Pastors and People (Part 1 of 2)

When Paul wrote his first letter to the believers in Thessalonica instructed the church leaders and those who were a part of the assembly to work together toward a common goal. In doing so Paul gives us a current day model for our local churches as well. This is Truth for Life and today Alastair beg presents his first message in a series about ministry in the local church. The series is called the pastor's study. First Thessalonians chapter 5 reading from verse 12 now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you who are over you in the Lord and who admonished you hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work, live in peace with each other and we argue brothers warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

Be joyful always pray continually give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not put out the Spirit's fire. Do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything.

Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.

May God himself, the God of peace sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the one who calls you is faithful and he will do brothers pray for us.

Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you on then before we turn to the Bible we turn to God in prayer.

Let us all pray are great and gracious God, we bow humbly before you asking now that you will accomplish the purposes that you have planned for our time of study this morning that is returned to the Bible that the spirit of God will be our teacher that we might hear your word is from yourself and not from the lips of a mere man we pray that in hearing that we might understand by your enabling. We might put it into practice and as a result, we may may be better enabled to serve you in the week that lies ahead. Hear our prayers. Oh God, for Jesus sake.

We ask it. Amen. Well, today is a special and important day for us as a church family because this evening part of our service will be taken up with the ordination of one of the members of our pastoral team. And tonight, in the context of our service. My remarks will be addressed largely to him. And so, in light of that, and in order to set it in a wider context, I determined that it would be important are fitting for us this morning. I had to set the scene in some measure for what happens tonight. It will also approved to be helpful to those who perhaps are visiting or who have recently come around Parkside and have questions about our understanding of the nature of church government and of leadership and so on. The context of our study this morning. As you will see his first Thessalonians 5 I've turned there somewhat arbitrarily, but purposefully because here towards the end of this letter, Paul is issuing a whole series of practical instructions and in the verses that we read. You can see that he has instruction concerning what we might refer to as the tolling that is represented in the fellowship and congregation in Thessalonica. If you went there and you got a sense of it.

If you got a feel of the place if you said what is the vibe in Thessalonica, and Paul is encouraging them to make sure that it is marked by three things that the vibe would be joyful that it would be prayerful and that it would be thankful.

In verses 14 and 15. He has instructions concerning the way that the fellowship would relate to one another and so that the idol would be warned, the timid would be encourage the week would be helped and everybody would be patient with each other and they wouldn't be holding vendettas and paying back wrong for wrong is no surprise then that at the outset of those two expectations comes this instruction regarding the leadership and response to leadership in the church family. Indeed, when you read first Thessalonians 5 and you realize how many times he uses the word brothers which might with in most occasions be translated brothers and sisters, you realize that he does regard God's people as a family and it is one of the many metaphors in the New Testament of what it means to be part of God's people that to be made. Members of God's family is to become part of a community that is far larger than ourselves that extends beyond the boundaries of the local congregation that indeed reaches throughout the entire world and it is represented both on earth and in heaven. Those who have Herod the word of truth. Those who have responded and those who have been added to those whom Christ has saved another may be specific circumstances that are in Paul's mind that he doesn't mention as to why it is that he urges respect for leadership, but it also is possible that he is simply reflecting the essential importance of respect for leadership in all and every circumstance and no army can function without it, no orchestra can function without it, no sports team can function without it, no nuclear family can get on without it. I know church family can possibly hope to make progress if they disregard what the Bible has to say concerning these things are quite simply this morning I want us to consider.

First of all, the activity of the leaders and then the attitude of the members are three things that are urged upon the leaders and three things that are arched upon the members. First of all, then the activity of the leaders, these individuals who are working hard, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. In other words, these are the elders or the pastors of the church.

We do well perhaps remind ourselves that Luke records for as in acts 17.

The arrival of Paul in Thessalonica on the first instance and indeed if you wanted to change it.

I would just go to court you might want your eyes to scan it, but in acts chapter 17 and in verse one we have the record of Paul along with Silas arriving in Thessalonica and Luke tells us verse two of acts 17. That is his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue and on three Sabbath days.

He reasoned with them from the Scriptures explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead speaking to these Jewish people concerning the Messiah and then once he has shown them from the Old Testament Scriptures that Christ is not only a king and a prophet but also a suffering servant.

