continuing in chapter 7 or 20 I'm sorry chapter 20 in the book of Acts where I'm not gonna ordinarily I would read over the passage that we're going to go through but I'm not sure how far we'll go so what I want to do is just kind of read in sections but we're picking up in verse 17 with an aim towards the end of the chapter. And of course, this is Paul's famous farewell address to the elders at Ephesus. So before, what we see is Paul is, as he leaves Troas, he's headed to Jerusalem ultimately, but before going to Jerusalem, he returns to Ephesus where he meets with the elders. And I would say, I want to just say as a, not as a sidetrack, but it does bring up the subject of structured leadership within the church. The idea now, I know this church's history is Southern Baptists and with some structures of, well, yeah, mostly Southern Baptists. And so this brings up the different forms of governing structure within the church. We go over this usually in our new members where there are three basic governing structures in the church. There is one, the idea of the Episcopacy, the Episcopal structure. Now hold in mind some of these governing structures are also denominational names. So the reason the Episcopal church is called Episcopal is because of their understanding of the governing structure of the church. In the Episcopal church, there's ultimately, the idea is who is the head, the visible head of the church. We know Christ is the head of his church. In an Episcopal structure, the ultimate head, visible head of the church is the episkopos, or the bishop. which means that every church in the Episcopal Church is under the structure or under the governing rule of the bishop or archbishop of that church. Archbishop of Canterbury for the Church of England, and I don't want to misrepresent or misrepresent the governing structure of the Episcopal Church here. But the idea still, and I think the ultimate expression of Episcopal governing of the church is the Roman Catholic Church, where the pope is over all of the churches within the Roman Catholic system. So the idea of an Episcopal Church, they do recognize a downline leadership, teaching, governing, et cetera. In the Episcopal church, they have other elders and so forth. But the overall governing of the church is under the purview or oversight of a single individual, which is the bishop. in the Presbyterian church, and by the way in the New Testament the Greek word that's translated to us as bishop also can be presbyter, overseer, shepherd, etc. In the Presbyterian church, the idea is that there are plurality of elders that govern in any given church situation. So I like the naming of some of the churches in certain areas, Presbyterian churches, where you have First Presbyterian, Second Presbyterian, Third Presbyterian. So in each church is overseen by, in teaching and in governing, it's overseen by elders or presbyters, and then in a given area, that's why I mentioned first, second, third, fourth Presbyterian, in a given geographic region, then you have presbyters or overseers for all of the churches. It's representatives of each church is represented in the presbytery. and they take care of matters within the church. And then in the congregational church, in the congregational church there are misconceptions both within and without the congregational churches in terms of what it means. At its worst, the idea is that the members govern the church. And at its best, it's to recognize that the issues in a local congregation are determined by that congregation. So whether it's the choice of pastor, whether it's dealing with issues, if it's a church discipline matter, it's taken care of within the church when it comes to ordination that is determined by that local congregation. Doesn't mean that, two things, it does not mean. It does not mean in a congregational church that there is no partnership or affiliation outside of that congregation. What it does mean is that any participation or insight that comes from outside of the congregation is determined by the congregation. So for instance, when we ordain ministers or ordain elders, we gather a group of pastors, usually three to five, and they are from outside of the congregation. If we were Presbyterian, then the local Presbytery would establish the standard for ordination and give the final approval. Now, the vote of who pastors, that's going to, I don't want to speak out of turn here, but it's still, a Presbyterian church calls their own pastor, but the qualifications for the pastorate, the qualifications for ordination are established by the presbytery itself, whether it's at the state level or local level, but it's determined by the presbytery. When we ordain, the standard of ordination, the questions that are asked, are determined at the local level. It does not mean, so at its worst, people think that congregational church means that the church votes, every member votes on everything. That's not what it means. You still have elected officials, whether it's elders in some churches, that's the other thing. Congregational church government does not preclude the office of elders. Now, I grew up in a National Baptist Church. And we thought, because we weren't informed, or at least I wasn't, I'm speaking for myself, wasn't