Titus chapter 1. Titus chapter 1. We'll be reading verses 5 through 14. If you're using a pew Bible, you'll find this on page 1611. Page 1611. Titus chapter 1. Titus chapter 1. Reading verses five through 14. Titus 1, page 1611, starting in verse five, going to verse 14, hear now the word of God. For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I commanded you. If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of dissipation or insubordination, for a bishop must be blameless as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not for the sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, cretins are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. O beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, we continue to look today at the office of elders. Part two, the office of elder part two. As we look here in Titus one, which of course is one of the past, what's called the pastoral epistles, Timothy and then Titus. As we look at this, we see that Paul describes who a presbyter is and what he does. Who a presbyter is, and what he does. So we've been looking at presbyters. By the way, this is where we get this unusual word presbyterian from. From presbyteros, which means elder. Usually an older or often an older person. Someone, as we've talked about, someone who has a certain maturity, if you will. But we also noted last time that Elders or presbyters are also called bishops. Unlike in the, for example, the Episcopal Church or the Catholic Church or the Methodist Church, we have sort of a hierarchical, we have a hierarchical, a pyramid kind of structure, a top-down with bishops and perhaps archbishops and cardinals above folks. The biblical way to look at this is that all of the elders are equal. And this term bishop, then, simply is pointing to the fact that a bishop or an elder is an overseer, one who supervises, one who's in charge, if you will. That's what the term bishop means, episkopos, bishop. The presbyters, then, that term elder emphasizes the character of the person. We noted last time that if we talk about the President of the United States, we can refer to him as the Chief Executive or we can refer to him as Commander-in-Chief. Or the president, there are numerous ways, numerous titles that the president has. But in point of fact, it is referring to the same person. And the same then is true with regard to elders and bishops. And elders, as we also noted last time, are to be men. They are to be men. They are to be those as well who have a measure of maturity. Who should be an elder then? We looked at that last time. It's someone who is blameless, that is to say, not perfect, but identifiable as a man of God, a holy example to the flock. So when you think of whomever, when you think of a person, you usually say, well, that's a good person. You could say, well, that's a not so good person, right? He doesn't have such a good reputation. Those who are elders must have a good reputation. They must be blameless. This is seen in terms, first of all, of the family relations in the government. Verse six of the man is blameless, goes on to say the husband and one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or insubordination. In other words, that he has his house in order. He has his house under control. And of course, that's not only because of the example, but also if he doesn't know how to take care of his own house, how can he rule over the house of God? And then the personal and social government as well. It says, as Paul goes on to talk about husband must be blameless. Again, the same term there as a steward of God, one who is responsible for someone else's property, a steward, a steward of God, not self-will, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not a drunkard, therefore, certainly, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, open to people, if you will. As we said, that refers, of course, to opening your house, but also opening your heart, too, and listening to people. Hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, and so forth. Now today then, we want to look at the next issue, the next item. Having seen who should be an elder, we now want to ask the question, what should an elder do? Now, there are four basic things I would suggest that an elder should do. He must rule, he must teach, He must discipline and he must shepherd. Okay? So he must rule, he must teach, he must discipline, and he must shepherd. Today, we're just going to look at the first two of those. The fact that he must rule and that he must teach. Now, he must rule, and how do we know that he must rule? Well, for one thing, we know it from the very use of the term bishop here. In other words, someone who is going to have authority. Someone who is an overseer. Someone who is an administrator. Someone who's in charge, if you will. And, of course, a person who's in charge is going to rule. He's also someone who is to be a steward. Who is to be a steward. That is to say, someone in charge of the house. Or if it might be the business or whatever, you have a steward on a ship. You have someone who's in charge of things on a ship, a steward then, someone who is in charge. We also read today from 1 Timothy chapter 3. We read today from 1 Timothy chapter 3 and which is sort of a parallel passage again this idea of Bishop once again