DISCOVERING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT (PASTOR); THE RESUME OF A LEADER
I TIMOTHY 3:1-7
POET ROBERT FROST IN HIS POEM ROAD LESS TRAVELED BORROWED FROM THE PSALM WRITER OF PSALMS ONE WHEN HE WROTE TWO ROADS DIVERGED IN A YELLOW WOOD, AND I TOOK THE ONE LESS TRAVELED BY, AND THAT HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. SOME THREE THOUSAND YEARS PRIOR THE AUTHOR OF PSALM ONE PENNED (READ PSALM 1) . . .
OBEDIENT TO GOD – PROSPERITY
DISOBEDIENT – POVERTY
THE PSALM WRITER IS NOT MERELY TALKING ABOUT PHYSICAL OR FINANCIAL PROSPERITY, BUT IS TALKING ABOUT HOW TO AVOID SPIRITUAL BANK-RUPT-CY BY:
- NOT WALKING IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY
- BY WATCHING THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (BY NOT STANDING IN THE WAY OF SINNERS OR SITTING IN THE SEAT OF THE SCORNFUL)
ESPECIALLY, IF YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO BE IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION. . .
PAUL CONTINUES THIS THEME OF WALKING RIGHT, LIVING LIKE A WELL-WATERED TREE, BLOOMING AND BEING PRODUCTIVE, RESILIENT, AND PROSPEROUS IN HIS WRITING TO HIS YOUNG PROTÉGÉ TIMOTHY. IN I TIMOTHY 3, PAUL WRITES TO REMIND TIMOTHY AND ALL THOSE CALLED FOR A LEADERSHIP POSITION TO REMEMBER:
WHO THEY WORK FOR
THE EXPECTATIONS OF WHOM THEY WORK FOR
HOW THEY ARE TO FULFILL THE EXPECTATIONS
LET US EXAMINE CLOSELY PAUL’S LETTER THIS MORNING AS WE CONSIDER THE GIFT OF PASTOR – THE SPECIAL ABILITY . . . TO ASSUME A LONG-TERM PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SPIRITUAL WELFARE OF A GROUP OF BELIEVERS (2X). NOTICE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE GIFT OF PASTOR AND NOT THE ROLE OF A PASTOR . . . .
CALLED/APPOINTED/ANOINTED. . .
ACTS 14:23 “PAUL AND HIS FELLOW MISSIONARIES ORDAINED ELDERS/PASTORS IN EVERY CHURCH.”
PASTOR, IS A SHEPHERDING WORD BORROWED FROM FIRST CENTURY PALESTINE THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE TEACHING, FEEDING, HEALING OF WOUNDS AS IN DEALING WITH SHEEP, EXPANDED TO INCLUDE DEVELOPING UNITY, HELPING PEOPLE DISCOVER THEIR GIFT, AND DOING WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO SEE THAT ONE CONTINUES IN THE FAITH AND GROW IN THEIR SPIRITUAL LIVES.
DAVID (PSALM 23) . . .
PASTOR IS SYNONYMOUS WITH THE WORDS: MANAGER, SUPERVISOR, DIRECTOR, SUPERINTENDENT, STEWARD, ELDER, PRESBYTER, OVERSEER, BISHOP, AND THE GREEK WORD EPISKOPOS . . . “TO CARE FOR, SHEPHERD, AND OVERSEE.”
ACTS 20:28 SAYS, “BE ON GUARD FOR YOURSELVES AND FOR ALL THE FLOCK, AMONG WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS MADE YOU OVERSEERS, TO SHEPHERD THE CHURCH OF GOD, WHICH HE PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD.”
OVERSEER/SHEPHERD – A TERM THAT SIGNIFIES LEADERSHIP.
RESUME’ . . .
I TIMOTHY 3:1 (READ)
ASPIRES – KJV (DESIRE), NIV (SETS HIS HEART), AMP (SEEKS). . .
