I invite you to open your Bibles with me to 1st Timothy 3, 1st Timothy 3 in the New Testament. 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus, Hebrews, James, 1st Timothy 3 at verse 1. 1 Timothy 3 verse 1, listen carefully to the word of our God. It says, the saying is trustworthy. If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore, an overseer must be above reproach. The husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well with all dignity, keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience and let them also be tested first Then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives, likewise, must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. So far from God's Holy Word. Dear congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, By honoring the ministry of elders and deacons within the church, we are following a simple biblical pattern that God has set for the church in every place. Rather than merely our tradition or opinion, this is the design and model given by God for the church in every town, in every place, and for the work of shepherding and for the life of the body. It's pleasing to Him. And when we're content to order our church, then God is pleased and well honored and glorified. Many today have asked the wrong questions and then answered them the wrong way about the life of the church. showing discontent with these practices by shifting the church into something that's more fitting for them, something that they believe will get the job done. You know, it's pragmatic and it gets us where we want to go. But the church of Jesus Christ and the house of the living God are not meant to be ordered and organized or built for our convenience, but for obedience to God and honor to Him. and according to His Word and His direction, and we humble ourselves to fit that pattern and not the other way around, changing the pattern for our own benefit. So often our church and our churches will look different from those around us. rather than run by one strong personality, be it a pope or a bishop or a very sort of influential pastor, all money, all decisions, all everything going through that one person, or more of a business model, we sort of have a steering committee and board that administrates, or a majority vote, you know, we all vote, and whatever the vote is, that's what the church will do. You know, this is how we settle all questions. These are all, you know, they're functional, but they are not the pattern given by the apostle and not the one that they're striving for throughout the epistles as the church is growing in every place. So they may sort of get the job done in a practical way, but they depart from that biblical model and so they change and they obscure, in many ways, God's simple spiritual purpose for his church. We see here, as Paul is instructing Timothy in how to minister to and how to organize the church, that Paul calls for elders and deacons to conduct themselves and the church in light of the great mystery of godliness in Christ. The apostle calls on the elders and deacons to conduct themselves in the church in light of the great mystery of godliness in Christ. And we want to talk about, you know, what is a great elder and what is a great deacon and then what is this great mystery? That's how we want to look at this passage. So right out of the box, we read in chapter 2 and we see a difference between us and others as we pursue this model that God's word does not permit women to hold church authority in the office of minister, elder, and deacon. And for many, that's right out of the box offensive and sort of angering in the culture in which we live. But the good news is we read in 1 Timothy, and as we read chapter 3, The good news is that this model for elder and deacon is friendly to men, women, and children, and it honors God. It's really not about what many are making everything about today. That is some kind of gender-based power play. So we live in a time where everything is about the conflict between gender. Everything is, you know, sort of a strange conflict about our sexuality and about You know, struggles between people and the reality that they want to live, but nothing in the church is built that way, built for a divisive struggle where people are getting power over people to have their own way and to press their own concerns. And to think that way is already to degrade and to tear down the church. In this model for our life together, life in God's house, the very church of the living God, no one is excluded in any way from the most vigorous service faithful service to God at any time, who is excluded from this struggle? Whether men or women or children alike, all Christians to live in the house of God and to honor Him above all will be challenged to serve and to sacrifice more than there are hours in a day to pursue that goal with zeal. God has given all believers the opportunity and the blessing to worship and to serve and to pray and to sing and to teach and to disciple others and set them an example. And with zeal we would be exhausted in that service, never reaching the end of it, save that we come to glory in heaven. So a man in the church, whether serving in office or not, He should be loving God with all of his heart and soul and mind and strength and pursuing the kingdom. And where is the loss? Where is the struggle or where is the discontent there? You know, he serves and I don't, I serve and he doesn't. Where is the struggle or the divisive attitude in that? A woman in the church must glory in Jesus and find her identity and