relational work that needs to be happening between elders and the congregation.

It is a wonderful goal to work towards always providing for the leadership of our churches from within.

This may not always happen.

But it is a wonderful goal that we would really work at seeing who has God brought us.

And who does God intend to raise up that they would give good leadership in our fellowship.

So, elders prepare future leaders.

Fifth, elders protect the church.

Protect the church.

Again, 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 1 and 2.

1 Timothy 3:1

Here, elders are called overseers.

Guardians.

Right?

They're giving oversight.

And this is a really important work.

And I praise God that it's a work that often you don't see happening.

There are lots of side conversations that happen in the life of our fellowship.

There are people who have come here who would have poisoned the water.

They likely were wolves in sheep's clothing.

And because we stood our ground on the truth, they didn't remain here any longer.

This is a work of elders that we would protect the church.

Elders are heavily involved in our membership process.

Because when somebody comes into membership of our church, we as a church are saying with the kind of confidence we can,

Christian, yes, we can see the fruit of the Spirit in your lives.

And in a sense, elders hold that gate and help that work of bringing in people who are truly regenerate and very carefully keeping out those who are not.

Right?

Sharing the gospel with them all along.

Hoping that they will, in fact, come to faith in Christ.

Remember Acts 20, verse 28.

Acts 20:28

I read the first part of it to you.

Pay careful attention to yourselves, as Paul to the Ephesian elders, and to all the flock,

in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to care for the church of God,

which he obtained with his own blood.

The church is a precious thing.

Bought by the blood of Christ.

And elders do the work of protecting this precious thing.

We do so spiritually.

We care for.

We shepherd.

Right?

We guide.

Titus chapter 1, verse 9.

Titus 1:9

He, this elder, must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught.

Right?

This is the text that we have before us today.

So that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine.

We're building up.

And also to rebuke those who contradict it.

Right?

To say no.

Sometimes this is not the truth.

And to draw people to the truth.

I want to share with you a quotation that Clay shared with me.

He had said, maybe you could work one of these in.

And he gave me a couple.

And I want to share this one with you from John Calvin.

who wrote,

let the pastors boldly dare all things by the word of God.

Let them constrain all the power, glory, and excellence of the world to give place to and to obey the divine majesty of this word.

Let them enjoin everyone by it.

From the highest to the lowest.

Let them edify the body of Christ.

Let them devastate Satan's reign.

Let them pasture the sheep.

Kill the wolves.

Instruct and exhort the rebellious.

Let them bind and loose thunder and lightning if necessary.

But let them do all according to the word of God.

So this is this work of protecting the church.

Protecting the truth of God that we would continue to grow in Christ's likeness.

So elders protect the church.

Sixth, elders preach.

The word of God is to take a central place in the ministry of an elder.

This follows from our previous point.

And it should take a central place in the worship of the church.

It should be primary in the worship of the church.

The gathering of the church should be absolutely saturated with God's word.

If you're not very familiar with God's word, you may not recognize that our songs are scripture rich songs.

I hope that if you're a part of this fellowship and as you sing songs, you'll begin to see song lyrics in the Bible.

Wait a second.

What's happening?

They're borrowing it from the text to give us such beautiful songs.

So we pray the word and we sing the word and we preach the word and we hear the word.

Preaching, this work of opening the text and giving it careful explanation, is central to the ministry of an elder.

Elders, after all, are to be able to teach.

Now that does not mean, I don't believe, that every elder preaches in this way.

Like what we're talking about, this type of setting.

But that every elder does, in fact, teach this preaching ministry of proclaiming God's word is happening.

And it's evidently happening in the life of an elder.

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2, verse 15.

2 Timothy 2:15

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved.

A worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

And then Paul, later on in this letter to Timothy, gives this charge to him in chapter 4, verses 1-4.

He says,

So preach the word.

And here's some ways in which you're going to be doing that.

You're going to be taking this word and you're going to be giving it application in the life of the church in all these varied ways.

And you're to do this with patience and teaching.

Why?

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching,

but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions

and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

The time is coming and is now here.

People won't want to hear what the word of God says,

but they'll want to hear what they want to hear.

