I hope that is your commitment as well. I hope that is expresses your love and allegiance to the Lord. There are many, many, many in this world who have a different allegiance, but we belong to Jesus. He belongs to us. And we need to keep our eyes fixed on that which is eternal and that which is most important.

It's so easy to get distracted by the glittery things and the promises of the world and to take our eyes off of Jesus. This was a temptation as much in Timothy's day as it is for us today. We need each other. We need the word of God. We need to be under preaching and teaching to be reminded often in church to be reminded in our daily time with the Lord the importance of drawing closer to him, and serving him because, well, that's those things are the things that lay up treasure in heaven that are of eternal consequence.

We get to first Timothy chapter five where we are this evening. The apostle Paul has given been giving Timothy instruction mainly. The audience essentially of first Timothy is Timothy who has been left in Ephesus or sent to Ephesus there to basically lead the church plant in Ephesus and probably to some extent other church plants that have come out from the city of Ephesus to surrounding cities. Many of them mentioned in Revelation chapter two and chapter three. Timothy was still fairly young in the ministry.

He had traveled with Paul for quite a while. He had learned much, but the apostle Paul knew that he was going to need some help, encouragement, and instruction in the ministry and so he wrote him this letter. So, while the letter is written to Timothy, it is also written to the church at Ephesus in particular. And, indirectly also to who? To us.

Okay? And so, these things not only apply to Timothy, the church of Ephesus, but to our church and to your minister as well. He discussed the importance of sound doctrine. Of course, that is vitally important that we keep our doctrine sound and pure and in agreement with the word of God. We can't go wrong if we keep our doctrine in line with the word of God.

The importance of continual self examination. Whether you're the preacher in the pulpit or whether you're the member of the church in the pew, regardless of what your level of participation or position in the church is, if you're a member of the church, then you are an important part of the body. And we need to be constantly self examining ourselves. The tendency is what is our tendency? Our tendency is to examine who?

Everybody else. The person behind us, the person in front of us. And we should be examining ourselves. He encouraged Timothy of the importance of respecting others. The older, the younger, the men, the women, he dealt with that earlier in this chapter, Along with the importance of taking care of the needy, particularly, he addressed the widows back in that day.

Widows in particular were in great need today in The United States. We have programs that do help with that, but it is still the church's responsibility to see that the needs of their widows are met. And then this evening, beginning in verse 17, is a section on elders, a section on elders. Now back in chapter back in chapter three, Paul gave Timothy a list of qualifications for bishops slash elders in the church. And so he has dwelt with those qualifications, and now he is going to deal with some other issues revolving around the leadership, particularly elders, bishops, pastors in the church.

So we're going to begin reading in verse 17 and read through verse 25. So let the elders that rule, let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treaded out the corn, and the labor is worthy of his reward. Against an elder, receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses. Then that sin rebuke before all that others may also also may fear.

I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that thou observe these things without preferring one one before another, doing nothing by partiality. Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins. Keep thyself pure. Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. Some men's sins are opened beforehand, going before to judgment, and some men they follow after.

Likewise also, the good works of some are manifest beforehand and that are otherwise cannot be hid. So we're going to take this and divide it into about three major points this evening. Elders here seems to be used specifically in context of ordained ministers in the church and not elderly gentlemen. So, elders here elder can refer to elderly gentlemen in the church or it can refer be used in the New Testament to refer specifically to those who have a position of authority and responsibility in the church. Here, it would seem to be referring to the latter, those who have a specific position of responsibility in the church, an elder or a pastor or a bishop as he's called in first Timothy chapter three.

How do we know that? Well, that the elders that what? What's the next word in verse 17? Rule. Okay.

So we're talking about those that have positions of authority in the church and thereby authority also means responsibility. With responsibility comes authority, with authority comes responsibility. And so this is the group to whom whom he is writing about. In the early church, there was sometimes a plurality of elders or pastors in some churches just as there are many pastors particularly in larger churches today. These other elders were, however, answerable to the head elder who in this case was Timothy.

