Deacons

March 14, 1992

Intro - the Nt recognizes two offices for local churches.
We've been talking about one (the pastor/ teacher/ elder/
bishop/ minister)

- now we're going to study deacons

- let's take a minute and look at a couple of passages that
show that there in fact, two and only two offices

- Phil. 1:1, I Tim. 3:1-13

- we mentioned four sources of biblical information for the
pastor, we'll look at three sources for deacons

1) the actual meaning of the term
2) the biblical duties of deacons
3) the rewards of his faithful service

I. The Meaning of the Word Deacon

INPUT - when folks in the world think of a deacon--what
kinds of concepts would they think of?

- often times in our deacons retreats, we go through a
study which lists every biblical use of the word
"diakonos" and it's derivitives
- in that study, we look for three things in the passage:
- does this refer to the function of a deacon or the
office of a deacon?
- does this refer to a physical or a spiritual
ministry?
- does this indicate that the deacon is involved in
a service or a decision-making capacity?

- when you study the passages that way, you find that the
best definition of the biblical word "deacon" is
servant

cf. Matt. 20:26, John 2:5, Matt. 22:13

- now you might say--but those passages didn't speak
specifically about the office of deacon

- that’s exactly the point
- when God wanted a word that described a deacon--he
chose the word "servant" - WHY? - because thats what
deacons (and their families do)

- cf - why do we call a mechanic a mechanic?

II. The Biblical Duties of Deacons

- read Acts 6:1-7

A. Help meet physical needs of those in the congregation
- Acts 6:3-"whom we may appoint over this business"

B. Free up the pastor - Acts 6:4 - "but we will give
ouselves continually to prayer and ministry of the
Word."

C. Be examples - Acts 6:3 - "men of honest report, full
of the Holy Spirit and wisdom"

D. Provide counsel to the pastor

- I mentioned earlier that as we study the various
usages of the word "deacon," you'll never find an
example of deacons involved in decision making as
part of their office

- a natural question that flows out of that is:
- "Isn't it true that our deacons are involved in
decision making?" (cf. the deacons and pastors
are recommending..."

- it is true, but not because that is part of the
office of deacon

- it has more to do with our form of church
government
- it would be impossible (or at least
inappropriate) to begin the decision-making
process for every decision at the floor of the
church
1) the time involved (cf. the length of the
average deacons meeting)

2) it's good to "bounce" ideas off a smaller
group to look for flaws

- what's the most natural group to fill that role?

- as a congregation, we choose the 18 men who are
most spiritually qualified to serve in that
office
- they must be spiritual men
- they must be leading their families well
- they must be serving and ministering

- they are the most natural group to provide
counsel to the pastors before issues are brought
to the floor of the church

- it doesn't mean that everything that the
pastors/deacons recommend is automatically
right-but it does mean that 22 of the men that
the church elected as godly men have thought the
issue over and are making the recommendation
after careful thought and study

E. Not:

1) not a representative of each "group"

2) not a member of a "board" that supervises the
pastors

3) not setting the agenda that the pastors follow

III. The Rewards For A Deacon's Faithful Service

A. A good standing

B. great boldness in the faith

- dev. - when you think of our deacons, should think:

1) these are good men (who, along with their
wives) provide invaluable service to our church

2) God has been good to us in the deacons He has
given us

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Baptism

- we're going to "shift gears" here and take the rest of our
time discussing baptism
- we're not discussing baptism simply because we're a Baptist
church, we're discussing baptism because it's a major
Bible doctrine

I. Baptism Was Ordained By Jesus Christ

- some folks have a condescending view of Baptists or
baptism
- its important to see that baptism isn't the product of
human thinking/reasoning--it's was and is our Savior's
idea

A. Instituted by Him

1. Great commission - Matt. 28:19-20

2. apostles understood - Acts 2:41

3. NT Practice - Romans 6:3-5

B. Intended to be universal and perpetual

1. Jesus recognized John's baptism from heaven
Matt. 3:2-3

2. His submission shows obligation

3. His disciples continued it - John 3:23, 4:1,2
4. the commission is binding

5. therefore, no church can repeal

II. Mode of Baptism: Immersion

A. meaning of "baptizw"

Liddell and Scott Greek Lexicon - "to dip in or under
water"

Sopocles Lexicon (140 BC - 1000 AD) - "to dip,
immerse, sink"

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - "It may
be remarked that no Baptist has written a lexison
of the Greek language, and yet the standard
lexicons, like that of Liddell and Scott, uniformly
give the meaning of baptizw as "dip" or "immerse."
They do no give "pour" or "sprinkle", nor has
anyone ever adduced an instance where this verb
means "pour" or "sprinkle."

B. NT usage

1. Every passage where the word occurs either
requires or allows for immersion.

cf. Mark 1:9-10, into the water, up out of the
water

2. the word is never used in a passive sense

- cf. never "water was baptized on someone"

C. the symbol requires immersion

Mk. 10:38 (symbol of death)
Luke 12:50
Rom. 6:3-5

point is - the image is destroyed by any mode other
than immersion