Turn to First Timothy chapter number three. First Timothy chapter number three. I'm going to kind of preach to myself here this evening as we talk about basically some of the characteristics that a pastor is supposed to strive for in his life. And so, of course, this is an important subject and that we should talk about. We're talking about the local church. And so the next couple of weeks, we're going to talk about pastors and deacons and kind of the characteristics that are supposed to be the biblical characteristics. There's also some practical characteristics that we really won't get into, but things like the pastor ought to show up to church on a regular basis, you know, things like that. That'd be a good thing, right? And so, there are practical characteristics, but we'll talk about the biblical characteristics here tonight. 1 Timothy chapter 3 and beginning in verse number 1. This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless. the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not covetous, one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity. For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must have a good report of them which are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. And let's have a word of prayer. this evening. Dear Heavenly Father, we do ask your blessing upon the message this evening, Father, as we consider this important topic in Scripture, as we strive to contemplate its truth. And Father, we pray that you would use it in our life to mold us and shape us a little more into the image of Christ, in Jesus' name we ask, amen. Of course, we've talked about the fact that in the local church there are two positions that the Bible talks about, bishop or pastor, it's called bishop, elder, and shepherd, basically, in the Bible. And then deacon and these two positions are the only real positions in scripture. It doesn't mean we can't have other ones. It means these are the only ones that are biblical and scriptural, but God doesn't tell us that there can't be any others. You can have a groundskeeper, a janitor, a secretary, an assistant pastor, all of those things are not unbiblical just because they're not in the Bible. It's simply that these two are the ones given in scripture. And so here we find in 1 Timothy the characteristics a pastor should be striving to maintain in in his life. And notice in verse number 2, a bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach. And notice the word must in there in verse number 2. And so this carries some weight with it. When it says must, it means I'm accountable for that as a pastor and that God will hold me accountable for basically this list. Now it doesn't mean that any time a pastor might not do, maybe he loses his temper once in his life, that he should resign and never pastor again. It doesn't mean that any time anything goes wrong at all in life that a pastor never has the right to pastor again. I don't think, and I don't think it should be looked at that way, but must carries an ought with it. And so the concept is this is what the duties, if you will, in characteristics of a pastor. And if I don't, strive to meet these obligations, these duties, then I am a poor pastor. Alright? And just like every position, or often positions, whether they're at work, secular, or in God's work, might have things that we're supposed to live up to. And certainly as a Christian, I have some obligations that I'm supposed to live up to. If I fail to live up to them, it doesn't mean I'm not a Christian, but it does mean I'm a poor Christian, at least at that stage in my life. And so this is the connotation that this word carries. Matter of fact, this word is often translated should or ought or things along those lines. For example, Let's look at chapter 3 and verse 15. But if I tarry long that thou mayest how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God. The word oughtest there is the same word must translated in chapter 2. And so the concept and idea here is an ought carries some weight behind it. It carries some accountability behind it. This is why we say to an atheist that if someone believes in atheism, then they have no right to expect morality. Matter of fact, morality is meaningless because there's no ought behind it. And so someone who disagrees with the a morality that society has placed on an atheist view is not really committing any kind of an evil or wrong. They are simply breaking a civil law like letting your grass grow too long or parking in the wrong place. And on an atheist view, there's no ought behind anything because there's no one to hold us accountable, right? But we instinctively know there's an ought behind things and so we do realize we have accountability. And so certainly this passage should be by pastors taken as meaning we are accountable for these things. And so, the word carries with it the idea that a pastor should be striving to have these characteristics in his life and that he will give an account to God for them and a certain extent to the congregation, to the church. Of course, a church can vote a pastor out, maybe if he extremely or continually broke some of these things in a manner that was obvious and upfront. But more likely it'll be God that intervenes in some way because often these things might not be known or obvious. And so God takes care of those things. James chapter 3 in our Bible, James chapter 3. and verse number 1, James chapter 3 and verse number 1, My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all, if any man offend not in word, the same as a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body. And