You're listening to audio from Ascend Church. For more information about Ascend or to access more gospel-centered tools to grow as a disciple of Christ, visit ascendkc.org. Well, let's grab our Bibles and let's turn to Hebrews chapter 13. And if you don't have a copy of God's Word, I'm going to invite our ushers down the aisles. They would love to put one in your hands. You can find Hebrews about two-thirds of the way through the New Testament. The book of Hebrews is an interesting one in that it is one book of the Bible that we are not confident that we know who the author was. Now we have opinions and scholars debate about this and I have my own opinion but at the end of the day we don't know what, who wrote the book other than the Holy Spirit. Now the focus of the book of Hebrews is this, it's exalting Christ over the traditions of man. It's exalting Christ over the traditions of Judaism. It's exalting Christ above everything that is known in creation and everything that is not known. That is the point of the book of Hebrews. So as we arrive at chapter 13, there's an interesting transition that the author provides, and we'll dig into that in just a moment. You know, I think there's something about us as Americans, and I've got this conspiracy theory that I think every infant that is born in a hospital gets whisked away to another room, and they tell us that the baby's getting shots for their health, but I think One of those shots is immunizing them against authority. There's something about us as Americans is that you pop out of the womb, that's horrible imagery, but you become a human. Let me back up. You just are born and all of a sudden you have this cynicism about leadership. You want to stick it to the man. You want to question authority. You want to second-guess authority. And I think that's inherent with us as Americans, because as you look at our history, there's plenty of examples of times when our nation has thrown off oppressive governments in our past or in other nations. There's also plenty of history as well as modern day examples of leaders who are corrupt or oppressive. And perhaps it's these and many other factors that influence us as 21st century Americans to hear the topic of authority and leadership and bristle. And I think that also makes its way into the church. But if you've been coming to Ascend for any stretch of time, I hope you've been reminded of the fact that we don't bring our traditions and our experiences into Scripture. We instead inform our traditions and our experiences from Scripture itself. In fact, James Hamilton, in his book, What is Biblical Theology?, said that the study of Scripture is an exercise to jump out of our world and into the world of the Bible. That's what we try to do here at Ascend, week in and week out, is explain the Bible in its context so that we can apply it to our context. And so when we do that, what we will find in Hebrews chapter 13 is that God sees leadership and authority very differently than we do as Americans. He prescribes it, he provides for it, and it is for our good. Look at the big idea in your notes before you. When the leaders joyfully lead, Now that hopefully will mean something very different by the end of our study. But when the leaders of the local church joyfully lead and the church joyfully submits, there is protection and provision for the local church. It's the big idea of our passage. We're going to anchor into one verse. We're going to unpack it in four ways. Look at number one, the church. The church needs to make it easy to be led. The church needs to make it easy to be led. Now, what you're going to find in this one verse is that there's instruction both for the leadership as well as the church. And if we do these things together, there will be protection and provision by our gracious God. In fact, let me read verse 17 to establish the context. It says, Obey your leaders and submit to them. For they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and with not groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. And so this morning we're gonna pick apart that one verse, and I hope you will see that there are rich treasures to be not only understood but applied. First of all, the church needs to make it easy to be led. It says in verse 17, obey your leaders and submit to them. That concept of leaders should be logical. I mean, from the beginning of time, there has been leaders and those who are led. In fact, if we just had humanity that was all leaders or all led, it would not work very well, would it? The same is true with the church. Now, in order for us to understand who these leaders are, let's go back to verse 7. It says in Hebrews 13, verse 7, remember your leaders. Now that phrase isn't the author of Hebrews saying, hey, remember y'all had leaders? Oh yeah, that's right. This is remember with fondness. In fact, the vocabulary seems to indicate that this is remembering them because they are no longer with them, most likely had died. This was most likely the first generation of leaders for the church to whom the author was writing. And it says, remember your leaders. Now, was this just leaders within their church? Was this just leaders within their small group? Was this just leaders within their community? Well, look what it says. It says, remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God. These are elders. When you look at the New Testament and you see the group of leaders that are prescribed with one primary calling, and that is the teaching and defending of the Word of God, it is the elders of the local church. Which, by the way, let's just think about that phrase, local church. In a book that is primarily focused on exalting Christ above all, it is interesting that the author reaches the last chapter and is emphasizing that being in a local context of community. What this author is doing is confronting an opinion or a temptation that we have as 21st century American Christians against autonomy of self. You see, Christianity today emphasizes, well, I am a believer, it is my personal relationship with Christ, and as long as that's going on, then everything else is icing on the cake. What the author is saying here is, no, the cake is the church. The local church is Christianity. In fact, in Hebrews 10, 24, and 25, it says, after the whole explanation of the priesthood, Christ being greater than the priesthood, and the veil being torn, and now we have direct access with the God of the universe, he gets to verse 24 and says, well, do not forsake the assembling of yourselves. It's almost like a duh. I mean, after all that God has provided, and this is the gospel, well, the natural outflow of that would be to perform this and live this out within the context of the local church, which, by the way, that's what we mean when we say community. There's a movement today that is so focused on community that as long as I have Christian community in Bible study or in study groups or out here with my friends who are also Christians, that somehow that is biblical community. That is not biblical community. Biblical community is within the context of the local church with elders, with deacons, with doctrine to come up under with authority. That is what community is talking about. And so when we arrive at Hebrews 13, the end of this great Christ exalting book, the author saying, this is all to be lived out within community. Remember the leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God and what a gift that is for us as Christians, isn't it? to have a group of men who are speaking the Word of God. And that's just not just opening this up, it's opening it and explaining it. You know, I've heard people reflect on preaching here at Ascend, and it's not just me, it's anybody who stands up here. But that they have appreciated this approach to preaching because not only does it clearly explain the Word of God, but it also models how to study it. Have you ever heard in a sermon here at Ascend, when we read a phrase and we say, stop right there? And we say, okay, this points us to this. Or when you see this phrase in the Bible, it's communicating this. And I've heard people even in our small group this year say, you know, I appreciate that when you say therefore, it teaches me, oh, I need to see what it's there for. So what we are doing as elders is we're not just reading the word, we're actually teaching it, hopefully in a clear fashion, but also instructing a modeling of how to study it. But then look what it says, consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. You know, that's one of the responsibilities of elders, and we'll get to that in just a moment. So we are to model what Christ-like living looks like. Now, unto perfection? No. But as a pattern. In fact, what did Paul say in 1 Corinthians 11 verse 1? Imitate me as I imitate you. Christ. This is the same author of Romans chapter 7 who says, that which I want to do, I don't do. That what I don't want to do, I do. O wretched man that I am, who is to free me from this, thanks be to God. Same man, imperfect as though he is, says that I'm striving to live like Christ. And because the gospel is working in me to the patterns of looking like Christ, then imitate me as I imitate Christ. So that's what it's saying the elders are to do. There's more benefit in verse 9. It says, do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings. What the author is acknowledging is that there will always be a quest for newer or better. I mean, do we not see that just in phones today? I mean, the iPhone 11 came out, three cameras, by the way. And a week later, there's already articles on iPhone 12. And that happens in the church as well, sadly, is that something comes out and it's a movement and everybody gets excited about that or some book and then all of a sudden that kind of gets boring. And so then, boom, we come up with something newer or better. And what this author is saying is, look, the church and the elders that are leading it are a source of stability for you. Praise God for that. Amen. You know, one of the greatest measures of whether or not you should be at a church is this consistency, not newer and better. If a church is always just trying to innovate and recreate who they are, leave that church. The Bible is very clear on what the church should be. And to the degree that this church is generationally in agreement with what this book says, that's the church you want to be at. It doesn't mean we don't try new things and we change the order of service, but at the essence of who we are as a church needs to reflect consistency, faithfulness, and doctrinal integrity. This is what the elders provide. And that's why when he gets to verse 17, he says, obey your leaders and submit to them. And he's hoping that the original audience would have just said, duh. Well, of course. And he signals the original audience by the verbs that he uses here. Two imperatives. Look at verse 17. Obey. And we would immediately think that this is some sort of instruction of duty. And there could have been a Greek word that the author would have used here to describe an obedience because of duty. Kind of the concept of a military obedience of a private to a general, which by the nature of him being a private, he obeys the general. But that's not the word that is used here. The word that is used here is literally translated persuaded to obey. In fact, we might