Flipside Christian Church

Hey, so first Timothy,

Chapter two.

Remember that last week?

If you remember last week, I said

I wasn't going to get to the last verse
because it's just such a weird verse.

And so I said I would address
that this morning.

And so let me just address this, this,
this one last verse in chapter two.

Then we'll get into chapter three.

First Timothy two, verse 15.

He's he's been talking about men and women
in church and, and all kinds of stuff.

And then he says this.

Yet she, the woman will be saved through
childbearing

if they continue in faith
and love and holiness and self-control.

What an odd verse.

She'll be saved through childbearing.

What about women who don't have kids?

Right. Like. Isn't that.

I mean, if we're
honest in this, a weird verse

to none of you.

This is odd. Wow.

That's like a I think it's an a.

And so let me tell you what it means.

We don't know that.

So I just want to be honest with you.

Like, it can mean a lot of things.

One thing I know, it doesn't mean

when Paul says
she'll be saved through childbearing.

It doesn't mean what we call
salvific faith.

This is not salvation. Faith.

She's not made right with God
because she has a baby.

So it's not talking about salvation.

Let me tell you the things that could
mean.

There's three different basic
ideas, right?

One is Paul could be referring
to what God said back in Genesis 315

to Eve that through your seed will come.

The Messiah is basically what he said.

And so it could be that he has in view

that the woman will

be saved through bearing the child

like like that's our salvation
through bearing the child

through the seed of Eve,
who will bear the Messiah.

Could be second thing.

It could mean is that you all will be

saved in in perpetuating humanity.

Humanity is going to be perpetuated
by the role of the woman in the world.

Like there's no perpetuation of humanity
without the old one.

And that's what he's going to be.

Third thing is because he's not saying
you will be saved in salvation.

That word saved is understood
more as holistically.

In other words, you will be fulfilled
and saved holistically

when you live the role
God has assigned to you.

And typically, the role of birth
and child raising is the woman's.

Men can't have babies.

I don't care what TikTok said.

Like men can't have babies.

And so so each of us, not just the one,
but in this context,

a woman is holistically whole.

When we play the role live, the role
that God has assigned to us, each.

Those are things that could mean
what it does mean.

You get to decide

which of those you want to camp on,
if you want to camp on any of them.

It's one of those things, this scripture

that is not foundational
nor essential for salvation.

It's a disputable matter.

And so you get to decide what it is.

You clear on that?

Are we clear on that?

And whatever however you you want to
come up with you, I don't care.

Like I'm
not going to argue with you about it.

I I'm not a fighter,
but I'm not going to discuss it anymore.

You get to decide. We're good.

All right.

So chapter three now in chapter three,

Paul's talk about roles and leadership
within the church.

And for every Christ follower,
every one of us.

He's going to detail 16 qualifications

for being the lead in a church
and having leadership in the church.

Only one of those 16 has anything

to do with ability or gifting.

All the rest are about the character
of the individual

and their life and their family.

So much of today will not be talking
about the characteristics,

the qualifications, because most of them
are pretty self-explanatory.

What I will spend most of the day on

is talking about these roles,

because Paul is using terms
that made sense to them

coming out of the synagogue system
and don't necessarily make sense to us.

Let me just ask this question.

Have any of you ever had experience in a
church with with what they called elders?

Anybody?

Okay.

How about experience in church
with what they call deacons?

Yeah. Okay.

So you probably have a connotation
in your mind of what those titles mean.

Paul had something in mind
with what they meant

according to the synagogue system.

And until we understand
what Paul is saying, we're going

to be muted a little bit
on what those roles

do in our context
because we don't understand his context.

And so the big idea here
it is for chapter three.

Titles and roles are not intended
to elevate status but to activate service.

Okay.

Titles and roles
are not intended to elevate status.

I am an elder.

I am a deacon.

I'm a bishop. I'm an overseer.

You know, we don't have big Pope hats
with big Pope rings and sit on the Pope

throne like it's not to
elevate status is to activate service.

Two sections
in first Timothy three are going to deal

with roles of leadership
and Christ followers within the church.

One section in, first Timothy three.

Paul is going to just burst out
into praise and adulation

about how great God is, and it says this,
but Paul talks about all this stuff

and he finally realizes in the end
talking about

who God is
and and how he's ordained things.

