1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:21,920 Would you open your Bible please to 1 Timothy chapter 5. 2 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:26,120 Our text today begins with verse 17. 3 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:36,440 Before I read it I want to say that as surely as ruffles have ridges, churches have problems. 4 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:41,840 The church at Ephesus was one of the most notable churches of the New Testament era, 5 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,240 and yet it was a church that had its problems. 6 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:47,680 Timothy was the pastor of the church. 7 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:53,520 We see in chapter 5 verses 1 and 2 that there were apparently some generational problems 8 00:00:53,520 --> 00:01:01,180 with tensions, and so there are some words of exhortation to the pastor about that. 9 00:01:01,180 --> 00:01:07,320 The last time we were together we talked about the situational problem of how to support 10 00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:11,320 the widows who were widows indeed. 11 00:01:11,320 --> 00:01:15,760 So there were situational problems. 12 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:20,160 We're going to see today that there were administerial problems. 13 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:21,860 How to administrate the church. 14 00:01:21,860 --> 00:01:25,240 Problems with leadership. 15 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:29,600 Chapter 6 verses 1 and 2, social problems that are addressed. 16 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:35,400 Chapter 6 verses 3 through 5, doctrinal problems are mentioned, and how to deal with them. 17 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:42,760 And then verses 6 through 19 of chapter 6, motivational problems. 18 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:45,680 Churches have problems. 19 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,000 That's a fact of life. 20 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,480 Paul's letters are always practical. 21 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:57,520 They deal with the realities of the church as it exists in this world. 22 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:08,720 While he often points to the ideal of what the church ought to be, Paul was not an idealist. 23 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:15,400 Although he expounds the truth of our position in Jesus Christ as believers and points to 24 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:21,880 the goal that we have, he always writes with the recognition that none of us has yet arrived 25 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:25,760 at that goal, the goal of perfection. 26 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:34,200 He understood the distinction between what ought to be and what is. 27 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:41,080 Some of us get frustrated because we have not yet seen that distinction. 28 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:49,680 The church of Jesus Christ is a body of believers called out of this world to belong to Christ. 29 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,640 We have been delivered from sin and its condemnation. 30 00:02:52,640 --> 00:02:55,480 We are indwelt by the Spirit of God. 31 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:56,920 We are gifted to serve. 32 00:02:56,920 --> 00:03:01,440 We are united to Christ and to each other in the body. 33 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:05,240 We are no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit. 34 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,800 We share together a heavenly destiny. 35 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,320 The church is composed of saints. 36 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,400 All of these things are true. 37 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:23,960 But sometimes God's saints are cranky, mean, unforgiving, lazy, selfish, and self-serving, 38 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:28,320 faithless, and disobedient. 39 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:36,840 That's the distinction between what ought to be and what is the reality. 40 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:42,560 In writing to the Ephesian church, Paul tells them they are characterized by a seven-fold 41 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:48,360 oneness in chapter 4 verses 4 through 6. 42 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:53,840 And yet he says that they as a church must walk worthy of that calling. 43 00:03:53,840 --> 00:04:00,160 And he exhorts them to that end to stop lying, to stop stealing, to put away bitterness and 44 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:08,120 wrath and anger and clamor and slander and malice, and to be kind and forgiving to one 45 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:09,600 another. 46 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:16,480 So what he is telling us is that those saints in Ephesus had a wonderful position in Jesus 47 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:22,360 Christ that as yet they had not achieved in their daily lives. 48 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:26,520 And that's true of us as well as Grace Church. 49 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:35,160 But today's text in 1 Timothy 5 talks to us about some problems that were apparently 50 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:39,320 surrounding the leadership in the church at Ephesus. 51 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:41,680 Notice what Paul writes to their pastor. 52 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:49,320 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who 53 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,560 work hard at preaching and teaching. 54 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:59,360 For the Scripture says, You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing, and the laborer 55 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,400 is worthy of his wages. 56 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:10,280 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. 57 00:05:10,280 --> 00:05:16,100 Those who continue in sin rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also may be fearful 58 00:05:16,100 --> 00:05:17,100 of sinning. 59 00:05:17,100 --> 00:05:24,720 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of his chosen angels 60 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:31,880 to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in the spirit of partiality. 61 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:40,080 Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thus share responsibility for the sins of 62 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:41,820 others. 