1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:02,880 We're a church that's been looking at since the beginning 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:07,200 of New Year till now, the letter that Paul wrote to a young 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:09,640 protege in the faith named Timothy. 4 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:14,160 And the the purpose of the letter is that Timothy is now 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:17,480 being charged to really put a church in order. 6 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,800 So we have called the series trustworthy because you can read 7 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:26,560 First Timothy and you can look at all of the different designs 8 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,920 and all of the different commands and instructions that 9 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:35,320 God has for what a healthy or trustworthy church is supposed 10 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:38,080 to look like. What a what an important thing 11 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:42,640 to study and to know in the day and age that we live in there. 12 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:44,880 I've heard it said there are more churches than there are 13 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,640 McDonald's. So there's a lot of churches, 14 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,320 and if you've ever been in one of those seasons of your life, 15 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,040 maybe you're in it now where you've needed to find a new 16 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,680 church for whatever reason, new to the faith, new to the city, 17 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,600 just moving from 1 congregation to the next. 18 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,800 First Timothy is a great book of the Bible to know and to read. 19 00:01:05,960 --> 00:01:08,840 Because if we didn't call the series trustworthy, we could 20 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:12,720 have called it the Checklist. All of the things that you 21 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:16,360 should be looking for in a church that you're going to 22 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:18,880 commit your life to be a part of. 23 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:23,080 And so just by way of review, it's timely review. 24 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,200 First Timothy in the passage we'll look at today in chapter 4 25 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,360 is is like the halfway point of the book. 26 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:32,120 And now we're going to really work quickly in closing our 27 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:33,960 study in this. But if we just did a way of 28 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:36,600 review, think of all the things that have been on the church 29 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:41,280 shoppers checklist so far. We've talked about the role, the 30 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,120 qualifications and the characteristics of the 31 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,160 overseers. A a healthy church is going to 32 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:50,080 have people in the position to oversee it that are called and 33 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,560 qualified so that the church is governed well. 34 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,520 We've looked at the role of the servants, meaning not all of the 35 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,160 ministry is being done by one or two people that are overseen, 36 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,760 but faithful people within the church that are qualified to 37 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,680 serve are also being called and qualified to serve a church 38 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:10,639 that's part of being a healthy church. 39 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:14,360 We've looked at the role of women in learning and and 40 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:17,080 gathering in the church. We've looked at the role of men 41 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,680 and praying and the the different commands that they're 42 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:25,400 given to not to quarrel and to be people who are falling under 43 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:26,840 the submission of the leadership. 44 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,880 We've looked at the importance of doctrine in a church, how 45 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,000 important it is that they're teaching through the word. 46 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,360 We have on the list that we've gone through. 47 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:41,520 There is one role that we have yet to look at, and it's a very 48 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:43,880 important role. It should be on all of your 49 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,360 radars when you're thinking about the church you belong to 50 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:49,160 or any church that you're investigating. 51 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,360 And it is what we will discuss this morning, and it's good 52 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:54,920 timing. The role that we'll look at 53 00:02:54,920 --> 00:03:01,920 today, because I'm very mindful that the role that we're looking 54 00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:06,520 at is the role that I serve. It's the role of the lead of the 55 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:08,880 church, the overseer of the overseers. 56 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,440 And I'm mindful of that and I'll share why I'm mindful with one 57 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:14,400 photo. This was actually sent to me 58 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,400 just by coincidence. Someone sent me this and said, 59 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:22,320 Can you believe that this was nine years ago today, a few days 60 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:27,040 ago marks the nine year anniversary of the service that 61 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:32,400 I walked into to to take on the call of transition our church 62 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:36,720 from 1 lead pastor to the next and that was nine years ago. 63 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:40,600 Can you believe it? Amen. 64 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,680 Amen. Now the, the reason I share is 65 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:49,640 because when a transition of leadership happens, I think one 66 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:52,040 of the best text of the Bible that you can ever look at is 67 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,800 first Timothy chapter 4. What we will look at, because 68 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:58,920 essentially what we are going to study in this Scripture is Paul 69 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,960 telling Timothy in all of these instructions for elders and 70 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,120 servants and the role of men and women, I need you to lead it. 71 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:09,440 That's why the letter is to, for to Timothy. 72 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,760 I need Timothy to lead it. So it is the role of the lead 73 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,560 pastor and he's transitioning that role. 74 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,839 And it's good to look at that transition because just as soon 75 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,680 as we can look back and say, wow, that photo of nine years, 76 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,600 how fast it went, at least for me, maybe longer for some of 77 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,640 you, the transition should happen again. 