Hope for the Anxious Heart: Part 1
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Have you heard the story of the greatest deacon meeting that ever occurred? There was a group of men surrounding a table. There was holy conversation, the word of God was shared, their was gospel centered reflection on their lives, a hymn was sung, there was only one disgruntled person in the room, and the meeting closed with a time of prayer. You may be waiting for the punch line, but this is a real historical event. The leader of this great Deacon meeting was none other than Jesus himself. Those disciples who surrounded him were servants of God’s people.
When we hear the word, deacon, all kinds of images come to our minds. Some of you think of a father or fatherly figure in your life. Others of you think of the great men of a former church you have attended to served faithfully until their death. Others might not have such great reflections of deacons in their lives.
Author Alexander Straugh states in his book Paul’s Vision for Deacons,
Over the years, I have asked many people the question, “What do deacons do?” and have received a wide range of responses. It is quite confusing! For example, when approaching a church I was visiting, I was greeted by a friendly man who was trimming bushes and mowing the grass. After a warm Christian greeting, he volunteered to tell me he was a deacon. I could see that he was a good man and proud to serve his church. So I asked, “What do deacons do?” “Deacons,” he replied, “care for the church’s facilities. They make sure the building and grounds are presentable to the public.”
While having lunch with a long-time friend who had recently become a deacon, I asked, “What do deacons do?” “They’re the governing board of the church,” he answered. “Nothing happens in the church without the deacons’ consent.” On another occasion, I was introduced to a man who identified himself as a church deacon. I asked, “What do deacons do?” “Deacons lead the church’s ministry teams,” he said. “I’m the coordinator of the church’s audio-visual team. Others coordinate the small-group ministry, the evangelism committee, or the building maintenance team.” Then I asked a biblical scholar, “What do deacons do?”
“Deacons can teach, preach, counsel, evangelize, manage church programs, and help the needy. They are models of servant leadership.”
One of biggest problem in the church today is that leadership in the church is not being created from a proper biblical framework and held accountable to God’s design for the church. Today we are going to study an overview of two passages that deal with biblical deacons as we approach the time in our church’s history were we prayerfully nominate, evaluate and appoint biblical deacons.
I. The Purpose of a Deacon
I. The Purpose of a Deacon
Today, we turn our attention to the apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy. We will be looking at chapter 3. Paul writes to the young Timothy about his ministry in Ephesus. Timothy was a disciple of Paul’s on his first missionary journey and after being trained, he now leads this church with the help of Paul’s encouragement and exhortation. This letter is the the first of two letters to Timothy contained in the NT and is adjoined to the letter from Paul to Titus being called the Pastoral Epistles. Paul’s manner of disciple-making was to continue to support and lead his sent out disciples as they led their own ministries. In our passage today, Paul’s desire is to instruct Timothy on the organization of the church which God has appointed him to lead.
If you would, please turn with me to 1 Timothy, let’s look at Paul’s thoughts about how the church should be organized. Paul immediately begins his letter to Timothy with a warning against the disorder in Ephesus arising from false teachers.
1 Timothy 1:6-7 warning against False teachers
1 Timothy 1:18-19 encouragement for Timothy to fight good fight of faith
1 Timothy 2:8 conduct of men in the church
1 Timothy 2:9-15 conduct of women in the church
Now in chapter 3, Paul turns his attention to the leadership in the church. First, in verses 1-7, Paul deals with the qualifications of elders. Let me read that briefly to you for its relevance to our study today.
READ 1 Timothy 3:1–7 (ESV)
You will notice briefly, without a full exposition, that Paul wants Timothy to understand what qualities to look for in faithful elders who lead the flock of God, partly because of poor leadership in Ephesus who had caused great division in the church. The qualities in general include a personal holiness (sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, not conceited) All of these could be lumped into the first quality mentioned which was ‘above reproach.’ Similarly, the elder is also called to possess a relational holiness which includes hospitality with others, able to teach others, leading his family well, and a good reputation with outsiders. These qualities will sound very familiar as we look at them regarding deacons.
