THE QUALIFICATIONS OF A DEACON

ACTS  6:1-8   AND  1 TIM. 3:8-13

INTRO:   THERE ARE TWO OFFICES IN THE CHURCH THAT HAVE THE DISTINCTION OF REQUIRING ORDINATION. ONE IS THAT OF A PASTOR AND THE OTHER THE OFFICE OF THE DEACON.    TONIGHT WE HAVE SET ASIDE   THIS BROTHER FOR ORDINATION AS A BIBLICAL DEACON.   AND WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK  AT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT  A DEACON.

     THE BIBLE IS CLEAR WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT WHY WE HAVE DEACONS.   ACTS 6:1   TELLS A SITUATION THAT AROSE IN THE EARLY CHURCH WHERE  THE WIDOWS WERE BEING NEGLECTED .    THE APOSTLES WERE NOT ABLE TO  MEET THE NEED IN THE CHURCH AND  CARRY OUT THEIR PREACHING  AND  PASTORING MINISTRY AS WELL.  SO,  THEY APPOINTED SEVEN MEN TO WORK AMONG THE PEOPLE OF THE CHURCH SO THAT THEY MIGHT BE FREE TO PRAY, STUDY AND PREPARE TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD.   AND THE DUTIES OF A BIBLICAL DEACON  HAVE NOT CHANGED FOR THESE SOME 2,000 YEARS.   THERE IS  STILL A  NEED FOR MEN IN THE CHURCH WHO WILL LOOK AFTER THE DAY TO DAY  ADMINISTRATION SO THAT THE PASTOR MIGHT GIVE HIMSELF TO PRAYER AND STUDY OF GOD’S WORD.

       BY THE WAY OF INTRODUCTION, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK  AT BOTH OF THE PASSAGES AND BRING TO YOU WHAT THE  BIBLE  SAYS ABOUT THE QUALIFICATIONS OF A DEACON.

1- A DEACON MUST BE SAVED.  ACTS 6:3

--NOTICE THE WORD  ‘‘BRETHEREN”   AND  “LOOK YE OUT AMONG YOU”

--THAT IS,  THE MEN THEY WERE TO CHOOSE SHOULD BE SAVED.

--MANY CHURCHES HAVE PROBABLY PAID A TERRIBLE PRICE FOR CHOOSING  UNSAVED MEN TO POSITIONS  OF LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH.   SO THE  CANDIDATE FOR DEACON SHOULD EXAMINE HIMSELF TO KNOW FOR SURE THAT HE IS TRULY SAVED.  2 COR. 13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

2-  MUST BE A MAN OF HONEST REPORT.  V.3

--(WD)   UPRIGHT, JUST, FAIR IN DEALING WITH OTHERS, FREE FROM TRICKISHNESS AND FRAUD,ACTING AND HAVING THE DISPOSITION TO ACT AT ALL TIMES ACCORDING TO JUSTICE OR CORRECT MORAL PRINCIPLES.

3-  MUST BE FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST AND WISDOM.  V.3

--THEY WERE TO BE “ FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST”.    THAT IS, THEY WERE MEN WHO FULFILLED THE COMMAND IN   EPH. 5:18 “

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

--ONE SAID FULL MEANS:   THOROUGHLY PERMEATED WITH, FULL, COMPLETE, LACKING NOTHING, PERFECT.

--IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE A BLESSING TO THIS CHURCH AND NOT A BURDEN, THEN YOU MUST WALK IN THE SPIRIT SO THAT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT CAN FLOW THROUGH YOU LIFE, GAL. 5:22-23.

--BUT IF YOU WALK IN THE FLESH, YOU WILL HINDER EVERYTHING GOD WANTS TO DO HERE!   SO, YOU SHOULD DETERMINE TO BE A HOLY GHOST FILLED MAN,  IF NOT STAY AWAY FROM THIS OFFICE.

     LETS EXAMINE THREE TYPES OF QUALIFICATIONS OF A DEACON!       FOUND IN   1 TIM. 3:8-13

1- THE PERSONAL QUALIFICATION OF A DEACON   V.8

   A-  THEY MUST BE GRAVE.      DAKES SAID  HONEST!

HONEST IN HIS DEALING WITH THE CHURCH AND HIS EVERY DAY LIFE.  NO DISHONESTY, BUT UPRIGHT,  FAIR,  TRUSTWORTHY.

--1 TIM. 2:2  STATES THAT THIS BE THE CHARACTERISTIC IN ALL THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY.  1 TIM. 2:2 “For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

--ONE  WHO IS  HONEST WILL NOT TAKE SERIOUS THINGS LIGHTLY. A DEACON MUST NOT BE A MAN WHO JOKES ABOUT SERIOUS THINGS.

--ONE SAID GRAVE MEANT:   MEN WHO ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THEIR DUTY.  MEN WHO ARE WORTHY OF RESPECT.  MEN WHO LIVE LIVES WORTH IMITATING.

   B- THEY MUST NOT BE DOUBLETONGUED     V.8

--ONE SAID IT MEANS TO SAY ONE THING TO SOMEONE AND SOMETHING ELSE TO SOMEONE ELSE.

--ONE SAID NOT A GOSSIP

--A MAN WHOSE WORD IS DEPENDABLE.

--OUR CHURCHES NEED MORE DEACONS WHO ARE CONSISTENT IN WHAT THEY SAY. A DEACON SHOULD NOT TALK ONE WAY AT CHRUCH AND ANOTHER WAY AT WORK  OR WHERE EVER.

