Biblical Manhood & Womanhood - 1 Timothy 3 - Foundations of Biblical Leadership - Men & Women In Church Leadership

Alright, today we're going to read the Pauline Confession.

I don't know if you guys have ever heard of the Pauline Confession, but it's actually

in Timothy chapter 3.

So we're going to read this together.

Are we ready?

We are.

Alright, here we go.

Great indeed we confess is the mystery of godliness.

He was manifest in the flesh, vindicated by the spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among

the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

That's Timothy 3.16.

How many of you guys have ever known that there was actually a confession right there

in the scripture?

Pretty neat isn't it?

One of the important things I want us to do as we go through this chapter 3 is really

start to, hopefully you guys have seen that as we've been dealing with the issue of biblical

manhood, the foundations of being a biblical man and the foundations of being a biblical

woman, we then get to the point of leadership.

And it's important as God is dealing with Timothy, Paul is trying to get Timothy to

really understand why it's important to be the man of God that God has called him to

be.

Chapter 3 deals with some very important things I think in the church.

Many churches, I want to say this gently, many churches don't follow this process.

Like how churches should operate.

And the importance of the structure of leadership.

And so there's these standards that he gives concerning the leadership and then there is

a clear understanding of these things as we go through them.

So we're going to go through this and we really ended in chapter 2 with this understanding

that Adam was born first then Eve and Adam was not deceived but the woman was deceived

and became a transgressor yet she will be saved or she will find her.

She will be well and whole as a mother, as bearing children if they continue in faith

and love and holiness and self control.

And all of a sudden he goes right into this statement concerning elders.

Why?

So before we get started there I'm going to pray and ask God that he would guide us through

this and so you can understand why Paul wrote this to Timothy.

Lord we want to thank you and praise you.

You are righteous and good.

You are a God of order.

You have set things in place for the well being of your people, for the health of your

church, for the proclamation of the gospel and so that all in the world may know that

we are your people.

Lord we praise you and thank you that you have set these things in place that your people

may live holy and godly lives.

We praise you in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

So the saying is trustworthy.

So what we notice here is as Paul starts his, this part of the letter to Timothy, he kind

of gives a clear understanding of where men should be in the hierarchy of the church and

the polity of the church.

The problem with the church in Ephesus is the women were dominant there.

They were running things.

They were managing things and the men were not really stepping up to do the job and so

he lays things down quite clearly in chapters one and chapter two and then he says here

is how things should be.

This is trustworthy.

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

For an overseer must be a brubbly approach, the husband of one wife, sober minded, self

controlled, 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.

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.

Wives likewise must be dignified, not double tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy

for dishonest gain.

They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

Let them also be tested first.

Then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.

Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers but sober minded, faithful in all

things.

Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own household

well.

For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great

confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

I hope to come to you soon but I am writing these things to you so that if I delay you

may know how you ought to behave in the household of God which is the church of the living God,

a pillar and buttress of the truth.

Great indeed we confess is the mystery of godliness.

He was manifest in the flesh, vindicated by the spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among

the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

So this is quite a remarkable chapter in that he gives the clear understanding of why he

is writing these things.

And that's in verse 15.

Principle number one.

The man who aspires to the episcopae.

This is where we get the word episcopalian from, episcopae is the word here.

So the man who aspires to the episcopae desires a wonderful occupation.

But know this, it is a work that will require a life fully devoted to Christ.

So I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ

as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed.

Shepherd the flock of God that is among you.

Exercise oversight, not under compulsion but willingly as God would have you.

Not for shameful gain but eagerly.

Not domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock.

And when the chief shepherd appears you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Notice Peter 5, 1 through 4.

It's the supporting scripture here.

So interesting, this word trustworthy.

This means worthy of trust.

Pretty simple.

Can be relied on.

This statement can be relied on.

If anyone, they use the word anyone here.

It means a certain one.

A certain one aspires.

Not anyone meaning women.

This is not a woman's position.

And I am not going to be apologetic for speaking the truth.

This is a certain one is the word here.

The word is this.

A certain one aspires.

What certain one?

For Adam was formed first, then Eve.

Adam was not deceived but the woman was deceived.

This certain one.

He clarifies this later on here which we will get to.

So this certain one aspires.

This certain one is to stretch, to touch, or to grasp.

In other words, the one who is certain, the man who wants to grasp the office of overseer

is the idea here.

