Likewise (Qualifications for Servants)

Text: 3:8-16

Introduction:

“What’s good for the for the goose is good for the gander.”
He that will be greatest among you shall be servant of all
Christianity is about serving, not being served

I. Deacons

A. Comes from diakonoV

1. Original meaning dealt with doing menial tasks such as waiting tables

2. Uses in the NT

a) A servant in general

b) Refers to soldiers who enforce the civil law

3. NT meanings

a) A servant in general

b) Specifically refers to a person who had the gift of service

c) Office of deacon

B. Development of this office

1. Some hold that Acts 6 the first deacons were elected

a) They were actually precursors, not actual office holders

b) They were all Hellenists, unusual if they were holding the office in a Jewish church

c) The term “deacon” is never used in Acts

d) Stephen and Philip were evangelists, not deacons

2. The office developed as the church developed

3. The organizational structure of the early church was simple, flexible, and in a state of evolution

C. Qualifications

1. Grave

a) Gk. = semnoV

b) Serious minded, take life and spiritual things seriously

2. Not double-tongued

a) Could refer to a person who talks too much, who has two tongues going

b) Could be referring to a person with a “forked-tongue”

c) The tongue must be under control

d) Lying is a disqualification

3. Not given to wine

a) Wine was mixed with six parts water in that day to purify the water and dilute the wine

b) Timothy was probably a teetotaler since Paul told him take a little wine for his stomach’s sake

c) Abstinence is the position we should take today

4. Not greedy

a) His life is not characterized by the pursuit of wealth

b) He is not covetous

c) The early deacons would have been in charge of money and its distribution to the poor

d) Judas was a thief. Deacons must be above the temptation to steal money

5. Hold the faith

a) “Mystery” = before unrevealed truth that is now revealed

b) Holding means you are clinging, fighting for the truth

(1) Jude: “earnestly contend”

(2) Guarding the truth

c) Clear conscience means that they do it without hypocrisy

d) Two dangers

(1) Heresy

(2) Hypocrisy

6. Approved

a) They pass the test or qualifications over a period of time

b) They continue to pass the test; present condition

7. Husband of one wife

a) See discussion on this for elders

b) One woman kind of man

8. House is in order

a) Children are obedient

b) Finances in order

9. Blameless

D. Reward

1. High standing

2. Boldness in the faith

II. Deaconesses

A. Debate over whether this refers to the wives of deacons or to women servants in the church

B. Arguments for woman servant

1. Use of “likewise” indicates another class

2. No possessive pronoun to imply deacons’ wives

3. No qualifications for elders’ wives

4. No Gk. Word for deaconess

5. Women served as deaconesses in that they were servants

6. This was not a position of authority as it has evolved in modern churches but a position of service

C. Arguments for wives

1. There is no office of deaconess

2. Inserted between various qualifications for deacons

D. Qualifications

1. Grave (same as the men)

2. Not slanderers

a) Comes from diabolos which is a name of Satan

b) He is the great slanderer

c) Woman are not to gossip or talk about others in a slanderous manner

3. Sober

a) Means temperate, under control

b) Not to be a drinker falls under this

4. Faithful

III. General Behavior

A. Purpose statement

B. Behave = “conduct oneself”

1. It is a continual pattern of behavior

2. It is personal relationships as well as organition

C. Pillar and Ground of truth

1. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

2. Which came first, truth or the church?

3. The big difference between us Catholics is this issue. Does the church determine truth or does the truth determine the church?

4. Which is the greater authority: Church or Scripture?

5. Did the church give us the Scriptures or did the Scriptures give us the church?