Servant Leaders of the Flock

Josh Clink

Clarify, Unify, Glorify • Sermon • Submitted a year ago

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ME: Intro

Imagine with me for a moment,

We are getting ready for an annual meeting as a church.

At the annual meeting,

We will be looking to call some people to serve as deacons in the church.

So, we have a handful of people who throw their hats in the ring.

First, we have Larry,

He stands up and reminds everyone how successful of an investor he has been for his fortune 500 company,

And that investing in him as a deacon will be an equal success for the church.

Next is Shane,

Now, he didn’t want to brag,

And he doesn’t want to say how he knows this,

But he has a pretty good idea about how much money people give to the church,

And let’s just say its not quite as much as he gives.

So, he feels like it just makes sense that the most giving person in the church should be a deacon.

The third person to stand up is Al.

Al puts himself out there in a much more simple way,

Saying,

“Well, I was pretty much born here,

I have been coming here for over 50 years now,

So, I figure I might as well be a deacon.”

And last is Jay.

Jay stands up and says that he really wants to be an elder someday.

So, he thinks we should make him a deacon now,

Because he says that will fast track his process of becoming an elder.

Now, which of these individuals would you vote to make a deacon?

My hope is that your answer would be,

“I don’t know.”

Because the reasons given for each of these candidates have nothing to do with what a biblical deacon is.

It is a great tragedy when there is a lack of attention given to what it means to be a biblical deacon.

We cannot consider deacons for reasons unrelated to what God says about the character of His servant leaders.

The primary passage that teaches about Servant Leaders of the Flock is our passage this morning,

1 Timothy 3:8-16.

Slide

But as we approach this passage this morning,

We are going to start with the end,

Which gives us...

The Letter’s Purpose (vs. 14-16)

The Deacon’s Posture (vs. 8-12)

The Servant’s Promise (vs. 13)

Notice a deacon. & Notice a deacon?

WE: The Letter’s Purpose (vs. 14-16)

A little context for our passage this morning.

1 Timothy is an instructive letter written from the Apostle Paul to Timothy.

But it is for the entire church in Ephesus.

Paul gives this letter as a public document to instruct all churches on prayer, worship, and church governance.

A lot of early church governance is relatively vague.

But there are some things that are clear.

The offices in the church and some functions within the church are clearly taught in the NT.

The purpose of church governance is for serving God.

There is a sense of self-sacrificing in service to God in the church.

Last week,

We looked at the shepherding responsibility placed on the office of elder.

We discussed how elders are vital to the healthy function of the church,

Tasked with overseeing the function of the church,

And offering spiritual guidance to the church.

The only other church office in the NT is that of the deacons.

Which is a formalized serving role in the church.

Deacons are catalysts of ministry.

They are the mobilizers,

Ensuring the work of the church happens,

Appointed to assist in the functions of the church,

Leading the way in serving.

It is in ch. 3 of 1 Tim.,

Where Paul gives the character qualifications for both of these offices.

Slide

Then, at the end of ch. 3,

He includes his reason for writing this letter.

Back in his introduction in 1 Tim. 1:3,

Paul reveals that he wrote this letter while in Macedonia,

Explaining how he thought it was necessary to leave Timothy in Ephesus because of the presence of false teachers there.

If you remember from Acts,

The Ephesian church was established early on Paul’s third missionary journey.

He spent about three years of ministry in Ephesus.

The last interaction Paul had with the Ephesian church was when Paul called the Ephesian elders to him,

Warning them that false teachers would plague the church.

Well, 1 Timothy indicates that Paul’s prediction came true in the worst way,

Suggesting that false teachers worked their way into positions of leadership.

Slide

So, when you get to the end of ch. 3,

Paul basically just pauses in the middle of the letter to explain his purpose,

Directly confronting the false teaching that was going on.

He says, his purpose was for them to know how they ought to conduct themselves as a church.

This means all of the instructions concerning worship and elders and deacons are a means to the end of rightly ordering the church.

