Text: Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that He obtained with the blood of His own Son. (Acts 20:28)
Intro:
I. Elders in the OT
Exodus 3:16
The synagogue
II. Elders in the NT
Priests, prophets?
The first Christians; James 2:2
III. What were the apostles?
Apostles = witnesses (Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:21; Acts 26:16)
IV. Responsibilities:
First: worship (Revelation 5:1-10)
Second: oversight (1 Peter 5:1-4)
Shepherds & False shepherds
Teaching
Third: Diotrephes (3 John 9)
Fourth: Paul (Acts 20:17-35)
Fifth: Jesus (1 Peter 2:21-25)
Application: Our Response
Hebrews 13:15-19