OBEY YOUR ELDERS
Sunday Morning: June 4, 2000
Read:
Hebrews 13:7-17
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
"And we beseech you, brethren, to
know [observe] them
which labour [toil, be wearied
among you, and are over you in the
Lord, and admonish [warn by
instruction] you;
13.
And to
esteem [regard]
them very highly [beyond measure]in love for their work's sake.
And be at
peace among yourselves."
Acts 20:17
“And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the
elders [presbuterov,
presbyter] of
the
church.”
1 Timothy 5:17
"Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of
double honour, especially
they who labour
in
the
word and
doctrine. "
Ephesians 4:11-14
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and
teachers;
Acts 6:4 "But we will give ourselves
continually to prayer,
and to the ministry of the
word."
12.
For the
perfecting (furnishing) of
the saints, for the
work of the
ministry, for the
edifying [building] of the body of Christ:
13.
Till we all come in the
unity of the faith, and
of the knowledge [epignwsiv,
exact knowledge] of the
Son of God, unto a
perfect (of full age)
man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fullness
of
Christ:
14.
That we
henceforth be
no more children,
tossed
to and fro, and
carried
about with every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of
men, and
cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in
wait to deceive;"
2 Timothy 4:2-5
"Preach the word; be
instant [at hand, ready] in
season [in time of need],
out of season; reprove [convict],
rebuke [censure or admonish],
exhort with all longsuffering [patience]
and doctrine [instruction].
3.
For the time will come when
they (ruling over the elders) will
not endure [put up with]
sound [healthy, not sick]
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they
heap [seek] to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4.
And they shall turn away
their ears from the truth,
and shall be turned unto fables.
5.
But
watch thou in all things,
endure
afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, make
full proof of thy
ministry."
James 4:7
"Submit yourselves therefore
to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Hebrews 13:17
"Obey (their counsel from the Word of God) them
that have the rule over you, and submit
yourselves (to hearing their
counsel from the Word of God):
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."
THOSE WHO OBEY
Isaiah 50:10 "Who
is among you that feareth the
LORD, that obeyeth the voice (his counsel from the word of God)
of his servant, that walketh in
darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the
LORD, and stay upon his God."
THOSE WHO DO NOT OBEY
Isaiah 50:11 "Behold,
all ye that kindle a fire, that compass
yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire
(your own counsel), and in the sparks
that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine (God's)
hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow."
THE COUNSEL OF HIS SERVANT
Isaiah 51:1
"Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek
the LORD . . ."
Isaiah 51:4
"Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation .
. ."
Isaiah 51:7
"Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in
whose heart is my law.."
Proverbs 28:26
"He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh
wisely, he shall be delivered."
JAHAZIEL COUNSELED .
. .
2 Chronicles 20:15-16 "And he said (by the spirit of the Lord, v.14),
Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king
Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you (God's counsel), Be
not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the
battle is not yours, but God's.
16. To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the
cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the
wilderness of Jeruel."
THEY OBEYED
2 Chronicles 20:20 "And
they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of
Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah,
and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be
established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper."
THEY PROSPERED
2 Chronicles 20:25 "And when
Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found
among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels,
which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away:
and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much."
ISAIAH'S COUNSEL . . .
Isaiah 50:7 "For
the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded
(confused): therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I
know that I shall not be ashamed."