[0:00] You can be seated. The next step is that in accordance with the free church practice, I'm to take an opportunity to briefly, and I express briefly, to exhort and encourage both the newly ordained deacons and then you as the congregation.
[0:25] And I'd like to exhort the deacons and both you, in turn, using the acronym DEACONS. It's on your intimation sheet if you want to follow it.
[0:36] The letters D-E-A-C-O-N-S. The word deacon or deacons. So first of all, to the deacons, these newly ordained men.
[0:48] D is for devotion. As deacons, you are first and foremost to be devoted to the Lord and his cause. Your devotion to the Lord will be evident to this congregation because in everything you will put the Lord first.
[1:06] And when you put the Lord first and when you're devoted to the Lord, you will be devoted, of course, to his people. You'll be devoted in giving your time and your energy to this congregation.
[1:17] So D-D is for devotion. E-E is for election. In the providence of God, you have been elected to the office of deacon. And you've been elected by the people of this congregation.
[1:31] They have asked and they have requested that you would serve them in this parish. And you're to serve your saviour and you're to serve them. And you're to do it just as you have promised.
[1:43] You're to faithfully, diligently and cheerfully carry out all your duties. So D-E-A. A is for attentive. As deacons, you're to be attentive to the needs of the people and also to the place of worship.
[2:00] That's who you're to show attention to and where your attention should be directed. Your attention should be to the people of the congregation and this place of worship.
[2:11] That's what your role entails. The people and the place. That's what your role entails as deacons. D-E-A-C. C is for Christ-centered. The center letter in the word deacons is the letter C.
[2:27] And it reminds me that in everything you do as a deacon, Jesus Christ must be at the center. He must be your focus. He must be first and foremost. He must be the one you put first in all your duties as a deacon.
[2:42] D-E-A-C-O. O is for office. You are now an office bearer in the church of Jesus Christ. This is not a promotion in the church, but it is a position in the church.
[2:58] And because it's a public position, you must remember that you hold this office whether you're in the church or you're not in the church. As an office bearer, you must take care with your Christian character, conduct and conversation.
[3:16] You hold a public office. So N. N is the next letter. N is for new. Today you become new deacons. But of course, well, you're new to the role.
[3:28] So remember that you're new. Take your time to learn your role and how to be involved in it. I'm sure all these veterans around you that you've just shook hands with, they'll help and they'll encourage you to fulfill your role as a deacon.
[3:44] And lastly, S. S is for service. As I said at the beginning, becoming an office bearer is not about status. And I want to stress that. It's not about status.
[3:55] It's about service. And as deacons, you are to serve this congregation as Christ has served you. And you're to have the servant heart of Jesus because he came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
[4:12] And may he be your example as you take up your office today. And so D is for devotion. E is for election. A is for attentive. C is for Christ-centered.
[4:23] O is for office. N is for new. S is for service. So deacons, we now have four new deacons. And they've been added to the role of the deacon's court.
[4:35] So you can now, this is what they call the deacon's pew. You can now go and sit on your deacon's pew. You don't have to sit there every week, but just today. Go and sit on your deacon's pew. And make way for the congregation to be addressed.
[4:54] So I now have to address you as a congregation. And I'm going to use the same word. Same word, deacons. D for devotion. Like the deacons, you must be devoted to the Lord.
[5:09] You must be devoted by putting the Lord first. By seeking first the kingdom of God. And you must put the Lord first by your prayers.
[5:20] Prayer for the Lord's cause. And your presence in the Lord's house. You must be devoted by your prayers and your presence. E is for election. As a congregation, you have elected these men to serve in the congregation.
[5:36] Therefore, you must help them serve you by telling them your concerns, your worries, and how they can help and serve you. And even serve our Saviour to the glory of his name.
[5:49] A is for attentive. The deacons are to be attentive to you as the people of the congregation. And they're to be attentive to this place of worship. But as the congregation, you are to be attentive.
[6:02] As the people of the congregation. And you're to be attentive by being in the place of worship. This place. You're to be attentive by coming to the Lord's house. C. C is for Christ-centered.
[6:15] As a congregation, everything must be about Jesus. We must be Christ-centered. And in order to help our deacons fulfill their duties to the glory of God and the extension of his kingdom, Jesus is to come first.
[6:31] We are to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. O. O is for office. We have ordained four new office bearers in the congregation.
[6:43] So respect the office they hold. And encourage them in their office. And enable them to fulfill their duties in the office that they hold. N. N is for new.
[6:56] They're new office bearers. They're learning their new role. So be patient with them. Be patient with them and help them learn their role. And complete their duties.
[7:07] And S. S is for service. Jesus came not to be served. But to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Therefore as a congregation.
[7:19] As a congregation Jesus must be our example. Even though the deacons are here to serve you. They're not your slaves. They're not your slaves.
[7:30] You must serve alongside them. As we were saying to the children. We are all tools in a toolbox. And we all must work together. For the good of the congregation. And for even the community.
[7:41] And the extension of God's kingdom. And for the glory of his great name. And so D is for devotion. E is for election. A is for attentive. C is for Christ centred.
[7:53] O is for office. N is for new. S is for service. Deacons. May the Lord bless our new deacons. And use them for his glory.
[8:04] And may the Lord bless us as a congregation. As we seek to go forward. In the strength of God the Lord. Well let us again come before the Lord.
[8:14] In prayer. Let us pray. O Lord our gracious God. As we come to the conclusion of our service. We thank thee O Lord. That it is in many ways.
[8:25] The beginning of a new chapter. And we pray that thou wouldst bless us. As we go forward. That we would go forward in strength of God the Lord. That we would realize that thou art one.
[8:36] Who is still providing for us. That thou art a God. Who has not left us to ourselves. But one who has drawn sinners. Not only to salvation. But also to service.
[8:48] Bless Lord our deacons. Help us Lord to work alongside them. To bring glory to thy name. And to extend thy kingdom in this community. Lord bind us together we pray.
[8:59] Help us Lord in all that we seek to do. That our focus would always be Jesus. To see him as the author. And the finisher of our faith. Bless us together then we ask.
[9:09] Go before us we pray. And take away our iniquity. Receive us graciously. For Jesus sake. Amen. Well we're going to bring our service to a conclusion.
[9:20] By singing the words of Psalm 72. Psalm 72. In the Scottish Psalter. Psalm 72. Psalm 72. Psalm 72. Psalm 72.
[9:32] Psalm 72. Psalm 72. Psalm 72. Psalm 72. We're singing from verse 17. Down to the end of the psalm.
[9:45] And this Psalm 72. It was written by Solomon. But it's a psalm all about the greater than Solomon. That is Jesus Christ. And our desire and our purpose.
[9:56] As the church of Jesus Christ. Is that his name. Forever shall endure. Last like the sun. It shall. So we're singing Psalm 72.
[10:07] From verse 17. His name forever shall endure. Last like the sun it shall. Men shall be blessed in him and blessed. All nations shall him call. And we'll sing on down to the end of the psalm.
[10:19] And blessed be his glorious name. To all eternity. The whole earth let his glory fill. Amen. So let it be. These verses. To God's praise.
[10:29] His name forever shall endure.
[10:41] オエイギギー In Hang room will be compounded.
[10:57] In Ben & Crafts of Christ. From nations, young and born. Now blessed be the Lord our God, The God of Israel.
[11:24] For He alone doth wondrous works In glory that excel.
[11:43] And blessed be His glorious name, To all eternity.
[12:02] The whole earth let His glory fill.
[12:15] Amen. So let it be. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, The love of God the Father, And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit Be with you all, now and forevermore.
[12:31] Amen.