63 00:05:41,820 --> 00:05:45,260 Keep yourself free from sin. 64 00:05:45,260 --> 00:05:49,720 No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach 65 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,560 and your frequent ailments. 66 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:57,760 The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment. 67 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,160 For others their sins follow after. 68 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:06,400 Likewise, also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot 69 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,080 be concealed. 70 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:15,440 So we come to some sort of a problem in the church of Ephesus dealing with leadership. 71 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:21,340 The role and work of leaders in the church is a common point of friction. 72 00:06:21,340 --> 00:06:25,360 God has ordained leadership, of course, for the church. 73 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:29,620 I have said before, the church is not a democracy. 74 00:06:29,620 --> 00:06:32,880 God does not intend for the church to be a democracy. 75 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:39,160 The New Testament model for the church is that of authoritative, yet humble leaders 76 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:46,520 who are empowered to direct the affairs of the church, that is, to rule it, and to teach 77 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:52,960 and preach the word of the Lord on his behalf. 78 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:57,360 God has established the principle, it seems to me, in the New Testament of strong leadership 79 00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:59,440 within the local church. 80 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:04,640 The congregation that follows that principle will know the blessing of God. 81 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:09,440 Now, it's important for any church to talk about this. 82 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:12,560 It's important for our church. 83 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:21,480 I suppose it's customary on a anniversary Sunday to look back and to look forward. 84 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:25,960 As I look back, I thank God for the many happy and wonderful things that have happened here 85 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:30,640 in the 14 years that we've been together. 86 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:39,740 But I must confess to you that occasionally over the last 14 years, there has arisen at 87 00:07:39,740 --> 00:07:47,080 some critical moments a certain sourness in our congregation. 88 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:53,560 And I have sought over and over again to try to understand what is this? 89 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,520 What is this at Grace Church, Roseville? 90 00:07:56,520 --> 00:08:03,440 What is this sourness that is submerged for periods of time and then comes to the surface 91 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:08,160 at certain critical moments? 92 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:13,280 I was thinking about this a few weeks ago and talking to the Lord about it, and he put 93 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:24,480 a phrase into my mind that immediately in my heart confirmed what it was, what this 94 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,880 sourness has been that I have sensed. 95 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:37,360 And the phrase was, the people are resisting leadership. 96 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,040 Resistance of leadership. 97 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:48,280 And I began to go back and think the various times when I have sensed this sourness and 98 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:53,880 the phrase stuck in every case. 99 00:08:53,880 --> 00:09:02,080 And I've wondered since this has come to my heart, where did this arise? 100 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:06,400 Where did it come from? 101 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,000 It's not something new. 102 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:14,440 It has been in this church since near its beginning as Grace Church, Roseville. 103 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:20,160 And I have wondered, did it come from the Emmanuel Church out of which we were born? 104 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:24,040 Because there were problems in the Emmanuel Church. 105 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:27,840 It was dying. 106 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:33,760 Did we inherit a spirit of resistance and cynicism about leadership from the Emmanuel 107 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:37,080 congregation? 108 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:42,400 I don't know. 109 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:46,360 In our early years we had a lot of transfer growth from other churches in the area. 110 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:50,600 Some of those churches were troubled churches and some of the people who came to our church 111 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,840 brought troubles with them. 112 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:58,260 Did this sourness about church leadership come from some of those people who came to 113 00:09:58,260 --> 00:10:02,960 Grace Church? 114 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:06,240 I'm not sure. 115 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:10,160 I'm not so interested to be frank with you about where it came from as to what to do 116 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:14,200 with it now. 117 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:17,720 And I want to talk to you about that this morning. 118 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:20,440 I want to go back and repeat my main emphasis today. 119 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:26,880 It is this, that God has established the principle of strong leadership in the local church. 120 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:35,600 And the church that follows that principle will be blessed by God. 121 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:39,640 I don't think it's too important what terms are used to delineate the leadership, whether 122 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:43,320 they're called deacons or elders or executive committee or what they're called. 123 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,680 I don't think that's terribly important. 