Pastor Cody Harlow 1 Peter 5:1-4

It was funny because my youngest he woke up yesterday morning with a fever and he threw up three times and I was just like not again not again so tonight we have a prayer walk around our facility at six pm listen we can we can do all the work we can read through the curriculum we can we can do everything possible right but if God is not a part of it's not going to be effective and so I want to encourage you I want to invite you I want to really urge you to be here tonight at six and just pray through the facility everything from in here in the sanctuary all the way down to the gymnasium all the classrooms we're going to pray over the kids we're going to pray over them by name we're going to pray over the volunteers and remember that if you have not received up here at the left front all the way over there there are Uno cards with the volunteers names on them take those pray over them but my person has been K Bowman over the last couple of weeks and so pray over those people so that way you they are covered in prayer as they go through a very high energy and stressful week after service today and I'll try to remind you okay and if I can't remind you or maybe I forget please remind me okay right after service we're going to be moving about three or four rows of care is that right miss Connie two or three all right somewhere in there she's gonna be the lady that's gonna tell us what to do with those chairs okay and what I need is just a couple of guys that are willing to come along and just move these chairs so that way we got a lot of room for kids to do the hand motions and twists and turns and stuff like that okay been listening to that on repeat for weeks now we do have a special offering today for those of you who haven't heard

Mentioned this a little bit last week about Rick Jennings that's Susie Jennings husband he had a pretty big heart attack and unexpected medical expenses we're going to be taking up a special offering today after our regular offering and so if you if you aren't a part of our church email and did get that notification be praying about that you can drop it off by the church if maybe you're not able to give today but we really want to come alongside of them and help them with you know logic expenses food expenses even their deductibles when that type of stuff comes in and so just be praying about how you might be able to give to support that family today also there is a business meeting that we're going to have in two weeks and that's going to be on July 23rd in the afternoon at about 1 pm there is a proposed amendment to the Constitution that's also included in the agenda the agenda is located at all of the exits to our facility you can grab one of those and just kind of look over it so all right sound good awesome hey why don't you find the neighbor look him in the eyes say welcome to First Baptist Church [Music] thank you foreign it's good to be in the house of the Lord this morning amen we've come to the part of the service where we like to just take a moment for us to Bow our heads and close our eyes and ask God to prepare us for corporate worship so I'd invite you to do that right now just take a moment to ask God to prepare your heart and your mind for worship if you're here with a family or close friends or even people you don't know I guess you can you know pray together ask God to prepare you together because what we're about to do is worship together that's what we're called here for

Foreign Lord this morning I pray that you would help us to put aside the distractions Lord help us to turn away from our Temptations from those things that take our Focus off of you Lord help us to lay them at your feet Lord help us to rely on you to help us carry those well to help us shed those burdens instead to pick up our cross and follow Jesus to follow you Lord I pray that as we worship today we would not think of this as a time where it's just me and you but Lord that we would recognize that we are called here together as the body of Christ to worship you together because you are worthy and because that's how that's what you've called us to all this in Jesus name we pray amen I'd invite you now to stand and join us as we sing together all creatures of our God and King [Music] All Creatures of our God and King lift up your voice and with us [Music] thou Silver Moon with softer gleam [Music] Oh Praise Him Hallelujah [Music] foreign [Music] and praise the spirit three in one o rais him Oh Praise Him Hallelujah [Music] all the redeemed Washed by his great blood Oh Praise Him Hallelujah foreign [Music] thank you [Music] he shall return in power to rest Heaven and Earth will join to say Oh Praise Him Hallelujah

[Music] All Creatures of our God and King o praising Oh Praise Him Hallelujah [Music] amen you can be seated at this time as you may or may not know just a couple of weeks ago we took eight of our youth to Camp slash mission trip and so at this time we're going to ask a couple of them to share with you just what they got to do what they experienced there so I'm going to ask all of them to come forward now and just stand at the front and a few of them are going to share with you [Applause] now I promised him I'd give an intro because they were nervous to start us out can you turn it down just a bit sorry yeah so this trip that we went on it was with a group called World Changers and what they do is they take youth groups from all around the country we all come together and then they split us up so I don't think any of the groups that these were in had more than two students from our church and they go out and do work projects as a means of getting our foot in the door to share the Gospel and that's exactly what they did so I've asked them just a couple of questions one is their name and then I asked them to share what they did who they did it for and how they saw God move this week so I'm going to turn it over to Mr Tommy Tatro hi I'm Tommy and I got the pleasure of working with Abby and a group of other people that we made friends with and we worked on building a deck for a couple named Tina and Sam they were old and they were not able to do it and one of them was on life supports so it was something that they could not do and we were able to get their deck done it was a four by four not really big but

