Servants of Christ

Introduction:

One of the great myths in the church life is that problems only arise when doctrine goes wrong. However, the NT shows us something more sobering: sometimes the gospel is hindered not only by false teaching, but by faithful needs left unattended.

This is exactly what happens in Acts 6:1–7: the church is growing. People are being saved. The apostles are preaching boldly. Yet a complaint arises—not about theology, but about the care of the people. Certain widow were being overlooked in the daily distribution. No one, at this time in the church, is denying the resurrection or that Christ is the Son of God. No one is preaching heresy. But there is neglect, unintentional neglect, and it begins to fracture the unity of the church.

[Turn in your Bibles]

Acts 6:1–7 NKJV

1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. 7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

What is striking about this passage is the apostles response. They don’t shame the congregation. They don’t dismiss the concern. And they don’t abandon their calling to solve it personally.

Instead, they say: “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.”

I believe this statement is often misunderstood. The apostles are not saying that serving tables is beneath them, what they are saying is every calling in the church must be protected, or all ministry will suffer.

So they instruct the church to select seven men—men already known, already trusted, already shaped by godliness—to take responsibility for the practical, material, and mercy needs of the body of Christ. Luke never formally calls them “deacons,” but the function is unmistakable. This is why these deacons are called proto-deacons. However, their functions is unmistakable. In fact, the verb used—to serve—is the very word from which we get deacon.

With this men serving the body in this way the result is rather profound:

The Word of God continues to spread

The number of disciples multiplies

Unity is preserved

Ministry is strengthened, and not diluted.

This moment becomes the prototype for how Christ governs His church:

Spiritual leadership is supported by faithful servants, each guarding their calling for the sake of the gospel.

When Paul writes to Timothy, in our passage this morning, he is not inventing a new office. He is giving Spirit-inspired clarity to pattern the church has already learned.

Deacons exist because the church is made of real people with real needs. They exist to guard unity, protect leadership focus, and ensure love is not theoretical but tangible.

And as we will see Paul doesn’t start with a job description, but beings with character. Because in God’s economy, how a servant lives matters more than what a servant does.

And this is where our passage presses us—not only to ask who may hold the an office, but to ask something deeper.

What kind of people does Christ entrust with the physical care of His church?

Family, this question applies to men called to leadership, to women serving faithfully without titles, and to every believer who bears the name of Christ.

Our church holds to this office of Deacon as being a male only title, similar to the role of an elder. This morning I will give, what I believe is a biblical defense of this view, in verse 11. With that, ladies you too are not exempt from pursuing these same characteristics.

However, our passage is primarily addressing men. And I will focus a lot of the time addressing the men of our church.

vv. 8–9) Pursuing Personal Purity

Paul beings where Scripture and the Lord does when it comes to leadership: with the heart.

In the same vain as the overseer, Paul before he speaks about family life, public reputation, or longevity of service; he addresses the inner life of deacons. Of course this is intentional. In God’s design, ministry failure rarely begins with the title or office—it usually begins in the soul.

“Likewise Deacons”—Shared moral weight

The first word of our passage is easy to skip past, but it carries enormous weight. Paul has just finished outlining qualifications for overseers/elders/bishops. Now he turns to deacons and says, in effect: the same moral seriousness applies here too.

That is, they should have the same qualities as bishops. Even though there is not equality in regards to rank, the deacons are called to be equally blameless.

In other words, while the roles differ, the standard of holiness does not. Deacons are not a lesser class of leaders. They are trusted servants operating in full view of the church, often handling sensitive matters—finances, mercy ministry, conflict, and care for the vulnerable.

Inward Qualities:

Reverent:

Reverent (semnos): means a human being worthy of respect/honor, noble, dignified, serious. Reverent carries the idea of dignity and moral gravity.

It doesn’t mean somber or joyless, but a life which commands respect without demanding it.

A reverent man understand that serving Christ’s church is not casual work. He handles holy things—people made in the image of God, the reputation of the gospel, and the resources of the body. There is an appropriate weight to how a deacon should carry himself.

Reverence, then, is not about personality, it actually has nothing to do with personality, it is about the posture of the individual. You see a deacon isn’t flippant with sin, careless with people, or trivial about spiritual matter.

Jesus embodies perfect reverence. Though gentle and approachable, He treated His Father’s will, His people, and His mission with absolute seriousness.

A reverent servant reflects the gravity of Christ Himself.

Application:

Gentlemen: leadership begins with sobriety of the soul.

Church: service in Christ’s name is never just casual. Again, I am not saying service cannot be jovial; but that service to the Lord needs to be taken serious.

All believers: holiness creates spiritual credibility.

Double-Tongued:

Paul now addresses the tongue, because speech reveals the heart.

Luke 6:45 NKJV

45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Matthew 15:18 NKJV

18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.

