Sermon Outlines

Mark 1:17

“Follow Me.” Those were two words spoken so often by our Lord. He came upon a group of fishermen who were engrossed in their lifetime fishing business, looked them squarely in the eyes, and called them to put away their nets and follow Him on a life-transforming journey. In Capernaum, he saw a Jew taking up tax money for the Roman oppressors. Again, He spoke those two simple words and Matthew put down his money pouch and followed after Him. Over and over in the gospels we hear this simple call.

When we heed His call today and become followers, we then become interested in what He was interested in. Jesus revealed to us that he had “come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). The truth is, if we are genuinely following, we are also fishing.

A Real Fisherman is Positive

A real fisherman is always just one cast away from landing the big one. This is the type of person Jesus calls to follow Him. He is after those who are positive; those who see an answer in every problem, not those who look for problems in every answer. The real fisherman is positive.

A Real Fisherman is Persistent

This is exactly the type of person the Lord Jesus knew it would take to transform a world. He goes after those who are not simply positive, but persistent. He calls folks who have a “never give up” attitude, who keep on keeping on, regardless of the circumstances or situations. A real fisherman is persistent.

A Real Fisherman is Patient

Jesus knew when He called those fishermen to follow Him that one of their common characteristics was patience. They could not have spent their lives at this trade without it. He knew that those who followed Him would have to be patient in future times when the situation would appear hopeless. He is still looking for men and women who are not “locked in” to one way of doing things. He desires us to be willing to try different methods as we “fish” for the souls of men. He knew that a real fisherman is patient.

A Real Fisherman is Passionate

This is the type of person Jesus wants on His team. He is still calling passionate people to follow Him. He longs for his followers to always hate to lose one. Learning from the Lord I try to look for people who are positive, persistent, patient and passionate.

As you memorize this verse, meditate on the wonder that the Lord Jesus still uses ordinary people, like you and me, to do such extra ordinary things for this glory. “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

2 Chronicles 7:14

Within each of us is a longing for more, a season of new spiritual refreshing, and a personal revival if you will. God has given His own recipe for revival.

I. GOD’S DESIRE (“If My people…then…”)

God longs to send a spirit of revival to his people. He is "not willing that any should perish….” 2 Peter 3:9. But, He will not overrule our wills. Consequently, there is a very real sense in that while revival is always the sovereign work of Almighty God, it is also conditional.

II. GOD’S DESIGN (“If MY people…”)

Revival is conditional upon God’s own people. The problem today is not with the lost, the decay of our culture or the decline of our marketplace. God reveals the real problem is with His own people – with us. History reveals that many great awakenings begin with one man or one woman who becomes desperate for what David called “fresh oil.”

III. GOD’S DEMAND (“…humble themselves, pray, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways…”)

To humble ourselves is to recognize and confess our need for “much more.” True humility avoids pride and self-centeredness. It involves a broken spirit before the Lord. Likewise every true revival in history has been born and cradled in the place of prayer. If we would seek God’s face as much as we seek His hand, we would be on the way to revival. And it is not enough to simply be sorry for our sins; we must also “forsake” them.

IV. GOD’S DELIGHT (“…I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”)

God delights that we would appropriate all that the cross entails, so his death would not be in vain. He delights in healing our hearts and homes more than we do.

Psalm 100

Perhaps there is no more familiar passage for the Thanksgiving season than Psalm 100. Most of us know it by heart. Yet in the midst of all its lofty grandeur it explains to us why we are a thankful people in verse five.

We are thankful this season because of:

I. An Essential Truth… "the Lord is good."

II. An Eternal Truth… "His mercy is everlasting."

III. An Enduring Truth... "His truth endures to all generations."

What beautiful and true words. No wonder the sweet Psalmist of Israel admonishes us to "Be thankful and bless His name!"