We painted their house same color but we did do it and then we painted shutters for them I broke a deck apart and then rebuilt their steps for it and then planted a tree we put some like gnomes up around the tree and stuff so we did a lot of like yard work and like just making the house look nice and then some rebuilding but the way I saw God move was that we all knew didn't know a lot of people in our friend group but we were able to make a whole bunch of friends and able to get the work that God wanted us to do done faster and then we could have done it if it was just me and Abby like we made a lot of friends we were able to do it all through friends and God and [Applause] hi my name is I said I was on the crew with him so I basically did everything that he just said one of the things I really enjoyed seeing God doing was just that we got put on a crew with a bunch of people we didn't know but by the end of that first day it was like we were best friends because our faith United us and the fact that we were working together to serve Christ through serving the other people so I really enjoyed seeing how God United us in thank you so before I turn it over to Summer just to give a little bit of background of just some of what they got to experience many of them worked in one of two trailer parks and the interesting thing about these places that a lot of the Lots had just been sold so they're bringing in new homes but at the same time there are these mostly retirees who had dilapidated older homes some of them with leaky roofs with holes in the siding like big major issues that they couldn't take care of themselves so that was part of what a lot of these students got to do and then a couple of them got

To serve at one of the local city parks which we thought what are we going to do at a park but we were clearing out brush and in the midst of that we were able to knock on doors we were able to just engage people in the park with the Gospel one of the really cool things was a couple of the parks employees were Muslims one of them was the preacher like the pastor at his mosque and so our students got to sit with and argue with throughout the few of the days and it was a I think a really eye-opening experience for them so just lots and lots of ways that God moved to show our students just kind of what the world is like outside of Camdenton so now I'm going to turn it over to Summer to close us out so I'm Summers Austin said I was in a crew with Mina and we built a 4x4 deck and we called that the never-ending deck because it just never ended so we had an older gal her name was Cheryl okay and so our crew member had just beat cancer which was really cool because Cheryl had also bee cancer the week before we came so that was really cool at the beginning she like wouldn't let us play with her or anything but by the end of that week we got to pray with her and that was really eye-opening for all of us [Applause] so thank you for all of your support in your financial gifts in your prayers and your encouragement of these students as they went throughout this week it was it was a hard and hot week but we saw the Lord move in many ways go up and ask one of them about it later they'll they'll be more ready to share one-on-one than they were up in front of everyone so someone back there praying so we're up here praying for the

Offering oh okay sorry I didn't read that in the bulletin sorry my father we thank you today for this opportunity to be here and we thank you for these young people and we look forward to see what they're going to do next and we come this morning also do as part of our worship to give back to you own everything and we need to be aware that we're to be stewards of our time and talent and our treasure in Jesus name amen [Music] to see me [Music] come Behold thy wondrous mystery in the dawning of the king he the theme of Heaven's instead is broken Humanity [Music] in our longing in our Darkness now the light of life has come look to Christ to condescended to confles [Music] foreign come behold thou wondrous mystery he the perfect son of man in his living in his suffering never Trace nor state of sin see the true and better Adam come to save the thou men Christ the greatest [Music] come before [Music] see the price of our Redemption see the father's [Music] eyes to Glory Grace on measured love Untold [Music] hold the wondrous wondrous history slain by death the God of life

But no great good every strain him praise the Lord he is alive [Applause] [Music] Christ in power resurrected as we will be when he comes [Music] Christ in power Resurrected [Music] I'll be when he comes [Music] [Applause] [Music] please [Music] you can be seated at this time we're going to take up our special offering and again that's for Rick Jennings who had a major heart attack this week and so I'd invite you to Bow your heads and close your eyes as we pray over this offering and give how the Lord has you to give this morning dear Lord we pray that you would open our eyes and our hearts to this need God I pray that you would move in our lives and in this offering that we might as a church stand by and help one of our own that is that's in need Lord we praise you for the great good that we've seen you do already in this situation Lord having First Responders right there on the scene but Lord we know that there is a lot more healing to do God we pray that you would that you would heal Rick as you are the great healer you are the physician Lord you are able and Lord as you're doing that we pray that we would be able as a church to stand beside and to support Susie and the rest of her family through this hard trial it's in Jesus name we pray amen

