Perhaps the most familiar verse in the Old Testament is Psalm 23, 1, where the Bible says, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. The Lord of the Old Testament is Jehovah, or Yahweh in the Hebrew. And the Lord Jesus himself described himself as Yahweh, God in the flesh, in John 8, 58. When he said in that passage, verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am, or in the language of the New Testament, ego eimi, the definition of Yahweh. Jesus is Yahweh. He is our shepherd. And that metaphor really communicates so much to us about his leading, about his feeding us, about his healing us. about his protecting us as the shepherd. Jesus said of himself in John 10, verse 11, I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd lieth down his life, giveth his life for the sheep. The Lord Jesus is our great example as the shepherd. He is the chief shepherd, as 1 Peter 5, 4 says. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. That's a promise given to those who serve as pastors, as overseers. His example is a reason for us to saturate ourselves in the gospel, observing everything he did and everything he said as a shepherd, our example. But beyond being our example, He appoints men to shepherd the flock of God, his church. And beyond that appointing, he gives us a detailed description of what men who are appointed to the ministry are to be. That high standard we are to aspire to if we aspire to the ministry. The Lord Jesus through the Apostle Paul, the great writing apostle, gives us many details clearly about that high standard we're to aspire to. In fact, he presents a list when you combine two found in 1 Timothy 3, 1-7 and Titus 1, 6-9 with 24 descriptions. Paul loved lists. You know, there are 15 sin lists in the New Testament accumulating to 93 different sins. An example is right in Romans 1, verse 21-32. He gave a list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5 verses 19 to 21 where there are 15 works of the flesh described followed immediately by nine fruit of the spirit. Yet another list combined together to quite a total. He gave a list of spiritual gifts in five different passages accumulating to 20 different spiritual gifts. So it really isn't surprising that Paul would go to this methodology to present about qualifications for the ministry, giving us this combined total of 24 qualities in two lists. And what is Paul's message to us from that? It is master the list of ministry qualifications, both in meaning and in life. And our qualifications for the ministry, men and women, are really not about our particular age or we could say our breadth of experience, our physical appearance, the winsomeness of our personality. It's not about our family heritage. It's not about our unusual giftedness or our high level of education. In fact, what is astounding, all those things I just mentioned don't appear in the list of 24 things directly. This list from 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 is your inspired guide. It's what you should aspire to every day. This list should motivate you. It should drive you. It should shape you. It literally should transform you every day of your life. So what are? these qualifications that are listed. I'd like you to turn in your New Testament to first Timothy chapter three verse one through seven and we'll read the list and then we'll read the list in Titus one six two nine. It's only 11 verses all together. First Timothy three one says this is a true saying. If a man desired 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. And then we find in Titus chapter one, verses six through nine, similar qualifications but, and there is some overlapping, but other distinct things presented. Verse six says, if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly, for a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre, but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught that they may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. Now I've given you a full exegetical explanation of these 24 qualifications and something I've prepared for you you'll pick up when you leave today. It's an excerpt of chapter from a book that I've recently had published on this subject. and I hope it'll be helpful to you in detail. But what I want to do now is I want to, in one concise sentence, define for you each of these qualifications to help this be easy to retain, easy to grasp, and helpful to you as a motivator, a portrait of what you should be as a man in the ministry. First among all these, it's critical that a man aspiring to the ministry meet the foundational qualifications. This is really a reminder right now of what I talked about at length in my last message just a week ago. You must be on fire with desire, the Bible teaches us. If any man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work. This is an intense desire that rises out of a focused life in which ministry is your passion 24-7. And you must also be committed to blamelessness, we're told. a high standard of consistent cleansing and life practice, not sinlessness, but striving to the highest possible level of attainment in these qualifications so that no one could reasonably accuse you or set aside or reject your ministry is what the passages teach on this subject. You are all about holiness of life, living in obedience to Christ generally, and in these ways that are presented in these passages specifically. Now on this vital foundation of being on fire with desire and of being blameless, we can build this master list of ministry qualifications, both in meaning and in life, and we must build on these foundational qualifications. And the first thing we build is we meet the family qualifications. Now really, while the sequencing of the qualifications in both these passages may not really be crucial to us understanding their meaning, I do think the Spirit at least has given us some emphasis by what he places first in the passages and what he places last. And in both of these passages, he presents family and specifically the husband-wife relationship first. So this