The Role of the Deacon

Introduction

Good Morning church family. It’s so great to see each and every one of you this morning. And, to our guests, Welcome. We are honored to have you joining us in worship.

This morning we’ll be talking about the role of the deacon. The office of deacons was ordained by God and has been a vital part of the Church since she was born. In the first century, men rose to the calling of serving as a deacon in the church through the leading of the Holy Spirit. And, it’s the same today.

Being called to the office of a deacon is a tremendous honor and calling. It’s a calling to a leadership role within the church. Our passage this morning takes us into the book of Acts where the apostles were both challenged and encouraged to address a much needed ministry. I’d like to invite you to open your Bibles to the 6th Chapter of Acts. We will be reading verses 1 through 4.

Acts 6:1–4 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.”

Pastoral Prayer

The church in Jerusalem some 2000 years ago, we will find similarities that remain in the modern church today. Here in the first half of verse 1, we have a very good thing happening here - growth! For many, growth can be a good thing. Many were coming to hear the word of God! This also meant that the church needed to organize. They were fulfilling the Lord’s charge to them (1:8). People were coming to hear the gospel. We have people going out into the community to engage others with the gospel.

AMEN! The disciples were increasing in number. The word disciple means, a learner or pupil; those who followed the Lord and His teaching. And, we all know what multiplication means. The church was growing, and it was growing quickly. The Holy Spirit was dwelling in the believers; the gospel was being preached and shared.

With this new growth, new situations which had not been anticipated were developing. I like to call these opportunities! In this case, it was a question of administering relief. The early church Christians took their social responsibilities seriously, and the need of an individual or family was important.

When you we’re growing in our teenage years, some of us experience growing pains. For some the growing pains are painful, while for others they were merely just an inconvenience. The early church was experiencing some growing pains. The size of the congregation was increasing, and the work of the preaching and teaching ministry expanded. It was getting harder to keep up with the relief work.

The basis for the challenge was the fact that certain widows were being overlooked. In the early church, help was needed for their widows. This was because many often did not have anyone to care for them or to help them. So, the church through the leading of the Holy Spirit saw that they were to the responsibility of the church.

[Display Acts 6:2 ONLY]

Acts 6:2 ESV

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.

Verse 2 mentioned the 12 “summoned the full number of disciples.” The disciples recognized the need for preparation. The some of the needs that came up in the church were needs that included various daily provisions, such as food, perhaps clothing and other items. The 12 wisely recognized need for this ministry and sought the help of other qualified men in the congregation.

The Bible says here in the second half of this verse that: “it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.” At first glance, these words might come off as a complaint. But, understand, it’s not like that at all. On the contrary, it was just the opposite. The apostles were responsible for church life in general, which included the ministry of the word of God and the care of others. They were covering all basis. The idea here was not blame or complain, but rather what could be done to help with the situation. The apostles knew that the problem of supporting the needy required attention. We can gather that the apostles were sensitive enough to recognize the challenge, they were also sensitive to understanding of the calling that are placed on church leaders by God. They could not leave what God had called them to do. Which is declaring the word of God.

The thought of service to tables in New Testament times was where all various types of transactions took place. The work of administrating and distributing care to those in need would have been carried on over tables. This helped to lay the foundational stones of service. The ministry is also about the response to the need. Men step forward out of a crowd to address specific needs. Take President Lincoln for example. He didn’t push his way to the White House. He was drawn there by events to which he responded in positive way to the best of his God given ability. Our deacons have done the exact same thing. The deacons which serve this church body have taken things upon themselves to see that the needs of others are met. They have felt some claim laid upon their hearts and they responded to that.

Since my time here, I have seen the men of our church and deacons, who have brought their expertise and skills forward for us. I want to you know their service has not only been under this roof. Their service has extended beyond the walls of this building, into our community and homes.

As these men are called by the Holy Spirit, we as a united body of believers also have a role. The church has a charge to affirm these men. The Bible says in verse 3:

Acts 6:3 ESV

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.

