Biblical Basis and Reason for the Diaconate

The point: What we are doing is indeed by the word of may an act of loving obedience to Christ before our eyes. So what I first of all set before you designated as for having a class of church officers designated as first of all th…

Martin asks listeners to imagine a friend asking about the church having elders and deacons, prompting them to consider how they would biblically explain the basis for deacons from the New Testament.

For your time, as you're just chit-chatting about various things, it happens to come up in the conversation that in this assembly, we, we have elders, overseers, and deacons with, and your neighbor, your friend, your work associate would say to you, you say in your church you have elders and deacons, where do you get that idea? Now if you had a New Testament in your pocket, how would you respond? If they say, well what's the base of officers called deacons? Could you take out your New Testament and give them a reasonable, should be the ones that you would use in answering, your friend's questi...

10:32 - 11:55 Read in full sermon

The point: What we are doing is indeed by the word of may an act of loving obedience to Christ before our eyes. So what I first of all set before you designated as for having a class of church officers designated as first of all th…

He uses the analogy of putting the best hitters in the third and fourth spots in a baseball lineup to emphasize that Philippians 1:1 and 1 Timothy 3:8-13 are strong, foundational passages for the diaconate.

rest of the word of God. It does not rest upon these two passages, but these are your number three and four batters in the lineup. Okay? Who would know baseball know what I'm talking about.

11:55 - 12:16 Read in full sermon

The point: What we are doing is indeed by the word of may an act of loving obedience to Christ before our eyes. So what I first of all set before you designated as for having a class of church officers designated as first of all th…

Martin describes Paul's special affection for the Philippian church, explaining it wasn't favoritism but a natural affinity of devotion to Christ, deepening intimacy between kindred hearts.

At Rome, he is writing to a church place in his heart. There were several churches that had a unique affection in Paul's, the Thessalonian church, Philippian church. And it wasn't a cause of favoritism, but it was a matter of simple fact that in spiritual relationships, the more, there is an affinity of devotion to Christ and selfless abandonment to the will of Christ. Kindred hearts are drawn and deeper intimacy within the stand.

12:48 - 13:30 Read in full sermon

The point: It's an affirmation of our commitment that by the grace of God, we are in the word and in dock will not be encumbered with task.

Martin shares a personal story of soaking and scraping dried manure from a bullpen to earn money, illustrating that no task is beneath the dignity of elders or pastors, but their priority is prayer and preaching.

They are beneath our dignity. I remind you, I was soaking and scraping manure from a bullpen when God called me to this church. That's what I was doing to earn money to pay for my rent when I was in an itinerant. I doubt there are many of you who've had a job quite that quote be meaning soaking dried up dung reactivating and enough to spring.

45:24 - 45:55 Read in full sermon

The point: It's an affirmation of our commitment that by the grace of God, we are in the word and in dock will not be encumbered with task.

He recounts scrubbing toilets and urinals at Schick electric shaver, singing hymns, to earn money for college, further emphasizing that humble tasks are not beneath dignity, especially for those called to labor in the Word.

It out of an old barn. It was going to be converted into a youth center for 15 bucks a day. I scoured latrines and toilets in Schick electric shaver as a Christian singing hymns to the glory of God to earn some money to put myself through college. I doubt there are many of you men who scrubbed toilets and urinals and thrown out bags full of sanitary napkins for a living.

45:55 - 46:33 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Avoiding this, any man should blame us in the matter of this bounty, which is ministered by us, for we take thought for things honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

He uses the analogy of a military parade, where everyone is in their proper place according to rank and directives, to explain the meaning of 'order' in 1 Corinthians 14:40 as a military term for proper arrangement.

1 Corinthians 14, a chapter in which Paul is sorting out the whole matter of the use of certain revelatory gifts, which we believe to be gifts which have ceased to operate with the completion of the New Testament, but they were operative in that transitional period. And as Paul is sorting out what he requires of order and all the rest, his climactic statement is the last verse of the chapter, 1 Corinthians 14, 40. Let all things within the church of Christ, in particular he's been dealing with the exercise of these gifts in the gathered assembly, let all things be done decently, that is, in a ...

47:48 - 48:53 Read in full sermon

The point: Our annual report, our report is available for anyone to see. Our books are open for anyone to come in and look at them. The deacons spend hours doing that. Why? That there may be visible integrity in the church.

He gives an example of church situations where a single pastor acts as a 'mini-pope,' collecting and depositing offerings without accountability, highlighting the need for deacons to ensure visible integrity in handling monies.

Only orderly. A reflection of His own order. And in the church, we need deacons so that the church life will be decent and orderly, and that there'll be visible integrity in the handling of monies. I know of church situations where people have told me the pastor, the pastor, not pastors, only one, one bishop, one little mini-pope, he's the only one that collects the offering, deposits the offering, and no accounting is given.

53:19 - 53:49 Read in full sermon

The point: Brethren, continue praying for us. We need your prayers.

He reminds the congregation of the metaphor used when they moved into the building: it's not a resting place but a 'launching pad' for expanding ministries, emphasizing ongoing growth and service.

It's only a short time ago that remember when we moved into this building, we talked about it not being a resting place, but a launching pad. Thank God it was that. Being that, it laid many more responsibilities on the elders of this church.

62:45 - 63:12 Read in full sermon