Sermon Tone Analysis

Welcome...

Introduce Self...

Pray...

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the Christmas season and the opportunity to remember that you came near to us.

I thank you for the freedom we enjoy to gather and worship you.

I thank you for each person her this morning.

I pray for all those who are sick, that you would grant them speedy recovery and that they would find rest in you during their sickness.

Please be with me this morning as I preach; we submit to you Holy Spirit as the master teacher.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Story & Background

Disciples: these were all the converts to Christianity, both Jew and Gentile.

To be a disciple is to submit oneself to the teaching of another.

Think about Matthew 28

I wanted to pause on this because everyone who is a Christian ought to be following Jesus’ teaching.

We live in a time where people want to bear the name “Christian” and not follow the teaching of Christ.

Or at least, people want to bear the name “Christian” and then be selective of which teachings serve them.

You must accept all of Jesus and his teaching, or you are rejecting him entirely.

It’s an issue of Lordship.

To submit fully to Jesus as Lord of your life.

Hellenists: Greek speaking Jews

Everyone spoke Greek.

Local Jews would have spoke Aramaic & Greek

Non-local Jews would have learned some other foreign language, moved to the region, then learned Greek.

This would have included proselytes (converts to Judaism)

Complaint: These “outsider” Jews (specifically the widows) were not being taken care of the same way the “insider” Jews were being taken care of.

Remember at this time, the same sorts of social safety nets didn’t exist in society.

This is part of

The twelve: These were capital “A” Apostles.

They were the leaders of the early church.

They were given special authority by Jesus that none can claim today.

They were given signs and miracles

They were given special prophetic revelation and even wrote books of the Bible.

Full number of the disciples: this was a members’ meeting and roles were established.

The Apostles primary function was to preach the word and (vs 4) prayer.

This does not minimize other roles in the church:

So, what do they do?

3 Qualifications:

Good reputation

Full of the Spirit

Full of wisdom

Most agree that this story is the Apostles’ establishment of Deacons.

Deacons

“Servant” is the Greek word διάκονος (diakonos)

Deacons are most fundamentally lead servants in the church

It’s also worth noting that Christians disagree on how the church ought to be arranged.

Two-Office Ecclesiastical Polity

At Abide, we practice a two office ecclesiology

Ecclesiastical: relating to the Christian church

Polity: form of government

Ecclesiastical Polity: Church government structure

We believe those offices are Elder and Deacon.

Office: by office, I mean something official

Elders and Deacons both have hand laid on them before the church and they officially serve in that role.

One day you are not a Deacon, the next day you are.

This is opposed to the idea that being an Elder or Deacon is an organic process.

It doesn’t just happen.

Joe, even if he is a faithful servant at the church, doesn’t automatically become a Deacon.

Elders

We believe pastor (poi main o), elder (presbyteros), and overseer (episkopeo) are all terms describing the same office.

There is not a definitive “proof text” for this, hence the healthy debate among Christians.

I like 1 Peter 5 as an example of all the terms being used

1 Peter 5:1–3 (ESV)

So I exhort the elders (presbyteros) among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd (poimainō) the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight (episkopeō), not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

Deacons

Deacons are mentioned in 1 Timothy 3 in the same section where it talks about the office of overseer.

1 Timothy 3 seems to lay out elder and deacon as the only 2 offices in the church.

Biblical Qualifications

At this point, I want to go straight to 1 Timothy 3 and read the entire text.

Can Women Be Deacons?

I would say, and the position of Abide, is “yes.”

Romans 16:1–2 (ESV)

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant (deacon) of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

Servant = Deacon

Deacon can be used as the general word for “servant” but the addition of “the church at Cenchreae” makes it seem as though it may be referring to the official office, not just a generic servant.

Some keen observers might say, “well, what about 1 Timothy 3:11?)

Does this raise doubt on your translation of the Bible?

No & Yes

No. Rest assured that many people work diligently to give us the best possible translation.

And Yes.

As we study, we must remember this book was not originally written in English, nor was it written to 21st century American Christians.

We can study and know what the Bible teaches through the Spirit, but even so, sometimes people disagree on the best translation

Which interpretation?

[slide]

Their wives likewise must be dignified...

OR

Women must likewise be dignified...

2 Arguments

1) While the word there (gynaikas) can be translated as either wives or woman, the word “their” is not in the Greek.

2) If the reference in verse 11 is talking about the character of Deacons’ wives, why isn’t the character of Elders’ wives mentioned?

It seems that the character of Elders’ wives would be even more important if not at least equally important.

Why Don’t We Have Deacons at Abide?

Well, we should.

We have been in error to not have the office of Deacons in our church.

How we plan to move forward is to ask huddle leaders and certain serve team leaders to serve as Deacons.

But as mentioned previously, a person in become a deacon is an official thing.

Before we make anyone a Deacon, we’ll bring them in front of the congregation and lay hands on them.

We intend to do this with several individuals in the coming months.