So churches often had a plurality. They had several elders, leaders appointed in the church that had pastoral responsibilities of one kind or another and then there was usually a head elder, a head pastor in the church. In larger churches, we we do that today often. Sometimes, they don't call them elders. They just call them pastors, the pastor of this, and the pastor of that.

In smaller churches, deacons sometimes kind of serve both as deacon and to a certain extent as an elder as well. That is often the case in smaller churches also. These that he is talking about here are again are men that have a position of authority and pass some kind of pastoral ministry of sorts in the church. It could also be that Timothy's ministry also involved the ordaining of ministers to pastor separate regional congregations like Titus. Paul writes Titus, he tells him to ordain elders in churches in Crete.

And so Titus wasn't just ordaining elders or pastors for this church, but also for this church and this church and that church, and he was assisting other churches in appointing elders or pastors. There were several other churches in the Asia minor as I mentioned earlier, some of which sprung from the church in Ephesus. So, now, the three different categories so to speak, points of the message this evening. Number one, verses seventeen and eighteen, honoring elders. Verses seventeen and eighteen.

Let the elders that rule be well let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treaded out the corn, and the laborer is worthy of his reward. So, here, the apostle Paul is instructing Timothy. Those elders, teachers, pastors in your church that are are doing a good job ministering to the Lord are worthy of double honor, worthy of greater honor, And particularly in regard to pastors, based on verse 18, it would seem that with that honor may also come what? Remuneration of some kind.

Okay? That's what he's talking about in verse 18. Particularly for those whose responsibility it was to study, preach, and teach the congregation from the word of God. These elders were particularly, Paul is saying, worthy of receiving compensation or remuneration, help financially from the church. Paul is quoting or alluding to Deuteronomy twenty five four and Deuteronomy twenty four fourteen and fifteen.

So when he says, for the scripture saith, he is quoting from the Old Testament scriptures. Now, the church and the temple, are they the same thing? No. They're not the same thing. Okay?

Is a pastor, elder, and a priest the same thing? The answer to that is no. They are not the same thing. We are not under law. We are under what?

Grace. Okay? We are not commanded by law to do things that that were commanded in the Old Testament, but grace does not actually demand less of us. In some ways, grace demands what? More.

Because under grace, we have received the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. We have his direction and guidance and empowerment in our life, which is greater than the law. The law restricted from the outside. The Holy Spirit leads and guides and empowers us from where? From the inside.

So I say in many ways, God would expect more of us, not what? Not less. And so even though we're under grace and not under law, it does not mean we'll just we'll just take the Old Testament and just pitch it. We don't do that. There's much we have to learn from the Old Testament.

However, having said that, temple and priest and pastor and church are not exactly the same thing. Nonetheless, the priests were expected to be free at any moment's notice to tend to the worship, guidance, teaching, the temple, to take their turn at duty. And so, they were not expected to have a farm to produce their own food. And so, those things that were brought into the storehouse provided for the needs of the of the priests and of the Levites because, well, just like everybody else, they needed to what? They needed to eat.

They needed to have homes. And even though a pastor is not a priest, a pastor still needs to have a home, and he still needs to eat. And those that minister in the church still need still need these things. And so it would make sense that those who have focused their their life and all their time on the ministry should not have to fear for not having a roof to put over the their family's head or food to put on their table. And so, therefore, Paul says, those that minister if you expect this level of ministry out of them, then that also means they are worthy of receiving some remuneration to help with their carnal or financial needs.

He also spends time on this in first Corinthians chapter nine verses nine through 14, expanding upon that thought. Let's let's take just a moment and we'll just run over there and see what Paul has to say there. First Corinthians nine and verse nine through 14. First Corinthians nine nine through 14. For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treaded out the corn.

Doth God take care for oxen. For he saith he for saith he and altogether for our sakes. For our sakes, no doubt this is written that he that ploweth should plow in hope, and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown now we means who? Means Paul, okay, and those that ministered with him.

