Well, so glad to be able to open God's Word with you this morning.
You can get your Bibles out. We'll turn in just a second.
As we begin this morning, I wonder how many of us who have been married
! Can remember the gifts that you received on that day long ago.
For me, it was about 15 years ago, just two weeks ago.
And I was thinking about it.
The only thing that I can remember that we received as a gift that day
were some blue wedding plates that have no longer survived.
Now, this is funny to think about.
If you go to a birthday party, you can see on the expression of your kid's face
if they were hopeful for a particular gift.
We can see it in their eyes, their expression.
This even happens in our marriages when we are giving gifts on anniversaries.
Some of us have missed the mark, haven't we?
You see, it's often true that the giver and the receiver are on different pages.
But this morning, we are going to consider that God is not like us in giving gifts.
God never once gives bad gifts to His people.
Now, how we make use of those gifts, if they are used towards their intended purpose,
is a helpful way for us to think about what we're discussing this morning,
the biblical idea of stewardship.
This morning, we will give attention, especially to one form of stewardship,
and that's the stewardship of pastors and elders
that have been gifted to each local congregation to lead the body.
Now, if you're newer with us this morning,
you may not know that we have just recently appointed and affirmed new elders in this local body.
Now, it's helpful for us to remember that this is only the beginning for us with these new elders.
See, there are a lifetime of transactions that occur between a pastor and a church member,
those church members to their pastor.
So that's our goal this morning, as we're going to open God's Word in just a second,
to consider and to prayerfully ask the Lord,
is there room for me to grow in embracing the gift of elders that God has given to this body?
So let's do that.
We're going to pray this morning, and we will open in just a second to our first text.
So let's pray.
Father, we, today, this morning, recognize that it is by Your Word that You lead us.
Lord, Your Word, by Your Holy Spirit, brings new light to our lives.
There are new ways that the Gospel is intended to transform us,
to increase our joy, to increase our longing for the day that You will come back.
And so we pray this morning we would do that.
Lord, would You give us humble hearts that are no longer blinded to some of the areas that we fall short.
And Lord, we thank You that we can do this as sons and daughters,
not under condemnation if we put our trust in Christ,
but Lord with joyful thanksgiving.
So would You accomplish that and more as we spend our time together in Christ's name. Amen.
Now there's a few reasons that we don't normally think much about stewarding our elders and other leaders within the church.
We don't normally assume that elders and pastors in our life belong in the same category
that something like a checkbook or a calendar do.
We don't have a system of evaluating whether or not we are using them correctly,
only a system in our minds of evaluating how they serve us.
So sometimes we forget our responsibility.
We also are more familiar with the biblical qualifications and calling that we see across Scripture.
So many of us are familiar with the qualifications from 1 Timothy 3, 1 Peter 5, or Titus 1.
These qualifications are essential for the health and proper care of the body.
But there's even more that should be considered as a congregation.
So we're going to turn to a couple of different passages this morning.
But let me first give you the outline for what we will be looking at this morning.
So the very first point that we will be covering is actually a question.
And the question is, why does God give the church elders and leaders?
And we'll look at Ephesians 4 to answer that question.
We'll also look at three other points from Hebrews chapter 13.
These points, how we steward our elders and pastors, are the following.
Number one, by considering and imitating.
Number two, by obeying and submitting.
And by number three, by pursuing the joy of our elders.
So please turn with me first to Ephesians chapter 4.
Although most of our time will be in the book of Hebrews, it's helpful to start here.
And the reason is because this chapter, really, this section of verses helps to lay the foundation and the groundwork for how to understand why God gives qualified men to local congregations.
So let's read Ephesians chapter 4.
We'll start in verse 4.
There is one body and one spirit.
Just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call.
One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.
Who is over all and through all and in all.
But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
Therefore, it says,
When he ascended on high, he led a host of captives and he gave gifts to men.
In saying he ascended, what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth.
He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things.
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ.
Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood.
To the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
As we head towards understanding how we are called to embrace the gift of leadership in the body,
we first want to understand why elders and leaders are given to the church.
So first consider with me that this is not a man-made idea.
Notice in our text who is the primary actor, the origin, and the one who is actively setting his course to achieve a particular goal.
