Amen.
Today is a little bit different for us.
Ordinarily, we are walking through books of the Bible together.
We just finished a long series through the book of John.
As I mentioned earlier, Lord willing, next week we'll begin a new series in the book of Daniel.
But here in between, we have an opportunity this morning,
as we install two deacons in the life of this church,
to explain from the Bible what in the world that word even means, deacon.
Now I know when I even say that, many of us have different images that come to mind,
different experiences that come to mind, some good, some bad, some biblical, some unbiblical.
And so what I want to do this morning, with the help of God through His Word,
is to open up to Acts chapter 6 and explain biblically what we are getting ourselves into
with this gift of deacons this morning.
So open it up to Acts chapter 6.
And I want you to keep a finger there.
We're also going to go to 1 Timothy chapter 3.
If you're using the Pew Bibles there in front of you,
you can find Acts chapter 6 at page 859, I believe.
But when you found it,
let's stand in honor of the reading of God's Word, Acts chapter 6.
I'll be reading this morning from verse 1 through verse 7.
Now in these days,
when the disciples were increasing in number,
a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews,
because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.
And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said,
It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God to serve tables.
Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute,
full of the Spirit and of wisdom,
whom we will appoint to this duty.
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.
And what they said pleased the whole gathering.
And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,
and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicholas,
a proselyte of Antioch.
These they set before the apostles,
and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
And the Word of God continued to increase.
And the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem,
and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
And the grass withers and the flower fades,
but the Word of our Lord endures forever.
Would you pray with me?
Lord, we thank You for Your Word.
We thank You for Your wisdom and for Your design and plans for Your church.
And we thank You that in Your grace and Your kindness,
we are becoming obedient to what You've written.
And we pray that that would continue here,
and that You would work in us what You worked in the early church,
that disciples would multiply greatly from this place.
We pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
And you may be seated.
Pastor Matt Smithhurst,
in his very short, very helpful book,
simply titled Deacons,
he says,
Show me a church with distracted leaders
or a derailed mission,
and I will show you a church without effective deacons.
It may be that you've been a part of a church like this,
and if you have,
whether you realize it or not,
if you've experienced a church with distracted leaders
or a derailed mission,
whether or not you realize it,
you have had a little taste
of what life was like in the early church
in this period in Acts chapter 6.
There's an issue here in the early days of the church.
Issues are not anything new in the church, by the way.
It's not a new phenomenon.
Good things are happening in the early church.
The Spirit has come.
The Word is spreading.
Men and women from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria
to the ends of the earth are beginning to believe.
The gospel churches are forming.
But verse 1 tells us that there's an issue.
Look there with me.
When the disciples were increasing in number,
that's a good thing,
a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews.
That's a bad thing.
Why were they complaining?
He says,
Because their widows were being neglected
in the daily distribution.
Here we go.
This is church war.
We've all maybe tasted a bit of this.
You have the Hellenists in one corner.
These Greek-speaking Jews.
They're hungry.
Literally hungry.
Their widows have been neglected.
There's an injustice being done.
And in the other corner over here are the Hebrews.
We don't know exactly why this neglect was happening.
It may be that there was some sort of underlying prejudice
behind this neglect.
Maybe this was intentional.
It may be just an innocent oversight.
We're not told exactly why this is happening.
But it's happening.
And everybody is looking to the apostles
to try and figure out,
well, what in the world are they going to do
to solve this problem?
If this were an American church,
they probably just would have planted
a Hellenist church over here.
And a Hebrew church right around the corner over here.
They would separate,
go their own separate ways.
Everybody would be happy.
But that's not what they did.
The solution here,
for the sake of unity of the church,
and for the sake of the mission of the church,
for the sake of the advance of the gospel,
was to establish a deacon-like ministry
that served the needs of these widows,
that advanced the mission of the gospel,
that preserved the ministry of the word and prayer.
There is a deacon-like ministry.
And I can't exactly say
that this is the establishment
of the deacon ministry.
