Double Honor

How many of you believe that God is great, just like we say? How many of you believe that God answers prayer? Praise the Lord!

Last week, you may remember that we filled out cards with the names of various people in our lives whom we connect with regularly. We desire for them to know the truth of how good and great God is. I want to share with you one of the immediate answers to prayer and just the proof of God's greatness.

At the end of one of the services, I reached into the glass vase we had and grabbed four or five of these cards. I was praying aloud for the people on those cards. One of the people I prayed for was someone from our church who had written down some names. This person emailed me on Sunday night last week and said, "I just wanted you to know that you prayed out loud for some of the people on the card, and one of them, my neighbor, came to my door this afternoon. She knocked on my door and wanted to meet me and talk with me because she had been watching on TV, and Joel Osteen said that she needed to get to know her neighbors."

So, God answers prayer. He works in interesting ways, oftentimes. We prayed for all those cards as a staff last week, and you have this card in your bulletin. We have a lot of these hanging around in the back of the sanctuary, so you should grab several of these and look for an opportunity this week to invite someone to come to church. If it's not next Sunday for Easter, then come another Sunday.

Another quick thing for those of you who come to the second service: I want to encourage you next week to potentially go to the first service if you have no kids in children's ministry. It starts at 7:45. I know that's early, and I'm not a morning person, but I actually show up, so you should come to that service. If you have kids in children's ministry, maybe come to the 11:15 service next Sunday. This will likely be the service that a lot of visitors will come to, and it will probably be pretty packed.

So, consider shifting down to the 7:45 or up to the 11:15. You might find that you like it and meet some new people. Then you'll be amazed and think, "Wow, I didn't know you went to this church!" Each service is different, so come on out. We're going to have a special message next week in the Gospels, so it will be a great weekend. I'm looking forward to all of it!

Things that God wants to do this week will come out Thursday night, Friday at noon, and next Sunday. Would you open your Bibles with me to the book of 1st Timothy? We're going to stay in 1st Timothy today. If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will bring you one. If you wouldn't mind standing with me, we stand for the Word of God; you can sit for the word of the preacher.

In 1st Timothy chapter 5, we're going to pick it up right where we left off last week at verse 17. If you don't know where 1st Timothy is, that's just fine. Just open to the very end of your Bible, the book of Revelation, and turn to the left. You will ultimately find 1st and 2nd Timothy.

Chapter 5, verse 17, reads: "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle the ox while it treads out the grain,' and 'The laborer is worthy of his wages.' Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest may also fear. I charge you before God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality. Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure."

Father, as we open the Scriptures, it's my hope and my prayer that you will open our hearts, our ears, and our minds to hear and receive from you. That you would speak to us your word, and that by your Spirit, you would work in our lives. The things that we are looking at here are living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. They are written for our edification, for our instruction, sometimes as a rebuke or a correction, but ultimately for instruction in righteousness, that we would be equipped for every good work. So, God, work in us today, we pray. We ask this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, "Amen." You can be seated.

Over the last many months, we have been slowly making our way through this New Testament letter called 1st Timothy. This letter was written nearly 2,000 years ago by the Apostle Paul to a man named Timothy, who was the newly ordained or appointed pastor of a church in what is modern-day Turkey. At that time, it was a region of the world called Asia Minor.

In a city called Ephesus, Timothy was commissioned and appointed to be the overseeing pastor of the church. When we think of the church in that context, 2,000 years ago, we should probably envision many small churches throughout the city of Ephesus and the surrounding regions. Timothy was something of an overseer of multiple churches, each with its own leaders. He was left there because the church at Ephesus was off course. This is why the series title has been called "On Course." Paul is writing this letter to help Timothy get the church back on course.

The church at Ephesus was one that Paul had planted in the mid-50s AD, nearly 2,000 years ago. He spent three years there ministering to the people of Ephesus, and a great church had really been birthed—one that had a huge impact and influence throughout the entire region. If you've ever read through the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, you know that it begins with seven letters written by Jesus to seven different churches in Asia Minor. It is very likely that all of those seven churches were planted as a result of the church at Ephesus. Ephesus was one of those seven, and the other churches that were planted had great influence and impact in that region.

Now, Paul was visiting that church again about ten years after it was originally planted. When he arrived, he found a church that was totally off course. It was not where he had left it; it was not walking in the way that it should have been. It was a church that had all kinds of issues and problems. This is not strange to us, as every church has problems and issues. If you came here thinking that you found a perfect church, you did not. In fact, by the mere fact that you're here, it is not a perfect church because none of us are perfect people. Amen. We are all totally imperfect.

