Called and Qualified Men - The Elder - Part 2

Amen. I enjoyed hearing you worship. We will say quite often that you are the choir and I just remind you that when you sing from your heart, you bless others. You blessed me this morning and I appreciate you singing. And singing was some spiritual enthusiasm. You know that's a true and real thing, spiritual enthusiasm. I pray that you do that. And I pray that God teaches us to continue to do that. Well if you would take your Bible and turn back to 1 Timothy chapter 3, which is where we were earlier in our scripture reading. I said that we'll finish up this section verses 1 to 6 and I will mention some other scripture.

And as always, I encourage you to write those things down. I know that I say this often, you need to be good at taking notes, but more than anything you need to be good students of all that we're studying and learning together. The most important thing is that we receive all that the Lord wants to teach us, not just this morning and the time when we meet together, but throughout the weeks and even days and years to come. Now last Sunday I started a series of messages that have to do with leadership and leadership in the life of the church. This is part of that series that I call messages from the pastor's heart.

I said several times these are things that have been on my heart for quite a while. And more specifically, we're dealing with leadership that has to do with two offices and areas of service in the life of our church. This would be the office in the work of the elder and this would be the work in the office of the deacon. And I shared with you two reasons why I'm sharing these messages. First I shared with you how God called me into vocational ministry quite a few years ago.

I think it has been edifying for you to hear how God has called me into the ministry, not just when He first called me, but how He has sustained that call in my life throughout the years. But as your pastor, I see that it is good that I preach about the call and the qualifications of this office that I hold. I need to study these messages and these scriptures for me. I must examine myself up against these standards. As a matter of fact, one of the things that I did throughout this week is just to pray and to meditate over these things for me. And you should see this call and you should see these qualifications in my life.

And of course you know that Brother Keith is an elder and you should see this call and these qualifications in his life as well. And also I shared with you that we have a great need in the life of our church because our church has grown and is growing in many ways. The spiritual and the physical needs of our church are growing. Therefore we have the need for more leadership. Specifically we need more elder leadership and service. We need organized deacon service and leadership. And I believe that God is calling and He will call me into these positions and these places of service. And of course all of these things are on God's timeline.

We're waiting on the Lord. And of course we're doing our work and our share of our responsibilities as well. Now we need to see that there are two things that we must keep on the forefront of our minds in thinking here. Now this is not just review for review sake. So I don't want you to turn me off and think well pastor you've already shared some of this. No I want you to listen and I want you to listen close. First this is a critical time in the life of our church.

If our elders and our elder body and our approach to elder ministry and even the process in which we select and appoint elders if it's not biblical then the results are not acceptable. The results can lead to all sorts of sins in the church, all kinds of problems and difficulties for the church. Not doing these things biblically will cripple the leadership of the church therefore it will cripple and blind the church. And there are many churches that are crippled. There are many churches that are blind because the leadership is crippled and blind.

And then second all of the adult members of Grace Life Church have a great great responsibility here and especially the men who are members of the church. This responsibility falls squarely on your shoulders first and foremost. So remember Grace Life Church you will have some responsibility here and who is selected to serve as deacons and I will speak more about the process and how that will all fit together at a later date. Now before we continue with the qualifications of the elder we must quickly revisit the fact that the qualifications of the elder come after the call of God in the life which is seen in verse 1.

Paul says that there will be some men in the church who aspire to this office and they desire this work, they desire this service. Bible commentator Albert Barnes says that Paul is implying, yes that word implying, Paul is implying that there will be those who would wish to be in this ministry. But Paul says that there will be certain men they will aspire to this office which means they will reach out for this position, this means they will strive for this service and it is because they have this deep desire for the work. This literally means they have a strong and a long lasting even passionate desire for the work and what is this calling?

Where does this aspiring, where does this deep and passionate desire come from? It comes from God, it comes from God. It is because God has birthed these things in the man. Much like his calling to salvation, this calling to serve is an experiential work of the Holy Spirit of God in the man. And of course it is the elders of the church and the church body that test the man to see if indeed they are called of God. And of course Paul gives us the characteristics of the calling. This is a noble calling, an excellent or a high calling. This is a laborious calling which means it pertains to three works or three areas of service.

This is the job of overseeing or governing. This is the job of shepherding or pastoring and this is the work, the task of teaching and ministering the Word in the body. Now when we look at these qualifications, I said last week that we can be overwhelmed. If you go to count them, it can overwhelm you. And as a matter of fact, it seems like they are piled one on top of the other, especially those that deal with the personal character of the man. Some of these words can be hard to understand and on top of that, some of our English translations use different words or wording.

