WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:02.720 One other thing, and this is going to be kind 2 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:05.679 of like a zero entry pool right into our text. 3 00:00:06.919 --> 00:00:10.960 And that is some of you were paying attention when 4 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:14.160 about forty days ago or so, I said, hey, look 5 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:17.800 in your bulletin, we are looking to a point for 6 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:22.839 additional elders to this church, and we're planning to have 7 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:25.079 an installation service. I don't know, we'll probably do that 8 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:28.199 ceremony on March twenty second or so. And some of 9 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:30.679 you took that down and cause I heard from some 10 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:32.719 of you like, hey, March twenty second, that's in. 11 00:00:32.679 --> 00:00:35.399 The rear view mirror what happened. 12 00:00:35.719 --> 00:00:40.240 And apologize for that. Let me say what I should 13 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:44.320 have explained back then. We have decided to elongate this 14 00:00:44.359 --> 00:00:47.439 process a little bit. We're going to elongate this process 15 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:49.280 a little bit. I was talking to a friend and 16 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:51.520 mentor who said, you know, when was the last time 17 00:00:51.560 --> 00:00:55.640 you taught on elders And I was like, I don't 18 00:00:56.240 --> 00:00:58.560 that's done. That was like nine years ago, taught the 19 00:00:58.560 --> 00:00:59.359 whole book of Titus. 20 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:01.799 And he's like, yeah, you might want to do that again. 21 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:06.719 There may me need to be continuing sewing of understanding 22 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:12.000 in your church regarding pastor elders and build some time 23 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:17.799 in this process for the congregation to build some bridges 24 00:01:17.879 --> 00:01:20.120 and trust and get to know some of the men 25 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:23.879 that you are going to consider appointing as elders. So 26 00:01:24.359 --> 00:01:26.280 we're taking a little bit more time, and as a 27 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:28.400 part of that time, I'm going to teach on it. 28 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:33.280 That's where we're at with Titus Chapter one. And I'll 29 00:01:33.319 --> 00:01:35.560 just go ahead and tell you this morning, we're gonna 30 00:01:35.560 --> 00:01:39.799 be a little bit more like teachee than preachy. And 31 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:44.000 some of you are like yay, and others are like, okay, 32 00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:46.159 I'll buckle up. Yeah, I heard you went long in 33 00:01:46.200 --> 00:01:46.920 the last service. 34 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:51.400 Not a lie true. So we'll see how we do. 35 00:01:53.040 --> 00:02:00.879 But Titus chapter one, verses five through nine is one 36 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:07.159 of the main texts in the New Testament about elders, 37 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:13.800 about elders, pastors, overseers. The Bible uses all of these 38 00:02:13.879 --> 00:02:17.039 terms synonymously. There's not one group that are pastors and 39 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:19.800 another group that are church that are elders. This is 40 00:02:19.879 --> 00:02:27.599 one office pastor, elder overseer in a church. And this letter, 41 00:02:29.159 --> 00:02:32.280 if you read the you know the whole title there 42 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:35.000 in your copy of God's Word. It says, the letter 43 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:38.800 of Paul to Titus, we just call it Titus. 44 00:02:40.039 --> 00:02:43.039 This letter to Titus. 45 00:02:42.599 --> 00:02:47.560 Is it reminds me of like a general in the 46 00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:51.639 army leaving behind a colonel to sort. 47 00:02:51.479 --> 00:02:52.680 Of finish a job. 48 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:58.120 Paul is taking off from these like literally like helicoptering 49 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:01.520 out of this island of crete, not literally a helicopter, 50 00:03:01.560 --> 00:03:05.199 but literally an island of crete, and he's saying, okay, soldier, 51 00:03:05.240 --> 00:03:06.759 I need you to finish the job. 52 00:03:07.960 --> 00:03:09.360 And he gives them this letter. 53 00:03:10.919 --> 00:03:16.479 And this letter is not just about elders, although that's here. 54 00:03:16.919 --> 00:03:22.479 It's really a more comprehensive set of written reminders and 55 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:26.800 some written justification for Titus to point to for setting 56 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:32.599 churches on a good trajectory, a good, healthy way to go. 57 00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:36.879 And Titus is going to need it because Crete is 58 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:37.719 a rough place. 