The God-Called Pastor

Ready Bibles and go to first Timothy chapter 3 is were going through this epistle on Sunday mornings, beautifying the bride vessel were talking about when we come to first Timothy as the apostle Paul is teaching instructing Timothy of how he is to fashion set up structure and then function in the local church at Ephesus sold the brother to the local church is the bride of Christ. Now one day all the local churches will come together as one universal glorious bride.

That's at the second coming of Christ. That's at the end of this age and the beginning of the eternal state. But right now God's bride is in all of these local churches all over the world and the Bible gives us the way God wants her to be fashioned and to function in first Timothy is directed almost exclusively to that mission, the same Timothy or seller to the structure this thing.

Here's how want you to function in this thing, this local church now.

First Timothy chapter 3 begins talking about church leadership this morning. We will only look at verse one and I don't know if this needs is an encouragement or discouragement.

But looking at my notes for over the years I probably have and I'm not exaggerating your 200 hours of study. In this chapter because it is so vital and it's so important that means I would. I could give you 200 sermons on this chapter, not really.

Not literally. Each sermon takes a lot of hours itself but I'm going to more briefly be much more abbreviated than that as we go through it, but it is important this morning.

I think to look exclusively at first Timothy chapter 3 verse one. Notice what the apostle says there is a trustworthy statement. If any man aspires to the office of overseer. It is the fine work he desires to do. I called this the God called pastor the God called pastor. One of the greatest achievements of Satan is in putting into the pastorate and putting behind the pulpits of local churches men who are not God called, there are those men who ascend to the sacred desk to lead God's people who do so because they have just good human gifts they are naturally gifted in in communication are in rhetoric, maybe even humor. They have organizational skills and on and on we could go to those things are not wrong there helpful. That does not mean there called of God. There are those 30 years who have ascended to the sacred desk in the office of pastor the church who are mama called mom always thought that would be wonderful if her son was in the ministry and she prodded and poked and pushed in massaged until he went into the gospel ministry. But what really matters is is a man God called just as God calls you to salvation, and if he calls you to salvation he performs in you through the preaching of the gospel and the ministry of the Holy Spirit and regeneration within your heart so it is God's sovereign purposes to call some to the office of pastor.

Sometimes I call it pastor teacher in the local church wears a question. How do you know if God is called you to the gospel ministry. How do you know what, let's talk about that.

Not by way of introduction, we know in the Old Testament, it was common for God to speak directly out of heaven and assigned a man to a particular task, but to be profitable.

People sometimes God spoke through angels and assigned them into that task. During the New Testament era that is when Jesus was on the earth, ministering. He himself would call these men. They follow me, and he will begin to pull them aside and pour into them and train them for the following gospel ministry. They primarily would pursue after he was ascended back into heaven. But today that has been replaced. Jesus is not here.

We are not receiving divine direct revelation of voice from heaven or a voice through angels but it is the compelling work of the Holy Spirit within a man's heart and this inward compelling work then must be balanced with all the stipulations God gives to Timothy in first Timothy chapter 3 and these are to be observed and there is to be the affirmation of the local church in the final analysis before man can consider himself called of God and the gospel ministry not looking at verse one. Let's break it down this way.

Notice I. This is a way T calling a way T calling when Paul starts out here. He says it is a trustworthy statement that phrase about a trustworthy statement is a phrase that Paul uses five times in his writings that we now have as part of the New Testament, and each time Paul used that phrase.