124 00:10:46,680 --> 00:10:54,200 I think what's really important is what their job is and how they're perceived in the church. 125 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:59,720 There is a right way and there is a wrong way for a church to organize itself and to 126 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:00,720 operate. 127 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:06,800 And it seems to me that the right way in the New Testament is in part appointing qualified 128 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:14,200 men as elders in the church and giving to them the responsibility and the authority 129 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:19,400 needed to direct the affairs of the church. 130 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:24,480 Now, what Timothy is told in this text that we're looking at today is that there are two 131 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:31,600 crucial responsibilities that a church has towards leadership. 132 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,320 First of all, it is to give it honor. 133 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:38,980 A congregation is to give its leadership honor. 134 00:11:38,980 --> 00:11:44,800 And that honor involves a couple of ideas, it seems. 135 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,800 The first idea is that of respect. 136 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:53,520 A congregation is to give to its leadership respect. 137 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:58,300 Leadership is not merely a privileged position. 138 00:11:58,300 --> 00:12:00,520 Leadership is hard work. 139 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:05,880 And those who are called from within the congregation to this duty must take it up with a sense 140 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:11,440 of personal commitment and sacrifice. 141 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,880 What they're going to do requires of them their very best. 142 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:21,580 And if they can't give that, they shouldn't be leaders. 143 00:12:21,580 --> 00:12:29,720 Because of that, the congregation is to appreciate them, says Paul to the Thessalonians, and 144 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:40,520 to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. 145 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:45,960 And so part of the responsibility of a congregation is to honor its leadership by respecting its 146 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:55,440 leadership, trusting its leadership, supporting its leadership. 147 00:12:55,440 --> 00:13:00,920 And secondly, he seems to introduce here the idea of remuneration. 148 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:07,560 He speaks about double honor, a second honor, especially those who work hard at preaching 149 00:13:07,560 --> 00:13:09,840 and teaching. 150 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:13,360 The second honor is that of remuneration. 151 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:19,000 As in verse 18, he goes on to quote both from the Old Testament and from Jesus regarding 152 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:21,800 this matter. 153 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:29,760 He quotes from the law in Deuteronomy 25 verse 4, the ox, you shall not muzzle the ox while 154 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:34,060 it is threshing, he says. 155 00:13:34,060 --> 00:13:40,120 But then he brings together in tandem with that a statement of Jesus from Luke chapter 156 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:45,720 10, in which our Lord said the laborer is worthy of his wages. 157 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:52,560 It is interesting, isn't it, that Jesus' words are here equated with Scripture, given 158 00:13:52,560 --> 00:14:00,680 equal weight with the law of Moses in the Old Testament. 159 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:09,440 And so a church is to honor its leaders, not be cynical about them, not be suspicious of 160 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:16,320 them, and certainly not to resist them. 161 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:24,600 But a church is to honor its leaders by being respectful and by remunerating when that's 162 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,840 appropriate. 163 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:34,600 There was one church member who observed that preachers were called to be humble and poor, 164 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:40,720 and in the prayer meeting he said, Lord, you keep him humble, we'll keep him poor. 165 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:46,880 I do want to say to you that Grace Church Roseville is generous with those of us who 166 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:52,360 are on the paid staff, and I have no complaint about that at all. 167 00:14:52,360 --> 00:15:00,560 And you as a church have well honored those of us on staff in that respect, and I'm grateful 168 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:04,760 for that. 169 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:08,640 But as we're talking about the responsibilities of a congregation to its leaders, let's keep 170 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,920 in mind it begins with honoring them. 171 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:18,840 And then secondly, guarding the integrity of the leaders, of that leadership group, guarding 172 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,280 its integrity. 173 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:28,260 He spends most of the text on this particular topic, and why is that? 174 00:15:28,260 --> 00:15:31,920 Because leadership work is dangerous work. 175 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:44,160 It can cause people to become proud and thus to incur the condemnation that the devil incurred. 176 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:49,120 It can cause people to become conceited and self-centered and thus fall into sin. 177 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:51,720 It is dangerous work. 178 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:59,440 It is also dangerous because it makes one vulnerable to the attack of others. 179 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:04,600 One of the reasons some people are hesitant to step up into leadership in the church is 180 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:15,560 because they have been so wounded there in the past by the people of God. 181 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:22,760 The nature of the responsibilities of a leader make him vulnerable to accusations and charges. 