Acts 2:1–47

Modern church growth has never seen a day when it has attempted to be more relevant to a culture than in our day. Isn't it a bit ironic that in all of our quests to be relevant we seem to be less relevant than ever before in our attempts to influence the culture around us? If the box office success of Mel Gibson's film “The Passion of the Christ” has taught us anything it is that people (saved and lost alike) are not afraid to hear the truth about the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many pulpits have been silent for years about such themes and some even refuse to sing hymns regarding the blood of Christ. Is it really any wonder that so many of these same churches sit virtually empty on Sunday mornings?

The secret of a great church in the eyes of God is seen in the second chapter of Acts with the birth of the church. Here our Lord lays out His four pillars of a healthy church. There is the element of participation, proclamation, preservation and propagation.

I. Participation (Acts 2:1–13)

These early believers were “all together” and “all filled”. They found their strength in participation with each other (unity) and participation with God (unction).

II. Proclamation (Acts 2:14–40)

These early believers preached the word of God. Peter stood up at Pentecost and took his text from the book of Joel, illustrated it with a couple of Psalms and proclaimed the gospel, the cross and the resurrection.

III. Preservation (Acts 2:41–46)

These verses tell us this early church “continued steadfastly” in the apostle’s teachings. They “devoted themselves” to prayer and fellowship. People did not come through one door of the early church and then escape out the back door.

IV. Propagation (Acts 2:47)

These early believers went everywhere witnessing, and the Bible states; the Lord added to their number daily those being saved.

Healthy churches are known by balanced ministries that have all four of these elements found in Acts chapter two. They live together in love and unity and are being filled with the Holy Spirit, they make much of the preaching of the Word of God, they have ministries designed to preserve new converts and they continue to exist for those who are not there yet!

Note: For a more detailed explanation including illustrations, word studies, etc. see the book, Revive Us Again, (Broadman Press, 1990) by O.S. Hawkins which deals with Acts 2 in its entirety.

1 Chronicles 29:1–20

In this informative and instructive chapter of scripture we find King David and his people confronted with a challenge similar to many who are presently expanding their church ministries. The time had come to build the temple. David seized the opportunity to raise the money for this incredible, God-ordained building and left us some Biblical guidelines for supernatural giving “for such a time as this.” Note seven vital principles that follow.

I. The occasion of our giving.

This template is not for man but for the Lord God.
(1 Chronicles 29:1)
The occasion of our giving is God-caused. If God’s former blessings brought about our future needs, His future blessings will be sufficient to meet the needs His former blessings caused

II. The order of our giving.

I have given…my own personal treasures…then the leaders…offered willingly.
(1 Chronicles 29:2-9)
The pastor and leadership must lead the way in giving and the people will follow.

III. The origin of our giving.

For all things come from You and of Your own we have given You.
(1 Chronicles 29:14)
Our ability to give comes from God. “We have given you only what comes from your hand.”

IV. The object of our giving.

With joy I have seen how your people offer willingly to You.
(1 Chronicles 29:17)
We do not give to brick or to mortar or to the church. We give to Him!

V. The opportunity of our giving.

In the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things.
(1 Chronicles 29:17-18)
We have the opportunity with “uprightness of heart” to be a tremendous witness for Christ by walking by faith.

VI. The objective of our giving.

So all the assembly blessed the Lord.
(1 Chronicles 29:20)
The objective of our giving is that each one of us meets the Lord in the offering and gives by revelation and not by reason so that He gets the praise for all that is done.

VII. The outcome of our giving.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty.
(1 Chronicles 29:10-13)
The ultimate outcome of all we do is that the Lord Jesus Christ might be glorified and honored and praised. Our desired outcome should always be the glory of the Lord Jesus.

The task before the 21st century church is great. We are a part of something grand and glorious because what we are about is “not for man but for the Lord God.”