It is a trustworthy statement something of Solomon NYT importance was about to be stated. For example, go back to first Timothy chapter 1 and look at verse 15 where he uses this exact same phrase he says in chapter 1 verse 15 is is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I'm foremost now that truth Christ Jesus came into the world to say Sid sinners is a weighty and important and great statement and uses the same phrase to introduce this thing of men being called to the pastorate. So, as Paul uses this phrase to introduce those who believe there called it a full-time gospel ministry. He's showing us this is a high important and way T matter but affect historians tell us this creed. It's a trustworthy statement became a common creed in the early church and they knew any time at a later said nights a trustworthy statement you got up on the interview your pew and you listen carefully, because something of great importance was about to be uttered. That's what Paul is saying here not beginning in acts 14. We begin to see the rising profile of pastors or elders in the local New Testament churches. You know you had the Lord Jesus Christ, who led the entire enterprise and then after Christ ascended to heaven. We have these apostles who led the entire enterprise. I've been slowly the apostles established local churches all over the known world, and then slowly they begin to appoint elders and all of those churches so it was a slow, progressive thing that finally came to the settled fashion. If you will, are structure of the local church and that is that there are men called of God to lead and oversee these churches. The Bible tells us in acts 1423 will not look at that yet but tonight 1423 Paul and Barnabas are appointing elders and all of the churches that they found it when I make this statement a pastor or an elder or pastor or elders are not essential to the existence of the church, but they are essential as to the health and the good of the church, so there were churches before there were pastors pastoring the churches of the apostles were something like circuit riders they would make their circuit around to the established congregations before there any pastors appointed as our country was discovered in the 13 colonies became a nation and the journey westward beginning settlements begin all over what we have now is this what we call the Midwest and ultimately out to the West churches would pop up all of these known regions and there to be circuit riding pastor. Sometimes you may not get a pastor to preach at your place for 23 months. You are so glad when it was your turn for pastor to come through what that's kinda like it was in the early days of the formation of the Christian faith. 2000 years ago, as these local churches are established everywhere and slowly the apostles would minister to them and then begin to point preachers pastor teachers in every church.

Now here's what you got to get clear in your mind. Start off with and that is that there are several terms that are used for this one office. Sometimes the word Pastore is used point mean in the Greek it speaks to the shepherding role. The nurturing role of the man in that office. Sometimes the word overseer is used and that's the word used here instead of first Timothy 31 overseer which which speaks to the literate leadership and the authority responsibility of this man and this one office and sometimes you have the word elder Crespo to Ross. It speaks to the spiritual maturity that that one should have sold the good, the ecclesiastical structures we see in person today where that separates the bishop maybe from an elder from a pastor.

Those are three distinct roles. The New Testament knows nothing about that.

These are three descriptive words that describe the functions the various functions of the man in the one office of pastor or elder in the church that may give you an example.

We don't have time to look it up but in acts chapter 20 we have the word, the, the label the title, I should say overseer and the title pastor used interchangeably is clearly that they are in a Titus one verses five and seven we have the title elder and the title overseer used interchangeably again in first Peter 51 until you have the term elder and the term pastor used entertain interchangeably. So depending on what aspect are what function of the ministry.

The biblical writer wanted to emphasize he would use one of those three terms overseer pastor or elder to make it just a little more complicated. Through the years. The word overseer that we have in our text here in some of the older translations was translated. Bishop in one sentence it would be technically accurate for you to call me the bishop of Bryce like her to the shows I don't prefer that.

I'm not asking for that but technically that would be true. But Tom has become, I guess. I think hopefully affectionately that increasingly I been viewed as the pastor and the other men on here call the elders.

That's not absolute but it's a way to differentiate between the lead pastor the preaching pastor and the other pastors in the church but anyway there used interchangeably. All through the New Testament in Philippians 11.

It's addressed to the elders and the deacons of the church. First Thessalonians 512, and 13 elders had charge of the church. They were to diligently labor on behalf of the church. Hebrews 1317.

Elders are held accountable to the Lord for their guardianship of the people in their churches. First Peter 5134 elders are exhorted to shepherd the flock of God providing examples for the people what I'm saying here is in all of these truths that come out we recognize the great and all, some level importance weightiness of this office. I would submit to you listen what motel you if Satan wants to gain advantage in God's church. If Satan wants to gain advantage over God's people. If Satan wants to gain the advantage over a country of people. The best thing he can do is compromise the pulpit. The best thing Satan can do is put a hireling behind the sacred. This, and he's very very clever.