It is clear Paul is addressing this church out of his love for both Timothy and the Ephesians.

As he first said in vs. 14,

He hopes to come to them soon.

His departure from the Ephesian elders in Acts 20 was very emotional.

So, it is no surprise that Paul wants to come in person to deliver these important instructions.

But since he is likely to be delayed,

He writes these things to communicate to them what is necessary to flourish in the faith.

This is the purpose of his letter.

Slide

After giving this explanation,

Paul follows with a threefold description of the church’s identity and mission.

So, we do not just behave ourselves in a general sense.

No, he is instructing us on how to behave ourselves specifically in the household of God.

Our conduct is dictated by the fact that the church is not our house but God’s house.

Think for a moment,

If I were to ask you to describe your household,

What would you tell me?

Would you tell me your address?

Or the way you design your house?

Or what people wear when they come to your house?

My assumption is that you probably wouldn’t.

Instead, you would tell me who your family members are.

Or you would tell me about them,

About what it is like to live life with them.

Because your family members are your household.

Not the house itself.

The same is true for the church.

We are the family of God.

And just like there is order in your household,

Paul’s point is that there ought to be order in God’s household as well.

That is what Paul has been teaching in Timothy.

There are elders and deacons and members in God’s household.

And since this is God’s household,

God defines those offices,

God defines those roles,

God defines their responsibilities.

But we are all equal members of His family.

So, the order of God’s household is not something we make up as we go along.

God has given us instructions to follow His way of doing things.

Because this is His household and we are His family.

This is the purpose of Paul’s letter,

That everyone may know how we ought to behave in God’s house as God’s family.

Paul is not giving this as a suggestion.

No, he backs this purpose up with force.

This is how we ought to behave, he says.

Because the household of God is the church of the living God.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:18-19 that He is building His church.

So, as the church continues to grow,

Jesus is still building.

Which means He is not some dead idol,

He is fully alive!

When the church gathers,

It is the clearest display of God’s presence in this world!

The third description of the church is that we are a pillar and buttress (or foundation) of the truth.

A buttress is a structural support underneath a framework.

So, both of these terms suggest support.

Paul is using the imagery of a building to explain what the church is like.

And it would be an easy imagery for the Ephesians to understand.

Asia Minor was littered with pillars,

Especially in Ephesus,

The temple of Diana was supported by Roman pillars.

So, Paul is teaching that the church is to truth,

What a pillar is to a building.

Each local church is another pillar supporting truth,

Another foundation of the evidence of God.

This is still true today.

We, along with every other local church, exist as a support for truth in the world as this immovable witness to Christ.

While the world changes and culture changes,

God’s truth remains unchanged.

The church adamantly hangs onto God’s Word no matter what.

And we are only able to do this when we are rightly ordered,

With elders leading the way in shepherding and teaching,

And deacons leading the way in serving and empowering ministry,

And members following these leaders.

This is how we become a fortress against lies,

Against false teachers,

And against the fierce current of culture,

All pushing against the truth.

So, the truth of the gospel is found in and sustained by God’s church.

Slide

Giving this instruction seems to compel Paul into a praise of Christ in vs. 16.

Many believe that the format of this verse suggests that it is a fragment of a shared first century worship song.

Which begins by saying that Christ was manifested in the flesh.

This is talking about the incarnation of Jesus,

That God took on flesh to become a human.

The song continues,

Saying that Christ was vindicated by the Spirit.

This seems to refer to the act of Christ’s resurrection.

Because Scripture teaches that the Spirit of God was active in raising Christ from the dead.

Next, it says that Christ was seen by angels.

This seems to refer to the evidence of Christ’s resurrection after He rose.

Because angels served as witnesses to His resurrection.

But they were also present when He ascended to heaven in Acts 1.

The song continues,

Saying Christ is proclaimed among the nations.

This is talking about the gospel that began spreading after Christ ascended to heaven,

And was written and preserved in the Bible.

