Household of Faith - 1 Timothy 3:1-15 - Gospel Church

There is no one incredible story.

Hey, that's what this weekend is all about. It's all about church as a family church as a household and and working to see that play out in Jim's life and hundred other people's lives want to play out in your life. There's a step for you to take on today, but it can all come as we talk about church as a family. So if you have a copy of Scripture take it out and turn with me to first Timothy were to be in chapter 3 summary chapter 2. Rebels run a little bit here today, but if you want to talk about. First is this concept of house rules okay in God's household. There are house rules. There are things that he is ordered in a particular way, I bet you the way you grew up there was house rules. Some Conaway okay in my life are member the first week I was on the college campus had moved to go to college and playing ping-pong okay and someone I know it's the last point of the game and a server run off the table and I like to give the ball back. I get no chance of there like no no you in the real ping-pong rules, you can lose on assert okay by house rules go to my whole life were you can't lose on assert.

That's not an actual rule it. It's a house rule right and many of you guys have house rules things going on your house.

Maybe it's a house rule about you and who gets the TV show or maybe who gets to choose what is for dinner if it's your birthday or their shoes, house rules and norms that every little individual household. Every little culture is being built in a home house right. Sometimes those house house rules really almost turning the house roles and you could see this play out a lot of different ways whose job is it to cut the grass whose job is it to manage the checkbook whose job is it to drop off or pick up and all that, stuff in it, turns into there's roles within a family and God's household. There are rules there are roles there are things that God has done to set up his home. The church is ordered to see Fred off the bat. The church in a way that it will flourish. Here's the big idea for this weekend, the church is God's household arrived and as a household is mirrored in terms of leadership and roles in the way that it's organized and how we can you how we interact with it. There are rules and roles that go with that. There are house rules here right and that the Scripture is so clear to us about what they are. Now here's the reality of the sermon this weekend. This sermon is either.

It could be culturally insensitive or controversial or whatever you want to call it because of the culture that we live in now. But we have to have, the fortitude to say wait a minute.

If it's God's world and God is were the church and he is good and he loves us.

He probably did this for our good and therefore we don't need to apologize. We don't need to come up be scared of this and and talk about these things and really hushed holes you know and we don't want to like that can't be what is, nor do we want to be brash and not realize that this does hit our culture in a certain way, something to talk about maybe for you today or maybe one of our campuses might be a little bit of it could stay a little bit over to see is that God is done this for our good and his glory. He is set up families in a particular way he has set up the church in a particular way and we were sealed church have got to be more concerned with our health as a body than we are about to be liked. Okay, we gotta be more concerned about our health in the community of faith and our evangelistic fervor and how our health spills over into the mission field and how we treat each other here and how that testifies to people out there that's what we gotta be more concerned with their being accepted right by the culture around us. And so that's what we gotta go today okay and were gonna see it's a beautiful thing when you start to think about God's household, and the way that he is set up in the way we think about a family think about church minute really is a beautiful picture is not something we should run away from something we should hold up, and we should allow to shine. We should be able to see the beauty that's in it right as an authority to start in verses 14 and 15. In chapter 3 go all the way back to chapter 2 in cattle work back through okay. But the point of the whole thing. I think if you really want should be in the chapter 2 and and chapter 3 in first Timothy which are tell you there debated there's books written is all the stuff if you want to fall open okay and just break right apart so you can understand it.

I think we gotta understand is right off the bat the very end of the argument that he's going to get into is right here.

I hope to come to see you sooner but I'm writing these things so that if I delay you may know how one ought to behave. Listen in the household of God, which is the church of the living God right that the church now the church is global, but it's also local. The church is a global body of believers when it is expressed locally in churches like Mercy Hill church and many other great churches that are in our community and around the world.

He says further in verse 15. The church is a pillar and a buttress of truth, if someone says to you, hey, what is the church okay and not upset this miniatures the movement in all places for all people and and we we define a different ways.

But if someone says there was a church the dominant metaphor in the Bible is family that that's the dominant metaphor now is not the only metaphor, but family is the dominant metaphor for this idea of local church and I love the church. I pray that you will love the church middle of the Bureau God's people.