Without spending too much time on this in my sermon on deacons, it is important to note that Paul’s states that elders are to be a one-woman man which is foundational to the office of elder/pastor. Not only does this promote the character quality of marital faithfulness, but it highlights the necessity that elders of church are to be men, not women. This is not only clear here in this passage but the framework throughout the Bible as men leading God’s people.
Paul’s point is that Timothy should have a high view of biblical accountability for its leadership if a church seeks to honor Christ.
READ 1 Timothy 3:8–13 (ESV)
Deacons are recognized by the church but not regarded as authoritative above the people. They are servant leaders by the very meaning of the name deacon which means “servant.” We would not be right in saying that everyone is a deacon since everyone is a servant in the church. Since Paul includes this section regarding deacons, he is laying out the blueprint for church leadership which includes elders and deacons.
The Greek word “DIAKONOS” is used 30 or so times in the NT and it is only translated “deacons” in these verses officially because the context suggests that Paul is labeling these official servants of the church in his treatise on church polity. In Acts 6, this story in the early church serves as the foundation for the need for deacons to arise as leaders in the daily function of the church.
READ ACTS 6:1-7
Here you will see a great example of how leaders were chosen from among the people in order to set them apart for the service to the needs of the early church.
The apostles stated that they must devote themselves to the ministry of the word and prayer and while not using their time “serving tables.” In his book, Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons, Thabiti Anyabwile states that the local church has their version of waiters like a restaurant. He says,
“The local church, too, has table servers. We call them “deacons.” The joy, peace, unity, and fruitfulness of the local church depends in part on having a cadre of faithful table servants who are present when needed, eager to serve without being intrusive.” -Thabiti Anyabwile
This is why we can define biblical deacons as certified table servants of the church who offer stability to the body of Christ so that the elders can focus on leading the church spiritually.
Deacons are extremely necessary for the body of Christ as the stabilizers for church ministry. When deacons properly understand their role as servants in the church, then they are faithful to take care of the daily operations of the church like finances, administration, grounds care, widows and orphans, etc. This allows the elders time and energy to focus their attention on pastoral care and the preaching ministry.
Author Jamie Dunlop uses a helpful term by labeling deacons ministry as the shock absorbers of the church. WIth the pot holes in and around our city, you come to appreciate the absorption of the blows to your vehicle by the shocks underneath. Sometimes you forget they are even there until they go out and every bump on the road feels like a driving over a land mine. Dunlop correctly interprets their role in ministry as…
"…facilitate congregational ministry under the leadership of the elders…Elders lead ministry, deacons facilitate ministry, the congregation does ministry.” Jamie Dunlop
We can all see then how churches across the scope of history have gotten deacon leadership wrong when they appoint these leaders to run churches. Often looking more like the world’s structure, deacons often look like CEOs of a major corporation or they look like an elder board of a church, just one who doesn’t teach. God designed the church to be led by men called elders. He has given elders the authority, under the headship of Christ to lead God’s people. He did NOT give that authority to a group of leaders called deacons.
II. The Qualities of a Deacon
II. The Qualities of a Deacon
A. Male and Female Servant leaders
A. Male and Female Servant leaders
In Verse 8-10, 12 it appears that Paul addresses men as deacons. While Paul does not immediately specify deacons as men in verses 8-11, he does reach that point in verse 12. He states that deacons are to be “one women men, managing their children and their own households well.” The difficulty comes with verse 11. Right smack dab in the middle of what appears to be a clear cut description of male deacons, Paul inserts
1 Timothy 3:11 (ESV)11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.
The difficulty with this passage is the translation of GUNE which can be translated wives or women. In 1 Tim 2, Paul addresses men and women, using GUNE for the word woman. In 1 Timothy 3, the literal reading is a one woman man, implying not polygamy as the problem but moral purity. There are six translations NASB, ASV, RSV, TNIV, Darby and Wycliffe’s translation that translate this as women while the remaining translations say “wife.” From the varying translation of this one verse, comes 2 different interpretations and practices in the church:
Option 1: Wives of deacons: Believed by many, the wife of deacons who qualify according to the Scriptures, play a role in assisting deacons in their office. They are not office holders but merely assistants to their husbands who are deacons. This of course, eliminates single women from serving in this capacity.
