Deacons: Primary Tasks

The Holy Spirit's Dual Concern: Evangelism and Church Order

0:02 Now, may I urge you to follow with me in your Bibles as, again this morning, I read two very contrasting portions from the pen of one author, the Apostle Paul. The first is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verses 1 through 5. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, a section in which he is recounting the nature, the characteristics of his initial visit to Corinth as an evangelist, a herald, an apostle, a church planter. And he writes, When I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not in vain.

1:18 I was with you in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Now, keeping your finger in that portion, turn over to 1 Timothy chapter 3. 1 Timothy chapter 3.

1:46 As I read what are very familiar words to many. Many of you, perhaps not so familiar to some. Chapter 3, verses 14 and 15. These things write I unto thee, that is, Paul writing to Timothy, who was there at Ephesus in the church, hoping to come unto thee shortly.

2:08 But, if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

2:26 Now, in this former passage, 1 Corinthians chapter 2, we have a record of Paul's focused initial evangelistic endeavors at Corinth. And here we have Paul, the evangelist, the herald of God, filled, he says, with one holy obsession when he came to Corinth. He came in a posture of utter, intelligent, spiritual resolution and determination, that he would know nothing among them save Jesus Christ and Him as crucified. Furthermore, he came conscious of his absolute dependence upon the Holy Spirit, and determined that his preaching would be marked by the attendant presence, and power of the Spirit, so that no one would look back and say that he or she was conned into making a profession of faith, but that their response to his message of Christ crucified would be a response elicited by nothing short of the direct agency of God the Holy Spirit. So here is Paul, the evangelist, coming to Corinth determined to know nothing among them,

3:50 save Jesus Christ and Him as crucified, and to preach that message in such a way that any response elicited would be patently a response elicited by the mighty work of God the Holy Spirit. In the latter passage, this same apostle, who had already labored as an evangelist, missionary apostle in Ephesus, for, at least three years, writes to his spiritual son, Timothy, and clearly indicates that what he writes, he writes hoping that shortly in the providence of God he himself will be able to come and implement the very things that are the burden of his letter. But not having any direct revelation from God as to whether or not he would return, he is so concerned, so passionately concerned, about the details of church behavior that he writes a whole epistle with a vast array of specific details about church behavior demanding that Timothy teach, preach, exhort, and implement these very perspectives. Now my question is this. In which concern was Paul more full of the Holy Spirit,

5:20 and more pleasing to God?

5:24 You see my question? In which concern was Paul more full of the Spirit, and more pleasing to God? As he thinks of going to Corinth, that great bastion of pagan learning, an intellectual as well as a trading center, a veritable cesspool of moral filth, aided and abetted by the worship of the pagan gods, a people who had their, their own canons of rhetoric, and if a man spoke and didn't line up with their ideas of proper speaking, they were ready to dismiss him as an ignoramus. And he says, I came determined not to fit their canons of oratorical art.

6:07 I came determined not to sit and reason from neutral points to the truth. I came determined to know nothing among them, save Jesus Christ and him as crucified. And he says in the earlier chapter, I came knowing, that the moment the Jews heard it, it would be a stumbling block, and to the Greeks it would be regarded as foolishness, but he said, I came determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ and him as crucified. Furthermore, I came in such a posture of realization that I had no inherent power or gimmicks to make my message effective, that I came in weakness and fear and trembling, yet I came preaching in the power and demonstrating, in the demonstration of the Holy Spirit to the end, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of a fellow mortal, but in the power of the living God. Surely the Holy Spirit produced this obsession with Christ, this obsession to preach Christ, this obsession with Christ preached as crucified for sinners, this obsession to preach Christ crucified in such a way that the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit alone could effect that moral change that would cause people to embrace him. Surely a man full of the Spirit is a man who in the presence of the unconverted

7:35 is determined, if he does anything else, to hold up Christ crucified as the only hope of sinners, and to do so in the power of the Holy Ghost. But what about this man who wrote 1 Timothy 3,

7:51 saying, I hope, to come shortly, but not knowing whether I shall be detained in the providence of God or ultimately released. These are matters of such passionate concern to me, Timothy. I can't wait to see if God in his providence will bring me there to say them and implement them. So I'm writing them to you that you may know how men are under solemn obligation to behave in the church of God.