He just burst out in spontaneous praise
because he just can't hold it anymore.

Is like the like.

And then God did this and then watch this,
and God did this and watch it.

And he is so good.

He's so good. He's
so merciful and so great.

So he just burst out in praise and
he does it over and over and over again.

And he's going to do it again
at the end of chapter three.

And one of the things that I'm learning,
as I see in Paul,

that if it's hard for me to praise and
thank God, I don't know God very well for.

If it's hard

for me to thank God
because I don't know him very well,

if it's hard for me to praise God
just because I don't know him very well.

Paul's like he is so good. He's so.

And then he just bursts out in praise

regarding this section of church
leadership

and these roles and qualifications,
if you will.

As well as those who lead in the church.

I want you to understand something.

The flip side that we do not get caught up
with the roles

and titles,

titles

are intended to represent roles
and indicate responsibilities.

And the two titles that Paul uses in first

Timothy three are the role of elder
and the role of deacon.

According to Paul,
according to Scripture, elders,

are roles
that some men play in the church,

and deacons are roles
that men and women play in the church.

The point is not to focus on the title,

because if you desire a title,
you're not worthy of it.

The focus

is on the role you're serving,
not the title you're holding.

You understand that?

That's the point of this whole thing.

So Paul is coming out of Judaism.

And in order to stand,

understand these, these, these titles
and roles that he's going to talk about,

we have to understand the system
that he has in mind.

And talking about them now.

In Judaism, there was
this system called the synagogue system.

Everybody say synagogue.

The synagogue system were these
the small gatherings,

local gatherings in local neighborhoods

of like people, usually centered on either

like ethnicity
or like jobs, life experience.

To hear a teacher
talk about and explain God's commands.

And they came about during the Babylonian
captivity.

The temple was in Jerusalem,
the Babylon's.

The Babylonians came down from the north

and invaded the land
and took captive the nation.

The two remaining tribes at this point

and took them back
into Babylonian captivity.

And because in Babylon

they didn't have the temple
where they were supposed to their worship.

They established these synagogues
where they could practice their faith

in these neighborhood,
little gatherings of like people

where a teacher
would expound on God's laws.

It went so well in

in Babylon
when they came back into their country,

they continued this synagogue system.

And we often see in
Jesus himself would go to the synagogues

and explain more fully the laws of God.

And then we see the same thing in Peter,
the same thing.

And Paul go to these local synagogues.

And so that that's what they're that's

why he's coming out of talking
about the rules.

Now for the church.

The synagogue was a very systemized,

system with titles and role
roll roles and hierarchies.

And so the natural question
that the first church had to deal with

is this we understand how the synagogue
is structured, structured,

but if we're different,
how are we structured?

So Paul uses some titles
that they were accustomed to.

And then he changes some titles
to drive home

the point of the responsibility
not to highlight the position.

And so in the synagogue,

these two leaders were elders.

And the thing called hazan.

Everybody say, who's on the left?

You're going to learn a lot of Greek today

in the synagogue, the synagogue elders,

they're they're responsible.

And function was much the same as elders
in the church and the New Testament church

hasn't had much the same roles

and responsibilities
as deacons in the New Testament church.

But Paul doesn't use the word he's on
because the New Testament

church
isn't focused on titles and hierarchy.

He uses the word deacon
because he wants to drive home

the point that this is not about hierarchy
and rules.

This is about responsibilities.

And so he uses the word
deacon come from the root word.

Thou can never say that.

I couldn't hear,
which literally means servant.

So he says there are some
who have some oversight, responsibility,

teaching responsibility, and there are
others who have this servant role.

Elders and deacons.

Now, I want you to remember part of Paul's

his own growth when he started this whole.

Responding to God's call on his life.

He says of himself,
I am a Pharisee of Pharisees.

Pretty lofty title.

Pharisees were the top echelon
of the religious ruling class.

He says, I,

of all the religious people, I'm
the most religious of all the religious.

He was trained under the one of the most

brilliant minds in Judaism
at the time, Gamaliel.

And he says of the Pharisees, I'm the top.

That's a pretty hefty title.

And then he grows and he matures,
and then he doesn't say that anymore.

