THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 9-2-18



LESSON TITLE: “THE KINGDOM IN PATTERN: ORGANIZATION”



WELCOME

TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST, RAY SULLINS.

GOOD MORNING! THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR GOD'S LIVING WORD. I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT WEEK AND I HOPE YOU ARE READY TO BEGIN THIS NEW WEEK WITH A DAY OF SERVICE AND OFFERING TO YOUR GOD. AS ALWAYS, IT IS OUR COMMITMENT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM TO PROCLAIM THE SIMPLE TRUTH OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST WHICH IS CONFIRMED FOR US IN THE BIBLE. I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE YOUR BIBLE'S HANDY AND I HOPE YOU ARE READY TO WORSHIP GOD TOGETHER AS WE SING PRAISES TO HIS NAME AND STUDY FROM HIS WONDROUS WORD. NOW LET'S BEGIN BY TALKING TO OUR FATHER IN PRAYER!

PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY THE MANY GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE. WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND TO BE SONS IN YOUR KINGDOM. AND FATHER, WE ASK THIS DAY THAT YOU HELP US TO DO EVERYTHING WE DO IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR WILL THAT WE MIGHT BE PLEASING. BUT FATHER, ULTIMATELY THAT WE MIGHT BE RECIPIENTS OF YOUR GRACE, LOVE, AND MERCY, KNOWING THAT NOT ONLY WE'LL HAVE THE BLESSINGS OF THIS LIFE BUT THE BLESSINGS OF THE LIFE TO COME. AND IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.

AT THIS TIME WE WANT TO BEGIN OUR SONGS OF PRAISE. THIS MORNING WE START WITH A SONG THAT REMINDS US OF THE BLESSING OF GOD'S WONDROUS KINGDOM. SO, WON'T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AS WE TOGETHER SING, "I LOVE THY KINGDOM LORD."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

HAVE YOU MET THOSE PEOPLE BEFORE WHO JUST DON'T SEEM TO CARE MUCH ABOUT GOD OR RELIGION? I HAVE AND IT JUST AMAZES ME THAT ANYONE COULD REJECT GOD OR HIS WILL, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THE REWARDS THAT ARE IN STORE FOR THOSE WHO OBEY HIM. MANY EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO MAKING FUN OF OR LAUGHING AT RELIGION, MAKING COMMENTS LIKE, "WHO BELIEVES IN THAT STUFF" OR "I'M NOT GOING TO WASTE MY LIFE ON SOME CHURCH." ISN'T IT OUR DUTY AS FOLLOWERS OF GOD TO LET THESE TYPES OF PEOPLE SEE GOD IN US? THEN HOPEFULLY, THROUGH OUR EXAMPLE, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE LIGHT AND WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR JESUS.

ISN'T IT ALSO AMAZING HOW PATIENT OUR GOD IS WITH THIS TYPE OF A PERSON? HE CONTINUALLY WAITS WITH OPEN ARMS FOR ANYONE WHO WILL COME TO HIS FOLD. PAUL TOLD TITUS ABOUT THIS ASPECT OF GOD IN TITUS 2:11. THERE IT SAYS, "FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGS SALVATION HAS APPEARED TO ALL MEN." GOD'S GRACE IS EXTENDED TO ALL MEN, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE OR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. THE HEBREW WRITER SAID, "BUT WE SEE JESUS, WHO WAS MADE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS, FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH CROWNED WITH GLORY AND HONOR, THAT HE, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, MIGHT TASTE DEATH FOR EVERYONE," CHAPTER 2, VERSE NINE. HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO KNOW THAT JESUS SUFFERED DEATH FOR EVERYONE!

WHAT GREATER EXAMPLE DO WE HAVE OF THIS THAN THAT OF THE APOSTLE PAUL. AS YOU KNOW, BEFORE PAUL WAS PAUL, HE WAS CALLED SAUL AND HE ACTUALLY WORKED AGAINST THE CAUSE OF CHRIST. HE TALKED BAD ABOUT CHRISTIANS, HE PERSECUTED THEM, AND HE DID EVERYTHING HE COULD TO KEEP THE CHURCH FROM GROWING. IT WAS PAUL HIMSELF THAT SAID, "THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTANCE, THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS, OF WHOM I AM CHIEF," FIRST TIMOTHY 1:15.

