[0:00] We are in 1 Timothy chapter 3, and we're going to look again at the qualifications of overseers in the church.

[0:16] So stand with me. I'm going to read the first seven verses. We didn't get very far last week. We just got to verse 1. So this is a faithful saying. If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop, then, 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, 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? Not 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. Lord, again, we thank you for your word and for the instruction to our hearts. And we lift up this time now and just give us ears to hear. And Holy Spirit, we know that you're faithful and you'll meet us where we're at, Lord. Thank you for that in Jesus' name. Amen. You can all be seated.

[1:39] Title of the message is Engineered by God, Part 2. And again, we come again to God's instruction and having order in the church. And I think maybe we can get through these verses today or else we'll have a Part 3. And I say that because sometimes I get on rabbit trails that while I'm going along, I feel necessary to share that sometimes I don't even have in mind as I get going. And if I get going on too many of those, then sometimes it turns into another part. But here we have really the instructions that God places upon his leaders to demonstrate those things, to be an example of those things. And it wouldn't be enough that you would think up these things. That wouldn't be enough. But these are God's instructions, and that means a lot. Because, you know, often men will put extra things on people that God never intended. But when we see God's instruction, we know that this is a good thing and things to accomplish.

[3:06] So never perfectly though I always stress that you notice that you know why I always stress that because I'm not perfect and I know it so I want you to know it so I don't shock you when I'm when I mess up you know just ask my wife I mess up all the time but God is giving this word through the apostle Paul to Timothy.

[3:28] Who is called to be a pastor, and one of his first assignments, it seems, and it appears, or could have been, the first time that Paul is turning him loose and will not be there with him. That's the idea that we're getting as he's receiving these instructions, and that's always a big deal. The first time when you've been in training, but now you're the one leading, or now you're in charge or you become the one who has to answer questions and deal with dissension and so forth and things that Paul has given Timothy a heads up on and having confidence can be a challenge especially initially and so you could have all this training and then when you're put right into the arena of you know experience suddenly things change that wait a minute I thought it was going to be easier than this and now I'm dealing with this and and so you develop a confidence through just putting the miles on it just is it just happens that way and and it's it is easy to.

[4:44] To get overwhelmed, you know, anybody of you know about that when you're having to deal with something, especially when it's new to you and how you can get overwhelmed. And it seems like years later you think, oh, okay, I know what to do in this situation now. And so we see this example throughout scripture. And so we learn by that. The first person that came to mind when I was thinking through this was joshua and how joshua was the assistant to moses so as long as moses was there everything was cool you know he talked to god and god told him what to do and everything was great but then god took moses out and said to joshua guess what now you're in charge and and the lord had tell him several times like not to be fearful don't be fearful quit being fearful because Joshua was like wait a minute this is on me now and he was a man of God and and he was called and he was ready but now he's thrust into the arena all of a sudden it's like where's Moses and but he had to learn that it wasn't where's Moses is where's God and so Joshua had to trust in God just like Moses did because Moses tried to dodge the whole thing too at the beginning and in time pretty soon he built up a confidence and these are things that happen in our lives as well.

[6:05] And, you know, there's no exceptions to it. Some are just on a faster track of learning, and others are on a slower track of learning. But the Lord doesn't leave us behind. You know, it's like he waits up for us. Okay, you're really a slow learner, but okay, we're in it together. But God tells Jeremiah, he's given Jeremiah this word of assurance. And as a reminder he says Jeremiah 32 27 behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh is there anything too hard for me, And, of course, the answer was no. In other words, you know, let's personalize that. Even when you do not think you're able or qualified or you're feeling even insecure at any given time, get over yourself.

[6:57] Because that's the problem. And you've got to get over yourself. God is bigger than you and your insecurity, whatever it may be, or whatever it is. So you got to get your eyes off yourself it's when your eyes are on yourself and not on the lord that all these problems come up and they seem to be magnified and so one thing is for sure, all of us who are christians are commanded to be obedient and to be diligent we know that all the way through the scriptures because there are sins of commission and and and sins of omission.