But last week I showed us that we can easily arrange these qualifications into three categories. First, the qualifications that relate to personal character, verses two and three. Second, the qualifications that relate to his ability to teach and that's at the end of verse two. Third, the qualifications that relate to the home and home life and the witness of the home, that's in verses four and five. And then fourth, the qualifications which relate to Christian experience or Christian maturity. I said earlier that it was three categories, actually it is four.

Now let's pick up right where we left off in these qualifications that relate to personal character and then we'll finish out the other qualifications this morning. But I do want to go back and read the verses and I won't read them as we continue in the message. Paul says this saying is trustworthy. In other words, he's elevating what he is about to say. This is of utmost importance. If anyone, any man aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble or a high task.

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well with all dignity, keeping his children submissive for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? And he must not be a recent convert or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. And moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace and into a snare of the devil.

So let's pick up right where we left off. Our first category. First an elder must have qualifying personal character. Now we saw last week that he must live a life above reproach. He must be the husband of one wife. He must be sober in his thinking and he must be respectable. But next we see that an elder must not be a drunkard. Now in the original language this literally reads that an elder must not be by wine. Now this means that an elder must not be a man who sits long at the drink or long at the cup. In our modern language we would say that he should not drink to excess or be in the habit of drinking.

But we must see that this is not a strict prohibition against alcohol. Now this might surprise some of you but nowhere in the scriptures can we find a command that says that a Christian or an elder cannot drink or consume alcohol. But here Paul is not forbidding an elder from consuming alcohol. But we must see that there are many many warnings against the abuse of alcohol and the scriptures clearly teach that drunkenness is a sin. As a matter of fact you see this kind of teaching all throughout the Proverbs. And we must see that the scriptures do teach us how we should approach these types of things.

And the question that many of us will ask here and some of you are asking in your mind and heart should a Christian drink alcohol should even an elder drink. Well that's a matter of what's called the Christian conscience and that is a matter that definitely pertains to our Christian witness. In Romans chapter 14 Paul teaches us that a believer must seriously and methodically work through the things that pertain to the Christian conscience. He teaches that a believer is responsible for their witness in these questionable areas of life. And Paul shows us these are very serious things with great responsibilities that are attached.

Specifically Paul says in Romans 4 21 that it is good not to eat certain foods or drink wine or to do anything that would cause a brother to stumble. In other words Christians and especially the elder they are responsible for the witness. Remember the elder is to be above reproach meaning that there can be no substantial charge of sin against the life. And this would certainly apply to the life the life of an elder or a prospective elder as he relates to alcohol. Now for me I've shared my position and how I approach this quite often. I do not drink. I really don't. I don't drink unless I got a head cold and I take a triple dose of Nyquil.

You know some of the teetoterers you know they'll say I'm never going to drink I'm never going to drink but boy they'll run to that medicine that has alcohol in it. But I don't drink for numerous reasons. For me I just don't have a need for it. I really have no desire for it. I also value my witness and I know that if I drink alcohol I can or maybe even possibly will cause a brother or a lost person to stumble. I know that I can lead a weaker person or a younger person down that road to drink if I drink. And also the possibility of getting drunk is just not worth it.

And then there is the possibility of addiction because alcohol can be habit forming. Now that's just me and how I view these things. And as much as anything I understand that as an elder I'm held to a very very high standard and yes even as a pastor I'm held to a very high standard. And I take that very serious. To me John MacArthur really captures how I feel about alcohol in the elder in my position. He says and I'm quoting a man who is a drinker has no place in the ministry.

He is a poor example and will surely be the cause of serious sin and disaster in the lives of others who follow his example as drinkers justifying their indulgence because of their leader. A leader must be a man whose associations are radically different from those of the world and whose example leads others to righteous conduct and not sin. So an elder or a prospective elder must be qualified in his personal character. He must not be one who sits by the cup or one who makes it a habit of drinking. And then also we see that an elder must not be violent. He must not be violent. Now here the new American uses this word pugnacious.

The King James uses the word striker. Now this literally means he must not be a giver of blows. This simply means that an elder or a prospective elder should not be one who reacts with physical violence. He must not be one who is contentious or who is always looking for an argument or looking for a fight. He must not be prone to this kind of behavior when he is provoked or irritated. When disagreements or disputes arise he must not be one who settles those disagreements or settles those disputes with an attitude of violence, words of violence and certainly not actions of violence. This must not be his habit.

