September 15, 2019
Morning Service

As we finished chapter 2 of the first letter to Timothy last week, we saw the call to come to the assembly prepared with “true heart” free of all “wrath and doubting.”  Our assembling together is a very important part of our walk with the Lord as we do life together.  We will get out of it what we put in to it.  Prepare your heart with prayer and look to give as well as receive and God will meet you there.  It is a privilege to gather in His Name with His people as often as possible.  In the evening service we looked at Paul’s explanation of the women’s role in the church.  Just as marriage mirrors the church, God has chosen the men to fill the role of leadership.  Paul states plainly that “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man.”  Women however, as we saw in Titus, are expected to teach the children as well as the older ladies to “admonish the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”  In our society that is crying for equality, this is not a popular message, but it is how God has designed it to be.  Jesus is the Head of the Church and we are His body, so we will follow whatever He has set in order for us to do.  To begin today, I want to skip a little ahead and let Paul explain to us what the purpose of this letter really is.

1Ti 3:14-15 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; (15) but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

            Paul is setting in order many guidelines for the local church on how it is to conduct itself as he has already defined the women’s role in it.  Today we will look at the government of the church and how it is to be established and the qualifications needed to fill those roles.  Let’s now go back to the start of the chapter with his purpose in mind as we study.

 

1Ti 3:1-7 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.  (2)  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;  (3)  not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;  (4)  one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence  (5)  (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);  (6)  not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.  (7)  Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

            The position of bishop can also be described or referred to as any of these; overseer, elder, shepherd, and as we know it pastor.  The pastor must be able to fill all of those responsibilities that Paul lists here as  he is the one who leads, teaches, and protects the church as a shepherd would do for his flock.  The standard to fulfill this role is set high as it should be.  It is very important that the pastor lives a pure life that comes from his loving commitment to serve and represent Christ as his motivation.  He in no way will be perfect and without fault, but needs to have a good grasp on the scriptures and be applying that knowledge to his own lifestyle.  Some of the attributes that he is required to have include temperate (clear headed), sober-minded (have self-control), be hospitable and able to teach.  He must rule his own house well and not be caught up in the many attributes of worldliness such as drunkenness, violence, greed or covetousness.  He must be well grounded and always on guard to avoid pride and the many temptations the devil will bring his way.  He also must have a good testimony or reputation with those outside the church.

            As you read these many qualifications don’t think this does not apply to all of us because we are not the pastor.  Each of us should strive to be the best Christ follower that we can and if that means aiming to meet these standards, then do it!  If only the pastor of a church possesses these attributes, then the church is destined to fail.  We must all make it our goal to put God first in our lives and allow Him to mold us into one who meets these qualifications as an act of worship to Him as we “offer ourselves as living sacrifices to the Lord.”  The next office Paul speaks on is the deacons.

 

1Ti 3:8-13 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, (9) holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.  (10)  But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.  (11)  Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.  (12)  Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.  (13)  For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

            Deacon means “one who serves.”  This position was first mentioned in the Book of Acts chapter 6 in which the apostles appointed seven men to focus on meeting the physical needs of the church while they focused on the spiritual needs.  These leaders also must also have a good grasp of the gospel message.  Before being asked to serve, they must “first be tested” showing that they are faithful in smaller things before giving them the bigger responsibility of serving as a deacon.  Their lives must also reflect that they have a loving commitment to following Jesus as they display reverence, self-control, honesty and a separation from worldly attributes.  Paul also includes some qualifications for the deacon’s wife as well.  They too must be reverent, not speaking evil, temperate and faithful in all things.  Serving as a deacon gains one “a good standing and great boldness in the faith.”  A deacon is the definition of “servant leadership” as they lead while serving the needs of others.  We will now finish where we began as we return to verses 14-16 to close the chapter.

 

1Ti 3:14-16 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; (15) but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.  (16)  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.

            Paul again is writing these guidelines for the church to be able to conduct itself in a manner that is pleasing to God. These offices of bishop and deacon are what makes up the governing side of the church and its leadership. He also refers to the church as the “house of God” stressing the family aspect of the church.  We as the church are a body of believers who are more than just members of an organization; we are family.  We are brothers and sisters who have in common our love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and our desire to serve and please Him fulfilling His commands in our lives.  The church is how we do that together.  We laugh, cry, study, lean on, help each other and keep each other accountable and focused on the right path as we make our journey to meet God face to face.  We are better together.

  He also refers to the church as the “pillar and ground of truth” emphasizing its responsibility to preserve and proclaim truth.  He then makes a confessional statement that summarizes that truth.  (Read verse 16)   The great mystery of our faith is that Jesus was totally man yet still totally God as He was manifested in the flesh and justified in the Spirit.  He proclaimed the gospel message even prophesying of His own death, burial and resurrection.  This was all done so that mankind (each one of us) could have a hope of eternal life and a personal relationship with their Creator, Savior and Friend.  By accepting Him as your Lord and Savior you have entered into His church which is the “pillar and ground of truth.”  You are exactly where He wants you to be and will use you as a tool in His hand to fulfill His Will.

 

Heavenly Father thank You for the church and how You designed it.  Place within our hearts to do our part to make it pleasing in Your sight and to fulfill all You have planned for us.