Leaders in the Local Church

You have a healthy church, you need strong leaders, but pastors and elders should always lead with humility and with a sense of shared responsibility, even within their strengths today on Truth for Life. Alastair Ben continues a series on church leadership called the pastor's study looking today at first Peter five or the apostle gives helpful instruction to leaders in the local church.

There is nothing actually more important than the question of the leadership of a church and no church can assume that it will safely make the transition from one generation to the next unless it takes peculiar care in making sure that those who are set apart to those responsibilities are marked not simply by the characteristics described in the New Testament, but by their understanding of Christian doctrine and the place afforded to them because church history makes it clear that the church of Jesus Christ does not and will not progress beyond the spiritual progress of its leaders, and that's why the New Testament places a very high value on leadership itself, and when you read your Bible, you realize that the story of the New Testament is the story of how the good news of the gospel penetrated the communities of the time. As a result of the preaching of the apostles and as the apostles preached people were converted and became the followers of Jesus, and having become the followers of Jesus. They gathered in fellowship with one another and as he gathered in fellowship with one another and began to read. Initially the Old Testament Scriptures, and to ask how they were going to a functioning going forward, the apostles, both by their practice, and by preset made it perfectly clear that leadership was absolutely vital note when we read here in first Peter chapter 5, we were at the end of Peter's letter a letter that he had written to the scattered believers of his day. Those he refers to as the elect exiles of the dispersive in all of these places, Pontus, Galatia Dozier Asia Bithynia you can still take a map Annapolis and look at it and find these places, albeit with a new and more contemporary name and what happened was that they, as I see had understood themselves in an entirely different way. Whereas previously they may have identified themselves, particularly by dint of their background, their ethnicity, their their abilities. There their tasks in life, and so on. Because that's the way people get together, as noted by and large the people like to do CrossFit go to CrossFit. The people who don't don't the people who like to visit the library and sit around deep into the afternoon pondering things are a special group as well.

But this is not what is happening in the Christian community because in the Christian community you find some of these library people and some of these CrossFit people. How in the world that they bump into one another. While it was not the library and I wasn't in the gym where was it while it was actually the communion table or the communion table. You mean the sort of place where community is really express yes exactly as he bumped into each other they were doing something very strange. They were all sitting together in a group and listening to a monologue, but that doesn't happen hardly anywhere in the entire Western world, but think about the group looker sitting here what is this what Peter tells us first Peter 29. He says you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. He sees using all these Old Testament pictures as relates to the people of God and he's doing in his letter. What Paul is doing elsewhere.

He's magnifying the wonder of the flag that in Jesus, God has taken to if you like and made one new man out of the two, and it is in that context that they find themselves whether they are among the educated group or the less educated. Whether they have come from the same ethnic background as they find themselves singing the same songs, singing the Psalms together submitting to the Scriptures together and looking to the Lord together. I would is in that context, and in that community that the principles of church leadership are then worked out. And when we asked the question and find the answer in the Bible. How is the church to function, then we can be in absolutely no doubt the pattern throughout acts is that men and women wear converted churches were established and elders were appointed and that's why here we read first Peter chapter 5 I exhort the elders among you. He says I'm really a fellow elder as well.

And here's is what I have to say to you now in this section is not dealing with the qualifications of the elders he's dealing.

If you like with the administration of eldership you can read the qualifications in first Timothy three and elsewhere that is not my brief this morning I want to give you just for words concerning this leadership is first of all ministry that is clearly and obviously pastoral. You will notice here in the opening couple of verses of first Peter five what I can point out to you from the strength of my Greek New Testament and died is that in his terminology here Peter is using words interchangeably to establish the nature of this pastoral leadership and what you find in first Peter you also find in the writer of the Hebrews and in Hebrews chapter 13, he says. Remember those leaders and that he says what they did was they spoke a word of God to you. What are the elders do they speak the word of God to another that is not the pastor of the pastors is one of the elders. All the elders should be able to speak the word of God to that doesn't mean the speak it from here, but it means if you address them. They will be able to turn to the Scriptures with you and being apt to teach. They spoke the word of God to you and by speaking the word of God to you to give you leadership. So if you like. Here's the deal.