If you came from another church that claimed to be perfect, you're right; it is imperfect. We are imperfect, and we thank God that He deals with imperfect people graciously, but He wants to transform us. So, Paul and Timothy visited the church at Ephesus around the year 64 AD. Paul saw that the work he had invested a significant part of his life in, and for which he had really risked his life to establish, was not where he had left it. It was not where it should be. Consequently, Paul left Timothy there to try and set things in order. Apparently, the Ephesian church did not have good leadership or elders overseeing it at that time.

Now, that does not mean that they did not have leadership. They did have elders and overseers over that group of people. It's interesting that they had drifted away from sound doctrine and solid teaching. This was exactly what Paul had been concerned about; this was his fear when he left the church in Ephesus about six years before this letter was written.

It's recorded for us in the New Testament book of Acts that just before Paul leaves Ephesus, he meets with the elders of the church. This meeting is documented in Acts chapter 20. He shares with them his parting words, not knowing if he would ever see them again. This meeting took place around the year 58 AD. He expresses his concerns to them, and then he departs. About six years go by, and he comes back, which is the context for the letter we are reading.

Paul's concerns that he shared with the Ephesian leaders are recorded for us in Acts chapter 20. You can jot it down or turn there if you'd like. In verse 28, Paul says, "Therefore take heed to yourself and to all the flock." He is speaking to the leaders of the church at Ephesus. He continues, "Take heed to yourself and to all the flock, or the church, which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the Church of God, which He purchased with His own blood."

Paul emphasizes to the Ephesian elders that they are to oversee this church as shepherds. They are a flock, and they are merely managers or under-shepherds. God is committing this church into their care. However, he warns them in Acts 20:29, "For I know this: that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock." The reason they need to be good overseeing shepherds is that there will be wolves that come in, just as Jesus said, in sheep's clothing. These wolves disrupt, devour, and destroy.

Paul urges the Ephesian leaders to be on guard because savage wolves will come in. He prophetically goes even further in Acts 20:30, stating, "Also from among yourselves, men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after themselves." Therefore, he instructs them to watch and remember that for three years, he did not cease to warn everyone, day and night, with tears. For three years, Paul was in the city of Ephesus, establishing a church and raising up elders, and now he is getting ready to depart.

In the year 58 AD, Paul gathered the leaders together and said, "Listen, I am committing this work into your hands. You need to watch and remember that with tears I have been pleading with you for many years to shepherd the flock of God righteously in a way that honors God. But you need to know that savage wolves are going to come in, and even some of you elders that I have invested in and raised up are going to go off course."

Fast forward six years, Paul returned and found that exactly what he had predicted had come to pass. Some of the elders of the church at Ephesus had gone rogue, and as a result, the church was totally off course. Paul turned to Timothy, his close associate and disciple who had ministered with him for more than a decade, and said, "Listen, Tim, you are going to stay here. I am appointing you and ordaining you to set things in order. I have to go, but you stay here."

Paul left Timothy there, as noted at the very beginning of 1 Timothy, chapter 1, verse 3. He urged Timothy, "As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine." This letter, 1 Timothy, was written to Timothy and was very likely read publicly before the whole church, either by Timothy or one of the other leaders. It was written to Timothy probably within a month, maybe two at most, after Paul left him in Ephesus and went to Macedonia.

As we have been studying through this book verse by verse since September, we can discover some of the problems that the church was dealing with. Paul was addressing these issues in a letter that everyone would hear, but it was written to Timothy, essentially putting him on the spot.

What were some of the problems that the church at Ephesus was facing under Timothy's leadership? They were not teaching proper doctrine; they were not preaching and teaching sound doctrine from the Scriptures. On top of that, they were not using the law of God correctly; they were using it in an unrighteous way. Not only were they misusing the law of God, but they were also not using the grace of God correctly. Because of these misuses, they were not exercising church discipline properly. It becomes clear as you read through these verses that these were some of the significant problems they were facing.

The law of God was not being used correctly, nor was the grace of God. The church discipline was also misapplied, and they did not know how to conduct themselves when they gathered together. There were numerous issues, particularly in the area of prayer. First Timothy chapter 2 makes it very clear that Paul had to give instructions about how the church should pray for one another and for the world.