there someone who is a Bishop and again it's it talks about there in verses 5 4 & 5 of 1st Timothy 3 someone who has shown an ability to rule he's been able to have his house in order And he knows what it means to do things decently and in order. Of course, you know the great proof text for Presbyterians, 1 Corinthians 1440, that all things be done decently and in order. That's what Presbyterians are known for, by the way. If there's one thing we're known for besides being Sabbath keepers and holding to biblical worship, it is the whole idea of doing things decently and in order. And that's a good biblical principle, isn't it? And that's what you want in terms of the elder. And so doing things decently and in order and taking care of the church of God. So the first thing is he must rule. He must rule. He has authority over the church. Secondly, though, he must teach. He must teach. And notice as we come back then to Titus chapter 1, notice what it says here. This person, the elder, this person, must be the one, verse 9, who holds fast the faithful word. who holds fast, holds onto the faithful word. What does it mean to hold fast? It means to hold on tightly. There might be any number of reasons why we hold onto something tightly. Maybe if we're on top of a ladder, which I'm not a fond of, I might hold on tightly to that ladder, right? But you might also hold on tightly to something that is valuable. And I think that's the point here. You hold on to it with both hands. But what does that mean then? Well, it means, first of all, it means loving the word. It means loving it. That's why you hold on to it. because you love it, because you know that this is the very Word of God. And therefore, as one who's been called into the eldership in God's house, then you must love the Word. You must cultivate that love. You know, sometimes, and this can be true of all of us, it can be true of ministers, sometimes we end up taking the Word sort of you know, nonchalantly, sort of like take it or leave it. And so we must, however, love the Word of God and cultivate that love and regard the Word as the precious thing that it is. And then in that light of loving it, gripping it firmly. Holding on to it and not allowing anything to interfere with our understanding of life or our understanding of God. Not letting anything else to interfere with what God is teaching in His Word. So holding on to it, gripping it firmly. And therefore, not letting anything prevent you, Paul would say, from hanging on. What are things that might prevent you? This is true, of course, of elders and ministers. It's true of any one of us. Doubts. Doubts. We might be tempted to doubt the Word. There are many attacks on the Word of God today. We might doubt ourselves. we might doubt ourselves in terms of holding on to it. And yet the whole point is, is that in the midst of doubts, you hold on to what you know is true. Sin or sins could prevent us from holding on to it. Maybe we don't like what the word of God is saying to us. We get a little convicted. TJ today did a great job on talking about repentance. And part of repentance is to be understanding of the nature of our sin and being willing to hear what God is saying in terms of this. And in light of the crucifixion of Jesus, to say, I renounce my sin, I want to hold on to the gospel which is presented in this word. And yet, sins can build up, you see, and can cause us to lose our grip on the word. But also dangerous, dangerous. And so again, it could be a dangerous kind of thing. that could cause us to lose or to prevent us, the sense of danger. Well, notice that we are then to hold on to the word, and it is the faithful word. Why is it the faithful word? Because it is God's word, that's why. It is God's word, and God is faithful. And this word, therefore, being God's word, is therefore inerrant and infallible. There are no errors in it. There's not even the possibility of error in it. It is the faithful word of God. This is God's word to all of mankind. Not any other book. It is the Bible. Now why, then, should the minister or why should we, for that matter, hold so tightly onto the faithful word? Well, the faithful word has been sealed with the blood of the martyrs. How many times have people paid for their adherence to the word with their very lives? Just think of the Cold War and the communist countries and all of the people that tried to smuggle Bibles into behind the iron curtain or behind the bamboo curtain into communist countries and sometimes paid for that with their very lives. So, as we hold to the faithful word, we recognize that that faithful word has been sealed with the blood of Jesus, to be sure, but also with the blood of the martyrs. Also, the leader, then, is the example of the flock. which will apostatize, will go away from the faith if their leader does. So he must hold on tightly to the word of God. And we must hold then, and he must hold, to the idea, to use the Latin term of sola scriptura, only the scriptures, holding on to the Bible above the writings of men. And of course, this is the practice of all the prophets, is it not? To the law and the testimony, the prophet Isaiah says. What do we find Jesus saying in Luke chapter 16? In Luke chapter 16 and verse 29, Jesus is telling this parable of the rich man and Lazarus. You remember the