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“ Summary, Part 5 (final) ” VII. THE DEACON’S REWARD (v. 13) [44:00]. A. The necessary prerequisite for these rewards. Christ honors deacons who serve well. B. The particular identity of these rewards. 1. A high standing. Taking additional steps in standing: in dignity, respectability, and influence in the church. 2. Great confidence. He takes delight in the blessings of doing a good job. C. The spiritual sphere of these rewards. In the faith that is in Christ Jesus, who came to give and to serve.
Ian Migala (2/24/2015)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 4 ” V. THE DEACON’S WIFE (v. 11) [34:21]. The church as the right to scrutinize the candidate’s marriage. A. Her identity. This specifically refers to the wives of deacons. B. Her characteristics. 1. She must be dignified. She must be a serious woman characterized by gravity and must carry herself as such. 2. She must not be a slanderer. The Greek word here for ‘slanderers’ is ‘diabolous’, from which we get ‘devil’. A slanderous wife is that bad. 3. She must be temperate. She must be self-controlled. 4. She must be faithful in all things. She must guard herself from temptation and be willing to do good. VI. THE DEACON’S HOME (v. 12) [40:30]. A. A deacon must demonstrate marital fidelity. He must have only one woman in his heart and bed, and they must be the same woman. B. A deacon must demonstrate prudent family management. 1. Ruling his children well. He must love and discipline his children in the Lord and carry weight in their consciences when they’re older, as a godly influence. 2. Ruling his house well. Pandemonium must not characterize his home. It should be pleasant without being permissive, and structured without being stifling.
Ian Migala (2/24/2015)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 3 ” F. A deacon must be sober (1 Tim 3:8c). He does not need to be a teetotaler, but he cannot be a drunkard. One who serves his own lusts cannot serve others and cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. G. A deacon must be financially content (1 Tim 3:8d). A covetous man is an idolater, and he neither can enter the Kingdom of God. He must be a man of trust. H. A deacon must be consistent regarding the truth (1 Tim 3:9). 1. By continually believing the truth: holding to the mystery of the faith. The truth must have a grip upon him. 2. By continually living the truth. He holds the faith with a clear conscience. He lives consciously in the eye of God. His qualifications do not necessary include success in business, leadership, popularity, or charisma, or seniority. IV. THE DEACON’S EXAMINATION (v. 10) [30:11]. A. The necessary prerequisite of testing (1 Tim 3:10a). The church has the responsibility of evaluating candidates. It is not a formal examination, but a holy scrutiny. B. The subsequent result of testing (1 Tim 3:10b). “Let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.” C. The practical reason for testing (1 Tim 3:10c). To confirm that he is beyond reproach.
Ian Migala (2/24/2015)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 2 ” C. The men chosen by the church were officially ordained in their office by the leaders of the church (v. 6). Notice three characteristics of this: that the prayer of the apostles flowed from Jesus Christ, that the laying on of hands symbolized the chain of church authority, and that the laying on of hands highlights the sacredness of their work. III. THE DEACON’S CHARACTER (Acts 6:3, 1 Tim 3:8-9) [13:55]. A. A deacon must possess a good reputation (Acts 6:3). He must be known as an honest man of integrity. B. A deacon must be full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3). His salvation must be evident; he must be known to be led by the Spirit and not by the flesh, and he must demonstrate Its gifts. C. A deacon must be full of wisdom (Acts 6:3). This is not to be confused with conventional wisdom, but rather is filled with biblical wisdom. He must show an obvious love of God’s people, especially the poorest and neediest. D. A deacon must be dignified (1 Tim 3:8a). He must be a serious, sober man, not a frivolous, trivial one. E. A deacon must not be double-tongued (1 Tim 3:8b). Paul here means one who says one thing to one person and another to another person: handling people evenly. Deacons must be men of their word.
Ian Migala (2/24/2015)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 1 ” I. THE DEACON’S NEED (OR THE CHURCH’S NEED FOR DEACONS) (ACTS 6:1-6) [starting at 4:23 of the audio]. A. Deacons are needed to take care of the church’s temporal necessities (v. 1). The Hellenist Christians were feeling neglected. B. Deacons are needed to enable the elders to carry out their pastoral duties. Though not beneath their dignity to serve, the disciples saw that their preaching duties had suffered (vv. 2, 4). II. THE DEACON’S SELECTION (Acts 6:3-5) [8:48]. A. The leaders of the church articulated the essential qualifications necessary for the church’s choice of deacons (v. 3). They must be men, they must have observable spiritual qualifications, and they must be qualified for certain duties of the church. B. The members of the church then selected men who possessed those essential qualifications for their work (v. 5). The whole congregation approved of the counsel of the elders, chose the men necessary to serve their needs, brought them to the apostles (seven of them, perhaps one for each day of the week).
