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Well, friends, please remain standing for the reading of God’s Word. We’re going to take a
little break from our consideration of Isaiah this morning to consider a passage in one of the
pastoral epistles known as 1st Timothy. I’ll be preaching from 1st Timothy chapter 3, verses 8
through 13. I’m going to read the chapter in its entirety to fill out the context a bit, but our
focus will be on 1st Timothy chapter 3, verses 8 through 13. I thought it would be appropriate
since we have a deacon election coming up on Wednesday to consider what the scriptures teach
us about the character requirements for those who would serve in the office of deacon. You’ll find
this again on page 1178 in your pew bibles. I’m going to start reading from verse 1. Let us hear
God’s holy word.
Manage his own household well with all dignity, keeping his children submissive. For if someone
does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not
be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation
of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders so that he may not fall into
disgrace, into a snare of the devil. Deacons, likewise, must be dignified, not double-tonged,
not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the
faith with a clear conscience, and let them also be tested first. Then let them serve as deacons
if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers,
but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife,
managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain
a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that if I delay,
you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the
living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of
godliness. He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the spirit, seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. The grass withers and
the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever. Let’s pray for the Lord to bless the
proclamation of his word. Our Lord and Father in heaven, we thank you that you give us a clear
word, a word that we can understand and can apply, but Lord, we need wisdom by your spirit to apply
that word appropriately and to understand it clearly. We would ask, Lord, that you would
grant us the illuminating presence of your spirit as we consider this portion of your word, and
we would ask, Lord, that we would heed these instructions and see their relevance and application
to not only to our own personal lives as individual believers, but to the life of your church.
We pray these things, heavenly Father, in Jesus’ name, and all of God’s people said, Amen. You may
be seated. And the title of my sermon this morning is
Deacons Likewise and Children. There’s three words that I’d like you to listen for in my sermon
today, and those are the words dignity, testing, and standing. Dignity, testing, and standing.
Well, I have a question for you. Is God for or against organized religion?
Many people today, including many professing Christians, are turned off
by what is sometimes described as organized religion. For example, many would claim to love
Jesus, but the organized institutional church, maybe not so much. Now, to be honest, in some
cases, it is understandable that certain folks might feel alienated from or cynical in their
attitudes towards the visible church. For example, if you’ve experienced genuine spiritual abuse or
other forms of abuse in a past church, it’s understandable that you might find it hard
to come to a point in your life where you trust any church whatsoever.
In such cases, the church that allowed such abuse and its leadership need to repent, and the healing
process for the abused can take significant time. But in cases other than cases of abuse, I suspect,
my friends, that in many cases, folks who are in the I love Jesus, but not the church crowd,
have come under the influence of unbiblical or perhaps hyperspiritual ideas about the nature
of the church. One such idea is the notion that the work of the Holy Spirit is somehow put in a
straitjacket if in the case where there is any kind of formal organization or institutional
structures in the church. Indeed, my friends, this means that any kind of formal organization
or institutional structures in the church are viewed as putting a straitjacket on the work
of the Holy Spirit amongst God’s people. But friends, the irony of this anti-organized church
mindset is that when you think about it, if you’ve read the New Testament, as I hope that you have,
if you think about it, almost all of the New Testament scriptures are written to local
organized congregations of the apostolic church, or at least written to leaders of such churches,
like Pastors Timothy and Titus in the case of the pastoral epistles, our passage coming from
one such epistle. You see, if God is against organized religion, if he is against the visible
institutional church, if structure and organization puts the Holy Spirit in a straitjacket,
well, then why was the New Testament on the whole written to organized congregations
of the early apostolic church? I mean, think about it. Think about, for example, the epistle
to the Romans. Who was Romans written to? Paul addresses it to the church in Rome. Think about
the epistles to the Corinthians. To whom did Paul write 1 and 2 Corinthians? To the church
in Corinth. Think about the epistle to the Galatians. Who was Galatians written to? It was
written to the churches of Galatia, probably what we would today describe as the presbytery of
Galatia and so forth. Well, friends, as our confession of faith states in chapter 25,