I love becoming being groups we get a chance to talk about the deepest things of life. I love to worship Allah to sing with the saints and I can't wait to see what heaven is going to be like we get a taste of it right here we have a chance to participate in a change community that is not perfect and has problems and as iron sharpens iron. You can't do that without friction okay and if you if you notice right so to me there's this not perfect, but we get we get a taste of what it's like in this idea is that that the metaphor of the dominant your kind of thing that we see in the Bible is brother sister.

It's it's God as father of your children if it's this idea of the church as a family. It's one of the reasons why we are so excited to be out launching new churches I we can give it up. Gateway church in Waynesville launches this weekend. LET'S praise God. Hey, these are pictures yeah these are these are pictures from last week for from their from their prelaunch. We had a team right here for mercy will go up there do evangelism help them set up all that, stuff what why are we so why what what is our church so bonkers about church planning and getting more churches because we love the church life because a churches family man, loves the church. Is it his body yes. Are there other other other metaphors, yes, but we see this idea of family and in understanding family. All of a sudden, the way a churches organize begins to just fall open when it begins to break apart and begin to make sense to us what because I'm not going to preach this whole sermon, but if you understand the book of Ephesians chapter 5 which I preached on which we talked about a family in God's eyes for our good and his glory is ordered in a very particular way and we see from Ephesians 5 and other places that here's how I family is ordered. A husband is willing to love his wife more than himself and by loving her in that way by laying his life down and that way he serves his family in the leading his family. He is leading them is a primary visionary for them.

He is providing for them, a wife, in response to the leadership of her husband would follow his lead in helping to execute the vision of the family as communicated through God is communicated and in and in a husband is a payment. This is where were going right. She comes alongside as a helper. We see that from the book of Genesis. The very first woman we see this idea. She comes along and and she helps and she serves them together as they raise children. The children respond to their parents and honor as their parents discipline them in godliness and the kids respond and honor and obedience. Most of the time okay and and it's up right and it's a beautiful and that's the picture.

It is a beautiful picture of how God orders a hobo today in understanding the metaphor of family and understand the metaphor of how God has set up a family to run and to be beautiful. We get a chance to see how the church is run as verse 1415 the household of God.

I do not know the some of the stuff already can begin to sorta they don't like wait a minute here, leadership, headship or term of some of these things, but we gotta understand what the Bible say the church is the household of God, but also said the pillar of truth. So in a in a culture that begins to go haywire.

Sometimes we got asked the question, is the Bible out of date or the culture online right if the culture has such a good bead on family wise divorce 50%. Why we raise the entire fatherless generation. Why can we not I was straight.

Why can we not in our society with a straight face and a straight answer.

Answer the question what is a woman. You understand I made it so for us what we gotta say is I met with Doug in the right not to be served if we get back. You acquiesce what we need to do is take on our role as the, the pillar and buttress of truth were not mean I it's not that I don't understand some of these things can hit a little bit and staying and I'm not trying to whip up a base here okay it's not the point.

But the point is what is it mean to be a pillar and a buttress of truth. It means that when a culture is going haywire there something that don't move.

That's what it means that it's a pillar you know in Ephesus where Timothy was. There was this temple to Diana hundreds of columns, massive columns, pillars that held up this temple that I think I think maybe pause, borrowing some of that leasing him in the church is supposed to be a movable it's supposed to be the one that is the pillar and so that's the road that we need to walk now. I say all that okay listless backup in a pillar truth got me knocking a band document knocking a runaround but at the same time.

It's the household of faith.

Let's begin to build out what that analogy looks like and what that metaphor looks like for the church and its leadership okay. A lot of this and a lot of times we would preach most how we preach or talk about how we function as the church you as a member in high school you have a class it was actually like the US government class. If I get this class is not for how to function. It's actually for how it's set up that somehow this sermon is okay this is a little bit more that way just like Kate. How is it organized the church as a family, and my hope is in seeing it. There were to say that I see the place for me in that and I want to join in to what's going on or isolate. Let's go back to first of the two I noticed we all thought I was in skip this part is I didn't about two weeks. God is totally delivered as a guide to those in Québec to let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man. Rather she is to remain quiet for Adam was formed first, and Eve and Adam was not deceived with the woman was deceived and became a transgressor yet. She will be saved through childbearing if they continue in faith and love and holiness with self-control now want to go back and start talking about this. The reason is working together to talk about how the church is organized through the eldership of the church but the eldership of the church is totally tied to the reason that women are called to learn in silence and submissiveness in this particular passage okay know what it is. Say it said that they are to remain quiet if you've been in any of our campuses in the last week or maybe even this weekend, you probably saw woman pray from the stage you saw maybe you have the last few weeks you seen women women giving testimonies through video. If you ever come to Mercy Hill and you done classes you may have had a woman teach a quick class or something like that. Now how how can our church walking that way. And yet remain faithful to this scripture want to tell you exactly why because the Bible is talking about a very particular silence here okay is talking about a particular quietness in that particular quietness is in reference to this concept in verse 12 it says I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man. There is a particular quietness that comes from this passage that is not general and I don't I don't build out a case for saying that it's it's not general just because we do a certain way. Mercy Hill we do a certain way.