78 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,280 And by God's grace, unless he comes very quickly, the 79 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:37,840 transition will happen again. A healthy and trustworthy church 80 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:42,800 will always outlive one person that is called to lead it for a 81 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,520 particular season. So I study this one so that you 82 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:50,520 can look at the measurements of a healthy leader and you can 83 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,760 look at what makes healthy leadership something that will 84 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,280 make a healthy church. The other reason is someday 85 00:04:58,280 --> 00:05:02,080 there will be a young man, by God's grace, who will take on 86 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,880 the ministry of Calvary Chapel Boise, and we will be as a 87 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:10,360 congregation called to support him in what he's called to do. 88 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,840 So in preparation for that, we can look at this now, whenever 89 00:05:13,840 --> 00:05:16,080 that day comes. And I think there's another 90 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,760 reason that we should all be looking at this text and 91 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,640 listening very closely. And it's for similar reasons 92 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,360 that all of this book has been more than just a study in church 93 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:28,760 government and qualities and qualifications of some specific 94 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:30,800 roles. Everything we're going to read 95 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:35,560 about in Paul's encouragement to Timothy's transition into 96 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:40,680 leadership is going to be healthy and wise and good for 97 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:45,400 every believer among us. And, and I will say this, I 98 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:49,960 don't think any preacher or any future pastor should be without 99 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,000 times where they sat in the sanctuary and sat under the 100 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,600 teaching of someone who was leading a church. 101 00:05:55,600 --> 00:06:00,320 And so by God's grace today, maybe there are some future lead 102 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,600 pastors and preachers and teachers among us. 103 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:05,040 That would be great. This message is for you. 104 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:07,120 Let it grow inside of your heart. 105 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:12,320 Aside from that, every single one of you should listen to the 106 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:18,480 qualities and characteristics of what it means to be a leader in 107 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:24,640 the faith because husbands and wives, parents to children, 108 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,720 coaches, teachers. And as I look out and I just see 109 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,400 the role of, of business leaders and and neighbors who want to 110 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:35,880 use their influence to bring people to Christ, that every 111 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:40,280 single one of you who loves Jesus and wants to follow him 112 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:44,840 could read this and think, what would it take for me to have my 113 00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:47,560 faith transitioned into someone else? 114 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:50,280 That is our strategy for evangelism. 115 00:06:50,280 --> 00:06:54,760 We don't do a lot of evangelism training or this is the strategy 116 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,920 is that we would raise up people who would be willing to allow 117 00:06:57,920 --> 00:06:59,960 their faith to be transferred to someone else. 118 00:06:59,960 --> 00:07:02,880 So all of you are students of leadership. 119 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,080 This is a leadership conference for our church right now with 120 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:08,040 the measurements for the lead pastor. 121 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:10,880 So I hope that you're listening, taking notes, and I hope that 122 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:14,240 God will use this to give you some influence into someone 123 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:15,880 who's following you in the faith. 124 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:21,120 And so let's start in first Timothy, chapter 4, verse 11. 125 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:25,560 Paul, writing to Timothy, says these things, command and teach. 126 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:31,160 He's installing Timothy to be the the leader who would be 127 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:35,400 given the authority to command and teach this letter to a group 128 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:38,760 of believers in Ephesus. And then he's going to give some 129 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:43,160 practical steps to Timothy. And mind you, as we'll see in 130 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,880 this, this letter is going to be read publicly. 131 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:50,240 So as Paul is giving authority to Timothy as he writes, it's 132 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:53,160 going to be read in the listening ear of everyone in the 133 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:55,720 church. So they would hear Paul giving 134 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:59,520 Timothy instructions. And verse by verse, we'll look 135 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,200 at the instructions for the future leader. 136 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:06,240 And already we get a very important instruction for the 137 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:09,360 leader to hear and anyone who's going to follow that leader to 138 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:12,640 hear. In verse 12, it says let no one 139 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:16,320 despise your youth. And so let's just pause right 140 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:18,520 there. I already showed the photo of me 141 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:21,920 nine years younger. I remember when I was a youthful 142 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:25,280 and young pastor. I'm now qualified as middle age. 143 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,320 So that is I can't wait for the day when there's clearly someone 144 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:31,440 younger than me ready to take the charge. 145 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:35,039 But here's the point. To transition leadership from 146 00:08:35,039 --> 00:08:40,120 one generation to the next requires an older leader to be 147 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,080 discipling and then passing the baton to a younger leader. 148 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:46,360 And that is a message that I think every church needs to be 149 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,960 reminded of because when the new leader comes, sometimes the 150 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:53,920 initial reaction is our other leader was older, wiser, and 151 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:58,280 more experienced in the church. In leadership, of course, 152 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:02,000 there's the new leader has to be younger, otherwise the the 153 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:03,880 leadership will die with that generation. 154 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,320 And with that message, we have to be reminded that this just 155 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:10,280 happens sometimes. I don't know if you've ever felt 156 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:16,120 it, but one generation can look at the younger generation and 157 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:17,720 kind of despise everything about them. 158 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:21,840 And, you know, it's like they come in and you just, you see 159 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:25,400 their sense of fashion. And I don't know if you've ever 160 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,760 seen, you know, these new up and coming pastors. 161 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:29,960 They have the reputation of beanies and skinny jeans. 