Keep the fire of the Lord burning

Leviticus 9:22-24 "Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he stepped down after making the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. 23 Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 Then fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces."

Introduction

I was thinking upon this particular passage of scripture a few days ago. Aaron, Moses' brother, was chosen by God to be the first high priest of Israel. His family and clan and tribe were the chosen portion of Israel that were set aside by God to represent His interests to the people. The Book of Leviticus represents the Israelite's first month or two of life following their Exodus from Egypt. We see the beginnings of their journeys and the start of a ministry. As God was finalizing all of the instructions to Aaron and his sons through Moses, the one feature of their calling and office as priests had to do with keeping the fire burning upon the altar (see Leviticus 6:13).

Undoubtedly the preparation for the moment recorded for us in Leviticus 9 was momentous. The priesthood of Israel was a special office commissioned by God. Aaron and his sons had experienced the prescribed rituals of anointing and donning of garments. However, one thing was needed - the fire of God. Lest the Spirit of God would come and kindle the altar, the priesthood would remain a ritual - and not a relationship with the covenant keeping God of Israel. 

The scene must had been truly an emotional one as the Jewish Levitical priesthood was getting underway. The people were present. Moses was there. Aaron and his sons were arrayed in their white garments. Then the fire came. The corporate spiritual life of a nation could now officially begin. They had experienced the deliverance by God from Egypt and were at the place God had called them. But until the fire of His presence kindled that altar, the ministry, the life of following God - could not commence nor continue. 

Matthew Henry, the great commentator of old wrote these words: "This fire did, as it were, take possession of the altar. The fire was thus kindled in God’s house, which was to continue as long as the house stood, as we read before, Lev. 6:13. This also was a figure of good things to come. The Spirit descended upon the apostles in fire (Acts 2:3), so ratifying their commission, as this spoken of here did the priests’. And the descent of this holy fire into our souls to kindle in them pious and devout affections towards God, and such a holy zeal as burns up the flesh and the lusts of it, is a certain token of God’s gracious acceptance of our persons and performances. That redounds to God’s glory which is the work of his own grace in us." 

Henry continues: "Hereby we know that we dwell in God, and God in us, because he hath thus given us of his Spirit, 1 John 4:13. Now henceforward, (1.) All their sacrifices and incense must be offered with this fire. Note, Nothing goes to God but what comes from him. We must have grace, that holy fire, from the God of grace, else we cannot serve him acceptably,Heb. 12:28. (2.) The priests must keep it burning with a constant supply of fuel, and the fuel must be wood, the cleanest of fuel. Thus those to whom God has given grace must take heed of quenching the Spirit."

Israel of the Old Testament was characterized by the heavenly fire of Yahweh. Such fire represented the Person of the Spirit of God attending with His people. God was the One that met Moses in the fiery bush and revealed His name as Yahweh (Exodus 3:14). Moses' calling could not commence without that confirmation of God's glorious presence. The beginnings of Aaron's ministry, the ministry of the tabernacle and the much later ministry of the temple built by Solomon had with them the coming of the heavenly fire. 

In the New Testament we see yet again the Holy Spirit descending upon His church. The church worldwide and on the local level is composed of all born-again people who are classified as a spiritual priesthood (1 Peter 2:9-10). Jesus had told his disciples to wait and tarry in Jerusalem until the Power from on High came down (see Acts 1:8). The one crucial difference between the Spirit's ministry in the Old Testament and today is that whilst He dwelt with and among the people in O.T Israel; He now permanently dwells in and through the church. Lest the Spirit comes, indwells at salvation and continues to lead and guide in sanctification - no spiritual life and service to God will commence or continue. The Spirit did come. 

When He comes into our hearts at salvation, simultaneously faith issues forth. True, genuine trust is issued froth by the sinner and they freely embrace Jesus Christ - resulting in their conversion. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 notes: "Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour." Scripture describes this miracle as regeneration or the new birth (John 3:1-5; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3,23). 

When a man preaches a sermon or a anyone serves God in any capacity, they can only do so by the Spirit's continuing work of gifting and empowerment in their post-conversion Christian walk (Ephesians 4:11-12). Today, I simply close with the thought that as Christians, we need to tend to the fire of God kindled in our human spirit by the Holy Spirit. Let's keep the fire burning and thus serve God with joy and gladness!

Christians should forbear one another because of God's forbearance

Romans 2:4  "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"

In yesterday's post we considered God's forbearance and why it is that we ought to be thankful for it. Forbearance is that quality of God whereby He chooses beforehand to "bear with" His people. Even when we at times fail God, He won't deny us, since He won't deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). 

Today we want to understand why it is necessary for God's people to excercise this quality with one another. In Christian theology, God's characteristics or attirbutes are sometimes described in one of two ways: incommunicable and communicable attributes. I'm sure you have heard the term "communicable disease", meaning an illness that can be transmitted from one person to another. Communicability is that property that results in similar symptoms between the infected person and the carrier of the disease. The opposite of this word is incommunicable - referring to a characteristic that cannot be passed on or mimicked in another person. 

With God, there are incommunicable attributes (such as omniscience, omnipotence, etc.), meaning that no other being in the universe shares such qualities. With God, there are also communicable attributes (love, mercy, forbearance, etc.) that creatures mimic with respect to their Maker. Hence, God's people love one another because God first loved them (1 John 4:19). The basis for all ethical behavior is rooted in the Goodness of God, being that such an attribute is communicated and expressed in a creaturely way by the creature. 

Now why this little theological discussion? Simply put, Christians are commanded to forebear one another based upon God's forbearance of them. Ephesians 4:1-2 reads: "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love." What rationale is there for following through with this command? God forbeared us. Colossians 3:13 states: "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." 

Only when I am relying upon God's character already resident in me by the Holy Spirit will I then forbear others. Since this constitutes on of God's communicable attributes, then this means that forbearance is reliant upon God to work through me, and me with Him. We must pray for God's forbearance to work forth in our lives while aiming to yield ourselves to His influence. Psalm 36:10 reminds us: "O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart."

So may all who are Christians reading this post - remember that by forbearing other believers, you are in effect acting as Jesus would. If you are not a Christian and are reading this post, let me close with this verse, Romans 3:24-25 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God".