section 3, which is the chapter on the church, it says this, unto this Catholic, meaning universal
visible church, Christ hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God for the gathering
and perfecting of the saints in this life to the end of the world, and doth by his own presence
and spirit, according to his promise, make them effectual thereunto. Christ, the resurrected reigning
Christ, has entrusted to his visible, organized church the ministry, oracles, and ordinances
of God. And, of course, all of this assumes that the visible church is organized. You say,
well, pastor, what’s the point of all of this? Well, the point in all of this, friends, is that
biblical Christianity, the Christianity revealed in the Word of God, is not merely a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s not just God’s personal love letter to you or to me,
as I’ve heard it described. As vitally important as it is to have a personal saving relationship
with the Lord Jesus Christ, we don’t deny that. We absolutely affirm that. But that’s not just
what biblical Christianity is. You see, friends, our Christian faith is also corporate. It is a
corporate and covenantal faith. It is a faith that implies things like church membership,
church government, and church officers who will lead, govern, and serve the church. In fact,
the New Testament reveals God-ordained instructions for the membership, the government,
the discipline, the worship, and the officers of Christ’s visible, organized church. Our passage
for this Lord’s Day morning is evidence of that fact. For in our passage for this Lord’s Day morning,
we consider a portion of God’s Word that gives us instructions on the qualifications of those
who would serve in the biblical church office of Deacon. Deacon being a God-appointed office
in the church, an office that is sadly often misunderstood, underappreciated, and sometimes
even ignored. So let’s turn our attention to our passage for today, and let’s first of all consider
the dignity of the Deaconate. This first main point that we’re going to focus on today is
where the major focus of my sermon is going to be today, as we consider verses 8 and 9, and also
verses 11 and 12, as we consider the dignity of the Deaconate. Now, let me put this epistle
and our passage for today in its context. In this first epistle of Timothy, 1 Timothy,
the apostle Paul is writing to a church leader, and guess what that church leader’s name is?
Timothy, right? And what we learn about Timothy in the scriptures is that he was a tender man,
he was a gentle man, perhaps a little bit timid, but he is a man whom Paul had appointed to serve
in a pastoral role at the church in Ephesus. We see that if we turn back to chapter 1.
Let me just read Paul’s opening words to Timothy at the beginning of this epistle, 1 Timothy 1,
beginning at verse 3. Paul writes to Timothy, Pastor Timothy, he says,
as I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus. And what’s the task,
the particular task that Pastor Timothy was to accomplish at Ephesus? Well, remain at Ephesus
so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,
nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather
than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The arm of our love of our charge is love that
issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Now, Paul describes Timothy
in very tender terms. In chapter 1, verse 2, Paul describes Timothy as my true child
in the faith. What does this mean? Well, apparently Paul had both discipled Timothy
and had also helped to train and mentor him for pastoral ministry. And it even appointed him
and ordained him to that ministry. If you look at 2 Timothy 1, verses 3 through 7,
Paul again writing to Timothy says this, I thank God whom I serve as did my ancestors
with a clear conscience as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.
As I remember your tears, I long to see you that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your
sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice. And now
I am sure dwells in you. For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God,
which is in you through the laying on of my hands. This is the gift of God that equipped
Timothy to serve in these pastoral roles. For he says in verse 7, for God gave us a spirit,
not of fear, but of power and love and self control. Not only did Paul write to Timothy in
order to urge him to be faithful in his calling to protect the church in Ephesus from the influence
of false teaching and false teachers that threatened that particular local church.
On a more positive note, Paul also wrote this first epistle to Pastor Timothy in order to give
him instructions on how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of
the living God, as we’re told in verse 15 of our passage for today. In fact, let me again read
verses 14 and 15. It says, I hope to come to you soon, but I’m writing these things to you so that
if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of
the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. This is his purpose statement. This is why
he’s writing to Timothy so that Pastor Timothy may know how to conduct himself in the household
of God. The household of God is what? The church of the living God. By the way, when Paul talks
about the church, he’s not talking about a church building. He’s talking about the covenant people
of God, organized together as the congregation of God’s people. Now, since earlier in this chapter,
chapter three, Paul gives instructions to Timothy on the qualifications for men who would serve in
the church offices of overseer or bishop on the one hand and deacon on the other hand.