This must not be his normal reaction to these things in life. So an elder, a prospective elder must be qualified yes in his personal character. He must not be a striker. He must not be violent in his attitude. He must not be contentious in his attitude, his words, his actions. And you know as you examine me in my life, as you see me in different circumstances in my life, even in trials and things that can be irritating to me, you must not see this in my life especially as a pattern. You should examine Keith in the same way and must not see these things in his life.

But you know if you are a prospective elder you have to evaluate your life here. Are you one that is contentious? Are you one that reacts with words of violence, attitudes of violence, heaven forbid even actions of violence. That must not be in the life of an elder or a prospective elder. And we see that an elder must not be quarrelsome. The new American says, "Uncontentious." And the King James says that he must not be a brawler. Now that might surprise you. But literally this means peaceful or reluctant to engage in a fight. The one who is quarrelsome is the one who has the tendency to somehow get into the conflict.

But here we see the opposite. The elder must not be contentious. The elder must not be prone to altercations. They must be peaceful and peacemakers. John MacArthur says to have a contentious person in leadership will result in disunity and disharmony seriously hindering the effectiveness of that leadership team. Well I would add to that. I would add to what MacArthur says by saying to have a contentious or quarrelsome elder results in contention and quarrels when difficulties and disagreements arise. The leader who is prone to contention will not be peaceful. Therefore he will deescalate the potential for what? A quarrel in a conflict.

That they will be drawn into the quarrel. They will hinder unity. They will hinder unity in the leadership and also in the brothers and also in the body. So an elder, a prospective elder must be qualified in his personal character. He must not be prone to be quarrelsome or contentious. He must be peaceful and prone to promote peace. And for me as you look into my life you must not see me be quarrelsome. I must be a peacemaker and a lover of peace even in the most difficult of circumstances in my home, in my marriage, no matter what would come into my life. For you if you are a prospective elder you're praying over this.

You think maybe God is calling you. You must examine to see if you are quarrelsome. And also we see that an elder must not be a lover of money. Now this literally reads in the original not a lover of silver. Now the new American says free from the love of money. This simply means that an elder or a prospective elder must not be greedy for getting money and desiring to gain and to keep money especially within the life of the church. As a matter of fact this greed for money and the love for money and the love for possessions is one of the marks of a false teacher. Some of you need to hear that.

This greed for money, this love for money, this love for possessions is one of the marks of a false teacher. We see this in Titus chapter 1 verse 11 and 2 Peter 2 verses 1 to 3 and also in Jude 11. But not Paul. Paul was our great example here in Acts chapter 20 verse 33. He said that he coveted no one's money or even no one's clothing. He even said that when he needed to he worked to provide his own needs. He worked so as not to be a burden on the church and so as not to hinder the work of the gospel and the work of the church.

Warren Wiersby says that it is possible for ministers to use the ministry and the church as an easy way to make money. He says and I'm quoting covetous pastors always have deals going on outside their churches and these activities erode their character and hinder their ministry. Well I will add to that by saying many times greedy pastors they can have deals going on inside the church and outside of the church. Many of you have seen that. So an elder must be qualified in his personal character. He must not be a lover of money.

He must not be one who is greedy for amassing money and possessions even using the church and ministry to amass money and possessions. See when you evaluate my life the longer I'm your pastor you will see how I relate to money and how I relate to money in the life of the church. And I'm going to follow the example of Paul. There were times in the life of the church when the church could not pay me much at all. And what did I do? I was Paul-like. I worked so as not to be a burden. I worked outside of the church to provide my needs.

So as not to hinder the work of the church and hinder the gospel and to hinder what God was doing in the life of the church in that time. And I didn't covet any man's silver. I didn't covet any man's garment. I worked as the Lord led me to. And so that should be an attitude in every elder's life especially one who is a vocational elder. You know if you're a prospective elder you feel called to the ministry. You feel called to elder leadership. You must evaluate yourself to see if you are covetous and greedy for money and possessions and heaven forbid that you would use the church to even amass for yourself money and possessions.

So look what we have examined here last week and this week. And there's much much more that I could say and teach but we have examined this first category of qualifications. The elder the prospective elder must be qualified in his personal character. Now first an application you should see these qualifications in my life and I do believe you do. I do believe you do. Now I'm not perfect. You're going to have to deal with me with grace and mercy. You're going to have to deal with me with balance and I'm going to talk about this at the conclusion of the message.