We need to get back to God-centered church life

Acts 2:46-47 "Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God andhaving favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved."

Introduction: 

As a pastor who has ministered in both the 20th and 21st centuries, I have begun reaching the point in my life where I can see certain trends. Years ago I was in a conversation with someone who posed the following question: "is church ministry to be designed around the needs of believers or unbelievers?" I'll admit at the time that question was posed, I had no answer. Certainly one could argue in either direction. Whenever you look at the past 75 years of American church life, it appears that many have tried to embody one or the other option.

So who is the church for? What should our church ministries be catering to?

Many churches of by-gone days opted to do everything they did to meet the needs of the church membership. To one degree there is nothing wrong with meeting the needs of people. Yet in many cases, if we were to ask the question: who is the church for? The answer from some would be mainly to serve the needs of church members. 

In trying to correct an over-emphasis towards focusing only on the needs of members, some churches have opted to go in the other direction. Typically the aim is to create worship spaces that are more "user-friendly" and cater to those who are called "seekers". Seeker-sensitive approaches to church-life aim to create an environment for an unbeliever who walks into our fellowship and worship services doesn't feel threatened, guilted or uncomfortable. The architecture and ministry scheduling purposefully appeal to unbelievers and seekers moreso than believers. The faulty logic in this approach begins with the category of "seeker". 

The Bible teaches that the only person who truly seeks God is the person who has been born-again by faith in Jesus Christ (John 1:12-13). People can prior to conversion express curiosity about Christianity, however the perceived benefits to them, rather than Jesus Himself, is the fuel for their curiosity. Unless the Holy Spirit is actively at work in the person's soul, showing them Jesus and their need to trust in him, no person will seek God, despite the right lighting, ease of worship services and lessening of the demands of Christianity (Romans 3:10-13). 

I can recall growing up in the late 70's and 80's and having Sunday nights dedicated to singing Gospel groups, church bake sales and the like. Then in the 90's and New Millennium, attending services where there was drama productions, light shows and high-powered music. Both approaches appealed respectively to believers and moreso unbelievers. The key word in all of these approaches is "attractional ministry", whereby we are doing all we can to get as many people to come and be involved. The sincerity behind both of these approaches is unquestionable. To a certain level, churches ought to be the most inviting places to come and certainly ought to be doing all they can to reach the unconverted. 

Whenever we consider the early church in the book of Acts, the audience to which the early church attempted to make a fitting envornment for was not believers, nor unbelievers, but God. Now before readers write me off, let me explain. Peter and the Apostles and the early church majored on five key areas: preaching/ministering of the Word, fellowship, evangelism, small-group ministry and songs of praise and worship. Why? To appeal to God. 

Here's the point - when we aim to make God our audience, believers will be attracted and unbelievers will begin asking questions. Jesus said in John 12:32 that if He be lived high above the earth He would draw all men unto Himself. He also said in Matthew 6:33 if we seek first the Kingdom of God (which was another way of saying "seek first God") and His righteousness (the righteousness found by faith in Jesus), then everything else will be added. 

Picturing the God-centered church as portrayed in the Bible

The American church needs to return to God-centered church life if it aims to reach people. The Risen Christ and His word has been and always will be the "main-draw". Why do we forget that? I don't think we forget. Rather, we think we have a better idea on how to do church. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 1:17-21 that it is through the foolishness of preaching that God confounds the wisdom of this world, convicts the sinner and comforts the saint. Passages such as Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-37 and 5:17-21 teach the early patterns of both corporate worship settings around the Word and small-group ministries dedicated to building relationships with each other while discussing the Word and living life together. Included in the corporate worship of the church are such essentials as the preaching of the scriptures (1 Timothy 4:13-16); celebration of the Lord's Table (1 Corinthians 11) and what would hopefully be the baptism of new converts who had made prior professions of faith as a result of the efforts of the membership, prayer and evangelism (Romans 6:4-11). Scriptures such as Ephesians 5:19-21 and Colossians 3:16 command Christians to incorporate the Word into their expressions of singing of Psalms, Hymns and spiritual songs. Other verses in the Bible command the church, both as a corporate body and as individual believers to share Jesus in evangelism and build up one another in discipleship and Christian growth (Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15-21; Hebrews 3:12-13; Hebrews 10:24-25). This is God-centered church life performing the Word, fellowship, songs of praise and worship, small-group ministry and evangelism. 

Closing thoughts:

My prayer is that readers of this post have understood the intent: to encourage and offer a correction to what can often-times be excesses in church ministry life. I myself am just as guilty of being enticed by fads. This post stands as a word to both myself and all who love the church, love Jesus and more and want to see people reached with the Gospel. The flesh always operates in excess. If anything, we need to construct our methods and motives for doing what we do around God. If we start with God, we will know His heart and then will know the people we need to reach. God in His Word has given us the right focus - Himself. If we begin with God, we will affect people along the way and thus have God as our destination. Let every church and every Christian be about the Word, singing songs of praise and worship, evangelism, getting together in small groups and thus fellowship. What America needs is a church world that is serious about getting focused once again on the Living God and His Word. 

How then shall we live? It all begins with the Pastor - 1 Timothy 3:1-7

1 Timothy 3:1 "It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do."

Introduction:

Today's post is about understanding how the local church ought to live in this world. I'll never forget years ago watching a video series by Christian scholar Francis Shaeffer entitled: "How Then Shall We Live?" In the series, Dr. Shaeffer traced the history of civilization in it's moral and spiritual decline. The challenge of the series was to urge Christians to live Godly intellectual and passionate lives for Jesus Christ. As Paul writes 1 Timothy to young pastor Timothy, he is instructing this young pastor of the strongest church in the ancient world with regards to how he and the church ought to conduct themselves. 1 Timothy 3:15 is the key verse to the entire letter: "but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth." The word translated "conduct" speaks of how one behaves, carries themselves and lives in a certain way. In one ancient source with this word, the meaning pictures a chariot race with horses running down the home stretch to the finish line. 

Undoubtedly, the local church in the 21st century ought to be in the mode of giving all she has for Jesus. Paul's concern in 1 Timothy 3 is addressed to three main groups in the church: the pastor, deacons and church body. The conduct of the local church centers around the question posed earlier: "how then shall we live?" The answer to this question necessarily begins with the pastor. In regards to pastor's conducting themselves in a Godly way, Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 1:12 captures the main point of what we will see in the remainder of today's post: "For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you."

