Miracle Center – Jinja on 12th September 2013
(25 Senior Church Leaders attended)
TEXT: 1 TIMOTHY 1:3-4 “As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculations rather than further the administration of God which is by faith. (NASB)
THEME: TAKING CARE OF THE CHURCH OF THE LORD
INTRODUCTION: The book of 1 Timothy is a pastoral letter in which Apostle is instructing his son in the faith, Timothy to take care of the church at Ephesus. This letter contains practical instruction that can be applicable to the church of today. After release from his first Roman imprisonment, apostle revisited several of the cities in which he had the churches including Ephesus. He had to hurry to Macedonia for reasons not specified in scripture. However, he had to retain Timothy to continue with the corrections he had begun.
The city of Ephesus was in the present day Turkey in Asia Minor. The city was best known for the magnificent temple of a goddess, Artemis (Diana) which was among the seven wonders of the ancient world. The city was idolatrous and highly wicked.
The Church in Ephesus was probably planted by a devoted couple, Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:18-19, 26), Paul visited them to strengthen the work there, and pastor the churches in Ephesus for three years. After release from Prison, he visited them along with Timothy and found three major challenges which he partly dealt with, and left the task to Timothy to continue dealing with the problem, as he headed for Macedonia. The challenges found at the churches in Ephesus that compelled the apostle to retain Timothy there to deal with were;
- (i) False doctrine (1Timothy 1:3-7;4:1-3;6:3-5)
- (ii) Disorder in church service (1Timothy 2:1-15)
- (iii) Inadequacy of qualified leaders in the churches(I Timothy 3:1-14;6:6-19)
Note: Apostle Paul had initiated correction by strongly dealing with the problem by excommunicating (Putting under church discipline) two leaders who had drifted into false doctrine. The two were Hymenaeaus and Alexander who were apparently leaders in the church (1Timothy 1:20). It seems, the problems in Ephesus did not get completely solved because thirty years later apostle John warned them of forsaking their first love (Revelations 2:1-7)
THE THREE INPORTANT THINGS THAT PASTORS MUST PAY CAREFULL ATTENTION IN WHILE TAKING CARE OF THE CHURCH:
(1) Sound Doctrine
A pastor must know, and always defend, a sound Biblical Christian doctrine. Some people had crept in among the leadership in the church in Ephesus and started to divert the attention of people from the sound Christian doctrine and apostolic teachings: They had introduced the following false practices to divert and replace the true Biblical learning and growth:
(i) Myths: Is a story or a legend which is believed by many people to explain something but does not have any real proof. There were so many legends about God, death, Angels that were not scripturally supported. Every generation and culture have such myths about occurrences to try to explain things of distant past, which are not Biblically supported.
(ii) Genealogies: The study of the family history and the ancestry of an individual or people groups. This was time consuming without any value. The devil uses such strategy.
(iii) Abstinence from Marriage: A false teaching that advocates total purity is attained when one is not married. Some people, even today, believe that having sex with their rightful and legal spouses makes them less holy.
(iv) Abstinence from some foods: This was trying to take the church back to the Jewish dietary restrictions which were abolished during the Jerusalem council (Acts 15:6-29). Salvation by works has always been man’s weakness ever since the inception of the church. Today is the same; people thinking of an additional work to the Grace of God through the atoning death of Jesus Christ.
False doctrines, also known as doctrine of demons, are teachings that try to undermine the faith in Scripture and Jesus Christ’s accomplishments on the cross, His deity as God, salvation by Grace, and not a result of human effort. The Pastors should keep alert to protect the gospel’s central truth.
The pastor must be well conversant with the sound doctrine, full of discernment and wisdom to identify in time, and combat falsehood that tries to creep into the church. He must ordain immature and tested people into church leadership. He must not be a compromiser fearing man. Unfortunately Apostle Peter was caught up in this weakness, but we thank God Apostle Paul who saved the situation by publicly confronting him (Galatians 2:14). Peter was inconsistent. He had stopped living according to Jewish customs because he rightly believed that God accepted him because he trusted in Jesus alone for his salvation. But he was forcing Gentiles (non-Jews) to be circumcised and obey the Jewish food laws. He was wrong. But that was not just a private error in his personal life; it affected many other people and got in the way of the simplicity of the gospel.
Private sin should be dealt with personally and out of the public gaze; but when error infects other people, a public rebuke is necessary. Was Paul brave or foolhardy in challenging Peter in that way? Neither! Paul was simply being faithful to the truth of the gospel and pointed out Peter’s inconsistency to cause others to see that Peter had not set the right example. Those who followed him were foolish too.
