- Good morning, okay. Now we're going to be going through BCC Covenant number 10 this morning, and I'm sure as you guys have been able to see in our announcement sheet, the title of the sermon is called A Sermon on BCC Covenant number 10. A Sermon on BCC Covenant number 10.

The reason I chose that as a title was because as I was just kind of preparing for today's sermon it dawned on me there are many different ways I could have approached this, many different ways, right? And I'm approaching it one way. And so because I'm approaching it one way, it is not the sermon on BCC Covenant number 10.

It is not the perspective on BCC Covenant number 10. It is A Sermon on BCC Covenant number 10. Now the covenant point reads as follows. I desire to be kept accountable by the leadership and other members at BCC and to keep others accountable of the above covenants and teachings of scripture.

As you guys already know, you guys are very well familiar by now, every single covenant point is not a covenant point that is in addition to the scriptures, right? It is not added onto the scriptures. It's not like they're the scriptures, but we're going to be Berean and we're going to go beyond scripture and add something else.

In fact, there's a direct prohibition against that. Paul says do not go beyond scripture. Rather, what the covenant points are, including this one, it's a summation of teachings in the scripture that are made more easily digestible and for various reasons that are included in the covenant point. Now for that reason, I'm going to go over a lot of verses today, a hefty amount of verses today.

The reason I chose to do it in that manner is because I want to show you that this topic is spoken widely throughout scripture. It's not something that BCC decided to hinge on one verse. We want to do this this way, so let's find a verse and let's hinge on it.

Rather, scriptures speak of this covenant point in detail and in many different places. I'm going to approach this morning's sermon via three points. They're going to be three points. Peer accountability, submission to elders, the example, reason, and the goal. I want to say that again. Peer accountability, submission to elders, the example, reason, and the goal.

Number one is going to be connected with number three. Number two is going to be connected with number three. It doesn't make any sense now, but it should. But before we do that, let's pray. Father, we come before you this morning ready to hear your word. Not man's word, not what man has to say, but your word.

If there is anything that I say that is from man, please take it away and lay for your children only the pure seed of the word of God and may that, the word of God, be implanted into every individual and may that be the vehicle that causes fruit. Open up your word this morning.

We ask and pray these things in the name of your son. Amen. Peer accountability, point number one, peer accountability. It stems from this portion of the covenant. I desire to be kept accountable by other members at BCC and to keep others accountable. I desire to be kept accountable by other members at BCC and to keep others accountable.

Now, the fact that I told you that the Bible speaks extensively about accountability won't come as a shock to probably anyone in this room. The Bible speaks extensively about accountability. It talks about it in very explicit terms, but it also talks about it in very implicit terms. I'll give you an example of an implicit way it speaks of accountability.

Every time the Bible says that we are part of one body, that necessitates that you're in a community. Every time the Bible speaks of us being in one body, that means that you can't live on, like, intentionally live on an island and practice faithful Christianity. Every time the scriptures say, "Love one another, be kind to one another, exhort one another, meet one another," that necessitates the concept of a community.

Now, let me take a step further to equate this with accountability. I don't think anyone follows those commandments perfectly. I don't think anyone follows those commandments perfectly. We're called to love one another. We're called to be patient. We're called to be kind. We're called to exhort. We're called to rebuke.

We're called to do much more, and no one does it perfectly. And so there, the idea of accountability is born implicitly, but also very explicitly, right? Just so that we don't take anything for granted, I want to read to you a lot of verses. There's going to be a lot of verses on the screen.

You don't have to turn there because I'm going to be going through a lot, okay? But just try to follow with me mentally, okay? 1 Thessalonians 5.11 says this, "Therefore, encourage one another and build up one another just as you also are doing." Proverbs 27.17 says this, "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Ecclesiastes 4.9-10, "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.

For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up." Luke 17.3-4, "Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day and returns to you seven times saying, 'I repent,' forgive him." Explicit commands.

And the verses go on. Now, so the commands are apparent. The commands are apparent. But in order to fully understand accountability, I want to talk about the why for a second. I want to talk about the why. The why in conjunction with the context. In order to do that, let's go to the beginning.

When you and I became a Christian, when you and I were converted, what happened? We went from darkness to light, right? You've all seen pitch darkness. You can't see a thing. You went from that state, darkness, complete, utter darkness, right? You were a dead horse. You weren't just a bad man or a bad woman, right, that God made good.