Just as Judas Iscariot for upwards to three years was a part of the original 12 apostles with Jesus, but was so impressive as to his seeming godliness and spirituality that even made him the treasurer of the 12 so Satan knows how to put counterfeits in the pulpit to diminish the church people of God, and even the country that pastors pastoring with the this is a way T calling II notice. It is a particular calling that is to me in only two men only pastors today are just falling all over themselves apologizing for this and and try not to be offensive is just the truth. We cannot massage manipulate biblical truth to fit the latest currents of the unregenerate culture the church finds herself in. It's a particular calling is calling to me and only what he says here is a trustworthy statement. If any man that this is not the feminine form of the word. It is a masculine form that swats translated man and not woman, it's of the masculine gender but affect each descriptive qualification for the office of pastor listed listed it and listed rather in verses two through six is also in the masculine gender and then verse two makes it very clear he is to be the husband of one wife. If there was any possibility in the mind of God that this office was open to women. Those statements and the exhaustive use of the masculine gender would never have been made.

God made man and women different from each other. Now ladies remember in chapter 2 how God gave women the lofty also and most powerful role of bearing children and training children for the glory of God in the world.

I don't know if you've known this lately, but you may have noticed men can't have babies. That's all role a distinguished esteemed lofty dignity. I wrote all God gave to women kind of godly women find spiritual women embrace and rejoice can praise God for the greatness of their role in God's kingdom. They can do things men cannot do and God's given roles of the church. Women are not to be called to so there are limitations within the church for the roles that men and women play women again are of absolute equal importance before God being called image bearers of the mark of deity God puts in his children, the women have that wonderful privilege of bearing children nurturing children to impact the world through those children for the glory of God. Men are given the outward overt leadership and there is a beautiful complementarity balance in all that God does. It is a particular calling and calling for men only III it's an inward calling combined with an outward pursuit. It's a calling that starts in the heart and soul of a man I desire is the word that you used. Here Paul says in verse one of chapter 3. It's a trustworthy statement. If any man aspires to get to that word in just a moment to the office of overseer. It is a fine work he desires to do the work desires. There has the idea of a passionate inner compulsion is an ever abiding a drive in his soul that I want to be about the work of preaching God's gospel of ministering to God's people by building up and strengthening God's church than others, but there's a lot of good and godly men in the church you have that this would be different. This would be that drive that goes beyond even the level of committed churchmen in the church so it's it it's a literally one is beginning to stretch himself toward our grasp that role of that officer, that responsibility into the church.

Now the word aspires is a little bit different. It Linda refers to external movement. This person finds himself reading. He finds himself studying, he finds himself wanting to be around the leaders in the church, he finds himself wanting to learn more about it again. It goes beyond the level of committed churchmen. A churchmen should have all of those things. But it's an abiding desire that has an outward pursuit as he begins to study and read and learn things pertaining to gospel ministry so it is the man that God is calling has an internal drive that motivates him toward the external pursuit of the goal and in my experience I think it varies man to man, but in my experience, my bones were aflame. I know what Paul said when he said, well, it's me.

If I do not preach the gospel. I know what God's call me to do. I know he's instructed me to.

I know his will is for my life I can do nothing else and that's what it should get to where you're going to be of all men most miserable if you do not surrender to that and gold for God in his service there. Some of you sitting here this morning in this hour that this message from this text is one of the final affirmations from God's spirit to your heart that yes that is the course God has put me on anchored in transmissions as being wonderfully blessed wonderfully blessed we have places across this country were we need God called men to go preach his word and shepherded church.

It would just be understandable that God would begin to call and lead more men to surrender to the gospel ministry.

Now let's remind ourselves that this is a passion to listen, not for position or rank. I'm not saying a man of God is perfect and he's all it is perfectly cleansed from warning a position or a rank in in gospel ministry are in the church.

But here's what happens when he dwells all that long.

He gladly receives the reproof's and rebukes of the Holy Spirit that you got this thing upside down.

This will include likely rank and position. But that's not the main drive the main drive is to be willing and yielded to serve God and be about the work I want to teach the word I want to preach the word how to structure and organize and nurture discipling care for God's people in God's church. I want to be about the work I remember in my own heart laying in bed at night reading the Scriptures and thinking about how I've got to tell this to somebody I got to teach this to somebody needs to know these things, God's church. Please understand these truths that's been 1/40 years ago and I still have a fire in my bones about is one thing he did look for is if anyone else put the fire in there it will burn out. God put the fire in there. You may need sometimes to separate sometimes the rest that's biblical fired and go out first Samuel 1314 the Lord has sought for him. A man after his own heart and I just elaborate there for just a moment God wants me and after his own heart. Lemanski worse the heart of God part of God is to glorify himself by building his church as a man is called in the minutes to listen to me.