informed of the broader structures of church government. So when I heard elders, I was thinking automatically Church of God and Christ, because they called their ministers elders. Then as I got older, came to know my father's church background, which was primitive Baptist. They called all of their ministers elders. And so it kind of took on a different connotation. But I mention that here because the idea of a plurality or shared leadership and shared teaching responsibilities are inherent within the New Testament structure for the church. We've already seen earlier where when it came to ministering to the needs within the fellowship, they established the office of deacons. But it is also, now granted, you can have, don't get tripped up by the language, you can have shared leadership, shared teaching responsibilities without the specific titles. In other words, allowing others to share that it's not just one man's responsibility to do all of the preaching and teaching. Now in churches where there is the established office of elders, it makes it clear. Now granted, in some churches there is a distinction in terms of eldership. It's what they call ruling elders whose primary responsibility is governing within the local church. And then there are the teaching elders who participate in shared preaching and teaching. When a church is, and I've had a couple of churches that, congregational churches that were looking to go into an eldership, one of the things that I counseled the pastors on is be careful and clear in terms of how you are defining the office. Is it going to be with the distinction between teaching elders or ruling elders, or are you just establishing elders? Is it required that all of your elders are acknowledged as teachers, which is a teaching elder means he's subject to preach, he should be able to preach. Also, are your elders going to be elected, or are they appointed? Because in some churches, elders are, and especially if it's governing or ruling elders, they are elected by the congregation. So they serve for a particular time, and then they are either voted in or someone else is voted in. But the point that we want to make here is that Paul gathering with these elders indicates, at least in the church at Ephesus, there was shared teaching. And especially as he addresses in this final, in his farewell address, there is the implied, and I would differ with some very respected commentators on this, it seems as if he is implying shared teaching and governing responsibility within this Ephesian church. Now how many members there were, we don't know. Holding in mind also that it was largely a group of formal or of Gentile converts. So they don't have the the baggage or the background of the leadership within the synagogues or the temple as to how this church is to be governed. But in any event, there is a group of elders. We're not told how many. But Paul goes back to this church where he has planted this congregation. And there is already in place those that he has raised up that have met the qualifications. And we see the qualifications for pastors. And we could make the case for elders in both Titus and in 1 Timothy. In any event, Paul meets with them. And the first thing that you'll notice is in verses 18 and 19, He starts off on a very personal note. In fact, the first few verses, verses 18 and 19, or actually 18 through 21, his address to them begins on a very personal note. In verses 18 and 19, he acknowledges two things or three things that I think are helpful as he has ministered among these other elders. So let's read in verses 18 through 19. And when they came to him, he said to them, you know yourselves 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 and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews. Three things that he points to among those that he has served the congregation, that he has shared in his shared leadership. One, that he came to them with humility. humility, meaning that he was accessible to them, that he was of a humble, he humbled himself. Peter talks about those who lord the authority over people, that those who lord their authority are not qualified for the office of elders. So Paul says in the first place, he speaks of his humility amongst them, that he was, in a sense, transparent in his leadership amongst them. Secondly, he focuses on his sincerity, the sincerity with which he approached his office and, no doubt, his relationship with those that he served with. And then thirdly, even his vulnerability. because he mentions that he had gone through many trials, and that'll come back later, trials that he's about to face. But here he speaks of, he says, through with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews. So in a sense, Paul gives the idea that as he was dealing with these threats and these charges against him from those on the outside, that he made himself vulnerable to those with whom he exercised leadership, and he let them know what he was going through. You know, there's a transparency there that Paul shares the fact that he humbly, sincerely served them in spite of the trials and those things that he experienced from those who did not seek his best interests. The second thing that we see in verses 20 and 21, This is