1Timothy 3:8a | The Nature & Work of Deacons

When we think of great leaders, we tend to think of charisma, strategy, success.

But God defines greatness differently. In His eyes, greatness looks like faithfulness.

It looks like people who quietly meet needs, preserve unity, and lift burdens without seeking recognition.

Today we are continuing our discussion on biblical leadership… But instead of discussing what the bible says about the leadership role of the pastor… We turn now to look into the role of the deacon… Or the servant leaders of the church…

Now, all leaders are servants. In fact, I love what Dan Martell a very successful businessman says in one of his video shorts… He says, “A true leader is a servant.” He says, “I don’t have people who work for me… I work for them… I show up everyday and say, ‘What are you blocked on?’ My job is to unblock you. It’s not ‘what can they do for me?’ It’s ‘what can I do for them?’” So true leaders are servants…

It’s so easy to think leadership means getting our way, being followed, or being served. Climbing higher, gaining control, building a following….That’s how the world trains us to think… That’s how the Ephesian Church was thinking too… They were tolerating leaders who loved the platform more than people more than Christ.

In God’s kingdom, leadership runs in the opposite direction. And we see this clearly in the role of the local church deacon… When deacons serve well, they preach a silent sermon about Jesus, the One who stooped low to save and continues to serve His people today.

So, what is a deacon and why does it matter? I’m glad you asked… Because that’s exactly what we will be talking about today.

The big idea of the sermon this morning is that,

“Greatness in God’s kingdom is expressed through Christlike service, exemplified in the office of deacon and modeled by Jesus Himself.”

With that said let us pray.

Prayer:

Holy and gracious Father, we do not deserve Your kindness nor Your affection. And yet You generously give it.We ask now that You would continue to serve us, by revealing Yourself and Your will through the power of Your Spirit. Help us see and savor Christ, and grow in our service of others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Now, we’ve been walking through Paul’s letter to Timothy, a letter meant to teach Timothy, the Ephesian church and us how to live as the household of God.

Paul begins his letter with confronting the fact that the Ephesian church had gotten off course. They were following false teachers and leaders. Leaders who were neither motivated by love nor informed by the gospel.

So Paul writes in chapter one, instead of myths and geneaologies… instead of impurity and pride… He writes, in verse five, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

And if that kind of love is going to flourish in the church, godly leadership is essential. So by chapter three, Paul lays out two distinct leadership profiles: the profile of pastors and the profile for deacons.

Last week, we finished our short series on the profile of a pastor. We saw the call, character and credibility of the pastor.

Today, we turn to the second of two official leadership roles in the local church that God names and gives instructions concerning. And that is the deacon.

Look with me at verses 8-13 (1Timothy 3:8-13 )

Hear the Word of our God. TEXT: “This is the Word of the Lord, given to us that we might see, savor, and reflect our Savior.”

Now, this morning we are only going to look at the first two words…

Deacons, likewise…

Depending on your background, the word deacon could mean all kinds of things. For you a deacon may be the men who are the real people in charge… For others deacons are the ushers and handymen of the church… Or maybe for you, you’ve never really thought about it. Well, today the Lord wants us to think about it.

That being said, a simple way to think about a deacon is that a deacon leads through serving… Whereas the pastor serves and leads by teaching… A deacon spends most of their time leading others by helping care for the physical needs and demands of the ministry.

It’s not that a pastor never serves the congregation in this way… Or that a deacon can never teach in certain contexts…

But the pastor's primary task is preaching, teaching, and praying… They provide counseling, oversight, and direction…

And the deacon leads through service…

God has established these distinct roles in the formation of local churches to equip the saints for the work of ministry and display His character to the world…

Now, today we are only looking at the first two words… Deacons, likewise… But what follows is another list of character qualifications very similar to those of the elders, with only a few variations.This tells us of the importance of the role… And upon studying the nature of a biblical deacon we are going to discover yet again the truth that leadership in God's house is not about position or power but rather about character, right affections, and having a servant's heart.