And I'm confident that you can see these qualifications in my life and all of the elders any elder that would serve in the life of the church must be qualified where they must be qualified in their personal character and see church when it comes time to evaluate you must understand these qualifications. But then second finally we made it to the second category an elder must have a qualifying ability to teach. An elder he must have a qualifying ability to teach. Now I think I told you a little lie that we wouldn't read any more scripture but I do want us to go back and look at verse 2.

I want to show you how Paul took this in here we can overlook it. Paul says therefore an overseer must be above reproach the husband of one wife sober mind and self controlled respectable hospitable there there are those personal qualifications there character qualifications notice able to teach. Now all of the modern translations say able to teach the King James says apt to teach. Now the simple meaning of this phrase is easy. It means that they are skilled in teaching. It means that they are apt to teach able to teach but the context in the application of this ability must be seen.

It does not mean that they are skilled to teach necessarily in the secular world. This means that they are skilled to teach they are willing to teach they have a strong desire to teach what the word of God in the life of the church. Simply they are skilled to teach the scriptures to God's people in the church and notice they are they aspire to do these things they desire with a deep passionate desire to do what to teach and notice how this works out.

The elder and the prospective elder must be able to feed the flock of God the word of God first Peter 5 2 the individual members of the church must draw spiritual nourishment from that elders ability and his exercising of those gifts in the life of the church and also the elder and the prospective elder must be able to use the word of God to rebuke and refute any false doctrine that would come into the church. Acts 20 29 to 31 the church and individual members of the church must be protected by this elders ability to rebuke and refute false doctrine and false teachers no matter who they may be that come into the church.

The elder the prospective elder must be able to contend for the faith Jude 1 3 you might say pastor all believers must be able to contend for the faith yes that's true but an elder and a prospective elder must have the ability to fight for the faith to fight for sound doctrine to fight for the word of God with the word of God for what for the good of the church and for the protection of the gospel and the protection of your life.