it's just the biblical concept to whom much is given much will be required and when you're in positions of leadership in God's work you have a higher standard that you should live up to. And so this is of course true and as a pastor I should be striving to do these things. And I will say this, I don't meet up to them in my opinion. I never have met up to them completely in my opinion and I don't think anybody has met up to them fully in my opinion. In my opinion, I don't think anyone really is worthy to preach the pure words of God, and to stand before people and proclaim God's truth. But God has chosen in His mercy to use sinful men to preach His message, and so He uses us. And it's just the way it works, and we're privileged to do it. And so when God measures us by this list, I think He does it with mercy, gratefully, because if not, certainly no one would qualify. And I think sometimes, I think sometimes we have to be careful in this area because I think God wants more preachers and more people proclaiming the truth. And I think sometimes if we draw our lines too tight will have less and less instead of more and more. And we better read what it says and not what we think that it means when we're dealing with these things, I think, all right? And so I think this is just a trick of the devil. And so a couple of thoughts about this. Number one, a pastor should not habitually violate these guidelines. If we take these, now, habitually violate them, meaning he becomes, for instance, a striker, you know, to a striker is someone who hits someone, all right? And I don't think that means, number one, doesn't mean that you can never have hit anyone ever in your life, all right? I don't think that means that, of course, or no one would be qualified probably, and except for a sissy. And then, Number two, I don't think it means that I can't ever have hit anyone even as a pastor, although I don't think that's a good idea, but I'm just saying it simply is a guideline to say I should not have the reputation of going around fighting with folks and so forth. And I think that's the way these are to be taken. If we take these to mean one can never have violated these guidelines, then of course, no one, certainly no one could pastor. Then number two, I think this is important. These are about the present. and not the past. All right. This is very important. All right. Verse number two again. A bishop then must be blameless. All right. And so the Bible uses the present tense there because it's trying to help us understand this is about who you are today. God is the I am. Forgiveness in Christ is complete. And whether that means before I got saved or whether that means when I was backslidden after I got saved, God forgives, God forgets. And so this is about who you are today. And let me just make it real plain. God uses you where you're at today. He is not concerned. You say, well, I've lied in the past. Well, tell the truth today. I've stolen in the past. Well, work and take care of yourself today. I mean, you've got to just be blind to not see this. I mean, look at David's life, and yet God used him again after his great sin. Look at Moses' life, and yet God used him again. God used him, you know, to say, well, you can't preach the Bible if you do this. Moses wrote the Bible. He was used a pennant, all right? It's just there's not critical thinking going on here. They're not logically playing things out. to limit this too much, I think. And so this is about what we are, not what we have been somewhere in the past. And I will say, on a secondary level in this area, that I really don't spend much time thinking about whether someone else lives up to this list or not. If God is using them in some way, that's between Him and them. and I'm gonna strive to live up to it and how they are is between God and them in that particular setting if you will. Alright, so these are about the present and not the past and the idea here is that we should not be habitually violating these guidelines and characteristics. Alright, and so let's begin to look at them. A bishop then must be blameless. Now in the purest sense of that word, that disqualifies everybody. But I think what the Lord is saying here is a little bit more nuanced. The word literally means not arrested, all right? And so that's what it means. It basically means not captured or not imprisoned, all right, is the concept of it. I don't think that it's quite that loose, all right? But the concept, I think, in context seems to mean that a pastor should not be a habitual lawbreaker. And whether that's God's laws or man's laws, a pastor should not be a habitual lawbreaker. It doesn't mean I If I speed one time and they catch me, because everybody speeds, but if I get caught, then all of a sudden I got to resign as a pastor. That's not the idea here, I don't think. But it does mean that I should have a regard for the laws of the land, and especially for God's laws, and I should be striving not to violate them, of course. I should be a law keeper by habit. and not a law breaker. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse number 14, 1 Timothy 6 and verse number 14, that thou keep this commandment without spot unrebukable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. So that gives you the same word translated a little differently, unrebukable here. But the concept is I'm not breaking the law and so I am not blamed, or caught, or captured, or guilty in that area. And I think that means God's laws and man's laws, they should be a big deal to me. And let me say as a pastor, I don't think the laws of God should be small to me. I don't think I should spend my time trying to explain away God's commands throughout scripture. I don't think I should spend my time trying to defend the wicked. and in their wickedness, but instead I should be striving to live according to God's commandments and I should, I think, be a civil law keeper as well to the best of my ability. And so, blameless is the first characteristic and we're going to have to hasten to get through some of these tonight. Husband of one wife, a bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife. And again, understand present tense is the concept here. And let me just say, and I know not everybody agrees with me and lots of independent Baptist pastors disagree with me, but in my opinion, God could have said divorced if He wanted to and He did not. He said the husband of one wife. And I think that means present tense. Important not to put unreasonable restrictions here, I think, on others. And that's the concept, I think. Ultimately, if we say that someone who is divorced cannot and never under any circumstance pastor, then we have to also say that no one could have ever been in fornication in any situation and pastor. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 6. And nobody does that. And so I just don't think that that's what God is trying to say here. 1 Corinthians 6 and verse 16. What know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh. Now he is quoting Genesis about marriage. And he said if you unite with a harlot, then you have married her, basically. You have become one flesh, alright? And so the Bible is pretty clear on this. And the concept is that it is breaking my vows of marriage, so to speak, whether it's before or after any physical relations in that manner, outside of marriage, are a violation of God's laws. That's very clear. And so, in my opinion, If someone was to say, well, committing divorce, or having divorce and remarriage, that disqualifies you, then they would have to also disqualify anyone who had lived a sinful life before they got saved, anyone who had, you know, lived with someone, or any of those circumstances, all the way back through their history. And number one, let me just say, how would you ever know? you know, and then number two, I just don't think that's what God is saying. Now, I believe in marriage and I don't believe in divorce and I think divorce is a sin against God and I think that once you get married, you ought to stay married till death do you part or you're dishonest, you're breaking your marriage vows. and I believe that with all of my heart and I've been with one woman in my entire life and that is my wife of course and let me just say I believe that with all of my heart but I don't believe that this passage can be taken to mean what it does not say and it does not say this and so I don't think that it means it. Instead, I think there's a saying that a pastor should be present tense, the husband of one wife. And I think it carries a little more connotation than that. I think it's a one-woman kind of a man. I think this includes being appropriate with ladies that are not his wife, even while he pastors, of course. and so striving to be appropriate in these areas. And let me say secondarily, which should be obvious to everyone, but surprisingly enough, I've heard this preached the opposite way before. This certainly does not mean one has to be married in order to be a pastor, all right? 1 Corinthians chapter 9. Because it says the husband of one wife, I have heard someone preach and say that you have to be married in order to pastor. And I don't think it's a bad idea to be married in this day and age. Pastoring, I think that's a wise and a good thing, but I don't think that is a biblical principle here. 1 Corinthians 9 and verse 5. Have we not power, Paul writes, to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? And so, of course, Paul was unmarried, all right? And we don't know all the circumstances, but he said that he could get married, but he didn't get married. And let me just say, some people say, well, Paul wasn't a pastor. Of course, Paul was a pastor. He started churches and pastored them until he put someone in position. And so, obviously, he pastored them. the meantime and so Paul was not married and yet pastored and of course Jesus himself who started his own church was of course unmarried as well and this is not an admonition to say that a single man could not pastor although that might not be wise in a lot of situations I think it is certainly certainly not the Bible is not against that all right and so In my opinion, the husband of one wife means being married to one woman today, in the present tense, and faithful to her in his deportment, really in every area of life. And so this is what husband of one wife, I think, means. Then vigilant. Let's go back to our text again 1st Timothy chapter 3 and verse number 2 a bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife vigilant simply means alert keeping careful watch for danger once again we're talking about habits here. And so obviously if you lack vigilance for a couple days, are you disqualified? Of course not. That would be absurd. But that's the concept they use with some of the other points along this line, or some people do. And so vigilant, alert, keeping careful watch for danger. To me this concept seems to be as a watchman on the wall, always ready to give warning, both in his own life, aware of things that could cause problems. And then in the church, aware of doctrinal issues and other things that might be dangers and might be heading down the wrong road. And so he should see the dangers