1 Timothy 3:8-13 The folks in charge part 2

1 Timothy 3:8–13 ESV

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

We are going to talk about deacons tonight what they are and what they are not. I want to start out with when the office of deacons were first instituted and why they are such a vital part of a church leadership body. In the Book of Acts is where we find the first deacons were called and the tasks that they were given by the Apostles.

Acts 6:1–7 ESV

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

This is why they were picked. They were supposed be tending to the day in and day out management of church business so that the Pastor could tend to the business of studying and preaching God’s Word. Deacons are absolutely necessary in a church body. They are needed because they bring the stability to the church and they are the ones that the church often time will look to for advice before they go to the Pastor. In fact that is not wrong for the church body to go to them first. It’s not that the Pastor can’t be bothered and he is absolutely the church leader…those deacons solve 90% if the issues in a church before it gets to the Pastor.

Now the deacons should consult with the Pastor and get guidance when needed but if someone is in the hospital sick and in need of prayer how much better is it if the Pastor has someone to go with him and pray. If someone is in need and a deacon can handle that before it gets to the Pastor to have to handle then praise be to God.

Deacons are or should be in lock step with the Pastor of the church because both offices are there to serve the church body. Not to be in charge..not to run the church…not to be the one that solves every issue but to be in prayer ,to be in the Word and ministering to those in the church that are in need.

Another words deacons offices overlap with the Pastors office because they are both positions of service what it does is prevent everything from falling on the Pastor so that he can devote himself to the studying and preaching of the Word while the deacons are stepping in the gap when the Pastor can’t be there. Yes it is important and a lot of responsibility, however, the deacons are not alone they are side by side with the Pastor in serving the church.

In today’s church sometimes deacons work off and can’t be there every single Sunday or every time the doors open and that’s okay…when they can be there they are there. It is the same as the Pastor….God, Family, Church family…in that order. Now family is gonna come with the job that they do for a living. Sometimes try as they might they are just out for a time and that’s okay because they are in contact with the Pastor checking in on the church family and ensuring that even though they can’t be there in person they are there in prayer and supplication before God for the body of believers and the Pastor.

Now that we have covered that part lets us look at what the qualifications are for the office of a deacon. Notice that Paul starts this off by saying likewise…..that means that some of these are the same as the Pastor. They differ slightly in some instances but they are close.

In verse 8 Paul starts out with the first three things 1 Timothy 3:8

1 Timothy 3:8 ESV

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.

Dignified is the first thing that Paul lists here. It’s kinda like the Pastor being above reproach however Paul used a different word for deacons….diakonos in the Greek means servant. This means that a deacon is to be a servant first. Service to God comes first…family comes second…then the church body. It takes dedication to be a deacon. The thing is there are many men in churches today that fulfill this obligation they just refuse to be ordained. They feel that they are not worthy and they are absolutely correct. I am not worthy to be a Pastor but it is not because of my worthiness that I am able to proclaim the Word of God before His people it is because He is Holy and through the blood of His Son I am made worthy.

Deacons like Pastors have to be careful in their demeanor that they are able to be trusted by the church body that they serve. It is through their dedication to the Lord that the body sees where their hearts truly are. I have seen some deacons who get drunk on power and think that they are the ones that are in charge and they try to run the church…they start out serving God and end up serving self.

The next thing Paul listed is not double-tongued. This means that if you come to them and say something is wrong they agree with you the very next person comes up and says it’s not wrong it’s right and they agree with them too. They refused to take a stand and say this is right and that is wrong they tell folks whatever they want to hear. Paw paw used to say that a man who straddles a fence gets splinters. Brothers and sisters listen carefully to what I am about to say. We can’t all be right all the time. There are gonna be times that we disagree about something but if I tell you one thing I am gonna tell everyone that same thing. A good deacon is the same way they are not afraid to take God’s side and say this is right and that is wrong.

