5 of 7 on life in the Father's house. Next week we'll be on the office of deacons and also because
Sunday school we'll be looking at 1 Timothy 3 quite a bit. I wanted to broaden it so today
our sermon text will come from Titus chapter 1. Please turn to Titus chapter 1.
1 and 2 Timothy and Titus are the pastoral epistles. They're letters giving instructions
on pastors and elders. So the author of this letter is Paul and he's writing to Titus but he's really
writing to the entire congregation. This congregation, it's really a series of congregations
throughout the island and the Greek islands, the Mediterranean. The name of this island is Crete.
That's the context of this. As I read it, remember we're reading God's very own word to you, his people.
We believe that it is inspired, inerrant, infallible, clear, and sufficient. If you believe that when
we're done reading the scripture, I'll say this is the word of the Lord. We'll respond with thanks be to
God. Titus 1, we'll start at verse 1, we'll go all the way through verse 9.
Paul, a servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect
and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God that
cannot lie promised before the world began, but hath in due times manifested his word through
preaching which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior. Verse 4,
to Titus, mine own son, after the common faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the
things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city as I had appointed thee. If any be blameless,
the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly, for a bishop must be
blameless as the steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker,
not even filthy lucre, but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate,
holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, and he may be able by sound doctrine both
to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Thanks be to God. Indeed, you may be seated. The Bible says that the grass withers and the flower fades,
but the word of the Lord endures forever. Would you pray with me?
Amen.
Man, let's pray.
chief shepherd of our souls.
We pray that you will minister to us
for your glory, Lord.
May you be glorified in this little congregation.
Amen.
Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Bible calls every congregation
to appoint elders.
I need to confess that after one year
of being part of this church plant
alongside each one of you,
maybe it's true that the sermon titles
are starting to reflect my personal desires.
Take a look at your bulletin.
What's the sermon title?
Well, it comes from verses one and five.
This is what I'm asking.
For the sake of God's elect,
appoint elders.
When you think of an elder,
I mean, that topic for most of us,
it does bring up different emotions
and not all of them are good.
Is that true for you?
God's word says a lot
about how he orders the church.
And what we're called to as a church.
But yet we enter it trembling, you know.
The fool storms in
where angels dare to tread.
And that's exactly what we have with the church.
When you think of an elder,
the type of person you would want to appoint,
it's probably a different image
as our ideal,
as the type of elders God has actually used
throughout all of the New Testament
and all of church history.
Let me give you just one example.
reflecting back on his late teenage years,
this eventual elder in the 1700s
who had been a sailor
and eventually a sea captain,
he wrote this.
At that time in my life,
I was capable of anything.
I had not the least fear of God before my eyes,
nor, so far as I remember,
the least sensibility of conscience.
That's a scary 19-year-old.
And that describes every one of us
until the Lord saves us
and gives us a new nature
and conforms us into Christ's likeness.
The name of this eventual elder and pastor
was John Newton.
And his story got darker
before God redeemed him.
John Newton worked as a sailor
and his ship then was going to Sierra Leone,
which I believe is on the west coast of Africa.
And so you know triangular trade in the 1700s.
This was his lot in life.
It's what he started to do for work.
And when he became a sea captain,
the ship he was in charge of,
it was a slave trading ship.
Well, the part of his story that's less known
is that before he became the captain of that ship,
he had already been working in Sierra Leone
because he was an indentured servant,
basically a slave himself.
So John Newton was a slave in Africa,
then eventually was able to break away,
get onto this ship,
and he became this captain
that was taking slaves
to go work for people in forced labor.
God saved this man.
God saved John Newton.
Not only did God save him,
God showed him the depths of his sin
and God grew him in his faith.
And then God matured him into godliness.
So the righteousness of Christ
was growing into him more and more.
But John Newton never lost that sensitivity
of how far God had saved him.
You know John Newton because he's the pastor
who also wrote many hymns.
The most famous is Amazing Grace.
Amazing Grace.
How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.
And as a Christian, he would reflect back
and he described slave trade as abominable.
And he worked alongside William Wilberforce
in English Parliament
to abolish slavery in England quick and first.
So he was on the forefront of that
because he knew the depth
from which God had saved him and redeemed him.
The pattern we see in the New Testament
with the elders and apostles
and then throughout church history,
that's why biographies are so encouraging
is that every single one
will be the first to say,
I am the worst of sinners.
Amazing Grace that saved a wretch like me.
They'll be the first ones to say that.
And that's the phrase I want you to latch on to.
Why does God do that?
Why does God grow his church
and serve his church using wretches that he saved?
And the answer is in verse one.
God uses elders
for the sake of the faith of God's elect.
So I'm going to use just your auditory
as you're listening.
Okay, I'm going to use seven times that phrase
for the sake of God's elect.
And these are seven pleas I see from the text.
You can listen for them.
So first, what does Paul tell the church
and also Titus is the need for elders?
