Deconstructing Elders

Deconstructing Elders
1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9
Markers: for them; how to recognize them, respond to them, serve with them;
for us; how am I doing on this quest to incarnate Jesus/become like Jesus/serve like Jesus?

1. We are to follow those whom God has placed in charge of our souls.
Hebrews 13:17 NASB “Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.”
EBC, Leon Morris
“They keep watch over you” is more literally “they keep watch for your souls,”
They are concerned, because they must render account. Leaders are responsible, and God will call them to account one day. The writer pleads that the readers will so act that keeping watch will be a thing of joy for the leaders
The alternative is for them to do it with “groaning” (stenazontes ; NIV, “a burden”), which, he says, would be “of no advantage” for the readers.

NIBC, DONALD A. HAGNER
But obedience to the leaders is not merely for the sake of making their work easier. The failure to submit to them cannot benefit the readers. Indeed, the implication of this understatement is that disobedience and insubordination will put the readers in peril.

APPLICATION:
• Pray for the Elders—have them come to the front and lay hands on them.
• Confession and affirmation-- Confess any spirit of rebellion, etc.
a. Past difficulty with oppressive leaders,
b. or soft leaders

We are to follow those whom God has placed in charge of our souls.

2. We are to carefully recognize those who should lead us.
Titus 1:5-9 “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man be above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”

1 Timothy 3:1–7 “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?); and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
a. They are placed in leadership because of their character.
b. They lead or influence us by their modeling.
Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments, David Lim
Though the main task of the elders …was to build up the Christian community so that all members discovered and used their spiritual gifts; they also served as exemplars in doing evangelism (2 Tim 4:5; cf. 1 Pet 5:3), just as Paul set this evangelistic concern as a model for the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:18–28). One of their qualifications for church “office” was a good reputation before unbelievers (1 Tim 3:1–7).

We are to follow those whom God has placed in charge of our souls.
We are to carefully recognize those who should lead us.

3. We are to aspire to the same spiritual marks of maturity.
a. “It’s a fine work” you aspire to…
b. It’s an impossible standard…grace functions to rework every niche.
i. Above reproach
ii. Husband of one wife
iii. Temperate--
iv. Prudent
v. Respectable
vi. Hospitable
vii. Able to teach—only gifting on the list?
1. Apt to teach
2. Titus 1: holding fast the faithful word…
a. able both to exhort in sound doctrine and
b. to refute those who contradict
viii. not addicted to wine
ix. not pugnacious
x. gentle
xi. uncontentious,
xii. free from the love of money
xiii. Household managed well
xiv. Keeping children under control with all dignity
xv. Not a new convert (not listed in the requirements on Crete, where all were new converts)
xvi. Good reputation with those outside the church, avoiding reproach & the snare of the devil.
We are to follow those whom God has placed in charge of our souls.
We are to carefully recognize those who should lead us.
We are to aspire to the same spiritual marks of maturity.

4. Dealing with me: my own spiritual state.
Recognize their servant’s hearts and service to our own good.
HOPE: CR Story—


APPLICATIONS
a. Look to Jesus, who said he came to serve.
Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His 1life a ransom for many.”
i. The One whom we will serve for all eternity said that he came here to serve first.
ii. He served until the end.
iii. As we look to Christ, the Spirit of Christ promises to reconstruct us into the character of Jesus.
1. The Spirit will make us Servants.
2. When the Spirit makes a servant, that servant serves to the end.
b. Look to Jesus, whom the Holy Spirit will reproduce in each life.
c. Identify your own gifts for serving.
i. Look to the Word for definitions: Eph. 4; Romans 12
ii. Practice those gifts till the end.
d. Engage yourself and your gifts with being and doing church.