Friday, March 24, 2006
1Timothy 3 A Beautiful Life
Did you know that the content of obituary notices has changed considerably over the years. According to a recent survey, at the start of the nineteenth century most obituaries made some mention of the character of the deceased; by the end of that century that was rarely the case. By contrast a person's occupation was seldom an important detail in obituaries at the beginning of the 19th Century, but by the end of the 20th Century that had become the key means by which a person was identified. That shift is all tied up with the substitution of function for character: what I do eclipses what I am: doing something rather than being someone is what counts. There was a famous graffiti that captured the tussle between being and doing in the radical sixties: `To do is to be ... Sartre' it said - then underneath: `To be is to do ... Camus'. Somebody else had added another line: `Do be do be do ... Sinatra'. Which, I guess, in the hippie era was probably meant to say that distinction doesn't really matter. But, in fact, in the Bible's judgment it is a significant distinction. What we do does matter, but it always places greater emphasis on who we are.
It's quite possible that because of the false teaching , Christian leadership had been brought into disrepute. In looking in 1 Timothy 1 and elsewhere - we find that the leadership of the Ephesian church was as corrupt as the society they were living in. The leadership of the Ephesian church is described as men who had rejected their faith. They’d become shipwrecked spiritually. They were teaching all kinds of strange doctrines that mixed human philosophy and different religious beliefs and traditions in with the Gospel. Does that sound familiar? With all these interfaith movements and liberal teachings in and outside the church?
The result was that the church was being led around and around in fruitless discussions over secondary issues. It was lacking in purpose and vision - in Godly direction. People were dying spiritually and hurting each other. The one thing the church wasn’t doing was penetrating
What would you say most damages the church's efforts to make Jesus known to the world around?
I'd say two things. One is wrong living. Which leaves people saying, 'You Christians are just a bunch of hypocrites.' And the other is wrong teaching – when the message coming from us is not the message coming from the Bible. And those things are most damaging of all in church leaders.
And that's why Timothy was sent into this church in
1. A Beautiful Desire
3.1: 1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.
So would you turn to 1 Timothy chapter 1. We're in a series on this letter from the apostle Paul to his trouble-shooting assistant Timothy. Look at 1.3:
3 As I urged you when I went into
Ie, some of the leaders had gone off the rails - teaching wrongly and living wrongly. And Timothy's got to sort them out. So, look on to 3.14:
14 Although I [Paul] hope to come to you [Timothy] soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
These verses are on how leaders in the church ought to conduct themselves. Ie, how we should conduct ourselves if we're leaders in any way in church - now or in the future. And before we get into chapter 3, I need to explain the two roles Paul mentions.
One is the role of overseer. 3.1: 1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.
Now look over to 5.17: 17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
"Bishop" is from episkopos, meaning "overseer." There are two other words that refer to the same office. The more common term is presbuteros, which is commonly translated "elder" and refers to wise, mature men. The third is poimen or "pastor." These three words describe the different functions of the same office.
In 1 Peter 5:1-2, all three terms are brought together in this one passage. Peter writes, "The elders [presbuteros] who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd [poimaino, verb form of poimen meaning to "shepherd" or even "feed"] the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers [episkopos], not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly."
Therefore a "bishop" is the same person as an "elder." His duties include overseeing or leading the church, teaching the church, shepherding the church and praying for the church. As Paul established churches, he appointed elders to lead them. Acts
In the New Testament, the overall leaders of a local church are sometimes called 'overseers', sometimes called 'elders'.
'bishop' and 'elder' refer to the same office. We can appeal to an Anglican like John Stott, who would be without bias on this matter, who gives us four reasons to support this. He says, "In New Testament times it is all but certain that 'episkopos' ('overseer', 'bishop') and 'presbyteros' ('presbyter', 'elder') were two titles for the same office. The evidence is compelling. First, Paul sent for the 'elders' of the Ephesian church, but in addressing them called them 'bishops' (Acts
There is a role of preacher for younger men who have not yet attained the age and responsibility of elders.
Where do we find this distinction between being an elder and a preacher? I believe it to be a biblical distinction, part of the development of church government found within the New Testament. In this letter itself one reads, "The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching" (I Tim.5:17). There are those whose calling is to rule well, and those also whose vocation is preaching and teaching. It is on that distinction that most churches except the Plymouth Brethren see a special office for a pastor-preacher.
