Introduction:

1. Many deacons are hard-working men who want to serve the Lord

2. They are often successful in their jobs and often they rise to high positions in their companies

3. Sometimes these deacons bring business practices into their position as deacons

4. In the business world, the board tells the CEO what to do

5. There has been a tendency for the deacons to become the Deacon Board with authority over the pastor

6. Since the board of directors tells the CEO what to do, then it makes sense to them that the deacon board can tell the pastor what to do.

I.    The Word “Deacon”

A.  The General Usage - Diakonos = servant

1.     Serving food – waiting on tables

a)    Joh 2:5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

b)    Lu 4:39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. (served them food)

2.     Soldiers / police officers who enforce justice

           Ro 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath   upon him that doeth evil.

3.     Servants in general

a)    Mt 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

b)    Mt 27:55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

c)    Ro 16:1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

d)    Eph 6:21 But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:

B.  The Technical Usage of “Deacon”

1.     This is the office of the deacon

2.     Php 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

3.     1Ti 3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre. 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

C.  Was Phebe a Deaconess? – Rom 16:1

        1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

1.     Servant here = deacon

2.     I do not think that this is the technical usage but the general usage

II.  Choosing the First Deacons – Acts 6

·         These men are not called “deacons” in this passage

·         None of these men are called “deacons” in the rest of the NT

·         Deacons are not mentioned at all in the book of Acts

·         Their function of serving at least foreshadowed that of later deacons

A.  The Problem – vs 1

                1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

1.     The Jerusalem church practiced a kind of giving that no other church practiced

2.     Members pooled their resources and the common treasury was used to help those in need

3.     It became so big that the Greek Jewish widows were no being fed daily

4.     The job was too big

B.  The Need – vs 2 ß

1.     Deacons were needed to that pastors could give themselves more to spiritual things

2.     Instead of pastors “waiting on tables” the deacons were to do this work so pastors would pray and study the Bible etc

3.     Deacons can wait on the table of the poor

4.     Deacons can wait on the table of the Lord

5.     Deacons can wait on the table of the pastor

C.  The Suggestion – vs 3-4  ß

D.  The Selection – vs 5-6 ß

1.     The number of deacons here does not seem to be significant

2.     The fact that they were all men does seem significant

3.     I don’t think that deacons are absolutely necessary in a smaller church, but as the church becomes larger they are needed to take some of the load off the pastor

III. Qualifications of Deacons – 1Tim 3:8-13

·         Acts 6

o    Men of honest report - Full of the Holy Spirit

o    Full of wisdom

A.  Personal Character – vs 8

        8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre.

1.     Grave = serious, dignified  (positive)

a)    Semnos comes from sebomai = to venerate or worship

b)    A deacon must not be a silly, flippant person who makes light of serious matters

c)    Not a cold, joyless person – the deacon understands the seriousness of life

2.     Not double-tongued  (negative)

a)    Dilogos appears only here in the NT

b)    One who says one thing to one person and something else to another person

c)    A deacon’s speech must be characterized by integrity, consistency and honesty

3.     Not given to much wine (negative)

a)    Prosecho = addicted, to turn one’s mind to, to occupy oneself with

b)    The present active participle indicates a habitual practice

c)    Why didn’t the Lord call for total abstinence here? ß

4.     Not greedy (negative)

B.  Spiritual Lives

             9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

1.     The "mystery of the faith" is the entire NT revealed truth

2.     It is not enough to just believe the truth, but deacons must strive to live it

3.     The conscience is a human faculty given by God to every person and it is designed to warn each person when they have violated moral law.

a)    It either accuses or excuses

b)    It produces shame, fear, guilt, remorse, despair over sin

c)    Or it produces assurance, peace and joy due to righteousness

C.  Christian Service

             10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

1.     Dokimazo - to be tested, to be approved after testing

2.     The present tense indicates that this is an ongoing test, not a probationary period or a one-time test

3.     The test here is the general assessment of the life of the potential deacon by the church

D.  Moral Purity - vs 10b, 12a

            10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.  12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife…

1.     Deacons, as well as pastors, must be above moral reproach

2.     Anegkletos = not arraigned in court , unblamable

3.     Deacons must not have anything in their lives for which they could be accused, arraigned or disqualified

4.     They are to be models of sexual purity - husbands of one wife

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

John MacArthur sees qualifications for female deacons here - though he recognizes that it is much disputed

E.  Home life - vs 12b

                                12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

1.     Like pastors, deacons must prove their spiritual character  in their homes

2.     They are to be good managers of their children, possessions, money

F.   Rewards for faithful service

             13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

1.     They obtain a good degree

a)    Bathmos = standing, an elevated standing

b)    Here is it is used to speak metaphorically of those who are a step above others.

c)    We might say they are on a pedestal

d)    This is not sinful pride, because deacons do not seek it

e)    Those who serve in humility will be exalted by God - Ja 4:10, 1Pet 5:6

2.     They will have great boldness and confidence in Jesus Christ

IV. Duties of Deacons

A.  Serve the church

B.  Serve the pastor

C.  Calling on people

D.  Praying for people

E.  Helping in the Lord’s Supper

F.   Planning a church mission program

G.  Locating a new pastor

V.  Pray for Deacons

A.  For their personal lives

B.  For wisdom in their ministries

C.  For their families

D.  For their meetings

Judge Shepherd, circuit court judge of Nashville, Tennessee, was a deacon in his church. It was his unvarying custom to attend the services of his church on the Lord's Day.

One Sunday, his pastor, Dr. Norman W. Cox, noticed that the judge was not sitting in his accustomed place. Inquiry was made. "Where is Judge Shepherd today"

Later Dr. Cox said, "Suddenly I became worried. When there was no answer to the phone call at his home where he lived alone, I went there and found the house locked. I convinced the police that it was unlike the judge not to be at church, and he must be at his home."

The officers forced the door open. They found him unconscious from gas fumes caused by a faulty heater. Another half hour might have been too late. The judge's fixed custom to go to the God's house on the Lord's day saved his life.