He may not grasp all of that right away. I know I did not because it wasn't emphasized and it wasn't talked, but ask the Scriptures begin to be unfolded to him and he sees the centerpiece of God's purposes is his own glory through his local church begins to grasp him, and he desires what God desires. God's glory through God's church for time and it will extend all the way into eternity cannot challenge you who may be led are prompted about gospel ministry would you keep your heart centered on the work and forget the positions involved in it. Those positions will take care of themselves.

If you'll expend yourself in the work as your church leaders offer you opportunity. I continue this if a man comes into this congregation. He said I don't know I may be let in the gospel ministry and we say can you help us here. Can you help us there and they sort of feel like they're in a cafeteria line know this is what I'll do.

And this is what I do this when I get to do this.

What I'm skill to do. I got news for you, sir, you didn't join this church to dictate to the church what you're going to do if everybody did that does that. We have chaos in many needs go unmet. You should walk in and save it needs to be done and I can do it. I will do it. It's a passion not primarily for rank, but for the work. It's an inward desire and inward calling with an outward pursuit. Ezekiel 2230 are sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land this man who is called of God in outward begins to prepare himself of that call is a man that will represent God and share God's interest and share God's passion unites for God's own glory through God's church, if you're not there then you need to get they are your calling may be genuine, but you're thinking about it may be weak.

IV is an important calling. We talked about weighty billets elaborate under this heading of its importance. He calls them and overseer list go to for support before Lebanon overseer. Let's go to the authority invested in this calling. When God calls a man in a local church receives him into that office of pastor.

He assumes an office of significant authority.

That's why this word overseer has come to us out of the New Testament it's it's a word that Tom Episcopal cost that has the idea of a magistrate in the community but effect in Greek culture that was the common used were not word used. They're talking about a city mayor or city councilmember he would be called in Episcopal costs and overseer. It carried with that authority. The juice open to this day still to our day used it for those who preach tall and exercise care in authority over the people. So the biblical overseer has the responsibility of leading, instructing and shepherding the people of God from this office of significant authority. He's a man who receives contributions from the people he's to hear and verify accusations and disputes among the people he administers the ordinances of the church and administers disciplines within the church now as a body grows large and as a body matures. He does that in concert with many other men and ladies, as that pastoral work flows down through the entire body. But it is an office of significant authority. Number two dolling the authority in the office but the responsibility in the office.

It's a responsible calling now will talk about more these as we go through first Timothy but let me just list the main sixes I see them. He's responsible to lead the church. First Timothy 517 to teach the church. First Timothy 517 to pray for the church.

James 514 to care for the church. First Peter 52 the set church policy acts 1560 29 and to lead in the ordaining of future pastors or elders.

First Timothy 414 and you could break every one of those down into many many subpoints and responsibilities. If you are the elder or pastor in the church are one of the elders are pastors, God is giving office of authority church family. Don't forget they have taken on an awesome responsibility.

Listen for which they will give a greater account and bear a greater judgment from God.

We those in this office should carry this with some humility, even some trembling if I didn't believe in the sovereignty of God. If I didn't believe in God's power to make me affected for his glory. I could not bear the weight of the responsibility because I do take it seriously. Thirdly, the dignity in this work that speaks of its importance. Also the dignity he says in verse one of chapter 3. It is a finding work that word find is interesting that you noticed in the context pastors in this day were largely hated the Jews hated them.

The Greek culture hated them. They were often greatly persecuted. It's is not a position that generally speaking, the people, the culture would say hi. That's what I want my son to do but effect is something the majority of people would run from Scott Fadden, ridicule Paul says write the office, he says, no, no, no, this is they find work.

There is a dignity that to this work and that word find me. Just a good work. It's a noble work.

It's an excellent work.

