Ready Set Row — 1 Timothy 3

0:00 Well, good morning. Good morning. Let's just begin with the word of prayer here.

0:13 Our heavenly father, we do give thanks for this day. We're thankful for the lord Jesus Christ. We're thankful for the scriptures that we have. Father, we're thankful for each and everyone who is gathered here this morning. We want to commit our time to you.

0:30 We want to commit ourselves to you. We want to hear the message that you have for us to say. Father, I I would recognize my dependence on you to to communicate. We would pray and ask on our behalf that the Holy Spirit would give us an understanding of the principles of the things that we're looking at in scripture. Father, set a clear path before us.

0:57 We pray for willingness to be obedient. And so we ask these things now in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen. Well, let me give you a little bit of a of a map or a path about where we're going to go today. That'd be fair to you as as an audience. You you know that we are talking about deacons.

1:21 We've had this study that we've we've been arranging for discussion. We started it last week. Denzel did a great job of of laying a foundation and giving us some information about how Christ was building his church and how it... There is a sense of line upon line and precept upon precept and things that came first that were foundational and we keep building upon them. And we see in that progression that deacons are very much a part of that.

1:50 We also don't want to overlook the fact that you and I are very much a part of of that progression and so this morning, we want to look at some verses like if you came here just expected to hear about all talk about deacons. Well, this we've got something more than just that, okay? We are going to have some particular verses that are related to us all as as a as a body of Christ, us as believers, Okay? So there's going to be some verses and some teaching that we do about, we might say, the Christian life or living a Christian life as a Christ follower. Then we're going to look specifically at what we might call a prescription for deacons or the the where it's where deacons are found in in the scripture as their their role and qualifications and then thirdly, we're going to look at some examples.

2:46 Wanna bring some scripture where we find examples of of deacons doing work in the New Testament and how that might relate to us today. So, that's kind of a path of where we're headed, okay? Now, perhaps we'll start with a story. Once there was a there was two companies. They were they were vying for market share.

3:09 They were they were they were competitive. They wanted to they wanted to be on top and so as they they tried to refine and and and do their business better, they they both kind of at the same time had this idea. One way to grow our business and to capture more of the market share would be to acquire another company. And so they liked that idea and they set out to acquire another company. Well, it turns out there was a family owned company that was the target of both of these companies.

3:40 Should tell you one company was an American company, The other company was a Japanese company. And so they're both buying for the market share and they both identify, believe it or not, the same company to purchase or acquire. And so they approached this company and it was a family owned company. And the owner who had started this company and made it successful, made it attractive to a buyer. He realized like, what?

4:12 This American company, this Japanese company, they're both trying to buy me. Trying to buy our company. And he had this idea. He was open to selling the company. I mean that was fine.

4:26 He saw that this would be a thing. But he really loved and cared for his family and his employees. So he wanted his company to be sold and go to the best possible new owner that it could go to. So he had this idea. I know what I'll do.

4:45 He's trying to figure it out like, what, what, how can I determine who's the best company? So he said, I want these companies, if they'll agree to this, enter into a race. I want the best two out of three of a rowing competition. So he presented this to the Japanese company, presented it to the American company, and they both agreed. They said, all right, we're up for the challenge.

5:12 We're going to engage, we're going to compete with each other in this rowing competition. And the winner gets to purchase the company. Well the both companies, the American company and the Japanese company, they went right to work. They were, they were, they huddled and got everybody together and said, okay, look, this is what we got to do. This is how we're going to increase our market share.

5:31 We just got to win this rowing competition. And said, who knows anything about rowing? You could unimagine all the the things that they started going through to assemble and train and get ready for this big race. Well, day came for the race. And as the race came, they were all there.

6:09 And let me tell you, Chinese won hands down. We weren't sharing loud enough for the Americans in the race evidently. But Chinese won hands down. And so, the member, the owner said best two out of three. So, you know, the Chinese or the what did I say?

6:30 It was Japanese, excuse me. I won't complete the rhyme. Okay. So anyway, the Japanese, you know, they're like, okay, we we we got this one under under our belt. And the Americans, they're they're like, what?

6:45 Destroy. How do we lose? And how do we lose by that much? So everybody's regrouped into their huddles because they know another race is coming. And so the Japanese, they're they're like, we got to keep...

