Sermon: Honor and Purity

This morning as we continue through first Timothy. We're in 1st Timothy Chapter 5. And looking this morning at verses 17 through 20.

page 993 they're in the Pew Bible First Timothy chapter 5 verses 17 through 25

Let's pray together before we open God's word together this morning.

With Jesus, we do believe that. With you are 10,000 charms and more. And then you are hidden all wisdom and all knowledge. Oh Grace and all love. oh mercy, though kindness And on we could go 10,000 times 10,000 times. We pray this morning that you as our great prophet. Our great king and our great priest. She would speak to us by the power of your word that we would find. Your dispensing wisdom and knowledge to us as only

you can.

We pray that you would wet our hearts to yours. And that you would shape and mold us to your likeness. We want to look more like the one we love. and as Grace today in Christ's name amen

Timothy chapter 5 verses 17 through 25. This is the holy inerrant sufficient word of God.

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor and preaching and teaching. For the scripture says you shall not muzzle knocks when it Treads out the Grain and the labor deserves. his wages do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three Witnesses That's for those who persist in sin? Rebuke them in the presence of all so the the rest May stand in fear.

in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus And of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging. Doing nothing from partiality. Do not be Hasty in the laying on of hands. Or take part in the sins of others. If you're self pure. No longer drink only water but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. The sins of some people are conspicuous going before them and to judgment.

the sins of others appear later So also good works or conspicuous. and even those that are not cannot remain hidden the grass withers the flower Fades the word of God is forever. Thanks be to God. amen

earlier in 1st Timothy in chapter 3 you will remember that we looked at the two Perpetual offices that there are In the Church of Jesus Christ, there is the office of Elder and there is the office of deacon. two officers the Elder is called by various names throughout the scriptures referring to the different functions that an elder has within the body of Christ our book of church order. Says it in this way. As he has oversight over the flock of Christ.

He is term bishop or Pastor as it is duty to be spiritually fruitful dignified and prudent and example to the flock and govern well in the house of and Kingdom of Christ whose term presbyter were Elder. The expounds the word and by sound Doctrine both exhorts and convinces the gainsayer. He is termed teacher. These are all the same office of Elder just different names and scripture used for the different functions that

an elder fills in his office as Elder. And yet in the office of Elder, there are two distinct orders. to distinct orders in the office of Elder there what we and our polity called ruling elders. And there are teaching elders. Ruling elders and there are teaching elders. Teaching Elders the common language that we use for that today in our vernacular is what we will call pastors. What? Pastor Phipps is looking great in a

seersucker suit this morning me and I tried to do Stripes. This is my seersucker shirt this morning on a summer day, but we are pastors. Teaching elders and then there are ruling elders. like Jerry go throw here and Evan vanderway here and Hussain my virus all sitting back there Josh Pourri others in the room. That are ruling elders. We are all elders. Same office, but belong to two different orders. Again, let me read the distinction about

teaching Elders or pastors from our book of church order. When a man is called the labor as a teaching Elder he belongs to this order in addition to those functions. He shares with all other Elders to feed he is distinguished in this way to feed the flock by the reading expounding and preaching of the word of God and to administer the sacraments. That's the distinction. a teaching Elder a pastor is charged with the ministering

the sacraments and teaching and preaching the word of God and distinction from the ruling Elder and Paul makes that distinction here. That's what he's doing in our text. He says let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor and preaching and teaching that word especially is the idea of namely that is these Elders he is speaking about here. Are those who teach and preach?

teaching older passage this morning concerns teaching Elders pastors and three points this morning. on Earth those in the pastorate protect those in the pastorate Well the countable those in the pastor. First honor those in the pastor at Paul says they are to receive double honor. Was reading this passage of my family. We often do this on Saturday night and our family worship to prepare for Sunday. We read the passage that I'm going

to preach the next day. Ethan will often say dad. Please don't read it. So it's a surprise. I said no. We're going to read this one tonight and I read it and after I got done reading it. Grace and said Dad, you're going to have to be especially humble as you preach this tomorrow.

