The Requirements of Elders, Part 2

The point: All Christians ought to be temperate and sober, assessing the world, themselves, and God's will wisely, not sleepwalking or exposing themselves unnecessarily to temptation.

Martin uses the analogy of sleep, where one is out of touch with reality, to explain the opposite of soberness. Just as sleep disconnects one from hard facts, spiritual 'sleepwalking' disconnects Christians from the reality of spiritual warfare and temptation.

where all believers are exhorted, Now, there's a difference between somberness and soberness. A man may be somber without being sober, and he may be sober without being somber. Now, it's the opposite of a man being asleep, according to 1 Thessalonians 5, 6. What's it mean to be sober? Well, it means the opposite of being drowsy and sleepy-eyed. You see, when you sleep, you're out of control. You're out of control. You're touch with the world of reality. You can have dreams and imagine yourself to be handsome, beautiful, wealthy, important, influential, and then the alarm clock goes off and you...

9:14 - 10:22 Read in full sermon

The point: All Christians ought to be temperate and sober, assessing the world, themselves, and God's will wisely, not sleepwalking or exposing themselves unnecessarily to temptation.

He extends the analogy to drunkenness, where a man enters a 'world of non-reality' to escape problems. This illustrates how an elder must be sober, living in the light of facts, not a 'fool's paradise,' to effectively lead the flock.

to contrast drunkenness as well. What happens when a man is drunk? He moves into that world of non-reality, the world of the alcoholic, the escape world, to get away from his problems, inward or outward, a man will drink. Now it says here that the bishop must not only be blameless in the general sense. One wife's husband, absolutely beyond reproach in his marital relationships, but he must be a temperate man, a sober man, a man who is in touch with the world of reality. He's not living in a fool's paradise. He's living in the light of the facts as they really are. He's a moderate, well-balance...

10:22 - 11:13 Read in full sermon

The point: The Scripture requires the virtue of sanity or self-control of every Christian, as one of the ends for which Christ died was to make us sober and sensible.

Martin describes a man standing next to a wall about to be demolished by a crane. This illustrates moral insanity, arguing that an unconverted person, with God's wrath hanging over them, is in a worse, spiritually insane condition.

Let me illustrate. If you were to drive down Bloomfield Avenue today and see a house that was being destroyed, it was being demolished, maybe a new highway was going through, you saw one of these huge cranes with the big two-ton balls, and the crane comes and the ball follows behind and clobbers it. And you knew that that wall was about to be knocked down and the next blow. What would you say of a man who, claiming to be an intelligent man in his right mind, were to go and stand right next to the wall that was about to receive the next smack of the ball?

15:19 - 15:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Orderliness should mark all the people of God, because God is a God of order, and our lives will be ordered when walking with Him. It must especially mark the elder due to the demands of the office.

He uses examples of immodest or disheveled apparel to explain 'orderly' or 'modest.' Apparel that doesn't fit a godly profession or is grotesque and dirty indicates a lack of order, sometimes even mental imbalance, highlighting the importance of an elder's well-arranged life.

If you see a woman with her knees exposed halfway up her thighs and dressed in such a way that she's imitating the world with its preoccupation with sex, you say that's not what? Modest apparel. There's something wrong. Or if you see a woman who may be modestly dressed as far as the length of her dress and the cut and the size, but she has on all kinds of grotesque colors mixed together, all besmirched with dirt, you say that's not modest apparel.

18:36 - 19:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Hospitality is required of all believers, as it bespeaks the open heart and expresses the love of the heart through an open door.

Martin contrasts modern conveniences like Holiday Inns and credit cards with the ancient need for hospitality. This emphasizes that in the New Testament era, opening one's home was a vital virtue, especially for elders, as it demonstrated an 'open heart' and provided necessary provision.

And that was greatly encouraging to me, to know that you had not only heard, but seemed to be walking in the light of that requirement of scripture. It means basically generous, kind to guests, particularly to outsiders. For in a day when there were not the provisions that we have in our day, we didn't have any holiday inns, and credit cards given to you by your denominational executives, so that you went into a town you could just put up at the holiday inn. This was a day when if there weren't some people who opened the doors to you, you'd sleep out in the street.

21:14 - 21:49 Read in full sermon

The point: Hospitality must, in a peculiar way, be the mark of a bishop or overseer, as he needs to know his people, minister to them, and set an example for the flock.

He shares a personal anecdote about his children wondering why they were eating alone when no guests were present. This illustrates the regular practice of hospitality in his home and the 'wonderful opportunity for ministry' it affords.

If he is to minister to his people, many times. Some of the ministries I've been privileged to have over a cup of tea on a Sunday night have been some of the most precious ministries, or over some meal that my wife prepared. In some weeks, we haven't kept track of this, but some weeks recently I know it's been anywhere from four to six times a week there's been someone else at the table. In fact, to get so now, the kids, when it's just, the five of us sit down and wonder, what's the matter?

22:43 - 23:10 Read in full sermon

The point: Hospitality must, in a peculiar way, be the mark of a bishop or overseer, as he needs to know his people, minister to them, and set an example for the flock.

