Old Testament Reading: Psalm 72:1-4; 12-14

“Of Solomon. Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice! Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor! [Verse 12] For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.” (Psalm 72:1-4; 12–14, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Acts 6:1-7

“Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 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.” (Acts 6:1–7, ESV)

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Introduction

Back in  August Lindsay and I  moved our family to a new house, which is in fact, a very old house — built in the year 1915. One of our main concerns when looking at the house was it’s condition, given it’s age. It looked really good on the surface, but what was lurking beneath?, we wondered. I think you would have the same concern if you were considering a home that was built over a hundred years ago. That question nagged at us a bit until we were able to look carefully at the house with the home inspector. I crawled under the crawl space with him, and I went up into the attic. We looked carefully at the roof and at the condition of the eaves, and so on. The house wasn’t perfect, but we found that it was really, really straight and clean. And so we made the move. 

But here is my question: Why are some houses that were built a hundred years ago dilapidated today, whereas others are still in good shape? What differentiates between the old house that has deteriorated and the one that has stood the test of time? 

Three things come to mind. First, the quality and craftsmanship of the original construction matters. Was the house built well in the first  place? Was  it set down upon a solid foundation, and so on?  Secondly, the providence of God matters. Even a very well built home will not necessarily stand the test of time if some calamity strikes it. I am  thinking here of a wildfire or a flood. And thirdly, maintenance matters. And this is what I wish to emphasize this morning. If a house is to stand the test of time it must be well maintained. The ordinary forces of nature will, in the process of time, bring even a well built house to the ground if it is not maintained. Common things like rain, wind and the fluctuation of temperature will wear out even a  good roof. And if the roof leaks, the water will rot the wood. And if the wood rots, the force of gravity will begin to have it’s way with the structure. And if all of that goes unchecked, the house will eventually crumble. 

I will not bore you with anymore talk of home maintenance. The point that I am making is this: if a structure is to stand the test of time it must, first of all, be well built. And secondly, it must be well maintained. Even the best of structures, if not maintained, will deteriorate with the passing of time.

So what does this have to do with our sermon text today? Well, not only are solid foundations and proper maintenance necessary for the preservation of houses and other physical things, they are also necessary for the preservation of human institutions. 

Your marriage, for example, will not hold up very well to the test of time if it is not set down upon a solid foundation (namely Christ and his word), and then maintained. The institution of marriage must be maintained. You must keep the marriage healthy and pure. You must invest into it if you hope to see it last, and better yet, improve with the passing of time.  

The same may be said of your business ventures, your friendships, indeed, your own spiritual life. These non-physical entities share this in common with physical things — if they are to stand the test of time — if they and improve with the passing of years — they must, first of all, be set upon a solid footing, and they must be carefully maintained.   

Brothers and sisters, the church is no exception. And no, I am not referring to a church building. Yes, it is true — if  we ever own one, we will need to maintain it. Someone will need to paint the eaves! But I am not talking about that. I’m talking about the church — the local church — that is, the church as an institution, consisting of officers and members, governed by the word of God, and  bound together by the blood of Christ through faith in his name. The local church is an institution. And if a church — a local church, or congregation — hopes to stand the test of time, it must first be set down upon a solid foundation. It must be formed according to the command of Christ, the teaching of Holy Scripture, which is the word of God. And then it must be carefully maintained. 

I suppose it is possible for a church with solid foundations which is also carefully maintenance to dissolve.  Perhaps intense persecution could bring it down. Perhaps a particularly intense attack from the evil one could it. But more often than not, churches — even churches with good foundations — fall because they are not maintained. 

I can here you now saying, I know what needs to be done to maintain a house — cleaning, painting, weeding, caulking, roof repair, bug and rodant control, etc. — but how is the church to be maintained? 

I bet you know the answer. The work is not physical, but spiritual, intelectual, and relational. If the threats to a house are wind and rain, the sun and gravity, the fluctuation of temperature and the moving earth,  the threats to the church are sin, false teaching, a  lack of love and concern for one another, unresolved conflict, disorderliness, prejudice, gossip and slander, favoritism, unfaithfulness, disbelief, and the like. These destructive forces must be confronted in the maintenance of the church. 

