God's Blueprint For His Church - The Caregivers

The Caregivers

Introduction

One of the women’s bible studies in our church has engaged in a study sponsored by Focus on the Family, entitled The Truth Project. The lecturer is Dr. Del Tackett. In this presentation he develops a thesis that charges all his lectures. His thesis is based on what he calls The Divine Imprint. The Divine Imprint, he shows, is the unity and harmony within the Triune Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) that is stamped on every social sphere in the world. For instance we see how that divine imprint is pressed on the family; and on the governance of the family! This impression is also stamped upon the Church.

Where do we see that? Turn with me to the letter of Philippians, chapter 1 (page 154 in the N.T. of the pew bible)

" Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:"

Last week we taught that the overseers (literally episkopos) were the spiritual leaders – the guardians of the flock. That title is synonymous with elder (presbyter) and pastor (shepherd). And now we see added this second office of the church, the deacons. How do we understand that word “deacon”? Well A.T. Robertson in his Word Studies of the New Testament suggests that the “etymology (Gr: dia, konis) suggests raising a dust by hastening.” In English the word has been simply translated “servant”. The idea here is that they are “quick to serve”!

Again, like the work of elders, everyone is, in a sense, to watch over one another, to teach one another. The elders were to be examples of that. Likewise every Christian is to serve one another … but there are also some called lead and exemplify this --the office of deacon. We see that proven for us as we look at 1 Timothy 3 (page 163). Let’s read that together:

⁸ Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, ⁹ but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. ¹¹ Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. ¹² Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. ¹³ For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

The word “likewise” causes us to see a close connection with Paul’s previous list of qualification for the office of elder. A close examination of the two offices reveals very little difference except primarily that elders are called to “able to teach”.

Here is my first important point: The office of deacon is a high and holy calling. What the Holy Spirit is to the Father; what the wife is to the husband; so the deacon is to the oversight of the church. THE DEACONS ARE HELPERS! Deacons are ‘parakletos’ …. “one who comes along side”!

Who are the deacons to help? Well, as I noted previously, there is no job description for a deacon. But we can see an illustration of this if we look at Acts 6:1-8 (page 96):

¹ Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. ² So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. ³ “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. ⁴ “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” ⁵ The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. ⁶ And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them. ⁷ The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. ⁸ And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

Please be careful to note that this is not taught as a prescription for the church. It is a description. I rest my position on the two offices from Philippians 1:1 and 1 Timothy 3:8ff. But this is a great illustration of how the elder-deacon relationship works. So back to the question, “Who do the deacons help?” Answer?

1. They help the elders by freeing them to focus on their priorities; and
2. They help the needy in the congregation.

The office of deacon is first and foremost a ministry of helps! “And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third  teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.” ^[1] )

Who are the needy? Well the Scripture does not leave us without a witness. They are the:

• Aliens & strangers (i.e. visitors & newcomers)
• widows & fatherless
• elderly
• sick & shutins.
• poor
• imprisoned
• and so on.

Listen carefully to the heart of God:

Exodus 22:21
²¹ “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Leviticus 19:34
³⁴ ‘The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 25:35
³⁵ ‘Now in case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his means with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you.

Deuteronomy 27:19
¹⁹ ‘Cursed is he who distorts the justice due an alien, orphan, and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

That is just a sampling. What was one of the primary sins of Sodom and Gomorrah? "“Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy" (Ezekiel 16:49). What was James’ summation of true religion? (“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress”^[2].)

In one church[3] when deacons are called into office they are asked called to the following:

I charge you, deacons, to inspire faithful stewardship in this congregation. Remind us that “from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (Luke 12:48). Teach us to be merciful. Prompt us to seize new opportunities to worship God with offerings of wealth, time and ability. Realize that benevolence is a quality of our life in Christ and not merely a matter of financial assistance. Therefore, minister to rich and poor alike, both within and outside the church. Weigh the needs of causes and us the church’s resources discerningly. Be compassionate to the needy. Encourage them with words that create hope in their hearts and with deeds that bring joy into their lives. Be prophetic critics of the waste, injustice, and selfishness in our society, and be sensitive counselors to the victims of such evils. Let your lives be above reproach; live as examples of Christ Jesus; look to the interests of others.

