Let's begin with a word of prayer.
Heavenly Father, this morning for us, prayer is not a habit, but is a recognition of our need.
It is a recognition of your sufficiency.
It is a recognition of the fact that you who abide in heaven have your ear bent to hear the frail call of your children,
that you delight in us because of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and that as it says in Ephesians, you have blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Jesus Christ.
And this morning it is our prayer that you would work to take the word that you have blessed us with
and strengthen our hearts that we would be a people that walk in humility and obedience and joy,
trusting in your wisdom and your plan,
and understanding that often the pleasure and satisfaction of obedience comes after we have acted by faith and obeyed.
And I ask for your Holy Spirit's help in my life and in those who hear the word this morning,
that Christ, our Savior, would be magnified among us.
Amen.
Last week we looked at the passages of Scripture in particular that relate to the men who God calls in our fellowship to serve as deacons,
and we recognize that God in His plan over time works to prepare men to be servants in the bride of Christ.
And one of the things that I want us to do this week, having looked last week at some of the qualifications,
is I want to switch around, and this week I want us to think about the part that God's people play together
in enabling and encouraging and strengthening those who serve the body of Christ as leadership.
I stop and recognize, as I think back over my own life,
that so much of what I have received has come through, first of all,
the Word of God and the Spirit of God in blessing me with salvation,
but also the same is true for you who are here.
Most of you know Christ as your personal Savior,
and much of the blessing that you have received has come because of that.
At the same time, you have to recognize that much also that we enjoy comes through relationships
with other people that are godly instruments and end up being encouragers and nurturers of godliness in our life,
and we have been blessed richly by those that God has put into our lives for the sake of the gospel
and for our progressive sanctification.
And so last week, thinking about the matter of the work of God in raising up godly leadership
and the importance that we have in praying and thinking carefully about the role those men would serve in,
I want us to think this morning in particular, how do we go about, as God's people,
in helping and encouraging those that He raises up to be,
servants of the bride of Christ and leaders in this fellowship.
And if I were to summarize the sermon in three words,
and so you can write this down on your paper,
and don't check out because there's some things to be said at this point,
but in essence, I'm interested in encouraging you to help your deacon.
Deacon. Help your deacon. Help your deacon.
Help those that God puts in leadership.
And so as we talk about the matter of how we go about doing that,
I want you to recognize that you help by participation.
You help by participating in the work that God calls deacons and pastors
to be engaged in directing the bride of Christ to act on.
I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, at this point,
to Acts chapter 6, verse 1.
Acts chapter 6, verse 1.
We're going to look eventually at verse 3, but mark what it says.
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 12 summoned the full members of the disciples and said,
It is not right that we should give up preaching and 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, who we may appoint to this duty.
As you look at the passage, one of the things that you understand
is that what the apostles recognized is that the need of the church had to be met
and there was a way to do it.
The statement that we find there in the text that we may appoint
or we may put in charge of this task indicates
that the men who were chosen to engage in this responsibility
were not appointed exclusively to be the only ones
who did the work that was needed in the ministry.
Now recognize, if you will, stop and kind of get your hands around this for a second,
that by this point the early church probably numbered in excess of 4,000.
And when you do a little bit of extrapolation from that,
you can imagine that there were a number of widows in that fellowship
that actually needed attention and care,
and as a result there was a significant concern
that the church had for that responsibility and it wasn't being met.
And we find that the apostles said,
hey listen, it's appropriate for us to stay focused on that
which God has called us to be engaged in,
namely in prayer and the teaching of the Word of God,
and we need individuals to meet this need as well.
And they gave the responsibility of doing this work
to seven individuals who met the biblical standards
that we find here in the passage.
I want you to recognize as you think with me through this passage
that the fact that the text speaks about these seven men
being charged with the responsibility or the task of overseeing it
indicates that they were expected to involve other people to do the job.
And so when we pay attention to this this morning,
I want us to understand that the underlying assumption
was that deacons in the early church relied on others
to help them do the work.
They didn't do it all by themselves.
They involved other people in doing it.
And an underlying supposition behind that
is that people were willing to do the things
that those who had been appointed
to have oversight of those responsibilities
saw that needed to be done.
