Deacons, p.2

First Timothy chapter 3, we will conclude our dealing with the servant office of deacon in the church today for going through first Timothy were calling this exposition of first Timothy beautifying the bride because that's exactly what Paul is doing is writing to Timothy as Timothy has been left in Ephesus to oversee the continuation of the structuring and initiating the proper functions of the local church that everything the local church needs is not in first and second Timothy but much of what we need to fashion the church structure. It and to function as the church is there to look remind yourselves this isn't about just having an efficient machine.

This isn't just about structuring so that were effective and accomplish certain goals like a business. We may use some business ideas but that's not what were about were about the glory of God that God's wisdom and God's power. God's beauty is seen in his church, so we want to be very intentional and very thorough about being biblical in fashioning the church and functioning as the church so first Timothy chapter 3 and we begin reading their in verse eight, first Timothy three verse eight deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double tongue or addicted to much wine are fond of sordid gain holding to the mysteries of faith with a clear conscience. These men must also first be tested, then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossip, gossip, temperate, faithful in all things deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and of their household.

For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and a great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. In our first installment of unpacking the this section of Scripture I told you a good analogy was to be deacons as the white blood cells of the local church body, your white blood cells are within your system so that should there be a virus or bacteria come into weaken the body to hinder the effectiveness of the physical body.

The white blood cells going to attack. They en masse swarmed to the issue and try to remove it. So the body can go on and you know it's interesting we don't think much about white blood cells. We don't see them except in infected sore that white plus is actually white blood cells who gave their lives to protect the body and that's a good picture of what deacons are. As these scientists biological scientists tell us white blood cells are the first responders in your body. If there's an issue. So deacons are the first responders in the church. If there's an issue that might weaken or hinder our call to church, not the function. Therefore, hindering God's beauty and God's glory being cast forth from the church so deacons have a very important role. I said last week that if there were a schism in the church are there was two brothers having a squabble together. Two sisters having a fight or anything going on that we get to hinder our witness on the health of the church. The first question the pastor should ask is where my deacons they should be on that they should be fixing that they should be calling those people into account in resolving that. So the church can go forward and I might say to you in it's not true in many places, but I have wonderful deacons in this church. Wonderful deacons like I'm not even sure who they are light and matter you haven't never named all your white blood cells in your body. Have you but you just know they're working there taking care of stuff and that's what our men are. That's just they don't care about the notoriety of the glory they want to do what God's commission them to do and I appreciate them greatly. We know that Satan's chief employee is to undermine attack weaken discredit hinder the preaching of the word and the elder leadership of the church and so appalled that with that quite thoroughly. First, the qualifications for God called elder Pat.

Now he deals with deacons because a great great strength that I think any sensual killer of a successful preaching ministry are successful church in general is that it must have been in the office of deacon who do the servant work being those first responders in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. We talked at length about how the concept of deacons has become warped and perverted in so many Baptist or evangelical churches today. So many churches, the deacons become a board of authority and the pastor is the guy they hire, he answers to them. Nothing could be further from the truth completely in biblical and and one of the great weaknesses. There is, we haven't ever developed the office of elder.

To understand how the office of deacon works in harmony with that office, and so to help the church in all and I think very often with sincere motives. Men in the office of deacon have taken authority because nobody else would take care of things and I understand that but in the biblical concept that's not where we should have landed now. We talked about the qualifications for deacon and we begin going through these now we come down to the one they are lessees in verse 10, he must be beyond reproach when just going to the other through quickly in verse eight he has to be a man of dignity, he cannot be double tongue, he cannot be addicted to much wine he cannot be fond of sordid gain, and he must know doctrine quite well that is verse 90 holds to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience and then uses these may must must first be tested. Verse 10 announcer will here's where we are today and they must be above reproach and we dealt with this again dealing with elders that literally means nothing instead there is no pattern of willful are Walton CN in his life that if these accused of that.

He just didn't stick doesn't mean he's perfect. That's why use the word pattern is you go to watching a man's life. 30 or 40 years, you're going to find things when he's blown into Tom into their life is a sinner like me.

