The Diaconate, Part 1

Driving home: And therefore, theologically, we must view the origin of the diaconate as an expression of the activity of the exalted Lord, as an expression of the activity of the exalted Christ, of the activity of the tender, nourishi…

Martin quotes Bannerman on the natural law of societies needing leaders and rules, which become more explicit as the society grows, illustrating how the apostolic church's organization developed with divine wisdom.

But someone to take the initiative and some rules or common understandings which amount practically to rules, there must always be the necessity for furtherment, further and firmer organization makes itself felt as soon as the society grows in numbers and addresses itself to any definite and sustained action. Do you follow what he's saying? No matter how large a group may be, there have to be rules and there has to be leadership. When it's small, it may be relatively informal, unwritten, not articulated clearly, but simply understood by the initiate who are part of that smaller group, but the ...

10:55 - 12:20 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And therefore, theologically, we must view the origin of the diaconate as an expression of the activity of the exalted Lord, as an expression of the activity of the exalted Christ, of the activity of the tender, nourishi…

Martin quotes Kuyper, citing the OPC Directory for Public Worship, which states the office of deacon is based on Christ's solicitude and love for His people's temporal needs, connecting the diaconate to Christ's own care.

So doing, his leaders, his leadership never failed them. And I think that states beautifully what I'm trying to express from these two passages that in the emergence of a distinct group of officers called bishops and overseers, shepherds, and also a distinct group called deacons, we must view the activity of the Lord of the church furnishing the church with what was necessary for its well-being. Now, Kuyper, in his excellent little article on the diaconate in the glorious body of Christ, also speaks in a similar vein on page 153, quoting from the directory of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church f...

13:05 - 14:17 Read in full sermon

Driving home: But if they had to serve tables, a noble dimension of pure religion at the expense of preaching, they said it is not pleasing, it is not fitting, it is not seemly that we should do this.

Martin uses the analogy of 'drunken sailors on a weekend' to vividly describe the extraordinary and surprising generosity of the early Jewish believers in Jerusalem, emphasizing the scale of the apostles' administrative burden.

And so the apostles had not only this tremendous task of preaching to all of these new converts, giving witness to the resurrection of Christ in a climate in which there appeared to be tremendous openness, but now there is added to their task this awesome burden and responsibility of making wise use of the fruit of this spirit of generosity with which God had baptized those people in Jerusalem. Now if Jews then are like Jews today, you cannot help but be amazed at this spirit of generosity. I mean, they were just giving their stuff away like drunken sailors on a weekend. And so the apostles ha...

18:28 - 19:57 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin clarifies that the diaconate is not an independent or parallel institution but functions under the direction of the elders, as evidenced by its historic institution and the…

Martin uses the analogy of the U.S. Congress (Senate and House of Representatives) to illustrate a common, but incorrect, view of the relationship between elders and deacons, warning against importing secular governmental structures into the church.

Now in the diaconate, you do not have an independent and parallel institution. There's the diaconate, there's the Word of Christ, Himself the head of the church. The relationship is not one of independence and parallel accountability to Christ and to His Word, such as is found with the eldership. Nor is it one parallel to the two houses of Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives, which are to act as a check both upon the President, the legislative, I'm sorry, the administrative, I'm sorry, and then we have, of course, our judicial branch and then our legislative branch. But some ...

34:16 - 35:45 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The care also of the whole work is, as was said, still incumbent on the pastors and elders of the church. Only the ordinary execution of it is committed unto the deacons.

Martin quotes John Owen on the diaconate, emphasizing that the care of the work remains with pastors and elders, but the ordinary execution is committed to deacons, clarifying their service-oriented authority.

And they must not regard themselves as an independent heart, head, and hands, but heart, head, and hands acting under the oversight and direction of the elders. Now, it's vital that these typical perspectives be hammered out very clearly in the beginning stages of a new work. And if you're coming into an already established framework, you must seek to set before people what this relationship is. Now, as usual, there are very few things I've found through the years in which if you don't look long enough, if you look long enough in the indices, you'll find that old Owen has spoken to it very pow...

39:36 - 41:04 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The care also of the whole work is, as was said, still incumbent on the pastors and elders of the church. Only the ordinary execution of it is committed unto the deacons.

Martin quotes John Owen's catechetical section on the duty of deacons toward elders, outlining their responsibilities to inform, seek advice, and assist elders in outward church concerns.

What is the duty of the deacons toward the elders of the church? That's a pretty straightforward question. Answer. Whereas the care of the whole church in all its concernments is principally committed unto the pastors, teachers, and ruling elders, it is the duty of deacons in the discharge of their office, one, to acquaint them, that is, their overseers, from time to time with the state of the church and especially the poor, so far as it falls under their inspection, two, to seek and to take their advice, that is, their elders' advice in matters of great importance relating unto their office, ...

42:36 - 43:20 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And so, the standing office of a deacon, the presence of a diacon, it is God's constant voice saying, Let nothing turn you aside from the centrality of prayer and preaching.

Martin shares an anecdote of a child asking his pastor father if he would 'go to work' if he quit the ministry, illustrating the common misconception among many about the demanding nature of pastoral labor in prayer and the Word.

Like one kid said to his dad, he said, Dad, if you ever quit the ministry, will you go to work? Well, of course, what he meant is, will you go to a place of secular employment? But I think many people really have that notion. I mean, what does a man do sitting on his duff all day in his study?

48:23 - 48:40 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He outlines three profound significances: the diaconate is an eloquent witness to God's concern for the whole man, an affirmation of the centrality of prayer and preaching, and a…

Martin uses the example of Mr. Bischoff, a deacon with a peculiar gift for visiting but no desire to rule, to illustrate how the church can efficiently harness diverse gifts within the diaconate without forcing men into roles they are not gifted for.

They were delighted that the plethora of gifts would find appropriate expression. All of the gifts must be harnessed and used for the good of the body and for the extension of Christ's kingdom. And we found this when we were trying to find how best to utilize the gifts of Mr. Bischoff.

51:38 - 52:00 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek to establish a wholesome climate of openness, trust, and good communication between your elders and deacons.

Martin uses the analogy of a growing family where communication between husband and wife can break down amidst increasing duties, to stress the need for decided efforts to maintain openness, trust, and communication between elders and deacons as the church grows.

And talk through these matters and began to establish, you see, a clear understanding of what was distinctive eldership responsibility and what was, in virtue of biblical principles, that which we ought to delegate to the deacons and that they ought to carry out in its actual administration. And what we're attempting to do now, because that worked so well and in the early days we knew each other so well, the openness, the trust, the communication, that they were able to do their job and we carried on our job and we didn't bother one another. But we've come to recognize that for lack of regular...

61:27 - 62:55 Read in full sermon