They are, they are both to feed you and to lead you further down in the passage he says that you should be aware of the fight that they keep watch over your souls. And as Peter is said here, the manner in which this is to take place is both challenging and at the same time helpful there to exercise this oversight noticed three noughts and that about not under compulsion, but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly not domineering over those in your charge by being examples to the floor very important. Isn't because he's already said that whoever desires the office of an overseer. Paul has at least a desires a noble task but then you have the civil why would I like to be an elder. Why would I be prepared to allow somebody to entrust me with this privilege I need to check myself against these areas. At least it because I I want to just domineering dominate to. I think there's a way that I can use this assessment mechanism for four gain. I'm actually willing to do this now, all those questions are very important questions because the leadership is pastoral, but secondly it is accountable you see the elder who takes this calling seriously lives under the constant pressure of knowing is Peter says here that the chief Shepherd verse four is going to appear. There will be an unfading crown of glory. Okay well is very encouraging. I like that.

Something to anticipate but when he appears, we will give an account.

They keep watch over your souls, as men who give an account. We all give an account to one another. There's a mutual accountability that exists within the body of Christ. But this is talk about something different. You see what the New Testament is teaching is not some form of democracy, certainly not of autocracy, such as in a hierarchical structure but is teaching theocracy. In other words, that God mediates his rule through the singularity of his son, who is the chief Shepherd by the Holy Spirit, by means of the Bible so that the people of God are sutured under the word of God. They are led by the word of God.

They are committed to the word of God, they realize the importance of the word of God. That is why we do what we do, why is it that week that we continue to work through the Bible again and again. How long are you going to give during this forever and ever. For as long as we have breath. Why, because the future of the church depends upon it. In the absence of the leading and feeding of the people of God by those who been set apart to the task is obvious to see and tragically so that's why Paul in first Corinthians 4 when he's thinking along these lines. He says quite helpfully we should really be regarded simply as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God, and remember is required of stewards that they be found faithful not necessarily successful, but with me is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human cord. In fact I don't even judge myself. My conscience is clear.

That doesn't make me innocent.

It is the Lord who judges me. So when you see that when that when the descriptor say that the keyboard shall be as many must give an account not talking here about an account to you whether you like the sermon he thought it was too long and short with you like the personality of the elder with you like the way the baptism happened with anything that that's fine we can have all those conversations and more beside know is something far more significant than all of the words spoken from the pool will give an account every private counsel, you will give an account every time you just did with the Bible instead of being serious, you will give an account every time you presented to someone what you would not live by yourself, you will give an account and who will give an account those to whom is entrusted the leadership love wants to understand what were doing when we set apart people to the leadership positions in our church.

It is not only pastoral and accountable.

But it is plural is plural, and after leaving to work. Much of this out for yourself.

You can go and find it is not difficult to find, but the chief Shepherd namely Jesus appoints under shepherds to lead his flock by the crew of his word. So it's his flock and it is his word that is the crew by which we both correct and exhort and encourage and so on and because this is doesn't fall to an individual, but it falls to a group, it's important to realize that the requirements are shared requirements is not a distinction of standard for one who does something and the other one we don't really have to know the requirements are shared, the privileges are shared and the responsibilities are shared, but that is not the same as saying that everybody in the local church eldership is equally gifted because that's clearly not the case. We know that if you took any group of people out of the congregation. Justin as as a random sampling, you would find there is diversity among them.

So the sense of equality that is enjoyed, under God, the sense of equality and mutuality that is part of a shared responsibility does not set apart the diversity in gifting so that when we say that the elders are on a par with one another that we would never consider them in isolation from one another, were not saying that they can all do everything because they can. None of us can do everything. That's why team is so important.

But when we read the Bible when we read the Gospels, we realize that there are always leaders among leaders you take 11 boys and put them all together with with a soccer ball and leave them for a while, they will choose a cat that will become apparent. And so Jesus called 12 but then we know Peter, James and John.

They were the ones on the Mount of Transfiguration and so when we think in terms of plurality of leadership we need to recognize to that. There is a distinction and function. The distinction actually which the New Testament itself pays attention to first Peter chapter 5 in verse 17 that the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor and then here's the distinction, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. None if you take are eldership of the church.

Not everybody labors and in preaching and teaching. Some of us do, but I think equally, most don't.