He has, but it should be noted that these men cannot have a clear pattern so that an accusation that this is the way he is has no credibility just doesn't stick. He's above reproach. Then he says here in verse 11 Y's nieces wife's must be dignified is the same thing you said about the men earlier when he says they have to be at dignity are men who are worthy of respect, then wife's must not be malicious gossips kind of interesting for the men he said not double tongue of the ladies. He says they must not be gossipers or you could say slanderers then he says the ladies must be temperate, which is the idea of being well-balanced, they have matured to the place where they don't get Tom out of balance with the things that matter versus the things that really don't matter. My goodness, what a pilgrimage God had to take me on as a young man in the ministry to repent often and learn know this is a two on a scale of 1 to 10. This is a nine on the scale of one and so he says went up when I went up lady is serving with her husband who is a deacon. She must be a wife who has matured somewhat to know can I just say it like a straightforward not get caught up in the silly drama that happened so often in some fellowships they know that they're just above that kind of thing and being drawn into those kind of thing and then faithful in all things. The Bible says in verse 11. The idea, of course, is when it comes to her home when it comes to taking care of her husband when it comes to her children it comes to her church. There is a pattern not perfect, but in these ladies.

There's a pattern of faith that you might ask yourself why in the middle of this character qualifications for men in the office of deacon that you start talking about wives was some churches hold this literally means that women can be deacons or's are called deaconesses. Matter fact, we see that in the Bible. Dr. John MacArthur's church has deaconesses and the patents have historically just said 10 wait a minute that's not right. We can't do that well. We don't think that's the proper interpretation. But when you understand what some good brother Steve here, it begins to make sense. For example, the deaconesses and their churches primarily take care of shut-ins and widows are just an unseen non-authoritative body to serve needs in the body that are very special needs and needs that need special attention.

So in that sense, are you listen to this morning all of our Lady small group leaders are deaconesses they serve and care and minister to the body and in one sense, all of our men.

Small group leaders are deacons because when you pull this out of him. Maybe what has evolved over the ages in church life goodness in the New Testament is just simply talking about's brothers and sisters who don't mind serving and don't mind if they don't get any credit for it in that sense we got lots of deaconesses but however I do believe the Scriptures are pointing out here. There is a distinct office of deacons who take care of special needs in the body. And that's the way we approach it here. Grace, like church typically primarily our small groups get those jobs done. Sometimes there's a special day that requires extra energy extra time, etc. and are deacons will step in as a team is a body and help address that it depicted now, here's the thought that I think is most important as to why right in the middle of these qualifications you start talking. He starts talking about wives and I think that's likely because as a deacons minister in the body of Christ very often. I don't know if you say the majority time but probably possibly the majority of time when they minister their ministering to ladies is very often it's a it's a widow lady or lady who has a special need and she doesn't have the kind of men in her life to take care that.

So these deacons are men to go in Smith. In the case of a lady being an elderly person and they make sure things are taken care of. We had our deacons and other means of the church help all kinds of needs with our widow ladies and when they do that it's proper. I might even say essential that their wives would work alongside them very often. In those cases, the wives of the deacons do as much service are more so than the men because quite honestly, ladies need to be ministering to ladies in certain not right for a man, a needy way, shape or fashion to be in any private setting. Ministering to a lady.

The wife should be there so that's why I think he brings the wives out to so often these wives and thank God for the wives of our church leaders in the way they minister in the way they serve. They go side-by-side with their husbands, especially getting involved when single ladies orphans and widows have special needs in the church. Alright so like overseers. Deacons must also be men of quality, we remind ourselves that the deacons function is significantly different from the elders function in the local church literally again. They are considered servers kind awesomeness the word in the Greek it simply means table server or a servant negative verse 12. As we continue to unfold these qualifications is a deacons must be husbands of only one wife. Again, in this culture of polygamy was known and promiscuity was radically embraced in practice, the pagans of the secularist of this day are were much like the secularist of our day where actually just living in open promiscuity is just a sign of the time this just consistent with the culture. Matter fact that in the ancient world to the Corinthian literally meant to fornicate that city had become so synonymous with sexual immoralities that became a nickname for sexual impurity to be Corinthian so he saying here once a man gets lady comes into the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, that no longer marks his life. He is known to be faithful to one woman. He is a one woman man that's literally what that phrase.