Now he says,
I am the least of the apostles.

And when he uses the word apostle, he's
talking about the 12

that were specifically called personally
by God to be

not just his disciples,
which he had hundreds, but his apostles.

Paul wasn't one of those 12, but
on the road to Damascus, Jesus appeared

to him, knocked him off his donkey,
and said, why are you fighting against me?

And so Paul had this personal encounter
with the risen Jesus.

So Paul claims the title apostle, but
he says, hey, but I'm the least of all.

Still a pretty good title
because there's no more of those apostles.

Then at the

end of the story is beheaded by a
by Caesar Nero.

He's not the Pharisee, a Pharisee.

He's not the leader of the apostles.

He said, I am the worst of all sinners.

All his titles have dropped.

You understand?

To understand as.

And that's
why we're not focused on titles.

Some elders are pastors.

Some are not.

And some elders are teachers
and preachers,

and some are not.

There is no deacon

who is a pastor in the Bible.

And so these are important distinction
for us to understand our roles

and how the church is to function.

Some elders are pastors,
teachers, some aren't.

But there's no deacon
who's a teacher, pastor.

When you start a church,

the little guy, the lead person is the

the teacher and a preacher.

The lead person is also the lead elder.

The lead person is also the lead pastor,

and the lead person is also the deacon

who does everything
because there's nobody else there.

Do you understand that?

And that works for a little while,

but after a while
it gets really unhealthy for the church.

Some continue in that idea

that the lead guy, the lead person,

is the one who initiates
and does most things

because that person
has such great capacity.

He can do it.

And the church gets used to him doing it.

And the result is
the church becomes passive

because after all, it's getting done
by someone other than me or get just lazy.

I want to do that.

I got too much other stuff going on or
just get too apathetic.

Whatever happens, happens.

And for a church,

it starts to get neglectful,

especially if they continue to let

and expect their
pastor to continue doing it.

You understand?

Yes. In.

I am very thankful

for you in this church who serve you.

I'm very thankful for.

We have a lot of people in this church
who serve

and who do the work of the ministry.

Hear me when I say this, please.
Thank you.

Thank you that Sunday mornings happen

not because of me,
Jeff, Heather and Michael and Trish.

They happen
because David Morcerf shows up at Zero

Dark 30, as do a lot of other people.

Miracle does. Joe does.

I mean, there's all who show up
and get everything right.

Thank you.

There's a lot of people who serve.

The Mexico thing happened
not because of me.

One of our trustees slash elders slash

Ryan, led the whole thing.

And so I want
you to hear me say thank you.

Especially to those who lead,

because serving and leading
are two profoundly different things.

And what we have to

understand
as leaders are not born in seats.

They're built in service.

I watch a lot of what goes on here,

and especially after a Sunday morning.

I work a lot alongside
all the other people who are serving,

but I watch, what happens out there.

And what I see are
some men and women who just jump in.

What can I do? How can I help?

And there are a lot of men
and women who just watch.

And what that tells me is there are some

who are wired to become leaders,

and there are some who,
for whatever reason,

have just decided a more passive approach.

And so

few are called and aspire to be elders
and pastors.

Many serve as deacons and servants, most
without realizing it.

But listen,
we don't get caught up in titles

because ministry begins where ego ends.

I've been in the church world
my entire life.

I started going to church six months
before I was born.

Through high school.

I had a drug problem.

I was drug to church every single week.

I'm sorry. It's a it's a pastor joke.

I've been in this that my whole my whole
my whole life I've been a pastor.

I've been a pastor for 35 years.

And so I have seen elders

and deacons,
and deaconess is get puffed up

because of their title
and lose the emphasis on service

and mercy and grace,

and they become arrogant and prideful
and think their role

because they have a title
and so other people. What to do?

And Paul calls it in
first Timothy three, the sin of the devil.

And so at flip side,
please understand this about our church.

We will focus on role and fruit
and not on title.

The New Testament titles

for New Testament leaders as elder, elder,

our teachers and elders are preachers
and some elders are both.

The title is Bishop and Overseer.

The titles are Shepherd and pastors.

All of those different titles
have the same function in mind.

Some elders are overseer,
some elders are preacher teachers.

Some elders are both.

