In Titus Chapter 1 and verse 5. We find the great Apostle Paul
writing to Titus and evangelist about the subject of unfinished
business in Titus, Chapter 1 and verse 5.
Paul said, for this reason, I left you in Crete that you
should set in order, the things that are lacking and a point or
ordain Elders in every city. As I have commanded you in verse
5, really. It's the meat of the letter to
Titus. And in verse 5, Paul addresses,
the purpose for being Being in Crete and that was to ordain
Elders in every city. You know, interestingly about
this. When it talks about Elders in
every city, it's talking about Elders in every church.
And really, when we talk about create, this was no small
undertaking. I read some stuff about Creek
this week and I found some things that were kind of
interesting. I understand.
It is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
In fact, it is Miles long and the width of it varies between
seven and thirty. Five miles wide one.
Ancient scholar said there were over 100 cities in ancient
Crete. Now historians also estimated
that there were over a million people in Crete at this time
we're talking about a very big place.
We're talking about a bear, very big responsibility and Paul told
Titus this is why I left you in Crete to do a few things that
are unfinished. Shhhhht.
One of, which was ordaining, Elders in every city or in every
church. Now, the work that Paul had
begun there needed to be completed, and really, there
were two things involved number one to set in order, the things
that are lacking. To set in order, the things that
are lacking. You know that phrase is really
interesting because Marvin Vincent said to set in order
said, it was a medical term that was used to set broken, limbs or
straighten those that were crooked.
In other words, there are some unfinished business that you
have to do Titus. One of which is setting in
order, the things that are lacking.
And number two, Ordain Elders in every city.
You know what's interesting about this is, there's obvious,
it was talking about unfinished business.
That Titus was to take care of and it was to appoint ordain
Elders in every city. When we talk about the idea of
setting in an order, the things that are lacking.
The NIV says, to straighten out that which was left unfinished.
Now, one of the things, That was left.
Unfinished is appointing Elders in every city now, got to make a
point here. Got to ask yourself a question.
Can a congregation be scriptural and exist in a scriptural
pattern in the absence of Elders?
Can a congregation be scriptural?
In the absence of Elders, if that congregation does not have
a plurality of men that fit the qualifications of being an
Elegant. Well, I'm going to answer it
like this. I'm going to answer it like this
with a question and that is this what came first the church or
the eldership? That's number one.
Number two, what was created for?
The other was the church created for the eldership or was the
eldership created for the church.
My point in asking those questions is ten fattest priest
eight. Yes.
A congregation can be scriptural and can be a faithful
congregation in the absence of Elders.
The answer is yes. In fact, when we go back to the
New Testament pattern, we find that there were churches that
existed three years and Beyond before ever.
Elders were established ordained at that place if they do not
qualify now, When men qualify when there are a plurality of
men that qualify, they are to be ordained and installed in this
great position in the church now.
Have you ever stopped to consider?
Why it was that Paul could say to Titus ordain Elders in every
city? And yet, we look out in the body
of Christ today congregation have to congregation and they
don't have Elders because the reason for that is there's been
enough qualified if you ever wondered why There's a question
that we have to take a look at one of which is this did God use
miraculous help in the days of the early church to be able to
have men that were qualified to be Elders.
Did God assisted with miraculous?
Hell, how was it that? God could say, in God's word
ordain Elders in every city? How was it that they were all
qualified? The answer is this, there's not
one passage of scripture that supports the idea that God used
miraculous memes, or miraculous Health to make men be qualified
to be an illness. Not one Passage.
Not one. God did not use.
Miraculous means to have men. Be qualified.
Somebody might say, well, how was it that they could all be
doing that. How was it that it ever church
every city? There were men that were
qualified, I think you have to take into consideration some
history. And when you look at the early
church, you find that there were men that were Jews.
For example, there were spiritually minded Men.
Please get that spiritually minded men and they were living
under the law of Moses. For example, the law Moses they
were Jews by Blood, they had been spiritually minded in their
life. Their fathers had been to
spiritually minded, their ancestors were spiritually
minded and then they heard the gospel and they obeyed the
gospel and they were baptized into Christ, be spiritually
minded. Men didn't have very far to go
before. They would be qualified to be
men. That could be Elders in the
church. So the ordination of Elders and
deacons had nothing to do with spiritual gifts at all.
