The Backbone of the Church

Introduction

What was your worst subject in school? Much more fun to talk about your best subject, your favorite subject, the one you excelled at, but what was your worst? We all had them. Regardless of what the teacher did and how many, maybe they tried, you just didn’t get it. For many, it’s mathematics. Particularly maybe the advanced mathematics, algebra and calculus, trigonometry, geometry, all some people just don’t get that. I don’t care who Y is and why I should find his ex. It doesn’t make any sense to some people. To some people is history. They don’t have any concern or any interest in something in the past, particularly when it comes to memorizing all of those dates and the events that corresponded with the dates. For some people, they just don’t get history.

For me personally, it was poetry.

Oh, I understood rhyming. But I never understood how every piece of poetry had some hidden message to it.

I never understood how that the poem, roses are red, violets are blue. Was talking about the Nazi regime and World War II and how that the thorns were there. I never got that. We all struggle sometimes with certain lessons and certain subjects of them really getting implanted within our brain or being able to understand them, and maybe more importantly integrating them into our lives. I want to tell you one of the most difficult lessons and subjects that we can learn that sometimes we just don’t get is a lesson that Jesus taught his disciples and us today in Matthew chapter 20. Will you turn over there with me? In Matthew chapter 20, Jesus, prompted by the behavior of two of his disciples and even their mother of wanting to excel in the kingdom, to have positions of honor and prestige.

Jesus taught us this lesson. Matthew chapter 20, verse 26. Yet it shall not be so among you. But whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. That’s something that so many times we just don’t get.

To truly make a part of our character and who we are, to understand that I am to be a servant. We struggle with that concept. Despite the fact that Jesus lived his life and died his death, teaching us that concept, that he who would be great among you, let him be your servant.

But talk about them maybe in a particular way, but with an application and a lesson to all of us. I’m going to talk about deacons. As you probably are aware, we’re in the process of selecting and appointing new deacons. We have several who are working with us already as deacons in the local church, and Stephen Gambrell and Andrew Fix’s names have been put forward by the shepherds as being two possible candidates to be deacons in the local church here. And you probably know as well that the word deacon really just means a servant.

But that what I believe we see in the New Testament and borne out in our own experience, that these men, these deacons, these servants, are great among us because they are in so many ways the backbone of the church. The Apostle Paul, we won’t turn over there, but the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 12 and in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 likens the body, the church, to a body, a physical body, and the different parts of that body. And it’s an interesting exercise for you to think about what part am I? What part do I fulfill in the body? And then when I got thinking about that analogy and the different roles and functions that can be performed, and I got thinking about deacons as being a part of the body, it just kept coming back to me that in many ways they are the backbone of the local church.

1. God Put Some Order in the Local Church

They kind of sustain us and make us function and tie every other work and function together in so many ways. And so let’s talk about this office, this work in the local church in this time in which here in our family we’re contemplating appointing new men to fulfill this purpose and this work of service. So let’s talk about deacons. First of all, let’s understand and recognize that God put some order in the local church. That we’re not just people who are kind of flung together. We’re not just people who assemble together, as important as that assembling and what we do in our assembly might be. But we’re more than that. We’re more than just participants and more than just an audience and more than just people who sit in proximity to one another.

The New Testament makes it abundantly clear that there is a connection, there is a relationship that exists here. This borne out, as we’ve already talked about, in the imagery of a body, or maybe more emphatically, in the imagery of a family. And God puts some order to that. Look at a couple passages of scripture with me that emphasize that. Look over in Philippians chapter 1. So many times we just kind of gloss over these introductory statements in the epistles. But I want us to pause and look at this one. Philippians 1 verse 1. Paul will introduce himself and then his audience this way. Paul and Timothy, Philippians 1, verse 1, bond servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi with the bishops and deacons.

Bishops, we’ve talked in other lessons, and we’ll talk again, speaks to that idea of bishops or elders or overseers shepherds, or all those are New Testament terms that describe that work of the overseers of the local group. And so he describes them and the deacons. Paul recognized that in the church at Philippi there were the saints with particular offices, or maybe a better way of saying that, of particular roles that were being performed. Some had the responsibility as overseers, and others had the responsibility of servants. That’s those two terms more literally translated. The overseers and the servants. What we see there is that Paul, by inspiration, recognize these particular works that were there, these particular roles or offices in the local church, put there by God.

Look over in Acts chapter 14. Paul could easily recognize that because he was engaged in that work. He was engaged in the idea of organizing these churches. In Acts chapter 14, let’s begin in verse 21 in our reading. Acts 14, verse 21, and when they had preached, this is Luke speaking of Paul and his companions, when they had preached the gospel to that city, they made disciples. They returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. So when they had appointed elders in every church, they prayed with fasting. They commended them with the Lord in whom they had believed. And so Paul appointed these elders.