Luke 15:11-32

Father’s Day is a time for new ties, long distance calls, Hallmark cards and family dinners. It is amazing how we go through different stages in our relationship with dad. Someone has observed that at age four we say, “My dad can do anything.” At age seven we say, “My dad knows a lot.” At age 12 we say, “Oh well, we can’t expect dad to know everything.” At age 14 many of us have progressed to exclaim, “My dad is hopelessly out of date and old fashioned.” By age 21 we say, “What should I expect? He just doesn’t understand.” At age 25 we say, “Dad knows a little bit but not too much.” Then around age 30 we begin to say, “I need to find out what dad thinks.” At age 40 we ask, “What would dad have thought?” By age 50 we say, “My dad knew everything.” Then, at age 60 we say, “I wish I could talk it over with dad just one more time!”

Tucked away in our Lord’s most familiar parable is a father. He leaves center stage to his sons, one a prodigal and the other in self-pity. He is a model father from whom we can learn so much on this Father’s Day. As we look at him and learn from him, we see him with an open hand, open arms and an open heart.

I. We see Him with an open hand (vv. 11-13)

This dad was wise enough to know the way to keep his children was to open his hand and let them go. Many fathers have lost their kids because they gripped them so tight they never let them go on their own. He could have refused his son’s request. He could have held back the inheritance. He could have used blackmail with the money or played the comparison game with the older brother. But here was a dad who was prepared to stand by what he had put in that boy from childhood (Proverbs 22:6). Some parents hold so tight they lose their children. This dad was wise enough to open his hand and let them go. There are some prodigals who choose to learn the hard way.

II. We see Him with open arms (vv. 20-24)

When the boy came home, the father saw him when he was a great way off and he ran to meet him with open arms. The boy came walking but the father came running! His love had been big enough to release him with open hands, and now it was big enough to receive him with open arms. We are not talking here about a boy who came home with the same rebellious spirit, simply sorry he got caught, but here was a boy truly repentant. And, here was a dad with open arms.

III. We see Him with an open heart (vv. 25-32)

I suppose the most notable characteristic of this model father was his presence and transparency. He was there for his sons no matter what their problems. The most valuable gift he gave them was his presence. When the celebration was on, where was dad? We find him outside with an open heart assuring the wounded older brother of his love and support.

We need more fathers like this one, a father with an open hand, wise enough to know that the way to lose your kid is to hold too tight and the way to keep them is to let them go when the time comes. We need more dads with open arms, always ready to make a way for new beginnings. Finally, we need dads with an open heart, who are transparent and encouraging.

The real message on this Father’s Day is that our Heavenly Father deals with us in the same way. He has open hands toward us. We are not puppets, but people, and the love we can voluntarily return to him is indescribably valuable to Him. He meets us with open arms, and never were they opened as wide as on the cross. He shows us His open heart. He opened it on Calvary for the whole world to see and He invites us into His arms today.

Luke 15:11-32

Father's Day...for many it’s a time for new ties, long-distance calls, Hallmark cards, and family meals. I was fortunate to have had a father who blessed me with his presence. He was always there. Football season turned into basketball season, then into track season followed by baseball season and then back to fall football again and he was always there. Even now as I pen these words my mind is flooded with memories of summer vacations, playing catch in the backyard, learning the golf swing, and a myriad of other father-son endeavors. Because he was there, life went pretty smoothly for me. His presence seems to be the common thread that was woven through my childhood experiences.

It is amazing how we go through stages in life in our relationship with our dads. Someone has said that at age four we explain, "My dad can do anything." At age seven we say, "My dad knows a lot." By age 12 we're saying, "Oh well, we can’t expect Dad to know everything." At age 14 we say, "My dad is hopelessly out of date and old-fashioned." By the time we reach 21 years of age we are saying, "What should I expect? He just doesn't understand." At age 25 we begin to say, “My dad knows a little bit but not too much." By age 30 we say, "I need to find out what Dad thinks." At age 40 we ask, "What would Dad have thought?" By the time we hit 50 we're saying, "My dad knew everything!" And, at 60 years of age we usually say, "I wish I could talk it over with Dad just one more time."

There are not a lot of role models around today. However, there’s one tucked away in the parables of our Lord who is overlooked because he gives away center stage to his two sons. He is the father in the story of the prodigal son and the older brother. There is much we can learn from him on this Father's Day. He parented his sons with an open hand, with open arms, with an open heart. Let's look at him and learn from him on this Father's Day.