So we see the elder the prospective elder must have this ability to teach and not only must they have the ability they must desire to use the ability they're burning inside to use this ability and to teach the word in the church and notice something very important. John MacArthur notes that the elders ability to minister God's word is the only qualification that relates to giftedness and spiritual ability before we saw qualifications that relate to personal character and then now next we will see qualifications that relate to Christian work and discipline and maturity but notice this is the only qualification that relates to his giftedness and his spiritual ability and for me I believe your attendance here and what you would say in your own life how God is working in your life how God's brought some of you to faith in Christ I think you would say yes because of your teaching and your preaching and your hard work there the church grows you would say I grow you would say I receive spiritual nourishment you would say that I have the ability to teach it's my own unique ability I'm never going to be like another preacher I don't want to be like a famous preacher I just want to be me and the way God's gifted me and God's put me in your life and you would say that God has given me this ability and all throughout my years of ministry there have been Christians and churches and leaders who have attested to that in any elder I know that you would say that about brother Keith in any perspective elder they must have the ability to teach the desire to preach and the desire to teach and they must be used of God in the life of the church I thought about something even this morning here in many of the churches that I served when the pastor was gone what was in the pulpit was to just put it nicely pathetic I've endured all that I've sat right where you are you know when the visiting missionary would come and you would think oh man will he ever be quiet I've been sitting right there where the visiting pastor or the old retired pastor would preach and you would think why is the pastor on vacation heaven forbid if that ever happens here we work hard I work hard to know that whoever stands behind this desk or stands behind a lectern on a Wednesday night has the ability to preach they have the ability to teach they have the ability to communicate God's word to you and look I go back and I go listen and I'm edified and I grow because of what is taught just here recently I was out of town on a Wednesday night and Jared filled in and he taught on Stephen and on worship and I listened I went back and listened to that and I was greatly edified and moved by that message he had the ability and has the ability to teach so what I'm showing you is this if it's a elder or one of our laymen that teaches in this pulpit or in this church they're going to have the ability to preach and teach otherwise you are not nourished but then third this third category and the elder must have a qualifying home and home life we see this in verses four and five again a lot to you because I do want to go back and read these verses let's read verse four and five he that's the elder must manage his own household well with all dignity keeping his children submissive for if someone does not know how to manage his own household how will he care for God's church now it's obvious what the new what the it's obvious what the English standard reads he must manage his own household well with all dignity now the King James reads a little different the King James says one that rule it well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity now the simple meaning of the verse is obvious an elder a prospective elder and elders home his marriage his children his home life must be an example a pattern to all in the church and even those outside of the church and just like his personal character an elder or a prospective elders marriage his children his relationship to his children his home life everything about his home must be an example and a pattern to those in the church but there are three specifics I want us to look at here he is to be one who manages his home the King James says rule if this means to govern this means to preside over this even means to have authority over this means that the elder and the prospective elder must be one who governs and manages his home this speaks of authority this speaks of ability this speaks of responsibility and this relates to everything associated with the home this speaks of his marriage this speaks of his children this speaks of his home and home life everything that's connected to the home and he used to manage his children with all dignity the King James says with all gravity now this word dignity or gravity speaks of a serious and even a serious and majestic thing this means that he has the ability to manage his children with authority but not as some despot ruler or some iron-fisted patriarch he has the ability to manage his children with great authority with great seriousness but with dignity infused with love and grace and mercy and also he has this ability to manage his marriage with all dignity you might say pastor I don't see marriage here listen if he is responsible to manage his household and he is responsible to manage his wife if he is responsible to manage everything in his home he is responsible to manage his marriage and his wife he is responsible to manage everything and notice the results his children are submissive which means they are under his authority as their father they are under control they are respectful they are well behaved they are under his serious and dignified control and management now think about this what's in the middle of all of this is he an iron-fisted ruler is he this harsh patriarch no it's infused with love in the middle is the Spirit of God working in the man is in the husband in the father it is Christ in the father Christ enabling him to do this thing called manage his home well notice what I see is the test in the warning in verse five again let's go back and look at verse five for if someone does not know how to manage his own household how will he care for God's church Paul says that he is to be examined and tested in the area of home management the elder the prospective elder must be able to prove his ability here in the management of his home in marriage and children this means that his home is marriage his home management must be open for the church to see and then also Paul says that if the elder the prospective elder can't manage his home his children his home life well then he will not have the ability to care for the church and this is a serious warning William McDonald many of you have his commentary the believers Bible commentary it's a very good resource he says and I'm quoting in his own home the number of persons is comparatively small they are all related to him and most of the members are very much younger than he but in the church on the other hand the members are apt to be much greater and with this increase in numbers there goes a corresponding diversity of temperaments it is obvious that if a man is unfit to rule in this smaller sphere that would be the home he would be clearly disqualified in the larger sphere which is the church so we see that the elder this prospective elder must have this qualifying ability to manage his home his home life everything about his home if not he is not qualified to care for the church and if he is not qualified in his home he is not qualified in the church and look folks two words here please two words test and warning the elder is to be tested here as with all of the other qualifications and you might say pastor that's a little unfair you mean test his home life you mean test what goes on behind closed doors yes is it that what the text says in the warning because if an elder cannot manage his home he cannot manage the church and for me you've known me for years many of you have known me for years many of you have been in my home many of you have spent quite a bit of time with me have you seen me be perfect no but you've seen me in my marriage my home is Christ centered my marriage is Christ centered I'll say this to you as flat-footed as I can I have a wonderful marriage I love my wife I love