I love that ‘charge’ – it is charged with truth and responsibility. When I look at that statement of responsibility I envision tremendous giftedness among the diaconate. Gifts as:

• giving,
• administration,
• teaching,
• helps, and
• mercy.

But let me ask another pertinent question: What of the ‘women’ mentioned in 1 Timothy 3:11?

Before I launch into this debate let me make one disclaimer. I find no grounds to be absolutely dogmatic to the point of indifference to other interpretations. I am convinced of what I will teach you, but I also am very aware that godly people (who may all love Jesus more than I) would disagree. I will simply give you my reasons for why I believe what I believe and permit you to become convinced based on your own study.

The Expositor's Bible Commentary[4] helps me summarize the jist of the argument.

1. In the Greek language the same word, gyne, [goo-nay] is used for "woman" and "wife."

2. Since this single word is found here for "their wives," there are three possible interpretations as to what group Paul is talking about:
1. NIV follows KJV in assuming that these women were the wives of the deacons.
2. Some have suggested that he is speaking of women in general.
3. Some (I used to J ) argue that the reference is to deaconesses.

I believe that Paul is addressing wives of the deacons. For the following reasons:

#1. The Greek word here which literally means “women” or “wives” allows for such.”

#2. The most compelling argument for me is that Paul placed this verse right in the middle of the qualifications for male deacons. We know that by his continuation in verse 12.

#3. The principle given in 1 Tim 2:12 is to be an overarching principle for church life which seems implicitly to limit the role of deacon to men.

#4. My fourth reason is less compelling but seems absolutely rational. If the task of the deacon is to conduct a ministry of helps, both in and out of the church. It seems logical and prudent that his wife assist him often. Therefore, her character ought to be considered also. Dealing with the type of issues a deacon is to be engaged in would require that his wife be godly and speech and conduct. Because of the nature of such ministry they are to be faithful, not malicious talkers, not gossipers, and so on.

Of course there are some arguments against that.

#1. Some would say why then is there no character qualifications for an elder’s wife. My answer is that Scripture demands that elders serve in plurality and are they are to be self-disciplining. It would not be the ‘norm’ that an elder’s wife serve along side of him regularly. (For example when someone comes for prayer for healing – they are to call the elders! James)

#2. Secondly there is evidence (such as Phoebe in Romans 16:1) that seems to give rise to an office of deaconess. The illustration of Phoebe does not demand that view though and is likely not a separate church office but in fact an example of Christian behavior that we all are obliged to consider.

Summary:

So how does the Bible understand the role of the deacon within the governmental sphere of the church? I believe it could be described as this:

A deacon has a ministry of helps, liberating the elders to concentrate on their priorities while ministering, often with their wives, to the needy, within and outside of the church.

Application:

In my instruction on elders I suggested that there ought to be times in the life of the congregation whereby they forget that it is a human ministering to them, but they sense the very Lord of the church, Jesus Christ is serving them. In relation to deacons, let me draw your attention to this passage: (Turn with me to Matthew 25:34-40 (page 22)

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; ³⁶ naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ ³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ³⁸ ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ³⁹ ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰ “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

Now this teaching on the office of deacons will be a radical change of thinking to some of you. I am convinced it is biblical. I am also convinced that we (particularly in the Baptist tradition) have erred. The missing ingredient to many of our so-called congregational or baptistic churches has been the biblical view of the diaconate. I am aware of a forward-thinking church that even has a ‘global diaconate’[5] – serving the needs of the world!

May God grant us the courage to envision such a change in this holy calling, that many see Christ through this ministry of helps!