Why? Because our God is the Great Servant King… Which leads us to the first point I want us to consider this morning, and that is…

Christ is the Ultimate Deacon

Before we study what a deacon is and is not in the church… It’s important that we establish why there are deacons to begin with…

From the opening pages of Scripture, we see that God’s very nature is to serve. In Genesis 1, God creates, not because He must, but because He delights to give. The God who has no lack and owns it all stoops to share Himself. His service was not necessary; and yet, His service was and is joyful, boundless, generous.

And even after sin entered the world, His servant heart didn’t change. In Genesis 3, He patiently pursued Adam and Eve, promised them and us redemption, and clothed their guilt with mercy. The Creator served the created, covering their shame with compassion and hope.

This makes me think of how different we as selfish human beings are right out of the gate. With sin’s corruption, we are not like God. We have great lack. And what we do have, we tend to hoard and vehemently protect.

Just think about a child on Christmas morning. They tear open their gifts, their eyes wide with joy. But let a sibling pick up one of those new treasures, and suddenly that joy turns to anger.

But it’s not just kids. When we come to a Sunday gathering, how often do we think mostly about what we want to get instead of what we can give?

Jesus, the King of the universe, stepped out of the riches of heaven and put on human flesh and said that He came NOT to be served, but to serve. And serve He did.

He cared for the sick and the neglected… There were times where the disciples would chastise children or beggars and Jesus would rebuke them and serve those coming to him. When someone should have been washing His feet, Jesus knelt down to wash his disciples feet…

When Jesus should have be exacting justice upon rebel sinners, instead He takes their place on the cross…

So let us rejoice this morning… That our God is overflowing in loving kindness…

Even now… He condescends and patiently leans in to teach, guide, correct and inspire us… Our God and Savior displays His greatness, not in domineering over us… but in serving the undeserving…

Having said that, a major way Jesus serves us this very day is by gifting our church with biblical deacons.

Which leads us to the second point which concerns

The Blessing and Role of Biblical Deacons

The bible doesn’t give us an explicit definition but what it does do is give us many examples of what deacons do and who they must be… In fact, the text says, Deacons, likewise… That word ‘likewise’ is doing a lot of work. Paul is saying, ‘Timothy, don’t you dare treat deacons like second-tier Christians.’ Just like elders, deacons must be the kind of people whose lives ring true with the gospel. Different responsibilities, same urgency about character.”

In the coming weeks we will lean into the specific requirements Paul addresses in the ensuing verses.

But today, we are going to focus on what exactly a deacon does according to scripture. A running definition based off of Scripture is that

“A deacon is a tested, qualified servant of Christ’s church who meets the practical and unifying needs of the congregation in ways that free the elders to focus on prayer, the ministry of the Word, and governance. Deacons do not govern, but they protect unity, support the elders, and embody mature, Christlike service.”

Their role is extremely vital for the health and wellbeing of a church…

The first place that we see deacons in the NT is in Acts 6. They are not explicitly dubbed deacons, but their function and character requirements are exactly what a deacon is in the NT church.

Listen to Acts 6:1-7, “Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists[a] arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 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. 3 Therefore, brothers,[b] pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 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. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 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.

Do you see how essential these deacon prototypes were to the spread of the gospel and the unity of the church…? There was felt racial discrimination taking place… Unity and focus were being threatened… And what is one of the first things the apostles do? They establish the deacons…

I love how Matt Smethrust describes how deacons function in the church… He writes,

Biblical deacons are like a congregation’s offensive linemen, whose job is to protect the quarterback. They rarely get attention, much less credit, but their labors are utterly indispensable for both guarding and advancing the ministry of the Word. Without effective deacons, elders will suffer incessant distraction and get sacked by an onrush of practical demands.