Which has been translated and transmitted among the nations.

And, as the next line in the song says,

believed on in the world.

Then, the song concludes saying Christ was taken up in glory.

The glory refers to Christ’s exaltation to the right hand of the Father after His ascension,

From where He will one day return.

So, this is what the church is here for.

To serve Jesus in building His Church.

He has called us to be a pillar and support of the truth,

In a world that is sprinting as fast as it can away from truth.

It is far to easy and far too common for churches to drift from the truth.

But Paul’s instructions show us a long-term strategy for the church to support truth.

And that is to be ordered according to God’s design.

To have qualified elders leading in shepherding,

Qualified deacons leading in serving,

And every member holding fast to the truth of the gospel.

This, Paul says, is the letter’s purpose.

GOD: The Deacon’s Posture (vs. 8-12)

Now that we know the letter’s purpose,

Let us backup to vs. 8-12,

Where Paul outlines the all-important Deacon’s Posture.

Slide

What is perhaps most shocking about this passage,

Is that this is not the deacon’s job description,

There are no talents or skill-sets mentioned,

Rather, the deacon’s posture is about who deacons must be.

Because God is more concerned about character than gifting.

The first part of this chapter explained the character qualifications of elders.

In vs. 8, Paul shifts to the qualifications of deacons with the word, “likewise.”

Because the qualifications of both are almost identical,

With the key distinction being that deacons do not need to be able to teach.

But before looking at these qualifications in detail,

Let’s first look at where this title deacon even comes from.

The word, Deacon, comes from the Greek word for servant or minister,

Which is diakonos.

It has become the title of those servant leaders who hold this office,

That cares for the needs and livelihood of the body.

The deacon ministry was first established by the seven chosen to serve in Acts 6,

Although they are not yet called deacons there.

But the title of deacon was given for what deacons do,

Serve.

Slide

So, the seven chosen in Acts 6 are the prototype for the office of deacon.

Just to summarize Acts 6 briefly.

The apostles were called to dedicate themselves to preaching the Word.

This ministry was hindered because the Hellenist widows were not receiving food distributions.

So, this was a twofold problem,

Because it was a great opportunity for division between Hellenists and Hebrews.

But it was also a problem that these widows needed to have their needs met.

So, this problem confronted the responsibility the apostles had to preach the Word.

If they spent all their time providing food for the widows they would not have been able to preach the Word.

Slide

Therefore, they set a precedent for churches to follow when the ministry of the Word is hindered by equally important needs for service.

They did not pit one demand against the other,

As if the Word or the widows were more important.

They acknowledged that neither should be neglected.

So, their solution was to appoint deacons.

Seven servants who met certain character qualifications.

And as these men served the widows,

The apostles were able to devote themselves to prayer and the Word.

Slide

And look at the result in Acts 6:7,

Acts 6:7 ESV

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.

So, again, the apostles set the precedent by recognizing the need for servant leaders.

Slide

Now, in 1 Tim., Paul is instructing all churches on how to recognize servant leaders,

By giving a more thorough list of character qualifications required for deacons.

First, he gives one overarching qualification,

Followed by three negative and three positive qualifications.

The overarching qualification is that deacons must be dignified.

This does not mean they are perfect.

But it does mean they are humble and repentant examples to the flock.

They are worthy of respect and honor.

Resulting in a deacon being taken seriously.

Their character must evoke respect and admiration from others.

Slide

From there,

The first negative requirement,

Is that a deacon must not be double-tongued.

In other words, deacons must strive to control their tongues.

They are to be sincere with their speech.

They are not two-faced or hypocritical.

They speak the truth instead of striving to be a people pleaser.

This is important because deacons have countless interactions with people.

And, you can ask our deacons,

Not all of those interactions are with the easiest of people.

Deacons most often serve sufferers and strugglers.

When a person is suffering or struggling,

They are likely to complain.