Foreign this morning we've sung about the greatness of God in his inhation how he created all things to point to him [Music] saying through the Gospel of Jesus Christ that he came to dwell with us that he lived a life that we couldn't that he died the death that we deserved and that he rose again on the third day as a seal to show us who he was and what was coming for us that if we believe we too will be raised with him and so now we're going to sing a song of confession a song that just says that we that wees us in our lives today and every day so I'd invite you to sing with us [Music] without you I fall apart [Music] that guides my heart sing that again Lord I come [Music] Lord I come I confess [Music] and without you I fall apart you're the one that guides my heart [Music] Lord I need you all I need [Music] I need you my one defense righteousness oh God how I need [Music] it we see Rising Your Grace is more where Grace is found is where you are [Music] Lord I am free holyness [Music] is Christ in me and where you are

Lord I am free Holiness [Music] is Christ in me [Music] Lord I Leave You I need you [Music] every eyes [Music] oh God how I need you to teach my song to rise to you [Music] when Temptation comes my ways and when I cannot stand I'll follow you Jesus [Music] You're My Hope and safe Lord I need you oh I need leave you give you every hour I need my one defense I righteousness oh God how I need you Lord I need you oh I need you every hour I need you I want defense my righteousness oh God how I need [Music] you're my one defense my righteousness oh God how I mean you Lord we need you today and every day every hour every minute every second Lord remind us that we need to rely on you Our Only Hope in life and in death is in you Lord you are our righteousness not on our own works

And Lord on the works and the Merit of Christ Lord you are our only salvation from sin in this life you are our only salvation from wrath in death Lord remind us that we need you it's in Jesus name we pray amen well if you have your Bible and I hope that you do please turn with me to First Peter chapter five we are talking about Elders today again because now the passage that we're dealing with talks about it and so we're going to be in verses one through four as we start this series that's going to be concluding first Peter for us and so Peter has some final words to Believers that are under the authority of the Lord who have been grieved by Trials of various kinds they have been born again to a Living Hope as Believers we endure fiery trials we endure a lot of various different things but we must remember that Christ he referred to Believers that is you and me he referred to us not primarily as you know Believers but as sheep now sheep are not exactly the brightest animals right a sheep is literally one of the dumbest animals on Earth they can't defend themselves at all from anything ever if anything attacks all they can do is just run in a panic it seems like the Lord has with most animals equip them with this innate amazing ability to be able to find their way back home right except for a sheep a sheep just kind of wanders around somewhere you know and some animals they can they can sense if food is bad and not good for them not a sheep though if they go in and they can they eat plants that are just toxic or poisonous to them you know they'll drink water that's full of parasites stagnant there's all sorts of things that a sheep needs in order

To survive actually a sheep is so helpless that even its very wool tries to kill them and their their wool actually secretes this natural waxy oil called lanolin atlantaland is it causes a build up in the wool and so as a result of that things like grass and dirt twigs and things like that will get all caught up in the wool and it gets all tangled and messed up in there and it actually prevents the animal if a sheep is not careful it can get caught up on its backside and actually prevent it from eliminating waste which will cause you know toxins build up and die there's there's all sorts of things that happen when a sheep is not care properly cared for even if they can't clean them themselves or Shear themselves infection can get into the skin and they could die they are really hopeless creatures and yet that's how Jesus kind of looks at us in like the best way possible I guess the fact is that they need Shepherds they need Shepherds to survive and Jesus he compared crowds that were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd He says that and actually Matthew chapter 9 verses 35-37 it says that Jesus went throughout all the cities and Villages teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every Affliction when he saw the crowds he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a Shepherd then he said to his disciples the Harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest to send laborers into his harness now there are laborers that are called to the Harvest fields and I believe and

I believe this with a strong conviction that every single member of our church is called to be a missionary to their community and is called to be a minister in some way in a Ministry of the church and yet there are some that are called to be leaders of a flock and they function as a Shepherd over the local flock and so Peter here he is going to be addressing elders and the reason why is because how much more harassed and helpless can church members be in the midst of suffering in fiery trials when the storms of life come people look for elders they look for pastors they look for overseers when things happen and hardship comes their way they ask the big questions of why what happened what happens when I die and pass on into eternity and secondly Peter he's just gotten finished talking about suffering and judgment and so he's going to talk about how elders will be dealt with and give an account on that last day and Peter he's going to talk about those things and he's going to give First Baptist Church and every Church throughout history good instruction on how to how elders are to view their tasks today we're talking about four principles for Godly Elders if you would stand with me in honor of God's word as we read First Peter chapter 5 verses one through four God's word says this so I exhort the elders among you as a fellow Elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed Shepherd the flock of goth that is among you exercising oversight not under compulsion but willingly as God would have you not for shameful gain but eagerly not domineering over those in your