always want to be humble in preaching but it does feel like an odd sermon to preach. But it is the passage. And it is the passage we're going to preach this morning. He says give double honor. What does he mean by this? Well, he goes on to explain by quoting from two passages in the scripture. The first is from Deuteronomy chapter 25, do not muzzle and Ox when it Treads out the grain. He then quotes from Jesus by saying that

the labor deserves his wages and this is just a side that Paul calls calls jesus' words scripture and he's grabbing this text from Luke 10. He's calling Luke's gospel scripture. No doubt Luke's gospel is already circulating at this very early time and he's saying Jesus's words there in Luke's gospel or scripture. But regardless Paul Echoes this same thing in First Corinthians chapter 9 verse 14 where he says the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should

get their living by the gospel what Paul has in mind In this passage and in First Corinthians chapter 9 is remuneration or pay and posted earlier in first Timothy chapter 3 then in Elder is not to be a lover of money. It is that Elders are not to be greedy. But they already be provided for by the church in this way pastors are and the church shows. It's appreciation. It shows it's honor. For those who are laboring for them vocationally by

providing pay and remuneration. Paul says they are worthy of double honor. What does that mean double pay? No. That would make very little sense in this passage. Double from what double of what no, he's not speaking of double pay. It is double that they are to receive honor and a twofold way there to be honored and that they are provided for financially. But it's not just that they are to be provided for financially. Which is actually the word that we get honorarium from you

show honor by providing financially honorarium, but it's not just that they are so to be honored by the way that we treat them. That is how we speak about them how we think about them how we pray for them how we encourage them? As John stop put it pastors should receive both respect and remuneration both honor and honorarium. But notice the qualification that Paul provides here. the qualification is this that those who rule

will Those who rule well, that's an important qualification. What brings up the fact that there are some that do not rule well. That's an important qualification.

And because we're falling creatures. Paul knows that we are prone to run to well he doesn't rule. Well this pastor So he's not deserving of respect. He's not deserving of honor. And so we begin to dishonor.

And church member can cause a lot of trouble by slandering one of its pastors. even if the accusation proves to be untrue slander can tarnish it can even destroy man's Ministry I've watched it. I've seen it. I've experienced it. So that leads Paul to the second point. where to protect our pastors verse 19 do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three Witnesses honor your pastor now protect your pasture.

Think of some of the pastors that we most celebrate throughout church history. They were often almost all of them are all of them from what I can tell face different accusations. Jonathan Edwards who will be the great Catalyst of the first Great Awakening we'll face all kinds of accusations from the people that he pastored. He will eventually be kicked out of his Pulpit there in Northampton though. He was used effectively by the Lord

as a preacher and as a pastor people there will complain against him various things that his sermons were boring. They will complain in particular that they thought he was extravagant. Because he dared not only to have one powdered wig, but two. in his collection So it was obviously greedy and extravagant. John Calvin will be ridiculed as a pastor and teacher he will be. Forced out of his Pulpit there in Geneva and will be forced to leave.

the city that he pastored Faithfully People there will despise his preaching and his pastoring so much that they will scream out in the middle of his sermons. It will become so disruptive while he is preaching that there is so much screaming and yelling to distract while he's preaching that the city council will pass an ordinance to Outlaw screaming in the middle of preaching. John Calvin reports that once that ordinance was

passed that the people then began expressing themselves through what he called Loud rude bodily noises while he preached. People will name their dogs Calvin in Geneva just so they can kick Kelvin. Maybe less humorous when he and I toilet his dear wife. When they experienced the loss of three infant children in the space of five years. There will be pamphlets that are made up and that will be circulated around the city.

That will satanically. Make the case that Calvin has lost three children because God is disciplining him for his unfaithfulness.

Calvin will say at one point when commenting upon Jeremiah he was say but we see that God's servants have been always exposed to extreme reproaches, even when they have exhibited the greatest integrity. The great 19th century Baptist preacher often called The Prince of preachers Charles Spurgeon was not fought to be such a prince of preachers among his own congregation. The sermon at the Tabernacle. He said this he said

a company of mean spirited wicked men who are no bigger than bees mentally or spiritually. Can get together and sting a good man and a thousand places. Till he is well nine Madden by their scorn their ridicule their slander and their misrepresentation their very littleness gives them the power to wound with impunity. Such has been the experience of some of us, especially in days now happily passed. And then he says this do not be surprised dear friends

if you have the same experience. And if it comes count it, no strange thing for in this way. The Saints have been treated in all time. It's just part of ministry. That's spurgeon's point. It just comes with Ministry any of you who have been engaged in Ministry. If experienced it, it's just part of it. And what Paul is saying is make sure you're not part of it.

