Sermon Notes for Chosen to Serve
1. Chosen to Serve
Acts 6:1-7 Timothy 3:8-15
2. Key Concept
whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant;
3. Opening
Servant leadership
4. There are problems with success
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,
5. There are problems with success (continued)
because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.
6. Foodbank
Hellenistic Jews-from other countries
Day of Pentecost effect
Growth causes tension
7. Word Wealth
Complaint-Greek “to speak privately in a low voice”
Same word used for grumbled/murmured LXX
8. Don’t let problems stew
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.”
9. Solution
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.
10. Growth requires innovation
Structure
Authority
Ministry
11. Diversity of calling
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
12. Diversity of calling (continued)
for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
13. Diversity of calling (continued)
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
14. Summarized
Authority from Christ
Equipping for service
Unity of maturity
15. Qualifications to work in bread ministry
Good reputation
Baptized in the Spirit
Problem solvers
16. Serving where called
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.
17. The first Deacons
The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas
18. Commissioned
And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.
19. The result
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.
20. Follow the pattern
If we model the first century church, we will have first century results.
21. Qualifications (read all)
Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
22. Qualifications (continued)
These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.
23. Qualifications (continued)
Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.
24. Men and Women can be deacons
Women must likewise be dignified…
Not the word for wives
Not a possessive pronoun
25. Men and Women can be deacons
Secular writing about the Church in 112 AD identifies two women as the deacons of a church in Asia Minor
The term “deaconess” was coined in early the 2nd century
26. Men and Women can be deacons
Paul writes I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant (deacon) of the church which is at Cenchrea; Rm 16:1
27. Qualifications
Dignified
honor, respected, esteemed
In Church
In Community
28. Qualifications
Not double-tongued
Not two-faced or insincere.
Integrity
Keep their word
29. Qualifications
Not addicted to wine
Disqualifying to drink to excess.
Lack of self-control
Undisciplined life
30. Qualifications
Not greedy for dishonest gain obsessed with making a buck
Treasure and heart
Church finances
31. Qualifications
“hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.”
Sound in the faith and life
Bible believer
Bible doer
32. Qualifications
Tested and Blameless
Pass the test with flying colors
Observed
Interviewed
33. Qualifications
“be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things”
Godly Spouses
34. Qualifications
Manage children and household well
must be in control of their kids and house.
35. Can of worms
Husband of one wife
Polygamy
Divorce and remarriage
Remarriage after the first wife’s death
A man who is faithful and attentive to his wife
36. Assembly of God position
To be a deacon you may not be a divorced Christian.
There are exceptions:
prior to salvation
divorce due to sexual immorality
divorce due to abandonment
37. In a nutshell
There must be no other person in their life to whom they relate to in an intimate way either emotionally or physically.
38. A good thing
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.
39. The result
The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem
[and Clovis]
40. Chosen to Serve
Let us pray
Acts 6:1-7 Timothy 3:8-15
2. Key Concept
whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant;
3. Opening
Servant leadership
4. There are problems with success
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,
5. There are problems with success (continued)
because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.
6. Foodbank
Hellenistic Jews-from other countries
Day of Pentecost effect
Growth causes tension
7. Word Wealth
Complaint-Greek “to speak privately in a low voice”
Same word used for grumbled/murmured LXX
8. Don’t let problems stew
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.”
9. Solution
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.
10. Growth requires innovation
Structure
Authority
Ministry
11. Diversity of calling
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
12. Diversity of calling (continued)
for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
13. Diversity of calling (continued)
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
14. Summarized
Authority from Christ
Equipping for service
Unity of maturity
15. Qualifications to work in bread ministry
Good reputation
Baptized in the Spirit
Problem solvers
16. Serving where called
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.
17. The first Deacons
The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas
18. Commissioned
And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.
19. The result
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.
20. Follow the pattern
If we model the first century church, we will have first century results.
21. Qualifications (read all)
Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
22. Qualifications (continued)
These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.
23. Qualifications (continued)
Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.
24. Men and Women can be deacons
Women must likewise be dignified…
Not the word for wives
Not a possessive pronoun
25. Men and Women can be deacons
Secular writing about the Church in 112 AD identifies two women as the deacons of a church in Asia Minor
The term “deaconess” was coined in early the 2nd century
26. Men and Women can be deacons
Paul writes I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant (deacon) of the church which is at Cenchrea; Rm 16:1
27. Qualifications
Dignified
honor, respected, esteemed
In Church
In Community
28. Qualifications
Not double-tongued
Not two-faced or insincere.
Integrity
Keep their word
29. Qualifications
Not addicted to wine
Disqualifying to drink to excess.
Lack of self-control
Undisciplined life
30. Qualifications
Not greedy for dishonest gain obsessed with making a buck
Treasure and heart
Church finances
31. Qualifications
“hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.”
Sound in the faith and life
Bible believer
Bible doer
32. Qualifications
Tested and Blameless
Pass the test with flying colors
Observed
Interviewed
33. Qualifications
“be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things”
Godly Spouses
34. Qualifications
Manage children and household well
must be in control of their kids and house.
35. Can of worms
Husband of one wife
Polygamy
Divorce and remarriage
Remarriage after the first wife’s death
A man who is faithful and attentive to his wife
36. Assembly of God position
To be a deacon you may not be a divorced Christian.
There are exceptions:
prior to salvation
divorce due to sexual immorality
divorce due to abandonment
37. In a nutshell
There must be no other person in their life to whom they relate to in an intimate way either emotionally or physically.
38. A good thing
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.
39. The result
The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem
[and Clovis]
40. Chosen to Serve
Let us pray
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