The OVERSEER’s FITNESS-V—1Timothy 3:1-7
Attention:
Alisha’s(my son’s girlfriend) artistic ability. An excellent artist. Uses many media. Has a portfolio. She is fittted & poised to be a great artist.
Likewise, oversight of the local church requires a certain fitness.
Need:
Paul related the moral qualifications for an overseer of the Church.
Character traits for overseers of the church are definitive/unequivocal.
?What character traits define an overseer’s fitness for office?
?How is an overseer’s fitness determined?
Characteristics by which an overseer’s fitness for office is decided.
In previous weeks we have found that An overseer’s fitness for office is decided by His...
1. DESIRE(:1)
2. BLAMELESSNESS(:2a)
3. MARITAL COMMITMENT(:2b)
4. EMOTIONAL STABILITY(:2c)
5. SELF-CONTROL(:2d)
6. ORDERLINESS(:2e)
7. OPENNESS Toward STRANGERS(:2f)
8. TEACHING(:2g)
9. SOBRIETY(:3a)
10—An overseer’s fitness for office is decided by...
His TEMPERAMENT(:3b)
Explanation:(:3b)
:3—“not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;”
“Not Violent”... “Not Quarrelsome”:
is obviously commendable for a pastor who desires to maintain peace both in the church & in her relationships. A church should boldly stand up for that which honors the Lord, but to be brashly & even physically argumentative is unbecoming to a/the church.
Such a violent attitude aligns itself with the likes of Islam, etc. rather than Christianity, as has been expressed whenever their god or their prophet is ‘blasphemed.’
There are aberrant sects(Liberation Theorist advocates) of Christianity who twist the Scriptures in order to encourage fisticuffs. How is it possible that a man of God—or a church for that matter—could ever offer a true & godly solution by violence rather than love? Love leads us to godly judgments providing godly answers, but is not to the extent that it ‘comes to blows’ in judgmentalisms.
A pastor’s counsel which is “not violent” will help to ease tempers & rash behaviors in relationships which are already strained to the breaking point.
“Not Violent -- He resolves conflict peacefully.”—Pastoral Ad
“Not Quarrelsome”:
The qualifying & corresponding term(s) for a lack of “violence” are translated “Not quarrelsome, Not a brawler or Uncontentious.” These describe someone who never seeks a physical fight, knowing that difficulties can be handled by God’s strength by means of the Holy Spirit’s empowerment & control.
Avoiding contention is why it is imperative, when the church assembles for a meeting, that individuals are given opportunity to speak freely & openly unopposed, by having them stand while all others are seated. If the pastor would entertain interruptive & argumentative behaviors, the church would be in chaos...A state dishonoring to God in Christ. Our God is a God of peace rather than confusion(1Cor. 14:33; Js. 3:16).
NOT:
“Violent/Striker/Pugnacious”—plhkthv—Bruiser, ready for a blow; 2) A pugnacious, contentious, quarrelsome person. Strong—A smiter, i.e. Pugnacious(quarrelsome). Used 2X.
BUT:
“Not quarrelsome/Not a brawler/Uncontentious”—amacov—Not to be withstood, invincible; 2) Not contentious; 3) Abstaining from fighting. Strong—Peaceable. Used 2X.
The negation of —mach—1) A fight or combat. mach has often the weaker force of strife or contention, which is very seldom found in polemov(war).
Argumentation:
1Sam. 25:2-38—Nabal=“Fool”—READ
1Sam. 25:5-12—“David sent ten young men; & David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, go to Nabal, & greet him in my name. And thus you shall say to him who lives in prosperity: ‘Peace be to you, peace to your house, & peace to all that you have! ‘Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds were with us, & we did not hurt them, nor was there anything missing from them all the while they were in Carmel. ‘Ask your young men, & they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants & to your son David.’” So when David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David, & waited. Then Nabal answered David’s servants, & said, “Who is David, & who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master. Shall I then take my bread & my water & my meat that I have killed for my shearers, & give it to men when I do not know where they are from?” So David’s young men turned on their heels & went back; & they came & told him all these words.”
This piece of history makes me wonder why Nabal’s parents would have named him “Fool.” Possibly he was recognized as “Fool” following this episode with David.
2Tim. 2:24-26—“And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, & that they may come to their senses & escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”
Illustration:
No regard for another’s faith/soul competency/His TEMPERAMENT
Wayne Sauder’s rock/There was a large quartzite rock(about 4’ X2’ X2’) in our neighborhood, on one of the hills, above the creek, in the woods/It was dotted with pieces of fool’s gold/Us kids(6-8yrs old?) thought it was soooo cool!/We were going to take some home, show our Mom’s & tell her “We found gold in them hills!”/Doug Epting(my best friend) & I were examining the rock intent on removing some of the ‘gold’/Unbeknownst to us, Wayne considered that rock his!/Wayne, sees us ‘taking his gold,’ gets angry & runs at us with both fists swinging/We ran & ran until we had left him behind & were safe in our houses/Wayne’s TEMPERAMENT ruined our find.
Application:
?Does your pastor exemplify a godly TEMPERAMENT?
?Your Pastor Fit for Office?
?How do you measure up regarding the same qualifications?
11—An overseer’s fitness for office is decided by...