The distinction then does not elevate the person's stature before God, or even actually before the congregation I will there's a residue might like to think that is the case, but no, I don't think we can say that from the New Testament and is very very important because there is a peculiar temptation that is involved in being entrusted with the privilege of doing the preponderance of the teaching from the Bible is a devastating thing but it also is a very opportunistic thing. What then will protect the person who has the balance of the Bible at his fingertips and on his legs from becoming an arrogant, tyrannical, domineering, autocratic rascal. The corrective is billed in into the eldership itself so that it is the responsibility and privilege of the elders together to make sure that none of his ends up in that position so that although somebody may be able to lead with a kind of persuasive zeal those individuals of the same time need to be obviously subject to their fellow elders because their fellow elders are equally responsible to God to whom they will give an account and part of what it will give an account for is making sure that none of their number, whoever they might be ends up in the domineering position so as pastoral as accountable as plural and finally and obviously it's spiritual it's spiritual is always spiritual white. Why do so few people pray while it's a spiritual issue. Why is the saying, rather poor, while it's a spiritual issue. While the numbers diminishing. Well, it's a spiritual issue. Why does there seem to be a lack of interest in X or Y axis. It is always a spiritual issue using is not an organization monitoring for the club together.

This is the church for which Jesus shed his own blood.

This is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ in a particular location and what then is the responsibility and role of the congregation well again.

Hebrews helps us, what are we to do while we are to love the leaders who spoke the word of God. We are to consider the outcome of their way of life and where to imitate their faith wonderfully helpful resident. In other words, how is this thing working out for them that they are telling us all about it making a difference in their life's not making a difference in their life and we we can be sure that there really telling us the word of God and what should we imitate their personality or whatever nonowner we should imitate their faith with other than the fact that when difficulty in darkness comes when danger overwhelms us when we lose loved ones when we ourselves are struck by this and by that point, where are these characters are they telling us again that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

While yes they are and I want to remember them. I want to consider and I want further down in the chapter to obey them and submit to them why because I really like them. No, because they're keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. So this idea of submission is difficult but it is clear it doesn't overturn the mutual submission that is to be part and parcel of our relationships with each other and the right of the Hebrews is not urging some kind of mindless obedience as of the way, is often portrayed while Leonard is going to take my brain out and listen to that nonowner. He's already said in verse nine do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings keep thinking keep taking your Bible to church. Keep reading your Bible, and the life group keep making sure that the leadership of the church is exercising the rule which is the sole role of the singular rule of Christ's reign of Christ by the Holy Spirit through the Bible that is not a personality issue. This is not a peculiar idea. No, the submission that is called for to do is to the rule that is exercised in the name of Jesus by the direction of Jesus and by the rule of his word and if and when leadership in the church. The parts from those biblical guidelines than it is June, neither obedience or submission is for this reason that the leaders are identified as those who taught the word of God to you Newton in the 18 century says to his congregation in the morning.

I counted my honor and happiness that I preach to a free people who have the Bible in their hands to your Bibles I appeal.

I entreat, I charge you to receive nothing upon my word any further than I can prove it from the word of God and bring every preacher and every sermon that you hear to the same standard structure alone is like a body without breath.

That is why spiritual application of these biblical principles is foundational, having just come from the other side of the ocean and seeing how easily and how quickly traditions within even what were good local churches can become the basis of arc of a form of fossilization. I want to say to you again that if you care about church not today.

If you care about church, should the Lord not return 1020, 30 years from now understand something the election to the Supreme Court of the United States of America is nothing in comparison to the election of local leadership in a church so that generations yet unborn will be nurtured, led fair watched war as a result of decisions made in a moment in time. Now that have longevity in history and in actually are eternal and their significance. Alistair Begggest teaching today. In first Peter chapter 5 this original presentation was more than 35 minutes in length, far too long to be included on today's edition of Truth for Life, but you can download the entire sermon for free or purchase the CD at our cost.

When you go to Truth for Life.org search for the message titled leaders in the local church as we conclude today's program I want to remind you that today is the last day for you to request your copy of the book epic by Tim Kelly's the complete title is epic and around the world journey through Christian history. Tim's book is part photo album part travelogue and part history book. He traveled around the world documenting fascinating objects that told the story of God's faithfulness through time.

You'll learn lessons by looking at pictures of things like the Gutenberg Bible. Charles Spurgeon's preaching rail. Even Billy Graham's traveling pulpit. A copy of the book epic is yours by request. When you include a donation today if you'd like you can see a sample of the book online@truthforlife.org or donate and ask for your copy by calling 888-588-7884. The book comes to you with our thanks to send your contribution along with your request for the book in the mail address your envelope to truthfully PO Box 39, 8000, Cleveland, OH 44139 in his letter to the Colossians apostle Paul said the goal for every church leader is to quote present everyone mature in Christ.

And Bob Lapine hoping you can join us tomorrow as Alister wrestles with Paul's statement talks about what it means to make mature disciples in the local church in our day. This daily program features the Bible teaching of Alistair Begg and it's furnished by Truth for Life for the Learning is for Living