6:56 They're going to be more motivated than they were the first time. We got to really make sure we got our act together so we can win this race. We win the next one. We can buy the company. The Americans were like, we can't believe this.

7:05 What happened? And so as they got in there and delved in to investigate what the difference was as to why they lost by this margin, they figured this out. They came to realize that the Japanese company and its team of rowers that they had assembled, they had eight rowers and one person steering. The Americans on the other hand, well they had eight steers and one person rowing. Well they thought, well that's easy enough to solve.

7:38 We just got to get more people to row. Well the next day or the next time for the next race came and you know what happened? The the starter was there. On your mark, get set. Row.

7:55 Yeah. And and then they were off. They were they were blazing. They were blazing through the water. And guess what happened?

8:04 Japanese won again. And well, that's two, they get to buy the company. They were thrilled. The Americans still thought, how did we lose this time? Turns out, as it was examined, there was so much bickering and fighting about, they knew the solution was to get more people to row, but there was so much bickering and fighting and he doing this and they wanting to do this that they just couldn't get the act together that, well, it just wasn't happening for the Americans in this particular situation.

8:41 So what's the moral of this little story? The moral of our little story is the fact that it does, it requires everyone to be in the right position and to be doing their part, whether it's rowing, whether it's steering, whether it's coaching, whether it's cleaning the boat, whether it's, you name it. A place for everyone, everyone in their place and taking that part. Does anybody still have a household that they're running where they have a chore chart in their house? Anybody have a chore chart?

9:22 All right, we've got some candidates for chore charts, yeah. Good. Philip, do you have a chore chart in your house? You don't know where it is? Do you guys have a chore chart still?

9:37 Alright. What's your job? Different every Different every So we understand what this concept of a chore chart is, right? And so I would, I go back in our, my family experience in raising kids. Like if I go back, if I scroll back like ten years, I remember the chore chart.

10:02 And it was a beautiful thing. I mean like here we got these kids and they're charged with this responsibility. It's up there. It's clear. And you know that they know what to do.

10:13 And you know if something didn't get done, you just look at the chart and say, okay, that was that person's responsibility. Now, when we moved up here, when we moved back here to Ohio, our kids were a little bit, well, they're older. I mean, you know, we didn't necessarily see a need to set up a chore chart for the house that we are in now. In fact, have I ever mentioned to you that I have a couple of daughters that are of Marian age? I didn't think they needed a chore chart, right?

10:47 And so here, well let me just say that have you ever heard this phrase? If it's everybody's job, it's nobody's job. You ever heard that? You ever experienced that? Right?

11:04 And so here we are. What is life like without a chore chart? It becomes everybody's job. And sometimes it's nobody's job. Well, as we consider this topic of deacons, we want to consider what's...

11:22 We don't want it to be everybody's job, therefore it's nobody's job. We don't want roles in the local church to be everybody's job, therefore nobody's job. We don't want eight people steering and and one person rowing. Let let's let's look look over to first Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 58. First Corinthians 15 and verse 58, please.

12:38 This is mean to all believers, to all Christians, and that he's writing. And then we we break it down and look at this, be steadfast, be unmovable, be always abounding in the work of the Lord, and then for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. So let's look at these, the four subcategories. The first one is be steadfast. Well, it reminds me of this particular verse, Acts two forty two.

13:09 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and in fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers. The word steadfast. The the believers, all the brethren, all the beloved brethren were to remain steadfast. The next thing that we see is that we were... We are to be unmovable.

13:31 And we have this verse before us. Paul writes to the Ephesians and he says this, finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against prince about... Against principalities, powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

14:03 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that you might be able to stand in the evil day and having done all, stand. Be unmovable. Well, the next thing we hear in this in this verse would be, always abounding in the work of the Lord. This this this theme, abounding. If you read first Thessalonians, you'll find that it is repeated.

14:28 It's a theme that goes all the way through the book of first Thessalonians. But look look here at these verses that we pull out. In first Thessalonians three twelve, it it says, and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all men, even as we do towards you, to the end that he may establish or establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all of his saints. Now hey, if you want to let this verse get a hold of your emotions a little bit, it's okay, alright? Because this is exciting, this is an exciting principle, an exciting thing that's going to happen here.

