Deacons: A Solution to a Good Problem

Introduction

Today is a special day. There is a lot happening. It is promotion Sunday, so everyone is officially moving up into their new grades levels. If you are going into 6th grade, today is your first official day as a member of the youth group. If you graduated high school, today is your first official day as part of the young adults in the adult class. So, welcome to the adults!

Today we will also be having a business meeting that is focused on one thing - electing a new deacon. Our church bylaws require us to have at least three deacons when we have the people that meet these qualifications and have the desire to serve the church in this capacity.

And we have been announcing for the last couple of weeks that today we are voting on a candidate to be our third deacon.

I want to take this opportunity, then, to preach on exactly what a deacon is and why they are important to the church.

The Message today is titled Deacons: A Solution to a Good Problem

The Empowerment of the Church

We are going to be in several passages today, but I want to start off in the book of Acts. Acts 6, to be precise. Let me give you a little backstory to this chapter. Acts 1 tells us of the events concerning the disciples following the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let’s look at Acts 1:6-14

Acts 1:6–14 KJV 1900

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey. 13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

So you have the disciples asking Jesus when He is going to restore the kingdom of Israel. If you have been following our sermon series on the life of Christ, you know that this has been a major concern. Surely, now that Jesus has triumphantly risen from the dead, he can now gather a following and restore the kingdom of Israel, Right? That is what the disciples are thinking. However, Jesus tells them that they are not going to know when that happens, but instead, redirects them to think of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is their real mission. Don’t worry about the kingdom of Israel, occupy yourselves in God’s Kingdom work.

And what is that work? To be witnesses of Jesus in all the world.

When Jesus finishes saying all this, He begins to ascend into heaven, and the disciples stand there with mouths agape and in awe staring at the sky. Have you ever released a helium balloon into the wild and tried to watch it for as long as you can? There comes a point that the balloon becomes just a speck, and if you turn away, even for a moment, you will loose sight of it. When it gets to that point, you try to follow it and you’re not even blinking. If someone were to drive by, they would look at you funny, and I am sure that I have been looked at funny many times because I love letting helium balloons go into the wind.

Well, I imagine that the disciples were trying to keep track of Jesus as He ascended and became a tiny speck in the sky when all of a sudden, a couple of men (probably angels), appear beside them and ask them, “What are you staring at? Don’t you know that this same Jesus that has ascended into heaven is going to come back the same way?”

In other words, “You’ve got work to do, and it isn’t just standing here gawping at an empty sky.” So the disciples go and obey a prior command of Jesus to wait for the promise of the Father. Jesus is referencing the coming of the Holy Spirit as a comforter and guide to all Christians. Jesus had previously told them that it was necessary for Him to leave the disciples so that He could send the Holy Spirit to them.

So the disciples and other believers, including Jesus’ mother, meet in Jerusalem where they have been told to wait, and they are in a room until the Holy Spirit comes and empowers them to do preach and do the work of the church. And that is what the book of Acts is all about, it is about the empowerment of the Church by the Holy Spirit to fulfill the Great Commission that was given to the disciples by Jesus - to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.

Chapter 2 of Acts tell us about the disciples preaching about Jesus to the multitudes that were in Jerusalem at the Temple for the celebration of Pentecost, and we see that God uses the message to convert 3,000 people. This is where we see the church, that started with the disciples by the Sea of Galilee and then grew in number after the resurrection to 120 people. be empowered by the Holy Spirit and their numbers begin to swell. First it is 3,000 people getting saved by believing in Jesus as their savior on the day of Pentecost, then, at the end of chapter 2 we see that God added people to the church daily that were being saved. Then in chapter 4 we see 5,000 more get saved, and then, by the end of chapter 4, they are just a multitude. No more counting them, it’s a bunch of people. Or like they’d say in the south, “A whole mess o’ people.”

This is JUST in Jerusalem. Can you imagine having a church that size? Now, something to consider is this, that many of the people that got saved on the day of Pentecost and in the days proceeding did not live in Jerusalem. They would have returned to their various parts of the world from which they came. But the church in Jerusalem does number in the thousands.

And we come to a problem.