Proverbs 4:23–24 NKJV

23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. 24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.

Psalm 19:14 NKJV

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Double-tongued (dilogos): means insincere or double-talk. Meaning to be doubled-tongued is to say different things to different people—adjusting truth for advantage, to avoid discomfort, or preserve influence.

This is especially dangerous in diaconal minsitry, where trust and discretion are going to be essential. Calvin observed this sin is uniquely tempting for this office, because deacons often stand between people, problems, and resources.

Nothing fractures unity faster than inconsistent speech. A servant of Christ must be known for having one voice, one truth, one character.

Jesus, after all, never tailored truth to His audience. Whether before crowds, disciples, or rulers, His words were consistent, faithful, and true. He is the Word made flesh—undivided and trustworthy.

Application:

Speak truthfully even when silence or changing the truth would be easier.

Guard against people-pleasing disguised as wisdom.

Let your yes be yes or no be no in every setting.

Not Given to Much Wine:

Paul is not forbidding all use of wine; he is forbidding enslavement. The issue is control.

A Christian must not be ruled by cravings—whether for drink, comfort, escape, or pleasure. Any appetite which governs the will disqualifies a man from caring for others. And this is doubly true for a deacon.

This is especially important because ministry often exposes stress, fatigue, and emotional strain. When pressures rise, what we run to reveals what rules us.

Jesus fasted, endured hunger, and refused every shortcut offered in the wilderness. He was never governed by appetite, but obedience to the Father.

Application:

Gentlemen: ask honestly what habits have authority over you. If it isn’t Christ, you need to reassess.

Leaders: stress doesn’t excuse loss of self-control.

Family (church): freedom in Christ never means bondage to desire.

1 Peter 2:15–16 NKJV

15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.

Not Greedy for Money:

Money tests the heart because it promises security, influence, ad independence. Remember family there is a difference between a born-again believer and a disciple of Christ. While both are saved, the disciple has fully submitted to the lordship of Christ.

And for the disciple “their” money no longer belongs to them, they have submitted their finances to the Lord. And mismanagement is embezzling.

Biblical deacons will after all be entrusted with funds, benevolence and resources, hence why Paul insists they must be free from the love of money.

It would be absurd to entrust the churches resources to someone ruled by covetousness. History has proven, time and time again, this wisdom repeatedly.

Now the issue is not the possession of money, but being possessed by money.

Scripture tells us, Jesus has no place to lay His head, yet He was rich toward God. He taught His disciples that true treasure is found in obedience, not in accumulation of material things or wealth.

Application:

Faithfulness with money is a spiritual matter.

Handling resources requires transparency and trust.

Contentment guards both the servant (deacon) and the church.

[v.9] With a Pure Conscience:

Paul now concludes the inward qualities by joining doctrine and devotion.

The “ mystery of the faith” refers to the gospel—once hidden, now revealed in Christ.

[Gospel]

Deacons must hold this truth, meaning they grasp it firmly, cherish it deeply, and refuse to compromise it. However knowledge alone is not enough. Paul adds: “with a pure conscience.” Truth must be lived, not merely affirmed.

“It would be exceedingly absurd to hold a public office in the church, while they were ill-informed in the Christian faith…especially since they must frequently be laid under the necessity of administering advice and consolation.”–Calvin

Jesus is the mystery revealed—the good news incarnate. his conscience was perfectly pure, His obedience complete. All Christian service flows from union with Him.

Application:

Hold the faith firmly and live it honestly

Let doctrine shape your conduct, don’t merely confess to hold to doctrine

A clean conscience produces bold, joyful service.

Exhortation:

Men, leadership begins with unseen holiness long before public service.

Ladies: these virtues define Christlike service in every role and ministry.

Church: gifting never replaces godliness; character is non-negotiable.

Before God entrusts a servant with responsibility, He requires purity of life, integrity of speech, and faithfulness of heart.

v. 10) Proven Through Testing

After laying out the moral and spiritual qualifications for deacons, Paul adds a safeguard which protects both the church and the man: testing.

God never entrusts visible responsibility to untested character.

Paul’s command is clear: first be tested. Not assumed. Not rushed. Not promoted because of need.

This isn’t a background check or a brief probation. it is the slow observation of a life—how a man responds to pressure, handles conflict, manages temptation, and serves when no title is attached.

This is precisely what we saw in Acts 6. The apostles do not say, “Find seven willing men.” They say, “seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom.” These were men already tested by time, community, and faithfulness.

Testing is not suspicion either. It is wisdom born from love for the church.

Before these men are given the title of deacon, they are to be tested as servants.

“Being found blameless.” Now again, this doesn’t mean sinless.

Paul says a man may serve in the role of deacon if he is found blameless. This word doesn’t mean someone who is flawless or without struggle. It means not open to legitimate accusation.