  C-  MUST NOT BE GIVEN TO MUCH WINE     V.8

--ONE SAID  THE WORDS  (NOT GIVE TO WINE) MEANS NOT PAYING ATTENTION OR GIVING ASSENT TO WINE.  IN OTHER WORDS A PERSON WHO IS NOT GIVE TO WINE IS ONE WHO GIVES LITTLE THOUGHT TO DRINKING.

--THERE ARE SCRIPTURE THAT TEACH US THAT WE ARE NEVER TO BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, TO NOT BE DRUNK AND CERTAINLY NOT ADDICTED TO WINE OR ANY OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE.

--GIVEN THE MOVEMENT OF ALCOHOL IN OUR SOCIETY, IT WOULD BE UNEXEMPLINARY FOR A DEACON TO SERVE FAITHFULLY AND DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.      (BE NOT FILLED WITH WINE, BUT WITH THE SPIRIT)

  D-  MUST NOT BE GREEDY OF FILTHY LUCRE       V.8

--ONE SAID THAT IT MEANS NOT HAVING A LUST FOR MONEY AND THE THINGS MONEY CAN BUY.

--SOME PEOPLE BECOME GREEDY AND WILL USE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN MONEY EVEN WHEN IT IS LESS THAN HONEST.

--DON’T BE A TIGHTWAD!

2- THE SPIRITUAL QUALIFICATION OF A DEACON        V. 9-10

  A- THEY  MUST HOLD THE MYSTERY OF THE FAITH IN A PURE CONSCIENCE. V. 9

--MEN OF THE WORD WHO ARE WELL GROUNDED IN THE DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH AND WHO LIVE IT  OUT WITH A PURE CONSCIENCE.

--MEN WHO ARE MORE CONCERNED  ABOUT WHAT THE  BIBLE SAYS THAN WHAT TRADITION  OR MAN SAYS.

  B- THEY MUST BE PROVED.      V.10

--EXAMINED AS TO THEIR QUALIFICATIONS AND SEEN TO BE FULFILLING THEM.

--1 TIM.5:22 “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.”

--DON’T BE QUICK TO ORDAIN, LET THEM BE PROVED WORTHY.

 C-  THEY MUST USE THE OFFICE AND NOT JUST FILL IT.   V.10

--THEY HAVE A SPIRITUAL RESPONSIBILITY TO USE THE OFFICE OF A DEACON, ACTIVELY FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.

 D-  THEY MUST BE FOUND BLAMELESS.     V. 10

--ONE SAID BLAMELESS MEANS IRREPROACHABLE OR ABOVE REPROACH.   

--THERE SHOULD BE NO OBVIOUS FLAWS  THAT WOULD BRING  A PERSONAL REPROACH  UPON THEM  THE CHURCH OR UPON CHRIST.

3- THE FAMILY QUALIFICATIONS OF A DEACON      V.11-12

  A-  THE DEACONS WIFE MUST HAVE GODLY CHARACTERISTICS

--THEY ALSO MUST BE GRAVE, NOT SLANDERERS, SOBER, FAITHFUL IN ALL THINGS.

--A DEACONS WIFE CAN CAUSE MUCH HARM IN THE CHURCH IF SHE IS WRONG SPIRITED .

--DAKE  SAID  SLANDERER MEANS  DEVIL.  ONE OF THE DEVIL’S  CHARACTERISTICS IS THAT HE SLANDERS OR MAKES FALSE ACCUSATIONS.

--SOBER    MEANS  TEMPERATE.  ONE SAID MEANS HAVING SELF CONTROL.

--FAITHFUL IN ALL THINGS.    TRUSTWORTHY,  BECAUSE FROM TIME TO TIME SHE WILL HEAR INFORMATION THAT FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH AND THE PEOPLE SHE MUST KEEP TO HERSELF.

  B- DEACONS MUST BE THE HUSBAND OF ONE WIFE.     V.12

--NOT ONE WIFE AT A TIME.   THEY MUST BE DEVOTED TO THEIR WIFE AND THEIR FAMILY.

--THEY SHOULD HAVE AN HEALTHY MARRIAGE.

  C- DEACONS MUST RULE THEIR CHILDREN AND HOUSES WELL. V.12

--THE SAME IS FOR PASTORS  V. 4-5.

--IF THE DEACON IS A POOR SHEPHERD TO HIS FAMILY HOW CAN HE SHEPHERD GOD’S PEOPLE?

--NOT A DICTATOR.  BUT ONE WHO HAS EARNED THE LOVE AND RESPECT OF HIS FAMILY,  ONE WHO LOVES, NURTURES AND CARES FOR HIS FAMILY.

--YOU CAN LOOK AT HOW A MAN’S FAMILY TREAT HIM AND RESPOND TO HIM AND TELL A LOT ABOUT HIS SPIRITUAL CONDITION.

CONCLUSION:    V. 13  --   THERE’S  2 GREAT REWARDS FOR A FAITHFUL DEACON.

1-  THEY PURCHASE A GOOD DEGREE

--DAKE SAYS  TO PRESERVE,  ACQUIRE, KEEP SAFE, AND PROTECT FOR ONESELF A GOOD DEGREE OR RANK  AMONG CHRISTIANS.   (A BLESSING)

2-  GREAT BOLDNESS IN THE FAITH

--WHAT A REWARD WHEN WE HOLD THE OFFICE OF A DEACON IN ITS QUALIFICATIONS IN THE WORD OF GOD.