A Good Problem

It’s a good problem. There are a lot of church members! And the issue is this, though most, if not all of these members are Jews, they all come from different backgrounds. As we all know, this can cause some stress. Let’s read the account of the problem and it’s specifics in Acts 6:1

Acts 6:1 KJV 1900

1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

There in the church of Jerusalem, there were Jewish converts that grew up in a very Jewish culture who primarily spoke Aramaic; these are the ones referred to as the Hebrews. But there was another group of Christians. These people were Jewish by birth, and though they retained some of the religion of the Jews, they had adopted Greek culture. They were called also, Hellenistic Jews. They dressed and wore their hair and built there houses in the style of the Grecians. They primarily spoke Greek. So, both groups are Jewish, but both having some cultural distinctions about them. The Hebraic Jews often thought themselves better than those who had adopted the lifestyle and dress of the pagan Greeks. However, the most important thing to remember here is that both groups were no longer Jewish in religious practice, but they were Jesus followers. The term “Christian” was not yet coined, but they were called either ‘disciples’ or ‘followers of the way.’

In the church in Jerusalem, there were rich and poor alike. Because of the love of God that had entered into these people’s hearts, many of them decided to sell much of what they had and donate gigantic chunks of money so that those members of the church that were needy, would have plenty to eat. They would bring the money to the apostles and they would then distribute it to those in need daily. It seems that the apostles were already delegating this job to others by chapter 6 (which by the way, happens about 3-4 years after the ascension of Christ and the day of Pentecost), because there comes a report to the Apostles that they are not pleased with.

The report is this- there are needy widows that are of the Hellenistic Jews that are members of our congregation that are being neglected in the daily distribution, or ministration. They are not being served like those members of Hebrew background.

The Problem, Continued

So look what happens next. Acts 6:2

Acts 6:2 KJV 1900

2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

Here is the thing. The complaint and the murmuring gets to the apostles and it is probably presented in a way that many problems get presented to a pastor, because that was the role of the Apostles in that congregation.

“Pastor, there is this problem, there is this need… what are you going to do about it?”

So, the twelve, and yes, that is not a mistaken number, there has been a man Barsabbas, who was elected to take the place of Judas Iscariot, anyway, these twelve apostles reply, “It is not reason, it is not fitting, that we should leave the ministering of the word of God to go serve tables.” Now, I want to be very clear here. The 12 were not being prideful. They were not saying that distributing to the needy was something that was below them. But they had a specific function in the church. Their primary function was to preach and teach the word of God and deal with matters of right doctrine, persistent sin among the believers, and other spiritual things. In a church of thousands, they had their hands full. This was a church that was meeting in the Temple regularly, but also in people’s homes daily.

They could not loose focus on the spiritual aspect of things to oversee the daily distribution of food. That would have taken up all of their time, and they would not have been fulfilling their calling.

The Solution

But the Apostles give a solution. Look at Acts 6:3

Acts 6:3 KJV 1900

3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

The solution they give is this - choose from among yourselves men that have a testimony of being honest, of having integrity, and also being full of the Holy Spirit, controlled by the Holy Spirit.

These men will be appointed over the business of the daily ministrations to the needy in a way that is honest and not preferential, doing it out of love, because they are filled with the Holy Spirit. Why does the church need people that will do take care of this aspect of things? Acts 6:4

Acts 6:4 KJV 1900

4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

So that the pastor could give themselves, be completely wrapped up in prayer and the ministry of the word of God - teaching and preaching and rightly dividing the word of truth, as the Apostle Paul put it.

So, we have seen the need for these men, these deacons. The church was growing and it was diverse. While diversity within a church is beautiful, it can be a source of friction and even communication gaps. There was neglect happening, whether because of communication barriers or because of pride, we do not know, but there was neglect happening in the physical sense. This neglect was leading to division.

But this problem highlighted the need for a team. It brought the apostles together recognizing that they could not do everything. The church needed spiritual ministry as well as physical ministry. The apostles could not rightly abandon the calling of ministering the word of God to go serve tables. So a team needed to be created that would minister to these physical needs of the congregation.

If the leaders were distracted, then the whole congregation would end up starving in a spiritual sense.