Do we even need elders?
Can't we just have this gathering
like we imagine maybe Acts 2
where a bunch of Christians,
thousands of Christians just show up
and they just worship God
in whatever way they want.
In spirit and in truth.
Just why even be organized
in a church with elders?
Well, on one hand, it's true.
God does not need elders.
It's not God who needs elders, right?
God does not need a wretch that he's saved
to speak gospel truth.
God can speak through a donkey.
In fact, he has done that.
Remember Balaam's donkey in the Old Testament?
Would it be so much better?
Pick your favorite preacher, Alistair Begg,
or whoever you...
It would be better to hear God
directly through the donkey than any man.
It would be.
God does not need elders.
Who is it that needs elders,
according to Scripture?
Because Paul is having to write this letter.
Peter, apparently there is insubordination
and rioting in these islands of Crete.
Apparently there is much disorder.
We're going to see there are empty talkers
that are coming in
and they're deceiving many.
And Titus has been undermined.
Nobody cares really what Titus thinks.
It's going to have to have something in your hand
from someone we all do respect, Paul.
And you bring this letter
and then we can see if we can even talk with you, Titus.
So there's a need right now in Crete.
There's no order.
There's division.
And who should we listen to, Titus
or these empty talkers over here?
They're confused.
So I agree with John Calvin
that this little epistle
was more for the congregation
than it was for Titus.
He says,
do what you already know I told you to do.
That's why I left you.
Have this letter in hand
to do those very things now.
He says in verse 5,
appoint elders in every town.
Well, God gives elders.
Look at verse 1.
It's for the sake of the faith of God's elect
and your knowledge of the truth.
It's the same pattern
that Paul is describing for himself.
Why was Paul an apostle?
First of all,
so that they can know the truth.
Secondly,
so that they can grow
in the knowledge of Christ.
And then thirdly,
they can accord with godliness.
It works its way out.
And for that same reason,
God will use elders
to carry on that pattern of growth
within his church.
We see the connection then,
okay,
as the word of God
is preached and ministered,
look at what happens in verse 2.
You grow in your hope
of eternal life.
The role of the elders
is to minister
to the people of God
the promises of God
through preaching.
God is truth.
There's no lying in God.
And the promises
that God has gave
since before the ages began,
all of the Bible
is the gospel.
You need to have the gospel
through all of the Bible
ministered to God's people.
He's manifested
his gospel truth
at the proper time,
we're told in verse 3,
through preaching.
Many think they're being creative
and being wiser than God
by trying to organize
Socratic discussions
or maybe theater and drama,
because those are way more effective,
way more stimulating
than preaching.
And on one hand,
I agree.
However,
God is the most wise.
It's somehow,
it's mysterious,
but God,
through elders,
ministering the gospel promises
from all of the Bible
through the word of God
to a congregation,
that's how God works
the hope of eternal life.
That's how God establishes
his people
in the faith
of knowing God
and that knowledge of God
conforming in godliness.
So that's,
biblically,
the reason for
that apostolic ministry
from Paul
to Titus
to elders
to the congregation.
It's the same continuous purpose
that God has.
I'll point out
that in verse 5,
he says,
to appoint,
the next word is elders.
Every time that word
is used in the New Testament,
it's used in the plural.
There's always an S
at the end of it.
Our constitution
that we're proposing,
it says,
the responsibility
of every elder,
so there's a plurality here,
all of them,
every elder
has the same responsibility,
and that's to exercise
biblical authority.
Each elder
will give
an account
to Christ
for the souls
entrusted
to their care.
Therefore,
our proposed constitution
says,
decisions shall be reached
with prayerful consideration
and a spirit
of humility
with each elder
regarding one another
before himself.
You see the need
for checks and balances
and plurality
and accountability.
There's so much
at stake.
It's the faith
of the elect
that is at stake.
That faithful ministry,
it's for the good
of God's people.
Paul says,
it's the very ones
that Christ purchased
with his own
precious blood.
And this is why
Christians,
as we gather,
we become a body,
we become a congregation.
And this congregation
is organized.
God has said a lot
in his word
in all the New Testament
to organize his church.
We shouldn't be
having to guess
or it should never
turn into power struggles.
It should be
spirit of humility
and submission
searching his word
and organizing ourselves,
reforming ourselves
as a church
more and more and more
according to the word
of God.
We defer to one another.
We listen to one another.
We are seeking to,
with the spirit of unity,
listen to the congregation.
In our Constitution,
there are so many
opportunities
and expectations
where the congregation
is responsible
for voting
and giving assent
or pausing,
pumping the brakes.
All of that is because
these are wretches
that God has saved
and he's ordered
his church this way
because it pleases him.
So I agree with
another pastor
from the 1800s,
Charles Bridges.
He says,
the gospel does not
shut us up
in our own private interests
as if we had no love
for our neighbor.
But everything done
in the name of Christ
and his local congregation
is because the gospel
grows our love
for the neighbor,
for one another
within the body.