8:19 And I don't mean to be irreverent when I say, it is not an epistle, it is an epistle of methods and motives to greater evangelistic endeavor. Though he does in another epistle say, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry, it's a letter that's saying, first of all, in the church, prayers, supplications, etc. And in the church, your women are to do this, they are not to do this, the men are to do this, they're to do it in a certain way. And with respect to leadership, here are the qualifications, and they must be present for elders, for deacons.

8:58 Furthermore, these are the standards of how you deal with your widows. This is what you say to rich people. This is...

9:06 Now I ask you, is the Holy Spirit as much concerned with the issues that were the passionate focus of Paul's burden in 1 Timothy 3, 14 and 15, as in the passionate burden of 1 Corinthians, 2? Is there anyone here who's prepared to say that backslidden from a holy obsession with Christ when he wrote 1 Timothy? And if only he had personal revival, he would see, look, details of church order and church life aren't really important. What's important is that people get saved. Anyone here prepared to say that? Well, if so, I'm not.

9:59 Because the same Holy Spirit that gave Paul the holy obsession to preach Christ crucified to sinners at Corinth gave him this obsession to see a well-ordered church at Ephesus down to every detail of its life. And we neither honor the Lord Jesus Christ nor the Holy Spirit if we move away from the preaching of Christ crucified to the Lord Jesus Christ. We're lost as their only hope. Or, if holding to that, we move away from this holy obsession with church life and order that conforms to the norms of the Word of God. And I, for one, am weary of people who ought to know better saying that meticulous concern for behavior in God's house is fiddling while the world burns. My friend, it isn't fiddling. When you make your notes and strike your bow by the orders of the Holy Ghost, it isn't fiddling while Rome burns.

The Manifesto of Trinity Baptist Church: Biblical Church Offices

11:09 It's fiddling according to the orders of the living God Himself. You say, Pastor Martin, what does that rather lengthy introductory tirade have to do with what you're preaching? Well, simply this. We're in the midst of a series of sermons called the Manifesto of Trinity Baptist Church.

11:28 A series preached anticipating our church's 25th anniversary next year, God willing. And I'm seeking to lay bare the foundations of our life together. And in this manifesto, we began where we ought to begin. The first affirmation was this.

11:46 We are determined that Jesus Christ shall have His rightful place in the totality of the life and ministry of this assembly. But right now, we're on the sixth affirmation. We're determined to pursue a biblically, framed standard for church offices. And you see how that brings 1 Corinthians 2 and 1 Timothy 3 together?

12:10 It is not incongruous to have a spirit-wrought obsession for the centrality of Christ crucified as the foundation of our religious life. And to have it joined to a meticulous concern for ordering the life of the church according to the standards of the Word of God particularly its standards for church officers. And thus far in the opening up of this affirmation, we've considered the name and number of the officers, the gender of the officers, the qualifications for the officers, the manner of recognizing and receiving these officers. And now we're working through this fifth category, the primary tasks and functions of these officers as determined by the Word of God. And we spent two Lord's Days considering together the job description for elders, pastors, bishops, those who have the rule over you, those who are over you in the Lord, all synonymous terms, regardless of the different functions and diversities of gifts within the eldership, the body of the overseers, the job description of elders is clear. They are to shepherd the flock of the Lord, they are to take care of the church of God, they are to oversee the people of God, and they are to rule

13:40 in the assembly of God. Now today, we address ourselves to a much simpler task, that of seeking to discover from the scriptures the primary tasks and functions of deacons. Having considered the tasks and functions of elders under those four major categories, we now address ourselves to the question, what is the biblical job description of deacons? We saw in the scriptures that the name and number of church officers are deacons and elders, overseers, pastors.

The Distinct Office of Deacon: Scriptural Proof

14:18 There are but two divinely instituted offices of standing duration in the church, elders and deacons. What then does the Bible tell us about the task of these deacons? Now, by way of introduction to answering that question, let me quickly state three things. Number one,

14:41 that there is in the New Testament a distinct office of deacon is clearly established by two passages. If someone should ask you, why does your church have deacons? Show me from the word of God that that's a distinct office. Where would you turn?