We see him with an open hand saying, "I release you!"

Then He said: A certain man had two sons.

And the younger of them said to his father, “ Father, give me the portion of g oods that f alls to me.” So he divided to them his livelihood.

And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living (Luke 15:11-13)

He lets him go. James Dobson might call this “tough love.” Here’s a dad who is wise enough to know that what he puts in his child at a young age determines what he becomes later. This father in Luke 15 was obviously an example in the home and gave his sons some absolutes. Therefore, there was something against which to rebel.

Dads should not only be material providers, as important as that is. Nor, should they be only mental providers, as vital as that is. They should be moral providers.

The father in our story opened his hand to his boy and let him go when the time came. He could have refused. He could have held back the inheritance. There are times when a dad knows what's best but still lets his son go. He could have denied the request. He could have blackmailed his son with the inheritance. He could have done like many modern parents today and played the comparison game..."why can't you be like your big brother?" "What are you trying to do, break your mother’s heart?"

Here’s a dad who was prepared to stand by what he’d put in his boy from childhood. Solomon said that we are to “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he’s old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6). Some parents hold their kids so tight that they actually end up losing them. He let him go. He did not send a servant to spy on the boy. As much as his heart was breaking, as much as he knew wrong decisions were ahead, we see him with an open hand saying, “I release you.”

Yes, he let him go but he never gave up on him. No matter how dedicated a home may be, there are seasons of disappointments which sometimes come our way. The boy left home to be free but unfortunately became a slave. The Bible tells us that “when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything” (Luke 15:16). How many times does this happen when we get outside our umbrellas of authority which God has placed over us. A beautiful thing happens in the story. Verse 17 says that he “came to himself.” All those years of training had paid off. He said to himself, “This is not for me. I’ve been taught better than this.” Here we find the truth of Proverbs 22:6. The boy came to his senses and all those years of training produced their intended results. I can see the father now, constantly scanning the horizon. He never gives up. He is a model father for us on this Father’s Day because we see him first with an open hand. He was wise enough to know the way to keep his son was to let him go and the way to lose him was to hold him tight.

We see him with open arms saying, “I receive you!” Luke 15:20-24

And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

And the son said to him, “ Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

But the father said to his servants, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.”

We all know the story well. The boy comes to himself and heads home. “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” He ran to meet him with open arms. The boy came walking but the father came running! His love had been tough enough to release him and now it was tender enough to receive him. The boy begins his speech but he never gets to give it. The father is full of forgiveness. We see him with open arms. There were no crossed arms here. No pointed fingers nor clinched fists. There was no cross examination of where he’d been nor were there any “I told you so’s.” There were simply open arms.

The Bible says the father had “compassion” (Luke 15:20). This word means “to suffer with.” Here was a dad who knew what the boy was going through. The boy came home with hopes of only being a hired servant but was received as an honored son.

One of the beautiful things of the story is that not only did the father receive him and forgive him but he did not hold a grudge. He could have said, “Welcome home, I’ll forgive you but you’ve got a lot of proving to do.” Now, this does not mean that restoration should be without parameters. We’re not talking about a boy here who came back with the same rebellious spirit with which he left nor are we talking about a boy who simply was sorry he got caught. His boy returned home different.

Here was a son who had shown true repentance. First, this boy regretted his deed. “He came to himself and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger” (Luke 15:17). Next, he took responsibility and blamed himself for his actions. He was prepared to say, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you” (Luke 15:18). Next, he acknowledged his father’s right to be displeased with him. He says, “I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.” Then, he resolved to sin no more. The scripture goes on to say that “He arose and came to his father.” In verse 17 he changed his mind. The result was in verses 18 and 19 he changed his heart. And in verse 20 his actions were changed. This is the way to repentance. It begins with a change of attitude which always results in a change of affection which then results in a change of action. “He arose and came to his father.”

