You were probably not aware of it, but you are listed in the Scripture. We find it in Isaiah chapter 53, verse 6. I'm standing right beside you as I read this. All of us, like sheep, have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way. Here's a description of our life as sheep. God has created most animals with an uncanny instinct to find their way home. But if sheep stray into unfamiliar territory, they become completely disoriented and cannot find their way back home, as in the Lord's poignant parable of the lost sheep in Luke chapter 15. Sheep need a shepherd to guide them, provide for them, protect them, and sometimes also to rescue them from harm. Sheep spend most of their time eating, drinking, but if they become lost, they are helpless to find adequate food and water. Left to themselves, sheep will indiscriminately eat both healthful and poisonous plants. or overgraze and ruin their own pasture. And they need to be led to water that is not impure and stagnant, not too hot or too cold, and water that is not moving too rapidly. That's why the psalmist refers to quiet waters in Psalm 23. Sheep are much in need of other assistance as well. Because their wool secretes a large volume of oily lanolin that permeates their fleece, much dirt, grass, and wind-blown debris cling to it. Since they have no ability to clean themselves, they remain soiled until the shepherd shears them. Between shearings, that dirty, sticky accumulation must be cut away from under their tails, or they cannot eliminate waste and become sick and even die. because sheep are also naturally passive and virtually defenseless against predators. And when attacked, their only recourse is to flee in panic. The shepherd must be continually on guard and defend and rescue the sheep from attack. It is not surprising then that Jesus likened the disoriented, confused, uncleaned, and spiritually lost crowds to flocks of sheep without shepherds. They could not feed themselves spiritually and had no one to lead them and protect them. And so it is with purposed intent that Jesus says of himself in John chapter 10 that he was the good shepherd. Hebrews chapter 13 verse 20 says that he is the great shepherd of the sheep. Peter refers to him as the chief shepherd. And in chapter two of his first epistle, he calls Jesus our episkopos, the bishop, the guardian, the overseer, the elder, if you will, of our souls. As shocking, as surprising it is that this one, this great shepherd, the chief shepherd, chooses to employ regular human beings to be his under-shepherds, to care for the needs of the sheep on a day-to-day basis. He calls scripturally wise, spiritually mature, biblically qualified men to serve as his under shepherds. We are in the middle of a study of the New Testament book of Titus and over the last couple of weeks we have been talking about this role of the under-shepherd, the elder in God's church. And I'd like to return to a passage that we have looked at previously in the book of Acts, chapter 20, before we look at our main text this morning. In Acts chapter 20, Paul is at the end of his third missionary journey. He has already spent three years of this third missionary journey in the city of Ephesus. In his return to Jerusalem, he wants to get there in time for the feast of Pentecost, the birthday of the New Testament church. And so he is passing by Ephesus, but he's not going to step foot in the city. Instead, he stays about 30 miles south of Ephesus in the city of Miletus. And from there, he calls the elders of the church in Ephesus to come to him that he might strengthen them, encourage them, give them a word. It says this in Acts 20, verse 28. Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. And from among your own selves, men will arise speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore, be on the alert, remembering that night and day. For a period of three years, I did not cease to admonish each one with tears." Listen to the work of the elder on the pen of Derrick Tidball. He said, an elder is a subtle blend of authority and care. with as much toughness as tenderness, as much courage as comfort. For on the one hand, as the Lord's under-shepherd, the elder must care for and tend God's flock, looking after their struggles, their concerns, their hurts, ministering to their wounds, addressing their inattentiveness as sheep. And on the other hand, he has to keep his back to the flock, so to speak, watching out for anything that would threaten God's flock. He stands as the first line of defense between that threat and God's sheep. Yes, he is a subtle blend of authority and care with as much toughness as tenderness, as much courage as comfort. The work that God has given to his under-shepherds can be all-consuming, very difficult, strenuous, demanding, Listen to what Hudson Taylor said, founder of China Inland Mission, what he said about the work of a missionary. It's comparable to the work of an elder. He said, the work of a true missionary is work indeed, often very monotonous, apparently not very successful, and carried on through great and varied but unceasing difficulties. That's the work of the Lord's under-shepherd. In the midst of savage wolves, where sheep are fighting with one another, conflict within, conflict without. This work to which under-shepherds are called is an excellent work. as difficult as it might be. And as such, it requires a man of excellent character. I invite you to turn with me to our text in Titus chapter 