His FINANCIAL PROWESS(:3c)
Explanation: (:3c)
:3—“not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;”
“Not Greedy for Money”... “Not Covetous”—is descriptive of a persons who makes no decisions for personal gain, particularly as it relates monetarily. Jesus Himself said that no servant can serve two masters(Lk. 16:13; Mat. 6:24), stating that no one can rightly serve God if his eye is always on his wealth. If such is the case with a pastor, then he can be truly bribed, having his decisions swayed for the sake of gain rather than for the sake of Christ. Money indeed makes a good slave but a horrific master. If a pastor is motivated by greed, certain would-be ‘power-brokers’ in the church will be enabled run the church rather than allowing God to motivate its operation. Such a scenario invites fleshly indulgence & isolations inherent to unsanctified personalities unsurrendered to the direction of the Holy Spirit.
“Does Not Love Money -- He is not consumed with his retirement fund or the price of gas.”—Pastoral Ad
Though he has a retirement account does not mean that he has an unhealthy concern with it.
Because he has no retirement account does not make him a fool...But it may speak to the church’s negligence!
A “Covetous” person is always looking to possess/have that which belongs to others. He is taken aback by what he considers extravagances of the wealthy. He/She recognizes the power of money to obtain what others have. Such a person will contrive any means of obtaining &/or attaining to their desire. Greed(of all stripes) & Covetousness emanates from the heart. However, from the heart one also must either love money & things or love the Lord his/her God(Mk. 12:29-30).
Ex. 20:17—““You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.””
“His finances are in order.”—Pastoral Ad
Negatively, An overseer/pastor with such a severe character flaw will never be able to aid others but will rather help them to help himself. He will lead his church to extend their monetary resources for ungodly reasons. The percentages spent on actual ministry versus those of the labor employed will be vastly lower than God’s intent & equipping.
NOT:
“Greedy for money/Greedy of filthy lucre”[See :8]—aiscrokerdhv—Adj.—Eager for base gain, greedy for money. ‘Filthy lucre.’ Strong—Sordid. Used 3X.
From—aiscrov—Shameful, i.e. Base specially, venal).
BUT:
“Not covetous/Free from the love of money”—afilargurov—Not loving money, not avaricious.
Argumentation:
*Prov. 15:27—“He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, But he who hates bribes will live.”
God chastises His people Israel:
Isa. 56:1-11—“Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, & do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil. Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the LORD Speak, saying, “The LORD has utterly separated me from His people”; Nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.”” For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant, Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place & a name Better than that of sons & daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants-- Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant-- Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings & their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him Others besides those who are gathered to him.” All you beasts of the field, come to devour, All you beasts in the forest. His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yes, they are greedy dogs Which never have enough. And they are shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his own territory.”
*Titus 1:10-11—“For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers & deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.”
*1Pet. 5:1-4—“The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder & a witness of the sufferings of Christ, & also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; & when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”
Illustration:
Mike Murdock on Inspiration channel/Always putting you on a guilt trip sending in your “seed” money(As did Oral Roberts)—meaning your contribution to his pocket!/His FINANCIAL PROWESS
Because a pastor may use the stock market to his advantage does not necessarily mean that he is greedy for money.
Because the pastor is not investment savvy does not make him financially disabled so as to be disqualified for God’s service.
America—We are faced with a crisis of greed in this country/We have left the Lord God Creator of heaven & earth, Master of mankind’s salvation/We worldly-wisely arrange our financial futures without calling upon God in Jesus’ name/His FINANCIAL PROWESS
Personal loans—Many worry about their credit scores—What loaning institutions think you’re capable of paying back/But the best way to have good credit in the eyes of men is to begin establishing your commitment to saving money & doing without some things, knowing that the borrower is servant to the lender(Prov. 22:7)/That’s real FINANCIAL PROWESS
Application:
?Does your pastor exemplify godly FINANCIAL PROWESS?
?Your Pastor Fit for Office?
?How do you measure up regarding the same qualifications?
*Lest we have our eye on ‘ousting the pastor’ too readily...
Mat. 7:1-5—““Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; & with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; & look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, & then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
1Tim. 5:19—“Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.”
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
The Alisha’s Fitness as an artist.
Action:
An overseer’s fitness for office is decided by His...
10. His TEMPERAMENT(:3b)
11. His FINANCIAL PROWESS(:3c)
1. DESIRE(:1)
2. BLAMELESSNESS(:2a)
3. MARITAL COMMITMENT(:2b)
4. EMOTIONAL STABILITY(:2c)
5. SELF-CONTROL(:2d)
6. ORDERLINESS(:2e)
7. OPENNESS Toward STRANGERS(:2f)
8. TEACHING(:2g)
9. His SOBRIETY(:3a)
In closing:
No man is immune to these potential hazards(:2-7) because no pastor is sinless. Correspondingly, every pastor CAN be committed to these Christ-honoring behaviors. He can only submit his character under control of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore if you want a pastor who’s character is godly, who meets these criteria, who seeks ‘To be a man of true godly integrity, willingly allowing himself to be used for God’s desire in any circumstance,’ then PRAY for him! PRAY for his personal walk with God. Then & only then will he be fit for office within such a vital prescription for humanity as the Church!
Presented 10/07/2012pm to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