and sound the alarm. And this is what we see in scripture, Acts chapter 20. And I think as a pastor you do have to have a certain watchfulness, a certain awareness of the way things work and the way things happen so that you can give warning to others and also make sure that you are prudent in your own life in many, many areas. Acts chapter 20 and verse number 31. Acts chapter 20 and verse number 31. Therefore watch. And remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears. And so here, of course, the apostles are mentioning how they warned everyone and basically pastored that church at that time and warned everyone because that's really a pastoral position, 1 Corinthians chapter 4. and verse number 14, 1 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse number 14. I write not these things to shame you. In other words, the concept of preaching is not to bring shame, but as my beloved sons, I warn you. And so that's really, the pastor needs to be aware of these things and that's going to take a watchful eye. And I often say that A pastor is similar in some ways to a doctor. The Bible talks about the truth of God's word like medicine, if you will, in our life. And a doctor needs to see two things. He needs to know two things, have good knowledge of two things. He has to have a good knowledge of the medicines in his medicine cabinet, and he has to have a good knowledge of the patient. Imagine if you went to the doctor and he had a thorough knowledge of his medicine cabinet, And you went to him, and before you even got in the office, he just prescribed something to you. Hey, this would be great. Take this. All right? This is good for a lot of stuff. Take it. All right? No, you don't want that. You want both. You want him to see the patient and examine him. And then also, of course, know the medicine cabinet. A preacher is supposed to watch people, understand people, and understand the Word of God, of course. And so, this is important. So, vigilant. Sober. These words are very complementary to one another. Sober. Clear and serious-minded. 2 Corinthians, Chapter 5. 2 Corinthians, Chapter 5. And sometimes they are even interchangeably translated. Sometimes the word translated vigilant in our text is translated sober and vice versa. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse number 13. And the Bible says, for whether we be beside ourselves, and that literally means to be crazy, all right, to be out of your mind, to be beside yourself, okay. And so, for whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God. Or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. And so, the concept there is to be clear-minded, to be serious-minded, to be sober-minded. Now, this could include sobriety from alcohol and drugs. And that certainly, I think, would be applicable here. But it is kind of addressed later on, at least the alcohol, which, of course, would also, I think, include drugs a little bit later on. And so the concept here is to be clear-minded, to be taken serious, to really take what you're doing seriously and not as a joke and not to be, if you will, too childish, of course, because then obviously the Word of God preached will not have the effect that God would have it to have. When you're preaching the Word of God, you need to take it serious, of course, and so to be sober-minded, of good behavior, a word that means orderly, well-mannered, organized, structured, if you will, Romans Chapter 13, Romans Chapter 13. And this just seems to give the concept and idea that there needs to be a plan and a preparedness and effort put in to the position and the work that God has for us. When you read the Old Testament and you see the temple and the tabernacle and so forth. And you see all the details. And the Bible says the priest and the Levites went in regularly to do the duty of every day and as the duty of every day required. And there was little things that had to be done and big things that had to be done. And the concept was God likes order. Even in Genesis 1, the Bible says that the earth was without form and void, and the Spirit of the Lord moved on the face of the waters. And then what happened? Out of chaos, order came, because God likes structure. And so I think we need to be pushing towards structure and strive to be organized. Romans 13 and verse number 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. And so chambering here is the concept of immorality, and so it's just saying these things. But the word honestly here is the same word that is translated of good behavior, orderly, well-mannered, structured, disciplined, you might say. This is the concept that we're supposed to have, I think. As a pastor, we're supposed to be striving for that. And let me say, all of us pastors probably have varying degrees of that organizational ability and so forth. But on a personal level, we certainly should be of good behavior. 1 Corinthians chapter 14. 