And then the other title
that's used is deacon,

which means servant.

So in in, in outlining these things,
these qualifications,

Paul has to set some standards
around these titles

because coming out of the system,
it was a really it was not a good culture.

They knew the words,
but they didn't understand

the rules really, for the New Testament
church, for instance,

in Rome,

men who may have been part of
the synagogue system

were allowed
three women in their lives, or

I candy woman

for important meetings and social events,
make them look good

wife woman to bear
kids and raise children,

and the mistress woman for.

So so there were they were allowed.

And so Paul's coming into this and saying,
look, you might understand the words

that I'm using, but you don't understand
the rules and the qualifications.

So there has to be some standards
that I laid down,

because the context
and culture of the church

are they be different than the context

and culture of the world,
even of the religious system of the world?

You follow me.
And so that's why he gives us these.

And so

I'm finally at verse one.

Chapter three, verse one.

The saint is trustworthy.

If anyone aspires to the office
of overseer, he desires a noble task.

He said, look,
if you aspire that word aspire,

it means literally to be eager for,
to desire for, to reach out. For.

If you're eager for you, you either
want to reach out for this role.

That is a good desire.

He's saying you want to be an elder,
a pastor, a bishop, an overseer.

The same thing that is a that is a
that is a valuable role to reach out for

if you're called to it.

It used to be the role of the pastor
or the elder, the overseer.

It used to be the role
that was an honor roll.

It was a respected role.

It was also a role that you knew that
once you reached out

for that, it involved a great
deal of suffering to come.

It was not a role, that sort of platform.

It was not a role.

That that sort of podcast.

It wasn't a role
that sought followers and likes.

It wasn't a role to build a kingdom.

It wasn't a role to build a brand.

It wasn't a role
where you get your own parking spot.

There wasn't a role where someone carries

your Bible for you
and get your coffee for you.

That's not it.

I was read,
I was praying over this, and on Thursday,

God gave me this thing for myself
and I wanted to share it with you.

Here's what it is.

It's not a role to build a campus.

It's a calling to propel his kingdom.

That's what we're talking about.

Pastors, leaders.

It's not a role to build a campus.

That's the American system

that we've bastardized it to be.

It's a calling to propel his kingdom.

And so this I had this elder bishop
pastor.

It's a different word,
but it's a mainly the same functions

throughout this elder pastor
that he uses here.

If you aspire to this, this
to be an overseer.

That's the Greek word episcopacy.

Everybody say episcopacy.

Look at how much Greek you're learning.

Two Greek words. Epi. Scopus.

You know, microscope to look, telescope to
look, epi over, to overlook, to oversee.

This is an overseer.

That's what that word means.

The same words are used in this role.

Paul, use the word press. Bureaus.

That's the presbytery.

So, episcopacy, the Episcopalian church

is kind of function over this,
this overseer bishop idea.

The Presbyterian church is function
over this

presbytery idea, where they have
kind of control over the local body.

Paul also uses
the idea that with the word poem in

which learning is pastor
or shepherd, it's the same

I unroll just a different word.

You can call me any of those things
because they're biblical titles.

For my role as pastor Shepherd.

Just don't refer to someone as a reverend
because Reverend is not in the Bible.

Bishop,
overseer, pastor, shepherd servant.

That's all in the Bible.

Reverend is it?

Now, let me just say this.

I have a master's

degree, and I am an ordained reverend.

Don't ever call me a reverend

because it's not in the Bible.

Through the last 20 years of this church.

There have been a few
who are interested in my credentials.

I have them,

but I hope my credentials
are not contained

in the initials after my name,
but rather in the fruit

of my ministry.

See titles.

And this is a problem with religion.

Titles.

Put emphasis on people and take focus off
of their position in the kingdom

and their position in the kingdom.

Biblically is servant,
slave and apprentice.

That's our position.

I'm a servant of you.

I'm a slave of Christ,
and I'm an apprentice of Jesus.

So in

this church, we don't use the word bishop.

There's too much loaded baggage
with that word.

In our culture.

We don't use the word elder.

There's a lot of connotations with that.

Personally, I like pastor slash coach.

Now, as I said, Reverend isn't the Bible.

Coach isn't in the Bible.