14:54 Well, I hope after today, you'd immediately turn to two passages. Philippians 1.1, very quickly, and 1 Timothy 3. Philippians 1.1, and 1 Timothy 3. For as Paul addresses this church at Philippi, he does so with these words, Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints that are in Christ Jesus that are at Philippi, with, in addition to the rank and file of the saints, there are two other distinct classes of officers within the church. And they are the bishops or the overseers and deacons. And if one seeks to interpret that verse in any other way

15:48 but that there were these two recognized groups of standing officers known in the church at Philippi, present and active in the church at Philippi, I have read some of the attempts to explain explain this away and that's all they are, not attempts to exegete and expound but explain away. And the task of anyone who comes to the scriptures is not to explain anything away but to expound. And here it is clear that in the mind of the apostle the church at Philippi composed of people in vital union with Christ Jesus was an assembly of God's people within which were found overseers, and deacons as distinct, recognizable, acknowledged office bearers in the church. And then the second passage that puts this beyond controversy is 1 Timothy 3 where Paul is saying I'm writing about the kind of behavior that is necessary in the house of God. It is his definitive word on church order. And it is in that context that he begins in chapter 3 addressing the issue of the office of an elder and overseer of the bishop and having addressed that first office he then in verse 8

17:17 takes up the second. Deacons in like manner must be. And then he lists the qualifications and says in verse 13 for they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. So these two passages put beyond all question that there is in the New Testament in the fully developed doctrine of church order this office of a deacon.

Sufficiency and Flexibility of Diaconal Duties

17:51 Second thing I want to say by way of introduction is that the materials defining the specific duties and functions of deacons are much less profuse. Than are those which define the duties and functions of elders.

18:12 I found it a refreshing experience to go back over the biblical description of the task of elders under the various images that we've considered in the past two Lord's Day mornings. But when one turns to the New Testament saying where are the passages which define and describe the task of deacons the material are very scanty compared to those of the office of elder. That's just a fact. And then the third thing I want to say by way of introduction is that these more limited materials are both sufficient to know what a deacon should do and are purposely broad so that the office might be flexible in its out working duties. Functional out working.

19:09 These details are deliberately God's silences are as much as in matter of his will as his pronouncements. And these more limited materials are both sufficient and purposely broad and flexible. So with those introductory things behind us now then think with me on the central idea involved in the task of a deacon and then the specific out working of that central idea. Here's our two heads.

The Central Idea: Service (Diakonos)

19:39 The central idea that gives the essence of the task of deacons and then the specific out working of that central idea. And what is the central idea? Well the word deacon the noun found in Philippians 1.1 in 1st Timothy 3 is the Greek word diakonos.

19:58 And you see what we've done for our English word deacon we simply translate it. We took a delta and made it D. Deacon deacon. A-ca-nos.

20:08 We've just sort of transliterated and abbreviated. That's the noun. Diakonos. And it's a standard word for servant.

20:17 In Matthew 23 and verse 11 it's used in a context that makes its significance very clear. Matthew 23.11 He that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And you'll notice the marginal reading in the 1901 your minister.

20:35 It's often translated minister in the New Testament. In John chapter 2 in the story of the miracle of the water changed to wine when Mary said in John 2.5 referring to the servants. This is the word that is used in John 2 and verse 5.

20:53 His mother said unto the servants the deacons whatsoever he said unto you do it. So the noun deacon is the standard word for servant. Not slave. That's doulos.

21:06 But servant. Now in the verb form it means to serve. Mary and Martha. That's where the word is found.

21:15 You remember? Mary with her busyness in serving. John 12 in verse 2. We have an example of that usage of the verb.

21:25 So they made him a supper there and Martha served. And Lazarus was one of them that sat at meat with him. She served. She served.

21:36 She brought out the meal. She took off the plates. She brought the necessary things that they might eat the food that was prepared. Now it should not surprise us then that in the two pivotal passages related to deacons the idea of serving is fundamental to the job description and the task of a deacon.

22:03 The one who is called a deacon a servant a servant has as his fundamental job description to serve. We see the first passage in Acts chapter 6 where we have the seminal form of the diaconate.