1 Corinthians chapter 14. and verse number 40. And this is talking about in the local church, let all things be done decently and in order. So have a plan, have a procedure, have a structure. And so maybe that could also come under of good behavior in this area. But I think probably it's more aimed towards personal behavior. Then let's go back to our text in 1 Timothy chapter 3, 1 Timothy chapter 3 and obviously we're covering a lot of ground quickly tonight because I don't want to take too many weeks on these details but next week we'll kind of go over whatever we have left from tonight and then kind of hit on the differences for deacons and the differences for pastors in another passage in Titus chapter 3, so that are a little bit different or added to these ones. And so 1st Timothy chapter 3 and verse number 2, a bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober of good behavior, given to hospitality. And so this is the idea of being kind and gracious to strangers. Of course, I think the context here is in the church, but I think also on a personal level, we should be striving to be gracious and welcoming of guests and kind to strangers in general, willing to help when opportunity arises. And let me say, people think of this as pastors. Just the other day, you know, we got a call out of the blue, and it was from, you know, someone in a distant state who had a family member going to college here who was having some problems, and she needed a ride a few different places. And she just called Baptist pastors expecting somebody to help her out. And the truth is, we were able to help out. She happened to work with Hannah. And so we were able to help her out very easily. And she even knew her, which surprised the mom quite a lot when she called. But the point is, this is the kind of idea that we're supposed to have. The concept is that we should be gracious and welcoming. Let's go to 3 John verse number five. 3 John, just one chapter long, of course, and verse number 5, and the Bible says, Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and to strangers. In other words, ministering to them, all right? Verse 6, which have borne witness of thy charity before the church. whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well. In other words, any time you're trying to help someone serve the Lord and do what's right, what does the Bible say? We're to turn many to righteousness. What does the Bible say? Even if we give a cup of water in Jesus' name. Now, if we do something for another in our own name, then the pat on the back they give us is our reward, all right? But if we do something in Jesus' name, if we're kind, because He has been gracious to us, then the Bible says He will reward us when we give our alms in secret for Christ's sake. And so this is the concept or the idea, I think, is that we are to be hospitable to all, and especially, of course, guests or strangers that are seeking the Lord, in a sense, or opportunities that God gives us in that way. 1 Peter chapter number 4, 1 Peter chapter 4, 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse number 8, 1 Peter 4 and verse number 8. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. And so the concept is when God gives me something and then gives me an opportunity to meet a need in someone else's life, even if it's a stranger, and whether it's a stranger or not, that I'm supposed to be hospitable or gracious in that area and want to help, want to meet needs, want to make them feel like God cares for them and that's really what it's all about because God does care for them of course. And then our text says apt to teach and the word apt is the word having a tendency to and so the concept is having a skill and tendency to instruct, it seems. Let's go to 2 Timothy. And this is kind of interesting to me because the idea and the concept of teaching is kind of spending yourself, so to speak. I mean, the idea of a teacher is someone who tries to, well, in order to teach someone, teaching is the transfer of knowledge, right? Teaching is not the display of knowledge. Teaching is the transfer of knowledge. And so it's not enough to just get up and say something. It's, you've got to try to get the point across any way that you can. And if you've ever taught in any kind of a class or anything, you know that different kids get the point at different stages. You know, they say in teaching, you know, you see when the light goes on, right? And so that's the concept of teaching. And there is more like professors in college. You know, teachers, when you're growing up, they tend to be teachers. Professors, by the time you get to college age, they tend to just give you information and they don't care whether you get it or not. You know, that's up to you to get it at that point in life, right? And so there's a different philosophy. Why? Because one, it cares about you, whether you get it, and the other just cares about, doing their jobs, so to speak, and are not as interested in getting it to you. They think that's your responsibility. And so having this skill or tendency to instruct, it takes time to stop and teach someone something. It takes energy and it takes care for them personally. 2nd Timothy chapter 2 and verse number 24. And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves. If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, which are taken captive by him, at his will. And so the concept here I think in this passage is being apt to teach means being patient and gentle enough to not just dismiss someone who disagrees but to try to help them understand so that they can agree. And that's the concept and idea it seems to me. And so it implies that we think people are worth the time and effort to invest what we know into. And this is so important. And let me say as a pastor in the beginning when you're starting a church or have a small church, if you will, and so forth. It's pretty easy to do this because, in essence, you need people that agree with you. But as a church grows, I imagine it gets harder and harder. Pretty soon you just kind of dismiss, if you're not careful, those that disagree and just kind of keep going in the direction you're going because you have enough people behind you and enough momentum. And so I think it's important that we remember and no matter where we're at in