Qualifications For Deacons Series

Scripture

Paul wrote his First Letter to Timothy to give him directions about how Christians were “to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). In chapter 3, Paul set down the qualifications for church officers. He first set down the qualifications for overseers (3:1-7), also known as elders, which we examined last week. Then he set down the qualifications for deacons in Timothy 3:8-13, which we are going to examine today.

Let us read about the qualifications for deacons in 1 Timothy 3:8-13:

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. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 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. (1 Timothy 3:8-13)

Introduction

Earlier this week, I was having a meal in a restaurant with a friend. Toward the end of the meal, we were trying to get the attention of a waiter so that we could get a “to go” box and the check. It took several attempts to get the attention of a waiter. Have you ever had that experience?

In his commentary on this text, Dr. Philip Ryken writes that “some years ago, a pastoral assistant… telephoned the director of the Philadelphia Restaurant School and asked, ‘What qualities are you looking for in a waiter?’ The director explained that, above all else, a good waiter is someone who notices what people need and gives it to them even before they ask.”

The reason I mention this is because today’s restaurant waiters are similar to first-century deacons. The first-century deacons were appointed to serve meals. Listen to Acts 6:1-4:

1 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. 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. 3 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. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

The word that the apostles used for “serve tables” is the Greek word for “deaconing” (diakonein). So the seven men who were chosen to serve tables in the first-century church were the first deacons in the church. As Phil Ryken says, “Deacons are the waiters of the church.”

In 1 Timothy 3:8, Paul wrote, “Deacons likewise....” By using the word “likewise” Paul wanted to stress that like the office of overseer, the office of deacon was important and that deacons, just like overseers, needed to be properly qualified to serve in that office. The Greek word for “deacons” (diakonos) originally meant “a person working in the service of another.” But in the church, it came to mean “a person in the office of deacon who cares for the needs and livelihood of an assembly of believers.”

I once had a man in the church tell me that he understood the government in a PCA church to be like that of the US government. He said that the deacons were like the House of Representatives, the elders were like the Senate, and the pastor was like the President. That is not an accurate description at all! The biblical picture is that the deacons assist the elders in their ministry. Together they serve as church officers who are making disciples, as Jesus has commanded his church to do.

Lesson

1 Timothy 3:8-13 shows us the qualifications for deacons.

Let’s use the following outline:

1. A Man Must Be Qualified to Serve as a Deacon (3:8-12)

2. A Man Will Be Rewarded for Serving as a Deacon (3:13)

I. A Man Must Be Qualified to Serve as a Deacon (3:8-12)

First, a man must be qualified to serve as a deacon.

Just as a man must be qualified to serve as an elder, so must a man be qualified to serve as a deacon. I am going to suggest that there are four areas of qualification.

A. He Must Have Self-Mastery (3:8)

First, he must have self-mastery.

Commentator John Stott suggests the term “self-mastery.” He says that the four words in verse 8 seem to form a natural grouping. A deacon must have the following.