Verse 7 says,
But grace was given to each one of us, and it was according to the measure of whose gift?
Of Christ's gifts.
At this point, we don't exactly know what is being given, but we can see that the one responsible is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because the gifts belong to him.
And he is given from his own heart, and what we see is from his grace.
This means that Jesus is not being compelled and he's not being forced.
But this giving of gifts comes from his own heart.
But notice also with me, what is the occasion that these gifts are given to?
So we tend to think of giving out gifts on special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, or other reasons to celebrate.
But this particular celebration, it comes in response to what the text describes as an ascension and a descension.
Do you see that in verse 9 and verse 10?
Notice it says,
He descended into the lower regions, the earth.
Now, kids, if you aren't familiar with what the word descension is,
Think of somebody coming down from a position of great power, like a king.
And they come down to make themselves known to you.
Now, that's a powerful picture.
And that's what Jesus has done.
So Jesus has descended in history from his place of glory to become clothed in flesh, like you and I,
In order that he might ascend and go back.
Back to glory with his Father.
So what we have again here is we have the occasion of a celebration.
A celebration of descension and ascension.
And Jesus is celebrating the conquering of sin and death that he accomplished on the cross.
Now, as he accomplishes this great work,
What Jesus does is he shares the spoils with his people.
See, it's unlike a birthday party that you go to,
Where we give gifts to the person being celebrated here.
What we see is Jesus gives gifts to his body through his accomplishment.
Jesus has won a triumphant victory.
And we are the ones who receive the benefit.
You're familiar with this line.
It says,
Why should I gain from his reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart,
His wounds have paid my ransom.
We receive gifts from what he's done for us.
Now, we're getting closer to answering this question
of why does God give pastors and elders?
We've seen that Jesus gives gifts to his people.
And he does it to further enjoy,
to further satisfy the things that he has accomplished for us.
And we also see that Jesus,
when he gives gifts in this text,
he's giving to two different categories of people.
If you look at verse 7,
he is giving specific gifts.
And it says,
For building up the entire body.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Let me back up.
We see that in verse 7,
he's giving gifts to specific people.
But in verse 12,
he is giving gifts to the entire body of the church,
the collective group of people
that assembles together to worship the Lord.
Now, look again with me at verse 11 through 13.
It says,
He gave apostles and prophets,
evangelists, shepherds, and teachers
to equip the saints for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of the faith
and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
to mature manhood,
to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
See, our corporate gifts are the leaders
that God has put amongst us.
They are the ones we are called to steward.
They have been specifically created and designed and placed
within each local congregation
so that the body can progressively enjoy the full bounty
of the soul-satisfying work of the gospel.
Now, many churches don't enjoy the benefit
of seeing those called and appointed
as elders and leaders in their congregation.
Perhaps you grew up in one of these churches as well.
You may have picked up habits from these earlier days
and become accustomed to viewing pastors
only on a horizontal level.
See, the danger that we walk into when we do this
is we can actually only start relating to our pastors
in a form of compliance to their leadership,
perhaps tolerance for their ministry,
but worse, what can happen is disdain and resistance
can creep in towards authority,
and this can have great consequences on the church.
So I ask you, brothers and sisters,
do you receive your pastors and elders
as gifts that we see from Ephesians chapter 4?
These are for your good,
and their placement is a primary means of grace
so that we can know Christ more.
Now we're going to switch,
and you can flip over to Hebrews chapter 13.
We're going to read through a short section here,
but before we get that,
those of you who may be a little bit unfamiliar
with the book of Hebrews,
it's helpful to remember
that the author of Hebrews
spends a lot of his time laboring
to challenge, exhort,
and uphold the superior hope of the gospel
as the end that the Old Testament anticipates.
So the sacrificial system of the Old Testament
has been replaced
by the once and for all sacrifice
of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
But the book of Hebrews
doesn't just hold out the hope of Christ.
It also warns us
about drifting in our own hearts.
So chapter 2, verse 1 says,
Therefore we must pay closer attention
to what we have heard
lest we drift away from it.
Chapter 4 says,
Let us therefore strive to enter the rest
so that no one may fall
by the same sort of disobedience.
In Hebrews 10,
For if we go on sinning deliberately,
after receiving the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains
a sacrifice for sins,
but a fearful expectation of judgment.