You were a dead man that is now alive. A dead woman that is now alive. That is how the scriptures speak of conversion. So naturally what flows from that is that things change about your life. The way you view things, your value system, your interests, your hobbies, your pursuits.

Because your pursuits and your interests and your hobbies and your value system before were that of a dead man, were that of a blind man, right? But now you are alive. Now you can see. You are in the light. But the problem is this. The problem is this. Even though the scriptures clearly speak of our salvation as one that is final and victorious, I don't need to convince you that we still stumble.

We still stumble. We live in this fallen tent. We still live in the flesh. If you were to read portions of scripture in a vacuum, and you're not a human being, you're just some apparition, you're reading portions of scripture in a vacuum, you might not understand that the believer is still living in the fallen flesh.

But we are. But we are. Ephesians 2, 5 through 6, and 21 through 22 gives this juxtaposition a little bit more clear, okay? Let me read it to you and you'll see what I'm talking about. Ephesians 2, 5 through 6 says this. Even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ, by grace we have been saved, and raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

In the same chapter, in verses 21 through 22, it says this. In whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom also, you also, are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. If you were to read 2, 5, 6 in a vacuum, Ephesians 2, 5, 6, you would think, "Well, we're with him in the heavenly places, and that's it." But at the same time, we are being fitted together, we're growing into a holy temple, and we are being built together into a dwelling of God by Spirit.

We live in the fallen tent. But even though our salvation is one of complete victory, there is the now that we have to contend with that is very much true. But on top of that, on top of living in a fallen tent, we also live in a fallen world.

Now let me be clear here. God is in complete control of every single event since the creation of time. Every single atom that bumps into another atom, he's in control of. Everything has been already preordained. But within that umbrella, within that umbrella of God's omniscience and sovereignty, there is an aspect in which this world is under the control of the evil one.

If it was in every angle in control of Christ, there would be no sin in this world. But it is still in control of the evil one. On top of that, you have the wicked one himself. So we are victorious in Christ, but we live in a fallen tent, we live in a fallen world, and we still have to contend with the wicked one.

Ephesians 2.2 and 6.12 says this, "The prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working, and the sons of disobedience." 6.12 says this, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." It is in that context that Peter says in 1 Peter 5.8, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.

Be not like Jerry the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." That is the reality. Why accountability? Why accountability? Because that is the reality. Let me add another layer to this. Jeremiah 17.9 says this, "The heart is more deceitful than all else, and is desperately sick." Who can understand it?

The heart is deceitful, more deceitful than all else, and is desperately sick. Who can understand it? Now at this point in time, I don't want to go into, I get Jeremiah, and I get that we have the mind of Christ, I don't want to go into the theological implications of that.

However, the principle behind this, that sin is so sublime, so subtle, so beguiling, that it can trick you, that it can trick me, that is the very nature of sin. Maybe you know, or maybe you don't know. Maybe you're wise, maybe you're not wise. Maybe you know the scripture, maybe you don't know the scripture.

So yes, we are absolutely saved. We are seated with Him in the heavenly places. But what is also true at the same time is we are being sanctified right now, we are being fitted together, so we still live in a fallen tent, in a fallen world, under the control of the wicked one, and sin is that deceitful.

Why accountability? Why accountability? If you're of sober spirit, and you understand the reality that is, this will not be a question for you. This will not be a question for you. I'm not saying that you better get plugged into some church program. There's not enough programs at church to plug everyone into an accountability group.

But in the pursuit of Christ and the abstaining of sin, what is also true is that you and I both have blind spots. And if we are called to be in a body, that means none of us can live in isolation, and that we cannot practice our Christianity individually.

That necessitates such concepts. And then if that is the case, if your pursuit of Christ is all-encompassing, why not follow the commands that is already laid out in scripture to seek accountability? Aren't there things in your life that you don't see that other people see? There are things in my life that I do not see that other people see.

Maybe there are things in your life that you don't see, but you don't understand the severity. Let me say one other point about accountability. If you are in an accountability group already, I really hope that it's centered on the word. I really hope that it is centered on the word.

Not a, "You're good, and I'm good, it's like the blind leading the blind, we're all good, and everything's fine." But a pursuit of Christ using the very lamp of God, which is his word. Because if we are in darkness, if we are in darkness, which the Bible says we are, and if the word of God is a lamp, then what else would you use to guide whether or not your pursuits, your value system, the things you spend your time and money on, all those things are actually in accord with Christ.