59 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:40.560 And he says, this is what I want you to. 60 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:44.199 Do, and he gives them this letter, and it includes 61 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:53.919 this section here about appointing elders. Let's read it, Titus 62 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:59.400 one five through nine. This is why I left you 63 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:05.520 in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order. 64 00:04:07.319 --> 00:04:10.319 And a point elders in every town, as I directed you, 65 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:15.159 if anyone is above reproach. The husband of one wife 66 00:04:15.479 --> 00:04:17.800 and his children are believers are not open to the 67 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:24.079 charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, 68 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:28.560 must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or 69 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:32.639 quick tempered, or a drunkard, or violent or greedy for gain, 70 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:40.040 but hospitable, a lover of good, self controlled, upright, holy, 71 00:04:40.279 --> 00:04:41.000 and disciplined. 72 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:43.399 He must hold. 73 00:04:43.240 --> 00:04:46.439 Firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he 74 00:04:46.519 --> 00:04:50.120 may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine, and 75 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:53.160 also to rebuke those who contradict it. 76 00:04:54.279 --> 00:04:55.399 This is God's Word. 77 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:07.600 Titled this Morning's message wanted good managers, good managers, And 78 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:14.560 I get that from this key term in our text, stewards. 79 00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:22.959 That's how the English Standard version translates this an overseer 80 00:05:23.079 --> 00:05:30.160 as God's steward. Other translations use a little bit different term. 81 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:36.600 Some will say as stewards of God's household, or as 82 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:40.480 overseers of God's household, or as those entrusted with God's work. 83 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:43.879 And then there's also this translation. 84 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:47.720 As managers of God's house. 85 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:58.720 I like that term. I like that translation managers. It 86 00:05:58.800 --> 00:05:59.399 reminds me. 87 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:06.240 Actually of I worked on a farm. 88 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:11.279 My uncle owns a sheep and goat farm. And I 89 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:14.279 worked on his farm for a while, So I've literally 90 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:19.199 been a shepherd before, and you smell much better than 91 00:06:19.480 --> 00:06:28.199 that that sheep fold. But what you would have on 92 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:29.600 this farm, and it was it was kind of a 93 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:34.319 large farm. And what is noticeable about a sheep fold. 94 00:06:34.360 --> 00:06:37.959 What is noticeable about a sheep farm is that it 95 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:48.199 requires constant management farm hands. You gotta have good farm hands. 96 00:06:48.759 --> 00:06:53.560 And what I what I don't like about the translation 97 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:59.680 manager is that if we're not careful, the idea that 98 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:07.959 pass elders overseers this office is management like business management, 99 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:14.879 like merely administrative church trustee sort of stuff that would 100 00:07:14.920 --> 00:07:18.839 not be true of pastoral ministry. To say it the 101 00:07:18.839 --> 00:07:21.120 way I've heard it before, the business of the church. 102 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:26.040 Sure ain't the business of the church. That's actually pretty simple. 103 00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:31.480 What I do like about this term managers when we're 104 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:34.800 talking about pastors, well, for one, the Bible uses it 105 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:38.399 always on sound footing. When the Bible is using the 106 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:43.319 same term, you're using steward manager. But the other thing 107 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:47.360 that I like about that term for the office of 108 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:49.639 elder pastor. 109 00:07:50.920 --> 00:07:54.079 Is that it is sufficiently plain. 