182 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:26,320 Now that wouldn't happen in a perfect church, would it? 183 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:30,280 But remember, we aren't there yet. 184 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:32,580 None of us. 185 00:16:32,580 --> 00:16:40,840 And so he gives some instructions as to how to guard the integrity of the church's leadership. 186 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:45,200 There are several observations about accusations and guarding that integrity that I want to 187 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:46,200 make. 188 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,640 The first one is obvious. 189 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:54,480 It is this that accusations must be expected. 190 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:57,160 Accusations and charges against leaders must be expected. 191 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:01,440 That's part of the price of leadership. 192 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:04,920 Leaders will sometimes make people unhappy. 193 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:07,960 Leaders will sometimes be misunderstood. 194 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:13,560 It is unavoidable that there will be charges leveled against leaders. 195 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:17,440 Because no leader can please everybody. 196 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:22,080 Abraham Lincoln made the famous statement, you can please some of the people all the 197 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:27,680 time, all the people some of the time, but never all the people all of the time. 198 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:31,440 And that's right. 199 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:38,520 For leadership to attempt to please everyone, to offend no one, will lead to paralysis in 200 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:41,520 a church. 201 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:49,040 So the first observation we want to make is this, that accusations have to be expected. 202 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:54,240 But secondly, accusations must be substantiated. 203 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,640 Or they must be rejected. 204 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:01,320 Verse 19. 205 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:08,440 There's a principle that is derived from scripture in Deuteronomy 19 verse 15 that tells us that 206 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:15,200 it is important to have witnesses when accusations or charges are made. 207 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:20,740 It says there in Deuteronomy, a single witness shall not rise up against a man on account 208 00:18:20,740 --> 00:18:25,480 of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed. 209 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:33,220 On the evidence of two or three witnesses, a matter shall be confirmed. 210 00:18:33,220 --> 00:18:37,160 And so under the Old Testament law, it was important for there to be more than one person 211 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:41,920 who makes a charge, there have to be witnesses to it, to prove it. 212 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:49,720 Our whole jurisprudence system is built upon that concept. 213 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:59,280 Now this helps prevent malicious charges or frivolous accusations against leaders. 214 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:03,320 Accusations must be substantiated by two or three witnesses or they must be absolutely 215 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:05,760 rejected. 216 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:15,400 Number three, accusations that are substantiated must result in public discipline. 217 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:21,600 Verse 20 says those who continue in sin rebuke in the presence of all. 218 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:28,880 Whether this presence of all refers to all of the rest of the elders or all of the rest 219 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:33,880 of the congregation is not really clear. 220 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:42,400 But I understand it the latter way, that when an accusation is substantiated against a leader, 221 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:47,560 there is to be public discipline and rebuke regarding that. 222 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:52,440 We have practiced that at Grace Church. 223 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:58,160 Number four, discipline carried out properly will result in a healthy church. 224 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:07,520 Or he says in verse 20 again, do this so that the rest may be fearful of sinning. 225 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:13,640 And so discipline that is carried out properly will result in a healthy church. 226 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:22,440 For there comes upon all of us in witnessing discipline a fear, a fear of the consequences 227 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:25,240 of sin. 228 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:30,520 That of course is what the devil tries to hide when he tempts us that there are any 229 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:34,720 consequences to our actions. 230 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:42,480 When we are reminded that there are consequences, then we fear it results in spiritual health. 231 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:48,480 So discipline carried out properly helps the church to grow and to be healthy. 232 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:55,760 And finally discipline must be administered without bias or partiality, verse 21. 233 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:59,760 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God. 234 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:03,440 Notice how he says this. 235 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:07,340 This is not a comment made in passing. 236 00:21:07,340 --> 00:21:14,640 This is a specific charge given before God, before Jesus Christ, and before the angels 237 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:18,760 of God. 238 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:25,760 What he's talking about here concerning leadership and its integrity must be maintained without 239 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:31,400 bias and without partiality. 240 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:36,960 Bias means not to prejudge. 241 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:39,080 Partiality means that there's to be no favoritism. 