Charge but being examples to the flock and when the chief Shepherd appears you will receive the unfading Crown of Glory let's pray and so Lord we do thank you for this time Lord thank you for our church moving in the direction of a plurality of Elders thank you for the immediate result of Health that we've seen as a result of that and Lord I just pray that this further instruction would be for our sanctification and benefit Lord conform us into the image that you would have for us we're your bride we are your flock you are our groom you are our overseer the chief overseer and so what you say we say Amen we agree and we make ourselves small Lord help me to take out any opinions of my own and to rightly divide this passage that it might cut like with surgeon's Precision God areas of infection that may be in our own hearts and Lord May that begin with me we love you and we thank you for this day in Jesus name amen now before we begin today I'm going to do something that I've never done before I'm going to start with the end in mind okay what I mean is that we're going to do a head Heart In Hand first oh crazy he's wild today watch out but I want you all know where I'm going part of this is because functionally it helps it will help us because at the end at the end of service today Josh and Chrissy we're going to invite them to come up because this is their last Sunday with us before they head to the Ivory Coast in West Africa and so we are really excited about what the Lord is going to do with them and so that flag over there is not Ireland guys okay you guys are like the

Irish flag no it's it's the Ivory Coast plaque and what else we're going to do is we're going to take some time and just recommission they've already been commissioned by our church but we want to recommission them as they go and we just prayed a blessing over them and it's all going to fit together I promise you but so let's start with the end of Mind head I want you to know that Elders will give an account to the Lord for how they would take care of his flock okay that goes for me that goes for Steve that goes for Jim we will be doubly judged for how well we Shepherd this block and that's a terrifying thing to think about but it's also a responsibility that we gladly Bear for the sake in the glory of Christ heart I want you to believe that God he calls members to be humble towards each other especially Elders we're going to talk about this often throughout the sermon specifically a quote by Warren weirsby that Elders are to be overseers not overlords amen and that's that's something that we all have to work on being humble in our attitudes towards each other and then hand I want you to consider who are in our church that do these things well specifically teaching men of character fulfilling the Biblical qualifications found in first Timothy and Titus that they would lead and that they would also raise up others around them to minister now as a church we've taught extensively about the Biblical role of Elders over the past four years that I've been your senior pastor and the reason for this is because this is a policy a polity that we see in Scripture not as described but prescribed by Scripture it's assumed that this is the structure that we have

Now here Peter he starts his thought in the passage so I exhort the elders who are among you he assumes that in bithynia in Cappadocia in Asia and fergia they that there are Elders that are in those churches and so the first point that I want to make today is the identity of Elders and so let's let's ask a question what does Elder even mean well back in the time of Peter's writings Jewish synagogues they would actually this is even back in the time of Christ even before that Jewish synagogues they would have Elders that were entrusted to mature men mature men and the dealings in the synagogues they were handled by the men that they referred to as the elders and so as a natural extension of how those synagogues were run that's how the church was run in the first century as well and what those Elders would do is they would handle they developed a council where they made decisions and things like that but they would appoint one man who was to be their their Pastor their Shepherd their their overseer of that flock the first among equals and it's from this structure that we get the church office of Elder and it fear appears first in Acts chapter 11 verse 30 as a church office they are mentioned as men who received a prophecy from the prophet agabus who was saying that there was going to be this Great Famine that goes through the land of Jerusalem and Samaria and that whole region in Judea and so they spread these this prophecy through Paul and through Barnabas to warn people to prepare for this so the elders they are repeatedly mentioned all throughout the Book of Acts from that point forward consistently alongside the apostles teaching making decisions shepherding the flock now the second identity that I want to talk about oh I should probably