Is it gonna be the blind man next to you? Or is it going to be the actual word of God? Let me go further here. James chapter three, verse two, says that we all stumble in many ways. We all stumble in many ways. Second Corinthians 5.10 says this, that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.

If we all stumble in many ways, and we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, then why accountability? Then why accountability? Or maybe you think you can do it on your own. And I've gotta tell you, if you do think that, you stand in contradiction to scripture.

So let's keep each other accountable with our intake of the word, with our prayer life, where we spend our time, the things that we value. Let's keep each other accountable, because we cannot see clearly all the time. And when we do so, let's hold it up to the measure of the word.

Now the word of God is a double-edged sword. And I gotta tell you, as I'm saying this to you, it's cutting me. It's cutting me. And it is clear from scripture that it doesn't matter how long you've been a Christian for. Okay? It doesn't matter. I've been a Christian for 20 years.

I don't need accountability. Now you never actually say that, but you think it, right? It doesn't matter how long you've been a Berean for. It doesn't matter if you're a small group leader. It certainly doesn't matter if you're an elder. That doesn't matter. Acts 10.34 says this. I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality.

I love the King James Version. God is no respecter of persons. I don't think it's gonna go well for me if I appear before Christ and I tell him that I didn't really think I needed accountability because I was voted by men as an elder. So I just felt like it wasn't really necessary.

I don't know. That might not work, right? As we think about this BCC covenant point, and as you think about accountability, think very soberly about what is reality. And as you consider what reality is, don't look to your own understanding of what reality is because that's how sublime sin is.

That's how subtle it is. That's how powerful it is. And that's how deceptive it is. Look to what the Word of God says as to what reality is, and then make a decision as to whatever choice you make in life, especially as it relates to accountability. So if you are mired in sin, if you are mired in sin, consider getting accountability.

If you are in a place where you clearly know that your accountability group is not running on the wheels of scripture, consider getting out. And in all things, are you moving towards the upward call of God in Christ Jesus? Point number two. Point number two, submission to elders. Submission to elders.

Now, I'm smiling here because I'm an elder, right? And anything I say at this point, it could come off self-aggrandizing, self-rewarding, pompous, maybe even shameless, right? Because what I'm about to tell you could be taken as, "Submit to me." And as I was preparing this portion of the sermon, I thought to myself, "Man, this is going to go over well, right?" But in the spirit of 2 Corinthians 11, 1, in the spirit of 2 Corinthians 11, 1, I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are bearing with me.

I hope you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Just bear with me a little bit. Because what I'm going to give you at this point is not what I say, but what the Word of God says. So let's get to those verses right now. 1 Corinthians 16, 15 to 16 says this, "Now I urge you, brethren, you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first roots of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints, that you also be in subjection to such men, and to everyone who helps in the work and labors." 1 Thessalonians 5, 11 through 12 says this, "But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord, and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

Live in peace with one another." 1 Peter 5, 5 says this, "You younger men likewise, be subject to your elders, and all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another. For God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Hebrews 13, 17 says this, "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account." Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

A note on Hebrews 13 with respect to the Greek words obey and submit. The word for obey that's used here in Hebrews 13 and 17 is the same word that's used in relation to Jesus trusting in God in Matthew 27, 43. It's the same exact word here. Let me give you some definitions.

They would include, but are not limited to, to be assured of, to have confidence in, to be convinced of, to be persuaded, to trust, and to be induced by one's word to believe absolutely. I didn't get this from an elders dictionary. I got this from a Greek dictionary. Please look it up yourself.

This is from Strong's Concordance dictionary. The word for submit means to yield and to surrender. The word for submit here means to yield and surrender. So in Hebrews 13 and 17 it says, "Obey your leaders and submit to them." Now let me say that again, okay? That's what the word of God says.

I didn't say it. That's what the word of God says. First Corinthians 16, First Thessalonians 5, First Peter 5, Hebrews 13. That is from the word of God. But let me address the elephant in the room for a minute, okay? Let me address this for a second. When you and I hear the word submission, when you and I hear the word submission, it's kind of a dirty word because it comes with a lot of cultural baggage.

Now a lot of it is reasonable, okay? And I feel the same exact way. You know what words I love? I love independence. I love independence. I love July 4th, right? I love what it represents and what it stands for. I love independence. You know what other word I love?