So when we ask the question: "how ought the church live in this 21st century world?"; why begin with the pastor? The pastor is the spiritual leader of the local church, called, sent, went and put. His role in the leadership of the local church is defined by Paul not only for the sake of Timothy and pastors everywhere, but also for the person in the pew. Why do people in the pew need to pay heed to what Paul is writing? Because in explaining how Pastors ought to live, the clear implication is that the pattern and example set forth by the pastor encourages others in determining how they then shall live for the glory of God. 

All sorts of expectations are placed upon pastors by churches. In all honesty, the expectations are a mixture of biblical principles and not-so biblical assumptions gleaned from the culture. Though God's principles for leadership can be learned to a limited extent from the business world and the culture, these assumptions must never define the Pastor's role. Rather they must be sifted through the Biblical sieves of passages such as 1 Timothy 3:1-7. Below we want to consider four key areas that can constitute a pastor's job description and thus in beginning to answer the question: "how then shall we live?"

1. Godly character. 1 Timothy 3:1-3

Much of what Paul writes in these verses about pastor's centers on Godly character. Before we can define "how we ought to live", we need to begin with "how we ought to be". Pastors lead by example and it all begins with godly character. The key term is the idea of being "above reproach", which simply put means that the Pastor (and thus by extension the congregation) ought to be the kind of people that could never be legitimately accused of ungodliness or infidelity to the Gospel. This is at the heart of character. In addition to exercising such character in his marriage, the pastor needs to be a man that practices: 

a. Temperance or self control

b. Prudent or sound in judgment, a good decision maker

c. Respectable or being the kind of man others would want to follow

d. Able to teach or good at expounding the scriptures

e. Not addicted to wine or quite literally, not being near any intoxicating beverage

f. Not pugnacious or not being a bully pastor

g. Gentle and peaceable or being the kind of leader that is not given to sudden mood swings or as someone who intimidates others into submission

h. Free from the love of money or not being greedy. 

Notice the premium that Paul places on Godly character. Is this to say that the pastor ought not to be a good preacher or administrator? No. Certainly those traits are spoken of in either other places in scripture or mentioned further in this chapter. I do find it interesting how much godly character is mentioned as the leading mark of what constitutes a good pastor in the eyes of God. But how else shall a pastor live and be in the church that is aiming to answer the question: "How then shall we live?"

2. Godly Homelife. 1 Timothy 3:2, 4-6

1 Timothy 3:2 states that the pastor or "overseer" needs to be the husband of one wife. Much ink has been spilled over the meaning of this phrase. This blogger believes the New Living Translation (NLT) to be the best rendering of the intent of this phrase: "faithful to His wife". Paul goes on in describing the priority of the pastor's homelife in 1 Timothy 3:4-6 - 

a. Manages his own household or rules it in a sound manner

b. keeping his children under control with all dignity or having children that respect him as a dad and who as a general pattern heed his parenting.

Now why is a Godly home life so important to the congregation? Notice what Paul writes next in 1 Timothy 3:5 - "For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?" This point reminds us that when evaluating a pastor, the first place we need to look at is the homelife. See how his children act and respond to their parents as a general overall pattern. Some pastors may excel in preaching more than administrating, or be better administrators than preachers. Other pastors may be so hands-on as to barely be in the office whereas others prefer mountains of books. Pastoring in the local church requires constant growth and balancing out in all those areas. But if the congregation wants to really know where a pastor is intending to lead the church spiritually, morally and fellowship wise, they need only to look at the condition of the most important flock in his life - the wife and children. Moreover, churches ought to do all they can to encourage the wife and the children, for in doing-so they will do a world of good for the pastor. 

So how ought a local church intend to live? The pastor needs to be a man of Godly character and home life is he is to lead by example in addressing such a question. But now lets notice one final area for Pastors to consider:

3. Godly Testimony. 1 Timothy 3:7

A pastor's life is lived not only among his flock and at home and by himself, but also in the community. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 3:7 "Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap." Although the vast majority of a pastor's focus in this passage is concerned with the state of the people assigned to him by God, this certainly does not exclude his testimony before unbelievers. As a pastor myself, how well do I represent Jesus and our church before those not associated with it. My prayer is always to never bring shame to Jesus nor the church. Even if people in the community were ever to accuse the church of wrong-doing (which is inevitable in a world hostile to the Gospel), I believe if a church and it's pastor is living above reproach, such accusations won't stick. 

Furthermore, the pastor's reputation and dealings with unbelievers ought to not only be evident, but evidently Christ-like. Would it be that all pastors everywhere be the type of men that cause others to feel like they have gotten a glimpse of Jesus Himself. Such an impression can cause discomfort in some for sure, however if a pastor aims to have a good testimony, most will find his presence in the community to be a blessing - not a liability. Even if many of the people with whom I connect with never believe on Jesus Christ, my hope is always that I may never be a contributor as to why they never believed. 

All of these words in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 show us that the pastor is to spiritually lead his flock in living out the faith "once and for all delivered to the saints". (Jude 1:3) He is after all described in 1 Timothy 3:1 as occupying the office of "overseer". The pastor's example serves the church in modeling before them how they ought to live. Though no pastor is perfect, Christ in the pastor and in the church enables the descriptions here in first Timothy to be true realities of Godly living in a world desperately needing to see a church living for God as she ought to live.   

Purpose of Divine Appointments - Acts 28:1-10

Acts 28:1-2  "When they had been brought safely through, then we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The natives showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and received us all."

Introduction:

Paul had survived a storm and a shipwreck along with 275 other fellow prisoners and their Roman captors in Acts 27. The original intent of the journey in Acts 27 was to sail from Caesarea Philippi to Rome, where Paul would appear before Caesar. What was supposed to be a straight journey ended up being an over two-week long ordeal in hurricane force winds with no sun to shine by day nor stars to shine at night. Paul ended up at a little tiny Island called "Malta", just South of Sicily. Concerning Paul's landing on Malta, Bible teacher Woodrow Kroll writes: "Malta is just a 95-square-mile speck in the Mediterranean Sea, but God had miraculously directed Paul's ship to the safety of its shores. This reminds us that not even the depths of the sea can "separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39). When you are in God's hands, you are in good hands". 

