WEBVTT

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 We're reading from two passages today.

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 So the first one is Acts chapter 6, verses 1 to 7.

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 Now in these days, when the disciples were increasing in number,

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 a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews

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 because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.

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 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said,

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 it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.

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 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute,

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 full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.

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 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

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 And what they said pleased the whole gathering,

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 and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,

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 and Philip of Prochorus and Nicanor, and Timon of Parmenas,

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 and Nicolaus of the proselyte of Antioch.

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 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

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 And the word of God continued to increase,

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 and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem,

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 and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

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 And then we're moving to 1 Timothy, chapter 3, verses 8 to 16.

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 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued,

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 not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.

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 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience,

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 and let them also be tested first,

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 then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.

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 Their wives likewise must be dignified,

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 not slanderers but sober-minded, faithful in all things.

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 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife,

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 managing their children and their own households well.

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 For those who serve well as deacons gain good standing for themselves,

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 and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

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 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you

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 so that if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God,

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 which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.

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 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness.

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 He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit,

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 seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations,

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 believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

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 I see a few strangers in the second row.

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 Welcome, Corderwoods.

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 Great to have you with us.

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 Will you pray with me?

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 My name's Dave.

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 I'm one of the pastors here.

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 If you're new this morning, it's great that you're here,

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 and I'd love to meet you after the service.

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 Why don't we pray as we come to God's word?

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 Let's pray.

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 Father, as we come to a topic about authority,

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 since the fall, each of us have a reaction against any authority above us.

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 And so I pray that your word would breathe more life into us

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 so that we might see the beauty of your authority

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 and reflect that beauty in how we operate as a church.

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 So I pray this in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 Well, blessed are the cheesemakers.

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 Some people, if Andrew Jones is here, it's good news for you.

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 He's a cheesemaker.

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 Now, those who know that's a Monty Python quote,

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 and I was watching a Monty Python interview,

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 and many of the cast were saying that they were influenced by the goons,

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 which that's before my time, but a radio show.

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 And I found it interesting that what each of the members of Monty Python

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 were attracted to in the goons,

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 one thing especially was that they poked fun at authority,

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 which was very new for the time.

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 Now, poking fun at authority is pretty common now, isn't it?

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 And Monty Python, like that quote,

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 they're willing to poke fun at Christ.

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 They pushed it to another level.

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 Watching that, it just bursts any notion that troubles with submitting to authority,

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 it's not new in our age, is it?

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 It's always been around.

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 But there seems to be widespread suspicion, right, don't you find,

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 of any authority unless you're the one in it?

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 There's suspicion of any authority above us.

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 So we're going to be spending time this morning looking at the topic of deacons

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 and who are those whom God calls us to identify and gladly submit to.

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 This is an area where we're called to be different from the world,

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 to be a light to the world, a winsome light

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 in who is in authority and in submitting to authority.

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 Now, I briefly want to clarify why are we pausing Acts

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 to look at 1 Timothy 3?

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 Why are we stopping our series in Acts?

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 Well, we're not quite stopping.

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 We're pausing and going deeper into the passage from last week.

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 There's three main reasons.

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 First is that the elders believe it is a priority to expand the diaconate soon.

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 Paul and Alex have been deacons for 10 years, faithfully now,

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 and we just think it would be wise to expand that team

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 to be able to achieve more.

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 Paul and Alex can't carry it all on their own,

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 so we think it would be a wise thing to do.

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 The second reason we want to pause and look at this

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 is we're about to distribute the Constitution,

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 and that's all about how the church is going to be structured.

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 And a significant section of that is on leaders,

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 so it seems worthwhile pausing to prepare for that as well.

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 And the third reason is to demonstrate how we can,

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 in the book of Acts,

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 we can glean implications that we are to follow today.

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 I said last week that talking about deacons isn't Luke's primary purpose.

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 That wasn't his purpose, primary purpose,

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 but it seems probable that he gave us these details,

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 some of which we should be following the example of the early church.

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 So that's why we do it.

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 We want to expand the diaconate.

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 We're about to look at the Constitution of the church family,

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 and we need principles to govern us to understand Acts properly.

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 So for those reasons, we're looking at 1 Timothy 3.

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 So in Acts 6, they appoint something that looked like deacons,

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 even though they aren't given the title of deacons.

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 And the reason we saw was to address disunity in the church,

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 that there was a difference in how people were relating to one another

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 that wasn't reflecting who we really are in Jesus.

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 But they did it in such a way that it didn't distract them

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 from the teaching and proclamation of the word.

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 Now, what out of that story should we be following today?

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 How do we decide that?

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 Is the number seven important?

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 Is the fact we've got only two deacons a problem?

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 Is seven necessary?

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 Should they be men?

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 Is their function to provide food to those in need,

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 or as a general principle, to look after the needy, the vulnerable,

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 widows and orphans?

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 Who decides who to appoint deacons?

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 Is it the leaders, the successors of the apostles,

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 or is it the whole church deciding equally?

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 You start asking questions, and there's way more questions than that,

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 and you get into how do you even decide what we should learn?

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 So here's an important principle for interpreting scripture.

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 So use the clear to interpret the less clear.

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 Use the explicit commands in the New Testament to interpret the narrative,

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 which is only implied.

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 So use the explicit to interpret the narrative.

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 So that's why we're going to 1 Timothy 3,

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 because the purpose of it is to talk directly about deacons.

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 Now, as we come into 1 Timothy 3,

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 where we're headed is we're going to look at what is the church,

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 we're going to look at who should lead the church,

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 and then we're going to look at what is the truth

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 that the church is called to reflect and defend and proclaim.

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 What was happening in the church at the time, in Timothy's time,

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 is in chapter 1 verse 3, there's very capable people,

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 very religious people in the church who are spreading false teaching.

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 It was there from day one,

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 and unbelief and false teaching is around today.

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 It's constant.

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 It's a constant threat on the church.

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 So that's the context here.

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 So if you've got these really capable religious people

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 saying things that are wrong,

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 how on earth do you discern who's godly or not?

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 Who do you appoint as leaders if they seem so religious?

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 It's a hard question.

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 That's the point of 1 Timothy 3, to answer that.

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 But I want to start with Paul's purpose statement

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 in verse 15 of chapter 3.

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 If you've got it open in front of you.

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 He gives us why he's writing this letter.

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 He's saying, Timothy, I may be delayed in coming to you,

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 so I'm writing so that you know how you should conduct yourself

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 in the household of God.

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 Now what is the church?

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 It's the household of God.

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 It's the assembly of the living God.

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 It's the pillar and foundation of the truth.

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 What you and I think church is will have the biggest impact

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 on how we engage with church,

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 whether that's pleasing to God or not,

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 is who we think we are and what we're doing.

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 That's the biggest thing.

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 This isn't just necessary context.

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 This is essential.

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 We understand this.

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 That we are the household of God,

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 the assembly of the living God,

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 and we're the pillar and foundation of the truth.

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 So I want to spend a bit of time on this.

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 So Grace Evangelical Church,

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 we're not a religious service provider.

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 For people to shop around for the best product,

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 that's not what we are.

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 We're not a volunteer organisation

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 uniting for a common purpose.

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 There's elements of similarity,

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 but it's not who we are.

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 We're a local gathering of God's household,

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 his family,

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 a local gathering of it.

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 We're not the totality of it,

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 but we are a real local gathering of God's family.

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 We speak in church land of pastor so-and-so's church.

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 I get why we talk like that,

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 but it's wrong.

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 It's not pastor so-and-so's church.

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 It's God's church.

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 It's not even our church.

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 Yes, it is.

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 We can talk possessively.

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 We can use that language.

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 But ultimately,

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 it's not the leader's church together.

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 It's not one pastor's church.

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 It's not even just the member's church.

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 It's God's church.

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 It's his family.

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 It's his house.

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 He is our father by virtue of the new birth

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 of coming into this family,

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 believing in Jesus.

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 He's the spiritual father.

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 We are brothers and sisters,

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 men and women,

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 boys and girls,

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 equal dignity before the father.

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 What higher privilege

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 than belonging to the family of God?

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 So leaders are first and foremost.

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 We're siblings.

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 We're siblings calling on the one father.

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 But what enormous responsibility

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 to care for God's family.

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 It is a weighty responsibility.

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 I want to make just a quick word

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 about our discussion

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 of the Constitution coming up.

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 It's going to be an open discussion for all

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 about every detail.

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 You can comment on any detail.

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 If you don't care about the Constitution,

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 can I say you should?

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 If this is the household of God

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 for the sake of future generations,

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 you should care.

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 It's not the be all and end all,

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 but you should care.

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 So it's going to be open to discussion,

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 but it's not a free for all.

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 It's not like you've got your opinion,

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 I've got mine,

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 and we've got 200 opinions in this room.

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 It's not a free for all.

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 What we're trying to do

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 is be faithful to what God says

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 we should be structured as.

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 That's how we're going to pursue unity

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 if we dive deeper into what God says

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 we should be structured as.

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 Now we're going to have to do that in grace

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 because there's no way

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 we're going to agree on every sentence.

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 But the main point I want to drive at today

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 is it's God's household.