But I like that one.

And here's why.

Coach indicates function.

Reverend indicates education

and God's.

Call me to a function,

a coach and some of your coaches.

This is what we do.

A coach comes along someone else

to help them discover
a better way to move forward.

We don't get people to perform
better for us.

Coaches
help them be their own best according

to the goals and the agenda of the entity
they're a part of.

In our context,
the Kingdom of God in the local church.

So the role of the pastor coach
is to come along somebody

to help them be their best
so they can function best to move forward

according to the goals
and the agenda of the entity

that we are a part of the Kingdom
of God through the church.

You get it.

This is the role of the pastor.

So role of deacons are different

Diakite deacons.

Many people in this church
could be called deacons, men and women,

because those are the ones who lead
and serve the ministries of the church.

Few are called elders.

Some are called pastors.

Many people could be called deacons,
but we don't get wrapped up in titles.

You understand?

You understand.

We call people who are Christ

followers,
apprentices of Jesus who serve and lead.

In other words, servants.

That's who we are.

Some of us are lead servants,
and some of us serve.

But we're servants of God

who are known by our ministries
and our service, not by titles.

We could call plenty of people here

elders.

Matter of fact,

we have three that the IRS calls trustees.

Our elders, pastor
Jeff, could be called an elder.

There are some who could be called elders.

Some of those elders are pastors,
teachers.

Some are overseers.

We have, many here

who could be called deacons and deacons.

But again,
we don't get caught up in those titles.

Here's what I know about leadership.

Most leaders don't want a title,

and the ones who do shouldn't be leading.

Understand their.

Yeah, I think this is one thing

that y'all like about flip side.

Do you

do you see this church
as a church of hierarchy?

Not the least.

You know why?

Because the Bible says whoever should be
first will be will be last.

And so the the greatest, fastest
way ahead is to be last.

And we understand that.

And I think that's one of the things
about our church.

Like with what?

We're all slaves of Christ.

If we claim him as our master.

So in first

Timothy, second Timothy and Titus, though
Paul deals with these,

these leaders, it's not about church
structure.

It's about the character
of the person leading.

In other words, it's about our function,
not about our organization.

Some elders are called in gift

and gifted to teaching and preaching.

Other elders are called and gifted

in administration and oversight,
and some are both.

And so now we're through verse one.

Let me go through verses
two through seven,

because this is the qualifications
for the elder pastor.

Teachers.

Let me just read it.

Most of it's
going to be really self-explanatory.

Some of it I'm going to I'm going
to just explain a little bit.

Verse two therefore.

And overseer, Bishop, episcopacy,
the leader, must be above reproach.

The husband of one wife.

Sober minded, self-controlled,
respectable.

Hospitable. Able to preach.
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?

He must not be a recent convert.

Or maybe he may become puffed up
with conceit and fall

into the condemnation of the devil.

Moreover,
he must be well thought of by outsiders,

so that he may not fall into disgrace
into this, snare of the devil.

Here's what he's saying.

Some of this is pretty self-explanatory.

Some of it.

Let me explain.

When it says the husband of one wife.

We know what that means, right?

Yeah. One wife.

Now, one of the things I love about Paul.

He doesn't go into every little detail of
in this, this and that

and so and so he leaves some of it
up to our wisdom and our discretion.

Some people will say that

because he had to be a husband of one
wife, he has to be a married man.

That that's not necessarily what it means,
but that's all some people mean.

Whatever.

Some people say

that he can only be married
once and his wife dies against divorce.

You're done.

That's that.

That's up to them
if they want to feel that way.

Most scholars believe

it means one wife at a time,

which means not this.

While most calmly, if your spouse
has died, you now have another spouse.

If there's been divorce, you can.

You know,
there's biblical parameters around that.

You can get married again
and and still be okay.

So it leaves some room
for the church to say,

this is what it's going to mean for us.

When it says not be a drunkard.

Do you understand what that means?

Yeah, but the interesting thing is there
are some churches say, you know what?

No alcohol at all.

You better be careful with old grapes.

Like really strict.

Others say, you know what? It's.

It's not like,

don't be one of those
who has such close proximity to wine

where it's always with you.

That's literally what the words mean.

So just be careful.

Others are like,
you know what the Bible says?