Deacons have not yet formally been established
at this point in the life of the early church.
But I can say with certainty
that this, at the very least,
lays out the blueprint
for what the deacon ministry would become
in the church.
And so here's what I want you to understand
this morning.
That this type of deacon ministry,
what we see in Acts chapter 6,
is absolutely vital
for the health of the church.
Deacon ministry,
when it functions according to the word of God
for the good of his people,
is absolutely vital
for the health of the church.
The church needs deacons.
Sea Wee Bay needs deacons.
And so what I want to do this morning
is give you four reasons why this morning.
Four reasons why we need deacons.
And really, these are four descriptions
of a deacon.
So if you're following along,
if you're a note taker,
we try to make it easy
for you to take notes.
This will help you follow me this morning.
Four reasons why we need deacons.
Number one,
deacons are mature believers.
Deacons are mature believers.
Verse 2, if you look there with me,
verse 2 says that the 12 summoned
the full number of the disciples.
At this point,
that number was in the thousands.
According to Acts chapter 2,
some estimates are likely
over 20,000 members of this church.
This was the first mega church
here in Jerusalem.
Twelve apostles,
thousands of members.
And here's what they said.
They said it's not right
that we should give up
preaching of the word of God
in order to serve tables.
We'll get back to that comment
in a moment.
But here's the solution.
They said,
Therefore, brothers,
pick out from among you
seven men of good repute,
full of the spirit and of wisdom,
whom we will appoint to this duty.
The solution here to this issue
was seven men of good repute.
You hear that qualification?
They had a reputation
that preceded them.
Seven men who were full of the spirit.
They're not primarily
just good businessmen.
These are mature Christians.
That's the qualification.
These are individuals
who gave evidence of regeneration.
Seven men who are full of wisdom.
They knew their Bibles.
They can apply God's truth
to issues in their lives
as well as in the life of the church,
problems that the church would face.
They were mature believers.
Now, I want you to flip over
to 1 Timothy 3 for a moment.
And keep your fingers there
in Acts 6,
because we will come back.
But in 1 Timothy 3,
all of 1 Timothy,
Paul is writing to a young pastor
who's trying to figure things out
in the church.
And he's giving godly wisdom,
God-directed insight
into how the church ought to function.
So by the time he gets to chapter 3,
the Apostle Paul,
he's listing out qualifications
for the two offices
of the local church,
elder and deacon.
Pastor,
overseer,
elder,
and deacon.
So we have the qualifications
for the office of pastor
in verses 1 through 7,
and then the office of deacon
in verses 8 through 13.
And what I want you to notice
is that in this description of deacons,
this is simply describing
Christian maturity.
Look there with me to verse 8.
It says,
Deacons likewise,
in the same manner as the pastors,
deacons likewise must be dignified.
This is the banner qualification
that hangs over the rest
of these character qualifications here
in the rest of the passage.
They must be dignified.
And then it tells us
what they must not be.
Verse 8,
they must not be double-tongued.
Deacons might be placed
in vulnerable situations
where they might know
sensitive information
about church members.
They're caring for the needy
and the weak
and the vulnerable.
Deacons don't say one thing
and do another.
They don't say one thing
behind your back
that they wouldn't say
to your face.
They are not double-tongued.
They can be trusted
with the words
that come out of their mouth.
They're not addicted
to much wine.
Deacons in this context,
again,
they probably,
possibly,
would have been
bringing wine to the sick,
administering wine
to those who are needy
and sick.
And they should not be
given over to addiction
to much wine.
They're not drunkards.
You don't want
an alcoholic deacon, right?
And in the same way,
likely,
they would have had access
to distribute
some of the church's funds
for these tangible,
immediate,
practical needs.
They would be money holders
for issues of benevolence
and member care.
And so,
he says,
they must not be greedy
for dishonest gain.
You don't want
a greedy deacon
having his hand
in the finances
of the church.
