The God-Qualified Pastor, p.3

Take your Bibles go to first Timothy chapter 3 as we go back to our preaching through this New Testament book. This is a book written by the apostle Paul to his associate Timothy. He has left Timothy at the local church in Ephesus and he's writing this letter to fully discuss our brother further disciple him and how the church is to be structured and how she's the function we call it beautifying the broad local church is the bride of Christ know one day all the churches will be gathering the one glorious universal church. But that's when the Lord returns right now the church is a local church.

I local visible body of baptized believers and that's what we are's reflector to the show so we can take this holy authoritative and Eric word of God and particularly this writing to Timothy and find out for ourselves how we are to fashion and to function so that we might as a church show forth Christ, we might be an extension of him made a statement of him.

His bride that is to the world and that's exactly what the song says we just signed. May we be what we ought to be as local churches that his face might be clearly seen as you do what you're supposed to do in small groups as you do what you're supposed to do in dying to yourself and being humbling and promoting the unity and the cooperation of the church as you do your role in sharing the gospel ministering to one another, etc. etc. then we become a beautiful picture of Christ wisdom and power and beauty to the world. That's the way you set it up so this book is so very important to what we are all about and we come to chapter 3, and that this is actually part three of the series of messages and that an elder is a qualified I God qualified I should say pastor is a gaunt God qualified pastor and I would not know I and that was, he must be blameless. It is moral character.

We saw all of those things spelled out… Read it together in verses one and two. First Timothy three is a trustworthy statement. If any man aspires to the office of overseer you could say pastor or elder interchangeable words. It is a fine work he desires to do verse two and overseer then must be above reproach in here are these moral characteristics, the husband of one wife to print prudent respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. We Artie looked at all of that now we come to II and we point out that an elder must be blameless, also in his family life blameless in his family life. Not that that word blameless or as some versions translate it be above reproach literally means nothing sticks.

That doesn't mean he's perfect you take a good enough microscope modified.

You will not even need a real good microscope. You can put your church elders under there you'll find things. The point is there's no glaring outward run our pattern of failure in these areas that would disqualify him from being established in that office. So Paul writes to Timothy nieces as your establishing elders in the local church. Remember, he must be blameless in his family life. Look at verse through a written rhythm verse four. He must be one who manages his own household well keeping his children under control with all dignity and then verse five, but as if a man does not know how to manage his own household. How will he take care of the church of God, so home life are the home life is an essential consideration when looking for a man to feel the office of elder.

In other words, his spiritual leadership must be proven at home before he is considered a prospect for being a leader in the church now this would imply generally, not absolutely, but generally needs to be an older man. I don't mean old necessary but old enough to have children and to have absurd his conduct in leading his home and leading his children.

The idea is he's to have a well ordered and properly trained household or is verse five says if he can't do that.

How you gonna will order improperly train the church if he's put in the office of pastor or overseer. Now this is another reminder that the Roman Catholic doctrine of the celibacy of church leadership is not biblically sound. I'm not saying it's absolutely error but the Bible says his conduct in his home life in his marriage is a is an example are preliminary for how well he'll do leading the church. Well, if you forbid marriage than how to go to prove that benefit look at first Timothy chapter 4 door chapter. Look at verse 174 one Paul writes to Timothy and says the Spirit explicitly says that in latter times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons will be an ever increasing tendency for the wicked one to bring false, unsound doctrine or teaching into the church.

What kind of teaching with the speed verse three men who forbid marriage and advocate abstain from foods is God's dream to be greatly shared by those who believe and know the truth. He's is one of the things that's common among these false teachers is they'll tell you that you can't be right with God.

If you're married Hartley still say you can't be really spiritual unless you're celibate and have no marriage partner is totally unscriptural. Here Paul tells Timothy look look for a man who's going a good job in his household.

Not perfect. I remember studying John MacArthur's commentary on this and he talks about the time he was in a furniture store with his wife and children and they were trying to pick up some furniture there obviously some disagreement about the furniture.

He walkouts it only hope I have heard our witness for Christ today. Well that's true of all of us is not, but as a pattern of life. I think Dr. MacArthur's is fully qualified to be an elder in the church so the nature of the leadership is verse four that he manages his home. That's the word in the new American Standard who manages his own household well you could translate the word management rule and it is translated in other places. Rule it means to print side it means to have authority over or to stand before once again, we remind ourselves that even in the Southern Baptist convention. How quickly Southern Baptists are getting slick and slippery and slimy on something one of those things is male headship.