Husbands of one wives translates out as a one woman man and then good managers of their children and their own households again like we talked about when dealing with elders.

We said that the demonstration the of a man's ability to manage and take care things is first seen and ought to be witnessed in the way he manages and oversees his own households not perfectly. Matter fact, some of our best leaders and you learn things when you been replace almost 40 years, but us of our best leaders are men who went through some tough things and raising children, but they responded right. They were humble and address those things the best way they knew how and we seen some sweet victories through all that. Now that is the qualifications for the deaconess government to less talk about the job description and were going to go to a new text. You might've guessed this was go to acts chapter 6 that turnover to the book of acts chapter 6 and let's talk about the job description that's interesting when you're dealing with Timothy. Your further along in progressive revelation.

Here's what I mean by that. Chronologically, some time has passed by the time Paul writes the letter to Timothy and the structure and the order of church and church life is further developed. We go to acts chapter 6.

The church is just starting and we see some of the first structures of the local church being developed as the church is been through this incredible once for all events called Pentecost. This miraculous once for all event of pouring out the Holy Spirit, miraculous signs, wonders and miracles. Thousands upon thousands upon thousands are being converted their being baptized in their bought into the church and they start having troubles you've seen that before and so immediately. God leads through his church leaders to pin this to give us the first well I will say that way. The first structures to help the church go along in order and in ineffectiveness so that the ministry of the church in the witness of Christ is not diminished. Let's look at it together. Acts chapter 6 Lisko verses one through seven. At this time. While the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews that's the Greek or Roman Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food I decide to scan resisted this temptation here. You have racism in the early church are listed. Racism now and in today's evangelical culture.

There are some who wants to take this concept of racism and developed a six-month seminary graduate school course on it and God. This deals with it. 34 verses and goes all that's the thing we run into people to intellectualize and philosophize brothers and sisters where there's hate where there's a lack of love in whatever form it takes. Call it racism, discrimination, whatever.

Some people hate somebody else because they got a position they wanted the church. Somebody hate somebody else because her skin color is not right. I don't know what, if any tenant it's hate.

It's wrong anytime it's hate her and living it sin you know we do. We call them out on it. We call them to repentance and if they repent with asked forgiveness and we going serve God, man, you should amen right there. We don't need elaborate secular, atheistic godless systems of defining racism to help us. We just don't need it. The Bible is either sufficient or it is not. Here's what happens when they get you tangled up in all of that. Here's the list of church.

Here's what happens. They call it critical race theory the collet intersection out the and what they're saying is we need this to help us understand and apply the Bible know we do not. This is not some elaborate sophisticated unique thing men have hated since they fell in the garden of Eden men have sinned against one another since they fell in the garden of Eden. Men have had prejudice one to another.

Since they fell in the garden of Eden. Men have had all with one another since they fell in the garden of Eden. You can have more of a racist hate system is. I don't think you can than the Greeks and Hebrews had of the ancient world. Here they are in the same church trying to deal with what's been happening. That's kind of a side note. Matter fact, the emphasis of the text is not on the racism emphasis on the Texas get through it. Get over it be a church again brothers and sisters, we don't need this whole system of victimization making all of these charges of the systemic problems in the church in the world has a great deep, abiding systemic problem.

It's sin. It's sin, but we seem to let the godless secularist intimidate the church into sin. If we don't start talking their language and defining sin i.e. racism and bigotry whatever is misogyny all these fancy, sexist, all these fancy what look somebody is being done wrong. It sin. If a woman still wrong at CNH we dealt with. This dog makes special victim group unless there really there that there really there list. Deal with it.