think, though, as Americans, that that means that I get to sit here with my arms crossed as a consumer saying, OK, persuade me. But what the author is saying is you should have already been persuaded in two ways. Number one, persuaded by the commander himself. The fact is, is that the commander giving the command is God himself. And if you love him, what does John 14 say? You will keep his commandments. The keeping of his commandments is a demonstration of our love for him. So therefore, when he says obey, we are already persuaded because it's him giving it. That's the first positive. But the second positive with this is how the leaders are unpacked in this verse. And we'll get to that in just a moment. Beloved, this author is saying that it is important to be easily led. I think back to my childhood, and there were plenty of examples when it was not easy for my parents to lead me. In fact, one of them that comes to mind is when we were growing up, one of the things my mom gave us as a gift on our birthdays, we got to ask her to make any dessert we wanted, and we could take it to our classmates. And one year in particular, my brother had this focus on cupcake ice cream cones. Let me just tell you, those things sound impossible to make. I mean, a cupcake in a cone? Yeah, so it takes a while to make. So my mom made them. They're all neatly put out in this Rubbermaid, and they're cooling off. And so I decided that I was going to contribute by dumping them in the sink and turning on the water. But it doesn't stop there. So then I decided, probably not good, probably going to get it handed to me. And so I'm going to go out in the backyard and climb a large tree and not tell anybody. So my mom decided to get my little brother, my little sister, and drive throughout the neighborhood, calling out the window, Jeff. Actually, it was Jeffrey at that point. Not easy to be led. Now, I had reasons. My mom was oppressive. She wasn't fair. She was trying to have me do things I didn't want to do. I'm supposed to stick it to the man, right? See, I didn't have a fully developed theology of leadership. You see, if I would have understood what the author is expecting us to understand in Hebrews chapter 13, is that initially I obey because of the one who's commanding. God had placed me in my family with my parents, which at the time I wasn't excited about, but that was what God had done. So my response to my mom was actually a response to God. A second thing is that I've learned as a parent is that through the years, I've realized that everything that I instruct our girls to do or not to do is because we think it's best for them. And if I would have just paused as that little punk and reflected on that, the correct response should have been obedience, even though I didn't like it. Now listen, beloved, in the church, we can do the same thing, can't we? Our feathers get ruffled over something. Usually it's in the area of personal conviction or preference. Now if it's in biblical conviction, if you can go to chapter and verse and in light of the whole of scripture say, okay, this is what God's word says but you're not doing this, then by all means let's go over that and we need to change. But if what's being instructed matches scripture but it's just not your cup of tea, obey and submit. Be easily led is what the author is saying is the church's responsibility. But then leaders have responsibility, number two. The leaders need to keep the end in goal. Keep the end the goal. One of the scariest and most encouraging commands or concept is given in the next phrase. Look what it says. For, stop right there. You see the word for, what it's doing is it's elaborating or advancing on the previous phrase. So the command is given to the church, but then there's this idea that the command is given in light of this following phrase. For they themselves is what literally the original language conveys. For they themselves. This is a two-fold emphasis. Number one is it's putting the weight on the elders. Listen, this is your responsibility, elders. This isn't something you get to run up the flagpole. This isn't something you get to slough off to the staff. This is something that elders, this is your responsibility yourselves. But then the second aspect of this is church, listen for the elders' voices. It's saying they themselves, church, you should be listening to your elders. You should be pursuing your elders. When you have a life-impacting decision on your plate, are you pursuing the elders? If you have a doctrinal issue that you're wrestling through, do you talk to the elders? If you have a parenting issue, do you talk to the elders? It's saying, listen for their voices. Why? Because look at the next phrase, they are keeping watch for your souls. You know, the concept of keeping watch means to be constantly alert. Constantly on the lookout. Constantly aware. The elders are to be keeping watch for your souls. Now, this phrase is used in the New Testament in such a way, always, that it refers to the end times. Isn't that interesting? Keeping watch for your souls. Why? Because, write this down, time and truth go hand in hand. This whole idea of using this phrase explains that your faith is not authenticated by a prayer, but on a pattern of your life and on you finishing. Now, let me just stop right there and explain. You are saved by a prayer. You are saved by calling out to God and saying, you are holy. You are good. I am a sinner. I am condemned to judgment in hell. Christ did the work for me. I receive that. I turn from my sins and I commit my life to you. That's how you're saved. That's done through a prayer. But that is authenticated through a pattern of life. This phrase is