• Attitude check: Galatians 1:6-7; 4:16 – When we disagree, the point is to unify on truth.

  • Why don’t you call your preacher the “Pastor?” (continued)

    • Three Greek words are used in the New Testament to refer to the men who are appointed as leaders and watch over the souls in a local church.

      • Presbuteros – elder, presbyter

      • Episkopos – overseer, bishop

      • Poimen – pastor, shepherd

    • How do we know these words all refer to the same man?

      • Acts 20:17, 28; I Peter 5:1-2 – These passages use the terms interchangeably.

    • Don’t preachers feed the flock, thus making them pastors/shepherds?

      • Yes, they do, but so do other people: song leaders, scripture readers, those who bring short lessons, etc.

      • The Bible makes a distinction between anyone who feeds the flock and those who are specifically designated with special responsibilities. I Timothy 3; Titus 1

    • Why this matters

      • We don’t want to imply that preachers have some unauthorized role or authority within a congregation.

      • We don’t want to rob elders of their proper role and authority.

  • How do I know when the Holy Spirit is talking to me?

    • Don’t take Jesus’ promises to the apostles as promises to us.

      • Jesus made several promises about the Holy Spirit to the apostles. Those promises are often quoted today as if Jesus was making promises to all people for all time.

      • John 13-17 – Jesus was speaking with His apostles.

        • Matthew 26:20; Mark 14:17; Luke 22:14

        • John 14:26; 15:27

      • “You”: apostles, not all believers everywhere for all time

        • John 14:16-17, 25-26 – Holy Spirit would teach and inspire perfect memories.

        • John 15:26-27

        • John 16:7-13

      • Jesus prayed with and for the apostles in John 17 and then that’s the end of the section (John 18:1).

    • These promises to the apostles began to be fulfilled in Acts 1-2.

      • Acts 1:1-8 – Jesus gave orders to the apostles.

      • Acts 1:14-15 – Other people mentioned, but subject returns to the apostles in Acts 1:26.

      • Only the apostles were speaking in tongues in Acts 2.

      • Acts 2:7 and 1:11

      • Acts 2:14, 37, 42-43

    • Luke 24:49

    • We might wonder if the phrase in Acts 2:38 (“the gift of the Holy Spirit”) means that all people receive some supernatural communication or power from the Spirit.

      • Numerous examples show that baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit in a miraculous way were two separate things. Acts 8:16-18; 10:44-48; 19:1-7