Mercy Hill because of all the examples we see in Scripture.

Like for example when a quill and Priscilla in acts chapter 18. Both teach Apollo's what is right and wrong in his theology okay.

For example, or we see other things like first Corinthian's 11 five where it is very clear that women are prophesying and praying in the local assembly or you see other places like where the Bible tells us in Matthew 28 the disciples are called to go and make disciples know were all disciples and were all called to go make disciples not just a minute here and will be called to do to teach them to obey what God has called us to, or Colossians 3 where the whole church is called to teach and to admonish one another seat what what I'm getting at here is that there is a particular quietness right and and we try to be faithful to this mercy. Hill resentment.

We want the women of our church to express all of the gifting is that God is given, and there are no gifting's.

We believe that are given just to a manner just a woman in a gifting's are universal in the body of Christ we woman women to express that in every type of way that is permissible. But there's one type of way. The Bible says is not permissible in the Bible calls that listen verse 12 here. The teaching or exercising authority over a man. Now if I was going to this world wrote this to chapter 3, eldership okay if I was going to try to define what an elder is I would say they are teachers who exercise authority. You understand that that's out, that's what that's what the elf that is the definition maybe it's all these different definition and a little bit, but that is a great definition here it is authoritative teaching that comes from that authoritative teaching that comes from the pastoral or the office of elder. That might mean me on a stage right here, it might mean our elders who are empowered to go out and to teach our community group leaders how to be good leaders are there other there other times but generally what I think this is getting at is, there is a voice that is reserved for the pastors and elders of the church right and in that particular moment that the women are to remain quiet and usually says for Adam was formed first, then Eve and Adam was not deceived with a woman was deceived and became a transgressor yet. She will be saved through childbearing if they continue in faith and love and holiness with self-control know what what can this mean okay. I think what Paul is saying is, is this he's hearkening back and he's anchoring this idea of headship and and and eldership in there there's one place where were a woman should not speak up and speak over in an authoritative way and that's that's the divorce is reserved for pastors and elders and the preaching and authoritative teaching of the church right. I think he's getting anchor that all the way back in creation and what is to say is, he's Dennis. I hate Adam was was formed first and there's there's a headship in that we see and Adam and then easy to say there was even a failure of Adam and his passivity that I think cut open the door for Eve to become a sinner and a transgressor that brought sin into the world, but he's anchoring the stuff in creation and is yes I hate because men are our first Adam's first there is a quietness when it comes to the headship role in the church and even just like in a family and Ephesians 5 that comes with minute one of these guessing Satan is this front say this interesting to me what what to 2000 years ago. The scandal of this passage would have not been that women were to remain quiet. The scandal would have been that women were to learn your sin is like that would've been the scandal, then the scandal now and has kinda changed right but I think Paul may be in even even being able to see what the objection would be to reach this stuff in creation and he said when God began to form humanity. He formed Adam first, and there is headship and leadership that is supposed to be there now look this think this this is not the sermon. For this I could go way down this road okay because the reality is many problems that we see in our world today are because God is created man to lead and lead others to flourish in the spear that he has given you, and many of us either do not step up to the plate, or because of the cultural moment that were in we have acquiesced and we have just decided that's not a category anymore even though it's got given to was God given to you can't just wish away. Okay this is what is one of the most ironic things in our culture today. We will decry the failures of men.

We will talk about fatherlessness all day long.

We will talk about how there is a disproportionate amount of men I mean by far the commit violent crime.

We will talk about gang violence will talk about all of this stuff and we will save failure for male leadership in the next breath.