It should be clear that having godly qualified church officers in the local church, that is part
and parcel of proper conduct and behavior in the visible organized church. And I would assert
therefore the following, my friends, to the extent that a local church lacks biblical church officers
or invents its own categories of church officers without biblical warrant, or to the extent that
such a church fills biblical church offices with individuals who are either morally or otherwise
unqualified to serve in such offices. To that extent, such a church organization is not conducting
or behaving itself properly in God’s household. It may be a true church of Jesus Christ that
proclaims the true biblical gospel, but it is not a biblically ordered church. Biblical church order
is not essential for the existence or being of the church, but it is necessary for the well-being
of the church. And so it is helpful for the well-being of the church for there to be qualified men
to serve as overseers or presbyters and deacons in the church. Now in verse 8, as Paul turns our
attention to the office of deacon, he says this, deacons likewise must be dignified.
Let’s first of all discuss the word deacon. What is a deacon? What does that word mean?
Well, the Greek word for deacon is a word whose basic meaning is servant or helper. In fact,
depending upon the context in which it is used, sometimes in the New Testament it just means a
servant without implying any kind of official or formal service in church office. And to give you
an example of that, let’s turn to Matthew 20 verse 26, Matthew chapter 20 verse 26.
As Jesus is speaking about how the Gentiles lorded over, the rulers among the Gentiles
lorded over them, Jesus says, it shall not be so among you, but whoever would be great among you
must be your servant, your diakonos, your deacon, in other words. And this is addressed to all
disciples of Jesus, encouraging all of us to seek to be servants to our brothers and sisters
in the kingdom of God. Obviously, Jesus there is not talking about the church office of deacon,
but the term deacon here is being used to imply a servant. He who would be greatest in the kingdom
of God must be servant of all, must be a deacon to all in the body of Christ. But clearly in our
passage for this Lord’s Day morning, Paul is not using the term diakonos in this generic sense of
servant, but instead he is using it to refer to the office of deacon. And this is clarified by
Paul’s use of the term likewise. The term likewise connects this section of chapter three to the
section that precedes it. Paul has begun, opened up chapter three, listing the qualifications for
the office of overseer, episkopos, or bishop. And by the way, in the New Testament, bishop and elder,
presbyter, are two different terms describing the same office. We don’t have time to dive into that
issue this morning, but the point is when he uses the word likewise, he’s saying deacons too likewise
are church officers and are to be of a similar character as the offices of overseer, as those
who serve in the office of overseer. Deacons, like overseers, are to be men of godly character
and good public reputation. They are to be those who exhibit the same kinds of character qualities
that are required of overseers, and which Paul lists, as I said, in the previous section of this
chapter in verses one through seven. Now, I want you to notice that in this passage, Paul does not
describe the actual tasks or functions of deacons. Paul assumes that Timothy, Pastor Timothy, knows
what deacons are supposed to do, and so he doesn’t focus on that. Instead, he focuses on the character
qualities that are to be exhibited by those who would serve in the office of deacon. Now, many,
many Bible students, myself included, see the example of the kinds of tasks and functions
that are assigned to the deaconate in the appointment of the seven, as recorded by Luke in
Acts chapter six, verses one through seven. I’m not going to reread that passage again, and though
the term deacon is not used in that passage, I believe it does indeed describe the first appointment
of the very first deacons in the apostolic church, and it describes the kinds of functions that they
are to serve in the church. They hold a servanthood function, a mercy ministry function in the church.
But in our passage for today, instead of focusing on the tasks and functions of deacons,
this particular passage focuses mostly on the character qualities that are to be exhibited in
the lives of those whom the church would call to serve in this ministry of mercy known as the
deaconate. And what is the first thing that Paul mentions here? He says deacons likewise must be what?
Must be dignified. Dignified. What does that term dignified imply? Well, as
this is a word that also carries the notion, the idea of worthy of respect, worthy of honor, noble,
serious, honorable, so forth. Not only is a deacon to be dignified, but he is not to be double-tongued.
Now that term in the in the Greek is dylagus. You know, two words, double-tongued. What does
double-tongued indicate? To be double-tongued is to be insincere, to be sort of a phony.
As one commentator puts it, this word, double-tongued, has the idea of saying the same thing twice
with the bad connotation of saying one thing to one person and something else to another. Sort of
like, you know, you kind of change your tune and change your story depending on who you’re talking
to. So you’re hypocritical, you’re insincere, you’re not genuine, and so forth. Not only that, he is to
be one who is not addicted to much wine. Why does Paul mention that in particular? Well, think about
where Timothy is ministering. He’s ministering in Ephesus, the pagan city of Ephesus, and Ephesus,
which was just saturated with pagan idolatry, included the worship of the god Bacchus, the god
of wine, and so perhaps Paul was aware that drunkenness was an issue among the Ephesians
and in the Ephesian church. And so he says, look, anyone who would serve as a deacon must not be
addicted to much wine. And furthermore, he must not be greedy for dishonest gain. Now that would be
appropriate of any Christian. We are not to be a greedy for dishonest gain, but this is especially
important when it comes to the deacons in the church because deacons are to handle the
benevolence funds of the church, and so this is why this qualification is an important one.