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 It's his rules.

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 We should trust him to know

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 how to structure it best.

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 That needs to guide us

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 as we come to the Constitution.

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 Okay.

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 Let's move on.

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 So we're the household of God,

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 and second,

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 we are the assembly of the living God.

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 In the Old Testament,

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 the Lord is described

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 in contrast to the deadness

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 of idols.

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 Idols can't hear you.

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 They can't see you.

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 They can't save you.

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 They cannot bless you.

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 They're dead.

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 But the Lord is living.

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 He's present.

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 God said through Moses,

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 I will dwell among you

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 and be your God

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 and you will be my people.

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 That's the point

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 of the tabernacle and temple.

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 Dwelling with us.

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 He is present with his people.

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 Israel were to be conscious

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 that God is present in everything.

00:15:41.320 --> 00:15:42.460
 How much more we?

00:15:43.460 --> 00:15:45.019
 We don't have a physical temple.

00:15:45.580 --> 00:15:47.200
 We're called the temple now,

00:15:47.280 --> 00:15:47.759
 the church.

00:15:48.019 --> 00:15:48.700
 We are the temple

00:15:48.700 --> 00:15:49.519
 of the Holy Spirit,

00:15:49.860 --> 00:15:50.420
 the church.

00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:54.200
 How conscious we should be

00:15:54.200 --> 00:15:56.480
 that the Lord is present among us.

00:15:58.400 --> 00:16:00.139
 He is active among us.

00:16:04.139 --> 00:16:05.639
 An isolated Christian,

00:16:05.639 --> 00:16:08.460
 it's a contradiction

00:16:08.460 --> 00:16:09.980
 to all Jesus' blood

00:16:09.980 --> 00:16:12.120
 was given to accomplish.

00:16:14.019 --> 00:16:15.080
 To be a Christian

00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:16.939
 is to be assembled to Jesus

00:16:16.939 --> 00:16:18.240
 and to one another.

00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:21.059
 To be conscious

00:16:21.059 --> 00:16:21.919
 that the living God

00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:22.620
 is among us

00:16:22.620 --> 00:16:24.240
 through his words

00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:24.879
 of the apostles

00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:26.319
 by his spirit.

00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:31.940
 I think we experience

00:16:31.940 --> 00:16:32.760
 this especially

00:16:32.760 --> 00:16:33.660
 and why scripture

00:16:33.660 --> 00:16:34.460
 puts an emphasis

00:16:34.460 --> 00:16:35.360
 on the gathering,

00:16:35.620 --> 00:16:36.600
 what we're doing right now.

00:16:39.180 --> 00:16:40.740
 Martin Luther admitted,

00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:42.360
 at home,

00:16:42.460 --> 00:16:43.240
 in my own house,

00:16:43.320 --> 00:16:44.379
 there is no warmth

00:16:44.379 --> 00:16:46.680
 or vigour in me.

00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:49.180
 But in the church,

00:16:49.379 --> 00:16:50.180
 when the multitude

00:16:50.180 --> 00:16:51.240
 is gathered together,

00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:52.900
 a fire is kindled

00:16:52.900 --> 00:16:53.640
 in my heart

00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:54.740
 and it breaks

00:16:54.740 --> 00:16:55.480
 its way through.

00:16:57.980 --> 00:16:59.600
 It's when we're assembled

00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:02.360
 that God is active

00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:04.240
 in ministering to us.

00:17:06.519 --> 00:17:07.859
 So are we conscious

00:17:07.859 --> 00:17:09.319
 of the spirit's presence

00:17:09.319 --> 00:17:10.119
 and empowering

00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:13.139
 as we speak

00:17:13.139 --> 00:17:14.019
 to one another

00:17:14.019 --> 00:17:14.900
 over morning tea

00:17:14.900 --> 00:17:15.920
 to speak into

00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:16.900
 each other's lives

00:17:16.900 --> 00:17:17.579
 to serve?

00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:19.819
 Are you conscious of it

00:17:19.819 --> 00:17:20.720
 when the Bible's read?

00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:22.799
 Are you listening to that

00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:25.419
 as God is here speaking?

00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:28.980
 When the corporate prayer

00:17:28.980 --> 00:17:29.859
 and singing,

00:17:30.579 --> 00:17:32.059
 that God is inviting us

00:17:32.059 --> 00:17:34.700
 into his throne room

00:17:34.700 --> 00:17:35.879
 at the Lord's table

00:17:35.879 --> 00:17:37.039
 which we'll share today,

00:17:37.779 --> 00:17:39.200
 that the Lord is saying,

00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:39.599
 come,

00:17:40.059 --> 00:17:41.519
 have fellowship with me.

00:17:42.619 --> 00:17:44.039
 Are we conscious of that?

00:17:46.359 --> 00:17:47.339
 If we are,

00:17:47.339 --> 00:17:50.959
 God,

00:17:51.079 --> 00:17:51.299
 I think,

00:17:51.379 --> 00:17:52.279
 will be working

00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:53.279
 powerfully among us

00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:53.980
 when we're conscious

00:17:53.980 --> 00:17:54.379
 of that.

00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:58.299
 And I think leaders,

00:17:58.459 --> 00:17:59.240
 including deacons,

00:17:59.359 --> 00:17:59.980
 are to lead

00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:00.859
 this assembly

00:18:00.859 --> 00:18:02.119
 of this consciousness

00:18:02.119 --> 00:18:03.059
 that the living God

00:18:03.059 --> 00:18:03.519
 is present.

00:18:05.019 --> 00:18:05.639
 So we've got

00:18:05.639 --> 00:18:06.659
 the family of God,

00:18:06.779 --> 00:18:07.779
 we've got the assembly

00:18:07.779 --> 00:18:08.879
 of the living God.

00:18:10.299 --> 00:18:11.439
 And this next phrase,

00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:12.339
 I remember when I was

00:18:12.339 --> 00:18:12.980
 in small group

00:18:12.980 --> 00:18:14.720
 like years and years ago,

00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:17.839
 this phrase shocked me.

00:18:18.539 --> 00:18:20.240
 I thought it must be

00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:22.339
 worded wrong.

00:18:24.940 --> 00:18:27.019
 The church is a pillar

00:18:27.019 --> 00:18:29.380
 and buttress of the truth.

00:18:29.779 --> 00:18:30.900
 Isn't it the other way around?

00:18:31.180 --> 00:18:31.860
 That the truth

00:18:31.860 --> 00:18:34.380
 is the pillar

00:18:34.380 --> 00:18:35.460
 and buttress

00:18:35.460 --> 00:18:36.180
 or foundation

00:18:36.180 --> 00:18:37.839
 of the church.

00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:39.360
 So buttress can be

00:18:39.360 --> 00:18:41.259
 the construction people

00:18:41.259 --> 00:18:41.740
 in this room

00:18:41.740 --> 00:18:42.400
 are going to probably

00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:42.940
 laugh at me

00:18:42.940 --> 00:18:43.960
 as I try and explain this.

00:18:44.420 --> 00:18:45.860
 Buttress is an external,

00:18:46.620 --> 00:18:48.400
 I can't even explain,

00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:50.420
 external pillar thing

00:18:50.420 --> 00:18:51.259
 that holds up

00:18:51.259 --> 00:18:51.880
 the walls

00:18:51.880 --> 00:18:52.860
 of the building.

00:18:54.620 --> 00:18:55.840
 So either it's

00:18:55.840 --> 00:18:57.019
 this external support

00:18:57.019 --> 00:18:57.580
 for the wall

00:18:57.580 --> 00:18:58.300
 or it's talking

00:18:58.300 --> 00:18:59.160
 about foundation.

00:19:00.259 --> 00:19:01.320
 It's saying the church

00:19:01.320 --> 00:19:02.980
 is the foundation

00:19:02.980 --> 00:19:04.000
 or holding up

00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:04.519
 the truth.

00:19:06.259 --> 00:19:06.780
 Wow.

00:19:06.780 --> 00:19:06.880
 Wow.

00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:11.360
 to keep

00:19:11.360 --> 00:19:12.120
 the truth

00:19:12.120 --> 00:19:12.760
 steady.

00:19:15.060 --> 00:19:16.320
 So yes,

00:19:16.440 --> 00:19:17.060
 we're created

00:19:17.060 --> 00:19:17.860
 by the truth,

00:19:18.140 --> 00:19:18.940
 we're sustained

00:19:18.940 --> 00:19:20.040
 by the truth,

00:19:20.580 --> 00:19:21.740
 but Paul's point here

00:19:21.740 --> 00:19:22.800
 is we're to keep

00:19:22.800 --> 00:19:23.540
 it steady

00:19:23.540 --> 00:19:25.300
 in the midst

00:19:25.300 --> 00:19:26.140
 of unbelief

00:19:26.140 --> 00:19:27.040
 and false teaching.

00:19:28.740 --> 00:19:30.100
 We've got to

00:19:30.100 --> 00:19:31.580
 hold the truth

00:19:31.580 --> 00:19:32.680
 firm.