Episcopae is the word.

And the word means oversight, overseer, office, or charge.

This is not church's charge.

This is God's charge for that man.

He desires a noble task.

The word task here is argon.

Employment or occupation.

Why is that important?

Because this is not something that the man who gives his life to the service of you and

your people, he does for free.

He gives his entire life to the care of the sheep, to the care of God's people.

It is the church's responsibility to give unto that man what is rightfully due for his

work.

They did it with the priest.

We do it now in the church.

I'm saying this not because you guys don't take good care of me.

You do.

That's not the issue here.

I'm just trying to clarify exactly what Paul is teaching Timothy here.

Therefore, an overseer must be above reproach.

There is no other word better than the word reproach.

He must be above reproach.

He must not have any accusation against him publicly or in the church.

The husband of one.

The word is heis, one in one or in opposed to many, a monogamous.

That's what this word means.

Not one in a lifetime.

One meaning not a polygamous man.

Not a man who has many wives.

One wife.

The Lord knows one's enough.

Just saying.

Amen.

Thank you, Todd.

All right.

I'm not going to go there.

Cheryl will get them later.

He is a husband of one at a time.

One hopefully for the rest of his life, wife.

A sober minded, the word here, sober minded means not controlled by wine, clear headed.

It's interesting that there's two times he talks about wine or drunkenness.

One is here, meaning sober minded, clear headed, not controlled by wine.

And the other is a drunkard.

It's interesting, right?

So he must not be controlled by the outward influences.

Clear headed.

He must be self controlled.

So frown is the word here, curbing one's desires and impulses.

So self controlled means I am not going to be driven by my desires or impulses.

That's what he means here.

Respectable, well arranged, modest.

You'd be kind of different if I came in with ripped jeans.

It's kind of wild when I see some preachers behind the pulpit who come in with jeans and

a hoodie.

Like that's respectable.

It's not respectable in any church.

Remember who you represent.

I should wear ties.

Some of some of them wear ties.

I can't.

I'm not a tie guy, but button down would be nice.

But we must be respectable.

Hospitable, phylloxanas means generous to guests.

You wonder why I've set an example for the last three years of the importance of reaching

out to every single person that walks in the building.

That is an example set for you.

Set them an example, Peter says.

If I do not set that example, will you?

Every single person in our church should be going out of their way to touch and to shake

hands and to give a right hand of fellowship to any visitor that walks in.

Ask them how their visit was.

Let them know we love them.

We care about them.

We are glad that they're here.

Important, very important.

Able to teach.

I'm going to try to say this as well as I can.

But my Greek's not perfect.

Didaktikos.

Oh, thank you, Jesus.

Didaktikos means apt and skillful in teaching.

Apt and skillful in teaching.

I've been talking to a friend of mine from Delaware and telling me about a young man

that he's been under and this gentleman's been through some things and he's really

kind of young in the faith when it comes to shepherding.

The question for every person should be considering is that man apt and skillful in teaching?

Not that he can stand behind a pulpit and be charismatic.

Charismatic preachers don't equip.

Charismatic preachers make you feel real good and then you go out wondering how in the world

can I live this Christian life and you walk out defeated every single week because they

are not apt and skillful in teaching.

Not a drunkard.

Not violent, a bruiser, but quick to fight, but gentle, fair and mild, not quarrelsome.

Amikos, not quick to fight or provoke an argument.

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.

Not a lover of money.

Money does not mean a heck of a lot if that's all you care about.

As a matter of fact, it's evil.

We are given money as stewards.

He must manage, pristime, to be over, to superintend, to preside over his own household with all

dignity, probity, high moral standard, or probity depending on how you want to say it in English.

I think it's probity.

I know it's probity.

I shouldn't have said that.

He should with all dignity keeping his children hupatege, obedient.

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

will he care for God's church?

He can't.

He cannot.

And this is just, understand man, this is not just about elders meaning even though

it's speaking of elders, you should be doing this in your home.

You are the shepherd of your house.

This is not just for pastor or just for the elders.

It's every man in this room.

Whether your kids are grown up and moved out, he must not be a new convert, a neophyte,

or a novice, or he may become puffed up with conceit.

To fa'o means rude and arrogant, lack of respect.

Man, we know some dudes that are like that.

Why?

Because they were given a position they should never have been given.

They haven't learned to suffer through well.