He then told him this Jesus, I am proclaiming to you is none other than the Christ, the Messiah. As a result of that Luke tells us in verse four. Some of the Jews were persuaded as and also enjoying Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women and that is a record of the establishing of the church in Thessalonica. Now some 50 years have elapsed, were in the middle of the first century and by this time the eldership leadership has been established in this congregation. If you read the acts carefully discover that one of the things that Paul and his colleagues did after the had seen the establishing of the church was often to backtrack to come around a second time and to ensure the proper eldership was put in place and for example when he writes to Titus, he says to Titus. The reason I left you in Ephesus. Titus chapter 1 and in verse six was to straighten out all the things that still are to be done and to appoint elders, so that the leadership might be in place in order that God's people might function properly and this you find by reading all the way through the New Testament and you discover that the eldership of the church comprises some receive remuneration, and others who don't. That is part of the pattern here Parkside.

We have elders here who are teachers, and engineers and salesmen and lawyers and doctors and dentists and they go about their business every day and they also are bearing the burdens of prayer teaching and of responding to people's pastoral concerns others office had been set free from our daily labors in that respect, in order that we might be those who labor or who work in the word and in doctrine. In other words, were not paid to preach but where paid in order that we might preach, and in order that we might be diligent in understanding the Bible and then sharing it with others, and you find that distinction in first Timothy chapter 5 and in verse 17 note the New Testament pattern, and you can examine this and ensure that what I'm saying is accurate. The New Testament pattern is clearly one, in which Jesus the chief Shepherd has delegated to under shepherds to pastors and to elders the responsibility of caring for the flock which he has purchased with his own blood. It is to these individuals that the responsibility of the congregation is in trust. In other words, in this respect. Such men are responsible for the congregation not to the congregation that is the phraseology that they are all over you in the Lord because they are responsible for you. I don't misunderstand this one level. All of us are responsible to one another under Christ. After all, the ground, as has been said is flat at the cross we, as male and female and is bonded slavers from different backgrounds and we share together.

The wonder of God's grace we are brothers and sisters in Christ, and as a result, we exhort one another and we encourage one another. So while all of us are responsible to Jesus.

Not all of us are made responsible for others who are in Jesus and that is the responsibility of eldership or of pastoring in a local congregation that those of us who been interested in this local fellowship with that responsibility, bearing the burden enjoy the privilege of recognizing that we look after God's people as man, this is Hebrews 1317 who must give an account and we are accountable one day to Christ. When we face in. We are accountable every day to the Bible and all of the exercise of leadership and all of the encouragements that may come from leadership to the congregation must be grounded in governed by framed by substantiated by the authority and the truth of the Bible. Any authority that is given to the leaders of the church is an authority which is grounded in the Scriptures, it is not an authority on the basis of personality. It is not of known authority on the basis of credentials. It is only the authority of Scripture itself and that is why there can be nothing that is high minded, or heavy-handed or autocratic when it comes to leadership in the church. With that said notice briefly the three expectations that are given here. We ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, what is the leadership do well first of all, the leadership works are is a little reminder this is a nudge in the ribs.

I think to the leaders in Thessalonica.

After all, the letter would be read out the elders in the church would be sitting listening and as it was read out one of the elders wife would nudge him and say see your supposedly working very hard here. This is not a picnic that you've come to this is not a leisure time pursuit.

This is supposed to really you to really you and the word here for labor or for work hard copy onto S is a word that is variously used in the New Testament by Paul. For example he uses it to refer to his own tent making in chapter 2 and verse nine he uses it to refer to the work of a farmer in first Timothy chapter in second Timothy two and verse six he uses it to refer to the preaching and teaching ministry in first Timothy five and verse 17.

In other words, he is reminding both the people and the leaders that the exercise of pastoral ministry is work if it is going to be executed properly and effectively. It is demanding it is demanding to take seriously the responsibilities to be prepared to lead God's people to feed God's people to warn God's people to watch over God's people. All of that is were, despite the fact that it is quite common to suggest that the minister of the pastor works only one day a week. Nevertheless, such a notion cannot be found in the pages of the New Testament and are not to be found. As a result of spending time certainly if anyone of us here at Parkside. Secondly, who are over you in the Lord. Work hard and you are over you in the Lord. In other words, the exercise leadership. They do so as men who are over others, but they are under Christ, and it is the fact that they are under Christ to give an account that gives them the characteristic of leadership because really good leadership is not about authority or credentials.

It was about humility. It was not about power. It was about gentleness when you read this phraseology here, you read it wrong. We read it wrong. If we take the phrase who are over you in the Lord somehow in a way that is regarded as autocratic, authentic servant leadership demands management.

You cannot leave without managing things.

Ultimately, a pastor is not a manager but a pastor must know how to manage an elder is not called to read management consultant books, but an elder will do well to read management consultant.

What because you have to manage things where other chairs going on.

Many chairs are there, I will. The will the walls be pulled back or will the wall stand for the Christmas Eve services. How many policemen do you need out there, given the fight the petty one rotor shutting down next week. All of these things are practical details or as a relates to the life of the congregation.