Autonomy. Yes, I love autonomy. Let me do what I want, right? You know what word I very much dislike? Supervision. Supervision. I'm like, "Ugh, supervision." Right? Oh, you and I dislike supervision. But you know what word we dislike even more than supervision? Submission. Submission. When you go to a wedding and you hear vows and you hear the word submission, you know it's a Christian wedding, right?

Ain't no one going to say that word unless they're believers in the Bible. In this culture, forget about it, right? You are a chauvinist and you are a Neanderthal. So unless you have complete loyalty to the word of God, that word submission is not happening. And even when you have submission to the word of God, that word might not be used even then in a wedding ceremony, right?

So there's a lot of cultural baggage that comes with that. The reasonable part is this, okay? If you and I were to wake up next morning, we turn on the news and we hear of a corrupt politician, no one's going to be surprised. No one's going to be like, "Oh, I never heard of such a thing.

Someone abused their power." Not going to be surprised. You hear of a corrupt religious leader, no one's going to be like, "There's a corrupt religious leader somewhere." Nobody's going to be surprised. In fact, we are inundated with that, right? When you hear a story of a politician with integrity, you're like, "Wow, that's like the anomaly," right?

And so that word is connected with submission because submission is connected with leadership and power. And if those two things are corrupted, why in the world would I submit? But it goes even deeper than that. Oh yes, it goes even deeper. Even within the church context, the context of a true church, there are many people who would love to occupy the place of spiritual blessing.

It is not enough that you see God glorified. No, no. You want God to use you to glorify himself. It's not enough for you to stand back and see God working. You need to be used by God or else God is not glorified. Even within the context of the church, it seeps in.

I am not saying anything novel here. We're all kind of there, right? We've all tasted it to a certain degree. So all of this is in our head. This is the context and all of a sudden you hear the word "submission." I'm very aware of that context, okay? But let me point, let me paint something else for you, okay?

Sin is around now. That's why people are corrupt now in government, in religion. That's why people are corrupt now, okay? Sin was also around when 1 Corinthians 16 was written, when 1 Thessalonians 5 was written, when 1 Peter 5 was written. When Hebrews 13 was written, sin was still around.

Corrupt governments were around. Corrupt religious leaders were around. They had seen corrupt governments. They had seen corrupt politicians. And you know what else? This is going to be a tough pill to swallow, okay? So hold on, okay? Hold on. God mediates much of his rule through people. God mediates much of his rule through people.

You and I don't wake up. God imparts the clouds and says, "James, this is what you're going to do today. This is what you're going to say. You get together with this person and this is what you do." And I meet that person and that person says, "Yeah, God imparted the clouds this morning and he told me X, Y, and Z." "Oh yeah, he told me the same thing." "That's great.

I follow God and not man." Right? "That's great." That would be awesome. That would be awesome. But it doesn't work that way. God deliberately and intentionally chooses to mediate much of his rule through people, which is why it says what it says right here. It says these verses right here because that is the case.

Let me go even deeper than that. If you don't have a submissive attitude towards your leaders, if you don't have that, it is indicative of your spiritual maturity or lack thereof. It is more reminiscent, more indicative of your spiritual immaturity. Why? A couple reasons why. You are enamored with your own ideas.

Your own ideas seem grandiose to you. And when you are confronted with the fact that there is an apparent deficiency in a holistic knowledge of the scriptures, it still doesn't change your mind. Moreover, moreover, Hebrews 13, 17 says, "Obey your leaders and submit to them." If it says, "Obey your leaders and submit to them," how can you be a mature Christian and in violation of God's commandment?

How does that work? You're a mature Christian, but you're in violation of God's commandment. Maybe you lack a belief in the sovereignty of God. Did you consider that? Maybe you lack faith in the way God has designed the institution of the church. Maybe you lack faith in that. Because what I've quoted to you is God's word.

I'm not the one that said, "Obey your leaders and submit to them." I'm not the one that instituted elders. God has ordained it in that way. So if you don't have a submissive attitude, a logical conclusion to that is that maybe you don't have faith in the word of God.

Maybe you don't have faith in the word of God. Maybe you don't have a complete understanding of the scriptures. Now I want to put in a plug right here, okay? Because what I said right now, it is severe and it is cutting. It is true, but it also cutting and severe.