What a beautiful picture we have of this loving father. We see him with open arms receiving his son. Some relationships are strained because some will not accept the offending person’s repentance. However, the Bible says that “love does not take into account a wrong suffered.” Here we see a beautiful picture of our heavenly Father. How thankful we are that God does not deal with us according to our sin but according to His tender mercy when we come home to Him in genuine repentance.

Look at this model father. We see him with an open hand saying, “I release you.” We see him with open arms saying, “I receive you.” Finally:

We see him with an open heart saying, “I respect you!” (Luke 15:25-32)

Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

And he said to him, “Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.”

But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.

So he answered and said to his father, “Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.”

And he said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.”

The most notable characteristic of this dad was his presence, his transparency. He was there for his boys. No matter what either of their problems seemed to be, they had one thing in common, their father’s presence. The most valuable gift he gave his sons was his presence. He showed his sons respect and opened his heart to them.

Here was a dad who reminds us on this Father’s Day of the importance of keeping things in perspective. Once the party began with its celebration of the return of the prodigal boy we find his older brother was angry and would not go into the party. When his father came out to meet him with an open heart the older son complained that he had been faithful all those years and had never been given “a young goat” that he might be merry with his own friends. It is interesting that they were killing the fatted calf for the party. To sulk about a goat at a time like that was sheer folly. The older brother had lost all sense of proportion. How fortunate he was to have had a father who was focused and who came to him with an open heart.

Can you picture the scene? The party is going on and the festivities are at a high point. But where is dad? He is outside with an open heart assuring the wounded older son of three important things. His abiding presence. He said, “Son, you’re always with me” (Luke 15:31). He was assuring him of his abundance provision, “all that I have is yours” (Luke 15:31). And with an open heart he also was assuring him of his own achieved purpose. “Your brother was dead and is alive again, was lost and is found” (Luke 15:32).

We do not know how the story ends. Did the older boy go into the party? Did he remain outside? We simply do not know. Perhaps the Lord Jesus left the issue shrouded in silence so that you could complete the story today.

I want to be a father like the dad we find in Luke 15. Here was a man with an open hand. He was wise enough to know that the way to keep his kids when they mature is to let them go. Here was a man with open arms. He was always ready to make a way for new beginnings. Here was a father with an open heart. He was transparent and encouraging and blessed his sons with his presence.

Everything this father tells us about fatherhood comes to a very interesting point. There may be someone reading these words who has not known a dad with an open hand or open arms or an open heart. The good news is our Lord said, “I will be a father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters” (II Cor. 6:18). The real message on this Father’s Day is about our heavenly Father. He is a loving father with an open hand. He lets us go. We’re not puppets, we’re people. Thus, He lets us go because the love we can voluntarily return to Him is indescribably valuable to Him. He may let us go but He never gives up! He is a loving father with open arms and never were those arms open wider than when they were on the cross. He is a loving father with an open heart. He opened it for all of us at Calvary when He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him!

Yes, perhaps our Lord left the end of the story as He did without our ever knowing whether the elder brother went into the party in order that we might complete the story today. When we do we will find a loving heavenly father not only with an open hand and open heart, but with open arms to receive us.

Genesis 1:1

Everyone has a worldview. We all view life through some type of lens. Certain predisposed persuasions or, seemingly, benign biases do, in fact, determine how each of us views our world. Presently the western world is engaged in a huge confrontation between competing worldviews. However, even though worldviews may change across the decades, there is a single constant that does not change. The simple fact is that one’s worldview can be determined by one’s response to the first four words of the Bible; “In the beginning God….” If we believe these four words then we will view our world through the lens of scripture which does not change.

When? (In the beginning)

It should be noted that history does not begin in Genesis 1:1 but back before it, way back in the eternal councils of God. As John begins his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” So that there be no mistake about whom he spoke, he added, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1, 14).

