Sermon – “Lead by Example”

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. 11 Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

Now about this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, a complaint was made by the Hel-lenists (Greek-speaking Jews) against the [native] Hebrews, because their widows were being over-looked in the daily serving of food. 2 So the Twelve called the disciples together and said, “It is not ap-propriate for us to neglect [teaching] the word of God in order to serve tables and manage the distribu-tion of food. 3 Therefore, brothers, choose from among you seven men with good reputations [men of godly character and moral integrity], full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.

This morning I’m going to be continuing in First Timothy I got started in first hemming of the Wellmont to go ahead and work my way through there so. In the first Timothy anyway is Paul’s letter to Timothy and who was a. Leader in a church an emphasis on the acts of a pastor in there and this letter the entire first letter is guidance to guide the church and guide this young church and they say that this letter was written probably about sixty four A.D. roughly and Paul was probably not in prison at the time of this writing a feel that Paul. Was released from prison and sixty to eighty so it was a couple of years after that that he wrote this letter to young to Mickey and. You know it’s it’s guidance for the church it’s how in it’s the second generation of Christians that you know Timothy has guided his church so you know it’s like sixty four A.D. So imagine you know being the very first generation of Christians a very first believer so this is like it’s their parents was a very first generation of Christians so it’s the second generation so it is a young church and you know all the churches were young then so they needed guidance and how to conduct the organisation of the church and what the church is meant to do so that’s what this letter from Paul to Timothy is all about things that the church ought to be doing how they want to be living in conducting business and stuff in the church so continuing in first some of the chapter three verses one through thirteen here the word of the Lord this is a faithful saying if a man desires the position of a bishop he desires a good work a bishop then must be blameless the hug. Been of one wife tempered sober minded of good behavior hospitable able to teach not given to wine not violent not greedy not greedy for money but gentle not quarrelsome not covetous one who rules his own house well having his children and submission with all reverence for it if a man does not know how to rule is own house how will he take care of the Church of God not a novice less being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil Moreover he must have a good testimony among go among those who are outside does he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil likewise deacons must be reverent not double tongue not given to much wine not greedy for money holding the mystery of the Faith with a pure conscience but let these also first be tested then let them serve as deacons being found blameless likewise their wives must be reverent not slanderers tempered faithful in all things that deacons be the husbands of one wife ruling their children and their own house as well for those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus may God at His blessings to the here and in the reading of His Holy Word let us pray Heavenly Father we do thank you and praise you for your word for all we know that this is our instruction manual for life it’s our instruction manual for the church and Father may we be faithful to walk in your ways and all that we do God help us to bring glory and honor to you pray for your spirits presence today toward God if you would speak to our hearts and and help us Lord to serve you help us to be faithful to you follow just increase our faith increase or understanding and follow may we do all we do for your glory in your honor in Jesus’ name amen. Dwight D. Eisenhower had this to say about leaders. Because my sermon title course I forgot to share is leading by example. So the white Diaz’s are said this about leaders in order to be a leader a man must have followers that’s very important it’s going to be hard to lead if you don’t have any followers correct and to have followers a man must have their confidence hence the supreme quality of a leader is unquestionably integrity without it the real success is possible the model matter whether it is on a section gang when a football field in an army or in an office and I’ll add in a church leadership role if a man’s associates find him guilty of phoniness if they find that he lacks the forthright forthright integrity he will fail his teachings and actions must square with each other the first great need therefore is integrity and high purpose I like that his teachings and his actions must square with one another they can’t say one thing and do another they can’t say Do as I say and not as I do that doesn’t work and I’ve heard that before our John do as I say not as I do it don’t work that way if you’re going to be the example if you’re going to be the leader you gotta walk it you can’t just say it you have to walk it so it must QUERO with your teachings you know leadership is so crucial is crucial in a family is crucial in business and it’s crucial in church you know without faithful leadership in the home the home can become unraveled you know your children will be a mass they’ll be disobedient or their you know the the House could just fall apart if you do. I have crucial leadership a business will fail they don’t have good leadership. And a church will fail if it does not have good leadership they will not succeed in the ministry of the Kingdom of God. First six said that a bishop is not to be a novice Of course we need we know that a novice is someone that is new to a situation that is inexperienced so you know we can’t if we had someone come and join the church three months from now when I say well oh you’re so faithful brother we’re going to make you a bishop in the church. I’m a come on you know it doesn’t work that way you have to see that that person is going to. Be faithful in the Word of God be faithful when in all of his ways to live it as it is said teachings and actions how are you going to know if there