Leadership's Divine Appointment_1 Series

INTRODUCTION

Outline.

1. The Leadership’s: Divine Appointment

Introductory Remarks.

1. The first lesson in this Series: “Divine Call to Leadership,” will be “The Leadership’s Divine Appointment.”

2. We will consider the elders at Ephesus’ divine appointment. Paul reminded them: “To take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His blood,” Acts 20:28. The call to leadership was from a divine source: the Holy Ghost. Who had “made them overseers, to feed the church of God” with the word of life.

3. This is urgently necessary because the “church is the prize possession of Christ, having been purchased with His blood.” With this brief introduction, let’s consider our first lesson.

BODY OF LESSON

I THE LEADERSHIP’S: DIVINE APPOINTMENT

A. Take heed: “First to yourselves.” Paul first charges the elders to conduct a self-examination and heed their soul’s condition, 2 Corinthians 13:5. He mentions his life and work among them in Ephesus after their arrival to Miletus. Notice:

1. First, he describes his commitment to them while he labored in Ephesus, establishing the church and appointing them to this office, Acts 20:17-24.

2. Further, he mentions his commission unto them regarding their work and the upcoming apostasy, Acts 20:25-32. We’ll speak more about this later in this lesson series.

3. Lastly, he outlines his character while he labored with them in Ephesus, Acts 20:33-35. He wrote: “I have coveted no man’s silver, gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me...remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive,” Acts 20:33-35.

4. Therefore, he could ask them to present themselves in the same fashion before the church and the citizens of Ephesus. Every elder ought to be an example before the flock. The elders must be capable teachers of the Word and walk in Christ. Notice...

a. Paul reminded these leaders:

1) First. “I taught you publicly and from house to house.”

2) Further, “For three months, I taught in the Jewish synagogue at Ephesus.”

3) Next, “And for two years in the school of Tyrannus.”

4) Finally, “Besides my teaching and preaching in the assembly, at Ephesus,” the apostle preached and taught them all necessary things that they might show works of “Repentance toward God, and faith in Jesus Christ,” Acts 20:21. I have shown you by my example how to love God and serve Jesus: “Your first love,” Revelation 2:4. Notice...

b. To Corinth, he wrote: “Be ye then a follower of me as I am of Christ,” 1 Corinthians 11:1. We cannot ask of the church that which we are not ourselves giving or demonstrating. I wish I had some help!

c. He admonished Timothy and Titus similarly, 1 Timothy 4:11-16; Titus 2:7-8. To be a “good example; and let no man despise thy youth,” Titus 2:15.

d. He further wrote: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also,” 2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Timothy 3:14.

NOTE: Review our lesson “The Minister’s Life and Work” on SermonCentral.com to learn more about Paul's admonition to these young preachers.

B. Then to church: “All the flock.” He now turns their attention to the flock or the church. Please note he said, “To all the flock.” This, no doubt, refers to the makeup of the church of Christ in Ephesus. This assembly was attended by both “Jews and Gentiles.” Remember that you oversee “all the saints” in the body of Christ in Ephesus. Observe...

1. The church’s makeup is made of both “Jews and Gentiles.” Each is called into the same body by the “gospel of Christ.” Each was to have the same inheritance through their “calling and election” unto Jesus Christ. To the Ephesians’ Paul wrote: “That the Gentiles (the other members):”

a. “Should be fellow heirs.”

b. “And members of the same body.”

c. “And partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel,” Ephesians 3:1-6.

d. They were not a Jewish church or a Gentile church. But they were the church of Christ, having both nations as its members, Galatians 3:26-28.

e. Illustrate The Black and White Church. Are both these the Church of Christ? Can we exist as a membership with both white and black Christians? I am afraid...

1) The plague of segregation still haunts and shames the Lord’s people, with its roots as far back as slavery and “Jim Crow” in America. Will the church ever be able to present a united front to the world? I pray it will come soon, first in America and then worldwide. The divisions of white and black churches have existed long enough!