Brothers and sisters, church maintenance is hard work. It requires diligence. And both officers and members have an role to play. The elders and deacons of the church have a particular obligation to maintain the church. But the members are also responsible. 

Listen carefully to the words of the apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Ephesus. Notice that he is here writing to the church as a whole, and not just to the pastor or the to the elders. In chapter 4 verse 1 of his letter to the Ephesians he says:

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” And little later he says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:1–16, ESV)

Elders have a particular responsibility to maintain the church. According to this text the work of elders, pastors and teachers,  is to “equip the saints… for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” The elders have a particular role to play. They are to equip the saints. This is their ministry. They are to build up the church. And if we were to take into consideration the teaching of the rest of scripture we would see that elders are to minister as overseers and shepherds. They are to “preach the word” and “be ready in season and out of season” to “reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2, ESV). In general, elders are to take the lead in the maintenance of the church.

But notice that in the Ephesians 4 passage, Paul’s exhortation is to the church as a whole. Every member is to 

“walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which [they] have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” This command is given, not to the elders only, but to every member of the church. Every member has a responsibility to maintain the church, to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which [they] have been called”, to be humble, gental and patient, to bear with one another in love, and to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” The word translated as “eager” here in Ephesians 4:3 means, “to do something with intense effort and motivation—‘to work hard, to do one’s best, to endeavor.’” The word translated “maintain” means to guard something; to watch over it so as to cause it to continue. In this passage the thing to be maintained is the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”. This is referring to the unity that is to exist within the local church. We are bound together through faith in Christ and by the Holy Spirit. Not only should the elders of the church work hard to maintain unity within the church — it is also the responsibility of every member. 

But here is the point that I would really like to make this morning: deacons have a particular role to play in the maintenance of Christ’s church. All members are responsible to maintain the Lord’s spiritual house. The elders have a particular responsibility to lead in the maintenance of the Lord’s house as ministers, or servants. And the same is true of deacons. Deacons have a particular role to play. They are to serve within Christ’s church in  order to  maintain “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”.

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Acts 6: The Ordination of the Original Deacons

In Acts chapter 6 we have an account of the ordination of the first deacons. They are not called by that name in this passage, but it is clear that that is what they were. These seven were the very first to be appointed to the office of deacon. Consider three things in support of this claim:

First of all, notice that the word deacon means “servant”, and that is what these men were called to do. They were appointed to the task of serving. Their duty was to serve (in the Greek the word is διακονέω) tables. Verses 2 and 3 make that clear: “And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men… whom we will appoint to this duty” (Acts 6:2–3, ESV), that is to the duty of serving tables. 

Secondly, notice that these men had to meet certain qualifications. In verse 3 we learn that were to be “men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” who were appointed to this duty (Acts 6:3, ESV). It appears, therefore, that this was an office that they were being appointed to. 

In Paul’s letter to Timothy we find a more detailed and  exact description of the qualifications that man must meet in order to be appointed to the office of deacon. Paul there elaborated on the general qualifications of Acts 6 — that “men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” — when  he says, “Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, 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” (1 Timothy 3:8–13, ESV).

Thirdly, notice that the seven men in Acts 6 were formally ordained. 

They were selected by the church at the direction of the apostles. It was the apostles who said to the church, “Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute… (Acts 6:3, ESV)”

Notice that the whole church was involved in the selection of these men. Verse 5: “And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose” the seven men.

And  finally the seven were presented back to the apostles for formal ordination. Verse 6: “These they [the church] set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them” (Acts 6:6, ESV). This means that apostles ordained or appointed these men to function as deacons.

In Acts chapter 6 we find an account of the ordination of the first deacons. 

*****

The Occasion for the Ordination of Deacons: The Unity of the Church Was Threatened

Pay careful attention to the occasion for the ordination of these deacons in Acts 6. In verse 1 we read, “Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.”