assumes marriage. It doesn't require it of a man who's going to be in the ministry, but you cannot afford not to think about marriage, whether you're married or you're not. The right kind of husband, the right kind of wife will either literally make you or break you in ministry. And this speaks to us of the importance of forming, sustaining, and instructing through relationships, first on the family level, and by extension then to the whole body of Christ. A man in the ministry must be, this passage says, the husband of one wife. And the key word here in the statement is the word one. This simply means that he's not a man that's been divorced and remarried, and he's not a man that's married to more than one woman at a time. He's not polygamous. Now these were common problems in the first century, and they are common problems in the 21st century. Perhaps not so much on the polygamy side in American culture, but around the world, that's a very significant challenge. And this statement is not only about a warm, well-adjusted relationship between one man and one woman, though that's very, very important. You've heard the little saying maybe, happy wife, happy life. Well, if you're from the South, you've probably heard the little iteration of that. If mom ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. And so it's very important that we have a warm and right and close relationship, of course, with our wives. But the Bible is saying here, too, that this is a matter of legality. It is that. It is that truly today. Just try to get divorced. You'll see, this is a legal contract, a covenant. But it goes beyond that. It's moral. It's emotional. It's relational. You are a one woman kind of man. She is the object of all your affections and all your attention. She is the one and she continues to be the one with all your heart. But beyond that, in addition to this right relationship with your wife, as a great priority, and if you want that underscored, consider Ephesians chapter five, where the Bible says to us that as Christ loved the church, a man is to love his wife and give himself for her, a very high priority. But in addition, he must have submissive children, these passages say. 1 Timothy chapter 3 verse 4 and 5 says, Now this is speaking about minor children and children living in dependence. Titus 1.6 says, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly. And what does that mean? It means when they're of the age that they can rebel, this man is able with dignity to have his children, his sons, his daughters, under proper control. If he can't do this with his own children, correct them as he should and control them, he'll not be able to properly reprove and correct those that become unruly and need correction in the church. Now more broadly, beyond the foundational and the family qualifications that we find in these passages, we must master the full ministry qualifications list, both in meaning and in life. And we do that by meeting the character qualifications. Now the list becomes more complicated. There are 14 of these qualifications that describe the pastor's personality, his disposition, and his behavior. I think these can really be easier understood and remembered when we group these logically under four main ideas. A man in the ministry must be disciplined personally. He can be described as being temperate, that means disciplined, to no excess in any way, in anything, no extremes. He is not self-willed. He is disciplined to see the value of others' views and desires, not just his own. He's not quick-tempered. He's disciplined to not overreact. whenever he faces provocation from other people. He is self-controlled. That just simply means he's disciplined in all of his appetites, emotionally, intellectually, physically, and he's not addicted to wine. He's disciplined in the use of potentially intoxicating and controlling substances of all kinds, whether they be liquid or chemical or botanical, whatever they may be. He must be disciplined. And he also must be a man who is sensible in character. This means he's prudent. That's sensible about the consequences of his actions and his words, intended and unintended. He thinks ahead about the potential outcomes of his attitudes and his actions. And these passages say he must be respectable. He's sensible as it concerns his assets. In other words, he lives an orderly life. His life is not in a disarray. It is not disorganized. It is not wasted. This is a term kosmion. Our word kosmos is in the same word family, the idea of an orderly arrangement of things. A man must be also kind in his character as a third category. By being hospitable, he's kind in the use of his resources for others, their pressing needs. Food, shelter, clothing, medicine, he's ready to help. He's kind in that he's not pugnacious in his words or actions, not harsh or a bully. He's gentle, meaning he's kind in his expectations through a reasonable flexibility. He is not rigid. He is not strict. He is not inflexible and understanding with people. He's kind by being peaceable in that he avoids conflict, both verbal and physical, but always is avoiding looking for an argument or any kind of fight with people. And fourthly, in this matter, he is pure in character in that he loves what is good. He's pure in his affections for what is wholesome, what is helpful in all things, both people and activities. He's pure in that he's just, meaning he's pure in fairness in his dealings with others. And he's devout, pure in his devotion to what is spiritual and what is godly. He's attentive to God. He reads, he meditates, he prays, and he worships. He is a God-focused man, is the idea of devout. Now godliness and personality and disposition and behavior in these 14 ways are part of mastering this list of ministry qualifications both in meaning and in life. But going beyond that, a man must also as a pastor meet the qualifications As a teacher, he meets the teaching qualification. He must be able, this passage says, able to teach. What does that suggest? That he's deeply knowledgeable and he's able, he's clear in his