reminding us of that very fact. They're keeping watch for your souls. Why? Understanding that, hey, if you're derailing, if your life is showing that you're not a Christian, you need to be corrected. And how you respond to that will give evidence to your faith. It's not just that, though, beloved. It's keeping watch for your souls because it's not just you and watching you. It's also watching outside because there are attacks coming from everywhere. There are attacks coming from the world. There are attacks coming from the society, and even from other Christians and the church. We need to be constantly aware of those realities, keeping watch up all the time, being aware of that. Listen to Matthew 10, verse 22. The one who endures till the end will be saved. Now the beautiful reality of this is Philippians 1.6, being confident of this very thing that he who began no good work in you will complete it at the day of Jesus Christ. So it's not on our strength alone to bring it to the end. We're relying on the Holy Spirit. We're living out the gospel in our lives. But if the gospel has transformed us, we will endure to the end. And we as elders are constantly watching that, observing that, and caring for your souls. But then there's another phrase. It says, as those who will have to give an account, and this again is reminding of the end. One day we will stand before the God of the universe and give an account for how we kept watch. That's a little weighty. But listen, beloved, that's why I listen to Al Mohler. That's why I'm pursuing another degree. That's why I read God's Word every day. I can't not have God's Word in my life on a daily basis for my own benefit, but also for you as a church and all seven of us elders. We're installing two at the end of this service. All seven of us elders need to be characterized by that pursuit. The leaders, the leaders of the church, the elders of the church need to keep the end the goal. Which leads to number three, leaders have another responsibility. We need to lead out of the overflow. Lead out of the overflow. Look at the next phrase in verse 17. It says, let them do this with joy. Now listen, I have to be honest with you, the responsibility of keeping watch is one that is burdensome sometimes. I'm just being real with you. In fact, Paul was being real in 2 Corinthians 11, verse 28, when he said on top of all of the experiences that he just had recounted, he talked about being whipped, he talked about starving, he talked about being shipwrecked. And he says, on top of all of that, there's the concern that I have for the church. He's saying, it's a lot. Keeping watch for souls is not a walk in the park. And yet it says we're to do this with the motivation of joy. The concept of joy is a state of joyfulness. It's a settled disposition. In fact, some languages translate this word, the heart that is dancing. And there's times in our lives where we're experiencing burdens and toils, and it's not easy to have that heart go a-dancing. But we are to have joy in the toil, joy in the burden, joy in the keeping watch. How can this be a motivation? Well, it's actually here in the text, but it's actually an untranslated word in the original language. And it turns out to be my favorite word in the Greek. It's the word hinnah. The word hinnah is not translated in the ESV. Literally what the original language says is, so that with joy this may be done. That is very intentional on the word order. So that with this purpose, with joy, that's the emphasis, we're to keep watch. So if joy is not just an emotional response, it is a settled disposition, that is what is to motivate us. Now let me just pause right here for a moment. When I make a statement like that, I want to make sure you understand what I'm saying. Emotions are good. They are God created. Would you please write that down? Because what I'm about to say is often misunderstood. Emotions are designed by God for us to experience, but to understand properly their role. And in saying that, the Bible says that emotions are not the driver of the train. Emotions are dashboard indicators. Now, how important are dashboard indicators in your car? Pretty important. They are necessary. They are good. They are a gift, but they do not drive the car. So what this is saying is that joy is a settled disposition. Joy is at the mind level, at the will level. It's something that we intentionally choose to do. And how can we do that? How can we get to a place where with joy we are keeping watch because we know we're going to give an account? Is the motivation duty? The answer is no. Is the motivation reward? And the answer is no. Because if it's either of those two things, then we are no different than the individuals that Jesus describes in Matthew 7, 21 through 23. Many will come to me on that day saying, Lord, Lord, did we not do this and that? And what will he say? Depart from me, I never knew you. The most tragic response any human being will ever hear from the God of the universe. But listen, the difference between well done, good and faithful servant and depart from me, I never knew you, is not what is done, but why it was done. The difference, and listen beloved, this is eternity hangs in the balance of you owning this and applying this in your life. The difference between you hearing, well done, good and faithful servant, or depart from me, I never knew you, is not what was done, but why it was done. And so elders, listen to this. Our motivation is worship. It is worship. And when leading and keeping watch is the overflow of worship, it will be joy. What's interesting is that when you love the one who gives the commands, even the hard commands will be done with joy. When you love the