spending time with my wife we love spending time with one another she subjects to my leadership she is my help me we are called in all of this thing called the ministry together and Christ is working in my children in my home I have order in my home there is love and respect in my home in the middle of my home is the grace of God in the work of God now if you come to my home it might be a little bit of a mess but that's okay and you should be able to say that about all of the elders that serve and even the prospective elders what does the text say if you can't manage his home we can't manage and govern the affairs of the church and then fourth our fourth or last category an elder must have qualifying wisdom and experience I call this qualifying wisdom and experience again I told you a fib earlier that we wouldn't read the verses again but verse six Paul says he must not be a recent convert the King James says novice or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil now the literal reading here it reads one newly planted again the King James says novice and we must see that there is a simple meaning here but there is a much different deeper meaning that's important now the simple meaning is this an elder or a prospective elder must not be a newly planted Christian he must not be a new Christian a young Christian a novice Christian but the much deeper meaning is this just because a man is older does not mean that he is mature enough and experienced enough to be a qualified elder one may be an older Christian yet still be immature and inexperienced therefore making him unqualified for the work and for the office and there are several things or reasons that can cause this immaturity in an older Christian throughout this older Christians walk he may have been lazy in his spiritual disciplines he may have been lazy in prayer lazy in his study of the word and lazy in his walk in obedience to the Lord also he could be immature from being in an unhealthy or sick church he might be immature because of the influence of bad doctrine and a very unhealthy church and bad doctrine can and many times will retard the growth of a Christian therefore affecting his maturity and his ability and his experience remember a man that has the qualifying experience and maturity he has gained that through time he has walked with God he has walked with God in the word and he has served God in the local church over time which turns into maturity he has experienced trials in the life and in the church both positive and negative and in time if allowed this turns into maturity he has studied God's word he has studied doctrine and he has studied those things while living in the local church under the leadership of other men in the church and this just takes time to create this maturity and notice the warning Paul says to place a newly planted immature Christian man into the position of an elder it puts him in a very vulnerable place because of his lack of humility that only comes with maturity he can become puffed up in pride MacArthur says that Satan was condemned because of his pride over his exalted position in heaven don't we know that and he goes on to say and I'm quoting the same kind of fall in judgment can easily happen to a new and weaker believer if he's put into the position of leadership so we see that an elder and a prospective elder must have this qualifying maturity and experience that can only come with time simply he must not be a newly planted Christian so he must be a mature and an experienced Christian and man of God now I don't stand here and say to you I'm the most mature believer but I believe because I have walked with God through time I believe that I am mature enough to be your pastor and be an elder and be the lead pastor in the life of the church looking back in my earlier years of vocational ministry oh I was never ready to be a pastor I was too prideful too arrogant I thought I had it all figured out I had not walked with God and walked in life to create that maturity many a minister go into the ministry too soon and I'm thankful that the Lord had me in vocational ministry yes but under others and I'm thankful that I was growing during that time and God was preparing me for pastoral ministry and you should be able to say this about every elder in the life of our church and if you're a prospective elder you must answer the question and the tests of maturity and wisdom and qualifying experience now as I move away from these verses I want to give us some closing instruction this is very important instruction and I'm going to revisit this instruction next week now I'm going to call you to meditate over these things and even ask some questions here but it is God's job to call me in God does this work in God's time in God's way this is God's work in his church well it is my job to see and determine the need of such men it is the job of the elders to determine the need of such men in the church and then when God calls it is my job as pastor to pastor them through it is my job to number one affirm that they are truly called of God or not and then it is my job number two to affirm that they are truly biblically qualified or not in Grace Life Church it will be your job to examine it will be your job to test and it will be your job to affirm the call and affirm qualifications in their lives and as we approach these qualifications we must test elders and perspective elders with this thing called balance if you take notes please write down that word balance along with grace and mercy but all the while holding high the standards of God here that he has put before us but we cannot be overly righteous here we cannot be overly righteous we can't have an overly righteous attitude and approach towards these qualifications both in ourselves and also how we examine another man a man is just going to have a bad day a man of God an elder is going to have a circumstance where he might not measure up a man can fail and a man can sin a man of God may have to work harder in one or two of these areas of qualification and that does not mean that he is not qualified or even disqualified now time out there is a sin that disqualifies a man there is a pattern of sin that disqualifies a man but what I'm trying to show you is this I've used myself as an example I have to live these things just because I have a bad sermon doesn't mean I'm disqualified just because I have a bad sermon just because you come into my home one day and I might not be that hospitable doesn't mean that I'm disqualified if you catch me at a bad day where I'm not walking with God as I should and I'm quarrelsome that doesn't mean that I'm disqualified you know what that means I'm human balance grace mercy we look for patterns of this behavior so we can't be overly righteous here and again I'm going to talk about this some next week but also we can't be deficiently righteous here either we can't have a deficiently righteous attitude and approach to these qualifications both in ourselves and how we examine another man a man simply may not be qualified a man may be qualified in many areas but not in some other areas therefore disqualifying him to be an elder and if he is not qualified in all of these areas well we can't lower the standards of God that he has set in place we can't lower any of these standards for any man we can't have a deficiently righteous approach to his personal character we can't be deficient in righteousness when we deal with his ability to teach we can't be deficient in righteousness when we look into his home you see so as I examine and test myself afresh in a new as you test and examine yourself if you feel like God is calling you and as we test and examine any that God would bring to the forefront possibly to serve as an elder we can't be overly righteous we can't be deficiently righteous in our approach we hold highly standards with balance with grace and mercy and with God leading with what we would call subjective wisdom here so what's the title of the message it's the same as last week called and qualified men part two let's pray I want us to commit these things to the Lord in prayer taking these things home with us in our heart and mind and praying that God would do these things in us as he already is so let's pray