rich man went to hell and Lazarus, the beggar, of course, is in Abraham's bosom. Jesus is telling this parable then. The man is saying, I have five brothers. I beg you, send him. Send him to this, send him back to my father's house where I have five brothers. that he may testify to them lest they also come to this place of torment. But Abraham said to him, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. And so we have the prophets then, the counsel of the prophets, what the prophets tell us as being that which we are to hold on to. Same thing in Acts 26. and following where Paul says, for the king before whom I also speak freely knows these things. Paul was talking about the gospel. Paul was talking about the resurrection. Paul was talking about the crucifixion of Jesus, the death of the Messiah. And Paul says to these high and powerful leaders, for the king before whom I also speak freely knows these things. for I'm convinced that none of these things escapes his attention since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe. And so the prophets set the example then for us by their practice. And so holding fast, Paul says here in Titus 1, holding fast that faithful word as he, as the elder, has been taught. Now notice it is presbyters, it is elders who do the preaching and the teaching and he then, he is taught, the elder is taught, in order that what? He himself may teach others. In 2nd Timothy 2 and verse 2, in 2nd Timothy 2 and Verse 2, Paul writes, and the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. So the elder is instructed, not so he can just hold it to himself, but so that he indeed can teach others. The elder himself is to be apt to teach, 2 Timothy 3, excuse me, 1 Timothy 3 and verse 2, 1 Timothy 3 and verse 2, a bishop must be blameless, the husband and one wife, temperate, sober-minded, good behavior, hospitable, able to teach. And in 2 Timothy chapter 2, in 2 Timothy chapter 2, 24 and following, Paul writes, and a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all able to teach, patient in humility, correcting those who are in opposition. If God perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth and they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. Finally, in this regard, I would point to 1 Timothy chapter four, going back to 1 Timothy for a moment. 1 Timothy chapter 4, verses 13 and 14, where Paul says to young Timothy, till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership or of the presbytery. Timothy was to give himself to what? To reading. That doesn't mean having a nice bedtime read of your favorite novel, no. The reading, the point here, was public reading. Feeding the flock by reading much scripture. Matter of fact, there was a little book, I was privileged to write the introduction for it some years ago, called Many Verses. It was written in opposition to the practice in many churches where there's very little scripture read. And so the whole point of the book was many verses. Read much scripture because by means of the word itself, apart from any preaching, apart from any preaching, the word itself is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. And it feeds the flock. And so give yourself, Paul says, to reading, to the public reading, to exhortation. And here we get to the whole idea of preaching. Preaching is explaining the text and then applying it. And that, of course, involves exhortation, telling you what you ought to do, how you ought to live. And so preaching then is a form of teaching and to doctrine. Again, doctrine is the various things that the Bible teaches. Now, I have two points of observation and then two points of application. The first observation is this. Please know that when we look at the elder, there are two types of elder. There are ruling elders and there are teaching elders. Ruling elders are sometimes called lay elders, although I don't think that's technically accurate since they are distinct from the people, but nevertheless That term emphasizes that generally speaking, being an elder is not their vocation or paid position. And so in that sense, they are lay elders. And then you have teaching elders or preachers, pastors, ministers. Every pastor, every minister is also called a teaching elder. Like all presbyters, they also rule, but of course, the focus then is on their public ministry of the word. That's why they are called teaching elders. So remember, there are two different types of elders. It's like you have, you have different dogs, right? We have dogs, you have poodles, and you have cocker spaniels, and you have beagles, right? But they're all dogs. And the same thing in terms of elders. They're all elders, whether ruling or teaching. But there is a different emphasis there. Secondly, by way of observation, the elder must be learned in the word and doctrine. He must be learned in the word and doctrine. The elder must know the Bible. And he must also know doctrine and theology. He must also know doctrine and theology. And this requirement is especially the case for a teaching elder or a pastor. We just noted that there is a distinction between ruling and teaching elder. For a pastor or a minister, the normal expectation is that he will attend college and seminary. So I want you to think about this a minute. You want to be a preacher, guys. Generally