All right, well, open your Bibles, please, to the letter of 1 Timothy. And we'll be reading from 1 Timothy chapter three, verse eight through 13. Deacons, likewise, must be men of dignity, not double-tongued or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. These men must also first be tested, then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife and good managers of their children and their own households. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

This morning we're looking at the kind of person that a deacon should be. In other words, the requirements to serve as a deacon in the church. There are two biblical offices in the church, and there's only two, and it's elder and deacon. So there's some other offices sometimes in the church that we can have as the need arises, like maybe a secretary or a treasurer. We have a treasurer at the church, but only two that are mentioned in the Bible, only two that are God's idea for the church, and explicitly so in scripture.

So at this church, we have four elders, me, Kelly, Jonathan, and Dylan. And we have right now three deacons, which is David Overland, and Brad Ray, and Ken Payrollis. And we're in the process of nominating, or appointing two deacons right at the present moment. So you'll hear more about that. And when we do, then Ken Perolis is going to step down after a job well done for many, many years in that role as deacon.

So elders and deacons, those are the two biblical offices. We've just had the requirements for elders in this passage, and we're looking here at the requirements for deacons. Both elders and deacons are leaders in the church, especially in that they lead by example. And that idea was always important to Paul for all of his ministry, that he lead by example, that those that he put in charge in the church would also lead by example. And I think especially important for this church. that he's writing to, a church that has gone through a crisis. And that's what Timothy is there to provide is leadership and especially leadership by example.

So both the elders and deacons are leaders in the church. The emphasis for the elders is in actually leading in the church. teaching as well, shepherding, which is mainly feeding the sheep. And the emphasis for the deacons is in serving. So the elders are in leading, that's what they're to do, and the deacons in serving. And that comes through even just in the title that's given to elders and deacons. The title for elder in this passage is an overseer, and that tells what they do. They oversee everything that takes place in the church. And then the word deacon, It's a normal word, common word that was used at the time, and it just simply means a minister or a servant. And so they're those who especially lead the church, lead by example, and lead by serving.

So we just finished with the requirements for elders, and now we're gonna try to cover all of the requirements for deacons. Probably the most striking thing about the requirements for deacons is how similar it is to the requirements for elders. Almost the same, almost the same.

So sometimes the requirements are given for deacons here in the exact same words that we've had for elders. Sometimes the same idea is given in slightly different words. There are very few differences between the requirement for elder and the requirement for deacons. And that should not be a surprise there's only one kind of godliness, because there's only one God, and he requires his leaders to lead in godliness.

So in these lists of requirements, here's what you need to be to be an elder, and then today, here's what you need to be to be a deacon. You can't miss in both. And what's emphasized here is not skill. or ability, in fact, you can't get much of a job description from these lists of requirements. You can kind of read between the lines and try to get a little job description for both, but it's not obvious in either.

What's obvious is godly character. God wants leaders. both elders and deacons who reflect his character in the church, and that's the requirement that is given. So in a sense, as we go through these requirements for a deacon, you get a little bit of an insight into the heart of God. God wants leaders in the church who are men after his own heart, and he wants men like this, what's described here for a deacon, men who reflect God's own character in their life.

So there's only one kind of godliness, And so it turns out that the office of elder and the office of deacon require basically the same kind of man, a godly man, and it's described for both. The kind of man that should serve as a deacon is much the same as the kind of man who should serve as an elder. And both are much the same as a Christian. It's a Christian character that is given for both of these men. They're both the same as a Christian, except for this, that an elder or a deacon must have a reputation for being a mature Christian. and that's really the requirement that is given both for an elder and for the deacon. They must have a reputation for being a mature Christian, and I should say, not just a reputation, but the reputation should be real, should be true, not a pretense of something, but also should be something that is actually true of them. 

So whether you ever end up serving as a deacon in a church or not, and for the vast majority of us, we actually won't serve as a deacon in the church at any time in our life. But whether you do or don't, these characteristics not only give a window into God's character, here's the kind of leadership he wants for his church, but also are a worthy goal for all of us as well. We're all called to serve in one way or another. And so we're all to have the character that is mentioned here, the character of a deacon as well. It applies to all of us as well. And there's even some little gems hidden in here of what it means to be godly and the way to be godly and to have a godly character. 

There are a few differences between the requirements for elders and the requirements for deacons, but if you blink, you're gonna miss it, because it's not much. There's not much difference between the requirements for elders and deacons. Elders must be able to teach. That's not a requirement for a deacon, although some do, and that's fine. for deacons to be able to teach. In the New Testament, those who served as deacons, seems like in the Book of Acts, were also, some of them were very capable teachers. At Trinity, we've always had that some of our deacons are quite capable teachers. If you came for the first hour, you heard Brad Ray teach, and Brad is a deacon. He's also a very capable teacher. Some of the deacons teach, some of them don't, but it's not a requirement. It is a requirement for elders. There's not as much on leading the church for the deacons as there is for the elders, although the deacons also must be good leaders in the home. That's a requirement given.

It's explicitly said about elders that they're gonna be doing the same thing in the church, just like leading in the home, they're also gonna be leading in the church as well. That connection is not made for the deacons, and perhaps not as much for the deacons on characteristics that have to do with resolving conflict. there was that for the elders. The elders are supposed to be men who are not given to blows. I'm sure that's true for the deacons as well, but it's emphasized for the elders because the elders are especially involved in resolving conflict, not so much perhaps for the deacons involved in serving there.