22:22 Though these seven are not called deacons there is almost universal agreement among serious students of the Bible that out of this incident grew the full-blown apostolic construction of the office of a deacon. And notice the concern in Acts 6-2 the twelve called the multitude of the disciples and said it's not fit that we should forsake the word of God and here we are serve tables that we should deacon tables. Look out among you therefore brethren seven men of good report full of the spirit and wisdom whom we may appoint over this business but we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the service the deaconing of the word. So here in Acts chapter 6 the concept of service is very concrete. Serving tables meant making adequate provision for all of the widows. Up till now the apostles who were the pastors at that time there's no indication that elders had yet been established in the Jerusalem church by Acts 11-30 we just find them there and so they were at least overseeing if not actually administering this matter of the widows daily portions and then a problem arose because whether rightfully or wrongfully they felt there was some prejudicial

23:52 treatment and the Hellenists the people of Grecian background felt that they were being neglected that favoritism was being shown to the Hebrew widows and so the apostles said it's not fit that we should forsake the word of God abandon our task as duly appointed spiritual leaders in order to serve tables to deacon tables so the concept of service you see is stamped on the very first budding of the office of deacon in the New Testament and then when we turn to 1st Timothy 3 it's clear that that has flowered into a fixed concept the first budding has now flowered the first budding so that we read in verse 10 let these also first be proved then let them serve verbal form of the noun let them deacon as deacons let them serve as deacons the concept of service is inherent in the very description of the office and similarly in verse 13 for they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing and it's very interesting the construction

25:19 they that have served well as deacon is very parallel to 1st Timothy 5 17 the elders that rule well so you see the contrast when elders are mentioned their task is set forward they rule well when deacons are mentioned they serve well so I trust from these passages I've persuaded your conscience that given the biblical data the central idea involved in the office and task of deacons is that of service service connected with the temporal practical affairs of the house of God to be done according to the will and purpose of God under the direction of the appointed leaders in the house of God the central idea in their very name and in the verb that describes their function is service now then secondly what are the specific outworkings of that central idea in what ways are they to serve to what ends are they to serve now remember our materials are relatively limited but I believe they are sufficient to say that at least in three ways they are to render service and within that there is tremendous latitude number one

Outworking 1: Maintaining Prayer and Preaching Priorities

26:47 they render such service as is necessary to maintain the priorities of prayer and preaching in the life of the church they render such service as is necessary to maintain the priorities of prayer and preaching in the life of the church we go back to Acts chapter 6 how did this office come to birth in the context of the early church sweeping aside all considerations that I'm fully aware certain scholars are prepared to impose on the New Testament saying that the synagogue model was strictly adhered to etc. believing that the scripture is its own infallible interpreter I stick to it and I'm not going to with the scriptures and when we turn to this passage we find that God so ordered the events in the early history of the Jerusalem church that the seed form of the office of the deacon should emerge in a set of circumstances that made one thing very very clear it was the conviction of its present leaders the apostles that the health and well being of the church and the advancement of the purposes of God through the church was dependent

28:16 on the maintenance of the priority of prayer and preaching among its appointed spiritual leaders this is why when the rumor or not the rumor the complaints come back to them this murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews that the twelve calls the multitude together and said look we've become aware of this problem we've deliberated and when we're one thing we know we cannot do we're not quite sure what we ought to do we've got something to lay before you as a sanctified expedient but one thing we know we cannot we must not we will not do and what was that it is not fit it is not pleasing that it is not morally acceptable and pleasant in the eyes of God it is not fitting that we should forsake the word of God and serve tables well why was it not fitting didn't Jesus say in their hearing when he was still with them he that would be greatest among you shall be servant of all didn't he wash the disciples feet and say you should do as I have done take the place of a servant before one another why was it not fitting was there something demeaning in the service of tables of course not that's not the issue it's not the issue the issue was this