Well,
the first observation
is simply the pattern
that Paul sets.
It's for the sake
of the faith
of God's elect
that Paul tells Titus
to appoint elders.
And now let's also see
from these first five verses
setting up the list
of qualifications.
When you do appoint elders,
we're recognizing layers
of authority
above those elders.
So what are those?
What are the authorities
above elders
that rule over them?
Paul says in verse one,
it's Jesus Christ.
Through the ministry
of Jesus Christ,
Christ appointed apostles.
These are the ones
through whom the New Testament
revelation came.
The Holy Spirit breathed out
the epistles and letters
and the prophecies
of the New Testament.
So we have Jesus Christ,
the apostles.
Elders are to be,
if an apostle calls himself
a slave of God,
an elder is to be a slave,
much more so.
They've been entrusted
in verse three
with the command of God,
our Savior.
So it's the command of Christ
given through his word
that rules over the elders
as well.
And you're growing
in the people
a knowledge of the truth.
So the elders
are under the truth
and who has a knowledge
of the truth?
It's the congregation
and it's manifested
in God's word
through preaching.
So there's so much
that is over the elders.
The elders are under
God's word.
They're under the congregation
that's growing
in the knowledge of God.
They are under
Jesus Christ himself
and under the
apostolic authority.
In other words,
when an elder
is no longer
aligning with
the green pastures
of the truth
that God has made
really clear
through his word,
they've gone over here
away from the green pastures
where there's wolves
and thistles
and cactus.
They are no longer
under the authorities.
They have no authority.
I know some of you
have been
in churches like that
where it seems like
someone standing up here
is way out of line
with God's word.
The further you go away,
the less authority
you have.
In fact,
you have no authority
the minute an elder
departs from what
God has said
in his word.
And this is so important
that we understand.
So much of the hurt
and the pain
is probably because
an elder being fallen,
being a saved wretch
has done that.
So maybe the Lord
needs to heal you.
You need to confess
to the Lord,
Jesus,
I trust you.
You're the chief shepherd
of my soul.
I have a hard time
with a church
and with fallen elders
who might hurt me
that way again.
And ask for the Lord
to heal you.
There are authorities
that rule over elders.
Elders are under
God's word.
An elder can never
be self-appointed.
It's Christ
through the Holy Spirit
affirmed by the congregation
that appoints an elder.
An elder does not
self-appoint.
I'll clarify something
a bit further here
that we mentioned
in Sunday school.
In verse 5,
Paul tells Titus
to appoint elders.
And this is what
the church in the Middle Ages
and then in some cases
a magisterial model
of church government,
they still have
a role of bishop.
So they would view
Titus as a bishop.
He's in charge
of the region of Crete
and he's going to
appoint elders
in every single one
of the congregations.
We see this as,
we don't see Titus
as a bishop.
We see this being unique
to the New Testament
where God is,
he is setting the
New Covenant church
in motion.
He's breathing out
scriptures.
He's giving,
you know,
the letter to Titus.
This is part of
the New Testament.
And there are no more
apostles.
We believe that if
someone claims to be
an apostle with a
new revelation,
they're going to say
this is now scripture
as well,
that they are a false
teacher.
And that's what we
need to guard against
that.
We believe that God
has given all of
his full counsel
in his word
and that as Paul
wrote to Timothy
that the church
is fully equipped
to do every good
work that God
calls them to.
So we see here
that Titus is
having a letter
in hand from Paul
and it's to teach
the congregation
this biblical way
of appointing.
We see in Acts
that the congregation
was worshiping,
they were praying,
they were fasting.
And with the leadership
of the Holy Spirit,
they laid hands
and sent off
Paul and Barnabas
on ministry.
So how does God
appoint?
And how does Titus
appoint?
He appoints
through this
biblical process,
this pattern
that we see
of the church
gathering for prayer
and fasting
and then a laying
on of hands.
And then we read
that it was the
Holy Spirit
who appointed,
the Holy Spirit
who sent out.
The Holy Spirit
sends out,
raises up,
and appoints
through his church.
That's the biblical
pattern.
I'll highlight
from our Constitution
that elders
have a real
authority.
There are all
these layers
of authority
over elders
and therefore
all of the
authority delegated
into this one
office,
it is real
because it's not
self-claimed
authority,
it's the authority
of scriptures
for the office
of elder.
The scriptures,
according to our
Constitution,
the scriptures
designate the elders
as those who
rule in the church,
citing 1 Timothy 5.17
and Hebrews 13.17.
We see this office
as synonymous.
So the terms
shepherd and
pastor are the
same.
We see bishop
as being the
same and elder
as the same.
It's all the same
term in overseer
and ruler.
It's synonymous.
So the principle
here is even
important.
The Bible doesn't
care as much
for the church
what it's called.
It's really the
emphasis on what
that office does.
And what is the
office of elder?
It's to care
for the church
of God.