Get to that the meaning of Elders the second identity that I want to get to is the masculinity of Elders now this is something that the SDC recently walked through right you know where you had some Churches Among Us that were appointing women to be pastors and we believe that is wrong we believe that is against what God's word clearly teaches throughout the entirety of Scripture and we can talk about that okay but we believe that the term Pastor Elder overseer Bishop they are all the same thing regardless of what your translation says but there are some Churches even local churches that you know allow for women to serve as pastors to their Church and I say let them do that it makes it easier for people who really do know God's word to be able to identify faithful churches from non-faithful now in first Timothy chapter 2 verse 12 it says very clearly Paul he writes I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man okay this means that women they can they can teach other women they can teach children but to have them in the Pulpit on a Sunday morning is a No-No expounding on God's word in fact every Elder in Scripture is a man and the qualifications found in first Timothy and Titus assume Elders are men and even our own Baptist faith and message of 2000 was amended this year okay to say this it's scriptural offices talking about the church are that of a pastor slash Elder slash overseer and deacon well both men and women are gifted for service in the church the office of Pastor slash Elder slash overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture that's our own Baptist Faith Message which we hold to as our confession of Faith the Third identity for elders oh I had that up there Craig the

Godliness of Elders the godliness of Elders now the Scriptures are clear about the qualifications and we're going to go through these real quick the whole point is that I want to make is that it's not what you and I decide as the qualifications of an elderly what we you and I think about what an elder should be like or look like or how educated they ought to be or how young or experienced or old they ought to be those things are not what Scripture looks at okay so let's see what Scripture talks about in first Timothy chapter 3 verses one through seven it says therefore an overseer that's synonymous with elder that's a synonymous with Bishop Pastor whatever it is must be above reproach that's the first qualification above reproach the husband of one wife we've talked about that in a number of times that means a one-woman man means that he's not flirtatious that means he doesn't have wandering eyes it means that he's not looking at things they ought not to be looking at he ought to be self-controlled respectable hospitable able to teach not a drunkard not violent but gentle not quarrelsome not a lover of money he must manage his own household well with all dignity keeping his children submissive for if someone does not know how to manage his own household how will he care for God's church he must not be a recent convert or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil moreover he must be well thought of by Outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace but in into a snare of the devil now that is God's definition of the qualifications of an elder and Paul he expands on that a bit in Titus Chapter

One he says this is why I left you Titus in Creed so that you might put what remained into order and appoint Elders in every town as I directed you if anyone is above approach the husband of one wife and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination for an overseer as God Steward must be above reproach he must not be arrogant for quick tempered or drunkard or violent or greedy for gain but hospitable a lover of good self-controlled upright holy and disciplined he must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught so that he may be able to give instruction and sound Doctrine and also rebuke those who contradict it amen those are the kind of men that churches need in order to thrive those are the kinds of churches that churches need in order to grow in order to have a hope of being pleasing to God if he comes and returns the fourth identity is that there should be a plurality of Elders return to First Peter 5 with me Peter he writes to the elders now in the group and even in the English that's plural it's plural and there should always be more than one in a local church and there's many reasons for this firstly is that an elder cannot do all the ministry himself even Christ delegated Ministry responsibilities over to the apostles over to the seventy and he didn't do that because he was unable to do that okay he did that to equip people for the work of ministry to equip faithful disciples to evangelize folks to reach people with the Gospel secondly an elder cannot have all the necessary gifts for a healthy Church some of you are awesome at Mercy right that's where's Amber there you are that's her spiritual gift Amber's spiritual gift is Mercy I do not have that spiritual gift

Okay some of you are amazing encouragers okay y'all you have an awesome way of like you know if someone like does do that great of a job right like let's say I've been told this okay pastor I've never heard anyone preach that passage quite like you did all right you know that's encouraging but you know I know what you're saying too it's it's okay it's okay I'll take it I'll take it but you know what some people they have those gifts of encouragement and I give God the glory for him and so this fourth identity of the plurality of Elders there's another reason why it's why it's very practical it's practical in getting others to use their gifts for the body oftentimes we think of ministry as this like pie in the sky type of thing where only those special people can do ministry only those who are experts and then when you look at the Life of Christ how long was it that Christ was walking along or what I should say Peter and Andrew were walking with Christ before Christ had called them to do some Ministry weeks maybe a couple of months not to say that we should put people that have been Believers in the Pulpit people Scripture talks against that but what I am saying is that Ministry your ministry God has called you to do it Ministry is not for professionals Ministries for Christians and if you're a Christian you are called to do that to the best of your ability saying God how can you use me today is there someone that maybe I might have a Gospel conversation with I'm scared out of my mind to do that but I know that I'm only going to grow in that if I take those opportunities God can you

