1 Timothy 3:1–7 | The Officers of the Church (Part 1)
Blair Robinson | February 23, 2025
Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1–7
Main Point. God protects his church with qualified overseers. Driving Question. What is an overseer? 1. The Work of the Overseer (1) a. He aspires to the work. Not only is it good and noble, but Paul says it’s good to aspire. There should be a willing desire to do this work, to shepherd God’s flock [1 Pet 5:2].This isn't to be done out of compulsion, nor out of pride. b. His work is an office. c. His work is noble. Acts 20: 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Application. Do any of you aspire to this office? Do you love Christ’s church? Are you already "pastoring" in the church? Driving Question. How do we identify overseers? 2. The Walk of the Overseer (2–7) Four areas of life that are to be evaluated. 1. Personal faithfulness. Above reproach (3:2). Sober-minded (3:2). Self-controlled (3:2). 2. Private fidelity. Husband of one wife (3:2) Manage his own household well (3:4,5) 3. Pasroral fitness. Hospitable (3:2) Able to teach (3:2) Not a recent convert (3:6) 4. Public favor. Respectable (3:2) Not a drunkard (3:3) Not given to violence, but gentle (3:3) Not quarrelsome (3:3) Not a lover of money (3:3) Well thought of by outsiders (3:7) Responses. Do you see God’s protection for his church through this office? Are any of you wanting to do this work? Who do you see in the congregation that is walking in these qualifications? What are we doing to increase our candidate pool and ready our men? How many elders do we want here? Would you pray for us?