If we have sown in your spiritual things, is it a great thing if we should reap your, what, your carnal things? Now, when we read carnal, you you immediately think something, what, Bad. Okay. Carnal, bad. Spiritual good, carnal, bad.

But that's not how it's being used here. Carnal things means physical needs, needs of the flesh because everybody has those. If others be partakers of this power over you are are not we rather. Nevertheless, we have not used this power but suffer all things lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live with the holy things of the temple?

So now he's referring back to the what? To the Old Testament. Now, again, he's not equating pastors or ministers entirely equal with priests. They have two different ministries and positions. They serve in different ways.

Nonetheless, he does tie those two together. Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the holy, live of the things of the temple and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. There are churches that teach that pastors should not have remuneration from the church and that they should work a job and and so forth and so on. And some churches do not have the ability to pay their ministers or to pay them much.

And so, in certain cases, ministers go in knowing, well, I'm going to have to work a part time job in order to cover my needs, and that's okay. Why do we have missionaries on the board back there? The missionaries aren't actually there, but there are pins that show you where they are on the map. Okay? And we pay them, we support them, a 150 to $200 a month.

Why do we do that? Because they need to what? They need to eat. They need to have homes. They need their provision provided for along with provision for their ministry.

Because when you're starting a mission, a church in a new country, oftentimes, you're not allowed to work a job if you're there as a missionary and it does take an immense amount of time knocking on doors and ministering to people and so we support them so that they can focus their time and energy on the ministry and that's that's similar to what Paul was doing here. He was a missionary. He was planting churches in other parts of the world and he didn't forget about them. I think it's neat about the apostle Paul. He moved from one place to another place, another place, and he was constantly praying for them.

He was constantly sending letters back to them, wanting to get back to them so he could help them grow, sending others to assist when he couldn't go, and I think that was a wonderful thing about the apostle Paul. But this is primarily what he's talking about. Honor in the way of respect, yes. But also if the need was there to help provide for their physical needs, that was also part of what Paul is saying here in the context of first Timothy. And now we get to verses nineteen and twenty, and he changes direction a bit.

In verse 19, he says, against an elder I mean, this is still tied together because we're talking about honor and respect. But he says, against an elder, receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all that others also may fear. So first, he addresses honoring elders, honoring them, giving them respect, praying for them, helping to provide for their needs. And then number two, rebuking elders.

Was that ever necessary? I mean, elders, they never do anything wrong. Right? They never fail. They never fall.

They're completely immune to temptation. Obviously not true. And some are actually phonies and fakes and they have hidden agendas and it's not about ministry, it's all about the what? It's all about the money. One of the qualifications for being an elder was not fond, not driven by desire for what Paul calls filthy lucre.

While the church should be concerned about the needs of their minister, the ministry is not a means to wealth. It is not the purpose. If it is the purpose, then you're in the wrong ministry. You're doing the wrong thing. There are many issues, many sins that elders can be tempted in just as other members of the church, and there are many apostasies that some preachers, elders, and others will get themselves involved in.

Sometimes, it's just a matter of causing contention within the church, which is, again, a major issue. Among the things that God hates in Proverbs chapter six are those that cause division and contention within the church, who gossip and slander, and this is not good either. So sometimes rebuking an elder, correcting an elder, disqualifying, so to speak, an elder, and removing them from the office of elder is necessary. Okay? However, accusing an elder of wrongdoing was not a trivial matter and therefore was not to be taken lightly.

An accusation against the leader and elder needed to be done in a serious and godly manner or else it would cause more trouble than it helped than it helped to fix. For that matter, rebuking anyone, your brother or sister in Christ, is not a light matter and something that we should be careful to make sure that we have our facts, what, straight. And that it's really needful that we do this before we just start opening our mouths and rebuking and condemning others when we don't have all the what? We don't have all the facts. Or when we're not truly thinking about them and what is helpful to them.