110 00:07:56.120 --> 00:08:02.959 It's sufficiently plain if you don't know many pastors. You 111 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:06.240 might think the office of pastor or the title of 112 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:10.079 pastor is some exalted thing. I promise you it's not. 113 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:17.279 Ask my wife. She told me to say that manager 114 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:21.600 is kind of not that big a deal. 115 00:08:25.240 --> 00:08:25.959 And here is. 116 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:28.319 And I told you this was going to go long, 117 00:08:28.360 --> 00:08:30.399 and the intro is particularly long, and I know some 118 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:34.679 of you love that, So this is for you. Here's 119 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:39.360 the biblical pattern when it comes to appointing God's steward's 120 00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:44.799 or elders, pastors, overseers. What we see as a biblical 121 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:48.799 pattern in the New Testament is for one, a plurality, 122 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:55.879 a plurality, a team of elders. We see that that's 123 00:08:55.879 --> 00:08:58.879 implied here when he's saying appointing elders, but we see 124 00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:02.879 that specifically like in Acts chapter twenty, as Paul is 125 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:05.919 leaving Ephesus and he's gathered around him the whole team 126 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:09.399 of elders, and he's praying with them and weeping with 127 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:13.120 them for the care of the church, the stewarding, the 128 00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:17.279 managing of those souls there in Ephesus, a whole team, 129 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:21.639 a plurality of men who are sharing the shepherding load, 130 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:27.279 teaching in various settings, holding each other accountable, encouraging each other. 131 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:32.759 But not only this plurality in the pattern, but also 132 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:36.399 you see this pattern of some elders are paid and 133 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:40.080 some of them are unpaid. You do have like full 134 00:09:40.120 --> 00:09:43.519 time pastoral ministry like you see in one Timothy chapter 135 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:49.600 five pastors being paid great and you see actually the 136 00:09:49.639 --> 00:09:55.480 majority of pastors being unpaid volunteer elders in most of 137 00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:58.919 the New Testament. In either case, here's the fact. Here's 138 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:02.320 the main thing. The main thing is elders in their 139 00:10:02.360 --> 00:10:07.320 eldering work mostly have their reward in Heaven in mind, 140 00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:14.279 that's where their eyes are focused. And then lastly, this pattern, 141 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:20.440 this pattern we see here is the appointment, the appointing 142 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:27.440 of elders. Now instead of elders being appointed as Titus 143 00:10:27.559 --> 00:10:30.519 is instructed to do. Here, some of our brothers, like 144 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:33.559 our Southern Baptist brothers, they like to vote on elders 145 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:38.080 as a whole congregation. I don't think the Bible prohibits that. 146 00:10:39.320 --> 00:10:43.200 But here we see wisdom in following this pattern more 147 00:10:43.240 --> 00:10:49.679 closely from Titus elders examining and assessing an elders, appointing 148 00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:51.080 potential elders. 149 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:53.399 That's kind of the pattern. 150 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:57.960 We see plurality, a mix of paid and unpaid pastors, 151 00:10:58.279 --> 00:10:59.919 and the appointment of pastors. 152 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:03.559 And when people ask me. 153 00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:08.080 In conversation over the past few months, when people have 154 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:13.440 asked me, hey, what's something you're really excited about these days, 155 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:17.600 which is a great topic of conversation. When every that's 156 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:19.960 a great question, Hey, what are you excited about these days? 157 00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:28.159 My response has been, Man, we are appointing like four 158 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:31.759 new elders at our church, like we're looking to double 159 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:32.919 the pastoral team. 160 00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:39.879 And they'll say, man, that is awesome. Why is that awesome? 161 00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:48.279 What is it that's exciting about growing a pastoral team 162 00:11:48.759 --> 00:11:49.399 in a church? 163 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:56.519 And I wonder do we know? Do we hear what. 164 00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:59.960 Paul has to say about desiring leadership of the local 165 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:02.840 church being a noble thing? And do we see it? 166 00:12:02.919 --> 00:12:05.759 And do we feel it? Do we do we see 167 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:12.480 how Jesus' heart aches over people who lack sufficient, sufficient shepherding, 168 00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:16.320 and our hearts also ache when shepherding is not happening 169 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:21.879 in a sufficient way. Do we feel it? Because here's 170 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:32.840 the thing. We should eagerly receive good managers to pastor 171 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:38.480 our church. We should eagerly receive good managers to pastor 172 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:41.919 our church. And we're gonna look at this passage in 173 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:49.000 that regard three main headings. First, we're gonna talk about 174 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:52.559 the why why should we eagerly receive good managers? 