And it seems to me that what Paul is saying is that God's going to give it to them as a judgment for them.

You go, okay.

Someone will come along and will scratch your ear for you.

Will tell you exactly what you want to hear.

A faithful elder wants to simply open up God's word and speak from this text.

A faithful elder only has anything worth saying if the word of God says it.

Let me simply tell you what God has said, right?

Because elders love the church.

And they know that God's word is what the church needs.

It's their real need.

Elders are less concerned about felt needs and more concerned about real needs.

Ultimately, primarily concerned about real needs.

It is not the job of an elder to make the truth relevant to you,

but rather to show you its relevancy.

It is relevant.

To merely show you that it's relevant.

To do the hard work of taking an ancient text and helping you understand it.

Right?

To go to the Old Testament, not to disregard it because it seems to be some obstacle to people coming to faith,

but to explain it to you.

To help you take this ancient thing and pull it here to the present and tell you what it means and why it matters.

Beloved, God wrote us a book.

The job of an elder is to fix your gaze on the truth.

Right?

To put your nose in the Bible.

That's why we love, typically, to do verse-by-verse exposition.

Thus saith the Lord.

Secondly here, preaching is central in the worship of the church.

Right?

We need to note together the centrality of preaching in the early church.

In Acts chapter 2, verse 42,

Acts 2:42

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching.

Right?

Preaching that was happening.

Not exclusively amongst the apostles, but it was, in fact, happening.

Acts 4.31,

When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken,

and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

And what did they do?

When they were filled with the Spirit, what did they do?

They didn't do weird things on stage.

They continued to speak the Word of God with boldness.

This is what the Spirit of God did for them.

Right?

They weren't making people fall on the floor.

They were preaching.

Acts chapter 6, verse 1 and 2,

Acts 6:1

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number,

a complaint by the Hellenists arose.

Oh, I read this to you already.

Right?

They gathered together.

They had deacons so that they could do what?

Right?

They said,

It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God to serve tables.

Acts chapter 8, in verse 4,

Acts 8 · chapter mention

After Stephen is stoned, it says,

Now those who were scattered went about preaching the Word.

So we see the centrality of preaching.

Right?

It's why our services are centered around preaching.

It's why we spend the most time on preaching.

Because the Scripture gives it to us as this example.

Elders preach.

When we gather, we need the truth in large measure.

Beloved, it's once a week.

It's the Lord's Day.

We gather this time that we would be fed.

We need a meal, not a snack.

We need to be fed the truth of God's Word.

Spurgeon once said,

Surely, if men's hearts were right,

short sermons would not be enough.

When we gather, we need the truth,

and we need the truth with reverence.

We need men to open God's Word to us,

who love God's Word,

who respect God's Word,

who aren't concerned about entertaining you.

Dr. Morton, Louis Jones, great preacher,

writes in Preaching and Preachers

this distinction between the preacher

and the pulpiteer,

one who gets up and puts on a show

for people's entertainment.

He, like Paul,

who writes in 1 Corinthians 2.2,

would say,

For I decided to know nothing among you

except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Richard Baxter, the Puritan pastor,

wrote in his great work,

the Reformed pastor,

Of all preaching in the world

that speaks not stark lies,

I hate that preaching

which tendeth to make the hearers laugh

or to move their mind with tickling levity

and affect them as stage players used to do

instead of affecting them

with the holy reverence

of the name of God.

You ought to want a man, right?

And I know there's some guests with us this morning

who will go back to churches.

You want to want a man

who will reach back

and take hold of these ancient truths

with one hand

and with the other

reach forward into your life

in order to bring the two together.

This is the work of preaching.

Ancient truths applied for you

today.

On your bulletin,

final quotation,

I think, for this morning.

Spurgeon wrote,

The true teacher should not seek

to soar on the gaudy wings

of brilliant oratory,

pouring forth sonorous,

polished sentences

in rhythmic harmony.

And that's saying a lot

because Spurgeon was brilliant.

His language just burst out of him.

It was beautiful.

But should endeavor to speak

pointed truths of God,

things that will strike and stick,

thoughts that will be remembered

and recalled again and again

when the hearer is far away

from the place of worship

where he listened

to the preacher's words.

elders preach.

