In the “Let’s Be Clear” series, we are teaching what the Bible clearly says on controversial topics regarding the Church today. The big idea for this series is this: Clarity is the answer to confusion.
In the Bible, we see that Jesus Christ Himself was not clever or coy. He was unambiguous about His identity and mission. Week ten unveiled the idea that God calls qualified men to lead the Church as elders.
Sermon Recap: Discovering the Qualities, Responsibilities, and Purpose of Elders
We live in a culture that can’t stand distinctions in the way we are created. This primarily shows up in two places: how God designed the family to run and how God designed the Church family to run. Whether you’re an unbeliever who’s been raised in a world that has a problem with the Word of God, or you’re a believer, but the Bible embarrasses you when it comes to these topics, I hope we can all wrestle with one deep question: “What if God has designed His Church specifically for our good and His glory?” Read 1 Timothy 3:1-7:
“The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.”
While you see the word overseer in this text, at Mercy Hill, we typically will say “pastor” or “elder.” In our tradition, we see all these words as the same function in a church. Now, the Church is referred to as a family all the time in Scripture, and I believe that Paul had the family unit in mind when he was writing 1 Timothy 3. The Church is a family and ordered like a family. And in this family, the elder is an overseer. He is responsible for the church in a way that a husband is responsible for a wife. As a husband loves his family, so the elders love the church. Elders are to put the church first. They want to present the church blameless before God, they don’t shrink back from conflict with divisive people who want to hurt the church, and they give tough truth in love to those who are in sin.
Look again at 1 Timothy 3:3: “…if anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.” What is that noble task? The noble task of elders is to shepherd the flock. We’ve gone from husbands to shepherds, and I know we’re mixing metaphors now! Take a moment to read 1 Peter 5:2: “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly.” Elders are the instruments God uses to lead His people into maturity and mission. And they do that in the way that a husband leads a family or the way a shepherd leads a flock. In this example, think about what a shepherd does. Shepherds do three things:
1. Shepherds protect the sheep.
2. Shepherds lead the sheep.
3. Shepherds feed the flock the Word of God.
In addition to what an elder does, it’s also imperative to specify the characteristics of an elder. For those, look again at 1 Timothy 3:2-7. Ultimately, for elders, character is king. Yes, accountability is important, but for the office of elder, there isn’t another layer above them. Therefore, we need men of character to lead!
Application: Trust God’s Design for Church Leadership.
In our sin, we don’t deserve a good family like the Church of God. In fact, in our sin, we are kicked out of His family. Sin separates us from God, but through the cross of Christ, we who were once far away have been brought near by His blood. In the gospel, we become “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19). If we can trust God to bring us into the family, we should also trust how He has designed the family! Let us lean into His design for His glory and our flourishing.
-Andrew Hopper (Lead Pastor)
Watch the full sermon from week ten here!
Additional Resources:
Biblical Eldership by Alexander Strauch
“How to Pray for Your Pastor” by Jeramie Rinne
“The Worth of Waiting: A Word to Aspiring Elders” by Johnny Antle
