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1 Timothy 3:8-13 – Deacons
Are you willing to help? Are you willing to serve? If you do not consider yourself willing to help or serve, then never mind the qualifications for a deacon. You cannot be qualified unless you are already helping and serving.
If you are willing to help, but do not qualify, please continue—our deacons will need your support and participation as much as the elders will.
Being a deacon is not an honorific position, although it is a position of honor (1 Timothy 3:13). How? The word deacon simply means, “a servant.”
In following Jesus, we learn the greatest honor comes in being a servant. For example, even though our pastors, John, Alan and Wilson, (I am not a pastor, I am a preacher) “rule,” they don’t rule for themselves. Their ruling is in exercising God’s decisions as already found in the Bible; it is one of servant-hood for the good of the congregation. This attitude will keep them from lording it over the flock (1 Peter 5:3).
Likewise deacons serve, which means they work. While you don’t have to be a deacon to work, you do have to work if you are a deacon. Can a servant really be a servant if he doesn’t serve? Deacons should not be appointed simply to have deacons, but because there is work to be done—and work that they will be given to do.
There is another way in which being a deacon is an honor – it means people recognize your hard work in becoming like Jesus. In other words, you meet the qualifications. This doesn’t mean deacons are better than others (we are all sinners), but have worked hard to become more like Jesus – except Jesus was perfect. Becoming a deacon is a recognition of hard work, both physically and spiritually. While one can still be like Jesus and not meet all the qualifications simple because there are family qualifications, the other characteristics are marks of spiritual maturity.
But there is another way in which Deacons are like Jesus—Jesus served.
Therefore when we, the congregation, choose deacons, we recognize these men as spiritually minded and as workers.
Since deacons work as servants, whose servants are they? Well of course they are servants of God as we all are, but scriptures emphasize they are servants of the church. While they might serve under the elders, they serve the church. While the overseers might give them work to do, they work for the church. Deacons are servants of the church – our servants.
Being a deacon simply means you take the responsibility to see that something gets done – not that you are the one having to do it all.
I know of a situation where people did not want to serve as deacons. I request in behalf of the congregation that you do not deny this congregation the fulfilling of God’s order. Please do not say, “I don’t want to.” What you are in essence saying is, “I do not want to be part of God’s plan.” Yes, you can work without being a deacon, but please, what scriptural answer could you give for not being a deacon when you are qualified considering this is God’s plan?
The only answer I could think of would be found in Acts 6:2-4.
God has given us plans, and we must follow them:
- God planned the Lord’s Supper, and we must not deviate.
- God planned for a plurality of elders, and we must not change.
- God planned the work of the church and we must not add to nor take away.
Part of God’s plan for this work is deacons. It is God’s plan, not mine, and not yours. Let none of us change God’s plan. If you do not desire this, then ask God to change your heart. Yes, people, I consider it that serious! We must obey God!!
Look around to see who is qualified. Then talk to the elders. The qualifications as found in 1 Timothy 3:8-10,12 are: Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not doubletongued, or addicted to much wine, or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach….Let deacons be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.
Paul then closes by listing the reward: For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. (v.13)
Questions:
- If you are a man, do you consider yourself qualified?
- If you are qualified, are you willing to serve God’s people and fulfill God’s plan?
- If not, what would God think of your excuse?
- Who do you think is qualified to become a deacon?
Prayer: Ask God to change people’s hearts if they are not willing to change, or to change your heart, and to bless those willing to obey His plan.
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