All right, this is really part two. of last week's sermon. Though we will not return to Acts chapter 20, but instead we'll find ourselves in Titus chapter one. Could have just as easily picked 1 Timothy chapter three, but for reasons that I think will become clear as we move through the text, I chose Titus. Of course, we are talking about the topics or the topic of elders in the church. And last week we saw that elders are men who have been called by Christ, set by the Spirit, appointed by the apostles, and affirmed by the church. Their primary task Is to guard the flock that is the church from wolves that is false teachers They are to teach and preach and counsel and admonish and warn with the whole counsel of god furthermore elders must follow paul's example as he laid it out in acts chapter 20 ministering to the whole flock sacrificially. Finally, elders are men who are completely reliant upon the double resource that Paul commends them to in Acts chapter 20, God and the word of His grace, ever mindful of the immeasurable worth of the ones that they serve, those whom God purchased with His own blood. With that, we set the foundation last week. Now, this morning, we will build upon this foundation by taking up the topic of the qualifications of elders. We'll do so, again, by looking at Titus chapter one. And we will see that the qualifications fit into three categories, if you will, character, convictions, and competence. So that will serve as our outline. I feel very Baptist this morning, offering you that alliteration, three points. It's a rarity around here, enjoy it. All right, so with that, will you please stand for the reading of God's holy and inspired word. Titus chapter one, verses five through nine. Paul writes, This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order and appoint elders in every town as I directed you. If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. This is the reading of God's holy and inspired word. You may be seated. Let's seek the help of our Father as we go to Him in prayer. Gracious Father, indeed we ask for your help this morning that we might be equipped together to identify and affirm those men who you are raising up in our midst to serve as elders. Father, we trust that you are committed to this work. Father, that you desire for us to have a plurality of elders, and therefore, we can trust that you will provide it in your time. But Father, would you help us be equipped to rightly identify and affirm those men whom you are calling, who your Son is giving and your Spirit is setting here among us, affirmed or appointed by the apostolic Word that they might be rightly affirmed by us. We ask for this help without pouring of your spirit in the precious name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen. All right. So before we actually jump into the text itself and begin to consider the qualifications for eldership, I do want us to actually look at chapter 2 verses 1 through 10. And as you just scan that passage, you will notice that that Paul is encouraging Titus to address the church. Who in the church? Well, everyone. He lists older men and older women, younger women and younger men. He goes on to actually address Titus directly and then also bond servants. So just with those first four categories, that would cover everyone in the church. Women and men, older and younger. What is it that Paul tells them? Well, he tells the older men that they are to be sober minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith and love and steadfastness. The older women, are likewise to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women. To what? To love their own husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Young men, likewise, our urge to be self-controlled. So what is significant about these exhortations? Why would I start here? Well, we are reminded here that everyone is exhorted to pursue Christ-like character. Or let me put it this way, do we maybe at times believe that the list of qualities in verses five through nine is a list that is qualitatively different somehow than a list of virtues or character qualities that should mark every follower of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you understand the question? I'm asking, when it comes to looking for qualified elders, are we looking for men who possess rare character qualities and virtues that are unique to those who are called to be elders? Ask yourself, does Paul mean that Christians may be reproachable, but elders, no? Elders have to be a one woman man. But you know, faithfulness, well, that's optional for the rest of the congregation, right? It's ludicrous when we state it in those terms. Are only elders responsible for their children? To manage their households well? Only elders need to be hospitable? Lovers of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined? No, someone said, right? You would be right. Every Christian is to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness, reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine, able to teach what is good and to train others who are behind them on the narrow way. This speaks to every believer. Every Christian should be kind and pure and submissive to God-ordained authorities. Because we are all responsible to provide no grounds for the reviling of the gospel. And we are all responsible for laboring to live lives that adorn the gospel. So to be as clear as possible, there are not two standards, but one. And the standard is Christ. The goal is perfection. The motivation is the gospel and the means is faith. So we are not looking for men who are utterly different. We are looking for men who are mature, who are further along than others. who have been granted the saving grace that has brought about a greater degree of