15:11 If and so, yeah, look at this, that the lord would make you to increase and abound in love toward one another, that's between you and I, that I'm gonna I'm gonna... I want to... My love to increase towards you, I want to... I want to be growing, that that the apostle has given example as we do towards you. So have you ever thought about this?

15:38 What if I had what if I had the same love for my brother and sister as the apostle Paul had for the people he was working with? Oh he says that I was I was like a nursing mother to you, laboring night and day for your care. He said, I have been spent and am willing to be spent on your behalf. Paul had an amazing affection, amazing desire to serve those that he was working with. And so he's saying that, may it be so, even as I've done towards you, even as I've poured out for you, that you you might do that for one another.

16:18 To the end that he may establish your hearts unblameable in the holiness before God, even our father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. It sets all things in perspective here, that there's a coming day that we're going to be with him in glory forever. And then we have this fourth this fourth little phrase, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. The writer of the Hebrews says it this way, for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which you have showed toward his name and that you have ministered to the saints and do minister or serve. So as we start off with this particular verse, we just review, being steadfast, be immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

17:08 For as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Hey, that's something for all of us that's here today from the youngest among us to the oldest among us. We didn't celebrate any birthdays today except for the birthday of the new little baby Bingham that hit the scene. I think Will Glover's up next with a birthday perhaps, is it you? I mean, it's this month, right?

17:34 Yeah. So hey, guess what? You can be steadfast. You can be unmovable, taking a stand. You can be abounding, growing in the work of the Lord.

17:54 And you can labor, you can you can labor. You can know that whatever effort you're putting forth is not in vain. It's for the Lord. Look at look at how we might break it up here. We think about being steadfast.

18:12 Well, was the operation of the local church. About being unmovable, that was victory over the adversary. Always abounding, spiritual growth. Labor, loving, and serving. If you look at Matthew chapter 25, we read there, multiple parables that the Lord Jesus is telling us about in Matthew chapter 25.

19:06 To the first servant he said, hey, here are five talents. I'd like you to take these and I'm going to entrust you with with these talents. To the next servant he said, here here are two talents. I'd like you to have these two talents and take them. And then the third servant he said, here's one talent.

19:24 And this and and as we read about Jesus communicating this, he says that he gave to each servant these talents or these gifts according to their own ability. And we notice there was one with five, there was one with two, and there was one with one. And so the master departs and goes off to the foreign country. Well, the guy with five, he gets right to it. He says, I've got this, I've got this, these talents, I'm going to go right into the marketplace.

19:54 And he goes and puts it to work and before you know it, he has doubled his effort. He has increased the five and become 10. Well the guy that received two, he did the same thing. He went busy about his work and he too increased, the two became four. Well the third fellow, he said, you know what, I'm kind of afraid of this whole proposition.

20:18 I'm going to go and Jesus says that he digged into the earth, buried the talent and left it there. Well the time came when the master was returning and the Lord Jesus says it this way, he says, he called together his servants for a day of reckoning. He wanted to hear a little report. How's it been going since I I was away? Well, the first guy, I think this is kind of interesting.

20:46 He he comes and he he like reminds him. He comes before the he comes before the master and says, master, if you'll remember, you gave me five talents, okay? You gave me five and now here's what I have. I've got 10. The master's response is, well done.

21:03 My good and faithful servant. You've been faithful over these few things. I will make you ruler over many. Enter now into the joy of the Lord. Then the second guy came and he did the same thing.

21:17 Says, master if you'll remember remember, you gave me two. You gave me two talents. And so and now I've here I have four. The master's response is exactly the same. Well done, thy good and faithful servant.

21:31 You have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many. Enter now into the joy of the Lord. Then the master turns to the third servant. And you know, we've heard this expression like, hey, you better stop.

21:48 You're just digging your hole a little deeper. Right? I mean, the guy, he insults the master. I knew you were a cruel and wicked master that you had sown and and you had reaped where you had not sown. I'm like, that's not the best way to start off here buddy.

22:06 You know, but he says, was scared of you and afraid so I went and dug a hole in the earth. And, but look, I misimagine him dusting, he's dusting his talent off and he's handing it back to the Lord. He's handing it back to his master and says here it is. And what was the master's response? Thou wicked and slothful servant, depart.

22:33 Get away. Go into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. And to this man who had earned five additional talents, give his talent. Give this slothful servant's talent to him. Wow, what a message.

