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In Titus Chapter 1 and verse 5. 
Here's another passes that we 

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have referenced in every one of 
our sermons on this series. 

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And let me also say though, 
before we go any further, I'm 

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going to do my very best not to 
repeat things that we have 

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already studied in detail. 
I realize some of these themes 

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kind of overlap and some are 
kind of connected. 

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I'm going to do my very best not
to do that and just focus on the

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six things that remain in the 
book of Titus Chapter 1. 

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Now, one of the passages that we
have cited each and every time 

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Time though, in Titus Chapter 1 
is verse 5 where the Apostle 

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Paul says. 
For this reason, I left you in 

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Crete that you should set in 
order, the things that are 

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lacking and a point or ordain 
Elders in every city. 

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As I have, commanded you very 
very briefly. 

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Now the place of Crete was no 
small place, it was the fifth 

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largest island on the 
Mediterranean Sea, it was 185 

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miles long and at its widest 
part, it 35 miles wide. 

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We find that there were over 100
cities there and we also find as

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ancient historians would declare
there were over a million people

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that lived in Crete and when the
Apostle Paul divinely inspired 

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by the Holy Spirit road, to this
evangelist by the name of Titus.

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He said, this is why I have left
you behind. 

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I've left you behind for these 
reasons to set in order, the 

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things that are lacking and 
ordain elders. 

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Hours in every city. 
You know, the very idea that 

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they could ordain Elders in 
every city and that phrase, 

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obviously means this. 
By the way, it means a plurality

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of Elders in every Church, in 
every city when it says, and 

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ordain Elders in every city. 
That's what it's talking about 

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ordained. 
A plurality of Elders in every 

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Church in every city. 
Now, this shows the extensive 

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spread of the Gospel by the time
of Paul's letter, no doubt. 

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Now quickly the office of an 
elder is referenced by three 

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different names. 
All three are referring to the 

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same office. 
He is called an elder and an 

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elder means older and with 
experience. 

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So it describes an experienced 
older, man. 

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Secondly, he is called a bishop 
and that word means overseer and

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that describes his duty to the 
congregation. 

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He is a overseer of it and 
finally, a pastor and he is 

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called a pastor describing his 
task and that is to feed or 

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Shepherd, the flock of God now, 
even though Paul commanded Titus

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to ordain Elders in every 
Church, there are still 

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qualifications. 
Have you ever stopped to 

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consider why? 
There were so many 

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qualifications to be an elder in
the Lord's Church? 

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We're going to talk about the 
importance of this office at the

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very end of our sermon. 
But why were there so many? 

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And by the way, did you hear me 
in my introduction? 

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I said 24 qualifications and 
then I said, or maybe even 25 

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qualifications, the reason for 
that is some Scholars. 

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Say that in the very beginning. 
When Paul said, if a man desires

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the office of an elder, he 
desires a good work. 

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Some got some say that desire is
not part of the Quirements, I 

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think it is. 
I think it's the first 

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qualification is you have to 
desire the office. 

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If you add that one, as one of 
the qualifications there are 25 

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25 qualifications to be an elder
in the Lord's church. 

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I'm not going to talk about the 
ones that we've already covered.

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I think we've covid-19 of them 
or so but here we go. 

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Let's go into the 
qualifications. 

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Now as found in Titus Chapter 1 
and the first one is you can't 

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be Self-willed. 
Not self-willed in Titus Chapter

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1 and verse 7 for a bishop. 
And we just talked about the 

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fact that that means overseer 
describing his duty. 

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In other words, still the same 
office doing Elder for a bishop 

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must be blameless as a steward 
of God and not self-willed that 

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phrase or that word self-willed 
comes from the Greek word auth 

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eighties and it means arrogant 
arbitrary. 

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Or even overbearing. 
Now that word that Greek word is

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found in only two places. 
In all the Bible, it's found in 

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Titus Chapter 1 and verse 7. 
And it's also found in second 

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Peter chapter 2 and verse 10 
where the Bible says and 

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especially those who walk 
according to the Flesh in the 

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lust of uncleanness and despise 
Authority. 

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They are presumptuous 
self-willed. 

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What are we talking about? 
Out. 

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We're talking about an obstinate
inflexible arbitrary, arrogant 

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person. 
Now. 

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If an elder. 
Is obstinate. 

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If he is inflexible. 
If he is a tyrant, if he is 

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arrogant, overbearing and 
condescending. 

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How's he going to work with 
people? 

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You know, we talked about the 
difference between working with 

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people and dealing with people. 
Those are two different things. 

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Let me give you a little 
example. 

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It was an NFL football team, 
that hired a coach, and the 

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coach came in, and in his press 
conference, they asked the 

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coach. 
They said, what are you going to

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do? 
How you going to deal with your 

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Mercurial receiver? 
By the way, Mercurial means 

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basically it's talking about 
unpredictable and back. 

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It actually goes back. 
That word actually goes back to 

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15. 100. 
In that year, in that ancient 

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era of language of English. 
And it actually met somebody 

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that was unpredictable Guided by
Mercury the planet, and 

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therefore had unpredictable 
Behavior. 

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So, the word now is basically 
talking about an unpredictable 

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disruptive person. 
So the coach was asked, how do 

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you going to deal with this 
Mercurial personality? 

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And he said, I love this. 
I don't deal. 