All of these
are issues of self-control,
aren't they?
All of these
are issues
of Christian maturity.
But it's not only
what they must not be
and do.
Verse 9 says,
what they must do,
they must hold
the mystery of the faith
with a clear conscience.
Don't you love
that description?
Don't you wish
that would be said of you?
They must hold
the mystery of the faith
with a clear conscience.
They're not primarily teachers.
That's not their role.
But they're mature believers.
They know their Bible.
They're not in conflict
with the church's
statement of faith.
These are men and women,
as we'll see in just a moment,
who believe the word of God.
Verse 10 says,
they must be tested first.
This isn't a quick appointment.
It's too important for that.
They're proven over time
to be competent
and faithful.
You see the standard here.
This is a standard
of Christian maturity
that's observed
and affirmed
by the church
over time.
Now, verse 11.
Here's where we get
into some controversy.
Although I don't want
to get all the way
into the weeds
this morning in it,
I do just want
to point out
that there in the ESV,
the translation
that we use,
where it says,
their wives likewise
must be dignified,
that can just as easily
be translated,
women likewise
must be dignified,
which would change things
a little bit,
wouldn't it?
Rather than Paul
giving an additional
qualification
for deacons' wives,
which the elders
have no such qualification
for their wives,
instead,
Paul,
if this is what he's doing,
would be speaking
to females,
women,
who would serve
in the office
of deacon.
And so,
if that's what he's doing,
then the structure
of this passage
would look like this.
Verses 8 through 10
address all deacons
as sort of a header
for the list.
Verse 11
speaks to women deacons.
Verse 12
speaks to male deacons.
And then verse 13
concludes,
again,
by speaking to
all deacons.
Women likewise
must be dignified.
They likewise
must not be slanderers,
must be sober-minded,
must be faithful
in all things.
Verse 12,
back to male deacons.
They must be
the husband of one wife,
a one-woman man,
managing their children
and their own households well.
And then finally,
in verse 13,
all who serve well
as deacons
gain a good standing
for themselves
and also great confidence
in the faith
that is in Christ Jesus.
I guess we did
sort of get into the weeds,
didn't we?
Not too deep.
Here's the point.
Whoever serves
as a deacon
must be dignified.
That's the banner
qualification here.
It's Christian maturity.
And why do we need
deacons that would
serve like this?
Well,
because I pray
that this list
would describe
every member
of our church.
What's exceptional
about this list
is that these qualifications
are so ordinary,
isn't it?
This is what
all Christians
must aspire
to be and do.
It's what deacons
must be
if we're going
to recognize them
and install them
to serve in our church
as deacons.
But this is what
all Christians
ought to aspire
to be
by the grace of God.
God.
So when we
install qualified,
mature deacons
to serve in this church,
what we're doing
is we're
providing
servants
who you can look to
and say,
go look like this.
Go live like this.
You want to know
what it means
to serve
in a God-honoring way?
Go spend some time
with Bill.
Go spend some time
with Randy.
Serve with them.
Serve like them.
Pursue Christ
like them.
They're examples
of Christian maturity.
Second,
second,
deacons are
pastor supporters.
Let's look back
to Acts chapter 6.
Deacons are
pastor supporters.
Look there again
to verse 2.
And notice again
how the apostles
responded
to this issue.
They said,
the twelve
summoned the full number
of the disciples
and said,
it's not right
that we should give up
preaching the word of God
to serve tables.
Therefore,
brothers,
pick out from among you
seven men of good repute,
full of the spirit
and of wisdom,
whom we will appoint
to this duty.
But we will devote
ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry
of the word.
Do you notice
the division of labor
here?
Developing in the early church.
The apostles here,
they are to devote themselves
to the ministry
of prayer
and the word.
And then these seven men
are appointed
to this need meeting,
ministry,
practical,
tangible,
need meeting task.
And again,
this lays out
the blueprint,
the pattern
for how these two offices
of the local church
ought to operate.