communication of what he knows. You're committed to addressing that concern here at seminary for sure. He must also, the Bible says, hold fast the faithful word. What does that mean? He adheres to the inerrancy of Scripture. He teaches it accurately. He refutes falsehood. In fact, that's what follows an explanation in Titus chapter 1, right after the list there, giving that emphasis right there at the end of that particular passage. A man of God must be daily focused on the word of God in these ways, faithfully ministering to other people through it. But likewise, he has to daily be focused and careful in his stewardship of his financial resources. How interesting that this idea follows what we've just considered. We go now to the temporal, to the here and now. This is a very practical, real-to-life qualification, and we must master it in both meaning and in life. We must meet monetary qualifications. God focuses on two things here. He says that we have to be free from the love of money. not devoting our time and our energy to acquiring it, not covetous, not greedy, not always having to have more to be satisfied and obsessed with its benefits. Oh, the warning in 1st Sympathy 610, for the love of money is the root of all evil. while some, having coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Not loving money, but not fond also, Titus tells us, of sordid gain, never acquiring financial means, dishonestly, by theft or by fraud, or withholding what is rightly due to someone else when it's our ability to pay. We must master the list of ministry qualifications, both in meaning and in life, concerning money, concerning the word, concerning all these elements of character, concerning the foundational elements and the family elements But maturity in the faith is a matter of time and experience and a matter of development of spiritual discernment. In addition to all these things considered, these passages tell us that spiritual leaders must meet the maturity qualification. The fact that those in ministry as overseers or pastors or evangelists are called elders in the New Testament is powerfully suggestive. It speaks directly to the matter of spiritual maturity. A man in ministry is not to be a new convert, 1st Sympathy 3-6 says. In other words, not someone who is recently born again. He is not qualified. And though we don't define strictly by etymology, as I mentioned in my last sermon, we certainly can find, here's an interesting picture in the more etymological way of explaining this word. It's the only time it occurs in the New Testament and it means a new plant. It doesn't have the strength to stand up in a difficult environment. A plant that's not gonna recover if it's stepped on or crushed by circumstances, it will die. Well, a man who is mature will be able to avoid being prey to pride, a new plant, a novice in the faith. This is the same condemnation that the devil fell prey to, his arrogance through his own self-exaltation. Now this is a great danger typical of youth and typical of naivete of someone immature in the faith. What is the heart of the problem? They don't really have a right assessment of their weaknesses and their sinfulness, the nature of their human character as it really is. and therefore they're overinflated in their opinion of themselves simply because of this weakness of being immature, but often they're even more overinflated in the opinion of themselves because, unfortunately, of the indiscreet and excessive praise of other people as well as being put in a position of leadership over others. A man in the ministry, is a primary representative of the body of Christ, we're taught in these passages, to the lost world, the lost community. And in mastering this list of ministry qualifications in meaning and in life, there's a final climactic qualification that's stated, reference to the world. We have to meet the testimony qualification A man must have a good report with those that are outside the church, 1 Timothy 3 says. He's exemplary in all of his personal dealings with neighbors and community wide. His house, his property, his commitments, his financial dealings, he's impeccable. So he will not fall prey to the snare of the devil, 1 Timothy 3, 7 says, by failure in these matters. How is that a satanic snare? Well Satan is always trying to diminish the influence of spiritual leaders and their reputation. He is a master slanderer. He's always laying snares like a trapper. He wants to catch the man of God. He not only wants to catch him, he wants to kill him. He wants to skin him. He wants to stuff him and wants him to be a great example of human taxidermy. Gone. Done. With no influence. But a right relationship with those that are without the lost community makes the opposite possible. That man is a source of light. and a source of spiritual life to those in his community and should be always. We must master the list of ministry qualifications both in meaning and in life. This is essential for all of us who seek to aspire to that higher standard that Paul is describing here. Now as you desire the ministry, I'd like you to remember Peter's words to younger men just after he addresses elders in 1 Peter 5, one through three. Listen to this very important and applicable comment from Peter in verses five and six. Likewise ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder, Ye all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore unto the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." In due time. He will bring you to a place of leadership and influence, of responsibility in the body of Christ. But humble yourselves and wait for that grace to be imparted to you as you master this list of ministry qualifications, both in life and in meaning. Father, I pray that you would take these truths and by thy spirit drive them to the hearts of these men and these women. I pray that they may have elevated in their thinking this magnificent portrait of what a man of God is to be in order to lead the flock of God. Use each of the men here and the women here for thy glory in future ministry we pray, amen.