1. We've looked at this paragraph, verses 5 through 9, for this, our third week. Let me read that paragraph in its entirety. For this reason," Paul writes, "'I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion, for the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward. not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. Last week as we looked at the qualifications of an elder in verses 6 and 7 from our text, we noted that twice in those two verses, Paul emphasized the fundamental prerequisite of being above reproach. Now, by way of review, that does not mean that a person who is in that position is sinless. What the Word denotes is that there is no just cause for a charge to be placed against that man. He doesn't have skeletons in his closet that will undermine his authority or question his integrity. He must be a one-woman man. He must have children who come under his authority as the spiritual head. Verse seven lists a number of negative aspects regarding his character, but positively we can say that he must be controlled by the Holy Spirit. But negatively, Paul says it this way, he must not be self-controlled. He must not be controlled by his anger. He must not be controlled by some other substance like alcohol. He must not be controlled by his fist, by bullying, by intimidation. And finally, the end of verse seven, he must not be controlled by money. But here are the positives. And I put these in your notes. He must be a lover of people. He must be a lover of what is good. He must be a lover of what makes sense. He must be a lover of what is right. He must be a lover of what is holy. He must be a lover of self-discipline. We'll start there. That's point number one. If you look at verse 8 in this list of six items that are part of this qualification for serving as one of the Lord's under-shepherds, Paul says he must be hospitable. Immediately that word conjures up having people in your home for a meal. And that's not an inaccurate definition of that word, but it's incomplete. The Greek word literally means a lover of strangers. Lover of strangers. Scriptures in a couple of different places call us to be hospitable people. In Hebrews chapter 13 verse 2 we read, The Old Testament elder Job is an example of hospitality. And in chapter 31 we read, The alien has not lodged outside For I have opened my doors to the traveler. He loved strangers." Now, hospitality in this sense is more than a meal, more than a warm handshake. It is reaching out. It is loving people, even strangers, who will not have the opportunity to pay you back. And I was thinking of this and looking for an illustration in my mind. I thought of an example from my own life, though I hesitate to give such examples. Before the days of cell phones, I was driving on I-30 in Arlington, Texas. And I saw a woman on the shoulder of the road, standing beside her car, her hood up, a sign that she needed some help. And as I drove past her, I saw that there was, on her left rear tire, no air. It was a flat tire. So I immediately pulled over, I backed up. There's a whole lot of things I can't do on a car, but I can change a tire. So I offered to help her. I changed the tire and she went off her way. As soon as she passed me, she got in her car and drove before I did, I realized I forgot to tighten the lug nuts. So I, exceeding the speed limit, caught up with the dear gal and flagged her over and she stopped and I finished the job. One who is One of the Lord's undershepherds cares for all kinds of people. It is the habit of our life to love even strangers. Secondly, the Lord's undershepherds are lovers of what is good. One lexicon defines the Greek word this way, quote, one who willingly and with self-denial does good or is kind, unquote. Commentator William Hendrickson described this word in his commentary this way, quote, ready to do what is beneficial to others, unquote. There's a great story in the Old Testament of this kind of loving what is good from the life of David. You remember after he was anointed to be the next king that his father-in-law, King Saul, the first king of Israel, was jealous of his son-in-law that used to be just a measly old shepherd boy. And so jealous was Saul, so intimidated was he by David that he sought to take him out, sought to take his life. Saul devoted national resources to chasing after this young man. We catch up with David in 1 Samuel 24. He has already collected to himself a number of other young men who support David and are willing to go to the mat for David. On one occasion, David shows kindness to King Saul, and it happened this way. David and his posse are after David, Saul and his posse are after David, and David and his mighty men of renown have withdrawn into the dark recesses of one particular cave. Saul needed to relieve himself, and so he went into this one particular cave where he thought he was all by himself. He laid down his rove, took care of things, and unbeknownst to him, David was there in the shadows, in the darkness. David could have taken him out very easily. could have removed this nemesis, could have taken out the Lord's anointed. But he refused. He instead showed kindness to Saul, sparing his life. Instead, David cut off a piece of the king's robe And in the silence, in the darkness, he backed up into the back portions of the cave. Saul collected his robe, left the cave, began walking away. And after he was a ways from the cave, David emerged. And he held up the peace, the king's robe. He called