The Qualities of Those Serving God

Deacon Series, 2024. Message 2 of 3

Acts 6:3; 1 Timothy 3:8-13.

ETS: Timothy detailed the qualities that should be found in the servant’s life.

ESS: Servants of God should embody these qualities.

OSS: [Consecrative] {I want the hearers to embody certain characteristics described in Scripture as appropriate for the servant of God.}

PQ:

What qualities should be evident in the life of God’s servant?

UW: Qualities

TS: Let us examine the biblical qualities that should be evident in the life of God’s servant:

The servant of God should be reputable. [Acts 6:3a and 1 Timothy 3:8a]

The word used here, μαρτυρουμενιυς (μαρτυρεω), is connected to the same word we translate and understand as witness.

In essence, the servant of God ought to be a person of good reputation or testimony. My youth pastor growing up would always say, “Be the type person that if someone brought a negative accusation against you, no one would believe them.”

The servant of God should be the type person who is the same regardless of where they are and who may be watching.

This type of person is the type person that is worthy of respect as Paul wrote in 1 Timothy.

The servant of God should be full of the Spirit and wisdom. [Acts 6:3b]

πληρεις πνευματος και σοφιας...

These are connected as one unit and related, hinted by the conjunction kai.

How do we know if a person is full of the Spirit?

Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.”

They display the fruits of the Spirit— they evidence the presence of the Spirit through their character and life.

How do we know if a person is wise?

The wisdom discussed here is in direct relation to the presence and influence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life.

Other examples from Acts where this is communicated and exemplified are as follows:

Acts 6:10 “But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.”

Acts 7:10 “and rescued him out of all his troubles. He gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over his whole household.”

Acts 7:22 “So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his speech and actions.”

It is a type of spiritual descretion and ability to complete specific tasks or duties given by God.

Regarding both the presence of the Spirit and wisdom, Kenneth Gangel wrote, “How often we reverse that in our day. We select officers or teachers for various aspects of church ministry and hope they will grow into the task. Not so here. The candidates not only possessed the qualities desired; those qualities had to be obvious to the total congregation!” (Gangel, Kenneth O. 1998. Acts. Vol. 5. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

The servant of God should be stable. [1 Tim. 3:9]

εχοντας το μυστηριον της πιστεως εν καθαρα συνειδησει

Holding the mystery of the faith in a manner of pure, unadulterated, object-free, clean, and clear conscience.

The goal of Christian growth is that we become mature and stable, not being tossed about by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:12–14 “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.”

This is, perhaps, the reason that a new convert was prohibited in the earlier verses from serving as an elder/pastor— so that they might not become prideful, but also so that they might be mature and grounded in their faith/doctrine.

The phrase mystery of the faith (μυστεριον της πιστεως) is often used by Paul to refer to the Gospel, which was hidden as a mystery for ages until the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Vincent, Marvin Richardson. 1887. Word Studies in the New Testament. Vol. 4. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.) See the following passages for support:

Romans 16:25 “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent for long ages”

Ephesians 3:9 “and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things.”

Colossians 1:26 “the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.”

1 Corinthians 2:7 “On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory.”

Though not required for general service— so as to counter the idea of “I don’t know enough to serve…share…etc.”— it is certainly appropriate and applicable for those serving in official capacities within the church.

The servant of God should be blameless. [1 Tim. 3:10]

…ανεγκλητοι οντες

The key here is having been tested, the servant of God should be found without accusation or with no grounds for dispute.

Referring back to earlier notes regarding the good reputation and respectability, the servant ought to live in such a way that, even under intense testing, no accusation or offense could be brought against them.

They should live in a manner worthy of God, modeled after Jesus in order to honor God. Doing so avoids offending Him and being accused by peers.

The servant of God should be a good steward. [1 Tim. 3:12]

Of his wife:

Faithful in being a one woman kind of man— present to his wife, faithful to her and only her.

Of his family:

Superintending or managing it well— leading with understanding of God’s intentions for the household and the relationships therein, established even from the beginning of creation.

Response Questions:

[1] First and foremost, are you a servant of God? This question really begs another question: Are you saved?

If you are not saved, you are not a servant of God, and these qualities make no sense for your life.

Yet, there is opportunity, as being led by the Spirit, for you to respond today to the call of salvation on your life.

[2] If you are saved, you are to be a servant of God. The question, then, is as follows: do you embody these qualities on a daily basis?

[2] You will hear more about this in the days ahead, but lastly, what are your next steps in serving God?

Joining the church as a member? If you want to know more about membership, myself, the other pastoral staff, and the deacons are available to talk to you about membership.

Investing more deeply in the life of the church? If you attend just on Sunday mornings, what is the next step for you to become a more faithful servant in the church?

Sharing the Gospel with our community? If you are faithful in serving in the church, are you faithful in serving outside the church by sharing the Gospel with others?

This requires you to be a person of respectibility and good reputation, stable in your beliefs and not wavering according to the world’s standards, blameless and without accusation, and a good steward of the responsibilities given to you by God.