Elders,
pastors,
our shepherds,
their spiritual overseers,
their leaders,
their primary task
of elders and pastors
is to be about
the ministry
of word and prayer.
And the primary task
of deacons,
like these seven men here,
is to be about
this practical,
tangible,
need meeting
ministry of the body,
but not as an end
in itself.
In essence,
they look to the many
practical needs
of the body
so as to guard
and protect
the ministry
of the word.
They're like
offensive linemen.
As the elders
run the play,
drive the ball
down the field,
the linemen block
and keep them
from getting hit
with every possible
need or complaint
along the way.
That's the general
division of labor
here.
Now,
notice what the apostles
did not say.
They did not say
this need
isn't important.
It could be easy
to misunderstand
the apostles'
words here,
to take it almost
as being dismissive
of the significance
of this need.
Like,
I'm not waiting tables
so somebody else
can do it.
We're doing the
important stuff
over here
so get somebody
else to do it.
Well,
that's not what
they said,
is it?
Quite the opposite,
in fact.
They saw that
this need
is so important
that they gathered
the whole church,
appointed seven individuals
to the task,
set them about the work
to make certain
that this need
was met
so that they
could continue
to devote themselves
to the word
and prayer.
It's interesting
that the root word
for deacon
there in Acts 6,
diakonos,
it appears twice.
Once,
in verse 2,
it's not right
that we should give up
preaching the word
of God
to deacon tables.
And again,
in verse 4,
but we will devote
ourselves to prayer
in the deaconing
of the word.
They recognized
this division of labor
with a common goal
that was needed
for the health
of the church.
What they also
didn't say
was this need
is important
so we will do
it all ourselves.
That's not what
they said.
The apostles
were not meeting
every need
that they saw
in the early church.
And wisely so.
They weren't doing
everything
that could be done.
They were focused
explicitly
on what must
be done.
Namely,
the ministry
of the word
and prayer.
Some churches
have a
messed up vision
of what a pastor
is supposed to do.
That if there's
needs in the church,
well then the pastor
is the one
who must
be the one
to have to meet
the needs
in the church.
That's wrong.
But at the same
time,
some pastors
wrongly take
that upon
themselves.
They try to
do too much.
And instead
of actually
helping the church
and ministering
to the church,
the church winds
up with
distracted leaders
and a derailed
mission.
The Associated
Press published
an article
on January
11th
titled,
U.S.
Pastors
Struggle
with Post-Pandemic
Burnout.
Survey shows
half considered
quitting since
2020.
It said that
more than
four in ten
of clergy
surveyed in
fall 2023
had seriously
considered leaving
their congregations
at least once
since 2020.
And more than
half had thought
seriously of
leaving the ministry
according to
the survey
released by
the Hartford
Institute for
Religion Research
on Thursday.
And it went
on to say
those thinking
of quitting
the ministry
entirely were
more likely
to be pastors
of smaller
churches and
those who work
solo compared
with those on
larger staffs
and at larger
churches.
Now why do you
think that is?
It is not
because large
church ministry
is easier than
small church
ministry.
I can guarantee
you that.
But it is
because small
churches are
often understaffed
and under
resourced
which leaves
the pastor
overwhelmed
and overextended
as they seek
to meet the
needs of the
body.
Unless
unless
he is able
to delegate
the needs
of the ministry
to qualified
individuals who
can help
carry the
load.
Church do
you see the
wisdom here?
In God's
gift of
a plurality
of elders
and a plurality
of godly
deacons to
help carry
the load?
I am
thankful for
Treg
Hallman
who serves
alongside me
as an elder
here.
I am thankful
that God has
brought these
two men
Bill and
Randy to
serve alongside
us as
deacons.
We need
deacons
church.
The church
needs
deacons.
There is
wisdom here
for us to
follow.
But it is
not just
for my
good.
Third,
deacons are
unity
defenders.
They are
mature
believers.
They are
pastor
supporters.
Third,
they are
unity
defenders.