So Deacons are chosen. And this is where I really want to spend some time. This first choosing of deacons has the Apostles giving three requirements: That they have a good testimony (an honest report), that they be full of the Holy Spirit, and that they be wise.

Good Testimony

These men needed to have a good testimony. They needed to have integrity. These are people who are trustworthy, reliable, and respected inside and outside the church. Character is the foundation. You can't lead in service if your life is not in order.

Full of the Holy Spirit

This is the most important qualification. Deacon work is not just a human task; it is a Spirit-empowered ministry.

Being "full of the Spirit" means being guided, controlled, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It results in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faith as spelled out in Galatians 5:22-23.

This ensures their service is done with grace and godliness, not with a grudging or controlling attitude.

Full of Wisdom

Full of wisdom is the next criterion. This isn't just about being smart; it's about having practical, godly wisdom.

They would need wisdom to manage resources fairly, to discern the true needs from the perceived wants, to handle sensitive situations with grace, and to resolve conflicts.

Other Qualifications

The Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, dedicates a portion of his letter to address the qualifications of deacons.

1 Timothy 3:8–13 KJV 1900

8 Likewise must the deacons be grave [honorable, honest, worthy of respect], not double-tongued [meaning he doesn’t say one thing to one person and another thing to another person], not given to much wine [not a drunkard, not addicted to wine], not greedy of filthy lucre [not greedy for money; not driven by a desire for money]; 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. [Doctrinally sound. The word mystery means “truth once hidden but now revealed by God.” The great doctrines of the faith are hidden to those outside the faith, but they can be understood by those who trust the Lord. Deacons must understand Christian doctrine and obey it with a good conscience.] 10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. [This means that they need to have been purposefully observed to see how they conduct themselves. Blameless means that he has nothing to be accused of. It does NOT mean that he is perfect. It means that he has a good reputation and cannot be held rightly in reproach.] 11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. [They are to have godly homes. Their wives must be Christian and in Christian conduct, must conduct themselves with honor (grave), must not lie about others, must be sober, and must be faithful in the church as well. Deacons ought to be men who have only been married to one woman, and he is to be a good father to his children while being someone who has their home in order. This does NOT mean that the deacon’s wife or their children are perfect, it means that things, including sin and bad behavior, is dealt with in a godly, biblical way. 13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. [The office of a deacon is to be used. This means that they are willing to work. Those that do so and do so well, ‘purchase to themselves’ a degree of dignity. It is an honorable thing to be a good deacon. But not only that, those that do the work of a deacon well, also are imbued with boldness in their faith. This dignity and boldness is not man made. It is not gained by politicking. It is God-given as a reward for faithfulness in service.]

It is a serious matter to serve the church of God. And finding the right people to occupy the right ministries and offices is something that brings great blessings to a local church.

The Result

Notice the result of having these deacons chosen in the church of Jerusalem. We are headed back to Acts 6:5-7

Acts 6:5–7 KJV 1900

5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

What happens when there are faithful, Holy Spirit filled people in the right places of a church?

It brings joy to the church {it pleased the multitude (of disciples)}

The word of God increases. There is more influence of the word of God. Pastors can concentrate more on serving the word of God to the church as the deacons and other ministers serve to the various other needs of the church.

The number of disciples multiply. More people will begin to follow Jesus, even those you may not expect to follow Jesus (many of the priests at the Temple became disciples of Jesus).

The Role of a Deacon

Here at GNBC, we currently have two deacons and will be voting on a third in just a few minutes. Dusty and Paul are our current deacons, and they have varied roles. Their primary role is to lovingly serve the needs of the church in a way that allows me to focus on the spiritual needs of the church. This is not to say that they only serve the material needs, remember one of the qualifications is that they “hold the mysteries of the faith,” that is to say, they know and are studying the Bible and are able to minister to physical needs and still defend and teach the doctrines of our faith.

Dusty and Paul do these things well. They help in various areas in which they are passionate, gifted, and talented- from fixing things, to visiting those that are sick and needy, to teaching, preaching, running Bible studies, and advising on financial matters.

They are an encouragement to me, they are a source of counsel for me and many of you as well. They, like the men described in Acts 6, help close communication gaps between people in the church, mainly me and others...

Besides Tahsha, they are usually the first people that I run ideas by, as far as church ministry is concerned.