God tells us that he is not the author of Chaos or confusion He is a God of order or peace. God ain’t gonna tell one person one thing and another person something completely different. Deacons have to stand on the side of God. That is what I tell everybody that I counsel… I am not on any side but God’s side. I don’t always know what is right or wrong and sometimes you might ask me what I think and I tell you let me get back to you….this means that I am in Scripture and prayer to find out what I believe about the question….however, once I have decided that is where I land.

Double tongued people will tear a church apart quicker than anything else. You can’t be divided..without getting into the sermon for Sunday…we are one mind. Deacons are the starting point for the unity in the church….Pastors come and go but deacons are always the stable part of any church body.

Deacons cannot be drunks and they cannot have a love of money. Being a drunk goes without saying..what happens if you are drinking and partying and someone’s family member passes away…or somebody goes to the hospital and needs prayer…how are you gonna look showing up drunk to pray with someone. Does that look Godly at all…

The lover of money does not mean that you can’t have nice things. During this time the deacons were in charge of the church money and how it was spent and what it was spent on…a lover of money could be tempted to steal or misuse church funds and so Paul says hey money cannot be more important to you than God.

Verse 9 says the mystery of faith 1 Timothy 3:9

1 Timothy 3:9 ESV

They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

This means they are faithful to God and have been saved. They are people who tell others about Jesus and make sure that they are serving the Lord wherever they are they are on mission for God. There is not ever a doubt that they are servants of God and they are always looking for ways to give God glory.

In order for you to be a deacon you have to be a believer who does not shy away from the Gospel message. That clear conscience comes from me doing all that I can for God’s Kingdom and I know in my heart that I am doing the very best I can to serve Him and His people. I am in the fight for Christ all the way I am not just here for what I can gain.

Deacons have to be tested for a time. Now our church by-laws say that you will be observed by the church and work with the Pastor for 6-8 months before they are voted to be ordained. Once the vote is cast at a regular business meeting they are ordained. Scripture does not give us a time frame it just says for a time. The reason this is done is because the church has to put trust in these men that they are Godly and are truly serving God first and then the church. They are worthy of holding the office of deacon. Now I can assure you that I am not to put some forward to be a deacon that does not meet the qualifications and that I don’t believe truly has a heart for serving God.

That testing time also applies to the wives of the deacons. She has to be dignified and someone that is not a gossip. Someone that is subjected to her husband and serves with him in the ministry of the church. In the church of today that is not always the case but her character is a reflection of him. This is what Paul is driving at if she gives him grief about serving the church then he is less likely to serve with all his heart. That same thing still applies in today’s world folks. A woman who respects her husband if he is serving the church she will be right there with him even if she doesn’t want to be (smile)…

Notice that husband of one wife thing comes back here. It means the same thing it means for a Pastor. A one woman man. It says that those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is Christ Jesus.

This means that what I gain is not something tangible not something that I can necessarily touch. The better I serve the more confident I become in my walk of faith. The more I serve the closer I get to Jesus because I am in constant prayer for my church family and I am in the Word trying my best to be what God has called me to.

I become bold in my faith while serving God and His people. Folks it is not by might that I can serve you…it is not because I am worthy that I am able to serve you as your Pastor….it is not because of me that I am able to do what I do…..it is the power of God that works through me that allows me to serve you and serve with you in the building of God’s Kingdom.

The Lord laid it on my heart to tell you that If you feel that you are called to that office let me pray with you about it….let me know that you feel God is calling you to serve Him in that office and lets be praying together about it.

A church is only as bold as the leaders of the church are bold….this is why this matters so much if the leaders in the church are timid and don’t share the Gospel then the church will absolutely be timid and not share the Gospel. If the leaders are not serving God the church will not be serving God that is why these two offices are so important in the life of body of believers. Folks just like Pastors strong deacons make for a strong church. Deacons who live out the example in their lives encourage those around them to live out the Gospel message in their lives.

Invitation….