The church of God is precious to our Lord Jesus Christ. So much so that He gave His own life for her (Acts 20:28) and is now sanctifying and cleansing her “so that he might present the church to himself with splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph 5:26-27). After purchasing the church, the Lord has placed His bride into the hands of elders and pastors to protect, guard, purify, mature, and prepare her for His coming, when He will receive her to Himself. In this two-part message we look at the priorities of elders. The outline for part 1 is:
The Position of Elders
- The title of elders
- The number of elders
- The gender of elders
- The appointment of elders
The Priorities of Elders
- Care for your own soul (v. 28a)
- Care for the flock (v. 28b)