(2) Order in the Church
Another problem to be dealt with in the Ephesians churches was the order during church service. The church was marred by disorder, bitterness and confusion, and therefore necessitated immediate straightening. Apparently the following seemed to be happening during the church service:
(i) Women had hijacked leadership positions during a church worship service. I do not really believe that the Scripture restricts women from preaching. Looking at context in which this strong instruction was given, women were living self styled lives which, was a common practice of showing off with gold woven in the braided hair, expensive clothes, jewelry. Because the cultures of that time marginalized against women, the women abused the newly found liberty in Christ and over shot turning the church serves into a mess, and full of disruption. Paul was urging men to take leadership position during church service to avoid dissentions and bitterness in the church as a result of the behavior of women. Paul was dealing with a similar problem in the Corinthian Church 1 Corinthians 14:34- .There was confusion as church services were disrupted by prophecies, completions and quarreling publicly among women. Although, the concept of women preaching and teaching in the church is a debatable issue, the principal truths are that women must exercise some restrain in public gatherings, most especially in the church. This, in any way, does not demean a female sex, but taking full consideration of their nature as a weaker and intuitive sex.
(ii) Because women in the church were living self centered and impure lives of showing off in dressings and hair styles carrying the worldly practice of wearing indecently with the underlying intention of attracting attention in the church (1 Timothy 5:6:11-15; 2 Timothy 3:6) strong corrective measures were inevitable to protect the poorer women from self pity, and men from lust. Paul was concerned about a woman and their nature vis-à-vis church leadership. In the Philippians church, women who helped Paul to begin a church in Philippi (Acts 16:13) later on clashed, dividing the church into two functions over personal issues (Philippians 4:2-3). Women are easily inflammable, and less temperate and prudent than their counterparts, the men.
Unsuitability of a woman in leadership is corroborated by the sad story of mankind, when Eva usurped the authority of Adam and led him to violate the law by eating the forbidden fruit.
A pastor must know that an account is required of him from the Lord over the stewardship given to him, the church. Therefore, he must be with enough authority to bring sanity where things may attempt to go in an opposite direction. Apostle had been very strong, to warn, rebuke and administer discipline wherever it necessary. Fear and timidity is not for a shepherd of God’s flock.
Church discipline: The church operates in the spirit of love and not revenge. The offender must be shown their faults in love with the main aim of restoration first. When the person shows remorse, there is no need of subjecting the offender into church discipline, but forgive and restore (Mathew 18:15-18). Excommunication (handing the offender to the devil) is the maximum sentence to be handed to hardcore, stubborn sinning brethren. Otherwise preliminary forms of disciplines do exist, and can be administered appropriately such as:
- (i) Warnings (Titus 3:10)
- (ii) Rebuke (1Timothy 5:19-20
Note carefully that, you the restorer, do not also fall into temptation of hatred, competition and pride, but be in submission to the will of God always while dealing with a person caught in a trespass. (Galatians 6:1)
(3) Qualified church leadership (1 Timothy 3:1-7)
A church requires a tested and qualified staff ranging from pastors, elders and deacons (1Timothy 5:22; 3:10). The qualification meant here is not academic paper qualification, but proven character. Character, conduct and clear conscience are the pillars of church leadership and community approval. There are15 bible based qualification of a church staff:
(i) Above reproach or scandal: No valid accusation laid upon him either in a criminal case or otherwise.
(ii) A one-woman husband. This does not imply that singles do not qualify, but it simply means sexual purity with devotion to one legal wife.
(iii) Temperate: Behaving in a calm way in any situation.
(iv)Prudent: Sensible and careful while making judgments and avoiding unnecessary risks.
(v) Respectable: Considered by society as acceptable and good person.
(vi) Hospitable: A person pleased to receive guests; generous and friendly to visitors.
(vii) Able to teach: Ability to communicate the expound on the truth from God with the Spirit of Holy Spirit . This also includes counseling. This necessitates schooling but not limited to it.
(viii) Not addicted to wine: He must not be a drinker or the use of intoxicants such drugs, etc.
(ix) Not Pugnacious: Not having a strong desire to argue and fight with other people: Must be self controlled always.
(x) Gentle: Calm and kind. Behaving in a careful way and not pushing for recognition.
(xi) Peaceable: Not involving or causing arguments or violence.
(xii) Free from love of Money: contented in life, not craving to be rich. He is not suffering from the Love of the world (1Timothy 6:6-11).
(xiii) Manages his household well: He is on top of things bringing every one under control for Godly things.
(xiv) Not a new convert: He must have lasted in Christianity with proven experience and testimony.
(xv) A good reputation with outsiders: Must have unimpeachable testimony among unbelievers in the community.
Such men were rare in the church of Ephesus and are still rare in our days too.
( 4) Summary
The church of Christ is a very important asset in the sight of God. It cost God His own Son Jesus Christ to die in the cross to purchase it. It drew the Holy Spirit to dwell on earth to support it, till He hands it over at the rapture. God wants the church to conform to His nature of Holiness, love and united. Pastoral work is a stewardship given to an individual who must give accountability. Therefore, vigilance, discernment and God’s authority must be operational. Pastoral work is not for jokers or money minters. A church is not a commercial enterprise or employment base for job seekers. It is for men with a clear calling, fully trained with proven Character, conduct and clear conscience. Playboys and jokers should find some thing else but not the church of Jesus Christ, Amen!