Sermon Tone Analysis

*The Gospel of John XIX: *

*A Few Good Shepherds*

*John 10:11-13*

*/November 16, 2008/*

 

 

*Prep: *

·         Trinity sermon Jn 12, Phil 11, p. 4

·         NAC commentary on 1 Timothy 3:1-7

·         My Bylaws

·         Driscoll sermon

·         Elder passages and Acts 20:17, Heb.

13:7ff

 

 

*intro: our government *

 

As we have announced Peter and Cecil, I’ll first give a *synopsis* of the *leadership* of The Gathering before beginning the sermon.

·         Please text in your questions.

First: This is *not* the *only* *Biblical* *model*; there are many ways to lead churches that glorifies God and spreads the Gospel.

TGCC is an *elder*-*led* church.

That means that we are led by a *plurality* of *pastors*:

 

*Plurality*: Not one pastor, but several.

As the Lead Pastor, I do *not* *run* the church, rather “the *first* among *equals*.”

Together we lead the church.

I only have one *vote*, like the rest.

·         I’m in the *process* of changing from “*me*” to “*we*.”

·         My specific responsibilities include being the *main teacher*, *overseeing* the daily operations, and being a *catalyst*.

*Pastors*: This church is not run by businessmen, but by pastors, who are *guide*, *feed*, *care* for, and *protect* the flock.

·         Biblically, “*elder*” and “*pastor*” are nearly *synonymous* and we use the terms interchangeably.

The fact that we are pastors means that our *skills* and *passion* are *narrow*, so we *need* *help*.

This is where *deacons* come in, which is a ministry that has been hibernating, but *Peter’s* *first* job is to *resurrect* it.

*Under-shepherds *

 

This sermon is going to be on the *requirements* and *responsibilities* of being a pastor~/elder.

·         All of this stuff is vital because *most problems* in a church spring from *leadership failures*.

Usually I preach about what *you* are *supposed* to do, but this is about what *Micah*, *Cecil*, and *I* am supposed to do, so I’ll preach to myself and you are *off* the *hook*.

·         I’m also giving you the *standards* by which we are judged, so you can know if your pastors are living as they should.

·         And it might be the God may *call one or two of you* to this.

This is also a call to *deaconship*: Perhaps you will feel called to *come* *along* *side* the elders to help run the church.

·         The *qualifications* are *similar*.

·         *Peter* is fully *qualified* for *either*, but choosing deaconship demonstrates a *servant’s heart* and the *nobility *of *deaconship*.

*We are the sheep*

 

When I began this sermon, it actually started another *sermon* in our *series* on *John* and I was struck by its *relevance* to *eldership*, and the *timing* was *perfect*.

*John 10:11-13 *  11 I am the good shepherd.

The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

They are *helpless*, *defenseless*, prone to *straying*, and dirty animals.

They require constant *oversight*, *leading*, *rescue*, and cleaning or they will die.

·         They require a *patient*, *wise*, *firm*, yet *kind* shepherd.

When we speak of being a *pastor*, this is our *example*: not being *hired* hands but pouring out our lives for the church.

Jesus is not just our example, but he *continues* to be the *Good* *Shepherd*.

·         The role of pastors is to be *under-shepherd* under him.

·         The word “pastor” is actually from the *Latin “pastorem*,” which means “shepherd.”

When Jesus returned to heaven, he did not leave us shepherd-less, rather he *trained* the *12 disciples* to be “under-shepherds,” who would care for his flock.

Jesus’ words to Apostle *Peter* are instructive to the disciples’ purpose: When he restored him, his instructions were “*feed* my *sheep*.”

In the early church, he was the *chief* *under*-*shepherd*.

·         In his epistles, we see him changed *from harsh* to *gentle*, and he gives *great instruction* to pastors – we’ll *finish* there.

*The List*

 

First, I want to look at the *qualifications* for being a pastor, found in *1 Timothy 3:1-7*.

These are the things that are expected of *every* *elder*.

·         While some may do *better* at some of these than others, we all have to have each one to *some degree*.

Since I am also speaking to *potential* *deacons*, you should know that in vv.

*8-13* Paul gives the qualifications for deacons, which is a *similar* *list*, and for the sake of time, I have combined them.

·         I have *broken* this up to *clarify* the pieces.

*1 Timothy 3:1-7 * ESV *1 Timothy 3:1* ¶ The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task... 

 

*/Therefore an overseer must be above reproach/* (D: must be dignified): This is the *catchall*.

Even if something is not on the list, this covers it.

It means *blameless*.

Not perfect (Paul was “chief of sinners”), but without any *skeletons* in the closet.

An elder should not have any secrets, which is one of the reasons for examination.

*/The husband of one wife/* (D: same): “One woman man: Doesn’t mean never divorced, but devoted to his wife.

A man’s relationship to his wife is a key indicator.

Complete and absolute *sexual* *fidelity* (*body*, *mind*, *eyes*, and *emotions*) is non-negotiable.

·         The devil’s three most powerful weapons against pastors are *money*, *sex*, and *power* – all are listed in these passages.

*/Sober-minded/*: Level headed, not *rash*, we do not have the luxury of *kneejerk* *reactions*

 

*/Self-controlled/*: Able to *control* *actions*, *words*, and *attitudes*.

He must be the master of these things, not the other way around.

*/Respectable/*: Be an example: A pastor must be someone that we would want our *sons* to be *like* and our *daughters* to *marry*.

*/Hospitable/*: One who is in the habit of sharing his house with others.

*/Able to teach/*: Vital to *train* you and *protect* you.

*/Not a drunkard/* (D: not addicted to much wine): Drinking is okay, drunkenness is not.

*/Not violent but gentle/*: Power under control.

*/Not quarrelsome/*: The verbal equivalent of “not violent.”

This is a sign of *humility* – not needing to be *right*.

·         This does *not mean* “not *disagreeing*,” Cecil is great at “Disagree, then commit.”

*/Not a lover of money/* (D: not greedy for dishonest gain): For the *love* of *money* is the root of many evils.

We have an obligation to be *good* *stewards* of your offering.

Many have *stolen* from God’s money.

*/He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,  5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?

/*(D: same): Does not mean a *perfect* *family* (God’s first kids rebelled), but the state of a man’s home is a *clear* *indicator* of his life – his family knows what kind of man he really is.

 

·         This does not mean that our kids are on *public display*.

*/He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil./*:

Better start pastoring a couple years *late* than *early*.

A pastor needs to be health or else your faith won’t survive.

·         *Pride* is already the *main sin* of pastors.

*About* *age*: I became a pastor at the age of 25, but due to the size of the church, it was not a ruling position, in some ways more like a deacon.

I am inclined to think that *30 is a bare* *minimum* for being an elder, though there may be *exceptions*.

*/Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil./*:

 

1) Outsiders may *know* something we don’t.

2) If a pastor has an *unsavory* *reputation* with the unsaved, *he* and the entire *church*, and the *Gospel* will fall into *disgrace*.

Ä  From talking about the *qualifications* for *eldership*, we turn to what Peter said about *how* to *shepherd*.

*Instructions for shepherding*

 

*1 Peter 5:1-5 * So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:  2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,

 

This is the overarching command: *Shepherd*, *overseeing*.