And there's more,
but I want to
emphasize it's less
about the title
or the label.
If you have
someone chasing
a title,
chasing that
position,
instead of
understanding the
work that an
elder does,
then it's a
wrong focus.
And it's most
likely a red flag.
So it's not
about title.
It's about
function within
the body.
God's people
are therefore
required to
submit to
the office of
elder when
such authority
is biblically
exercised.
The scripture
is made a lot
clear.
And when an
elder is aligned
with scripture,
seeking to
fulfill the
function that
scripture has
called upon,
then the
congregation will
respect and
honor that
office.
We see the
congregation as
being the ones
who set apart
the elders.
And therefore,
as representatives,
there is that
real authority
entrusted to that
office.
While we are a
church plant,
are we out of
order?
And in a sense,
yes.
We are needing
to appoint elders
to remain
biblical.
It's similar to
a position that
actually most of
you are in.
I'm not a
member.
Should I be
taking the
Lord's Supper?
Well, you need
to understand that
the Lord's Supper
is for those who
belong to Christ.
You need to be
taking steps toward
membership.
You need to be
pursuing that and
moving toward that.
So I feel like
it's so important
that we be honest
and truthful about
where we are,
but where we're
heading, what we
see as the
biblical order,
what God is
calling us to.
And in terms
of accountability,
there's no decision
made for this
congregation without
the elders of
the sending church
acting on behalf.
But I am asking
you to pray that
God will raise up
elders because if
Crete could come
up with elders for
every single city
with all of their
problems, God will
do that here too.
He will do that.
So we need to be
moving toward that
biblical norm.
And my point here
that I want you to
simply see that it's
for the sake of
God's elect that
he promises he
will never leave
any congregation
without elders.
It's ultimately
Christ's responsibility
to raise up the
elders.
You know, we often
want to try to
become man-centered
and not trust in
him, but you need
to join me.
We need to trust
him.
He will do what
he has promised
and he promises he
will raise up elders
for every congregation.
He will feed his
people through those
men that he raises
up.
All right, so that's
the authority that
rules over the
elders.
Before I get to
the list of
qualifications, because
that's what the
congregation in Crete
needed to look at.
Well, how do we
know?
How do we discern
this?
How can we vote
yes or no?
Give us something
tangible to look at.
So before I even get
to that, I want to
go to the parallel
text, which is 1
Timothy 3.
You're welcome to
turn there.
1 Timothy 3.1.
Many of you, this
will be very familiar.
1 Timothy 3.1.
This is what Paul is
encouraging Timothy
with.
Timothy, as I
mentioned, he was
the pastor in Ephesus
and God is calling
him to raise up men
to whom you can
entrust the gospel,
who will be able to
provide sound teaching
and doctrine and
minister and provide
that biblical care
for the flock.
Here's what Paul
writes to Timothy
in 1 Timothy 1.3.
The saying is
trustworthy.
If anyone aspires
to the office
of overseer,
he desires
a noble task.
The reason I feel
this is important
to mention here
is because
the qualifications
is what the
congregation can
look at.
These are what
we would use
as the criteria
for the external
call.
Well, remember,
no man can appoint
himself to be
elder.
It has to be a
congregation appointing
a man and calling
a man to be their
overseer, to be one
of the elders and
shepherds.
Well, who is it
then that should
even be put forward
for consideration?
And what Paul
tells Timothy is
that if anyone
aspires to the
office of overseer,
he desires a
noble task.
Those two words,
aspire and desire,
those are less
about an external
call from a
congregation.
It's looking more
internally.
Is a man
aspiring?
They say you
aspire when you
perspire.
Is a man sweating,
serving, working,
laboring?
Is he reading?
Is he studying?
Is he growing in
doctrine?
Does he have a care
for the souls already?
Is he doing the
work?
Is he one that
others want them
to have this man
pray for me?
I just want you to
know and to
intercede on my
behalf.
The Lord says he
will hear the
prayer of his
people.
And so that's
what it looks
like to aspire.
It's to do the
work.
And if a man
desires that,
he desires a
noble task.
It's work.
It's labor.
And it is a
desire.
It's internal.
That same
pastor I mentioned,
John Newton,
he gives three
criteria, three
criterion, I
guess, of how
you can know if
a man should be
considered for
elder.
Here's the first
one.
It's the internal
call.
John Newton
says it's a
warm and
earnest desire
to be employed
in the service
of the church.
A warm and
earnest desire.
And if you
desire that, you
desire a noble
task.
Why is that so
needed?
That there will
be an internal
aspiring and
desiring before
the church sets
you aside to do
it?
It's needed
because the
work of being
an elder, this
noble task, it
is hard and
there will be
times where you
first of all will
question yourself.
I'm a wretch.
God saved a
wretch like me?
Who am I?
Who am I to
minister God's
word?
And Satan will
be the first
one to accuse
you even more.
So why is this
needed?