how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance towards God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. So in spite of his personal trials, and the challenges that he faced. Paul says in the first place that he taught these elders, and that's what he's referring to, he taught these elders both privately and publicly. He made himself available to them. And then secondly, in doing so, in fact, he says that he did not hold back. In spite of the trials, in spite of the things that he endured, I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable. You know, I think sometimes we can overshare. And in the service of the church with those with whom he serves, Paul doesn't go into all of the history of the churches that he had been in and all of that. He says, but I did not hold back anything to you that was profitable. Now, what does the word profitable mean? It is a value, those things that are of value to you as you serve where you are. So Paul did not hold back anything that was profitable to them. And he gives us the aim towards which he availed himself to teach these elders both privately and in a corporate gathering, in a sense. And I get the idea that Paul kind of took some one-on-one, and then perhaps he met with them together. But in any event, the aim towards which he made himself available was in the model that he set. And that model, the model that he set, was proclaiming the gospel among Jews and Gentiles. Now notice the way he phrases his reference to the primacy. of the ministry of the gospel message. He says, I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and Greeks of repentance. Now when you think of repentance, of course, that means to turn. So that means a proper, and we'll see how I think he references this same category of teaching later. But that means to repent, which means he has confronted them with the law of God. And the law, of course, revealing our sins. And so therefore, it is through preaching of the law that one turns from sin and self towards faith in Christ. So the idea of towards faith in Christ is what attaches us to the gospel. So Paul says that he did not shrink from teaching them anything that was profitable towards the end of testifying both to Jews and Greeks. And by the way, that is also a helpful insight there, because it's not just a Jewish thing. Now remember, one of the challenges that has been addressed is the influence of Judaizers in the various churches that were occupied with both Jews and Gentiles. Judaizers were those that claimed faith in Christ, but they were also teaching the need for especially circumcision and faithfulness to the Mosaic law to demonstrate genuine conversion. Okay, so Paul says that his message has kind of leveled the playing field. That both Jews and Greeks need to repent and express faith in Christ. And what we see, especially in his letter to the Ephesians, what we see is Paul unpacks what the content of faith in Christ consists of. I love the way he outlines especially the first two chapters of Ephesians. This is what faith in Christ is. And so he puts them on an even field. And you see that especially in the beginning of Ephesians chapter 2 where he says, in times past you were dead in your trespasses and sins. Speaking of Gentiles, these Gentile converts, And you walked according to the power of the Spirit of the air, just like the rest of the children of disobedience. But God, who is rich in love, in His mercy towards you, has made you alive together in Christ Jesus. Those who have been made alive in Christ Jesus, Jew or Gentile, has been given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Those who have been made alive, who have been granted the gift of repentance by turning to Christ, who have been made alive through the Spirit, are those who have been chosen by God since before the foundation of the world to be in Christ. They are the recipients of the same grace. So it's important that he puts both Jewish and Gentile believers on the same page, and he's making it clear, and I think that comes back to some of what he'll have to say a little bit later, but he's making it clear that it was the same message, the necessity of repentance and having faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ is what makes us Christian, whether you are Jew or Gentile. The third thing that we see is in verses 22 through 24. Paul testifies, now here again he gets personal, and it's similar to what he does in verses 17 and 18, but now he is anticipating what's coming before him. So in verses 22 through 24, he says, And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value, nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I have received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." What a wonderful summary of how a Christian minister should understand his calling. And I like the fact that Paul says that his commission is to testify, and I say this often, that as Christian preachers we're not just preachers of the Bible. We are gospel preachers. And that's what Paul underscores here, that to finish his course is to be faithful in proclaiming the grace of God in the person and work of Christ. So in these verses, Paul testifies that he is constrained compelled, as it were, by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. Now