are actual three months is not sufficient it takes experience it takes time to test to see if someone’s going to be faithful want to be a proven leader so they can’t be a novice. According to features four eleven through thirteen it says it reveals to us that the Lord appointed to different positions in the church in the body says and he himself gave some to be apostles some prophets some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ to we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ you know as I as I said as I began there Paul sent this letter what for the equipping of the saints to help guide the church it’s all about equipping the Saints you come here yes we have a good time praising them worship and we have a good time singing songs but it’s for the equipping of the saints is why we can. Um you know we come to church to get filled if you will to get filled with worship to get filled with the Word of God and we go wow it’s not about just what’s in these four walls we are equipped to go out for the ministry of the kingdom so go out and give it out give it you know give what you received it’s about not keeping it in but giving it out that is what this is all about that’s the ministry of bishops and deacons in the leaders in the church is to equip others for the ministry the Ministry of the church. So before we look at that get into the qualifications we should really have a clear understanding of exactly what is a bishop and what is a deacon within a church so we need to define them the term bishop is translated overseer and some translations. So that is a word from which we get our word a piss couple which means to look upon to inspect to oversee to look after and to care for. To care for the church this rests upon the work of the bishops or elders or pastors all these are really the same thing a pastor can be thought of as a bishop a shepherd or an elder you know these Qana you can spawn these words all as applied to the overseer of a church. There is no question about the authority of the office of bishops they do have authority in the church First Timothy five seventeen says that the elders which could be the same word as bishop that the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor especially those who labor in word and doctrine so they do rule would have authority in a church. So then moving on to deacons. In a Bible we have. The you know the Bible has meaning for many words and Decon is like many others they have meanings for that word so the word Deacon means servant. It does not mean ruler it means servant. And it’s been defined in various forms the Greek word is many different words doc on the zero it is a derivative and is used to be meaning to help others personal help to others. Die a cunny found thirty four times in a New Testaments means to serve at the table. And also dock on OS very similar it’s found twenty nine times in a New Testament and really the primary meeting is the same thing to serve at tables so it’s to help other people so deacons and elders Yes they are offices in the church but they are different offices and as you can see from that really the Deacon is not the ruler in the church they are the deacon was established as a help a helper in the church to serve others where the elder or bishop has authority to oversee the business of the church. And the Libyans won one. In numerous other references in early Christian literature outside a New Testament bishop and elders and deacons are mentioned together the deacon always mentioned last because of this order and because of the natural Can a taste of the Word doc in the US most interpretively that begins from the beginning served as assistance in the church and not rulers or you know that the already that the bishop has in the church. It’s the office the deacon was indeed created for that purpose for the purpose of benevolence if you look at Acts Chapter six verse. As one through three and I’m going to Reading from the amplified version it says now about this time when the number of disciples was greatly increasing complaint was made by the Hell in this the Greek speaking Jews against the native Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the Gluck that in the daily ministration distribution of relief so the twelve these twelve apostles convene the multitude of disciples and said it is not seemly or desirable or right that we should have to give up or neglect preaching the Word of God in order to attend to serving the tables and superintending the distribution of food therefore select out from among yourselves brother and seven seven men of good of good and attested character and repute full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom whom we may assign to look after this business and duty. Now some have mistakenly said all it says to look after business but the business that they’re referring to is the business of benevolence the business of the distribution of food and IT business of taking care of waiting on tables and that sort of stuff. That’s the business of the deacons. But yes the early deacons were also selected for their spiritual qualifications. They were to be men of good reputation full of the Holy Spirit as they just read and acts you know you think they chose Stephen we know that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. You know reading this further and deeper and rereading the account of Stephen the first martyr you know he was chosen. To wait on tables but what did he do while I was waiting on tables he preached he preached he was full of the Holy Spirit he knew the scripture he knew the Word of God because whenever they. Found someone to bring false accusation against even they brought him before the elders the priest in the elders and he beginning it Abraham walked him through Abraham’s calling through the. Time an age of through clean through Messiah. He led them showed him the scripture so he was grounded in rooted in the word Scripture he knew it so that was one of the qualifications. And he revealed to them that they rejected the Messiah if they too knew the scriptures they would have realized that Jesus was the Messiah so he was filled with the Spirit filled with the Word of God. So let’s look at some of the qualifications of bishops and deacons now they’re not going to be in any particular order. And some overlap but I want to say it again a bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife temperate server minded of good behavior. Hospitable able to teach not given to wine not violent not greedy for money but gentle not quarrel some not covetous one who rules his own house well having his children it’s a mission with all reverence you know we probably could all raise your hand and say that I have it one point said something that I wish I wouldn’t have said yes I’ve done that I’ve said some things through my life that I wish I wouldn’t have said and it can anybody say I’ve done some things I wish I would have done yes you can just nod your head and agree we’ve all done some things or said some things that we regret doing so we might say well oh I don’t know the fit that mold of being blameless. Well do you believe in Jesus Christ if you repented of your sins. What does that make you make. Blameless because your sins are washed whiter than snow so when you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ when you’ve repented of your sins yes you are blameless and then we trust in the Lord to help us to live rightly to live in the way that he would want to live lord help me to live that blameless life the blame of blameless is defined as this having nothing to take a hold upon that is that there is nothing to be in the bishop’s life that Satan or the unsaved can use to criticize or attack that man or the church. So you know for going to say what we want to aspire to the office of bishop or even Deacon we can’t be one to go out in crowds around that night. So we can have someone outside the church saying oh yeah there’s that bishop in the church down the street I seen him out with that woman the other night it’s not his wife that can’t happen that can’t be because well I’ve seen that Bishop the other day and he was so drunk he couldn’t walk a straight line it doesn’t work that way that’s not what we should be doing if we aspire to the office a bishop or a deacon. That’s why the scripture said that a man who desires to aspire to the office of bishop the Zire is a good work friends it is a high calling it is not to be taking lightly no matter what position of leadership we aspire to it should not be taken lightly and whether you are a leader in a church while men or not I’m going to tell you you’re a leader somewhere because if you have kids they look up to you. They look up to you. You know you’ve heard the old saying the apple don’t fall far from the tree. So if the trees bad. It’s going to bear bad fruit. I hope you’re picking up what I’m putting down here the tree has to be good. Whether it is at home you’re just a leader in the home or whether you are leader in church or whether you’re a leader in a community. The tree has to be good it has to bear good fruit and it won’t bear good fruit unless it walks it out you must walk it out be blameless be blameless before the Lord be blameless before the community. So now here are some of these qualifications. As I said they’re not in a specific order. Sober minded the bishop must be sober minded I mean he must have a serious attitude and be very earnest about his work it does not mean that a bishop can’t have a sense of humor Gary says Hallelujah because he has a good sense of humor it doesn’t mean that a bishop passed the walk around in a somber attitude all the time and. The bishop should have a smile on his face because he loves the Lord Jesus Christ a man. But he gives his responsibilities seriousness he takes his responsibilities serious and he gives it his up most. His upmost for his highest right amen a bishop and a deacon must be of good behavior. That’s pretty self-explanatory. Don’t misbehave. Don’t be mischievous do what is right they must be given to hospitality that is literally loving the stranger willing to take someone in and invite Him into your home and maybe provide a place to stay maybe provide a meal maybe provide just a time a fellowship but you must be hospitable because remember it’s not my house it’s at Lord’s house it belongs to Him It all belongs to him amen. Must be able to teach. Teaching the Word of God is definitely an Elders and a deacons main ministry. It’s the main ministry able to teach others about the Kingdom of God That’s part of equipping the saying it’s able to teach. Phillips Brooks a famous American bishop of the eight hundred said being apt to teach is not something to which one comes by accident or by sudden burst of fire result a pastor must be a careful student of the Word of God and of all that assist him in knowing and teaching the Word a pastor who is lazy in his studies is a disgrace to the pulpit. How true they must be zealous in studying the Word of God. And a bishop and a deacon must not be given to wine so the best way to describe is described one who is given to wine. The one which is given to one is one who drinks in excess drinks to drunkenness. Plain and simple not given too much wine the fact that Paul advises Timothy to use a little wine for medicinal purposes is very evident that you know complete abstinence from not wine is not what he’s talking about here we know that they used a little wine in those days they watered it down so that it wouldn’t be strong because the water was not very pure. Now we do have to our water so. Keep that in mind. You know we do have pure water today. But it’s drunkenness that’s the it’s the excess of drinking that the shouldn’t be doing but then again I go back to the example thing and I know that I’ve shared this before but I know that everyone’s not heard it years ago when we were youth leaders and we would have hot topic discussions whenever we would have or use meetings and we asked the question how many believe it’s OK to drink and course but everybody’s hand went up. So OK you think it’s OK to drink. So what if we were up at the mall and we just happen. To be set down there now little bar it’s not there no more and we set down. And we had one drink. So that’s not excess we had one drink but jus happened the walk by when we had that one drink what do you then think of us as your youth leaders. Yeah we see your point see it’s about setting that example. So do not be given to much wine. A bishop Benedict and should not be greedy being greedy is not a good thing among any believer actually not just bishops and deacons but none of us if we’re a believer in Jesus Christ we should not be greedy. But it is even worse for Bishop and they can now you know they should not take those positions