This creation of all this stuff to help us understand how to administer justice when the people who came up with these concept do not know the God of justice will I'm chasing a rabbit but I'm I plan on stopping to death when I get to into. Here's what I'm saying but Anna and I believe good brothers and sisters deal with some of this, I believe that any time the church begins to entertain worldly philosophies to help us be better Christians were in trouble. Just think about that notion. We need the wisdom of the unregenerate to help us know how to be kind, loving, forgiving, and it was sent.

Are you serious, but that's the kind of stuff is floating around out if you don't if you don't get the way they've tell you to view it if you don't if you don't show compassion to what I say to show competitive you're not calling this out the way they say you want to call it out and you're not a good Christian. I don't need the unregenerate world. Tell me how to be a good Christian.

I need the word of God, tell me how to be good Christian. Don't be intimidated by this intellectualizing and oh my gosh, I read some of the statements evangelicals are putting out wrestling with the social justice movement all the stuff about the time they get through running about four hours just dissect what they're saying and secondly by the time they get through. They sort of thrown a bone to everybody going to keep all groups happy will the Greek Jews were complaining because the Hebrew Jews were receiving favoritism in the distribution of the daily food. So the first two so the 12 some of the congregation. Thus, the 12 apostles of the disciples as it is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. Therefore, brethren select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task, but we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word verse five. The statement found approval with the whole congregation and they chose Stephen man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit and Philip Pro chorus account or to me and Arminius and Nicholas are proselytized a proselyte rather from Antioch verse six and these they brought before the apostles and after praying they laid hands on them and verse seven and the word of God On spreading the number, the disciples continue to increase greatly in Jerusalem and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith that I will not is another side note. Look at verse seven. The first phrase and the word of God On spreading that that's what Satan is trying to stop you use every sophisticated well-meaning concept, idea, theory new viewpoint new new approach to understanding things you use everything in the world to get our attention to do certain things instead of advancing word of God. So we have a problem in this church and God does something here to remedy it before I unpack a little bit just looking back through church history Leo Leo Garrett Junior was a professor at Southwestern Baptist theological seminary outline some things from church history about what the early church said about deacon service Calvin for example, taught that deacons were to be engaged in the care of the poor and the European confession of 1632. They identify the duties of the deacons as the care of the poor support of the minister and to exhort the church. John Smith very early that the 1609 identify the task of the deacons as the care of the poor and the sick propositions in conclusion 1612 1614 declare that deacons are to serve tables and wash the saint's feet standard confession of 1660 among the general Baptist is deacons were to be engaged in the care of the poor. First London confession of 1644, said the fourfold ministry of deacons was feeding governing serving in building up the church and then the bad, the summary of discipline of 1773 and the Charleston Baptist Association said that elders are pastors were one office in the highest office of the church, and deacons who were inferior in the service of the church are relative, are rather to relieve the minister from the secular concerns of the church that expanded on that to say they are responsible for the table of the Lord to help in the Lord's supper. The ministers table to make sure their pastors were paid well and thirdly, to serve the table of the poor just gives you an idea through church history, have various groups of tickly badness have viewed the office of the now. The job description. I'll begin ANR outline with that he is job are deacon's job is to stop murmuring in the meat need and that's what we have here we have a case where evidently well it's it detects bears out it was happening a certain ethnic group was not being cared for. Because of their ethnicity as they ought to been cared for and so the preachers of the net. This is interesting right now in our culture and in in some evangelical circles and you'd say there's an evidence of some people being discriminated against because of their ethnicity in the church they'd stop and have a five year conference on it and study God desist get it fixed and go all deal with it.

Yes, call the guilty parties to repentance and they must've general repentance and forgive each other, hug each other's neck going serve the Lord. Is amazing how wise the Bible is we want to let everybody know how intellectual we are how thorough we can be how we deeply care for these afflicted groups, not the Bible to those who are sinned against all to be taken care of and looked after in the law to be fixed so there's a murmuring about it and these guys were to get it nipped in the bud so these first deacons.

I believe they are were set aside to fix this particular problem.

