Deacon Ordination Brian Yoder
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Call to Worship - James Groff Psalms 113
Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the Lord is to be praised!
The Lord is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens!
Who is like the Lord our God,
who is seated on high,
who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
2 Songs - Wendell Nisly
Prayer - Jerry Bentz
Scripture Reading - Jason Beachy
Sermon - James Groff
Vows of Ordination - Elvin Ressler
Issuing of Charge - Elvin Ressler (Invite other deacons and wives to lay hands on them prior to issuing the charge)
Prayer of Consecration - Steve Byler - James to invite members of their families to join the deacons in laying on of hands
Congregational response - James
Dismissal - James
Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
Acts 6:1=
The deacons task:
“serve tables”
a deacon is “one who serves”
In this serving they follow Jesus’ example
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
In serving, they are to do so in the power of God “whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies”
In serving, they receive the commendation of God:
If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
JOhn 12:
God has special regard for those who serve, it is very near to the heart of the Gospel
Is there a specific way in which deacons Serve?
“tables” - generally understood to mean the management of funds, and specifically the funds used for charitable distribution
The tables here are similar to the tables referred to by the gospel writers when Jesus overturned the money changer tables
We surmise that the tables referred to the work of receiving the gifts of God’s people - Ananias and Sapphira - and apportioning it to the needs that existed in the congregation.
The call for deacons came when this work overwhelmed the apostles due to discontent from some in the congregation, and it overwhelmed them enough that the felt they were not adequately fulfilling their duty to prayer, and the study and preaching of God’s word. So, they gathered together and sought the Spirit of God as to the direction they should take.
And so, in our congregation, we task the deacons with two specific missions:
c. They shall be sensitive to personal and material needs in the congregation and shall provide assistance as needed.
c. They shall be sensitive to personal and material needs in the congregation and shall provide assistance as needed. Any major needs should be ministered to in consultation with the Church Council.
d. They shall develop a vision for the local and world-wide benevolence (alms) ministry of the congregation and guide the brotherhood in implementing the same.
We see the Deacon work to have two specific focus,
d. They shall develop a vision for the local and world-wide benevolence (alms) ministry of the congregation and guide the brotherhood in implementing the same.
Among us
To the community
The deacons qualities:
A man of good reputation
someone whom people speak favorable about
someone we can give witness to their honesty, and skill in managing the “tables”
A man full of the Spirit
A man inhabited by the Spirit of God
A man displaying the presence of God in his life by a changed life
A man given to wisdom
Not rash
The
The calling of all Christians to the deacon’s work
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
James 2:15-16
Gal
So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Bearing the burdens of each other is one of the first evidences of Christ being in us, in fact as we will see in , do deny helping the poor is to deny Christ
Bearing the burdens is not merely being a shoulder to cry on, it includes time, and dollars - real burdens are not solved with virtual help
God places a priority on helping those here in our church
Gal. 6:10
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Caring for the poor is a declaration of Jesus as our ultimate treasure
Caring for the poor is a reason to work hard and be fruitful in our labors
Caring for the poor is a fruit bearing with repentance. John the Baptist instructs the crowds to bear fruit in keeping with repentance, and one of the fruits of repentance he speaks to is the caring for those in need.
The eternal nature of a deacons work
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
The truth of the gospel is not merely a spiritual reality, it changes the way we live, it changes our values.
Jesus places caring for the needy as one of the primary displays of the presence of a changed heart.
So, here this evening as we call Brian and Melissa to serve among us, we call them to lead us in accurately displaying the presence of God in our hearts as we care for each other, and as we care for the less fortunate around us.
Prayer