one who is giving the commands, even the hard commands will be done with joy. When you love the one who gives the commands, even the hard commands will be done with joy. Now what's interesting is the group of men that will be standing up here in a few moments are not described or defined by a number of skills. We're not defined or described by a certain amount of life experience. We're not defined by or described by a certain level of possessions or career accomplishments. We're defined by primarily character. In fact, when you turn over to 1 Timothy 3, it's an interesting passage that is often referred to as the qualification of the elders. It's almost to the point mirrored in Titus 1, verses 5 through 9. But what's interesting is when you look through these qualifications, there are only a couple skills and responsibilities that are outlined. In fact, all of them have to do with preaching the word or defending doctrine. And so for sure, those are skills and responsibilities required of the elders. But the lion's share of these qualifications are character qualifications. In fact, look at verse 2. Therefore, an overseer, and there's some debate as to whether or not this specific list is the primary leader or the group of leaders, but when you compare this with Titus chapter 1, their qualifications are the same. It says, therefore, an overseer must be. Now those words are so important because in the original language, this is in the present tense, meaning this should already be characteristic of this individual, and it must be forever. So what follows should already be characteristic with these individuals and it must continue forever. These are the patterns of their lives. It says they must be above reproach. Now the term above reproach is an interesting one. I think it means stickiness. What do I mean by that? What I mean by that is that if you have an elder, let's just pick Sal Afaso. He's the elder among our elders. And I think this illustration will be like the most exact opposite of what you could ever imagine Sal Afaso to do, that it will prove my point. So those of you who know Sal know that he is dignified, know that he is a respectable man, know that he qualifies, these qualifications apply to him. But if I was to run in here and say, guys, you will never believe this. Salifasso was just out in the hall swearing. Salifasso was punching out the windows and Salifasso was finding every kid that he could find and kicking him. You just proved my point. There's no stickiness with that. You're like, I'm not out there, but I know Sal well enough to know that there's no way he would do that. That's being above reproach. It doesn't mean that Sal has never failed. It doesn't mean that Sal doesn't have ups and downs. But what it means is that the character of his life, the patterns of his life, mean that there's nothing sticky with any accusations in these areas above reproach. But then verse 2, sexual purity. It does say husband of one wife, and time does not allow us to unpack what that actually means, but suffice it to say, this is talking about sexual purity, not just outwardly, not just in speech, but also in our minds. And beloved, we live in a day when it is so easy to shroud our minds from the onlooking world. After all, people make arguments. This doesn't affect anybody. Nobody knows. Do not be deceived, beloved. God is not mocked. What a man sows, he will also reap. Elders must be characterized by sexual purity, both what you can see as well as in their hearts and minds. Verse two talks about being sober-minded. This means biblical thinking. When you talk to the elders of our church, at some point, they should be directing you to scripture. Now, don't grab a pencil and paper and go talk to the elders after this church service and be like, okay, start, go. Oh, they didn't talk about the Bible, not qualified. That's not what this is saying. What this is saying is as you get to know them and as you talk to them, their life should bleed Bible, or as Spurgeon said, Bibline. I can say my experience with these men is that they qualify for that. Thinking, speaking, living out the Bible sober-minded. Verse 2 also says self-control. Stable in their emotions. The pattern of their life as they are in control of their emotions, their emotions don't control them. Hospitable, verse 3. Showing generosity where possible, genuinely caring for others. Verse 3 also says, not being drunk. Now, the concept of drunk, again, time does not allow. This does not mean that elders cannot drink alcohol. What it means is that they're not controlled by it. They're not waking up in the morning saying, I've got to have a drink. They're not drinking to the point of being controlled by alcohol. They control their alcoholic consumption. Also, they're mindful of what the Bible says about being careful of those who are observing. This is their patterns of life. Verse 3, not being driven by money or possessions. Doesn't mean they can't have money. Doesn't mean they can't have awesome possessions. What it means is that that's not what's controlling the decisions of their lives. That's not what's most important in their lives. Verse 4 through 5, this is a sober one. Managing their household well. It does not mean that every child in the church and the wife needs to come in on a Sunday morning with a halo over their head. It doesn't mean that they can't have failures. It doesn't mean that they can't have ups and downs. What it means is that an elder is managing his household in a gospel-centered fashion. That if a child is out of control, if a child does derail, that they are pouring into them, pointing the child to the gospel, teaching the gospel, modeling the gospel, that that