We've got a woman or two. That's kind of spouting that they ought to be in the pulpit and they don't to be preaching well. Once again he is the man's leadership in the home parallels male leadership in the church. This is affirmed over and over in the Scriptures so he's to manage well our rule well the elders ability to rule the church is affirmed by his ability to manage and rule in the home. So that's the nature he's to manage or to rule over persons home to be supported also to the church now the quality of his leadership. The word here is, well, he's to manage well the word well here is K Lawson Calo's is not the word afterthoughts were negative thoughts just literally means inherently good or morally good living close that the Calo's means aesthetically good. It's a beautiful thing you can look at the man's family far from perfect, but it has a beauty to it the way the children behave the way the wife honors her husband the way the children are taught to be respectful and courteous and and up right in their conduct, so he is a has an inherently inherent goodness, but it has a beauty to it. As you observe it in the area specifically that's mentioned in verse four not only manages and rules. Not only is it that you do it well. It has up a moral beauty and an aesthetic beauty but also he keeps his children under control with all dignity. This is a military parades under control. It means submission. They line up under it means they live under his authority is children are to be lined up under him respectfully controlled and discipline we do not adhere to the modern liberal progressive concepts that children are to be let to do basically what they want to do less we warp them in somewhat null, sometimes you need to walk them in some ways you're not going to warp them. If you do it. That's biblical Bible says if you spare the rod use for the child. Obviously, we don't believe in doing this in anger and in a mean-spirited and somehow being a brutal and spirit toward our children. But there's a proper place for firm discipline in the home now. Titus one. Paul writes to Titus. Titus is in the creek and Todd's is trying to straighten up some very troubled. This organizes churches on the island of Crete and Titus adds that a preachers children must be believers now that's a hard thing to put your minds around, exactly what does that mean does it mean if there's one child in the pastor's home is not a believer, the nieces Paul but I don't think so.

I don't think it means believer in the sense of actual regeneration because only the spirit of God can do that. I think it generally means that his children know he's preaching the truth is, children believe that he believes what's right. They have respect for his message and they honor and respect that. Not since he must keep them under control phrase is with all dignity. The idea is that they are up right and they are proper and they are order so crucial.

Leadership is exemplified in the home environment. Think about it. There resolving conflict has to be practice often in the home environment. Building a unity keeping your kids on your team and maintaining love in the good and the bad.

And when you're happy and when you're sad a servant spirit. All of these things are manifested in the home and are a proof if a man is qualified for the office of pastor or elder in the church now. III and only just. Paul pointed Timothy and Elder must be a man who is blameless in his moral character he must be blameless in his family life. And thirdly, he must be blameless in his spiritual maturity blameless in his spiritual maturity. Verse six and not a new convert so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. Another phrase new convert literally in the Greek, means newly planted other words, he must be mature spiritually speaking that one thing we need to remind ourselves is maturity is relative place to place a given example probably none of our elders, including myself, who were voted into the office of elder in this church. What what 25+ years ago. I guess now none of us if we were in the state.

We were spiritually the end if we move us up in time to the day. None of us would qualify to be an elder Mr. because the maturity of the body has has grown. We knew nothing of church discipline. We all became elders. We were just trying to learn. We knew almost nothing of genuine conversion in the genuine preaching the gospel in the evidences of new birth. We were still caught in the jump go through the motions thing in over 97% of the people you baptize fall out of church faithfulness. Over the next year to we knew nothing about personalized strategic omissions that is so essential to all that we are about today Chrysler we knew almost nothing about biblical conflict resolution and holding one another accountable in those areas to to maintain the unity of the church in all the known we could go.

We knew almost nothing about resolving a lot of marital conflicts and it happens and it's quite rare when we have to dismiss someone from the church because they abandon their marriage. But here's what you don't know you don't see the dozens and dozens of marriages whereby we come alongside and intervene and they decide to stay together. Can I get a man there. We didn't know anything about that.

We were trying. We were learning. We were against it, but nobody else is doing it either. But today, when a man comes on his Elder he needs to have a lot of that already under his belt. He needs to have been walking along that are he will be unobvious, which is another word for this phrase not a new convert he wouldn't be able to function.

So these things are relative and and some of the churches we work within the church plants as we help a young man be a pastor there. He could not perhaps be a pastor here because were in a different place, but in that setting. He's one of the more mature one, for example in and in that the city of Corinth. As Paul began to establish elders there. I can assure you those elders would not have qualified, probably in Ephesus is the Corinthian church was so immature and so shallow and so troubled on so many levels. So note the wisdom of God's word. It doesn't give you such a narrow legalism gives you basic principle, so there's good application and offsetting but not a new convert.