A blameless man:

is humble and repentant when wrong

is consistent

is teachable

Testing reveals patterns, not isolated moments. The church is not looking for men without weakness, but for men whose lives display credible repentance and steady obedience.

Meaning we are looking for a man who is not stained or marked by any vice. However, this must be established by full inquiry, not just assumption.

I have seen many men desire to serve when the calling is exciting. Testing asks a different question though: “will you serve when it is ordinary, costly, or unseen?

Time exposes:

Whether integrity remains when pressure increases

Whether humility survives responsibility

Whether faithfulness continues without recognition

Again, this is why Paul insists on testing before service is publicly recognized. Premature appointment doesn’t bless a man—it burdens him.

This principle ultimately points us to Christ.

Before His public ministry, Jesus was:

tested in the wilderness

tempted with shortcuts

yet proven in obedience

The Father didn’t bypass testing for the Son, and the church must not bypass it for her servants either.

Application:

For you men aspiring to leadership (which is a good thing): embrace the season of testing; obscurity is often God’s training ground.

For you ladies who serve faithfully: testing is not about titles, but about spiritual depth which God sees.

Family: urgency must never override discernment; rushed leadership often leads to long-term harm.

Only after purity is demonstrated and tested does Paul move to the question of how others are affected by a deacon’s life—particularly the women who serve alongside them and the witness of the household.

v. 11) Principles for Women

Before we move on, we need to slow down and address a real interpretive/translational question in this verse. One that faithful scholars and churches have wrestled with for a long time.

The issue centers on a single Greek word for wives (gynaikas).

Now this word can legitimately mean either:

women (in general)

wives (depending on context)

Because of the grammatical flexibility of this work, there is a lot of debate on its use here.

There are a lot of biblical interpreters and churches which would argue Paul is introducing a third group:

Overseers (vv. 1–7)

Male deacons (vv. 8–10)

Female deacons (v.11)

Their argument is:

The use of “likewise,” which Paul uses to introduce new categories.

The lack of an explicit possessive “their wives.”

Paul’s commendation of Phoebe as a diakonos in Romans 16:1.

Because of this, some translations and churches conclude women may hold the office of deacon.

While the argument is understandable, several contextual and theological facts weigh heavily against that conclusion.

Let’s look at some translation:

1 Timothy 3:11 NKJV

11 Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.

1 Timothy 3:11 KJV 1900

11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

1 Timothy 3:11 ESV

11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.

1 Timothy 3:11 NASB95

11 Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.

1 Timothy 3:11 NIV

11 In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

1. The Flow of the Passage:

Paul immediately returns in verse 12 to say: “Let deacons be husbands of one wife.”

I believe that clarification matters. If Paul had just established female deacons as a parallel office, verse 12 would be oddly regressive.

However, it makes sense as Paul resumes and completes the qualification for male deacons after a brief but important aside. In other words, verse 11 functions as an interruption, not a new office.

2. The Absence of Office Markers:

Notice what Paul doesn’t say in verse 11:

no title is given

no testing requirement is mentioned

no household leadership qualification appears

no discussion of authority or appointment

Every formal office in this chapter is marked by clear role-based qualifications. Verses 11 lacks those markers.

This strongly suggests Paul is addressing women closely connected to diaconal ministry, not office-holders themselves.

3. Consistency with Paul’s Teaching Elsewhere:

In the previous chapter, Paul restricts governing and teaching authority in the gathered church to qualified men:

1 Timothy 2:12 NKJV

12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.

It would be theologically inconsistent for him to overturn that structure, implicitly, without explanation, in the very next chapter.

Paul is careful, explicit, and pastoral when he introduces offices. He doesn’t smuggle them in through ambiguous grammar.

4. Phoebe Reconsidered:

Phoebe is indeed called a diakonos in Romans 16:1:

Romans 16:1 NKJV

1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,

However that term (diakonos) is widely used in the NT for servants without office—including Christ Himself:

Romans 15:8 NKJV

8 Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers,

What Paul doesn’t do with Phoebe:

Apply 1 Timothy 3 qualifications

Describe ordination or appointment

Assign authority or governance

Phoebe is a model servant, but not an example of a female-held church office.

So what is Paul doing in this verse?

Firstly, he is not minimizing women—he is protecting the church.

Women who serve in proximity to leadership—whether as wives or deacons or as key servant in other aspects of ministry—must be:

Trustworthy

Disciplined in speech

Reliable in conduct.

Why? Because their faithfulness directly affects:

Church credibility

Unity

The witness of the gospel

This is not a demotion. It’s an acknowledgment of real influence.

I want to make sure we understand this clearly: Disagreement here is not a denial of women’s gifting or value.

The question is not whether women serve—they clearly do, powerfully and indispensably.

The question is how Scripture orders offices for the good of the church.

Our church’s conviction is that:

Scripture reserves the office of deacon for qualified men

Scripture celebrates and depends on the service of godly women

Titles do not measure faithfulness—obedience does.