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^[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (1 Co 12:28). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

^[2]New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Jas 1:27). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[3] Christian Reformed Church of North America – Ordination of Deacons

[4] Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:1 Timothy/Exposition of 1 Timothy/V. Worship and Conduct (2:1-3:16)/E. Deacons (3:8-13), Book Version: 4.0.2

[5]http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/2004/1735_Bethlehem_Baptists_Global_Diaconate/

God's Blueprint For His Church - The Guardians

The Guardians

Introduction

Debra and I wrestled with a difficult decision several years ago. The issue was about who would look after our children if we both died at the same time. Who would we designate as their guardian? Some of the things that one has to consider are:

• Whose parenting style, values, and Christian beliefs most closely match ours?

• Who is most able to take on the responsibility of a caring for our girls — emotionally, financially, physically, etc.?

• Who does our children feel comfortable with already?

• Where would our children have to live in this eventuality?

• Does the person have enough time and energy to devote to your child?

But the most important question was this: “Who would care for our children as we would?”

This is a very real and important scenario. One that is further away from our own immediate families but equally as important is this question? “Who would care for the Church when God would take Jesus to glory?” The answer is found in Acts 20:17

" From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time . . . Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." (Acts 20:17-18, 28)

The short and obvious answer to the question is this: The Holy Spirit and the elders! When Christ was exalted and restored to His former glory, God the Father sent another Comforter, the Holy Spirit to care for the Church. In this transfer, we read, that the Holy Spirit has delegated that work also to some people called elders. What’s going on in this passage?

Paul had called the elders of the Church at Ephesus. In his instruction to them, fully believing that he was going to suffer and die, he gave to them and to us a revelation of the progress and the structure of the early church. There is important teaching here on a number of topics, but what is key for us is the perspective this gives us on the leadership of the church. Not to be cute, but to provide a means of us remembering, I want you to consider this passage in terms of the following:

a. God’s singular will for the care of the Church.

b. The dual focus of Church leadership; and

c. The triune function of that leadership.

So let’s take the first one:

1. The singular will of God for the ongoing care of the Church.

Keeping our attention only in this passage for the moment, we can discern clearly God’s heart for the Church. Let’s look at this in more detail.

The NASB rightly says [note my emphasis], " From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time . . . Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." (Acts 20:17-18, 28)

That is one word in the Greek language: προσέχω [prosecho /pros·ekh·o/] It’s a word that speaks of holding on, giving attention to, watch over, and so on. Guard is a great word. Contextually, if we were to read on, we’d see that Paul warned the church about attacks from without and within. He called these men to be guardians of the flock. Twenty-eight times in the New Testament (KJV) the Holy Spirit uses this term.

Matthew 16:6 (NASB95)
⁶ And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Luke 21:8 (NASB95)
⁸ And He said, “See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not go after them.

1 Corinthians 10:12 (NASB95)
¹² Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

1 Timothy 4:16 (NASB95)
¹⁶ Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.

How were they to do that?

2. The dual focus of the overseers - the plurality of protection.

Notice please that this guarding of the Church was a double prong. " From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time . . . Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." (Acts 20:17-18, 28)

These elders were to guard, protect, “take heed” to their own lives and the lives of the Church. I see several principles here that are important:

1. Paul addressed to them in their plurality. There is a principle in Scripture regarding elders in that they always existed and served in plurality. It is foreign to the Bible for a church to have a single pastor, overseer or elder. That concept is alien to Scripture. Listen to Paul’s exhortation to Titus: “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.”^[1] Here we also see this mandate of the apostle: “set in order” -- ἐπιδιορθόω [epidiorthoo /ep·ee·dee·or·tho·o/]. “The letter points to lack of organization (1:5), unchecked false teachers (1:10, 11; 3:10, 11), and the need for instruction in doctrine and conduct (2:1-10; 3:1, 2). Paul had observed and had begun to correct these matters; Titus must now complete the work.”[2] How was Titus to complete the work? Answer? The establishment of elders wherever there is a fellowship of believers.

