1 Timothy 3:2-3

1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. (1 Timothy 3:1-3, NIV).

This week I want to finish out the final qualifications for an overseer from 1 Timothy. We will not look at the three illustrations given, just at these qualifications for leadership. They are as follows: hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

We have already covered some of the qualifications. The big one, the one that we filter all the others through, is the first. The overseer must be blameless or above reproach. If a person has a reputation, if they have a black mark, then that can disqualify them. But if they had a problem in the past and God has helped them overcome it, and people see the difference, it doesn’t need to be a detriment.

For example, the first was “the husband of but one wife” or, as we discovered, “a one-woman man.” This is a man who is devoted to this wife. He is not cheating on her physically, emotionally, or any other way. We see the relationship and see that the man is committed to his wife. Their marriage might not be perfect, but it is stable.

Or we saw that an overseer must be temperate or clear headed. They must not be under the influence of drugs or past experiences. They need to be self-controlled. They need to be respected by other people.

Again, no one is perfect in these areas. But the question is, are they above reproach?

Let me go through the rest of the list and make comments along the way.

First, Christian leaders are to be hospitable. This literally means “lovers of strangers.” The first century had inns, but they were often no more than brothels. Christians travelling through the Roman Empire expected accommodations from other Christians. Hebrews tells us that if we let someone in to our homes, we may be entertaining an angel unaware.

Is your home open for God to use? All things belong to God. Is your home open for God to use?

Second, Christian leaders were to be able to teach. The overseers are distinguished from the deacons in this regard. When one looks at the qualifications of deacons that follows, this requirement, “apt to teach”, is missing. The deacons did not need to be apt to teach as they were all about helping people. The elders did need to as they provided spiritual instruction for the body of Christ.

Just to let you know, we expect our elders to teach. Whether it is a Sunday school class or an occasional Communion service, all of our elders participate. Some struggle with being up in front of people, others seem to love it. Are our elders good at teaching? As we said last week, they are good enough. We want to have elders who can communicate God’s word or difficult issues with the congregation. They don’t need to be Billy Grahams or Chuck Swindolls. But they should be able to teach.

Third, the Christian leader must not be given to drunkenness. The literal Greek is “beside wine.” This is a picture of a person who loves his brew. He and his bottle are constant companions. Do you know that some people cannot go anywhere if their friend, alcohol isn’t invited? They can’t go fishing, play horseshoes, get together with family, or stay in a hotel that does not have a bar. Their life centers around the alcohol.

Why is this a problem in the church? For the same reason it would be for kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. (Proverbs 31:4, 5, KJV).

People who are drunk do not make good decisions. Their decisions hurt others.

Fourth, not violent. Some people settle everything with their fists. You do not want this kind of person leading you church.

This from BBC News April 20th, 2008: “Israeli police had to break up a fist fight that erupted between Greek and Armenian Orthodox clergymen at one of Christianity's holiest sites. The scuffles broke out at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Orthodox Palm Sunday. Brawls are not uncommon at the church, which is uneasily shared by various Christian denominations. In this case, witnesses say an Armenian priest forcibly ejected a Greek priest from an area near the tomb of Jesus. They say the attacker felt the Greek priest had spent too long at the tomb. When police arrived to break up the fight, some were reportedly beaten back by worshippers using palm fronds. Two Armenians were detained by police, prompting supporters to stage a rally in protest outside the police station. Rivalry between the six different churches which grudgingly share the Holy Sepulchre dates back to the aftermath of the crusades, and to the great schism between Eastern and Western Christianity in the 11th Century. Each denomination controls, and jealously guards, its own section of the labyrinthine site.”

Fifth, and it is a close cousin to the violent, not quarrelsome. People who are looking for a fight, who are trying to get you arguing all the time, people who don’t listen and raise questions just to cause trouble are not fit for leadership in the church. If a person is always argumentative, they are not fit for leadership.

Sixth, not a lover of money. Paul constantly warns Timothy not to serve the Lord for the sake of money. If you cannot help others, if you cannot help the Lord without having to get something in return, then you need to rethink what you are doing. It’s not so true today, but in early history, some ministers were paid for out of the taxes. It was a good job. In Paul’s day there were false teachers who were preaching in hopes of getting rich. Turn on the television today and you will find some who are in the ministry to make money.

It’s also true that in the early church the elders probably controlled the purse strings. When Barnabas sold land, he brought the money to the apostles and laid it at their feet. So also Annanias and Sappharia did the same. You wanted men in these positions who were not apt to steal or to use the money in a wrong way. You don’t want anyone as a leader who looks at ministry as a job, as a way of making income. I view my own salary as a gift. You are helping me have the time to study and visit people for the Lord. If you didn’t help me, I would have to go and find a job, which would take away from my ability to serve the Lord and serve you.

If one looks at these traits, they all deal with character, integrity and honor. The ability to teach is important. Church leaders need to be able to communicate. They need to know the Bible well enough to make decisions based on its teachings. They need to be able to explain them to others. But everything else has to do with character.

We are looking at people who are mature. Not perfect. They are not good, but they are good enough. They are people you can trust to make decent decisions. You will undoubtably not agree with all the decisions they make, but you trust them to make good decisions for the right motives to glorify God.

But these are not just for church leaders. Husbands, wives, you should also be people of character. You should be able to be trusted to make good decisions in your home. These qualities are not super high. They are attainable. Husbands and wives should be people of character.

How many homes would be better if some of these traits were not in them? How many homes would be better if violence was gone? How many homes would be better if the people in the home didn’t quarrel all the time? How many homes would be better if people loved money less and people more? How many homes would be better if alcohol or drugs were not a major influence in those homes?

We can apply this to the workplace or to the community as well. The Christian lifestyle will lift up society and will lift up the home. Even if Christianity were not true, it would still be good. But it is good because it is true. It is true to the character of God. It is good because the Christian lifestyle was the lifestyle that God always wanted all people to embrace. We were created for this kind of life.

So many of us have fallen. So God sent Jesus to die for sinners. That includes anyone on this list. He offers forgiveness of sin and he offers a new life. The forgiveness comes at the cross. When we repent and turn to Jesus, we are given forgiveness of sin. When we change, when we turn away from the old life and put our trust in Jesus, our sins are forgiven by faith in his name. You have a chance for a new life, a new start.

But if you have put your trust in Jesus, follow Him. Read the Bible and live it. Share with others the good things God has done. People will be able to see your life, see its changes and glorify God because of you.