find her strength there from Him. And where is the loss? And where is the shame? A child in the church must be taught to seek out the living God and know how to behave in God's house. And I don't just mean like, shh, be quiet in the pew, you know, have another piece of candy and don't, you know, make any noise. But I mean to honor God and to live as a part of His family. You know, this is important. And doing these things together in submission to God will always glorify Him, even if to the world it looks foolish or it is a mystery and baffling and not in a honorable way, but to them sort of an offense and a shame and strange. They look strange to us, but it pleases the Lord. But the offices in particular are a noble calling for which God requires sober-minded and humble men so that all of us together can pursue this goal. So Paul has in mind what a great elder should be. And it turns out that a great elder is someone who is thrilled with and humbly seeking out the great mystery of godliness. That is Jesus himself, that is rooted in his life and death and resurrection. That is the gospel of Christ crucified. That should be no surprise. And when Paul describes the work of an elder as a noble task, then we should all really chew on that and meditate on that and let that work through the dough of the church. Do you believe, as we are called to believe, that the work of an elder is a noble work? That's important for how we live within the church. Regarding the work of the elder as the up-close activity, the very in-my-face activity of the noble King Jesus, who is pressing His claim for rule over us in our lives. It is the noble work of the Lord Jesus through His messengers, as it were, and through His under-shepherds. and in that way were to hear their voice as the up-close wisdom of Jesus for us, communicating to us in the church by way of the preaching of the gospel and by way of their labors in applying that word. This is Christ's work in our midst, to change us into His image. Even in what seems to be minor matters and the regular stuff of life, the elders have this noble task to accomplish as they direct our worship what is most fruitful for us as they visit our homes, as they seek out erring members, when they administer the discipline that comes from God, when they teach, when they pray. We want to understand and believe that's a noble calling. It does good to all of us. It purifies and helps make the church holy. And in that way, I want them to succeed. And so I must believe that work is noble. I want to help them succeed in as much as it's within my power to make their work smooth to make their work plain, so that it's not on my account that I drag my feet or that I, it's always difficult to bring me along, but to make their work swift and not delayed at all on my account, to receive their judgments without gossip or discontent. And this way God is best served, the way the body of the church has its best circulation, it has its best function together. Because we are sinful people, we know, we ought to know, that our hearts often lean towards earthly rivalry. even as we're supposed to be carrying out kingdom causes. We repent of this attitude, but this is our pride at work. We figure that service in the church is just another power struggle, like everything else. I want my way and they want their way, and we all claw for it. Another place to vindicate myself and what I want over others. And so we drag into the church. We drag in politics, which is tearing people apart in our culture. We drag in battles over gender or race or wealth. or we value above the unity of the body and above its function things that don't come from Christ and from his kingdom, but they come from this world. So we value, as we're looking for elders, qualities which have no mention here at all, things we didn't read about. We didn't read about worldly success as the metric for success in the church. We didn't read about the qualities that are prized in the world or the wisdom that's prized in the world as we read about elders. But when we value those things and we choose men accordingly, we suffer for it. The church pays a heavy toll as a result. So how critical that we test and approve persons with a view to these godly qualities, these things that God values as he looks through us into the depths of our hearts, these things that we need to value and change the way we think, looking for service that brings an eternal reward. And the whole church will be noble when we honor Jesus in that way. The whole church will be dignified because we love Christ in his dignity as he sits at God's right hand. And so no proper elder in the church ever took honor to himself. They desire a noble task, but it's given from the Lord and according to these qualities. It's something that only God can give. And a man who fits these qualifications is not someone of self-serving pride and with the spirit of this world. So it doesn't take an advanced degree You know, to understand these qualifications, blameless in reputation and mature and gospel-loving spiritual men should be ordained to these offices, a man of consistent Christian character. We see them in the way they handle the things of this world that they have their treasure somewhere else. So in the way they handle money, we see endurance and faith that shows their character is not, the love of money is not there. You see it in the way they handle themselves, the way that they deal with others, no malice, no violence towards others. You see it in their work, they serve as unto their heavenly master. You see it