Congregation’s
Responsibilities Toward Elders’
I.
Introduction.
A. We have spent the last 6 Sunday evenings
studying Elders.
B. I now want to turn and examine our
responsibilities toward the elders.
C. Many times members of a congregation assume
no responsibilities for the progress of the church.
1. But are quick to lay the blame for
everything on elders.
D. Because God places responsibilities on
Elders means that there are responsibilities we have toward their role.
1. The failure of our qualified elders is also
our failure.
2. Because they are our shepherds, spiritual care givers.
E.
The
relationship between member and elder must be understood AND agreed upon by
both parties.
II.
God
uses sheep to represent his people and the shepherd as the leader/care taker of
his people.
A.
God knows
sheep need a shepherd.
B.
We need one
because like sheep we are unaware and vulnerable to dangers.
a.
Phillip Keller, a shepherd and agricultural
researcher in East Africa and Canada said, “It reminds me of the
behavior of a band of sheep under attack from dogs, cougars, bears, or even
wolves. Often in blind fear or stupid
unawareness they will stand rooted to the spot watching their companions being
cut to shreds. The predator will pounce
upon one then another of the flock raking and tearing them with tooth and
claw. Meanwhile, the other sheep may
act s if they did not even her or recognize the carnage going on around
them. It is as though they are totally
oblivious to the peril of their own precarious position.”
b.
Keller also
says sheep cannot take care of themselves.
1) “The first sheep farm I purchased, as a young man
was a piece of derelict land that had been "sheeped to death." An
absentee owner had rented the place to a tenant. The latter simply loaded the
ranch with sheep, then left them pretty much to their own ways. The result was
utter desolation. Fields became so overgrazed and impoverished they would grow
little but poverty grass. Little sheep trails had deteriorated into great
gullies. Erosion on the slopes was rampant and the whole place was ravaged
almost beyond repair. All of this happened because the sheep, instead of being
managed and handled with intelligent care, had been left to struggle for
themselves - left to go their own way, left to the whims of their own
destructive habits”, (a shepherd looks at Psalm 23, Phillip Keller p. 71).
C.
We are so much like sheep it is embarrassing.
D.
The prophet Isaiah points out that we like sheep
have all gone astray, everyone going their own way, Isaiah 53:6.
1.
Like sheep we…
a.
Are stubborn.
b.
Will deliberately and repeatedly harm ourselves.
c.
Allow personal pride and self-assertion to
overcome logical decisions.
d.
Insist that we know what is best for us: even
though disastrous results are self-evident.
e.
Tend to cling to destructive habits; even though
we've seen them ruin others' lives.
f.
Asserting our will and ideas despite warnings
we've received.
2.
This is why we need shepherds and must establish a
relationship with them.
III.
Establishing
the Relationship between the sheep and the shepherd.
A. Two ways someone establishes the
relationship.
1. They are baptized.
2. They acknowledge their association with a
group of Christians that have elders.
B. A relationship must be established and
maintained.
1. This is not a one-way street.
2. Both are responsible for initiating and
maintaining the relationship.
C. To often when moving we neglect the
spiritual impact of a move.
1. Consider consulting the elders about their
departure.
a.
Such as
asking for their prayers.
b. Thoughts about a new flock to work with.
c.
Asking the
elders for a reference for the new congregation. Introduction letter?
D. When searching for a new congregation you
should visit with the elders (if they have them)
1. Investigate them to find out:
a.
What the
congregations needs are, in order to match your talents with the congregations
needs.
1) You may find a congregation that needs you
talents more than another congregation.
b. What is the overall philosophy on different
teachings, such as:
1) Elders’ role.
2) Elders’ qualifications.
3) Church discipline.
4) Marriage, divorce, and remarriage.
5) Lord’s supper.
6) Assembly attendance.
7) Use of the congregations’ contributions.
8) Modesty issues.
9) Instrumental music.
10)Women
role in the church.
11)Baptism.
IV.
Members
must know the elders.
A. Paul teaches us to know them who shepherd
over us.
1. 1 Thes. 5:12 We ask you, brothers, to
respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish
you,
2. In order to respect them, we must know
them.
B. To know implies more than just be
acquainted with them.
1. You’re to be in submission to them,
therefore you should care what kind of person they are.
2. You should be comfortable in approaching
them with your problems.
a.
You will
never ask the prayers of an elder if you are not talking to them.
V.
Members
must respect the Elders highly in love.
A. 1 Thes. 5:13 and to esteem them very highly
in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
B. God gives no greater honor to a man on
earth than an elder.
1. He carries the burden of caring for God’s
precious children.
C. We are “to esteem them”
a.
The Greek has
the basic idea of: “to lead, to go before to be a leader, to rule command; to
have authority over.
b. Thayer: to consider, deem, account, think,
to esteem on exceedingly.
c.
Congregation
must see elders as leaders and rulers who have authority.
d. If a congregation cannot see them as such
they will never esteem them highly.
2. Esteem them very highly.
a.
Above the
average person, we must greatly respect them.
3. Must be done in love.
a.
This is for
the sake of their work.
b. The office of the President of the United
States always receives great respect.
c.
When elders
love the congregation and the members esteem them highly with love there is a
powerful bond that will build the local church producing
VI.
Members
must obey & be in submission to Elders.
A. The Hebrew writer says,
1. “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for
they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an
account…” Hebrews 13:17.
B. This means to yield to their authority to
shepherd over us.
C. Submissiveness is an attitude of
willingness to submit to them.
1. Elders, as mention are accountable to God
for how they care for our souls.
2. Here is an example of a failure to respect, yield and submit
to elders.
a.
When a
Christian will asks for the elders advise concerning difficult spiritual
problems and then ignore it. I’ve even seen Christians after asking the elders
advise say the elders are wrong!
b. Another one is for Christians who have been
with a congregation for years turn on the elders because of the qualifications
of them,
c.
However this
occurred when there was no change in status of the elders, just the person
became upset with the elders and decided they were not qualified.
d. Why did they wait so many years to figure
this out?
1) It’s because of one of two reasons,
i.
they never
knew the elders in the first place,
ii.
they were
failing to yield and submit to them.
2) Either reason is wrong!
i.
Now don’t
misunderstand me, an elder can become disqualified and when this happens he
needs to stop severing as an elder.
3. How do we handle being corrected?
a.
How about an
elder?
4. Well, again if you have no relationship
established with the elders it will be difficult to submit to their correction.
VII.
Call
on the elders when you’re in need.
A. James says to call on the elders to pray
for you when you’re sick, but also in the context of this passage sin is
mentioned, James 5:13-14.
B. The prayers of a righteous man will bring
great benefit.
1. Why, because God answers the prayers of a
righteous man.
2. I hate to be repetitive, but again if you
have no relationship with the elders you problem will not call on them, fearing
embarrassment.
C. Don’t allow your pride to prevent your
opportunity to be restored not only from both physical and spiritual illness.
A. Like sheep we have all gone astray each to
our own way, but God in His love for us has provided us with the Good Shepherd,
our Lord Jesus Christ to bring us back unto God’s fold.
B. He has now provided us with spiritual
shepherds who, like the Good Shepherd, will also lay down their life for us.
C. However we as sheep have some
responsibilities toward our elders.
D. We need to know our shepherds, and then
submit our will to their rule.
E. “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for
they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an
account…” Hebrews 13:17.
F.
Everything
they are doing is for our spiritual benefit.