INTRODUCTION.
(ILLUS.) -- Like many teenagers, I didn’t exactly know what I wanted to do with my life when I was a high-school senior. I knew that I wanted to serve the Lord (possibly in ministry / full-time service) but I didn’t know what or where. I hadn’t decided on pursuing pastoral ministry yet; in fact, I was leaning towards some kind of music ministry.
I decided that the best thing to do would be to attend Bible College -- so during my last year, I applied to one or two colleges -- preferably Emmanuel Bible College in Kitchener, Ontario. That provoked an interesting response. I had done well academically in high school and had placed consistently in the top of my class -- an "A" student. When I told my classmates that I was applying for Bible College, some of them told me I was crazy. With my marks and achievements, I could have received numerous grants and scholarships from most of the Canadian universities; and many of them said straight out that if they were me, they would go for something more promising/ rewarding. Interestingly enough, a number of my teachers told me the same thing -- that with my abilities and interests, I could do well in numerous schools and courses, and perhaps I should reconsider my choices.
What bothered me was that, here I was in a Christian high school with Christian teachers, and many Christian friends, and yet most of them were trying to steer me away from Bible College -- specifically away from training for ministry -- as if full-time Christian service were a waste of my talents -- or somehow a second-class choice.
I’ve found that many people (both in and out of the church) hold similar ideas of Christian service -- that it’s not really a career -- that it is somehow inferior to other options and choices. Now in some ways, that thinking is easy to understand -- it doesn’t fit in to the traditional picture of success; climbing the ladder and earning more respect / more money / better title, etc. Ministry is not considered a stable career -- there’s the potential of moving around a lot; it’s a hectic and demanding lifestyle; stressful on the family; and not considered to be financially secure or satisfying.
But perhaps one of the biggest reason why people do not consider it a worthwhile venture is that the position of pastor / spiritual leader is no longer a symbol of respect. There was a time when pastors, ministers, priests, etc were held in high esteem, but that is no longer the case. In fact, that is true of virtually any leadership position, unfortunately, whether it be government service, teaching, etc -- there is a general mistrust of large institutions, and people who lead.
Why is that? Well, unfortunately, the actions of a few have tainted the reputation of many; in past years, numerous individuals in leadership who failed to live up to the expectations of those under them -- went back on their promises, experienced a moral failure / loss of integrity -- and as a result, individuals involved in spiritual leadership, or Christian ministry and service have lost the respect of many people, both inside and outside of the church.
Unfortunately, that has led to a discouraging trend -- fewer people are willing to get involved in these types of full-time and part-time ministries. As a result, a heavy burden is placed upon existing leadership & ministry volunteers, and many ministries fail to grow / some even shut down completely because they lack the personnel to sustain it / make it effective.
Perhaps these were some of the concerns being faced by Timothy in the New Testament. Timothy was a young spiritual leader in a growing congregation, charged with the task of making disciples, teaching new converts, and raising up leaders. At times, I’m sure he felt inadequate & overwhelmed by the responsibility -- perhaps he contemplated giving up; perhaps he doubted his own abilities; perhaps he felt stressed out and worn out. Whatever the case, I’m sure that he often had questions and doubts about his ministry and service for the Lord -- and so, quite naturally, he looked to his mentor, the apostle Paul.
As you read through Paul’s letters to Timothy, you can almost get the feeling that he had a list of questions and concerns from Timothy before him -- and that as he wrote a response to each question and concern, Paul would check them off. Now we don’t know if that was the case, or if Paul was simply remembering the early questions and doubts that he experienced as he was starting out in ministry. Either way, Paul wrote these letters to Timothy, sharing some "trustworthy sayings" -- principles and truths that were the foundation of life as a Christian, and which would help Timothy in his ministry.
Perhaps Timothy’s first question had been something like: "Is the Christian faith really valid and believable? Is it as accurate and relevant as we say it is?" Paul responded by sharing with Timothy the first foundational truth that we discussed three weeks ago -- "The Certainty of God’s Grace." Paul’s answer was "Yes" -- the Grace of God is accurate and believable. The life and death of Jesus Christ is the essential starting point for anyone seeking truth, as well as stability & security in life.
