Category: Bible Study

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28).

The Bible teaches that the church is involved in God’s work, the greatest work on earth. We are, therefore, “laborers together with God” (1 Cor. 3:9, KJV). Yesterday, we observed that this work involves steadfast servants. That’s all of us. Everyone has something to do.

In addition to steadfast servants, the work of the Lord needs sound shepherds.

Shepherds, also called elders, bishops, overseers, and pastors in the New Testament, are vital to the work of the church. As we did yesterday, let’s notice their prerequisites, their purpose, and the source of their power.

The Prerequisites

The qualifications to be an elder are specifically given to us in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. While the purpose of this discussion is not to look at these passages in depth, it is worth noting that an elder is to be a married man (“husband of one wife”) who is an experienced Christian (“not a novice”). He is to be a righteous man who is able to lead his own family in spiritual ways because he will be leading the church. He is to love what is good, and he is to be prepared to answer any false teaching or criticisms that may come against the congregation.

The Purpose

Shepherds have an important purpose in the church. By the way, you never read in the New Testament of just one elder. There are always a plurality of elders in a local congregation.

The purpose of elders, or shepherds, is seen in a study of the words that are used in Scripture to identify them. I’ve already mentioned the terms overseer, bishop, shepherd, pastor, and elder. These terms are used to signify certain aspects of their work. The terms overseer and bishop come from the same Greek word. An overseer is one who is watching over the congregation to ensure its safety from outside threats as well as its overall health. Like overseer and bishop, the terms shepherd and pastor come from the same Greek word. Think about what a shepherd does in tending to a flock. He protects, he guides, he feeds those sheep. The pastors (who are not preachers, by the way – they are more than that) are doing those things for the congregation. They will give account for how well they have done these things. Finally, the word elder refers to one who is chronologically older. With age comes wisdom. The idea is that these men are spiritual mentors. We can look to them for spiritual advice and for a great example of a Christian.

Bishops have an important purpose in the work of the church.

Their Power

It’s clear that shepherds have a lot of power in the church. From where does that power come? The New Testament teaches that they are not to lord that power over the congregation. Instead, they serve with the congregation, leading them in the right direction. They serve under the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ (Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 5:1-4). So elders must be careful that they are relying on the power of God rather than upon themselves as they shepherd the flock which Jesus purchased with His own blood. This is a heavy responsibility.

Let’s wrap it up: Shepherds, pastors, bishops, overseers, elders – All terms that are used interchangeably to refer to the work of experienced Christian men who lead the local congregation in the ways of Jesus. They have an important job, don’t they? Let’s be sure that we make their job as easy as possible. Let’s count them worthy of double honor (1 Tim. 5:17). We need them.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Mat. 5:10-12).

This is the last of the beatitudes found in Matthew 5:3-12. While the other beatitudes are one verse apiece, this final thought demands a little more elaboration – probably because it would be harder to bear.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted”?? The word “persecuted” means to put in rapid motion. The idea is that the disciples are caused to flee because of the intense threats and even murder of God’s people. Jesus goes on to say that God’s people would be insulted by their persecutors, and people would use their words with the intent of tearing them down by spreading lies about them.

So why do bad things happen to good people? You know, that’s really not the right question. The truth is, bad things happen to everyone. So the question is not “Will I suffer?”, the right question is “HOW will I suffer?”.

Peter makes this distinction very clear.

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter (1 Pet. 4:15-16).

Sometimes we bring suffering on ourselves, don’t we? We sin and we reap the consequences. Other times we suffer simply because suffering is a part of life as we know it. We live in a world that is dominated by sin, and everyone feels its effects. Peter shows us that even Christians suffer. In so doing, he also illustrates to us that there is a right way to suffer and a wrong way to suffer. How will I react to suffering?

Suffering as a Christian is glorifying to God. Peter says, “let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Pet. 4:16). Further, we read that love suffers long (1 Cor. 13:4), and that long suffering, or endurance in the face of trials, is a part of bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). Oh, and don’t forget that Jesus said that those who suffer for the sake of righteousness are “blessed” and should “rejoice” (Mat. 5:10-12).

Let’s wrap it up: We are not the first people of God who have been persecuted throughout history. Jesus said, “for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Mat. 5:12). Paul reminds us that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). So it comes down to this: I can hurt and reject God or I can hurt and glorify God. Which do you choose?

Yesterday, we noted some of the problems that caused the division in the church at Corinth. Ultimately, we learned that their problem was one of focus. Their focus was on the messenger more than the message, on immaturity more than increase, and on self more than service. We noted that their focus needed to be on Christ instead of on themselves.

Today, let’s look at the specifics of Paul’s solutions to these three issues.

1. They needed to put their faith in the power of God, not the wisdom of men.

The “preacher-itis” in Corinth would be fixed by a clear focus on the power of God’s word and the foolishness of man’s wisdom. This theme is clearly discussed in chapters one and two of 1 Corinthians. Later, Paul says, “Let no one boast in men” (1 Cor. 3:21). The message Paul preached was “not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God” (1 Cor. 2:12).