Charles Bridges
said,
discouragements
properly sustained
and carefully
improved become
our most fruitful
sources of
eventual
encouragement while
love to our
work bears us
on above our
difficulties.
qualities.
That's why you
need that internal
call.
I think you
need to hear
what Charles
Spurgeon said
about this
internal call.
Even if it's
flowery Victorian
language, maybe
exaggerated, I
just want to share
an example.
I ask a pastor,
he's a Presbyterian
pastor in the
area, and I
just ask him,
what do you most
appreciate about
this congregation?
And his point
of reference was
a congregation in
a different state,
another PCA church,
that he just said
the other elders were
really like a
governing board.
He didn't feel
like any of them
necessarily had a
desire or
aspiring to do
it.
They were doing
it because they
thought they were
helping God out.
And that was the
hardest thing for
him.
But he felt like
at this congregation
God had raised
up, truly raised
up men who
aspired and
desired to care
for the flock
and to provide
that oversight.
So listen to how
Charles Spurgeon
describes this.
There must be
an irresistible,
overwhelming craving,
enraging thirst
for telling
others what
God has done
for your own
soul.
If any man
could be content
to be a newspaper
editor, a grocer,
a farmer, or doctor,
a lawyer, or senator,
or a king,
in the name of heaven
and earth,
let him go do
this instead.
For a man so
filled with God
would utterly
weary in any
pursuit but that
for which his
inmost soul
pants.
who is
aspiring?
Who is
aspiring to
do the work
of overseeing,
of caring for
the souls of
others, beginning
with your own
wife and
children if you
have a family?
In congregation,
I think it's also
important that we
all together as a
congregation be
really clear.
There's two
separate decisions,
I think biblically
and also in our
bylaws.
One is,
should these other
men become
elders?
Are they
aspiring to do
this?
Do they fit the
biblical criteria?
Then we should
appoint them.
That's one
decision.
The other
decision is,
should the
church ask a
man to not
be distracted
or entangled
in any other
worldly affairs
because the
church wants to
compensate that
man for working
fully on behalf
of the church?
Because the
Bible also says
it's more
shameful than an
unbeliever if you
can't provide for
your own family.
But those are
two separate
decisions.
The church can
decide, you
know, we
believe these
men are
biblical elders
and we want
to appoint
them.
And then the
church at the
right time can
also make that
separate decision.
Do one or more
of these elders,
do we want to
set them aside,
not let them
have to worry
about working
another day job?
But those are
two separate
decisions.
It's easy to go
in our mind to
the just, well,
full-time ministry
is the only way.
So that's the
internal call.
For the sake of
God's elect,
Christ is the
one who
personally calls.
He is the one
who stirs that
desire.
And Christ is
the one who
will provide the
means for men
who do aspire
to become elders
according to his
will for each
congregation.
All right,
well, on the
internal call,
a little bit of
context.
Now we move on to
our sermon text
again, back to
Titus chapter 1
verse 6.
And this is the
external test.
I've broken the
external test into
three parts.
So the first part
is, what is the
man's reputation
inside and outside
of the church?
This is so important
because for us to be
in biblical order,
we will need to
appoint more elders
according to God's
timing.
And we won't rush it
because it's for the
sake of the faith of
the elect.
We don't want to do
a bad job with it.
But you need to know
this.
So even if you're
thinking I'm sitting
here as, and I'm a
lady, I'm never
going to be an
elder, you need to
know the biblical
criteria.
You need to know
what God has set
before us to use
as our guide.
So the first one is
that.
What is the man's
reputation inside
and outside of the
church?
Look at what
Titus chapter 1
verse 6 says.
If anyone is above
reproach, the husband
of one wife and his
children are believers,
or other translations
faithful, and not
open to the charge of
debauchery or
insubordination.
This is a pretty
observable reputation
inside of a church, but
also in the community
where we live.
Let's break it down.
Number one, above
reproach.
Above reproach.
If a man is aspiring
to be an elder, but
there's questionable
areas of their life,
how are they going to
really be able to
fulfill all of the
functions required of
an elder, while many
areas of their life are
still at least
questionable, if not
guilty.
So I think that one's
fairly self-explanatory.
A man aspiring to be
an elder should think
about that.
If I have a choice and
I'm aware of how this
might affect other
people, I want to be
sensitive to their
needs.
I don't want to do
anything to discourage
or hamper the faith
of someone else.
I just want to be above
reproach before Christ.
And the caution is,
of course, we can
become perhaps
legalistic and trying
to add on to the
moral law.
And there's a freedom
in this, but I think
that general care for
the souls of others
and the more sensitive
brother's conscience
ought to win over your
heart.
You love the others
and you love what
Christ is calling you
to do, that you're
willing to do it,
whatever that is.
The next phrase is,
the husband of one
wife.
I think, in general,
this, I think the
best interpretation is
to say a one woman
man.
I'm not going to have
us turn to other
parts of the Bible
necessarily to open
up a full doctrine
of divorce and
remarriage and stuff
like that.