Ask
yourself,
why was
this need
so important?
Important
enough to
gather the
whole church
and important
enough to
address it
here.
Important
enough for
Luke as
he is writing
the book of
Acts to
say we need
to record
this and
have us
think about
this.
I think
there are
three layers
to this
issue here.
On the
one hand,
the issue
is important
simply because
there is a
need in the
body.
These widows
are being
neglected.
That is an
issue.
We are called
to care for
those who
are weak
and vulnerable.
We are called
to care for
the orphan
and the
widow.
That is
layer number
one.
There is a
real need
here in the
body that
needs to be
addressed.
There is
another issue
here,
isn't there?
We have
already covered
it.
The ministry
of the
word was
going to
be hampered
if the
apostles were
to be
distracted
from the
ministry of
the word
and prayer
to go
serve
tables.
Guess
what?
The ministry
of the
word and
prayer would
be hampered.
The apostles
can only divide
their time and
attention in so
many ways.
There is
another issue
here,
another reason
why this
ministry was
so necessary.
It is a
reason that
underlies the
work of a
deacon.
It is one of
the main
reasons why
we and
every other
church needs
qualified deacons.
That reason
is that the
unity of the
church is
being threatened.
Do you see
that?
The unity of
the church.
Think about
it.
The problem
here is much
bigger than
just the
immediate
practical need
on the
table.
No pun
intended.
The problem,
this unmet
need,
was resulting
in a bigger
issue,
the brewing
threat of
disunity in
the early
church.
Now,
we have
talked about
this so
much.
You probably
are wondering
when in the
world am I
going to stop
talking about
unity so much?
Well,
don't hold
your breath.
Church,
this is so
important for
us.
We must
guard the
unity that's
given to us
by God in
the gospel of
Christ.
It's a
defining feature
of the local
church is that
Christ has
united us
individually,
vertically to
God by faith
in Him,
and He has
united us
horizontally to
one another
in a body.
If we're not
united together,
we have no
mission worth
sharing about.
Unity was
important to
Jesus,
John 17.
He prayed,
I do not ask
for these only,
but also for
those who will
believe in me
through their
word,
that's us,
that they may
all be one
just as you,
Father,
are in me
and I in you,
that they also
may be in us
so that the
world may believe
that you have
sent me.
Our unity,
again,
individually to
God and
corporately to
one another,
is an
apologetic to
the outside
unbelieving
world.
He said,
Father,
I pray that
they may
be one
so that
the world
may believe
that you
sent me.
Lack of
oneness
breeds lack
of witness.
This is a
need that
must be
addressed.
How could
they continue
to go out
and tell
people of
the unifying
work of
Jesus if
they themselves
are divided
with one
another?
Unity was
important to
Jesus.
Unity was
important to
Paul.
Ephesians
chapter 4.
He says,
I therefore,
a prisoner of
the Lord,
urge you to
walk in a
manner worthy
of the calling
to which you
have been
called,
with all
humility and
gentleness,
with patience,
bearing with one
another in love,
eager to
maintain the
unity of the
spirit in the
bond of
peace.
Does that
sound familiar
to you?
To our
members,
that ought to
sound very
familiar.
That's a part
of our church
covenant.
It's the
first line
of commitment
that we
make as we
join together
in this church
family,
that we
will pursue
unity,
being eager
to maintain
it,
what God
has given
to us.
The unity
of the church
was important
to Paul,
not only this,
but the church's
unity is important
to Satan.
Do you realize
that?
The church's
unity is
important to
Satan,
which is why
he does
whatever he
can to
disrupt it.
Our enemy
does not
want a
united church.
He hates
a united
church.
I'm afraid
that he
works much
harder to
disrupt our
unity than
we tend to
do to
protect it.
Church,
we share a
sweet fellowship
here in this
family.
I know we
do, but
hear me out.
Our enemy
would love to
use something
as small as
setting tables
to unravel the
fellowship that
we share
at Seawee Bay.