out to Saul. Saul immediately looked at his robe, saw that the piece that was missing was in David's hand, and he immediately knew what could have happened. Saul said this, 1 Samuel 24, verse 17, "'You are more righteous than I. For you have dealt well with me while I have dealt wickedly with you. You have declared today that you have done good to me, that the Lord delivered me into your hand, and yet you did not kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safely? May the Lord therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day. David was a lover of what is good. Peter said from his own firsthand example of Jesus that our Lord was one who went about doing good. God's undershepherds must be wired the same It is a part of the fabric of our life to go about doing good, being kind, doing that which is beneficial for others. Third, the Lord's under-shepherd is a lover of what makes sense. Some time ago I worked alongside a man who thought that the plan for our fellowship should be this, or we should adopt this program, or we should institute this or that. Depending on whatever book he was reading at the time, his priorities and his plans changed. Now we can fall into that same kind of trap as well when we think, well, it worked well over here in XYZ church, we should just bring it over here. Often, usually, the Lord works in a different way, in a different setting, in a different context. God's under shepherds. must be men who think soberly, they think wisely, they think with discrimination. They think with careful discernment because they're looking at this particular group of people, these particular sheep and what those people need In our text, Paul says that an elder is hospitable, loves what is good, is sensible. The same work is translated elsewhere as prudent. The New King James translates it sober-minded. They think carefully, they think thoughtfully, they think discernment. What does this church, this group of people, maybe this individual need? And then they apply the principles of Scripture to meet that need. Second page of your notes. Number four, the Lord's under-shepherd is a lover of what is right. Paul says that he is hospitable, loves what is good, sensible, just. The word just from the familiar Greek word dikaios can be translated righteous. That's not necessarily referring to his moral character, it's referring to that which flows from the character of his life. He does that which is just and that which is righteous. We read in 1 John 3, little children, make sure no one deceives you. The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he, that is Jesus, is righteous. The just and righteous man is a principled man. He makes fair and just decisions. He does all that he can to see that justice and righteousness is practiced. It's part of the fabric of his life. Again, Job stands as an example here of being a lover of what is right. In chapter 29 we read his own testimony. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy and I investigated the case which I did not know. I broke the jaws of the wicked and snatched the prey from his teeth. Job loved what is right. He practiced what is right. He loved what is just, loved what is righteous. And he put that into practice. Now in all of this, I must remind us that this is not a series of boxes for us to check off as we are going through our evaluation process of whether we should elect Mr. So-and-so or Mr. So-and-so to serve as an elder of the church. This is a blueprint of not only God's leaders, but for God's people. Not for just men in God's church, but for women and boys and girls as well. This is to describe who we are. We are a lover of people. We are a lover of what is good. A lover of what makes sense. We are a lover of what is right. We are a lover of what is holy. Now as I checked many of the major translations this week of this particular verse, this particular word, the New American Standard stands alone as translating this word devout. Now, most of the translations translated holy, which is fine. It's a very appropriate way to translate the word. It's not the usual word hagios that's translated holy. This is a different word. It's a synonym. But I think so that as not to confuse it, the editors, translators of the New American Standard Texts chose a synonym, namely the word devoted. It describes a person who is devoted to not sin, that is, he's not marked by sin, he is marked by an unshakable and unflappable and immovable commitment to God, to God's people, and to God's Word. This one who is a lover of what is holy, we might see an example in the three friends of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were commanded by the king, Nebuchadnezzar himself. Whenever you hear any kind of music, you are to bow down to the idol I have erected. And they said, dear king, We're not going to bow. They were immovable. They would not turn their head. They couldn't be persuaded to do that which was contrary to the Scriptures. They were devoted to the Lord. They were devoted to God's people. They were devoted to God's Word. This is a description of God's under shepherds. They love what is holy, what is set aside, that which is devout, that which is marked not by sin, but marked by the Savior. Third, no, rather sixth, third on the second page. God's under-shepherds must be lovers of self-discipline. You'll notice a translation in the New American Standard Text in verse eight. These people are marked by self-control, and that's part of the