These men were just qualified and they did so without
miraculous help. All right?
What about names for the position of an elder?
The first name is obviously the word elders.
And what does that mean? We're going to find.
There are three terms or three names used and given to describe
the same office one of, which is simply an elder.
What did Paul say to Titus to ordain Elders in every church or
every city? The word Elders?
There is the word Presbyterian Rose.
And by the way, the death, Mission of Presbytery Rose is
simply an older person. Now, it is used to describe
someone of spiritual maturity and spiritual experience.
We find in Titus Chapter 1 and verse 5 will say it again, will
quote from it again, Paul total Titus and ordain Elders in every
church or city also, an x 20, and verse 17 from my Latest, he
sent to Ephesus and called for the Elders of the church.
I'm not making fun but I have to make a point.
If the word Elder by definition means older person and it's
talking about someone of maturity and experience that it
would absolutely automatically eliminate some young man about
18 or 19 years old. That comes to your door.
Nice fella with another guy they knocked on the door.
They've got the name tag right here.
Elder so-and-so. The word Elder by itself
eliminates. A younger person, just by
definition, if we knew nothing else of the office, nothing else
of the requirements. And by the way, there are 24
requirements or conditions or qualifications for a man, to be
an elder in the Lord's church. Now, the word Elder by itself
eliminates a younger person. Let's go further.
There's another word that's used to describe the office of an
elder, and that's the word. Bishop now, the word Bishop
comes from the word Episcopal house and it means overseer now
It's used to describe the duty to oversee the local
congregation. In fact, in 1st Timothy Chapter
3 and verse 1, if any desires, the position of a bishop, he
desires a good work. So watch this elder is used to
describe the person. Bishop is used to describe his
work, or his responsibility, or his duty.
What's the responsibility that we know so far?
There's many others. But what do we know so far just
by using the word Bishop? It's to oversee the local
congregation. Guess what?
There's another one and folks this does not mean preacher.
There's a reason that I don't go by Pastor Frank, the
denominational world is filled with preachers that go Pastor
Ron or Pastor Dan Pastor, who ever You know, that's not in the
Bible. And by the way, pastor does not
mean preacher. We noticed in the book of
Ephesians originally in our text, what we say, God said,
some in the church, this one, and that one, and makes a
distinction between what I am and as an evangelist, a
preacher, and a pastor, you know why?
Because a pastor doesn't mean preacher.
Pastor means Elder. Watch this.
Elder by way of an older person, Bishop by way of a overseer.
But let's go further and Pastor from the word pointman, which
means Shepherd You see the point?
The task of a Shepherd is to feed the flock of God.
Now, interestingly in Ephesians 4:11.
Again, I'm going to read it and he himself gave some to be
Apostles, some prophets, some evangelists and some pastors and
teachers all distinctions. Now, we don't have miraculous
prophets today and we don't have apostles today, but we do have
pastors being elders. We do have evangelists being
preachers and we do have teachers in the body of Christ
to we've got all that. For the work of the ministry,
for the perfecting of the Saints, the completing of the
Saints. Now in 1st Peter chapter 5, I
want to read something because in First Peter chapter 5 verses
1 and 2, it talks about all three being mentioned.
Watch this. The elders who are among you I
exhort. I am a fellow Elder and a
witness of the suffering of Christ also to be a partaker of
the glory that will be revealed. Watch this, to Shepherd, the
flock of God serving as overseers not by constraint but
willingly, not for dishonest gain.
But eagerly all three are described in the same to versus
regarding an elder. And by the way, we're going to
get back to. This is was Peter.
Talking Peter was an elder to, he was an apostle but in
addition to that, he was also an elder now.
So an elder, a bishop, and a pastor, not three different
distinct offices but different ways to describe the men and
their work. Now, congregations of the body
of Christ that were completely and scripturally organized,
always contained a plurality of Elders.