Drink, but don't get drunk,
but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

So there's some there's some massaging
in there that the local church gets to do.

And it's up to the discretion
of the spirit leading that church.

When it says not a lover of money,

it's that look, you don't
go into the ministry to make money,

not because it doesn't pay you well,
because all you got to do

is be a televangelist,
have a podcast, and make a ton of money.

But that's not the point.

You understand?

And then it

says you have to manage your own household
and their children must submit.

Let me say this
right up front about parenting.

If your kids

if our kids are walking with the Lord
in through adulthood,

it's a result of God's grace,

not great parenting.

Let's not be so arrogant,

so prideful, so full of hubris,
and so full of ourselves.

To think that anyone has done
such a good job parenting

their kids have never strayed from law
that is so abhorrent

to the mercy and grace of God.

Now there is a response to ability
that parents

have to do
biblically the job of raising kids.

But it is by the grace of God
that those kids walk with Christ.

Not parenting.

There are incredible parents whose kids in
adulthood are not walking with the Lord.

And so

I want to be very careful
that for those who are, it's not a result.

That one did one right
and one did it wrong.

It's by the grace of God alone.

Do you understand me? You understand me.

So don't bear more guilt
than what's necessary.

And don't bear more.

Credit than what is yours to.

However, it does say

you're going to play this role.

Your kids have to submit to you
while they're under your roof.

You don't have control over mouse over.

But while they're underneath, they better.

They better love Jesus.
And they bet you better submit to you.

There's there's no bones
about what it says.

In other words,
we're saying you can't leave the church

if your kids don't love the bride
of Christ while they're under your roof.

But what
if the standard for looking for a church

was not a big church with a big pastor,
but was a pastor with kids

who submit to God and love
Jesus and love the Bride of Jesus

their whole life.

Rather

than sitting in the pews of a big campus

with a pastor
whose kids are not walking with the Lord,

why don't
we sit under a pastor of a church

whose kids are loving the Lord
and the Lord's bride?

That's what he's saying.

And if you can't lead the one,
you gotta question.

Just just like, let's make sure
that we're keeping the main things.

The main thing

I want you to notice two,

that you got to be careful
about putting people

in these positions because they'll fall
into the snare of the devil.

This is the only position, this vocation.

This is the only vocation, this vocation
of pastor, teacher, preacher.

This is the only vocation
in all of Scripture where the devil

specifically attacks
the vocation, not just the person.

The devil
doesn't care if you are rich or poor.

The devil doesn't care
if we're doctors or ditch diggers.

The devil doesn't care
if we're teachers or police officers.

The devil does care
if we aspire to be a pastor leader.

This is the only vocation
in all of the world

that the devil attacks
the person and the vocation.

We have to understand that.

So let me go on to deacons.

I know what time it is.

Verse 18.

Deacons likewise, must be dignified, not
double tongued, not addicted to much wine.

I did too much wine.

Too much on how you read it, right?

Not greedy for dishonest gain.

They must hold to the mystery of the faith
with a clear conscience,

and let them also be tested. First.

Then let them serve as deacons
if they prove themselves blameless.

Their wives, likewise, must be dignified,

not slanders,
not sober minded, faithful in all things.

Let deacons be,

each be the husband of one wife, managing
their children and their households.

Well, for those who serve well as deacons,
gain a good understanding for themselves

and also great confidence in the faith
that is in Christ Jesus.

Here's what he's saying.

These deacon qualifications are
very similar to the elder qualifications.

There's a couple of caveats.

In verse 11, he says their wives,
the literal translation is women.

Women must likewise.

And so this is why we know
also from acts 16

that deacons are men and women.

Let them be dignified, not slanders,
but sober minded.

He talks about them.

He says not double tongued, not slanders.

Not. You know what that means.
It means you can't be gossips.

You can't be a gossip and lead.

You can't be two faced.

Whatever you say here,
you got to say there are.

Just don't say it.

And so he gives some parameters there.

And he says, you got to prove yourself
in the church first before you lead.

You got to serve.

That's why I watch all the time,

because the ones who are leading

can step in, are the ones who are serving,
can step in the leading,

but nobody is going to leapfrog
serving and jump into leading.

