Leaders Have A High Calling
1 Timothy 3:1-15
Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
8 In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
11 In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.
12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
14 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
So here seems to lay out the qualifications for Church Leaders… so let’s do it. Let’s get a whiteboard and a marker, and we’ll list all these specifics out, and then at the top we’ll put Rick & Jake & Andy & Jenna &Jamie… and then we’ll CHECKMARK the ones they’re doing and put an X next to the ones they aren’t doing well… and won’t that be fun?
I think as Paul is writing this to his disciple… and Timothy is reading this in his study… as the assembled group of Jewish believers (the Church) was listening… it would be like a faint background image was playing on the screen behind. And that image would be of a Jewish priest, standing in front of Mt Sanai, receiving God’s instructions on what his job was supposed to be.
And the reality is that Israel had NO IDEA how to be God’s people. All they know is the blind obedience of slavery and the wonkiness of the capricious Egyptian gods. So they’re in a bit of a panic- fear is setting in.
So God says, “No fear- let me lay out what this relationship looks like”
God literally says,
“Although the whole earth is mine, You will be for me a kingdom OF priests…a holy nation.” (Ex 19:6)
Not a kingdom WITH priests, or a kingdom FOR the priest.. but a nation full of priests. EVERYONE will be a priest.
Coming back to 1 Timothy- Paul is writing a cover tune of what it looks like to be a kingdom OF Priests for the first century believers… those believers in Jesus, who it was no longer about the Levitical priesthood- partly because many of these new Christion had no relationship to those Priests… so maybe we would phrase it like a CHURCH OF LEADERS
So let me finish by asking how its’s going being a “priest”….
Are we doing the four things God has called us to do as a “Kingdom OF priests”
Ask yourself:
Do I put God on display?
Do I help people navigate their atonement?
Do I intercede on the behalf of others?
Do I distribute resources to people in need?
Northpointe- we don’t need to spend time walking thru each of the qualifications of Church leadership and applying to your leaders here, That’s not the MAIN THING. I can promise they already do that all the time. And probably very often feel lacking. Nobody needs you to help to point out their mistakes.
But what is needed, is for you to play the role you were created for.
To be a KINGDOM of those leading the way of what it looks like to follow Jesus in your home, work, church, recreation, community, and in the world.