in the way they manage their own family. This is humble, this is Christian, this has dignity from Jesus. and no perfect man ever held church office, but men rather who though imperfect, it says about, you know, the apostles said about themselves, treasure in jars of clay, unimpressive outwardly. Nevertheless, those who treasure and value Jesus above all and are known for their character in that way, those who have not been perfect but seek the perfect Lord Jesus. These are the ones that we want for that service. Great deacons then are also men of the mystery of godliness in Christ. They do not serve for any gain unless it is the gain that comes with that office. That is, they gain great confidence in Christ and they lead others to do the same. Examine your character and make sure that it's your goal to be everything that best serves the Lord. That is the attitude of the deacon and is more broadly the attitude that's needed in the church. How can I continue to shape my life for greater service and for greater fruit for God's honor? And similarly, right, the congregation, through our prayers, through our zeal for the things of the Lord, our readiness to serve, we want to make their job easy. And that is sometimes, it's an offering, but it's much more than that. It's our very selves to be truly living sacrifices that are ready to be directed by way of the wise and prayerful service of deacons. So you deacons, is your Christian dignity such that no one can take a label like the sticker you would put on the back of your car, big vinyl sticker, deceptive, this is a person that's unreliable, this is a person that's stubborn, this is a person that's hateful, that's immature, that's greedy. Would it be true that those stick to you? And the answer, according to 1 Timothy 3, is that those would fall off. It would be like putting it on a dirty car. It doesn't stick and it comes off. It doesn't fit with their character. Other people would hear those accusations and they would say, we can't be talking about the same guy. This is not the guy that I know. who has been serving as the deacon of the church. It doesn't make sense with their character. And instead we would say their character is something that draws attention for doing the things that Jesus did. And that allows no question that they are serving him and following him and that they lead others to do the same. That would be sort of the assessment of their character. and their wives likewise, they share by faith and according to what we're reading here in God's word, they share a sense of the nobility of that office. They are resolved to live with Christian dignity that helps serve that purpose. Not a hint of slander from our mouths, serious about seeing the Lord's church built up and with clear purpose, pursuing it, willing to be faithful to the cause to which their husbands are committed, and even if that means there's a certain amount of pressure and late nights and meetings and responsibilities, which pressure often trickles home and is a difficult thing. What will we do? to qualify our husbands for office and encourage them to nurture a right spirit for service. And even our children play a role in this, you know, so that every child that's seated here, every one of you kids, your obedience to your parents, your willingness to love them and knowing that they love you and living at home is also a part of building the church and even leading the church. And so from greatest to smallest, our responsibility is to believe that that's a noble purpose and live that way and act that way even when we're out of sight and even when it's just us at home. You know that many Christians today act foolishly, at best immature, in these matters. We pay lip service to the truth. This is our common temptation, to pay lip service to the truth, to talk, but not to do, to hear, but not to obey. Our attitude right up close in the way we act towards the church shows how much we know about God's design for living in his house and what it's like to be in the church of the living God. In our behavior towards others in the church, it shows what kind of maturity and what kind of wisdom we have. We act like God should be flattered, you know, that we spend a moment or two thinking about him once in a while. When he's looking for people of constant prayer to hold up holy hands to him, when he's looking for the kind of dignity and character that it takes endurance to build, the consistency of these things we can't ignore. We confess Jesus is a king, but we have a king that's cut off from us if our ears are not willing to hear any correction, any instruction, any rebuke, any training from his very up close, you know, under shepherds, right, from his very up close voices that are serving and are responsible for the care of the souls of this body. those representatives that he sends to us to press his concerns, not just in a generic way, but press his rule into our lives and to seek the fruits of his compassion from us and not just from others. And that's very serious. Do we have an ear and are we willing and ready to receive that kind of ministry towards us? And this is something that Jesus talked about, the prophet has no honor in his hometown. I know these guys, I know what they do, and I know where they came from, and I know mistakes they've made. This man I know could not be God's instrument for spiritual change in my life. And we're prone to resist that thought that these people we see up close, whether it's my pastor or my elders or my deacons, they can't be, it couldn't be that they are the spiritual