242 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:42,800 And James has a lot to say about that, doesn't he? 243 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:47,560 Both of these terms are used only here in the New Testament. 244 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:54,160 But he tells us that when it comes to the discipline of leaders, there's to be no prejudging 245 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,800 about it, nor is there to be favoritism. 246 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,580 It's to be done justly and openly. 247 00:22:01,580 --> 00:22:07,960 And in doing these things we will guard the integrity of leadership. 248 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:10,220 That's the point. 249 00:22:10,220 --> 00:22:16,220 As a congregation we must be concerned that the leadership that we honor has integrity, 250 00:22:16,220 --> 00:22:18,520 and we must guard that. 251 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:29,080 And we guard it in part with regard to accusations by practicing these principles. 252 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:33,640 Now there's a second way in which we must guard the integrity of leadership, and that 253 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:40,320 is with regard to appointments that are made to leadership. 254 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:47,620 He says in verse 22, do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily, and thus share responsibility 255 00:22:47,620 --> 00:22:52,400 for the sins of others. 256 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:58,480 And so he says when leaders are appointed, that's the picture of laying hands upon. 257 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:03,080 That same picture is used in chapter 4 regarding Timothy himself and those who laid hands upon 258 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:06,840 him when he was set apart to his work. 259 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:16,880 Now he says to his pastor, don't lay hands hastily upon anyone to the work of leadership. 260 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:25,480 Don't be premature in ordaining others to the work of leading in the church. 261 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:33,800 He says doing so may cause us to share in the potential negative consequences of their 262 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:38,840 sin. 263 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:45,240 It's not always an easy task to discern the character of someone about to be appointed 264 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:52,560 to leadership, and that is why time is the best way to judge. 265 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:53,560 Let time pass. 266 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:54,560 Let it be proven. 267 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,840 Let this person be proven. 268 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:02,360 Don't lay hands hastily upon him. 269 00:24:02,360 --> 00:24:09,480 Verses 24 and 25 remind us that sometimes the works of a life are evident, and sometimes 270 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:12,480 they're not. 271 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:18,560 That's both true of evil works and good works, he says. 272 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:24,760 And so we're to allow time to reveal the truth of the character of the individual. 273 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:28,920 Be cautious, he says. 274 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:37,880 And so a church is responsible to guard its leadership's integrity by being careful who 275 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:41,680 it appoints to leadership. 276 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:45,320 We have not always followed that principle here, and we have sometimes paid a price for 277 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:48,000 it. 278 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:54,720 Let us remember to be cautious, because those that we put into office of leadership, we 279 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:59,200 want to be able to honor, and honor without reservation. 280 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:07,440 Now there's a principle that we see in the last part of this chapter that is sobering 281 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:15,800 to all of us, and the principle is this, that all of us are headed to judgment. 282 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:22,200 There is a day coming when all of us will stand before God to give an account, and on 283 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:28,880 that day everything about us will be revealed. 284 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:33,440 Now as I close the message today, there are some questions I'd like for us to ponder. 285 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:40,040 I want to personalize these, because it does no good for you or me to consider the questions 286 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:44,800 for somebody else. 287 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:53,040 The first question is this, how am I showing respect for God's leaders in my life? 288 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:57,520 How am I showing respect for God's leaders in my life? 289 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:02,800 Let's think of that in the terms of the church, because that's the context of our passage. 290 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:05,440 Am I supporting them? 291 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:08,080 Am I praying for them? 292 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:12,440 Do I pray for them by name? 293 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:20,800 Do I protect them against gossip and malicious charges that are unsubstantiated? 294 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:33,200 Or do I tend to criticize, to gossip about leaders, and to quietly resist them? 295 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:37,640 I thank God that for the most part we have people in our church who are very strongly 296 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:43,000 supportive of the leadership of this church. 297 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:48,880 But as I said earlier, there is a stream somewhere within this congregation, and I'm not pointing 298 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:55,440 fingers at anybody because I don't know, but I have witnessed it, I have sensed it, and 299 00:26:55,440 --> 00:27:04,640 I know that there is a stream of resistance to leadership in our church. 