That is, he must be blameless in his spiritual character that what he says here in verse six is if you put a new convert and there he can become conceited, literally. The phrase means he could be puffed up puffed up in pride. You know, Paul wrote to the Corinthians in says knowledge of faith up and that's one of the great errors of theological and pastoral training today is we sent men down in classrooms and I study and read and do those endless research of the accident. I got ever get in research and read and research and read and research and read and take those test and we train these men in a classroom and I get tons of knowledge but done nothing as far as pastoring in many cases the actual work. That's what we want to address in our pastoral training Institute we want to teach the proper theology sound doctrine something of Greek and Hebrew church history systematic theology old and New Testament theology but thinks something of those things we want them to grasp how does it work in the church and that is the endless statement from me and all of the world who are pastoring is the statement on never learned that in graduate school. I never was talk this in graduate school. Well, my point is that if Ms. Goodby Elder he needs to be trained and equipped in the big matured and a lot of these things before he's placed in that position. If not he can become conceited or he can become puffed up.

It literally has the idea being wrapped up in smoke that it means more than just puffed up and prod. One scholar points out that it means that he begins to function on things that have no substance.

Smoke has no real sub. He begins to function in a motion and in pragmatism doing things that a more mature man of God would not do. We should be careful but affect one scholar pointed out in this is quite dignified managed on. Interesting that he would use his word.

Because he's prone to do things that are stupid is not my word that this word but I think it's a good work and cannot decide you just get down to brass tacks with rubber meets the road. What's going on in churches today.

I can take you to church in the shoulder area I could take you to churches all over this country that claim to be Bible believing evangelical even Baptist churches and what they do in their church services. Nothing less than stupid is just dumb stuff looks like an immature child put the service together is exactly.

I think what Paul talked about if a man's not season to be doesn't have to maturity it is not broad enough to know what matters he's prone to get into puffed up dusty smoky stuff. Emotion driven sometimes stupid stuff quote make the church better are to help the church out nicely since he knew Jesus church needs no help. He will build his church. He wants us to get in on it with him less. The challenge of the hours and that's what our Baptist forefathers died over but a man if he's too young and Inaba seeking get wrapped up in a false sense of spirituality is thinking becomes clouded. He has proud thoughts and foolish and immature thoughts about church life doctrine and application in the church life. So remind ourselves that a man could be a good teacher will have we seen. I've seen so many young men who are absolutely firecrackers in the pulpit.

They were so gifted and thereby just swooned and wild over them. But my question would be, are they mature. Might be a great teacher, preacher, but are you mature men could be a great teacher, preacher, he could be a great leader.

He could have leadership skills. I had good leadership skills before I was even saved much less spiritual, that's not necessary. What were looking for. He may even be morally blameless. He may be blameless in his whole lot whole life rather but still not qualify simply because relatively he is a new Christian, and the tendency for him is to get swelled up in pride and function with foolish things in his our own foolish things tell you we we are in this age. Today's evangelicalism we are suffering from youth idolatry were making an idol out of the foolishness that's in young people's hearts, and we designed churches and church services to appeal to the fullest, youthful thinking and feelings are like that and that's cool. And that drives me and that makes me want to come back. What is it right. Is it biblical and again the church service looks like a bunch of kids put it together instead of a mature man of God that I think is exactly what Paul is talking about here. So again, there is a relative nature here in some settings. One man may be okay as an elder because the church is just getting on there just starting in this learning thing.

Another church may have been at it for decades and in.net, say, men may not qualify as elder in that Jewish eye has a startling statement here. The last part of verse six about not about human being blameless in his spiritual maturity, i.e. not being a new convert last phrase and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil condemnation that the devil incurred upon himself was this shameful fall. It was a demotion because of his fall, but think about Satan.

He had such a high and honored an esteemed privilege as this prized and the glorious angel in the presence of God and yet in his pride, he didn't want to satisfy with any thought decide what's right for me and I decide what's best for me.

Why should I yield to God and his pride he fail experience a condemnation. So to avoid us exposing a man to that kind of condemnation and shame. We must not place him in spiritual leadership to quickly and it's not out of the interpretive context here today to do, conclude that there is a unique condemnation for men who hold a high office of pastor and miss use it in their prod for their own glory their own gain, or their own popularity. Paul says be careful Timothy Young men are prone, I would say all young men struggle in Rasul and rehab to repent, but he should be growing out of it and not resting units IV must be blameless in his reputation outside of the church. Verse seven and he must have a good reputation with those outside the church so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. A good reputation and inherent goodness Lord reputation in the new American Standard.