I want to pull this plug in right now so everyone in here hears it. This is a personal policy of mine. If you have a question about anything, is that word exhaustive enough? Anything, right? If you have a question about anything, come and ask me. Just come and ask me.

There's no reason why you should be in the dark. I don't know what I don't know. I don't know if you have questions about something. But if you have a question about something, feel free to come and ask. Why am I putting this plug here? I understand how difficult it is to submit.

I understand that. It's not like I became an elder and I forgot, okay? Submission in any context is extremely difficult. Why? Think about your relationship with God. You submit to God, not all the time, but you ultimately submit to God because you know He's good. And because you know He's good, that helps you to submit, right?

My point is, a lot of times, if you know the why, it'll help with submission. And I want to do everything humanly possible to make this portion of Christian life easy breezy for you. I don't want to speak truth to you and just say, "Good luck with it." I don't want to do that.

At the same time, I need to speak the truth. The truth is there. It's going to make me look a certain way. Regardless, I still need to speak it. And I still need to speak what reality actually is. But I can do what is humanly possible to make this commandment as easy for you as possible.

I think a lot of times, if you know the why, if you just know the why, "Why did we decide this? Oh, okay. Okay. Oh, why did we decide this? Well, this is the reason why. Oh, oh, oh. You might disagree, but you see that thought was put into it.

Prayer was put into it. Oh, okay. I don't necessarily agree, but okay. Okay." There is no need for anyone to be just hiding in the back. There's absolutely no need for that when I've given you an open invitation. And if anyone is not here, I said the same exact thing at first service.

If anyone is not here, this is an open invitation to the entire church. You want to ask me about something, feel free to come and ask me. If it's one person, if it's five people, if it's 10 people, if 20, whatever it is, we can meet somewhere. 20 of you want to gather together, I'll go there by myself.

I'll answer your questions. I want to make this as easy as possible for you. Now, there are some things I might not be able to, like if you ask me, "Well, what does that person's secret?" I mean, like, come on. Right? I mean, right? Can't do that, right? But if it's something that I can help you with, with respect to submission, because I know how hard it is, it's not like I don't, I still have to exercise submission, obviously, in many, many different places.

But maybe if you know the why, it'll help. That is my personal plug to you, knowing that this commandment is difficult. I want to cover one other rather ugly point as it relates to submission to elders, because it kind of gives a glimpse as to why it's important and what the elder must do.

But before I do that, I want to read to you two verses. Second Timothy 2, 14 to 17, and Philippians 2, 14. Let me read Second Timothy 2, 14 to 17 to you. It says this, "Remind them of these things and solemnly charge them in the presence of God, not to wrangle about words which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers.

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be accurately handling the word of truth, but avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness and their talk will spread like gangrene." Philippians 2, 14 says this, "Do all things without grumbling or disputing." Part of an elder's job, and perhaps why the scriptures call us to submission, is that the elders have to deal with this.

Now let me be clear about something. Every Christian is called to confront and rebuke sin. Make no mistake about it. Every single Christian. There is no job within scripture that is pertaining only to an elder and not to a Christian. You see sin and you don't rebuke it? And you think that will fly with Christ?

Doesn't work that way. So it is every Christian's job. But, the buck needs to stop with the elders. The buck needs to stop with the elders. If there were a person in here, he became a member, right? And I'm giving an incredibly facetious example. He decided to become a serial killer.

Right? And he just goes and he kills three people, right? And we say, "We rebuke that guy." Because he's like, "No, I think it's okay to kill people." We're like, "Oh, it's not okay to kill people." So we rebuke that guy, right? I don't think anyone in here would have a problem with that.

Nobody in here would have a problem with that. Because the remedy is not disproportionate with what we're doing, with his conduct, excuse me. The remedy is not disproportionate with the remedy, okay? But when you engage in godless chatter, and you murmur, and you cause dissension, on a human level, on a human level, whenever that is dealt with, whenever that is dealt with, it looks disproportionate.

It looks disproportionate. That is how we view it in a human worldview. But what do the... I get that's the worldview. But what do the scriptures say? What do the scriptures say? It leads to the ruin of the hearers. Their talk will spread like gangrene. Philippians 2.14, "Do all things without grumbling or disputing." So even though you might think it's not a big deal, the scriptures stand in contradiction to what you believe reality actually is.

And if you think about it for a second, because everyone else thinks it's no big deal, because everybody else thinks it's no big deal, that's the reason why it could spread. Serial killing is not going to spread, because nobody thinks it's a big deal. But that murmuring that's kind of innocent and not innocent, oh, that can spread, and that can divide.

