1 Timothy 3:1 says,...

Today's verse is 1 Timothy 3:1 which reads, 

It is a trustworthy statement:  if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. 

Let's take just one verse this morning and take it apart word by word.  This is the start of another section of this letter from Paul to Timothy in the aid of leading the church in Ephesus.  Paul will now focus on the development and make up of the senior leaders of the church.  What are these people to be like? 

• It is a trustworthy statement:... - The first one of these statements is 1 Timothy 1:15 which deals with Christ coming and saving sinners.  This is the second dealing with local church overseers.  The third one is 1 Timothy 4:9 which deals with personal holiness.  The fourth one is 2 Timothy 2:11 which deals with our salvation in Christ.  The fifth one is Titus 3:8 which deals with us doing good works in relationship to evangelism.  Church leadership is given this privileged position in this list of trustworthy statements.

• ...if any man... - Paul is keeping with God's order throughout the Bible and also applied to the structure of the church.  Paul specifically says this position is to be a male and then he will describe that man in the following verses.  The Greek words here can mean "anyone or someone" but the following pronouns and further context give the gender of the anyone Paul is speaking to Timothy about.

• ...aspires... - Another word to describe this word is the word "desires."  Where to desires originate from?  They come from within the person and then they are manifested outside of the person.  One who has a inward pull in this area pursues it outwardly. 

• ...to the office of overseer,... - Paul gives this position a title, overseer and other words are used such as "bishop, elder, and pastor."  To be an overseer is to over see the direction of the church to be in line with the direction of God.  So far, this is a man who has an inward desire to pursue outwardly the position to oversee God's people to be God's people glorifying Him with their lives. 

• ...it is a fine work he desires to do. - Paul is commending these men (he) who seek to lead God's people in God's ways.  Paul is commending these men who are willing to do what he is doing.  The first century was very different than our world today in regards to this statement.  In suburban America, to be an overseer is relatively easy but in the 1st century it was saying that you will be the first to be jailed; that you would be the first to be whipped or stoned; that you would be the first to go against open resistance; and that you would be the first to speak the gospel openly in a hostile environment.  You were willing to give your life so that others would hear of the One who could give them life.  If you are willing to do that for the church of Christ, it is a fine work you desire to do.  It was not a position of privilege but a position of instant persecution.

Paul will now describe what these men look like in the following verses so that Timothy can identify them as authentic to the cause of leading the church.  These men will need these qualities if they are going to stand up against the world and the wiles of Satan.

Let's summarize this verse to end our devotion this morning.  Any man willing to stand for Christ in a hostile world and he is following an inward desire that manifests itself outwardly through the official position of overseer to a local body of believers is going after a good thing.  This is a statement worthy of repeating and proclaiming to the church.  Tomorrow we will start looking at these men.  Let's pray. 

"Lord, thank You for faithful men.  Thank You for putting the desire within men to lead the church during times of peace and during times of turmoil to be faithful to You.  Continue to raise up men who will stand for You no matter what the opposition brings.  May our overseers know that they are propped up by our prayers for them today.  Amen."

Pastor Adam