transformation in Christ-likeness. So we are not looking for men who are of a completely different quality than the sheep. This is so important. Sometimes we approach this list, or it seems like we might be tempted to at least, as though the list itself is exhaustive. It's not exhaustive. It is representative. It is a general overview of the virtues that must be present and the vices that must be absent for the man of God to lead the flock of God. This, by the way, is why the list in 1 Timothy and Titus, the two lists, are similar but not identical. Paul isn't offering a definitive, exhaustive list of qualities. Or, since they're different, he's not offering two lists of qualities. One that is supposed to be applied in Ephesus, and another one in Crete. He is offering a representative list that was meant to guide Timothy and the church at Ephesus. Just as the list in Titus is meant to guide Titus and the churches in Crete in the process of vetting potential elders, it offers us a guide, if you will, not a checklist. Some of you are already not happy with me. It gets worse. The list is not only not exhaustive, it's also not exclusive. This is the point I was really making earlier. It's not exclusive to elders as though other Christians need not concern themselves with such virtues. Every man should labor to lead his family well. Every man and woman should want to exemplify these virtues. So every Christian can come to them and read them and see and be encouraged and exhorted to pursue Christ-like character, Christian virtue. One more. This list is also not extraordinary. It is not a list of extraordinary characteristics and qualities, and I know I shouldn't do this, but I am gonna point out that is my second alliteration. That covers all the alliterations I will provide for 2019. But that's three E's. Extraordinary, this is not a list of extraordinary characteristics and qualities. It is the, if I may put it like this, it's the ordinary fruit of ordinary faith in an extraordinary gospel. These virtues are only extraordinary because they are present in people who were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures. These are Paul's words, not mine. Passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works that we did, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ, our Savior. So sure, if by extraordinary we mean the source of the qualities, then yes, absolutely, that any of us are self-controlled, sound in faith and love and in steadfastness is not only extraordinary, it is miraculous, it is supernatural. the result of the rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit. But if by extraordinary you mean that it is anything less than the good and necessary response to so great a gospel, you couldn't be more wrong. So this list is neither exhaustive, extraordinary, or exceptional. Therefore, what follows is, in one sense, for everyone. This isn't merely giving you a checklist by which you can look around and say, I wonder who meets the list. Who's doing these things? All of us are called to embody these things. All of us. What follows is how we should conceive of discipleship. Every Christian should be growing in Christ-like character, confessional convictions, and I know I'll need to explain this, but charismatic competence. By that, I'll just go ahead and do it now. I don't mean compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others. I mean a divinely conferred power or gift. We don't need a special class of Christians. We need men who have been granted a special measure of grace to walk in the spirit. That's what we need. That's what we are to be praying for, and that's what we are to be looking for. We need men who, like Titus, show themselves in all respects to be a model of good works and in their teaching show integrity and dignity and sound speech so that an opponent may be put to shame having nothing evil to say about us. We need men who are called by Christ, set by the Spirit, appointed by the apostles and affirmed by the church to lead the way in growing in Christlike character. and confessional convictions and charismatic competence. If I can put it this way, what we really need are lead leaders or lead learners, to borrow from classical conversations. All right, so let's now consider what this actually looks like. And again, you guys are not gonna like this. But here it is. An elder leads in Christ-like character. Therefore, he must be above reproach and faithful. Look at verses six and seven of chapter one. If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer as God's steward must be above reproach. If you turned over to 1 Timothy chapter three, verse two, you would read an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife. And the word there is actually different than our word here. That is to be above reproach, the word that Paul uses in Timothy. 1 Timothy is different than the one in Titus. In 1 Timothy, the word literally means not to be laid hold of. So in regards to one's moral character, it carries the connotation of being squeaky clean. so that no charges will stick. No one can take hold of you because there is nothing reproachable to take hold of. And a word is a man who's blameless. In Titus, Paul uses a slightly different word to communicate the same concept. Literally, it's a man who has not been arraigned or brought before a judge, obviously carrying the same connotation. The person has not been arraigned or brought before a judge because there's no charge against him. Now, it is worth noting that above reproach leads off both lists of qualifications. Therefore, it would seem that to be above reproach is an overarching qualification that is defined or filled out by the list that follows it. And this first and overarching qualification makes complete sense when we understand