And by the way, the authority of these men did not go beyond the
local congregation. It was never for that purpose.
You know, why they are? How the Roman Catholic Church
was formed. You know, it all started, it all
started because of these Bishops not recognizing, we're realizing
the role that God wanted them to have in the local congregation
and their Authority. Would not go beyond the local
congregation. All of a sudden, you have one
guy and he dries up and say, you know what, I'm going to be over
this congregation. And I'll be over this one over
here too and pretty soon, he would be over a number of
congregation. Then another guy, he dries up.
Hey, you know what? I'm the super Bishop guy.
I'm the big head cheese. I'm gonna be over you who are
over all these other congregations.
You see where it led it led to a pasta see it led to the
establishment of sacramentalism. It led to the Roman Catholic
faith all because Bishops Elders usurp The Authority that God had
given them and what they did is they rose up and extended their
Authority beyond that which God said they could have always
Local church always the local congregation and nothing else.
Now Elders were always also assisted by qualified deacons in
Philippians chapter 1 and verse 1.
It says Paul and Timothy Servants of Jesus Christ to all
the saints in Christ. Jesus who are at Philip.
I watch this with the Bishops and deacons now.
In time we'll get to deacons when we get finished going
through the eldership and the qualifications of an elder and
the work of an elder, we will talk about deacons.
But in this respect we have Elders that were older
overseers, that's what they did and they were shepherds now,
they had a specific work. When you look at the specific
work, that the Elder had it is broken down into two categories.
Here it is first category. Watch guard and protect.
That's the first thing. Watch guard and protect in
Hebrews chapter 13 and 17 the writer of Hebrews and I believe
that to be the Apostle Paul said, obey those who rule over
you and be submissive for they watch for your souls as those
who must give an account, let them do so with joy and not with
grief for that would be unprofitable to you.
So the first category that describes the work of an elder
is a man. That is going to be there with,
at least another man watching guarding and protecting the
flock. Number two.
Number two, second category. Is to serve train and teach to
serve train and teach Paul wrote this in Ephesians chapter 4,
verses 11 and 12 again and he himself gave some to be
Apostles, some prophets, some evangelists and some pastors and
teachers watch for the equipping of the Saints, for the work of
the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ.
So what does Elders do? Elders.
Watch Garden. 10th. What else do they do?
They serve train and teach Now. What about qualifications?
There are some requirements that
are found in the word of God, concerning an elder.
I'm going to ask you to turn in your Bibles with me.
I want to read these two passages here and then what
we're going to do is we're going to get into these as we progress
through our series. But in first Timothy chapter 3,
I want us to understand where we are, and what it actually means
and really how serious it is regarding qualifications.
First, Timothy chapter 3 and beginning and Verse 1.
Paul said, this is a faithful saying, if a man desires that
position of a bishop, he desireth a good work, a bishop
then must be blameless. The husband of one wife,
temperate sober-minded a good behavior.
Hospitable able to teach not given to Wine.
Not violent, not greedy for money, but Channel not
quarrelsome, not Covetous. One who rules his own house.
Well, having his children in submission.
With all reverence, for if a man does not know how to rule his
own house, how will he take care of the Church of God?
Not a novice lest being puffed up with pride.
He fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
Moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are
outside. Lest he fall into reproach and
snare of the devil. That's what Paul says to the
young evangelist Timothy of those 24 or so, requirements or
fall. Vacations to be an elder.
Now go with me. Please to Titus Chapter 1, Titus
Chapter 1, this is Paul writing to Titus, some more things about
that and after he talked about in verse 5, he said you're there
to set in order. The things that are lucky and
ordain Elders in every Church. Watch this, if a man is
blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children,
not accused of dissipation or insubordination for a, bishop
must be blameless. As a steward of God, not
self-willed. Not quick-tempered not given to
Wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable a
lover of what is good sober-minded?
Just holy self-controlled holding fast.
The faithful word. As he has been taught that he
may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convict those
who contradict serious matter, isn't it?
