OVERSEERS
Sunday Morning: August 11, 2002
Text: Hebrews 13:7, 17
"Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you
the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their
conversation." Verse 17.
"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they
watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with
joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
Ephesians 4:11-14
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers;
12. For the
perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the
edifying of
the
body
of Christ:
13. Till we all come in the unity of
the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto
the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14. That we henceforth be
no more children, tossed
to and fro, and carried about with every
wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they
lie in wait to deceive;"
Acts 6:4 "But we will give ourselves
continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word."
Acts 20:17 "And from Miletus he sent to
Ephesus,
and called the elders of the church."
Acts 20:28 "Take
heed therefore unto yourselves,
and to all the flock, over the
which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseers
[bishop], to feed the
church
of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
"And we beseech you,
brethren, to
know
them which labour
among you, and are over [stand before you, preside] you
in the Lord, and
admonish you;
13. And to
esteem them
very highly
in love for their work's sake. And
be at
peace
among yourselves."
DOUBLE HONOR
1 Timothy 5:17 "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine."
Titus 1:5-9 "For this cause left I thee
in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and
ordain [appoint] elders
in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6. If any be
blameless, the
husband of one wife,
having faithful
children not accused of riot or unruly.
7. For a
bishop must be
blameless, as the steward
of God; not self willed,
not soon angry, not
given to wine, no striker,
not given to filthy lucre;
8. But a lover of
hospitality, a lover of good
men, sober,
just,
holy,
temperate;
9.
Holding
fast the
faithful word as he hath been
taught, that he may be able by
sound
doctrine
both to exhort and to
convince the gainsayers."
1 Timothy 3:1-7 "This is a true saying, If a
man desire the office of a
bishop, he desireth
a good work.
2. A bishop then must be
blameless, the husband of one
wife,
vigilant,
sober,
of good behaviour, given to
hospitality, apt to teach;
3.
Not given to wine,
no striker, not
greedy of filthy lucre; but
patient, not
a brawler, not covetous;
4. One that
ruleth
well his own house, having his
children
in
subjection
with all gravity;
5. (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care
of the church of God?)
6.
Not a novice, lest being
lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7. Moreover he must have a
good report
of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the
devil."
1 Peter 5:1-4 "The
elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the
sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2.
Feed the flock of God which
is among you, taking the
oversight thereof, not by
constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a
ready
mind;
3. Neither as being
lords over God's heritage, but being
ensamples to the flock. 4.
And when the chief
Shepherd
shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."
Hebrews 13:7 "Remember [present active imperative, be mindful, consider]
them which have the rule
[present middle participle, lead, govern, chief, esteem, count] over
you, who have spoken unto you the
word of God: whose faith
follow
[present active imperative, imitate],
considering
[present active] the end [result] of their
conversation [conduct]."
Luke 8:10 "Now the parable is this: The
seed (the mysteries of
the kingdom of God, verse 10) is the
word of God."
Hebrews 13:17
"Obey [present imperative,
be persuaded]
them
that have the rule [present middle
participle, lead, govern, chief, esteem, count] over you, and
submit [present imperative] yourselves: for they
watch [present active, sleepless] for your
souls, as
they that
must
give
account,
that they may do it with joy,
and not
with grief:
for that is unprofitable
for you."
1 John 4:20 ". . . for he that loveth
not his brother whom he hath
seen,
how
can
he
love God whom he hath not seen?"