Additionally, they did not understand the proper roles of men and women in the church, nor the roles of elders and deacons. Paul addressed these concerns, as they were off course doctrinally regarding marriage. They had various problems and did not grasp the biblical framework or the creative order of God in marriage. Furthermore, there was some errant teaching circulating about eating or not eating certain kinds of foods.

On top of all that, they were well-versed in the myths and fables of the culture but lacked a solid understanding of the Word of God. They were more familiar with popular entertainment than with Scripture. This illustrates their problem: they were off course in relation to the Word of God. They were more concerned about external appearances through bodily exercise than about godliness.

They also struggled with how to interact correctly across gender and generational issues, which created additional problems. Moreover, they did not know how to address the benevolent needs of the church.

It is interesting to note that when we look through all the problems the church in Ephesus was dealing with a thousand years ago, we realize that many of the issues churches face today are very similar. Not much has changed over the past twenty centuries.

So, what is the cause of the problems occurring in the church? Point number one in your outlines is that off-course churches always lack qualified elders and sound doctrine. This is a common denominator among off-course churches. It is no wonder that Paul, a qualified elder himself, emphasized the importance of having qualified elders in the church who would provide sound teaching.

Sound doctrine is essential, as expressed in the verse immediately preceding Paul's fear in Acts chapter 20. He articulates his concern that after his departure, savage wolves would come in and devour the flock. Therefore, he urges the elders to keep watch over the flock. Just before he shares this warning, he states in Acts chapter 20, verse 27, "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God."

Throughout his ministry, whether he was planting churches in Galatia, Greece, Asia Minor, or elsewhere, Paul ensured that he was providing sound doctrine. He had not shunned to declare the whole counsel of the Scriptures. What caused the church at Ephesus to derail or go off course? Very clearly, there was a lack of good, qualified elders who were not providing sound doctrine. This is always the case when churches stray from their path.

When Paul leaves Timothy in Ephesus, he gives him a very clear charge. In 1st Timothy chapter 4, verse 13, he instructs Timothy, "Until I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." The church at Ephesus was off course because they were not consistently remaining in the Apostles' doctrine and teaching. Paul tells Timothy, "I've left you there so that you would charge the elders to teach no other doctrine. Until I return, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine."

In 1st Timothy chapter 4, verse 14, he adds, "Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine; continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you."

The church at Ephesus was off course because they no longer had qualified elders who were teaching sound doctrine. Paul instructs Timothy to ensure that the elders meet the requirements to be an elder and that they are providing sound doctrine. Off-course churches always share this commonality: they lack qualified elders who give forth sound doctrine. Conversely, it follows that churches that are on course maintain the right heading and walk in sound doctrine.

The things that are honoring and glorifying to God have this in common: they have qualified elders who are giving forth sound doctrine. This leads us to a couple of important questions. How do we make sure that our church, or any church, has qualified elders who teach sound doctrine? If this is what is going to help a church stay on course, how do we assure that there are qualified elders who teach sound doctrine?

Previously, in First Timothy, Paul has already addressed part of this. He has already answered a little bit of this question about how we can have qualified elders because he spoke about qualified elders, overseers within the church. When we read "elder," we could probably insert the word "pastor" because the work and the calling are very much the same when you look throughout the New Testament.

So, how do we know that we have qualified elders within a church? Paul spoke about this in First Timothy, chapter three. Let's go back there briefly and read a section of Scripture. First Timothy, chapter three, verse one, Paul says, "This is a good or faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, an overseer of the church, he desires a good work."

A bishop, then, in verse two, must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous. He must be one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence. For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the Church of God?

He must not be a novice, lest being puffed up with pride, he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

So, back in First Timothy, chapter three, Paul gives a list of qualifying requirements for those who are going to be overseers, pastors, elders, leaders, and teachers within the church. Though I'm not going to get into all the details of everything that goes on in First Timothy, chapter three, verses one through seven, because we already did that. If you were with us at the beginning of November, we went through the details of First Timothy, chapter three, verses one through seven. If you weren't here, you can find it on our website; just go into the audio section and look back.

In November, you'll find a message that I delivered called "Bonafide Elders" on this passage. In that passage, we see all these requirements or qualifications given, which lead us to a very clear point: elders are qualified by meeting qualifying requirements.