So, in these interactions,

Deacons must balance being compassionate,

While also guarding their own tongue.

They cannot go around gossiping as they “pass on information” regarding someone struggling.

But they also must not participate in the sufferer’s gossip or slander.

Being double-tongued is not just a personality quirk or minor flaw.

It is a product of hypocrisy.

It is consciously saying one thing to one group or person,

While saying, or insinuating something different to another person or group.

So, this includes gossip,

Which is saying something behind someone’s back that you wouldn’t say to them.

And it includes flattery,

Which is saying something to someone that you wouldn’t say is true about them.

So, a deacon must avoid all forms of being double-tongued.

Because this indicates a fear of man.

And a deacon who is driven by fear of man becomes a destructive deacon.

If a person lives to please people,

Then avoiding these types of speech will be impossible for them.

Satan will use anything he can to gain a foothold.

Therefore, Paul is teaching that deacons must not allow their words to give him that opening.

The second negative qualification is that deacons are not addicted to much wine.

The first qualification demanded deacons to be self-controlled regarding their speech.

This one is about being self-controlled regarding one’s appetite.

This addiction expresses a sense of devotion.

So, it is saying that deacons do not devote themselves to much wine.

At the base level, this is prohibiting drunkenness.

But this could really be expanded to any sort of addiction.

If a person’s heart is enslaved in such a way that it impairs their judgment,

Then they do not fit the qualifications of a deacon.

Qualified deacons do not indulge cravings or abuse substances that would hinder their service or their witness.

The final negative qualification is that deacons are not greedy for dishonest gain.

So, we have seen that deacons must control their mouth, their appetites, and now, their wallets.

For one reason,

It is common for deacons to be in contact with church funds.

We have a specific fund that is kept by our deacons.

So, Paul is warning against installing a person who is known for being deceptive,

Or for cutting corners,

Or for simply being obsessed with money.

A worldly, materialistic person will struggle with greed,

Which in turn will be a temptation toward dishonest gain.

Jesus taught that anyone who loves money more than God cannot be a follower of His,

Let alone a servant leader of his.

So, deacons must be reliable when it comes to money.

Slide

After listing these three negative qualifications,

In vs. 9, Paul turns his attention to the first of three positive qualifications.

Saying, Deacons must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

This is really the key difference in qualifications between elders and deacons.

Elders must be able to teach,

Deacons do not hold that responsibility.

But, deacons do still hold to the mystery of the faith.

What exactly is the mystery of the faith?

Well, it is a technical term that Paul uses throughout the NT.

He uses in vs. 16, saying the mystery of godliness is great.

In Rom. 16:25-26, he talks about the mystery that was kept secret for long ages,

But has now been disclosed.

In 1 Cor. 4:1,

He calls Christians stewards of the mystery of God.

In Eph. 1:9, he says God is making known to us the mystery of his will.

Also in Eph. 6:19,

He asks the church to pray that the words may be given to him in opening his mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.

So, when Paul uses the word mystery,

He is talking about what was once hidden but has now been revealed by God through the gospel.

So, the mystery of the faith is the message that Jesus Christ was crucified and raised from the dead for sinners.

If you miss this message,

Then you miss everything.

Paul’s point in making this a qualification,

Is that deacons must know and believe this message.

And they must know why they know and believe this message.

You see, the temptation is to assume that since deacons primarily focus on practical service,

They don’t need to really know God’s Word.

That can just be left up to the elders.

Just because teaching is a primary responsibility of elders,

Does not mean deacons,

Or any other members for that matter,

Are exempt from having to know their Bibles.

The ministry of deacons often puts them in a position to speak biblical truth.

So, deacons must know the faith to do this.

A deacon should be eager to grow their understanding of God, Christ, and salvation.

They are hungry to learn the things of God.

And they hold the faith.

They have clung to the truth of the gospel not only in their mind,

But also in their heart.

A deacon is not embarrassed by biblical truths.