remember, he's already mentioned the interference or the agitation from the Jews that he's encountered. Well, it's going to get worse. And I'm going to argue that, and we'll make that case even later as we look at other chapters, that the church at Jerusalem didn't do Paul any favors. when he returns. I think they could have done a better job of helping him, preparing the way, but they kind of threw him to the wolves. They acquiesced to the pressure of the Judaizers. Now, so the Judaizers, ultimately Paul makes the point in Galatians that if they believe that salvation is by faith and works, then they are nullifying the message of faith. It's not of grace and works. We are saved by grace in Christ. So that's one of the reasons that he kind of emphasizes it's the same gospel that he has preached to both Jews and Gentiles. But here, Paul says that he's constrained by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, compelled as it were, knowing that imprisonment and afflictions are waiting for him. So he knows this. And yet, his commitment is to the gospel of grace, so much so that he says his life is of no value to him. Not to say that he is looking to jump in harm's way, because we'll see that when he goes to Jerusalem, the Lord intervenes at various points when he would be taken by hook or crook. And the Jewish unbelievers who have sort of made their way and had influence with the church at Jerusalem seek in various ways to kill him. And Paul makes use of his Roman citizenship, and the Lord intervenes to allow him to escape on a number of occasions so that he does eventually go to Rome. But in any event, he knows what's awaiting him, and he still is committed. Because his call is to preach the gospel of God's grace. And it is wherever the Lord would give him an opportunity to do so. So we can say that at this point, what Paul has done with these elders with whom he has served the church at Ephesus, is he's explaining what is ahead of him. He is recalling his ministry amongst them. And in essence, he is seeking their prayers for him. that they would be mindful of not only of their duties, but as a fellow laborer in the gospel, that they would be supportive and mindful of him in prayer. And you'll notice, again, when he writes to them in the letter that we call the Book of Ephesians, and he solicits them to pray for all of the saints in all places, and he solicits the church as a whole, and remember the letter would have gone through the elders and then to the church, that they would pray for him also. Pray for all of the saints in all places, but pray for me also." So in a sense, this is a very personal part of his appeal, as he references his time with them, not just for nostalgia's sake, but he reminds them of the vulnerability with which he came to them. He came with baggage, so to speak, and yet he labored with them. He was sincere in his ministry amongst them, and now, he says, he is headed to affliction. So that leads us to the fourth movement here, and that picks up in verse 27, or 25 through 27. And picking up in verse 25, it says, and now behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. I think I want to sort of wrap it up with this section before we really get into the details or his charge to the church or to the elders. But let's look at the language that Paul uses here. He says that he will not see, as far as he understands it, he kind of has a sense that even though he has years ahead of him, that he won't be coming this way again. He knows that he will not see them. It's not a death wish, but he just recognizes he's planted this church, he is revisiting them, and more than likely he's not going to see them again. But then he declares this, that he is innocent of the blood of all of you. Now what Paul is doing here is, and the reason he says that he is innocent of the blood is because he says he has declared to them the whole counsel of God. Now, to understand Paul's language here, what does he mean, innocent of the blood? He's not saying that he hasn't, you know, he's not referring to just, you know, I haven't hurt you in any way. No, what Paul is alluding to is his responsibility as an overseer. And what he's doing is really drawing from the language that we see in the Old Testament, particularly in Ezekiel 33. So let's look at Ezekiel 33 and we'll look at verses 1 through 9 in particular. I'm not going to expound on all of the verses, but just kind of give an overview to give you an understanding of how Paul sees his job, and in essence, the job of the elders that he will be charging. So beginning in verse 1, it says, the word of the Lord came to me. And this is Ezekiel 33, beginning in verse 1. Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, if I bring the sword upon a land and the people of the land take a man from among them and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, Then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and he did not take warning. His blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet so that the people are not warned and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require of the watchman's hand. So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. And I'll go a little bit further. It was down through, I think, verse 9. Or actually through verse 9. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity. But his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, and you will have delivered your soul. Now let's be clear on this. What God is not saying, and I think he makes it clear in his language to Ezekiel, He makes it clear that, number one, your responsibility as a prophet, as he's talking to Ezekiel, Paul does make this application to those who minister the word to God's people. And as we have seen, not holding back the call to repentance. And as we will see next week, delivering the whole counsel of God to the people of God. What Paul sees himself and his role, and in essence the role of the elders of the church, to serve as watchmen, to deliver the word of the Lord to the people of God. And the idea is this, if there is danger coming, I will speak that danger to my appointed watchmen. And your responsibility is to tell them the danger. Now if they don't take heed and they die because of the judgment that's coming, that's on them. Now here's where it gets a little iffy. Well, in a moment. So he says it's on them. They heard the warning, but I will not require their blood at your hands. But then he goes on to say, if I give you the warning, and you do not deliver the word and the warning that I've given to you. And they experience the judgment because they have not heard the warning from you. Notice what he says, two things. A, they're still guilty, okay? But he then says that I will charge their blood to you. Now that's the part that gets a little iffy. He's not saying that, and I think that's important to kind of clean up as we see Paul's reference here, as he references this framework. He's not saying that the watchman who doesn't fulfill his duty of declaring the word and warning that has come to him from God, he's not saying that they will lose their soul. It means that you've not carried out your responsibilities. There is much that we don't fully understand, even when the Lord uses various illustrations when he talks about those who will be rewarded and so forth. We don't know what that looks like. We simply know that God says that he will remember our works. And my good friend Kim Riddlebarger says that when we receive the crown of life because we've overcome, et cetera, he says, I don't know why we make a big deal of it, because all we're going to do is throw it at his feet anyways, as we see the imagery in Revelation 4, that they cast down their crowns before his presence. To what degree that manifests itself, I don't know. And I don't want to superimpose what it could mean and all the possibilities. We know that in the case of Paul, what he's saying in essence is that I am innocent of your blood, of anyone here. So that the reason he's innocent is because he has not failed to deliver the whole counsel of God to the people of God. What you do with it, it's on you. If you put your fingers in your ears and you don't hear and don't take heed to the warning or I would say even on the other side of that because as an under shepherd of the people of God, ministering to the flock with the gospel of God's grace, if you don't find comfort in the grace of God as articulated by the overseer, the watchman that God has appointed, and you still find yourself in misery. And I think it was J.C. Ryland talking about assurance. He says, there are some who will not have assurance, full assurance, until they get home. Okay? But if you don't have assurance of your salvation in Christ, let it not be because the watchman appointed by God has not faithfully unfolded to you the fullness and the sufficiency of God's grace to you. Okay? So the responsibility is twofold. that the watchman has the responsibility of announcing God's judgment. That's law. God's judgment against sin. Calling sin, sin. The whole purpose of church discipline within the structure of the church, whether it's Matthew 18 or that which is alluded to by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians where it's absent, It's because sin, even within the fellowship as it has surfaced, has not been addressed. That's part of his rebuke to the elders at the church at Corinth, that they are aware of this situation that's going on, and they're good with it. And so that's where Paul is, in essence, is making the case that the elders in the church at Corinth are guilty of the blood. of this man who's been overtaken in a sinful situation, and they've looked the other way. So Paul says on the one hand, the responsibility of the watchman is to declare God's wrath, to declare in a sense the importance, the call to holiness, to call sin, sin. In the proper, and we'll get to that next week where he talks about the whole counsel of God, that means when we talk about gospel preaching, it doesn't mean we overlook the law. Because the law outlines the oughtness of human conduct. And so even, do God's people sin? Yes. And just because we are in Christ does not mean we overlook the sin that is evident within the fellowship. And so Paul says, I'm innocent of the blood of all of you. Why? Because he has not held back from preaching the need to repent and what God's grace in Christ is. So he's using the language and the imagery of Ezekiel 33. where