with the intent to get rich because I don’t know too many pastors out there is going to get rich because most churches don’t pay enough to get rich. But anyway we should not be greedy greedy for the things of the world. Because it’s all God’s and all belong to him you know are our goal should not you know what good would it do to gain the whole world. And for for our souls. Both should rule their own house as well. Should Rule their own houses because if they can’t even rule their own household how are they going to rule. In OR and organize a church God’s church I want to share a little story found in for Samuel I’ll just read the passage first says then the Lord said to Samuel. Now this is when Samuel was very young and or just began speaking to him he says Behold I will do something in Israel which both ears of everyone who hears it will tank and in that day I will perform against. All that I have spoken concerning his house from beginning to end for I have told him that I would judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows because the sons made themselves vile and he did not restrain them and therefore I have sworn to the house of the lie that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by the sacrifice or offering forever it i spent his entire life serving God he was responsible he was the overseer for the warship in Israel. But in his pursuit of this mission this responsibility he neglected his responsibilities in his own home. His sons were they were wayward sons if you will they were disgrace to the community they were described as to their father yet he did not restrain them. He did not rule his own house well. Bishops and deacons must rule their own house well yes I know that there are times that you their uncontrollable you can’t control them but I believe if it starts up from the beginning trying to pitch out in the way should go and when they are old they will not depart start when they’re young it’s not one of them one or fourteen years old it’s too late to start but it’s never too late but we need to start when you’re young those young impressionable years is where you begin with a child to rule your own house. One of the most important things. Out of Paul’s instructions was this but let those also first be tested then let them serve as deacons and be found blameless as I said they must be tested they must be proven that they are faithful to walk in the ways of the Lord. Murray in Russia then a phys tough issues facing every Christian leader in the new leader. And we said we’d be wise to ponder them as you must be willing to stand alone. If you’re going to be a leader you must be willing to stand alone. Because it’s you know if you know what is right you know what God’s word says you might have to stand alone there might not be any to stand with you but you need to stand for truth for friends the world is kind of upside down right now because what is right they say is wrong what is wrong they say is right it’s not politically correct sometimes a speak the Word of God So yes are you willing to stand alone you must be willing to go against public opinion in order to promote what you believe. Because we know what public opinion is today. You must be willing to risk failure. Are you willing to respect yours. To be a leader today you must become a master of your emotions. Because you notes it could hurt. You know that that is pretty deep because. Some churches can be cruel literally downright cruel to their leaders to their pastors. So if you could wear your emotions on your sleeve you could get hurt very easily so leaders must master their emotions you must strive to remain above reproach. That’s covered under blameless isn’t it. Nothing with which to choose you must be willing to make decisions others don’t want to make or are willing to make you must be willing to say no at times even when you would like to say yes. Boy that would be fun but that’s not. Setting the kind of example that I really want to set. You must be you must sometimes you’re going to sacrifice personal interests for the good of the group. You must never be content with the average you must always strive for the very best. We don’t want to just be average we don’t want to be an average body of believers we want to be the best. People souls must be more important to you than possessions. And I’ll go back to a little bit about what I spoke about last week I spoke about prayer interceding and how. Paul says we are called to pray for all all who are in authority. Even those wicked rulers out there we must pray for their souls you know that said last week yes some of us want to pray God sent hellfire down to destroy them no we’re to pray for their souls pray that God would speak for the hearts and their hearts would be softened and they would come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. You have to work hard to keep your life in balance that people people do who are not leaders you do have to work hard at it you have to be willing to sacrifice. To be a leader. Being a leader in God’s church is a great responsibility not something to be taken lightly you know if you aspire to be a leader in the church. That’s a great aspiration it’s a great thing but don’t take it lightly because it carries great responsibility they will be judged more harshly because we are to speak the truth you know you think about the responsibility that it carries you know we need to make sure as leaders or teachers or pastors or bad. Whatever that we are speaking the truth because God forbid if we should share something is not truth and lead someone to stray. That’s our responsibility work out a bill for that so it does carry with it a heavy heavy weight if you will. Is God calling you that’s the question today is God calling you to be a leader. For a fully prayerfully. Sikh that you pray for pray about it if God is calling you to be a leader do you have what it takes to be a leader today in God’s Church is God calling you. Well if he is. I pray that you say Yes Lord yes Lord send me yes Lord use made because you can’t run from God Jonah tried that. It didn’t work too well. Jenna was called to be a prophet and then of. Course we all know he tried to run the kids seeing that up at the bank Astor you can’t run from God So if God is calling you please listen. Please listen and prayerfully except that call. God is seeking leaders. And we need to lead by example Amen.