We will reject the category altogether will act like it's not even a thing. How can we not see as a culture that it is the rejection of the category that leads to the failures is the embracing of the category in a God godly way that will help us to begin to reverse some of these things, but this is a little bit of a different sermon. Okay, what we have seen here though he says hate Adam was formed first, what there is. There is a headship there there something to he's he's rooting there now with and we see the promise of this when men fail to link what was Adam's number 1 Shot Ave. had one job protect the garden.

You know I mean like meant make sure it flourishes. Make sure and and and and and and your your passive and that in here comes Satan and he convinces even in all of this and now what happens when sin comes into the world and what does the Bible say in Genesis chapter 3 very clear planus date that one of the at one of the after, effects of the curse is that a woman would grasp for the authority of her husband that one of the angst that we see in a family is a woman would try to grasp and reach over and grab for the authority that God has given. Because Adam was first now it's just listen. This thing is all a metaphor, family, and it's all rooted in creation what it what is he saying here.

I think he's saying this whole concept to go back. This whole concept of yes you will be saved through childbearing and all this, step ideas all rooting back to Genesis 3 and I think what he's getting at is an and you see this later or not. I don't have time to go through this. You go back and read on your own. First Timothy chapter 5.

What you see is there are women that are in this particular church in Timothy's church and because they are found. This have found this new freedom in the gospel and these are women that are not married.

They are going from house to house there, stirring up trouble. They are reaching and grasping over the authority of the elders in the church by undermining and undercutting their leadership and Paul is saying that they need to stop.

They need to stop doing that and actually and first of the chapter 5 note he says he says meant they might ought to get married in the B and and start devoting time to their children and raising them up I think is a practical thing that he's getting out here in the practical thing about this whole childbearing will be saved and that is in the home. We have a mission I think about in our in our home a wife has been so faithful in our home because we have four children and you got four children you have for unbelievers before you ever have four believers right and and that's that's kind of where what we seem to have them come off the board so to speak. Okay.

She's continued up to pour in. And I think what the Bible is getting at is there's a very practical manner. I want to own ability mission all in my home. Then, Satan saves us in a sense, it keeps though it keeps these women in Timothy's church and going from house to house because they have a mission field right in front of them. I think that's a practical application of what he said the guys the non-practical totally crazy theological. This is Paul is he's going back to Genesis 3 and he said yeah that women are saving childbearing meaning from the seed of the woman would come, the Savior from the seed of the woman would come the serpent crusher himself that if it was not for women who are willing to bear and labor and childbearing. There would be no hope for the world because we never really got Jesus having that's kind of what is getting at here. Now let's move on the first of the chapter 3 okay so what kind of stillness out right. The whole reason I kept on that.

Remember the teaching Internet for teaching or exercising authority kind of a definition of an elder pastor that that's the one thing that is taken off the board and says guys you need to pursue this men in the church.

This is your responsibility. Now he begins to build out out more. First Timothy three starting verse one. The saying is trustworthy. If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore, an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober minded self-control, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money he must manage his own household well with all dignity, keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household.

How he care for God's church. He must not be a recent convert, nor may he beat or he may become puffed up with conceit and follow the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must be well thought of by outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace into the snare of the devil.

Now I can't go through all of the character qualifications here. Okay, we could do that we have to do a different class that we just talk about everything. What I do want to say this meant there is no elder on the planet that could do this perfectly by there's there's not one, but there is a spirit I think in eldership and pastors that that should be like meant there known we we understand where the touchy points are here. People know that mentor growing in that okay and so this is kind of a character thing.

But before I get into much of that money just can't talk about the office of elder right elders are going to function in oversight and shepherding, you will see in the Bible that the word pastor and elder.

Sometimes the word overseer. Those things can be can be interchanged.

We see this in Titus chapter 1, for example, acts chapter 20 verse 28 you'll see kind of an and interchanging of some of these words rip at Mercy Hill unit when you hear is kind interchanged wills overseer much less a pastor will say elder. Sometimes they mean the same thing. Okay a lot of times will say elder more because that's actually just by way of how many times shows of the Bible it comes up a lot more okay so we'll talk about elder knelt elder, nothing will. Elder is in the Bible, Moses on elders is plural. So this whole idea. Like there's a man of God and he's the one and he's leaving the church. What he says goes that in the right. That's not where were going okay like nobodies and has that much authority. It supposed to be the elders of the church that that come in and and and and date papers update they'll provide oversight for the church. This is how God orders his church.

This is the house rules of the church.

It is for our good.