00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:36.539
 Like imagine

00:19:36.539 --> 00:19:37.600
 if the foundation

00:19:37.600 --> 00:19:39.180
 under this auditorium

00:19:39.180 --> 00:19:41.299
 started to crack

00:19:41.299 --> 00:19:42.320
 and soften

00:19:42.320 --> 00:19:44.220
 that there'd be

00:19:44.220 --> 00:19:44.799
 nothing left

00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:45.320
 to hold.

00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:49.420
 Like don't you

00:19:49.420 --> 00:19:50.160
 find it sad

00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:51.240
 to drive past,

00:19:51.820 --> 00:19:52.539
 I know buildings

00:19:52.539 --> 00:19:53.740
 are whatever

00:19:53.740 --> 00:19:54.720
 about church buildings,

00:19:54.900 --> 00:19:55.620
 like it doesn't matter,

00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:56.440
 the people

00:19:56.440 --> 00:19:56.960
 of the church,

00:19:57.100 --> 00:19:58.120
 but you drive

00:19:58.120 --> 00:19:58.799
 past churches

00:19:58.799 --> 00:19:59.440
 that used to be

00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:00.519
 faithful to the gospel

00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:01.299
 in Newcastle

00:20:01.299 --> 00:20:02.039
 and they may as well

00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:02.919
 be demolished now.

00:20:03.419 --> 00:20:04.039
 They may as well

00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:05.059
 be turned into cafes

00:20:05.059 --> 00:20:09.220
 because the people

00:20:09.220 --> 00:20:11.659
 weren't solid

00:20:11.659 --> 00:20:12.379
 to the truth

00:20:12.379 --> 00:20:13.240
 and so there's nothing

00:20:13.240 --> 00:20:15.720
 left in it now.

00:20:17.579 --> 00:20:18.379
 We're called

00:20:18.379 --> 00:20:19.379
 to be steady

00:20:19.379 --> 00:20:21.680
 to the truth,

00:20:22.819 --> 00:20:23.799
 the foundation.

00:20:27.539 --> 00:20:28.240
 Now apparently

00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:29.460
 when it comes

00:20:29.460 --> 00:20:30.379
 to being pillars,

00:20:31.299 --> 00:20:32.659
 apparently in the

00:20:32.659 --> 00:20:33.759
 temples of Artemis

00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:34.700
 in Ephesus,

00:20:34.859 --> 00:20:35.440
 it was one of the

00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:36.039
 seven wonders

00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:36.859
 of the ancient world,

00:20:38.339 --> 00:20:38.839
 you've got these

00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:40.139
 like a hundred

00:20:40.139 --> 00:20:42.039
 huge 18 metre

00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:42.879
 tall pillars

00:20:42.879 --> 00:20:44.200
 and on top

00:20:44.200 --> 00:20:45.240
 was this beautiful

00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:45.919
 marble

00:20:45.919 --> 00:20:47.859
 ceiling

00:20:47.859 --> 00:20:49.079
 lifted high

00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:49.759
 into the air.

00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:51.399
 So I think

00:20:51.399 --> 00:20:52.139
 pillar here

00:20:52.139 --> 00:20:53.899
 isn't just about

00:20:53.899 --> 00:20:54.460
 supporting,

00:20:54.619 --> 00:20:54.960
 it's about

00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:55.680
 lifting up.

00:20:57.539 --> 00:20:58.839
 It's putting

00:20:58.839 --> 00:20:59.519
 the beauty

00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:00.700
 and wonder

00:21:00.700 --> 00:21:01.339
 of the truth

00:21:01.339 --> 00:21:01.839
 of the gospel

00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:02.779
 and lifting it up.

00:21:03.220 --> 00:21:03.740
 The church

00:21:03.740 --> 00:21:04.599
 is to be a pillar

00:21:04.599 --> 00:21:06.039
 for all to see.

00:21:11.420 --> 00:21:12.039
 So we're the

00:21:12.039 --> 00:21:12.920
 household of God,

00:21:13.799 --> 00:21:14.579
 the assembly

00:21:14.579 --> 00:21:15.400
 of the living God,

00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:16.379
 we're a foundation

00:21:16.379 --> 00:21:18.160
 and we're a pillar

00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:18.859
 of the truth.

00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:22.759
 I think we see

00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:23.480
 these

00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:25.019
 truths

00:21:25.019 --> 00:21:25.779
 of who the church

00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:26.980
 is in Acts 6,

00:21:26.980 --> 00:21:28.200
 coming back to Acts 6

00:21:28.200 --> 00:21:28.740
 for a moment.

00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:31.180
 We see

00:21:31.180 --> 00:21:32.259
 that

00:21:32.259 --> 00:21:33.240
 the apostles

00:21:33.240 --> 00:21:34.259
 treat the church

00:21:34.259 --> 00:21:34.940
 as family.

00:21:38.259 --> 00:21:39.460
 They are conscious

00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:40.299
 that the spirit

00:21:40.299 --> 00:21:41.360
 is among

00:21:41.360 --> 00:21:42.860
 all God's people.

00:21:45.120 --> 00:21:45.980
 I think we see

00:21:45.980 --> 00:21:46.900
 that demonstrated

00:21:46.900 --> 00:21:47.759
 the apostles

00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:48.680
 had more authority

00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:49.160
 than elders,

00:21:49.259 --> 00:21:49.840
 they could have said

00:21:49.840 --> 00:21:50.180
 alright,

00:21:50.700 --> 00:21:51.600
 let's sort this out

00:21:51.600 --> 00:21:52.019
 you lot,

00:21:52.019 --> 00:21:54.000
 let us office bearers

00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:55.220
 who are closer

00:21:55.220 --> 00:21:55.620
 to God

00:21:55.620 --> 00:21:56.380
 decide this.

00:21:56.380 --> 00:21:57.840
 here's seven men

00:21:57.840 --> 00:21:59.060
 submit to them.

00:21:59.560 --> 00:22:00.560
 But they don't do that,

00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:01.440
 they entrust

00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:02.200
 the church

00:22:02.200 --> 00:22:03.880
 to be spiritual,

00:22:04.820 --> 00:22:06.260
 to appoint

00:22:06.260 --> 00:22:07.460
 spiritual men.

00:22:08.540 --> 00:22:09.500
 I think it's

00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:10.320
 something of a picture

00:22:10.320 --> 00:22:11.800
 of being family

00:22:11.800 --> 00:22:13.000
 and it's something

00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:13.600
 of a picture

00:22:13.600 --> 00:22:14.700
 of they're conscious

00:22:14.700 --> 00:22:15.880
 that the spirit

00:22:15.880 --> 00:22:16.760
 was among them

00:22:16.760 --> 00:22:18.320
 through their word,

00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:19.580
 through the apostles' word.

00:22:19.579 --> 00:22:25.000
 and they're united.

00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:27.639
 They're united

00:22:27.639 --> 00:22:28.259
 in purpose,

00:22:28.399 --> 00:22:29.019
 they love

00:22:29.019 --> 00:22:29.679
 the proposal

00:22:29.679 --> 00:22:30.699
 given in Acts 6

00:22:30.699 --> 00:22:31.519
 because

00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:33.099
 it demonstrates

00:22:33.099 --> 00:22:34.599
 the truth

00:22:34.599 --> 00:22:35.099
 of the gospel

00:22:35.099 --> 00:22:36.460
 in their relationships

00:22:36.460 --> 00:22:37.799
 among the widows

00:22:37.799 --> 00:22:38.539
 but it also

00:22:38.539 --> 00:22:40.240
 frees up the apostle

00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:40.939
 to be

00:22:40.939 --> 00:22:42.500
 pillars of the truth,

00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:43.379
 to keep preaching,

00:22:43.579 --> 00:22:44.359
 to keep teaching.

00:22:45.079 --> 00:22:46.419
 Whoever is involved

00:22:46.419 --> 00:22:47.319
 in word ministry,

00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:48.759
 gossiping the gospel

00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:49.059
 even.

00:22:50.900 --> 00:22:51.859
 So I think we see

00:22:51.859 --> 00:22:52.759
 all these truths

00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:53.440
 of the church

00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:54.559
 in Acts 6.

00:22:58.240 --> 00:22:58.680
 Okay,

00:22:58.819 --> 00:22:59.980
 now we've got

00:22:59.980 --> 00:23:00.680
 in our minds

00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:01.359
 what the church is,

00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:02.599
 let's turn to deacons.

00:23:04.099 --> 00:23:05.140
 Who should lead

00:23:05.140 --> 00:23:05.960
 God's household?

00:23:05.960 --> 00:23:09.220
 Does being family

00:23:09.220 --> 00:23:12.059
 and being spirit-filled

00:23:12.059 --> 00:23:12.799
 mean that we

00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:13.740
 shouldn't have leadership?

00:23:14.840 --> 00:23:15.680
 Some churches

00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:16.660
 try and go

00:23:16.660 --> 00:23:19.519
 down that line.

00:23:21.259 --> 00:23:21.819
 No,

00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:23.299
 because God

00:23:23.299 --> 00:23:24.140
 cares for us.

00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:25.600
 He cares

00:23:25.600 --> 00:23:26.420
 for the details.

00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:28.140
 He's given us

00:23:28.140 --> 00:23:29.200
 elders and deacons

00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:29.860
 for our good

00:23:29.860 --> 00:23:31.920
 because he loves us.