Make sure all the folks in our church a minister to and there's no discrimination because one comes from one ethnic background and one come from another others. No doubt the local church is to be ruled by elders. The local church is not a pure democracy, biblically speaking, it is ruled by spirit appointed pastors or elders at the same time is definitely not a dictatorship. So here we have in the word of God. The first hint of the happy and divined that blending of pastoral and in this case a popstar like authority and congregational activity working in unison to fix a problem in the affairs of the church of these men, there was a murmuring and complaining because an ethnic group was being discriminated against in the Bible says get the deacons on it to stop this murmuring fix this dissension in the church. Secondly, their duty is to free the pastor to study and to preach verse two of our text so the 12 best apostles of the men functioning as pastors 12. Some of the congregation of the disciples and said it is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables now not head again. In today's social progressive climate that's crept into the church.

These guys would've been blasted as bigots, not caring and racist and all kinds of terrible words because they basically said were not often. With this we got more important things to do and basically they're saying do not see that while this needs to be fixed in these dear ladies, do not need to be neglected in a longer. Nevertheless, this is a ploy of Satan to get us away from our primary task preaching the word preaching the gospel church you listening to me every five or eight or 10 years at the most, the world's gonna float another deed concerning thing that the church on embrace so it swallows up our energies to get us away from the ministry of the word church. Are you listening to Pastor this morning. This is important you. Be very aware of the latest fad and trend that the culture tries to press on the church and no use.

All this guilt, motivation, we don't really care if you don't do that you're not really Kristi Fielder, you're not really loving if you don't do this, you're actually being a big you're actually racist yourself. You're actually misogynist.

You hate women you if you don't do this the way we say to do it and what the past. So to say war against everything that sin were not going to go let neglect our primary calling in duty the preaching of the word of… Church to follow your fanciful latest fad. I had no idea when I decided to preach the first Timothy that I'd be dealing with this text. At this time in our ministry in our time together.

But isn't God providential in the so their job was to take care of this discriminative neglect issue against the Greek Jewish ladies so that they could free the pastors to do what God had called in the data. In this case they say very clearly Mr. to well not to neglect the word of God. Later they elaborate on what they're talking about this for studying and preaching.

So the point is, since the pastors could not be everywhere and do everything the pastors would concentrate on what they had been called to do. That's minister the word of God, nor thirdly see in their job description. They have to be a churn, but rather affirmed by the church body now love this true and this is a a cardinal element if you will, of badness, life will badness people in badness history have held to the biblical truth of past stall or elder authority. We've always had a congregational element which means there's a balance. They are your elders must lead and oversee, but important decision should be brought to the body and so that's exactly what we do here Grace life when it's time to install men in the office of deacon we allow you to nominate and we take your nominations and the elders review those and then we present those men as in the office of the same process in the office of elder. So it does not negate the biblical mandate of pastoral elder or elder authority, but it includes the past offer of the biblical read the principle of congregational influence. I love the balance as well. Love the word of God. This wisdom is better than all of man's wisdom of all of the ages put together, but we do not need the world's wisdom to do God's work need the word of God. So these men were selected by the triplicate verse three pastor say. Therefore, brethren select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the spirit of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task, so the congregation did that and they selected good men. Men who were respected by their proven integrity and unblemished character. They were godly men. They were to be full of the Holy Spirit.

They were gifted man, full of wisdom. They have the kind of wisdom that they could probably handle this so that we don't have to leave our studies to come back and fix it. That's one of the most devastating things that I mentor pastors all week long. Every week, and as I talk to these guys over and over and over again. Pastors have to address and fix things in the church.

They shouldn't have to fool with it. It's because their men are too weak and too immature and lacked wisdom to handle. I have rocked the opposite problem I have more men than I could probably use who I think are capable men affixing seven. Not all of our deacons by the registrar men in our church this good men who have wisdom and say something say that initially fix this way. That alone is so many things just get fixed and I never have to fool with it anymore. Well, what I do tell these guys. It hadn't always been this way, there's a good 2025 years before these things begin to function like we enjoy today in our church and my hats off to you and my commendation to you, brothers and sisters for being the men and women of God. You are in blessing me in my role as your preaching pastor will forcefully not only are they to stop murmuring and meet needs. Not only are they to free the pastor to study and preach. Thirdly, they must be affirmed by the church and and fourthly, there to honor the pastor's authority so notice how these pastors here for the congregation is involved in selecting them. These men are still under the authority of their church pastors look at Chapter 3 Chapter 3 chapter 6 verse three. The last phrase limit is read all of the floor. The context. Therefore, brethren select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the spirit of wisdom.

