Monday May 8
The Elders
Read 1 Peter 5:1–4.
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
What attitudes should leaders bring to their roles in the church? How can these principles apply to any of us, regardless of our role?
Elders are more than leaders; they are to be godly men who rule their own houses well, and who reflect Christ in life and conversation. We see this clearly in 1 Timothy 3:1-7:
1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Elders (i.e., bishops) are to be appointed in every church to serve in a teaching role, and a lot of teaching is how one lives. We cannot give what we do not have. Jesus must be enthroned within the heart of each elder, and when Jesus is in the heart, there will be evidence: the fruits of the Spirit without one missing, and a life in harmony with every known statute as one follows the light God reveals.
However, all of us (regardless of our role) who have the Bible and can read the beautiful revelation of the loveliness of Jesus in The Desire of Ages can also be a witness of Christ's sufferings--that is, we can appreciate the infinite sacrifice made for us and share with others what we know. We have the hope of receiving a crown someday, but more importantly, we share the joy of knowing Jesus personally in our experience even now! We can accept different roles in the church and each one can be willing to give Bible studies--and do so with a willingness because we love Jesus and His church. But the role of the elder is specific and should be prayerfully considered from Scripture. Our heart surrender to Christ is what enables Him to work through us to bless others. Leaders are called to a high standard, and the pastor especially, because the congregation will seldom rise higher than its leaders. How thankful we can be that our continual focus needs to be Jesus Christ and His loveliness of character!
Peter begins his instructions to elders by observing that he himself is a fellow elder. He then notes two things about himself: he is a witness of the suffering of Christ, and he is expecting to share in the glory to be revealed. In saying this, Peter highlights the first characteristic that should be found within an elder: an elder should understand the importance of what Christ has suffered in our behalf and what great hope He offers us.
Peter likens the role of an elder to a shepherd tending the flock of God. His comparing a church to sheep suggests that, like sheep, members can sometimes go off on their own. Thus, they need the shepherd to guide them back to the group and to help them work in harmony with it. The elder also should function as a humble example of how a Christian needs to act.
What warning do we find here for those who are shepherds?
Jer. 10:21: "For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered."
Ezek. 34:8–10:
8 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;
10 Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
Zech. 11:17: "Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened."
To be unfaithful as an elder or a pastor, to be one who does not seek for the lost sheep as did Jesus, is a fearful thing. We need Jesus in order to do any good thing--may we cleave to Him and realize how much we need His divine grace to faithfully help the flock to grow in Christ. God will require a more strict account of those who have accepted the role of shepherds to His flock, who are teachers in word and doctrine: "My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation" (James 3:1). Woe to those who preach the teachings of man in place of the word of God, or who do not seek to guide the sheep in the light of the word of God, to see their continual need of Christ and their lost (Laodicean) condition if they are not continually abiding in Christ, beholding HIs loveliness of character, and surrendered Him. Yet the shepherds can only give what they experience. How well it would be for every pastor and elder to heed these words of encouragement and entreaty:
"It will do you good, and our ministers generally, to frequently review the closing scenes in the life of our Redeemer. Here, beset with temptations as He was, we may all learn lessons of the utmost importance to us. It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour each day reviewing the life of Christ from the manger to Calvary. We should take it point by point and let the imagination vividly grasp each scene, especially the closing ones of His earthly life. By thus contemplating His teachings and sufferings, and the infinite sacrifice made by Him for the redemption of the race, we may strengthen our faith, quicken our love, and become more deeply imbued with the spirit which sustained our Saviour. If we would be saved at last we must all learn the lesson of penitence and faith at the foot of the cross. Christ suffered humiliation to save us from everlasting disgrace. He consented to have scorn, mockery, and abuse fall upon Him in order to shield us. It was our transgression that gathered the veil of darkness about His divine soul and extorted the cry from Him, as of one smitten and forsaken of God. He bore our sorrows; He was put to grief for our sins. He made Himself an offering for sin, that we might be justified before God through Him. Everything noble and generous in man will respond to the contemplation of Christ upon the cross." {4T 374.1} What a different experience might be found in the Seventh-day Adventist Church if this were the experience of every pastor, elder, and teacher! Oh, let us pray that we may come to behold the One who is altogether lovely, and follow closely in His bloodstained path of suffering and joy for the salvation of souls!
An important role of Christian leadership is to work with the people in the church as patiently as shepherds must work with their sheep. Elders must gently bring them together for worship and for sharing the message of Jesus with those who need to know Him and the salvation found in Him.
Peter also observes that elders should exercise oversight willingly and not under compulsion. It is not always easy to find people willing to take on the challenges of leading out in the church. This is particularly evident around nominating committee time. For a church to function well, there are a number of distinct roles that need to be filled. There are reasons that many people are reluctant to take on leadership roles. Some of these roles require a considerable investment of time, and people suitable for such roles already might have many commitments. Others may feel that they are not prepared well enough to take on the role. But Peter’s word is that if asked, we should willingly take on leadership if it is at all possible.
There are times when women are asked to serve as elders. Should they accept this role and simply be willing? There is more than being willing, there must also be prayerful study as to whether one meets the biblical qualifications of an elder. There have been godly women who have studied the biblical qualifications of elder and have seen that it is a role that God appointed for men to hold as leaders in word and doctrine. Women can serve in many roles in the church, but God does not sanction in His word the establishment of women ruling over men. We need to let the Bible and prayerful reflection upon the fitness of one's character be considered in the time that nominating committees do their work for the Lord. Praise God for godly men who are willing to serve as elders; praise God also for godly women who are willing to serve in capacities in harmony with the word of God.
May the Holy Spirit mightily move upon those who are even around this time in the process of nominating leaders for the next year or two in their local churches. May we pray that God will lead at a local level, that in turn godly leaders will be appointed at each level in the church. The difficulties in the church are largely a result of local leaders not being converted or consecrated. Let us pray earnestly for revival and reformation, that each member and leader may have a constant connection with Jesus, revealing His character to a world that is perishing for want of such a revelation.