Serving, Not Volunteering

REFLECTION: Mark 10:42-45

SERMON: Acts 6:1-7

BENEDICTION: Hebrews 13:20-21

INTRODUCTION

SLACKTIVISTS / SLACKTIVISM

A word imprinted on my mind as I read the FastCompany article on my break in May of 2010.

Basically, it refers to doing good without having to do much at all. Nancy Lublin (the then CEO of Do Something) said, “It’s inch-deep activism that you can do from the comfort of your own couch, whether that’s clicking for good or texting to save the world.”

One of the earliest forms of slacktivism was wearing one of those rubber wristbands that, for a while, were so ubiquitous — doesn’t cost much money and takes even less effort.

The Church of the Living God of this Bible doesn’t need slacktivism to propel it forward…it doesn’t need a swell of “VOLUNTEERS” which is language we are actively removing from our ministry opportunities at Grace Covenant.

WE NEED FOLKS TO SERVE, NOT VOLUNTEER.

The church needs women and men and girls and boys who are filled with the Spirit, clothed in humility, ready to serve one another to display Christ to anyone who looks on.

TEXT

Acts 6:1–7 ESV

1 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. 2 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. 3 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. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 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. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 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.

PRAY

BACKGROUND

RECAP NARRATIVE OF PASSAGES (V3)

There was a legitimate need

It couldn’t trump the greatest need - the Word of God

You (congregation, brothers and sisters) choose men

good reputation

full of the Holy Spirit

full of wisdom

We will appoint

This morning, I want us to look at a biblical standard for successfully building, equipping, and celebrating men of integrity…AND a reasonable expectation for all of us to demonstrate in our Spiritual growth and disciplines.

MUCH TO CELEBRATE

We have much to celebrate in the ebb and flow of so many of you that step up to the plate regularly to serve in meaningful and selfless ways. Grace Covenant has a long history of that. Grace Covenant has a current practice of that.

Let’s take a look at the MEN here in Acts 6

The Apostles in Acts 6 were equally thankful as the congregation of disciples was able to quickly celebrate and identify men of great character to assist in practical areas of ministry.

Acts 6:3 ESV

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.

Acts 6.3 JB Phillips Translation

“You, our brothers, must look round and pick out from your number seven men of good reputation who are both practical and spiritually-minded and we will put them in charge of this matter.”

Acts 6.3 AMP

“ Therefore select out from among yourselves, brethren, seven men of good and attested character and repute, full of the [Holy] Spirit and wisdom, whom we may assign to look after this business and duty.”

DEACON DISCLAIMER

Some of you are connecting the dots.

Deacon Nomination forms are in the lobby...

This text is about Deacons

Don’t worry - We’re NOT going to get into Church Leadership/Polity, Deep Ecclesiology, or go into “conference” this morning

When you think of Deacon, it’s possible some pictures come to mind based on your past church experience, or your family’s experience that (while they may have seemed to work well for that congregation) are not anchored in Scriptures. OR MAYBE YOU THINK OF WYATT EARP…I’ll come back to that.

The BIBLE shows us:

Deacons were appointed by the elders/pastors/shepherds from men who had been chosen by the congregation.

The role of Deacon is a role that is designed to serve the physical needs of the church

Deacons do not hold teaching or ruling authority in the church but exercise responsibility for the physical needs of the congregation. [Brian J. Tabb, “Deacon,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).]

While we are going to talk about those men who were appointed as Deacons, the focus of today’s message is clear.

If there is anything to celebrate within the Church, we will make our boast in Christ alone.

If there are characteristics that qualify one for serving the church, we recognize they are only a result of

the transforming power of Christ at salvation.

the renewing power of the Word of God when it is obeyed

the sanctification process of walking in the Spirit each day

If there is anyone to recognize within the Church, we will endeavor to honor them the way the Bible does,

by appointing them to the joys of serving the body

“work” was not a result of the curse

This morning, we’re going to celebrate what God is doing in our midst, as we move toward appointing some men for specific areas of ministry within the church.