Martin recounts how some students expressed shock at being in his home, having never visited their own pastor's home despite years in their churches. This highlights the failure of some pastors to practice hospitality and the resulting lack of communication and fellowship.

And according to Peter, he's to be an ensample to the flock. And if all the flock of God are to be given to hospitality, what greater way to manifest this than that its overseers demonstrate this virtue? You know, it's been a shocking thing. to me, to have some folk in the home, especially some of the students who've been in their own local churches, some of them for years, and they said, you know, Pastor, this is the first time we've ever been in the home of our pastor.

23:24 - 23:48 Read in full sermon

The point: Some elders must be able to stand in the assembly and use their peculiar gifts of teaching and exhortation for the blessing of the entire assembly.

He contrasts teaching God's truth with operating a computer. A computer operator deals with a 'feelingless, soulless box,' but teaching God's truth involves dealing with 'people made of flesh and blood,' emphasizing the need for love and patience in communication.

In spite of the frightening judgment that'll come to those who teach, you're constrained to give yourself to the task and such a love for people. You see, teaching is not like a computer operator or an IBM punch card operator. You just feed information into that feelingless, soulless box. Teaching God's truth isn't doing that. You see, the guy who's feeding information into the computer, he can call that computer all kinds of names and even kick it once in a while. It'll never talk back. It won't hinder the information going in unless he busts a tube or something. But you see, when you're deal...

34:30 - 35:17 Read in full sermon

The point: We should covet the better gifts and there should be among us men who are crying to God to equip them with gifts to teach and seek to prove those gifts.

Martin tells a story about a doctor who was sharp and knowledgeable but lacked 'bedside manner,' causing patients to refuse further visits. This illustrates that an elder needs not only a grasp of truth and ability to communicate but also a 'proper bedside manner' – a love for truth and people.

people that makes the first two operative. We often say of a certain man, well, you know, I don't question his ability as a doctor. I don't question his knowledge as a doctor, but I don't like his bedside manner, or he has no bedside manner. He has no heart for his patients. When I was in California, the first day there, I spent some time with a fine Christian doctor who sort of said, I don't like his bedside manner. I don't like the patient's habit towards oralquently patients. He's a sort of a patriarch in that little town of some maybe 5000 people. He's delivered, I imagine three quarters o...

36:41 - 37:47 Read in full sermon

The point: The only people we are warranted to recognize as office bearers in the eldership are those who have demonstrated that they have a grasp upon the Constitution (Word of God).

He uses the analogy of a president trying to rule without knowing the Constitution. This illustrates how an elder cannot rule effectively if he lacks a grasp of God's Word, which is the 'Constitution' of the church.

This aptitude to teach. Now you see, of course, why this is necessary for the elder. For if he rules in the assembly and the measure of his rule or the source book of his rule is the word of God, if he can't communicate it, if he doesn't have sufficient grasp upon it to be able to defend it against all those that would undermine its authority, if he doesn't have sufficient grasp to know what portions apply in given situations, how can he rule? It's like a president trying to rule who doesn't know and isn't conversant with the Constitution. Impossible. And one wonders if the past presidents we'...

39:33 - 40:37 Read in full sermon

The point: As a church, we will respond to this concept of an apprenticeship kind of ministry with young men whom God brings to us, giving them opportunities to prove their gifts.

Martin shares the story of Ted Hagen, a young man preparing for ministry who questioned his 'aptness to teach' due to lack of opportunity. This personal anecdote highlights the practical challenge of proving one's gifts and the church's obligation to provide such opportunities.

Therefore, I trust as a church we will respond to this concept of an apprenticeship kind of ministry with young men whom God brings to us. It struck pretty close to home when I sat in my study two weeks ago, last weekend ago. Ted Hagen was with us. And he poured out his heart to me on wondering if he's called to preach.

44:17 - 44:36 Read in full sermon

The point: Men who are to take the place of elders, whether they be ruling elders, only are teaching ruling elders, must demonstrate some aptitude to teach.

He recounts a conversation with a preacher starting a seminary in France based on an apprenticeship model, where young men learn by observing and working alongside an experienced man of God. This serves as an example of a scriptural approach to ministerial training.

What's going to be done, I don't know. But I'm encouraged. I talked with a preacher in the car just before I flew back from St. Louis, and he's being instrumental in seeing a seminary started in France where their whole concept is you take young men and you put them under the shadow of a man of God.

47:15 - 47:30 Read in full sermon

The point: May God grant that we shall recognize such [qualified elders] if they exist amongst us. And if they don't, let's pray that God will give us such men for our well-being and for the glory of Christ.

Martin uses Timothy's training under Paul as an example of learning by watching. Timothy learned to preach with power and to watch over people by observing Paul's anointing, holy rage against error, and love for truth, emphasizing the importance of mentorship.

And Timothy was a companion of Paul. He learned by watching. What's it mean to preach with power? He'd heard that little hook-nosed Jew preach with such anointing that Timothy could never be content to just stand up and give his cute little free speech.

48:00 - 48:13 Read in full sermon