It's an audible work. It's a work of high quality and I submit to you the work of pastoring God's church is the most worthy task in the world. If I were to become the president of the United States of America. I will be taken a step down from my role as pastor of Grace like church of the show. It is a fine work, a work of great honor excellence and dignity. Number four speaks to the importance of the work. It is a difficult calling. There's difficulty to this piece is it's a work. It's a fine work he desires to do. It's a difficult task. The word work here has the idea of extending great energy, effort and zeal.

I meet a lot of young pastors who'd been at it for years eight years 12 years and I wonder about race like church of the show's they wonder about how you guys do what you do and why you're so committed to the work and they wonder about how I could interest missions develop sin and God is blessed in so much over these years and you know I come back to that old phrase is not original with me, but a lot of times it's a lot more perspiration than it is inspiration. Those young in the ministry out there. You do not get a healthy true work without decades of hard work behind it.

There's lots of hard work. When Paul wrote to Timothy.

He said things like this. He said he said Timothy L to know I'm at the end of my life and I have fought the good fight pulse administers amazement fight. If you've ever been given fight. The last fight I remember I got beat up but I gave it everything I had the he was older and a lot bigger and I was stupid. I mean I was so tired I gave it everything. Let's what Paul said ministry is work that I fought the good fight. He didn't say I finish the fight he said I finish my course of the fight if you're called to preach. You get finished. That's part of the difficulty is that it's never finished every night.

If you care about your work there someone else that could been witness to this law often without Christ there someone else in the body.

In our case meeting many many many someone else's who are hurting our broken or destitute nor discouraged and need to be ministered to the so many things it just doesn't even as part of the difficulty of the work is wise. Paul writes to Timothy, he uses words like labor in this pastorate be striving. These are biblical words take pains work to the point of exhaustion. In this work.

Give it all you've got. It's an important work and it's a difficult work number five is to be a confirmed work a confirmed work it in my approaching for decades. Ministry in the early years there was so very little tall and very very little application of the truth, that one's calling to the ministry must be confirmed by a body of local church elders and the church family at large that it was almost the notion effect. I think it was the notion that if anybody anywhere anytime said God's calling the ministry that we were all bound almost would change to say yes sir, we wanted to. That's why you hung take you in Baptist churches today. They got 76 different ministries going on because 76 people got a word from God about 76 different ministries. God called them to. Why don't we just go back to this book and let it be the authoritative sufficient word for what we do in the church and not be the laughing stock of the world because we reinvent ourselves and reinvent our ministries every six months two years in the church to stay with the old stuff. Be faithful to your calling, the ministry is not the call of God until God's local church confirms it. Those who have watched you those who have nurtured you those who have loved you and cared for you and our position here. Grace, like church is working. Always air on graceful going to believe you for the support you but there are times more than the safe, you know, we don't think you're ready. We think you need to work on some things in your life. There's been many a young man come through our church and had great skill and great talents and great potential, but they had weak character, and we should you need slowdown. We can't send you out with our blessing. We cannot confirm this yet. Just to give you an idea.

First of all, this confirmation is not spelled out in this text, but what's the context who is Paul writing to. He's writing to a young pastor, Timothy hadn't Timothy get in the pastorate, the people of his local church affirmed him, confirmed him and the apostle Paul who had unique apostolate authority. We don't have that anymore. But in this day that was enough. He was confirmed by Paul and his church, then he was ready for the office of pastor the local church. Just a few verses to show you how thoroughly this is called in the Bible. He tells Timothy in first Timothy 412 let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. Show your seven example, those who believe interest point God's called you use to sit in your heart you pursued it outwardly and your church and me as the apostle has confirmed this work and if we've confirmed you to this work. Yes your younger and yes young preachers make immature mistakes.