The early church was experiencing division. Something terrible was happening. Favoritism was being shown to the widows who were Jewish Christians, while the Gentile Christian widows were being neglected. To be a widow is always a difficult thing. Perhaps it was even more difficult in the first century AD than it is today. And it is was probably especially difficult for those widows who identified as followers of Christ. Jew and Gentile Christians would have been cut off from their culture to one degree or another due to their professed faith in Christ. How important it was, therefore, for the church to care for the widows in their midst. 

The scriptures often speak of the importance of caring for the poor and downtrodden, particularly widows. Remember the words of James, where he says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27, ESV). The early church was failing at this. Not only were they failing to care for widows, but they were also showing favoritism to a particular class of people. The Jewish widows were being cared for, while the non-Jews were being neglected. 

The same James who urged us to care for widows and orphans in their distress also said, “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory” (James 2:1, ESV). And again he said, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:8–9, ESV). What does it mean to show partiality? It means to show favoritism; to have bias in favor of one person over another, for whatever reason. And that is precisely what was going on in the early days of the church, or at least that was the perception.  It was truly a scandalous thing. 

Please recognize, therefore, that the first deacons were appointed, not to do menial an d insignificant work, but to do work that was crucial to the well being and maintenance of the church of Christ. Their task would require wisdom and discernment. And the effect of their work would be that individual Christians would be cared for, and the unity of the church maintained. 

Notice also that the work of the deacons is meant to compliment and even support the work of the elders. Again, in verse 3 we hear the  apostles saying, “Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:3–4, ESV). 

The apostles, who were also elders, had as their task the ministry of the word and of prayer. They were to devote themselves to the study, preaching and teaching,  and to the writing of Holy Scripture. It is not that  waiting on tables was below them. After all, Christ himself commanded them to do likewise when clothed himself with the garb of a servant and washed their feet. The task of serving tables was not below them, but it was too heavy of a burden for them to bear on their own.  It would have taken them from the work that God has specifically called them to do. 

Elders in the church today are not apostles, but they do have a similar task to accomplish. Elders do not write scripture as the apostles did. They do not speak with the same authority as the apostles. But they are to devote themselves to the ministry of the word, to prayer, and to the oversight of the church. The ministry ofd the deacon complements and supports the work of the  elder. 

So what was the occasion for the ordination of deacons in the church? The unity of the church was threatened due to a failure to justly care for those in need, and an apostleship that neither could nor should have met the need all on their own. 

*****

The Obligation of Deacons: Maintaining the Church by Caring for Those in Need

What, therefore, are the obligations of the  deacon? The form that we will use later in this worship service in the ordination of two deacons puts it this way: “The duties of deacons consist of encouraging members of the church to provide for those who are in want, seeking to prevent poverty, making discreet and cheerful distribution to the needy, praying with the distressed and reminding them of the consolations of Holy Scripture.” 

Let us consider these words carefully. 

“The duties of deacons consist of encouraging members of the church to provide for those who are in want.” Notice carefully, the job of the deacon is not to meet all of the needs themselves, but to be sure that needs within the church are met. 

The deacons are “to prevent poverty.” This is a very general statement, and fulfilling it could involve many things. Perhaps the deacons need to distribute food, clothing or money to those in need. Perhaps they will need to help in other practical ways to help individuals secure good employment, or to manage their resources well.

Deacons are also  to make “discreet and cheerful distribution to the needy.” Our deacons will work in  cooperation with the elders to distribute from the benevolence fund of the church. By the way,  the benevolence fund used to be called the deacons fund. At the church we came out of it was called the deacons fund. And we first stated, it was called the deacons fund. But if you remember, there were no deacons at our previous church, and we didn’t have deacons when we first began, and so we thought it sounded silly to call the fund the “deacons fund”,  and so we changed the name to the “benevolence fund”, benevolence meaning “kindness”. I’m not sure that we will change the name back now that we have a thriving deaconship. Whatever the name, please understand that  the deacons have a particular responsibility to, under the authority of the elders, maintain and distribute those funds to the needy in our midst. If ever you able to give above and beyond your normal tithe, we  would encourage you to consider giving to the benevolence fund. Distributions are made from the fund regularly. 