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With players, I work with them. 
Now if we spent more time 

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working with people, especially 
as they grow, then we will spend

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a whole lot less time in the 
future dealing with them and 

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dealing with problems. 
Working with them. 

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Elder has to do, that can't be 
overbearing, can't be arbitrary,

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can't be a tyrant. 
Can't be unreasonable. 

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We talked about the fact before 
that. 

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He can't take the authoritarian 
approach in leadership. 

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Peter describes how an elder 
should serve in a congregation 

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second Peter chapter 5 beginning
there in verse 2. it's a 

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Shepherd, the flock of God, 
which is among you serving as 

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overseers not by constraint but 
willingly, not for dishonest, 

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gain, but eagerly not as being 
Lords over those entrusted to 

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you, but being examples of the 
flock now, The greatest form of 

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leadership is your example. 
That is absolutely nothing new 

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everybody. 
Here knows that. 

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Everybody here understands. 
The greatest form of leadership 

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is your example. 
People are more concerned about 

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our behavior and people are more
concerned about what we do and 

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our example than they really are
in what we have to say. 

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Now, here's the flipside to 
that. 

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If our example is what it ought 
to be and people see the 

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demonstration of our life as it 
ought to be, they will listen to

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the verbal leadership that we 
give them, or the advice that we

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might give them in the future. 
But Elder has to be someone who 

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has a good example. 
He can't have that kind of 

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arrogant, arbitrary or 
overbearing type of Personality.

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Now in both of these past 
passages, Titus Chapter 1 and 

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verse 7 and second, Peter 
chapter 2 and verse 10 in both 

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of these passages, this Greek 
word right there. 

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Means this, it is referring to 
human impulse. 

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Instead of obedience to Divine 
command. 

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In other words, Ben Divine 
command is to be this way, 

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right? 
This Greek word here is the flip

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side of that. 
In other words, it's talking 

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about somebody that follows 
their human impulse rather than 

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what is commanded of them. 
Can't be self-willed and be an 

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elder. 
Here's another one. 

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This is another negative 1 and 
that is you can't be 

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quick-tempered. 
An elder is not quick-tempered. 

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Titus Chapter 1 and verse 7 for 
a, bishop must be blameless. 

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As a steward of God not 
self-willed, not quick-tempered.

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And I will say this to before 
going any further. 

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Some of these will spend a whole
lot less time on and others will

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spend more time on today, but 
this is not quick-tempered. 

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Titus Chapter 1 and verse 7. 
The phrase quick-tempered of 

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those words comes from a Greek 
word. 

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That means not soon angry or 
not, inclined to anger, you 

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know, this is nothing new. 
That the Book of Proverbs 

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chapter 22 and verse 24 says 
this this into this, Make no 

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friends with an angry man and 
with a furious man, do not go. 

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Look at the influence of an 
angry man, and the wise men of 

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old said, don't make friends 
with an angry, man. 

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What's it talking about? 
Somebody that is soon angry or 

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inclined to anger? 
Now, verse 25 of Proverbs 22 

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gives, the reason why we don't 
make friends with those kind of 

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people verse 25, lets you learn 
his ways. 

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Ways and set a snare for your 
soul. 

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You know, the reason for this 
qualification is a quick 

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tempered, person is displaying a
lack of self-control instead of 

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being patient and gentle as he 
ought to be this - qualification

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is similar to two others that 
we've already studied. 

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Remember these two brawler and 
Striker and I got to tell you 

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some also Domino's kid. 
I thought when I heard this, 

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when I was little kid caught on 
when I heard the passage and the

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King James preacher, got up and 
read not a striker, I thought, 

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oh, you can't be on strike. 
Can't ever go on strike. 

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It's an interesting phrase, that
word Striker is that actually 

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talking about the King James 
renders, the word Striker. 

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Now in that the word Striker, at
the time of the publication of 

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the King James Bible, it 
referred to a person that went 

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around, get this thumping, 
people on the head with a 

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Quarter Staff. 
Now what to Quarter Staff of 

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Quarter Staff was a six to eight
foot pole, okay? 

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With a metal deal in the end of 
LED deal on me and led tip on 

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the end and he would go around 
and even some people on the 

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head, he was called a striker 
later on. 

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It was used a Quarter Staff as a
means of a weapon. 

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So that is the picture. 
Now, I love with the new King 

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James says about it because it 
really tells us exactly what it 

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is. 
The new King James says, you 

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can't be Went in other words, 
you can't be a striker in the 

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King James meaning, you cannot 
be a violent type of person. 

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Now, these are all negative 
qualifications that we've 

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noticed so far and really they 
go together because a quick 

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tempered person, a quick, 
tempered person will also lead 

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to violence. 
If you get mad every time, 

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somebody says something, you 
don't like, it's only a matter 

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of time before you misbehave. 
I've known people in my life 

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like that they can mad all the 
time. 

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I knew people, when I went to 
college at Cal Poly, they were 

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mad all the time. 
You know what they were, also 

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violent all the time too. 
A qualification of an elder is 

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someone. 
That is not soon angry, not 

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quick-tempered because that kind
of a person needs to be gentle 

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and mild and not be a violent 
person. 

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Now, let me ask you this. 
Is there anything different from

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that qualification? 
For an elder please? 