Also this is a minor doctrinal issue. So if you disagree with me and our churches stance, that is okay.

Also there are other good godly churches who will not agree as us on this point and that is also okay, and not a point of breaking fellowship with them.

v. 12) A Deacon’s First Calling :

Alright, now that we have gotten that out of the way, let’s continue. Paul tightens the focus. After addressing character, testing, and women connected to diaconal ministry, he returns to the office itself and grounds it in the most concrete proving ground of all: the home.

This verse removes any lingering ambiguity about the office of deacon. Paul speaks directly, plainly, and specifically about the men who are to hold it.

Here the office of deacon is:

Male “husbands”

Martial-contextual (faithfulness within marriage)

Publicly accountable (observable leadership)

This verse functions as a boundary marker.

Paul isn’t making a cultural assumption—but issuing an apostolic instruction.

As with overseers, this phrase doesn’t simply mean “married once.” It points to:

Sexual faithfulness

Covenant loyalty

Undivided devotion

A deacon must be a one-women man—not flirtatious, not compromised, or double-hearted. His leadership begins with how he honors his wife.

The church is never strengthened by leaders whose private lives contradicts their public service.

Also, Paul assumes church leadership is an extension of household leadership.

This doesn’t mean:

Perfection

Control

Harsh authority

It means:

Responsibility

Spiritual direction

Consistent care

Godly leadership

A man who cannot serve the smaller community of his home is not prepared to steward responsibility in the larger household of God.

Poor household leadership brings reproach—not only on the man, but on the church as well. The credibility of the gospel is tied to the visible faithfulness of its leaders.

Biblical leadership is not about dominance—it is about accountability before God.

The deacon’s authority:

is exercised under Christ

is shaped by service

is accountable to Scripture

This kind of leadership doesn’t suppress women or children; it creates stability in which they can flourish.

[Garden analogy]

How do we see Jesus in this?

Jesus is the head of His household, the church, His bride. He rules:

Faithfully

Sacrificially

With patience and truth

Earthly leadership in the church is meant to reflect His headship, not redefining it.

Application:

Gentlemen: Leadership begins at home, public service cannot outrun private faithfulness.

Families: the home is the first minsitry context God evaluates.

Church: God’s design for leadership is protective, not restrictive.

The church doesn’t need more gifted leaders—it needs faithful men whose lives can bear the weight of responsibility.

Paul concludes these verses by lifting our eyes from responsibility to reward. Reminding us that faithful service—though often quiet and unseen—is never wasted in God’s economy.

v. 13) The Promise of Honor

After all the weighty qualification—purity, testing, integrity, household leadership—Paul reminds us that God is not indifferent to faithful service.

He says those who serve well “obtain for themselves a good standing.” This doesn’t mean promotion or climbing an ecclesiastical ladder. It means earned credibility—a life which commands respect because it has been consistently faithful.

In God’s economy, service is never wasted, even when it is quiet, unseen, or uncelebrated.

Paul also adds that faithful deacons gain “great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

This boldness is not personality-driven courage. It is the confidence which flows from:

a clean conscience

a life aligned with the gospel

obedience lived out over time

After all, a deacon who has lived faithfully doesn’t fear scrutiny, opposition, or difficulty—because his life and his faith agree.

Paul’s words are not theoretical. We see them lived out in Acts 6–8.

Stephen serves faithfully in practical ministry, then stands with extraordinary boldness before the Sanhedrin, proclaiming Christ even unto death.

Philip serves in mercy ministry and is later entrusted with powerful evangelistic work, leading many to Christ.

Neither of these men sought prominence. Neither was reckless. Both were faithful where they were placed, and God entrusted them with great gospel impact.

Paul doesn’t promise: prestige, power, ease. The honor he describes is spiritual, not institutional. It is the quiet authority which comes from obedience and deep assurance that one is walking rightly before Christ.

Family, Christ is the Servant who:

served perfectly

was misunderstood and rejected

was ultimately exalted by the Father

The path of faithful service leads to glory—but only after obedience, humility, and sacrifice. The church’s deacons, and servants in general, walk in the footsteps of their Lord.

Application:

Deacons and Leaders: serve well. Not looking for accolades.

Men aspiring to leadership: faithfulness today produces confidence tomorrow.

Women serving faithfully: God honors obedience, not titles.

Church: celebrate faithfulness more than prominence.

Final exhortation:

The church of Christ is sustained not by charism, talent, or strategy—but by faithful servants shaped by Christ.

Some serve publically, while others serve quietly. Some lead. Some support. But all who serve Christ in obedience are seen, honored, and strengthened by Him.

And the promise remains: Those who serve well gain boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus—a boldness no position can grant and no opposition can take away.

Numbers 6:24–26 NKJV

24 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’