[7:34] There's things we need to be doing and there's things that we need not to be doing, and so we can be sinning in either place either category either committing sins or not doing things that we should be doing and we know better so we need to be diligent we need to be obedient Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 9 10 whatever you find whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going you know it may seem menial but you know what we're all headed to our last day and so in the meantime be obedient be diligent with what you find in your hand do it with all of your might even when it doesn't seem like a big thing but but remember this when you do a small thing but you serve a big God it becomes huge.

[8:33] What it is that you're doing. He's the one that blesses faithfulness in the small things that we are given and faithful in the little opportunities that God sends our way because he's faithful to do that. But this verse reminds us to be diligent with what God has instructed us with and to realize no matter what our situation is, if we just have a short window of opportunity to fulfill it. And beware, James warns us when he says that we are to be doers of the word, not hearers only, deceiving ourselves. And so this is why we need to respond to what the Lord gives us to do. In the 1960s, there was a beer commercial. Some of you that were around and old enough in the 1960s. I won't ask for a show of hands.

[9:36] But there was a beer commercial where the announcer said something like this. You only go around once in life, so you've got to grab for all the gusto you can. You remember that? That was a popular one. And the ad writer for Schlitz Beer could have properly given the credit to Solomon for the idea. It's a good idea. It depends on how you applied it. So we can apply, once again, this principle to service to God. Not just go through the motions. It was Spurgeon that wrote, No man ever served God by doing things tomorrow.

[10:20] And I thought about that. I took that as keep putting, if you keep putting things off, that's not a good thing. And, you know, like Cats in the Cradle. You remember that song, you know, we'll get together soon, son, we'll get together soon. And then he turns out like his dad at the end and said, we'll get together soon, dad. You know, we'll get together soon. And that tells a powerful story of how people just go about not really getting the things done that God has really given them to do and keep putting them off and and that's not a good thing to be diligent we cannot live in the land of manana that's one of my Spanish words, how many knows what know what manana means well come on I know more than three of you know what manana.

[11:16] But yeah, we don't want to live in the land of tomorrow, manana. The Bible tells us that we're really not even promised that day. We're not promised that day.

[11:30] So we don't want to live in it if we're not promised it. But we are promised to be blessed by the Lord every day. So God's leaders are exemplifying and are teaching all Christians, each of us, how we are to conduct ourselves as servants of God. They're to be an example of these things. And although we will be covering this list of pre-qualifiers for leaders in the church, this is how any of us are to even make disciples. You can't make a disciple like Jesus tells us to without exemplifying the qualities of following the Lord as a servant of the Lord. The leaders lead the way and the leaders teach. But Jesus said in Matthew 28, 19 through 20, for all believers go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. So teaching them to observe all things. That's how you make disciples. And how do you teach? By example, for sure. And that's the only teaching that's going to stick, that's for sure.

[12:47] But, you know, we looked there that if anybody had desired that position of a bishop, that word desire we looked at last week is a word that is one willing to put in the time. It's not just a flippant desire, but one willing to engage. And also, you know, one who is willing to serve the Lord and not have to get any accolades or perks or...

[13:16] You know, anything, because we know that when we're serving the Lord, our rewards are in heaven. And the Lord, as he guides us, he provides for us. And so he blesses us here too. But the point is, is you have your sights set and God, you know, just yielding to the Lord. A bishop is synonymous with elder, overseer, pastor, teacher, and under shepherd. And so that's what a bishop is. And it says there in verse 2 he's to be blameless and he will be blamed he can be blamed, but when he's blamed it's like water off a duck's back the blame doesn't stick you know not like water on a chicken you ever see water on a chicken they look pathetic.

[14:08] They look they look terrible it's like get the blow dryer out you know get some fluff going again but not water on a duck i mean you don't even know there was water on a duck once water's been on a duck and so it's like that blameless in that sense but we'll be blamed for sure jesus was blamed you know and and all and all all those who served the lord were blamed big time and And, but, but also the husband of one wife. And so in order to be a husband of one wife means that you're not a woman.