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Please listen. 
Is there anything different 

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about an elder than a Christian?
Absolutely not. 

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A Christian can't be 
quick-tempered, either. 

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A Christian can't be violent 
either. 

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So these fit our Christian lives
to all right? 

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These are two - qualifications 
let's have a positive one. 

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Let's have a positive one. 
An elder for a qualification, 

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has to be a lover of what is 
good and that's found in Titus 

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Chapter 1 Verse 8. 
So in other words in verse 7, he

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says the negative things that we
are not to be involved in and 

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then he goes into the positive 
things and it begins with being 

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hospitable, we've already talked
about Eyetality. 

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So we won't do that. 
But the very next thing is, a 

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lover of what is good? 
What does that mean? 

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What does that mean? 
It actually comes from the Greek

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word, fill a goth. 
He's and it and in the King 

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James version it says a lover of
good men. 

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00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:36,300
Now, the phrase lover of Good 
Men is not broad enough. 

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It's not a broad enough 
description of what the word 

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actually means. 
In fact, in the ancient world, 

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the word appeared as an honorary
epithet in religious 

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inscriptions. 
In other words, when it 

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described a religious person, He
was a lover of what is good? 

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What's that mean? 
King James new King James simply

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says this. 
A lover of what is good, which 

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means a lover of what is all 
good or all things that are 

226
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good. 
You know, Paul encourages 

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Christians to always do good, 
Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 

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29. 
Paul said, let no corrupt 

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communication proceed out of 
your mouth, but what is good for

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necessary edification, that it 
may impart grace to the here's 

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in addition. 
Peters, words could also be used

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to describe one who is a lover 
of good First Peter chapter 3 

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and verse 16, And keep a good 
conscience. 

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This is out of The New American 
Standard by the way, and keep a 

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good conscience. 
So that in the thing which you 

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are slandered, those who revile 
your good behavior in Christ may

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be put to shame. 
So a man that has this 

238
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qualification is a man that 
would fit, Romans chapter 12, 

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and verse 9. 
Let love be without hypocrisy. 

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Abhor what that? 
What is evil. 

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And cling to that, which is 
good. 

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And that leads us to our next 
positive qualification. 

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00:16:14,700 --> 00:16:19,200
That is a person that is just in
Titus Chapter 1 and verse 8. 

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He says just that he said you 
have to be in addition to being 

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sober minded. 
We've already dealt with that 

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00:16:25,308 --> 00:16:29,500
one in first Timothy. 
In addition to that, a man must 

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be just the word, just is the 
Greek word to caios, and it 

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means upright and it means 
righteous. 

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It is talking about someone who 
conforms to the laws of God and,

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00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,800
man, and lives in accordance 
with With them. 

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00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:50,000
Now, I got to say about being 
righteous. 

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The Bible says there is none 
righteous? 

253
00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:59,700
No, not one. 
How do we take that and apply it

254
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to our life when we're commanded
to live righteously? 

255
00:17:04,300 --> 00:17:08,500
Well, first of all, the word 
righteous means right doing now 

256
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when the Bible says there, is 
none righteous? 

257
00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:13,500
No, not one. 
It means that none of us on our 

258
00:17:13,500 --> 00:17:16,800
own Merit by our own standard by
our own Deeds. 

259
00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:22,500
Is righteous by ourself and 
nobody can be righteous without 

260
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the Lord. 
In fact, let's do this. 

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00:17:24,500 --> 00:17:27,800
Let's go back to an ancient man.
That lived a long time ago. 

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Abraham the Bible says it was 
imputed unto Abraham that he was

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righteous. 
Because of his obedience. 

264
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So, in other words, because of 
his obedient life, it was 

265
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counted to him as if he were 
righteous. 

266
00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:50,000
Now what does it mean for us to 
be righteous in first John 

267
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chapter 3 and verse 7? 
He who practices righteousness 

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is righteous. 
This is righteous just as he is 

269
00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:00,900
righteous. 
In other words, it's a matter of

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00:18:00,900 --> 00:18:03,900
right doing a just man will do 
that. 

271
00:18:03,900 --> 00:18:06,700
Which is right. 
First Timothy chapter 1 and 

272
00:18:06,700 --> 00:18:10,400
verse 9 knowing this that the 
law is not made for a righteous 

273
00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:15,900
person but for the Lawless and 
insubordinate or the Obedient 

274
00:18:16,300 --> 00:18:19,700
Joseph was described as a just 
man, you remember that in 

275
00:18:19,700 --> 00:18:25,200
Matthew 1 and 19, the husband of
Mary Cornelius in the book of 

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00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:27,700
Acts the 10th chapter in the 
22nd verse. 

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00:18:28,100 --> 00:18:31,500
He was the first Gentile convert
and he was called this 

278
00:18:31,700 --> 00:18:35,400
Cornelius, the Centurion adjust 
man. 

279
00:18:35,700 --> 00:18:40,600
One who fears God and has a good
reputation among all the nations

280
00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:44,100
of the Jews? 
Now I think it's worthy of note 

281
00:18:44,100 --> 00:18:47,200
here. 
There's not one of these 

282
00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:50,400
qualifications for an elder, 
that's unreasonable. 

283
00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:54,000
Have you ever stopped to 
consider? 