Paul’s abrupt interjection of this verse into the larger context appears to be an appendage to the office of male deacons, preferably their wives as helpers and not a new or third office of women deacons or deaconess. (poor flow from verse 10 to 11 and then back to deacons in 12 and 13) (1)b.GUNE, the word for woman or wife is used in 3:2 and 3:12 in the context of marriage, so it seems Paul would stick to this flow as he refers to wives of deacons What about Paul’s earlier prohibition for women to not exercise authority over a man? Many claim that a women serving as a deacon implies an authority over men in the church.
Option 2: Women deacons: also practiced through the church, women deacons or deaconesses are servant leaders, still remaining under the authority of the elders, so as to not exercise any authority over a man, and yet designated as servant leaders over certain daily affairs in the church. This would allow both married and single women to serve, if they are qualified. The proponents of this view state their reasons:
(2)a.The structure of this passage is key to this interpretation: Starting in verse 2, “overseers must be…“ and then continuing to verse 8 “likewise deacons (must be)…” continuing the supplied verb from verse 2, and finally verse 11, “likewise women (must be)…
(2)b.Since women deacons are merely servants, they would not be attacking a complementation view of the Scriptures since male elders continue their leadership and authority in the church. Women deacons who are sit on deacon boards, making decisions for the overall direction of the church would be acting in an unbiblical way for two reasons: women should not exercise authority over men in the church and deacons do not exercise authority over anyone in the church.
(2)c.The qualifications for women deacons is shorter than the male counterpart but is somewhat parallel both beginning with the phrase “being dignified.” This lends to think that Paul’s intention was not to make a subordinate office but an equal office of servant leaders. He has already dealt with women in the church extensively in chapter 2. For those who question why Paul doesn’t address the wife of one husband as he addresses the husband of one wife, we must remember that Paul has already extensively dealt with the conduct of women in the church in the context of marriage in chapter 2. Author Gregg Allison comments,
“In chapter 2, he assures women that they can avoid being deceived by the evil one and thus not repeat the transgression of Eve (1 Tim. 2: 14)— by carrying out their God-ordained domestic roles and persevering in Christlikeness . As these are instructions for all women in the church generally speaking, they are certainly instructions for women deacons as a subset of that larger group. Thus, Paul does not need to discuss this qualification for deaconesses in 3: 11; he has already covered it with regard to women generally.”
(2)d.Why does Paul not just say “wives of deacons or simply add the pronoun “their” to be more clear. He already has referenced elders being one woman men, deacons being one women men and even widows in 5:9 as women of one man. All he has to add is the prepositional wording “wife of a deacon” to be more specific. Similarly, why does Paul speak of the conduct of deacons wives and not elders wives. This would make the translation of women more plausible.
Finally, verse 11 must be not be ignored all together to make the problem go away. Rather the interpretation is wives who serve with their husbands or women who serve along side the men in the diaconate.
The elders have agreed that moving forward the best interpretation of these verse in relationship to the candidacy of the office of deacon is open to both men and women to serve the church under the leadership of the elders and the headship of Jesus Christ. We make this decision like all our other decisions with careful study of God’s word, other biblical resources on church polity, historical accounts of the church, and with prayer.
*A disclaimer. We also recognize that this goes against the cultural norm of most southern churches and deaconesses is a difficult step and interpretation for some. We also want to assure you that this is a congregational church and God has given you all an opportunity to have a voice in this process. While we may welcome both deacons and deaconesses to serve alongside one another, we also acknowledge that if women are never nominated to this office, then RCC would still be living up to the biblical standards. We are merely presenting our best attempt at biblical interpretation and exposition of the issue. As elders, we hope and pray that whatever your interpretation of this passage, whether you agree or disagree, that as a body of Christ, we would not allow division and disunity to lead this charge. Instead, let us remember that God brings the church together, like the Hellenists and Hebrews in spite of their differences to unite as one. The Qualities *for deacons and deaconesses
Deacons are not in positions of authority but they are servant leaders.