2. Paul commanded them to be self-disciplining. I am certain that his included that personal ability to live a disciplined, guarded life before Christ and others. I am also convinced that it implies that there is a mutual accountability within the counsel of elders. What does this mean to the congregation? What is Paul essentially saying when he commands guard yourself and the flock? I believe it is this: Lead by example. This is the biblical definition of an oft-misused phrase servant leadership. Let me show you one passage that confirms that. Turn with me to 1 Peter 5 and let’s read verses 1 to 3. " Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock." Notice several key points:

1. By this time in the development of the early church Peter (cf 3 John 1) is viewing himself less as an apostle and more as a “fellow-elder”.

2. Jesus said in Matthew 10:42ff, not to lord it over others but be a servant. Peter writes elders not to lord it over others but be an example. I am convinced that servant leadership is leadership by example. So when elders watch for themselves they place themselves in a position of integrity to watch over the flock.

3. Paul commanded the elders to watch over, guard, take heed to the Church. You might ask, “Well what does that mean? What are they supposed to do?” The answer is rarely given. There is a principle of Christian leadership that absolutely boggles the secular mind. It is this: “You call men to leadership who conform to the biblical standards of character. Men of character desire to do what is right.” There is very little one can say about a detailed job description of an elder. There is even less regarding a deacon. Within this passage we can discern clearly that the church ought to be able to say, “I know that you care for me, because you guard me.” For those of you who understand the role of the husband, God’s design of headship, and Christ’s love for the church – this will make great sense. Elders will fight for your ultimate good and your spiritual protection.

But we are not left without a witness as to the practical outworking of an elder. Within the functional description of an elder, we can also discern further into their role.

God’s heart to care for His Church. He has ordained that elders do that by guarding themselves and the Church. In what way, you may ask? This takes me to the third point, this morning.

3. The triune function of the elder.

Within Paul’s final appeal to the Ephesian elders we see a parallel emerge. Notice this:

1. There is no doubt that he is speaking to elders. He “called to him the elders of the church” in verse 17. That’s plain. The word “elder” is the Greek word: presbyteros. This is where we get our Presbyterian, presbytery and so on. The word denotes spiritual maturity. The writer to the Hebrews said, “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”^[3] I understand spiritual maturity as that place in life where someone has a solid understanding of biblical doctrine and lives it out in their life, honing their ability to know right or wrong. Wouldn’t you want someone guarding you who fits that description?

2. But Paul intentionally uses another word of these same elders in Acts 20. He said that “the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.” There he uses the word episcopos which means to ‘look over’. This is where we get our word Episcopalian. It simply means what the NASB has translated it so well: an overseer. I understand that elders are not to do all the ministry. They are not hired men! Nor should they be micro-managers with their fingers in every pie. Elders are to oversee the ministry of the Church.

3. Thirdly there is another subtle phrase that mustn’t go unnoticed. We see it also in verse 28, “to shepherd the church of God.” The verb shepherd is the Greek word poimen. It means just that “shepherd”. We get our word ‘pastor’ from that. The Latin word for shepherd is pastorem. The source of the idea is the pasture. A pastor is a shepherd. We saw Peter use that in 1 Peter 5:1. He said to the elders, “Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight.”^[4] In other words, “Shepherd the church by overseeing the church.” Pastoring is the action word of the role of elder. He is to feed you. What food do you think a pastor ought to feed his church? 1 Timothy 5:17 says that elders ought to preach and teach. 2 Timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the Word.”