fruit package that the Holy Spirit creates in every believer. They are people that are self-controlled. Self-control is maybe most easily seen in how we deal with the appetites of the flesh. So for the elders, men, I'll include all of you here, but we could include the ladies as well. Are you self-controlled in what you eat? in how much you eat? Are you self-controlled in your sleep? Are you controlled in your sex life? Are you controlled in where you spend your money? God's people, particularly God's under-shepherds, are marked, characterized by being self-disciplined, self-controlled. We haven't even begun to talk about being self-controlled spiritually. Are you disciplined in your spiritual life? This must be a mark of one who leads God's people. Paul disciplined himself. In 1 Corinthians 9, I referenced this a couple of weeks ago, Paul wrote, Therefore, I run in such a way so as not without aim. I box in such a way as not beating the air, but I discipline my body, I make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified." Paul did all that he could to make sure that his life, his ministry, his focus, His priorities were disciplined, were in the proper place, the proper order, accomplishing the appropriate things in order to glorify God, to care for the people around Him. That undisciplined life does not reveal that God is fully in control. I have to put a postscript here on this sixth point. I wish I had a nickel for every time I have heard people in the church say, well, we just need to hold each other accountable. I am not against accountability, but accountability is so limited because by its nature it is external, where I am watching over someone else's shoulder or someone else is watching over my shoulder in order that I stay on the straight and narrow. It is valid to the point of my ability to observe what's going on in another person's life, or what they're able to observe that's what's going on in my life. But nobody can be there 24-7. And nobody can crawl into my head to see what's going on in my mind. It's also limited by how honest a person is. We're all pretty skilled at telling most of the truth. Now what we need are men and women in God's church who have discipline in themselves so that whether anybody is watching or not, I'm the same person, and I'm making the same choices. Isn't that a definition of integrity? Listen to Thomas Macaulay. He writes this. The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out. Let me read it again. The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out. We've just dealt with verse 8 in our text. I'd like us to look at verse 9, which has far more words in it. but won't require quite so many words for us to understand it. Before we look specifically at verse nine and its contents, I want to take it back to 1 Timothy 3, to a phrase in Timothy that will help us understand verse nine in Titus 1. 1 Timothy 3, beginning at verse 2, Paul writes to his young protégé, an overseer then must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, and the list goes on. Now the point I want you to see here is that this is a list of character qualities, and we've dealt with most of these in Titus chapter 1 already. Then there is this one phrase at the very end of verse 2 that has sparked no small amount of debate. An overseer, an elder, an episkopos, must be able to teach, or as is often referred to as apt to teach. So the debate is this, is this description of an elder, an overseer, a character quality or a skill set? That is, Is the ability to teach or is being apt to teach a description of who this person is or what this person is able to do? Let me answer this question by taking a lap around the barn. One who is a Lord's under-shepherd is a person who is a genuine convert, by definition. And in order to become a convert, you have to be confronted by a holy God with your sin. And in the process of the Holy Spirit revealing to that individual their sin and the eventuality of standing before God in judgment, if they don't repent and believe, this person repents and believes. They trust God, they trust his gospel message, and it is the Holy Spirit's work through the Word that brings life and change and transformation. And this man is a new preacher, Christ. Subsequently, he has a deep love for God, a deep love for God's people, and a deep love for God's Word, because he knows experientially the transforming work of God, the Holy Spirit, through His Word, specifically His Gospel. And so there is welling up from within him a desire for those that are hurting, those who are lost, those who are disenfranchised, those who stand in the crosshairs of God's judgment. There was an eager desire on the part of this man to see God's Spirit and God's Word brought to life, because that is transforming power. when there is a person in God's flock that is hurting, crippled, maybe simply inattentive. he wants to come alongside with those tools he has already experientially received, namely the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, and he wants to apply those things to that hurt, that need, that inattentiveness, and bring that sheep back into the fold, or to put that sheep back on the right path. That is being apt. Teach. So what I'm saying here is this statement, apt to teach or being able to teach, in 1 Timothy 3 at the end of verse two, packaged and surrounded by other character qualities, we find in this statement, being apt to teach, able to teach, a character quality, a