one of Paul's chief concerns. And what is that? Well, that the word of God not be reviled, or to state it positively, that in everything we, the church, may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. Elders, whether whether we want them to or not, they represent the church. There are, if I can put it like this, the face of any given church. And since if I could put it like this, the head is Christ, the face better look like him. Notice that in both 1 Timothy and Titus, the qualification that immediately follows must be above reproach is the same. It is that the elder must be a one woman man. To be above reproach begins with faithfulness in your relationships. And no relationship in the earthly order is more fundamental No more significant than the relationship between a husband and a wife Given the gospel significance of that that relationship that is that marriage relationship It is no wonder that honoring it and protecting it heads up the list of qualifications both in first timothy and in titus an elder must be a one woman man now remember remember Marital faithfulness is not optional for any Christian. Every Christian, every Christian man who's married must be a one woman man. Robertson McQuilkin notes that God's standards on listen to this carefully It's a longer quote, but it's worth listening to very very carefully God's standards on human sexuality are treated in scripture as the most important of all rules for relationships among people in the Old Testament teaching against adultery is emphasized second only to teaching against can you guess? idolatry which it is often closely linked to. Continuing with this quote, in the New Testament, both Christ and the apostles emphasized marital fidelity. Paul includes sexual sins in every one of his many list of sins, and in most cases, they head the list and receive the greatest emphasis. So, remember, that's God addressing all of his people, how much more the man of God, who leads Christ's people. If a man is not faithful to his own wife, he will not demonstrate fidelity to the bride of Christ. The list of men who have shipwrecked their ministries by falling into sexual sin is tragically long, and doesn't need to be rehearsed here. So this is where we begin. An elder must be above reproach in all the ways that we are about to consider, but first among them is fidelity to his own bride. And I have to insert a quick note here. This does not necessitate that an elder be married. I don't have time to flesh that out, but I will send you to 1 Corinthians 7, where Paul commends the single life. We could look at the words of Christ as well, in order to give oneself, devote oneself to the work of ministry. Do not believe that this here necessitates that one be married in order to be an elder. It simply necessitates, one, whether they are single or married, to understand and submit to, live out the sexual ethic Described in the Bible, okay All right He must also be The second point he must also be humble and sincere First Timothy 3 6 he must not be a recent convert. Why not? Well, he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil Titus chapter 1 verse 7 stated negatively an elder must not be arrogant An elder must know, hear this, this is like, tweet this later. An elder must know who he is and whose he is, right? An elder must know who he is and whose he is. An elder is a man whose resume, if you will, is filled with another man's work. He has not earned his role, he was called. Quite apart from any good in himself according to the good purposes of his Savior and God Jesus Christ He is as Paul describes himself an empty vessel full of the Spirit of Christ and the Word of Christ If we had time, we would return to Matthew 18 through 21. You remember the emphasis there in Jesus' own teaching to the apostles, emphasizing that the first will be last, humbly serving Christ's people just as Christ came, not to be served, but to serve, giving his life as a ransom for many. Apostle Paul exemplified the posture of an elder both in his example and in his writings. You yourselves know, he wrote in Acts 20, we heard last week, you yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, what then is Apollos, what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed as the Lord assigned to each I planted Apollos watered, but God gave the growth So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything but only God who gives the growth Paul understood what every elder must understand That he was an instrument just as we are, called by Christ and set by the Spirit. So it is with every elder overseer. We are instruments of Christ and we toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within us. Colossians 1, verse 28. If an elder truly understands what he is and whose he is, he will be humble. An elder must also be sincere. Look at chapter one, verse eight. He must be a lover of good. First Timothy chapter three, verse one, it communicates an elder's desire to serve in that capacity. Peter writes, shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you, not for a shameful gain, but eagerly. Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock paul ministered of course with tears act chapter 20 verses 19 and So you think about Paul's example there in Acts chapter 20. He ministered with tears among them. What is Paul communicating? Hey guys, you guys remember, I'm just a big softie, right? Is that his point? Like he just, I cry a lot and you guys should too. No, he's actually communicating sincerity in his ministry. He is admonishing, exhorting others. And what it motivated him was a sincere love for God's people, sincere concern for their spiritual well being. Remember the words to the Philippians and Philippians chapter three, verse 18, for many of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears. Walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Notice that those are actually tears shed for enemies of the cross. How much more so for the sheep who are being led astray, for those who are struggling and suffering? Remember, saints, elders are not we're not we're not professionals. We do not do our work for wages. But as Paul wrote, for we are not like so many peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity. As commissioned by God in the sight of God, we speak Christ. The love of Christ controls us, he would later say in that same letter. I'm not saying that an elder must cry often, but an elder must reflect God's own sincere, listen, God's own sincere regard and concern for his people. If you flipped over to Hosea chapter 11, you would read this. When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the Lord goes on to say this, the more they were called, the more they went away. They kept sacrificing to the bells and burning offerings to idols. And so he goes on to say that the sword is coming. Judgment is coming upon them. The sword shall rage against their cities, consume the bars of their gates and devour them because of their own councils. My people are bent on turning away from me. And though they call out to the most high, he shall not raise them up at all. But then in the very next verse, the Lord says this, how can I give you up, oh Ephraim? How can I hand you over, oh Israel? My heart recoils within me. My compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute my burning anger. I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am a God and not man, the holy one in your midst, and I will not come in wrath. So even in the midst of these judgment oracles, God's own character towards his people is demonstrated. His sincere love and regard and concern for his people. And those called to be elders must reflect it. Paul writes, and apart from other things, there is the, listen, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak and, Paul writes, who is weak and I am not weak? Who is made to fall and I am not indignant? Here's the point, as we think about sincerity, here is the point. Elders can't just go through the motion. It's not a part-time gig. You must be fully invested. Humble and sincerely given to the task to which they are called. Third must be patient and gentle and. We'll have to pick up the pace here just a little. 1 Timothy 3, verse 3, not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. We'll cover some of those in a second, but Titus 1, verses 7 and 8 puts it this way. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. Paul wrote to Timothy, and the Lord's servant must not, must not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone. And he's talking in the context of actually disputing with false teachers. Listen as he goes on. Able to teach, patiently enduring all evil. It's hard enough to endure just minor disagreements, let alone, let alone evil. perpetrated purposely against one. Correcting his opponents, Paul goes on with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance, leading to a knowledge of the truth. First Peter, chapter five, verse three, shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. Again, I'll just pause right here because we can't help but hear all of this and know that I'm talking in regards to elders. In fact, that's what I keep saying, but don't only hear that. Also, are you gentle? Are you patient? Are you humble and sincere? Elders should be men who set the example in dealing with others with gentleness and patience. You must also be self-controlled and disciplined. And this word self-controlled really picks up and almost encompasses everything else in that. So if you look at chapter, I'm sorry, verse eight, for instance, when it says, be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined, self-control really necessitates all the others. The word there means strictly, It means, anyway, having a sound or healthy mind as having ability to curb desires and impulses so as to produce a measured, orderly life. Self-controlled, sensible, prudent would be another way to translate it. But look at how every group addressed is exhorted to be self-controlled. If you look again to the right, at least it's to the right of my Bible, chapter 2, those different groups I mentioned earlier, older men are to be self-controlled, verse 2. Older women, it doesn't mention being self-controlled, but they are to teach the younger women and train them so that they are self-controlled. So I think it's safe to assume that the older women are also to be self-controlled. And then the only thing said of the younger men is make sure they're self-controlled. Urge them to be self-controlled. Now, I'm not sure whether Paul's saying, listen, if you're trying to exhort or teach a young man to be self-controlled, you got your work cut out for you, I won't even bother mentioning anything else. Or, more likely, that covers it all. In a sense, these are not independent qualities or characteristics as though we might have one but not the other, referring back to chapter one, verse eight. Think about this carefully. The lover of good will be hospitable and self-controlled and upright. The upright, will be disciplined and a lover of good. The pursuit of holiness requires self-control and discipline and loving the good and hating what is evil. Do you see how that whole, as Paul's just enumerating all the different characteristics and qualities that we might take out and put on a list and put the check boxes and then go through and be like, okay, I got the loving good thing down, now if I could only be self-controlled. No, it doesn't work like that. You don't really you don't really love the good if you're continuing to indulge the