They see God’s truth as precious,

Embrace it with humble gladness,

And embody it in the way they live.

As Paul says,

Not only do deacons hold the mystery of the faith,

But they hold it with a clear conscience.

This is a callback to the previous qualifications already listed,

Because failing in those qualifications slowly shatters a clear conscience.

But a deacon who has a clear conscience will be a person with moral integrity and courage.

This does not make one’s conscience the ultimate standard.

Because our consciences are still fallen.

But it is still important.

Because a person,

Especially a deacon,

Has a clear conscience from genuine,

Ongoing repentance to God.

Slide

The second positive requirement in vs. 10,

Is a call for deacons to be tested and proven.

There are many accounts of harm happening in churches from a person becoming a deacon when they had no business being a deacon.

These disasters can be avoided by upholding this requirement.

I think part of the reason this requirement gets sidelined so often,

Is because Paul gives no details about how long or what the nature of this testing should be.

If we were to test deacons first,

What would a testing entail?

How long would it last?

Paul gives no answers to these questions.

So, as a church,

We must exercise wisdom and prayerful discernment to answer these questions.

Regardless of the specifics,

It is clear there must be a genuine season of testing.

We must carefully examine the conduct, character, and commitment to sound teaching of a person before making them a deacon.

The elders would presumably lead in this testing,

But it takes the whole body.

A deacon cannot be selected for superficial reasons.

Rather, a deacon’s faithfulness must be proven.

Last year, our current deacons read through a book on deacons,

Where we discussed a testing process for deacons,

That includes the entire body identifying potential deacons,

Who then go through a character examination,

While also serving alongside deacons in a formal capacity,

With the body giving feedback related to these qualifications.

If the person is found blameless through this testing,

Then the body affirms them as a deacon by voting to appoint them.

But let me give one disclaimer,

This idea of being blameless is the same qualification for elders to be above reproach.

This is not saying a person must be sinless to be a deacon.

If that were the standard,

All would be disqualified.

But a person should have a good standing among others,

Proving themselves as a deacon.

Slide

Before giving the third positive qualification,

Paul shifts his focus in vs. 11 with a seemingly abrupt interruption to address “their wives.”

The single word translated to their wives is most literally translated as “women.”

In fact, the possessive pronoun “their,”

Has only been added in English.

There is no possessive pronoun in Greek here.

It simply says either “likewise, wives,” or “likewise, women.”

Most other translations recognize this.

But this verse is a highly contested verse.

Because it raises a great question,

Why would Paul interrupt his qualifications for deacons with a reference to women here?

The answer to this question has resulted in essentially two camps.

The ESV editors explain that they translate this to say “their wives,”

Because they believe this is addressing the wives of deacons.

So, they add the possessive pronoun in English believing it faithfully translates the idea being communicated here.

However, many others think this is referring to female deacons.

First, because Paul begins addressing them by saying, “likewise,”

Just as he did for deacons in vs. 8.

But also partly because the qualifications for women given here,

Reflect the same qualifications already listed for deacons.

So, why would Paul specify these qualifications if an office for these women was not in view?

Also, proponents of this camp point to Phoebe in Rom. 16:1,

Who Paul says is a servant of the church at Cenchreae.

But the word he uses for servant is diakonos,

The same word used for the office of deacon here.

So, it would seem, they say, the most natural way to read about Phoebe is that Paul is calling her a deacon.

But, at the end of the day,

Whether the women Paul is addressing hold an official office or not,

They do hold a responsibility for serving others.

Thus we can agree that they must bear the character qualities fitting for a servant leader.

First, they must be dignified,

They must be worthy of respect or honor.

Second, they must not be slanderers.

They cannot maliciously gossip about others.

Third, they must be sober-minded.

The same qualification for elders back in vs. 2.

That one must be temperate and clear-headed,

Exhibiting good judgement.

And fourth, these women must be faithful in all things.

Again, this is not demanding perfection.