29:44 they had come to recognize that the life and health and well being of the church and the ongoing conquest of the church were dependent upon those spiritual weapons entrusted to her by the head of the church prayer and preaching and they said whatever we do we must not allow that priority to be eroded even by the noble task of pure religion which is to do what to do what care for the fatherless and the widows and to keep oneself unspotted from the world caring for widows is part of true religion but if we forsake our distinct calling as men who are to be given to prayer and to preaching we will be disturbing the divinely instituted priorities imposed upon us by the Lord Jesus and so they said whatever we do we can't do that here we offer an expedient and this was what we offer look out among you brethren seven men of good report full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom whom we may appoint over this business over what business over this need what business the business of serving tables we will appoint them to do that which is noble and necessary and right and as they give themselves holy to it what will we do but we will continue

31:12 steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word you see this was no undefined institution of a task you didn't have some people going around saying well I want a job to do in the church can you use me and they got together in a huddle and said well what do we do let's find no it grew out of that our commitment that prayer had to have their rightful priority and they said this is what we propose and as that proposal is implemented we will continue steadfastly in prayer that divinely ordained means not only for our own spiritual growth but in the context that prayer connected with the blessing of God upon the proclamation of the word Christ being formed in man and the stability and blessing of God upon this vastly growing congregation and then you know that saying pleased the whole multitude and they cooperated with their spiritual leaders and what was the result look at verse 7 and the word of God increased isn't that interesting of all the things that could be emphasized it's as though God is saying look look you made a judgment based on your understanding of your divine priorities and I want to say my amen

32:41 from heaven and the Holy Ghost guides Luke to describe God's great men in these words and what was the result the number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem and exceedingly and a great company of the priests some of those who had stood there with Caiaphas some of those who had been the ringleaders in handing our Jesus put him to death some who may have actually fingered the money that went into Judas' hands God says I want to show you how pleased I am with what you've done to lock the church's priorities in concrete that I'm going to do some unusual converting work to get the message through I'm going to say amen and amen and amen and oh when the church moves from the implications of God's amen and allows those whom he has given to be set apart for prayer and the ministry of the word and their time is taken up with other things legitimate and noble and even Christ-like in themselves the word of God the number of disciples multiplying

34:09 and God vindicating the disruption of his priorities and so the specific outworking of that central idea of service is that it's deacons who render such service as is necessary to maintain the priorities of prayer and preaching in the church particularly prayer and preaching among those set apart for the ministry of the word you see the presence of deacons meet the divine standard for deacons and who are full of the spirit and of wisdom to accomplish those tasks which free the elders to give themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word what a precious gift from the head of the church and I want to say on behalf of my fellow elders we bless God for our deacons we don't need to nervously bite our nails that this and that and the other element of true religion will be dropped and forgotten if we don't do it but which if we did do would take us away from our central task of prayer and the preaching of the word of God so that's the first specific outworking of the central

35:39 idea of service they render such service as is necessary to maintain the priorities of prayer and preaching in the church secondly they render such service as is necessary to manifest Christ's compassion and care for the poor and needy through the church they render such service as is necessary to manifest Christ's compassion and care for the poor and needy through the church.

Outworking 2: Manifesting Christ's Compassion for the Needy

36:13 Commenting on John 12 and verse 8, the poor ye have always with you. John Owen states in his chapter in volume 16 of his works that in this text, the poor you have always with you are, I quote, the remote foundations of the office of a deacon. The remote foundations are in the statement of the Lord Jesus, the poor you have always with you. What was one of the marks, the identifying marks of Messiah?

36:50 Remember what he said to John's disciples who came to him? Concerned and saying, John in prison is doubting. Are you the Messiah or not? He said, don't what you see and what you hear.

37:05 And then he spoke of various miracles, and then he concluded with these words, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them. One of the identifying marks of Messiah was that he would in his selflessness come with his message of liberation, not to those who could line his pockets and buy him a Learjet to go off to his vacation home in the Bahamas at the expense of the accumulation of widow's mites. God have mercy on these greedy charlatans.

37:41 No, he came giving. And going to those who no one else would go. There was nothing to get in return with which to line the pockets or to pop one's reputation. And he said, you tell them the poor have the gospel preached unto them.

37:58 That's a mark that true Messiah has come, the servant of Jehovah. And in so doing, James writes, he says, has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith? James 2 and verse 5. Now, because no one had to have to determine that Christ's compassion and care should continue to the poor and needy, Acts 6, they were just doing it.