Perhaps Timothy’s second question was: "Can we really trust in God and His Word, or is He going to let us down like everyone else does?" Paul responded by sharing the second foundational truth, which we discovered two weeks ago -- "The Reliability of God’s Promises." Paul’s answer was clear and concise: when it seems like everyone and everything around us is always changing, we can know that God is always faithful, and that His promises are completely trustworthy.
Timothy’s third question: "Will things ever get better, or is this all there is?" Paul responded with the third foundational truth that we looked at last week: "The Necessity of Future-Mindedness." When we get disgusted and confused by the events taking place around us, we should fix our eyes on the hope of the future.
I’m sure that these truths / principles brought Timothy a great deal of assurance and peace. And yet, it seems like Timothy still had a few questions -- all relating to his ministry and service for God, and his responsibility to select & train others to follow after him. And indeed, these are issues that any of us as Christ’s followers can struggle with, so let’s turn to 1 Timothy 3, where we will find the Paul’s answers to these important questions. In his response, Paul will share the fourth foundational truth / fourth spiritual check that we can take to the bank: #4 "The Nobility of Serving God."
READ 1 TIMOTHY 3:1 - 16.
The questions are not obvious, but I’m going to share what I believe Timothy’s questions may have been, followed by Paul’s response.
I. "IS CHRISTIAN MINISTRY & SERVICE A WORTHY GOAL?"
"Is Christian service a worthwhile goal to pursue, or is it really a second-rate choice?" The issue being raised here is the "worth" or "value" of serving God. Timothy would want to know if ministry and service was a worthwhile venture.
We understand this question, don’t we? We have a built-in desire to make a difference. None of us like to do something that is worthless -- most of us don’t wish to waster our time with "busy work". Especially today, when our time is at a premium, we want to know that our efforts are not in vain -- we won’t give our time and energy to something if it doesn’t produce a positive result. We want to know that our work will help our organization (family, church, work); that it will help another person in a meaningful way; or that it will help us to grow and reach our personal goals.
A further thought that often passes through our mind is: "Will someone else consider this to be worthy of their respect?" Whether it’s good or not, we value the respect and approval of those around us -- our family, friends, and neighbors. And we want to know: "Will others think well of me because I’m involved in this? Or will they consider my service to be a waste of time?"
And perhaps Timothy was wondering: "Will I be able to convince others that they should get involved in ministry and service? Will others believe that it’s a viable and worthwhile pursuit, or will they just walk away?"
What was Paul’s Response? (v.1) "Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task."
-- (Living Bible) "...he has a good ambition."
-- (Contemporary English Version) "anyone who desires to be a church official wants to be something worthwhile."
In other words, Paul said "Yes!" -- Getting involved in ministry and service to God is definitely a worthwhile and noble decision. And this is especially true of those who are involved in leadership in a local congregation -- "overseer" -- elder, spiritual leader, pastor -- someone who oversees the ongoing work and development of the church. For that reason, Paul always had his eyes open, looking for potential leaders; just consider the number of people he trained and equipped for ministry, placing them in key leadership positions in the various churches.
And yet, his words are not only for those who were going to be pastors and church leaders -- to Paul, ALL service is valuable. In a number of his letters, Paul pointed out the value and benefit of ministry and service for God.
a) Serving and ministering to others can POINT OTHERS TO GOD.
-- 2 Corinthians 9:12 (To Christians had shared financially with others) "This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service... men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with anyone else."
b) Service is an act of OBEDIENCE to God, DEMONSTRATING OUR LOVE for God.
-- Colossians 4:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
c) Service is one of the PURPOSES of the church / the way the church GROWS.
-- Ephesians 4:12 (God provided spiritual leaders) "to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."
This is a theme verse for me. It says that "It’s MY job as your pastor to put YOU to work." You see, no individual or position has the full responsibility of serving; all of us do it together -- each in our own way, according to our gifts. Every task is valuable and necessary.