00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:35.560
 What are their

00:23:35.560 --> 00:23:36.220
 qualifications?

00:23:36.620 --> 00:23:37.460
 I want to contrast

00:23:37.460 --> 00:23:38.279
 this with

00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:40.420
 a job advertisement

00:23:40.420 --> 00:23:41.680
 in Newcastle area

00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:42.200
 for a CEO.

00:23:42.380 --> 00:23:43.240
 I'm not really saying

00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:44.380
 that this job is wrong

00:23:44.380 --> 00:23:45.120
 in its criteria.

00:23:45.300 --> 00:23:45.880
 I just want to

00:23:45.880 --> 00:23:47.300
 show how it's

00:23:47.300 --> 00:23:48.620
 very different criteria

00:23:48.620 --> 00:23:49.759
 to what God

00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:50.519
 cares about

00:23:50.519 --> 00:23:51.200
 for his church.

00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:52.920
 So here's a job

00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:54.240
 if you're looking

00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:55.220
 for a CEO job.

00:23:57.779 --> 00:23:58.460
 We're looking

00:23:58.460 --> 00:23:59.519
 for an inspiring

00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:01.079
 and passionate

00:24:01.079 --> 00:24:01.900
 leader who has

00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:02.720
 extensive

00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:04.579
 leadership experience,

00:24:05.480 --> 00:24:06.079
 significant

00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:07.440
 experience in

00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:08.440
 financial management,

00:24:09.220 --> 00:24:09.839
 experience in

00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:10.660
 growing community

00:24:10.660 --> 00:24:11.400
 partnerships,

00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:13.160
 tertiary

00:24:13.160 --> 00:24:16.160
 qualifications

00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:17.420
 and so on.

00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:19.200
 There you go.

00:24:20.900 --> 00:24:21.599
 There's one

00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:22.319
 set of

00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:22.900
 qualifications.

00:24:24.740 --> 00:24:25.139
 Deacons

00:24:25.139 --> 00:24:25.740
 must be

00:24:25.740 --> 00:24:26.480
 dignified,

00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:29.099
 not double-tongued,

00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:30.660
 not addicted

00:24:30.660 --> 00:24:31.420
 to much wine,

00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:33.039
 not greedy

00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:34.079
 for dishonest

00:24:34.079 --> 00:24:34.420
 gain.

00:24:35.079 --> 00:24:35.379
 They must

00:24:35.379 --> 00:24:35.980
 hold the

00:24:35.980 --> 00:24:36.500
 mystery of the

00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:37.019
 faith with a

00:24:37.019 --> 00:24:37.839
 clear conscience.

00:24:39.539 --> 00:24:40.359
 Let deacons

00:24:40.359 --> 00:24:40.859
 be the husband

00:24:40.859 --> 00:24:41.639
 of one wife,

00:24:42.619 --> 00:24:43.240
 managing their

00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:43.859
 children and

00:24:43.859 --> 00:24:44.240
 their own

00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:45.200
 households well.

00:24:48.279 --> 00:24:48.960
 It becomes

00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:49.440
 really clear,

00:24:49.539 --> 00:24:49.839
 doesn't it?

00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:50.440
 Character

00:24:50.440 --> 00:24:52.619
 is

00:24:52.619 --> 00:24:55.579
 all-important.

00:24:58.079 --> 00:24:58.720
 Maybe I've

00:24:58.720 --> 00:24:59.400
 overstated that.

00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:00.460
 Their conviction

00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:01.119
 to the truth

00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:01.740
 is essential

00:25:01.740 --> 00:25:02.319
 in there too.

00:25:03.139 --> 00:25:03.740
 The character

00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:04.259
 is

00:25:04.259 --> 00:25:07.819
 the emphasis.

00:25:09.500 --> 00:25:10.119
 How do you

00:25:10.119 --> 00:25:11.099
 identify godly

00:25:11.099 --> 00:25:11.759
 leaders when

00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:12.059
 you've got

00:25:12.059 --> 00:25:12.920
 religious people

00:25:12.920 --> 00:25:13.680
 saying things

00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:14.259
 that contradict?

00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:16.079
 How do you

00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:16.420
 know?

00:25:16.579 --> 00:25:17.019
 Because they're

00:25:17.019 --> 00:25:18.220
 so word-based.

00:25:19.859 --> 00:25:20.660
 In Timothy's day,

00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:21.279
 they knew their

00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:21.839
 Old Testament.

00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:24.940
 Well, it's what

00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:25.639
 our Lord said.

00:25:25.740 --> 00:25:26.440
 You'll know them

00:25:26.440 --> 00:25:27.220
 by their fruit.

00:25:30.220 --> 00:25:31.340
 Not perfection,

00:25:31.980 --> 00:25:32.820
 but evidence that

00:25:32.820 --> 00:25:33.600
 the gospel is

00:25:33.600 --> 00:25:34.360
 ruling their

00:25:34.360 --> 00:25:34.840
 lives.

00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:36.400
 They're self-controlled

00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:37.720
 in their behaviour.

00:25:38.320 --> 00:25:39.100
 People can respect

00:25:39.100 --> 00:25:39.340
 them.

00:25:40.180 --> 00:25:41.059
 They're self-controlled

00:25:41.059 --> 00:25:42.100
 in their speech,

00:25:43.100 --> 00:25:44.120
 and that is very

00:25:44.120 --> 00:25:44.620
 difficult.

00:25:45.539 --> 00:25:46.580
 Read James.

00:25:46.579 --> 00:25:49.579
 They're self-controlled

00:25:49.579 --> 00:25:50.460
 in their use of

00:25:50.460 --> 00:25:51.039
 alcohol.

00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:53.740
 And there's one

00:25:53.740 --> 00:25:54.000
 that

00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:58.799
 they're self-controlled

00:25:58.799 --> 00:25:59.579
 in their attitude

00:25:59.579 --> 00:26:00.299
 to money.

00:26:02.299 --> 00:26:03.299
 I think that's a big

00:26:03.299 --> 00:26:04.000
 one in our day and

00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:05.119
 age that we need

00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:06.299
 to take seriously.

00:26:07.960 --> 00:26:08.699
 They're faithful

00:26:08.699 --> 00:26:10.000
 to their wife.

00:26:10.599 --> 00:26:11.399
 They take seriously

00:26:11.399 --> 00:26:12.259
 their calling as

00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:13.159
 spiritual leaders in

00:26:13.159 --> 00:26:13.539
 the home,

00:26:13.539 --> 00:26:14.500
 and they seek

00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:15.139
 to be faithful.

00:26:16.379 --> 00:26:16.740
 And not

00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:17.200
 perfection,

00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:20.359
 but they seek

00:26:20.359 --> 00:26:20.940
 to be faithful.

00:26:22.420 --> 00:26:23.639
 And they hold

00:26:23.639 --> 00:26:24.599
 to the revealed

00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:25.839
 truths of salvation

00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:26.220
 in Jesus.

00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:26.980
 That's what mystery

00:26:26.980 --> 00:26:27.359
 is about.

00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:28.539
 What once was

00:26:28.539 --> 00:26:28.899
 hidden,

00:26:29.460 --> 00:26:29.980
 the mystery

00:26:29.980 --> 00:26:31.079
 of God's

00:26:31.079 --> 00:26:31.559
 salvation,

00:26:32.259 --> 00:26:32.799
 it has been

00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:33.200
 revealed.

00:26:33.399 --> 00:26:33.759
 The gospel

00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:34.379
 reveals it.

00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:35.680
 They hold to

00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:37.399
 that with a

00:26:37.399 --> 00:26:38.039
 clear conscience.

00:26:40.180 --> 00:26:40.399
 Now,

00:26:41.139 --> 00:26:42.059
 how ordinary

00:26:42.059 --> 00:26:42.759
 are these

00:26:42.759 --> 00:26:43.240
 qualifications?

00:26:43.980 --> 00:26:44.559
 They're pretty

00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:44.960
 ordinary,

00:26:45.099 --> 00:26:45.359
 aren't they?

00:26:48.920 --> 00:26:50.399
 They're qualities

00:26:50.399 --> 00:26:51.299
 all of us should

00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:52.139
 be aspiring to,

00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:52.899
 every believer.

00:26:56.399 --> 00:26:57.200
 I suppose you

00:26:57.200 --> 00:26:57.639
 just need to

00:26:57.639 --> 00:26:58.220
 change the

00:26:58.220 --> 00:26:58.639
 spouse,

00:26:59.339 --> 00:27:00.619
 which spouse

00:27:00.619 --> 00:27:01.159
 you're faithful to.

00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:02.500
 But the title

00:27:02.500 --> 00:27:03.220
 of the office

00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:03.859
 is ordinary.

00:27:04.700 --> 00:27:04.879
 Like,

00:27:04.940 --> 00:27:05.500
 it's not

00:27:05.500 --> 00:27:07.200
 assistant regional

00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:07.619
 manager,

00:27:08.619 --> 00:27:09.420
 or assistant to

00:27:09.420 --> 00:27:09.879
 the regional

00:27:09.879 --> 00:27:10.299
 manager,

00:27:10.539 --> 00:27:11.379
 if people know

00:27:11.379 --> 00:27:11.579
 what I'm

00:27:11.579 --> 00:27:11.740
 quoted,

00:27:11.980 --> 00:27:12.500
 lieutenant.