[14:44] So this position is for a man and, but married to one woman. And, and it means a one woman man. And it's the idea that, you know, some try to complicate it, but, you know, God calls his leaders. And sometimes, you know, before Christ, some has sorted past. They might've had a marriage and a divorce or whatever. They come to Christ, they start brand new and the Lord calls them into the pastor. And some would interpret that as, no, you were married before, so you can't be a pastor. You're only supposed to be a one woman man. No, that's not what it means. But at same token, there could be somebody who was a pastor and somehow dumped his wife and, you know, moves on and marries, you know, another woman. And then you have to evaluate and say, hey, wait a minute here. Did you have a biblical reason to dump your wife? Or do you dump her because you thought somebody else was a little bit better? You're no longer a one-woman man because...

[15:40] Strictly speaking you're that's still your wife you know some people think well no i signed the piece of paper that man provides so now i'm separated from them no god doesn't look at that piece of paper as anything that people piece of paper doesn't free you from the restrictions that god has placed upon you there's got to be biblical reasons for that a whole nother subject that could be very big we won't go down that one but it's just the idea that you know it's a one woman man so you know he's free to serve because he's got one wife and and so he's temperate you know it's interesting about that word there in verse two again it means wineless wineless it's a word that means abstaining from wine either entirely or at least from its immoderate use and also this word means things that are free from all wine which would be things like vessels and things like offerings and so a vessel could very well be a physical body like our bodies a vessel set apart for the lord physical material objects like our bodies and so.

[17:03] And so the pastors elders of this church here you know we're all on on board with not drinking alcohol and there's so many abuses of it but we are vessels set apart for the lord and that we live our lives as offerings to the Lord. And so, none of us drink alcohol. And so, you know, there is some thoughts, you know, concerning alcohol. And I do want to mention, and when it comes to that subject.

[17:48] Of alcohol in the bible the only thing i can say dogmatically about that is the bible teaches the abuse of alcohol is condemned that's what the bible teaches and that's what i can say, dogmatically but but there's many examples of its destruction in the lives of people and it's a huge problem so the bible is clear do not get drunk that's for sure dogmatically i can say that but having said that there are also sensitivity issues that factor in and would direct us not to stumble others or tempt others and so forth and sometimes you don't know who those others are and you don't know when that can happen and this is where things can get very dangerous especially for a pastor an elder a leader to not know when they may very well be stumbling somebody and all of us here as I said in leadership you know we have that same conviction and our wives, by the way, but one thing's for sure, I can't put that conviction on you. You know, that's up to you, not me.

[19:16] And you know what I could say dogmatically, and I will, but I can't put that same conviction that we have on you concerning that. The Apostle Paul, he sent that message, you know, message considering others when exercising your freedoms. This is something that we're always challenged with, and this was his strong conviction.

[19:41] And he communicated that, you know, even as in Romans. So I'm going to read in Romans chapter 14 a few verses here.

[19:52] I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself, but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. This is speaking of conviction. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil for the kingdom of god is not eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy spirit for he who serves christ in these things is acceptable to god and approved by men therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another do not destroy the work of god for the sake of food all things indeed are pure but it is evil for the man who eats with offense it is good neither to eat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak do you have faith have it in yourself before god happy is he who does not condemn himself and what he approves but he who doubts is condemned if he eats because he does not eat from faith whatever is done from faith from is not done from faith is sin so once again it's dangerous for a leader to dismiss this section of scripture.

[21:16] Very dangerous i want to say more so for for leaders because often they're the ones under the microscope not that any of our lives aren't under a microscope but you know we see you know again that verse 21 it is good neither to eat meat nor to drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak and so the principle again and i would emphasize that in this particular section for pastors and leaders. And, you know, God confirmed my conviction. And, you know, twice in my almost 50 years of being a Christian, this July, will be 50 years, half a century.

