Serving Unity (Deacons)
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Why are we here?
Three reasons we are here and their implications
We are here because we belong to Jesus
20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
He is the center of our life
He owns us
Therefore we are not the final authority on what a church should do – Jesus is
We are here because Jesus death purchased a people not just a person
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
Therefore, the church must include and care for a variety of people
We are here to accomplish his mission
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Implication
The church belongs to Jesus
The church is a community
The church has a job
The church is a group of people working together to make disciples of Jesus.
That brings us to our text today
2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
The Problem
The Problem
1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
As a community, the church is obligated to care for one another
The specific cultural context of the time meant that one of the needs for care was intensified as individuals were isolated from their families
The cross cultural nature of the church also intensified that need.
When the need to care for the body is unmet, disunity results
This hinders the mission of the church as a group of people working together to make disciples
A Bad Solution Rejected
A Bad Solution Rejected
2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.’
One obvious solution would be to have the apostles (serving as elders) care for the widows
Humans have sought earthly good at the expense of heavenly good since the garden
If the apostles give up their ministry of the Word and prayer the mission of the church will not be accomplished
While physical needs being unmet hinders the mission of the church, meeting physical needs is not the mission of the church.
A Good Solution Proposed
A Good Solution Proposed
3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
The apostles look for seven godly men to take on this responsibility
A Good Solution Executed
A Good Solution Executed
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
The congregation responds to the Apostles leadership obediently and chooses 7 men.
The apostles commission them through the laying on of hands (A la Moses > Joshua)
23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses.
So these men have a delegated authority to meet the physical needs of the church
Application
Application
Defining Deacons
Defining Deacons
In Acts we must wrestle with the difference between descriptive and prescriptive.
Descriptive: What they did
Prescriptive: What we should do
This is descriptive
In fact deacon as a title is not present in this passage.
“Deacon” is a transliteration of the word translated “servant”
These men become known as “the seven” (Ac. 21:8) contra “the twelve” (Ac. 6:2)
So why do we treat deacons as an office?
In this example qualified men are formally appointed to a position of service (deaconing)
They aren’t called deacons, but they’re doing deaconing
Later passages reference them as a specific office
1 Tim 3
Philippians 1:1 “1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:”
Therefore, we take this passage as an example of what a deacon looks like, but it’s a description rather than a prescription
We don’t need 7
They don’t have to be men (see 1 Tim 3)
They may take other roles besides widow care
On the other hand, 1 Tim 3 prescribes for us the qualifications of deacons. This is not just a description
So, what is a deacon?
A godly servant who advances the mission and unity of the church through service.
Shock absorbers
Closing Implications
Closing Implications
We should have deacons because our church is no less likely to face need-driven mission drift than the Jerusalem church
They serve the church by executing ministry other than the Word and prayer.
They do not lead the church in a formal capacity – though godly servants lead the church culturally.
Not the house to the Elder’s senate
They may be men or women
Your Role
Your Role
Identify needs
Not the ministry of the word and prayer
Not a way to find a way for everyone to be recognized as a formal minister (7 of at least 2000 in Acts 6)
Areas of significant need where good administration would advance the mission and unity of the church.
Identify individuals
Individuals who meet the qualifications laid out in 1 Tim 3.
Be servants
Not ambitious
Not passive
Not falsely humble
13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