Bring along an opportunity for that God I am I am petrified to call this person that I need to make a relationship right with I know I'm not really the one in the complete wrong but I know what your word says about living at peace with one another so as long as it depends upon me and so God I'm willing give me that courage and that is Ministry to the body in that way now look at what Peter writes he says so I exhort the elders among you as a fellow Elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker and the glory that is going to be revealed revealed and so Peter he is the apostle who was the spokesperson for the apostles and he identifies himself as a fellow Elder which shows that there is a distinct difference between the office of apostle and Elder but he also points to the suffering that Christ experienced and in the future glory and why is that why does he do that it's because of the second principle it's the responsibility of Elders the responsibility being an elder doesn't mean that you sit in a meeting room and make decisions with indifference doesn't mean that you are higher or better or above others it means that you are first and foremost a shepherd that's why Peter says Shepherd the flock of God that is among you that is the Greek word Point mono it's where that verb form is found there the noun form is found in Ephesians chapter 4 verses 11 when he's talking about that he gave some to be Apostles some prophets some evangelists some pastors some teachers that word poignant is that word Pastor it's actually better understood as Shepherd I want you to imagine with me for a moment that you were at a sheep farm and

There's this massive pasture filled to the brim with hundreds of sheep there's green grass everywhere beautiful shade and each one of those sheep has been meticulously cared for each one has been carefully sheared you look if there's a man that is standing there and he is watching the sheep with his Keen eyes his strong hands he looks this way and that making sure there's nothing coming that will attack that body of sheep he makes sure that there are no sheep that are wandering away from his gaze so you go to him and you meet him you're kind of intimidated by this guy and aside from the first thing that you see about him the first thing that you really notice about him is the smell I mean this guy's been hanging out with sheep this dude reeks and that is the Mark of a good shepherd Elders aren't called to just sit in an office you're called to be with their people to being with the flock and so smell like sheep sometimes the Sheep wanders into a bog and the shepherd has to go in and Rescue It some sheep might be taken by a wolf and the shepherd must go and retrieve that sheep out of the wolf's mouth might be unpopular but it happens some sheep might get into some really bad weeds and they're eating stuff that's making them sick and says a Shepherd must instruct Elders they do the same thing Elders have to go and sometimes they have the fragrance of death because they go where people are dying sometimes it's the fragrance of sickness or vomit that's just what happens when you're an elder other times it's a festive time so it

Might smell like wedding cake wherever the Sheep are is where Shepherds should be found and so that's the first responsibility of an elder is to be a Shepherd this means spending time with the flock providing the word of God to Feast on to defend the flock from vicious wolves which they are out there and so this begs the question of course who are the Sheep well for us as First Baptist Church we believe that it is the members of this local church the ones who are numbered and named they are counted towards this local flock and if I'm your Shepherd my first request is join the church be counted among the safe family it doesn't mean that you're a member of an exclusive Club means that you are a member of this Sheepfold the second responsibility is that of an overseer to be an overseer it means that Peter says exercising oversight and as I said before this is an overseer not an Overlord amen and an overseer is literally understood as a guardian or as a keeper the overseers of a church are the ones who are watching over determining the direction of are accountable two and four a local body of believers and Elders they don't primarily rely on wisdom they don't rely on the latest books in trance they don't rely on the latest podcasts okay they don't rely on the wisdom of other men who have been there before them really the main fuel of an elder is the Holy Spirit it's his will is determined through prayer through fasting through the study of God's word there are men of Habitual prayer pleading to the Lord and for the flock and really being an elder means that you

Are dependent totally upon the Lord to oversee A Flock it also means to watch it with foresight to be working towards unity and clarity to be identifying issues as they crop up and even before they crop up and preventing them for the sake of that unity and it's a it's a noble responsibility but it's also a extremely heavy responsibility to be entrusted with overseeing the local church now the third principle that we're going to look at is the habits of Elders the habits of Elders look at the rest of verses two and three with me it says not under compulsion but willingly as God would have you oh so what would God have you well the first thing we notice here is a Christ-like view of responsibility a Christ-like view of responsibility the worst reason to be an elder is because someone needs you to do it that's the absolute worst reason to become an elder back in 2018 when Pastor Kirk left our church family I had a lot of people say Cody you need to be you need to do it you need to put your name in you need to do this and I said no wasn't until after about 40 or 50 people asked me that I said well maybe I'll pray about it and once I prayed I felt the call from the Lord to do that and I said God give me a vision if you want me to do it give me this Vision the Lord did how to do it wasn't until there was a clear call from God that I stepped into that role since then we've seen two new community groups planted we've implemented Elders as leaders in our church for stability and accountability we've seen God bless our budget year over year we've seen lots of new people in our church we've seen God do some really really