And be careful that you divide the body of Christ. Every Christian is called to confront that. But it stops with the elders. We should stop with the elders. That is our job. That is unenviable, isn't it? It is extremely unenviable. I want to say something else here. I don't want anyone to get the idea that there's some implication that I don't like it when you ask questions.

I just got through. Don't distort what I'm saying. I'm telling you what scripture says. Don't make an implication that says, "Well, I guess he doesn't like it when questions are asked." That is not the case. I just said, "Ask me any question anytime you want." But what do the scriptures say?

What do the scriptures say? It will lead to the ruin of hearers. Their talk will spread like gangrene. Every Christian is called to confront it. But at the very least, the elders must deal with it. That is a difficult job, and perhaps that's why the commands to submit to elders in part is given.

Point number three. Point number three. The example, the reason, and the goal. The example, the reason, and the goal. I'm pretty sure you know who I'm talking about when I say the example, the reason, and the goal. I'm going to connect point number one to this point, and I'm going to connect point number two with this point.

Matthew 21, 12 to 17. Mark 11, 15 to 18. Luke 19, 45 through 48. All describing the same event. Let me read to you Mark 11, 15 to 18. "Then they came to Jerusalem, and he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the temples of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.

And he would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. And he began to teach and say to them, 'Is it not written, my house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations, but you have made it a robbers den.' The chief priests and the scribes heard this and began seeking how to destroy him, for they were afraid of him, for the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching." Accountability to what end?

Submission to elders to what end? Accountability to what end? Let me ask you. In your accountability group, it's supposed to lead to Christ-likeness, right? It's supposed to lead to Christ-likeness. Does it lead to a Christ in the temple? Does it lead you to a Christ in the temple? Everybody wants to be Christ the Lamb.

Everybody wants to be the John 9 Christ, where he says to the blind man, "Go wash," and he can see. Everybody wants to be that Christ. And inwardly, everybody wants to be the Christ that's shouted, "Hosanna, Hosanna." So you have a picture of who Christ is, don't you? You have a picture, and you take parts from the Bible, but the whole counsel of God must be taught.

And if Christ-likeness is the goal in your accountability group, do you remember Christ in the temple? When you hear this passage, do you feel a kinship with Christ? Or is it so far from your spiritual vocabulary that you wouldn't ever dream of doing such a thing? Remember Christ, the zeal of God so consumed him that he is okay with being misunderstood.

He is okay with having his reputation destroyed. He is okay being caricatured. He is okay with that because of the joy set before him. Christ in the temple, he is looking at those he would later save through his blood, and those people are the ones putting him to the cross.

They don't understand what he is doing. If you and I were alive during this time and we witnessed this event, what would you and I think? "Oh, I get what he's doing. I get what Jesus is doing, but I would have done it more wisely." Or, "I get what Jesus is doing, but I would have been more loving." You see the irony of that, right?

Because Christ is love. Christ has no sin. He didn't just lose control. This is actually his second time cleansing the temple. At least, his second time cleansing the temple. At the very same time, does your accountability group lead you, and does it include a picture of Christ in the temple?

Paul says it in a different way, capturing the same concept. Philippians 3, 7-11 says this, "But whatever things were gained to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in him.

Not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death, in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." If Paul had it his way, he would have been transported with Christ in the temple.

Do not forget that picture. There's another way that Christ in the temple connects with accountability. The temple is a place where Jews came, or proselytes, Jewish proselytes came to meet God, right? The temple is where you come to meet Yahweh. Where you give your devotion, where you give your time and your sacrifice to Yahweh, right?

Okay. Jesus cleansed that, okay? Post-Pentecost, meaning today, where is the temple of God now? Where is the temple of God now? First Corinthians 6, 19-20 says this, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

For you have been bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body." Therefore glorify God in your body. In your accountability group, will you allow Christ to cleanse the temple? And let it be one, as you're good, I'm good, and everything's good, right? Let it be centered on the very Word of God.

And let Christ cleanse the temple. Because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit that is in us. That's John 15. Submission to elders. To what end? Submission to elders, to what end? In order for me to illustrate this point, it's gonna be helpful to know what an elder must be and what an elder must do.