22:55 Jesus gives this message to his disciples. Jesus records this in scripture for you and I as stewards of what he would give us. We've all been given talents according to our own ability and the master is away. Am I doubling? Am I increasing?

23:23 Apply it to hey, where did my clicker go? Apply it to our thing that we just talked about here. Am I being... As a as a one, as a recipient, as a possessor of talents, as a steward, as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, am I being steadfast in the operation of the local church? Am I being unmovable?

23:54 Like, may... Hey, let's let's let's let's give this this this third servant the benefit of the doubt. What if it was satanic attack? What if Satan was coming and perched on his doorstep and say, I'm going to trip this guy up and you know what? It it the the story tells us that he was afraid.

24:11 But what about you and I? What if Satan can trip us up. He can make me afraid and diffuse my ability to serve God. But what do we got to do? We got to stand.

24:24 We got to stand against that. We got to be an overcomer, resist the adversary, be unmovable. How about this always abounding? This is spiritual growth. And so here we got these two guys that give us a wonderful example of ones that were given a talent, were given a stewardship and they abounded.

24:43 They grew, spiritual growth. Am I growing? And then we have this concept of labor. These fellows were laboring. It was coming about.

24:55 You find the word, he says, slothful. You had an opportunity to increase. You could have even just given it to the bank and accrued interest on it. There something for you to do and you did not do it. You were therefore negligent or slothful in that.

25:18 All right. So go with me now well, before we do that, let me read you one more or read you a quotation from G. Campbell Morgan about this. He's commenting on this verse, one Corinthians fifteen fifty eight. And we've outlined it here.

25:39 You see, you still have it up here. Therefore, beloved brethren, be steadfast. Here's what he says. In the middle of this verse, there's this phrase, in the work of the Lord. And at the very beginning of the verse, I don't have the verse there for you, but if you you you might still be there.

26:00 Be ye in the work of the Lord. God has called us into the fellowship of his son. Therefore, be ye in the work of the Lord. We are in the fellowship with him. Be in the work of the Lord.

26:15 Be about his business. Fulfill your vocation. Do that which God intended for you to do when by his grace and through his redeeming power he put you into the fellowship with Jesus Christ. Be ye in the work of the Lord. I love this little section in here where it says, be in the work.

27:07 As we consider this verse that talks about being steadfast and immovable and abounding and laboring, as we consider the parable of the talents of what the Lord Jesus was teaching and telling and communicating, We do want to cover or look at this topic of deacons among the context of a local body. And here I've asked you to turn to First Timothy chapter three and look at verse eight. This is where we find deacons listed out. Likewise, First Timothy three:eight, likewise must the deacons be grave or serious minded, mature, not double tongue, not speaking different things to different people, not given too much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also be first proved.

28:14 Let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderous, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well, for them that have used the office of a deacon well purchased to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. These things I write unto thee hoping to come unto thee shortly.

28:52 Now, there might be a few little differences in the translations that we have here. And one particular thing that I think is of value to point out is that when we read the word that's repeated three times in this chapter, office, that would not be in the original Greek language. In fact, if you go back to, verse 10, it would read like this if if we we didn't use the word office, but really use the word that is it refers to a phrase of service. Let these also be proven or tested, tried. Then let them serve, okay?

29:33 That's all, let them serve being found blameless. And then later in verse 13, for they which have served well, they purchased to themself a good degree. So this, you'll see, W. E. Vine.

29:51 Darby translates it. Without this, the new ESV would translate in just the way that I read it. So just that little note that, and we see this, that it's not so much an office or a distinguished position within the church. It is a role, and it is a role that is being conducted by spiritual minded, spiritual life as we see it explained here, is that these are all spiritual qualities. And so this is what we have this as an explanation or a prescription as we see Deacon.

30:31 Now go back to Acts chapter six. Here is where we find one of the examples of where the deacons were doing a real life task. Acts chapter six and verse two, please. Then called the 12, or yeah, then the 12 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. Wherefore, brethren, look out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

31:13 But we, this is the Apostle speaking, we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. And the saying, please the whole multitude. And they chose, and the men that they chose are listed, the seven are listed there, verse six, whom they set before the apostles. And when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them, and the word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of priests were obedient to the faith. So we read this and we say, okay, here is a practical example of this concept of deacon of serving the church, of serving one another in the church.