162 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:31,400 And it's like, I just don't like that. 163 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:33,760 It's the clothes they choose to wear. 164 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,800 Try not try to give them grace for things that were different 165 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,080 in your time. It was baggier when you were 166 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,000 young. It's now baggy again. 167 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:42,520 So if you wait, everything will be fine. 168 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,720 The music style, everybody's talking about their generation, 169 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:50,920 their generation had the best music and the young generation 170 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:52,800 comes up. They will worship Jesus 171 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:56,760 differently with a different expression of music that God 172 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,160 writes a new song for a new generation. 173 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:02,680 And one of the charges here is is older generation. 174 00:10:02,680 --> 00:10:06,760 Be be gracious and maybe even remember when, when you know it 175 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,640 was scandalous to have an acoustic drum set on stage and 176 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:13,560 somehow God gave grace to an older generation to, to Now we 177 00:10:13,560 --> 00:10:17,040 have rock worship every Sunday. And someday a new generation 178 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,320 will come with new music and they'll need the grace of the 179 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:23,720 older generation. And so there is in the hearing 180 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:26,200 of the older give grace to the younger. 181 00:10:26,680 --> 00:10:28,960 But that's not all that Paul is communicating. 182 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:34,000 He's also saying to Timothy, don't let them see your youth 183 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:37,520 and say, well, of course he's immature because of the way 184 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:42,400 Timothy behaves. Give no reason for your youth to 185 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:46,520 be an issue in your leadership. And, and I say that because of 186 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:50,280 what he goes on to say, he says, but be an example to the 187 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:55,760 believers in Word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in 188 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:59,200 purity. A young leader cannot do 189 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:03,360 anything about his age. The year he was born to the year 190 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:07,160 he takes leadership is his age, But he can do something about 191 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,160 the way he lives. In fact, I, I don't know if you 192 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,200 remember those of you who've been going here nine years or 193 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:15,920 longer, The promise I made to the church when I took over was 194 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:20,400 if I'm younger than you and you look at me as maybe a young 195 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:24,520 pastor, I promise if you give me time, I will get older. 196 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,120 And that's all I could do about my age. 197 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:30,080 And I want to stand here before you today and say I have kept 198 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:32,440 that promise. And so have you. 199 00:11:32,560 --> 00:11:35,200 You all have aged very gracefully under the last nine 200 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,720 years. The, the, the age we can do 201 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:42,640 nothing about, but we can remove any doubt about maturity. 202 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:47,640 And so now we we shift the conversation leadership, give no 203 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:50,360 excuse for someone to look at you and say that's not a person 204 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:54,200 worth following. And so very quickly, if the Lord 205 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:57,240 is stirring in your heart for how this applies to your office 206 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,680 of leadership. If there is the young 207 00:11:59,680 --> 00:12:02,840 missionaries and the young pastors among us, This is a list 208 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:06,560 to be meditated to be considered into the thought through. 209 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:09,080 And I'm so grateful this week as I just looked at this and I 210 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:14,000 thought this is a great reminder for me as the example I need to 211 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:18,320 be in my role. So this is more than just Paul's 212 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,640 telling Timothy. He's saying, Timothy model it. 213 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,120 And everyone who hears the letter follow it. 214 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:24,920 And here's the list very quickly. 215 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:29,280 There's five ways that Timothy is supposed to model a life for 216 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:31,760 everyone else to see, a life worth following. 217 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:37,200 He says in Word leaders, pastors, specifically anyone in 218 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:41,640 ministry, your words matter. One of the, the verses that I 219 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:44,800 kind of hold into my heart for all of the interactions and 220 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:49,400 conversations that I have with people in our church is from 221 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:52,960 James to be very quick to listen and slow to speak. 222 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:57,000 And it's, it's done in, in times that I've LED well, it's times 223 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:58,960 that I've listened more than I've spoke. 224 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:03,040 And I encourage all leaders to take on equality to to be good 225 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:07,680 listeners so that you can respond with words that actually 226 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:11,440 minister to people. He then says with your conduct. 227 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,880 There's an other translation, say leaders, you know, let your 228 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,200 conduct or your life be an example. 229 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:21,640 Is this person's life a life that is more abundant? 230 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:25,040 Is this person's life a life that is going through a process 231 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:29,800 of transformation, a life that is is worthy of the the name of 232 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:33,400 Jesus attached to it. And for for this, you know, 233 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:37,080 short reminder, this is where Jesus says to all of his 234 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:40,320 disciples on the Sermon on the Mount, let your light shine 235 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,480 before others so that they may see your good works and give 236 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:45,080 glory to your Father as in heaven. 237 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:50,480 That is specifically true of anyone holding the baton of 238 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:53,360 leadership. Live your life so that whatever 239 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:56,840 good works you do, whether it's preaching or teaching, washing 240 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:00,000 the feet of the Saints, let people see that good work and 241 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:03,200 say, wow, how awesome is God in that person's life. 242 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:05,760 And then this one's worth circling. 