00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:13.339
 It's not

00:27:13.339 --> 00:27:13.740
 lieutenant.

00:27:13.980 --> 00:27:14.440
 It's not

00:27:14.440 --> 00:27:15.619
 chief financial

00:27:15.619 --> 00:27:16.019
 officer.

00:27:16.420 --> 00:27:17.359
 It's servant.

00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:18.200
 There's your

00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:18.539
 title.

00:27:19.819 --> 00:27:20.680
 I think that's

00:27:20.680 --> 00:27:21.039
 ordinary.

00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:26.180
 Here is the

00:27:26.180 --> 00:27:26.779
 servant who will

00:27:26.779 --> 00:27:27.359
 lead the church

00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:27.819
 of God.

00:27:30.200 --> 00:27:30.759
 A servant

00:27:30.759 --> 00:27:31.380
 worthy of

00:27:31.380 --> 00:27:31.859
 imitating.

00:27:33.859 --> 00:27:34.480
 And yet,

00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:36.019
 their criteria,

00:27:36.359 --> 00:27:36.539
 I think,

00:27:36.599 --> 00:27:37.480
 are extraordinary.

00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:37.620
 ordinary.

00:27:40.440 --> 00:27:41.380
 It's possible

00:27:41.380 --> 00:27:41.920
 for your

00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:43.079
 natural temperament

00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:43.360
 and your

00:27:43.360 --> 00:27:44.099
 upbringing to

00:27:44.099 --> 00:27:45.019
 display some

00:27:45.019 --> 00:27:45.339
 of these

00:27:45.339 --> 00:27:45.640
 things,

00:27:45.700 --> 00:27:46.019
 I think.

00:27:48.299 --> 00:27:49.740
 But to be

00:27:49.740 --> 00:27:50.480
 across the

00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:51.019
 board of

00:27:51.019 --> 00:27:51.519
 life,

00:27:52.240 --> 00:27:52.880
 controlling

00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:53.720
 yourself and

00:27:53.720 --> 00:27:54.000
 in your

00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:54.779
 family life,

00:27:55.819 --> 00:27:56.460
 something's

00:27:56.460 --> 00:27:56.920
 going on

00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:57.160
 here.

00:27:58.900 --> 00:27:59.779
 Who Jesus

00:27:59.779 --> 00:28:01.819
 is and his

00:28:01.819 --> 00:28:02.759
 spirit is

00:28:02.759 --> 00:28:04.839
 invading this

00:28:04.839 --> 00:28:05.460
 person's whole

00:28:05.460 --> 00:28:05.900
 life.

00:28:09.900 --> 00:28:10.680
 And the

00:28:10.680 --> 00:28:11.600
 title is

00:28:11.600 --> 00:28:12.759
 extraordinary

00:28:12.759 --> 00:28:14.640
 because a

00:28:14.640 --> 00:28:15.380
 deacon shares

00:28:15.380 --> 00:28:15.980
 it with

00:28:15.980 --> 00:28:18.019
 the Lord.

00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:19.620
 He's described

00:28:19.620 --> 00:28:19.940
 as a

00:28:19.940 --> 00:28:20.200
 servant.

00:28:22.539 --> 00:28:23.160
 Even the

00:28:23.160 --> 00:28:23.880
 son of man

00:28:23.880 --> 00:28:25.340
 did not come

00:28:25.340 --> 00:28:26.620
 to be

00:28:26.620 --> 00:28:27.000
 served,

00:28:27.120 --> 00:28:27.440
 but to

00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:27.799
 serve.

00:28:27.799 --> 00:28:29.460
 That's

00:28:29.460 --> 00:28:29.879
 why Jesus

00:28:29.879 --> 00:28:30.259
 came,

00:28:30.379 --> 00:28:30.899
 to serve,

00:28:32.220 --> 00:28:33.220
 to be a

00:28:33.220 --> 00:28:33.500
 deacon,

00:28:33.639 --> 00:28:34.079
 if I can

00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:34.819
 use that

00:28:34.819 --> 00:28:35.119
 language.

00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:37.039
 So it is

00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:37.559
 extraordinary.

00:28:41.079 --> 00:28:41.779
 So by

00:28:41.779 --> 00:28:42.319
 their fruit,

00:28:42.399 --> 00:28:42.599
 you will

00:28:42.599 --> 00:28:43.000
 know them.

00:28:44.399 --> 00:28:44.759
 What's

00:28:44.759 --> 00:28:45.359
 their role?

00:28:46.500 --> 00:28:46.779
 Now,

00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:48.899
 this might

00:28:48.899 --> 00:28:49.919
 be dissatisfying

00:28:49.919 --> 00:28:50.299
 to some,

00:28:50.399 --> 00:28:51.039
 but there is

00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:51.559
 very,

00:28:51.700 --> 00:28:52.279
 very little

00:28:52.279 --> 00:28:53.359
 information in

00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:53.619
 the New

00:28:53.619 --> 00:28:54.180
 Testament about

00:28:54.180 --> 00:28:54.700
 what their

00:28:54.700 --> 00:28:55.240
 function is

00:28:55.240 --> 00:28:55.559
 meant to

00:28:55.559 --> 00:28:55.740
 be.

00:28:55.740 --> 00:28:59.120
 Their

00:28:59.120 --> 00:28:59.759
 official

00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:00.400
 position

00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:01.160
 suggests that

00:29:01.160 --> 00:29:01.599
 they've got

00:29:01.599 --> 00:29:02.620
 authority over

00:29:02.620 --> 00:29:02.960
 the whole

00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:04.620
 church and

00:29:04.620 --> 00:29:06.120
 that they're

00:29:06.120 --> 00:29:06.980
 representing the

00:29:06.980 --> 00:29:07.319
 church.

00:29:07.819 --> 00:29:08.240
 They have the

00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:08.759
 authority to

00:29:08.759 --> 00:29:09.380
 represent the

00:29:09.380 --> 00:29:09.680
 church.

00:29:10.920 --> 00:29:11.599
 We're told

00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:12.339
 nothing of

00:29:12.339 --> 00:29:12.900
 their function

00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:13.740
 here except

00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:14.980
 that you

00:29:14.980 --> 00:29:15.859
 don't have,

00:29:16.299 --> 00:29:16.819
 like you do

00:29:16.819 --> 00:29:17.299
 with elders,

00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:18.480
 the requirement

00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:19.220
 to be able

00:29:19.220 --> 00:29:19.839
 to teach.

00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:23.019
 But this,

00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:23.740
 I don't think

00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:24.319
 we should push

00:29:24.319 --> 00:29:25.059
 that too far

00:29:25.059 --> 00:29:25.779
 as if deacons

00:29:25.779 --> 00:29:26.419
 aren't allowed

00:29:26.419 --> 00:29:27.259
 to teach.

00:29:28.139 --> 00:29:28.839
 They are

00:29:28.839 --> 00:29:30.859
 convicted by

00:29:30.859 --> 00:29:31.579
 the gospel as

00:29:31.579 --> 00:29:32.220
 much as elders.

00:29:33.379 --> 00:29:33.839
 Of course

00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:34.099
 they're going to

00:29:34.099 --> 00:29:34.619
 be teaching

00:29:34.619 --> 00:29:37.099
 by their

00:29:37.099 --> 00:29:37.859
 conduct and

00:29:37.859 --> 00:29:38.500
 as they have

00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:38.980
 opportunity.

00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:41.299
 So maybe it's

00:29:41.299 --> 00:29:42.399
 best to see

00:29:42.399 --> 00:29:42.980
 deacons as

00:29:42.980 --> 00:29:43.879
 supporting elders

00:29:43.879 --> 00:29:44.759
 in whatever the

00:29:44.759 --> 00:29:45.539
 church needs at

00:29:45.539 --> 00:29:45.919
 the time.

00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:47.900
 That's going

00:29:47.900 --> 00:29:48.279
 to be really

00:29:48.279 --> 00:29:48.960
 undefined for

00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:51.840
 some, but I

00:29:51.840 --> 00:29:52.300
 think that's

00:29:52.300 --> 00:29:53.680
 where the

00:29:53.680 --> 00:29:54.300
 logic pushes

00:29:54.300 --> 00:29:54.640
 us.

00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:56.420
 Supporting the

00:29:56.420 --> 00:29:57.400
 elders in

00:29:57.400 --> 00:29:58.060
 whatever the

00:29:58.060 --> 00:29:58.600
 church needs

00:29:58.600 --> 00:29:59.039
 at the time.

00:30:02.500 --> 00:30:03.460
 So I don't

00:30:03.460 --> 00:30:03.680
 think we

00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:04.039
 should let

00:30:04.039 --> 00:30:04.680
 Acts 6

00:30:04.680 --> 00:30:05.740
 constrain us

00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:06.460
 deacons as

00:30:06.460 --> 00:30:08.240
 just mercy

00:30:08.240 --> 00:30:09.620
 ministries to

00:30:09.620 --> 00:30:10.140
 the vulnerable.