God is giving us elders in the church, they might lead out oversight meant here from the Lord with informed by the word kind of figured out where were we going what's the next season there overseeing the discipleship ministries of the church.

This is what that pastor elder office is doing in archers only just say this okay because I know I don't I don't know if this is a business, coming up yet is gonna come up all right, but some of us in this very sermon.

This is going to be the one where we get to choose. If God is to be Lord or were really the Lord, Lord, means boss, that's what you have to use the Lord okay BLS SSI spelling and and some of us.

This is the server we gotta figure out mayonnaise is God good and what he has given us or or is God holding out on us and he set this whole thing up for some other nefarious reason or am I gonna lean in and trust what God says is good not to the store before, but very clear my mind was, I was one time I was probably 21 years old. I was leaving out and a mission trip in Montana and I had the opportunity to be the one who is leading out in a big block party okay I'm talking facepainting bounce houses.

You know the whole mobile and departed part of the part of the block party was and it was crazy, man. I was over my head. The generators Fall and kept going out in all bounce houses collapsing were pulling 20 kids out before they'd suffocated all the stuff and so were you were trying to get all this well every time O crazy every time a run around I run by the snow cone machine table and this is like an industrial smoke machine okay this is Mr. happy snow cone machine from Kmart or whatever. That's what that's what this is any two sweet little ladies from our church and every time a binder going and you didn't do so, she was jammed so publishing is Jim and I'm like okay so far and I convince myself and finally, look over there and watch what they're doing.

They got the biggest blocks of ice and they are jamming them in the snow because it is elbowing the belt like this. Okay. And there's like jammin into the machine and I can run over there like likes to have some solid plug-in as I am. It was already jammed again.

I was like that's I said guys is not visiting to do this in so were looking at the thing is they will block eyes is jammed in there and I were like well what can we do well we can go get a bunch of hot water in China. By this time we got like five or seven little kids are holders no: they're all on and you know they give me lies everything and sounds like, well, the other option is I can stick my finger down and there and dislodge the ice and pull out and so you know we were for that option. So II go down I go down I and I and I dislodge that ice and for whatever reason, nothing had one more spin and it just cut my finger.

No runoff just come straight off. I'm not, no researchers, no calls okay as if it was crazy. I asked him about the start of the story. Bunch people like that. She literally passed out a candidate was to Solomon. It was like it was nasty right and I think about that.

The reason I remember that story is this right is my fingers are going in the thing.

There's a little sign that says do not put fingers inside so publishing in it.

It's like you know at that moment, you got it. You gotta make a decision right like hey did the CEOs of Mr. happy snow, she put that on there because they know it's awesome and I know like if you stick your head in there is the funnest thing the world and there's puppies and it's awesome. Or is it like there they don't want some idiot you know to get over his head and and not make what why is why does God give us warnings and rules. Why does God give us and ordering of his church. This for some of us in here today for some us of our campuses. This is one of those things we are going to be pushed today to think to ourselves. I don't like the way the church is order. I wish it was a democracy that seems fair.

Some of us are think that I don't I don't like this idea at all alike. There is no there is this concept of men leading in this way that women are not supposed to leave and that a particular way and I don't like that and because of that, I'm just gonna take my Bible and cut cuts in the pages out I'm get to decide what God really thinks in that moment, we become the boss of our life. We become the Lord, their dear Christian, there will be times or times of my life. There will be times in your life when you gotta go up against the word wrestling to the mat and allow it to win. That's what it means that God is boss.

For some us would have to make that decision today and maybe this will be the that the boiling point, so to speak in apprising us of our cost of the type when I think the summer cost is a clip that is like maybe this will be the boiling point brings you the place where like that with Which Way, Mike and I go here to trust with the word says here's what the word is saying this whole thing is a metaphor family okay I don't know if you ever heard that before. This thing is fallen open to me. I think it's exactly that. I think the elders are are set up as husbands and dads. I think deacons in the church are set up says set up as wives for to lead the family okay and I'm not just men and women of that I can get a little bit weird when it comes deacons understand. I think that's kind of the metaphor for household of God here and this is how we we flourish so let's look at elders and let's look at deacons. Most talk about us right. Elders are called men of character. They function like husbands and dads.