38:31 Why? Because the church was the body of Christ here on earth, representing and mirroring the character of her Lord. And there's no indication that there was any discussion and any big deal when there were destitute widows. The church assumed that if God, if God has brought them into our ranks, we must show the disposition of our Savior to care for them.

38:55 And later on, they put such emphasis upon this that there's an interesting passage in Galatians chapter 2. And I want you to turn there with me for a moment as we open up this second heading, rendering such service as is necessary to manifest Christ's compassion and care for the poor and needy through the church. That's not the only way it can be made. It can be manifested.

39:20 But that's one of the ways it must be manifested. We read in Galatians chapter 2, verses 9 and 10. And when they perceived the grace that was given unto me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be the pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that we should go to the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision. When they had this initial meeting there in Jerusalem, Paul is recounting what happened.

39:49 And he said, We were accepted as full-blown brothers and fellow servants of Christ in the work of the gospel. But Paul says they had one thing they wanted to emphasize as we went about preaching the gospel primarily to the Gentiles, and it was this, verse 10. Only they would that we should remember the poor, which very thing I was also zealous to do. Now, isn't that interesting?

40:17 Of all the things, they could have told him, they said one thing you must not forget in going out and proclaiming this God crucified, the only sinners from among the ranks of Jew and Gentile, as you go out and summon men to repentance and faith and form them into churches, don't forget.

40:41 You should reflect the compassion and care of Christ for the poor.

40:47 And they urged that point upon us, and Paul says we were zealous, and what's the proof that Paul wasn't just tooting his own horn in the air? The presence of 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 in your Bibles. Two whole chapters in which Paul gives the principles by which he and his companions labored in terms of one particular collection for the poor saints in Judea who had been ravished by famine. And two whole chapters in the word of God are given over to articulating the principles that were offered to them.

41:25 In the taking of that collection. And then there's a beautiful statement at the end of it, and the significance of it I never saw until my preparation for this morning's message. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 8. The end of chapter 8.

41:42 Having stated that in gathering up this collection, Paul was determined that no one would think he was getting a bundle to go off to Aruba. He said we wanted to make sure that we had sufficient men of character handling this money that no one could ever say it was two for the pot and one for our pocket. Very concerned. He said we want, verse 20, avoiding this that any man should blame us in the matter of this bounty.

42:14 We take thought for things honorable not only in the sight of the Lord, but in the sight of men. And so he had a team who had a temporary specific diaconal ministry to handle this money, and to make sure it got safely delivered to the saints at Jerusalem. Now, verse 23. Whether any inquire about Titus, he is my partner and my fellow worker to you word, and our brethren, now notice what he's going to say about them.

42:44 They are the messengers of the churches. Each of these brethren will be a reminder to the people down in Judea of the church universal. So,

43:05 mercy. Romans chapter 9. If you're partakers of the spiritual benefits, should they not be partakers of the temporal and physical benefits? Speaks of all that's come to us because of God's rejection of the Jews as a nation.

43:23 So in this passage he says, when these brethren come, they are the messengers, the apostles, the sent one of the churches. They are the tangible expression that the churches of God on the earth are His servants, essentially one.

43:39 But he said they're also something else. These men, mind you, in their capacity, bringing this offering, they do so as the messengers of the churches, but what else do they do? Notice. They are the glory of Christ.

43:56 What does it mean? They are the glory of Christ. The glory is the outshining of the perfections of someone. You see what he's saying?

44:06 When they come, as representatives of the churches, the churches are reflecting the likeness of Jesus who ministers to the poor and the needy. They are the glory of Christ. His glory reflected not directly from heaven, but mediated through this team of men bringing the collection from the churches, showing compassion for the people, the poor and the needy. And you see, the office of a deacon then is greatly ennobled.

44:49 God was not going to leave it just to the individual Christians who obviously, according to Matthew 25, many of them in the last day will be found to have had compassion to their fellow believers. When saw we thee hungered and came and fed you and naked and clothed you? He's speaking to individuals. But the Lord was determined that in the very structure of the church there be a framework displayed as the Savior who not only saves our souls, but has compassion upon His own in their temporal needs.