These sober reminders
are attention worthy.
They call us to shackle
the hidden areas of self-confidence
and to root out any drifting of the heart
that exists within us.
The closing words of Hebrews
then are intended to protect us,
to point us towards
God's preserving grace
that we receive
through conduits
of the Great Shepherd Himself,
namely our leaders.
So point one
is how to embrace biblical leadership
to consider and imitate.
Chapter 13, verse 7,
we read this.
It says,
Remember your leaders,
those who spoke to you
the Word of God,
and consider
the outcome
of their way of life,
and imitate their faith.
There is a progression
within this verse
that's important for us to follow.
The progression begins
with the idea
of first remembering
leaders of the past.
The past tense word spoke
and the focus on the outcome
of their way of life
leads us to assume
that these particular leaders
being referenced
have now gone on
to be with the Lord.
Now, our text alerts us
that the call
to remember our leaders
does not stop
only with admiration
of our leaders.
You see,
the world celebrates
and it memorializes leaders
in an outward way.
But we are called
to a different type
of remembering.
We remember leaders
of the body
with an eye
towards consideration
and imitation.
It says,
consider the outcome
of their way of life
and imitate
their faith.
Now, why would God
call us
to imitate men?
Doesn't that put us
in a position
of vulnerability
to their own failures?
Well, consider
just a few chapters
before.
In the chapter
called the Hall of Faith,
chapter 11,
those mentioned
are extremely flawed men
with flawed resumes.
So, we recall
Moses was a man
who struggled
with anger
such that he
was guilty
of murder.
Now, David
was the same
as well.
He succumbed
to the pleasures
of his flesh
by committing adultery.
in themselves,
these are
ordinary men
and so
are your
elders.
But why
do we remember?
Why does God
call us
to remember
these leaders
of the past?
What is actually
worthy
of being considered
and imitated?
The point
of remembering
our leaders
is found
in the connection
to verse 8.
It says,
Jesus Christ
is the same
yesterday,
today,
and forever.
The verse
is intentionally
positioned
right here
in the context
of imitating
our leaders
because
we remember
in such a way
that we fix
our gaze
not on men,
but on the
faithfulness
of the one
who sustained
them
until the
very end.
See,
Jesus is the one
who gives
pastors
as gifts
to demonstrate
not sufficiency
in men,
but the
sufficiency
of his grace
which works
within them.
We should
expect
a particular
way
that God
will show
us Christ
in the men
that are called
to lead
the church.
So,
how is the
gospel
manifested
in their
public
and in
their
private
lives?
Where do
we witness
their strength
coming from
when their
flesh
is weak
and exposed?
Hebrews 11
verse 13
reminds us
of these
leaders.
These all
died in
faith,
not having
received the
things which
were promised,
but having
seen them,
they greeted
them from
afar,
having
acknowledged
that they
were strangers
and exiles
on the
earth.
Now,
these are
the types
of leaders
who bring
great benefit
to the
body of
Christ.
Many
leaders
clothe
themselves
in signs
of external
strength,
but look
to leaders,
imitate
leaders,
and pray
for our
leaders,
that they
would be
the type
of men
who wear
the banner
of Jesus
Christ
yesterday,
today,
and forever.
So,
our flesh,
it's good for
us to think
about,
our flesh
naturally
wants to
resist the
call to
imitate,
to submit,
and to
obey and
follow our
leaders.
Now,
at least in
my own
heart,
there are
a couple
reasons why
this happens
so naturally.
The first
is because
individualism
reigns
supreme
in our
country.
We place
value on
thinking
independently,
on being
able to
navigate our
course without
needing help
from outsiders,
and this
can be very
sneaky within
our own
hearts.
What does
it look
like?
Well,
thoughts can
quietly enter
and say
to us,
we would
do things
just a
little
differently.
They don't
exactly see
the things
that we
see.
They might
have a
funny
personality.
And slowly,
our
imitation
turns only
outward towards
observation,
or even
reservation.
Is the
Lord calling
us to
repent in
this area?
Could it
be that
the grace
of receiving
care from
our Father
means to
fight against
the spirit
of individualism
in our own
hearts?
The second
reason is
that our
leaders are
sinful,
as we
well know.