That's what they're supposed to do. They are called men of The first thing is that that I said there there there called men in the church are so somewhat minimal time, a character there men in the church. This is a beautiful thing. This is called complementarity in theology. Just so you know, and complementarity and as a means that God is created. Men and women absolutely equal in his sight, dignity and worth value gifting's impact in the church all absolutely equal but equal does not mean same.

You can be different and be equal. And so what we have is God is set up the church in a complementarity in way. There are roles that a man assumes just like in the family are we there there is there is a role of headship that a man assumes a family. There is that role the church with eldership that the flipside of this is what would be another theological thing called egalitarianism. Okay. And the funny thing about egalitarianism is in trying to promote women. It actually begins to race the category that's what feminism does a lot of times to write and and and so what you end up having is you have something is trying to like promote, but in actuality you're usurping what God is said you not to make it more beautiful than God is made you not to be at your not give out be able to outdo it.

The beautiful thing about complementarity is him is that complementarity is on itself by definition is an argument for women's inclusion in the ministry. Complementarity is a means this. There are things that we miss out on the church if we both don't come to the table. Egalitarianism by definition is saying welder there's no difference at all. So really, one of us could be eliminated. One of us cannot even be there, and that's the way God has God has too much beauty in the way that he has called us and stand in the family to interact with one another and in the church to interact one another, know the Bible points to a full-bodied humanity including both men and women equal in value and before God equaling contribution and service to God, but they are different and the roles that they have and that is why in some ways. Just like in the family there roles. There is a role in the church were men are called to an old to pastor okay to lead in this white note also says there to be men. I would say men of character right there was a list that long. Of all the character qualifications in America go back and preach on every single one of these. I do want to say this young when it comes to the church selecting elders and we we do this when we come before the church.

We put the elders out to hate these the guys are going to step it up to the plate.

Next you need to come and talk to the current elders if there is a reason that these men shouldn't serve if there's some reason they shouldn't serve. We need to know that wife because character is king when it comes the stuff I am all for boundaries. I am all for accountability and we have that I have that here we have laypeople that have that you are directional elder board. They speak in a my life. They can ask me anything they want to.

I'm all and all for that. We need that, but accountability and boundaries will not trump character. We have got a look in and we got to see the character of these men who are leading I'm talking eldership talking elders in our community group unity praying for you elders not to tell you some. It is a tight line to walk.

There is a why some of us have seen using a different unit maybe using an infamous podcast even that's come out the last year so about how an elder can in in in strings actually become bullying a domineering and and you see, the church is in in you you you see this, MMA churches can in the falling and disintegrating because of the character of its elders utilize a tight rope to walk up the flipside of that is empty and so afraid to be strong, you end up becoming groveling a week and any got a group of elders who are not of you are too afraid to call a spade a spade or to call someone said or to preach the truth in the plane were so it's like that what we need is prayer. You know, for the elders of this church to walk that line and some model what it means to be a godly man and some model what it means to to lead in this way you know leaders are models. One of things I think we can ask is this of the elders of our church men. If we all imitated our elders what kind of church would we be. That's a good question asked right and and that's a question I think comes from some of the character stuff that we see here elders oversee they shepherd the flock guys at Mercy Hill. We have five directional elders there that highest decision-making body in our church.

I am one of those another one of our pastoral staff is one of those in at relay guys in their 50s and 60s that have walk with the Lord for a long time, raise families, many of them will have grandkids have have been in the business world have have learned have learned how to walk with Jesus in a lot of different ways that that group of five RRR role and that board of elders is to oversee high-level decisions of the church is making in direction and vision of those types of things Haven is 26 other elders that are shepherding elders they oversee our groups ministry minute H. They help train our group.

Our group leaders. They check in all groups. They make sure there's pastoral issues that comes out of groups that we have pastors that are there to meet and to shepherd the flock when they protect the sheep and they fight the wolves and they pray monthly when we get together after the flourishing of this church and for the body that's our elders, but doesn't end there. Look because there's more to the analogy. In my opinion, deacons likewise must be dignified, not doubletime, not addicted too much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience and let them also be tested first, then let them serve as deacons as if they prove themselves blameless their wives. Likewise must be dignified, not slanders, but sober mind is faithful in all things let deacons each be the husband of one wife managing their children and their own household well 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 again with the family analogy here. There are roles in the church but they're not the same thing.

Their different roles so you could say like this. Okay elders served by leading deacons lead in serving okay so elders service to the church is in their leading but deacons serving in the church actually bear service to the church there there leaving in the church is there actual service.