Because oftentimes, rebukes come from those who are not really concerned with fixing the problem so much as they are concerned with exalting themselves and bringing down somebody else. Therefore, what does Paul say to Timothy? Accuse not an elder except, what, there be before two or three witnesses. Okay? Is this mentioned anywhere else in scripture?

Yeah. It it is. This comes from again, we go back to the Old Testament, Deuteronomy nineteen fifteen. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity or for any sin and any sin that he sinneth at the mouth of two witnesses or the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established. So this that Paul is bringing into the New Testament actually was established in regards to accusations, particularly of legal issues in the Old Testament under the law.

The accusation of one person was not considered enough. There needed to be two or three witnesses that could I never can say that word corroborate. Is that it? Corroborate? The wrong or the accusation that was made.

Not only that, but in Matthew 18, Christ speaking basically, again, repeats the very same formula. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee, what? One or two more.

Two or three altogether. Then in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established. So the Lord says when you have someone has wronged you, trespassed against you, in this particular instance, it was specific to them wronging you. Okay? If they've wronged you and it's something that is important enough that you need to actually deal with it, then first of all, I'll just go and talk to him and see if you can, you know, solve the matter.

But if it was something that required more, then take next step was to take one or two others, two or three witnesses with you. And so Paul brings that here to first Timothy and says, Timothy, do not accept an accusation against an elder unless there be two or three witnesses. It is awful easy for those who have underhanded agendas to twist the the truth, to try to get advantage over someone else, whether it be at a job or whether it be even in a family or at church. And so by having two or three witnesses, that way, all of those witnesses have to be basically have seen the same the same thing. So it's not just one person having a personal vendetta of some kind that they are using against someone they don't like or they disagree with.

And again, we need to be careful. We need be careful in regards to our own personal rebuke of others as Paul mentions, as the Lord mentions in Matthew as well. This is not a light thing, especially if you're accusing others of wrongdoing in a manner that affects their life and their ministry, which in regards to an elder it would. However, does that mean that there are no there's never a time to rebuke an elder? The answer to that is no.

It doesn't mean that. There are times when it is necessary. And so he deals with that here in verse 20. Then that sin rebuke. It is the responsibility of the church, of the leadership of the church in particular, not to just sweep things under the what?

Under the rug. And on the one hand, you have people that are too eager to rebuke others in authority. And on the other hand, you often have a lot of people that just want to do what? They just wanna sweep it under the rug for the good of the ministry, for the good of the church, for the good of the the college, for the good of the business. You know, we'll just we'll just sweep this under the rug.

How does that turn out usually? That doesn't turn out good. Ignoring sin in our life, in our church, in our family, in our home, ignoring those things and just sweeping them under the rug and saying that's not my problem. It doesn't end well. It doesn't end well.

One of the colleges that I am familiar with had an issue about fifteen to twenty years ago. There was somebody on the board that had done something. They were a pastor in a church and something had happened between a man and a girl in the church and the pastor sort of swept it under the rug. And then the college became aware of it and they just kinda swept it under the rug. But eventually, it came what?

It came out. And now the college that really had nothing to do with the situation but had knowledge of it, even though it it wasn't even after college, but the guy was on the board, now had to deal with the repercussions of the fact that they didn't kick the board member off when they found out that he had been covering this up for somebody else. And so there does come a time when you have to deal with things and not just sweep them under the rug. Either it will destroy the ministry down the road when it comes out or it will result in the ministry going down the wrong road. When the leadership is not leading in the way of the Lord, obviously, it's going to affect the direction and the ministry of the church.

And so Paul says, them that sin rebuke before all that others may also fear. Those who clearly have violated the trust bestowed upon them and marred their testimony through ungodly conduct must be rebuked and corrected for their good and that of others. A public explanation before the church may and off often be necessary to quell any contention and deter others from the same sin. A little leaven leavens what? The whole lump.