While it's
good to be
discerning about
the direction
that our
leaders will
take,
we can
easily fall
prey to
the schemes
of the evil
one,
which tell
us to
resist their
influence for
our safety.
can you
imagine the
sheep coming
together with
a call to
resist the
care of
their
shepherds?
This is a
very dangerous
point,
place to
be,
church.
You see,
God has
ordained
biblical
standards for
our elders
amongst us.
Paul says,
even if an
angel comes
proclaiming
another gospel,
let him be
a curse.
God gives
our leaders
guidelines.
How we
are to be
influenced
should be
very similar
to the
words of
Paul in
1 Corinthians
chapter 11.
It says
this,
follow me,
but follow
me as I
follow Christ.
Our
imitation
is grounded
in Christ.
Point two,
how to
embrace
biblical
leadership
by obeying
and submitting.
So for the
sake of time,
we're not
going to
unpack all
the verses
here in
the next
section of
Hebrews
chapter 13,
but in
brief fashion,
notice verse
9 and the
warning that
is mentioned
in this
particular
verse.
One of
the primary
reasons we're
called to
embrace
leaders by
obeying and
submitting to
them is
because there
is no
shortage of
what verse
9 calls
strange and
diverse
teachings.
Now we
aren't told
precisely what
these teachings
are, but we
do know that
believers are
being threatened
to find false
strength in
some custom
of food
observance.
notice that
the writer
says halfway
through this
verse, it
is good for
the heart to
be strengthened
by grace
rather than
by foods
prepared at
altars.
So pastors
are called
to do
exactly what
we find
here by
the author
of Hebrews.
They warn
us to
protect us
from reaching
for false
strength.
The gospel
is indeed
sufficient, the
elders must
declare, and
that is their
only banner.
Now why is
this important?
It's because we
all reach for
something when
weaknesses are
exposed in our
life.
That is built
within our
fabric.
I am weak,
I need
strength.
I'm not
content with my
circumstances,
what hope can
I find in
other circumstances
where I've
fallen down,
what will
lift me up?
I see this
example in my
beautiful daughter
Savannah that
many of you
know.
So she's not
quite comfortable
in a pool
all by herself.
And while she
reaches for her
mom continually
around the
house, it can
be hard for me
to even capture
a moment of
her attention.
But when we
head over to
the pool,
there's only
one person
that she
wants to be
with.
See, she
reaches for
the strongest
thing that
she can when
her weakness
is exposed.
And thankfully,
that's her
dad.
Now, us
elders are
called to
do just like
I do for
Savannah.
I do not
let her reach
for her
brothers and
her sisters.
The pool
noodle that
looks really
easy to
hang on is
just a trap.
And that is
what elders
do for the
congregation.
When we
are weak
only, Christ
is sufficient
to sustain
us until
the end.
Now, God's
under-shepherds
have this
glorious privilege
of upholding
the worth
of Jesus.
But it
also says
in verse
17,
obey your
leaders and
submit to
them, for
they are
keeping watch
over your
souls as
those who
will give
an account.
So be
encouraged,
church.
Our
obedience and
our submission
to elders
is grounded
in their
accountability
ability before
God Almighty.
They are
only stewards
themselves,
and God
is presiding
over their
care for
you.
Oh, how
the Lord
loves you.
Having not
spared his
son, he
can be
trusted with
the ones that
he has put in
charge of
your care.
our last
point this
morning is
how to
embrace
biblical
leadership
by pursuing
the joy
of our
leaders.
And this
also comes
from verse
17.
It says
this,
obey your
leaders and
submit to
them, for
they are
keeping watch
over your
souls as
those who
will give
an account,
but let
them do
this with
joy and
not with
groaning,
because that
would be of
no advantage
to you.
So there
are two
goals in
mind here
with this
final instruction,
and the
first of
which is
to pursue
the joy
of your
pastors.
Let them
do this
with joy.
This is a
call,
church,
to us,
to you,
to care
specifically
for the
hearts of
your leaders.
You see,
our groanings,
our complaints,
our
dissatisfaction
has the
potential to
deplete the
heart of
those who
care for
us.
So fill
them with
joy,
church.
Refuel
and replenish
and guard
your words
against
groaning.