They lead the people and thus they must be a model for holiness for others to see. This is why Paul’s focus on the character of the heart of its leadership in the church instead of giving us this schematic of all that a deacon does. This is designed from the heart of God who looks at the inward man and not his exterior.
This leads us then to consider that Deacons are :
B. Qualified Male and Female servant leaders
B. Qualified Male and Female servant leaders
Remember in the OT, as David was chosen to be king out of all his brothers, the Lord instructs Samuel to go to Jesse find the next king of Israel that the Lord had chosen. He reminds Samuel,
1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Paul’s letter to Colosse exhorts the church as a whole to “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” How can a man of spiritual leadership be a model of holiness if he is not first living holy, seeking Christ above seeking the world? Thus the servant leaders of the church also must qualify by two areas of spiritual character: personal holiness and relational holiness.
Personal Holiness—-Worthy of respect from others/ dignified (main heading of what follows)
1 Timothy 3:8–10 (ESV)
8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.
Immediately, it seems as if Paul lists a broad quality of faithful deacons that the remaining sub-categories fit under. He states that a leader must be “dignified” or “worthy of respect from others.” . In the church, it is not based on what leaders have accomplished but what spiritual fruit they possess that garners support and respect. In a community of faith we are pushed by the spiritual character of others around us. It is a part of sanctification to be the iron sharpening iron of spiritual metalworking.
Similarly, there is a need for the church’s gospel witness to be protected by having quality leadership. Our city and our denominational convention has recently been through difficult times as we have seen key leaders admit to moral failures. This has invited scrutiny from the lost world towards the church. In a like manner, the reputation of key leadership both elders and deacons is critical before a watching world. The 7 servants leaders that were set apart in the early church were required to be men of “good reputation” and we know that reputation must resonate into the world.
Here are the 3 qualities of personal holiness that lead should be found in the character of deacons
A. PERSONAL HOLINESS
Control of one’s speech
Control of one’s desires
Control of one’s worship
1. Control of one’s speech-Not Double tongued(8) not slanders (11)- not speaking with integrity. Clearly, people in leadership, whether as elders or deacons should exhibit a holy speech. This is the aspect that what is inside a person’s heart proceeds out of his mouth. Those deacons or deaconesses that are caring for the needs of the people will be the front line of defense to ward off gossip or put to bed any murmuring, like the widows of Acts 6. Author Alexander Strauch states,
When people are under pressure, it may be tempting to reveal less than the full truth, or to conceal the truth when speaking to certain people, or to think that “little white lies” are acceptable. And when there is disagreement or conflict, some people may try to please both parties by saying one thing to the elders and another thing to the people being helpful.
3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
2. Control of one’s desires- Not addicted to much wine- The next one reflects a heart that overindulges in the lusts of the world. This principle is not merely about being addicted to an over excess of wine. It is also generally about self-control. We should not say those serving in the diaconate who refrains from overindulging in alcohol but overindulges in other worldly pursuits is qualified to be a servant leader before the people. In Paul’s day, the effect of wine was much different than ours today based on the diluting ratio they would use mixing it with water. To say addicted to “much wine” is to point to drunkenness because it took a large amount of wine to lead to an effective drunkenness.
Another similar quality is the control of one’s lusts of money. This seems to be a consistent problem in humanity that does not cease in the church. The Shepherd and deacon can enlist for the sake of monetary advantage and Paul is speaking against it. We know the Pharisees were called lovers of money and thus their motives lead them down that path of personal gain. There is no doubt that Judas, who walked with Jesus revealed that money was the true master of his reasons for following Christ as it lead to his betrayal of the Lord Jesus.