Rather, these women are expected to be trustworthy, reliable, and dependable.

The qualifications for these women echo the same qualifications for deacons.

Slide

Which Paul continues with the final one in vs. 12.

Essentially saying that a deacon’s faithfulness must begin with his closest relationships,

His family.

If a deacon is married,

Paul says,

He must be a husband of one wife.

This is most literally is translated as a one-woman man.

It is also used inversely for women who are widows in 1 Tim. 5:9,

Where he said a widow had to have been the wife of one husband.

So, what does this phrase mean?

Some have suggested Paul is condemning polygamy,

Others believe he is condemning remarriage after a divorce.

Both of these interpretations are definitely possible.

But most have come to understand this more specifically as a condemnation of marital infidelity.

For one, the Greco-Roman world fostered this type of immorality.

So, it would make sense culturally for Paul to focus on this.

But secondly,

The marriage relationship and member relationship are the only two human relationships that include covenants.

So, there are many ways these relationship dynamics overlap.

And if a person is unfaithful to the covenant of their marriage,

They have proven that they will be unfaithful to the covenant of their membership.

Thus, a person would disqualify themselves from being a deacon for being unfaithful in their marriage.

But also in a practical sense,

The responsibilities of deacons can be demanding.

So, a deacon must maintain his faithfulness to his wife,

Even at the extent of the church.

Because at the end of the day,

The church can find another deacon,

But a deacon’s wife cannot find another husband.

So, the way one serves a spouse will better train that person to serve the church.

But this extends to the whole family.

If a deacon has children,

He must raise them in a home of gentle firmness and joyful love.

He is to be the thermostat of the home that sets the temperature.

He must manage his home with deliberateness and diligence,

Training his heart to serve the church in the same manner.

Paul could not be clearer with this qualification,

It is impossible to be a lousy husband or absent dad but a great deacon.

Being a family man is not just a bonus for someone who is a deacon,

It is a requirement.

YOU: The Servant’s Promise (vs. 13)

After teaching all the qualifications for deacons,

Slide

Vs. 13 highlights the value and importance deacons perhaps more than any other verse,

With the Servant’s Promise.

Deaconing is not for the faint of heart.

Much of what a deacon does is thankless work.

It is behind the scenes type of service that gets little to no recognition.

It can be exhausting and discouraging.

So, there are two gifts given in increasing measure to keep deacons going.

First, good standing.

This gift comes horizontally from the church.

This idea of standing is talking about a place on a step,

Or even a ranking.

This refers to the respect and appreciation from the church toward those who serve the church as deacons.

This is such a beautiful thing because the work of a deacon is rarely glamorous,

But the reward is glorious!

The second part of the promise is great confidence in faith in Christ.

This is referring to an increased boldness to speak the gospel.

This gift comes vertically from God.

From faith that is increased by seeing the truths of the gospel being proven in ministry.

A prime example of this is one of the first deacons,

Stephen, in Acts 7,

His greater service afforded him greater opportunity to bear witness to Christ.

The same promise is true for servant leaders today.

WE: Conc - We heard this before

With that in mind,

Lets close with some application.

For us here at FBC Afton,

We currently have two deacons.

Tim Vroman, who is over in Kid Konnect.

And Greg Smith, who also faithfully serves you all and others behind the scenes.

I want you to take a moment of quiet reflection regarding these two.

In what ways have you shown respect toward these deacons?

In what ways could you express how much you appreciate their service?

Take a moment to notice a deacon sometime this next month.

Give them a call,

Get them a gift card,

See if there is a way you can serve them.

Do something to notice them,

To encourage them,

For the good of the flock and the glory of God.

Second application.

After studying the requirements for deacons,

Do you notice a deacon?

Consider if there is someone in the body who you think may be a potential deacon.

If there is,

Let one of the elders or deacons know.

But I would recommend talking with them first.

And together, let us seek to discern God’s servant leaders for FBC Afton.

Pray.

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