Measure
the ambition
of your
heart by
setting your
course for
joy in
their ministry.
And secondly,
remember that
this is also
designed for
your good.
Verse 17
reminds us
that we
are advantaged.
We are best
cared for.
we are best
stewards
ourselves
when we
are pursuing
their joy.
Now let me
say this,
I am brand
new to the
role of
being an
elder,
as you
know,
but from
talking to
those who
have labored
faithfully
year after
year at
Christ's
family,
they find
it a joy
to serve
you because
you do
these things
very well.
You
increase
our joy
in Christ
by the
way that
you live,
by the
way that
you are
gracious
with our
weaknesses,
and by
your desire
to be
led
towards
streams
of living
waters.
But as
we strive
to do
this even
more,
there are
just a
few
practical
steps
for us
to
consider.
So four
steps for
our
consideration.
The first,
you don't
have to
turn there,
comes from
3 John
chapter 1
verse 4.
It says
this,
I have
no greater
joy
than to
hear that
my
children
are
walking
in the
truth.
The first
step is
to walk
in the
truth.
What is
your compass
church that
navigates
your
relationship
with your
elders?
Do your
engagement
with your
pastors
demonstrate
that you
are hungry
for intimacy
with Christ?
Does
truth
preside
over
preference?
step
number
two,
pray.
Second
Thessalonians
3
verse 1
says this,
finally
brothers,
pray for
us that
the word
of the
Lord may
speed
ahead
and be
honored
and that
we may
be delivered
from wicked
and from
evil
men.
Are
you
praying
for your
pastors?
A couple
specific ways,
pray that
God would
fuel us,
that we
ourselves
would hunger
for more
of Christ.
Pray that
God would
protect us
from the
schemes of
the evil
one that
are many
times directed
precisely
at your
elders.
And pray
for grace
within our
families,
that our
wives and
that our
children would
be healthy
and established
in the truth
of the
gospel.
Number
three,
provide.
1 Timothy
chapter 5
verse 17
says,
let the
elders who
rule well
be considered
worthy of
double
honor,
especially
those who
labor
in preaching
and in
teaching.
This is a
great verse
that probably
deserves more
time than
we are giving
it this
morning.
But consider
what is this
verse calling
us to?
Those who
labor in
teaching and
preaching are
those who
make their
living by
proclaiming
the gospel.
We are
privileged to
have two
men who
are currently
doing that
in our
body.
What a
gift to
excel in
providing for
these men.
See, we
can be
intentional and
do our
best to
remove any
obstacles of
provision that
a full-time
pastor may
feel.
We want
them to be
freed from
the concerns
of outside
work.
By God's
grace, our
pastors do
not seek
riches,
marriages, but
they do
have families,
they do
have weddings
of the future
to prepare
for, and
they do
have
retirements
that one
day they
need just
like we
do.
Number four,
clothe
yourselves in
humility.
First Peter
chapter five
says this,
likewise,
sorry,
verse five,
likewise you
who are
younger.
Be subject
to the
elders.
Clothe
yourselves,
all of you,
with humility
toward one
another.
For God
opposes the
proud, but
he gives
grace to
the humble.
Are you
humble in
the way
that you
speak of
things that
you see
differently?
Are you
inclined to
be persuaded
by the
direction and
the encouragement
that you
receive?
Are you
quicker to
share a
different
opinion or
way of
looking at
things?
One last
question,
how would
your elders
feel if
they heard
the way
that was
spoken of
them in
private?
Church,
remember,
there are
many other
ways to
care for
our elders.
But the
way as
stewards of
a great
gift, we
are to
honor and
pursue the
joy of
our pastors
is also to
pursue the
joy that
we find in
Christ
ourselves.
There are
many other
ways that
we can
consider how
to walk in
faithfulness
with our
elders.
But let
me close
with this
encouragement
from 1
Peter 3.
It says
this,
finally,
all of
you have
unity of
mind,
sympathy,
brotherly
love,
and a
tender heart,
and a
humble mind.
I am
confident you
will continue,
church, to
do this
because you
know what
good gifts
our Father
gives.
and you
know that
your ultimate
trust is not
in men,
but it is
in the one
who upholds
these men
for your
good and
for his
great glory.
We love
you, church.
Let's pray
together.
Amen.