Lastly, see that deacons are to “[pray] with the distressed and [remind] them of the consolations of Holy Scripture.” I hope that  you can see clearly that the deacons are not the janitors of the church, but instead they are ministers of mercy. They are to care for people, particularly for their physical needs. But they are to care for them as brothers and sisters in Christ. The job of the deacon is to see to it that no one in  our congregation has the joy of their salvation diminished due to physical poverty or suffering, so far as we can help it.     

Later in this service we will ordain two new deacons, thanks be to God. Each of our deacons will have particular responsibilities — to oversee the food ministry (Tom Evans), to oversee the see the set up and tear down of the church (Nick Mucelli), to organize meals for those who have had surgery,  etc. (Nick Mucelli), to serve as an adminsitrative assistant to the Pastors (Mike Thezier), to provide fellowship meals for the church (Dave Anady). But all of them have the same general calling, and it is the one that has been described above. They are to labor to maintain the unity of the church by “encouraging members of the church to provide for those who are in want, seeking to prevent poverty, making discreet and cheerful distribution to the needy, praying with the distressed and reminding them of the consolations of Holy Scripture.”  

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Application  

Brothers and sisters, how might we apply these truths?

First, I would exhort you to give thanks to Christ that he would care for his people in this way. Clearly he is concerned to care for us in body and soul.

We will certainly experience trials and tribulations in this life. But Christ will refine and preserve his people through them, body and soul.  

Christ will save us on  the last day, body and soul. 

How did he teach us to pray? Not only for spiritual things, but also for the physical — give us this day our daily bread. 

It is no wonder then that within his church he has ordained two offices — elder and deacon — which  correspond to the two parts of man — body and soul 

This spiritual and physical care was present in the  early church. Acts 2:42:  “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42–47, ESV). 

The two offices of elder and deacon correspond to the two aspects of man. 

Secondly, will  you give honor to the deacons who serve in your midst. At the end of the ordination ceremony, after certain questions have been asked of the two men, I will ask you a question. I will say, “Do you, the members of this church, acknowledge and receive this brother as a deacon, and do you promise to yield him all that honor, encouragement, and obedience in the Lord, to which his office, according to the Word of God and the constitution of this Church, entitles him?” I hope that you will be willing to say a heart “I will” to that question. Please pray for the deacons and for their ministry. 

Thirdly, are you yourselves “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Are striving to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” Are you willing to serve one another, to give of your resource to meet needs, and use the particular gifts that God has given to you for the building up of the body of Christ? The elders and deacons have particular roles to play, but the it is the responsibility of every member to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” 

New Testament Reading

“Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.’ And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 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.” (Acts 6:1–7, ESV)

Introduction

Brothers and sisters, I will begin by asking this question: where is Christ at work in the world today?

Everywhere

In the lives of individuals

In our families

But particularly in his church

His church is called:

The body of Christ.

The temple of the Holy Spirit.

How important it is, therefore, that the church be found faithful:

Faithful in our doctrine.

Faithful in our government.

Faithful in our discipline.

Faithful in our love for God and for one another. 

Remember the opening vision of the book of Revelation.

Remember the words that Christ spoke to the seven churches.

He spoke to those churches and he expressed his concern for them.

The New Testament is a church book from beginning to end…

Who belongs to the church?

The church is made up of those who credibly profess faith in Christ, who have been baptized upon profession of faith. These are to gather each Lord’s Day to worship God, to give attention to his word, to pray, to break the bread, to fellowship with one another. 

Considered in this way there is no distinction within Christ’s church. To quote Paul, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28, ESV).

But considered from another vantage point, there is some distinction within Christ’s church. 

First of all, we have gifts that differ from one another, don’t we? These gifts, whatever they may be, are to be exercised for the common good. 

Secondly, some within Christ church are called to serve as officers, so that the church consists of officers and members. 