passions of your flesh It just doesn't work like that it's like the fruit of the spirit Yeah, I mean I got the love thing down now if I could just have some joy you don't know Christian love without joy I'm really gentle now if I could only be kind Listen, it's fruit, singular, different aspects of it. They hang together. So it is with these characteristics and qualities. I mean, Paul could have used one word, love. Here's the point, right, is that elders must set the example in this. One last comment. These all hang together, it makes sense why Paul would include self-control in every other list that we looked at. The person who is exercising Christian self-control is bearing the fruit of the spirit. A welcomer, if I can make a word, of strangers, a lover of good, upright, holy, and disciplined against such things you might say there is no law. All right, moving even more quickly, he must be generous and free from greed. And for this, I will simply turn to 1 Timothy and let Paul speak for himself. 1 Timothy chapter six, verses six and following. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare. into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. And if an elder is plunged into ruin and destruction, so go his flock. I would also point you back to Acts chapter 20, where Paul actually concludes his speech to the elders with this very same warning. Remember, I worked with my own hands to provide not only for myself, but for others. Didn't desire gold and silver? Didn't pursue that among you? Instead, he reminded them of the words of Jesus. It's better to give than to receive. In summary, an elder must be irreproachable. By the way, if you're looking, you're watching, you're super concerned, it's the front portion of this that we're really hanging out on, and it just gets smaller with each one, okay? So we're just done, we're done with the first one, this whole thing's top-loaded. This would not pass a... Yeah, that doesn't matter. Okay, so an elder must be irreproachable. He needs to be exemplary or have exemplary character. He must be faithful in his relationships, sincere in his ministry, humble in his posture, generous in his giving, patient and gentle in his demeanor, self-controlled and disciplined in his conduct, and upright and holy in his life. In other words, he must reflect or imitate Christ. And this is exactly why I said, you guys aren't going to like me much when I say this, because I'm taking away the checklist with the checkboxes, and I'm handing you something that's just not quite as easily determined or defined. And yet, it's really easy to determine or define, kind of, right? So, I mean, just think about that. So, if that's what we're looking for, that way we're trying to identify those who reflect Christ-like character and, remember, growing in Christ-like character. Or, let me just put it this way. If we just stop here and say the first qualification, if you're looking at character, is you must be like Christ. Anyone wanna raise their hand and say, okay, got that one. Sign me up. Hey, if you need someone who looks just like Christ, I'm your guy, right? This is what's hard. How much like Christ? I mean, it is. I get it. You guys are going to be disappointed, at least be tempted to be disappointed that I can't tell you, OK, so what you're looking for is a guy who's holy. How holy? Aren't we all holy? Aren't we all saints set apart by Christ, in Christ, by the application of Christ's work and the Holy Spirit working within us? Yeah, so like how holy? What's the major? How holy does one have to be before he's able to be an elder? How sincere, how humble, how generous and patient and self-controlled? How perfectly must an elder love God and love his brothers and sisters? I don't know. I don't know. I can tell you this, depending on how far you want to move down the spectrum, you move it far enough and I'm disqualified. I am. Move it to perfect, I'm not glorified. And let's just be really honest, you better move it way, way, way back from there, right? Listen. Paul offers this list because it's important. And so we can't take it and say, well, he didn't explain how holy or how humble or what exactly that well-managed home must look like. So therefore, it's useless to us. It's not, is it? you're looking for, we are looking for men who exemplify Christ-like character. Do you know who Christ is? Because if you don't, you have no idea how to find an elder. You want to understand or pursue what it looks like to look for an elder? Grow in your knowledge, the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Know Him more, and you will know better what it is that you're looking for. I will offer this, two thoughts quickly as we will just have to continue to meditate on this. The first is this, Paul is right, who is sufficient for these things? No man, right? It requires the grace of God at work in a man's life, and that's what we are looking for. The second is this, this is context dependent. OK. So, for instance, when we were helping plant a church in Lima, Peru, and a brand new baby church was planted, should we encourage them to wait for a a mature 50 year old seminary trained person who has experience in a megachurch? We wouldn't do that anyway. He has experience pastoring and, you know, make sure that they don't receive any elders until this man is, you know, he's, you know, basically what you're looking for is Calvin. Right. Papua New Guinea. We have missionaries who are planting churches there. As they plant churches, are they not to appoint elders because the men in those churches aren't trained enough? See what I'm driving at? Just think about it. Now, our context is different. My point is in Papua New Guinea what you know what or let's just use let's let's use list or a derby as Paul goes through and he plants