Who? (God)

The Bible translates the Hebrew, Elohim, here for “God.” The significance is that it is in its plural form. It is a plural noun thus hinting to us in the initial verse of scripture that God is one person pictured in three, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

What? (Created the heavens and the earth)

There is a huge difference between “creating” something and “making” something. Many of us have made many things. But, none of us has ever created anything from of nothing. A cabinet maker may make a beautiful cabinet out of wood. However, he is totally unable to create the wood itself. The Hebrew word which we translate “created” in this verse carries with it the connotation that something is created out of nothing.

Make these four words; “In the beginning God…” the lens through which you view your world.

John 6:10-14

Introduction

Anyone who has taken an introductory course in economics has discovered a basic law which governs this discipline. It is commonly referred to as “the law of supply and demand.” Simply stated, when demand exceeds supply prices rise, and when supply exceeds demand prices fall. A grocer who has people lined up outside his store for apples and has only a small supply is inclined to raise the price of the apples, knowing they are in great demand. On the other hand, should he have a large supply of apples and no one wants any, he is then inclined to lower the price, hoping to move them off his shelves before they rot. This simple law of supply and demand drives our economy.

I. Without Christ, demand always exceeds supply and the cry is not enough (vv. 1-9)

There was a demand (thousands of hungry people) for which there was no apparent supply. When Christ is not factored into the equation of life the cry is always, “not enough.” Why did this problem ensue?

No sense of planning (vv. 1-5)

All those folks got away from home without proper planning.

No sense of purpose (vv. 5-9)

Phillip’s first thought was related to how much it would cost to feed that many people. Andrew started well, There is a lad here with five loaves and two fish. But then he crashed also, But what are they among so many? There are Phillips and Andrews still around today constantly looking over the scene with only human ideas. Jesus was testing them (v. 6) hoping they would find purpose in the plight.

No sense of potential (v. 9)

Look at the lad. He left home that day with the potential to feed thousands and did not even know it!

II. With Christ, supply always exceeds demand and the cry is more than enough!   (vv. 10-14).

When Christ is factored into the equation of life the cry is always more than enough. What set this all in motion? The boy gave (vv. 9-10). The boy gave all (v. 11). The Lord could have performed the miracle with one loaf and one fish but he didn’t. The boy gave again (vv. 12-13). We never give anything to Christ and lose it. There was more than enough…12 basketsful remained.

Conclusion

When we live our lives without factoring Christ into the equation of life, demand will always exceed supply and the cry will be not enough. “Just a little more” will be our constant plea. However, when Christ is factored into the equation, supply will always exceed demand and the cry will be more than enough!

Acts 6:1-7

The church of our Lord Jesus Christ is not simply a local organization, it is a living organism. It is supernatural in its function. A study of the rapid growth and divine blessing upon the early church reveals that one of their most important ingredients was love and unity among the family of faith. By the time we reach the sixth chapter of Acts the church has been exploding and thousands of people have been born into the family of God. It is at this point that God gives a gift to the local church. It is the gift of the ministry of the deacon. There’s nothing in the New Testament that gives credence to what has evolved into a “board of deacons” in the modern church. The New Testament model was more of a “fellowship of deacons” whose primary function was to be servants and to maintain the unity of the fellowship in the bond of peace. The ministry of the deacon finds its roots almost 2,000 years ago in the church at Jerusalem. Note first:

Its instigation

“Now 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 is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables” (Acts 6:1-2).

As the “number of the disciples was multiplying” there arose a problem in the church. Great numbers were being saved. Satan had tried his best to corrupt the church from without in the fourth and fifth chapters of Acts. He had seen that Peter and John were arrested and others of the Apostles met similar fates and were thrown into prison. They were placed before various tribunals, they were beaten, and they were commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus Christ again. But persecutions from without simply grew the church that much more. Now, as we come to Acts chapter 6 we see that Satan’s modus operandi changes. Now he seeks to corrupt from within. How? Jealousy. There arose murmuring and complaining among members of the church. It is now that the ministry of the deacon is born. In fact, it was birthed out of a problem in the church.