Here is the word my cheerio material was the word we get marker from it literally means a certifying testimony that if you talk to the community about him. They might not say he's perfect that they inspire. No pattern of glaring moral are our our lack of character in his life that could be held against him he he he pays his bills. He's not a scoundrel. He keeps his word. He's honest in his dealings. Generally speaking, in the public's and and Paul says if you're not careful you get a man. This learned how to turn it on than the church. He's leaning heavily on his natural gifts and abilities to wow the church but is a man of Lowell are weak character and most of the folks in the community know it. He says he'll fall into the reproach. How does the word of their verse seven so that he will not fall into reproach and snare of the devil.

First, the reproach of the devil. That just means the disgrace we see a couple places where this idea is mentioned in the text. For example, in Romans 224 for the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, just as it is written policy riding in context of the Jewish hypocrites of his day is usually says you guys have gone around flaunting your religion outwardly bringing all of these rules in legalistic loss to bear on everybody you say, but you yourself are flagrantly wantonly violating those same things you date.that you struggle here and there, you're just walking in the lawbreaking you're telling everybody else lay out the key in your causing those who don't even know God.

The blessing the name of God in first Corinthians 51 where Paul writes to the church at Corinth, he says, is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and in route to such account. As is not even exist among the Gentiles, that someone has his father know the world is going to attack God's preacher. The world is going to undermine God's free to the world's going to slander put a spin in a twist on everything God's preacher says. But as you investigate and talk. I can't comment with up with concrete evidence. I can't say he didn't pay this bill. He didn't keep his word. Here's proof he has a blameless reputation outside of the church not quickly let me close with a couple quick thoughts here. I want to go to first Corinthians chapter 4 it'll be on your screen. But let me remind you of who this is written to this is written to an associate apostle if you will, Timothy, and Timothy was responsible for appointing elders in the church as acts 1421 through 23. Remind Zach out this coded verse 23 and Wednesday. That's Paul in his leadership had appointed elders for them in every church. So in the early churches. It was established church leaders who appointed the elders of the pastors for every church now as time goes on. Today the task is left of the standing elders in each church to appoint new elders to venture modified Dr. John MacArthur, who's a mentor to a lot of us have no congregational vote no Congregational nomination. The present elder body just appoints new elders or pastors of the church now were more bad statistic than that, we believe there ought to be more of a congregational role more the democratic process we've always brought it to the church and ask you to give your nominations in the best I remember we have always placed into the office of elder. The folks you gave them the highest nominations to your votes to. And I think that's because you discern like we discern who those men are that God is raising up but not necessarily more godly men unnecessarily gather more blameless than other ministers that they have those quality of those character qualities and they seem to have the gifts and the calling for that role. So we do a IAEA complementarity approach if you will, that the church has a strong voice. We would never play someone that you didn't highly nominate, recommend as a body, and in the elder step in an interview because we would always hold the final decision on that sometimes is a person who has something in their life. No one knows about it and no one makes to know about perhaps but we had mediaman through the saw 30 years or so calm and safe. I know I received these nominations but pastor I just don't think I need to be in that office.

We don't ask which is none of our business.

We disciple price. Lord, that's your discernment.

The nobody needs to know those that information and so the elders have the final clearing on who is finally presented to the church and then the church must vote, place them in office. But the point is that these are God's men placed in the office of elder are pastor by God's leading.

As we follow the teachings of Scripture and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Now I will go to first Corinthians chapter 4 and give you a final reminder.

The church is V. A final reminder for the church and in first Corinthians chapter 4 Paul talks about his own role as a minister and his own position and here's the way says prescriptions for one little men regard us in this manner as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God to stop the as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. So two things I want to bring your mind church number one. Remember your pastor's right what rank position has God given your pastor what Paul says here he's a servant literally the word is sleigh now it's interesting that Paul says this to the church at Corinth. You know why because preacher worship was going on and Kari remember once is why am of Paul. Another would say why us then there was a real spiritual principle, where all of Christ. The preacher worship.

They were they were immature, church, and I began to suggest appreciating maybe the gifts of the built is the factor actually begin to make idols of the special propulsive you know what I am, servant literally the word is a slave. Remember church, your pastor is Christ sleigh, not your slave he's Christ.

It's like you didn't call me to this office, the map reading the elders to their office. God did. We have no right to use worldly criteria to see if someone else is slave qualifies we don't look at popularity are personality our degrees from the graduate school are numbers accumulated in their ministry, the words servant here are slave literally means an under Rourke and referred to the lowest galley slaves in the bottom of the ship. It was the word used in the New Testament for those under the authority of another. We have to remind ourselves that the preacher is an all man, not a hired man. He's not praying contracted out. He's not a business partner.

