The primary purpose of the church: The Glory of God.
God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. We are most satisfied in Him when we pursue Him according to His design.
Acts 6:1-7 shows God’s design for the church: pastors & deacons working together.
God’s Design:
• Pastors serve by leading
• Deacons lead by serving
The big question: how does this point us to Christ? How does it draw our attention to the gospel and make much of Jesus?
Deacons point us to Christ with their very lives
They’re servants who are reflections of Jesus, the ultimate Servant who gave His life as a ransom for His children.
What are the marks of a Deacon?
These are not only qualities to look for in deacons, but also characteristics we should all strive for as we continually seek to be Christlike. Ultimately, these are reminders of and pointers to the gospel.
Mark 1: A Love for God
This is the starting point for everything.
The first and greatest commandment:
‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
• How do you cultivate a love for God?
• Saturate yourself in Scripture
• Be passionate about prayer
• Sit under sound preaching
• Be engaged in the Body
Mark 2: A Love for Others
Genuine salvation will result in us loving others
Titus 3 tells us that before we were saved, we were spending our life in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another.
The gospel turns that upside down and inside out
When you’re transferred into the kingdom of God, your soul is re-wired to love others.
How do we love others?
1. Be happy to see them!
It will show in your eyes, on your face, and in your words.
2. Serve them
3. Encourage them
There’s no better way to serve others than to be an encourager.
4. Invest in them
Don’t just do it when it’s convenient or falls in your lap, pursue it intentionally.
Mark 3: Humility
James 4:6, Proverbs 29:23, Luke 14:11
What does pursuing humility look like?
1. Pursue Christ.
2. Help others help.
3. Gentleness in Convictions
4. Trust God (in Our Ever-Changing World)
Mark 4: Hold Tightly Rightly
Hold Tightly to what the Bible commands
Hold loosely to
Traditions
The Practical (what works)
Preferences
Truthfully, we tend toward the opposite.
We’ve never done it that way.
I don’t like that
It’ll never work…
What matters more than any of those:
What does Scripture say?
What does God have to say about it?
Mark 5: Live Sacrificially
Living sacrificially is the outworking of
Loving God
Loving people
Pursuing Humility
Holding Tightly Rightly
What does it LOOK LIKE to live sacrificially?
––> Look to the gospel!
If you’re not continually meditating on the sacrifice Jesus made for YOU when He died on the cross and took the punishment that you deserve for your sinful words, sinful actions, and sinful attitudes, You’re not going to serve like you should.
Remembering Christ’s sacrifice for vile, wretched sinners like we are will drive all faithful God-honoring service.
The ultimate act of sacrifice,
the ultimate act of service
was Jesus Christ hanging on the cross.
We need to be reminded of the gospel daily because we forget the gospel daily
When you think of serving, or see someone serving others in some way, let it be a reminder of what Jesus did for you and then, in response to that, serve someone else!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Rob
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