The Hellenistic Jews were convinced that the Hebraic Jews and the Apostles were showing favoritism to each other and that they were being slighted. Jealously arose within the family of faith. The Hebraic Jews were natives of Palestine. They were more conservative and traditional in their approach to life. The Hellenistic Jews were Greek-speaking Jews from other nations who had gathered in Jerusalem. They tended to be more cosmopolitan and more progressive. They began to complain that partiality was being shown toward their Hebraic brothers. Jealousy had raised its ugly head.

There were two primary dangers that faced the early church at this stage of its growth. One was prejudice. The Grecian Jews perceived that the Apostles were prejudiced against them. The other danger was professionalism. That is, that the preacher and leaders could be hired to do all the work. The Apostles very wisely threw the ball back into the court of the fellowship of faith. Thus, the office of the deacon was born out of a potential problem. The wisdom of the early church leaders is apparent when we read the names of those first seven deacons. Listen to their names ... Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas. All seven of these names are Hellenistic names. In reaching out to those who felt slighted, the Apostles appointed the first seven deacons solely from the group of Hellenistic Jews.

Thus, the ministry of the deacon finds its instigation in service. In meeting the needs of the membership. Why? In order to keep the unity of the family of faith in the bond of peace. Deacons ought to be the best at that of anyone. The primary reason for their existence is not to cause dissension but to maintain love and unity among the family of faith. This is their origin. This is the very reason the ministry of the deacon was instigated.

Its initiation

“Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business” (Acts 6:3).

What are the qualifications, the requirements, for initiation into the ministry of the deacon? Acts 6:3 lays them out, “therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, to whom we may appoint over this business.” The first qualification is that they be a believer. Note the word “brethren.” In Greek it comes from a word that means “from the same womb.” These were brothers in the truest sense. Born out of the same blood: the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. This ministry of the deacon was born out of fellowship of a life based on a common origin. That is, they were to be of one heart and one mind with the Apostles. They were to be brothers in the truest sense.

Note secondly that they were to be “men.” The Apostles said, “seek out from among you seven men” (Acts 6:3). Often when we read the word “men” translated in the New Testament, it is the Greek word anthropos. This is the generic word from which we get our word anthropology. It means men and women. For example, it is found in Matthew 5:16 when Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men.”  Obviously, he didn’t mean that we were only to be a witness to men but by using the word anthropos He meant generically men and women. However, this is not the word we find in the initiation of the deacon into the fellowship of the church. Here it is the word andras. This word means male or husband as opposed to female. These seven who served in the initial ministry of the deacon were not only to be believers but they were to be men.

Next, they were to have integrity. In the words of Acts 6:3 they were to be “of good reputation.” This word comes from the word which means witness or martyr. These were to be men who could be counted on, whose life was characterized by an inner power and not an outer promotion. Integrity is rooted in private life and good reputation resulted in the witness of these good and godly men.

They were also to be “full of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:3). There are a lot of deacons who are believers, men, and filled with integrity who have been chosen to serve the church on the basis of social standing or scholarship, rather than spirituality. It is important that the deacon be a man who is “full of the Holy Spirit.” This is the direct command of Ephesians 5:18 which is to “be filled with the Holy Spirit.” The evidence of that is found in the following verses in the Ephesians 5 passage. In verse 19 there is an inward expression. The evidence is “singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” The one who is full of the Holy Spirit will have a song in his heart. It is the inward expression of a life that’s full of God’s spirit. There’s also an upward expression in the next verse, Ephesians 5:20. You will find him “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He will have an attitude of gratitude. And, finally, there is an outward expression. Ephesians 5:21 finds him “submitting to one another in the fear of God.” The initiation of a deacon should be for one who is a believer with integrity and who is full of the Holy Spirit.

Note also that he is to be “full of wisdom.” The word is wisdom here and not knowledge. There is a world of difference. Knowledge is the accumulation of facts. Wisdom is the ability to discern between facts and apply them to points of need. We get wisdom from God. James says that if any of us lack wisdom we can “ask of God” and it will be given to us.