Question: What’s distinct about these men in Acts 6:3?

Acts 6:3 ESV

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.

GOOD REPUTATION (martyeo)

pleasant, joyful, agreeable

to be approvingly testified of based on firsthand experience

Example - Jesus in Luke 4 after he read from the Scripture and declared that, “today this reading is fulfilled in your hearing) - it’s the same word.

Luke 4:22 ESV

And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”

FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

“Therefore, in seeking to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit we must pursue him indirectly - we must look to the wonder of Christ. If we look away from Jesus and seek the Spirit and his power directly, we will end up in the mire of our own subjective emotions. The Spirit does not reveal himself. The Spirit reveals Christ. The fullness of the Spirit is the fullness he gives as we gaze on Christ. The power of the Spirit is the power we feel in the presence of Christ. The joy of the Spirit is the joy we feel from the promises of Christ.” -Piper

Be Filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18 ESV

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Living/Walking by the Spirit

Galatians 5:25 ESV

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

FULL OF WISDOM

Wise, wisdom—a moral rather than an intellectual quality. To be “foolish” is to be godless (Ps. 14:1; comp. Judg. 19:23; 2 Sam. 13:13). True wisdom is a gift from God to those who ask it

Job asked the question as he was confessing the goodness of God.

Job 28:12 ESV

“But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?

Job 28:28 ESV

And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’ ”

James 3.14-18 Earthly ambition vs Heavenly Vision

James 3:14–18 ESV

14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Notes about this passage:

It is widely held that these were the first deacons. Several factors are used to support this viewpoint. We find that the office of deacon is assumed in Paul’s letters. Lots of words here for serving are interchangeable and malleable into the same words used for Deacons.

Some believe, that these were precursors to the office of elder. This is not a common interpretation, but it gains its support from 11:30, which refers to relief money being given to the elders. If deacons handled these funds earlier (chap. 6), it is argued, they must have later become the elders (chap. 11). However, the office of elder has its origin in the Jewish synagogue.

A contextual approach to this passage reveals that these seven men likely held a temporary position for the purpose of meeting a specific need. This could hold water for a couple of reasons. First, these men were chosen for a particular task, not an overall one. Second, they were in a temporary responsibility because of the communal nature of the church at Jerusalem. Even so, these men do illustrate the role and function of the office of deacons.

[adapted from Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 367–368.]

WYATT EARP

The legendary lawman Wyatt Earp became a deacon of Union Church in Dodge, Kansas, in 1878.

What do you know of Wyatt Earp? Some of you may recall the TV series from the 1950s. Hugh O’Brien portrayed this rugged, legendary lawman.

He’s been portrayed by many others: Henry Fonda, Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell among some of the more familiar and popular depictions.

We have this view of Wyatt…we think, man he’d be cool to hang around. We should get him as a Deacon. That’s what Union Church in 1878. But would he qualify? With our Bibles open, we see this isn’t a popularity contest, but a call for men of valor to grab a towel and serve as we are about our Father’s business together.

Question: What’s demanded for being appointed to serve in 1 Tim 3:8-13?

Is it more than warm bodies?

Is it more than a recruitment strategy for volunteers?

Does it bear any Gospel-Revealing characteristics?

Even though the Acts 6 moment may have been temporary and specific for the communal nature of the Church at Jerusalem, it still instilled the necessity of having the right people in the right place to minister in the church for the glory of God.

1 Timothy 3:8–13 ESV

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

SINCERE (v8)

diginified, not double-tongued (Psa 19:14)

English Standard Version Psalm 19

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

SOBER (v8)

not an addict, self-controlled

Proverbs 25:28 ESV

28 A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

“ Much good is done in the life of others when they have leaders and teachers who model the ability to live free of addictions and compulsions.” -Thabiti M. Anyabwile,

SATISFIED AND CONTENT (v8)

(non-addictive tendencies) “not addicted to much wine”

not greedy, “got-to-have-it-all”, money is my motivation and I’ll do anything to get ahead.