Those who would serve in such office must be honest men and not those who would dip their hands
into the benevolence funds of the church. And then it goes on to say this in verse 9,
they must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. What’s he talking about?
The mystery of the faith? Well, when Paul uses the term mystery, he’s not speaking of a
sort of a puzzle that you can’t figure out. He’s not speaking of something that’s impenetrable.
The term mystery, as Paul often uses that term in his epistles, means that which was previously
hidden but is now revealed, and that especially refers to the gospel message. The gospel was
there in the Old Testament, but it was there in shadow and in type, but now through the gospel,
through the incarnation of Christ and his saving work, now the gospel is clearly known. It is
openly revealed. And so those who are deacons must be sound in the faith. They must hold with a clear
conscience the mystery of the faith. In other words, they must hold to the gospel of Jesus
Christ in its purity and in its integrity. Now, one of the things that’s interesting when we
compare the qualification lists for overseers or bishops on the one hand and deacons on the other
hand, back in verse 2, overseers are to be able to teach because the office of bishop or overseer is,
among other things, a teaching office. But deacons are not required to be able to teach because
the deaconate is not a teaching office in the church. It’s an office of mercy ministry. It’s
a service. It’s an office of service. Nevertheless, those who would serve in the office of deacon must
be sound and mature in the mystery of the faith. They must be biblically knowledgeable and
theologically sound in their faith and in their grasp of the gospel. But that brings us down as
we skip down to verse 11. That brings us to a very controversial passage in this section of
1st Timothy chapter 3. It says in verse 11, their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers,
but sober-minded, faithful in all things, and so forth. Their wives. Now, I’m reading to you from
the English Standard Version, but some versions read the women. See, the Greek word gunaikos
is used to mean women or wives, depending upon the context in which it is being used.
And this has been a source of controversy, even among otherwise conservative and churches that
affirm the full authority and inerrancy of scripture. There’s basically three possible
interpretations, or generally three possible interpretations, of what Paul is talking about
here, who he’s addressing here. One view is the view that is held by the translators of the English
Standard Version, that Paul is using the term gunaikos to refer to the wives of the male deacons
of the church. But another possibility that is brought forward is that this should be translated
as women, and it should be a reference. It is a reference to female deacons or deaconesses.
A third possibility is that while this is not referring to female deacons, it’s referring to
female assistants to the male deacons of the church. Now, those who support the female deacon
view will point to the word likewise being used likewise here in verse 11. In verse 8,
deacons are introduced by the word likewise. It’s clear as Paul uses, says deacons likewise
must be dignified. Well, he’s saying likewise, like the overseers, deacons too must be dignified.
He uses the same term likewise to refer to the women. And so perhaps the argument goes,
he’s making the case that there’s another category of deacons, female deacons or deaconesses, that he
is referencing. But in support to the view that I think is the correct view, the view that this is
a reference to deacons’ wives, we see a number of things. First of all, verse 11 is introduced
abruptly in the context of this passage. Paul has clearly been addressing the issue of male deacons
in the church up through verse 10. And then all of a sudden, almost as an aside, he says, oh yeah,
and the women or the wives too should be dignified. And then he returns in verse 12
to the male deacons again. He says, let deacons each be the husband of one wife. It doesn’t say,
let the deaconesses be the wife of one husband. Let the deacons be the husband of one wife,
managing their children and their own households well and so forth. So you might say, well, why
does Paul feel the need to address deacons’ wives at all if that’s the correct understanding of this
passage, which again, I believe it is. Well, think about it. Deacons, ministers of mercy in the church
handle sensitive matters in the church, matters having to do with the needy among the people of
God, matters having to do with personal finances and so forth. Deacons’ wives would need to be
dignified and circumspect and above reproach, lest they undermine their husband’s service as
ministers of mercy in the church. And then as Paul returns to the issue of male deacons and
their qualifications, he says, verse 12, let deacons each be the husband of one wife, literally a one
woman man. He is to be one who is loyal to his spouse, loyal to his wife, devoted to his family,
managing their children and their own households well. Deacons, in other words, must be faithful
family men. So we see in this passage the dignity of the deaconate. What kind of lessons can we draw
from what we’ve considered? Well, think about it. Who appointed the office of deacon? Ultimately,
the king and head of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ our savior is himself a merciful
and compassionate redeemer. We see that throughout his earthly ministry. When Jesus walked this earth,
when he was engaged in his earthly ministry, not only did he proclaim the gospel, the good news of
the kingdom of God, not only did he proclaim repentance and say, repent for the kingdom of God
has drawn near, he also gave signs of the presence of the kingdom. And the kingdom of God became
present in the person and saving work of God’s son, the Lord Jesus Christ. What does Jesus do
in his earthly ministry? Not only proclaims the word, but he casts out demons. He heals the sick.