Deacons,
I'm speaking
to you and
church members
to you as
well.
Don't let it
happen here.
Be on guard
against it.
Be eager to
maintain the
unity that we've
been given.
Don't let the
enemy get one
step into this
church to
disrupt the
unity that we
have.
Our mission
hinges on our
unity as we
work together to
spread the
gospel.
be watchful
deacons.
Be vigilant.
Serve like
watchmen in a
tower.
Serve like
snipers in a
tower who
seek to put
out any threat
before they
even come near
the walls of
this church.
You are unity
defenders.
One final
description.
Fourth,
finally,
deacons are
servant leaders.
At the very
heart of the
deacon ministry
is service.
Serving tables
is not glamorous
work, is it?
I worked at a
coffee shop while
I was in
seminary.
Let me tell you
something.
There is no
worse job than
serving coffee
to coffee
addicted people
before they have
had their coffee.
Everybody else
gets them after
they have
been getting
their fix of
the caffeine.
It is tough.
It is messy
work.
You get fussed
at.
People fuss at
you.
They don't like
the way you
serve them.
You have to
clean up other
people's messes.
It is hard
work in the
service industry.
To be a
deacon at its
very core is
to be about
service.
The word
deacon, you
know this.
The word
deacon, it
literally
translates to
mean servant.
It is a
dignified title
for dirty
work.
You want to
be a deacon?
That does not
mean you are
climbing up the
ladder of a
church to a
position of
authority.
What it means
is that you
are committing
to stoop down
low to be in
the position of
a servant.
But lest you
think that makes
them insignificant,
let me remind
you how things
work in the
kingdom of God.
Mark chapter
10, James
and John
wanted to
climb the
ladder of
authority.
And they
made a request
of the Lord
Jesus, Lord
let us sit at
your right hand
in glory.
They wanted
this position
of authority
and recognition.
They wanted
power and
greatness.
And Jesus
responds to
them and says
really you
don't know
what you are
asking for.
Listen to
what he says
in Mark
chapter 10
verse 42.
It says
Jesus called
them to him
and said to
them, you
know that
those who
are considered
rulers of
the Gentiles
lord it over
them.
And their
great ones
exercise authority
over them.
That's how it
works out there
in the world.
But it shall
not be so
among you.
But whoever
would be great
among you
must be
your servant.
And whoever
would be first
among you
must be
slave of
all.
Do you hear
the path of
greatness in the
kingdom of God?
Unlike the
way things
work out
there in
the world
where the
path of
greatness is
climbing the
ladder no
matter who
you got to
trample on
the way up
the path to
greatness in
the kingdom
of God and
in the church
is not up
but down.
You're not
climbing your
way up the
ladder.
You're stooping
low to become
a servant.
Whoever would
be great among
you must be
your deacon.
And whoever
would be first
among you must
be slave of
all.
Is that your
vision of
greatness?
Is that your
vision of what
true greatness
looks like?
Deaconing is
messy work.
It's often
thankless work.
Oftentimes people
who you serve
are mean to
you.
Sometimes they
won't be happy
with your
service.
If you serve
for their
approval you'll
probably be
discouraged in
your work at
some point along
the way.
But if you
want to be
a deacon
your call
is to step
into the
messiness of
the church
for their
good and
for God's
glory.
You are
called to
be a
servant.
Again,
Matt Smethurst
quoting his
book, he
says,
deacons are
not the
church's
spiritual
council of
directors,
nor the
executive board
to whom the
pastor CEO
answers.
They are the
calvary of
servants,
deputized to
execute the
elders'
vision by
coordinating
various
ministries.
I love that
description.
And here at
Seaweed Bay,
what that's
going to look
like, what
this means
for us
practically as
we install
these men
today as
deacons,
is that
these men
will serve
by leading
and facilitating
some key
ministry areas
for our
church, the
ministries of
facilities and
the ministry
of stewardship.
And church,
they will
need your
help.