He says in another place in the same book, “Deacons are not the church’s spiritual council of directors, nor the executive board to whom the pastor-CEO answers. They are the cavalry of servants, deputized to execute the elders’ vision by coordinating various ministries. Deacons are like a congregation’s Special Ops force, carrying out unseen assignments with fortitude and joy…”

Do you see it? Greatness in God’s kingdom is expressed through Christlike service.

And brothers and sisters… I have no doubt that you are fully aware, but let me say it anyway… We are one blessed church. Because we are a church where these descriptions are easily seen in our deacons and deacons-in-training.

Hamilton and James Richardson have been serving the church in this capacity for years now. These are humble men who lay down their life regularly to serve us. These are not perfect men but they are men who undeniably love their perfect savior and who delight to serve this church.

And this is true of Karissa and Lisa as well!

Getting specific, Deacons at SGC Prattville help organize and carry out the vision of the elders… They ensure that people are scheduled, trained, and cared for across the many ministries that make Sunday, and the week beyond, possible.

For example: There’s the greet team, the safety team, the media team, the music team, the SGC Kids team, and the cleaning team. Add to that: benevolence, meal trains, bridal and baby showers, facilities, lawn care, women’s and men’s ministry, finances, small groups, youth outreach and more…

The amount of time, energy, and prayer that our deacons invest in this church should fill our hearts with joy, conviction and inspiration.

But deacons don’t just do all the work, they equip others to serve. They make service contagious and accessible.

They embody what it means to cherish the local church the way Christ does. Their schedules and their passions prove it.

Each of our deacons have full time jobs and families and yet they are always seeking to help the church fulfill the great commission and great commandment.

They give themselves to serving and preserving the unity of the flock. They know the enemy loves distraction and division. Which is what was happening in Acts 6.

So what did those first deacon prototypes do? They protected the church from division by meeting the need and protecting the pastors’ focus on prayer and the Word.

And they still do that today. Our deacons spend their time and energy fighting to alleviate good distractions from your pastors. And they do a great job…

I remember a time where I was the first one here and the last one to leave. I set up chairs, ran the slides and preached. I planned and executed all events. All the while preparing sermons, midweek lessons, counseling and developing leaders. And as the Lord raised up deacons, I have been able to give myself more and more to teaching, training and praying. And God is continuing to raise up leaders in the church… Which gives me great excitement about the days ahead.

That being said, if greatness in God’s kingdom is expressed through Christlike service, what does that mean for all of us?

Well, we are to follow our leaders as they follow Christ. Which means, don’t wait until a deacon or pastor asks you to serve. Look for ways to serve. Ask how you can help. Because this is the heart of our God.

So let’s turn now to the CALL to ALL who are in Christ.

The Call to serve

Whereas deacons set the example and lead teams to serve, we are all called to embody the same heart they display by being servants ourselves.

One author writes, “I love football (or soccer, if you’re in North America—but in this book, we’ll call it football). I love playing it (well, I used to), I love coaching it and I love watching it. The past few years have been good to me because I’ve enjoyed my team, Liverpool Football Club, being one of the best in the world. There are many reasons why Liverpool have reached the pinnacle of world football—we have great players, great fans and great coaches. But I think the key element for the club’s success is one Jürgen Norbert Klopp—a former average second-tier German footballer who has become widely regarded as one of the greatest managers on the planet.

The story goes that on his first day at the club, he gathered the team in the canteen along with all the support staff: cleaners, administration assistants, groundsmen and so on. Then he asked the superstar players if they knew the names of those employees.

The response was embarrassing… Klopp said that that needed to change; he told the players that without these staff serving them, success on the pitch would never happen. Each of the support staff also wore the team badge on their uniforms and were a vital part of the Liverpool FC family and the success of the club. From that moment, the players would eat with support staff and get to know them, and everyone would serve each other because, he said, “We are Liverpool, and this means more”. God hasn’t called a few select superstars to be served by a mass of believers that no one really knows. He has saved a people whose distinctive quality is to be their love for each other. Robinson, Steve.