. . . VERB MEANS TO "EAGERLY DESIRE, TO BE AMBITIOUS FOR, REACH OUT IN ORDER TO GRASP," LIKE A FOOTBALL RECEIVER WHO WILLINGLY SACRIFICES HIS BODY . . .”
V.2-3 (READ) . . . GODLY LEADERS MUST MODEL GODLY LIVING
WHATEVER YOU ARE, THOSE YOU INFLUENCE WILL BECOME . . .
TIME OUT FOR SAYING DO – SAY, NOT AS I DO.
LUKE 6:40 “THE STUDENT WHO IS FULLY TRAINED WILL BECOME LIKE THE TEACHER.”
CANTANKEROUS SPIRIT . . .
INHOSPITABLE . . . UNFRIENDLY/COLD
IF YOU ARE NOT SENSIBLE, BALANCED, AND SELF-CONTROLLED . . . INSENSIBLE, UNBALANCED, AND LACKING SELF-CONTROL.
WILDING OUT/UNFAITHFUL IN YOUR DAILY RELATIONSHIPS . . .
IF YOU DO NOT FAITHFULLY HOLD TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD OF GOD IN YOUR OWN LIFE . . .
SUNDAY SCHOOL . . .
BIBLE STUDY . . .
SERVE WITH A WILLING SPIRIT . . .
SIMPLY PUT, IF WE WANT OUR LOCAL CHURCH TO BE SPIRITUALLY FIT, THEN WE AS LEADERS MUST BE SPIRITUALLY FIT.
SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORIST ALBERT BANDURA . . . MODELING/SCAFFOLDING…
THE STORY IS TOLD:
THAT A MAN USED HIS SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SON’S BASEBALL BAT TO SMASH THE SLICK COAT OF ICE ON HIS DRIVEWAY. SOON HE GOT COLD AND WENT INSIDE FOR A CUP OF COFFEE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO CLEAR THE CAR.
SEVERAL MINUTES LATER, HIS SON, WHO HAD BEEN OUTSIDE WITH HIM, CAME IN. “DAD,” HE SAID, “I GOT THE ICE OFF THE CAR.”
“HOW DID YOU DO THAT?” HIS FATHER ASKED.
“SAME WAY YOU DID,” THE BOY SHRUGGED, “WITH THE BASEBALL BAT.”
WHEN WE’RE NOT CAREFUL, SOMETIMES WE MODEL AND TEACH SOMETHING THAT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO BE TAUGHT . . .
V. 4-5 (READ) . . . GODLY LEADERS MUST MANAGE THEIR OWN . . .
JACKED UP CREDIT . . .
MARRIED FIVE TIMES . . .
SAVING FOR YOUR FUTURE . . . SAVINGS ACCOUNT
LIVING HOLY . . .
CONCEPT OF FAMILY . . .
CLEAN UP YOUR HOUSE . . .
V.6-7 (READ) . . . GODLY LEADERS MUST BE SPIRITUALLY MATURE
SPIRITUAL MATURITY WHEN ONE CAN ANNOUNCE “FOLLOW ME AS I FOLLOW CHRIST.”
V.6 – LEADERS - YOU HAVE TO RESIST THE URGE OF BECOMING PUFFED UP WITH PRIDE . . . “BEING PUFFED UP” TRANSLATED MEANS TO BE “FILLED WITH SMOKE” OR “FULL OF HOT AIR.”
PAUL – TIMOTHY . . .
LEST THEY FALL INTO THE SAME CONDEMNATION AS THE DEVIL . . . LUCIFER . . .
IT WAS PRIDE THAT BROUGHT SATAN DOWN. . .
EZEKIEL 28:11-19 (READ) . . .
ISAIAH. 14:12-14 (READ) . . .
WHAT HAPPENED TO SATAN CAN HAPPEN TO ANY LEADER OR ANYONE WHO ALLOWS PRIDE TO GET IN THE WAY
. . . CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELF
MODEL GODLY LIVING
MANAGE YOUR OWN . . .
BE MATURE SPIRITUALLY
. . . GODLY LEADERS MAINTAIN THEIR FOCUS ON GOD . . . (V.16) . . .