Chapters 26 of our Confession, Paragraph 2 provides a rather general definition of the local church when it says, “All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints; and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.” ( 1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 11:26; Romans 1:7; Ephesians 1:20-22 )

In paragraph 8 we read,  “A particular church, gathered and completely organized according to the mind of Christ, consists of officers and members; and the officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the church (so called and gathered), for the peculiar administration of ordinances, and execution of power or duty, which he intrusts them with, or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the world, are bishops or elders, and deacons.” ( Acts 20:17, 28; Philippians 1:1 )

And so the local church, when she is “completely organized according to the mind of Christ, consists of officers and members”. And what are the two offices of the church? Elders (which may also be called pastors, overseers or bishops) and deacons.

How do we know that there are to be these offices in Christ’s church?

Elders, overseers, shepherds, or bishops are mentioned very often in the New Testament.

For example, in Acts 20:17 we read, “Now from Miletus [Paul] sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.” And when they gathered he said to them, among other things, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28, ESV).

In 1 Peter 3:1 we read, “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:1–3, ESV). 

In 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 we find qualifications for the office of elder.

1 Timothy 3:1 says, “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must 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” (1 Timothy 3:1–7, ESV).

Brothers and sisters, how important it is for the office of elder to be held by men who meet these qualifications. Notice, the standard is not perfection. But notice also that there are standards. These qualifications must be met in order for a man to be called to this office. And these qualifications must be maintained in order for a man to remain in this office. 

Because this is not a sermon on the office of elder, I will say no more. Instead, this sermon is focused upon the office of deacon.

The word “deacon” means servant. In the greek the word διάκονος is used many times in a generic way to refer to a person who is a just that – a servant. Rulers are called servants, angels are called servants, Christ is our servant, and all Christians are to be servants. Christ said, “It shall not be so among you.But whoever would be great among you must be your servant…” (διάκονος) (Matthew 20:26, ESV). So, there is a sense in which all Christians, young and old, male and female, are called to be deacons. All Christians are to love and serve one another. 

But the word “deacon” is also used in a more specific way to refer to an office within the church. There is the office of pastor, elder, overseer or bishop, and then there is the office of deacon. Obviously this office has something to do with “service” and with the meeting of practical needs within Christ’s church, given the basic meaning of the word. But when taken in this more specific way, not all are called or qualified to hold the office of deacon. 

How do we know that there is the office of deacon, and not just servants in general? Well, in 1 Timothy 3 immediately following the list of qualifications for the office of elder we find a list of qualifications for the office of deacon. There are no qualification to meet in order for you to serve others, but there are qualification that must be met if you are to hold the office of deacon. 

1 Timothy 3:8: “Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, 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” (1 Timothy 3:8–13, ESV).

Clearly, the word deacon is being used here not to refer to “servants” in general, but to an office. Do you wish to serve? Then serve! There are no qualifications to meet to serve! But there are qualifications to meet in order to hold an office in Christ’s church. 

Deacons are to be “dignified” (σεμνός, ή, όν: pertaining to appropriate, befitting behavior and implying dignity and respect—‘honorable, worthy of respect, of good character. (LouwNida, 747.))

Deacons must not be “double tongued” (two faced; hypocritical).

They must not be “addicted to much wine” (not a drunkard).

The must not be “greedy for dishonest gain”. This is especially important given that deacons have the responsibility of handling and distributes funds. 

Deacons “must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience”. Calvin explains this as meaning, that a deacon must  hold “the pure doctrine of religion, and that from the heart, with a sincere fear of God.” So no, it is not only required of elders that their doctrine be pure, but of deacons also! 

Deacons are to be tested first. They are to prove themselves blameless. 

Notice that “their wives also must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.” Isn’t this interesting? Not only must the deacon be “dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things”, but so too, his wife is to possess these qualities. Brothers and sisters, Christian ministry is a family affair. Though the wives of pastors are not pastors, they play a very significant role in the ministry of the pastor given that they are in one flesh union with the man. And so it is with deacons! Though the wives of deacons are not deacons, they play a very significant role in the ministry of the deacon given that they are in one flesh union with the man. Friends, the significant role that the wives of elders and deacons play within the church can hardly be overstated. How important it is that they be “dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.”