SO, SOME MIGHT SAY, "BUT WHY DOES IT REALLY MATTER?" WELL, LET ME TELL YOU! WE ALL WILL BE JUDGED BY OUR WORDS AND DEEDS. IN MARK 12:37, JESUS SAID, "" FOR BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE JUSTIFIED, AND BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED." ALSO IN COLOSSIANS 3:17, PAUL SAID, AND "WHATEVER YOU DO IN WORD OR DEED, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!" NOW YOU TELL ME WHY IT MATTERS?

THIS MORNING WE HAVE A GUEST SPEAKER WITH US WHO IS NO STRANGER TO US ALL. HE IS THE MINISTER FOR THE OMAHA CHURCH OF CHRIST, IN OMAHA, ARKANSAS. WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO HAVE TREY SULLINS WITH US AGAIN TO LEAD US IN TODAY'S DISCUSSION ON GOD'S KINGDOM. OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC OF STUDY OF STUDY THIS HOUR IS ENTITLED, "THE KINGDOM IN PATTERN: ORGANIZATION." SO, PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US THIS MORNING, AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER BROTHER TREY WILL LEAD US IN THIS STUDY FROM GOD'S WORD. THE NAME OF OUR NEXT HYMN, "HE IS MY EVERYTHING!"



LESSON

TREY SULLINS

GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AGAIN AS WE TALK ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF OUR GOD. WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION OF THE KINGDOM THIS MORNING. AND AS WE BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT THAT LOOK ABOUT THE ENTIRE WORLD AROUND YOU. YOU SEE ORGANIZATION IS IN EVERYTHING FROM THE LARGEST COMPANIES OF THE WORLD EVEN ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SMALLEST ANIMALS OR CELLS EVEN WITHIN OUR OWN BODIES, WE FIND ORGANIZATION. OF COURSE, THERE IT'S BEING PLACED BY THE DESIGN OF GOD IN THOSE SMALL ANIMALS AND IN CELLS. BUT IN THOSE LARGE CORPORATIONS YOU FIND THAT PEOPLE HAVE DESIRE TO ORGANIZE THEMSELVES FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING THE BEST COMPANY THAT THEY CAN. TO BE THE MOST PROFITABLE OR TO BE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OR WHATEVER THEIR GOALS MAY BE. OF COURSE, ORGANIZATION IS SEEN IN NEARLY EVERYTHING AND OF COURSE THE LORD'S CHURCH IS NO DIFFERENT. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT GOD, THE BIBLE, AS YOU DIG THROUGH ITS PAGES AND THROUGH ITS WORDS THERE, YOU SEE ORGANIZATION OF ALL DIFFERENT KINDS AND TYPES. AND AS GOD EVEN GAVE IT TO US, THE WISDOM TO ORGANIZE OURSELVES, NO DOUBT HE ORGANIZED HIS OWN SYSTEM IN THE WAY THAT HE SAW FIT.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE CHURCH, OF COURSE, MATTHEW CHAPTER 28 AND IN VERSE 18 IS A GREAT PLACE TO BEGIN WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOW THE LORD'S CHURCH, THE KINGDOM OF GOD, IS ORGANIZED ON THIS EARTH. AND THERE IN MATTHEW 28 AND 18 IT SAYS, “AND JESUS CAME AND SPOKE TO THEM, SAYING, ‘ALL AUTHORITY HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH.’” AND THIS PASSAGE IS TELLING US AS JESUS IS SAYING TO THOSE WHO ARE AROUND HIM THAT GOD GAVE HIM THE AUTHORITY. SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH IT ALL BEGINS WITH JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. AND OF COURSE, WHO IS THE BETTER CANDIDATE TO BE THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH THAN THE ONE WHO HAS ALL AUTHORITY? YOU THINK ABOUT ANY OTHER OPTIONS OF THE WORLD, THERE IS NO ONE ELSE WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY GIVEN TO THEM BY GOD LIKE JESUS CHRIST DOES. WE FIND OVER IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 1 AND IN VERSE 22 AND 23 THAT THIS IS IN FACT THE CASE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. THAT'S EPHESIANS CHAPTER 1 AND VERSEs 22 AND 23. IT SAYS THERE, “AND HE PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET, AND GAVE HIM TO BE HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH, WHICH IS HIS BODY, THE FULLNESS OF HIM WHO FILLS ALL IN ALL.” WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THAT PASSAGE OF JESUS IS SAYING TO US THROUGH, OR THE HOLY SPIRIT RATHER, IS SAYING TO US THROUGH PAUL THE WRITER THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. AND YOU NOTICE IT DRAWS THAT COMPARISON THERE. AND HE PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET AND GAVE HIM TO BE HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH. HE IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. WE FIND ALSO THERE IN COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1 AND IN VERSE 18 THE SAME EXACT THING BEING MENTIONED IN A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT WAY THERE. IT SAYS, “AND HE IS THE HEAD OF THE BODY, THE CHURCH, WHO IS THE BEGINNING, THE FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD, THAT IN ALL THINGS HE MAY HAVE THE PREEMINENCE.” JESUS CHRIST IS THE HEAD. HE IS AT THE VERY TOP OF THE CHURCH. HE IS THE ONE IN CHARGE OF THE CHURCH. THE ONE WITH ALL AUTHORITY OVER THE CHURCH AS WE SAW THERE IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 28 AND VERSE 18.