00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:11.259
 It may very

00:30:11.259 --> 00:30:11.860
 well include

00:30:11.860 --> 00:30:12.140
 that.

00:30:13.100 --> 00:30:13.800
 But we see

00:30:13.800 --> 00:30:14.500
 in Acts 6

00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:15.400
 even, Stephen

00:30:15.400 --> 00:30:15.880
 and Philip

00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:16.980
 they're evangelists.

00:30:17.080 --> 00:30:17.340
 They're the

00:30:17.340 --> 00:30:18.200
 ones who push

00:30:18.200 --> 00:30:18.900
 the gospel into

00:30:18.900 --> 00:30:19.280
 the next

00:30:19.280 --> 00:30:19.620
 frontier.

00:30:21.100 --> 00:30:22.020
 So we

00:30:22.020 --> 00:30:23.200
 can't restrain

00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:23.800
 their function.

00:30:26.580 --> 00:30:27.380
 The function

00:30:27.380 --> 00:30:28.060
 of deacons in

00:30:28.060 --> 00:30:28.420
 the local

00:30:28.420 --> 00:30:28.900
 church, it

00:30:28.900 --> 00:30:29.420
 might change

00:30:29.420 --> 00:30:30.120
 over time as

00:30:30.120 --> 00:30:30.620
 the needs of

00:30:30.620 --> 00:30:30.960
 the church

00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:31.320
 change.

00:30:31.440 --> 00:30:32.000
 But what is

00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:32.700
 important is

00:30:32.700 --> 00:30:33.000
 that their

00:30:33.000 --> 00:30:34.620
 character is

00:30:34.620 --> 00:30:35.060
 stable.

00:30:35.380 --> 00:30:35.820
 If you can

00:30:35.820 --> 00:30:36.720
 entrust them

00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:37.760
 with money,

00:30:38.060 --> 00:30:38.400
 you can

00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:38.960
 entrust them

00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:40.180
 with whatever,

00:30:40.440 --> 00:30:40.640
 kids'

00:30:40.780 --> 00:30:41.060
 ministry,

00:30:41.340 --> 00:30:41.880
 anything.

00:30:43.980 --> 00:30:44.640
 I can't

00:30:44.640 --> 00:30:45.060
 think of all

00:30:45.060 --> 00:30:45.500
 the examples

00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:45.819
 of the

00:30:45.819 --> 00:30:47.759
 people's on

00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:49.240
 the spot, but

00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:50.099
 the character is

00:30:50.099 --> 00:30:50.680
 what's important.

00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:51.559
 You can

00:30:51.559 --> 00:30:52.220
 entrust them with

00:30:52.220 --> 00:30:52.819
 anything, really.

00:30:52.819 --> 00:30:55.180
 And we see the

00:30:55.180 --> 00:30:56.200
 principle of freeing

00:30:56.200 --> 00:30:57.019
 up the elders to

00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:58.519
 teach seems to be

00:30:58.519 --> 00:30:59.319
 confirmed by 1

00:30:59.319 --> 00:31:00.700
 Timothy, that elders

00:31:00.700 --> 00:31:02.059
 have the responsibility

00:31:02.059 --> 00:31:03.960
 for teaching and

00:31:03.960 --> 00:31:06.119
 governing, and deacons

00:31:06.119 --> 00:31:07.019
 support them in that,

00:31:07.259 --> 00:31:08.960
 perhaps even by

00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:09.759
 teaching themselves.

00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:14.039
 I think we

00:31:14.039 --> 00:31:14.379
 shouldn't be

00:31:14.379 --> 00:31:15.500
 dualistic here, as

00:31:15.500 --> 00:31:16.960
 if elders do the

00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:18.379
 spiritual stuff and

00:31:18.379 --> 00:31:19.539
 deacons do practical

00:31:19.539 --> 00:31:19.960
 stuff.

00:31:25.339 --> 00:31:26.859
 I think it would be a

00:31:26.859 --> 00:31:28.480
 grave mistake to get

00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:31.079
 lured in to appoint

00:31:31.079 --> 00:31:32.259
 deacons according to

00:31:32.259 --> 00:31:34.339
 their competence and

00:31:34.339 --> 00:31:36.259
 just overlook some

00:31:36.259 --> 00:31:37.259
 character problems.

00:31:39.259 --> 00:31:42.000
 Talk to Don and

00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:43.379
 others who have

00:31:43.379 --> 00:31:44.180
 been around longer

00:31:44.180 --> 00:31:45.079
 than me, that there

00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:46.619
 are churches who

00:31:46.619 --> 00:31:48.759
 believe the gospel but

00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:49.599
 who have people in

00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:50.720
 positions of authority

00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:52.539
 who, at best, they're a

00:31:52.539 --> 00:31:54.599
 hindrance, at worst,

00:31:54.980 --> 00:31:57.140
 it's political, it's

00:31:57.140 --> 00:31:58.660
 undermining the

00:31:58.660 --> 00:31:59.000
 teaching.

00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:02.740
 I think of Charles

00:32:02.740 --> 00:32:04.279
 Simeon, for seven

00:32:04.279 --> 00:32:06.019
 years, the people in

00:32:06.019 --> 00:32:07.539
 charge of, we don't

00:32:07.539 --> 00:32:08.799
 have pews with doors

00:32:08.799 --> 00:32:09.880
 on the end, but they

00:32:09.880 --> 00:32:11.960
 locked the doors so

00:32:11.960 --> 00:32:12.799
 that people couldn't

00:32:12.799 --> 00:32:13.880
 come to church to

00:32:13.880 --> 00:32:14.480
 listen to him.

00:32:17.700 --> 00:32:18.920
 Let's not put doors

00:32:18.920 --> 00:32:19.259
 on there.

00:32:22.000 --> 00:32:23.079
 Other churches, a

00:32:23.079 --> 00:32:23.819
 rich person has

00:32:23.819 --> 00:32:24.839
 donated a lot and

00:32:24.839 --> 00:32:25.519
 they use that as

00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:28.099
 leverage to control

00:32:28.099 --> 00:32:29.619
 the direction of

00:32:29.619 --> 00:32:29.919
 church.

00:32:31.500 --> 00:32:32.719
 It could be just

00:32:32.719 --> 00:32:34.219
 devoting resources and

00:32:34.219 --> 00:32:36.079
 people energy to

00:32:36.079 --> 00:32:37.579
 things that aren't

00:32:37.579 --> 00:32:38.639
 primary spiritual

00:32:38.639 --> 00:32:39.119
 goals.

00:32:39.259 --> 00:32:39.740
 It could be

00:32:39.740 --> 00:32:41.179
 distraction like we

00:32:41.179 --> 00:32:42.679
 saw in Acts 6.

00:32:49.179 --> 00:32:50.159
 So I don't think we

00:32:50.159 --> 00:32:52.059
 should limit deacons to

00:32:52.059 --> 00:32:53.419
 just practical nuts and

00:32:53.419 --> 00:32:53.759
 bolts.

00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:58.440
 But I think we

00:32:58.440 --> 00:33:00.000
 should also see the

00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:01.779
 nuts and bolts as

00:33:01.779 --> 00:33:02.259
 spiritual.

00:33:04.980 --> 00:33:06.000
 There's so many

00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:06.940
 practical things that

00:33:06.940 --> 00:33:07.779
 need to happen and

00:33:07.779 --> 00:33:09.460
 when you've got gospel

00:33:09.460 --> 00:33:12.220
 goals at the end, that

00:33:12.220 --> 00:33:13.720
 is a spiritual task.

00:33:15.259 --> 00:33:18.259
 It enables the church to

00:33:18.259 --> 00:33:19.079
 go about its business.

00:33:19.240 --> 00:33:20.680
 How you relate to

00:33:20.680 --> 00:33:21.920
 people as you do

00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:24.560
 practical things requires

00:33:24.560 --> 00:33:27.820
 gospel mentality in

00:33:27.820 --> 00:33:28.660
 how you treat people.

00:33:30.820 --> 00:33:31.640
 So I don't think we

00:33:31.640 --> 00:33:32.779
 should limit to

00:33:32.779 --> 00:33:35.360
 practical things, but I

00:33:35.360 --> 00:33:35.900
 think we should also

00:33:35.900 --> 00:33:36.779
 see the practical

00:33:36.779 --> 00:33:39.060
 things as spiritual.

00:33:42.060 --> 00:33:42.740
 Okay, that's

00:33:42.740 --> 00:33:43.100
 function.

00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:43.779
 What about women

00:33:43.779 --> 00:33:44.240
 deacons?

00:33:46.060 --> 00:33:47.140
 It's only men in

00:33:47.140 --> 00:33:47.460
 Acts.

00:33:47.460 --> 00:33:50.900
 1 Timothy 3 verse

00:33:50.900 --> 00:33:52.640
 11, they're wives, but

00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:54.559
 the word there is just

00:33:54.559 --> 00:33:54.880
 women.

00:33:56.100 --> 00:33:57.440
 We can't determine

00:33:57.440 --> 00:34:00.400
 this whether it's

00:34:00.400 --> 00:34:01.299
 women deacons or

00:34:01.299 --> 00:34:02.920
 wives of deacons just

00:34:02.920 --> 00:34:04.319
 based off the

00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:04.600
 wording.