When I look at the overall context of Acts 27-28, the overall destination was Rome.  However before Paul was to go to Rome, there had to be a Malta, which literally translated means "refuge". What appeared to be a non-necessary stop along the way was a Divine appointment. Divine appointments are not scheduled by us, but by God. Our date books, planners and phones don't track the when and where God has us to be or land so-to-speak. Nevertheless what can appear to be an inconvenience ends up being an intersection. What can appear to be a profound waste of time or a dead end can be a great moment for the child of God and the very street upon which God would have us to be. Divine appointments are where God meets with us, chooses to use us and then launches us out to continue onto the next destination. Today's post is about considering Divine appointments and their purposes. 

1. Divine Appointments can be for refreshment

As we saw in the opening verses of Acts 28, Paul and these men landed on the Island, and -  "The natives showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and received us all." At times God will put an "off ramp" so to speak for you to be simply shown kindness and love. Paul needed this for what laid ahead.  I have had those wonderful seasons of blissful interruption in my life where it seemed things were suddenly interrupted or that I was on a detour, only to be shown love, encouragement and even healing. But notice whatelse happended at Malta, the "place of refuge".

2. Divine Appointments can demonstrate God's power. 

Acts 28:3-6 tells what happened next to Paul - 3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came outbecause of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they begansaying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and beganto say that he was a god." What intially began as a place of refuge quickly turned sideways - or so it seemed. Paul was bitten by a snake and the incident would end up being used by God to demonstrate His power and the power of the Gospel Paul would preach to these people. Mark 16:17-18 notes this from Jesus to His Apostles - "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” To position Paul for how he would use him, God willed to permit this serpent to be in the cord of wood gathered by Paul. The outcome of not dying from the snake bite opened these people up to the possibility that their new visitor was more than met the eye and that he had a message to tell. Divine appointments are designed by God for the purpose of Him showing up when we least expect it.  When He shows up, we know then that what appeared to be a dissapointment ends up being a Divine appointment.  But now notice the third purpose of Divine appointments, not only refeshment and demonstration of God's Divine power but also....

3. Divine appointments are designed for God to use you to minister to other people.

Acts 28:7-9 notes - 7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us courteously three days. 8 And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted withrecurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.9 After this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and getting cured." Sometimes when we are on our way to our intended destination, God will have a little detour planned that will give us the opportunity to be used by Him. Malta certainly ended up being a place far more than what Paul bargained for. At first he was welcomed and cared for, only to get snake bit and then to see God show up and demonstrate His power. Now Paul was going to be put to work and in this instance God had so gifted Him to perform healings for the residents of that tiny island.  This is the only time Malta is mentioned in scripture and yet it was at this point and time God had chosen to bring healing, deliverance and comfort. Divine appointments are amazing in that the person who is led to be at one ends up being used by God to bless other people.  Now notice the final purpose for Divine appointments...

4. Divine appointments prepare you for the journey ahead.
Acts 28:10 "They also honored us with many marks of respect; and when we were setting sail, they supplied us with all we needed."  Paul's ultimate destination was Rome.  Rome would be where Paul would remain for two years under house arrest. Before it was all said and done, he would end up writing four more letters, preaching the Gospel and bearing witness in the most powerful city on earth at that time.  Much was being required of Paul, and much would be needed. This little stop at Malta proved to be beneficial to the apostle.  No doubt he was invest in as he made investment. People filled up his emotion gas tank and he was spoken into by those new believers. Divine appointments are prescribed by God, being that he alone knows completely what lies ahead.  Will we heed His voice and take advantage of all that a Divine  appointment can offer - a chance to meet and be met by the living God through His word. 

Peter - A Ministry of grace

Acts 3:16 And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

Introduction In a post on July 10 we had looked at "Peter - a testimony of grace". Then on July 16 we picked up another episode in Peter's life in the healing of the lame man in Acts 3:1-10, identifying that miracle as illustrating the miraculous nature of grace.  We saw how God used the Apostle Peter in that miracle, and made some observations concerning how grace is truly miraculous.  Peter's testimony of grace started our periodic study of his life.  Having already investigated the miracle of grace in Acts 3:1-10, we see it explained by Peter in a sermon in Acts 3:11-19.  That sermon highlights what we are calling in today's post: Peter - a ministry of grace.  In today's post I want us to consider what is entailed in a ministry of grace from Peter's second sermon in Acts 3:11-19.

1. Grace of the Savior.  Acts 3:11-18, 20-21
Acts 3:16, quoted at the beginning of this post, demonstrates Peter's constant efforts to point all glory to Jesus Christ.  The ministry of grace will always point beyond itself to Jesus Christ, since He is grace personified as well as its source. (John 1:14; Titus 2:11)

2. Grace of the Scriptures. Acts 3:18, 21-26
Peter did not explain the miracle by his opinion or experience.  Rather Peter appealed to the scriptures.  Scripture was divinely revealed by God to men.  Peter appeals to material from Genesis in Acts 3:13 and 3:25 and the accounts of Jesus' life that would eventually make their way into the Gospel accounts.  The four Gospels had not yet been composed at the time of Peter's sermon. Peter's recounting of Jesus' life proves that the Gospel's are reliable records of what really happened, since Peter's sermon occurred less than a year from when Jesus ascended into heaven.  Peter also makes passing reference to the prophets of the Old Testament and Moses' statements from Deuteronomy 18:15,18 in Acts 3:22. Whenever a ministry is appealing to scripture, it is recognizing that it in and of itself, human creativity is insufficient when it comes to dealing with people's souls.  