They are NOT ‘yes men.’ They do not agree with everything that I say, and when they don’t they very respectfully tell me. But they are not controlling either. They do not lord over this church or over me, and they allow me to pursue the vision that God gives me for our church and help me communicate that effectively.

I am grateful for these men, and you should be grateful for them too. It is a lot of work that they do, important work, and most of you enjoy the results without ever noticing the cost that they and their spouses pay.

The Bible tells us to give honor to whom honor is due, and the office of a deacon is an honorable office when used well. So right now, I want to recognize both Paul and Dusty for using their office as deacons well and for their amazing support and incredible work they do for our church. Thank you.

Conclusion

This has been a different kind of sermon than you normally hear. But I believe it is a necessary one. It is important to know exactly what a deacon is. Deacons are servant-leaders. They lead through service. In fact, the word deacon means servant. It comes from the Greek work diakonos which means servant or minister. In fact, the majority of times that the Bible uses diakonos it is translated as either servant or minister, and only a handful of times is it translated as deacon. These people serve you, and they do it well. I can attest for the love that Dusty has for y’all, and I can do the same for Paul.

We are going to have an invitation time, but it too will be a little different than normal. I will ask Tahsha to come to the piano, and before she begins to play some music, I want to invite each person here, especially the members of this church, to pray for your deacons. Pray for Dusty and Paul and their families. Pray also for the vote that is coming up in a few minutes concerning Sean DeLany as our third deacon.

As Tahsha plays for a few minutes, will you take time to thank God for our deacons and pray for His hand of blessing and protection on them and their families.

Business Meeting

For the last two weeks we have announced that we will be having be a business meeting today concerning the election of Sean Delany to the office of deacon. So, before I call this meeting to order, I want you to know that if you are a member, you have a responsibility to vote in this meeting, and we ask that you do so prayerfully. I also would like to say that if you are not a member of this church, you are welcome to stay for the meeting, but you will not be able to interact or vote on the matter at hand.

At this time, I am going to ask parents to get their kids from nursery. And we will begin the meeting in five minutes.

I am also going to ask Sean and his family to come sit at this front row. I will also ask Paul and Dusty to come to the front row.

[Who is taking minutes? LaRetta or Megan?]

Open in Prayer

I now call this meeting to order.

The issue we will discussing is the election of Sean DeLany to the office of deacon.

This is what the Constitution and Bylaws have to say about our deacons.

a. They shall meet the qualifications set forth in I Timothy 3:8-13.

b. A deacon shall have been a member of this church for at least one year and must have served in some other capacity prior to election.

c. A deacon shall be not less than twenty-one years of age.

d. A deacon shall attend all the regular services of the church unless he provides a sufficient reason for a short-term absence.

After careful prayer and a time of observing him, Paul, Dusty, and I agree that Sean Delany meets the biblical requirements of being a deacon. Not only that, but we believe that he will be a blessing to our whole church as he has been already.

Concerning the election of deacons, the Constitution and Bylaws say this:

The church shall seek to elect from its members at least one deacon for each twelve family units in the church membership. Election shall be in accordance with Article VIII of this constitution. However, the church will seek to maintain at least three deacons if such men are able to serve.

Article 8 is the article concerning the manner of elections, and it says this:

A. The pastor and deacons shall act as an Election Board and shall consider the character and qualifications of all nominees according to the requirements as set forth in the Church Covenant. [ We have considered Sean DeLany and, as stated before, agree that he meets all requirements.]

B. Election of officers shall be by secret ballot. Voting privileges shall be limited to “present” active members, eighteen years of age and over.

The following article declares that a 75% vote in favor of the issue at hand will constitute a passing vote.

Before there is a vote, is there anyone that would like to make a brief comment on concerning this issue?

So, at this time, I am making a motion that we proceed with the vote. Does anyone second that motion?

Alright, at this time, ballots will be handed out to members age 18 and older. If you are 18 and older and are a member of this church, will you hold your hand up until you receive a ballot. This is a secret ballot, so you do not need to put your name on it. In a few moments, one of the old offering plates will be passed along to collect all the ballots for counting.

Does anyone have a ballot to turn in still?

Count and announce result.