Oh himself, of course experiences this we see it throughout the Epistles. second Corinthians in particular where he is accused of being bold and writing but they will accuse him there and the Corinthian Church of being sheepish and not very bold when he is in person. He's a paper tiger.

Seems to be one of the great schemes of the devil. Destroy the reputation of ministers and watched the ministry suffer.

And so Paul encourages protection.

It's part of ministry. It's going to happen people are going to accuse those in leadership in the church. And so he says in verse 19 do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three Witnesses. Now at first this sounds very much like the admonition that we see in the law and that we see pole sight and second Corinthians 13 that quote every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three Witnesses. Jesus Will

underscore that when he is preaching but it's different here. There's a vast difference here and those cases a verdict is not given unless there's the evidence of two or three Witnesses. Whereas here what Paul is saying with teachers and Pastors in the church. He's saying that we are not even to entertain an accusation. Before the evidence of two or three Witnesses has been examined not even entertain the accusation. Why the higher standard here why greater

caution shown here because of the slander and ridicule that leaders in the church are subjected to he's saying protect them.

but having said that texting them is not to be absolute. Give the manner protect them but pose third Point pastors are to be held accountable. Till the countable. He gives us two ways. first notice that one is that pastors are not to be made too quickly. There is to be accountability on the front end verse 22 do not be Hasty in the laying on of hands. Pose referring to ordination here. We have this throughout the New Testament where hands are laid Upon A man

as he is ordained office. They are laid on a man to show that this man particularly is being set apart. Hands are laid on him to show that he is being set apart for a particular office and hands are laid upon Him by officers in the church Elders those who have been vested with authority to show that the church itself is recognizing that this man has been a set apart this particular man for this particular office be slow in

the lane on of hands. Don't make a pastor too quickly posing.

And I was in seminary I worked at an insurance company. answering phone calls doing customer service and people there at the insurance company knew that I was in seminary a pastor and training and so over the course of time. Different people there would come to me with different struggles. They were having they would ask for advice and Remember this one man? On one day came to me and he said Jason. He said I need advice. He said our church is really

struggling. He said I'm an elder at the church and we keep having trouble with our pastors. I said well, what are the troubles that you're having with your pastors? And he said well. There's some that are just profane there's some that are using profanity. There are some that just aren't taking seriousness the coal that they have as a pastor. Some are showing up late. Church even and aren't prepared when they preach. The more he began to describe the pastors. I

began to have questions in my mind about these pastors and I stopped them at one point and I said that man right there the one that you're talking about right there. The one that you're speaking about right there that you're saying is not taking his calling very seriously. How old is that man? Said well. I think he's about 13. That's laying hands on too early. That's being a little too quick.

Now others will laugh at us as Presbyterians for our slowness and laying on of hands. Back, this is one of the reasons that Presbyterians in the early days. They will be some of the great movers and shakers preachers and Pastors in the first Great Awakening. They will be some of the early proponents and preachers of the Second Great Awakening and yet out of both Awakenings, it will be other denominations that outpace outpace

Presbyterians in growth. Why It's in many of these other denominations. They were quickly ordaining men and sending them to the west where there was Revival and Awakening. Whereas Presbyterians were much slower and ordaining men to the pastorate. Does that mean our process is better? I can't say that categorically. But I prefer it. It's good to require that men go through a rigorous process to be ordained. Do not be Hasty. That is good for the

man and it's good for the church. There's to be accountability on the front end for the pastor. But even more importantly secondly there is to be accountability as he fills the office. Pose made it clear that accusations can't be entertained too quickly Protect your pastor, but neither should accusations be winked at or dismissed too quickly.

Pastors are to be held to a higher standard James 3:1 not many of you should become teachers my brothers for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. How much damage has been done in the church? By defending pastors that should have been decried or even dismissed or discipline.

Hold them accountable pull the same. Verse 20 as for those who persist in sin rebuke them in the presence of all so that the rest May stand in fear. Hold them accountable. This is church discipline. rebuke them This is public church discipline. They're send us public so they are to be publicly review.

