Leaders of the church must be spiritually mature. In this portion of the overseer’s qualifications, Paul highlights moral purity, a sober mind, a sound mind, and an ordered mind. These traits reveal that godliness involves more than fleeing certain vices; it requires earnestly pursuing Christ, who alone can transform our character and conduct. May the Lord not only raise up leaders who exemplify these qualities but also grow all of us into greater likeness to Jesus.
Who shepherds the church of God? The answer begins with Jesus Himself. The church belongs to Him. He is its head, its foundation, and its life source (the vine). He has placed elders as stewards and overseers to shepherd His people according to His Word. Biblical eldership is a high calling. Men who serve in this capacity must be above reproach, with nothing to hinder or compromise their faithfulness to Christ. In this introductory study, we explore five biblical principles of eldership: the office, the work, the qualification, the appointment, and the aspiration.
This passage of Scripture presents Christ in the stunning reality that He is truly God and truly man. He is the Savior God who took on human flesh and soul and truly obeyed the Father for our salvation. His obedience took Him to the depths, even unto death, even death on a cross. But this is not where the story ends. The Father then gave to Him supreme exaltation, supreme name, and supreme worship. All of this came about not only to secure salvation for sinners, but also to becomes the pattern for every believer’s life. The pathway to glory is the pathway of the cross.
What fits a man to shepherd God’s people is a moral integrity and clear biblical thinking. These are the first two marks of a mature spiritual leader.
Church leadership matters because Jesus cares. When He restored Peter, Jesus’ thoughts were fixed on the care for His sheep. Christ loves His church. Shepherding is an excellent work, for it reflects the heart of Christ that seeks the spiritual welfare of His flock.
Christ, in His humanity, possessed a genuine human will, which He submitted perfectly to the Father. He did what every man should have done but could not because of his fallenness. In contrast to man, who sought equality with God, Christ, though equal to God, submitted to the Father’s will.
As Christian continues through the Interpreter’s House, he sees a roaring fire that cannot be extinguished, even as someone continually pours water on it. He learns that Satan seeks to destroy our faith, but Christ continually sustains and strengthens the faith He has begun in us.
Through the scene of the palace, we also learn that believers are called to actively fight the good fight of faith. Though we face opposition and spiritual battles, we must persevere with courage, trusting in Christ to preserve us.
As Christian enters the Interpreter’s House, he learns two important lessons through the Dusty Room and the story of Passion and Patience. The Dusty Room shows that God’s Law reveals our sins, but our own efforts cannot make us righteous. Only through God’s grace and faith in Christ can we be justified.
Through Passion and Patience, we also learn that earthly pleasures cannot bring lasting satisfaction. Instead, we should fix our hope on heaven and live with eternity in mind.
As Christian reaches the Wicket Gate, we see how many obstacles have tried to keep him from seeking Christ. Yet God graciously brings him through those obstacles and leads him into the narrow way.
Through Christian’s journey, we learn that it is God’s grace that enables sinners to come to Christ. We also learn the importance of heeding God’s Word, which gives us the truth and understanding we need to continue in the way of life.
When God promises to make a mere servant, Jeroboam, into the king of Israel, what does He expect from him in return?
When was the last time you completed a really big project? Today, we’ll learn about how Solomon completed a really big project, building the house for God. But more importantly, we’ll learn Solomon’s response and prayer to God.