3. Grace of the Spirit. Acts 3:19
A ministry of grace will rely upon the Savior, the source of grace and the scriptures, God's verbal expression of grace.  Acts 3:19 demonstrates a third grace in a ministry of grace - the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit Himself is the Agent of the times of refreshing spoken of in Acts 3:19, as seen in an earlier passage, Acts 2:38 - "Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."  Other scriptures speak of the Person of the Holy Spirit bringing forth the refreshing ministry of grace in this current New Covenant era in which we live. (Ezekiel 36:26-27; Hebrews 9:14) 

4. Grace of salvation. Acts 3:19-26; 4:4
A ministry of grace is characterized by the grace of the Savior, scripture, the Spirit and fourthly, salvation.  Salvation is grounded in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  That's the Person of grace.  Salvation occurs only in connection with the scriptures, the power of grace.  Salvation can only be brought about by the work of the Holy Spirit, the Agent of grace. Thus whenever these people heard Peter's sermon, what were the results? Consider Acts 4:4 "But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand."

May you and I dear believer be about doing the ministry of grace to which the Lord has called us.  

Why Christians need the Gospel

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.

When Paul wrote his first letter to the Church at Corinth, he had to deal with quarrels and divisions that had arisen in that congregation. (1 Corinthians 1:11)  In dealing with those issues, Paul proclaimed to the church the only remedy - The Gospel.  As you read 1 Corinthians 1:17-2:5, you quickly discover that the Gospel must not only be heard and believed by sinners in order to be saved, but it must be heard daily by the saints so that they can be more effective in their lives after getting saved.  In todays blog I want you to see the various names the Apostle Paul uses in describing the Gospel that he preaches.  If we can see other names given in scripture for the Gospel message, we can then understand better why as Christians we need to hear the Gospel everyday.

THE GOSPEL....
1. In content "The Word of the Cross."    1 Corinthians 1:18a
2. In its strength "The power of God".     1 Corinthians 1:18b, 24
3. In its resource "The wisdom of God." 1 Cor 1:21, 24b, 30 
4. In its focus "Christ crucified".    1 Corinthians 1:23; 2:2
5. To the world "foolishness of God."     1 Corinthians 1:25
6. To us who believe "testimony of God". 1 Corinthians 2:1
7. Changes lives "demonstration of the Spirit and of Power" 2:4

As Paul preaches this Gospel to these Corinthians, he knows that only the Gospel can change their hearts, call them out of their compromise and reinforce their identity in Jesus Christ.  The purpose of preaching this Gospel and hearing it daily is spelled out in 1 Corinthians 2:5 "so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God." Christians need the Gospel, so that they can operate not on the wisdom and power of men, but of God. 

S.E.R.V.E God - P5 - Exemplify Jesus Christ

2 Timothy 4:12 Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.

It was almost five years since Paul had written the Book of Ephesians.  When he wrote that letter he was under house arrest in Rome.  In this second letter to the second generation pastor Timothy, Paul is writing from a Dungeon.  The ministry veteran Paul is writing what are most likely his final words.  Many of his ministry partners have come and gone.  Out of all of them, Tychicus was one of the very few who remained ready to go wherever Paul needed him.  For over a decade Tychicus has been the "faithful servant of God and beloved brother" to the Apostle Paul. (Ephesians 6:21)  Tychicus has been shown thus far to be a prime example of a servant of God in the following ways:

1. He Seeks God first.
2. He Emphesized Faithfulness.
3. He Reinforced the ministry.
4. He Validated God's people

In this final part of our blog series, we will consider the final letter of our acrostic S.E.R.V.E in defining what it means to serve God, namely: Exemplify Jesus Christ

How did Tychicus exemplify Jesus Christ and how are you and I to do the same?
If seeking God first represents the foundation of the servant of God, with faithfulness, reinforcement of the ministry and validation of God's people as the associated aims, then exemplifying Jesus Christ represents the servant's goal.  Tychicus without a doubt exemplified Jesus Christ, which explains why Paul was eager and confident in sending him in his place to the churches he had established.  As we briefly consider how Tychicus exemplified Christ, you and I can take note of what it means to be Christ-like in our service to God:

1. Humility - Humility is the greatest Christ-like trait in the realm of our mindset in ministry.  Paul writes in Philippians 2:5 "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus."  The word translated "attitude" could just as easily be translated "mindset".  Whatever our minds are set toward, our hearts will follow.  Just as Christ humbled Himself, so are we to be humble in our thoughts, which lead to humble actions.  Tychicus, as far as we can tell, never hesitated to go where he was being sent.  As long as it progressed another square inch for God's Kingdom, Tychicus was ever the eager servant, regardless of what it cost him. 

2. Love - If humility represents the most Christ-like trait of the mind, then love represents the most Christ-like trait of the heart.  Love is considered the greatest of the virtues which issue from the heart. (1 Corinthians 13:5)  Love was the center motivation for the cross. (John 3:16; Romans 5:8) Love is to be the center motivation for obedience (John 14:21-23)  Tychicus was referred to as the "beloved brother".  He was much loved due to the fact that he showed much love.  As God's servants, our hearts need to be full of God's love in order to accomplish the work He has called us to perform. 

3. Diligence - A servant of God should be ready to labor for the Lord.  Tychicus was among the most hardest working ministry partners of the Apostle Paul. He was constantly encouraging and comforting God's people. (Ephesians 6:21-22; Colossians 4:7-8)  Even in Paul's final days, Tychicus was still at Ephesus, undoubtedly helping out Pastor Timothy, the recipient of Paul's final letter.  1 Corinthians 10:31 gives us one of the clearest exhorations concerning diligence -"Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."  

Conclusion - What it means to S.E.R.V.E God
As we close out this study, we can look back and understand what it means to S.E.R.V.E God:
1. Seek God first
2. Emphasize Faithfulness
3. Reinforce the Ministry
4. Validate God's people
5. Exemplify Jesus Christ

To be Christ-like means approaching our service with a humble mindset, a loving heart and a diligency to do the work.  May you and I be servants of God who bring pleasure to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

S.E.R.V.E God - P4 - Validate the Saints

Ephesians 6:22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.

For the past few days we have been interested in unfolding what it means to serve God.  Tychicus has been our model for this study, since he is commended by the Apostle Paul as a faithful minister or servant in the Lord.  The word for servant in Ephesians 6:21 comes from the same Greek word (dee-auk-a-nos) that is translated "deacon" in such passages as 1 Timothy 3:8-13.  All Christians are called to be servants of God, with Deacons being the visible examples to the flock as to the nature of such a calling.  Tychicus has been show thus far to be a prime example of a servant of God in the following ways:

1. He Seeks God first. 
2. He Emphasized Faithfulness.
3. He Reinforced the ministry.

By continuing to use our acrostic S.E.R.V.E, we come to the fourth aim that marks a servant of God, namely in how we are to validate the saints.