Now I don't know what comes your mama got clear some stuff up here because I know my contacts. Okay, I don't know what comes to your mind when you hear the word deacon you may be thinking about a board of men that run around talk about about the pastor behind his back okay or or or sit over him, dictate to the pastor what he is supposed to do that. That's the that's the wrong picture of what deacons are okay and I would say some abnormally, liver let live, guy today about Mercy Ottawa speaking to a lot of church do a lot of things. A lot of ways would say something that type of polity is why so many churches around us are dying and you know why I think it's rude only back in Genesis 3. You got a group of deacons that are grasping at the authority over elders head there. Try to grab for something that God is not given them got got to admit we that we have this so messed up okay and and so I'm not that's always a bottom right boat for eyes. The picture you need is not a board of guys that are grasping for authority over pastors had the picture is, I want you to imagine the greatest waiter or waitress you ever had in your life that service.

It was a waiter or waitress to our similar professor to many of us went to Danny again.

He said he used to tell us the seminaries like a every body was to be pastor when there is similar initiative your what are waiter in Russia for couple years and learn to serve what is a waiter or waitress.

Do you know they do. They anticipate a need to meet up before it's even asked. They jump in they lead the church to be a surveying group of people and that is what deacons are called to do. They are called to come in and we see that listen. Acts chapter 6 is the greatest deacons is unlike elders, the Bible give you a real clear picture of exactly what they're supposed to do a gives whether name is I get I think it gives you who they are beginning to that. But don't tell you exactly the clearest picture we have is in act six, when the pastors, give them a charge to help set up the serving of the widows right and executing on a task in order to help the vision of the church continue to flourish and elders to be freed up for the ministry of prayer and for the word. Now I gotta tell you this this word deacon is very funny right it's a very funny word hasten.

Why is that what how many other words in your Bible are transliterated that word deacon just means servant. That's all that means that it's that exact word I just read occurs. 29 other times in the New Testament, and almost all of them. It just means servant, and somebody when they translated the Bible there like a that's a Greek word and we don't speak Greek. We speak English so I'm a take that word, diaconate, take that word deacon okay and on the move it into the English and on the right servant or minister or something like that a few times. This is one of them and actually the word. The word in different form shows only 100 times in the Bible. Okay, so a few times. Somebody somewhere along the way, decided Woburn to translate this time. Why were noted translated word to use it and it's and a know when it becomes confusing because it becomes an office of the church and and look, I'm not saying it's not, I'm actually is a lot of room for debate on this, but what I will say is I think there is a confusing a confusion of what servants of the church leaders in serving or supposed to do.

Maybe because that word ends up not being translated like all the rest of the words are in our Bible okay and it kind of throws us off track. What we need to see here is that deacons are leaders in serving elders served by leading deacons lead by serving an answer on the same or seal business was funny okay when at Mercy Hill summary lightweight leaders in serving your fingers the way I leave the kids classroom or your thinking maybe I lead.

I lead a group or lead a set of team are toner a teardown scene. Nobody toils deacon.

Congratulations. Okay, this is your visitor is your opportunity. You know, to understand at will and it's not that you're a deacon is a great leading servant. That's what the word means okay you you I servant of the church and you're not just serving every one of us should I do think that the word deacon in this transliterated is good in this regard. Every one of us should be serving the church, not all of us are leading in serving some of us are plugging in the serving others us have at others of us have a team and your and your leading out in serving nine of the next question comes to mind as I wait a minute.

This said husbands of one why Versed it's in verse 11. Like Liggett said, their wives likewise must be dignified, not slander, sober minded, faithful in all things I gotta tell you something.

This is plain as day. Actually, it's not. It's really not. If you get into the Greek this word says their wives. You know word actually isn't there a word there.

So that's how it says if you agree doesn't say their wives.

It says wives will that still the still pretty plain as day like this is just talk about the men of the church that are deacons, their wives actually thought that plaintiff you know why because that word wives in Greek. Other times in first Timothy chapter 2 is translated as the word women issues when first Timothy 29 through 12 same exact word is translated as women and it's also funny. Why would there be rules around the wives of the deacons. Nobody said anything about the wives of elders. What what what what sense does that make further than that. You have clear examples in the Scriptures of people like Lydia and Dorcas or Phoebe in Romans 16.