45:27 And the office of the deacon is a noble office because it provides a marvelous framework for the display of the glory of Christ as the compassionate, caring Savior just as He is. It is the office of elder, though it's nowhere said in such noble terms. See, this term is more noble than anything I can see said of elders. They display the glory of Christ as the chief shepherd as they function as under-shepherds.

46:00 They're to reflect His care, His heart, His government, His rule. So the deacons reflect His heart of compassion for the poor and for the needy. Don't anyone, don't look upon the diaconate as a second-rate office because it is not a ruling office. God says something about it.

Outworking 3: Ensuring Decency and Order

46:21 He doesn't say about elders in that explicit way. But then thirdly and finally, the specific outworking of this central idea of service, they render such service as is necessary to maintain the priorities of prayer and preaching in the church. They render such service as is necessary to manifest Christ's compassion for the poor and needy through the church. But then thirdly and finally, they render such service as is necessary that all things be done decently and in order within the church.

46:58 They render such service as is necessary that all things be done decently and in order within the church. And most of you know where I got that terminology from 1 Corinthians 14.

47:12 Where Paul is sorting out the charismatic circus that was going on at Corinth. These people so blessed with their revelatory gifts that they were like little kids and got let loose in one huge jelly bean bowl. I mean they would come together and the tongue speakers would be blethering away over here and the prophets would be jumping up and thus said the Lord, Paul said, the outsider coming in will say that you are mad. And I do not make light of the tragedy of mental breakdown but the scripture says this.

47:48 The unlearned and the ignorant coming among you Corinthians in this mad house of a charismatic orgy where everyone is just giving vent to his gift, his almighty gift, not concerned about edification of one another but just enjoying this marvelous sense of exhilaration. He said we've got to stop all of this nonsense. And so he spends a whole chapter sorting out. If it's going to be tongues then there's got to be an interpreter.

48:15 No interpreter, no tongues. And if it's going to be tongues then only this many in each gathering and then the prophets only this many in this way and the others judge and the others sit and the others wait and he has sort all of them. And when he comes to the end it's as though someone says, Paul, why are you so concerned about this? They're just having a little religious fun.

48:35 He said no. Turn to 1 Corinthians 14. His concluding word is this. But, here's his last word on the subject.

48:45 But, let all be done decently and in order. Having stated that these directives were not the attempts of someone who was dull and unspiritual and didn't appreciate these gifts and he was trying to squelch their enthusiasm he said no. If any man thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual let him take knowledge of the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. And if you don't recognize him as that then you're given over to ignorance.

49:18 If any man is ignorant let him be ignorant still. Wherefore my brethren desire earnestly to prophesy and forbid not to speak with tongues both revelatory gifts when they were operative which we do not believe. They are now that there is no true prophecy and since tongues interpreted are equal to prophecy we don't believe there are true tongues.

49:43 The great principle that he then uses as a capstone is this. But, let all things be done decently and in order. Now, can you put these two things together? The Spirit of God is giving unusual what we believe to be extraordinary temporary gifts to meet the needs of that transition period until all of the apostolic teaching that God wanted us to have was embodied in a book.

50:11 How was someone to understand the significance of the death of Christ if he didn't have a living apostle present to tell him and to open it up? God would give a prophetic word and a man would be given a word of insight into the significance of the work of Christ for the consolation and exhortation and comfort of the people of God. While those gifts were operative he says we must not ever think that we can have license to just let them run off any old way. Why?

50:43 Because God is not a God of confusion but of order. Verse 33. God is not a God of confusion but of peace. And peace context means an arrangement where there is an absence of confusion.

51:05 And why are we to be done decently and in order? Because God is a God of decency and order and in his church all that transpires is to reflect him. As the new humanity in Christ we're to show for him that creates us anew in Christ. Jesus and therefore all within the church must be done with decency holy decorum and with order that in God's house the orderliness of God's character and ways might be reflected in the ways of the people of God.

51:46 And you see what latitude there is? Deacons render such service as is necessary in any given congregation for all things to be done decently and in order within the church. And orderly blameless handling of the funds of the church counting policies that would stand the scrutiny of any fair-minded impartial outsider coming in and opening the books and seeing that there is no mismanagement of the funds here but that they are being managed in a way that glorifies God and reflects the intention of the people of God. Responsible provision of and care for the properties of the church.