They will
need your
support.
They will
need your
prayers.
We don't
raise up
deacons to
do all the
ministry
themselves.
They lead
and facilitate
and organize,
but the church
is to be about
this work of
service.
All of us
are in a very
general sense
lowercase d
deacons.
If you want
to support
them, then
join them.
Don't just
observe their
efforts, multiply
their efforts.
And it's
my prayer
and my
expectation
that as
these men
serve, the
Lord will
do in us
and through
us what
he did for
the church
here in
Acts chapter
6.
Look there
again to
verse 5.
Verse 5
says that
what they
said pleased
the whole
gathering,
and so they
chose Stephen,
a man full
of faith and
of the Holy
Spirit, and
Philip, and
Prochorus, and
Nicanor, and
Taman, and
Parmenas, and
Nicholas, a
proselyte of
Antioch.
These they
set before the
apostles and
they prayed and
laid hands on
them.
Listen to this.
And the word
of God
continued to
increase.
And the
number of the
disciples multiplied
greatly in
Jerusalem.
And a great
many of the
priests became
obedient to
the faith.
Don't you
want to see
that happen
here?
don't you
want to see
the word of
God increase
here?
Don't you
want to see
disciples multiplied
here?
I believe that
deacons and
their humble
need, meeting,
pastor, supporting,
unity, defending
ministry are a
crucial part of
that game.
The church
needs great
deacons.
why?
Ultimately
because when
they serve in
this way as
God has designed
for the good of
the church, they
show the church
and the world
what Jesus is
like.
Mark chapter
10, one more
time.
Verse 45.
Jesus gives
them the ultimate
reason to serve
like this.
For even the
Son of Man
came not to be
served, but to
serve and to
give his life as
a ransom for
many.
Even the Son of
Man, Jesus Christ
himself, came not
to be deaconed, but
to deacon.
The Lord Jesus
himself, for the
sake of others
centered, church
building, need,
meeting, service,
humbled himself to
become a
servant.
covenant.
How great is the
Lord Jesus who
stooped down to
wash his disciples
feet?
How great is the
Son of God who
took on flesh to
come and to ransom
what's been lost?
How great is the
King who laid down
his life to bring
sinners like us into
his kingdom?
Do you see Jesus'
greatness?
Jesus served us.
I know that this
is primarily a
message for the
church about
deacons, and if
you're not a
believer and you're
here, you're hearing
this message, you
probably don't care a
thing about deacons and
why our church needs
deacons and what does
this have to do with
you.
Listen to this.
You may not care a
thing about that, but
you should care that the
Son of God himself has
stooped down to serve
you.
That even the Son of
Man came not to be
served, but to serve
and to give his life as
a ransom for many.
You know, we often
think the way to get
right with God and to
maintain a good standing
with God is to serve
him, right?
If I can just serve him
in the correct ways, he'll
love me.
If I can serve him
better, maybe things will
be right with me and
him.
Let me be as clear as I
possibly can with you
this morning.
You cannot begin to
serve him unless you
have first allowed
Christ Jesus to serve
you.
Have you received the
service of Jesus by
faith?
And church, for us, I
hope you see we need
deacons like this.
We need deacons like
this who will show us
the servant heart of
Christ that we might
see and experience
from one another what
it means to be served
and loved and cared for
by God himself.
Now, we might have an
example to follow as we
follow Christ.
And that this church
might grow in health and
unity and that the word
of God might go forth in
power.
Amen?
Let's pray.
Lord, we thank you for
your wisdom and your good
design for your church.
It's not our church.
It's not our plans for
our church and what we
want to do and what we
want to see happen.
It's not our design.
God, we want to submit to
your word.
What you have planned for
your church.
So we praise you and we
thank you for these two
men, Bill and Randy, as
you've raised them up,
as this church has
affirmed their
qualifications as deacons.
And we pray, God, that
they would be a blessing
to us as we look to
Christ.
We love you, Lord, and we
pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.