So,

who are elders?

Elders are men qualified

and appointed.

What do elders do?

They labor in prayer,

pursuing holiness,

pastoring their families,

preparing future leaders,

protecting the church,

and preaching.

They are a gift to us.

How should we relate

to our elders

really quickly?

I'm sorry this is going long.

This is three sermons

pulled into one,

just as a side note.

The church,

this is your summary statement,

the church should honor

and obey its elders.

The church should honor

and obey its elders.

I'll give you a quick text

for each of those.

Honor,

1 Timothy 5, 17,

let the elders who rule

be considered worthy

of double honor,

especially those who labor

in preaching

and in teaching.

Paul goes on to talk about

the ox

being,

treading out grain

and the worker

being worth his wages.

So, I do think,

in some sense here,

Paul is talking to Timothy

about the pay

that elders receive

for what they're doing.

But that's not the point

I'm trying to make this morning.

The point is

that you should want

to love and serve

your elders.

Show them honor.

Show them respect.

And I am very pleased

to say, church,

you do this well.

You do this in heaps.

Keep doing it.

Do this for clay.

Also,

you should obey

your elders.

Hebrews 13, 17

says,

Obey your leaders

and submit to them.

For they are keeping watch

over your souls

as those who have to give

an account.

Let them do this

with joy

and not with groaning,

for that would be

of no advantage

to you.

So there is an authority

granted

to elders.

What kind of authority

is it though?

What sort of authority

is it?

Elders have the authority

of scripture

as we all do.

We're a congregational church.

Elders don't rule

in the sense of

Lord

over the church.

We have the authority

of the scripture

and

we have relational

authority.

Elders in our church

have served

amongst us.

Have laid down

their lives

for the lives

of others.

Are seeking

to do this.

To rightly

keep watch

over your souls.

To really care

about you

and how

you're doing.

Paul writes

in 1 Thessalonians 5,

We ask you,

brothers,

to respect those

who labor among you

and are over you

in the Lord

and admonish you

and to esteem them

very highly in love

because of their work.

Be at peace

among yourselves.

So here Paul instructs

that you respect

your elders.

You could also

translate that word

know intimately

your elders

because they're men

who do work for you.

Because they are

serving you well.

They're in relationship

with you.

So the respect

and therefore

the authority

of an elder

that they possess

is primarily

relational

and not primarily

positional.

people.

So honor

and obey

your elders

as your elders

lay their lives

down in service

to you.

Christ is building

his church

and he is

employing

means

to accomplish

this task.

Elders

are a means.

They're not

the only means

but they are

a means

and an important

one

and we should

be exceedingly

grateful for the

gift they are

to us

in Christ.

And I say that

with you

as an elder.

I am thankful

for elders

in our church.

I'm thankful

I'm not the only

one but I'm

serving amongst

men

who are serving

you.

May his kingdom

go forth

as we continue

to arrange

ourselves

as a church

according

to his good

and wise

instruction.

Let's pray

together

and then we're

going to turn

our attention

to installing

clay.

Father God

thank you very

much for your

word and for

what it has

to say to us

about how it

is that you've

ordered the

church.

Father help us

to be a people

who care about

ecclesiology

who want to

study how it is

you have meant

for us to be

your bride

and to grow

in holiness

for the praise

of your name.

I thank you

for this morning

and what it

means.

I thank you

Father for

working grace

in us to be

obedient to your

word and I pray

this in Christ's

name and for

his sake.

Amen.

I've been very

blessed to know

Clay Naylor for a

very long time.

Clay and I met

at a campus

ministry event.

He walked up to

me and as I tend

to do I was

standing at the

edge of the

crowd and Clay

beelined cut

across.

He didn't walk

on the sidewalk.

I don't think

Clay would do

that.

He beelined

across the grass

and walked

straight up to

me.

If I remember

right I was

probably in

river shorts

and sandals

and Clay was

wearing Levi's

Wranglers maybe

and a big belt

buckle and cowboy

boots.

God's providence

brought us

together.