284
00:18:55,300 --> 00:18:58,800
We spend a long time and a lot 
of time talking about the 

285
00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:02,800
qualifications and we realize 
that we look around us and very 

286
00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:06,900
few follow fall into those that 
qualify. 

287
00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:10,100
But if you ever stopped to 
consider that of the 

288
00:19:10,100 --> 00:19:13,600
qualifications to be an elder, 
there's nothing at all. 

289
00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:18,700
That's unreasonable. 
We can sum up everything that 

290
00:19:18,700 --> 00:19:21,100
Paul dealt with, in both 
passages. 

291
00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:25,200
First Timothy chapter 3 and 
Titus Chapter 1, with all the 

292
00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:28,200
qualifications and really we 
could sum it up like this. 

293
00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:30,600
Here it is. 
You know what Elder needs to be?

294
00:19:31,100 --> 00:19:34,200
And upright, honest and clean 
family, man. 

295
00:19:36,500 --> 00:19:41,400
Not hard to be what else? 
He must be God fearing. 

296
00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,200
He must be righteous and deeply 
devoted to his faith. 

297
00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,700
Every one of the qualifications 
fall under both of those 

298
00:19:48,700 --> 00:19:52,500
categories. 
It's not asking too much, is it?

299
00:19:54,900 --> 00:19:56,500
Even though they're very 
realistic though, they are 

300
00:19:56,500 --> 00:19:59,100
required. 
And just because a person is a 

301
00:19:59,100 --> 00:20:03,500
nice person. 
It's not necessarily an elder 

302
00:20:04,100 --> 00:20:07,600
material. 
So a just man leads us into the 

303
00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:11,000
next qualification. 
The next positive qualification 

304
00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,900
that is this, and I'll tell you 
this, this word is very much 

305
00:20:14,900 --> 00:20:20,800
misunderstood. 
It's this word right here, Holy.

306
00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:24,500
People misunderstand what holy 
means. 

307
00:20:24,500 --> 00:20:28,600
Sometimes people think that a 
person that is Holy means I am 

308
00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:32,600
better. 
If I am Holy I am better. 

309
00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:36,100
In other words I'm better. 
Therefore I look condescendingly

310
00:20:36,100 --> 00:20:40,600
upon everyone else. 
I am Cut Above, I am better but 

311
00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:44,600
did you know that the word? 
Holy does not mean elevated at 

312
00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:49,800
all when it comes to a person's 
life Now when we talk about the 

313
00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:54,800
things that God deems, holy like
God, Jesus Christ to Holy 

314
00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:58,000
Spirit, the things, the word of 
God, the things that God deems 

315
00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:02,400
holy those things are elevated, 
but when the word holy is, 

316
00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:04,800
describing a person. 
It is different. 

317
00:21:04,900 --> 00:21:08,700
In fact, in Titus, Chapter 1 and
verse 8, we are we find that not

318
00:21:08,700 --> 00:21:13,400
only is a man to be just which 
lives righteously, but he also 

319
00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:15,900
must be holy. 
What does that word mean? 

320
00:21:16,100 --> 00:21:18,000
That word comes from the Greek 
word hose? 

321
00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:24,200
He's and it means this devout 
and pleasing to God, that told 

322
00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:31,200
me. 
I'm just going to let that sit 

323
00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:32,500
for a second. 
That's good stuff. 

324
00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:37,300
The definition of this word is 
good stuff. 

325
00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,800
That's what it means. 
A person could say sometimes. 

326
00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:43,600
Oh, I'm just unworthy, I know 
Yaar. 

327
00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,700
I am too. 
We all are. 

328
00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,900
I've heard people say I just 
couldn't live faithful the 

329
00:21:51,900 --> 00:21:54,100
Christian life. 
I don't think I could do it. 

330
00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:57,700
Holy enough. 
Okay, well, if you talk about 

331
00:21:57,700 --> 00:21:59,700
your own goodness, no you can't 
neither deny but here's the 

332
00:21:59,700 --> 00:22:03,800
point, it's not about that. 
Can you do this though? 

333
00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:08,000
Can you be devout? 
And that'll be demonstrated in 

334
00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:12,800
what you're right doing, which 
is just can you live your life, 

335
00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:14,500
pleasing to God? 
That's it. 

336
00:22:15,100 --> 00:22:19,000
If you can do that, you are 
living a holy life. 

337
00:22:21,300 --> 00:22:23,600
And all of those things are 
given in the word of God. 

338
00:22:23,900 --> 00:22:27,600
Let me show you a passage by the
way, where the word holy and 

339
00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:32,700
just those Greek words are used 
together in the same passage is 

340
00:22:32,700 --> 00:22:36,900
found in Ephesians chapter 4. 
Watch this In Ephesians chapter 

341
00:22:36,900 --> 00:22:40,300
4, and verse 24. 
And by the way, it's not talking

342
00:22:40,300 --> 00:22:43,600
about an elder here, it's 
talking about the new man in 

343
00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:45,900
Christ. 
It's talking about someone 

344
00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,100
that's been baptized into 
Christ. 

345
00:22:48,100 --> 00:22:50,800
Has risen to walk in newness of 
life. 

346
00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:55,800
Therefore, putting on the new 
man in Christ, just talking 

347
00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:57,200
about a Christian that watch 
this. 

348
00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:02,200
And that you put on the new man,
which was created according to 

349
00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:04,400
God, in righteousness, by the 
way. 