So that tells us a couple things. Number one is the idea that elders are simply just older people, doesn’t fit, does it? Because you don’t appoint people as being old. They just become that way, don’t they? And so he appointed these elders or bishops, he referred to them there in Philippi, or these shepherds, were some that were appointed to this particular life. And so what we began to see in the New Testament in these local churches that there was some organization. There was some order put there by God. Turn over to Titus chapter one. Now, although man has gone beyond the word of God many times in their organization and the denominational structures in different ways, we cannot so repel and retract from that that we say that there’s no organization.

That there’s no order. There is. There is order and organization that is intended in these local churches. Look in Titus 1 and in verse 5, Paul says to Titus, for this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you. That’s why you’re there, Titus, is to set these things in order that are lacking.

2. Deacons Are a Vital Part of That

And he did that for a reason. We need some order. We need some organization to ourselves. A body needs that, doesn’t it? A family needs that, doesn’t it? And that’s what we are a body and a family. And we need that organization and we need that order. And we also recognize that deacons are a vital part of that. That’s seen in the New Testament. Turn with me, if you will, to the book of Acts, chapter 6. In Acts chapter 6, we won’t find the word deacons. But there’s no doubt in my mind that we find the work being performed. In Acts chapter 6, we’re going to see that, as we’ve made the statement earlier, that deacons are the backbone of the church. They’re the unsung heroes of the kingdom.

They make the work. And we see the necessity of that. Look with me in Acts chapter 6, beginning reading in verse 1. In those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, It’s not desirable that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word. And the same, pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Procurus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmanus and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles, and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

Now notice verse 7. Let’s pause before we notice verse 7. Let’s look at the necessity, the situation that necessitated the appointment of these men to oversee this work. These, I believe, deacons, these servants. The apostles, the twelve referenced there, were preaching the word of God. They were spending their time in the Word of God and in prayer. But this, for lack of a better way of describing it, this administrative problem came up. There were some needy saints, particularly some needy widows, and they were being distributed to daily. But a disagreement came up. Wait a minute, there’s some bias being shown here. Some people are getting favoritism in this, and some people are being neglected in this. And so one option would be for the apostles to take care of that.

But that would necessitate, you know, the old saying there’s only so many hours in the day, that would necessitate neglecting the work that they were previously doing and were really appointed to be doing. And so they said, rather than doing that, let’s appoint these other men who can take care of this important work. But it’s a work that we don’t need to be engaged in because we have a work to be engaged in. And so let’s appoint these men who can take care of that needful thing, so that we can do this other needful thing. Do you see the order and the organization there? Now notice the result of this. Now let’s look at verse 7. The word of God spread, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

I don’t think verse 7 is just a coincidence that it’s stated there that things were going good. That the word of God spread. Why did the word of God spread? Because the apostles were able to devote themselves to that. Because others had been appointed to take care of these other matters. And so we begin to see that these men that fulfill this function and this role, as we said, they make the work. They make it possible for these things to happen. In fact, this work is so important. Turn with me now to the book of 1 Timothy, chapter 3. This work is so important that it wasn’t just left to chance. You know, God could have done it this way. God could have said, you just kind of assemble together in this disorganized mishmash and kind of just figure it out.

And you’ll figure it out. You know, you’ll see that some things need to be done, and somebody will do it. That’s not the way he set things in order. This work was so important that he said, let’s appoint men to this role. We don’t just leave it laying there and hope that somebody will eventually do it. This work is so important that we need specific men to do this, and not just specific men, but certain type of men. Look with me in 1 Timothy chapter 3 and in verse 18. Likewise, he talked about the role and the qualifications of shepherds, and now in verse 8, he says, likewise deacons. Deacons must be reverent, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

But let these also first be tested. Then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtained for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. When we take all of this in mind, the fact that God said, Let’s have these men do this.

But men that have a certain character, that meet certain qualifications.

Just as there in Acts chapter 6, something that needed to be done, but it wasn’t just left to let it kind of sort itself out. We need somebody on this task. And not just somebody.

3. What Can We All Do to Help?

That speaks of two things at least. Number one is the idea, again, that God wanted some kind of order and organization, some kind of system here. And then, secondly, that it mattered enough to God that certain people were put over these things. And so there’s some order in the local church, and deacons are a vital, important part of that work. And then lastly, what can we all do to help? We have men already appointed as deacons, servants here in the local church. Hopefully, in the next couple weeks we’ll have two more appointed to this important work. What does that mean for the rest of us? What can we do as a part of this local family, this local body? Well, here’s a couple suggestions of things that we can do.

Number one is don’t be so quick to criticize. You know one of the easiest jobs there is is the job of a critic. To be able to step back and rather than doing the work and helping in the work, but criticizing how the work is done. Now, I think it’s important that we add this disclaimer. Not talking about if something is being done that’s just wrong. That something’s unbiblical or unscriptural, then we should criticize that. We need to speak up and say, wait a minute, that’s not the way God wanted us to do that. We all have that responsibility. But if that’s not the case, if it’s simply something, I just don’t like the way that they’re doing it. Not that it’s wrong in God’s eyes.