Deacons are to be the husband of one wife. It should plane to all by now that deacons are to be male, and that these men are to be faithful to their wives. They are to be a one woman man. It is the opinion of the eldership of Emmaus that a man may still be qualified to serve as a deacon even if he has been divorced, or has divorced and remarried. However, grate care should be taken here to know what led to the divorce, and to know the character of the man presently. 

Notice that deacons “are to manage their children and their own households well.” Holding an office within the church and being the head of a household share many things in common. If a man cannot manage his children and his household – if he cannot lead his family effectively and tenderly, in a Christlike manner – then he has no business leading as an office bearer within Christ’s church. Leading within the church, though it shares similarities with leading within the home, is a far more complex task. A man must prove himself competent in the realm of the home before he be given the responsibility of office bearer in the realm of the church. 

And lastly, notice in verse 13 that “those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”

It should be clear to all that there are two office within the church – not more, not less – they are the office of elder and deacon. 

The office of deacon is not a stepping stone to the office of elder – it is simply a different office. 

The importance of the office of deacon should not be minimized, friends. Did you notice that the moral qualifications for elders and deacons are basically the same. In fact, did you notice the word “likewise”  at the beginning of verse 8? “Deacons likewise must be dignified…” In other words, because the office of elder and deacon are of great importance the men who hold these offices must be godly and mature men. 

The qualifications for the two offices differ where it pertains to the uniqueness of the offices. Notice that elders are to be “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2, ESV), whereas no such requirement exists for deacons. 

Deacons are to serve (and facilitate) service within Christ’s church (as the name implies), whereas elders (or overseers) are to take up the task of prayer, preaching and teaching, shepherding, and the general oversight of the church. 

The roles of elder and deacon may be discerned by drawing together all that New Testament has to say concerning these offices, but nowhere is the office of deacon exhibited more clearly than in the passage that was read at the start of this sermon: Acts 6:1-8. 

Most commentators will agree that what we have in Acts 6 is a description of the appointment of the first deacons of the church. They are not called “deacons” in this passage, but it is clear that the men were appointed to deacon work. These men were called to διακονέω (serve) tables so that the apostles might devote themselves more thoroughly to the ministry of the word and prayer. 

Let us say something about the situation that gave rise to the deaconship. 

In Acts 6:1 we read, “Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.”

It should be pointed out that never has church been free from trouble and without controversy. Sometimes Christians will speak with fondness concerning the days of the “early” or “apostolic” church, saying, “we need to get back to how things were in the book of Acts or in the New Testament.” Have you read the book of Acts? Have you read the New Testament? It is not hard to see that the church has always had to deal with trouble and with controversy. Do not be discourage, brothers and sisters, when we face troubles and controversies of our own. But do pray that we do right in the mist of them, to the glory of God and for the good of his church. 

In Acts 6 we learn that in the earliest days of the church favoritism was being shown to those who were Jewish and Christian over those who were non-Jewish and Christians, or at least that was the accusation. We should remember that many of the first Christians were of Jewish decent. Jesus was a Jew. His disciples were Jews. The gospel would soon go the to Gentiles, but not without difficulty. Here the Gentile Christian came to the Apostles and complained, saying, our widows are being neglected while the Jewish widows are being being cared for. 

It should not be overlooked that the church does have a responsibility to care for the needy in their midst. 

In 1 Timothy 5:16 we read, “If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows” (1 Timothy 5:16, ESV).

In Galatians 6:10 we read, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10, ESV).

Deacons Are To Care For Physical Needs

What did the Apostles do when this complaint about favoritism arose? They called for the appointment of deacons – they called for the appointment of men who would oversee the benevolence ministry of the church.

Here is the first of three aspects of the deacon’s ministry: Deacons are to care for physical needs (I should say that these three observations were made by Mark Dever in his book entitled, “The Church” and I am indebted to him). 

