Date: 19 January 2025, 9.30 am
Speaker: Ps Daniel Tan Sermon Text: John 15:1-16; 1 Timothy 3:1-13
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TRANSCRIPT
Introduction
Blessed Sunday to everyone both here in this hall and those who are participating online.
As a community of faith here in Hermon and Horeb, we are going through a min-series on God’s New Community.
We are learning about what the bible teaches regarding God’s church.
We began with the question, who constitutes a church and we discovered that church is made up of believers who have been set apart by God to become one family. That in Christ, we have been reconciled to God and with one another.
We also realized that the purpose of the church is to grow in spiritual maturity and Christ-likeness.
And that to belong to the church means committed membership.
Finally, that God has given us clear guidelines as to how we should interaction both internally and externally as a church.
I pray that these past 2 Sundays, have given us much food for thought. That we have begun to grapple with our pre-suppositions and have taken time to evaluate them in the light of what Scripture has said.
Before we look at today’s text, let’s truly be a family, journeying through God’s Word.
May I get us all to look around at the people sitting with us. I’m sure there are familiar and not so familiar faces.
Now I want you to focus on the not so familiar faces.
In a bit, we will reach out and shake the hands of those who are not so familiar around us and we will say, ‘Blessed Sunday’.
Let’s do that now ….
Last Sunday, after service, I was standing at the back of the hall with Eld Chow Meng and we remarked that we were shaking hands with very few people. Very unlike at CCK.
And it was observed that its because many of us were standing around talking with one another.
You know, that is a wonderful thing we are doing. We are worshipping God as a community. So keep it up!
Later, after the Benediction, may I request that we intentionally catch up with those whom we have shaken hands with earlier. Get to know their names and a little bit about them.
Today, as we go through Jn 15, we want to ask the question, what does the bible say is the mark, is the identifier of a believer, a Christian? What does God say, a church, that is made up of believers should display?
Secondly, through 1 Tim 3, we want to discover what the bible says about the leadership structure of the church. In God’s blueprint for the church, how does He instruct us on the way the community of faith, should function?
May our journey together through Scripture, be an edifying one for all.
All you need is love (Jn 15:1-16)
Let’s begin with ‘All you need is love’.
In a sea of people, those you meet on public transport, those you greet in your community spaces, if you ask them to describe Christians, how do you think they would describe them?
Are they those that wear crosses as ornaments on their bodies?
Are they those that carry bibles on Sundays?
Are they those who send out inspiring messages on social media?
Are they those who pray before meals?
We have just fully come out of the Covid-19 pandemic. And I was reminded of a Salt and light article written during the pandemic period. May I quote a small segment:
In the early centuries, there were a few major pandemics in the ancient world that infected and killed millions. During each of these, government officials and the wealthy would flee the cities for the countryside to escape contact with those who were infected.
The Christian community, however, remained behind, transforming themselves into a great force of caretakers.
On Easter Sunday in 260 AD, Bishop Dionysius of Corinth praised the efforts of the Christians, many of whom had died while caring for others.
He said: “Most of our brother Christians showed unbounded love and loyalty, never sparing themselves, and thinking only of one another. Heedless of danger, they took charge of the sick, attending to their every need and ministering to them in Christ, and with them departed this life serenely happy; for they were infected by others with the disease, drawing on themselves the sickness of their neighbours and cheerfully accepting their pains.”
The early Christians’ loving dedication for their neighbours as themselves during times of plague and sickness, whether the sick were believers or not, showcased the beauty of the Gospel message through agape love for others. These Christ-like actions had a huge social impact, and attracted many outsiders to the faith.”
Love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind and our neighbour as ourselves.
As society reflects back on our journey through Covid-19, I pray that positives testimonies of the Christian love will be shared by fellow Singaporeans.
In the testimonies of the 3rd Century Christians, they are living out what our Lord has commanded:
Jn 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Jn 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
All you need is love. Our witness to a hostile and dying world is to love one another as Christ has loved us.
And to help us appreciate the source, the sense and the sustenance to live as such, John records Jesus’s teaching for us in John 15.
Jn 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser…. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Christ is the Vine and we are the branches. As branches we can do nothing unless we are fully connected to the Vine.
The source of being able to love sacrificially, to care for others as we care for ourselves, that source is Christ the vine.
And if we are connected to Christ the vine, we as branches cannot but bear fruit. As surely as Christ is love, so too, for us who connect ourselves to Christ, we will yield the fruit of love.
What an encouragement is it not, that we don’t have to strive against our prideful and selfish nature to have love for others. All we need to do is to be connected, to abide in Christ.
We see too that Jesus teaches us about the sense of such love. It is as He has loved us.
The Gospel tells us that while we were yet sinners and enemies of God, Christ died for us.