[22:04] And twice, only twice in that 50 years, I had a vision. One vision I had was of this place, this church plant, and that God gave me the vision, and then the vision was fulfilled. And then there's particulars about it. But the other vision was years ago, before I was actually in the ministry.

[22:28] Or involved with ministry in any way, I would argue with any pastor about drinking, because I would drink, you know, so of course I'm going to argue with anybody about it, because I wanted to drink, you know, but, and so, and so I was going through this and talking to different people at times and all, and it was, you know, something that was stirring in my heart, and then all of a sudden, and a bit, what's a vision? Well, it's just like all of a sudden you have a image in your mind a picture in your mind that plays out and this is how this is how visions have come to me and all of a sudden i see myself sitting in behind a desk and a couple walks in to get counseling and the wife begins to pour her heart out about her husband's drinking, And, and so, and so she says, and you don't drink, right? She appeals to me to say something. And I said, well, you know, you know, sometimes I'll, you know, have, have a beer, glass of wine. And, and he stands up and he says, see, he's exactly like me.

[23:48] And he turned and walked out of the office and then she got up. It was like her last-ditch effort to come to talk to somebody for hope for their marriage. And she just had, she just, her countenance. This is all in my head, quick, very quick image picture that happened. And she walked out and she turned.

[24:09] And I said, okay, Lord, I got the message. Well, I never counsel. I never sit behind a desk. I never talk to anybody about these things. But it was clearly that message was transferred in 1981, never touched another beer. Because why? Because the Lord showed me that. And he had his reasons. And then, not soon after that, I got involved with the ministry. Five years later, I'm sitting behind a desk. A couple comes in. They sit down. She starts pouring her heart out about her husband's drinking problem. Him and then she says you don't drink right and i said well and i when i went went to say as i at one time i used to you know feel that it was it was okay and he thought this actually happened he thought i said once in a while i'll have a beer or he's just like me he got up and he pointed at me and he started to turn away you misunderstood me and then i re-explained what i wanted to say and he sat down and we continued our counseling and they got so serious about saving their marriage and him giving up, you know, his extreme use of alcohol and that they moved out of the area to get away from bad influences that he had with his friends. Well, I didn't think about five years ago having the vision. They walked out of the office and I'm making some notes and it hit me.

[25:35] God showed me this five years ago and I just began to weep.

[25:39] I began to weep.

[25:42] So the lord confirmed my conviction and so you know why i haven't drank since 1981 and then after it was confirmed because i knew what the lord has for me and you know, and it's important that when the lord shows us personally what we need to do we do it and so I did, and then back to our verse 2 there he says also the leaders are to be sober minded which means to be self controlled not flippant.

[26:18] And also there, good behavior. And that's a relational trait and kind of self-explanatory, you know, good behavior. Maybe good people skills, bedside manners, you might say, sensitivities there. And also, verse 2, hospitable.

[26:38] Wonderful gift. Hospitality. And and many of you by the way have that gift of hospitality and it's incredible and those who exercise it are usually the ones that get blessed more than the ones that receive from it and just like the blessing comes around full circle and god just dumps on the giver of that and and so.

[27:06] And so that leadership, be hospitable, able to teach, willing and able if when necessary. That might not be their main function in any particular church, but often and unofficially, a teacher takes teaching moments and teaches others. And they have that capacity to do that in life's broad subjects, including other things. Not necessarily teaching a bible study but being able to teach and that's usually teaching the things of the lord but not exclusively that's not what's being said here and then there you see in verse three again not given to wine paul at one point had to tell prescribe give a prescription like a doctor a little bit of wine to Timothy for his stomach's sake so you know we see that in first Timothy chapter 5 verse 23 no longer drink only water but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities so when I read that it means that he didn't drink a little wine. He only drank water.

[28:23] Who was teaching him? Paul. Paul says, no, you need to drink a little wine. It'd be kind of like we would take NyQuil. And the only NyQuil that works for me is the one with the alcohol. And so, and I'm not all for it. In certain situations, take a little NyQuil. Put you right to sleep. And you can accomplish what you need to the next day. It's great, but a way to look at alcohol use, alcohol is not a spiritual poison, but the effects of alcohol could be a spiritual poison. And my conclusion is, why dabble with it?