He walks on the waters. He multiplies the loaves and fishes. He provides food for the hungry.
In other words, he ministers mercy. And those healing and serving acts that Jesus performed
as signs of the kingdom of God point us forward to the eschatological reality of the new creation.
And Jesus continues his ministry of mercy today through his people. We are all to demonstrate
the mercy of Christ, but the ministers of mercy, and that’s what a deacon is. A deacon isn’t just
the guy, you know, they’re not just the guys who, you know, take the collection or, you know,
take attendance or count the money. Those are important tasks. Those are arguably within the
realm of diaconal tasks. But just as the pastor is a minister, a servant of the word,
serving the spiritual needs of God’s people, a deacon is a minister of mercy representing Christ.
And the diaconate is an eschatological office because it points forward to the new creation
when God will bind up every wound, wash away every tear, and will restore
the people to fullness in the end. Christ, our Savior, is a merciful and compassionate redeemer,
and he continues to minister his mercy through the deacons of the church. He ministers his mercy
through all of us, but there is a formal office that he has set up in the church to officially
and formally minister his mercy in his name, and that is the office of deacon. Through the deaconate,
Christ continues to display his mercy. And that being the case, let us, brothers and sisters,
hold potential church officers, including deacons, to the high standard that is revealed
in God’s word. I want you to notice one word that comes out in Paul’s discussion of both
qualifications for overseers and deacons. Back in verse one, it says, the saying is trustworthy
if anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore, verse two,
an overseer must be above reproach, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. And then skip down to verse
eight, likewise, deacons likewise must be. This is non-negotiable. These character qualities are
non-negotiable. There’s no wiggle room here. Jesus says through his apostle, this is the kind of man
that is to serve, and anyone who is not at the level of spiritual maturity to fulfill
these qualifications must serve in that position. No one should be permitted to serve who does not
fulfill these character qualities. So brothers and sisters, we have an obligation from our
resurrected savior to hold potential church officers to the high standard revealed in God’s word.
And so let us be merciful, even as Christ has been merciful to us. Let me ask you, dear friend,
have you experienced Christ’s mercy, his forgiveness, his grace, not only his common grace,
but have you experienced his saving grace? Have you experienced healing for your soul
through trusting in Christ? Jesus died for sinners like you and me. He rose from the dead so that
whoever believes in him might not perish, but have everlasting life. That is an act of grace,
undeserved favor, but it’s also mercy. It shows his compassion. God demonstrates his love and
mercy towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Do you believe he died for you?
Do you trust him as your merciful savior? So we see the dignity of the diaconate. We also notice
that Paul mentions here the testing of deacon candidates. In verse 10, it says, and let them
also be tested first, then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Let
them be tested first. That raises the question, how are they to be tested and by whom are they
to be tested? Well, the passage itself does not directly say that is left up to the godly wisdom
of Timothy. It’s left up to the godly wisdom of the church and its leaders. But again, the passage
does not directly say, but since the goal of such testing is for deacon candidates to prove
themselves blameless, this implies not only being tested by the church’s leadership for doctrinal
soundness, but also being tested by the church community to discern whether they meet the high
standard of spiritual maturity and moral character that Paul describes in this passage. And such
testing can be done informally simply by observing the men and how they conduct themselves with their
families, how they behave in the church, how they show a servant’s attitude in the church,
and so forth. And the goal is for them to be proven blameless. Now, this is a word that’s
kind of intimidating to folks. Let them prove themselves blameless. If you know yourself,
if you know yourself as a sinner, you might say, oh, how could that describe me ever? But it’s
important to understand the term blameless does not mean sinless. Rather, it means irreproachable.