(ILLUS.) A good example of this was Vacation Bible School a few weeks ago. I was really excited by the number of volunteers who got involved. There were many different jobs to do -- teachers, craft workers, food coordinators, guides, etc -- all were different, and yet all were important. No one person made V.B.S. a successful event -- no one was dispensable, either. It was the service & cooperation of every single person that made it such a great time for the children.
When Timothy had doubts as to whether ministry and service was worthwhile, Paul responded with a resounding "Yes!" Not just because it is expected of us as Christians, but because it produces wonderful rewards for all of us.
II. "ARE THERE SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN MINISTRY & SERVICE?"
"Does ministry and service require a special kind of person, or can anyone do it?" And Paul’s Answer -- "Yes, and Yes."
Yes, anyone can and should serve God (as we have just seen). Everyone has the opportunity, and the ability to serve God. Every Christian should do serve wherever they are according to their unique gifts and abilities. In this regard there are only two primary factors:
-- willingness -- desire, interest, enthusiasm, openness.
-- obedience -- submission to God’s will.
But then Paul also indicated that "Yes" -- certain positions have specific qualifications. And he shared a very important principle -- The greater the RESPONSIBILITY, the higher the EXPECTATIONS for their ability, conduct, and character.
And he gave us two examples:
-- OVERSEER -- equivalent of today’s pastor or elder, spiritual leader; Those responsible for leading & teaching the congregation.
-- DEACON -- primary responsibility is serving the congregation -- see Acts 6 -- chosen specifically for serving, caring for others and meeting physical needs -- so as to free up the apostles & overseers for ministry & leadership.
Both of these were considered to be responsible and important ministries needing special people, and both came with a high expectation for personal character and conduct (1 Timothy 3). Paul indicated that it was absolutely essential, when considering individuals for these key leadership roles, to examine their lives in areas like their actions, attitudes, family life, finances, and their relationships with others; and to look for integrity, consistency, maturity, and self-control.
Why was this so important?
a) These leaders were in the PUBLIC eye -- both in the church, and outside of it. Others would judge the church and Christ by what they saw.
b) These leaders were the MODELS for other Christians to follow, especially new converts. Others would look at them and seek to imitate their character and attitudes, so they had to be Christ-like examples.
c) The overall HEALTH and GROWTH of the church was strongly dependent upon the ability, integrity, and spiritual maturity of the leaders.
(ILLUS.) To illustrate the importance of this, I want to compare different kinds of light -- sparklers, flashlight, candle.
-- Some leaders are like SPARKLERS -- they’re bright, flashy, attractive, and highly gifted -- draw others easily to themselves. Unfortunately, like sparklers, many of them burn out quickly because they lack integrity and consistency.
-- Some leaders are like FLASHLIGHTS -- they’re bright, intense, not as flashy maybe, but still quite effective. Unfortunately, some leaders, like flashlights begin to fade out -- they lack maturity and their spiritual battery dies out.
-- Some leaders are like CANDLES -- not as bright or flashy, sometimes smaller, overlooked. But the good news is that they last -- inner qualities allow them to continue far longer, and like candles, they can pass their light on to others like them -- fill a room with light.
Obviously, we want our spiritual leaders to be like the candle. This is not to say that the most effective leaders will be dull, unattractive, and ungifted -- they very well may be great preachers, singers, whatever. But more often than not, God takes what seems to be small and insignificant, and he makes it shine. The key is not what’s on the outside -- but rather what’s inside -- character and maturity.
That’s why Paul gave Timothy this list of qualities and characteristics in v.14-15. -- Living Bible -- "so that you will know what kind of men you should choose as officers for the church of the living God..." By selecting leaders who live in this way, we will create models of how all of us are to live as Christians -- and the church will grow.
That’s why we as a church / denomination select leaders the way we do. The Brethren In Christ Church has always had a strong emphasis on leadership coming out of the body. In fact, in times past, it was considered pride to want to be a leader, so pastors & bishops were always chosen by the church -- from the church body.