But Jesus says in
Matthew 9, verse 19,
because the Pharisees
were abusing this.
They were divorcing
one wife, remarrying
for any reason.
It was a selfish,
proud, male-dominated
culture.
And Jesus was very
pointed to accuse
them and tell them
this is wrong.
This does not please
God.
But Jesus says,
if a man divorces
his wife, except in
the case of adultery,
then it's wrong.
But in other words,
if there's a man
whose wife was
unfaithful to him,
it's biblical grounds
for divorce, as I
would see it, and
remarriage as well.
I know some
conservative denominations
have been divided
on this.
Our Constitution,
barring from these
other Reformed
Baptist exemplars,
makes it clear that
if that man was not
guilty of adultery
and biblically
passed that test
and he remarries,
he's been faithful
to his wife,
he still fits
this criteria,
the husband of
one wife.
The next phrase
is that his
children are
believers.
So does this
mean that a
current elder,
his wife gets
pregnant and they
have a baby,
this infant is not
yet a believer,
he better step down
from office,
he's automatically
disqualified.
I think a better
understanding is,
as some have said,
that translation of
faithful,
it's a child who
outwardly,
this is an external
test,
there's no evidence
necessarily that
there's secret sin
on the part of the
elders,
what this is
guarding against.
If an elder
stands behind the
pulpit or in the
Sunday school class
or in the home
and ministers God's
word in one way,
but the family
knows the secret
sin,
the sin that's
only with the
wife or the
children,
it will show up
generally through
children's behavior.
And that's really
important for the
church to be aware
of that.
So as a
congregation,
if we see a
potential elder or
current elders,
three-year-old acting
like a three-year-old,
maybe regressing and
acting like a two-year-old,
we would still consider
that a faithful
household.
If a 13-year-old is
acting like a teenager,
that doesn't mean the
pastor is disqualified.
That's probably our best
understanding of that
phrase.
The next one is not
open to the charge of
debauchery.
Debauchery is open,
blatant sin that
brings disrepute to
Christ.
And the last one is
insubordination.
Insubordination, to
not follow the lead of
the authorities above
you already.
Remember all the
authorities above an
elder?
And so if an elder has
a different job or
different vocation or
even maybe within the
life of a church, if
that elder has a
really hard time
following the
authorities above him,
that's a red flag
because there are many
authorities over an
elder.
If you're not able to
follow, then you're not
ready to lead.
So to sum it up, the
elder is to shine as a
saved wretch.
It's all of God's work
in them.
Yet not I, but through
Christ in me, he has
redeemed me and he is
helping me to more and
more and more grow in
these areas so I can be
above reproach and not
disqualify myself by my
sin.
I want to highlight here
too that because of all
these constraints and
limitations that really
narrowed down,
the scope of what an
elder is called to do
in the life of a
church, our
constitution wisely I
think says this,
elders will not invade
the biblically defined
spheres of other
divinely ordained human
authorities and will not
command God's people
regarding matters not
specified in scripture
except to order the
house of God by the
application of his word.
Later on in Titus
chapter 3 verse 1, he's
giving instructions for
the whole congregation
that you must be
submissive to all rulers
and all authorities over
you.
So do you see though the
elder's role is really
defined, really specific.
He's not to invade the
role, biblically defined
role of a husband.
Elders are not to invade
the biblically given
authority of fathers or
civil rulers or even like
secular employers.
An elder has no right
really.
That's not their scope of
the authority.
You're trying to go on
beyond what God has said
is really clear for your
authority.
So church, for the sake
of God's elect, make
sure you never appoint an
elder before he is above
reproach in these clear
biblical categories.
The second external test is
this, how does the man
rule over himself?
So the first one is what's
his reputation in the church
and in the world.
The next one is how does
the man rule over himself?
Look at verse 7.
For an overseer as God's
steward must be above
reproach.
He must not be arrogant or
quick-tempered or a drunkard
or violent or greedy for gain
but hospitable, a lover of
good, self-controlled, upright,
holy, and disciplined.
If you're like me, you're
thinking who is worthy of
such a task?
That's what Paul said as
well.
But I think these categories
are beautifully arranged.
The first one is a temptation
toward arrogance.
Arrogance was the downfall of
Lucifer himself.
Must not be proud or arrogant.
Notice how that phrase of
arrogance in verse 7, it's
answered by the biblical virtue,
the sanctified fruit of the
spirit in verse 8.
Not arrogant, but holy.
Holy means you recognize
God is creator.
He is holy, holy, holy.
And if we approach him
through Christ, we are on
sacred ground.
We are set apart by the
blood of Christ.
That's the contrast to
arrogance.
And not arrogant, but a
lover of good, a lover of
hospitality, loving others
instead of seeking your own
gain.
The arrogant, it's first person
singular all the time.
I, me, you know.
And the call here is
hospitality, the good of
others.
Not your own interest, but
the interest of Christ's bride,
his precious church.