Okay, it's gonna make a lot more sense, so I'm gonna go through that first. And this is, these are in Titus 1.5-9, 1 Timothy 3.1-7, and 1 Peter 5.1-4. It's not exhaustive, it's not exhaustive, right? But a lot of it comes from there. Now, I have a list here, I'm gonna read it to you.

These are the things an elder must be. Above reproach, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or quarrelsome, gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money, manage their own household well. I don't know who this describes, it certainly doesn't describe me, right? Let's consider what elders must do.

We don't stop there. Let's consider what elders must do. Be fast to word, exhort those with sound doctrine, refute those who contradict, shepherd the flock without compulsion, be an example, mete out the administration of the church, pray for all, deal with divisiveness, determine and enforce discipline. If you have any depth with respect to understanding what I said, this is all humanly impossible.

It goes a little further in John 10, 11-15. In John 10, 11-15 it says this, "I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees.

And the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd and I know my own and my own know me. Even as the father knows me and I know the father, I lay down my life for the sheep." Now I understand the context here, okay?

But the principle here is right, every elder is an under-shepherd of Christ. Elders are not bosses, they're stewards, they're deputy shepherds. And just as every single Christian is called to mimic Christ, the elder better mimic Christ. So if you consider the list that I've just given to you with respect to what an elder must be, with respect to what an elder must do, on top of that you have the example of Christ in John 10, who does not flee when the wolf comes.

And the reason that is difficult is because the wolf will come in sheep's clothing. And when the shepherd defends the sheep from the other wolf, the sheep are looking at you because the wolf is dressed in sheep's clothing, thinking, "What are you doing? What are you doing?" Because the wolf is dressed in sheep's clothing.

But the shepherd must continue to feed the sheep. And sometimes maybe the hand that feeds them might get bitten, but nonetheless the shepherd must continue to feed the sheep. All of these requirements taken in aggregate, the execution of what an elder must do is humanly impossible. It is humanly impossible.

Let's go back to Christ in the temple. You see any apostles there? I don't see any apostles there. He's by himself. What about the throngs of people that shouted "Hosanna" to the King of David, the Son of David, the King of Israel? Where are they? I don't see anyone there.

I see a lone man taking on the corrupt religious establishment, making sure that everyone has a chance to know the actual true way. I see Christ by himself. I see Christ by himself. It should not be news to you that at some point in your Christian life, in some circumstance, maybe God calls you to be by yourself.

And as elders, and as elders, we visit this a lot because we are under-shepherds. We are deputy shepherds. They must hold the line. The requirements and the execution of what we have to do is humanly impossible. Knowing all that, knowing all that, will you submit to us? Will you submit to us?

I know it's scary. It is risky. Because what if we abuse our power? I understand. And you're right. We're men. Not sinless. But I don't want to tell you, the Scripture commands it. It does. It does. But nobody wants that kind of submission. Nobody wants that kind of submission.

Hebrews 13 to 17, I go back to it. "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account." We have to give an account. "Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you." This would be unprofitable for you.

There's another horizontal relationship that has the word "submission" implied, explicitly commanded. I just talked about it. It's marriage, right? The wife is called to submit to the husband. That's what the Scriptures say. And the wife takes that risk with this dude. How is he going to be in five, ten years?

But what is the husband's call? It's to love. But love in what manner? As Christ loved the church. To love unconditionally and to love deeply. And so we will do the same. We will love you unconditionally and we will love you deeply, no matter what you do. But just like in marriage, when submission is practiced correctly, within the confines of Scripture, maybe it'll become a witness to a dying world.

A dying world where their picture of submission is encapsulated. It is filled with everything that is sin and corruption. But maybe when they step inside the church and they see submission done the way of Christ, maybe it'll glorify God. And maybe it'll be a witness to many. Isn't that the picture of marriage?

Isn't that the picture of marriage? It is the same exact picture within the church. Accountability to what end? Submission to what end? Because of the example, the reason, and the goal. I know what I stated this morning is difficult. There's no doubt about it. It is difficult. And just like I said earlier, I love questions, and if you want to talk, let's talk.

If some of you here are offended by what I said, before you act on your state of being offended, think to yourself, what is propositional truth? What does the Bible say? And then work from there. Don't be offended and then read into the Scripture. What does the Scripture say?

And then go from there. There are others of you who are rebuked, who are challenged. Maybe you're even despondent because the Word of God tends to cut. Don't stay there. Don't stay there. Repent, abide, and God will make you strong.