instrument for change in my life. But the ordinary local church is the place where God's great mystery is shining. And where it's showing and where His truth is on display. The true salvation in life that comes to all who believe that message. So Paul really turns things over when it comes to our attitude. It's amazing that there is a place for us in the house of the living God. And it is our whole task to live gratefully with that thought. God has done great things. And I live in constant gratitude That within this great mystery of godliness, that it's not just for others somewhere, but it's for me to live in it and to work in it. It's astounding that the living God knows me. And when I was at one time cast out according to my sins and the door was shut to me in unbelief, now Christ has opened the way by his death and resurrection for a different kind of life. with him and all together with each other as his body. And we ought to know how to behave, our conduct in the church, thinking with gratitude always and first, and putting God and others before ourselves, properly acknowledging whose house we live in. So Paul sees the church as the support, the pillar of the truth. and the buttress, which is holding up a pillar, adding strength to bear the weight of the truth in the world. God has deposited that truth, and now even our congregation, as small as we are, or as lowly as we are, or as unimpressive as we may be, We are counted by the apostle as a part of that household of God and even ourselves, you know, a pillar of support in the world for that truth. And that is a very noble thing. That's a very honorable thing. And often we're not inclined to think that way. It's like, well, maybe that's true elsewhere for those who are stronger, those who are better, those who have more to offer. But we are counted as a part of that church and responsible. So men should make it their priority to be fit for service, even from a young age. And then even if they're not called upon to specifically serve in those offices, They suffer no loss, they should carry on living godly lives with joy. Women should build dignified Christian character, and it may be that they are called then to support their husbands in such a role. But there's no loss in building the kind of character that is pleasing to God and that bears fruit and that is like the godly women of the past. Children should learn godly obedience and in that way find that they have a place and they are loved by God and brought close to him within his house. And when we do these things, as simple and as lowly as they are, the world sees something baffling, something mysterious. The power of Christ and His transformation in the world, the Spirit in our midst, And the great mystery then is alive in the church. God dwelling in us and God depositing in us his truth and his spirit, stooping down to us and calling us his own adopted children. This is powerful. And he ends with these powerful words, which it seems they are known by the church as a song or sort of as a small confession of faith, something that's known to them that they can grip on. The mystery of godliness, and he speaks about Jesus. He, that is Jesus, he was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the spirit, that is his resurrection. seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. We have a share in all of these things, His life, His death, His resurrection. We celebrate these. This is the truth that God has poured into our midst and the truth that must stand for the world to see, that Jesus has died and risen and we are changed And that message is going out, and we are ready to hold it up, that everyone can see we're committed to that purpose, to that truth, to the work of God in the world. And the mystery of godliness is very great. It must have an effect on us, or the world would walk by without knowing that there's anything different here. that they would look at us and say, well, it's more of the same. People that put themselves over others and that press their own way, we see that all the time. People who are proud and arrogant and rude, those are a dime a dozen, but they haven't seen people who live with the mystery of godliness. People who submit themselves to Christ in His death and resurrection and are full of His Spirit. This they have not seen. It's mysterious. And this will show in the life of the body as we are zealous to honor the Lord and His truth and submit to one another with gentleness. using even the work of men with limitations and sins of their own for a great effect. And God will be praised among us when holy men go about that noble task so that each of us can share in the mystery of God's great salvation. Amen. Our Father in heaven, Lord, turn our hearts towards you. Help us, we pray, not to despise your truth in the small things of our lives, reserving the acknowledgement of your truth for the high and holy things and not bringing them down even to the simple life of the church. that we should encourage and love and build in your midst and be ready to receive the instruction and the care and the love of those whom you have set apart for that service of pastor and elder and deacon in our midst to help us grow, to help shape our lives, and in that way, Lord, to bear much fruit. So, Heavenly Father, humble us, we pray, Though often it's difficult for us, Lord, give us wisdom to see the way that you have in mind to shape us and to make us truly one household under Jesus Christ. One people with one Lord and one faith and one baptism. So Lord, hear our prayer in Jesus' name, amen.