Let us continue to worship our God by again listening to what was said to Timothy as he was called to minister for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Open your Bibles to the First Letter to Timothy in the New Testament…..
Before we read our passage for today, let us note again the calling of Timothy… read along with me again 1 Timothy 1:3-5….
Timothy was appointed by the Apostle Paul to minister in Ephesus.
In our passage today, we will note the qualifications for an “overseer”. The biblical definition for this word is a bishop, a pastor, or an Elder as we call them today. Next week, we will note the qualifications for deacons (church leaders/ministers).
Let us also note that at the end of 1 Timothy Chapter 2, God’s states how men and women in church were to behave. Now in Chapter 3, we will learn God’s desires for church leaders. Read along with me now 1 Timothy 3:1-7….
V1: a trustworthy saying – i.e. must be followed, not just what was said in 1 Timothy 2:8-15
And so God gives qualifications for those who desires to be an “overseer”! Let us note the timeframe here in Ephesus; the church was just being built through the Apostle Paul, Timothy, the Holy Spirit, and God’s Words. Since Timothy was appointed, the qualifications were for Christian men who wanted to be overseers (Bishops, Pastors, Elders) of this now growing, active new group!
The church in Ephesus was growing and there were men who wanted to take leadership, likely as the world saw manly leadership! Remember the type of society they were in (a pagan society driven by ancient Greek and Roman culture = worldly).
What we note was God protecting His Church with the right godly leadership: As we look at the list, God was looking for someone "Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound; Like a bird, like a plane, like Superman!”
God was protecting His church and He was basically saying, if you want to oversee the church, you must be like Superman! Let’s take a closer look at what God was looking for.
V1: If one desires to be an “Overseer” for God, they must desire a “noble” task! The original Greek meaning for a noble task is to do good, honorable, excellent work! Therefore….. An overseer’s goal is to always do the right things for God alone! This is a sign of the right Pastor/Elder of a church when they are always seeking to do the right things for God! If a person desires to oversee the church, they must have the attitude, “I need to be Superman for God!” An “overseer” for the church must have the attitude that they will always do the godly things! Now, what qualifications does God require for an “Overseer”?
V2-7: an Overseer must….
1. Be above reproach – have nothing in his life that people can use to attack the church
2. Be husband of but one wife – is pretty straight forward that an Overseer must be devoted to his wife; some today make this complicated but let us note that God does not really directly require marriage or prevent remarriage, whether by the wife’s passing or a righteous divorce, just a man committed to his wife!
3. temperate – reliable, trustworthy, not prone to wide swings of vision, mood, or action
4. self-controlled – soberminded - able to think and come across clearly with serious matters and careful with humor; I find it a turn off when a Pastor or elder always has a sarcastic remark about someone.
5. respectable – of good behavior, modest
6. hospitable – willing to open their home and care for people
7. able to teach – a student of God’s Word to be able to teach
8. not given to drunkenness – applies to drinking alcohol, but today we must also include addiction to drugs (must live with Ephesians 5:18…)
9. not violent but gentle
10. not quarrelsome – not always looking for a fight or debate to win
11. not a lover of money
12. manage his own family well – the home must be a Christian church, especially with dependent children; let us note that a Pastor/Elder having a family and a home tells a lot about that person; some say, if you want to know a person, look at their kids!
13. must not be a recent convert – must demonstrate spiritual maturity
14. have a good reputation with outsiders – must have a godly testimony to the world
And so, what does this all mean to us today?
1. The Christian church is God’s and He will protect it according to His will!
We must always listen to God’s voice in everything, especially with church! The church is God’s and will provide the right instructions for it! All of the qualifications listed for a Pastor/Elder in 1 Timothy 3 will provide for a godly church and must be followed always!
And so…
2. If a man wants to be a Pastor/Elder today, they must meet the qualifications in 1 Timothy 3! As I alluded to earlier, God is looking for “Superman” like beings to be a Pastor/Elder for the church! Can a person like a “superman for God” actually exists today?
Let’s elaborate on the character Superman; where did Superman get his powers?
Superman was born from another planet, more powerful than earth. And so, how can a man on earth be able to be superman for God? a. A Pastor/Elder for a church must be born again from heaven (this of course happens when one has faith in Jesus Christ)!
And how can the character Superman lose his powers? We all know that kryptonite will take away Superman’s powers. What robs a Christian from the godly power from heaven? b. A Pastor/Elder of a church must maintain a cleansed heart with no unconfessed sins!
And lastly, can Superman refuse to fly even though he can? Nothing is impossible with God and will empower a man to be a Pastor/Elder for the church. The question is “Is the Pastor/Elder yielding to the powerful gifting of God?” c. A Pastor/Elder of a church must not grieve the Holy Spirit but yield to God’s power in ministry!
Now, most Christians will not be seeking to be an overseer but an Active Member of a church; and so, in summary for anyone looking for a church to be a member in…
3. What should we look for in a church?
a. Prayer and God’s Word must be imperative for Pastors/Elders! The church must be biblical and prayerful as led by the Pastors and Elders!
b. Gifting of the Holy Spirit must be evident from Pastors/Elders! Do not depend just on the Pastor’s education, personality, and leadership skills; experience the power of the Holy Spirit manifesting through the Pastors and Elders; use the list from the Fruit of the Holy Spirit as a guide, snd of course 1 timothy 3:1-17 as well.
Take moment now to quietly pray right where you are about your church and the future church you might join…
Benediction: Jude 20-25….