Serious matter. in these qualifications, these passages,
reveal that Elders must possess, certain qualities related to the
following three areas, marriage and family By the way you you
think that it matters the choices you make. regarding
marriage and family, think that maxed Paul gave requirements or
qualifications based on marriage and family.
What else? Personal conduct That Matters to
what else church and community. In other words, my reputation
matters in the church and it also matters in the community.
now, we'll get into this later on down the road, but when Paul
talks about that very thing about having a good report among
those that are without the King James says, or outside the new
King James says, it's talking about that time about those that
are in the community, Amanda has a good reputation among those
All right. Now again again when Paul told
Titus to ordain Elders in every city these were men that all fit
the qualifications to be an elder and it would have been
wrong for Titus to a point Elders in a city of a man that
was not qualified and it would be equally wrong for us to do
the very same thing today. What we need folks is we need
more spiritually minded men so By way of qualifications, I was
going to talk about 2:00 this morning.
Just to number one, is it got to desire the office?
I got to tell you, I spent a lot of time studying this and you
only take the sting is there was commentators that never that
said you know it says you got it says desire the opposite, that's
not qualification. I disagree with that.
It's the very first thing. It's the very first thing
mentioned. And maybe we don't have more
Elders today because we don't have enough man, that desire the
office. That's the first thing.
Watch this in first, Timothy chapter 3, and verse 1.
This is a faithful saying, if a man desires the position or
office of a bishop, he desires a good work.
Now. I'm going to talk about to
people. Ryan to Willard.
I don't know if Brian will occur will ever be an elder in the
church? I don't know.
I don't know, but I know long before he was ever married, he
said one day, I'd like to be an elder in the church one day.
My son Tanner just turned 18. I don't know if he ever aspires
to be an elder one day, but I'll tell you this, if he had the
desire to become an elder and had the desire, as a Young Man
long before he was ever qualified, don't you think it
would matter or make a difference on the decisions he
made in his life? The career path for example,
that he chose where he lived the congregation, which he worked or
labored among or was a member of the person that he married the
children that he raised. Don't you think it would matter
if a man is a young man and he desires the office of an elder,
it's going to alter the decisions in his life.
You see the point we don't have Elders folks because we're not
planning on it early enough in life.
Early enough in life. Now, you know what's interesting
about this, the word of God is so perfect and God is so
brilliant. Do you know that In this passage
Paul to Timothy use the word desires and the English language
twice? And they are two different Greek
words with two different definitions watch this.
The first word desires. Is the word array go and it
means to Aspire to strive for now, watch this, look at the
picture here. Paul says it's a faithful saying
if in other words, these are conditions.
If there's a man that desires the position of a bishop, he's
going to desire something else. Now this word desire is to
inspire to strive for. In other words, I have a desire
to be in that position. I have a desire to be in that
position, but then he says this watch this, if he desires to
have the position or the title he would also desire a good
work. The word desire.
The second word is f of fumio, and it means to eagerly desire
or long for it is an intense longing.
Now, that's the same word by the way, remember the rich man?
And Lazarus member rich, man and Lazarus, Luke, 16 and Lazarus
was a beggar, even have anything, okay?
And the rich man, fared sumptuously day by day.
But what it says about Lazarus, it's his Lazarus Desiring.
This word right here. Desiring to have the crumbs that
fell from the rich man's table. This was a desperate man.
That had a great intense desire, because he was starving to have
some crumbs that fell off the rich man's table.
That's the word. Epithelium now here's the point,
if a man is going to have a desire to be an elder and have
the position or title of an elder, watch this, he will more.
So with more intensity have a desire to do the work. you know,
that eliminates somebody that just wants a position or a title
of authority, That eliminates the guy that says only being
charged, I want to be the guy give me the title Elder in the
church. I want to be the boss.
I want to be in charge that eliminates that God is so
brilliant. Look at this.
Paul said, if anybody their desires or has the has the idea
they want to be in the position of a bishop, he will have a
great intense, desire even more. So to do the work of a Elder.
Yeah, the work of an elder more intense.
Desire for the work. These words show is one scholar
said there's more involved in being an elder than just having
the aspiration for the office. It's one that if one is truly
interested in being an overseer, he will be eager to do the work.