Paul emphasizes that he wants the church to be on course. He left Timothy in the city of Ephesus because the church was derailed and totally off course. Timothy's task is to get them back on track. He will do this by continuing in doctrine, exhortation, and teaching. Additionally, he must ensure that there are elders, leaders, and overseers throughout the churches of Ephesus who will provide sound doctrine. These elders will be qualified for their positions by meeting the requirements outlined in 1 Timothy chapter 3, verses 1 through 7.

When Timothy identifies individuals within the church who meet these qualifications, he is to ordain them. The word "ordain" simply means to appoint them to the task of delivering sound doctrine and the whole counsel of the Word of God. In fact, in another one of Paul's letters written around the same time as 1 Timothy, he addresses another pastor named Titus, who was also tasked with similar responsibilities. While Timothy was in Ephesus, Titus was sent to the island of Crete in the Mediterranean. Paul instructed Titus to ordain elders in every city.

In the same book, Paul provides requirements for elders, just as he does in 1 Timothy chapter 3. However, he adds an important detail in Titus chapter 1, verse 9: the elders should hold fast to the faithful word as they have been taught, so that they may be able, by sound doctrine, to exhort and convict those who contradict. One of the roles of an elder who meets these requirements is to take the Word of God that he has learned and use it to convince or convict those who are in opposition.

Who contradict? There are qualifying requirements for elders that they hold fast to the Word of God so that they can give forth sound doctrine.

Back to our two questions: How do we make sure that we have qualified elders? One of the ways we ensure this is by making sure they meet the requirements to be in that position. When we find that they meet those requirements, we appoint them to the task of giving forth sound doctrine.

But how do we make sure that we have these qualified elders who give forth sound doctrine? We have to be intentional about raising people up to do this. In fact, look over at Second Timothy. You are in First Timothy; Second Timothy is just to the right, one book over.

In Second Timothy chapter 2, verse 2, Paul is writing in the second letter to the same person, which is why it is called Second Timothy. He says, "The things which you have heard from me, Timothy, among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."

The church needs to be intentional. Our church, every church, needs to be intentional about giving forth the Word of God, so that those who have received the Word of God would then give forth the Word of God to others. We see this generational step-down going from generation to generation for twenty centuries. This is how the church has moved forward.

Paul is saying that if we want to have churches that are on course, doing the things that are pleasing to God, we need to have qualified elders who are giving forth sound doctrine. We need to be intentional about raising those people up and appointing them to these tasks.

But how else do we assure that we have qualified elders who give forth sound doctrine? In First Timothy chapter 5, verse 17, Paul says, "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the Word and doctrine."

Every time I come to a passage like this, I feel a little conflicted. It can seem somewhat self-serving to give forth the teaching that is very clearly presented in this passage.

We are going to see what Paul is saying because the very clear point of First Timothy, chapter 5, verse 17, is that faithful elders are to be rewarded well for their work. This is the clear teaching of what Paul says in First Timothy 5:17.

Now, remember that Paul was committed to giving forth the whole counsel of God, as stated in Acts chapter 20, verse 27. When he teaches a doctrine or truth like this—that faithful elders are to be rewarded well for their work—he is not just pulling from different ideas or things he has heard over the years. He is not simply drawing some philosophy from his own mind on this issue; he is actually going back to the Scriptures.

Look at verse 18 of First Timothy 5. The Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain, and the laborer is worthy of his wages." Paul is not just presenting a personal opinion when he states that elders who teach the word should be supported with double honor from the church. He is saying that the Scripture says this, and he references two sources: one from the Old Testament, specifically the Law of Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 25, verse 4, where it clearly states, "You shall not muzzle the ox while it treads out the grain," and the other from the teaching of Jesus in the Gospels.

In Luke's Gospel, chapter 10, Jesus is preparing to send out some of His disciples—actually about seventy people—to preach the gospel and minister to others. In Luke 10:7, as He talks with His disciples, He instructs them, "As you go out and you are preaching the gospel and doing the work of the ministry, go from town to town, city to city. When you are received there and welcomed into their homes, remember that they were a very hospitable culture. This is what He says: 'Remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from that house.'"

House to house, Jesus says to His disciples when He sends them out to preach the Gospel and to do the work of the ministry. As you go into a community, as they welcome you in, they will take care of you. That's okay because the worker, the laborer, is worthy of his wages. This concept that Paul is drawing out here in First Timothy, chapter five, verse seventeen, is that the elders who rule well are counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

This principle, this concept, was the consistent teaching of the Apostle Paul. This is what he taught. In fact, nearly the entire ninth chapter of First Corinthians deals with this very specific issue. I want to read some of it to you. If you'd like, you can turn there; it's just to the left of First Timothy. Turn a little bit, and you'll find First Corinthians.

