"Deacons"
[I Timothy 3:8-13]
April 20, 2008 Second Reformed Church
We conclude our look at the offices of the Church this morning. Let us remember that every Christian has been given a gift from the Holy Spirit and is to use that gift, or gifts, for the good of the Church, but some have been called to serve in one or more of the offices of the Church.
The first office we looked at was that of the ordained minister. We saw that the call on those God elects to the office of ordained minister is to study, pray, preach, and teach. Then, we looked at the office of the elder and saw that it is a similar office to that of the ordained minister, but the call on the elder is more specific to the oversight of the spiritual health of the congregation, including the minister, as well as being the teachers of the Church.
The third office is that of the deacon, and let us remember that the offices have parity -- they are equal in authority, but different in call, in the work that they are to accomplish. The deacons, as the meaning of the word tells us, are servants. The deacons are charged with managing the physical needs of the Church and especially the needs of the poor in the Church.
We remember that when we looked at the office of ordained minister, (in Acts 6), we saw the creation of the office of the deacons. The Greek widows in the Church were not having their needs met, but the Jewish widows in the Church were having their needs met, so the disciples went to the apostles, the ordained ministers, and asked them to do something. The ministers told them that they could not neglect their study, prayer, preaching, and teaching, to make sure the physical needs of the widows were met, so they formed the office of the deacons.
In this morning's Scripture, we have Paul, writing to the young minister, Timothy, instructing him on the qualifications of the deacon. What Paul says about the deacons is very similar to what he says about the elders. We can divide these qualifications into five:
First, a deacon must have good character. As we saw last week, the character of the person in office matters. Unlike American office holders who so often end their careers in front of a human judge for sentencing, God expects those who hold office to be of a higher standard.
The deacon must be dignified, not double-tongued. The deacon is to be someone who is straightforward, speaking the truth. He does not "fudge" the facts; he does not speak in double-entendres; He does not tell one person "yes" and another person "no." The deacon is not to be addicted to wine; he is to enjoy wine in moderation or abstain. He is not to be greedy for dishonest gain; he is to be greedy that God would be glorified by the deacon's serving in the house of God. He is not to claim the office for the purpose of lining his own pockets. He is to be honest with all of his dealings, and especially those of the Church.
Second, a deacon "must hold the mystery of the faith," have a clear conscious, and come through the fire blamelessly. What is the mystery of the faith? Paul states it, in one form, just a few verses later, "[Jesus] was manifest in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory" (I Timothy 3:16b). This is a summary of the faith -- that God incarnate in the Person of Jesus, that God the Holy Spirit testified -- witnessed -- to Jesus not being a mere mortal, but God Himself, that the heavenly beings rejoiced and testified to God's Incarnation, that the Good News that God has taken upon Himself the wrath that was due us for our sins and given us the merit Jesus earned through His Perfect Life on earth has been proclaim to all the nations and people have believed on Him throughout the world -- and He ascended back to the Throne of the Son, where the God-Man reigns as King of Kings and Lord of lords, and will soon return. And any deacon ought to believe and confess that mystery -- these truths.
Third, their wives must have good character as well. They are to be dignified and not slanderers. The deacons may come home and tell about the people that were helped -- ministered to -- and their wives are not to spread that information around -- they are not to slander or gossip about others and their needs. Instead, they are to be sober-minded and faithful in all things. They are to be examples of clear-headedness and faithfulness in the Church.
Fourth, and this is why the text is in your bulletin again, a deacon is to be the "husband of one wife." Our pew Bible again has, "married only once." As we said last week, what God is saying is that deacons are not to be bigamists or polygamists. The translators of the NRSV, in attempting to make the Bible less "patriarchal," as they say, have placed the additional burdens of not being allowed to serve if one is a re-married divorcee or a re-married widower. God does not add those prohibitions, so neither should we.
And fifth, the deacons are to manage their households and children well. For if the deacons can't manage the material needs of their family, how can they be expected to manage the material needs of the Church? The word that Paul uses for house is oikos from which we get our word, "economy." Deacons must be economists for the Church and her people.
So we see that deacons are called to be the managers, economists, those who are gifted and called to see that the physical needs of the congregation are met. Our Book of Church Order describes the call to the office of deacon like this:
"The office of the deacon is one of servanthood and service representing Christ through the action of the Holy Spirit. In the local church deacons are chosen members of spiritual commitment, exemplary life, compassionate spirit, and sound judgment, who are set apart for a ministry of mercy, service, and outreach. They are to receive the contributions of the congregation and to distribute them under the direction of the consistory. The deacons give particular attention and care to the whole benevolence program of the church. They have charge of all gifts contributed for the benefit of the poor and distribute them with discretion. They visit and comfort those in material need and perform such other duties as the consistory may assign them" (Book of Church Order, 2007, 1.I.1.10).
Paul ends his description of the qualifications for deacons with the encouragement that "those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus." In other words, those who fulfill the call of deacon will be well thought of by others. Those who seek to serve others and make sure their needs are met will be well thought of by others. And, as one serves, one’s faith increases. Through service one gains a greater faith.
Hopefully, we have understood that all of use are to be servants, not just the deacons. We are all to serve with the gift(s) that the Holy Spirit has given us, and some have been given the added service in the offices of ordained minister, elder, and deacon.
It should come as no surprise to us that the high call of Christ upon all of our lives is to serve, for Jesus said, "You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:42b-45 ESV).
Let us pray:
Almighty God, we thank You for calling some to be deacons, to serve and oversee the material goods You have given to Your Church. We thank You that You consider all of us worthy of the high calling of service in You. Keep us from being distracted by the goals of the world, and let us find our joy in service, in the likeness of You, our Master. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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