In Acts 6:2 we read, “And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers [and sisters], pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.” (Acts 6:2–3, ESV)

Notice a few things about this call for the appointment of deacons:

One, the Apostles did not appoint them, but called the church to pick them out. “The twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said… pick out from among you seven men of good repute…” 

Two, notice that qualifications were provided by the Apostles. Granted, it is not the full list of qualifications as we find them in 1 Timothy 3, but they are here in summary form. The men had to be “men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom.”

Three, notice that Apostles called for a certain number of men, presumably to correspond to the need at hand. It may be that there is some symbolism to the number seven, just as there is symbolism to the number twelve. But is seems more likely that the Apostles determined that seven men could get the job done.

Four, notice that it would be the Apostles who would ultimately appoint the men. “Pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.” In verses 5-6 we see this play out: “And what they [the Apostles] said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them” (Acts 6:5–6, ESV). The church selected seven men according to the qualifications given to them by the Apostles. They set these men before the Apostles, and then the Apostles “laid their hands on them, which means that they prayed over them and commissioned them to fulfill their ministry. 

Why do I make these observations? Well, is this not our practice? The elders of the church have called for the nomination of deacons (2 or 3 will do). The church is to select these men according to the qualifications established by the Apostles of Christ as recorded in scriptures. An these men are to be presented back to the elders of for commissioning. 

 What will these men do? They will, among other things, care for physical needs. In the case of Acts chapters six the seven men were to oversee the churched benevolence ministry to widows to insure that no favoritism be shown to one group over another, but that cases be handled justly and according to wisdom. 

Deacons Are To Strive For The Unity Of The Church

The second aspect of the deacon’s ministry is to strive for the unity of the church.

This observation might be less apparent than the first, but can you see it? The church was being threatened with division, not over doctrine, but over the proper care of its members. Christ cares for his people physically and spiritually, and how important it is for the church to reflect the love that God has for his people in her practice. The church should never neglect the spiritual needs of the saints, nor should physical needs be neglected. The neglect of either can lead to division, and the deacons in particular are to ensure that churches physical needs are met, thus promoting the unity of the body of Christ.  

Deacons Are To Support The Ministry Of The Elders

The third aspect of the deacon’s ministry is to support the ministry of the elders.  

The office of Apostle and the office of elder are not the same, but they do correspond to one another. Apostles were eyewitness of Christ in his resurrection. Apostles were appointed as such by Christ himself. There are no Apostles today. Today there are elders. The office of elders and Apostle differ in that elders do not speak or write with same authority that the Apostles had. The Apostles wrote and spoke the inspired word of God just as the Old Testament Prophets did. Pastors and elders do not speak with this kind of authority. Pastors speak the word of God only so long as they are faith to the word Christ, his Apostles and Prophets. But the office of elder and Apostle are similar in that both are called to prayer, to the ministry of the word, and to the oversight of he church of God. 

in Acts 6 we learn that that Apostles viewed the task of caring for the physical needs of widows as being extremely important. The Apostles were ultimately responsible to be sure that it get done. But notice that they did not see it as their primary task. 

Verse 2: “And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word’” (Acts 6:2–4, ESV).

No, it was not that the work of serving tables was beneath the Apostles, as if they were to good for it. This was not the way the Lord had taught them. Jesus said to them, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:13–15, ESV). The work of serving tables, and overseeing the serving of tables was not beneath the Apostles. But they understood that overseeing this ministry would require them to neglect the primary thing to which they had been called, namely the ministry of the word and of prayer. 

And so we have deacons. Deacons are to support the ministry of the elders in their work. 

Application  

Have you humbled yourself to allow Christ to serve you?

Are you humble enough to allow others within Christs church to serve you? Are you willing to admit your need and to receive support, encouragement, even godly exhortation from others?

Are you a servant? In the home, in the public arena, in the church? Oh, how we enjoy the good things of this life if we would only take the position of a servant!

Would you be willing to think and pray about who to nominate to the office of deacon at Emmaus?

If you are desirous of the office of deacon, would you also be content to serve within the church without holding the office? May it be true of all of us that we would be content to use the gifts that God has given to us discreetly, for the good of others and to the glory of God!