What does it mean to hold this kind of position and not lord it and domineering over it, but

to lovingly guide, shepherd, walk with, properly discipline out of love and concern, not out

of demand that you do what I tell you to do, but pointing you and driving you to the chief

shepherd of our souls, Jesus Christ.

So he must not be rude, arrogant, lack of respect, or proud.

He must fall into epipito.

What metaphorically means to come among robbers or to fall among robbers is the word here.

He must not fall into condemnation.

The condemnation he's talking about here is condemnation passed by God.

This is God's condemnation on the man who was supposed to be the shepherd of the people,

who is a new convert, who is proud and arrogant.

God condemns him.

He sentences him.

He judges him.

He judges him by presenting him to the accuser, the slanderer, the culminator.

God basically, in his discipline of this man, wrecks his ability to lead.

He is no longer above reproach.

God ensures that this man's testimony is a mess.

I can give you several examples of that, especially last year.

Don't need to do that.

God has already done that for some of these men who call themselves shepherds and are

not.

Moreover, he must be well thought of, good, character, and a testimony by outsiders so

that he may not fall into disgrace.

He may not fall into reproach or disapproval, into a snare.

Pagis is the word here, meaning that whatever brings peril, loss, destruction, allurements

to sin.

The allurements to sin of who?

The accuser, the culminator.

Interesting.

He writes this.

For those assigned, second principle, for those assigned to the office of deacon are

given a great task of stewardship in caring for God's people and properly managing God's

money.

If we think of eldership, understand we are held to the highest of standard and will give

an account for everything we do and say to the living God.

Everything.

Being deacons, the scripture says this in Acts 6, 2-3.

And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, it is not right that

we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.

Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the spirit

and wisdom whom we will appoint to this duty.

Meaning that these listings here really do associate very well, perfectly actually, with

good repute, full of the spirit and wisdom whom they are appointed to this duty.

First Timothy 3, 8-13.

Daikonos, office assigned to the care, assigned to care for the needs of the church, family,

and steward God's money.

That's what this literally means.

An office assigned to care for the needs of the church, meaning God's family, and steward

God's money.

No deacon should be running the church.

There are many churches, I've come from a couple, where the deacons rule.

The deacons don't rule.

God's men rule here.

That's the way.

Why?

Because God is the chief shepherd.

He runs his church.

That's the design.

If you've ever been into a church where the deacon makes all the decisions, they've given

too much power, that's not their job and responsibility.

Believe me, if you were to ask our deacons how much work it takes to care for the needs

of the people and to steward God's money, that's more than enough.

That's a lot.

And I think they would agree.

Amen, deacons?

Now likewise, deacons must be dignified.

Semnas is the word here, respected for character and honorable, not double-tongued.

Dialogos, or logos, dialogue-os, meaning saying one thing to one person and something different

to another, not being consistent with their word.

That's important.

You go to someone, you know, they need groceries.

You go, we're going to give you, they got two kids, husband and wife, we're going to

give you $200 for groceries.

Their pantry is empty.

Next family comes in, happen to like them a little bit better.

Same issue, two kids, husband and wife, pantry is empty.

We're going to give you $500.

No!

That's not right distribution.

That's not fairness.

That's not being a person of honor and character.

That's why you can't be double-tongued, right?

That's what it's talking about here.

So don't say one thing to one person, another to something different to another.

Be consistent.

Consistency is everything when it comes to the care and to the stewardship of God's stuff.

The greatest stewardship we have is not just the money.

It's His people.

I have said this over and over again.

God will provide the money.

You better take care of His people.

Now not addicted, the word here, given to, controlled by, much whine.

Isn't that interesting?

Not greedy for dishonest gain.

In other words, not because you're trying to take money.

They must hold the mystery.

They must embrace and keep the Christian truths of God, of the faith with a clear conscience,

free from guilt, living rightly.

And let them also be tested.

Daikimazo, examine, prove, scrutinized.

That's why we do what we do.

We do the same thing with the elders.

We do the same thing with the deacons.

We scrutinize.

Notice it says let them be tested first before they become a deacon.

Then let them serve.

Dekanaeo means to serve as deacons.

If they prove themselves blameless, unaccused, unreproachable.

Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers.

The word slanderers here is interesting.

Diabolos is the word here.

It's the same word, or a word that comes from, you guessed it, devil.

In other words, don't be prone to slander or a false accuser.

Be sober minded, not controlled by wine, clear headed, faithful in all things.

