Acts 6:3
The What, How, and Why of our Business Here Today
(Deacon Ordination Sermon)
Over 200 years ago the founding fathers of this nation set out to build a Christian nation. Today in this nation it seems that their intentions are being thwarted on all sides.
Where school children aren’t allowed to express their Christian faith openly, yet in some areas of this nation as early as kindergarten children are taught about sex and alternative lifestyles in the name of education. Where the Law of God is not to be displayed on government property, yet tax dollars are spent to buy copies of the Koran to give to radical Muslim P.O.W.’s at Guantanemo in the in the name of fairness. A nation that has allowed some states to pervert the Biblical institution of marriage in the name of enlightenment. Whether we want to admit it or not our government and our society has in many ways become a persecutor of the Christian faith.
There is, however, one organism that still stands strong in this nation and will stand strong until the savior’s return. That organism is the church. I use the word organism because I believe that best describes the church. I could have said organization because we are organized and believe that all of our endeavors are to be handled decently and in order, but the church is much more than an organization. I could have used the word institution to describe the church because Jesus himself instituted the church when He said “I will build my church,” (Matt. 16:18) but the church is even more than an institution. It is an organism, a living, breathing body that is here on this earth for a purpose. I’d like to bring to you today the what, how, and why of this meeting today.
I. The What…
What are we doing here today? Yes, we are here to ordain this brother, but also what we are doing here today is strengthening the church. Critics may say “If your God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever present then why does He need you to strengthen His church?” The answer… He doesn’t. He doesn’t need us to accomplish His will. He has, however, chosen to work thru the church. In His great love and grace He has chosen to limit Himself, sort of speak, in order to allow us to participate in populating His kingdom.
A moment ago I quoted a portion of Matt. 16:18 when Jesus said that He would build His church and so institutionalized His church, but with the end of that statement He immortalized His church when He said “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
So the critics question comes back, “Why then, if the church is immortalized, do you believe you need to strengthen it? In answer to that question I’m reminded of a passage from II Chronicles 7:14, “ If my people who are called by name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” So we strengthen the church on a local level to promote repentance and forgiveness, and the healing of our land on a national level.
The “what” of this meeting today is to strengthen the church.
II. The How…
The how of what we are doing here today is by the book (indicates that Jesus is the head of our church). I admit that in some situations and circumstances that we may face, that the answers from the Bible seem a little gray. This is not one of those situations. The Bible gives is the requirements of deacons and the process of choosing, confirming, and installing a man into the office of deacon.
We have followed those instructions to the letter and so believe God is blessing this service today. Our deacon candidate has served in the office of deacon for a while now and we believe he has used the office well. During this time he confessed to me that for a time there was doubt in his heart, but he also expressed that after he wrestled with the Lord over this that he would answer the call on his life that was voiced by man but confirmed in his heart by God Almighty.
So our deacon candidate has surrendered to the call on his life with “Here am I, Lord send me,” and this, to me, indicates a true servant spirit that exists in this man.
So the “what” we’re doing here today is strengthening the church, the “how” is by the book and now the “why”…
III. The Why…
We’ve already answered critical questions as to the why of strengthening the church, but here we’ll answer the ultimate “why.”
Billy Sunday used to say “If going to church makes you a Christian, then going into the barn will make you a horse.” The truth is a lot of seemingly good church members are in reality lost, and if they never get around to being born again will find themselves in the depths of hell. Others in our nation and in the world abroad may never realize they need a Savior. They breeze through life with minimal problems in their lives, and may just cruise through life and wind up guilty right in front of God Almighty and never know why, because no one ever shared the gospel with them.
Here’s how I see it. If people can’t see well and can’t afford eyeglasses and the church doesn’t get them some glasses, the Lions Club will. If indignant children need healthcare and the church doesn’t get them the medical attention they need, then the Shriners will. If people are left devastated by a storm and the church doesn’t get them the relief they need, the Red Cross will. But if there are people in our nation and abroad that are lost and on their way to hell and are in need of the gospel of Christ and the church doesn’t get it to them, nobody will.
So to answer all questions of why we are here today, the reason of why we strengthen the church by the book, is to fulfill the purpose of the church that I spoke of earlier. That purpose may be found in Matt. 28:19. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”-then the promise… “and lo I am with you always even to the end of the age.”