1 Timothy 6:5–6 ESV

5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain,

SETTLED IN THE FAITH (v9)

“holding to the faith with a clear conscience”

not blown about by every wind of doctrine

not consuming more youtube, blogs, and books than God’s Word

keeps the main things the plain things and the plain things the main things

“…with a clear conscience” they don’t PROFESS one thing and POSESS something else / Their audio matches their video

James 2:14 ESV

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

You cannot be a man of God unless you are consistently a man of the Word.

Ladies, You cannot be a woman of God unless you are consistently a woman of the Word.

While a deacon is not required to be a teacher, he needs to be biblically literate and competent in sharing the gospel.

SEASONED (Tried and True) (v10)

“tested first…prove themselves blameless”

40 Questions about Elders and Deacons Tested (1 Tim. 3:10)

But not only should the moral, spiritual, and doctrinal aspects be tested; the congregation also must consider the person’s actual service in the church. A person with a deacon’s heart is one who looks for opportunities to serve. As a person is given more responsibilities in the church, his ability to serve in a responsible manner and his ability to relate to others should be examined.

This doesn’t mean they have to be OLDER MEN that have been saved for 20+ years. It does mean though, minimally, that this believer has a chance to prove himself in battle when he was tested/tempted/in the midst of a trial.

This is not a microscopic view of every moment, but a broad view of one’s life in Christ - are they above reproach / no accusations could be made.

Ephesians 4:14 ESV

14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

We’re not looking to hand out titles to people in the hopes that they “stay” with us OR “start” behaving in a way that they are not currently!

To quote a Pastor I’ve learned a great deal from, “if they’re NOT doing “it” without a title, they won’t start with one.”

This is someone who is “all-in” for our GCC Family - providing systematic and faithful spiritual, financial, and physical support to Grace Covenant Church.

STRENGTHENED BY THE FAMILY (vv11-12)

40 Questions about Elders and Deacons Godly Wife (1 Tim. 3:11)

A deacon’s wife also must be sober-minded, or temperate. The same word is used for elders in 1 Timothy 3:2. Thus, the deacon’s wife must be able to make good judgments and must not be involved in things that might hinder such judgment. Finally, she must be “faithful in all things” (cf. 1 Tim. 5:10). This requirement is general in nature and functions similarly to the requirement for elders to be “above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6) or for deacons to be “blameless” (1 Tim. 3:10). The wife of a deacon must be a trustworthy person. The character of a deacon’s wife is important to the success of his ministry. She must be committed, self-controlled, and faithful like her husband.

“wife” “children” “households”

the wife is a complement - she is as much a woman of God as he is a man of God

Him - Loving the wife and Christ loved the church

Them - Shepherding the hearts of the family toward Christ

Malachi 4:6 ESV

6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Ephesians 5:25 ESV

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Ephesians 5:28 ESV

28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Colossians 3:19 ESV

19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

What about Wyatt Earp, would he qualify Biblically?

SOBER? Earp, his brothers, and Doc Holliday owned and/or ran several saloons and brothels,

SATISFIED/CONTENT NOT GREEDY? Earp was arrested in Arkansas for stealing horses. // The famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1880 made Wyatt a western legend. However, that 30 second shootout led to other less admirable grudge killings.

SETTLED / SEASONED IN THE FAITH? There’s no evidence (or legend) that Wyatt Earp was biblically literate or that he was a soul winner…or that he had any Biblical evidence or fruit of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

STRENGTH IN THE FAMILY? Wyatt’s wife Urilla died of typhus in their first year of marriage. He deserted his second wife, Mattie, in 1882 when he moved to Tombstone. Earp married a prostitute named Mattie Blaylock, who committed suicide after he left her. Josie (Sadie) was the common law wife he lived with until his death.

He may be “the myth, the legend”, but he’s not a MAN of integrity…not a Man who we would trust to be a servant leader at Grace!