Pastors in the church are very much a visible part of the body. You see them, you know them they lead and they teach and so when a pastor fails or when a pastor Falls morally or theologically more often than not it is a it is a public sin. And because it is publicly is to be rebuked publicly.

public failing in the public falling

and have an absolutely cascading dilatorious effect upon the entire body.

devastating so rebuke him

truly besides the fear of dishonoring Christ

This is what scares me about Sin more than anything else.

Is that my sin would be used by our adversary?

The cripple your faith or to destroy your faithfulness. It makes me tremble.

It happens over and over again.

I'd rather die a thousand deaths. I know that my sin dashed your faith. destroyed your faithfulness in Christ

and the church has never to allow the pastor to do that.

churches to hold me accountable

rebuke when they persistence in sin. It's for their good and for the good of the body. As Paul says to the rest May stand in fear. to write fear

now there are barriers to doing this too often the Church of avoids it. No doubt. That's why Paul addresses Timothy as he does here. Timothy is in leadership. Our Presbytery has oversight over our pastors and and Timothy is no doubt functioning in this kind of Presbytery system as Paul's addressing him you have influence here as a pastor as a leader in the church. You need to help lead the way and see that these false teachers are being rebuked verse 21 Timothy.

Therefore do not pre-judge. Do not be partial do not take sides beforehand. One of the very worst sins of Christian leaders is showing partiality towards others and thus refusing to act as they should act.

We all have a tendency to prejudge. We will side with those who are closest to we do this theologically those we're closest to theologically those were closest to relationally those that we're closest to in life circumstances. Those are we're closest to socially You often see this in politics, don't we? someone on the other side of the political ditch from us, they say something hyperbolically and we say that is absolutely absurd they are such a

liar. Someone on our side of the ditch says it and we say I was a tad overboard. but this is a huge issue and we need to be bold in what we say.

We show partiality.

Timothy we cannot be of that mind in the church.

Can't be of that mind in the church if you're going to hold pastors accountable.

report this last week

her brothers and sisters in the Southern Baptist convention is example lay.

It's example a of how destructive partiality can be for the church. the cause of Christ and the kingdom

how could have easily? And as easily happen in the PCA. Not the pick on our brothers and sisters in the SBC. one can't read that report and not think if only the powers that be had not shown partiality. the men that they knew How many would have been spared?

What gives a good admonition? To help us avoid such confused thinking.

He reminds Timothy in verse 21 Timothy you are in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect Angels you stand before the try buninal of God one day all will be held accountable for all that they have done.

Oh our sins never remain hidden. Verse 24 the sins of some people are conspicuous going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later all will be held accountable all will come to light better now than then.

Years ago I sat with them. a pastor friend that the Lord Pastor Gathering we were sitting there in that Auditorium and listening to the sermons and I'd watched this brother. I'd watched his countenance over.

A year year and a half two years. I just watched it change. And I felt pricked as I sat there next to him in that hole. I felt pricked in my conscience that I needed to say something to him and so at the break. I pulled them aside and I said so dear, brother I could be wrong.

But it sure seems to me that your countenance has changed over the last couple of years.

Seems like to me that you are. Carrying quite a burden. Something is oppressing your your Zeal and love for the Lord. Doesn't seem the same.

Are you all right with Christ?

And he looked at me in his eyes flashed with anger. And he said Jason you think you are so much better than everybody else. You are a holier than thou.

And he stormed off.

We didn't talk for months after that.

and when awful morning, I got a phone call.

Or he was calling me down to meet and counsel with him. because just a couple hours earlier he Had been caught and confessed that he had been sexually abusing a young. girl for years

sins always come to light.

Always come to light.

There are no secret. sins none

It's reminding pastures of this especially but it's applicable to all of us.

You're living What You Preach pastor?

Your words better than your walk.

If you pull the wool over the eyes of those that you serve but not the one enthroned above.

What are you laboring for the Applause and acclimation of people? the glory of God

are you one who grew who Rebels and the greetings in the marketplace and place of honor a seat at the table

You see yourself as a servant.

Possess the Timothy keep yourself pure Timothy keep yourself pure because every sin is eventually brought to life.

He tells him as a small side there to drink a little wine for his stomach. No doubt. Timothy had some kind of ailment and appears that the false teachers there nephisis were teaching some kind of asceticism that if you abstain from certain foods and abstain from alcohol that that was some kind of higher godliness and Paul saying look you can confuse people on the outside that asceticism

silliness It's easy to hide hearts and under the guise of other things, but it all comes to light drink a little wine.