speaking, you have to go to four years of college and three years of seminary, okay? That seems like a lot, doesn't it? But of course, if you go to the doctor, you go to your physician, do you want him just because he stayed at Holiday Inn Express, do you think that he's an expert? No, no. You want, if you go to a physician, you want him, what? To know what he's talking about, to have gone to college, to have studied in medical school and so forth. Same with a lawyer, right? And so the minister then, it should be highly trained, highly educated. And so the normal expectation is that he will attend college and seminary. Now, having said that, there are what we call extraordinary situations. And this is very personal to me. My father never attended college. My father, who was a preacher, never graduated from high school. He did a GED. But he went on to seminary, Columbia Seminary, just over here in Decatur. And he took basically all the courses, you say. A couple that he may have missed. But generally speaking, he got his diploma. He went through the study there in the seminary. Why was that the case? This was after World War II. Mom and dad had my three sisters. And I came along the last year of seminary. when he was there, but here a man who was late 30s, it would have been burdensome for him to go with that, with a family like that, to go to college for four years and go to seminary for three. So he was ordained under what's called the Extraordinary Clause. However, he also went, he did go to one college, It was the College of Hard Knocks, the school of experience. And he learned a lot in that, you see, as well as from what he saw in World War II and so forth. He was humble. Let me just say this, if I may. Dad was humble enough even to learn from me who had had the opportunity that he never did. And he was a great pastor, great preacher. So even though he never had that formal training of going to college, he had a lot of wisdom and common sense. Let it be said that that practical knowledge is more useful than just a lot of academic learning. Nevertheless, nevertheless, the man who would be a minister must be trained adequately, which is best done in a classroom setting. A person can be very knowledgeable and godly about things and yet lack the ability to put it all together in an orderly and logical manner. That's why it's important to study, if at all possible, in the classroom. The discipline of sitting in a classroom and engaging in the back and forth discussion and the iron sharpening iron debate is important, which is why Presbyterians have always put such emphasis on education, particularly of the ministry. Now, two points of application today. The first is this. Respect your elders. Respect your elders. They are there to assist you in your spiritual journey. They are there to guard you. And you are called upon as As the writer to Hebrews says, you are called upon to submit to them. Hebrews 13 verse 17, obey those who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy, not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. Now, they are not to lord over the flock or to act as bullies or tyrants. Peter warns us against that in 1 Peter 5. But Jesus Christ has established his church for his glory and for your edification, for your being built up in the faith. Jesus himself has ordained elders and has given them from his ascended position on high, as Ephesians 4 says, Jesus seated at the right hand of the father has given good gifts to men, including these elders, these presbyters, for you, for the benefit of you. He's given them as good gifts from heaven. And therefore, if you ignore them, or treat them with disrespect, you are sinning. Respect your elders. And secondly, rejoice in the fact that Jesus, who died for you, also has provided elders for you. They are there to assist you on your spiritual pilgrimage. Jesus uses them to minister his grace in flesh and blood reality. He ministers by his word and by his spirit. He ministers, Jesus ministers. How does he minister, though, through his word? Well, it can be directly. But it can also be by means of those elders, those presbyters who read the word to you and who preach that word to you. And when they do so, remember that they are the messengers of Jesus, that Jesus himself has sent them to minister his grace for the good of your soul. Amen. Will you please stand for prayer? And Father, we are grateful for what thou hast done for us. We're grateful for the Lord Jesus. We're grateful for the salvation that we have in him. We're grateful for the church. And so we pray, Father, that the church would indeed be preserved until the day of Christ Jesus. We know it will be. We pray for this congregation, this manifestation of Christ's kingdom, that it too will be preserved until the day of Christ Jesus. Lord, we pray that in the decades, the generations, the centuries to come, should the Lord tarry, that here in this place, the gospel would be sent forth with power, and Lord, that thy elders would rule in the midst of thy house. So Lord, hear this our prayer. We thank thee, Lord Jesus, for all that thou hast done for us and all that thou art doing. We thank thee in thy name, amen. Please turn to Psalm 141 A and B. We're gonna sing both sides of the book. 145 A and B. I took it back to stop Derek. Oh, sorry.