175 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:56.519 Second, we're gonna talk about what it looks like? 176 00:12:58.039 --> 00:13:02.879 What does it look like? And then third, how does 177 00:13:02.919 --> 00:13:08.960 that connect to the Gospel of Jesus? So why what 178 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:11.960 does it look like? And how does that connect to 179 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:17.759 the gospel? All right, do we have our signposts clear enough? 180 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:20.879 Let me put on a bright blinker turn into the 181 00:13:20.919 --> 00:13:22.720 first road? 182 00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:23.759 Number one? 183 00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:30.840 Why why should we eagerly receive good managers to pastor 184 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:34.320 our church? And the first thing I would say is 185 00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:36.080 we need them, first of all, just to follow the 186 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:37.240 biblical pattern. 187 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:42.240 Like we need them to be biblical. 188 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:45.360 I know, Crossway Bible Church, it's in our middle name. 189 00:13:47.080 --> 00:13:49.879 But like that's what Paul says here too, Titus in 190 00:13:49.960 --> 00:13:53.480 verse five, Like he says, that's why I left you 191 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:58.039 in crete. Here's why I left you in crete to 192 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:05.120 appoint elder to put in order what remained at a 193 00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:13.919 point elders. I mean, if that is the example that 194 00:14:13.960 --> 00:14:17.919 we see over and over again throughout scripture, in acts, 195 00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:23.080 in Titus, in Timothy, the question is don't we want 196 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:27.159 to follow the biblical example. Don't we feel like this 197 00:14:27.240 --> 00:14:33.159 is good ground to be on. So yeah, but functionally, 198 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:38.320 why well, functionally is in order to be in order, 199 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:39.919 in functioning order. 200 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:41.480 That's what Paul says again in verse five. 201 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:43.360 I left you in crete so that you might put 202 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:49.120 what remained into order, into order, which is to say, 203 00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:55.639 operational functioning. And Paul had come with his church planting team, 204 00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:57.440 and Titus was a part of it. And they went 205 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:00.480 about crete and preached the gospel. And there were those 206 00:15:00.519 --> 00:15:02.320 who heard the gospel, and by the power of the 207 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:05.639 Holy Spirit, they were transformed it by faith and the 208 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:08.039 grace of God, and they began to gather in a 209 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:11.600 real life church was born. They had planted a church. 210 00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:14.480 But was it functioning? Was it operational? Was it set 211 00:15:14.519 --> 00:15:18.919 in a healthy way? Paul said, not until some things happen. 212 00:15:19.480 --> 00:15:26.960 And one of those is you need faithful stewards. Faithful 213 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:34.960 stewards reminds me of those farm hands. If you've ever 214 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:38.799 worked on a farm. At no point are you going 215 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:46.440 to say, huh more good farm hands. 216 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:49.840 Don't know why we need them? Hey, you'd know. 217 00:15:53.480 --> 00:15:56.240 But partially I think feeling the. 218 00:15:56.320 --> 00:16:03.159 Need for the fun functioning that comes. 219 00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:10.639 From good faithful stewards has to do with understanding what 220 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:17.159 a church is, what a church is like. If we're 221 00:16:17.159 --> 00:16:21.360 not careful, we can begin to conceive that a church 222 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:24.600 is a Sunday morning gathering. 223 00:16:25.480 --> 00:16:28.799 That this is it that a church is like. 224 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:32.639 It's a three hour or four hour period on a 225 00:16:32.679 --> 00:16:35.480 Sunday morning where people gather kind of in the same 226 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:39.039 room and they hear the same sort of teaching from 227 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:42.039 the Bible, and we sing spiritual songs and then church 228 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:43.360 is over. 229 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:47.840 And that's just not what a church is. 230 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:53.159 A church is a twenty four to seven endeavor as 231 00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:57.639 a discipleship community looking to see our lives together as 232 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:01.159 we do ministry towards one another, to love one another 233 00:17:01.200 --> 00:17:04.480 and encourage one another, hold each other accountable, and form 234 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:06.279 in one another by the power. 