life that we should stop and obviously especially the pastor but I think everybody and say every person that disagrees we should at least take some time to try to instruct and maybe they will think differently afterwards and come to different conclusions. especially those who are making a mistake in their thinking concerning their life that is causing great heartache and harm to themselves, the snare of the devil, if you will. Apt to instruct rather than write off or abuse. You know how it is, right? When your kid's in that teacher's class, What do you want? You want them to do everything they can to get the truth to that kid. You want them to do whatever. But teachers, bad teachers, have a tendency to do what? Teach the kids that want to learn, leave the others behind, right? That's kind of the idea. And so I can understand how difficult it must be in a class of 30 or so to try to teach them all. And maybe it's a matter of time and other things. But it would grieve the heart of a good teacher, of course, because they didn't have the ability to transfer that knowledge, and so apt to teach, inclined or having a tendency to stop and take the time to give instruction, all right? Not given to whine, and W-I-N-E, not W-H-I-N-E here, all right? First Thessalonians, Chapter 5. All right, 1 Thessalonians chapter number five and verse number seven. for they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. And so, the idea here is that a pastor is not to be given to wine, And the idea is to give yourself to something is to spend a lot of time around it, all right? Now, let me just say, there's a difference in biblical times from today concerning alcohol that we don't fully grasp, I think, most often. And that is, alcohol in Bible days was only natural alcohol. In other words, the grapes kind of fermented by themselves and so forth. And this meant that wine in Bible days had a very, very, very low alcohol content. I mean, most of the things we drink on a regular basis have some alcohol in them. I looked this up one time when I was studying for this, and like Pepsi and Coke and most of your pop products, they have a little bit of alcohol in them. And it explains some of our actions, right? No, it doesn't. But it's such a trace amount, it doesn't affect you, you know, your brain or anything like that. And so that's why the Bible talks about being, for instance, deacons given to much wine or to tarry long at the drink is because in Bible days in order to get drunk, you had to drink quite a bit of alcohol. You couldn't just quench your thirst with it. That wouldn't make you drunk. That would have less alcohol probably than Nyquil has, all right? and other things. And so, but the alcohol today is actually infused with alcohol so that the alcohol content is way higher. So that just drinking one glass of wine or one beer or whatever begins to affect your mind already, all right? And so that's why, what do they say, you know, your alcohol content and so forth for driving, has to be really, really, really low, you know, .08 or whatever it is. I don't even know what it is. But the point is it has to be really low because just a little bit of today's alcohol makes a big difference. And so the concept here is that I've got to be sober-minded. In my opinion, the alcohol of the day, you can't even drink one glass. or one beer and be sober minded. I don't think you can, all right? And so maybe if we were living in Bible days, the wine there because it kept and maybe you'd be traveling long distance where there was no water, you might have to take it with you basically, it was all you had. And so maybe you'd have an excuse to drink a little bit there, but it probably would not have affected your mind. And so the concept is don't drink it to have your mind affected. That's the whole purpose of not giving to wine. So in New Testament days, in order to get inebriated, you had to tarry long at the wine. Today's alcohol is much more potent. Even one glass or bottle or whatever it might be in most cases, causes some inebriation and that's the concept here. Ephesians chapter 5 and I think the Bible even goes you know further than that to a certain extent in telling us whatsoever is not of faith is sin and that we should not be partakers in this at all. Ephesians 5 and verse number 18 And be not drunk with wine where it is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. And so, don't be drunk with wine where it starts to affect your judgment. Why? Because when your judgment is affected, boundaries are erased and your behavior is changed. All right? And when it starts... And let me tell you why most people drink. So they can do what they want to do without feeling bad about it. That's why most people drink, and so they drink to get drunk. Otherwise, they just have a Coke. Nobody likes the taste of beer who's in their right mind. I've never tasted it in my life. The only alcohol I've drank is NyQuil. And I've never tasted it in my life, but I've smelled it lots of times. And I remember when I was about five years old, my Uncle Blaze was holding me in his arms. And I, for some reason, it's a vivid memory that I have in my mind, at some kind of family get-together, and he offered me some beer. And I took one whiff of it, and I was like, Whoa, you don't know like that. And I remember my dad telling me later on, he said, I said to him later on, boy, I remember that it smelled so pungent that it just stuck in my mind. And I've always thought, why would anybody drink that stuff? And my dad said, yeah, it does kind of taste like dirty dishwater. And let me just say, they don't drink because they