The other role is that of deacon. 3.8: Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect…
The NKJV as well as the KJV uses the word "desires" twice in this verse. However, in the Greek text, there are two different terms. In the first case, the word means "to stretch after." Picture yourself stretching for something on the top shelf. Picture a runner stretching to reach the finish line nanoseconds before his opponent. This is not in reference to an inner motive but an outward stretching of oneself in taking the steps necessary to become an elder. It pictures a man who diligently studies the Scriptures, who carefully examines his conduct and character, who deals harshly with his own sin and who evangelizes and disciples others. This is a man who outwardly does the work of an elder with or without the official designation. The second term translated "desires" as in "desires a good work" means "to set the heart on" or "a passionate compulsion." It refers to an inner desire for good instead of evil. Together, these verbs describe a man who outwardly engages in the work of ministry because of an inner passion for the glory of the Lord and the good of men.
The call to eldership then is an inner passion marked by outward excellence. It is not a desire to take charge. It is not a desire to rule over everyone. It is not a desire to wield authority. It is not a desire for attention and affirmation. It is not a desire for personal glory. It is not a desire given to you by anyone else. It is a calling born deep in the heart of a man of God. A desire for position is automatic disqualification. Such a man does not understand the role or its requirements.
Martyn Lloyd Jones was one of the greatest church overseers and preachers of the 20th century. He started out as a doctor and then began to feel this v1 desire to make preaching the gospel his life's work. But his seniors were urging him up the career ladder. His friends were saying, 'Can't you just preach on the side?' And then one day the Chief of Bart's hospital came into his room, and said that a good friend of his had just died and asked if he could just come in for some company. Lloyd Jones said, 'Yes.' And the Chief sat staring straight ahead for over 2 hours, unable to say anything. And it was one of the last prods Lloyd Jones needed to become a preacher. He wrote in his diary, 'That had a profound effect on me. I saw the vanity of all human greatness. Here was a tragedy, a man without any hope at all.”
And the principle that applies more widely is this. If you have any responsibility for ministering God's word to others (to your children, in a group, one-to-one), take it with the utmost seriousness. It's the greatest work you do.
Do you have a beautiful desire? What are you doing to cultivate that desire? Do you read God’s Word daily? Do you pray fervently for souls? Have you learnt methods of teaching the Word of God? Methods of evangelism?
2. A Beautiful Life
Does character really matter in leadership? Back when then President Bill Clinton was being impeached; poll after poll revealed that the American public astonishingly said, "No, no it doesn't. Not as long as he's doing his job well." Translation – "As long as the economy was going well". Right now what is fracturing the Episcopal church is this very issue. Does character matter when it comes to being a bishop? There's a group that says, "No! Someone's personal sexual lifestyle does not necessarily prohibit them from Christian leadership." Another group says, "Oh, yes! Because behavior, be it sexual or any other kind, always reveals character and character must be the watermark of authentic Christian leadership." Well, what do you think? What does Paul think? We are going to all become a little bit Episcopal here today. Because the word that Paul uses in verse 1 and 2 of our text, that we are going to look at, is the Greek word ' episkopos ' which the New International Version translates as 'overseer'. It can also rightly be translated as 'overseer or pastor or bishop'.
Scottish minister Robert Murray McCheyne was once asked what he thought his people most needed from him – was it his preaching, or his visiting, or what? And he famously replied, 'My peoples' greatest need is my own personal holiness.'
John Chapman once spoke on this passage at a minister's conference. And in his inimitable way he warned of the 4 'G's – the areas in which godly folk could discredit the Lord Jesus.
Verse 2: 'husband of one wife' the area of girls (or more broadly, of sex and relationships).
Verse 3 'not given to drunkenness' the area of 'grog' (from the Olde English);
verse 3 again, 'not a lover of money', the area of 'gold' – watch your motives and keep your hand out of the till. And v6, not 'conceited', the area of 'glory' – as in, who gets it? Me, or the Lord?
the overseer must be `above reproach'. Obviously that doesn't mean faultless or perfect - who could ever match that standard? It just means that no one can point the finger at this person. And they can't point the finger at him for a very good reason: there is nothing to point the finger at. Here is a man who walks through life without having endlessly to look over his shoulder - above reproach.
the area of girls `The husband of but one wife', literally a one-woman man. Which, fortunately, isn't aimed to rule out single overseers: Paul himself was single. But it does stop us in our tracks if we think that a little sexual indiscretion on the side is fine. Harry Trueman, an American President last century, saw this more clearly than some of his successors did. He said, "A man not honourable in his marital relationship is not usually honourable in any other." A Christian leader's private life is bound to affect his public life.
