1st Timothy 3:1-13, Acts 7:54, Acts 8:8; Acts 6:1-15
If I were to ask you, what is a deacon or what are Deacons supposed to do I am sure I would get a variety of answers. Do you know the names of the Deacons at Hamilton?
This morning, we have the privilege of installing Deacons so we need to look at what The Bible says about deacons and what The Bible says about the role of deacons?
The term “deacon” comes from the Greek word “diakonos”. This Greek word “diakonos” is found 29 times in the NT. Most of the time the word “diakonos” is translated servant. As Christians we are all called to serve The Lord and we are all called to serve each other. So, in the general sense every single member of Hamilton is a deacon. For example, the Greek word “diakonos” was used in John 2:5 when Mary the mother of Jesus told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” “Diakonos” was also used in John 12:2 where we read about a dinner given in Jesus’ honor. “Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.” And in Luke 4:39 we read after Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law she got up at once and began to wait on them.These three verses are about general servants providing food and drink.
In other passages in the Bible the word “diakonos” is broadened to include all kinds of service. In John 12:26 Jesus said; “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” So, we all are deacons in a general sense. None of us were saved to only come to church on Sunday morning; rather all of us were saved to serve! Being a Christian is not a spectator sport but rather Christianity is about serving The Lord. We all are to be “general servants”! So, you see this message is for the whole church.
Then there is another category of servants. These are Christians with the spiritual gift of service. In Romans 12:5 – 8 we read “so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give
generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” Serving others is their spiritual gift. Many of you have the gift of ministry, which 1st Corinthians calls serving the gift of help. These individuals are more than general servants, they are gifted servants. They do not have to have a title or be a leader because they love to serve, they are behind the scenes, and they do not need or want recognition. They just want to serve The Lord and His people in any and every way they can. They see what needs to be done and they do it without being asked. They see the trash around the church and they pick it up. They see what needs to be done to make Sunday worship run smoothly and they do it rather than complain about what wasn’t done. They are the ones who show up on church work days and stay until the job is finished.
This Greek word “diakonos” is only translated as “deacon” three times in The Bible and these three occurrences are found in Philippians 1:1, 1st Timothy 3:8 and 1st Timothy 3:12. These are the individuals who are elected by their peers to the Office of Deacon. We distinguish their role as servants with a capital “D” in the title of Deacons. So why do we need this third group of deacons if all the rest of us are doing our job of serving and / or if we are exercising our spiritual gift of service.
Deacons with a capital “D” are called by God to be model servants to the rest of us. I like to refer to Deacons as cheerleaders. As you know a cheerleader’s job is to get the crowd involved in the game. No matter what the score is the cheerleaders have a positive attitude, they are energetic, and they are encouraging the players to do their best. Deacons are called to set the example for us, they are model Christians. Any church member should be able to look at one of our Deacons and say that is what the Christian life is all about. That is why The Bible set down stringent qualification requirements for Pastors, Elders, and Deacons. In our lesson from 1st Timothy, we read the Biblical requirements for Deacons. If we are honest every one of us fall short in one or more of these requirements but in Jesus Christ we are enabled and in Jesus Christ we are perfected. We need to remember The Apostle Paul recorded this revelation He received from The Lord. Remember Paul was the one who persecuted the church before his conversion on the road to Damascus. Before Paul’s conversion Paul would not have measured up to these requirements. But through Jesus Christ Paul was forgiven and Paul was perfected. Remember Moses was a murderer, David was an adulterer, and Peter was uneducated and Peter denied Jesus. But God was able to use every one of them and God can use each one of us!
In the 6th chapter of Acts, we can read about the Deacons serving the physical need of the people. In the 7th chapter of Acts Deacon Stephen defended His faith in Jesus Christ. Deacon Stephen boldly proclaimed who Jesus Christ was and he called on the Jewish religious leaders to repent and to accept Jesus as their personal Savior. After hearing Stephen’s powerful testimony, the Jewish religious leaders stoned Deacon Stephen. The 8th chapter of Acts tells us about Deacon Philip as an evangelist in Samaria and the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch. It was a Deacon who brought Christianity to Africa.
In the 6th, 7th, and 8th chapters of Acts we find the expectations of the Office of Deacon.
1. Deacons are to be servants to other Christians.
2. Deacons are to be defenders of the faith.
3. Deacons are to be evangelists who share the Good news of Jesus.
4. Deacons are to be examples and set the standard as they live their faith.
The key to the seven men becoming Deacons in the early church is in verse 3 of our lesson from Acts 6. There we read the Apostles said: “Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them.” (Acts 6: 3)
This is the same key for any of us becoming Deacons today. We must have the desire to serve The King of Kings and we must ask the Holy Spirit to come into our lives and to change us! Then and only then will we be qualified and effective officers in the church of Jesus Christ! Remember the comforting words in Philippians 4:13“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”!
You might not be a deacon with a capital “D” but every one of you is a deacon. As Christians, our calling is serving others, to lead people to The Lord Jesus Christ, and we are to help other Christians grow closer to The Lord. So, when you see something that needs to be done in the church and you say “that is the Deacon’s job” you are really criticizing yourself because all of us are deacons. In just a minute we are going to respond to The Word by singing the song “People Need The Lord”. All of the verses to the song People Need The Lord are not printed in our hymn book so I want you to listen as I read the whole song.
“Every day they pass me by I can see it in their eye Empty people filled with care headed who knows where. On they go through private pain living fear to fear. Laughter hides the silent cries Only Jesus hears. We are called to take His light to a world where wrong seems right. What could be too great a cost for sharing life with one who’s lost? Through His love our hearts can feel all the grief they bear. They must hear the words of life only we can share. People need the Lord; People need the Lord. At the end of broken dreams, He’s the open door People need the Lord. People need the Lord. When will we realize that we must give our lives for people who need the Lord. People need the Lord.
You might not be a deacon with a capital “D” but every one of us is a deacon. We all are called to serve The Lord and we are all called to serve other people. AMEN.