Did the seven deacons that were appointed
end up being the only ones who visited the widows
or took food to them or cared for their needs?
Not by any stretch of the imagination,
but they were the ones who had the responsibility
of overseeing that that task was cared for.
And that's the way it is today.
I want you to understand that when you stop and think about
what a body of believers do,
I want you to pay attention to the fact
that God has appointed godly leadership
in this congregation and over the years.
That godly leadership has been, first of all,
a testimony of the character and heart of Christ
in their ministry and attitudes,
and you have the opportunity of watching them.
I know yesterday was a moving day
for a number of families.
We had actually two families move yesterday.
And I don't know, how many of you were there
to help with a move?
Raise your hands.
Look around.
Mark the fact that a number of you
were involved in those moves.
And I can venture to say that you had deacons on site,
you had some pastors on site,
you had individuals who were willing to serve
and invest their energy in the sake of the body.
And as you think about that,
you recognize that the deacons
didn't do the only heavy lifting.
They were involved in organizing
and seeing that it got done
and encouraging the bride of Christ
in caring for that.
The greater part of work that is done
in any healthy body
is actually done by people
who serve willingly and freely
without coercion and pressure.
There never has been,
nor will there ever be,
any manipulative fashion
in which people are called to the task.
By the way, since you're a member,
you are responsible to show up
for four moves
and to provide seven meals this next year.
I'm getting hot.
I don't know what that means,
but anyway.
Membership,
membership doesn't work that way.
We look for people
that are willing to serve
and we put the announcement out there
and people rise to the occasion
and get involved there.
So let's think a little bit
about the different ways
in which actually
you help your deacon
by participating.
For one,
many of the body of Christ
help with the spiritual needs
and attitudes
that often you are aware of first
before,
people sometimes think
pastors know everything.
They really don't.
How many of you as parents
remember that you were usually
the last one to know
what was happening
in the basement?
The same thing is true for pastors.
We often don't find out
and deacons also don't find out.
But eventually,
it works up the food chain, correct?
Early on, however,
most of the things
that are happening
in the body of Christ
are cared for
by people who minister
to one another
in the flow of life.
I've said over and over again
that a healthy body
has a tendency
of healing itself.
Can I say that slowly
so you understand my point?
A healthy body
has a tendency
of healing itself.
Being a man now
who is many years
into ministry
and having gray hair,
I have a number of pastors
who call me periodically
and ask me for advice.
And I cannot tell you
how many times
I've answered a call
where a pastor,
a younger pastor,
has been particularly alarmed
by one problem or another
and I've said to him,
hey, listen,
as a rule,
a healthy body
will do a lot of the work
of taking care
of some of the issues within.
You know,
when one person
says something
that is inappropriate
or off color,
you don't send
a note to the pastor
and say,
by the way,
I heard this said
in the lobby
and I think
you ought to take care of it.
How is that cared for?
What you do
is you wait
for a private moment
and you say to your brother,
you know,
I heard what you said
and I just wanted
to be sure I understood.
What was the frame?
By the way,
how many of you
would know a passage
of scripture
that would kind of
reference that plan
of attack?
How many of you know
Matthew chapter 18
which says,
when you have a problem,
what do you do?
Do you call somebody else
to the task?
No.
If God providentially
intended for you
to hear it,
he intends for you
to solve it.
And I want you
to understand,
as a general rule,
a healthy body
helps one another
and brings a lot
of healing
to the family of God.
I think,
back for a moment
in reference
and illustration
to something
that happened,
it's over 10 years ago.
Our fellowship
used to have
a Christian school here
and when it came time,
the school board
and the church board
voted unanimously
to close the school.
I remember
that there was
understandable turmoil
and difficulty
in the congregation
over that fact.
Very interestingly enough,
there was a small group
of individuals
who decided
that what they would do
is try to foment
a rejection
of that idea
and cause
some turmoil
over it.
And I think
there were about
three or four
different families
in our fellowship
who immediately
after getting a call
from this group
of people,
they immediately
called their deacon.
I like that.
They trusted
their deacon
to be one
helping them
work through problems.
And I remember
I had calls
from three or four deacons
who had had these calls
from other families
and I said,
hey listen,
I appreciate the fact
that our people
called their deacon first.