The 12 charged the church with the responsibility to appoint seven men to serve as deacons. The phrase “pick out from among you” means to look internally. The whole congregation took ownership of the proposal. In fact, this one single verse provides five characteristics for the those appointed to church ministry. The seven selected to help lead the church were to be men. Ladies, this does not mean you are any less important. You help fill vital roles in the church. You are part of the body of Christ to. And, each part of the body has a distinct role and each part is important. We all need each other.

The second characteristic is that they come “from among you.” This helps to show that one, those who lead the church are to be believers. And second, development of leadership is encouraged to be from within. For example, when looking at vacant positions, it could be easy to just fill the position for the sake of having a person there, where we might overlook those who are gifted from God. And, one characteristic of this body of believers, I’m taking about this body of believers First Baptist Kirtland, is the development and investment of others. I’ve heard great testimony of how you have chosen to pour your heart into others, teaching the gospel to them and being patient with others as they develop their God given ability.

The prospective person being considered for a deacon role is to have a good reputation. This person must be a person of integrity, one who above reproach, as we can pickup on this in in 1st Timothy 3 and Titus 1. They are to be examples for the people to follow in and out of the church. In the first century church this was critical, “since they would be entrusted with large sums of money and the distribution of food.” Deacons must be men of integrity who are faithful, trustworthy, morally upright, a person who is unquestionable and trusted by all.

Those who would lead the church are to be full of the Holy Spirit. This means to be fully yielded to His control in every area of their life. A man who is filled with the Holy Spirit will have no problem maintaining his character and standing concerning his office. Take for example, Stephen. Stephen played a pivotal role in the spread of the gospel. Stephen received to commendation as:

Acts 6:8 NIV

8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.

The Bible gives us another characteristic, and that is wisdom. This means to have biblical wisdom that can be applied in truth to situations of everyday life. The writer of 1st Chronicles 12:32 describes some wise leaders of Israel as:

1 Chronicles 12:32 ESV

32 Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command.

The apostles kept their proprieties conservative. They realized the task of meeting the physical needs of the church body and the task of meeting the spiritual and educational needs of the body were very important. They also understood the need was growing and decided to reach out for help. A reasonable question to ask was: since we can only do some things, which can we get help with and which should we pray fully consider.

[Display Acts 6:4 ONLY]

Acts 6:4 ESV

4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

The answer is in verse 4 where the Bible says, “and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” This was their priority and their focus.

Nothing can take place of sound biblical preaching. It’s the focus and emphasis of our worship, but it’s not the only aspect of the church. We could have the best preaching in the world, but if we neglected the needs of our people, and they moved on elsewhere, this could lead to some dark times in the life cycle of a church.

There was no way the apostles could do everything that needed to be done, including having time set aside for prayer and ministry of the word. Help is needed.

At the time I was writing this sermon, I was reading some reflecting words from Vernon McGee on some of the verses we covered this morning. He was talking about when he was a pastor in downtown LA, his church did not allow him time for study and prayer. He addressed this need by renovating his garage into a study. I want you to know how grateful I feel for the time you allow me to have during the week for study and prayer. I am thankful for you loving me this way! When I get a chance to get out a visit with, I want you to know that time is cherished.

Conclusion

I had an opportunity to serve as a deacon, and it was one of the most rewarding times of my life. I was not only blessed by God, I was also blessed by the people that I met. I’ve heard people say being a deacon is a coveted position in the church. It’s far from that. Men don’t come forward accepting the role for personal gain or recognition. It’s a demanding office that requires men to make decisions, some which might not be easy. Men, if you’ve been feeling that tug at your heart to help address a need here in this church, that is the Holy Spirit of God trying to lead your heart. I’d encourage you to pursue this. God is putting that there. You can talk with Don, John, Daniel or myself about questions you might have. This morning as we get ready to close, I encourage to pray for the deacon body as well as the others God is raising up for this ministry. As a church, we all share in this. If you have something on your heart that needs prayer, let me know how I can pray for and with you.

Closing Prayer