235 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:07.839 Of the Holy Spirit through the work. 236 00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:12.599 Of God disciples amongst us. It is a one another 237 00:17:13.079 --> 00:17:20.160 community that in order to function, requires faithful stewards, that 238 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:24.680 requires people looking after the discipleship, making sure this sort 239 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:27.880 of thing is happening, making sure lives are comporting with 240 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:30.079 good sound doctrine, and. 241 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:31.359 Rebuking those that don't. 242 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:36.079 If that is what a church is, then We need 243 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:40.839 stewards in order to function. If this gathering, if this 244 00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:45.519 Bible teach sing a song show, if that's what church is, 245 00:17:46.519 --> 00:17:54.160 well we need far less. God help us, God help us. 246 00:17:54.880 --> 00:18:00.559 If this discipleship community devolves into just to teach the Bible, 247 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:06.920 sing the songs show, this can't be what we allow 248 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:10.799 to see happen in this community. 249 00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:19.359 We need stewards to oversee the work, the real work 250 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:22.279 that you all are doing. 251 00:18:23.559 --> 00:18:27.079 If you're a Christian, you're call to ministry, that's the work. 252 00:18:27.799 --> 00:18:33.640 We need stuarts to oversee the work. I mean, Paul says, 253 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:36.279 this is why I left you in crete, But if 254 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:38.759 you look at chapter three, verse what is it ten 255 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:45.319 No twelve, Titus isn't staying forever. Paul has already said, Hey, 256 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:47.759 in a minute, I'm gonna send you some guys to 257 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:50.759 come get you and then come to me. So all 258 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:53.480 of this work that he's got throughout this letter of like, hey, 259 00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:56.400 make sure these people are not teaching this nonsense, and 260 00:18:56.440 --> 00:18:59.319 make sure that these ladies are discipling younger ladies, and 261 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:02.279 make sure that old men are living in dignified ways, 262 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:04.920 and make sure that younger men are remaining Come all 263 00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:08.599 of this work, this make sure stuff. Who's going to 264 00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:14.640 be doing that? Those folks that tight us appoints, they'll 265 00:19:14.680 --> 00:19:17.680 become overseers over all of this work. 266 00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:21.880 Here's the thing. 267 00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:35.039 A church should want managers, managers, because a church needs managing. 268 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:43.240 We want shepherds to move us through this work of 269 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:50.160 making disciples amongst us, of growing in godliness. We want it, 270 00:19:51.559 --> 00:19:58.119 I want it, I need it. Well, that was our 271 00:19:58.119 --> 00:20:03.839 first road, the why why should we eagerly receive good managers? 272 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:07.880 Here's the second road. Put on a bright blinker. What 273 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:12.160 does it look like? What does it look like to 274 00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:18.599 receive good managers to pastor our church? And here Paul 275 00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:22.359 lays out just some basic qualifications of here's the guys 276 00:20:22.359 --> 00:20:23.359 that you're looking for. 277 00:20:24.839 --> 00:20:28.200 And he divides us up basically into three areas. 