How Tychicus was used to validate God's people
To validate someone means to affirm, to comfort to give proof to the cause or action that they are doing.  The church at Ephesus was located in a very pagan city.  It would had been easy for disillusionment to set in.  Furthermore, wondering about the plight of the Apostle Paul in prison could had fueled even further instability in the young congregation.  But Paul had a stretegy: send Tychicus to validate or "comfort" these people in their efforts to be faithful to Christ. (Ephesians 6:22)  The Greek word for "comfort" literally speaks of someone calling another person to walk along side so as to be a friend. 

In Paul's letter written to the Colossians, this same man Tychicus was being assigned the same task for the Colossians church in Colossians 4:7-8 "As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. 8For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts." 

A church composed of God's servants ought to be the most encouraging place
When we are validated in our life and service for Jesus Christ, we desire to live and serve Him all the more.  Of all the places in the world, when we come together as the church, the atmosphere ought to be one of encouragement and validation.  1 Peter 2:16 plainly tells us to live as servants of God.  Servants of God aim to be a support, a validation and encouragement to the cause of Christ being lived out by other fellow servants of the Lord.  Repeatedly the Book of Hebrews urges Christians to come together for the sake of mutual encouragement. (Hebrews 3:12-13 and 10:24-25) 1 Thessalonians 5:11 plainly tells us as Christians: "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing."  May you and I in our service to God remember that we also serve one another for the purpose to encourge, edify and validate the work of the Lord in one another.   




  

S.E.R.V.E God - P3 - Reinforce the Ministry

Ephesians 6:21-22a But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. 22I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us...."

As we continue in this series on what it means to serve God or be a servant of God, we look once again at Tychicus, the faithful servant of God mentioned by Paul in Ephesians 6:21-22.  We have noted so far the following aims of service to God:

1. Seek the Lord First
2. Emphasize Faithfulness

Today we endeaver to note the third aim required for effective service to God, namely reinforcment of the ministry.

Reinforcing God's work derives from three vantage points: upward, inward and outward
Paul has described the type of servant of God that Tychicus is: a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord.  Now in verse 22 we see Paul explaining the purpose for which he is sending Tychicus: "so that you may know about us..."  The reinforcement of any ministry derives from three vantage points: knowing what it is to do from above, knowing who it is within itself and knowing how much advance is being made beyond the view of those doing the ministry.  Let me explain what I mean by these three vantage points.

To know what I am to do as a servant of God from above means gaining my direction from God through His Word. Colossians 3:1-2 states - "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth."   If I know who I am and whose I am in my calling, I will be ready to reinforce the work of God.

But notice secondly that a servant of God or ministry is reinforced by how well it knows itself.  Paul's exhortation to a young minister Timothy speaks well to this point in 1 Timothy 4:16 "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."  Knowing who I am in terms of strengths and weaknesses, gifts and talents, what I am and what I am not - will aid in excercising a necessary Christ-like trait - humility. (compare Philippians 2:5-11) 

Then in reinforcing the ministry as God's servant we note that you must thirdly know what advances are being made beyond or outside the walls of the ministry.  In other words, do you find it encouraging when people come and testify to how much they have grown in their faith as a result of God's work through whatever ministry you are serving?  Testimonies supernaturally motivate us to want to serve God all the more.  (Compare Colossians 1:4-8, 2:1-2, 4:7-8)

Tychicus' role was to inform the Ephesians congregation of what was going on in Paul's imprisonment.  To know that he was not feeling discouraged, but rather joyful over having to suffer for Christ's sake would perhaps motivate them onto greater service for Jesus Christ.  A servant of God aims to look upwards, then inward and finally outward.  Reinforcing the cause of Jesus demonstrates the heart of a true servant of God.  May every Christian, including this blogger, be those servants to aim to serve so as to reinforce the efforts of ministry for Jesus' sake. 

S.E.R.V.E. God - P2 - Emphasize Faithfulness

Ephesians 6:21 But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.

Yesterday I began a new blog series on the subject of serving God.  We are using the acrostic S.E.R.V.E to aid us in unfolding Paul's comments about one of his faithful ministry partners Tychicus.  We noted yesterday that a servant of God first and foremost "Seeks God first" in all things.  Isaiah 55:6 tells us: "Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near."  Then of course Jesus states in Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Seeking the Lord first in all things regulates the motivation and vision of the servant of God.  With that review, we now move onto the second aim of a servant of God, as exemplified here in Tychicus: Emphasizing faithfulness. 

What is faithfulness?
When Tychicus is described in Ephesians 6:21 as a "faithful minister", its not that faithfulness is merely one of his many characteristics, rather it is the essence of who he is.  Faithfulness is when we exhibit faith from one moment to the next.  Think of a string of pearls, wherein each pearl is a response of faith, and the string is the obedience connecting one response of faith to the next.  We know from scripture that obedience from the heart is the chief fruit of genuine faith. (James 2) 

A Faithful servant needs to be operating in the love of God
Tychicus is called a faithful ministry both here and in Colossians 4:7.  We could say that a faithful person in the Lord is one who exhibits not only faith and obedience from faith but also love for God and His people.  Why?  Because in Ephesians 6:21 Tychicus is called "a beloved brother".  Before he is called "faithful", Tychicus is first and foremost a "beloved brother".  Like the term "faithful", belovedness is not one trait among many but rather defines the essence of the man.  If we are to be faithful people, the love of God must flow ever through us like a river through a dry river bed.  Jude 20-21 summarizes this idea best: "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. "

Love motivating duty leads to faithfulness
Faithfulness without the love of God is nothing more than an "exercise of going through the motions".  Faithfulness is not merely doing more and trying harder.  So many Christians and churches have crammed their schedules full of activities, thinking that doing more and trying harder will yield a faithful people.  Yet so often, people get burned out.  1 John 5:19-20 connects the love of God to love of others: "We love, because He first loved us. 20If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also."  

As you and I aim to serve God, may we seek God first, so that we can then emphasize faithfulness. 

