Transcript Biblical Development of the Eldership 2

Biblical Development of the
Eldership: “What Elders Do 2”
April 5, 2009
Bob Mullen
Timeline Regarding Local Church
Leadership (Gene Getz)
DATE
THE BOOK OF EVENTS
ACTS AND THE
EPISTLES
A.D. Acts 16:4
49-50
Delivering the
letter from
apostles and
elders
Decision by the Eldership
• NIV Acts 16:4 “As
they traveled from
town to town, they delivered the
decisions reached by the apostles
and elders in Jerusalem for the
people to obey.”
Timeline Regarding Local Church
Leadership (Gene Getz)
DATE
THE BOOK OF ACTS
AND THE EPISTLES
EVENTS
A.D.
51
1 Thessalonians Respecting
5:12-13
and
honoring
overseers
Over You in the Lord…
• NIV 1 Thessalonians 5:12 Now
we ask
you, brothers, to respect those who
work hard among you, who are over
you in the Lord and who admonish
you.
• 13 Hold them in the highest regard
in love because of their work. Live
in peace with each other.
Work of Elders
• Once the elders reach a decision,
we are to submit to it- unless it
clearly violates Scripture.
• “Over you” is same as 1 Tim. 3:4-5.
• Their work of overseership is to be
respected highly, and is to be used
carefully.
Timeline Regarding Local Church
Leadership (Gene Getz)
DATE
THE BOOK OF
ACTS AND THE
EPISTLES
EVENTS
A.D. 58 Acts 20:17-38 Paul’s
directives to
Ephesian
elders
Paul Sets the Story
• NIV Acts 20:17 From
Miletus, Paul
sent to Ephesus for the elders of
the church.
• 18 When they arrived, he said to
them: "You know how I lived the
whole time I was with you, from the
first day I came into the province of
Asia.
• 19 I
served the Lord with great
humility and with tears, although I
was severely tested by the plots
of the Jews.
• 20 You know that I have not
hesitated to preach anything that
would be helpful to you but have
taught you publicly and from
house to house.
• 21 I
have declared to both Jews
and Greeks that they must turn to
God in repentance and have faith
in our Lord Jesus.
• 22 "And now, compelled by the
Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,
not knowing what will happen to
me there.
• 23 I
only know that in every city the
Holy Spirit warns me that prison
and hardships are facing me.
• 24 However, I consider my life
worth nothing to me, if only I may
finish the race and complete the
task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel
of God's grace.
• 25 "Now
I know that none of you
among whom I have gone about
preaching the kingdom will ever see
me again.
• 26 Therefore, I declare to you today
that I am innocent of the blood of all
men.
• 27 For I have not hesitated to
proclaim to you the whole will of
God.
Paul’s Ministry and the Elders
• He helps the elders remember the
sound doctrine and lifestyle =
focus on others.
• The need to affirm the whole
counsel of God = elders support
AND do this.
• Be active in serving God.
Statements for That Eldership
• 28 Keep
watch over yourselves
and all the flock of which the Holy
Spirit has made you overseers.
Be shepherds of the church of
God, which he bought with his
own blood.
• 29 I
know that after I leave,
savage wolves will come in
among you and will not spare the
flock.
• 30 Even from your own number
men will arise and distort the truth
in order to draw away disciples
after them.
• 31 So be on your guard!
The Work of Elders
• Overseeing God’s church = elders
are trustees/stewards.
• Holy Spirit picks and leads them.
• Dealing with Wolves.
• Watch themselves = group and
personal accountability.
• Remember that for three years I
never stopped warning each of you
night and day with tears.
• 32 "Now I commit you to God and
to the word of his grace, which can
build you up and give you an
inheritance among all those who
are sanctified.
• 33 I
have not coveted anyone's
silver or gold or clothing.
• 34 You yourselves know that
these hands of mine have
supplied my own needs and the
needs of my companions.
• 35 In everything I did, I showed
you that by this kind of hard work
we must help the weak,
• remembering the words the Lord
Jesus himself said: 'It is more
blessed to give than to receive.'"
• 36 When he had said this, he knelt
down with all of them and prayed.
• 37 They
all wept as they
embraced him and kissed him.
• 38 What grieved them most was
his statement that they would
never see his face again. Then
they accompanied him to the
ship.
Work of Elders
• The Word is what can build up
elders…and us.
• To help the weak…that are willing
to be helped.
• Their prayer ministry.
• To feel compassion for people.
Timeline Regarding Local Church
Leadership (Gene Getz)
DATE
THE BOOK OF
ACTS AND THE
EPISTLES
EVENTS
A.D. 58 Acts 21:17-26 Paul meets
with
Jerusalem
elders
• NIV Acts 21:17 When
we arrived at
Jerusalem, the brothers received
us warmly.
• 18 The next day Paul and the rest
of us went to see James, and all
the elders were present.
• 19 Paul
greeted them and reported
in detail what God had done among
the Gentiles through his ministry.
• 20 When they heard this, they
praised God. Then they said to
Paul: "You see, brother, how many
thousands of Jews have believed,
and all of them are zealous for the
law.
• 21 They
have been informed that
you teach all the Jews who live
among the Gentiles to turn away
from Moses, telling them not to
circumcise their children or live
according to our customs.
• The Peter incident in Galatians 2.
Work of Elders
• James was a leading elder, but
not the only one.
• Reporting between the elders and
Paul was mutual.
• They had to deal with “rumoring”
and immaturity in the church.
• 22 What
shall we do? They will
certainly hear that you have come,
• 23 so do what we tell you. There
are four men with us who have
made a vow.
• 24 Take these men, join in their
purification rites and pay their
expenses, so that they can have
their heads shaved.
• Then everybody will know there is
no truth in these reports about
you, but that you yourself are
living in obedience to the law.
• 25 As for the Gentile believers, we
have written to them our decision
that they should abstain from food
sacrificed to idols,
• from the meat of strangled animals
and from sexual immorality."
• 26 The next day Paul took the men
and purified himself along with
them. Then he went to the temple
to give notice of the date when the
days of purification would end and
the offering would be made for
each of them.
Work of Elders
• The wisdom in their counsel to
Paul – preventing an important
issue from dividing the group.
• An apostle obeyed an eldership –
the elders knew their members.
• They honored both the Jewish
and Gentile Christian rulings.