00:34:04.920 --> 00:34:05.539
 We've got to work it

00:34:05.539 --> 00:34:06.460
 out by context and

00:34:06.460 --> 00:34:06.960
 other reasons.

00:34:07.900 --> 00:34:08.940
 So the women,

00:34:09.619 --> 00:34:10.699
 likewise, must be

00:34:10.699 --> 00:34:11.900
 dignified, not

00:34:11.900 --> 00:34:12.659
 slanderers, but

00:34:12.659 --> 00:34:13.960
 sober-minded, faithful

00:34:13.960 --> 00:34:15.320
 in all things.

00:34:15.320 --> 00:34:16.960
 Their character must

00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:21.300
 be just as proven and

00:34:21.300 --> 00:34:23.480
 trustworthy as the

00:34:23.480 --> 00:34:23.860
 deacons.

00:34:24.059 --> 00:34:26.100
 So there's two camps of

00:34:26.100 --> 00:34:27.380
 interpretation here and

00:34:27.380 --> 00:34:28.640
 I'm going to dissatisfy

00:34:28.640 --> 00:34:29.900
 everyone and not tell you

00:34:29.900 --> 00:34:30.480
 what I think.

00:34:31.539 --> 00:34:32.660
 I'm just going to give you

00:34:32.660 --> 00:34:34.980
 the two camps and

00:34:34.980 --> 00:34:37.160
 encourage us to reflect

00:34:37.160 --> 00:34:38.480
 more on it and discuss it

00:34:38.480 --> 00:34:38.700
 more.

00:34:38.699 --> 00:34:43.799
 As we do that, we

00:34:43.799 --> 00:34:44.919
 need to trust that God

00:34:44.919 --> 00:34:46.659
 has given this to

00:34:46.659 --> 00:34:47.839
 thrive as a family.

00:34:49.519 --> 00:34:50.799
 He hasn't spoken to

00:34:50.799 --> 00:34:53.539
 restrict, nor has he

00:34:53.539 --> 00:34:55.399
 just want us to get

00:34:55.399 --> 00:34:56.279
 along with the world.

00:34:56.539 --> 00:34:57.480
 He wants us to be a

00:34:57.480 --> 00:34:57.879
 light.

00:34:58.779 --> 00:35:00.579
 He wants us to

00:35:00.579 --> 00:35:01.119
 thrive.

00:35:03.119 --> 00:35:05.739
 Now I'm conscious that I

00:35:05.739 --> 00:35:06.779
 have to be brief right

00:35:06.780 --> 00:35:08.480
 now and so if even

00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:10.360
 asking this question is

00:35:10.360 --> 00:35:11.860
 troubling you, I'd

00:35:11.860 --> 00:35:12.700
 love to talk more.

00:35:12.900 --> 00:35:14.100
 So come talk to me or

00:35:14.100 --> 00:35:15.700
 one of the elders or

00:35:15.700 --> 00:35:17.580
 someone more about

00:35:17.580 --> 00:35:17.840
 this.

00:35:17.980 --> 00:35:18.720
 I've got to be brief

00:35:18.720 --> 00:35:19.120
 right now.

00:35:21.019 --> 00:35:21.800
 Okay, here's the two

00:35:21.800 --> 00:35:22.080
 camps.

00:35:22.240 --> 00:35:23.240
 So is it the deacons'

00:35:23.420 --> 00:35:24.540
 wives or is it women

00:35:24.540 --> 00:35:25.080
 deacons?

00:35:26.660 --> 00:35:27.980
 Now, please keep in

00:35:27.980 --> 00:35:29.160
 mind, both of these

00:35:29.160 --> 00:35:31.100
 interpretations come

00:35:31.100 --> 00:35:33.880
 under people who take

00:35:33.880 --> 00:35:36.360
 what God says throughout

00:35:36.360 --> 00:35:37.300
 the whole Bible, that

00:35:37.300 --> 00:35:38.240
 men are called to be

00:35:38.240 --> 00:35:39.519
 spiritual leaders in the

00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:40.220
 church and in the

00:35:40.220 --> 00:35:40.980
 home seriously.

00:35:41.400 --> 00:35:45.059
 So these two camps

00:35:45.059 --> 00:35:47.180
 come under both, have

00:35:47.180 --> 00:35:48.039
 that same conviction.

00:35:50.320 --> 00:35:52.860
 So the camp's saying

00:35:52.860 --> 00:35:54.460
 it's deacon wives.

00:35:55.320 --> 00:35:57.240
 Reason is that verse 11,

00:35:57.420 --> 00:35:58.740
 it's sandwiched between

00:35:58.740 --> 00:35:59.760
 talking to the men.

00:36:00.740 --> 00:36:03.519
 So it's men and then it

00:36:03.519 --> 00:36:04.700
 goes back in verse 12,

00:36:04.699 --> 00:36:05.819
 deacons each be the

00:36:05.819 --> 00:36:06.779
 husband of one wife.

00:36:07.079 --> 00:36:08.000
 So it's sandwiched in

00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:08.199
 there.

00:36:10.739 --> 00:36:14.919
 It seems to be fitting

00:36:14.919 --> 00:36:16.839
 because it moves on to

00:36:16.839 --> 00:36:18.000
 talk about the household

00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:18.639
 of the deacon.

00:36:19.179 --> 00:36:20.519
 So addressing the deacon's

00:36:20.519 --> 00:36:22.059
 wife seems fitting.

00:36:23.679 --> 00:36:24.819
 And there's no mention of

00:36:24.819 --> 00:36:26.119
 the wives needing to be

00:36:26.119 --> 00:36:27.599
 faithful to their husbands,

00:36:27.699 --> 00:36:28.960
 which you would expect if it

00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:29.799
 was just women's

00:36:29.799 --> 00:36:31.899
 generally, women deacons

00:36:31.900 --> 00:36:32.380
 generally.

00:36:33.820 --> 00:36:35.460
 On that one, faithful in

00:36:35.460 --> 00:36:37.500
 all things, does that

00:36:37.500 --> 00:36:38.420
 include faithful?

00:36:39.300 --> 00:36:40.240
 It's all things.

00:36:42.059 --> 00:36:44.440
 Okay, that's obviously I'm

00:36:44.440 --> 00:36:45.680
 even summarising the

00:36:45.680 --> 00:36:46.280
 argument here.

00:36:46.420 --> 00:36:47.880
 But the other side that

00:36:47.880 --> 00:36:48.700
 no, this is talking about

00:36:48.700 --> 00:36:50.039
 women deaconesses, we

00:36:50.039 --> 00:36:53.240
 might say, is that the

00:36:53.240 --> 00:36:55.079
 connection in the passage

00:36:55.079 --> 00:36:56.519
 from elders to deacons in

00:36:56.519 --> 00:36:58.340
 verse 8 is deacons

00:36:58.340 --> 00:36:58.920
 likewise.

00:36:58.920 --> 00:37:00.559
 And then you've got verse

00:37:00.559 --> 00:37:01.920
 11, women likewise.

00:37:03.840 --> 00:37:05.119
 So could that connection

00:37:05.119 --> 00:37:07.940
 be suggesting this is an

00:37:07.940 --> 00:37:10.360
 official office of deaconess?

00:37:13.519 --> 00:37:14.960
 There's no mention of

00:37:14.960 --> 00:37:15.740
 elders' wives.

00:37:16.480 --> 00:37:17.420
 That seems a bit odd.

00:37:18.680 --> 00:37:20.180
 Like, surely an elders'

00:37:20.340 --> 00:37:21.460
 wife has to be trustworthy

00:37:21.460 --> 00:37:22.039
 as well.

00:37:22.800 --> 00:37:23.820
 So you've got to explain

00:37:23.820 --> 00:37:24.059
 that.

00:37:25.519 --> 00:37:26.680
 While deacons have

00:37:26.680 --> 00:37:28.019
 authority, it's only in

00:37:28.019 --> 00:37:29.519
 assisting the elders and so

00:37:29.519 --> 00:37:32.519
 it is obeying 1 Timothy

00:37:32.519 --> 00:37:33.219
 2.12.

00:37:35.400 --> 00:37:36.400
 And then you've got in

00:37:36.400 --> 00:37:37.679
 Romans 16 verse 1,

00:37:38.079 --> 00:37:40.000
 Phoebe is called a deacon,

00:37:40.199 --> 00:37:40.820
 a deaconess.

00:37:42.559 --> 00:37:43.159
 There you go.

00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:45.480
 How unsatisfying is that?

00:37:45.539 --> 00:37:46.579
 I'm not going to tell you

00:37:46.579 --> 00:37:47.539
 what I think after that.

00:37:51.000 --> 00:37:52.500
 The implication of the two

00:37:52.500 --> 00:37:54.820
 camps, can I just point out

00:37:54.820 --> 00:37:56.199
 the implications of it,

00:37:56.199 --> 00:37:57.559
 they're pretty close.