2. They needed to act their age.

This was the cure to their spiritual immaturity. They would accomplish maturation by doing three things. First, they needed to eat right. Paul says that they needed to get away from the milk and move toward a more adult diet (1 Cor. 3:1-2). Second, they needed to “man up.” Paul asked them, “Are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” (1 Cor. 3:3). It was time to act like men of God. Finally, they needed to put off the works of the flesh and put on the fruit of the Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 3:3, he says that they were involved in “envy, strife, and divisions,” all things that are found in Galatians 5:19-21 when Paul lists the works of the flesh. They needed to act their age.

3. They needed to learn their place as servants.

All Christians are servants. Too many of us are looking for what the church can do for us instead of what we can do for Christ. Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians that they were nothing without God. He said,

For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (1 Cor. 4:7).

The realization that we are nothing without God is a great cure to self-centeredness and arrogance.

Let’s wrap it up: We will thrive as the church today when we are together, united in our common bond of Jesus Christ. We will do that by putting our faith in God and His Word (not in human wisdom), by spiritually growing as God expects, and by learning our roles as servants together and servants of God.

Let’s thrive as God’s people!

What can we do to help the church thrive? I’ve read lots of articles and blog posts in the recent past about how the Lord’s church is on the decline. I’ve talked with preachers and church leaders about the problems in congregations all across the country. As the new you, you have been added to the Lord’s church (Acts 2:47). You are a part of the church – you are the church!

So, again I ask, what can you do to help the church thrive? When we read 1 Corinthians in the New Testament, we see that the church in Corinth wasn’t thriving. They had lost sight of their common bond in Jesus, and therefore had lost their focus.

They focused on the messenger more than the message.

“Preacher-itis” is a terrible disease. In Corinth, some Christians were dividing under different preachers like Paul, Apollos, and Cephas (1 Cor. 1:12-17). Paul told them that they were actually trying to divide Christ! In chapter three, he said that such division is carnal (3:4).

They focused on immaturity more than increase.

In 1 Corinthians three, Paul said that he “could not speak to them as spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ” (3:1). They hadn’t grown as Christians. Notice that God expected them to grow. They didn’t have the option not to grow. Paul says, “where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” (3:3).

They focused on self more than service.

The Corinthian Christians were “puffed up on behalf of one against the other” (1 Cor. 4:6). Arrogance is toxic to any relationship. If you want to tear apart the congregation of God’s people and ruin the influence of that congregation upon the community, then just start acting like you’re better than someone else. That’s all it takes.

Let’s wrap it up: The division in the Corinth church of Christ was a problem of focus. They focused on the messenger more than the message, on immaturity more than increase, and on self more than service.

Skewed focus will cause today’s church to be divided, too. Instead, focus on Jesus and on living life His way. In 1 Corinthians chapter one, Paul mentions Jesus in every verse of the first ten verses. Do you think the Holy Spirit is using Paul to impress something upon us as readers? I do. Set your focus on Christ. Realize that the church belongs to Him – not to you – and you will help the church not only survive, but thrive in our culture.

What an amazing privilege to be a child of God! Because of Jesus, we can be adopted into God’s family (Eph. 1:5). As such, we are “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him” (Rom. 8:17).

In 1 John, the Holy Spirit has a lot to say about the blessings of being a child of God. Here are four lessons about being God’s child from 1 John 3:1-2.

1. God’s grace makes it possible for me to be a child of God!

John says, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1). The word “behold” is designed to fix our attention, to cause us to take a long, penetrating look so that we are impressed with God’s great love. We should be amazed and in awe that God permits us to be His people, to be called by His name. He has “bestowed,” or given us this wonderful privilege.

2. The world does not know me because I am a child of God.

Not everyone appreciates God’s people. We shouldn’t take it personally, because the world “did not know Him,” either, according to the end of 1 John 3:1. In other words, Christians will be rejected today for similar reasons that Jesus was rejected during His earthly ministry. R. C. H. Lenski, in his commentary, stated it this way:

The names of God’s greatest saints are not engraved on the tablets of the world’s temple of fame. This cannot be otherwise; if it were, the world would not be the world, and we should not be God’s children (page 450).

3. I can know that I am a child of God.

The early gnosticism that permeated the culture during the time that John wrote this epistle was attempting to degrade the faith of the faithful Christians. John assures them, “Beloved, now we are children of God” (1 John 3:2). We can know that we are God’s children, and we can know that we are God’s children right now!

4. I will see Jesus because I am a child of God.

John continues, “We know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). Paul put it this way over in Philippians 3:20-21:

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Let’s wrap it up: What an amazing blessing it is to be a child of God! It is by God’s grace that I am His child. The world may reject me, but I know that I am His. One day, I will see Jesus and be with Jesus forever. You’re a New Testament Christian! You’re a child of God! That’s a great reason to have some pep in your step today.

By the way, if you are not a New Testament Christian, I want to encourage you to become one. I’d love for you to contact me so that we can discuss this further.

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 This is a partial transcript from my weekday podcast, The New You, where we focus on maintaining and accentuating the new that Christ created in each of us as Christians. A new episode is available each Monday through Friday on The Light Network. Click here to see all of the episodes.