A Noble Task Series

INTRO.- A noble task. What’s that? It depends on what you consider to be a noble task. I personally would not commend tending bar as being a noble task nor many other jobs in this world. Like: prostitution, dealing at a table at a gambling casino, etc. Nobility carries the idea of excellence or high moral character or standing. High ranking, excellent, moral, superior, illustrious.

ILL.- When Richard Nixon was Vice President (1953-61 under Eisenhower) he enjoyed relating an incident that took place at the Boy Scout Jamboree at Valley Forge. Practically every scout there had a camera and was trying to get a picture of the Vice President. One little fellow was as anxious as anyone else, but after snapping three shots he closed his camera and said, “That’s all my budget allows for Vice Presidents.”

Personally speaking, my budget doesn’t allow anything for Vice Presidents and sometimes, even Presidents!

ILL.- A little girl asked her father, “Do all fairy tales begin with Once upon a time?” The father replied, “No, some begin with - If I’m elected.”

We all know that being a politician is not popular these days. Far too many don’t keep their promises or else they deal under the table in order to get what they want. What do you call that?

Now here’s a better example of nobility.

ILL.- I love the old story about missionary Hudson Taylor who was scheduled to speak at a Large Presbyterian church in Melbourne, Australia. The moderator of the service introduced the missionary in eloquent and glowing terms. He told the large congregation all that Taylor had accomplished in China, and then presented him as "our illustrious guest."

Taylor stood quietly for a moment, and then opened his message by saying, "Dear friends, I am only the little servant of an illustrious Master."

Now that’s being noble as far as I’m concerned! I believe that if anything good comes from our lives then the Lord should be praised for it. HE IS THE AUTHOR OF GOOD IN OUR LIVES! And when we live for His praise and glory and that’s being very noble or very excellent!

Being a doctor has generally always been considered a noble task. And so with being a preacher or a pastor. However, with some corruption in these ranks they are not considered as high ranking as they once were. BUT THEY SHOULD! These jobs/occupations should be restored to the position of nobility by those who serve long and well!

PROP.- In our text, Paul speaks of several noble tasks in the church.

1- The noble task of being an elder

2- The noble task of being a deacon

3- The noble task of being a leader’s wife

I. THE NOBLE TASK OF BEING AN ELDER

1Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. 2Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

Would you want to be an elder? If you do, you desire a noble task. An elder who is qualified and does his work is a noble person indeed.

Being a good elder is something that some men should shoot for! However, it seems like we don’t see many young men who have the desire to be an elder. WHY IS THIS? Why is there a lack of interest of being an elder or church leader in general?

It could be either because some leaders have done such a poor job or else the congregations where they served criticized them so much that no one wanted the job!

ILL.- On April 12th, 1945, Harry Truman was summoned to the White House. Ushered into Eleanor Roosevelt’s sitting room, the vice president was gently informed that President Roosevelt had died.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Truman asked after a moment’s reflection. "Is there anything we can do for you?" Eleanor replied. "You’re the one in trouble now!" That’s probably how a newly elected elder feels.

ILL.- President Clinton once said running a country is a lot like running a cemetery; you’ve got a lot of people under you and nobody’s listening.

That may also be how elders feel. I know that’s often how preachers feel. Nobody’s listening.