And our deacons,
wonderful,
godly men,
ended up helping
work through
that situation
and never became
an issue
in our fellowship.
Did it prove
to be a time
of testing
and hardship?
Yes,
but it was something
that the body
helped work out.
And that's how
the body helps
those who are leaders.
We help each other move.
I saw that on Saturday
and I've seen that
over and over again
over the years.
Men,
women,
families,
I was talking
with a neighbor of mine
who actually was asking,
so what is going on?
And I said,
well,
we've got two different moves
in our church.
Really?
We tend to not call
two men in a truck.
What we do is we
invite each other
to moving parties,
okay,
and we end up
helping with those things.
And one of the things
that usually happens
is that we have
enough people there
to help with it
that we end up
standing around
waiting at the truck
for somebody
to hand something off
and we have
the neighborhood crowd
kind of watching this
from a distance
and we get one comment
after another,
wow,
are these all family members?
No,
no,
but they are.
And we work together
for the glory of Christ.
Furthermore,
we help each other
with meals.
When someone has a surgery,
when there's some hardship
that really challenges
a family construct,
one of the things
that you'll have happen
is that a deacon,
one of our small group leaders,
will step in
and provide for that.
And I look out
over this congregation
and I cannot think
of an individual
that has not been involved
either in having meals
or in bringing meals
to someone else
when those hardship
and difficulties happen.
Most of the counseling
and comfort,
correction,
and care
actually comes
through the body
of Christ
and is encouraged
and nurtured
by our deacons
and their ministry
to you.
So when you think about
how do you help a deacon,
you help with participation.
Be involved
in what the body
is doing
because your deacons
are dependent
upon your participation.
Secondly,
be involved,
help with affection
and protection.
I want you to look
in your Bibles
at a passage
in 1 Thessalonians 5.
1 Thessalonians 5,
verse 12 and 13.
We ask you,
brothers,
to respect those
who labor among you
and are over you
and the Lord
and admonish you.
Hey, by the way,
how many of you
really do well
at receiving correction?
Wave at me
so I know who you are.
I don't see anybody.
Okay.
The reason I ask this
is that
my bride is in here
this morning
so I can tell on myself
and you don't have
to tell her what I said.
When Judith
is hired by God
to provide
occasional admonition
and it's needed
regularly,
my first reaction
generally is,
how many,
can you identify
with where I'm going now?
It's like tone of voice.
How many of you
play the tone of voice card?
Ah, I'm glad.
Tim, I feel your pain, right?
I have learned this,
that when my attitude
is wrong,
Judith never has
the right tone of voice.
One of the advantages
of having the Holy Spirit
in my life
is that I can't get away
with it.
Amen?
I like when men
say that's right
because God's working
and he often
uses the bride
that he hired
for a lifetime
to help us
with those things.
Well, in 1 Thessalonians,
we're looking at
this issue
and it says,
we ask you brothers
to respect those
who labor among you
and are over you
in the Lord
and admonish you.
Do people need
to be admonished?
Do they need
to be encouraged?
Do they need
to be corrected?
You know,
when that happens,
I think it's important
for us to have
a respect
for the individual
that God has placed
in office over you.
It's not an accident.
He put them there.
And by the way,
so that you understand,
when you say no
to the hired instruments
that God has appointed,
guess what he will do?
He'll go get another one.
And someone
who is a little rougher
around the edges
than the first one
you objected to.
How many of you
can bear testimony
that that happens?
And as we grow in grace,
we begin to say,
Lord, I don't want
to tempt you
to reach for a bigger stick.
I'll settle
for the one
you're using now.
Look at verse 13.
And esteem them
very highly in love
because of their work.
Value them in love.
So those who serve you
are to be appreciated.
They're to be valued,
respected.
And so when you hear
someone saying something
that's kind of sarcastic
and surly,
something that is unkind
and disrespectful
to those who have been
put into office
and appointed by the Holy Spirit
to serve the bride of Christ,
you ought not be one
who becomes partner
with that attitude.
Am I right?
If you do,
you're being disobedient
to the Lord Jesus
who gave explicit command
that we're looking at here.
Furthermore,
it says that those
who serve you
are to be deliberately loved.
Look at the passage.
And esteem them
very highly in love.