We normally

would have been

the kind of

people that were

drawn together

but we quickly

found that we

loved the same

Christ.

And we very

quickly formed

a friendship.

I think the next

time I saw Clay

he got drug

into a meeting

at that very

same campus

ministry where I

was a little bit

hot under the

collar about

something and

thankfully he

didn't flee from

me but he

liked the passion

that I had for

the truth in that

moment even though

maybe wasn't

appropriately

applied.

those of you

who don't know

Clay well

Clay has cystic

fibrosis and

coming out of

college we

started a college

Bible study just

kind of out of

necessity to be

together and study

God's word together

Clay and myself

and one of our

previous elders who

now lives in Utah

and Clay was the

one that said hey

we should invite

other people to

come and we

went okay and

in his apartment

in Dahlonega a

few more people

showed up and

then a few more

people showed up

and a few more

people showed up

much of what our

church is today

kind of came from

that college Bible

study and things

we were learning

and growing in

together during

that time.

During those days

my wife and I

got married and

Clay's lung

capacity was

diminishing and

diminishing and

diminishing.

We held that

college Bible study

in our town

home where we

would clear out

the living room

we'd take all

the furniture out

of the living

room and put it

on the back

deck and sit

college students

cross-legged on

the floor and

sitting on our

counter.

We had stools

behind that.

We joked it was

the balcony.

We would put 50

college students in

our town home and

Clay who had 20%

lung capacity would

open God's word

with oxygen tank

sitting next to

him.

We in those days

thought this is the

last day we'll see

Clay.

I think every time

we gathered together

on a Thursday

night we thought

okay this is the

last time and none

of us were saying

our goodbyes because

we didn't want to

talk in those terms

but there were many

visits that I

thought I just

don't know.

I don't know.

His 10 yard walk

from his truck into

our town home would

leave him extremely

winded.

Unable to talk

winded at that

time.

not long after

that Clay was put

on a transplant

list and received

a double lung

transplant which

is a phenomenal

miracle that these

things can even be

done 10 plus years

ago or about 10

years ago.

No.

Clay got very sick

after that double

lung transplant.

within an inch of

his life before

within an inch of

his life during the

transplant and then

afterward terrible

case of pneumonia

spent I don't have

the facts straight in

my head but in

Birmingham for a

month plus in the

hospital in a drug

induced coma just

not doing well.

God has preserved

his life and I

just want you guys

to understand God

has preserved his

life in part for

us.

How good that is.

God's providence is

good sovereignty.

He knew how much we

needed Clay.

His service and his

kindness toward us.

Clay has carried

around with him a

prayer journal that

gets retired and

then a new one gets

formed and a new one

gets retired and he

writes in the front

of that prayer

journal I think in

most cases Acts

Acts 20 · chapter mention

chapter 20 and

verse 24 which

says but I do not

account my life of

any value nor as

precious to myself if

only I may finish my

course in the

ministry that I

receive from the

Lord Jesus to

testify to the

gospel of the

grace of God.

And Clay has

prayed this would

be true of him and

he has exemplified

this in so many

ways.

Right.

Thinking that his

course was almost

finished.

Pressing in being a

gospel proclaimer to

where he thought the

end would be and then

God would extend his

life.

And then he would do

it again and then God

would extend his life.

And it's just astounding

to me to think back

across a decade and a

half and to go Clay

Naylor is still alive.

That is incredible.

Right.

And he gets in the mix

with us and he presses

us toward Christ all

along.

He is married now.

Ever thought that

would happen?

He's a well because of

his cystic fibrosis.

Sorry brother.

His wife is currently

pregnant.

How incredible.

Clay Naylor is going to

hold a baby.

It's astounding how good

God is.

And joy upon joy.

Right.

Not to make this better

than any of those things.

But just joy upon joy.

He's God heaping up joy

on us this morning.

He's now becoming an

elder of our church.

What a cool thing.

Clay, the task ahead is a

weighty task.

I don't know in many ways

you've already bore that

burden.

But it's a glorious one.

You have elders who love

you.

You have a church who

loves you.

Don't forget that as you

take up the task of

under shepherding that

you're still a sheep.

Christ is our great

shepherd.