Here's the other side of the equation verse 25. So also good works are conspicuous. And even those that are not cannot remain hidden even as Sin is or will be clearly brought to light. So good works will be clearly brought to light. Maybe here but for sure there.

There's no labor. There's no sacrifice. There's no giving to the Lord as Kingdom. There is no right heart motivation that you and I operate with that is not seen. That will not come to light that will not be rewarded by our God above. the amazes me that if you are in Christ, Jesus every single one of your sins is going to be brought to light everyone. And every single one of those sins that has brought to light will be forgiven and

you will be cleansed from because you are Washed by the blood of your savior on that last day every single one. And every single good work that you have done for the glory of Christ that you could only do because he gave you Grace because he gave you strength every single one of those good works. She'll be rewarded for

it's an astounding judgment seat for the Christian. Everyone brought the light.

Some of you need this encouragement this morning. Your laboring so hard and you're a laboring and difficult circumstances and it feels like oh my goodness. This is toil. You think no one recognizes? No one sees? I know on a good day. You don't want. Acclamation. You don't want anyone to recognize.

We'll have that thought. at that thought just be nice if someone noticed what I was doing.

Give me one more word of encouragement just to keep at it.

Just told me that what I'm doing is worthwhile.

Here's the promise that Paul is giving to us. Someone does see it.

someone will speak it. Someone will say it's worthwhile.

It will be the one whose voice really mattered. On that last day when you are before his throne Every Good Deed that you have done will be brought to light and he will say with that thunderous voice. Well done my good and faithful servant.

Be commended for Every Good Deed.

nothing Nothing that we do for the sake of Christ is shrouded forever in darkness at all comes to light.

both often thought over the years on that last day when we're Gathered Before the Throne. I'm not sure how that looks. I'm not sure what it looks like for all of eternity.

I've often thought you know what the people that we're so often celebrate as the church. on this side of Glory or pastors or theologians or missionaries Most of them have gotten their reward.

They've received it.

I often think that's going to be on that last day. That we're going to see. That it's going to be.

at faithful single businessman that poured out his life and hard labor year after year after year so that he could make as much as he possibly could so that he could give away as much as he possibly could for the sake of the Kingdom.

That it will be that infirm woman who very few see her in the church and very few know what she does for the sake of the Kingdom, but she spends night and day like and at the temple pray.

Or it is that mother and wife who is just laboring day in and day out to be a faithful wife and to be a faithful mother and she is just laboring day after day to serve for family and to serve her neighbors and to serve for community and to plug into her church and to serve the rest of the body and just doesn't quietly. It's often look past.

When all those good works are brought to light. That I'm gonna be sitting way back in the back and saying tell me what's it look like from up there.

All brought the light.

The can just take a personal moment at the end of a sermon on the pastor. say to you at the risk of

sounding like flattery or Self Indulgence.

It is one of the great privileges of my life to be your pastor.

I truly besides. forgiveness of sins that I have in Christ my Lord the gift of my wife who is a blessing Beyond blessing and my two children who Delight my heart there. is nothing

that I consider more my joy.

And getting the labor alongside of you. It is my joy. Treat me well. Know you'll hold me accountable. You pray with and for me? You are faithful.

We're doing this together. We're doing this together for the great Glory of our God.

He's worthy of it. He is so very worthy of all of our good works. Let's pray together.

Father we are thankful.

Thankful that you have called men to teach and to preach in the body throughout the history of the church. We're thankful for many of the Giants. new shoulders We Stand today of the pass on the good deposit to us in this generation. We thank you for the many whose feet. We have sat at and learned from Yet we are thankful that the church is not ultimately dependent upon them. But upon Christ Jesus our head. the Great Pasture and Shepherd of the Sheep

We pray that it would always be that Great Pasture that we are falling after. We pray that you would help us as a body. Labor faithfully and to produce good works For Your Glory that on that last day that we would not be ashamed. All the gifts all the abilities all the talents. Or the blessings that we have received that we have used them to your glory and to your praise. the building up of the church the saving of the Lost

the crowning of our King It's in this strong name that we pray. amen