What does love do
in relationship
to when there are
misunderstandings?
What does love do?
Everybody smile,
look at me.
I want to wave at you
so you know
I'm talking to you.
Love thinks the best
and hopes the best
and believes the best
and endures all things
and works through problems.
Right?
Beloved,
I want you to think about it with this.
This is God's word
spoken explicitly
to the family of God
and says,
follow these instructions.
I want you to go
to another passage.
We're in 1 Thessalonians
so just go over
to 1 Timothy 5,
verse 19.
1 Timothy 5,
verse 19.
Do not admit
a charge
against an elder
except on the evidence
of two or three witnesses.
As we read this text,
it's important for us
to stop and realize
that it was written
to be applied
in the church.
And while the church
is an incredible group
of people
that have been saved
by the grace of God,
it's always also
an environment
in which people
are still in the process
of growing in grace
and they end up
having bumps and warts.
I had an interesting
conversation last week
with a man
talking about his marriage
and he said,
well,
I suppose the problems
in our marriage
are because
of our backgrounds.
And I said,
well,
there is a sense
in which that is
entirely true
and there is a sense
in which it is not
true at all.
And he was talking
about the fact
that he'd grown up
in this one kind of home
and she'd grown up
in this kind of home
and as a result,
they were at the point
of coming apart.
And I said,
the truth of the matter
is that marriage
at its best
is two sinners
in a canoe.
And it takes
the work of the Holy Spirit
to help them learn
what it is
to have a happy marriage
so that you don't
go sideways on this.
I want you to look
in your Bible
just for a moment
to Malachi.
Malachi.
We're talking about
marriage just for a moment
and I want you
to step over
to Malachi chapter 2.
I'm sorry,
is chapter 2,
verse 15.
Hey,
is marriage easy?
And the answer is
not on your life
because it takes
two sinners
and brings them
into inseparable
proximity
with one another.
How many of you
on occasion
have wanted to have
a little distance
between you
and other sinners?
How many of you
have had people
who've wanted to have
a little distance
between you
and them?
Marriage at its best
is a challenge
and in the scripture
we understand
that marriage
is supremely
important to God.
He cares a great deal
about it
and in order
to help people
in their marriages
surprise,
in the Old Testament
he gave
to the Old Testament
saints
a portion
of the Holy Spirit.
Now I want you
to think with me
just for a moment.
How did Samson
do all the miraculous
powerful things
that he did?
How did he do it?
Does anybody know?
Through the Holy Spirit.
How did the
individuals
who were involved
in the exceptional work
in building
the tabernacle
etc.,
how did they do it?
Through the Holy Spirit.
And we understand
that the Lord Jesus
particularly in his ministry
the thing that
that set him apart
above all others
was the fullness
of the Holy Spirit
and the fact
that it stayed on him.
We understand
how important
marriage is
to God
because in the Old Testament
it says there
read it
did he not make them
one
with a portion
of the Spirit
in their union?
God cared enough
in the Old Testament
for marriage
that he gave
a portion
of the Spirit
for people
in relationship
to him.
And by the way
in the New Testament
does every believer
have the Holy Spirit
abiding in him
to help us
with this business
of growing in grace
and in our marriage
right?
So coming back
around to the subject
of 1 Timothy
here it is saying
listen
you're together
and the church
is a environment
in which
people who are
still in the process
of working
through challenges
are in close proximity
with one another
and we are dependent
upon the Word of God
and the Spirit of God
to help us
as we live
and grow
and work
through the issues
and he gives us
explicit instructions
how to solve
problems.
When you have
a problem
what it says
there in 1 Timothy
chapter 5
verse 19
is that you
don't bring
a charge
in a formal way
what is being said
is to the church
leadership
hey
don't entertain
or accept
one of these
little
scurrilous comments
that's made
in the lobby
about one of the
leadership
of the fellowship
without substantial
evidence
and people
are willing
to bear testimony.
We see here
that God
instructs the body
that they are
to protect
their leadership
by following
God's
problem solving
plan.