Notice whom we not you church whom way the pastors will put in charge of this tax. They will be under us they will be accountable to us.

You have selected them, but they work under our authority. We may put them in charge of this task. Now look at verse six and they brought before the fire department in these rather they brought before the apostles and after praying they laid their hands on them. So these are the church elders or pastors laying their hands on these deacons. Now what does this mean in the cultural context will laying on the hands was very common in Jewish culture and the Jewish religious system. What did the priest do as a pattern of conviction when the people brought their sacrifices to the temple to be sacrificed.

He would lay his hands on it and when he laid his hands on that sacrifice what he was saying was is that he identified with it. He say not God, this animal now represents us before you were sacrificing this animal. But there an extension of us, so it formally identifies these new deacons with their apostles are men who at this point are functioning in the office of pastor this local church.

So this was a public accreditation for these men to function in the church on behalf of the church elders now through the years there's been an understanding that I think is a little out of balance. My back and think it might be much think is evil. I just think it's not healthy and best. That is that the notion that the deacons maintain or oversee the material our financial realm of the church and the elders just oversee the spiritual are ministerial parts of the church, kinda sorta but not really because the Bible doesn't bear that out. For example, on at least two occasions and in the New Testament when they raised offerings and presented them to other churches who had need. The Bible verse explicitly says they came and laid the offerings not at the deacons feet but at the elders feet are at. I should say at the apostles feet, and so instead of saying what they have this role and that all the Bible doesn't show that patriot shows elders overseeing the totality of the church that shows deacons functioning under that oversight to take care of needs. That's exactly the way he acts chapter 6 unfolds duties of deacons now III the reward of faithful deacons. Now you need to go back to keep your finger next six or you Bible Raven but go it back to our original six first Timothy chapter 3 and this is just a very encouraging precious and important statement that the Bible says here about deacons look at verse 13.

First Timothy three of those who have served well as Deacon obtain for themselves a high standing. You could say a good standing soap so the first first reward is they've earned a high regard they have earned a high regard as the church watches their genuine as the church watches their humility as the church watches their wisdom and effectiveness in fixing things so that we might go on in harmony without distractions and troubles in the church. The church begins to say that is a very very important ministry in the church, a deacon who deacons properly will begin to obtain a high regard among those who are serving alongside them in the church not think one of the things in this is this is I think part of the wisdom God gives you the pastor long time in one place. As the years rolled by, and the preaching of the word impacts your life under the power the spirit. The biggest change you as a husband it begins to change is a wide it begins to mature your home.

The biggest to give you new joys and who God is and begins to give you new treasures and pleasures and the wonders of the gospel and that Jesus Christ and you begin to appreciate that didn't just happen that takes much much much study and labor in prayer so that my pastor can give me these rich troops and then you said yourself, how was he able to do that is only one way he's able to do that good men around him take care of stuff so he can give us what we have to have so you begin. Not only is the Bible requires to hold your pastor and heisting, you begin to have a high regard for the men who enable him to do what he does. I can guarantee you going and then of my fourth decade of ministry here. There's no way I could do what I do if I did have an army of good. It's amazing how biblically effective you men take care of things for the glory of God and now we would not be exaggerating safe. There are thousands of church leaders around the world to one measure another follow our example that could never, that's not Jeff novel that's us that could never happen if you men didn't do what you do in the body of Christ in God's wisdom, good in it good when you say enough, by the way I brag on you guys a lot. But you not perfect yet. Neither is your pastor's list just keep repenting and keep growing. Amen.

You might be tested in the next few would's Bobby something pop up in the next few minute weeks and you gotta be men like these medevac chapter 6 take get it taken care of.