Now today we recognize the importance of a call from God for some leadership positions (ie. pastor); a call being an inner sense / feeling that God has a special ministry for you. But that call must still be affirmed by the congregation / church body. For example when I applied for a pastoral license, it required a recommendation from my pastor, and/or a representative of my church -- "we recognize and affirm that God has gifted this person to serve in this capacity -- they have proven their character and ability to serve."
Paul: Everyone can and should serve God according to their giftedness; and the greater the responsibility, the higher the expectations.
III. "HOW CAN I HOPE TO BE EFFECTIVE IN CHRISTIAN MINISTRY & SERVICE?"
As the first question addressed the issue of "worth / value", and the second question addressed the issue of "ability / character", this question addresses the issue of "adequacy / effectiveness." Perhaps Paul was afraid that Timothy and other potential leaders would read the list of qualifications, and Immediately be psyched out by it -- have feelings of inadequacy and doubt; thinking "I can’t do it! I don’t measure up."
For that reason, Paul turned their eyes away from themselves, and put them where they should be -- on Christ! v.16) "Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great..." / "godly living is no easy matter."
Where is the Answer? Christ alone! If we want to learn the secret of living in a way that is pleasing to God, we need to examine the life of Jesus. He set the example for us. By imitating His life, and drawing on His strength and the resources He offers to us, we can become all that God wants for us to be, and we can serve Him effectively wherever we are.
So, if you’re feeling inadequate -- focus on Christ.
APPLICATION.
As we seek to apply Paul’s teaching to our lives this morning, I want to speak directly to three groups of people:
1) Those Who Are CURRENTLY INVOLVED In Spiritual Leadership / Service.
You may be feeling discouraged and weary / want to give up. I want to assure you -- what you’re doing is worthwhile, valuable. If you’re feeling inadequate, or perhaps even useless, I want to affirm you: you are important & valuable. Don’t give up! Look to Christ for help; He will provide the strength, wisdom, resources. If you’re feeling frustrated by the lack of respect and regard you receive: first, I would encourage you to examine yourself and make sure there’s nothing in your life to cause others to lose respect for you -- if there is, change it. If not, stick with it. Those same people who think little of you now may come back to you later to honor and thank you. And even if they don’t, it’s more important to worry about how God sees you than how others see you.
2) Those Who Are Currently Demonstrating a LACK OF RESPECT for your Spiritual Leaders.
Stop and Think! Consider how your attitude is coming across to those around you. You may actually be turning people away from the church / God, and it could may produce some terrible results (especially in your children). If your kids are starting to show a lack of respect for authority / leadership, ask yourself what kind of example you are setting for them.
Furthermore, consider how God views these leaders / task they have to carry. Considering the importance that God places on them, you had better start changing your tune. Try to figure out how you can help and encourage them rather than defeat them and tear them down. Treat them as God would have you to treat them, and how you would like to be treated if you were in their place.
3) Those Who Find Themselves At A CROSSROADS In Life.
You may be a student coming to the end of high school or college who isn’t quite sure what to do now; or perhaps an adult who has just lost a job, or who is feeling unhappy or unfulfilled where you are; or perhaps you are nearing retirement / have just retired -- unsure of what to do with your newfound freedom and abundance of time.
Consider what Paul has said about ministry and service. God may be calling you to get involved in some area of Christian ministry or service -- full-time or part-time. This is not just for pastors or missionaries; there are lots of opportunities for you to make a difference in the lives of others -- in virtually every possible field -- for an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year of your life. Don’t write off the possibility -- really consider it.
"How do I know if I’m suitable / qualified? What kind of ministry?"
-- Make a list of your gifts, abilities, interests, passions.
-- Talk to people you trust -- advice, recommendations, etc.
-- Pray for guidance.
-- Send some letters or applications.
-- Try a short-term ministry or mission -- test the waters.
-- Do something!!!!
As a church, we want to affirm you and help you in this venture. Our Church Board decided recently to create a "Ministry & Service Fund" to support individuals who are considering / preparing for some form of Christian Ministry & Service. We believe that God is in the process of raising up individuals who will make a real difference in our world -- and we want to be a part of it! How about you?!