So what's the work x, 20 and 28. Acts 20, and 28, take heed
therefore to yourselves. And, to all the flock among the,
which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to Shepherd the
Church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.
So in other words, a good work is feeding the church, feeding
the flock, the flock of God overseers of the flock of God.
Now let me give you some practical things, that an
overseer of the flock of God would do.
Here's some descriptions. Leading.
And by the way, by the way, if you want somebody, you want to
get the most out of somebody, I don't care.
I don't care what Avenue of life you want to plug in.
I don't care if you want to get the most out of someone lead
them. You can't drive.
I'm you can't push him. You can push him only so far.
If you want to get the most out of somebody.
Leave them. What is an elder do to feed the
flock of God. He leaves.
He's a great leader. Maybe the greatest Among Us.
Here's another thing that he would do.
He protects disciplines Comforts provides security soothes, the
troubled, forgives handles disputes, evaluates weaknesses,
ministering to the sick counseling, and all of those
things, all of those responsibilities that he has.
And also he's one that can delegate responsibilities to
others to deacons and the others to that is A great leader, all
of these responsibilities, and more fall into the hands of an
overseer. So what's the first thing that a
person must do if they're going to be an elder?
One day they have to desire the office.
It's a lifelong desire. He has to do that early on in
his life and if he desires, but position of the title, he even
more. So desires the work for the
cause of Christ. Second requirement.
Blameless. Blameless.
In Titus Chapter 1 and verse 6. Titus's or Paul says the
tightest, if any be blameless. Now, the word if suggests that
it ordaining Elders in every city was conditional, upon what
follows. So, he says, if there's anyone
that is blameless, Titus was to ordain only those men that were
qualified and Titus in, no way as I've already mentioned, could
ignore the qualifications and you and I cannot ignore the
qualifications either. Now in first, Timothy chapter 3,
3 and verse 2. It says a bishop must then be
blameless. Now, Bishop and Elder.
Remember this, these terms are used interchangeably in the word
of God. The word Elder describes, the
man, the word, Bishop describes His function, both are used
interchangeably. Now we find that in the word of
God Acts 20 and also Titus 1. Now this does not mean that an
elder or a bishop is a boss. It doesn't mean that at all.
Remember also that the Elder is also a Shepherd of the
congregation. you know, the greatest example of a
shepherdess If an elder is a shepherd.
If that's what discuss, he's described as a pastor, having
the Pastoral Care, or the shepherd.
Shouldn't he look to the greatest Shepherd, of all as an
example? In fact, the Bible says this
about our Shepherd in First Peter to 25.
It says, Jesus is the shepherd and Bishop of our souls.
Same word. Bishop, he is the shepherd and
the bishop of our soaps. Now, what did Jesus do as a
Shepherd or a bishop? He didn't communicate
superiority. The Bible says in Philippians
chapter 2, verses 5 through 11 that he literally emptied
himself. He humbled himself that he might
serve, others needs. And you know what, what's
amazing about Jesus and his relationship to the church, and
that's what Paul talks about. And the Ephesian letter, when,
he talks about the marriage relationship, he Likens the
marriage relationship to the relationship that Jesus Christ
has with his bride and that's the church.
Now, if a man as a husband, and father follows the pattern, that
Jesus did that, everything that he does will also be for his
bride, or Wife in that relationship.
Everything Jesus did was for his bride.
Nothing selfish. Nothing for himself.
And we're so thankful that he's the one that is the shepherd and
Bishop of our souls. All right?
Not talking about some authoritarian with a big stick.
That's a very Noble task. So, Paul says, he must be
blameless. Now, the word blameless simply
means above reproach. We Vine says, this literally
means something that cannot be laid.
Hold of now. What's that mean?
Well first of all this word occurs in first Timothy chapter
3 and verse 2, it occurs in first Timothy Chapter 5 and
verse 7 and it occurs in 1st, Timothy 6 and verse 14.