desire, passion to take that which they have experientially received and apply it to the needs of those around them. Now I realize that teaching can be a formalized activity. But one who is apt to teach, as it is delineated here, refers to that which is a part of who this man is. His heart beats with concern for God's people and for knowledge that God's Word is what they need. And so there is that giving, that impartation of truth to meet the need. That's teaching. Not in a formalized sense, granted. In his helpful little book, The Elders of the Church, Lawrence Ayers writes this, quote, an elder need not be a gifted public speaker or an able teacher of the Bible to large groups, though both these qualities are highly desirable. But at the very least, and then he puts this in quotes in his own book, but at the very least, an elder must be able to deal with people on a one-to-one basis, applying the word to the needs of the individual, unquote. That being said, being apt to teach, able to teach, is a character quality, it also is a skill. Does an elder have to have the gift of being a pastor teacher? No. Does the elder have to have a heart's desire to apply the Word of God to a particular need in an individual's life? Absolutely. It's to the skill that Paul speaks to Titus, whereas to Timothy he spoke more of the character quality. It's both. Back in our text, Titus chapter 1, verse 9. He's giving us a list. The overseer must be above reproach. That's where he starts his sentence. It's verse 7. down in verse 19, he is also holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching. The faithful word refers to what we have received from God the Holy Spirit and have in our hands, we call it the Bible. This is the faithful, reliable, go-to, always count on it, word of God. This faithful word is in accordance with, in keeping with, in concert with, it is the same as the teaching. And that phrase, the teaching, is specific to that which the apostles have revealed and then preserved in their New Testament writings. So here what he's saying is at the beginning of verse nine, that which is an elder, that which is, or that who is an elder, who is one of the Lord's under shepherds, that person, and we could speak generically of God's people who are maturing scripturally and spiritually, we hold fast to the faithful word that is in keeping with, consistent with what the apostles have revealed to us. So that, end of verse nine, he will be able to, watch the verbs, to exhort in sound doctrine, to refute those who contradict it. He will exhort in sound doctrine. There's where we find that idea of being apt to teach. He is so overcome by the Lord's grace in his life. through the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures that when he sees a need he is eager to take it there and he exhorts in sound doctrine. Here he has his eyes on the flock and he cares for their needs on a day-to-day basis. When he is refuting false doctrine, he has his back to the sheep in God's flock, and he is dealing with those threats that come against God's people. And here's where the skill comes in. So thoroughly washed has he been by the Word of God. So often has he handled the Word of God. So frequently has he read from the Word of God that he knows the genuine article. So much so that when he gets his paws on or his eyes glance at something that's just a fake, it immediately brings a flag into his mind and he blows the whistle. This is false. And in so doing, he is refuting what is contradictory to the teaching, contradictory to the faithful word. Does this mean that an elder must be a skilled, gifted apologist? No. Has a heart to take the scriptures to God's people to guide them and protect them? Absolutely. I conclude with a quote from Alexander Strzok in his marvelously helpful book simply titled Biblical Eldership. Please take this carefully to heart. Quote, one reason there are so few shepherd elders or good church elderships is that, generally speaking, men are spiritually lazy. Spiritual laziness is an enormous problem in the Christian community. Spiritual laziness is a major reason why more churches never establish a biblical eldership. Men are more willing to let someone else fill their spiritual responsibilities, whether it be their wives, the clergy, or church professionals." Unquote. Men, I pray that the indictment never fall. in your lap and stick, that you be labeled spiritually lazy. Oh, I never want that to be a part of my life. By intention and action, by desire and discipline, Show that is not the case. Blessed Father in heaven, we give you thanks and praise for the revelation of Jesus the Christ, our Good Shepherd, our Chief Shepherd, the bishop, the guardian of our souls. It is to him that we look. We are mistaken to expect from other men the kind of guidance and leadership that only you can provide. At the same time, Father, we do thank you that you have given men to your church that are scripturally wise and spiritually mature, biblically qualified to stand as your undershepherds. We know that we as people are called to Obey those people that are placed over us. Father, would You give us grace to meet that responsibility? We pray for those in positions of leadership even here in this church that you would give them grace to follow you. Not allow any way of the world or any way of false teaching to turn our heads and look away from you. Thank You for Your gift to us, and it's in the name of the risen Christ we pray this. Amen.