300 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:12,880 And I want to call upon you if that is your attitude about leadership, that you're cynical, 301 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:25,640 untrusting, negative, critical, that before God this day you repent of your sin. 302 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:38,200 Because that attitude displeases God and it prevents the blessing of God upon this church. 303 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:44,600 How are you showing respect for God's leaders in your life in your home? 304 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:50,560 You are children toward your parents. 305 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:56,520 In your marriage, are you showing respect for God's leaders in your life? 306 00:27:56,520 --> 00:28:04,040 In all of those dimensions where you are subordinated to someone else, the workplace perhaps, are 307 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:10,520 you showing a proper godly respect for those that God has placed as leaders over you? 308 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:17,800 Because you see, God places leaders in the lives of all of us. 309 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:27,920 None of us are free of this, all of us in some or several contexts deal with leaders. 310 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:32,240 And God says here that our attitude needs to be right toward the leaders that he places 311 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:36,680 in our lives to represent him. 312 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:42,160 I can expect God's blessing in my life if I have learned to submit to authority that 313 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:45,240 he has placed over me. 314 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:49,320 And to the extent that I have not learned to submit to authority, then I cannot expect 315 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:52,760 God's blessing. 316 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:59,640 Furthermore, in those leadership responsibilities that all of us have, none of us can lead until 317 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:05,360 we have first learned to follow. 318 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:12,060 Followership is a skill and a grace as much as leadership is. 319 00:29:12,060 --> 00:29:17,320 And it is only when I have learned to be a godly follower that God can then give me the 320 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:24,160 responsibility of godly leadership. 321 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:30,480 The second question to ponder is this, how can I guard my leaders' integrity? 322 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:34,520 How can I guard the leaders that God has placed in my life? 323 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:45,000 Well, we see from the context here by refraining from false charges, unsubstantiated accusations, 324 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:49,080 we guard that integrity. 325 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:53,800 By confronting others, challenging them to be honest and straightforward and not allowing 326 00:29:53,800 --> 00:30:02,760 gossip or backbiting in our presence about leaders, we guard the integrity of our leaders. 327 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:11,560 There's too much allowance in our congregation for talk and gossip. 328 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:13,680 We permit that to go on. 329 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:20,120 We may not ourselves agree with it or share in it, but we permit it to go on and the result 330 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:23,900 is devastating. 331 00:30:23,900 --> 00:30:30,120 It is the responsibility of all of us as the people of God to guard the integrity of the 332 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:35,400 leadership. 333 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:42,280 The third question is this, and it flows out of the last one, am I satisfied with the integrity 334 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:45,000 of my own life? 335 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:52,680 Am I satisfied with the integrity of my own life? 336 00:30:52,680 --> 00:31:00,000 If we're honest, all of us will say, there are chinks in my armor. 337 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:03,880 Because none of us have arrived. 338 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:08,900 In some areas, we all lack wholeness. 339 00:31:08,900 --> 00:31:18,800 In some ways, the talk and the walk and the life of every one of us doesn't quite match. 340 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:25,000 And so we have to isolate those ways in which we lack integrity and ask God to do a work 341 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:31,360 in us to bring together our walk and our talk. 342 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:37,600 Andrew Carnegie said, as I grow older, I pay less attention to what people say. 343 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:42,400 I just watch what they do. 344 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:46,080 Integrity. 345 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:52,200 A young Christian businessman from Nashville was asked to speak at a local church and he 346 00:31:52,200 --> 00:32:00,240 chose for his text the commandment that said, thou shalt not steal. 347 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:06,120 And he spoke well from the text before the church body. 348 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:11,880 The next morning, he boarded a bus in the city to take a ride to work. 349 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:15,340 And as he did so, he handed a dollar bill to the bus driver. 350 00:32:15,340 --> 00:32:20,640 The bus driver handed back the change. 351 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:24,280 As the man walked down the aisle of the bus toward the back where there was a seat, he 352 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:30,360 looked at the change and the driver had given him a dime too much. 353 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:33,360 Just a dime. 354 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:37,160 But he was a man of integrity. 355 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:42,200 And so he turned around, walked back up to the driver and said, sir, you gave me too 356 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:43,200 much change. 357 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:47,000 You gave me a dime too much. 358 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:50,840 And the driver said, I know I did. 359 00:32:50,840 --> 00:33:00,720 I heard you speak in church yesterday and I wanted to see what you would do with it. 360 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:03,680 Integrity. 