In First Corinthians, chapter nine, beginning in verse nine, Paul says, "For it is written..." It is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." This is the exact same consistent teaching that we find in First Timothy, chapter five. Then he goes on to say, "Is it oxen that God is concerned about, or does He say it altogether for our sake? For our sake, no doubt this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be a partaker of his hope."

"If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing that we reap material things? If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless, we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the Gospel of Christ."

Do you not know, in verse thirteen of First Corinthians, chapter nine, that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar are partakers of the offerings of the altar? Even so, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the Gospel should live from the Gospel.

This is Paul's consistent teaching that he takes from the Old Testament Scriptures, that he takes from the Gospels, and that he teaches in the epistles: those who labor in the Gospel should be provided for by the Gospel.

Now, it's really interesting to consider the context here in First Timothy, chapter five. If you were here last week, you know that the section just before what we're looking at today, Paul is talking about widows in the church who...

There are qualified widows in the church, a certain group who should be given honor by the church. By "honor," he means sustaining financial support, as outlined in 1 Timothy, chapter 5, verses 3 through 16, which we looked at last week. He states that qualified widows should be taken care of financially.

In the very next section, verses 17 and onward, he says that qualified elders who labor in the Word should be given double honor. This is important because there have been those within the church—though not necessarily in every district—who have objected to the way finances are used. They argue that the church's finances should be used solely for the support of those in need within the community.

It is interesting to note that those who advocate for using church finances solely for community needs are rejecting what the Scriptures teach. The Scriptures affirm that while there are indeed those in need within the community that the church should support, the church should also take care of those who are giving forth the Scriptures.

At this point, you may understand why I feel a little conflicted when discussing a passage like this. It can come across as self-serving, but we are simply going through the Scriptures. I am trying to make the point that Paul is making here: if we want a church that is on course, we need to ensure that we have qualified elders who are providing sound doctrine.

To have qualified elders who give forth sound doctrine, Paul makes it clear that we need to hold them to the required qualifications. We must appoint them to the task of teaching sound doctrine and provide for their needs so they can continue their work. If we want to be on course as a church, that is what we need to do. Paul is addressing the church at Ephesus because they were clearly neglecting this issue.

If we want to have qualified elders who provide sound doctrine, we need to hold those elders to the required qualifications and ensure their livelihood. The livelihood of those who lead and labor is essential for the health of the church.

In the Word and doctrine, let us look at First Timothy, chapter 5, verse 19. It says, "Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses." Those who are sinning, elders are to be rebuked in the presence of all, that the rest may fear.

Now, let me stop there for a moment because there's something kind of interesting here in First Timothy 5 that seems like a contradiction. Look at the first verse of First Timothy, chapter 5. Notice what Paul says there: "Do not rebuke an elder." The term "elder" in this context is the exact same word used down in verse 17. The opening words of the chapter say, "Do not rebuke an elder," and then in verse 20, he states, "Those elders who are sinning, rebuke in the presence of all."

You might think, "Wait a second, that seems like a contradiction." In that sense, we need to understand that this book was not originally written in English; it was originally written in Greek. The word used in First Timothy, chapter 5, verse 1, for "rebuke" is a different word than the one used in verse 20. The word in verse 1 for "rebuke" means to strike with the hand. So when he says, "Do not rebuke an elder," he is saying, "Do not strike an elder with your hand."

This is interesting because one of the chief priests in the book of Acts struck Paul across the face, and Paul rebukes him for that action. What Paul is saying here is to not strike with the hand an elder in verse 1. However, when we get down to verse 20, the word for "rebuke" is different. Here, it means to reprove, to convince, to convict, and to call them to repentance.

If you have a leader in a church who has derailed and is not walking according to sound doctrinal principles, and is not living according to the requirements of an elder in First Timothy, chapter 3, verses 1 through 7, then the church should convince, convict, and rebuke that person, calling them back to right living.

Why is this important? I suggest to you that this is exactly what was not happening at the church at Ephesus. When Paul arrived at the church at Ephesus around 64 AD, he found that they were totally off course.