is the characteristic of their home. Verse six, mature in the faith. You know what's interesting about this is that there's no age associated with this. But what it means is that the elders of the local church should be recognized as mature followers of Christ. That can happen with 30-year-olds. It can happen with 60-year-olds. It cannot happen with 60-year-olds. It cannot happen with 30-year-olds. The measure is maturity. Are they modeling Christ? Are they speaking the word? Are they applying it in their lives? And then verse 7, they need to be respected in the community. What that means is not one thing in the church and something different outside. That's all. I mean, this is weighty. This is significant. But beloved, listen, there is no measure of skill, there's not even a measure, listen to this, of spiritual discipline that can produce this. The only way a pattern of life can illustrate and reflect these qualifications if it is coming out of the overflow of a life that is pursuing worship. And so elders remember this. This isn't a flip we turn on on a Sunday morning. I guess I got to be an elder. This is a 24-7 position of worship in our own hearts so that when we interact with people in our church, when we lead our church, it is simply an overflow of what is already taking place. Number four, now this is us as a church. We get to enjoy the benefits. We get to enjoy the benefits. Look at the last phrase of Hebrews chapter 13 verse 17. It says, for that would be of no advantage to you, which implies that there is an advantage. We can experience advantage today of something that is promised in the future. In fact, would you write this phrase down? The gospel is an already but not yet reality. The gospel is an already but not yet reality. We will not experience the full benefits and advantage of the gospel until we get to the new Jerusalem. Come Lord Jesus. There will be a day when this earth will be no longer what it is today. There will be a new heaven. There will be a new earth. The New Jerusalem says that there will be nothing unclean that will enter the gates. Praise God for that. There will be no temple required because Christ will be there. There's no sun required because Christ illuminates the new cosmos. That is the day when we will experience the culmination, the full joy of the gospel. But we can understand and appreciate and experience the advantage today. Let me give you some examples of that. Write these down. Psalm chapter 1 and verse 3. Someone who is living out the gospel can experience being planted like a tree in the streams. Whose leaf does not wither, whose fruit is born in season. Psalm 19, 10 through 14, when we are delighting in the law of the Lord, we realize that it is more to be desired than gold and much fine gold, sweeter than the honey in the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned and is keeping them there is great reward. That's awesome. Psalm 37, four, delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 119, in those 170 verses, I would argue that every one of them mentions in some way the word of God and also articulates a blessing associated with it. Anybody want to sign up for that? James chapter 1 verses 2 through 4 counted all joy, beloved brethren, when you fall into trials of many kinds. Wait a minute, stop right there. You mean that I can experience trials in my life and still have joy? Yes, when we're in right relationship with God. Second Corinthians chapter four, Paul talks about how we were pressed down, how we were persecuted, but not forsaken. We did not derail. We did not despair. We are jars of clay. And he acknowledges that. But because of a healthy relationship with God, living out the gospel, we can endure anything that this life throws at us. There is advantage to us now through the gospel, but listen to this, when the gospel is applied on God's terms, not ours. Beloved, there's plenty of people who will be in heaven someday who will have missed out so much on the benefits of the here and now. So many people who gave their life to Christ and they love the Lord, but they just shut their ears to instruction that doesn't sound good to them, shut their ears to instruction that doesn't match previous traditions, that want more of a simple approach, want more of an easy approach. And unfortunately, they don't engage with the God of scriptures and the word of God, which honestly pronounces some question about their profession. But there will be people who end up in eternity in heaven that missed out so much in this life. But friends, the ones who experience the blessing in the here and now, the advantage in the here and now, will do so according to God's terms as revealed in his word. What's the illustration of that? It's the phrase that I skipped over. Look what it says. It says, let them, the leaders, do this with joy and not with groaning. The word groaning means to sigh because of great concern or distress. The leaders of the church will groan, will sigh when the church is not easy to be led. The leaders of the church will groan and sigh when they try to lead with their own agenda. The leaders of the church will groan and sigh when they themselves are not leading out of an overflow of worship. The leaders of the church will groan and sigh when they assume that the authority that they have is intrinsic within them themselves or their role in their office within the church. That's not where the authority comes. The authority comes when they teach and apply God's word accurately. Beloved, let's be a church that is easy to be led. Elders, let's be leaders who lead out of the overflow and keep the end in mind. And then let's, as a sin church, be a church that enjoys the benefits.