It means someone who is not under some kind of public scandal or shame. You see, like every other
Christian, church officers are wretched sinners saved by God’s grace and grace alone. I got news
for you. I’m a sinner. I need Jesus as my savior, just like you do. And that’s true of every Christian
and it’s true of every church officer as well. But even though church officers too are sinners,
they are to be men who demonstrate a consistent lifestyle of ongoing repentance and faith and a
striving after a new obedience. Though not sinless, they are to be men who demonstrate a consistent
life of godliness, spiritual maturity, and irreproachable character. A life that is free
from public scandalous sin, a life free of public reproach. In other words, a life that is characterized,
at least to some degree, by the fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. One of the biggest mistakes that churches sometimes make
is they look for candidates. They focus primarily or almost exclusively on the educational
credentials of candidates. And that’s important. It’s important that a man be sufficiently educated
and theologically sound and all of that. That’s important. But that’s not the only thing that’s
important. It is not helpful for the life of the church for churches to put in positions of ordained
leadership. Men who may be theologically brilliant, but who are basically scoundrels
in their personal lives. Men who are given to temper tantrums. Men who are vitriolic, slanderous,
or what have you. Such men do not belong in any church office. Instead, what are the qualifications
for serving? God’s word makes it very clear. Deacons, like elders, must be dignified,
not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, et cetera, et cetera.
In closing, friends, we see the good standing of faithful deacons exhibited here. The good standing
of faithful deacons. Verse 13, for those who serve well as deacons, gain a good standing for
themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. They gain for themselves,
so it’s in the present tense. They are gaining for themselves. Those who serve faithfully
as ministers of mercy in the church of Jesus Christ, they gain for themselves. They are
gaining for themselves a good standing, but that raises the question, a good standing before whom?
Now, some think this means that those who serve faithfully as deacons gain a good standing for
themselves in the sense that they may gain a so-called higher position of church office.
Perhaps the church will observe, wow, such and such, this guy is so faithful as a deacon.
Maybe he’s got qualifications to serve as an elder, perhaps even as a minister,
and that sometimes happens, but is that what Paul is speaking of? Well, that’s debatable. Others think
this means gaining a greater respect in the eyes of the church, and still others would relate this
to a good standing in the sight of God. I think we have to be careful there, because our standing
before God, in our justification at least, is purely by grace and grace alone. We stand only
in Christ in his merit and sacrifice alone. Well, friends, I think the view that makes the most sense
in this context is the view that says that faithful deacons gain a good standing for themselves in the
sense that they gain great respect in the covenant community of the church. They gain a standing
in the covenant community that can overflow to outsiders as outsiders see the compassion of Christ
demonstrated by the church’s mercy ministers, the deacons. And that also benefits the deacons,
those who faithfully serve as deacons, because it says that they also gain great confidence in
the faith that is in Christ Jesus. Great confidence in relation to God or to man?
Likely both. You see faithful service to the Lord in your calling, and here the deaconal calling is
particularly in view. Faithful service in the deaconate strengthens the deacon’s own faith,
but also makes them confident in their witness for Christ to their neighbors. And so, beloved,
we see the dignity of the deaconate. We see that they are to be men who are tested by the community,
the covenant community, but we see that those who serve faithfully gain great boldness and
confidence in their witness for Christ and in their standing before the community of faith.
Let us pray, brothers and sisters, for the Lord to continue to raise up faithful deacons in his
church. And all of God’s people said, amen. Our Lord and Father in heaven, we thank you,
O God, that through Christ you have poured your Spirit upon us as the church,
and we thank you that by the Spirit of Christ you have also appointed in the church officers
who can serve and guide and shepherd your people. We thank you, Lord, for the ministers, elders,
and deacons that you raise up to serve in your church and to encourage all of us, Lord, in our
service as disciples of Jesus. We pray, Lord, that we would take these truths to heart, and we pray
that each and every one of us, whether we are called to be deacons or not, that each and every
one of us would, by your grace, exhibit these kinds of character qualities in our own lives
and in our own families and in the faith community of the church. We pray these things
in Jesus’ name, and all of God’s people said, amen. As we close our time today, let’s rise and
we’ll sing number 405, I love thy kingdom, Lord, 405.