NOW WITH THOSE THINGS IN MIND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, AS WE LOOK AROUND TODAY, WE FIND THAT SOME PEOPLE NO LONGER LOOK TO JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR HEAD. BECAUSE THESE PASSAGES TELL US SO PLAINLY THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE HEAD WE CAN UNDERSTAND SOME VERY SIMPLE THINGS. FIRST IS THAT THERE IS NO NEED REALLY FOR AN EARTHLY HEADQUARTERS. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE HEAD, WHERE SHOULD THE HEADQUARTERS BE? WELL, IN JESUS CHRIST WITH JESUS CHRIST. WE ALSO FIND THAT THERE IS NO NEED FOR A HEADQUARTERS BECAUSE THE LAWS HAVE ALREADY BEEN GIVEN. YOU SEE, A HEADQUARTERS IS NECESSARY IN DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE THEY NEED A PLACE TO CENTRALIZE THEIR RULES, TO CENTRALIZE THEIR GOVERNING OF WHATEVER BODY IT MIGHT BE. AND YET, THAT IS WITH JESUS CHRIST. NOT ONLY HAS HE ALREADY GIVEN US THE RULES BUT HE IS THE ONE STILL WITH ALL AUTHORITY OVER THE CHURCH. SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE CHURCH, JESUS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. HE IS THE ONE WITH THE AUTHORITY AND HE IS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE LORD'S CHURCH. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT BASED ON THIS. THE LOCAL CONGREGATIONS OF THE LORD'S CHURCH IN EACH INDIVIDUAL PLACE AROUND THE WORLD MUST BE AUTONOMOUS. AND WE CAN SEE EXAMPLES OF THIS THROUGHOUT THE SCRIPTURES. AND BY AUTONOMOUS WE MEAN THAT THEY GOVERN THEMSELVES BASED UPON WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US WITHIN THE BIBLE. YOU DON'T FIND VARIOUS CONGREGATIONS IN THE BOOK OF ACTS ALL BEING DELEGATED BY ONE CONGREGATION IN A LARGER CENTRAL AREA. YOU DON'T FIND THOSE EXAMPLES WITHIN THE SCRIPTURES BUT YOU FIND EACH CONGREGATION THERE RULING THEMSELVES ACCORDING TO GOD'S WORD AND GOVERNING THEMSELVES, AGAIN, ACCORDING TO GOD'S WORD.