Where does that come from? First Corinthians chapter five. There was a man who was in a prominent position of some kind in the church who was committing a sexual sin, and it was known, and it was just swept under the what? Drug. And Paul said, you can't do that.

You have to deal with it because it is going to affect the entire entire church. People are going to come in. They're going to find out what this man's doing. They're going to say, hey, if it's okay for him, it must be okay for who? It must be okay for me, especially if there's somebody in leadership.

One of the dangers we sent our kids to Christian school. But one of the dangers of Christian school is that, well, everybody there must be a what? Must be a Christian. Now, is that true? No.

That's not true. Matter of fact, it may be that there's somebody here in this church tonight that's not a Christian. I don't know that for sure. You can't assume that everybody that claims they're a Christian is a Christian. But generally speaking, young people in particular, they just assume, hey, we're all Christians.

And so they look at what their friends do, and they look at what their friends' parents do, and what some of their teachers do, and they say, well, if they're doing, it must be what? It must be okay. And so in first Corinthians chapter five, Paul gets on to the church because they were doing great harm to the ministry and to their own membership because they were allowing this to continue to go on and not and not to deal with it. And sometimes it is necessary to deal with it publicly because it becomes a public issue. And therefore, it needs to be dealt with publicly so that those in the church know this is what?

This is wrong. This has to be dealt with. You have, in the case of first Corinthians five, Paul tells the church not even to invite this man into their homes for fellowship because of what he was doing. It had to be the whole church that dealt with this together. Not just for the good of the church, though that was primary, not just for the glory of Christ, is always above everything else, but also for the good of the man that he see that his sin is such that it needed to be dealt with in such a harsh manner that he might not continue in that sin, that he might repent and come back to the Lord.

Because if we continue, particularly in gross immorality, if we continue to be liars, thieves, frauds. It's not going to affect just others. It's also going to affect us and it will destroy us. Christ saved us, died and to save us from these things. And it is our responsibility as a church sometimes to help others to see the destructive nature of these sins, particularly those who are in what?

Leadership. Mhmm. Leadership. And then we get to verse 21. Paul has a few things to say here as he concludes this section with Timothy.

He says, I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. Now, it sounds to me when Paul says, I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, the elect angels, that Paul is saying this is a serious matter. Is that not what you think Paul is trying to communicate here? Before God, as God is my witnesses, Jesus is my witnesses, the elect angels and people say, I looked up different commentaries. Who are the elect angels?

When you figure it out, you let me know. Okay? The elect angels could be the angels that are in heaven that remained faithful to the Lord when Satan and the other angels rebelled against him. It could be there was a particular group of angels that were the elect angels. It could be that the word angel there is not even referring to those we consider angels, but actually messengers of God.

The word angel or angelos doesn't just refer to heavenly messengers, but sometimes to earthly messengers because the word angel means messenger. Okay? So I'm not certain of the particular interpretation of what angels is there, but angels are important in this regard. And Paul is saying, before God, before Jesus Christ, before these elect angels or these elect messengers, whoever it is that he is speaking of in particular, you need I charge you to not be partial and prejudiced in regards to the appointing and sometimes removing or rebuking of leaders in the churches, elders in particular. It is important, Timothy, that you not be prejudiced or partial in dealing with such matters in the church.

Do not get embroiled in other people's personality conflicts or personal vendettas. Sometimes we are tempted to take up an offense for somebody else. Well, they shouldn't be treating them that way. Well, maybe they shouldn't be treating them that way. Maybe things are not exactly as they should be.

But be careful not to get embroiled and brought into other people's vendettas and back and forth and take sides, especially when you don't know all the what? All the details when you don't know all the facts, and that often happens, and you end up with contention and division in the church because somebody said something to somebody and he said this and they said that and here we go and it destroys the ministry. Praise the Lord. I've been here for twenty years and I have seen very, very little of that. So I'm not preaching to you tonight.