Thus, we find the instigation of the ministry of the deacon being born out of a problem of murmuring and complaining. The number one job of a deacon is to maintain love and unity in the family of faith. Next we find its initiation. Those who qualify as deacon are those who are men who know Christ, who are filled with integrity, and full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.

Its integration

“Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:3-4).

Here we see the beautiful expression of the church as the Apostles integrated their gifts with the gifts of the layman. They blended together to serve the church in mutual appreciation and mutual respect.

The deacon had his particular points of reference. They were appointed by the Apostles to be “over this business.” The Greek word translated “business” appears 49 times in the New Testament and this is the only time that it is translated “business.” The other 48 times it is translated “need.” We get our word “deacon” from the word that’s translated “distribution” in Acts 6:1 and the word translated “serve” in Acts 6:2. The same Greek word translates both of these words. It is the noun “diakonos.” It is a compound word from two words in Greek. There is a preposition meaning “through” and a noun which means “dust”. The very word means “through the dust”. Its root is found in that of a foot washer, a servant who was charged with the task of washing the dust off people’s feet. This word appears 30 times in the New Testament and 27 of those times it is translated “minister” or “servant.” Only three times is it translated “deacon” or “deaconess.” Phoebe is referred to as a deaconess which obviously means she was a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. For those who have been initiated into the ministry of the deacon as we find the seven men in Acts 6, we see that their primary task was that of serving. They were primarily responsible for “serving tables” and distributing relief supplies to widows. They had their origins in meeting the needs of the fellowship in the spirit of a foot washer and in the spirit of service.

When the deacon performs his ministry there’s a beautiful integration with that of the pastor. We note in Acts 6:4 that this freed the pastors to “give themselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” This integration of the ministry of the deacon and the pastor provides a means for building great churches in the eyes of God.

The most important factor in church growth is the integration of the lay people and the ministerial staff. Every member should be a ministry. No one is unimportant. The usher and the preacher are in the same ministry. I always told our ushers in my pastorates that if an individual walked through the door and felt unwelcome or had a bad experience he would never hear a word the preacher was saying. Churches that have the blessing of God are those who are wise enough to see the integration of the ministry of the pastor and the deacon.

Its inspiration

“And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. Whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6:5-7).

What is the result of all these things coming together? It inspires unity. “The saying pleased the whole multitude” (Acts 6:5). Unity prevailed in the family of faith. It is interesting that of all the seven men who are listed in Acts 6:5 as the original deacon body, only three of them are ever mentioned again. This illustrates the principle that most of God’s work is carried on by unknown, unsung heroes who quietly and without self-promotion carry out their God-given duties off the stage and away from the spotlight. When you see a healthy church you’ll know it is because there have been generations of deacons who have lived their lives, tithed their income, been faithful to their church, and were serious about their task, and left a legacy for those who came after them. The integration of the deacon and the pastor inspires unity.

It also inspires the spreading of the Gospel. “Then the word of God spread and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem” (Acts 6:7). Previously in Acts we hear how believers had been “added” to the church in Jerusalem. Now we read that the disciples “multiplied greatly” in Jerusalem. This always follows unity. Unity is the number one factor in church growth.

The ministry of the deacon finds its instigation in Acts 6. Every deacon should ask himself a question…“Why am I a deacon?” The very office of the deacon was born out of a problem. The deacon’s primary task is to serve and to keep the unity in the church. It is not to dictate nor rule over the church. Initiation into this ministry is vitally important. What should characterize the deacon? He should be a true believer of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and full of wisdom. Next, integration is vital. How should the church be run? It should function by an integration of the ministry of the pastor and the deacon. The early church was wise in that it gave up leadership to the Apostles and they gave up ministry to the laymen. Finally, there’s an inspiration in the functioning of the deacon ministry. It should all be about the business of inspiring unity which in turn inspires the ministry of the word which in turn inspires a multiplying of men and women coming to faith in Jesus Christ.

Our prayers should be that it might be said of the 21st century church of the Western world what was said of the 1st century church in Jerusalem, that “the word of God spread and the number of disciples multiplied greatly” (Acts 6:7).