churches you probably selected men who knew the Hebrew Bible well or likely Jewish converts or God-fearing converts. So they knew the Jewish Bible, the Hebrew Bible, very well. But they likely didn't fully understand the gospel. In fact, we can surmise as much, given that he had to hurry up and write a letter called Galatia and send it off to tell them, what are you doing? I just left. And the elders are probably like, I had no idea what I was signing up for. This is a lot more work than I thought. And so they still appointed elders. Right. Looking for men who are further along than everyone else, who are willing and committed to staying further ahead by God's grace than everyone else. Listen, we'll probably never have. I never have. I mean, who knows? Lord willing, maybe, but I never have a seminary graduate or or a. Yeah, who knows? All right. One additional note, sorry, one more. Character, we're talking about Christ-like character. That's a photo album, not a snapshot. Does that make sense? We're not looking at a man's life and saying, oh, there. Oh, I want to go on a little rant about politics. But I'm not going to. We're not searching the media to find that one skeleton in the closet that we can pull out and say, here it is. There's the picture. No Christ-like character here. He's disqualified. We're looking at a photo album, not a snapshot. There's a difference. We're looking at a man's life, not a specific... Now, there are some that would immediately disqualify. Absolutely. Marital infidelity, for instance. But we're not looking for... I know, you know, we're considering brother Bob, but did you hear the way he got upset at his kids? He got upset at his kids! There's no way he could serve here as an elder! Yeah, I'm done Now I never get upset at you guys, but All right We have to move on these will be much much quicker and elder leads in confessional convictions Christ-like character is the outworking of Christian convictions by the way, and we must start here if you look at chapter 2 back to Titus verse 1 and verse 10 but as for you teach what accords with sound doctrine and Right, and then Titus goes on to say in verse 10, not pilfering, he's referring to bond servants, but showing all good faith so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. And that whole thing kind of brackets everything that Paul has said to all the groups in the church. And what's the point? This is a response to sound doctrine. What's sound doctrine? Well, Paul says the doctrine of God our Savior. It's a response to the gospel that flows from the gospel the grace of god the word of his grace Trains us as paul says in verse 2 of that same chapter To renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in the present age That that that word of grace that has come and what's that the free gift apart from any works whatsoever? Now you are made right with god. What did you do nothing and then you respond to that with good works? In fact, notice the emphasis upon godly living, good works throughout this letter. The false teachers claim to know God in chapter 1, verse 16, but their works actually deny what they say. They are unfit for good works. On the other hand, Titus is to be a model of good works, chapter 2, verse 7. Christ redeemed us for good works, chapter 2, verse 14. And so Titus is to remind them all to be ready for every good work, chapter 3, verse 1. And twice in the last eight verses, Paul expresses his concern that all of them devote themselves to good works, chapter 3, verses 8 and 14. And what are these good works? Everything paul has just said in verses 1 through 10 of chapter 2 and again in verses 1 through 3 of chapter 3, but here's the point As paul puts puts it elsewhere. All of this is faith working through love Look at how all the imperatives are grounded in the indicatives of god's salvation Look at chapter 2 verses 11 through 14 for the grace of god has appeared bringing salvation for all people Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in the present age Waiting for our blessed hope the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us why we were still enemies mind you to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possessions who are zealous for good works and And actually, after verses one through three, he can't help but break into gospel proclamation once again. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy. It's according to grace, and it's according to mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. so that being justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. And so in both of those instances, he then goes on to say, both in chapter 2, verses 11 through 14, he then says, declare these things. Declare what things? The gospel. Declare the gospel of grace. Why? Exhort or doesn't say why exhort and rebuke with all authority let no one disregard you declare these things remind them to be submissive It is the declaration of the gospel that leads to the good works that Paul wants to see That that do not bring reviling against that very gospel, but actually adorn the gospel the Lord Jesus Christ. I You have the same thing in chapter three, verse eight, after he after a beautiful exposition of the gospel, he says, the saying is trustworthy. And I want you to insist on these things so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. Why, why do we devote ourselves to good works so that we can merit anything before God? No. because God has already given us all things in Christ. So the reason I point this out is we've just said a lot of things about character, and as you consider how much you are actually demonstrating or reflecting Christ-like character, you cannot for one moment miss the point that that must always and everywhere be a reflection Reflection of your