This sermon, drawn from 1 Timothy 5:17–25, emphasizes the biblical responsibility of the local church to honor the office of elder or pastor through careful, prayerful, and Scripture-centered selection. It underscores that the church, as a self-governing body under Christ’s authority, must recognize leaders not by personal preference, cultural influence, or charisma, but by objective adherence to the qualifications outlined in 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and other passages—focusing on character, doctrinal fidelity, and spiritual gifts. The preacher stresses that selecting elders is not a democratic vote based on popularity, but a sacred act of affirming Christ’s gifts to the church, requiring impartiality, patience, and thorough discernment to avoid spiritual harm. The gravity of this duty is heightened by the warning that unfaithful leadership can lead to divine judgment, including the removal of the church’s spiritual power, as seen in Christ’s rebukes to the churches in Revelation. Ultimately, the sermon calls the congregation to approach leadership selection with reverence, humility, and a commitment to the inerrant Word of God as the sole standard.
The sermon calls the church to honor the pastoral office by selecting leaders with biblical objectivity, impartiality, and patience, grounded in Scripture and not personal preference, recognizing that the health and spiritual vitality of the church depend on faithful, Spirit-empowered shepherds. Honor, Discipline, & Selection of Elders Soli Deo Gloria