31:57 And so they here were serving tables. Now two of the fellows that are mentioned here, one Stephen, one Philip, they also were recognized for this appointed task. But then later, as chapter six, you go into chapter seven, what do we see Stephen do? Well, he's preaching. He's given quite a discourse.

32:19 And so here he is preaching Christ. Then we also, if you take your Bibles and go to verse chapter eight and verse five of Acts, chapter eight and verse five. That we see Philip again. Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and what's he doing? He preached Christ unto them.

32:40 We label Philip as an evangelist, which is correct, but we... It was also... He was a preacher. He's preaching Christ here. And then we see him again as we go to verse 26.

32:50 The angel of Lord spake to Philip saying, arise and go south. And so we see Philip also engaging this Ethiopian eunuch. The fact is that here they are, he's preaching Christ. He's preaching. Now we we we get into verse nine or chapter nine, and we're introduced to another fellow, Ananias.

33:08 And the Lord tells him, Ananias, I want you to go and and get a hold of Paul and take him and be with him. And then we we come up to later in that chapter and we read about Barnabas who was also told to go and and and associate with Paul and introduce him to the other the other believers. And so we have these examples of one that were named. They were... What's in common with all the people I just mentioned to you?

33:36 They were all doing a service task, a service oriented task. Now two of them, Stephen and Philip, were named, were appointed for a particular task. And and they did that serving the tables. But they also did other work, preaching Christ. Ananias, what do you put that?

33:56 He was given a task and he fulfilled it. He sat with Paul while he was blind there for three days, kept him into his home, fed him and encouraged him and taught him. And then Barnabas takes him on his journey. So we have other examples of service, but not not necessarily recognized by by any kind of a title. Now go with me, if you will, over to first Corinthians chapter 16.

34:48 Paul is saying, look, I've I've given this to other churches here. I want you to do this for verse two. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay aside, lay... Every one of you lay by him in store as God has prospered him. And and that there be no no gathering or no collection when I come.

35:08 So he's telling them to say, look, take the offering before I get there. In verse three, and when I come, whomever, whomsoever you shall approve by your letters, them will I bring your gift unto Jerusalem. Then, those are the people that I'm going to use as the carrier. And so here's an example of another task or service, and notice the the similarity in this situation. It's whoever you approve, whoever you select to do this task.

35:40 And so they did it by writing a letter that this person is qualified to do this task. And Paul's saying, look, take the collection, get the get the delivery person ready, whoever's gonna be assigned to carry this from point a, Corinth to point b, Jerusalem. I want I want you to identify these people and be ready when I get there. And so it's whoever you appoint, whoever you approve. And so much like back in Acts chapter two when they said, look, call the whole group together.

36:10 Look out among yourselves. Choose who this will be. Now, we're still in chapter 16. Go to verse 15. Chapter 16 and verse 15.

36:21 Paul says this, I beseech you, brethren, you know the house of Stephanus or Stephanus, whichever pronunciation you prefer, that it is the first fruits of Achaia. He was one of the first fellows to be saved. In fact, if you go back to one Corinthians one, he was one of the families that Paul had baptized, the household of Stephanus. And so here, notice in the second half of, he's the first fruits of Achaia that they, his household, have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. Now, catch hold of that phrase.

37:01 They have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. What's it mean to be addicted something? I mean, you gotta have it, right? You're going to do it. You're compelled.

37:11 Your translation might say, they were devoted to the ministry of the saints. What is the ministry? The ministry of service. And so here you have this household of of Stephanus that is that's what their focus is. So we might say it this way.

37:26 They made the service of the local church, the ministry of the saints, their focus. They made it a focus. And so here we have this example that he was one, that service was a very integral part of his life. And so we might ask ourselves this question, what have I made a focus? As a believer, as a beloved brethren, as one that's a Christ follower, what have I made a focus in my life?

37:58 Well is it church? Is it my relationship with God? Is it my my family? Is it my school? Is it my work?

38:07 Is it my sport? Is it my hobby? What is the focus? How many focuses can you have? You see, he he gave himself consistently.

38:18 You know what I think he was? I think he was steadfast. You know what I think Stephanus was? I think he was unmovable. You know what I think he was doing?