S.E.R.V.E God - P1 Seek the Lord First

Ephesians 6:21 But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.

Over the next several days I would like us to think about what it means to serve the Lord.  You may have noticed in the title of this blog that the word "serve" is spelled "S.E.R.V.E".  Why? Because my aim in this series of posts is to unfold, by the Spirit's illumination of the scripture, what it means to serve the Lord.  My main text will be Ephesians 6:21-22, since therein is found a faithful servant of God by the name of Tychicus - more on him in a moment.  For now let us consider the five main ideas we aim to explore in this concept of serving God:

Seek the Lord first.               Ephesians 6:21a

Emphasize Faithfulness       Ephesians 6:21b

Reinforce thhe ministry        Ephesians 6:22a

Validate God's people          Ephesians 6:22b

Exemplify Christ                   2 Timothy 4:12

Tychicus, a servant of God who "hit the mark" for Jesus Christ
Tychicus' (ti-kick-us) name in the original language means: "to hit the mark, to obtain, to master". No doubt the Apostle Paul thought very highly of Tychicus, calling him a "beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord".  This man's track record as a faithful servant of God shines brightly in the New Testament. 

1. In Acts 20:4 we read "And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia." This man, along with other companions of the Apostle Paul, traveled with Paul to Asia from Ephesus some seven years prior to the writing of this letter to the Ephesians.  Thus we see that Tychicus was with the work of God at Ephesus from its inception.

2. In Titus 3:12 we discover this about Tychicus: "When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there." Tychicus was of such caliber that Paul proposed him to possibly come and take Titus' place, so that Titus could join Paul at Nicopolis. 

3. In 2 Timothy 4:12  we read of Tychicus: "Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus."  This is all we read of Tychicus in what is likely Paul's final words.  For over ten years Tychicus had been with the Apostle Paul every step of the way.

The servant of God must seek the Lord first, like Tychicus did
If you and I are to be a people who serve God effectively, we must seek the Lord first.  Making known what was happening to Paul in prison was a matter of updating the Ephesian church on what God's purposes and activities.  Paul states in Ephesians 6:21 "But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you." 




Why would Paul want his readers to know about his circumstances? In another letter of Paul written at about the same time and from the same prison, we read these words in Colossians 2:1-2 "For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself".

A man was needed who could communicate Paul's circumstances in such a way as to not solicit sympathy, but celebration and prayer for Paul and the work that God was doing.  As a servant of God, seeking the Lord first enabled Tychicus to have a God's-eye perspective on what otherwise looked like bad circumstances. 

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."  We also read in Galatians 1:10 "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."

As we conclude today's post, let us remember that if we are going to serve God faithfully and effectively, we must seek Him first in all things. 

The Blessings of God's Godly Servants

1 Chronicles 23:28 For their office is to assist the sons of Aaron with the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts and in the chambers and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of the house of God

The Beneficial Ministry of God's Godly Servants
Over the past week we have been drawing parallels between the three sets of ministering families among the Levites: The Gershonites, Kohathites and Merarites, and the New Testament office of Deacon.  Both groups, though differing in form and in different times of redemptive history, nevertheless have one main theme in common: they are God's Godly servants.

In our study of these groups, we have noticed three primary functions by which each has benefited the people of God:
1. God's Godly Servants Share the Load of Ministry
2. God's Godly Servants Love the things of God
3. God's Godly Servants are Living Families

In looking at these snapshots of the Old Covenant Levites and New Testament Deacons, the question we want to know is: how does the remainder of Biblical history view these sets of servants.  In the scheme of redemptive history, God's Godly Servants ended up benefiting the people of God.

How the Gershonites, Kohathites and Merarites developed through Old Testament History
Over four hundred years after Moses gave instructions in Numbers 3-4 regarding these three clans of the Levites, we wonder: did they still remain intact?  As we fast forward over 400 years later, we discover that all three were organized by David, bearing their same names and carrying on their beneficial service to the Priests serving in the temple. As 1 Chronicles 23:28 shows, they were used of God to benefit His people in the following ways:
1.  They assisted Aaron and his sons, the priesthood
2.  They purified the holy things in the courts and chambers
3.  They served as a family to model to the people what it meant to serve God

Like we already mentioned, their calling to be load carriers in the ministry, love the things of God and be a Living family still carried forth into the days of David.

How Deacons fare in the Bible as God's Godly Servants
As we come to the book of Acts, how did those called to aid in the needs of the widows at Jerusalem fare? Most likely being the forerunners to the Deacon ministry outlined in 1 Timothy 3:8-13, Acts 7-8 records for us the outcomes of two Deacons: Stephen and Phillip.

1. Acts 6:6ff. After the seven Deacons (or forerunners of the office) were chosen, the Bible says many converts resulted and the church grew even more!  No doubt, untold benefits were given due to the church's needs being taken care of by Godly servants who desired to serve God's people with the Spiritual Leaders, the Apostles, who were providing Pastoral leadership of the rapidly growing church. 

2. In Acts 7, Stephen ended up sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with his Jewish oppenents, laying out one of the finest summaries of scripture you would ever want to read.  He loved the things of God and carried the load of ministry, giving his life in the process.

3. In Acts 8, Phillip, another "Deacon", shared the Gospel and a man from Ethiopia ended up believing on Jesus Christ.  Phillip baptized that man, and then was wisked away!  Like Stephen, he too loved the things of God and carried the load of ministry.

4. We know in 1 Timothy 3:7-13 that the office of Deacon is formerly described.  We see there the Deacon's life, home-life and spiritual life being the testing grounds for his qualifications.  Deacons are God's Godly servants in the New Testament who with their wives and children are to be a living family, who loves the things of God and aids the Pastor in carrying the load of the ministry.  This is why we see both offices mentioned in the same chapter. 

5. Philippians 1:1-6.  This letter of Paul is addressed to all the saints in Christ, the Elders and the Deacons.  Paul's positive remarks about the Philippians' faith-walk shows us the by-products of a well-functioning deacon ministry.  When Deacons and the Pastor/Elder work together, fulfilling their respective roles, the congregation is duly equipped to be participators in the Gospel, empowered by God to do His will. (Philippians 1:5-6).