WITH ALL THESE THINGS IN MIND, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THOUGH HOW GOD ORGANIZES THE LOCAL CONGREGATION. WITH JESUS CHRIST AT THE HEAD WE SEE THAT ELDERS ARE THE NEXT STEP OF THE NEXT RUNG IN THE LADDER OF ORGANIZATION THERE AS GOD GIVES IT TO US. THE BIBLE MENTIONS ELDERS IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT NAMES THROUGHOUT THE SCRIPTURES. AND THERE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, OF COURSE, IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. BUT THE FIRST TWO NAMES THAT WE MIGHT MENTION ARE BISHOP OR OVERSEER, WHICH REFERS TO THE OFFICE, WHICH HAS OVERSIGHT, WHICH HAS A BIT OF RULING POWER OVER AND GOVERNING AUTHORITY OVER THE CONGREGATION. WE'RE GOING TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT IN JUST A MOMENT AS WE DIG INTO WHAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF ELDERS ARE. BUT THE BISHOP OR OVERSEER, THE NEXT ONE THAT WE FIND IS ELDERS OR PRESBYTERS. AND THIS ONE GENERALLY REFERS TO A BIT OF A POSITION OF AGE OR OF MORE EXPERIENCE THAN THOSE OF OTHER PEOPLE. AND SO WE CAN ALSO SEE HOW THESE NAMES HERE CAN DESCRIBE THE POSITION OF AN ELDERSHIP IN A WAY AS WELL. WE HAVE THE OVERSIGHT TO THOSE FIRST TWO WORDS, THE AGE AND EXPERIENCE OF THE NEXT TWO WORDS. AND WE THINK ABOUT HERE THE LAST TWO PASTORS OR SHEPHERDS WHICH REFERS TO SOMEONE WHO LEADS THEIR FLOCK OR SOMEONE WHO TAKES CARE OF A FLOCK. AND EXACTLY LIKE A SHEPHERD OR A PASTOR, THERE WHICH MEANS THE SAME THING AS SHEPHERD, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE WHO IS OVER A GROUP. ONE WHO IS LEADING THEIR GROUP. NOW, AN IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE IS THAT THE WORD PASTOR IS ONLY USED OF ELDERS IN A OFFICIAL SENSE WITHIN THE SCRIPTURES. WE DON'T FIND THE WORD PASTOR BEING USED TO MENTION MINISTERS OR PREACHERS BUT ONLY THAT POSITION OF ELDERSHIP'S WITHIN THE SCRIPTURES. AND SO WE OBVIOUSLY SHOULD WANT TO DO THINGS IN BIBLE WAYS AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO CALL THINGS IN BIBLE WAYS AS WELL. AND THAT THE PASTORS THERE ARE THE ELDERS AS WE FIND IN THE BIBLE.

NOW, WHAT IS AN ELDERSHIP SUPPOSED TO BE MADE UP? WELL, IN FIRST TIMOTHY AND IN CHAPTER 3, WE FIND AN EXCELLENT PLACE OF COURSE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AGAIN THROUGH PAUL TELLING US WHAT AN ELDER ELDERSHIP IS SUPPOSED TO BE MADE OF. WELL, READ THESE PASSAGES HERE, FIRST TIMOTHY CHAPTER 3 AND IN VERSES ONE THROUGH SEVEN AS WE READ OF THE QUALIFICATIONS THERE. IT SAYS:

“THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING: IF A MAN DESIRES THE POSITION OF A BISHOP HE DESIRES A GOOD WORK. A BISHOP MUST THEN BE BLAMELESS, THE HUSBAND OF ONE WIFE, TEMPERATE, SOBER-MINDED, OF GOOD BEHAVIOR, HOSPITABLE, ABLE TO TEACH; NOT GIVEN TO WINE, NOT VIOLENT, NOT GREEDY FOR MONEY, BUT GENTLE, NOT QUARRELSOME, NOT COVETOUS; ONE WHO RULES HIS OWN HOUSE WELL, HAVING HIS CHILDREN IN SUBMISSION WITH ALL REVERENCE.”