Cool things over the last four years a little over a month ago I came to the realization that our church is no longer in that downward Trend I need to re-up that scary graph that I showed you guys back in 2018 or so y'all remember the scary Graphics it was scary but you know like we're not down that lower Trend anymore and so you know like I was in a deacons meeting and I think it was John Wilbur he was like what are we doing you know like and I sort of realized we've got we've got 10 deacons for the first time in like years in our church and I'm like we're not in survival mode anymore how do I transition out of survival mode and you know crisis management into the future and Outreach and growth and evangelism right takes time to steer an organization in that direction so I'm asking you church members to pray for me as I try to figure out what that looks like for our church and just kind of go down that road every member is a minister every member is a missionary and so there are some that are in this church some men that you need to be praying about that about how you might be prepared to be an elder one day some of you young men you still have a decade of experience to go great in the meantime how do you make sure that you do not disqualify yourself so that way 10 years from now when the church looks at you keep you don't have to be embarrassed and say I can't do it because I disqualified myself a couple of things I want to prepare you for firstly keep yourself pure don't give yourself to alcohol to pornography and drunkenness and things like that keep yourself pure that's so difficult in our culture and just that pool of men takes down like this

And so I urge you okay don't give yourself over to adultery don't give yourself over to impure thoughts and actions secondly serve now start serving especially you men I tell you what if it wasn't for our women we'd be in a world of hurt amen there's more women than that are over there right now because you know they're serving but we need men you older men don't be an armchair quarterback don't say this is that we ought to do this it's how we did it back in the day it's not that day I hate to say it but it's not that day it's a new culture and it's a harder culture it's a difficult Place thirdly take opportunities to lead that's how you grow as a leader is you just say oh maybe I can do that every member is a minister every member is a missionary and so let's do it well and Peter he tells us to not do it under compulsion but willingly so pray over it ask the Lord God How can I Minister how can I use my gifts and my talents and God would you call me and make that clear on where I'm supposed to serve we don't need lazy leaders we need people filled with Zeal and passion that can say you know this is Christ's bride and until Christ returns I'm going to do everything that I can to make sure that bride is prepared for when he returns I mean look at what else what else Peter says not for shameful gain but eagerly this means that they should have a Christ-like view of money money is a tool for the kingdom that's it

All of the resources that God has given to us on Earth are his and he allows us to keep most of that so that way we could build the kingdom but money is a Temptation for people in first Timothy chapter 6 verses 9 through 10 it says but those who desire to be rich fall into temptation into a snare and to many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction For the Love of Money is a root of all kinds of evil it is through this craving that some have wandered away from faith and Pierce themselves with many pangs an elder that loves money should probably just be removed from the office if an elder is constantly talking about needs his desires his hopes for raises then he probably has bad intentions that phrase shameful game is translated as sordid gain in the nasd or even filthy Luker in the King James it means to disgracefully gain wealth this is the preacher that deceptively takes the flock's money and something that Heretics do those men should be marked and avoided as false teachers now it is true that the church should honor their Elders Paul he writes in first Timothy chapter 5 verse 17. Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor especially those who labor in preaching and teaching but I've said it once I've said I've said it twice I'll say it again Elders are to be overseers not overlords Elders aren't called to be CEOs they're not called to be managers they're not brought on to a reveal Secrets like the apostles or the prophets shepherds are called to lead the flock to The Quiet Waters of God's Peace by knowing Christ and by knowing him better shepherds are called to feed the flock by feeding them a true word of God not their own

Interpretations not using all these gimmicks and worldly techniques to get people into the church remember that showy things sorry big showy things are okay if you're shooting for numbers Christ Jesus he had thousands upon thousands of people following him when he was feeding and teaching but when he started talking about discipleship when he started talking about the cost of following him what happened they left he went from you know what feeding the 5 000 plus the women plus the children let's say 10 12 000 followers down to 120 in the upper room and if we were to look at him as a modern Pastor most people would look at Jesus and say he was a failure look at how many people he drove away our church was so great back in the day was it or was it just filled with a bunch of goats see when we when we use every modern technique every ungodly measurement of success what we're left with is Jesus was a failure but we know that's not the truth we know that is through the indwelling and abiding presence of the Holy Spirit when it is empowered by Gospel preaching that lives are changed and it might take a while but you know what that's exactly what the parable of the sower teaches it takes a while I believe that many churches in our nation and around our world they have Christ looking at their lamp post and he's considering on whether or not to remove it because they rely on gimmicks and giveaways in order to reach people isn't the Gospel enough isn't God enough if God is Not Enough then we need to