understanding of the gospel the Lord Jesus Christ Titus who knew the gospel well who was a gospel co-worker Paul tells him and he can't help but twice in this very short epistle stop in the midst of telling him These are the things that you're supposed to be teaching the people to do This is how they are to live. And by the way, have I told you about the gospel? It's Titus twice So that he can say Declare these things. Declare these things. Their character, their good works will flow from the gospel or they will not be good at all. All right. Very, very briefly. And really because we covered this last week, right? So an elder must know what the apostles and the prophets taught. Remember Acts chapter 20, Paul reminds them that I did not withhold any good thing from you. I taught you everything, the whole counsel of God, everything you need to know for faith and godliness has been delivered to you. Now you take that, Titus, deliver it to other men who must deliver it to other men who must deliver it to other men. And it's the same message that we hear today. We don't need anything new. but an elder must understand that which was first delivered by the apostles and the prophets. They must also know the teaching of the church. The teaching of the church is not new, okay? The teaching of the church is the explanation or the exposition of that which was first handed down by the apostles. We must strive to acquaint ourselves with the teaching of the church. And listen, it is it is it's beyond foolish for any generation to believe that it receives the Bible anew in its own generation and should enter its closet without any consideration for the work of the Holy Spirit. in elders, overseers, and teachers within the church for almost two millennia. As in the Holy Spirit has done nothing in the life of the church. And so me, my Bible, and the closet is the best way to get at God's truth. See, I'm not being patient or gentle. I repent. Sorry. Listen, there's truly nothing new under the sun. Every heresy in our day has roots in the past. We need to understand how the church responded. If the church is the pillar and buttress of the truth, then we should treat her as such and learn from the shepherd teachers who Jesus Christ has called to shepherd his sheep in each and every generation. The early church creed and historic confessions are a good place to start. And just as a side note, any elder of HGC would need to be in substantial agreement with the 1689 London Baptist Confession. All right, what about seminary and formal education? It's a really good idea. It is, but it's not necessary to be an elder. It is a really good idea, but it's not necessary to be an elder Here's what is necessary, though. A lifelong pursuit of growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. So if you struggle with self-study, and again, I'm speaking to every believer, there should be a desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are commended to do so, exhorted to do so, it's written to the church. So. And again, the elder must set the pace, right? The elder should be an example in this. All should be growing. All should be learning. All should be coming to a deeper understanding of the truth of the scripture, having their minds renewed constantly. And the elder must be an example. In summary, elders must know summary, not for the sermon. Sorry, just for that point. Elders must know what the apostles and prophets teach. They must also know how the church has interpreted and applied this truth in the face of controversy and heresy. And so, right back where we were at the end of character, though, right? How much must they know? I don't know, exactly. I think that it's somewhat contextual. I also think this. I think that they must have a firm grasp of the gospel, okay? I think that they must understand a doctrine of the scriptures, a doctrine of God, a doctrine of man and sin and Christ and salvation, a doctrine of church. They must understand, for instance, at a minimum, what our confession teaches. And importantly, elders must always be growing. All right, one more, and this is even shorter than the last. An elder leads in charismatic competence. Elders lead in charismatic competence. Again, just referring to those spiritually given gifts, usually those abilities which we have that now come under the influence of the Holy Spirit in our devotion to serving Christ's people, the church. So, the elders lead in this in two ways. First, by demonstrating an ever-growing awareness that the strength to pastor does not come from the pastor. It does not come from the elder. They struggle, if you will, as Paul says, not in their own strength, but in the strength of Christ who is at work in them. Second, and so they lead in that, they set the example in that, because that's how it should be for each and every one of us who serve the church. Second, they employ their gifts according to the will of Christ to equip the saints for the work of ministry. Listen, in doing so, every Christian should see a model of what it looks like to rely on the Spirit and to serve Christ's body. And so, applying it more broadly, not just to elders, all of us, and you've heard me say this a half a million times, have gifts. The scripture's clear. If you belong to Christ, his spirit is in you. And he actually works gifts into you that are not meant for you, but are meant for the church. Not that they're not a benefit and blessing to you also, But the Holy Spirit is specifically working unity and building up the body and through the work of ministry, some with gifts of word, some with gifts of service, but all meant to be employed in service of Christ the King as we serve his bride. And listen, we can talk about this afterwards. Our families are not the church. Serving your family is