You're not going to do it.
I won't allow it.

Does it make sense? You understand? Yeah.

Some of you are incredible leaders
in the business field and your place

of incredible leaders,
great leadership ability here.

You're a servant.

Until you prove yourself,

then you can lead.

That's what he's saying.

Let me jump to this.

This is how the church should function.

Should.

And these are the roles
that that should be filled by the church.

People.

And so let me tell you, here's
where the rubber hits the road.

There's a place for you

to serve and to lead a flip side.

If you have a relationship with Jesus,

this is your next step

to serve and to lead.

I asked you to consider

that there's no pastor teacher
who also serves as a deacon

leading all the ministries.

That's the role of the church.

I ask you to consider
what is your expectation

of me?

For your pleasure.

I have developed

eight short job descriptions

of ministries in this church

that you should lead

that for the most part.

I have been leading

for 20 years.

Some of them I haven't.

One of them is a women's ministry lead.

I don't feel like that's appropriate.

And it would kill all the women's
spiritual lives in our church.

So I haven't been doing that one.

Many of them I have.

And and it, And so what I've done

as I prepared for you eight areas

that you can dis discern real briefly

and they're all developed for full time
working people.

So it's not like a full step
in like leading.

And you're covered in eight
different areas for you

to serve and to lead.

And I invite you there in the
welcome Center that'll have sheets go out.

After you go to Welcome Center,
look through those eight areas

and decide will
you will become a deacon or a deaconess.

Prayer ministry.

Men's ministry.

Women's ministry.

Pastoral care. Ministry. Baptism.

Call tech.

Tech and video leads. Marriage leads.

All of those are the responsibilities of
the deacons and deacons is in the church.

Your job,

not mine.

Honestly.

I'm a pretty high capacity guy.

I don't want to have to be
responsible for.

The job of the church.

Understand

Christianity
is not a Netflix subscription.

We don't get it.

Turn it on and watch what we want.

And then turn it off and walk away.

That's not what church is.

The church doesn't need more note takers.

Growth without service

and leading leads
to pride and spiritual obesity.

And we got enough
obese people in our culture.

This is what God is inviting you into.

And this is your responsibility
because it's his expectation.

And then 14 or 15.

I hope to come to you soon,
but I'm writing these things to you

so that if I delay, you may know how you
ought to behave in the household of God,

which is the church of the living God,
a pillar, a buttress of truth.

He said, look,

even if I'm not there, I

want to leave you in church
about how this is supposed to go down.

And so, dear friends, a flip side.

This is how it's supposed to go down.

Do you understand?

You understand?

Do you think you
you start attaching your life

to the purposes of God,
and all of a sudden, life opens up.

Purpose opens up. Significance opens up.

It's bigger than me.

It's bigger than you.

And you're invited into it with me.

And then Paul, he wraps up it like he's
so excited

about what
God has called his people to do.

Listen, don't be threatened
by these qualifications.

Don't be scared by them.

Because after all

this is
these conferences are how every Christ

Christ follower should aspire to live
anyway.

Which of these qualifications do we think?

Yeah, that's not really.

Like all these qualifications

is what a Christ follower
should aspire to live anyway.

Which one would you take out?

Just in general in life.

What would you take out?

Take out the wine one.
I like being a drunk.

It's really

take out the managing household. One.

I like my kids being out of control.

Seriously? Like, what would you do? Okay.

Take out the two wife. One,
because that's one factor.

No, no, that's that's just problems.

Like, what would you take out?

So these are like, the highest of life.

This is like every Christ follower.

This should be the aspiration.

So don't be threatened by them.

Oftentimes this is how we think.

How much do I not need to do
and still be okay with God?

Right.

Right.

And so after all of this, Paul goes.

Paul says, great indeed,

we confess, is the mystery of godliness.

He, Jesus, was manifest in the flesh,
vindicated by the spirit, seen by angels,

proclaimed among the nations, believed on
in the world, and taken up into glory.

He just burst out.

This was the first worship song
written by the first church,

and this was the song.

And he's quoting these lyrics. He's like,
he got it.

Jesus is so good.

It was manifest in the flesh.

Jesus was God in heaven
that took on human flesh.

It was matter.

He's always been.

And he showed up in our world in a body.

