Take Heed to Yourself - Introduction

 I think I’d like to begin by directing you to two verses of the New Testament and asking you if you can pick out a key phrase that is found in both of them. The first verse is Acts 20:28, the second is 1 Timothy 4:16. We’ll begin with Acts 20:28 and, as I said, the contest is to pick out the key phrase which occurs in both. It depends partly on the translation that you happen to be using. I’ll read the first one. This is spoken by Paul to the elders of the church at Ephesus. I think it’s a rather appropriate text for you brothers here today.

“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.”

Let me just point out the careful balance of the word of God. The elders are overseers but they’re among the flock, they’re not over the flock. There’s a very delicate balance; to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood.

Now let’s turn to 1 Timothy 4:16. This is in the singular, it’s addressed to Timothy who was, I personally understand, exercising an apostolic function toward the church at Ephesus. He was not, as I understand it, a resident elder but he was Paul’s representative acting on behalf of Paul in ordering the church. Now it’s perfectly possible to understand it another way but that’s the way I understand it.
“Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.”

Now that’s not a difficult thing. What is the key word? Take heed, that’s right. What I want to point out to you this morning is that in each case yourself comes before the flock and before the doctrine. In Acts 20:28 it’s take heed to yourself, then to the flock. And in 1 Timothy 4:16 it’s take heed to yourself and to what you teach. So in each passage the first admonition is not to take heed to what you’re responsible for whether it be the flock that you’re shepherding or the ministry that you’re giving to them, but before that take heed to yourself.

Let’s consider together this morning how you can take heed to yourself, how you can take care of yourself. And that’s not to be selfish or self-centered. It’s to do it because without doing it you don’t have much to give to others. Another thing I’ll point out is if you really inspire, challenge and bless people and then your own life falls apart, it’s questionable whether you will have more blessed or hindered those people in the long run.

What I’m going to share with you is very personal. It’s simply things I’ve discovered that are important if I am to take heed to myself. I’m in no way suggesting that the list would be exactly the same for any of you but I trust that in sharing with you things that have become very important in my life, decisive, the Holy Spirit will cause you to focus on the things he wants you to focus on—which may not be exactly the same.