[29:13] And it makes sense when you see not only the abuses that are destroying families and lives, but the addictions that some people can't steer away from is horrible. And taking the lives of many and destroying families. And so, you know, rather than being subject to or connected with that in any way, why? You know, I don't need it. And also we see there in verse 3, not violent. Rather, so he's a peacemaker. He doesn't instigate violence. If he needs to, he could be very violent in a situation. That's not his nature, but it may happen. And that in certain situations, as an example, defending the defenseless. Because, you know, you think about like Daniel Penny on the subway, who did the right thing. And look what they put him through.

[30:24] But it's things like that. Are you going to step up in defense of a child or elderly against predators? Well if you have a shepherd's heart you will and hopefully if you have Christ's heart you will if you have any capacity to do so or at least get on the phone quick to help if you don't but the point is is if you are pastor an elder a leader and you don't step up to help the defenseless and the child and the elderly in times like that, get out of the ministry. You don't belong there. You don't have a heart for it. You're a coward. So this individual is not violent, but he'll step up to the plate when needed. Absolutely. You know and we see that in our lord too when he needed to and we'll see it again when he comes back in judgment and so not violent not greedy for money the abuses of money have turned many away from God, many.

[31:46] And then I remember even my dad, sadly to say, when he became a Christian, he started going to one of those churches that were very, I guess, I don't know what the word is, just very about being real excited and name it, claim it, and you know.

[32:09] Blab it, grab it, you know, those kinds of, I don't know how to put it. But anyway, rather than going through the Word, and so they had an evangelist there, and he's, you know, doing this thing about money and saying that, you know, the second or third time, and my dad's a very generous person. He'd be the first one to give his shirt off his back. I watched him growing up. He'd give his last $10 to buy the neighbor's ice cream rather than just buy us kids ice cream and then borrow $10 to get to work the next day to put gas in his truck. He would just give his last, that's who my dad was. Anyway, and he had his money out and he was going to give in the church service. And the guy says, if you have anything less than whatever it was, he says, that's not good enough. And so my dad put his money back in his pocket and never went back to church. And I had plenty of times talked to my dad about it afterwards that that guy didn't represent what was true and all that. But money has destroyed so many people from following the Lord, thinking that it's all about money. They're making it all about money.

[33:17] And I understand that passing the basket around is fine. There's nothing wrong with that if that's what churches do. There's nothing wrong with that. I was just back in the day when we wouldn't collect money. That was my big thing to evangelize. We can come to our church. you we don't pass the bucket you know we don't ask for any for anything and i would like start conversations like that with people and then all of a sudden the pastor decided that we were going to start passing you know the basket and everything like oh there goes that line now what do i say you know i felt very discouraged with that but i remember when you know coming up here and, you know planning a church was that was one thing that i knew that and and you know that was my heart And Lord, we never want to ask for anything.

[34:07] You know, we never want to ask for anything. And I figure if God knows, that's enough. He's enough. If he knows your situation, he's enough to know. And so he's the one who puts on people's hearts the things that he does. And so we either trust him or we don't. We don't come up here and give some speech or whatever. We've never asked for money. I think one time we asked for money for somebody else. But never for us. somebody else need like a fire, had a fire or something. But so not greedy for money. And so our system here is that the elders count the money.

[34:55] And then another records it and deposits it that's separate from those who count it. And then I don't even know who gives what.

[35:07] And then I just know bottom lines and, you know, things like that. So, you know, it's good not to let the money get in the way. And then he's, verse 3, to be gentle as well, having patience, mild-mannered. I think of Clark Kent. All this available power, but he's just mild-mannered. but he can call on God who is all-powerful. And what happens is if somebody is not gentle or not having patience, they have a lack of patience, and what that does is it leads to anger and frustration, and that's not good leadership qualities, but that's what stems from not having patience.