good, but serving them is not the same thing as serving the church. It's not the same thing. The church is who? Acts chapter 20. Those who have been bought by the blood of God. I pray and implore our Father that it might be so that each and every member of all of our families is indeed bought by the blood of Christ and someday that blood will be applied through saving grace and they will come to faith in Christ. Until that day, Serving them is not the same thing as serving the church. The same could go for your work or any other sphere of life. Listen, elders are not a different class of Christian who are called to serve the church with their gifts while all the other Christians are simply consumers who come and get what they need in order to go and serve others. It's not Ephesians chapter 4. It's not the primary emphasis of the scriptures any place in the New Testament. As you go to all the imperatives of the New Testament, it's constantly speaking to how we love one another and serve one another. So coming here to fill up so you can go out there and serve, I mean, it has its place and it's good, but it's not the emphasis of the Scriptures. You have a responsibility to your eternal family, your brothers and sisters in Christ who are sitting to your left and to your right. and each and every one of you has a gift from the Spirit that should be employed here in our midst, that this body might be edified, built up into the head, who is Christ. Peter writes, as each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God. Whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies, in order that in everything, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. So that in everything, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Indeed, all that we do is to be done unto the glory of God, but where is it that God is most glorified? Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen. Okay. competence at home. So elders are supposed to lead in that demonstration of serving the body, the church, with their gifts so that all others might see that modeled and do likewise. That competence is first demonstrated if it is a married man in the home. to faithfully lead his family. Chapter 1, verse 7, Titus. This is the proving ground, if you will, for both character and competence, and convictions for that matter. Paul's argument in 1 Timothy is straightforward. If a man lacks the ability to lead his wife and children, then he is ill-equipped to lead the church. And here, now, this is an argument from lesser to greater. For if someone does not know, this is 1 Timothy 3, verse 5, how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? That's an argument from lesser to greater. The home is smaller, it's easier, a microcosm of the church life. The church will require more, not less. More godly leadership, not less. Furthermore, the church is the household of God. Which is more important? You see, it's an argument from lesser to greater. If you struggle to be patient with your kids, to lovingly and gently guide and nurture them, then how will you lovingly and gently guide and nurture the sheep of Christ's flock? All right. Competence at instructing and refuting error chapter 1 verse 9. I'm just going to say it elders must be able to instruct in the truth and refute error. Okay done. I would add just a small warning go and read James chapter 3 verse 1. We should not take teaching lightly. We all teach informally to take upon oneself the Responsibility of teaching God's people formally is a weighty matter. Okay Summary Just like we should be growing in our Christ-like character and growing in our confessional convictions, we can and should also grow in our charismatic competency. Okay, so that's it, I'm concluding. But please understand that what we have just discussed is indeed a list of qualifications for elders. It arms us to some extent as we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ to look for people who are imitating Christ in their character. who understand and are deepening their knowledge of confessional convictions, who are practicing using their gifts in the body, their charismatic competence in such a way that is edifying the church. And as we see those people, as we see those men, tell me. I can't see everything. And as I'm really ending, as you are looking, you are at the same time laboring to grow in Christlike character, to deepen your confessional convictions and to grow in your own faithfulness and using an ability to use your charismatic competence. In conclusion, we don't need a special class of Christians. We are looking for men who are called by Christ, set by the Spirit, appointed by the apostles, and affirmed by the church to lead the way in growing in Christ-like character, confessional convictions, and charismatic competence. Amen. Please pray with me. Gracious Father, Indeed, as Paul said, who is sufficient for the task? But as we consider these things, we say together, corporately, we confess that none of us are sufficient for any good work apart from the work of your spirit, constantly impressing the gospel upon our hearts and renewing our mind according to truth. So Father, would you be pleased to continue to pour out your Spirit upon this place and continue to grow us in the grace and knowledge of your Son, Jesus Christ? Father, would you help me to be faithful in the calling to which you have called me? Father, would you raise up other men from among us? who might also demonstrate Christ-like character and share and teach and instruct in confessional convictions and use their charismatic competence in such a way that this body is built up into the head of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Father, we thank you for your faithfulness among us and we pray this in Jesus' precious name, amen.