Now, Paul is not saying that Elders are to be sinless because
no Elder and no man is sinless. In fact, the Bible says, the
first John, one and eight. If we say we have no sin, we
deceive our selves. So what are we talking about?
What's blameless me? Robert Milligan says, against
whom no evil charge can be sustained.
Now. It's a matter of No Charge being
proved against someone. And it doesn't mean that you can
never be accused of anything to by the way, I'm going to tell
you if you want to do what's right, people that are jealous,
will accuse you of all kinds of all kinds of things, blaming For
Stuff. How many times have people make
choices in their life? And then retroactively went back
and tried to cast blame as to why they made those choices.
That's as old as the hills as my grandmother used to say it's
way, it is people do that and then what they want to do is
retroactively go back and blame. Mmmmm, that's not what this is
talking about. This is talking about not having
a sustainable charge against you.
Now, the Bible does talk about a sustainable chart.
What happens? How do you know if it's a
sustainable charged with a Bible, says, out of the mouth of
two or three Witnesses. Let every word be established.
What about an elder? Watch this.
And First Timothy 5, 19 and 20 do not receive an accusation
against an elder except from two or three Witnesses.
Those who are sinning, rebuke in the presence of all and the rest
also May fear. Now, so the idea being blameless
Not mean, perfect. It doesn't mean you never seen
publicly either. Consider Peter.
Peter tells Jesus, I don't care
if I got to go down with you. I don't care if they come and
take my life too. I will never leave your side.
I will never betray you. Jesus looked him in the eye and
says Peter before the cock crows before the rooster crows, you
will deny me three times. In the process of time after
Jesus was taking time and time again, it got worse and worse.
And finally Peter, the Bible says, he is cursing.
And swearing say, I know nothing man.
Jesus, and about that time. He hears the rooster crow.
And Jesus looks on paper. And he goes out for weeks,
right? What then he was restored.
He was restored. Remember when Jesus says Peter,
do you love me? Oh, you know that I love you.
He said feed my sheep. Feed my Lambs three times.
He made him say he loved him for all three times that he rejected
him. So we're not talking about
somebody that has never been guilty of something.
Get that out of your head. It's not talking about, somebody
has never made a mistake or somebody that's ever even sinned
publicly. What about Peter again?
You know, sometimes we look at the life of Peter, it's
encouraging because he wasn't perfect either.
And in the book of Galatians, remember that Peter should have
been the one who brought the gospel to the Gentiles.
For the very first time. He should have been the one that
knew better. And the Bible says that he
refused to eat with the Gentiles because of the way that the Jews
would look down upon him. What did Paul do Paul was stood
him to the face because he was to be blamed Galatians 2 11
through 13. But later in First, Peter
chapter 5 and verse 1, I already said this already.
Read the scripture. What does it say?
Who am also a Elder. We learn from Peters example
that once a person repents such a person becomes blameless again
and suitable to serve as an elder.
As far as the idea of being blameless is concerned, okay?
Today's lesson really is more of an introduction to what we're
going to talk about. So in conclusion, but again the
whole lot of other stuff next time.
But in conclusion, what do we know so far?
We know that a man must first desire, the office.
He must have a desire for the office.
If you don't desire the office, you will not work for.
That's number one. But if you do desire the
position or the title of an elder you must more.
So eagerly desire, the work. Keeps you humble?
What else? I don't know what's the matter
with this thing. A man must be blameless.
Meaning no. Sustainable charges against him.
Perfect. Nope, not going to happen.
Just no sustainable charged. By the way, if there's a
sustainable charge, if there's a charge against you, yeah, he get
rid of it. You know, you can come blame us
again, we're pit. Make it right.
That's all you got to do. And you know what, if you do
that, you're back to being blameless, you're only blamed or
under the guilty, part of being blamed, if there's a sustainable
charge against you that you won't take care of, just take
care of it. So you got to desire the office.
You got to be blameless. And next week, we're going to
talk about the family requirements, the family
requirements of being an elder. I'm through this morning thank
you for your kind listening, as we introduce the series that
we're going to continue in for a while on elders and deacons in
the Lord's Church. We thank you for listening to
our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.
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