[35:50] And, of course, not that anybody's perfect, but that they'll be consistent with these things in their life, not quarrelsome, in other words, not contentious. Also verse 3, and not covetous, so not jealous, not wanting what you have, not wanting what others have, able to be content with what God has given them, God's provision for them. And then if they're in that position, then the devil has a real hard time dangling a carrot before them to get them desiring more than what God has given them. And so it's a safe place to be, lest they all of a sudden, you know, are manipulated in one way or another. So.

[36:39] And so we see there, where am I? Oh, verse four. 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? And so there are no perfect kids.

[37:07] If there were, they'd contradict what the Bible has to say. There are kids that are really better than other kids, for sure. But kids are kids. And so one who rules his own house well, it doesn't mean that the kids can't be kids. Because kids will be kids. It has nothing to do with that. But what it does mean is that there are rules in the house that are set by the parents.

[37:47] And then those rules are in obedience to God's standards. And those rules are not to be child pleasers, but God pleasers. Because often the problem you see when a when a when a home is unruly is that the children are ruling the parents sort of you know just try to keep peace by appeasing their children with things that are against the very things that the lord would have and that's a problem but obeying god is the rules in a home. And so, and oftentimes there's tough love that needs to happen, not ignored because God commands it. And you know, tough love rather than no love, because if there isn't tough love, guess what there is? There's no love. That's a problem. You know, in Proverbs 13, 24 says, he who spares the rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly. So there is tough love. Oftentimes it doesn't take much. You know, when we were growing up, my brother and I got, you know, in certain situations, we're the one that got the spankings, you know, and it was with a belt.

[39:08] So my sisters who were all younger just had to see that and that was enough for them. So they never had to get spankings. But us boys, especially me. But one time my dad was spanking me and I remember our dog jumped up and grabbed his wrist to stop him. And he stopped and the dog grabbed his wrist and went and let him give me a spank.

[39:30] And so, tough love. But, you know what? I never had a problem loving my dad and being accepted and being very confident and feeling very secure in our relationship. Because he did what was necessary to point me in the right direction. And, you know, yeah, it hurt for a moment, but later on I didn't want that anymore, so I did things according to the rules. You know? So, that's the idea there. Of course, you can get to a lengthy study to all that, but that's basically it. Not a not a novice so not one who is new to you know the ministry the spiritual things and so forth you know there's a lot to be said about experience and that doesn't come from books, now the bible will teach you but how many of you learned that you had to learn it through experience, and i have for sure and so not a novice in a lot of things because you just don't read it and then to think that you know it but and then if you know it it might just be head knowledge that needs to all of a sudden drop down to be hard knowledge through experience and that's what happens and so, and so we're gonna pick up part three.

[40:52] With this because there's too much still. And God is good. But the idea is that all these things that we're kind of covering, that believers in general, each one of us, need to incorporate these by learning and being discipled ourselves. Each one of us are going to be discipled until we're home with the Lord. Don't think that, oh, I've already been discipled. No, you got the wrong idea we're discipled until we're going to be learning until we're in heaven and then at that point i think learning forever you know how as god would impart truth to us but in this life here there's a whole lot we don't know and we can learn even from children because children so often will understand things that you forgot about and then they'll tell you about it and then you can re -remember and come out of your haze as an old person and enjoy life like children do, you know, the joy of the Lord. And so, yeah, keep an open heart and look to the Lord, read the word, and he definitely will speak to you. Amen? Let's stand together.

[42:06] So, Lord, we thank you so much for loving us, And we thank you, Lord, for how you speak to our hearts. And we ask, God, that you would continue to have your way with us, Lord. We ask, Holy Spirit, that we would be in tune to your still, small voice, that we would read the word of God and be instructed, and that we would be obedient to the things that you show us, Lord. And so I pray for all those in here. and Lord, you know where they're at and what they might be dealing with. And I just pray, Lord, that you would continue to have your way in our lives. And so we just give you all the glory now. We ask this in Jesus' name, amen.