The difference between us and that analogy is that there is only one superstar in God’s economy is God himself… And he does not need us… Yet, He has chosen to sit with us at the table… And include us in what He is doing in the world…

I love what Paul says to the Galatians 5: “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ” (Galatians 5:13-15) We’ve been set free, not to sit, but to lovingly serve.

Therefore there are no spectators in Christ’s church. Everyone child of God has been called and gifted into joyful service.

Do not believe the lie that you have nothing to bring… You are made in the image of God… And that same God has gifted and called you to serve others. This is certainly something you can grow in, but it is not something you have an option in if you are in Christ.

1Corinthians 12:5-7 tells us, “and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

The very same Spirit who empowered Jesus’ service and raised Christ from the dead, lives in you… We are called and empowered to serve!

The greatest among you will be servants…

And I see that kind of heart in this church. There are families here who regularly open their homes to others. Men and women who serve week in and week out with quiet joy.

Some of you step up whenever there’s a need, even when it feels intimidating.

And church, when you serve, unseen and unthanked, you too preach a silent sermon about Jesus. Your service is a living parable of the One who stooped for you.

But imagine if that spirit grew even stronger, if every believer here lived like a deacon. What would it look like for us to serve rather than seek to be served? To promote others at work instead of ourselves? To draw out people’s stories rather than needing to be the center of attention? To care for our kids with patience when they are struggling rather than lead them in irritation and entitlement…

And for those who prefer the shadows, what if your next step of service is to step out of the shadows, to ask others about their lives and share yours in return? What if you were relentless as Christ is relentless with you? Not believing the excuse that you don’t have to reach out because others aren’t reaching out to you… or that’s not your thing… This is not the heart of our God… Therefore, it must not be our heart…

Let us all, by the illumination of the Spirit through His word, identify what keeps us from serving… whether its fear, pride, comfort or anything else, and put it to death with the help of the Spirit and our eyes fixed on Christ. Because when we serve, we join God in what He is already doing and we show the world what our God is like.

If you would like to discuss the gifts of the Spirit or how you can be more involved in serving, I would love to talk with you…

That said, Christ came to serve and not to be served. This reality alone should crush every trace of entitlement in us and infuse in us an evergrowing pursuit of serving those around us.

May we never look at service the same way again. May we see that greatness in the kingdom of God is found in serving rather than being served… May we see in the hands of our deacons the very hands of our Savior. And may the Spirit of God make us a people who find joy in stooping low, because that’s where Jesus is found.

Closing Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Servant-King. You came NOT to be served, but to serve and to give Your life for us. Forgive us for the pride that resists humility and the selfishness that avoids sacrifice.

Make us like You. Give us hearts that are quick to see needs and quicker to meet them. Fill us with gratitude for those who serve among us. And may Your church, this church, shine with the beauty of a serving Savior.

In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Communion:

As we come to the table today, we remember the cross, which stands as the ultimate contradiction to self-centered living. The King of glory took on the form of a servant and gave His life as a ransom for many. He met our deepest need, our rescue from sin and death, and in doing so, showed us that greatness in the kingdom of God is measured by humility, not position.

Jesus didn’t demand to be served even though He could, but instead He stooped to serve us. The bread reminds us of His body, broken for the undeserving. The cup reminds us of His blood, poured out to cleanse and unite us as one family.

This table is not for the entitled, it’s for the thankful. It’s not for spectators, it’s for servants who’ve been served by grace.

So as you take and eat, remember: The greatest in the kingdom is the One who knelt. And now, He invites us to rise and follow in His steps to love, to serve, and to lay our lives down with joy.

Benediction:

Philippians 2:5-11

Go now in the humility of Christ,

who, though He was rich, became poor for your sake.

Walk in His steps, serving, giving, and loving

so that the world might see His heart through yours.

And may the God who stooped low to save you

lift you up to share His joy and His glory forevermore.

Amen.