love the taste of it, most people. They drink because they want to get drunk. and the taste they might acquire over time, but probably is not a first. It's like smoking, you know? What is the kind of the joke? A kid smokes for the first time. Oh, this is great. Really? It's really that great? I mean, you know, that doesn't sound great to me. And so anyway, we're not to be given to wine. Why? Because we're to be sober-minded, of course, and because we need to be in our right mind to really serve the Lord. With my mind I serve the law of Christ, but with my flesh the law of sin, the Bible says. And if you're not in your right mind, you cannot serve the Lord effectively. You just can't do it. And that's why we have to be careful about those things. No striker. And a striker just means to pound. The word means to pound. And so not a fighter in the physical sense. I'm certainly not supposed to go around hitting people, and that's probably not a good idea for any Christian, but least of all the pastor. Romans chapter 12, briefly here, we'll try to go through just a couple more and try to get as much done as we can tonight so we can finish up with what I want to cover next week. Romans chapter 12 and verse number 18. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. I do like that he gives us a little out there, right? If it be possible. Some people are impossible, all right? No, I'm just kidding. But the bottom line is we're supposed to be peaceable. We're not supposed to be looking for fights. We're not supposed to be trying to get at them. And let me say, if you're not trying to get in a fight, you just don't get in them very often. I mean, it's just the way it works if you're not trying to. And I can't remember the last time that I have been in a fist fight. It was probably when I was a kid. And the last time I got punched was when I was in college, and there was a drunk guy out on the street, and he punched me in the face, but I didn't punch him back. I didn't want to hurt him, and he was staggered and drunk, but the bottom line instead I helped him home and then he wept and cried like a baby like they always do. But I'm not supposed to be a striker, we should be instead peaceable and not striving to harm of course, but striving to help. Now that isn't to say there wouldn't be instances, maybe my family or something was in danger that I would have to use physical force and I certainly would not be opposed to that, but it should not be our habit. Not greedy of filthy lucre, 1 Timothy chapter 6. Of course, this is money. Filthy lucre is money and this should not be a major contributing factor to a pastor's decision making. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse number 10. For the love of money is the root of all evil. Now that is a powerful and amazing statement that is beyond our comprehension because that says all evil, all evil, all evil. I mean, Immorality, the love of money, is the root of all evil. Say, how can that be? I don't know, but that's what it says. That's what it says. That's how dangerous it is to live for money and to love it. And so I'm not to be greedy of filthy lucre. Now, we have to use money in this life to get along, and we have to take care of our bills and other things, but we shouldn't love it. We should not love it. And then briefly, patient. patient, cheerful endurance, not hasty, patient, especially, I think, towards others, but also toward the work of God through our lives. James chapter 3, James chapter 3 in our Bible and verse number 17, James chapter 3 and verse 17. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. And so understand how this merciful attitude towards others leads to patience. Be patient with others. And a pastor should be patient with others. And all I have to do to increase my patience is just think about how patient God has been with me I mean that always increases my patience because to be honest he has been so patient with me and so good to me and then not a brawler the same kind of concept a striker but instead This would be a brawl, meaning it probably wasn't even my fight, but I try to get involved in every fight. Instead, blessed are the peacemakers, Matthew chapter 5. And so what happens when others are fighting? You know, this is what happens, you know, in a lot of people's minds, what happens when others are fighting? Opportunity to dive in, right? But instead, the Bible teaches I should be a peacemaker and I should go in and try to stop the fight and try to figure out how to come to some kind of common ground. And then we'll get into the last four or so next week and then go into some of the differences between the characteristics of deacons and so forth. But the big picture in my mind is that we're to be striving for these. and in my personal opinion that no pastor truly lives up to these completely because we're just human beings too but that God uses us in spite of it and that we are to be striving for it and reaching for it and we will be accountable for it one day and I do believe that truly and to be honest with you whenever I read it I am definitely humbled by it and to be honest I don't look forward to that accounting day completely as a human being but God is rich in mercy and I know that and praise the Lord for that and his goodness it's like I said the other night you know on earth even a clean glass of water has a lot of bad stuff in it right but it's so small in comparison that it's a clean glass of water. And so that's how God looks at us. You know, what is our habit? What are we mostly, what are we striving for in Christ? This is how God determines to use us and bless us.