I want you
to think
just for a moment
what was happening
in this case
evidently
is that the church
that Timothy
was responsible
for
would have
periodic
incidences
in which
people in the
congregation
would carry on
a little bit
of a whispering
campaign
about someone
who was in
leadership
not happy
with someone
who was involved
in Sunday school
or not happy
with something
that had happened
in youth group
or not happy
with one of the
decisions
that the pastor
and deacons
had made together
instead of
coming and
handling the thing
in a proper
fashion
little whispers
would go along
and people
would kind of
get involved
I can't believe
that.
So let's figure
out what God's
plan is for
solving problems
in the congregation.
Turn in your
Bible to Matthew
chapter 18.
Would you like
to reduce
seriously
would you like
to reduce
the workload
of your pastors
and deacons
be unrelenting
in your
application
of Matthew
chapter 18
verse 15
through 18.
You will make
all of our
jobs
profoundly
simpler.
How do you
handle problems
when there are
differences?
Can anybody
tell me?
How many of you
know?
Raise your hand.
You got this
down cold.
When there is
a problem
and there is
a misunderstanding
that is causing
tension between
you and another
person,
you are to go
to that person
explicitly
alone.
Now you're
not to gather
a little group
of people
who support you
and yeah,
I've had the
same problem.
They're the most
unreasonable person
I've ever met
so I hope
I'm going to
support you
when you go
to bell the cat.
That was a bad
one.
I'm going to
support you
when you go
to let them
know that
they're a bad
person.
Off you go.
What you do
is you go
privately.
Look at what
it says.
It says that
you're to go
alone.
If that
doesn't work,
then you bring
somebody else
with you that
they may be a
partner in the
process.
What is the
end goal of
every confrontation
that believers
have in the
body of Christ?
Does anybody
know what it
is?
It is
reconciliation
and restoration.
I have
occasional
incidences where
something happens
to a finger or a
foot or something
like that and
it gets hurt.
Bob,
sheet metal
cut,
there they are.
And you know
what?
Bob Consul
works on heating
and air
conditioning and
so he understands
sheet metal cuts.
It happens all
the time.
And so when you
get those little
cuts, the body
puts all its
energy into
healing that
part, right?
And the rest
of my body
doesn't say,
well that stupid
hand, that's the
last time I'm
sending blood to
that one.
You know, I
have been at
this forever.
Same, same.
Cut, cut,
cut.
Yeah.
I'm done.
So the next
thing that happens
is I'm walking
around without a
hand and it's
like, hello,
you're one-handed
Tim, I hope
not.
You know, the
attitude that we
have towards one
another is we're
aiming for
reconciliation.
You know
what?
One of the
things that goes
with being a
shepherd for as
many years as I
have been here
is I know that
in the family of
God there are
times where you
end up with
little attitudes
and disputes
among one
another and my
plea before God
is that the
Holy Spirit
would drive you
to obedience
in Matthew
chapter 18.
I assure you
if God's
people would be
faithful in
Matthew 18
it would be so
seldom that you
end up having
problems that get
larger than that
and the body of
Christ would be
effective and
efficient in its
ministry.
I for the most
part want to
challenge you to
take that passage
and say hey
listen we're not
going to bring
charges without the
premise and the
effort that goes
into doing this
and all God's
people said
consciously and
deliberately say
it with me amen.
That's what God
wants.
Finally let's talk
about one other
thing you may help
in prayer.
You may help in
prayer.
Turn in your
Bible to Hebrews
chapter 13 verse
18.
Hebrews chapter
13 verse 18.
Obey pray for
us I'm sorry
pray for us for
we are sure that
we have a clear
conscience desiring
to act honorably
in all things.
We are about a
month away from
our annual election
and by extension
we are about two
months away from
the first deacons
meeting.
and following
the first deacons
meeting one of the
things that will
happen is that our
secretary will put
together a prayer
bulletin that is
reflective of the
requests the personal
requests that all of
your deacons are going
to make.
Can I tell you ahead
of time some of the
things that our deacons
are going to ask you
to pray for?
They're going to ask
you to pray that God
would help them in
their own personal
lives and personal
walk.
They're going to
plead with you that
you would remember to
pray for them.
There is not a man that
does not come into that
board with a humility
and a certain amount of
fearfulness knowing the
responsibility of being a
helper of the bride of
Christ and they will come
with humility saying
Lord help me in my own
devotional walk that I
may be able to minister to
other people.