The brothers went when the Bible says you take care that you don't go in with a sledgehammer and a sword you're wiser than that your humility goes before you. Your meekness goes with you. Are you listen to the pastor. The Bible says you consider yourself blessed you to be tempted. You're aware that whatever I'm trying to fix here. I could be the next one needing fixing someone on fixing the will to be aware I could be the next guy Solomon do this with gentleness but with clarity. Thank you for being those condiment you were. You earn a high regard in the church family. Secondly, you gain a confidence of assurance in your faith. Here's what I mean by that.

The flesh can mimic this for a season or about 40 years ago 35 years ago there began a a healthy movement in evangelical churches that begin to say back deacons need to be serving the body. They don't need to be serving as a ruling board over the body that's in biblical so there was a movement in evangelical embeddedness like to get deacons back to beginning again back to serve in the body.

And a lot of guys took off and I did some good things but it didn't last very long.

You know why it takes the enablement of the spirit of God to serve long-term with sweet humility for the good of the church in the glory God the flesh can't do it long-term flesh can mimic it for a while. Then he gets mad about it my mind around his eyes and everywhere they go to Myron what about that on their lot dinner flash flash flash player hey by the way, we all got some of it. Amen. But we don't have to live in it either. We catch it. We repent of it and say it's my glory is my honor to serve the body of Christ with everybody else does. What I mean by that.

When you walk in that kind of gospel humility and serve the body of Christ and you don't become bitter envious. It affirms to you the spirit of God must be in this because I've never do it. Spirit adjustment must be enabling me because I'd be in the flesh by now you've been married before and you and you determine as the years go by, you going to love and you're going to honor and you go to be sweet going to respect you realize one day I do never done this if God had help me I would adjust would happen if God strength and help me get here. Same thing that come to humble deacon service long-term affirms you that you are one the work of the Holy Spirit is has made and is continuing to work in number three. The church goes forward in true success. Church goes forward in true suspect that this is back in acts chapter 6 verse seven which turnbuckle there real quick.

Acts chapter 6 verse seven or seven that here we have a text where according to the way the world would define that there was racism in the church.

It was dealt with and not women of God were dealing with this. That's what they sister's the four men of wisdom from Holy Spirit than they they call the people to repentance, to wrong here, but brothers when this repentance be forgiven. You gonna work together and then what happens when you get things like that dealt with and you don't belabor them that you don't write papers over me don't fly banners about the mutants deal with this deal with it and then what happens verse seven of acts chapter 6 the word of God kept on spreading and the number the disciples continue to increase greatly in Jerusalem and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient faith. The church board in true success. The notice that verse does not say, and I became a model of combating racism in the world.

Racism is a secondary racism is another sin is to be confronted and dealt with and we go along.

We don't make it this big idol that we constantly bring up all the time.

It is a problem and we address it and if it's a problem in this church let me know because I don't see it anywhere to this much being unloving from time to time. Problem thing on thoughtful to brother sister from time to come, not caring for someone because they don't fit your niche. I'm a little more so that because they don't fit your niche, you may not love them like you do a brother sister. He fits your little niche in life we all do that from time to time but we can repent of it in the long to make this big thing and then what happens though the church didn't get distracted by worldly definitions of what she's to be about, and she gets back to the word of God building God's ministry God's way or God's glory so Grace left her to the shows. It is a side note were talking about deacons but this is a red-hot issue embeddedness in evangelical circles right now.

We are not chasing the fads.

We are not going to listen to what the world defines for us is good Christian ministry will stay with the book anytime somebody sister you will grace like I don't care about the bigotry from telecare about the misogynist product looks like you show us where the sin is.

We've got a 30 year track record that will deal with it. Amen. All these people talk about English stuff and never felt anything. They just talk about you show me the hate. You show me the unloving and will deal with it starting with me, but I'm not going with the world, define for us what Christian ministry looks like this book defensive for us and always will. Well, that's the qualifications for men in the office of deacon and that's the job description for men in the office of the thank you men not only the men in the office but so many of our men living out this reality. Let's keep going and let's do even better. The glory of God