Elders

Now I want to give a word on elders. We appreciate our beloved brethren who accept responsibility in God's assemblies. We have come to encourage you today, and to instruct you, and to challenge your heart, as the Lord might help.

So, Hebrews chapter 13, please. Verse 7, most know the verbs here are in the past tense. Remember them which had the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation the issue of their life.

And verse 8, Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever. Verse 17, obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. Verse 24, salute them that have the rule over you and all the saints.

James chapter 5, please, for the next reference. James chapter 5, we'll just read the pertinent verses. Verse 13, is any among you afflicted, let him pray.

Is any merry, let him sing songs. Is any sick among you, let him call for the elders of the church. Did you get that? And let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer of faith shall preserve the sick. And the Lord shall raise him up, and if he committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. First Peter chapter 5, now to conclude.

First Peter chapter 5, verse 1. Always in the plural, the elders which are among you I exhort. That's Peter talking. Who am also an elder, and an eyewitness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.

Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but for a ready mind. Look at verse 5. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another.

Verse 7. Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant. Because your adversary the devil has a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour.

Now the Lord will look after his word. Now what I am about to say is not theory. We have had the great honor for many years in the Vancouver area of British Columbia, Canada, of sharing responsibility with my beloved brethren.

There were five of us, and I was the youngest for years. And the other four have gone home to heaven years ago. So what I'm going to talk about, I have some little burden on my heart today.

And I want to try and help our beloved brethren who are elders among us. We respect them, and we appreciate them, and all of us need to be behind them in our day. Now my line is very simple, but here's where I want to start.

Did ever you notice that we have read from three of the general epistles of the New Testament? Hebrews, James, 1 Peter. They are not church epistles per se, but every one of them end with this great theme of elders in a New Testament assembly. I've been asking myself recently, I wonder why.

Maybe somebody here has thoughts that I haven't pondered, but it would seem to me in a general observation that our God has in mind that every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, all things being considered equal, should be in a New Testament assembly. Here's at least a verse and application to back it up. 1 Timothy chapter 2. To come to the knowledge of the truth.

In the ultimate, a New Testament assembly. Now I don't have to instruct this audience as to the function of elderhood. It's not a position.

And they don't have authority in their own right. But they have the authority of the Word of God. And God has placed in their hands the great task of shepherding the sheep.

As we have pointed out recently in another location, elders, maturity. Overseers, those who have responsibility. Shepherds, those who have a care.

Guides, those who direct God's people. Now every one of those functions can be in one person. But they're always in the plural.

Law of first mention in the New Testament. We'll leave the Old Testament for now. Acts chapter 11.

Read it at the end of the chapter and you'll find out and all the other ones, plural. Now here's what I want to say to you in as few minutes as possible. In Hebrews chapter 13, there is a camp.

And in the context, it is the camp of Judaism. And the Lord Jesus Christ left that memorable morning. And He left the camp of Judaism and He went outside the city walls of the old city to die on a lonely cross.

That's the context of Hebrews chapter 13. But in 2015, I want to suggest that it pictures all false organized religion. And in that vast throng, there are likely hundreds, thousands of believers born again.

But they're linked with something that the Lord Jesus Christ is outside. Now, it's guides in this chapter. You all know that without me proving it to you.

There are guides today in God's assembly to direct us relative to the camp. We're outside it. We're not isolated, but we're separated.

And we move in the pathway of the Lord Jesus. Here's three simple thoughts about the guides in this chapter of you. Chapter 13 of Hebrews.

Be in remembrance of them. That's the first verse 7. Be responsible to obey them. That's verse 17.

Be respectful of them. That's verse 24. Now, we'll leave all the other considerations to the one side.

And stick with those three simple thoughts. Be in remembrance of them. Those who had the rule over you in the context.

And it's right down to our day and generation. Those who have spoken unto you the word of the Lord. Those whose faith follow considering the issue of their life.

I take the context to be this. The writer is saying to these dear people. The Lord Jesus Christ was sufficient for your guides of a former day.

And he's sufficient to help in the present day. And in all future generations that will come. And so he quotes verse 8. Jesus Christ the saint yesterday and today and forever.

Dear saints of God. And I ask myself this question first. See the assembly where you form part of.

Did you pray for the elders today? Did you have them in remembrance? I hear all kinds of criticism and we're all the same. But here's a passage to show that there's a camp that we keep away from. And we need to have these dear brethren in remembrance on a daily basis.

See verse 17. Be responsible to obey them. Those who have the rule.

Some say among you. Some say over you. Submit to them.

Why? Those who watch for your souls. Why? They have to give an account at the judgment seat of Christ for their work. Now right away I'll address what we're hearing all the time.

Here's the question. Now if I have got a complaint. An observation.

A something to make. I go to the elders. And I present my case.

And for whatever reason the elders don't agree. Now the question comes what do I as an individual in the assembly do? Well here's the verse to tell us. Submit.

Obey them. Now I have been in this situation. People say the next thing.

Well I don't agree with them. So why should I do what they want me to do? They have no jurisdiction over me. Here's a verse says you have.

Now I don't know anything about conditions right here. But I'm teaching principles today. Dear brethren listen carefully to this.

When an observation is made to the shepherds. And they don't agree. You can go no further.

You have to leave the rest with the Lord. That's the hardest thing to do. I could give you all kinds of personal things that have happened over the years in the west.

And some dear believers and they weren't young always either. And they were rebellious in their attitude. And whenever they brought their observation to the believers and to the shepherds.

It was unscriptural what they were doing. But they wouldn't bow to the word of God. Consequences today are sad.

They're no longer with us. All kinds of things could be said about that. But that's very, very delicate ground.

And I hope I've said it right. Be respectful of them. Verse 24.

Respect them all. Yeah, they're all different personalities. Understand that.

Respect their work. Respect all the saints. Now don't forget that the temple was standing when the writer wrote this chapter of this book.

There was an assembly in Jerusalem. And all the background would break your very heart. But here's the writer and he gives the simple principles that are good until the Lord returns.

I have to leave that, even though I'd like to go a little further. Please open your Bible to James chapter 5 for a minute. Now, you're a very intelligent audience here in this part of the world, so I didn't read the verse.

But if there's a camp in Hebrews chapter 13, it's the coming of the Lord in chapter 5. And we've had it several times already today. Now here, it's the overseers that are in view. And if the guides are here to direct us, the overseers are here to visit us.

Let me ask you, beloved brother. I don't know all your circumstances, but here's what the Bible teaches. An overseer in God's assembly should have time for visitation.

I was at the bedside of a dear sister not too long ago in another country, not the U.S. or Canada. And I was brought to her bedside by another brother. And she said, I'm delighted to see you men.

I haven't had a visit from an overseer in the assembly here for years. I'm appealing to you tonight, this afternoon. Is that right or wrong? Is that the way to do it? This passage says we're to visit.

Somebody says I don't have the ability. Well, I tell you, it's a very tender work to sit down beside somebody that's dying or somebody that's far from well and pour into their heart and soul the holy Babel of truth. And what's this? Have your Babel open here.

If any are afflicted, let them pray. Now, I have written over that. Be prayerful.

That's the last thing that we would do. And I include myself here. When all else fails, read the instructions.

Be prayerful. See, the next one, if any are merry, that's good. Let them sing songs.

Be joyful. My dear brethren, it's not all black out there. We want to show there's a joyful side to a believer's experience in a New Testament assembly.

And some of the greatest joys we've had on this side of heaven are in fellowship with the Lord's people. Thank God. I've been around assemblies now for 58 years.

I know you, beloved brethren, are older than I am. But I tell you, it's been times of heaven upon earth. Now watch.

If any are sick, let them send for the elders of the church, of the assembly. You see, I have written over that. Be requestful.

Request the elders to visit you who will pray and anoint. Now, I understand this culture. But we're just going to take the metaphorical view.

The anointing would bring the power of the Holy Spirit into this particular situation. In the name of the Lord. You see, the next verse.

The result. The prayer of faith shall save, shall preserve the sick and be raised up. And if they have committed sins, they are to be forgiven.

Now, that brings you to assembly ground. I wonder if there's anybody here in the audience of my beloved brethren that have more experience than I have. And you have had this experience.

We have had it more than once over the years. And I won't tell you the circumstances, but I do say this. If you're going to visit a sick saint that is sick spiritually, that has affected them physically.

Dear brother, don't go alone. Have at least another shepherd with you. Or your spouse.

You could run into problems. This here shows me that visitation is still a requirement. Ah, dear saints of God.

There are some dear people and they're not sick physically or not sick spiritually. But they haven't had a visit from an elder, from an overseer for a long time. We're all so busy.

I understand all of that. But we need to take time. Those dear men that I've told you about in our own assembly.

There was one of them that was very friendly with me. And he directed me in my life in earlier years. And we had certain days in every month where we went to see the beloved saints.

Ah, brother, if the saints said to you today, dear brother, we're friendly. When's the last time you came to encourage me? Give me a little word along the road. Very pertinent.

Now, again, much could be said about that. But I'm moving on. Turn now, please, to 1 Peter chapter 5. Again, you all know the context here.

I'll just go down it very quickly. I've learned that from brother Dreyber. He has said that many times in this conference.

Now, quickly. Hey, thanks, Ollie. Now, watch.

If there's a camp in Hebrews chapter 13, and there are guides to direct us. And if the coming of the Lord is stressed in James chapter 5, we have overseers to visit us in view of the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, here's number three.

You see, Peter is talking as an elder. And I want to point the context here. He's speaking to other elders.

And it's in the context of Calvary. The word, as you all know, it's an eyewitness of the sufferings of Christ. And it would seem that Peter was at Golgotha.

And whether he was following afar off is not the point. But he likely saw the physical sufferings of the Lord Jesus. Every chapter in 1 Peter has to do with suffering.

And it's majored on the sufferings of Christ. For his own self, there are sins in his own body on the tree. Now, one of the functions of elders is to protect and to help.

Here it's a cruel foe. That's the whole context of 1 Peter. Physical persecution in the five provinces.

And the old devil, the roaring lions behind it. Now, what are the elders to do? Well, they're to protect the flock and to help them. Get your Bible open, I'll summarize it for you.

See chapter 5, verses 1 to 4. Be faithful. He's talking now to the elders. He knew what he was talking about.

He was a pillar in the church of Jerusalem. He had powers of discernment that others didn't have. When he went to Samaria, for example, he knew how to handle Simon Magus.

The evangelist seemingly didn't see that he was a counterfeit. But Peter knew. What a man.

Be faithful. Shepherds, elders, feed the flock. Tend the flock.

Let me pause a minute. I was reading John 21 this morning. I think of that very day.

When the Lord Jesus looked at Peter. And three times he asked him, Peter, son of Barjonas, lovest thou me? Now, you all know the answer. It took three times to get his attention.

Peter seemingly looked into the very eyes of Christ. He says, Lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I fondly love thee.

Your shepherd, brother today, elder, overseer, guide. If you haven't a love for the flock and a love for the Lord, you're not going to make much progress and be effective among the flock. They're to feed.

They're to take responsibility willingly, not forced. They're to be examples to the flock. That's a very practical point.

Here's the next one. See verses five through seven? Be humble. What do you think of Peter? Ah, Lord, he says, see all these men here? They'll forsake you, but not me.

Now, you all know the story. He has learned in the school of God. And if he's going to make progress as an elder and help others, he knows something about being humble.

And in this very context, the younger submit to the elder. Now, that's not out there today in our world, but it should be in the assembly right here in this passage. James five has the same thing or four.

And then we are all are to submit to one another. And it's hard to make. See, the other men give him more esteem than self.

So humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. In my younger years, over 55 years ago in the old country, the man that was preaching with Brother Harold Paisley was the late Mr. Tom Kimball. He was a godly man.

I was saved three days. And he said to me, he said, come down to the house here. We're going to have a little chat.

I can remember going into the front room. The dear brother, he said, stand, we'll pray. I was only three days saved.

But that man was so in touch with heaven. You'd have thought the Lord Jesus was sitting beside us. Dear elder today, can you bring the Lord Jesus Christ into the assembly where your lot is cast and into the experience of individuals? If you're living close, you can.

Here's another one. See verses 8 to 11? Be watchful. Why? Well, it's right here.

The activity of the Satan. He's seeking whom he may devour. I want to tell you another tool that he has.

And it's very, very effective in 2015. And what that is, division. Who was behind all these divisions? For example, in Corinth, as we're going to see throughout the week in the will of God, the old devil knew how to ruin the testimony.

Watch the division among us. Dear elders, hope we're on the watchtower. See? His movements here as a roaring lion, physical.

2 Corinthians chapter 10, he's changed his tactics and he moves as an angel of light. Now here's his philosophy. If you can't beat them, join them.

That's what Paul told the elders in Ephesus. From your own selves shall men arise teaching perverse things. Divisions came.

But then he says, suffering is only temporary. And that brings me to verses 12 and 14. Be mindful of others.

He mentions Silvanus and Marcus and his son there. That's the same word as genuine child. Same as Paul and Timothy.

Maybe Marcus was saved through Peter. I'm saying maybe. He says, peace be with you all.

Our brethren, we haven't long to go. The Lord will soon be here. Dear elder brethren, today, shepherds, guides, and overseers keep doing what you're doing and have a look around for younger men that are coming on that have the ability and God is working with them.

It's a two-way street. I was in an assembly recently and we looked over the audience and the dear brethren, God bless them, they said, there's no younger men here. No, they're not exorcised.

Who cares? I said, brother, I want to ask you something. When's the last day you encouraged them? I asked you, dear brethren, I'm not here to criticize anybody. If you're a younger man or a younger couple married that you're encouraging, that you can see potential of the Lord, be not come.

You see, spiritual growth and spiritual gift is a flow-through. I tell some of the older brethren, somebody encouraged you and somebody encouraged me or I wouldn't be here. So it's bounded on us to encourage others of a younger generation that the Lord be not come.

I've said enough. Elders, Hebrews 13, the general epistle, here they are, guides. They give direction.

James, overseers. They visit. In fact, the word means visit a stranger.

1 Peter chapter 5. Elders. They give us protection and direction and help along the pathway of life. Now if anybody doesn't agree with what has been said, I'd be very happy to sit and listen to how you handle it.

But what I'm telling you, dear brethren, honestly, it's a thankless job. You get into situations where it's no win. It doesn't matter what you do.

You lose. But you see this passage in 1 Peter chapter 5 shows that the chief shepherd is going to reward every under-shepherd. And we don't do it to get a clap on the back.

We do it for the glory of Christ and for the edification of saints. Thank you very much.