Second thing that those men
are going to say and I
know that they're going to
say it ahead of time.
Now watch the deacons.
We have a group that's
going to say well if
pastor said it I'm not
going to do it so I'm
going to throw them off
but here's the deal.
They're going to say it
anyway.
They're going to say and
help me in my ministry to
my family.
Help me in my ministry to
my family.
Help me be wise in my
care for my wife and help
me to be a genuine
encourager of righteousness
in my children.
They're going to ask that
they would also have the
enabling of the spirit of
God because they have to
multitask and spend one
more plate than you do.
They have their personal
walk.
They have their family
needs.
They have their
responsibilities by which
they pay their bills and
then they have what?
They have you.
Do they take that
willingly?
Yes they do.
But how many of you
understand what I mean by
spending plates?
Our deacons have to
spend plates.
They have to keep things
in balance.
And so they will
desperately ask that you
join them praying that
they would have the
ability to minister
effectively with the
things that are going
on.
So think with me as we
look at this passage.
First of all pray that
their lives will be marked
by a clear conscience.
By a growing desire to
walk uprightly before the
Lord in an unbelieving
world.
Pray for them because they
carry the burden and
heartache of other
people.
There is no doubt that
one of the things that
characterizes our
fellowship is that often
you will talk in a more
personal way with your
deacons, with your small
group leaders than you
will with your pastors.
And that's not because
we're alienated and
isolated from you but
your deacons and small
group leaders are closer
to you in your watch
care groups and in your
small groups and as a
result they're going to
hear those things and
they can't hear them and
not be affected.
Pray for them because
people tend to judge
motives and actions
without adequate prayer
and information.
How many of you have
been pretty persuaded you
know exactly what's going
on when you don't know
anything?
You pray for your
deacons.
I think of the number of
different times as a
pastor I have had people
say some rather surprising
things about the decisions
that your leadership have
made.
And one of the things
that I always chuckle at
is when people say well
pastor always gets his
way.
I told you last week that's
the furthest from the
truth.
But the other thing I have
heard people say is that
you guys made a rather
hasty decision.
If you have ever served as
a deacon at Maranatha you
know hasty decisions are not
on the menu.
I had one deacon's wife say
you guys are so deliberate
that you are like watching
paint dry.
You know.
So.
Be careful.
And pray for them.
Finally pray for them because
they desperately need his
power to serve and bless and
be a testimony of Christ.
So let me bring this all
together and have you think
about it in practical terms.
What we have looked at this
morning is kind of the other
side of the responsibility that
scripture lays out.
For one it told us we saw
last week that deacons are
to be men who are qualified
tested men who are full of
the Holy Spirit and are ready
to serve.
We saw that last week.
So what's our part.
What's your part.
God calls you to support
them by being involved in
the work.
So when your deacon or your
small group leader calls you
and said hey will you provide
a meal and you have happened
to have had three or four
times that different people
have stepped in and helped
you.
Don't say not on your life.
I'm in.
I'll help.
And when someone calls and
says hey my the way so and so
is going to be moving and
they would appreciate if you
I'll be there.
I'll help.
When you hear someone is
struggling with a problem and
a burden you join in helping
with that and you be a helper
to your deacon those that God
has put in a position of
responsibility and leadership.
So what's the outcome.
What's the outcome when a body
of believers works effectively
for the testimony of Christ
inside the family and really
works at loving each other.
What happens.
Here.
Follow me.
Here's what Jesus said.
By this shall all those other
people that don't know Jesus
pay attention and kind of wonder
what's the real deal.
because you will what.
You'll love each other.
Is love natural to us.
What's the answer.
No.
It's the work of the Holy
Spirit.
It's the work of people who are
dependent upon the word of God.
It's the work of people that are
willing to engage in what God
does in drawing us together.
And so I would plead with you
this morning.
Beloved there is an unbelieving
world out there that is desperate
for the Lord Jesus Christ.
And the way in which we care
and bless and love one another
is a principal testimony
of the power of grace
in our fellowship
and in our neighborhoods.
And God's people
hearing the word of God
convicted by the spirit of God
say in their hearts privately
privately I hear what God wants
and I am saying yes
to the Holy Spirit.
Let's close in prayer.
Amen.