The word literally says in Romans 16 that Phoebe is a servant of the church or a Deaconess angry, so I think for us. We gotta realize here is this idea mended the eldership of the church is something that God has sent hate this is something that men are supposed to step into called men of character, but I believe the plain teaching of the Scripture we actually get into the wooden translation of the Greek and you begin to understand the different examples that are there is that this whole concept of deacons. We need to rethink it and just say there are leading servants in our church that give themselves away in so many different areas and we are so grateful they help us to execute the vision of the church that is set out by the elders application point I'm way out of time.

Rights join the family and love the family is the application I want to give this weekend. Okay, join the family and love the family Jesus loves the family Jesus loves the church is God's counsel.

I want you to love and I want you to join in Jesus Christ had every single qualification of the elders I mentioned here in Everson one time and he gave himself on the cross for us taking it in any don't have a moment today our cameras are here when I was like I can't believe I felt like I was in a cry, we finally did communion without having a terrible top off the thing. Can you believe it on. They were finally there is no finally was communal about it.

We Artie took me earlier right in the blood of Christ.

The body of Christ is broken, you will talk about a leading servant of my Jesus or to the point of death. Leaders, like all the way down men. He loves the church he wants you to be in the church.

He has given himself so that you could be in arson were separated from God.

But Jesus Christ laid his life down for us to come into the church is Derek give in your life from God that you are neglecting and that Is Your Pl. in God's house in God's house to house rules is organized in a certain way for his glory and for our good. Are you jumping in. Are you jumping all the way in and on that cold and people this week in the community. This happened to me. Sometimes you can relate to this, but people see me. I can see the looks like they know me but I have no idea who they are okay.

I didn't see me is that you know nothing whatever. I met a couple of people this week in the community there like have seen you and they said seen on the Internet that I have seen the us of watching on YouTube and I was I was like meant that you know I told my Kate YouTube is a window so you will be so scared of coming in like that's that's what it's about. It's about coming all the way and some you want to watch the salon right now, the whole reason we do online. Anything is that you will come in to build some platform we would just cut off is so that people will come in and so that our church whenever you miss you have not stay up with your faith community, but that's the idea. Are we coming all the way in a pray that you will get an opportunity that is called we can or if you ever heard really good marketing. That's what Jim said in his video. Okay, so we can do right and not minutes if this will September 23 and 25th.

Is this an opportunity. We are bustling with new people in our church right now. I see seasons like this are churches history men hundred people a brand-new if you're on the sideline. Gotta set up the church elders to lead the service to lead you in serving there is a place for you here and it is time for you to jump off the sideline and into the game in the waiting you do that is by jumping into the weekender and here we have going on paper for others of you and all in with this different. Others of you listen you are you are in and I will call you and this message to what should you do with this like okay great I just took a nose like a high so you just took the government because not know how it all works well. I think what I think were supposed to see in this is the God really loves the church he loves you been in the church and he set the church up to be any really want to love it. I think we have an opportunity to love the church that you do you do you love the way that it is set up. Do we speak in hushed tones will have to do that. There's no reason the next time somebody begins to engage you on the theology of your old school, church, one ushered in the beauty of what looks like for a church that serves each other well and cares for each other and has leaders that would lay down their life for the flock that are just being there chest because there at the top like meant. Unlike the shepherd. The elders are like a shepherd that would lay their life down while you trust just by the beauty of the, rather than us being less limitless love the church.

Let's love the way God made it. Let's don't be scared of talking to people about others of us men maybe once a week in her long time to be you not meaningfully involved, listen to their elders who are shepherding your souls. There are leading servants in this church that have things they want you men must jump all the way in the last thing the last thing I would say is this man is God's order the church to flourish if we can stay faithful to that I believe that we will flourish and as we flourish and were to see a great movement on a call you one more time to be the vision nights that we have coming up in all the different campuses date of ever starting this weekend.

The running all the way through September, and I know if you have any plans hate leaders. If you have a plan for your group to be there may let's pack these things out and talk about what God is going to do over the next 10 years is pray. Father, we come before you right now and will be asked that you will move in our church and give us a love for the church.

Give us a love for the way that you've ordered the family a love for the way that you have ordered the church to print some people in this message are campuses hearing this.I pray that they would make a decision if all you is Lord today. They would wrestle you to the mat. They would see that you have one is for their good and your glory got you these things in a surprisingly pray. Amen