A Sermon preached at Church of the Ascension of May 15, 2013
Years ago, I read a
book with the title They Like Jesus butNot the Church. The book chronicled the attitudes of the unchurched towards
organized religion and the church in particular. The predominant feelings
towards the church, even among those with an openness to Jesus, was suspicion
and distrust. I’m sure you all know people who describe themselves as spiritual
but not religious. Maybe you are one of them. There is no doubt that a lot of
this wariness and disillusionment is entirely justified.
One doesn’t have to dig
very far to find reasons not to like the Church, the unending in-fighting and
lawsuits, the hypocrisy, the dishonesty, and even the horrid corruption of
sexual abuse.
Many sincere and morally minded people have concluded that they
would rather not be involved with the church. After all isn’t it just as
possible to connect with God by reading your Bible in your home or on a Sunday
morning nature hike? Such people say, “My faith is a personal relationship not
a religion.”
I want to be clear, I
believe that having a personal and heart felt relationship with Jesus Christ is
essential, but the Lord also wants us to have a corporate relationship with his
Church. Jesus loves the church, despite her many failings as his very own bride.
Saint Peter writes, “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellences of him
who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.(1 Peter 2:9 ESV)
The Church has a very
special role in God’s plan of salvation. Our Epistle reading today describes it
as, “the pillar and buttress of the truth.”
Scholars have often
described the Pastoral Letters—1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus—somewhat
negatively as the domestication of the radical movement of the Early Church.
They say that the message takes a shift from the radical, world-changing,
message of Paul’s early ministry to more conservative and institutionally
focused concerns.
In some ways they are right. There is a shift
taking place. The age of the Apostles is coming to an end. The Apostle Paul
wants to assure that the Church he has labored so hard to establish is preserved
and the Gospel that was entrusted to him is defended from the encroaching
threat of false teachers. It is imperative that the Church be left in the hands
faithful leaders of godly character.
Those entrusted for the
care of God’s people, as shepherds of the flock, are called epískopos which means overseer or guardian.
It is also where we get the word Bishop. However, the office isn’t exactly the
same as that of bishop as we would understand it today.
In the New Testament
the offices of episkopos and presbyter-- which means pastor, priest or
elder—were basically synonymous. It isn’t until the following generations that
we see the three fold ministry of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons securely in
place.
The office of bishop,
as we understand it today, has more to do with continuing the role of the Apostles.
The Apostles, appointed leaders, such as Timothy, as their heirs and charged
them with the ordination of leaders and the defense of the gospel.
It is to that end that
Paul instructs Timothy that, those who aspire to the office of overseer desire
a noble task. Because of the awesome responsibility involved in being a pastor,
It is essential that those ordained to this role be people of character who
will not bring reproach upon the church.
There was a video
making the rounds on Facebook of a school bus of children from my home town,
acting absolutely appallingly. Somebody happened to capture the scene on their
cell phone. It gets so bad that the police need to intervene! Needless to say
it has caused a bit of a scandal. Whenever kids act up in this way the most
natural response is to ask, “what is wrong with these parents?!” Parents are
responsible for setting an example for their children, disciplining them if
needed, and teaching them the appropriate way to behave. When parents do not
have a strong character themselves, its absence in their children isn’t too surprising.
In the same way,
pastors are to set an example for the church through their manner of life. They
must not only be competent teachers, but also must be people not easily
overcome with vice. They must be generous, self-controlled and faithful to
their spouses.
It is important that they manage the affairs
of their own house well, not only for the sake of their reputation, but also as
proof of their competency to lead the church.
The home has been
described as the “domestic church.” Any life of virtue and devotion has to
begin with one’s own family and loved ones. It is often far easier to maintain
your virtue with strangers!
It is also important
that a pastor be someone who is mature and experienced in their faith. One must
learn the humility of being a follower and a student, before one is ready to be
a leader and teacher. It is all too easy to allow a quick rise in status to go
to one’s head. Those in positions of power and authority need to always be on
guard that they not be consumed with pride.
Paul then turns his
attention to the qualifications for diakonos and diakonissa, what we would refer to as
deacons. There is some debate whether diakonissa refers to a female deacon or
the wife of a deacon. The context seems to suggest that these are indeed female
deacons or deaconesses that are being referred to. Paul is talking about the qualifications for
leaders, it would seem odd that he would shift gears to talk about the deacon’s
wives especially since he did not do so for the role of overseer (bishop). There is also a president for female deacons
in phoebe who Paul refers to in Romans 16:1-2.
The title deacon comes from a common Greek word
referring to a minister or someone who serves, especially at table. The
qualifications for those ordained as deacon are very similar to those of
overseer. They are to be people of virtue and self-control and must be mature
in the faith having been tested. They are to be people of clear conscience who
cling to the “mystery of faith.”
What is meant by this enigmatic expression? Paul
uses a similar phrase a few verses later, declaring, “Great indeed, we confess,
is the mystery of godliness.” The term mystery was a common expression in
religious life of the Greco-Roman world used to refer to secret esoteric
knowledge revealed to a select inner-circle. Mystery cults were committed to
keeping this knowledge a secret and withholding it from outsiders.
Paul turns this concept inside out. The mystery
of godliness, “the mystery hidden from ages past but now revealed to the
saints,” is what Bishop Lesslie Newbigin refers to as an “Open Secret.” Open in
the sense of being declared to the nations, but secret in the sense of being
manifest only to the eyes of faith. The content of this open secret is God’s
surprising and unexpected work of salvation in Jesus Christ and the community
that declares his name,
“He was
manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by
angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up
in glory.”
This short phrase,
perhaps taken from a hymn, is meant as a summary of the gospel proclaimed by
the Apostles and entrusted to the church. The Church is called to be a steward
of this mystery, upholding the gospel and declaring it to all the world.
As the bride of Christ
united to him as one flesh, the church herself is a mystery, declaring God’s
plan to unite all things in Christ. Although she is broken and sinful she is
simultaneously righteous in Christ who sanctifies her through the washing of
water and the word (Ephesians 5:26).
Sinful, human, leaders
often fail the church and fail to honor the nobility of their office. Many are
wolves in shepherd’s clothing. Christ,
however, has promised never to leave nor forsake his Church. He is with us even
to the end of the age. He himself is our High-Priest, the shepherd and overseer
of our souls, and our exalted king who comes to us as one who serves.
How exceedingly
wonderful and precious are the riches and glory of this mystery revealed by
faith which is Christ in you, the hope of glory!