The next temptation is the
internal temptation toward
greed.
Greedy for gain.
But if Christ is working out
the generous love of the
cross in the heart of the
elder, this will display
itself in being upright and
being generous toward other.
The next temptation is being
quick-tempered or a drunkard
or violent.
Are those related?
Well, it's not ruling
yourself well.
Quick-tempered, a drunkard,
and violent.
It's not a sin to have
anger.
It's not a sin to feel
stress.
It's not a sin to feel
empty and despairing.
Because you, you are living
in this broken world.
What do you do with that?
But the biblical virtue is
self-control and discipline.
And so when we do have those
feelings, those challenges,
what do we do with them?
We run to the cross.
It's a reliance upon Jesus
Christ.
And it's not turning to
violence or
alcohol or some type of
chemical self-medication
and quick-tempered.
Because how are you going to
rule over the house of God
if you can't rule over your
own heart?
So our Constitution, the
proposed Constitution, has
this good language, I believe.
It says that the authority of
elders, it is conditioned by
the fact that elders are
themselves members of this
local church.
While elders are shepherds over
the flock, they are also
members of the flock.
Therefore, each individual
elder is entitled to the
same privileges, is
obligated by the same
responsibilities, and is
subject to the same
discipline as the other
members of the church.
Thus, each individual elder is
both under the oversight of
his fellow elders and is
accountable to the church as
a whole.
There's a lot of
accountability.
And the call is that Christ
will rule over your own
heart more and more and more
first.
But you still have that
oversight if you become an
officer.
You still have the
accountability, the oversight,
the shepherding care of your
own soul by the elders and the
same love and process for being
forgiven and restored by the
congregation.
I'm comforted by how this seems
to be a lifelong battle, a
lifelong reality.
John Newton at age 72.
And age 72 in the 1700s is
different than 72 now.
92 is the new 72, right?
So he wrote that such a wretch
should not only be spared and
pardoned, but reserved to the
honor of preaching by the
preaching the gospel, which he
has blasphemed and renounced.
This is wonderful indeed.
And he prayed, God, the more you
have exalted me, the more I
ought to abase myself.
So I think that over time, the
biblical elder will grow more
and more and more humble like
John Newton and see that.
And it's the cry of John the
baptizer.
The more you behold Christ for
who he is, the more you want to
say he must increase and I must
decrease.
So for the sake of God's elect,
ask God's help.
Every one of you forgot to rule
over your own hearts more and
more, that your love for Christ
will grow and that he will
restrain you.
All right, here's the third test
for the eldership that the
congregation needs to look for.
How does the man minister God's
word?
You need to be able to discern
this.
Look at verse 9.
Paul tells Titus and the whole
church that these elders, they
must hold firm to the trustworthy
word as taught so that he may be
able to give instruction in sound
doctrine and also to rebuke those
who contradict it.
Charles Bridges commented, it is not
enough that there is no poison in
the tongue.
A qualified elder's teaching must be
healing.
He must be ministering God's grace to
his hearers.
So verse 9, the elder must personally
grasp, cling to with conviction, hold
firm, the trustworthy word, the
faithful word as taught.
Before an elder can teach, he must
first be taught.
He must receive that faithful
teaching that's been entrusted to the
church.
It's estimated that Paul was
discipled by Barnabas for 13 years.
Paul, who was a scribe and a master
of the law.
13 years for the gospel doctrine to be
worked into him before he could be
turned loose to go teach.
I don't think that 13 years is a good
period for all elders in a local
congregation, but it's been an
encouragement to me that if God feels
to be working very slowly in my own
life, look at Paul, how much more God
was patient.
So that, why is this in verse 9, so that
he may be able to give instruction.
All men must desire to hold firm and give
instruction privately.
Remember those other biblically appointed
spheres of authority.
Husbands must lead your wife spiritually.
In your workplace, we must know what
God's word says for how we are to serve
like Daniel.
There wasn't a line on Daniel's job
description in fallen Babylon that he
didn't fulfill with excellence.
We need to know God's word and we need
to work that out in every sphere of
responsibility.
In fact, that is your first trying ground.
Are you shepherding?
Are you caring for?
Are you ministering God's word to your
wife, to your children if you have them?
That is one of the requirements we need
to look for as a church as well.
Then you will be able to give instruction
to God's congregation.
See, Titus was not to be a circuit preacher
going around doing all the preaching.
Titus was not to put up big screens and
simulcast his voice preaching to all these
congregations.
Every congregation was to appoint elders.
And Titus was making sure they are doing it
biblically with the authority of Christ
himself given through Paul.
Not only do you need to build up God's
congregation, you need to be shepherding
the congregation toward life of godliness.
See, it accords with godliness.
You need to have a zeal for the gospel that
works its way out in the lives of the
congregation.
That's the oversight.
That's really what everything is for.
It's not only to preach the truth, it's to
apply the truth.
It's to let God's spirit work it out in the
hearts of God's people in tough situations.