He's not your employee. He is a slave. He is a galley slave of another. That's his right. He has no rights of his own. Normally a slave. I like to amplify this from texting to you. He's an exclusive slight is the service or the slave of Christ exclusively exclusively. Some churches give their pastor a job description written by some committee, it might be okay for thoroughly biblical. Typically they're not one of our men who joined our church some years ago came from another church and he showed me the job description that the members of the church put together for their next path at all these things, and most of them had nothing to do with Scripture, and even tongue-in-cheek. Should I write one in the bottom as it would have arrived, and he said evangelist letting that winning the loss as a part of his job. A challenge biblical missive. That's blasphemy. What right do you have a slave, the job description you don't own them. Keep your hands off God sleigh is given his manager job description. I think God that this is been the only one you've ever given may pastor be biblical and I've striven with my energies to do just that. How can they exercise authority over another slave. He's the exclusive slave, he answers to only one master and he has a master that requires exclusive allegiance, Jesus didn't tolerate dualism as to who he answers to. As someone has said, if the pastor pleases his master. It does not matter who he displeases. But if the pastor displeases his master. It does not matter who he please. Other voices will call for his allegiance some costs sweetly.

Some call sharply. Some call seductively.

Some are scornfully and with threats but he must turn a deaf ear because he harkens exclusively to one voice. As Dr. Spurgeon used to say this pastorate, I learned to have a blind eye and a deaf ear. If I listen to everybody's every thoughts and desires and plans for my ministry. He said I would turn into morbid introspection to fall into the despair of depression but affect Charles Spurgeon, the most esteemed Baptist preacher, both on the most published preacher of any era. Used to say beneath the castle of despair is a dungeon and that's where I live. Some think this because Spurgeon had sold many railing accusing voices against he was trying to discipline himself to not listen to those voices but listen to his mashed the pastor must be loyal to only one he cannot be bag ball bribed are bullied in the following another he is not for sale because there's nothing to be bought. He's crucified all of his earthly were worth at the feet of his master. He is a dead man.

Galatians 220, completely oblivious to the clambering alluring cause of this world.

Curse him. Our beat him, he will consider it an honor to suffer for his master's sake, kill him, and will be swallowed up in victory ushered into his master's presence glorified in a better servant than he was before preacher is a servant of Christ. The church let me exhort you remember his right, he's a slave of Christ Leslie remember his responsibility pulses of the church at Corinth, where servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God stewards of the mysteries of God. This word steward and this day most commonly referred to a house slave in this house slave had authority over all of his master's belongings, including the material properties and the other slaves, whether it be the fields the vineyards the finances the foods the other servants he had authority over all of it. But listen only on behalf of the master who owned it all steward of somebody else's property. Paul your system. We ministers are stewards of the mysteries of God.

Remember when you find that phrase mysteries of God and in the New Testament particularly refers to the things the Jews did not yet see in the New Testament air. God has now unveiled and made obvious that is Christ the gospel of Christ and the New Testament church.

That's the mystery that God would say, through his son Jesus Christ.

Those from all peoples, tongues, tribes and nations would form local churches all over the world. I know churches would grow and mature and reach others and played more local churches until the day came when the master would return you get all of his children together in one final glorified universal church. That's the mysteries of God. He said were stewards of what used to be hidden. Jews didn't grasp all of this I rejected Jesus, they didn't get it now is been unveiled also that another way. Galatians 270s that we have been entrusted with the gospel the ministers to be all about the person of Christ. The work of Christ, converting others to Christ and the conduct of the converted in the local churches. That's the mystery of God now unveiled that he is a responsible steward over pastors. This fits the provision of the master. We are not originators of the truth were only dispensaries we dispense it to others.

Luke one. Two ministers are called servants of the word. First Corinthians 916. The Bible says we are to be slaves to the word and we are to build our ministry on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, which means the finished canon of Scripture, i.e. the New Testament. So God says through Paul to Timothy. There are, God called men for the office of pastor and and there are God qualified men and we looked at all of the qualification and I ended with the six rotation prescriptions for remember his rank.

He's Christ, slave in his responsibility as the Masters work gospel converting the loss, establishing churches, the true church is for the glory of God that you've been told nothing new this morning things we all need to listen Renu in our hearts, renewing a heart's because as we look at these truths we see once again the great wisdom and the beauty of God including his church together way only he could