Faithful in all things.

Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children in their own households

well.

For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great

confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

So why is Timothy talking here in the church as if it's just the men who are deacons?

Because the men weren't doing anything here.

Can you imagine you're roughly around 19 years old and you've been called by God to shepherd

a church in Ephesus, or the church in Ephesus, and the men are not being busy?

It's not by accident that God calls Timothy to do this.

His father is gone.

He's passed away.

He was raised by two women, his mother and his grandmother.

And he had the responsibility to be the man of his house.

He understood what it meant and Paul was holding him accountable.

Third principle, God commands elders and deacons to manage their households.

God has given us the example we must follow himself.

When we as deacons and elders have an example we must follow Jesus Christ himself, the chief

shepherd.

Look what it says in Philippians 1.27, only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel

of Christ so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are

standing firm in one spirit with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the

gospel.

The reason why we are to manage our households well is because it sets an example to a world

that desperately needs to see how God's people are with each other.

First Timothy 3.14-15, I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you

so that all these things that we have heard, all these things, chapter 1, chapter 2, going

into 3, all of these things, he writes, notice what it says, if I delay, you may know, eedle

is the word here, well known, acknowledge how, the word here is pos, in what way, so

let me say it this way, that you may know well and acknowledge in what way you must

live, you ought to, it is necessary, there is a need of, it behooves you, it is right

and proper on how you should behave, how you should walk, conduct one's selves in Christ

like character, in the household of God, oikos, when we think about how we should be living

with each other, how we should be setting the example, how we should be purposing to

walk side by side with each other, to serve with each other, this is how a household works,

there are times when my kids don't want to, they are 19, don't want to have to do dishes,

but we live in the house together, sometimes I am busy, sometimes mom is busy, it means

it requires that you step up, same idea here, we work together, we live with and among each

other, so if, Paul is saying if I delay, you, I write you these things so that you may know,

that you may acknowledge in what way it is necessary, it is right and proper for you

to walk and conduct yourself in Christ like manner, in the household, in the family of

God, which is the church of the living God, not just any church, the word living means

he is and be's, he is always, he be's, that is what that word living means, this is not

just something you do on Sunday, this is a family and we must walk with each other and

conduct ourselves with one another in a Christ like character because you are part of the

household, why is this important, because the church of the living God is a pillar,

a column, a buttress, a, to make firm and stable of the truth, when the church is out

of kilter, when the church is not living in the way she should, she is not a pillar that

holds the roof up of a coliseum, she is not the stable firm foundation that is necessary

so that pillar does not fall over, look at our country, our country is in the shambles

it is because the church is not the pillar and the buttress of the truth, we have accommodated

lies, and we have stuck our head in the sand in the lies that continue to happen, I am

not going to get on that soap box right now, I will not today, and what is left with us,

it is interesting that Paul goes through this and he gives us this one statement right at

the very end, what is the purpose of all of this, why should we walk in a way that is

Christ like character, the Pauline confession, and as a matter of fact God gives his own

confession, well the Pauline confession is God's confession, but either way he says something

very similar in a very short concise statement to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 6,

4, here O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one, great indeed we confess a common confession

by consent of all we agree on this statement without wavering, is the mystery of godliness,

what is the mystery of godliness, here it is that he was manifest in the flesh, who

was manifest in the flesh, the God of all creation, the I am, the Alpha Omega, the everlasting

to everlasting, the always was and always will be, and the one who is to come, this

God manifest in the flesh, vindicated by the spirit, why, because he was resurrected, proven

that he is God over and over and over again, he didn't have to, but he did, seen by angels,

proclaimed among the nations and still proclaimed among the nations, because the devil has lost,

he is hindered, locked up, put away, because every nation is hearing the gospel, he is

no longer deceiving the nations, proclaimed among the nations and even till this day,

and is believed on in the world, and then lastly he was taken up in glory, he sits at

the right hand of God the father, he is the authority, he is in charge, he is the judge

and he will judge everything, every dead, every living, they will be judged, every one

of us, why is this important, because why would we be so quick to walk away from that

confession, that being said, I think we will end it with that, father I want to thank you

so much for your faithfulness and goodness, to you be honor and glory forever, we praise

you and thank you that you were manifest in the flesh, vindicated by the spirit, seen

by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory, and one

day you will as you have promised come back for us your people, to you be honor and glory

forever in Jesus name, Amen.