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The Church Needs
Scriptural Workers
The Deacon
32
years ago, the Miami Dolphins embarked on an unforgettable &
unparalleled season. 14-0 regular season, then a 3-0 run through the
playoffs culminating with a Super Bowl victory. No other team has
matched that perfect record. Every year 30-some odd teams try, but for 3
decades, it stands alone.
Sports enthusiasts all have their own opinion about who might be the
“Greatest Team of All Time”, but one of the 1972 Dolphin team members
put it best: “Perfection has a way of shutting peoples mouths.”
The opposing coach going into the’72 Super Bowl was asked to comment on
stellar Miami defense. His reply was "I can’t recall any of their names,
but they are a matter of great concern to us." Does anyone remember the
nickname of the ’72 Dolphins Defense? The "No-Name Defense."
What made that team special was not the handful of superstars – it was
the dedication of every team member. The willingness of every player to
execute his position with excellence for a common purpose. Something
special happens when everybody plays their position. The whole becomes
greater than the sum of its parts. They had some great players, no
doubt. But plenty of other teams over history have had better personnel.
More Pro-Bowl players, superstars, Hall of Famers. Yet no team has
reached level of achievement that they did.
Have you ever wondered what would have happened if 3 players on that
Dolphin offense decided they didn’t like what they were supposed to do,
and wanted to play somewhere else.
Let’s suppose in the huddle, they call a sweep to the right with Mercury
Morris running the ball. But Larry Little, Jim Langer & Norm Evans all
decided that they wanted to play running back? “If I don’t play running
back, then I’m not important. Guards never make the highlight reels, so
forget it.”
How well do you think they would have done that year? Probably not all
two well.
Well, the world of sports isn’t the only place where “Positional
Confusion” can take place. It happens everywhere, and it happens in the
church.
There are some congregations where the preacher does the work of the
Elders, Shepherding the flock by visiting and handling Spiritual
matters.
The Elders do the work of the deacons, since they were never allowed to
do anything while they were deacons, they now use this opportunity to
finally get to spend the Lord’s money by picking out carpet colors and
lawn tractors.
And the Deacons do nothing.
This is not only unscriptural it can and has killed many churches. You
see the health of this church and every church will be seen in the
dedication of the deacons.
Tonight I want to take a look at the work of the deacon and see the need
that God has placed on these men in the church.
The word we translate deacon is the same word that is translated servant
in Matthew 20:26 "It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become
great among you shall be your servant,
And minister in Galatians 2:17 "But if, while seeking to be justified in
Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a
minister of sin? May it never be!
And so it is with those who are our deacons, they are to minister and
serve the church body where they attend.
Once again I believe that when we discuss the roll of a deacon, just
like when we discuss the eldership, we too quickly turn to 1 Timothy 3.
Now I believe that the Apostle Paul discussion of the Spiritual
requirements is important, Tonight I want to look at the job description
of a Deacon. To do that let’s look at a Deacon in action, please turn to
Acts 6:1-7.
As the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied in number, it is not surprising
to read of problems increasing as well. Hellenists (Jewish Christians
who adopted Grecian culture) complained that the Hebrews (Jewish
Christians who sought to preserve Jewish culture) neglected their widows
in the daily distribution of food.
The twelve apostles summon the multitude of disciples, since it was not
good that the apostles leave the word of God to serve tables. They told
the congregation should select seven men that the apostles might appoint
to serve the congregation. These men should be of good reputation, Full
of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.
This seemed to pleased the church and they selected seven men, Stephen,
Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas
The seven men are appointed by the apostles by prayer and the laying on
of hands.
So according to verse 7 what was the result of the Deacons working in
the church? And the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the
disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many
of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
I believe that there are four things that a Deacon must be in order to
be successful.
He must be consistent and persistent in his work.
Planning might get the job started but only persistence will work get it
done.
In Jerusalem the widows were hungry every day. This was not just a one
time problem. This was an everyday problem and the men that would be
appointed would have to be trusted to take care of this job every day.
In this church there are problems that are continual problems. For
example we have two buildings and a house. There are going to be
problems that are going to occur. It is not enough to appoint a man to
over see these buildings one problem at a time. Can you imagine our
Shepherds having to appoint a man once a week just so that someone could
be appointed to mow the grass?
That doesn’t make any sense. Instead a Deacon should be put over the
building and that man consistently sees that the buildings are taken
care of, plumbing problems are fixed, Air Conditioners work and we have
a place that is safe to meet as a family and worship as a family.
That seems to be the pattern that was set in Acts 6. When the 7 men were
appointed to take care of the daily distribution it was their job. The
Elders, Apostles, didn’t have to take time away from Shepherding every
day to appoint men to do this job. & were appointed and they were
entrusted.
A Deacon must be entrusted with responsibility and authority.
The apostles were going to appoint seven men "over this business." The
apostles were wise enough to realize even though they had the Holy
Spirit miraculously indwelling in them they still couldn't do
everything. They had the power to heal, cast out demons, pass along the
miraculous gifts, but they couldn’t look after “this business.”
They needed helpers who could be trusted with responsibility and
authority. And I believe that it is important to notice that these
Deacons had both. You see without authority, you don't really have
responsibility.
If a deacon has the responsibility over our Mission work, but does not
have the authority to ask questions of the Missionaries, check on that
work, set the amounts of support given annually and for special needs,
then they really have no responsibility at all.
I believe that Elders, Shepherds are required to provide direction, set
policy, and approve budgets. I believe that the Deacons are supposed to
receive their responsibility and authority from the leadership, but
these men must be trusted and give the authority to do God’s work.
Back in Acts 6, do you read there that these 7 men had to go and ask the
Apostles about every little detail of their work or do you believe that
the Elders trusted them and gave them authority? I believe that they
were entrusted with responsibility and authority.
Deacons must be "people builders"
The work of a deacon is not one that is done alone, they must involve
others in their area of work.
Think about the fact that by the time we get to Acts 6 there are at
least, by a conservative count , 15,000 Christians in Jerusalem. If 10%
of that number were widows then that would be 1,500 widows. Now if you
divide that by 7 you would get 215 give or take a 1/10 of a %. So if
these seven men were to work alone then each man was required to serve
215 widows 3 times a day.
So you can see why Deacons have got to be people builders. They have got
to enlist others from the Body to help them with their work. But this is
a risky business. You can be:
refused and rejected
Having the job not done
Having the job not done well and conflict arising.
So all too often our Deacons do the job themselves and get burned out.
But there is a great benefit in inviting another person to be involved
in the Lord's work. You help them to grow, by giving them the tools to
continue on after you are no longer involved in it.
2 Timothy 2:2 And the things which you have heard from me in the
presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be
able to teach others also.
Matthew 28:19,20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am
with you always, even to the end of the age."
Finally a Deacon must be a representative of God.
They must posses God's qualifications found in 1 Timothy 3:8,9.
Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted
to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the
faith with a clear conscience.
And I believe that, just like Shepherds, they are people who are already
serving. 1 Timothy 3:10
And let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if
they are beyond reproach.
Deacons are "already that way." They are "exclamation points" not
"question marks."
We get in problems with Deacons sometimes because they were appointed
too soon!
Or I have even heard of churches appoint a deacon to get him to attend
church!
Then there was the church that appointed some men deacons to keep them
from moving their membership!
How silly can we get?
Close:
The church grew after the appointment of the seven in Acts 6. I believe
that it is all related.
Why did the number of the disciples multiply greatly? The word of God
increased.
Why did the word of God increase? - the men who were selected by God to
minister, did.
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