Flee to him at all

times.

Kathleen, it's

appropriate just to say

a word of encouragement

to you.

You're joining Clay in

this task as his wife.

But this church does not

expect you to be a

female version of him.

If you start to think

they are, you let me

know and I'll set them

straight.

We don't expect you to

pastor the church.

But you are expected to

love and serve alongside

Clay.

Know that your marriage

will be troubled by

attacks as Clay

faithfully serves in the

church.

I think who could know

the mind of the enemy

but Satan certainly

loves to get after the

homes of those who lead

in the church.

But know that you have

a church that loves you

and that Christ has

defeated Satan and has

overcome this world to

flee to him at all

times.

You together have this

weighty work ahead of

you but it is glorious.

It is good.

It is worth taking up

and reveling in and

enjoying.

And I'm thankful for you

church that you've made

it a joy.

It is not a burden to

serve you.

It is certainly a joy to

serve you.

And so this morning we

are pleased to install

Clay Naylor as an elder.

Having been nominated and

voted upon according to

our bylaws, the elders of

our church are to be

qualified faithful men

according to 1st

Timothy 3 and Titus 1

who will stand before God

and give an account for

the people of Christ's

family church according to

Hebrews chapter 13.

Hebrews 13 · chapter mention

This is both a solemn

and a joyful occasion.

Now attach the back of

your bulletin.

Again, I apologize if you

don't have one in your

hands.

Just participate as you

can.

It's a document for a

responsive reading.

So if you will for me

church, if you'll stand

and join me in this

responsive reading.

In case it's unclear,

you're the congregation.

There is but one good

shepherd.

Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The sheep hear his voice

and he calls his own

sheep by name and leads

them out.

The Lord Jesus who so

loves his bride that he

gave himself up for her

and still now washes her

with the water of his

grace.

As the head of the church,

her chief shepherd gives

to her under shepherds,

pastors to care for the

sheep even as they are

sheep themselves.

Thanks be to God.

You can be seated.

Your job's not done yet,

but please be seated.

Let me ask Clay to go

ahead and join me on stage.

I'm going to let you

stand where the mic is.

Clay, will you teach us

whether many or one to

one in sermons and prayers

and counsel the gospel of

Jesus Christ?

I will by God's grace.

Will you shepherd us not

for shameful gain, but eagerly,

not domineeringly, but gently

being an example to the

flock?

I will by God's grace.

Will you pray for us

interceding on our behalf

that we might comprehend

with all the saints the love

of Christ that surpasses

knowledge, that we may be

filled with all the fullness

of God?

I will by God's grace.

Church, will you be subject to

him, clothing yourselves in

humility even to one another,

obeying your leaders,

letting them serve you with joy

and not with groaning,

since this would not be of

advantage to you?

We will by God's grace.

All right.

Can I ask Doug, who is our

current other elder, Kathleen,

Clay's wife, as well as his

parents, to join us on stage?

You've got plenty of time.

Just take your time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Let's pray together.

Father God, we thank you

that you have given the church

to Christ and Christ to the

church.

We humbly recognize that we

have our very being because

of Jesus' sacrificial work

on our behalf.

We thank you that you have

placed him as the head of the

church, that he lovingly

leads us, working holiness

into us and out of us for the

sake of his name.

And we thank you that you have

given to the church under

shepherds for the same good.

Father God, thank you for Clay.

Thank you for leaving him with

us for so long, for his

constant faithfulness, for his

care and concern for your

people, for his patient

teaching of your will and your

ways.

He is truly a gift to our

church.

Bless him and Kathleen and

their baby, that their home

would be a place of rest and

joy.

Grant that the work ahead would

bind them together in loving

service to others and to each

other.

Grant Clay wisdom, we pray, as he

gives leadership in our

fellowship.

Grant him humility and affection

for us, that he may pay

careful attention to himself and

to all the flock, that the body

might grow being built up in love.

God, we want to honor Christ as a

church.

And so we pray this in his name.

Amen.

In the name of the Lord Jesus, the

chief shepherd of the church,

Christ Family Church installs Clay

Naylor as an elder.

Church, welcome your new ending.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.