52:28 We're not disciplining disembodied spirits. We don't meet with the glorified spirits in heaven on the Lord's Day. We've got to meet here. We've got to sit on something.

52:36 And because you've got such long-winded preachers here whatever you sit on they'd better be comfortable pews. Well, who's going to decide where we get such pews? Well, some of us remember the hours our deacons spent contacting various pew companies and having them bring samples and having us sit on it. And some of us who've had back surgery sit on it and see what are they doing?

52:58 Trying to bring and provide an auditorium with seats that would be comfortable and orderly.

53:06 All things decently and in order. The administrative concerns of the church which grow and there's an ebb and a flow. And there is a marvelous latitude for deacons to be chosen with particular gifts in given areas if they meet the biblical standards to be recognized by the church and set apart.

53:29 If elders are to do their task to feed the sheep, to protect and guard the sheep, seek out the sickly, aid in the separation of sheep from goats and guide the sheep into paths of righteousness, who will oversee the tape ministry and the book ministry? And who will keep track of cash flow? Who will keep track of whether or not the heating unit's about to blow and the air conditioning needs repair? And on and on we could go.

54:01 That's part of our total life. And God says, there should be such decency and order that those who come among us don't even think about those things because they're all in their place.

54:12 And that's a witness to the efficiency and godly service of our beacons. And I thank God for those brethren. You say, you're bragging on them. Yes, I am.

54:23 Because I am thankful that I don't ever need to be embarrassed to walk through that front door at any time with a visitor and say, why did I come now? And go downstairs in the offices and say, oh, what a disaster. Why are things running efficiently? And that's because some beacons are serving with all their heart according to the gifts and capacities God has given.

Deacons Serve, Not Rule, Reflecting Christ's Glory

54:50 And if Jesus said, the great among you are those who serve, I wonder when the rewards are meted out if there aren't going to be some real surprises. So we come around full circle to where we began. What is? A commitment to pursue a biblical standard for church officers.

55:10 What is it when it applies to the job description of beacons? The fundamental concept is they serve. They do not rule. And they serve in submission to and under the oversight of the elders.

55:24 And again, I bless God with my fellow elders for beacons who do not look upon us as rival leaders. Who welcome our direction and oversight and who in turn evidence, that it's easy to take areas and administer, hand them over to them to administer such and such business with the confidence that they don't regard it as their little domain that they're going to set up shop and raise up a...

55:51 What a wonderful thing to have the kind of relationship we do. Where the deacons are not threatened that they do not rule and we don't demean them or their office because it's not a ruling office. You see, Christ did know a thing or two about how to build His church. And it's a beautiful thing when people bow to His wisdom and look to Him for His grace and the church functions to the glory of Christ.

56:19 You say, well, there wasn't much about the cross this morning. No, there wasn't. If you were all a bunch of lost sinners, I would have come here determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

56:32 But I regard this as the gathering of the church and you may be here lost and undone and you've heard enough to know that your only hope is not in finding a beacon but finding a Savior. But finding the Savior you'll want to come into the fellowship of His church. And if that church is to reflect the glory of Christ it must be a church where duly qualified gifts of Christ labor as elders and overseers and pastors and where duly qualified spirit-equipped deacons serve as deacons. And there Christ's glory will be seen in the simple ordering of the life of a church framed by by the word of God.

Prayer for God's Continued Blessing on the Church's Order

57:14 May the Lord grant that that will be true of this place until the Lord Jesus returns because He isn't going to come back and rewrite His word.

57:23 May God ever keep us in touch with that blessed book. Let us pray. Father we thank You for the sufficiency of Scripture for everything that pertains to life and to duty and practice. And we pray that You would help us as a congregation to be well-informed and to be well-informed and to be well-grounded in our understanding of the function and place of deacons in the assembly.

57:54 May we give them the honor due to their persons and their labors. We pray for each one who serves in that capacity. We thank You for them. We thank You for the chairman and those who labor with him.

58:07 And we pray that You will bless them with renewed joy in the knowledge that they have uniquely been appointed to reflect the glory of Christ and the glory of God. We pray for them in the church and may their service be filled with joy in the knowledge that they do reflect the Savior as they serve according to His word. Lord.