Repent if we are not willing to go and share the Gospel but rather we rely on Trends and fashions in order to reach people what are we doing why are we doing it I think it's because people are more comfortable putting money in an offering plate to do big things rather than go and have the hard conversations to share the Gospel with a friend if you can't say Amen you better say ouch and I'm talking to myself there imagine for a moment that well our Paul Washer he's a great preacher if you want to be hurt listen to him he told an illustration about a king that was going away for a long time and he was entrusting the queen to a steward and the King said I'll be back you take care of her you take care of her well so the king leaves and he's gone for a lot longer than what the steward thought he would be gone and eventually people they start saying you know that Queen she doesn't look as good as she's not quite as attractive as she used to be you know we really ought to we really ought to dress her up we really ought to get her with the times you know she needs to put some makeup on I'm not preaching against makeup don't hear me say that but what I am saying is that we need to we need to make this queen more appealing to the world so that way people will want to be here so the steward says oh I agree we want to make her as pleasing to people as possible and so they paint her face and they put her in provocative clothing and say you know her house her house

Just you know it doesn't look like a place that people want to be let's make it something a place where people want to be so they change everything about the house and then all of a sudden the king comes back and he sees his Queen not looking the same and he finds that look displeases him is he going to take his anger out on the queen it's going to be on the stewards the elders the overseers the pastors that judgment is going to fall on being an elder is a heavy thing Elders they must have a proper view of authority the truth is that Jesus he did everything that the father told him to do he said everything that the father told him to say in Christ he was submissive to the will of the father so much so that he endured the cross for the sake of redeeming sinners like us an elder should be men who know the Lord who are humble who are teachable who are growing in the knowledge of God who are serving who are discipling their their wives the wife and children they should be joyfully serving the Lord the fourth principle for Godly Elders is the reward ah missed that one sorry my blood pressure's going up the reward for elders look at verse 4 and when the chief Shepherd appears you will receive the unfading Crown of Glory and see this is a special reward for Those whom God has called to Shepherd his people on this side of Heaven who have done it well and it's a great motivator to be honest to be you know to oversee the flock of God well so that we will serve as elders and not grow weary Paul he said in second Corinthians said it is our aim to please him talking about God see it is Jesus

That is our Arc poimanos which is our chief Shepherd the lead Shepherd you see one day you and I we won't be at this church one day you're gonna die I'm going to die you might move others might plan a new church this church is going to look completely different it's going to have a whole different set of sheep in here in 100 years and our goals should be such an to be such an amazing Christ honoring Church that in 100 years our Good Shepherd will be able to look at First Baptist Church and go man that church is really pleasing to me as long as we remain faithful to the Gospel and the glory of God and it starts today that's where it starts it starts with us seeking to be pleasing to the Good Shepherd to ask God are you happy with me this isn't a primarily a yes this is instruction for elders but also for us as sheep I can't forget that I'm a sheep too it starts with coming to the Lord dealing with him saying God can are you happy with me today how can I glorify you who should I tell about you today and we've heard about pastors with all sorts of big personalities who bully a church into doing something that they shouldn't do and that's nothing new actually actually John he writes in his third epistle about this guy Dietrich he says I've written something to the church but dietrichs who likes to put himself first does not acknowledge our Authority that's why pastors have to have a proper view of it so if I come I will bring up what he's doing talk to Wicked nonsense against us and not content with that he refuses to welcome

The brothers and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church you know dietrichs is a is a perfect example of what an elder should not do or should not be perfect example thankfully Christ is the perfect example of what an elder should do and be this is what this is why Jesus is called a Good Shepherd he teaches us at Matthew chapter 20 verses 25-28 Jesus called to them and said you know that the rulers of the Gentiles Lord it over them and they're great ones exercise authority over them it shall not be so among you but whoever would be great among you must be your servant and whoever would be first among you must be your slave even as the son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many see the greatest in this church is not the best speaker it's not the coolest person it's not the most well-liked person is that the one with the greatest reputation or the longest tenured it's not the newest one it's not the most likable or the most agreeable one it's not the bully or the bossy it's not the Boris or the boastful it's the servant it is the servant that is the greatest in the Kingdom and so it is with the local church has an embassy of that Kingdom and as such Elders should be the best servants in the church and as an example of that we want to move into this time of commissioning for Josh and Christy and so Josh Christie I would invite you guys to come up here