243 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:11,040 This one is revive me in it. Revive all of you in the roles 244 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:12,800 and offices you play with any influence. 245 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:15,840 He says, let your love be an example. 246 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:20,760 I think this is for me, the challenge is to reread First 247 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:24,920 Corinthians 13 and in every capacity of leadership that I 248 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:30,600 take on in serving this church, in my patient, in my kind, in my 249 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:32,920 long-suffering. And it's especially important to 250 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:36,240 read the beginning of First Corinthians chapter 13 when Paul 251 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:41,200 says that you can speak with the tongues of angels, you can be 252 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,560 eloquent, you can divide the Scripture correctly, But if 253 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:49,240 there is not a love coming from the minister to the people, it's 254 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,760 a sounding gong. And this should be on the marks, 255 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,280 the checklist of the leader worth following. 256 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:59,480 Is everything that he's saying motivated and compelled by love? 257 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:06,400 He says in spirit to be a, a leader who has still got zeal 258 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:11,640 for leadership, A, a, a desire, not begrudgingly, as as Peter 259 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:15,560 will say in his exhortation to elders, but a willingness to say 260 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:18,560 I'm called and I'm going to lead, I'm going to do my very 261 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:20,760 best. And then he says in faith, 262 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,120 Without faith it is impossible to please God. 263 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:27,320 I have to say, without faith it is impossible to encourage 264 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:29,200 others to live their life for God. 265 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:32,440 It would be very hard to preach week by week and to divide the 266 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,720 Scripture and to say the hard truth and to proclaim the narrow 267 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:39,200 gate of salvation through the name of Christ if I didn't 268 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:41,600 actually believe it. And so there needs to be a 269 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:45,280 stirring in the heart of the leader to lead with a confidence 270 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:47,560 in God. His promises are true. 271 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:50,160 The word comes alive and doesn't return void. 272 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,240 You're, you're trusting that these are God's people and not 273 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:55,160 your own. And I think you can take that a 274 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:58,800 step farther to say not just faith and confidence in God, but 275 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:03,960 to lead with faithfulness, to be a faithful person in the 276 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:06,800 ministry. Paul, when writing his 2nd 277 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:09,800 letter to Timothy will end in Speaking of his own leadership. 278 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:13,120 His last correspondence with Timothy toward the the last 279 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:16,480 letter that Paul would write, he writes to Timothy and says, I 280 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:22,120 have fought the good fight. I finished the race, his race of 281 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:25,320 ministry was coming to the end. And he said I have kept the 282 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:28,320 faith. He stayed faithful to the call 283 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:32,440 of God in his life and he made it to the finish line leaders. 284 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:35,880 You got to go to the end. You got to stay faithful. 285 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:41,120 And then he says to young Timothy, living in Ephesus as a 286 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:43,640 single man, to be an example in purity. 287 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:47,480 Ephesus, as we have noted throughout this series, was a 288 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:52,160 city that we would liken to New York City or LA, a city of 289 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:58,320 influence, a city of riches, a city of a lot of religious 290 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:03,040 variety and a lot of debauchery. And Timothy doing ministry in 291 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:06,000 that city. He says, live by example, be set 292 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:09,960 apart, be pure. James says religion that is pure 293 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:13,800 and undefiled before God visit orphans and widows in their time 294 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:18,960 of need and to keep yourself unstained from the world around 295 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:21,560 you. That a leader can lead in a 296 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:26,160 culture that has fallen, turned its its heart and and face from 297 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:27,800 God. And yet the leader can lead 298 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:31,840 unswayed by all of the distractions of the world around 299 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:33,720 him. And I have to say, in going 300 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:38,840 through all of this, it actually makes me think of a young pastor 301 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:44,240 of our church that took the pulpit just last week, our young 302 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,800 pastor overseeing all of the community house gatherings of 303 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:50,880 our church. And last week he stood up and he 304 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:56,400 divided the word correctly. And he's 15 years old or 16. 305 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:58,440 I don't know how old he is. He's a youngster in the faith. 306 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:05,920 And, and I think of him because as quickly as our youth can be 307 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:08,280 used against us, and it's all relative. 308 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:10,880 So all of you will probably serve someone who's older than 309 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:14,000 you at some point who could say, well, you're just not quite as 310 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,480 experienced as me and your mature immaturity is really 311 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,880 showing. But when you live your life in 312 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:24,680 these examples, you speak right and you've got a life that is 313 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:28,840 loving and kind and your conduct is good, you almost get the 314 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:32,240 reverse effect. And when I think of Connor, time 315 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,760 and time again, people think he's so young, but I'm so 316 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:36,720 impressed because he's so faithful. 317 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,760 He's he he, he, he surprises people. 