You remember me while tonight's meeting. This generally I'm so grateful that you saw my heart and calling didn't judge me for all my blunders and in maturities the years Timothy had the same problem opportunity could go back on something to say, I know God called me Craig apostle gave me his blessing had not church getting his blessing to my little late on with authority and I'm not letting this church look down on my youth confirmed God converted and God do it. Did it through Paul in the local church. Look at Titus 15 for this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you to Paul Lee's Titus on the island of Crete and the churches on the island of Crete were in a big mess and Paul tells Titus, among other things. I want you to go to these local congregations on the island of Crete and I want you to recognize who feels like he ought to be an elder of the church. No incidents. Titus you take authority and you appoint the elders and the churches in there to submit to you. So Titus is functioning as an extension of the authority of the apostle Paul because the church disc had not been established long enough to have the truth and the guidance of the spirit to be good to see since discern and confirm the elders God has given them in the church and we all have the apostle Paul today, nor is associate Titus to come tell us what to do, but we do have the word of God and proven men and an overall decently mature church family that can discern, and since these things and since I confirmation all to be given to certain ones for gospel ministry acts 13 134, though they were at Antioch in the church that was there profits and teachers, Barnabas, and Simeon whose called Niger, and Lucius of Sirena Monday and have been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. And while ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I call them Sears God sings of these men apart.

Then when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands us the local church all them that he sent them out in verse four. Something set out by the Holy Spirit which one is up after they laid their hands on him, they sent them out in the next verses in the Holy Spirit sent them out which one is it.

It's both. It's always been listen it if the Holy Spirit can lead you in the ministry. Can you not lead those in your church to discern that to. That's the confirmation. Paul and Barnabas themselves needed that to be sent out. Acts 15 one through six, so men came down from Judea and begin teaching the brethren, unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debates with them. The brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and others of them should go to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue. Like at issue in the Gentile churches about getting Satan what they should do about certain ceremonial customs of the law and what this Paul and Barnabas do they go back to the local church to get confirmation on them when they arrived in Jerusalem or so before they were received by the church, the apostles and the elders and they all reported that God had what God had done with them. Some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up to say, it is necessary to circumcised them and direct them to observe the law of Moses, Sears, the controversy we want them to be ceremonially like juice with the apostles and the elders verse six came together to look into this matter. So even when the esteemed apostle had problems in the church. It was his custom.

Go back to a local church to get confirmation of what must things I'm saying. God's made it clear in the New Testament that his work is to be confirmed and overseen by local churches. That includes one's call into the gospel ministry you see a man who seeks the office of pastor seeks an office of significant authority, but he must begin that journey. Submitting to the authority of his church.

I think that is so violent was very vital in my own pilgrimage to first submit to my pastor and honor that authority before God gave me the office of authority in a church so that's the way that's the means God is ordained to confirm those whom he is called the gospel ministry element and with one more verse cross reference. First Peter 52 with the apostle Peter is exhorting here and he says Shepherd the flock of God the flock of Jeff flock of Matt flock of Steve not the flock of the elders the flock of God will that's it. That's something pastors must remember the church is not your church, you cannot leave this church according to what you feel is best. You must lead according to what he feels is best for his flock. You are under Shepherd. You are a steward of another's property. If your past put it back up there please shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising over oversight and noticed not under compulsion to volunteer. That means I'm not being driven to be forced to do this. This came up in my own heart by the Spirit of God. I chose to do this because God is leading me and calling me voluntarily according to the will of God not think that means the will of God and how the works to be done, but this the will of God that I have this role. Not for sordid gain, not for the financial gain, not for material gain. But with eagerness has God called you to minister church.

Do you understand what it means for God to call me in the gospel ministry. I think we all need to covenant in our hearts together to seek the Lord because I'm telling you the harvest is getting white for us through our missions work, but the laborers are getting few.

We need more more mint God would call because you know what I found through the years. Some of you know our history.

You know that we've had some tough days you can't quit what you didn't start with Jeff what it you leave when all this went on all the cooking equipment didn't start God put me here. I did start this. I can't quit and he says quit.

I can't leave decently bucket transfer, he says transfer.

You can't quit what you did start and stop what you didn't start that's the economy and we needed the ministry to lash in all there were times when I wondered if I'd be fired. There were times when I wondered if this is all fit my salary greatly if I make the stand were not to be in it for that. That takes care of itself over time.

The unit of the glory of God the good of his church.

This is the flock of God's not ours has God called you to this work