the Lord tells Ezekiel, son of man, here's what — and I like what the Lord says earlier, by the way, in Ezekiel. When He calls Ezekiel, He says, look, I'm sending you to a hard-headed, stiff-necked people. And whether they hear you or they don't hear you, let them know that a preacher or a prophet has been here. I know we wish that we could, those who are rebellious against truth, wish you could just hold them and make them believe, but you can't make them believe. Those who are overtaken and are uncertain of God's grace, I wish that we could just pour into you, make you understand that the Father loves you with an everlasting love. And I'm sure Paul feels the same way. He is concerned about the people of God, but the responsibility of the eldership as it were, those who have been appointed as overseers of the flock, those who are the under shepherds, those who have been called to be pastors slash teachers within the body, is to declare what thus says the Lord. giving everyone an understanding that there is nothing in you that makes you worthy of God's grace, but God's grace is sufficient for you. So now see your sins not as one who is seeking to be pleasing to God, but see your sins as one who has been saved by God's grace. Now look at what he has called you to be. So all of the inward work of sanctification that is our response to the grace of God, all of that is to be declared in a faithful ministry of the word. And so before Paul gives his final charge to the Ephesian elders of their responsibilities, he reminds them that here's the model that I've set. that I am innocent of all of your blood. Whatever Paul has wrestled with, whatever his struggles were, whatever his trials were, he has not failed to deliver to them the sufficient word of God's grace. and the high standard of what God is called for among his people. That's why I like what he says in Philippians when he says some preach the gospel as long as the gospel is being preached. He says some preach the gospel for good reasons and others for ill reasons. He says, but nevertheless, The Gospel is being preached. As long as the Gospel is being preached, there's always things that we can wrestle with and take issue with, but the bottom line, and again, as ministers, we're not called to be visionaries. We're not called to see what it is, how many we brought in and buildings that we have erected The responsibility of those who are the under-shepherds, the watchmen that God has appointed over His flock, that Christ has appointed, is whether or not we have faithfully declared the whole counsel of God. And in that case, if that is the case, and as Paul says here, in that sense, one who has faithfully declared the word of God to the people of God, even those difficult words that have been expounded, and the comforting word of the gospel, then whatever happens, we always hope and desire for the best. But if you hear the gospel and are still miserable, then as much as we would love to see the joy of the Lord fulfilled in you, At a human level, the heart goes out, but we pray that you, we can't do anything else. We can't make the gospel any more than what it is. And likewise, when we call attention to those things, those warnings, those admonitions, those exhortations, those rebukes that come from the word of God, we can't see it and not call it. Now if you take heed, then good. But if not, the watchman is to deliver the word that's been given to him. Okay, and so that's how Paul summarizes his ministry amongst the Ephesian elders. And next week we'll get into a little more detail in terms of the whole counsel of God that he has delivered to them, and that is what he is charging them to deliver to those that God has placed to whom God has placed them over in terms of oversight. Are there any questions or comments on anything that we've covered here? Okay, up front. There you go. Back to the church government, where your start was. Paul said to Titus, for this reason I left you in Crete, so that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city. So that's obviously historical precedent, which is not necessarily binding. He didn't tell us to do it. He told Titus to do it. So my question is, between that method of the beginning of the church, where the apostle appointed one of his brothers, but not an apostle, to appoint elders. And Timothy 3, verse Timothy, it gives the qualifications, but it doesn't say who's going to make that assessment. How do you settle it into? I think each congregation or denomination. It's obviously work that's already been decided by denominations that already have the office. I think that's what makes it a difficult thing, because when you start dealing with the governing foundation of a church, where they've not been governed in that way, then what you're doing is establishing precedent for the future. So you want to be as careful and as clear as possible how you're interpreting that office. I agree. I think it should be by way of appointment. I have friends who are in churches where they are elected. And it becomes the choice of the people rather than the overseer that has been left there. So I don't have an easy answer for you on that one. Yeah. Lloyd Jones said that. I'm sorry I mention him every time I say it. It's a good