VERSE FIVE SAYS: “(FOR IF A MAN DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO RULE HIS OWN HOUSE, HOW WILL HE BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THE CHURCH OF GOD?)” WE WILL STOP THERE FOR NOW BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE JUST READ, THIS ELDERSHIP IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST OF THE BEST CHRISTIANS. IT'S MADE UP OF THOSE WHO ARE AN ABSOLUTE EXAMPLE TO THOSE AROUND THEM. IT IS NOT MADE UP OF THOSE WHO ARE NEW CHRISTIANS OR MADE UP TO THOSE WHO ARE STILL TRYING TO LEARN WHAT GOD IS AND WHO JESUS CHRIST IS BUT THOSE WHO HAVE AGE, WHO HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE IN THE WAY OF GOD IN THE TRUTH THAT HE GIVES US THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES. WE CAN ALSO SEE THERE THAT THAT IS HOW THEY GET SO MUCH OF THEIR ABILITY TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE AS WE ARE GOING TO COME TO FIND IN THE NEXT PASSAGE THAT WE'LL LOOK AT. AGAIN, IN TITUS IN CHAPTER 1, WE WON'T LOOK THERE NOW, BUT IT TELLS US ABOUT THESE QUALIFICATIONS AGAIN. THERE'S A BIT OF AN INTERESTING POINT AS WE LOOK AT TITUS AND TIMOTHY THAT THESE MEN WERE BOTH CHARGED WITH SETTING UP AND MAKING SURE THAT ELDERSHIP'S WERE CORRECT IN THE DIFFERENT CONGREGATIONS THAT THEY VISITED. SO IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PAUL WAS SAYING TO THEM AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS SAYING TO THEM THROUGH PAUL.

FIRST PETER CHAPTER 5 IS WHERE WE WILL LOOK AT NOW AND AS WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ELDERSHIP'S HAVE. FIRST PETER CHAPTER 5 VERSE THREE IS A VERY IMPORTANT VERSE AS PETER WAS WRITING ABOUT ELDERS. HE SAYS THIS, “NOR AS BEING LORDS OVER THOSE ENTRUSTED TO YOU, BUT BEING AN EXAMPLE TO THE FLOCK.” THIS VERSE TELLS US SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT ABOUT ELDERSHIPS! THAT THEY ARE NOT TO BE LIKE BOSSES OF THE WORLD WHO RULED WITH AN IRON FIST AND CONTROL THEIR CONGREGATIONS LIKE A COMPANY MIGHT CONTROL ITS EMPLOYEES. BUT THAT VERSE TELLS US AS WE JUST READ THAT THEY ARE TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE, TO LEAD WITH GOD'S AUTHORITY TO THE CROSS OF CHRIST, TO LEAD THEIR FLOCK TO HEAVEN. REMEMBER THE WORD PASTOR AND SHEPHERD. A GOOD SHEPHERD ISN'T ONE WHO GOES AROUND WITH LEASHES TIED TO ALL OF HIS SHEEP SO THAT THEY CAN'T MOVE AN INCH TO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT BUT IS A MAN WHO LEADS HIS FLOCK TO THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE CORRECT LOCATION THAT IS IN GOD. AND BASED UPON THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND AS WELL FROM ACTS CHAPTER 20 AND VERSE 28 THAT AS IT SAYS THERE THAT A SHEPHERD IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE AN ELDER IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE WHO FEEDS HIS FLOCK, TEACHES THEM THE THINGS THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND ONE WHO ALSO PROTECTS HIS FLOCK FROM THE DANGERS OF THE WORLD. AN ELDERSHIP IS SO IMPORTANT AND SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND AND WHY GOD SET THEM IN PLACE IN THE CHURCH.