There were elders who had not been rebuked; they had gone off course. The danger in going off course as a leader is that you will lead others to go off course as well. The church was totally off course because their leaders were off course, and no one was dealing with the problem. The core issue was the leaders who were not leading well.

Paul gives a call to the church, making it very clear that there should be a due process. He instructs not to receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. As a leader and an elder in the church, I can tell you that it is a weekly occurrence that I offend people. You have been offended as well. I will say things in teaching the Scriptures that will offend people. However, every little offense is not a requirement for censure, as Paul is saying here.

If there is an inconsistency in the life of a leader and they are leading people astray, then he states that sinning elders are disciplined and sometimes disqualified. There have been those who have led within churches while walking in a way that was unrighteous, not in line with God's Word, not according to sound doctrine, and not meeting the requirements for elders. They were allowed to remain in that position, which is not good.

The elder, overseer, or leader of the church is not exempt from the same righteous calls that they are giving to the church. They are under those same standards and should be held to account. When they aren't, you find churches that are off course. Almost without fail, when you find a church that is off course, it is because a leader has gone off course and has not been rebuked or censured. Sometimes, it is a simple issue of discipline or rebuke, calling them to repentance. Other times, it may lead to disqualification because they can lead people astray.

So, how do we ensure that we have qualified elders who are speaking forth sound doctrine? First, we identify that they are walking in line with the requirements.

Qualifications to be an elder include several important aspects. First, we are commissioning and appointing them to the task of giving forth sound doctrine. Second, we are providing for their financial needs so that they can continue to labor in the Word. Third, when they are out of order, they are disciplined by the church.

Finally, we see in 1 Timothy 5:22, "Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure." The New Living Translation states, "Never be in a hurry to appoint a church leader." We already saw in 1 Timothy 3:6 that the qualifications for elders include not being a novice. The elder should not be a novice, lest being puffed up with pride, he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

Point number five under the outline is that qualified elders must be time-tested and counted faithful. If we want to be a church that is on course, walking in righteousness, glorifying God, and being a good witness of God in this world, then we need to have elders, leaders, and overseers who meet the qualifications of elders. They have been appointed to the work of giving forth sound doctrine, and they are provided for in their needs. However, we must never lay hands on them too quickly.

They need to be time-tested and counted faithful before being appointed to that task. It is not a position or office that they hold forever just because they received the stamp of approval at one point in time. They need to maintain righteousness through good works. If they do not, then there is a public rebuke. The reason for this public rebuke is that the rest might fear; there should be a reverence for that position both by the church and by the person occupying the office.

Sadly, as we look at church history, we realize that the church has often revered the reverends, but the reverends have not revered the position. This has led to many churches being off course, with many pastors of those churches also being off course, because there has never been that reverence for the office.

Position both by those within the church and those holding the office, we have this clear teaching. It's a very simple teaching, but it's a very important teaching. I think that if the Apostle were walking around in our world today, he might need a whole bunch of Timothys to leave at various places to set things in order. By God's grace, we maintain a heading of being on course as we submit ourselves to the clear sound teaching of the doctrine of Scriptures. Amen.

My encouragement to you is to praise the Lord for the fact that our pastoral team and staff here are well supported by the church. I greatly appreciate that and say thank you for our whole staff. It is a blessing that we have the ability to do that. However, my request to you is not that you give more, but that you pray more. Brothers and sisters, pray for us. Paul says that we would be able to maintain that heading so that we lead this church well. Amen.

Would you stand with me as we close in prayer? Father, thank you for the clear teaching of Your Word. I pray that we would be those who take it to heart, think on these things, and allow them to be transformational in the way that we think and live. Lord, I pray for Cross-Connection Church that You would help us to always be a church that is on course, a church that is giving forth sound doctrine, and as a result, a light to this community here in North County.

There are so many people we interact with on a regular basis who have a negative view of the church because they had a negative experience in a church where the church was off course and the leadership was off course. I pray, God, that You would help us to be a light as we seek to follow You faithfully by faith. Work in us to be a church that is like a city set on a hill that cannot be hid.

I pray this week, as we interact with friends, family members, neighbors, and co-workers, that You give us opportunities to share the good news of who You are, the light of Your glory and Your grace, especially as we approach the most important day of our year, celebrating Your resurrection—the most important event in all history. God, we thank You that because You live, we can have life and that more abundantly forever. So, God, give us the opportunity to share that.

Spirit upon Your church.