Christ agape us. And now He says, this is the sense of love, we are to agape others as well.
For all of us, we naturally love and forgive those who are loveable and forgivable isn’t it.
But what if they don’t recognize their faults. What if they have traits that make them downright enemies, how can we love them?
Yes, it is impossible humanly speaking. But the Gospel truth is that when we abide in Christ, we will be able to love as He does.
In Christ, I must say that there is really possibility that even Jews in Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza can be reconciled. Reconciled to become brothers not just a ceasefire.
All the 11 Apostles, Apostle Paul and Stephen the Martyr are examples of agape-type loving.
Finally, the sustenance of love. What do we see as we observe Jn 15:1-11?
Jn 15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
10 times in these 11 verses, Jesus tells us the secret to sustenance of such agape love is to abide in Him. To abide means to endure, to remain, to stay, to continue.
Now for those of us who have been a Christian for some time, we would admit that abiding in Christ is very tough. Often it is in our nature that we stray.
And so, John 15 gives us 2 encouragements. The process of sustenance and the purpose of fruit-bearing.
Jn 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples…. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Prayer is the process for us to receive the sustenance of Christ the vine. To ‘ask whatever you wish’ in v7 and to ‘ask the Father in my name’ v16, means prayer.
Prayer is utter dependence on God, for we acknowledge that we cannot do it ourselves. Until God gives us the grace to abide, we will soon be dead branches that are destined to be cut off.
Church, the encouragement is that a life of prayer is key to bearing the fruit of agape love. And prayer is accessible to all of us, anytime and everywhere.
John 15 shows us also that the purpose of fruit-bearing is so that God may be glorified. As we love each other we magnify the name of God.
Through our sacrificial love for one another, the name of God is praised and adored.
We sing – This is my desire
To honour You
Lord with all my heart
I worship You
All I have within me
I give You praise
All that I adore
Is in You
This song comes alive when we agape each other.
May this bigger and grander picture inspire and encourage us towards displaying agape love.
And v16 ends by telling us that we have been chosen, so that our lives will count for God.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
We count for God when we bear fruit that will last. Gospel fruit of loving others by sharing the good news of salvation found in Christ Jesus. For salvation is eternity with God.
From the book of Acts, we see that the testimony of the early church to the wider society was that there was not a needy person amongst them.
Acts 4:32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Today, in Hermon we continue to carry out this principle through our Benevolent Fund. Over the last 30 years, each month we have at least 2 Hermonites whom we support. This is by the tithes and offerings we collect each Sunday.
Over the past 5 years, many have also given to our brethren in FEC Myanmar so that homes can be rebuilt, so that essential daily items like oil and rice can be distributed especially during flooding.
Church, let us take to heart what God has said about the distinguishing mark of a church. That we are to love others as how Christ has loved us.
All we need is love. It’s not naïve thinking, it’s biblically based.
In big or small ways through 2025, may we sacrificially love others in tangible ways so that people will see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven (Mt 5:16).
Follow your leader (1 Tim 3:1-13)
Since we now know that a church is a group of identified believers, desiring to grow together in spiritual maturity and to live out the Gospel in society.
The question then is what is God’s blueprint for that to happen?
How does God ensure that the New Testament church will grow in maturity and to glow in missions? How does God ensure that the church moves from where they are to where He has intended for them to be?
As we saw in Ephesians 4 last week, God’s gift to the church for the equipping of the body are the Shepherds and teachers. In short, we say the Elders.
Eph 4:11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.
If you have sacrificed a lot to purchase something, how precious would it be to you? I’m sure very precious right!
Acts 20 tells us how precious the church is to God. Christ died to it. It is very very precious. The church is obtained by the blood of Christ.
Acts 20:17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him…. 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
Tt 1:5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you
And so, the Apostle Paul charges the Ephesian Elders with this heavy responsibility in Acts 20. They are to realize how precious are the people that God has given to them.
And from the verses in Acts 20, we will see that the same men are referred to by 3 different titles – Elders, Overseers (or Bishop) and Shepherds (the root word for ‘care’).
Thus, because the church is so precious, Paul urgently sends Titus out to ensure that in every town, where a church formed, he must appoint Elders to take care of the flock.
The significance of the office of the Elder in the church structure is seen in the Pastoral letters of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. Paul spent significant resources to instruct on how to identify and how to serve as leaders of God’s church.
God in His wisdom, did not just tell us the purpose of the church and how we are to live as a church, God also gave us the structure to ensure that it comes to pass.
And so, we have the qualifications for the church leadership found in 1 Tim 3:1-13.
From 1 Tim 3 we see 2 offices in the church. That of Elders (v1-7) and Deacons (v8-10).
1 Tim 3:1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task….. 8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.
Now in Hermon (Horeb), we also have the office of the Deaconess.