318 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:41,840 In fact, that's the feedback that he shared with me. 319 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:42,680 I said, how do you think it went? 320 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:45,400 He said, many people came up to me and said, you really 321 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:47,120 surprised us. We didn't expect much out of 322 00:18:47,120 --> 00:18:50,600 you, and when you're young, you almost get to use it for your 323 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:52,680 favor. It's like, wow, you're young and 324 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,880 you love Jesus and you're faithful and you're set apart 325 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,800 and living pure. So don't let anyone despise your 326 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,480 youth. Don't let any age at any time 327 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:05,960 disqualify you from living a life that is worth following. 328 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:08,120 That's what Paul is saying to Timothy. 329 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:12,520 Live a life regardless of your age that is worth following. 330 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:16,840 And then he says in verse 13 until I come give attention to 331 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:19,440 reading, to exhortation, to, to doctorate. 332 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:23,440 So Paul is away from Timothy and he's writing this letter and 333 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:26,280 he's basically saying, you're in charge until I get there. 334 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:29,720 And throughout this series, I've looked at this letter and, and, 335 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,720 and seen the operation and the governance and the the gathering 336 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:36,600 of our own church. And I think, OK, here's some 337 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,760 scriptural foundation for why we do what we do. 338 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:41,360 And here's another example of that. 339 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:45,160 While Paul is away, he says, Timothy, here's what I want you 340 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,280 as leader to focus your attention on. 341 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:52,880 And he gives him three things. He says, I want you to read the 342 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:57,040 word, I want you to exhort the word and I want you to give 343 00:19:57,040 --> 00:20:01,640 doctrine. And that is a great measurement 344 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:04,240 as we go through this and we look for a leader worth 345 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:08,680 following a a leader specifically of a church or in 346 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:10,840 ministry. But I will extend this into the 347 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:14,240 home for husbands to wives and parents and all of the offices 348 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,920 we've mentioned a leader who is willing to ground all 349 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:21,520 leadership. On the word of God is going to 350 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:26,280 be a leader that represents a a trustworthy version of this 351 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:29,680 whole thing and those three things very simply you read the 352 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:32,720 scriptures. Those are probably two ways that 353 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,000 Timothy could have heard that I received both of them reading in 354 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,320 the sense that you study the Scripture or what is God 355 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:43,280 speaking to me as leader. That is supposed to be for the 356 00:20:43,360 --> 00:20:45,800 the the church in the the flock that I'm shepherding. 357 00:20:46,360 --> 00:20:49,520 And also read it when you get together. 358 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:53,600 If you're visiting our church or if you're looking at churches 359 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:55,560 across our valley or you're just here in voice and you're going 360 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,040 to the next one. Here's a great mark of a church 361 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:01,400 that's worth a second visit. Do they open the scriptures and 362 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,200 treat it like a living powerful word of God? 363 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,040 Are they reading the word or are they just looking at it and 364 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,320 going to the next motivational speech that could be about 365 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:11,920 anything. It is the word that we must read 366 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:13,960 the word. We must study the second part, 367 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:15,880 he says. Make exhortations. 368 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:18,960 This is the practice of preaching the Word. 369 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:24,120 So we get together, I study the word, we read it openly, and 370 00:21:24,120 --> 00:21:28,640 then let the Lord use my words to land on your ears. 371 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:32,920 That would give you the power of the gospel unashamed the gospel 372 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:36,360 preached every Sunday. The word of God preached and 373 00:21:36,360 --> 00:21:40,400 proclaimed every time that we gather and then he says and and 374 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:42,080 give special attention to doctrine. 375 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:45,840 Doctrine not a scary word. It's actually healthy and good 376 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:49,760 when the word is given to you and it's given to you with 377 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:53,880 instruction and application. So we preach the word and then 378 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:58,000 we say, how do we live this out? The the doctrine of all of the 379 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:02,560 categories of applying this to your life, applying this to our 380 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:06,880 church. These three things, I would say, 381 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:10,800 if we just look back at the last nine years are the reason we're 382 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:15,640 still a church in all of the different chaoses of of the 383 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,640 world that we have navigated through in the last decade. 384 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:23,360 It is the the commitment to trusting the word, preaching the 385 00:22:23,360 --> 00:22:27,000 word, standing on the word that is the reason that I I believe 386 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:30,080 God will still bless our church because we're willing to allow 387 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:35,280 him to speak apart from all of the the the words that I may 388 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:38,960 lead us in otherwise says. I love this quote. 389 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,400 It says every pastor is called to be both a diligent student 390 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:44,720 and a diligent teacher of the Word. 391 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:50,080 If the pastor answered this call faithfully, the church he serves 392 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:54,040 will become diligent in kind. So the pastor is called to 393 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,400 diligently study and diligently preach. 394 00:22:56,600 --> 00:23:02,400 And the fruit of that is that we will become a church family that 395 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:05,080 diligently studies the Word and diligently shares it. 396 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,880 It blesses my heart when I hear about families in our church 397 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:12,600 that diligently study the Word together and diligently talk 398 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,000 about it. It blesses my heart when I hear 399 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,040 about the house church gatherings that are happening in 400 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:19,800 our valley that we send people into with the Word. 401 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:23,080 And there is a diligence to understanding it and a diligence 402 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:27,640 to trying to live it out that is going to create a trustworthy 403 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:32,840 culture of a church. And so timely as we are now all 404 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:36,600 invited to a revival night. It's a night, it's a night of 405 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:39,760 worship, a night to to make First things first again and 406 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:42,960 just cry out to the Lord, invite people in to meet the living God 407 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:44,200 that we all worship this morning. 