So elders are to be grounded in Scriptural doctrine, exercising obedience and godliness in their daily lives – leading by example and giving oversight, mature direction to the flock by feeding to the Church of God. As your pastor, when you look at me as an elder you should expect that from me you can glean spiritual mature counsel from the Word of God and my life. As your pastor, when you look at me as an overseer, you should expect that I can supply vision and direction to the church. As your pastor, when you look at me as a pastor, you should expect that you are being fed by the Word of Truth that “is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all the saints” (v.32). What guards me and guards you is that these functions are necessarily given not just to me – but to a body of elders to whom have the same calling and role.

4. But what about …

There may be many questions that arise from this, but one that I anticipate that I need to address is this: what about us the congregation? Do we not have a say in this? Or another question more specifically is, “I thought we were a congregational church? A democratic church?”

God has indeed given a role for the congregation to play in all of this. Let me quickly outline some that the New Testament either illustrates or directs.

1. The resolution of sin between individuals and the church is a congregational responsibility according to Matthew 18:15ff. “Tell it to the church.” The congregation makes the final disposition on these matters. See also 1 Corinthians 5:4-5; and 2 Corinthians 2:6-7
2. The selection and confirmation of leaders is a congregational responsibility. For instance in Acts 6:1-5 the apostles said, “Select from among you . . ..”
3. When false doctrine was tolerated in Galatia Paul wrote to the whole church and said, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him.”^[5] The Church is to be Berean (cf: Acts 17:11) about that which is taught in the congregation. (see also 2 Timothy 4:2-3)

The bottom line is this: Because we are fallen creatures, yet to be perfect in our sanctification, the will and direction of man should never be followed without discernment. Clearly the New Testament calls upon the congregation to honor () and obey () their leaders. This is not without thought. Congregationalism doesn’t mean that the members have to vote on every issue. Primarily the task is to ensure that qualified men are ordained into office and they are treated with trust and confidence. At the same time, the church is to be discerning in who it ordains and in some cases the church ought to form give consensus or ratification to the decisions of the elders.

5. Limitations of Leadership

Within our text for this message there is a limitation of one’s scope of leadership. Notice that elders have a shepherding, overseeing role toward “the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”^[6] There are many who profess to be religious or spiritual. Some people even profess to be church-goers. But the Church that Paul has defined in this passage is a people who are bought, owned outright, by the Lord Jesus Christ. And they were purchased by nothing short of the death of Jesus Christ. As your pastor, when I remember that God has charged me with the guarding, the care, the feeding of a people whom He has loved and died for in Christ – this revolutionizes my leadership.

My sister Marion and her husband Burt were asked to be the guardians of our children. If Debra and I died together I am absolutely confident that my sister will love and cherish my children as her own and as an extension of her brother. She will treat them with kindness, firmness, biblical guidance and discipline. But most of all she will love them so deeply and so desperately that they will think that their mom and dad is being expressed through their auntie.

God has called us elders to do that with His children. He has called us to treat them with kindness, firmness, biblical guidance and discipline. But most of all God has called us to love them so deeply and so desperately that they will think that they are seeing Christ displayed through the eldership.

I need to ask you a question before we close, “Are you one of God’s church, bought with His blood, purchased and owned by Him?” If you are not, one of the things you are missing is the expression of His love and care that is displayed through godly elders. But most importantly, you are missing out on the greatest relationship in the world, a person owned by Jesus! Think of it … we can belong to Jesus. To belong to Jesus is to be a partner in all His mercy and forgiveness. It is to be a partner in all his grade and goodness. It is to be a partner in an inheritance that will last forever. It is to be in a relationship with Christ, the King of glory and to know Him and love Him and treasure Him for ever and ever and ever.

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^[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Tit 1:5). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[2] Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Titus/Exposition of Titus/II. Concerning Elders and Errorists in Crete (1:5-16)/A. The Appointment of Qualified Elders (1:5-9)/1. The duties of Titus in Crete (1:5), Book Version: 4.0.2

^[3]New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Heb 5:14). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

^[4]New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (1 Pe 5:2). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

^[5]New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Ga 1:6). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

^[6]New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Ac 20:28). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.