name. He's your brother. Lloyd, your brother. Grandfather. He said that God is the actual, cause, the call, the caller is actually God. And then we determine by the qualifications whether this person fits what we believe God is calling. I agree, I agree. And we said the same thing even with the establishment of the office of deacon. That you don't just say, okay, who's willing? you look to see that these qualities are present. and then you nurture those gifts and those qualities. For whatever reason, that doesn't just mean I have to fill a quota. And some people, oh, we've got to have, no, let's see what we have of those who meet those qualifications to lead in the way that fit those qualifications. Peter, again, going back to the office of deacon, when the problem came up, he said, OK, look out. and find men that this describes, that meet these qualifications, and then bring them to us. And we'll appoint them over these matters. The same thing. It's not like, oh, wow, we got 150 people. We need some. Let's look at the ones that you have. Make sure that you're filling the office with qualified people and not just trying to fill the office because it's an office. And he brought that point up because of the burnout that we talked about in Sunday school, that people are riled up and called into things that God didn't give them to do. And ultimately they're going to fail and they're going to get bitter and lose heart and the church won't function as it's supposed to. Yeah. And I think in addition to that, as we'll see next week, if they don't meet these qualifications, that doesn't guarantee that there won't be deviation. But those who are not meeting, who don't already meet these qualifications, and they just want to teach, they're going to, as Paul will say to these elders, they're going to draw men to themselves. Yeah, and that's unhealthy as well. OK. All right. Anyone else? All right, thank you. As we prepare to close in prayer, we want to lift Sister Andrea, whose procedure is tomorrow. We want to lift Ronnie and Angelina. His birthday is tomorrow, and I think hers is the day after. and then they have an anniversary all in the same few days. Continue to lift him in prayer also as he ministers to his father. Remember Brother Witherspoon and the loss of his sister. The funeral service was on Monday. who, oh yes, Theo, is waiting for reassessment on his situation. He was looking to have a hernia removed, but now it's something else, gallbladder. And so I want to pray for him as he prepares for the next phase of that. Good to see Sister Brooks back with us, looking all lovely and tan from having spent time in the Jamaica sun. But good to see her back. With that, would you please stand and let's close in a word of prayer. Our Father and our God, we thank you for this day that you have blessed us to see. We thank you for keeping us throughout this day and for allowing a safe passage to this place for the express purpose of the study of your holy word. We pray that we have been clear and careful in those things that have been discussed. We trust that you, by your spirit, would give us the ability to integrate these things into all of our thinking. and that we would be mindful of how we conduct ourselves within the body of Christ, those that you have called into positions of leadership, and those of us who are subject to those that you have appointed over us. Let us be gracious in understanding the roles and responsibilities that you have established in your church. We lift all of the names and needs of our local congregation. We thank you for your faithfulness. We thank you that things are as well as they are. We pray that you would continue to build us up both spiritually and even numerically, that you would add to the church as you see fit and that you would grow us in your grace. That we would be a place where the gospel clearly and consistently goes forth and your people are built up for your glory as we go back and serve in our homes, in our communities, and on our jobs. So we thank you. We lift Sister Andrea, who will be having her procedure on tomorrow, that you will be with the doctors that have been appointed. We pray for Theo and the next phase that he needs to go through. And we thank you that whatever his problem was, that it was diagnosed early and that they would be able to treat it. We pray for all of those who are recovering from different procedures and all of those who are anticipating procedures that are yet to come. We are yours. You have saved us both body and soul. And we know that there is nothing that happens to us that is outside of your will or beyond your power. So strengthen us as we minister and serve in this place and minister to us as we minister to others and to each other. Thank you for all that we have received. We pray that you will be with us now as we go our separate ways. Keep us until we gather again. And we ask these things in Christ's name. Amen. Yep, good question. Somebody has to make a decision. Yeah, I heard that. No, I didn't want to mention it, but David Wells, he's a member of a combination of people on the baseball team, and this is a historical, you know, kind of thing. I'm not sure. Yeah, he's got one. Yes, he's got one. And his wife was a member. I got a different vote.