And he was vindicated by the spirit.

The Holy Spirit of God
approved of his life and his ministry.

He was seen by angels.

The angels of heaven authenticated
who he was and walked with him.

He was proclaimed him by the nations.

The world has said that. Yes.

There's something different about this.
Jesus.

It was believed on in the world.

Not just acknowledgment
of who is, but a belief in who he is.

And he was taken up into glory
because though he died, he is alive

and he's in heaven, and there's
no other religion, no other faith

on this planet that can claim the
same thing of their founder.

You understand,

like Buddha dead, Muhammad

dead, Joseph
Smith dead, every one of them dead.

Jesus died and is alive.

And because of that, he deserves me.

Not my description

and not my note taking.

He deserves me.

And this is his expectation.

And so now, my friends,

for your pleasure.

Not only have I provided you opportunities

to look through what it would be to serve
and to lead.

I'm also providing you
with the opportunity

to respond.

To take up the mantle.

Because of the expectation of God.

Because of who he is.

And if he calls you to it,

he'll provide for you to do it.

You have to respond.

The only person that invitation is not for
is for any of you

who have not yet accepted
Jesus as the leader of your life.

Your invitation

is to establish a relationship with God

the Father through the son,
because of what he did on the cross.

That's your invitation.

You might know a lot about religion,
but you might not know personally.

Jesus.

And so I'm going to invite you and pray
into those two invitations.

And I trust
that the Holy Spirit will tell you

which of those invitations
he's giving you,

and trust that you

will respond.

Father, thank you.

Thank you that you love us.

Thank you that you have created us
to not just be a part of your kingdom,

your world, but to actually serve
and get that lead in it.

You have created us for this.

We find our being in you in this,

and it's powerful
and beautiful and purposeful.

Yeah.

And so, father, in this moment,

I just ask that those here
who don't know you yet as their savior.

Friends, this is for you.

If you've never accepted
Jesus as your Savior,

there's no such thing
as a magical mystery.

Jesus prayer is is just this

acknowledgment and confessing this to God.

I admit I'm a sinner
and I've lived outside

of your laws
and your standard forgiveness.

I believe,
Jesus, that you died on the cross

for my forgiveness, and I accept that

Jesus, help me follow you.

Now as a Jesus follower,

I give myself to.

You just keep your eyes over me.

I just I didn't do this in person.

I just want to know if any of you prayed
that prayer like today.

Is that been your prayer?

If any of you responded with you,

you know, you know, it's a
commitment you need to make.

You know,
you need to give your life to the Lord.

You know you need him to forgive your sin.

Would you just slip your hand up
just real quick, just so I would like.

I want to pray. Want to bring.

I want to pray for you.

Thank you. Good. Good to you.

Good for you.

Good, good. Very good.

Thank you.

Praise God.

And that's awesome.

Anybody else? Just real quick.

Thank you for this

great

father.

For these
who are making that step right now.

We all know that we've tried
to do right in the past.

We just always fail.

Thank you for mercy that you have on us
to keep pursuing us.

And thank you for your grace.

That doesn't ask us to be perfect.

It just asks us to keep following
and you make up the difference

for thank you for these
who have given their lives to you.

God, I pray that you would encourage them

and empower them
to learn what it is to walk in obedience,

that you would set their course
ahead of them.

That would be purposeful
and powerful and victorious.

That they would learn
what it is to submit to you continually

and follow you with their lives in.

Father, I pray for these others here

who who are, or on the verge of responding

to serving and leading the which are not.

Let us walk out of here
without responding.

You deserve us.

You are so good.

We thank you.

Your name for in their.

Listen.

For those of you who made some decision.

If it's to lead and serve,
stop by the start here. But.

Or just stop and look at those sheets.

Just consider.

But if you made a decision to follow
Jesus through life. And I saw your hand.

So I want you to either talk to me
afterwards or fill out that card

so that we can follow up with you
and give you some resources.

Stop by in the Welcome Center.

There's a little book I wrote called
Foundation that'll help you understand

the foundations of your faith now,
and what it means to understand.

Listen, I love you.

It's been a big day.

It's been a good day.

Let's finish it out.

Because he deserves me.

So let's see,
like you does. Let's go. Come on.