278 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:34.039 You're looking for competent managers of households, competent managers of godliness, 279 00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:38.079 and competent managers of doctrine. Do you see that he 280 00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:41.759 starts with household. He starts with the household. He says this, 281 00:20:43.720 --> 00:20:46.279 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife 282 00:20:46.279 --> 00:20:49.079 and his children are believers and not open to the 283 00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:55.079 charge of debauchery or in subordination for an overseer, as 284 00:20:55.119 --> 00:21:01.319 God steward must be above reproach. So you could kind 285 00:21:01.319 --> 00:21:06.279 of put it this way, elders should competently manage their household, 286 00:21:07.319 --> 00:21:12.799 because elders manage the household of God's people, and He 287 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:16.559 gives us two kind of elements here. One is this 288 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:21.279 idea of husband of one wife or the translation And 289 00:21:21.319 --> 00:21:23.559 there are a few different translation things to look at 290 00:21:23.559 --> 00:21:28.240 in this paragraph. In the original language that the wording 291 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:28.720 is just. 292 00:21:28.599 --> 00:21:33.480 This a one woman man, a one woman man. 293 00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:38.240 And so the English Standard version translates that the husband 294 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:38.839 of one wife. 295 00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:43.359 Now the issue comes when you start to interpret that. 296 00:21:43.400 --> 00:21:45.440 Okay, well, what does that mean a guy who's only 297 00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:47.759 ever been married once? And there are actually some people 298 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:51.079 who interpret it that way. So if there was a 299 00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:55.920 man who was married whose wife died and he remarried, 300 00:21:56.119 --> 00:21:59.240 and that person could never serve as an elder because 301 00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:02.559 he's not a hu hu of one wife, I don't 302 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:05.720 think that is actually following what Paul is talking about here. 303 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:11.440 What Paul is saying here is a one woman man. Literally, well, 304 00:22:11.480 --> 00:22:11.960 what is that? 305 00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:15.000 Well? 306 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:18.640 I would say that if there's a man who's been 307 00:22:18.680 --> 00:22:23.279 faithful and loved his wife who then died, and he 308 00:22:23.319 --> 00:22:27.079 remarried another Christian woman and has continued to be faithful 309 00:22:27.079 --> 00:22:27.720 and loving to her. 310 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:29.000 That's a one woman man. 311 00:22:31.720 --> 00:22:35.160 Likewise, even if a man say he was an unbeliever 312 00:22:35.720 --> 00:22:40.119 and was married and then for a legitimately with legitimately 313 00:22:40.359 --> 00:22:46.039 biblical grounds, is divorced from that wife, he becomes a Christian, 314 00:22:46.359 --> 00:22:49.440 marries a Christian woman, and he has lived for twenty 315 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:53.680 years in loving faithfulness to her. We as as the 316 00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:55.880 elders here at Cross, always saying that's a one woman man. 317 00:22:56.839 --> 00:23:01.440 It's a one woman man. In contrast, you could have 318 00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:05.559 a guy who married his high school sweetheart, has been 319 00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:08.359 married to her for twenty years, but we happen to 320 00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:12.559 know that he has been struggling with pornography and lust 321 00:23:13.160 --> 00:23:16.920 for much of that time. We would say he's only 322 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:20.480 been married to one woman. He's not a one woman man. 323 00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:26.279 He's not what Paul is talking about here, because this 324 00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:32.240 is more than just the singularity of spousehood. This is 325 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:36.000 about demonstrating the kind of commitment and love and long 326 00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:40.920 suffering a pastor must have that we want our pastors 327 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:43.880 to have. That's the kind of guy I want pastoring me. 328 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:53.319 One who's committed, who loves, who suffers long. Also an 329 00:23:53.359 --> 00:24:00.160 element here regarding households is what the ESV trans translates 330 00:24:00.200 --> 00:24:05.839 as children are believers. That word is just faithful. They 331 00:24:05.880 --> 00:24:08.240 translated with believers and not open to the charge of 332 00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:12.359 debauchery or in subordination. Again a little bit of translation 333 00:24:12.440 --> 00:24:17.359 thing here. The CSB, for instance, translates this faithful children 334 00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:22.279 who were not accused of wildness or rebellion. So again 335 00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:26.160 the interpretive question here is, okay, is Paul saying every 336 00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:30.680 elder all their children must be Christians, or is Paul 337 00:24:30.759 --> 00:24:34.240 saying every elder they must manage their household in such 338 00:24:34.279 --> 00:24:36.400 a way that their kids are not open to the 339 00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:40.319 charge of wildness or rebellion, they're faithful in their household. 340 00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:45.440 I think the CSB translates this better here. Here's a 341 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:49.799 few reasons. One, it's the most natural reading that word, 342 00:24:49.880 --> 00:24:54.359 being faithful, and the end is not in the sentence. 