408 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:47,160 And I say it's timely because it makes me think of Chuck Smith 409 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:51,560 who founded Calvary Chapel Boise, his three keys, his three 410 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:55,760 steps to a thriving church. Number one is faithfully worship 411 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:58,440 God. So we faithfully worship every 412 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:00,680 Sunday morning. We're worshiping the Lord and 413 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:04,480 then we faithfully worship him as we call special times of 414 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:06,920 worship like Friday night. And then he says faithfully 415 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:11,280 teach God's Word Sunday by Sunday, group by group. 416 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:13,720 So step one, faithfully worship God. 417 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:16,480 Step 2, faithfully teach His Word and then he says there is 418 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:19,280 no Step 3. Those are the things that every 419 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:21,680 healthy church will do. And from those of course will 420 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:25,360 flow discipleship and outreach. Because when you worship God and 421 00:24:25,360 --> 00:24:28,880 trust Him with everything you are and study His Word and trust 422 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:31,600 it, He will open up the doors for all the next steps. 423 00:24:32,360 --> 00:24:35,120 And so that is what the minister is called to do and that is what 424 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:40,080 anyone worth following and your Christian faith is willing to 425 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:43,560 do. He then says verse 14, do not 426 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:47,560 neglect, neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to 427 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:52,560 you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the 428 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:55,880 eldership. He essentially says to Timothy, 429 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:58,320 you've been gifted and you've been called. 430 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,920 Then he says don't neglect the gift and don't forget the call. 431 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:08,000 Do not neglect the gift of God in your life in the way that He 432 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:12,760 has called you. I can tell you as a person who 433 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:16,000 has been called into the ministry of leading a church 434 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:20,320 that this is a reminder that Timothy needed and a reminder 435 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:24,120 that I think probably every lead pastor at some point of a 436 00:25:24,120 --> 00:25:27,320 sustained leadership of a church needs from time to time. 437 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:32,320 Leading a church is hard, ministry is hard, going through 438 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:35,920 the the ups and downs of all of the the ways we will have trials 439 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:38,600 and tribulations, but trust Jesus to overcome is hard. 440 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:41,600 And ministers question their role all the time. 441 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:46,080 And so Paul is saying to Timothy, listen, you were gifted 442 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:48,640 for this. Don't throw that gift away. 443 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:54,760 And that gift was confirmed when the elders of Ephesus laid hands 444 00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:59,120 on you and prayed for you and, and, and allowed you to, to 445 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:03,520 receive that gift publicly for everyone to see the authority 446 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:07,520 that God had given you. And so that is a great reminder 447 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:10,120 for Timothy. It's a great reminder for anyone 448 00:26:10,120 --> 00:26:13,840 who is called to lead a church. And it is a reminder that 449 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:18,400 extends into the lives of every person who has received the free 450 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:22,600 gift of the Holy Spirit in their lives that comes with a call to 451 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:24,800 good works that God has prepared beforehand. 452 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:29,480 Don't neglect the gift of God in your life, The gift of the Holy 453 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:33,680 Spirit to produce fruit in you, and the unique gift according to 454 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,680 what God has already revealed is one of your offices. 455 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:40,040 If you have been given the blessing of a marriage, guess 456 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:42,080 what? God has given you the gift of 457 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:44,920 marriage and He has called you to be a Holy Spirit husband or 458 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:46,400 wife. Answer the call. 459 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:49,080 Don't neglect the gift and you go right down the line. 460 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:52,480 If God has given you the gift of a child, He has called you and 461 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:56,080 gifted you to be a Holy Spirit empowered parent. 462 00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:00,880 And wherever God has placed you, it is by design that He will 463 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:05,720 equip you to encourage others to know Him, that your life will 464 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:10,760 shine for people to know God. Do not neglect the gift of God. 465 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:13,640 And I know some of you needed to hear that because as we started 466 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:16,880 a sermon on leadership, you thought, well, this is this is 467 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:20,880 not a sermon for me. Who am I and what have I done to 468 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:24,360 do anything to proclaim God? What you've done, if I can 469 00:27:24,360 --> 00:27:27,240 answer that for you, is you've given your life, life to Jesus 470 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:29,680 and you've received the free gift of the Holy Spirit in your 471 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:31,880 life. There is a gift and a call that 472 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:36,040 you cannot neglect. And you better find out from God 473 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:40,600 how you're doing in that role. So don't neglect the gift. 474 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:44,600 He then says in verse 15, meditate on these things. 475 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:48,960 Give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be 476 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:52,080 evident to all. Think about it. 477 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:57,360 Meditate, give yourself to them. Other translations say, practice 478 00:27:57,360 --> 00:28:01,080 these things and immerse yourself in them. 479 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:07,160 Give entirely to them. Once again we see in Timothy a 480 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:10,440 reminder that all of us need. Timothy is being called to 481 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:14,840 receive it, to allow it to be more than just something that 482 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:16,960 came as a thought went one ear and out the other. 