6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
In verse 11, the word under the heading for women deacon sums up this point :sober-minded(11). It means displaying a general control of oneself in regards to worldly vices. It is also used for elders in 1 Tim 3:2 and for men in general in Titus 2:2. It is a quality that all believers should demonstrate as people who are possessed by the Holy Spirit
3. Control of one’s worship- Hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. This last aspect focuses on the spiritual walk of an individual. The idea to grasp or hold something that is precious and thus the deacon must be one who holds their faith in Christ with preciousness to them. The mystery that Paul speaks of here is the object of our faith- the revealed truth of the eternal Son of God who came to be a true servant, one who gave his life as a ransom for sinners. In doing so, they must be free from unconfessed and hidden sin plaguing their conscience. Their conscience must be clear as one who trusts in Christ and is striving daily to turn from sin’s grip on their lives. If we live our lives by ignoring the Holy Spirit’s warning system that is connected to our conscience, then we begin to quiet the loud warning over time like a mother or father who learns to turn out the loud noise of their children.
B. RELATIONAL HOLINESS
Faithful to Christ in the Family
Faithful to Christ in the Community
Along with the personal walk of this deacon, the church must also examine the relational life of this man. With #4 on the list, a deacon must be the…
1. Faithful to Christ in the family
Husband of one wife- not marital status but a lifestyle of marital purity. I grew up being taught that this verse meant that deacons could not be divorced men. That was personal to me because my dad was divorced, not by his choice, and this disqualified a faithful man of the church from serving in that way. Regardless, of my opinion on the matter, the phrase literally reads one-woman man. The issue here is one of marital fidelity and faithfulness, not divorce or even polygamy as some might interpret. Again, this would explain why the qualifications for women deacons do not have such a phrase since Paul already dealt with the issue of women in marriage in chapter 2.
2. Faithful to Christ in the community
Blameless before all - no warranted accusations against him. In conjunction with the marriage, the family and all outside relationships, a deacon is called to be blameless. This means similarly to how elders are called to be above reproach. They must be able to stand before the people without blame, accusation or being disqualified. This would mean there are no people with unresolved conflicts against the diaconate candidate to the best of their understanding.
III. The Reward for a Deacon
III. The Reward for a Deacon
The last point just shows the way in which God blesses those who serve him. A man or woman does not serve to be rewarded but God does seem to point to rewards for serving the Lord in such a way.
A. The Affirmation by the Church
A. The Affirmation by the Church
(The pattern of the church in Acts 6 and v 10.
10 These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.
First of all, the conclusion to those qualities is that deacons face the examination of a church according to those qualities. This means that deacons are observed in their daily walks with Christ according to the stated qualities. Then upon being nominated by their peers, the elders then interrogate…I mean interview them according to their desire and gifting for certain areas of service.
Upon doing so and being confirmed as viable candidates, the elders bring them before the church to serve in the way God intended. The church then uses the congregational authority it has been given by the Lord to affirm in agreement with the elders that the candidates have also been observed by the membership to meet the qualifications of deacons. This approval after examination seems to be official and public declaration before the God’s people of whom God has chosen to lead.
18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
When Jesus stated in Matt 18 about the ways that believers reconcile, he included the authority of the church membership to identify those unrepentant sinners as unbelievers. This authority does not just apply to matters of church conflict but also the work of the Spirit to bring forth leaders in the church. When a church nominates and votes on such things like major decisions of its body like affirming leaders, it is the authority of heaven given to the church to function on earth as an extension of God’s holy seal of approval.
B. The Confidence in the Faith
B. The Confidence in the Faith
13 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.
Paul concludes this section by stating that deacons gain a confidence in the faith and that confidence come from the good standing for themselves. The word “standing” literally means a step on a staircase. It is used to refer to the growth of an individual in the church who has matured personally and is now recognized by his church family as a servant leader among them. This gives the deacon a confidence that is both humbling and rewarding as God’s calls him to serve in this way.
LORDS SUPPER:
We organize all these things according to Scripture because the Lord has bled and died for his church. He is the head and we are his body. We do not want to overstep as if we can do whatever we want in the church. This dishonors the Lord and the work of redemption that he accomplished on the behalf of his people. We come to celebrate that work of redemption, of substitutionary sacrifice. We come to celebrate his life, his death and his resurrection in coming together as God’s people and remembering Jesus in the Lord Supper.