Main Idea: God’s church must be served by deacons who serve well!
• Concept of servanthood (deaconhood) => Characteristic of Christ (Matt 20:28; Mk 10:45) => Characteristic of the Apostles (1 Cor 3:5) => Characteristic of every Christian (Matt 20:26; Mk 10:45) => Special characteristic of the church office of "deacon" (Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 3:8) • Concept of deaconhood => Prototype of deaconhood in the early Church (Acts 6:1-4) => Distinction between elder/deacon (overseer/servant) (Phi 1:1; 1 Tim 3:8-13) • Qualifications => Shared qualifications (with the elder/bishop) • "Above reproach" (2, 10); "Husband of one wife" (3, 12); "Not addicted to wine" (3, 8); "Not a lover of money" (3, 8); "Manage households well" (4-5, 12) => Elder qualifications not specified for deacons • "Sober-minded" (2); "Respectable" (2); "Hospitable" (2); "Able to teach" (2); "Not violent" (3); "Gentle" (3); "Not quarrelsome" (3); "Not a recent convert" (6); "Well thought of by outsiders" (7) • Distinct deacon qualifications => "Dignified" (8) => "Not double-tongued" (8) => "Holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience" (9) => Wives must also be qualified (11) • "Dignified"; "Not slanderers"; "Sober-minded"; "Faithful in all things" (11)
May God continue to raise up the deacons by which the Church will grow and thrive and glorify God!
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