This is something that's not not really an issue here, But we always must be what? Careful. That's why gossip is so insidious. Because one person tells another person about another person, they tell another person, and pretty soon the the tale isn't even the same as the tale from the start. And so, Timothy, be careful.

Don't be partial. Don't get embroiled in other people's personal vendettas. Don't get involved in politics and popularity contests. Sometimes, the best elders and leaders are not the most popular. They're not always the most likable.

That's kind of to be expected. Didn't Jesus say, well, don't be surprised if the world hate me hate you because it first, it hated who? It hated me. And though it shouldn't be that way in the church, sometimes it is. So don't get caught up in the the politics and the popularity contest and the personal vendettas.

Don't be partial to those that you particularly get along with really well and who always agree with you. Be impartial. Be fair. Be careful. Examine the facts as you appoint elders, as you rebuke elders or depose elders.

Don't be partial. Why did Paul tell Timothy this? Because, well, sadly, it is a human temptation to be partial. In James chapter two, James deals with the same issue there. He said, you're partial to the people who have money It shouldn't be that way.

Church is not about money. It's not you're partial to people who have power. Shouldn't be that way. Who did Christ go out of his way to minister to? Who who came to Christ for ministry?

It usually wasn't the rich people. It wasn't the powerful people. It was the poor and the needy and sinners who knew they were sinners. And yet James said you you put the the person in the beautiful robes and have all the money and dormant. You put them on the front row and you put the poor person in the back row because they're not worthy, and that's not right.

But in regards to elders, the appointing of elders, the dealing with elders, he says you need to be careful, Timothy, not to be partial. It is vitally important because in being partial, you're going to make what? You're going to make mistakes in who you appoint and how you deal with them. And that is going to affect the whole what? It's going to affect your whole ministry.

It's going to affect your whole ministry. So don't be partial. In verse 22, he says, lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins. Keep thyself pure. He warns Timothy here, don't be partial.

Number two, don't be quick to to appoint people as elders and leaders in the church. You need to give it what? You need to give it time. You need to be patient. You need to have a period of observation of those that you would appoint at elders and leaders in the church.

Do not be hasty to ordain others for the ministry, thereby placing your stamp of approval on them and their ministry should they be found unfit, lest you be culpable for their misdeeds. So, Timothy, if you appoint elders, if you appoint leaders in the church and you're quick and you don't take time and you're not careful to know the facts and they're teaching false doctrine and they're they're undermining your ministry and they're gossiping about others all the time, you just shot yourself in the foot. So don't be quick. Take your time to get to know the people that you appoint to these positions of leadership. In James chapter three, James is writing to Hebrew believers who were struggling with who to put in a place of honor, who to follow, what leaders to choose.

And he says this, who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation, that is good conduct, his works with meekness of wisdom. If you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descended not from above, but earthly sensual devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be in easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Who are primarily the leaders in the world? They are proud, confident in who? Themselves. They're arrogant, often almost to the point of being narcissistic.

They push themselves on over people in order to get their way. That's the way it is in the world, but Christ said to his disciples, let that not be the way among you. But let the the leader of all be the what? The servant of all. Yeah.

And James reiterates that here in James three, that you're looking for somebody who is humble of nature, who is willing to follow the Lord, who is not quick to judge, to run over people, who doesn't wanna control every little part of their life, but to just be there to help them, to minister to them, and to lead them in the way of the Lord. So, Timothy, don't be hasty toward to ordain others in this regard, especially those who are waving their hands saying, pick me. Pick me. Pick me. I'd be a good one.

I'd be a good one. Pick me. Watch out for those pick me people. In verse 23, he tells Timothy, drink no longer water but use a little wine for stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. Now, right in the middle of this discussion about elders, Paul, all of a sudden, kind of switches gears and talks to Timothy about the fact that he's got some kind of dysentery and he's not taking any medicine for it.