FIRST, TITUS CHAPTER 1 AND VERSE FIVE SAYS THAT WE ALSO CAN HAVE CONGREGATIONS WITHOUT ELDERSHIPS. AND THE REASON THAT WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS THAT THERE WERE CONGREGATION SET UP IN CRETE AND IN TITUS CHAPTER 1 AND IN VERSE FIVE WE SEE TITUS BEING SENT BACK TO SET UP THESE ELDERSHIPS. SO OBVIOUSLY THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THESE ELDERSHIPS BUT IF NO ONE'S QUALIFYING OR YOU SIMPLY CAN'T FIND THE MEN TO DO IT IN YOUR CONGREGATION THEN IT IS SCRIPTURAL TO NOT HAVE ELDERSHIPS IN A PLACE.

THE NEXT STEP THAT WE FIND THOUGH IS DEACONS. NOW THIS IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT STEP. THE WORD DEACON THERE REFERS TO A SERVANT OR A MINISTER. ONE WHO DOES THE WORK OF THE CONGREGATION THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. FIRST TIMOTHY CHAPTER 3 VERSES EIGHT THROUGH 13 TELLS US OF THOSE QUALIFICATIONS. WE WON'T READ THROUGH THE ENTIRE THING HERE BUT AGAIN IF YOU WERE TO LOOK OVER THOSE PASSAGES YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY ARE TO BE GOOD MEN. THEY ARE TO BE THE CREAM OF THE CROP. THOSE WHO ARE A GREAT EXAMPLE TO THOSE AROUND THEM. THOSE WHO CERTAINLY LOOK ON TO GOD AND STRIVE TO FOLLOW HIM. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE CERTAIN DUTIES AND CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AS WELL. THROUGHOUT THE SCRIPTURES WE CAN SEE HOW DEACONS WERE THOSE WHO WERE TO DO THE KIND THE FOOTWORK OF THE CONGREGATION. THE LESS SPIRITUAL TYPE THINGS EVEN AT TIMES. SOME EXAMPLES OF THOSE THINGS MIGHT BE BUILDING MAINTENANCE, MIGHT BE MOWING THE LAWN, MIGHT BE TAKING CARE OF THE TREASURY, MIGHT BE GOING OUT AND GIVING TO THE NEEDY OR HELPING THOSE WHO ARE POOR AND NEEDY AS THE CONGREGATION SO DOES. THE DEACONS SERVE THE ELDERSHIP TO DO THE WORK THAT THE LOCAL CONGREGATION NEEDS TO HAVE DONE. AGAIN, ANOTHER IMPORTANT POSITION IN THE LORD'S CHURCH AND ONE GIVEN BY GOD SO THAT THE CONGREGATION CAN DO THE LORD'S WORK AND BE THE EXAMPLE IT NEEDS TO BE TO THE COMMUNITY.