350
00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:10,000
That's just, that's the just 
word and true Holiness, which is

351
00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,300
what development pleasing to 
God. 

352
00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:18,600
I think we can do that. 
I know we can do that. 

353
00:23:19,500 --> 00:23:22,200
It's talking about this, not 
just talking about Elder, folks,

354
00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,300
talk about every Christian, 
every Christian can do, that's 

355
00:23:25,300 --> 00:23:29,000
not an unreasonable requirement.
First, Peter chapter 1 and 

356
00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,200
beginning, in verse 14, listen 
to this, as obedient children, 

357
00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,300
not conforming yourselves to the
former luster as in your 

358
00:23:35,300 --> 00:23:39,600
ignorance but as he who called 
you is, Holy you also be holy in

359
00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:43,000
all your conduct because it is 
written be holy for. 

360
00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,600
I am Holy again. 
Nothing is unreasonable here? 

361
00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:53,400
These are not unreasonable. 
Now, all of those things being 

362
00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:57,500
said, he has to be a lover of 
what is good. 

363
00:23:57,700 --> 00:24:03,700
He has to be just he has to be 
holy, these were three from that

364
00:24:03,700 --> 00:24:05,300
passage that we haven't dealt 
with. 

365
00:24:05,300 --> 00:24:08,100
But you know what? 
There's more there's more. 

366
00:24:08,100 --> 00:24:11,100
And you know what it is? 
What's been our final time on 

367
00:24:11,100 --> 00:24:17,400
this requirement here, there's a
reason for it all There's a 

368
00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:20,500
reason for it all. 
Here it is. 

369
00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:28,600
Holding fast. 
The faithful word holding fast 

370
00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:31,400
the faithful word. 
It's found in Titus Chapter 1 in

371
00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:34,600
verse 9. 
Let's read that holding fast the

372
00:24:34,608 --> 00:24:37,100
faithful word as he has been 
taught. 

373
00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:41,500
That he may be able by sound 
Doctrine both to exhort and 

374
00:24:41,500 --> 00:24:45,200
convict those that contradict. 
Now I got to just say this 

375
00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:50,200
little history here, when Elders
were ordained in every city, 

376
00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,500
There was great opposition in 
those cities. 

377
00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:57,500
Remember that? 
In fact, the early church 

378
00:24:57,500 --> 00:25:02,000
composed are comprised of 
Christians that were Jewish by 

379
00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:04,100
Blood. 
For example, and the first 

380
00:25:04,100 --> 00:25:08,100
Christians were from the Jews. 
They were Jews their whole life,

381
00:25:08,100 --> 00:25:12,900
their family had been Jews also 
and therefore, when it came to 

382
00:25:12,900 --> 00:25:15,700
hearing the gospel, they obeyed 
the gospel they were spiritually

383
00:25:15,700 --> 00:25:17,900
minded man. 
They didn't have to go very far 

384
00:25:17,900 --> 00:25:20,100
to qualify to be an elder. 
Right here we go. 

385
00:25:20,100 --> 00:25:21,500
Now they're members of the 
church. 

386
00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:25,400
Paul says, ordain Elders in 
every city, meaning in every 

387
00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,900
Church in every city. 
But guess what? 

388
00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:33,800
There were those who were there 
to contradict. 

389
00:25:35,300 --> 00:25:38,600
You know who they were? 
In reference to them 

390
00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:41,600
specifically. 
It was the judaizers it was the 

391
00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:45,200
judaizers that came in trying to
bring aspects of the Old Law 

392
00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:50,200
back on the law of Christ. 
The King James says, the 

393
00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:54,700
gainsayers and the gainsayers 
just means those that 

394
00:25:54,700 --> 00:25:57,400
contradict. 
So this is a man that has to 

395
00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,300
hold fast, the faithful word of 
God. 

396
00:26:00,300 --> 00:26:02,500
What does that mean? 
It means this. 

397
00:26:02,900 --> 00:26:08,800
This is a man that clings to he 
is devoted to the word of God. 

398
00:26:10,100 --> 00:26:13,600
He is completely devoted to the 
word of God. 

399
00:26:14,700 --> 00:26:17,200
It's a very important 
qualification to because since 

400
00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:20,700
an elder is in the leadership 
and teaching position, he will 

401
00:26:20,700 --> 00:26:24,200
have the in the opportunity of 
influencing the church. 

402
00:26:24,900 --> 00:26:30,000
If an elder tolerated, false 
things taught, can't you see the

403
00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:32,100
direction that the congregation 
would go? 

404
00:26:32,100 --> 00:26:34,900
And let me just say this to all 
I would say is I make a general 

405
00:26:34,900 --> 00:26:39,700
statement, anything that goes 
against the word of God is 

406
00:26:39,700 --> 00:26:44,000
false, You know, I don't know 
any, I don't know anybody that 

407
00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,100
would disagree with that, 
really, anything that 

408
00:26:47,100 --> 00:26:50,300
contradicts the word of God, and
the truth of the word of God. 

409
00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:58,700
Is false, an elder has to cling 
to or hold fast the faithful 

410
00:26:58,700 --> 00:27:03,900
word. 
Now, he is one that cannot make 

411
00:27:03,900 --> 00:27:07,600
an uncertain sound. 
I'm going to get to that. 

412
00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:10,400
Let me give you a passage for 
that and just a minute, but it 

413
00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:14,500
can't give an uncertain sound, 
meaning, he cannot be 

414
00:27:14,500 --> 00:27:16,900
wishy-washy. 
One time, it's this fellow was 

415
00:27:16,900 --> 00:27:19,500
not an elder, but I asked him a 
question years and years and 

416
00:27:19,500 --> 00:27:20,500
years ago. 
I was younger. 

417
00:27:22,500 --> 00:27:25,100
And I said, I have a question. 
I have a Bible question. 

418
00:27:25,100 --> 00:27:27,400
I asked him the question about 
something. 

419
00:27:28,700 --> 00:27:31,000
And he responded. 
I was really waiting for him to 

420
00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,200
give me an answer. 
I really needed a straight 

421
00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,600
answer, you know what he said. 
Well it could be this and it can

422
00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:41,600
be that, but when you make that 
decision and when you do what 

423
00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:45,000
you're going to do, just make 
sure you're consistent and make 

424
00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,600
the same decision later on down 
the road. 

425
00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:53,200
That is a definite maybe. 
About something that I needed 

426
00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:58,800
specific Direction on. 
That is somebody that is echoing

427
00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:04,700
and uncertain sound when it 
comes to the word of God and 

428
00:28:04,700 --> 00:28:10,800
Elder cannot be one who Echoes 
and uncertain wishy-washy sound.

429
00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:15,100
It's got to be clear and it's 
got to be concise and he needs 

430
00:28:15,100 --> 00:28:20,400
to know what that sound needs to
be in Acts chapter 20 and verse 

431
00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:21,800
8. 
This is Paul warning, the 

432
00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:23,300
Ephesian Elders. 
Listen to this. 

433
00:28:23,700 --> 00:28:27,400
Take heed unto yourselves and to
all the flock, Walk among which 

434
00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:32,100
the Holy Spirit has made you 
overseers look at verse 31, 

435
00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,600
therefore watch, and remember 
that for three years. 

436
00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:39,100
I did not cease to warn every 
one night and day with tears. 

437
00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:42,500
In other words, we cannot be 
passive or indifferent 

438
00:28:42,500 --> 00:28:46,000
concerning doctrinal. 
Truth in the word of God. 

439
00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:51,100
Now, When a crisis arrives 
arises, an elder must give clear

440
00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:52,900
Direction. 
And when I said about an 

441
00:28:52,900 --> 00:28:59,700
uncertain sound, Paul writing to
those core, it explains what 

442
00:28:59,700 --> 00:29:03,600
it's like. 
To give an uncertain sound. 

443
00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:06,300
In other words, not to be firm 
and concise about truth. 

444
00:29:06,300 --> 00:29:07,600
That's all that means. 
Watch this. 

445
00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:12,600
It's kind of like this first 
Corinthians 14 and 8, for if the

446
00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:18,000
trumpet makes an uncertain sound
who will prepare himself for the

447
00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:19,400
battle then we know what that 
is. 

448
00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,000
You know, in the old days when 
somebody would go into battle, 

449
00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:25,100
they blast the trumpet right? 
Everybody knew what the sound of

450
00:29:25,100 --> 00:29:28,000
the trumpet was you know what 
the sound of the trumpet was it 

451
00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:32,200
was time to go to battle. 
Now, Paul so brilliantly with 

452
00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:36,700
the holy spirit's guidance, Paul
brilliantly says, if the trumpet

453
00:29:36,700 --> 00:29:40,700
guy blasts, an uncertain sound, 
nobody's going to know when it's

454
00:29:40,700 --> 00:29:44,500
time to go into battle, they 
won't know what it means. 

455
00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,700
All it means is you gotta hold 
fast, the faithful word. 

456
00:29:51,700 --> 00:29:56,600
And not give an uncertain sound.
How do you do that? 

457
00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:58,700
How do you not give an uncertain
sound? 

458
00:29:58,700 --> 00:30:02,300
Very simply here it is. 
Second Timothy 1:13, hold fast 

459
00:30:02,300 --> 00:30:05,800
the pattern. 
Of sound words. 

460
00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,400
Hold fast, the pattern of sound 
words. 

461
00:30:10,900 --> 00:30:16,800
Now, I will say I will say That 
in the absence of Elders, this 

462
00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:19,900
responsibility falls on the 
Evangelist and the teachers. 

463
00:30:21,300 --> 00:30:25,900
It falls on every one of you 
that teaches here you must hold 

464
00:30:25,900 --> 00:30:30,400
fast. 
The pattern of sound words in 

465
00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:35,200
the word of God. 
Having proper leadership. 

466
00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:40,200
You know, I think that you can 
pretty much look at examples of 

467
00:30:40,900 --> 00:30:45,700
problems in congregations for a 
perhaps that might come up and 

468
00:30:45,700 --> 00:30:47,700
it really all goes back to 
leadership. 

469
00:30:48,700 --> 00:30:54,300
Leadership is everything. 
Leadership is everything and I 

470
00:30:54,300 --> 00:30:58,100
have to tell you as long as I've
been around Tina and I would be 

471
00:30:58,100 --> 00:31:02,100
married, 26 years in May. 
So almost 26 years living in 

472
00:31:02,100 --> 00:31:06,200
this town, Living here, I've 
lived longer here than anywhere 

473
00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:10,200
else in my life. 
This congregation has always 

474
00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:14,700
enjoyed good leadership. 
Strong leadership that is 

475
00:31:14,700 --> 00:31:16,600
imperative. 
We have to have that. 