361 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:08,760 In every church there are problems. 362 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:14,280 Grace Church Roseville is not free of problems because it's made up of people like you and 363 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:16,480 me. 364 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:19,440 We haven't arrived yet. 365 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:25,200 And as we start our 15th year together, it's important for us to look within and say, Lord, 366 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:34,880 wherein I have problems or wherein I am a problem, please do a work in me. 367 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:43,080 Please make me a man, a woman of character, of integrity. 368 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:48,680 And let that be shown in my life. 369 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:52,120 We can say, Lord, I haven't arrived yet. 370 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:55,000 I'm not there. 371 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,240 But I press on. 372 00:33:57,240 --> 00:34:05,080 I press on toward that mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. 373 00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:09,360 And so, Lord, do a fresh work in my heart. 374 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:17,880 Posing me to deal with sin honestly, to repent where I need to, to give myself a fresh to 375 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:21,040 you. 376 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:32,120 Let's pray. 377 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:36,320 What does the Holy Spirit say to you? 378 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:42,560 And how are these questions answered? 379 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:46,560 How are you showing respect for God's leaders in your life, whether it be in the church 380 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:48,760 or any other dimension? 381 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:59,960 Or is there a subtle rebellion, a cynicism, a stubbornness about leaders? 382 00:34:59,960 --> 00:35:10,880 Oh, my friend, that's a terrible character flaw that will get us all into trouble. 383 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:16,200 Before God today, deal with that. 384 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:24,120 And ask Him to press into your heart an attitude that pleases the Lord Jesus Christ regarding 385 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:31,280 that leader in your life, or that board in your life, or that boss in your life, that 386 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:39,960 loved one. 387 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:44,400 Are you allowing gossip to go on around you unchallenged? 388 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:50,720 Are you allowing lies or backbiting to take place? 389 00:35:50,720 --> 00:35:55,920 To not challenge it is to participate in it. 390 00:35:55,920 --> 00:36:02,760 Would you say to the Lord, God, I want to be your person, your guard, your sentinel 391 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:12,880 to protect those who are leaders? 392 00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:19,280 And then making it personal, what about the integrity of your own heart? 393 00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:23,400 I just watch what they do, said Carnegie. 394 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:26,560 What are you doing? 395 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:34,280 Does your profession match your life? 396 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:41,660 Where it doesn't, will you ask God right at that point to bring about the kind of change 397 00:36:41,660 --> 00:36:44,560 that needs to take place? 398 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:56,960 Father, we sang before this message that in your time you would make all things beautiful. 399 00:36:56,960 --> 00:37:02,400 We thank you that you're going to do that, but that's true. 400 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:08,040 But the process may be painful at times, and it may be painful for some of us this morning. 401 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:13,320 Nonetheless, we pray that you will continue that process. 402 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:17,240 In those areas that we've talked to you about and responded to you about in the last few 403 00:37:17,240 --> 00:37:26,040 seconds, I pray that you will graciously go about your loving work and bring about such 404 00:37:26,040 --> 00:37:30,320 character change in us that not only will we personally be changed, but our church will 405 00:37:30,320 --> 00:37:33,680 be changed. 406 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:40,640 I specifically pray that you will remove the spirit of sourness that lies dormant but is 407 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:45,360 present and arises from time to time in this church. 408 00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:56,480 Uncover it, deal with it, and remove it so that there may be a sweetness that is consistent. 409 00:37:56,480 --> 00:38:06,200 There may be a wonderful oneness and unity in the Spirit of God. 410 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:11,240 As we as a congregation look ahead, Father, we look ahead with faith anticipating what 411 00:38:11,240 --> 00:38:16,520 you're going to do and with a deep desire that you will make each of us a part of that 412 00:38:16,520 --> 00:38:20,920 process of what you're going to do. 413 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:27,160 We get very busy and very self-centered. 414 00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:34,600 We would lay that aside and we say, make us a part of what you're doing in the world that 415 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:42,760 our lives may have significance that lasts and forever. 416 00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:47,840 Would you stand together with me, please? 417 00:38:47,840 --> 00:38:54,280 And now, Father, may your grace and the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit sanctifying us, 418 00:38:54,280 --> 00:39:01,840 cleansing us from sin, making us like Jesus, rest and abide upon us as we leave this place. 419 00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:10,160 May the joy of the Lord be upon us, for we serve a risen Savior who works in and through 420 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:13,480 us each day. 421 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:16,640 In His name we pray, amen. 422 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:32,680 We're dismissed.