483 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:19,240 Think about it. Allow it to dwell in your heart 484 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:25,000 and go all in. Timothy was called to lay down 485 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:26,840 his life for this church in Ephesus. 486 00:28:27,360 --> 00:28:30,040 He was called to give it his all. 487 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:36,400 And when you follow Jesus and he gives you the influence to bear 488 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:41,280 his name and by his grace say Follow me as I follow Christ, he 489 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:47,400 is calling you to a life of discipleship and a life of going 490 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:51,000 all in for Jesus. I think often times we think of 491 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,880 ministry and leadership and whatever the gift is. 492 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:56,680 And, and you know, it's something that you'll hear about 493 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:00,680 on Sunday and consider for some future day when you're finally 494 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:03,560 retired and you've got all of your earthly affairs in order 495 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:07,120 and you can finally start helping, you know, the the the 496 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:10,560 service of the Kingdom in some way that aligns with where when 497 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:13,720 you're ready to go on. And that's just not what we find 498 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:15,680 in what Paul is saying to Timothy. 499 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:21,680 He says immerse, absorb your heart and your mind and what God 500 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:25,320 is telling you to do. Practice these things. 501 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:30,040 So very quickly, a reminder of what Paul is saying when he says 502 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:33,160 these things. This is the exhortation from 503 00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:35,640 last week to today, going all the way back to verse seven. 504 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:39,560 Practice when Paul says train yourself for godliness. 505 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:43,480 Practice reading the word, meditating on it, asking 506 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:45,960 questions about what it means and how to apply it to your life 507 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:49,080 as doctrine. Practice the art and the the 508 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,320 discipline of seeking God through prayer. 509 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:54,200 Practice the reading of scripture in the teaching and 510 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:58,640 sharing of what it means for someone who is a couple steps 511 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:02,760 behind you in the faith. Practice using your spiritual 512 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:04,760 gift. Practice the fruit of the Spirit 513 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,080 in your life. Practice living your life as an 514 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:09,960 example. Practice these things in 515 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:13,320 everything that you do. Young Timothy, young leaders 516 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:17,400 among us. And then he gives all of this 517 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:21,960 with the grace that I am so grateful for as a lead pastor of 518 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:26,080 a church, he says practice these things. second-half of verse 15, 519 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:30,240 that your progress may be evident to all. 520 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:36,160 And this is a great word because often times, especially when 521 00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:38,160 you're going through a transition in leadership and 522 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:40,960 you're kicking the tires on the new leader and you're wondering 523 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:43,560 what he's about and he looks a little young and you have your 524 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,680 questions. I, I think, you know, if, if I 525 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:50,080 can think back to that transition in my own life, 526 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:52,800 sometimes there's an expectation that the leader is going to 527 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:57,480 come, you know, ready to rock in every area of ministry with 528 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,400 wisdom and experience that is just plug and play. 529 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:04,840 And that is not what we find in Paul's encouragement to Timothy. 530 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:08,720 He does not say do all of these things that they can see that 531 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:14,360 you are so perfected in what it means to be a godly man and a 532 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:17,600 good leader. He says keep practicing so that 533 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:20,600 little by little, the people that you're leading can see that 534 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:23,720 you're growing. So practice so they can see your 535 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:27,560 progress. And one of the great compliments 536 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:30,840 that I get or I've gotten over the last nine years is, hey, 537 00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:33,880 you've really improved. I love hearing that. 538 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:37,520 And for those of you who've been around long enough to from that 539 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:40,640 first Sunday nine years ago to now, and you've ever thought, 540 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:43,840 man, when he started out, I would have never expected him to 541 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:47,000 get to a place where he was communicating clearly and and 542 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:50,720 leading us more, more soundly. Well, that that's, that's what 543 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:53,640 we're after. And I will say the grace that I 544 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:56,640 received from progress, not perfection. 545 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:00,000 I want to just give right to you in all of the ways that 546 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:03,040 sometimes perfection can can become a real burden in 547 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:05,720 leadership. I know just in the other other 548 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:09,760 offices I hold when when I'm a less than perfect husband, I can 549 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:13,200 sometimes feel like I'm a failure of a husband or when I'm 550 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:16,480 a less than perfect dad. And I have those moments where 551 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:18,640 I'm just like, what did I do? I got to repent. 552 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:21,120 I hope my kids don't just aren't traumatized. 553 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:26,920 I'm less than perfect. And that's OK as long as I'm 554 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:30,000 making progress, I'm getting a little bit better. 555 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:32,760 It received that grace. You're not called to be a 556 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:34,480 perfect parent. You're called to be a parent 557 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:39,600 that represents a a man or a woman that is becoming more like 558 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:42,760 Jesus as you go. And that's for all of those 559 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,800 offices that we've been covering for any leadership capacity. 