00:37:58.500 --> 00:37:59.759
 Because those who say

00:37:59.759 --> 00:38:01.139
 this is deacons' wives,

00:38:02.839 --> 00:38:05.739
 they say the rationale is,

00:38:05.899 --> 00:38:08.059
 well, if deacons are involved

00:38:08.059 --> 00:38:09.279
 in ministering to people,

00:38:09.799 --> 00:38:11.679
 the wives will be, to some

00:38:11.679 --> 00:38:14.919
 extent, involved in that

00:38:14.919 --> 00:38:15.500
 service.

00:38:16.139 --> 00:38:17.299
 And so the implication is,

00:38:17.379 --> 00:38:19.980
 either wives were expected to

00:38:19.980 --> 00:38:21.559
 be part of the deacons'

00:38:21.559 --> 00:38:25.159
 serving, or women generally.

00:38:26.159 --> 00:38:27.579
 So they're not too far apart

00:38:27.579 --> 00:38:28.539
 when you think about the

00:38:28.539 --> 00:38:29.019
 implications.

00:38:32.019 --> 00:38:33.639
 Can I encourage us, as we get

00:38:33.639 --> 00:38:36.320
 into a hot topic, let 1 Timothy

00:38:36.320 --> 00:38:38.440
 guide your interpretation of

00:38:38.440 --> 00:38:39.440
 Acts 6.

00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:45.099
 The goodness of God's design for

00:38:45.099 --> 00:38:46.420
 men and women is under attack

00:38:46.420 --> 00:38:46.739
 today.

00:38:46.739 --> 00:38:50.279
 Timothy was under attack with

00:38:50.279 --> 00:38:51.599
 probably different problems.

00:38:53.000 --> 00:38:56.599
 This is one the church is really

00:38:56.599 --> 00:38:57.539
 under pressure.

00:38:59.539 --> 00:39:01.419
 How we discuss this as a church

00:39:01.419 --> 00:39:04.699
 family, what convictions we come

00:39:04.699 --> 00:39:07.959
 to, and some of us are going to

00:39:07.959 --> 00:39:09.919
 have to submit our convictions for

00:39:09.919 --> 00:39:11.799
 the sake of the unity of the church.

00:39:11.800 --> 00:39:18.600
 How we go about this, I think,

00:39:18.660 --> 00:39:20.120
 will depend on how we see the

00:39:20.120 --> 00:39:20.480
 church.

00:39:21.160 --> 00:39:22.740
 Do we see one another as the

00:39:22.740 --> 00:39:23.700
 family of God?

00:39:25.220 --> 00:39:27.180
 As the assembly of the living God?

00:39:28.380 --> 00:39:30.080
 As the foundation of the truth?

00:39:30.160 --> 00:39:31.519
 As the pillar of the truth?

00:39:32.539 --> 00:39:34.620
 Is that what's motivating us as we

00:39:34.620 --> 00:39:35.480
 consider this?

00:39:36.000 --> 00:39:37.400
 That's when we'll move together as a

00:39:37.400 --> 00:39:37.960
 church family.

00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:45.220
 All this is given for our good, so

00:39:45.220 --> 00:39:47.519
 that we might reflect and defend and

00:39:47.519 --> 00:39:48.760
 declare the truth.

00:39:51.659 --> 00:39:54.559
 These instructions are given in the

00:39:54.559 --> 00:39:55.880
 context of mission.

00:39:57.260 --> 00:39:59.559
 Chapter 2, at the beginning of

00:39:59.559 --> 00:40:00.760
 chapter 2, where all these

00:40:00.760 --> 00:40:05.619
 instructions start, it speaks of God,

00:40:05.619 --> 00:40:07.819
 our Saviour, who desires all people to

00:40:07.819 --> 00:40:09.400
 be saved and to come to the knowledge

00:40:09.400 --> 00:40:10.079
 of the truth.

00:40:11.199 --> 00:40:12.699
 And then at the end of chapter 3, we

00:40:12.699 --> 00:40:13.839
 come across this hymn.

00:40:17.500 --> 00:40:19.279
 And the hymn is about mission.

00:40:21.259 --> 00:40:24.279
 This is caught up in mission, which is

00:40:24.279 --> 00:40:25.380
 what we're seeing in Acts.

00:40:26.759 --> 00:40:29.299
 So how we appoint deacons is important

00:40:29.299 --> 00:40:30.759
 for mission.

00:40:30.940 --> 00:40:33.519
 And what we see in this hymn in verse

00:40:33.519 --> 00:40:35.500
 16, and I'm not going to go through it in

00:40:35.500 --> 00:40:35.840
 detail.

00:40:35.980 --> 00:40:38.039
 I just want to point out one thing as

00:40:38.039 --> 00:40:39.539
 it relates to deacons.

00:40:41.940 --> 00:40:43.980
 Is that it's for the sake, Jesus came

00:40:43.980 --> 00:40:45.500
 into the world to save sinners.

00:40:47.539 --> 00:40:51.380
 He did it for his mission, and it was

00:40:51.380 --> 00:40:52.539
 very fleshly.

00:40:54.699 --> 00:40:59.519
 He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated

00:40:59.519 --> 00:41:00.519
 by the Spirit.

00:41:00.519 --> 00:41:04.259
 Here's how one preacher puts it.

00:41:04.579 --> 00:41:08.500
 Christ came down to us, incarnate as a man,

00:41:09.400 --> 00:41:16.920
 toiling, suffering, teaching, weeping, dying.

00:41:20.039 --> 00:41:21.940
 It's fleshly.

00:41:21.940 --> 00:41:28.380
 That is what the Spirit points to as holiness.

00:41:28.740 --> 00:41:33.139
 That is who the Spirit vindicated by his mighty

00:41:33.139 --> 00:41:34.340
 works and his resurrection.

00:41:34.920 --> 00:41:35.980
 It's very fleshly.

00:41:37.460 --> 00:41:39.220
 That's the Christ we believe in.

00:41:39.579 --> 00:41:40.960
 He did it to save us.

00:41:44.460 --> 00:41:47.920
 That the Son of Man did not come to be served,

00:41:47.920 --> 00:41:49.820
 but to serve.

00:41:52.820 --> 00:41:55.180
 Here is, we're going to sing the servant king

00:41:55.180 --> 00:41:55.599
 in a moment.

00:41:55.720 --> 00:41:59.079
 Here is the servant king who we see in Acts

00:41:59.079 --> 00:42:01.400
 is still serving his church.

00:42:01.400 --> 00:42:07.440
 Why wouldn't it be a joy for our church family

00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:12.460
 to appoint and submit to deacons who reflect

00:42:12.460 --> 00:42:15.680
 this servant king who became flesh?

00:42:16.680 --> 00:42:20.500
 It was very ordinary, but he did it to save sinners.

00:42:20.500 --> 00:42:28.820
 It should be our joy to submit to deacons who consider

00:42:28.820 --> 00:42:33.440
 their spiritual worship in following this ordinary king,

00:42:34.099 --> 00:42:39.380
 in toiling and suffering and weeping and teaching,

00:42:39.559 --> 00:42:40.219
 even dying.

00:42:40.219 --> 00:42:48.699
 So here is the gospel of the household of God,

00:42:48.859 --> 00:42:51.839
 this Christ who is very ordinary,

00:42:52.199 --> 00:42:56.939
 but his service to save sinners is what God welcomes

00:42:56.939 --> 00:43:00.259
 and says, yes, that is holiness.

00:43:00.939 --> 00:43:04.480
 Not separating from the world, but entering it.

00:43:04.480 --> 00:43:10.300
 This is the gospel that has brought us into the family.

00:43:11.440 --> 00:43:14.880
 This is the gospel that, this is the one who's still alive

00:43:14.880 --> 00:43:17.900
 in this church family and he's among us by his word

00:43:17.900 --> 00:43:18.360
 and spirit.

00:43:19.780 --> 00:43:24.980
 This is the one we are called to reflect as we appoint deacons

00:43:24.980 --> 00:43:27.639
 and so that we can keep proclaiming him to the ends

00:43:27.639 --> 00:43:28.139
 of the world.

00:43:31.500 --> 00:43:32.599
 Well, why don't you pray with me?

00:43:32.699 --> 00:43:33.059
 Let's pray.

00:43:34.480 --> 00:43:46.240
 Well, Father, I want to pray again that you would help us

00:43:46.240 --> 00:43:52.380
 to be a light as a church family into a society that really

00:43:52.380 --> 00:43:57.139
 despises even authority and is very suspicious.

00:43:58.360 --> 00:44:02.800
 Lord, thank you that you use your authority to serve,

00:44:02.800 --> 00:44:07.840
 that you lay down your life to give us life.

00:44:09.000 --> 00:44:11.800
 Father, I pray that you would move us as a church family

00:44:11.800 --> 00:44:17.680
 to appoint leaders that are gripped by this Jesus

00:44:17.680 --> 00:44:24.519
 so that they will defend this gospel and lead this church

00:44:24.519 --> 00:44:29.340
 in serving like the Lord Jesus so that we might be a witness

00:44:29.340 --> 00:44:31.340
 to the nations.

00:44:32.340 --> 00:44:35.539
 Father, yeah, please use us as a light.

00:44:35.780 --> 00:44:36.940
 In Jesus' name, amen.