It’s so easy to criticize. We talked about the importance, and we’re talking about this morning, the importance of the idea of being a servant and having a servant’s heart. Nothing can squash a servant’s heart more than being willing to sacrifice and give of yourselves to do something. And rather than it being met with appreciation and even praise, that it’s meant with instant criticism. Let’s look at some passages on this. Not just something that offends me, it’s something that offends God. Look in Philippians chapter 2. We might be surprised, Philippians chapter 2, we’re going to look at verse 14. How many times this subject comes up in both old and New Testament? How much this subject comes up as being something among God’s covenant people that displeases God immensely.

Philippians 2 and in verse 14, he says, do all things without complaining and disputing. Do a cross-reference study, do a word search, old and new testament of these words, criticizing, complaining, murmuring, and find out how many times that is spoken of, and you will never, never find it being met with God’s approval. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Not only is it not met with God’s approval, look what Paul warns in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, warning the Christians there, by using an occasion in the Old Testament of God’s covenant people. He says in 1 Corinthians 10 and in verse 10, he begins by saying, let’s not follow after idols or be sexually immoral or tempt Christ, because that’s the way tempt God. That’s the way they acted in the Old Testament.

And now he says in verse 10, 1 Corinthians 10, verse 10, nor complain. As some of them also complained. And were destroyed by the destroyer. Two things really stand out to me in that context. Number one is that complaining, or murmuring is the Old Testament word, that murmuring and complaining made the list. The list of that included idolatry in verse 7, worshiping another God.

Idolatry, sexual immorality, verse 9. The third thing is tempting Christ as some of them tempted. Daring God to do something. Acting in such a way that you’re really daring, taunting God to judge you and do something. And then next on the list is complaining. That made the list of idolatry and sexual immorality and taunting God. You begin to see how God views this. If you don’t see the importance by its association in that list, you certainly should see the emphasis when it says, as some of them also complained, and they were destroyed by the destroyer. How did God feel about his people in the old covenant? Complaining and griping about the work that Moses and Aaron and his appointed servants were doing. He killed them. That’s how he felt about it.

And so when the New Testament says, don’t do that. We see the importance of that because God understands how that is so detrimental to the work that He has planned for us. And so don’t be so quick to criticize. In fact, be there to help them out. Let’s not think that these men in Acts chapter 6, these men that Paul and Timothy and Titus were appointing in 1 Timothy 3 and other places, that they were appointed to this work and they were the only ones to kind of oversee that work. To oversee the distribution to those needy widows. Doesn’t mean they were the only ones doing that. And so let’s be there to pitch in and to help.

Most of the time our deacons are assigned specific arenas or categories in which they work. Find out what those are. We’ll be talking about what those are in the next coming weeks. But find out what those are and go to that deacon and say, Can I help you with that? I know that you’re the deacon appointed over this. How can I help you? Do that. Thirdly, rather than being so quick to criticize, commend them for their work. Look in Romans chapter 16. This word deacon or servant is used in a lot of different contexts, context and ways. And it’s possible to state, and to state accurately, that there are more than just one servant and more than just a group of men appointed as servants. And in some sense, we’re all to be that.

And so Paul in Romans 16, verse 1 says, I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the church in Sincrea. Now we don’t know exactly who Phoebe was and what she was doing, but Paul says she’s a servant. She’s doing something there to help that work. And I commend her for that. The text that we just read in 1 Timothy chapter 3 that talked about the qualifications and therefore the importance of this work says in 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 13 again, that these men, those who have served well as deacons, obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. They’ve obtained for themselves a good standing. Do the words of Jesus come to mind.

Those who would be great among you. Let him be your servant. And Paul says, these servants have obtained for themselves a good standing. They’re the great among you. And they need to be recognized as such. We need to commend them. And that’s true of any work that is being done, whether it’s a Bible class teacher, it’s a shepherd, a song leader, a deacon. Recognize these people. And as Paul did with Phoebe, commend them for the work that they’re doing. And then lastly, let’s learn from them. Let’s learn to have that servant’s heart, of being the first to say, here I am, let me serve. What needs to be done, and I’ll be the first to do it. I think God put these roles, these responsibilities, these works among us for two reasons at least.

Number one is so that the work might be done, so that we might be able to function and do the things that God wants us to do. There needed to be some order for that to happen. But surely God also put them there as a way of an example. The way that we ought to be.

Conclusion

That we have, the ones we’ve had in the past, the great work that they have done, the unsung heroes, the backbone of this local church. And I commend the two men who are willing to accept the work that will be placed upon them so that the work might be done here, and that God’s name might be glorified. Part of being a servant and having a servant’s heart is first giving ourselves and devoting ourselves to God, to Jesus Christ, the ultimate servant. And the ultimate act of service is the act of obedience, of coming and relenting our own will and submitting to the will of God. Would you obey the gospel this morning? Would you serve Christ in his kingdom this morning? Would you repent of your sins and confess your faith openly and be baptized for the remission of your sins, serving God and being willing to serve one another?

And in so doing, you’ll be the greatest among us. If we can help you in any spiritual way, in any way this morning, as you render obedience to the gospel, let it be known right now as together we stand and as we sing.

Jesus I come to be out of my services in to thy hell out of my war and in to thy well