That's what you're called to do.
If God is stirring you to be an elder.
And you need to be ready to pick up the sword of
the spirit, the word of God, and fight a
defensive battle to rebuke those who contradict
it.
To ground your hope of eternal life by the
preaching of the word of God.
To refute error.
The King James says to convince gainsayers.
There will be those mocking the gospel message
every day.
In fact, Satan will be lurking within the
congregation every time the gospel is preached.
Trying to whisper doubts and lies.
So as we minister God's word, it needs to be
persuasive.
It needs to convince the believers of the
truth.
So the second test that John Newton gave is that
there must in due season appear competent,
sufficient gifts as to gifts, knowledge, and
utterance.
John Newton had said there needs to be that
warm eagerness, that desire.
But then there also, with opportunity,
if you show up for a Bible study, if we have Sunday
school, through discussions, through one-on-one
conversations, you are learning to put into words
and to be persuasive, to convince others of the
truth of the gospel.
That's how God sharpens that.
He sets up a series of opportunities for teaching and
for growing and using that gift that then becomes a
requirement that the congregation expects.
Our Constitution summarizes the five functions of an
elder this way.
Number one, it's the spiritual care of the members.
Number two, it's the preaching and teaching of God's
word, both publicly and privately, along with prayer.
Number three, it's the governing and management of the
church.
Number four, it's the formative and corrective discipline
of the church.
Number five, it's the provision of being a role model,
though fallen, and it's only through Christ.
You are to be an example to the flock, is the command.
The elders, according to our Constitution, are to be
reviewed against all this criteria every four years, and
the congregation must continually affirm that we
believe that each officeholder is fulfilling these biblical
requirements.
It's a very high bar.
And so, for the sake of God's elect, I encourage each one
of you, within the spheres that God has given you, within
your role as a son, a brother, a daughter, a wife,
a friend, grow in those graces of Christ, grow in your
knowledge of Jesus Christ in the gospel, minister sound
doctrine, know his word well, because each one of us will be
strengthening the congregation, will be blessing one
another the more we do.
All right, well, the last external test is simply how it
actually happens.
What needs and opportunities is God revealing to this
congregation?
I just want to point out that Paul told Titus to be aware of
every town in the island of Crete.
You've got to have a strategic picture of where is God working,
where are their needs, where are their opportunities.
Most likely, there were two or more elders appointed in one
town a little bit quicker than another for various reasons.
Jesus said, the fields are ripe unto harvest, but the laborers are
few.
If we look around or look at your own experience, it's true.
There is a real scarcity of caring shepherds who will look over the
flock of Christ.
So John Newton said, the final evidence, this is the third and
last evidence of a proper call, is a corresponding opening in
providence by a gradual train of circumstances pointing out the
means, the time, the place of entering upon the work of ministry.
It says, you will look back and you will see God's hand like a train
with one card after the other of how God gradually nudged you and
boom, it happened.
Here's a congregation and here is an elder for that congregation.
So church, we may be called upon to evaluate a person and if they've met
this biblical criteria, we can affirm that.
We believe this person is qualified.
We believe that they have been tested and there's no reason they should be
kept from a biblical office but there's still this strategic discernment is the
need in this congregation.
Maybe a congregation already has, you know, seven elders and there's an
opportunity for church planting.
So it's still the job of a biblical church to affirm and test and then to send
out and be discerning about that.
Every town needs to have a plurality of elders.
Where is God calling us to mobilize?
But we would still own that.
So maybe it's to send a missionary to another part of the world.
We would own that as a congregation.
We would use this same criteria.
Then we'd be able to affirm and to send with God's blessing.
As we think about, let's call to appoint elders in every town for the sake of
God's elect, it can feel overwhelming.
It can feel a lot of pressure.
My last John Newton quote for you today, he said,
None but he who made the world can make a minister of the gospel.
It's Jesus Christ himself who must do it.
We believe that once an elder has been called and stalled and if they are well
reviewed, then they would serve in that office for life unless they honorably resign or are
disqualified for another reason.
Charles Spurgeon said,
If God calls you to be an elder of his congregation, don't stoop to becoming a king.
The topic of elders and pastors, it does raise emotions.
Maybe you will have a bit of a fear of that office or a fear of being under a congregation,
actually becoming a member of a congregation that has elders.
One of my fears is that to be an elder for life with such scrutiny and review and accountability
constantly that I don't trust myself.
I'm so comforted by the words in both cases of this hymn that the Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures.
So for the sake of God's elect, pray for God to gift and equip men from this congregation
that will watch over our souls.
Will you pray for that with me?
Let's thank the Lord.
Amen.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.
Father, we are here because we were once lost, but you found us.
Our eyes were blind to your glory and your kingdom, but you made us to see by the power of your spirit.
Amen.
We trust you, Lord, that grace has brought us this far, and it's your grace that will lead us home.
Help us to trust us forever.
Amen.