As we can see, Biblical testimony confirms the track records of Deacons who stay faithful to their office and service to the King.  May we as God's people aim to emulate the example we are called to through the Godly servants he put in our lives. 

God's Godly servants share the load of ministry

Numbers 4:31“Now this is the duty of their loads, for all their service in the tent of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle and its bars and its pillars and its sockets"

Acts 6:2-3 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.

For the past several days we have been understanding the ministry of Deacons as God's Godly servants - functioning as models to all Christians of every believer's responsibility to serve the Lord with gladness.  We have been using Numbers 3 and 4 to demonstrate the pattern God set for His people in the Old Testament for Godly service, and how that principle carries forward by illustration into the New Testament.

What God's Godly Servants Demonstrate
As we have noted, God's Godly servants, the Deacons serve to benefit the church in the following ways:

1. They demonstrate the benefit of working together or unity as God's people to get whatever needs done for the glory of God.  Thus they labor together for God's glory.

2. The second thing God's Godly servants demonstrate is love for the things of God.  They are to hold the the mysteries of the faith. (1 Timothy 3:8-9)

3. Thirdly, they demonstrate the importance of Godly families as foundational to God's work in the culture and the church.  Thus they are to be living Godly families. 

The key to understanding Deacon ministry is this: they don't just merely state God's Word with their lips - they also demonstrate God's Word by their lives.  Today we want to consider another benefit of God's Godly servants in the church - namely in how they help carry the load of ministry.  As we have done in the past few blogs, we will use the text of Numbers 3-4 as an illustration of what we see play out in the New Testament ministry of the Deacon.  Today's blog will feature the Levitical clan of the Merarites. We will see how God's Godly servants labor to share the load of ministry.

God's Godly Servants, the Merarites, were to share the load of ministry in the Tabernacle
The Tabernacle was designed by God to be a mobile worship center, which meant that whenever God led the people to set out, it would have to be torn down and set back up.  Over the course of 40 years the people had set up camp in some 42 places! The Merarties took care of the boards, the cords and sockets undergirding the tabernacle.  Quite literally the tabernacle was likened unto a tent.  To share the load meant taking on the responsibility of managing the facilities.  Aaron and Eleazer could not had done all the work and the people of God were not allowed to do this task, since they were not Levites.  The Merarites had been assigned this task, a task which was vital to the worship patterns of God's people.

Deacons share the load of ministry in the New Testament
In Acts 6:2-5 a major burden had grown in the early congregation at Jerusalem.  The Twelve Apostles oversaw a church that had grown to around 20,000 people.  Being composed of both Greeks and Jews, widows from each of those groups were needing care.  In the course of the church's life, one group was being neglected, and it was leading to potential for great disharmony.  The house of God needed men who could "share the load".

The Apostles instructed the church to select men who were full of wisdom, the Holy Spirit and faith who could "take charge of the task". (Acts 6:3)  Seven men were chosen who could represent the interest of these widows and deal with the matter of caring for the widow's needs.  The Apostle's needed these men in order to carry out their ministry of the Word.  Imagine if these seven men had not been called forth by the church.  The mission of the church, humanly speaking, could not had carried forth.

Thanks be to God for establishing the office of Deacon.  Whenever the church has Godly Servants, the load can be shared, and the example be reinforced to all of God's people of the importance of carrying the load of ministry together. 

God's Godly servants: A Living Godly Family

Numbers 4:24 “This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in carrying"

1 Timothy 3:12 Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.

Quick Review
Yesterday we considered how God's Godly servants love the things of God.  This marks the essential starting point of Deacon ministry, since the chief qualification of becoming a Godly servant is a godly life rooted in sound doctrine. (1 Timothy 3:8-9).
Why is it so essential to have a particular group in the body of Christ whose purpose is to be an example of service to the Lord? Because the principles of God's Word, proclaimed by the Pastor serving the flock by his example through preaching and teaching are to be reinforced by the Deacons who example it by their conduct and living.  Thus we will consider a second observation of God's Godly servants: "A Living Godly Family" 

God sets the pattern of Godly servants being made up of families
As we saw yesterday, three clans were defined as constituting God's Godly servants to aid in the tabernacle or God's House - The Gershonites, Merarites and Kohathites.  The Gershonites will be our focus today, as we aim to understand the principle of God's use of families in His pattern of Godly service.  The word for "family" in the Hebrew text of Numbers can be used to describe everything from Parents and their children to extended families to a whole lineage of relatives.  The point of Numbers was to show that every man in the Gershonite tribe was needed, since they represented their families and the whole nation in their service to the Lord.  They were to "serve and carry" the coverings of the tabernacle. 

God's pattern of families as Godly servants in the New Testament
Though the form be different, the principle is remarkably similar.  In 1 Timothy 3:11-12 we see instructions given concerning the Deacon and his wife.  In fact, the wife herself is to be a woman of godly character, much like her husband.  Though he will be the one carrying and serving, yet he will need a Godly wife who both supports his efforts and provides an example to the wives in the church.  The Deacon and his wife serve to be ean example in their home-lives, their lives and spiritual lives.  In a sense, they function as spiritual Gershonites - carrying the behind the scenes burdens and serving faithfully the people of God who are the house of God. (Hebrews 3:1-6)

The Benefits of God's Godly servants as a family
In seeing how this principle threads its way from the Old Covenant types and shadows of the priestly nation of Israel, what benefits can we see in God's New Testament Godly servants, the Deacons, yielding as a family-oriented ministry?

1. Deacons are God's Godly servants who place before the church the necessity of Godly marriage (1 Timothy 3:12)

2. Deacons and their wives also place before the Church families the premium of raising up children in a Godly home (1 Timothy 3:12)

3. Deacons and their wives demonstrate the value of building up one another as fellow Christians and families

4. Deacons and their wives, as God's Godly servants, set before the world the pattern of what a Christian family should look like

5. Deacons and their wives can be used of God to offer counsel and encouragement in an age where marriages and families are struggling

6. Deacons and their wives can demonstrate that Godly families are not just an idea, but a practical reality that is needed in out world

7. The office of Deacon is designated by the Lord to remind every generation of the need to raise up Godly offspring and permeate the culture with the Gospel (Deuteronomy 6; Malachi 2:15; Acts 7-8; Ephesians 6:3-4)