476
00:31:17,700 --> 00:31:23,500
The congregation will only go by
way of its leaders, its leaders 

477
00:31:23,500 --> 00:31:26,400
and teachers can't be those. 
That are blasting an uncertain 

478
00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:28,800
sound. 
No, we got to hold fast, sound 

479
00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:33,000
words and all that is folks. 
All that is is the word of God. 

480
00:31:33,100 --> 00:31:37,500
Now watch this, the reason for 
an elder being able to do this 

481
00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:41,200
is because they have to hold 
fast the faithful word so that 

482
00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:48,300
they will be able to evict and 
exhort those who contradict We 

483
00:31:48,300 --> 00:31:50,500
talk about what that means or 
gainsayers. 

484
00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:55,400
And by the way, in verse 11 of 
Titus 1, it says, whose mouths 

485
00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:58,600
Must Be Stopped, who subvert 
whole houses teaching things, 

486
00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:01,500
which are, they are not for the 
sake of dishonest game. 

487
00:32:01,500 --> 00:32:04,500
And by the way, subvert just 
simply means undermine the 

488
00:32:04,500 --> 00:32:06,300
authority. 
Those that undermine the 

489
00:32:06,300 --> 00:32:08,700
authority of the church or the 
truth. 

490
00:32:09,700 --> 00:32:16,600
Now, dwelt noted, this about 
Titus Chapter 1 and verse 9. 

491
00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:20,300
He said Titus Chapter 1 and I 
think this is true by the way, 

492
00:32:20,700 --> 00:32:26,100
he said, Titus Chapter 1 and 
verse 9 is a commentary of his 

493
00:32:26,100 --> 00:32:28,700
words. 
In first, Timothy chapter 3, and

494
00:32:28,700 --> 00:32:34,400
verse 2, when he said be apt to 
teach, do you see that the word 

495
00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:38,000
apt as some would say that it 
is, do you see that? 

496
00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:43,600
It's not just somebody willing 
to teach That means skillful. 

497
00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:47,300
Here's a commentary on that 
passage? 

498
00:32:47,300 --> 00:32:49,700
Why? 
Because he has to be able by 

499
00:32:49,700 --> 00:32:52,700
sound Doctrine to exhort and 
convicting those at contradict. 

500
00:32:54,800 --> 00:32:58,300
Primary job of an elder is 
watching over the flock of God. 

501
00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:02,000
It requires a man to be a 
student of the Bible. 

502
00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:04,700
It requires a man that has a 
broad knowledge of sound 

503
00:33:04,700 --> 00:33:08,500
Doctrine and the reason is is to
not only convict those that 

504
00:33:08,500 --> 00:33:13,600
contradict but also to encourage
and lead the flock of God. 

505
00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:19,700
But finally today finally, 
today, as we conclude our 

506
00:33:20,300 --> 00:33:24,900
remarks, In the New Testament, a
bishop or an elder is not 

507
00:33:24,900 --> 00:33:28,900
pictured as an iron rule 
authoritative authoritarian. 

508
00:33:30,300 --> 00:33:34,500
He is described as a humble, man
who views himself as a leader 

509
00:33:34,500 --> 00:33:38,800
among equals. 
I like what one man said he said

510
00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:40,600
you know what, he he's the kind 
of guy. 

511
00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:46,100
That views all of us standing at
the feet of the cross. 

512
00:33:48,100 --> 00:33:50,400
And an elder. 
That's the proper humble 

513
00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:53,800
servant. 
He's the guy that feels in his 

514
00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:56,600
heart that the ground is level 
at the foot of the cross. 

515
00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,800
That his position of an elder or
in his life is not elevated. 

516
00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:05,400
Above anyone else, the ground is
level, he doesn't look at 

517
00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:08,000
himself as a puffed-up 
authoritarian. 

518
00:34:08,100 --> 00:34:11,800
He looks him set himself as a 
forgiving servant. 

519
00:34:12,900 --> 00:34:16,800
Just like everybody else. 
You know, when we talked about 

520
00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:20,000
the idea of an elder Desiring, 
the office Desiring the work. 

521
00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:23,600
Here's a quick little glimpse 
into that work acts 20:28, 

522
00:34:24,100 --> 00:34:27,100
therefore take heed to 
yourselves and to all the flock 

523
00:34:27,500 --> 00:34:31,000
among which the Holy Spirit has 
made you overseers to Shepherd 

524
00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:35,600
the Church of God, which he 
purchased with his own blood. 

525
00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:41,000
So the good work that an elder 
is to do is to fold its to feed 

526
00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:45,300
the church. 
And number two is to meet the 

527
00:34:45,300 --> 00:34:48,500
needs of its members. 
Now, one of the ways that you 

528
00:34:48,500 --> 00:34:51,500
meet the needs of its members is
to feed the shepherd, the Church

529
00:34:51,500 --> 00:34:54,600
of God which is the flock of 
God. 

530
00:34:55,100 --> 00:34:58,900
These are the things that an 
elder does. 

