A Charge To Deacons

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(Edited) Text
Charging Deacons
Arbor Primitive Baptist Church of Christ
3 May 1997
Preliminary remarks.

PROGRESS FOLLOWS VISION

"Deacons who aspire to participate in the Lord's designs for His church must dream a little, must extend their reach beyond their grasp. Look up! Look around! Look ahead! Your office is an active function of a Body which is in league with the most progressive force in history, the power of the risen Lord:"

The text above was read from the bulletin at Arbor prepared for this occasion. I commented to my Grandson, John Paul, when after reading the above he said something like "wonders." As this, I felt, was in keeping with the theme of this charge to the deacons in this ordination charge. I feel that our spirits, Brother Don (Burkhalter) and mine, were well within the confines of God's Spirit in directing the studies for this upcoming event. I know that the blessings of God were upon me as He attended my prayers and fasting.

I further commented in reflection of the time that Elder Marvin Dodd made the statement to me before I was licensed to preach. He said, "I had rather see you a preacher among the Primitive Baptists than the President of these United States."

On the fourth Saturday in June 1829, fifteen brethren and sisters from Shiloh Primitive Baptist, Belvidere, Tennessee, organized the Church of Christ called and known by the name of Arbor Primitive Baptist Church. Elders Benjamin Boon and Joshua Yates, acted as Moderators.

Many of the ministers who served the church were not listed with their full name. The church was without a pastor several times, and no services were held for several months, because a supply was not available. Ministers who have served the church are as follows: Elder A. Brown, Elder Finley, Elder Holman, Elder J. A. Frost, Elder Throneberry, Elder Johnson, Elder Walker, Elder Short, Elder W. A. Cashion, Elder Bill Bostic, Elder A. N. Towery, Elder Joe Stewart and Elder T. L. Crumpton. At this writing, 1955, time and tide have waited on no man. I am not sure how many pastors you have had these last 22-years, I know three. Elder Bernard Scott, Elder Steve Taylor and Brother Don.

Brother Don (Burkhalter) has been close to me since I first saw him hovering in the back corner of the Macedonia Meeting house at Ider some years ago. I thank God for his liberation of what I feel is a man on fire for Christ and the Gospel.

My fire is about run out.

Although the old meeting house still stands, the folks at Arbor have shown by their works they take it upon themselves as an honor to keep a respectable house for the worship of God Almighty.

This cannot be done with wishful thinking. It takes instruction, plans, preparation, premeditation, and most often a deep pocket-book!

Twenty-two years have passed and the church feels a need for the continuance of what they have done for the past 168 years. They will set new watchmen upon the bulwarks. The keepers of the gate will exhibit, by God's Grace, in youthful strength and dependence upon the Lord.

What is a "bulwark?"

The word is found in the Old Testament and has been translated "bulwark" from five different Hebrew words:

4692. matsowr, maw-tsore'; or matsuwr, maw-tsoor'; from H6696; something hemming in, i.e. (obj.) a mound (of besiegers), (abstr.) a siege, (fig.) distress; or (subj.) a fastness:--besieged, bulwark, defence, fenced, fortress, siege, strong (hold), tower.

"Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued." (Deu 20:20 KJV)

6438. pinnah, pin-naw'; fem. of H6434; an angle; by impl. a pinnacle; fig. a chieftain:--bulwark, chief, corner, stay, tower.

"And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong." (2 Chr 26:15 KJV)

2430. cheylah, khay-law'; fem. of H2428; an intrenchment:--bulwark.

"Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following." (Psa 48:13 KJV)

My beloved, the mission upon which we have come this day, is one of awesome proportions. Those who have come forth to attend this ordination are doing all they can to insure the perpetuity of the Gospel of Jesus and the Apostles by choosing dedicated souls to defend it against all enemies foreign and domestic.

The term "war, warfare" is numbered some 230 times in 225 verses of Scripture. Those of us who have been to war can appreciate the completeness of the devastation found there. There is warfare at sea, in the air and on land. The warfare of the sailor, soldier and airman differ in extremes of execution.

My dear Brethren yours is a different warfare.

Most notably your warfare will deal with those enemies to the Church of Jesus Christ.

In Guarding the Sanctuary against false teachers.

Protecting those incapable of protecting themselves against the devices of men and the Devil who would take advantage of them.

In emphasis to the awesome responsibility to which you are being charged, let us read Ezekiel 33:2-7 taken from the King James Version.

"Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:

"If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;

"Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

"He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

"But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

"So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me" (Ezek. 33:2-7 KJV)

What is a watchman?

6822. tsaphah, tsaw-faw'; a prim. root; prop. to lean forward, i.e. to peer into the distance; by impl. to observe, await:--behold, espy, look up (well), wait for, (keep the) watch (-man).

We recognize the office of deacon to have been instituted at a time when the early church was pressing throughout the known world.

Look with me to the Book of Acts. It is commonly accepted that Luke, "The Beloved Physician" is the author. And it deals with the "Missionary campaigns in the Early Church."

Chapter 6:1-7; "And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration." (Acts 6:1 KJV)

Here is one indication of what you must contend with as deacons, murmurings and disputations which must be dealt with with the wisdom of Solomon.

There is something to be said concerning the widows. Are they widows indeed? It may be that if they are not widows indeed deacons may be encroaching upon the lives of those concerned and that not according to Scripture.

"Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables." (Acts 6:2 KJV)

Take note, it was the Apostles who called the "multitude." Note that there is double meaning in the last few words of this verse. "It is not reason [reasonable] that we should leave the word of God and serve tables." The minister, pastor, preacher, bishop is called out to declare the whole counsel of God. One may take the term as a means of intimidation in "serving tables."

Think on this for a moment. Jesus Christ is the reason we have a church. He did not feel intimidated by being a servant. Your pastor is a servant.

There are no bosses in the Church. Christ is King. The structure and administration of His Church is to be in accordance with His Word! We are all servants!

"Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." (Acts 6:3 KJV)

I was asked, "Who are these to be ordained."

My reply was, "I know one by name, I don't know the others."

I feel that Arbor, the Primitive Baptist Church of Christ, has given special attention to this 3rd verse.

Read it again with me:

"Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." (Acts 6:3 KJV)

I am confident that these that you have chosen are "men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom" that is sufficient for me and I believe it is so with God Almighty.

"But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word." (Acts 6:4 KJV)

"And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:" (Acts 6:5 KJV)

"Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them." (Acts 6:6 KJV)

"And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." (Acts 6:7 KJV)

I pray that it will be so with you at Arbor as it has been these last 168 years to press into the future. Jealously guarding the precious truths for which you have been set aside as watchmen upon the bulwarks.