Somebody has to manage this in the same whether you have to manage your family if you don't manage your family is chaos. And of course the mismanagement of family life is, therefore, is old to see, not least of all of the present time. As young mothers and young fathers, despising the instruction of the Bible concerning what it means to respect for authority, and so on are are in the process of trying to carve out an entirely new landscape for themselves and is quite amazing to watch as asthma young mothers. I have one in mind this week I started a cell phone in one ears you have eaten bowl of cereal in the other and she had a small son by the hand and it was clear that the small son was in charge of the month because she could neither complete a phone call nor into the spoon nor either cereal and she was just following young Rodney all around where you want to go now, Rodney.

Oh dear. Let's have a talk about this. What shall we do next, long they just needed manage is needed, manage it needed shouted that he didn't need abuse. He just needed manage and that's why in the New Testament there is a constant correlation from the lesser to the greater to the management of those are under our care to the framework of interpersonal relationships in the nuclear family to the exercise of those responsibilities in the framework of the church and the greatest joys and physical parenting are not in issuing orders but in establishing the parameters so that our children might grow up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and the same is true in terms of if you like spiritual parenting or fatherhood or leadership within the church. Notice that you are to recognize that this is in the Lord who are over you in the Lord. Less than one of the unique things about the church isn't that you have people in the church family who in every other dimension of life may well be over.

The eldership in terms of managerial skills in terms of intellectual capacity in terms of financial acumen, but this over you is in the Lord.

In other words, it is within the framework of Christian relationships.

It is as it relates to the matters of spiritual life. And thirdly who admonish you who work hard among you who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.

In other words, who seek to keep you on the path that's really what it means to admonish is nothing negative in the word except the warning aspect of it all don't go there. That's too close to the edge or don't read that that's a waste of your time. So don't listen to this person, they'll tell you the wrong things the same thing again is apparent delighted to see your children walking in the truth and that is hard work. Hence, there is leadership. Hence, there is admonishment and Paul gives is the flavor of that kind of admonishment when he describes his relationship with the Ephesian elders in acts chapter 20 and he says I never failed night and day to admonish every one of you with tears in my eyes. In other words, is not heavy-handed's. His brother leanness is big brother leanness is a brother caring for his smaller brother or for his younger brother or for his sister's, and who is exercising the responsibility for leadership tenderly and as a result, unwilling to shame the person firm will firmly and as a result, unwilling to compromise with error or with danger tendered enough so as not to shame.

Those who are under our care firm enough so as not to allow those under our care to wander into my past medical and as in family relationships.

So in the church getting that balance is absolutely crucial. We are just getting started in a brand-new series from Alastair Begg series is titled, the pastor's study Truth for Life.

We have an annual tradition we observe pastor appreciation month during the month of October and with that in mind, were focusing on this important series not only for pastors but for anyone who is a part of a local church, by the way, did you know that Alastair has written a book for pastors, along with his mentor like Derek prime. This is a comprehensive book on leading a congregation covers a wide range of topics. It's rich with practical wisdom from two seasoned pastors that this book would make a great gift for your pastor. The book is called on being a pastor. You can purchase a copy of our cost without any markup@truthforlife.org/store teaching what the Bible says about pastoral leadership and respecting our church leaders is right in line with our mission of truth for our mission is to teach the Bible with clarity and relevance so that unbelievers will be converted.

Believers will be established in their faith and local churches will be strengthened today were offering and engaging book as our way of saying thanks when you support truth for written by pastor and blogger Tim Charlies. The book is called epic and around the world journey through Christian history we've never featured a book quite like this before. It's unique because it's the product of Tim's three year trip around the world, where he visited more than 80 museums on this tour. He collected photographs of artifacts that belong to believers from the past and each one tells a story about Christian history. For instance, you will be fascinated to learn about items like Spurgeon's preaching rail Billy Graham's traveling pulpit John Calvin's chair.

These artifacts symbolize a legacy of God's faithfulness will enjoy reading your copy of epic, it's yours. When you include a donation today it comes to you with our thanks and if you'd like can see a sample of the book online@truthfor.org or call us at 888-588-7884 if you prefer to send your contribution in the mail right to Truth for Life at PO Box 39, 8000, Cleveland, OH 44139 it's so important for us to hear the apostle Paul's words to the believers in Thessalonica about the importance of the local church. Whether you attend a healthy church or church that has started to lose its way. I'm Bob Lapine hoping you can join us again tomorrow as we dig deeper into this passage written especially for pastors and those who follow this daily program features the Bible teaching of Alastair Begg and it's furnished by Truth for Life. Learning is for Living