38:27 He was abounding the more and more. He made it a focus. And you know what he was doing? He was not laboring in vain. Now he was working, but he was not laboring in vain because he knew whatever effort that he put forth was going to be for the glory of God.

38:44 And so this fellow, he gives us a wonderful example. Hey, would you be willing to be addicted to the ministry of the saints? Would you be willing to be devoted to the ministry of the saints? Would you be willing to be a good steward of what God has equipped you with? Would you be willing to put it back at the feet of the Lord and say, look Lord, I have abounded.

39:06 I have increased. Will you hear those words, well done, good and faithful servant? Will I hear those words, depart from me you slothful servant. You see, it gets better. And I know we're winding down on time and I'll just, we did start late, right?

40:05 Paul is saying, look, I've got other helpers. There's other people that are devote... That have this focus. They're helping us and they are laboring with us. I am glad for the coming of Stephanus and Fortuinus and for Achaeus, for they for for they have they for that which was lacking on your part, they have supplied.

40:28 And so look, I do want to apply this to the concept of deacons. Okay? So, what does a deacon do? Well, look, one of the things a deacon does is that they supply whatever is lacking in the body and so here we have these examples of these ones. There was a need and they supplied it and so, a guy like Stephanus did it so much so that where he was known for the reputation of it was evident that he was serving.

40:54 And Paul says to submit to this brother. And and so submit to his work, to submit to his labor. Let him be an example. There were others. Paul's going to mention men and women in this particular passage.

41:08 He's going to have names which are hard to pronounce, like Stephanus and Fortunus and Achaeus. And then he's going to mention, he's already mentioned Timothy, he's going to mention Apollos, he's going to mention Aquila and Priscilla. And so all these people are being mentioned as the ones that are that are doing the ministry of the saints. And not only that, but they're supplying what's lacking. So look, if I say it this way, look church, WBF, here's our responsibility.

41:38 We have to identify what is lacking. And then we have to see who is burdened about meeting that need. Who has God put among us to supply that need that is lacking? And look, there's other examples. There's another example of a courier in second Corinthians, where they were...

42:01 The church chose out, men that would carry and deliver this gift, for a relief fund. There's other examples that we see, a few. But this broadens the example. Whatever is lacking, therefore do. It's more than...

42:15 It it it includes serving tables, but it's more than serving tables. It includes preaching, but it's more than preaching. It includes evangelism, but it's more than evangelism. It includes being responsible with the financial gift and and making sure it gets to right right place, but it's more than that. It's whatever's lacking.

42:31 We fill in the blank. And so is it is it helping a widow? Maybe so. Is it caring for someone who's just had a baby? Maybe so.

42:43 I mean you fill in the blank. But addict yourself to it. And and some... There's going to be some that rise out among us that's going to be the Stefanus. There's some that are going to rise out among us that's going be like the Aquila and the Priscilla.

42:56 There's some that are rise out among us that will be be ones that will be known for their dedication to the Lord and for their service to the body. You and I have to recognize that. You know, I'll just fast forward to this slide. We're all a child of God. We're all a priest of God.

43:25 We see this in the scripture. This is just one example of multiple verses could be lifted. We all have a spiritual gift. We're all a spiritual gift bearer in a local body that some will be elders, some will be deacons. It's up to the body to identify who those are.

44:13 Would you be willing to financially support the team if we were a rowing team? Now I'm going to conclude with this, but you all have to have some well, it's going take a little bit of talent to do, okay? I'm going to read and you're going to follow along on the screen. A broken key. Even though my typewriter is an old model, it works quite well, except for one of the keys.

44:56 I have many times wished that it worked perfectly. It is true that there are 41 keys that function well, well enough. But just one key not working makes the difference. Sometimes it seems to me that our church is something like my typewriter. Not all the key people are working properly.

45:31 As one of them, you may say to yourself, well, I am only one person. I don't make or break the church. But it does make a big difference because the church, to be effective, needs the active participation of every person. So the next time you think your efforts are not needed very much, remember my typewriter and say to yourself, I am a key person in the assembly and I am needed very much. This is what happens to the whole church and multiplied this by many times, the whole thing just does not make sense.

46:21 Beloved, don't be like a broken key. Let's pray. Our heavenly Father, we do just ask that you would reveal to us the truths from your word and press on our hearts the things that you would like for us to carry away from this message here today. And we ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.