560 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:49,760 You feel keep making progress, husbands and wives, keep 561 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:52,640 learning how to lay down your life a little bit more, how to 562 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:55,880 pray together just a little bit more, how to work through 563 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:58,000 arguments just a little bit better, a little more Christ 564 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:02,000 like, how to offer forgiveness. We're looking for progress, not 565 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:04,600 perfection. AW Tozer says the important 566 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:08,360 thing to know about a leader is not where he is, but in what 567 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:13,480 direction he is going. And I have to say the fruit of 568 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:17,760 leadership should be that the people who are being LED are 569 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:21,840 becoming more and more in love with Jesus and more and more 570 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:24,640 like him. So that may that be true of our 571 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:27,240 church. And when we study the Word and 572 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:30,640 we go out to do good works, that God will be glorified. 573 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:34,200 We just want to be more and more and more like Jesus little by 574 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:37,480 little as he calls us. And finally, it says in verse 575 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:41,640 16, take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. 576 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:45,040 Continue in them. For in doing this, you will save 577 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:47,960 both yourself and those who hear you. 578 00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:51,960 Now I was tempted to just look at this verse as the start 579 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:55,400 because we now have a serious warning of the dangerous game 580 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:58,200 that we play. Anytime someone opens the 581 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:02,320 scripture and leads a church, he is leading them either to some 582 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:06,720 beautiful healthy version of of becoming more like Jesus or the 583 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:09,120 potential of heartbreak and disaster. 584 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:13,719 We get a reminder of this when we think back to our study 585 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:17,800 earlier in the year in this book in chapter 1, when he said to 586 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:21,400 Timothy, this I charge you according to the prophecies 587 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:25,239 previously made, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 588 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:28,480 having faith in a good conscience, which some have 589 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:35,719 rejected concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, he 590 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:41,320 says. Now, Timothy, take heed, pay 591 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:45,440 attention to your life and to what you're teaching, because if 592 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:49,280 you do this right, if you're a leader that that loves the word 593 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:53,520 and has never moved from any other North Star for the church 594 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:56,480 and your life is an example and you listen to everything I'm 595 00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:59,520 saying to you. You're not going to go down the 596 00:35:00,720 --> 00:35:04,360 the path of shipwreck and either is anyone who's going to follow 597 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:06,080 you. But you got to listen. 598 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:08,720 You got to make sure that you're living it. 599 00:35:10,720 --> 00:35:14,080 I was thinking of that picture. If you've ever travelled 600 00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:17,400 probably more than once or twice, you now tune out that 601 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:21,880 that pre flight message, you know the safety message that 602 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:25,720 they give pre flight. But there's a very important 603 00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:29,480 principle in that pre flight message says in the event of 604 00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:33,440 sudden loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the 605 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:36,040 overhead panel. Place the mask over your nose 606 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:37,600 and mouth before assisting others. 607 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:41,960 I think that's partly what Paul is getting at. 608 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:50,080 You know, Timothy, lead pastor, leader, you better be breathing 609 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:52,280 the oxygen of the Holy Spirit in your life. 610 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:56,400 You better, you better be alive in God. 611 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:02,000 You better have the word as something that is your lifeline 612 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:05,240 to godliness. Apart from helping people, apart 613 00:36:05,240 --> 00:36:10,200 from ministry, apart from serving anyone, Make sure that 614 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:13,720 you're breathing the Holy Spirit in your life. 615 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:21,040 And once that's sure you can help everybody else and you get 616 00:36:21,040 --> 00:36:24,840 that right and you can't help people, but you get it wrong. 617 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:30,400 Leaders, if you fall out of love with God and this whole 618 00:36:30,680 --> 00:36:34,160 operation of leadership becomes an exercise and religion or an 619 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:38,560 exercise and just making good kids and white knuckling 620 00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:44,360 marriage shipwrecks waiting. And it's true of a church as 621 00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:46,000 well. There are so many marks of a 622 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:49,840 healthy church and there's so many dangers of an unhealthy one 623 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:53,240 if we don't have the right measurements of what we're 624 00:36:53,240 --> 00:36:57,840 looking for when we get into the word and I proclaim the gospel 625 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:00,880 and offer instruction. Shipwreck ahead. 626 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:04,400 The lead pastor is not the lead CEO. 627 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:09,760 He's not the influencer who's got, you know, great 32nd sound 628 00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:13,840 bites that can grow a brand. He's not the front man of a band 629 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:15,280 that can be a face of an organization. 630 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:21,360 He is simply called to navigate the church with the North star 631 00:37:21,360 --> 00:37:26,960 of God's Word closer and closer and closer to Jesus. 632 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:34,680 And Jesus is the savior. So let us not be a church that 633 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:38,600 loses our North Star, and let us be a church who longs for the 634 00:37:38,600 --> 00:37:44,560 day, looks forward to the day when this gathering outlives all 635 00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:50,240 of us, when the young up and coming preacher, with all of the 636 00:37:50,240 --> 00:37:55,800 young up and coming Saints take the baton of the gospel into our 637 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:59,760 city for A next generation. So I'm going to do my best to 638 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:06,600 keep the Word and Jesus as our North Star, and I want you to do 639 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:12,360 your best to allow those who are following in your faith to 640 00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:17,960 someday get a beautiful picture of what it means to follow Jesus 641 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:18,800 from your life.