THE LAST THING THAT WE THINK ABOUT OF COURSE IS THE MEMBERS. THE LARGEST GROUP OF A LOCAL CONGREGATION WOULD BE THOSE WHO ARE NOT AN ELDER AND THOSE WHO AREN'T THE DEACONS BUT ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION. IN FIRST THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 5 VERSE 12, WE UNDERSTAND A VERY IMPORTANT PASSAGE ABOUT WHAT MEMBERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. THAT'S FIRST THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 5 AND IN VERSE 12. THE BIBLE SAYS, “AND WE URGE YOU, BRETHREN, TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO LABOR AMONG YOU, WHO ARE OVER YOU AND THE LORD AND ADMONISH YOU.” SEE, THIS PASSAGE TELLS US THAT MEMBERS ARE TO LOOK TO THEIR ELDERSHIP'S AND KNOW THEM. THE NEXT VERSE IN VERSE 13 SAYS THAT THEY SHOULD RESPECT THEIR ELDERSHIP. WE FIND ALSO IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 13 VERSE SEVEN THAT MEMBERS SHOULD LOOK TO THEIR ELDERSHIPS AND THOSE OVER THEM AND SUBMIT TO THEM BECAUSE GOD PLACED ELDERSHIPS IN THE POSITION THAT HE DID SO THAT THEY CAN GUIDE THE FLOCK. THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO HELP THE FLOCK TO GOD AND SO THEREFORE MEMBERS SHOULD LOOK TO THEM WITH RESPECT, LOOK TO THEM WITH AN UNDERSTANDING AND A DESIRE TO FOLLOW THEM. WE WILL LOOK OVER TO AND READ HEBREWS CHAPTER 3 AND IN VERSE SEVEN AND ALSO IN VERSE 17. HEBREWS CHAPTER 13 RATHER AND IN VERSE SEVEN AND 17. HERE IN THIS PASSAGE IT SAYS, “REMEMBER THOSE WHO RULE OVER YOU, WHO HAVE SPOKEN THE WORLD OF GOD TO YOU, WHOSE FAITH FOLLOW, CONSIDERING THE OUTCOME OF THEIR CONDUCT.” AGAIN IN VERSE 17 IT SAYS, “OBEY THOSE WHO RULE OVER YOU, AND BE SUBMISSIVE, FOR THEY WATCH OUT FOR YOUR SOULS, AS THOSE WHO MUST GIVE ACCOUNT. LET THEM DO SO WITH JOY AND NOT WITH GRIEF, FOR WHAT WOULD BE UNPROFITABLE FOR YOU.” SO WE CAN SEE FROM THE FIRST PART OF THAT VERSE THAT IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE LISTEN TO THE ELDERSHIPS. THAT WE LISTEN TO THOSE WHOM GOD PLACED IN THE POSITION THAT HE DID.

NOW AGAIN, REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE THE THINGS SET UP BY GOD. THESE ARE THINGS NOT DEBATABLE BY MAN AS THEY ARE GIVEN BY GOD. GOD SET UP JESUS CHRIST AS THE HEAD, GOD SET UP ELDERSHIPS AS THOSE UNDERNEATH JESUS CHRIST IN THE LOCAL CONGREGATION, AND GOD SET UP DEACONS TO BE THE SERVANTS OF THAT CONGREGATION TO DO THE WORK AS IT NEEDS TO BE DONE. WE ALSO FIND GOD SET UP MEMBERS TO BE THOSE WHO LISTEN TO AND MAKE UP THE BODY OF THE LORD'S CHURCH. ELDERS, DEACONS, AND THE MEMBERS THERE MAKE UP THAT BODY. AND THE COMPARISON IS MADE ALL THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE AS JESUS AS THE HEAD AND THE BODY IS THE CHURCH THAT HE ESTABLISHED. WITH THESE THINGS IN MIND, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE MUST SERVE GOD IN THE WAY THAT HE GAVE US TO SERVE HIM. WE CANNOT DECIDE HOW WE WOULD LIKE TO ORGANIZE OURSELVES BUT WE CAN ONLY DO AS GOD SAID. MAKE SURE THIS DAY THAT YOU ARE ONE WHO SERVES GOD IN SUCH A WAY AS THAT. MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO EXACTLY AS HE WANTS YOU TO IN THE WAY THAT YOU ORGANIZE YOURSELVES. MAKE SURE ALWAYS THAT YOU SERVE HIM EVERY SINGLE DAY OF YOUR LIFE. AND IF NOT MAKE IT RIGHT WITH YOUR GOD TODAY.

CLOSING COMMENTS



LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. I HOPE AND TRUST, THAT TOGETHER WE HAVE ALL BENEFITED FROM THIS SERVICE TO OUR LORD. LET ME ALSO INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY LORD’S DAY MORNING AT 7:30 AS WE GIVE THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR.

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ISN'T IT WONDERFUL TO HAVE PRECISE COMMANDS AND CLEAR EXAMPLES IN SCRIPTURE OF HOW GOD'S KINGDOM IS ORGANIZED? MAY WE ALWAYS BE SATISFIED WITH DOING WHAT GOD WANTS IN THE WAY HE WANTS, FOR THEN AND ONLY THEN CAN WE BE FOUND PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT.