In his sermon, Mike Davenport discusses the role and duties of elders within the church, using Ephesians 4:8 as a foundational text. He emphasizes that a right understanding of the Word of God is essential in recognizing and appointing elders. Davenport references the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, which defines the roles of elders and deacons and the structure of church leadership. The sermon outlines the definitions, descriptions, callings, and duties associated with the office of elder. Elders are described as both overseers and shepherds, with authority originating from Christ. The congregation's role is to recognize and affirm the calling and gifting of elders through prayer and discernment. Additionally, Davenport highlights the mutual responsibilities between the elders and the congregation, stressing the importance of respect, provision, and support according to biblical principles, ensuring that elders can focus on their primary duties of ministering the Word and prayer. The sermon concludes with a call for prayerful consideration and gratitude for the process of appointing new church leaders, recognizing it as a gift for the church's health and unity.

Well, as we begin this time, let's look to the Lord in prayer and ask for help once again. Oh Lord, you are gracious, you are kind, and we thank you. Lord, you have given us our daily bread and we thank you. And Lord, now as we open your Word, we ask that in it that your kingdom would come and that your will would be done. We thank you for your goodness to your church.

We thank you, your good and faithful husband, and you demonstrate your love for your people over and over again. We pray that you would give us help as we look at your word together. In Jesus name, Amen. Well if you would turn to Ephesians 4, Ephesians 4. I just want to open with one verse, verse 8.

I think you're familiar with the portion that follows, but Ephesians 4 and verse 8. Therefore he says when he that is Christ ascended on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men. This is the text that precedes him talking about the church and what the church is to be. And the head of the church has brought us as a local church body into a sweet season. We have before us in the coming weeks an opportunity to seek to ascertain the will of Jesus Christ concerning our dear brother Trent in regard to the office of elder.

And when considering such a matter, where should one start? What are we at liberty to do or to decide? What things should we consider? Well I submit to you that a right understanding of the Word of God is primary. It's required.

But there is no one place that we can turn in the Scriptures to see the whole of what should happen and what should be. And so once again our confession proves most profitable. Our confession the 1689 Second London Baptist confession of faith has a whole chapter dealing with the church, the bride of Christ, what she is to be. And I thought it would be beneficial for us to consider our confessions teaching on this subject in regards to eldership. So I would like to set before you in the time before us something of a summary.

It won't be complete. It will actually leave you with some things to have to go and consider and maybe read, but just give you a summary of several different points with these headings. First, the officer of the office of elder defined, then the office of elder described, then the calling of an elder, and then, fourthly, the duties of an elder to the congregation and duties of the congregation to that elder. And so first, the office of elder defined. In paragraph eight in our confession, in this very chapter on the church says this, a particular church gathered and completely organized according to the mind of Christ consists of officers and members and the officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the church, so called and gathered, for the peculiar administration of ordinances and execution of power or duty which he entrusts them with or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the world, and those two offices being bishops or elders and deacons.

So several things are laid out before us here in the confession. First, the local church consists of two groups, officers and members. Now, the officers are indeed themselves members, so that's one in the same group because the officers must be members. But these officers have also been set aside according to the gifting that Christ bestows. Second, the offices of the local church are two, elders and deacons.

There's no other office recognized by scripture for the non-apostolic age that we are living in and I believe there are ways that you can determine that. Third, the plurality of the words in the confession reflects a biblical concept of a plurality that is to be earnestly desired and sought for both offices. That's not to say that there never can be an instance where there's one elder, one deacon. We should ask Christ, who is the head of his church to give us a plurality and that should be the aim of every church to have that plurality for many reasons. Fourth, church officers are appointed by Christ.

They're appointed by the sovereign Lord. The following is a quote from the Baptist Foundations, Church Government for an Anti-Institutional Age. It's a book edited by Mark Dever and Jonathan Lehman. And they say this, quote, the authority of eldership comes from God, not the congregation. Although the congregation affirms elders' calling and authority, their authority has a divine origin.

Therefore, the office of elder does not derive its existence or authority from the congregation. The elders authority comes from Christ and the congregation's role is that of recognition of God's gifting and calling." So they're appointed by Christ. Fifth, according to our confession in the Word of God, this is according to the mind of Christ. This comes from his design. He appoints the men and it's by his design.

There's no option B for the Church of Christ. We are to be completely organized according to his mind as he's made it known to us in his word. In this they say is to remain until the end of the world. This was established as a direction for the church of all ages. Well, having briefly considered the office defined, consider secondly the office of elder described.

How is it described? Well, I think there are two words in the scripture that more than any other words used mainly describe the work of an elder. First is overseer, overseer. The Greek word is also translated bishop. Now, The root of this word indicates investigation, inspection, visitation.

And applying it to the office designated by Christ, it entails charge or oversight or governing. Acts 20, 28 says, therefore, take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you episkopos or overseers First Timothy 3 1 and following this is a faithful saying if a man desires the position of a Bishop that's that word in the Greek He desires a good work a bishop then must be And he goes on to describe that. Titus 1 7, in setting before us qualifications for the office, Paul writes once again, for a bishop must be. That's the word there, episkopos. And note that Jesus himself is identified by this word.

He identifies himself. You see there's a connectivity between who and what Jesus is and those whom he appoints. And so Jesus himself, 1st Peter 2, 4, and 5, for you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. Christ is the overseer, and if he's the overseer, all authority belonging to him, when he appoints men who are under shepherds, he makes them overseers. Shepherd.

Shepherd's another word that describes along with overseer, shepherd. We just saw it in that verse, Jesus himself, you've returned to the shepherd and overseer of your soul. And that word shepherd is used often, poimane. And Strong describes this word in the metaphorical sense of the presiding officer, manager, director of any assembly. And so in Acts 20 28 Paul says, therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.

We just saw that. To do what? To shepherd the Church of God which he purchased with his own blood. 1st Peter 5 2 says to shepherd the flock of God which is among you. It's the verb form of that word, shepherd, the flock.

John MacArthur in writing in his commentary on Hebrews says this in Hebrews 13, about Hebrews 13, 7 to 17. Quote, these mature men, the elders are ordered by the Spirit of God to rule over his church on earth until Christ returns. In many churches today, the congregation rules the elders. This sort of government is foreign to the New Testament. Church leaders are not to be tyrants because they do not rule for themselves but for God.

But the command is unqualified. Obey your leaders and submit to them he goes on to say it is the right of such men under God and in meekness and humility to determine the direction of the church to preside over it to teach the word in it to reprove rebuke and exhort when a man is placed in the rule of a local church, our submission and obedience to him is equivalent to submission and obedience to Christ." end quote. And that shouldn't surprise us. We've already wrestled, haven't we, in recent months? Pretty soon we'll be able to say years, I think, in dealing with Romans 13.

When we obey government, when government is acting as the deacon of God, when we're obeying that government, we're obeying the Lord who has put that government in place. And the same thing in the church. If the Lord has put something in place to obey them is to obey God. We saw it most recently dealing with the fifth commandment, right? Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

What is it recognizing? It's recognizing that to obey your parent is to obey the Lord because he has given that authority. Well since that submission and obedience to them is equivalent to submission and obedience to Christ, then that means that if and when an elder requires that which Christ has not commanded or required, that he is no longer executing the power or duty which Christ entrusted him with or has called him to, and the congregation is bound to submission and obedience to Christ alone. Just as we said in terms of the government and just as we've said in terms of the home, is it what Christ has commanded? If so, we must obey.

Notice the nature of the call of this office. These officers are appointed by Christ in order that they might be chosen and set apart by the church so called and gathered. You see the church has a duty, you have a duty to ascertain the mind of Christ and then to seek out and set apart men whom you're convinced have been appointed by Christ and gifted for the carrying out of the various duties of that office to which the men are called. So it's a duty that you have. When we're setting the man before you, it's your duty to ascertain the mind of Christ.

How do you know the mind of Christ? You look at the Word. The Word tells you. The Word guides you. Now what are these men set apart for?

Well, for the peculiar administration of ordinances and execution of power or duty which Christ entrusts them with or calls them to. Note that the power and the authority belong to Christ and to him alone. That's what the Confession is teaching, that it belongs to Christ and Christ alone. Yet the administration of that power and authority, the execution of that power and authority, he entrusts that to his officers. This is the will of Christ.

We're not at liberty to make changes to what he has established. We're not at liberty to make excuses. We are to be organized according to the mind of Christ. Well, the confession then draws our attention to what I am referring to in my third point, the calling of an elder. What is the calling of an elder?

Well, the calling of this man can be seen in chapter 9, paragraph 9 rather. The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit unto the office of bishop or elder in a church is that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer with imposition of hands of the eldership of the church." So having identified the offices in the church, the writers next point out how such officers are appointed to the church. Just as the offices are appointed by Christ, so the means by which men are appointed to the office is appointed by him as well. And note that the expectation is that one whom Christ is appointing to the office is fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit. That he's fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit.

You know it's been rightly said before, God doesn't call gifted men, he gifts called men. If a man is called by God, God will equip that man for the work he calls him to. God doesn't call a man to the work that he doesn't gift. So what does the church need to do? It leads to look to see if this man is called, God's gifted him.

He's gifted him. How will we know if a man has been by Christ made fit and by the Spirit gifted for this office? Well, the Bible supplies the lens or the tools that we're able to use to examine such a man. It's given to us in 1 Timothy 3, 1 through 7, and Titus 1, 5 through 9. Dear ones, it is your duty to know the requirements set forth in Scripture.

It's your duty. You need to go and look at these texts. Again, as we're considering our dear brother, look at these texts and with these texts open to examine the life of any man who was set before you. When you declare your approval of a man for this office, you are declaring that he is an example in the things set before us in these texts. That's what you're saying.

Perfect in these things? No. Because then you wouldn't have elders. An example of them? They need to be an example in these things.

And by such examination, elders are appointed having been chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer with imposition of hands of the eldership of the church if there be any before constituted therein. So here the writers of the confession note that both parties are involved, the officers that are present already and the members, they are both involved in the appointment of a new officer. And so we need to all be before God trying to ascertain his will. Note here also the soberness and faultfulness that the congregation is called to. The man our confession says is to be set apart by fasting and prayer fasting and prayer and so what we're asking you to do in these weeks before you to set aside some times of fasting maybe we can do that as a church on a specific day or two but to turn to fasting and prayer to seek the face of our God in this And it's not just fasting and prayer, but they say to do it solemnly.

Solemnly with seriousness. It's a serious thing we're doing. Well, having seen the calling of an elder, fourth and finally consider with me the duties of this elder, the duties of an elder to the congregation but also the duties of the congregation to an elder. So when we're going through this process you're going to be looking to Trent to do these certain things and you will be obliged in certain duties to him Just as our those duties already exist in our church so Paragraph 10 the work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of Christ in his churches, in the ministry of the word and prayer, with watching for their souls as they that must give an account to him, it is incumbent on the churches to whom they minister not only to give them all due respect but also to communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability so as they may have a comfortable supply without being themselves entangled in secular affairs, and may also be capable of exercising hospitality toward others. And this is required by the law of nature and by the express order of our Lord Jesus who hath ordained that they that preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

So note from this paragraph first that the work of a pastor is a constant work. He used to be at it constantly. And at ground level, their duty is the ministry of the Word and prayer. That's how it's summarized. The ministry of the Word and prayer.

And if you look back at Acts 20, Paul was ministering the Word in the pulpit and in homes as he was in and among the people. And this shouldn't surprise us. This duty of pastors to give themselves to the Word and prayer, we see that in Acts 6 when necessity arose That the office of deacons was created Why was it created so that the pastors could give themselves to the ministry of the word and prayer? So the duty that's in this ministry of the word of prayer, it's wrapped up in the commands that Christ gave to Peter. What did he tell Peter in John 21?

Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep. That's what an elders to do. It's wrapped up in that. And then in Acts 20 Paul says this, I referred to it a minute ago, He said, you know from the first day that I came to Asia in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews, how I kept back nothing that was helpful but proclaimed it to you and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews and also to Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God will see my face no more Therefore I testify to you this day That I am innocent of the blood of all men For I have not shunned To declare to you the whole counsel of God, therefore take heed to yourselves, talking to the elders here, and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood." So here he's talking to these men who have been set aside as elders and he said I've left you an example You've seen what I've done now go and do it Christ gave his life for these sheep Serve them serve them so that is what pastors are constantly to be about, to be ministering the Word and praying in what our confession calls the service of Christ.

That's how Christ is served. Well, how is it to be carried out? Well, this work of the ministry of the Word and prayer must be accompanied with watching for their souls as they that must give an account to God. This is the taking heed to all the flock that we just read about in Acts 20. There will always be men who have yearnings and longings for the study of the Word, the preaching of the Word, and they may even enjoy praying.

But the Puritans always spoke of pastors who feel the wool of the sheep. They feel the wool. They're not in some ivory tower just studying and preaching, and that's all that happens. They feel the wool of the sheep. It's to know the sheep in order to better provide for and protect them and to minister to their souls.

In order to carry out such faithfulness in watching out for souls elders are to preach the word Preach it in season and out of season They're to convince to rebuke They're to exhort with all long suffering in teaching. That's how it happens. Well, the remaining portion of the paragraph deals with the duty of the congregation to the elders. The writer assumes first that it goes without saying that all due respect is to be given to them. But how is such respect rendered?

Well, the scriptures provide answers. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 512, and we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake. To esteem them highly in love for their works sake. The writer to Hebrews exhorts his readers in chapter 13 verse 17 as he's coming to the end of that book, Obey, obey those who rule over you and be submissive for they watch out for your souls as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief for that would be unprofitable to you." But there is more duty than simply respect.

You see, if we look at the Word of God, we will also agree with the writers that it is incumbent on the churches to whom these pastors minister to communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability. The Word of God teaches us that the laborer is worthy of his wages. In the context of that verse that Paul is describing the labor of is those who labor in the word and doctrine. And it's to be according to the church's ability and that will vary from one church to the next. Also the need of the man in the pulpit will vary, maybe even in the very church itself.

But we have to ask ourselves, and I'm a member of the church, I have to ask myself, are we communicating of all the good things God has given to us and are we doing it according to our ability? Ask what we have to do if we're going to be a biblical congregation. So what's the purpose of this communication of these good things? Well, it's twofold. So as they may first have a comfortable supply without being themselves entangled in secular affairs, I think we have to understand and unwrap that word entangled in secular affairs.

And secondly may also be capable of exercising hospitality toward others. Do they have what they need to do the work of hospitality? In other words, the provision of their needs enables them to be about the business of ministering the Word and praying. And they close this paragraph with the twofold witness of both nature and the express order of Jesus in regard to this matter. Well dear ones I hope we we come away from these considerations with a measure of thoughtfulness and a measure of carefulness as we approach this consideration of our dear brother into the office to which he willingly aspires.

But we should also come away, okay, get this too, we should also come away with hearts full of gladness and thankfulness that God has us at a point where we are once again considering the goodness of Christ our head whom Ephesians 4 tells us gives gifts to men for the benefit of the church and the very fact that we're at a point where we're considering this again it should thrill us with the fact of the richness of Jesus Christ that Christ loves us enough and this is an expression of that love to even to even have a man that we're considering for the office. And to what end does Christ provide gifts to his church? What purpose does he have? Well, it's for the health and the beauty of the bride. It's for the health and the beauty of the bride.

You see, Christ provides such gifts, you know, we opened up in Ephesians 4, here it goes on to tell us that Christ provides such gifts for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. But speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint every joint supplies According to the effective working by which every part does its share causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Oh may God give us help dear ones. May we look to him in prayer. Father we thank you that we are at a point to be able to consider what you may be doing in our midst.

How exciting. Lord, we thank you that you've brought us to this point. Help us as we make these steps over the next few weeks, Lord, that you would give our brother grace and help and that you would give us grace and help. Lord, help us as we seek to ascertain your will for us as a church. And Lord, we pray that doors that you open we will gladly walk through.

And Lord, we thank you that you're head of the church. And Lord, you are the head. All authority and power reside with you. And Lord, you've given this great treasure and stored it in earthen vessels. Why?

That the glory may be yours. And so not to ourselves, O Lord, not to ourselves, but to your name be glory in the church both now and forevermore. In Christ's name we pray, amen. We are dismissed.