And so he might want to drink a little wine with his water in order to kill the dysentery issue that he has so that he will be well for the ministry. I'm not sure if keeping himself pure and the partaker of other men's sins led him to think about other men's sins and particularly one of them. All throughout history has been what? Alcohol problems, drug problems, drug issues. That has been an ongoing problem.

I'm not sure what led Paul to to dive into this particular issue in verse 23, But for the sake of time, unless you want to be here till eight 08:00, we will push towards 23 off to next week, and we will discuss verse 23 next week. So let's finish up with verse 24 and verse 25. Some men's sins are opened beforehand, going before to judgment, and some men they follow after. Likewise also, good works of some are manifest beforehand, and they that are otherwise cannot be hid. So he concludes with this.

The unfitness of some for service in the church is clearly seen by all in advance. If you'll just take a moment and take a breath and just observe, Usually, you're not going to make what? You're not going to make a big blunder in regards to who you put into leadership because their sins are open beforehand and you you can see them. That's not always the case. Sometimes, as Satan himself can appear as an angel of what?

An angel of light? People are good at deceiving others. And sometimes, you'll have to deal with it later. But deal with it, you'll have to if it should come come to pass. The Bible says in Numbers thirty two twenty three, but if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord and be sure your, what, your sin will find you out.

And those that are false, those that have a hidden agenda, those who are undermining your leadership, those who are twisting the gospel and the word of God for their own purpose, eventually, they'll expose themselves. In Matthew chapter seven and verses 15 through 20, Christ said, beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree with bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore, by their fruit, ye shall know them. Now, we're not to go around judging everybody's fruit twenty four seven. Whose fruit are we supposed to be judging twenty four seven?

Our own. But those who particularly come to you and say, I'm a teacher, I'm a prophet, I have a word from God, you better inspect their what? You better inspect their fruit. You better watch and see because their fruit will reveal in the end whether they're sheep or whether they're what? Or whether they are wolves.

And oftentimes, especially if you take your time before you exalt them to a position, they'll be found out. But if indeed they're not found out ahead of time, then you will have to deal with it later. So, therefore, take your time to begin with, and maybe you won't have to deal with it, what, later. Because it's better to not appoint them to a position in the church than to appoint them position and then have to come before the church and say, this is why we were removing them. Okay?

Because that's hard. It's just hard. And it's hard for everybody to understand and get on board. So it's best to be careful to begin with. So what does Paul have to say to Timothy tonight?

Honor the elders, respect them, support them. If if need be, support them financially. That is an okay thing. No. It is a good thing so they can focus on their ministry.

Number two, rebuke an elder, but don't take that lightly. Take it very seriously, and do not rebuke them without two or three witnesses. He's not talking about saying, you know, your tie was too long. You need to shorten it. Okay?

That that's that's not what we're talking. We're talking about a serious sin. Okay? A false teaching. And then warnings to Timothy.

Timothy, you need to make sure you're not what? Not partial and you're not hasty in appointing people to leadership because it will affect your ministry and it will affect those to whom you minister. So be careful. Get all the facts. And the most important thing is not making people happy.

It's making who happy? It's making God happy. And if we live our lives as ministers, as members of the household of faith to make God happy, to please him in what we do, to bring glory to his name first and foremost, then that's gonna solve a whole lot a whole lot of these problems. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you, Lord, today for the ministry that you've given us here.

We thank you for the leaders, for the deacons and teachers that we have here, for their their testimony before the Lord, for their honest desire, Lord, to serve you and to serve the church and one another. I thank you for them, and I thank you that I can be confident in them and their love for you and their love for this church. Lord, I pray that you would continue to guide us all. I pray, Lord, that we would stay true to the Lord and to his word. I pray, Lord, that we would do the easy things and the hard things when necessary, that we might do them together for the cause of the gospel and our savior Jesus Christ.

That we might be careful to examine ourselves before we examine others, to keep our testimony blameless and sterling before the world, that we might be the salt and light that you have called us to be and bring glory to your name. In Jesus' name we do pray. Amen.