Question: Who is demonstrating this here and now?

Who are the men you thought were already deacons? Ha!

Who are the men you would call if your family had a need (that weren’t pastors)?

Who are the men that you know would pray…and selflessly DO anything for anyone if they could?

On behalf of the deacons and elders of Grace Covenant, we are saying, “there is a need”

there are opportunities to serve some vulnerable and voiceless nearby

there are opportunities in the worship gathering for men of honor and distinction to be trusted with serving (communion, offering, other matters)

On behalf of the ELDERS, I’m asking you to “choose”

Write down the names of 2 men in your bulletin right now.

TODAY, Pray and ask the LORD to show you how to proceed.

LATER THIS WEEK an email will go out including a form you can use to nominate a man to be considered as a Deacon / Next week, we’ll have printed versions available

Nominate as many as you like…use this sermon and text as a filter…there will also be some guidance on the form to help you as you consider.

FINALLY -

Question: How can we DEVELOP one another to be qualified to serve?

With Bibles open, we will fix our eyes on Jesus

In all areas of ministry, we will commit to make disciple-making disciples

(In doing that,) We will call men and women to be men and women of God!

THIS MORNING - RIGHT NOW

Are you man enough to admit that you stand in need of a Savior or are you a “self-made-man” (aka man-made-disaster)

Are you man enough to know that God designed you for community

Are you man enough to submit to the authority of God’s Word and the community of the local church?

With Bibles open, we will build on the successful endeavors when we have ministered to men and to women; but we will anchor all of our metrics to disciple-making and building one another up to be servants (men & women) that

have a good reputation

learn to walk full of the Holy Spirit

exercise Biblical wisdom

are Sincere

Sober

Satisfied and Content

Settled in the Faith

Seasoned (Tried and True)

Strengthen and be strengthened by the Family

INVITATION

CALL TO RESPOND

When Dr. John Watson was a child, he loved to see the procession of deacons at the administration of the Lord’s Supper, and one old man with very white hair and a meek, reverent face especially interested him. One day he was walking on the road and passed a man breaking stones. The white hair caught his attention, and he looked back and recognized the deacon who had carried the cup.

Full of curiosity and surprise, he told his father the strange tale. His father explained to him that the reason why the old man held so high a place in the church was that although he was one of the poorest men in all the town, he was one of the holiest. “James,” he said, “breaks stones for a living, but he knows more about God than any person I have ever met.”

[Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 1630.]

ABOUT OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS.

We don’t need slacktivists who never put any sweat equity into the big talk.

We’re not looking for warm bodies that want a title.

This is NOT just delegation of duties; this is ENTRUSTMENT in ministry.

The need exits because of the weight of the WORD OF GOD in our gatherings.

it is the highest element of worship in our gatherings

it is NOT a mere component of the program

my responsibility as a preacher/pastor is to do all I can to make sure that no mechanic of ministry or element of worship is elevated above the preaching of the word of God

everything else can be let go…but that!

“A solid deacon prioritizes God over man, the soul over the body, and eternity over time even while he attends to the important practical and bodily needs of people.” -Thabiti Anyabwile

As we continue to worship the LORD this morning, let’s respond to this text in these ways:

Church Family, let’s thank the LORD for His goodness on display in this body of believers, as we have more than a few that would qualify for a biblical role of serving the church!

Let’s pray and ask the LORD to continue to lead us as a body as we develop MEN and WOMEN to serve the LORD on his terms.

Maybe you’re here and during the message it became abundantly clear to you that there’s no way you would qualify for leadership in the church, because you’ve not been regenerated/born again/made new/saved by the LORD Jesus Christ! Come to Jesus this morning. Take that first step toward being a man of God, or woman of God, a young man or woman of God!

This is not the business world. This is not a social club. Your talent is nice but not the qualifier.

Even the GIFTS of the Spirit DON’T QUALIFY you for leadership…the FRUIT of the Spirit does!