Elders, Deacons & Victory

Dennis Tuuri

Outline: Acts 6:1-7 “Elders, Deacons and Victory” Sermon Notes for October 12, 2003 by Pastor Dennis R. Tuuri A The Multiplication of the Church and “Mixed Multitudes” 6 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. B The Multitude Are To Select Spiritual Men 2 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. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, C The Apostles Will Appoint These Men to Office whom we may appoint over this business; D Centrality of Prayer and Word 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” B’ Multitude Select Named Men 5 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, C’ The Apostles Lay Hands On The Men 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. A Multiplication of Word and Church and Priests 7 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. I. Importance of Government: Civil, Familial, and Ecclesiastical II. God’s “Holes;” Our Humility III. Filling in Some Holes A. With the Epistles – Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3 B. With the Old Testament 1. Dt. 1:9-15 a. Exodus 18:19-27 b. Numbers 11:4-26 2. Dt. 16:18 C. With the Details of our Text 1. Context of the Need – Blessing 2. The Need – Specialization of Function a. Elders – Word; Prayer and Word 2 Chr. 31:4 b. Deacons - Financial Management, Not (Primarily) Benevolences Under the Oversight of Bishops 3. A Process a. Congregational Involvement via Qualifications b. Elder Empowerment with Ritual Hands of Substitution, Identification, Guilt, Power, Blessing Numbers 8:10,11; 4. The Result – Blessing IV. A Final Image - Dt. 20:1-9