This is derived from (v11). Translating from the original, the word ‘wives’ can also be translated as ‘women’.
1 Tim 3:8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives (women) likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.
2 reasons why we accept the translation as ‘women’ not just as ‘wives’.
Firstly, it seems odd that for the qualifications of Elders, there is no mentioned of their wives, but here under the Deacons, it is mentioned. So it can be appropriately translated as ‘women’.
Secondly, if you look at the word ‘likewise’ it denotes a beginning of a separate category Deacons are a separate from Elders and Deaconess are a separate category from Deacons.
Thus, we thank God for the office of the Deaconess as described in 1 Tim 3.
Some quick observations regarding the Elders, Deacons and Deaconesses.
Scripture says plainly, they are to be assessed by their character and values. They are to be sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
If we cross reference to 1 Cor 13 and also Galatians 5, we would see that these character traits and values are no different from that expected of a believer who is Spirit-led.
So then, there are no special attributes church leaders must have, it’s just that it must be evident in them before they can be leaders.
To both the flock and to the outsider, God has so designed that the church leader must be a godly example, regarded with respect.
1 Tim 3:2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach …. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil …. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
Thus, all the character attributes must be discernible.
And to be discernible means that a period of testing has been provided and so they have been proven.
1 Tim 3:4 He (Elders) must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert ….. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless…. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.
Within the BP church, negative examples abound when the process is rushed due to expediency.
Past wisdom has been found true that it is good to have 3 years of on-the-job training before ordaining a minister and for a lay Elder, he should have served 2 terms as a Deacon.
Godly discernment follows that for ministry in the family of God, there is no better way to be trained than in your own family.
Truth tested through the ages, if you can be consistent in loving and serving your own family, it will put you in good stead to love and serve God’s family.
Household management is general competency and 1 Tim 3 also adds spiritual competency for Elders and Deacons.
1 Tim 3:2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ….13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
Deacons are to have a great confidence in the faith. They are to be well established in the understanding of the Gospel and the doctrines of the faith.
It means they are to be able to answer with confidence towards both believers and yet-believers the hope that we have in Christ Jesus.
To be able to articulate the reasons for the attitudes and actions within the faith community.
And for Elders, it means to have the competence to teach. The ability to equip someone with the Gospel.
And this teaching is made most effective when it is complemented by efficacious living. Leaders must walk the talk.
Because God has set a significant bar for leadership, in Hermon, as we nominate and elect our Session leaders, we feel it is necessary to prepare those whom God identifies for potential leadership.
We bring them through our New Leaders Equipping (NLE). This is a 2 year equipping conducted by our seasoned leaders. We thank God for the two batches we have had.
As you know we are a Bible-Presbyterian church and our confession is the Westminster Confession of Faith.
What is the difference expectation of the various roles towards the WCF:
Members – we have to understand and accept the WCF.
Deacons/Deaconesses – to embrace the WCF (it means they should understand it and seek to have it form their theology)
Elders – to defend the WCF (to teach and to persuade)
We see that articulated last week in our Dedication Service.
The Session affirmed in the presence of God that we will fulfil our responsibilities continually guided by our Confession which is the WCF.
Since church leaders are God’s blueprint to enable the church to fulfil and live out her purposes, the responsibilities are very heavy.
By application then, for all of us as members, let’s in agape love, encourage our leaders by supporting them.
Supporting them by praying for them as they carry this significant responsibility. Bring them constantly before God’s throne of grace.
Another way of supporting them is by following their lead as they follow Christ. Let their labour be filled with joy and not frustration.
And that was what we dedicated ourselves as Hermonites last week at our Dedication Service.
We have pledged to God that we will respect their decisions and follow their guidance to serve Jesus Christ who is the Head of the church.
1 Tim 3 says, those who are open to church leadership, are opening themselves towards a noble task.
Let each of us be supportive of the church by being open to serve in a leadership capacity when God calls.
May we reflect on the talent and opportunities God has given to us individually and be obedient to the Spirit’s prompting towards this noble task.
Since we are part of the BPCIS, and now that we know leaders are vital for the health of the church, we need to pray for our brethren who do not have Pastors or Elders.
Last week at the BPCIS Comm Meeting, sharing of leadership resources was discussed. Zion Bishan is helping Emmanuel, Hermon is helping Horeb and Zion Serangoon is helping Grace.
God has clearly shown in His word that Elders, Deacons and Deaconesses are His blueprint to nurture the flock to be all He has purposed.
May we as part of the Presbytery seek to share resources so that all our churches will become healthier.
Conclusion
God’s new community is being built in and through each one of us at Hermon. Let’s seek the source and sustenance of Christ the Vine to be a people who agape love others.
And may we prayerfully support our leaders who guide us along the path that God has set.
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