There are other areas of fidelity to be taken into account here:
`temperate' - literally, sober, watchful, self-aware, `self-controlled' - which is an inner quality - matched next by an outer orderliness: `respectable'... here is a man whose life is not a disordered chaos: he doesn't lurch from one extreme to the other. He's level-headed. In Control of the mind!
the area of 'grog'
Sadly, may I say that one of the most terrible things that has come to my attention in the last two years has been to follow the demise of some men once used mightily by God through drink! A couple of years ago I heard of a few ministers who were “social” drinkers. Some of them have now embarrassed themselves, their families and their churches through alcoholism and exhibitionism. Frankly, I really do believe that if you give this a foothold in your life, given our current drinking problems in
If you do drink, do you think its not a stumbling block to someone who may not be able to handle it like you think you can!
Why walk near the edge of a cliff, is it bravado? “I can do this because I can handle it!” Wow what a man you are! You take other people to a place that destroys them. I choose not to let this be a stumbling block to others lives! I have enough on my conscience already to answer to with the Lord, without adding the wreckage of others families, lives, and children.
‘not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome.' The overseer would be tested in that area, I guess, in debate with false teachers. But he's not to be like a stick of dynamite: if the fuse gets lit then everyone else has to run for cover.
the area of 'gold'
`not a lover of money.' Not that they would be well paid - but this is just as much a temptation for those who aren't well off. It's the false shepherd who's more interested in the fleece than the flock. So there are to be no fingers in the till, no making a sly profit out of Christian work.
the area of 'glory'
`He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil' (v. 6). Now of course, he must be a convert - a real, thoroughgoing Christian. But not a recent convert, which is an easy mistake to make, if you think about it, when we're short of workers. Somebody gets converted and they bounce into church life like a spiritual Tigger. "Quick," everyone says, "what leadership potential there! That's the enthusiasm we need." But not so fast, says Paul. It takes time for a young convert to unlearn the world's pattern of leadership, with its stress on status and privilege. It takes time to learn the Christian leadership pattern: that it is about service, not self-promotion. What a strong warning in the verse as well! That enthusiasm to be up front could, in fact, be devilish. I wonder if some people here need the advice that Shakespeare put in the mouth of Wolsey, "Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition - by that sin fell the angels. How can man then, the image of his Maker, hope to profit by it?"
3. A Beautiful Purpose (v. 7)
`He must also have a good reputation [literally, `beautiful witness'] with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.' Because, as someone put it, one man in a hundred will read the Bible, but ninety-nine can read the Christian's life. And either the Christian leader will be a walking, talking Bible for all to see, very attractive or (and the devil will be rubbing his hands with glee at this point) he will be a disgrace to the cause.
I recently read a quote from Zig Ziglar’s book, See You At The Top - where Zig Ziglar is writing about John Henry Fabre, the great French naturalist, who conducted an unusual experiment with some Processionary Caterpillars. It seems that these caterpillars blindly follow the one in front of them - which is why they’re called “Processionary Caterpillars.” Fabre carefully arranged them in a circle around the rim of a flowerpot, so that the lead caterpillar actually touched the last one, making a complete circle. In the center of the flowerpot he put pine needles - which is food for the Processionary Caterpillar. The caterpillars started around this circular flowerpot. Around and around they went, hour after hour, day after day, night after night. For seven full days and seven full nights they went around the flowerpot. Until finally, they dropped dead of starvation and exhaustion. With and abundance of food less than six inches away. They literally starved to death because they confused activity with accomplishment.
Paul was dealing with character qualities in Christian leadership. He was saying, What you are speaks so loud I can’t hear a word you are saying!”
You, where you are, by your character, by your words, you are a walking talking witness for Christ. As one pastor was asked, “How many of your folk witness for Christ?” He answered: “All of them, some witness for him, some witness against Him!”
We live in a world that is following leaders… but are these leaders leading people to Christ Himself? Or are they starving for life, when the Lord Jesus is so near!