343 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:58.039 Actually, it's just faithful, not open to the charge. So 344 00:24:58.839 --> 00:24:59.960 that's an explanation. 345 00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:04.680 And of what Paul is saying faithful is likewise, it 346 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:08.599 corresponds if he just turned three pages back to First 347 00:25:08.680 --> 00:25:13.759 Timothy chapter three. In First Timothy chapter three, you have 348 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:20.160 this parallel passage about overseers elders, what does he say there? 349 00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:24.119 In Chapter three, verse four, he says he must manage 350 00:25:24.119 --> 00:25:30.000 his own household well with all dignity, keeping his children submissive. 351 00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:33.319 If someone does not know how to manage his own household, 352 00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:38.720 how will he care for God's church. So in both 353 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:42.920 passages it seems that what Paul is emphasizing is we're 354 00:25:42.960 --> 00:25:48.880 looking for dads that manage and steward in such a 355 00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:54.319 way that it shows good order in the people who 356 00:25:54.319 --> 00:26:00.400 are under their charge, good order amongst the people under 357 00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:03.839 their charge. Dads can and must teach the gospel to 358 00:26:03.880 --> 00:26:07.920 their kids. They can't save them, they can't save them, 359 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:13.680 but they can put their household in good order. But again, 360 00:26:13.720 --> 00:26:16.680 even good order does not mean we're looking for like 361 00:26:16.839 --> 00:26:22.319 the von Trapp family. Even fewer of you have watched 362 00:26:22.359 --> 00:26:26.799 this sound of music than the first service. First service, 363 00:26:26.839 --> 00:26:29.640 it would be about sixty forty I think here it's 364 00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:33.119 the other way, forty sixty the family von trap You 365 00:26:33.160 --> 00:26:35.480 know this guy, he's got eight or ten or I 366 00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:38.759 don't know, twelve kids, I don't He blows a whistle 367 00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:41.319 and all twelve of them come downstairs and they stand 368 00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:44.640 in order of highest the tallest to shortest, and then 369 00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:48.240 they start singing in harmony. 370 00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:50.359 It's if you haven't seen the movie You Got To, 371 00:26:50.759 --> 00:26:51.200 You Got To. 372 00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:56.160 I think I can go out on inm on that one. 373 00:26:56.480 --> 00:27:01.519 But listen, that kind of like meticulous order is not 374 00:27:01.559 --> 00:27:04.640 what Paul's even calling for here. No family von Trapps 375 00:27:04.680 --> 00:27:07.880 and Crete, I can promise you. But he's just saying 376 00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:10.559 they're faithful in that they are not open to the 377 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:17.559 charge of wildness or rebellion, like their household is in order. Honestly, 378 00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:22.119 that also is the kind of person I want pastoring me, 379 00:27:23.799 --> 00:27:27.279 who is who demonstrates love and commitment and long suffering 380 00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:31.079 and marriage, and whose kids show that they can attend 381 00:27:31.079 --> 00:27:34.240 to good order with the people under their charge. 382 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:38.480 I want to talk to that guy. 383 00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:43.440 But I would say this, honestly, it's kind of ordinary, 384 00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:43.960 don't you think. 385 00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:47.279 I mean, I wouldn't call this a low bar, but 386 00:27:47.319 --> 00:27:48.440 it's not a super high bar. 387 00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:51.400 These these are these are just guys that are living 388 00:27:51.480 --> 00:27:59.279 up to ordinary Christian aspirations here, and that actually turns 389 00:27:59.319 --> 00:28:00.200 out to be a theme. 390 00:28:01.880 --> 00:28:04.559 If you look to the next area, godliness. 391 00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:07.359 Right, he talks about household and then he talks about godliness. 392 00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:08.200 He just makes it. 393 00:28:08.279 --> 00:28:12.279 It makes it kind of clear. Elders should competently manage 394 00:28:12.759 --> 00:28:20.960 their godliness. Why because elders manage the godliness of God's people. Right. 395 00:28:21.079 --> 00:28:24.680 Remember all of the instructions that Paul has given Titus 396 00:28:24.680 --> 00:28:28.319 in this letter, look after like teach what accords to 397 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:31.319 sound doctrine. Older men are to be so reminded, dignified, 398 00:28:31.559 --> 00:28:34.400 self controlled. I'm in chapter two at this point. Older 399 00:28:34.400 --> 00:28:36.799 women are likewise to be reverent in behavior like all 400 00:28:36.839 --> 00:28:45.839 of this life shepherding, the willingness to grapple with you 401 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:52.240