531
00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:03,300
But finally in closing, there 
are many things that an elder 

532
00:35:03,300 --> 00:35:05,000
does. 
And we spent this is now six 

533
00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:09,800
lessons, six lessons, We talked 
about a lot of different 

534
00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:13,800
requirements, but maybe in your 
mind, you're thinking, but what 

535
00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:18,200
does an elder do? 
I see the requirements and we've

536
00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:22,200
kind of touched on some stuff. 
What specifically does an elder 

537
00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:25,100
do here. 
They are Elders duties. 

538
00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:33,400
Teaching leading protecting 
disciplining comforting 

539
00:35:33,700 --> 00:35:37,900
providing security soothing the 
troubled handling disputes 

540
00:35:38,100 --> 00:35:40,800
evaluating weaknesses 
ministering to the sick 

541
00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:45,100
counseling and even delegating 
responsibilities and I'll just 

542
00:35:45,100 --> 00:35:48,900
say when it comes to delegating 
responsibilities, that is my 

543
00:35:48,900 --> 00:35:53,800
absolute weak spot. 
That is a weak part of me. 

544
00:35:54,500 --> 00:35:57,200
I have always had the 
personality just do it myself, 

545
00:35:57,300 --> 00:36:00,700
that is not a good leader and 
where I might be a good leader 

546
00:36:00,700 --> 00:36:03,000
in other aspects. 
I need to work on that 

547
00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:06,700
delegating responsibilities and 
sometimes that means stepping 

548
00:36:06,700 --> 00:36:08,700
back and let someone get in 
there. 

549
00:36:08,700 --> 00:36:12,900
Like Terry says sometimes and 
get their feet wet sometimes you

550
00:36:12,908 --> 00:36:16,300
just have to give them a chance 
to do that delegating 

551
00:36:16,300 --> 00:36:22,200
responsibilities. 
An elder does that in his 

552
00:36:22,300 --> 00:36:26,300
duties, but all of this, by the 
way, remember when I said, why 

553
00:36:26,300 --> 00:36:28,800
are there so many requirements 
to be an elder? 

554
00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:33,800
Why are there? 
You know, an elder? 

555
00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:41,000
Is the highest position. 
That a person could ever have in

556
00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:45,000
the Lord's church. 
It's so important that there has

557
00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:47,600
to be a plurality. 
So one man's not puffed up or 

558
00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:51,600
held up higher than another. 
Has to be at least two. 

559
00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:55,900
That picture. 
This we know how important an 

560
00:36:55,908 --> 00:37:01,000
elder is. 
The church is the greatest 

561
00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:06,900
institution in all the world. 
The church is the Earthly 

562
00:37:06,900 --> 00:37:08,600
institution of the Heavenly 
Kingdom. 

563
00:37:10,300 --> 00:37:15,300
If the church is the greatest 
institution in all the world, it

564
00:37:15,300 --> 00:37:18,100
means it's the greatest thing in
all the world. 

565
00:37:19,300 --> 00:37:26,100
And if an elder has the highest 
position in that church, Isn't 

566
00:37:26,100 --> 00:37:31,100
he the most important person in 
the world in the eyes of God? 

567
00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:35,500
All I know is he's more 
important than the president of 

568
00:37:35,508 --> 00:37:38,600
states. 
That's fact. 

569
00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:43,300
I don't care if it's Donald 
Trump or whoever they're not 

570
00:37:43,300 --> 00:37:46,800
going to get me to heaven. 
Only the Lord is going to do 

571
00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:51,100
that. 
Only the word of God leading me 

572
00:37:51,100 --> 00:37:54,100
to do that. 
Through the church. 

573
00:37:56,100 --> 00:37:58,800
Greatest institution, all the 
world, the greatest thing. 

574
00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:03,200
And here's the final thing. 
An elder with all of these 

575
00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:07,700
responsibilities cannot do. 
So, as an authoritarian, he has 

576
00:38:07,700 --> 00:38:13,700
to do. 
So as a humble servant, Humble 

577
00:38:13,700 --> 00:38:17,400
servant. 
I'm finished. 

578
00:38:17,700 --> 00:38:23,700
And so, is the series on the 
qualifications of Elders at some

579
00:38:23,700 --> 00:38:26,600
point very soon. 
I will deal with deacons and 

580
00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:29,300
their wives. 
I don't know if I'll do it right

581
00:38:29,300 --> 00:38:30,800
away. 
I may skip a little time and it 

582
00:38:30,800 --> 00:38:34,000
is also very possible that I may
take tackle deacons and their 

583
00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:36,000
wives and one sermon. 
Not sure yet. 

584
00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:38,700
Haven't put that all together 
but at some point we will talk 

585
00:38:38,700 --> 00:38:42,600
about deacons and their wife. 
This is Elders in the Lord's 

586
00:38:42,700 --> 00:38:46,100
Church. 
We thank you for listening to 

587
00:38:46,100 --> 00:38:50,900
our podcast, put on by the 
Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.

588
00:38:50,900 --> 00:38:54,400
Road in Bakersfield, if you 
would like any additional 

589
00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:57,700
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590
00:38:57,700 --> 00:39:03,200
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Please email us at info at True 

591
00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:05,600
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592
00:39:06,300 --> 00:39:11,500
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593
00:39:11,500 --> 00:39:16,000
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594
00:39:16,500 --> 00:39:18,700
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