The requirements for the deacons would suggest some responsibility for church finances. not greedy for gain, that's given for both elder and deacons. It suggests that the deacon's job involves plenty of contact with people. So there's requirements for not being double-tongued, how you speak towards people. And along the same line, requirement for the deacons if he's married, for his wife as well, and I think that indicates that he's gonna be serving alongside of his wife in close contact with people as well.

So the deacon, it's a biblical office, it's an important work to the Lord, and that's why he gives specific requirements for deacons. And as if to underscore, The importance of this task, how this office, and the men serving in it, and the task itself is important to the Lord. The Lord spells out for deacons what is not quite so spelled out for elders, and that is there is great reward for serving as a deacon, for serving well as a deacon in the church, and that's gonna be spelled out at the end. So there's a reward for serving well as a deacon.

We're gonna get to it at the end. That's to be an encouragement to the deacons, an encouragement for potential deacons as well. This is a work with a great reward, and for the rest of us as well, because each of us is called to serve in a way that's somewhat like the deacons. And so the Bible is not shy at all about talking about reward for obedience. Psalm 19, verse 11 says, in keeping your commandments, there is great reward. and I could paraphrase that, in cultivating a godly character. Cultivating a godly character like the deacons are to have and to lead the church, and there's great reward in that as well. Or as Paul says in this letter for Timothy 6.10, godliness is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

So this morning, I wanna give you this message. We'll go through it verse by verse in two parts. First, we're gonna look at the requirements. We're just gonna go through them one by one. These are the requirements for a deacon and their attributes of a godly character. We're going to go through these more quickly than we did for the elders. We spent three messages on the elders, and some of these are repetitions of that. So we're going to try to go through this in one, just kind of give a sense of what it is. Again, this godly character for leaders, and especially as it applies to deacons. 

So that's in verse 8 through 12. And then second, we're going to look at the reward for deacons for serving well. And that's in verse 18. OK, I want to try to get through the whole thing. 

So let's start with the first with the first attribute of what a deacon must be. And it's this one. It's in verse eight deacons. Likewise, that means like the elders because these don't fall very far from what the elders are to be as well. Deacons likewise must be men of dignity or just dignified. Dignified, that's the first attribute on the list, dignified. That word is an important one for this letter. It's on Paul's mind. He uses it at this time. The letters that he writes at this time, 1 Timothy, Titus and 2 Timothy. It's a word that keeps showing up and it's especially important word for the deacons. It's going to head the list for the deacons and maybe kind of almost be the source of some of the other qualities that a deacon And then it's also gonna head the list for the deacon's wife. We're gonna get to that. It's the first thing said about her as well.

So I wanna spend a little bit of time, maybe a little more with this one than with some of the others. We've had this word before in this letter. So 1 Timothy chapter two, verse two, it talked about you're to pray for kings and all who are in authority so that we may live a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. That's the same word. that's given here. The deacons are to lead the church in as well. All Christians are to share in this. It's something very close to godliness. 

The translators translate this word differently. They can't agree on one word to do it. And so it's a concept. It's an important concept, even just to secular Greeks. This word was a big deal for their culture. But there's kind of an array of English words that are given to translate it, meaning it can't quite be pinned down as an equivalent to any English word. So the way it's translated, dignified, my translation, worthy of respect. Grave, reverent, honorable, serious, those all kind of capture at least a part of the word without really doing it justice and capturing the whole thing. None of those are wrong, but none of them are really sufficient for this whole concept. And each of them, I think, actually kind of takes the life out of this word. Makes it sound a little bit stilted, you know, grave or dignified. The word itself, what it means is actually full of life. It's not something that comes across really stilted. 

So what does it mean? What does this word mean? When it's used as a verb, it means to venerate. or to worship, and so as a descriptor, as an adjective, it refers to something that is admired, something that is lifted up, not necessarily divine and worshiped, but lifted up and sort of elevated. One commentator put it like this, and I like this, because I think it kind of captures it. It refers to things that lift the mind from the cheap and tawdry to that which is noble And good, that's to characterize the life of a deacon. I think that captures it quite well. 

What I think of, when I think of this word, I'm not sure this is the best illustration, but this is what I think of. Every Christmas I always buy my sister something of the same thing, a children's book, like a illustrated children's book. and she's an artist herself, and that's kind of a nice art form, and so I go shopping every year for kids' books, and I'm always kind of surprised that par for the course is something that is sort of depressing and celebrates the ugly. I don't know why children's authors gravitate to that, something jaded, something sarcastic. That seems to be what they want to teach and expose the kids to. And so it's the rare book that is kind of what I think a kid's book should be, a window to beauty and aspiration and something that lifts up the soul and inspires the imagination.

And you kind of have to look far and wide to find a book that is this worth, this worth, something that is uplifting, something that promotes what should be admired and what is good in life. And so a book that's like that, each in its own way kind of does that. and there's all different ways in which that could be. When it is, that book isn't so much dignified or grave or serious, that might not be the best description, doesn't quite capture it, but it is uplifting.

And so the word, it speaks not of a book, but of a person, but of a person. And so there's many ways that this can be accomplished by a person. This should be the net effect of being around you, your words, the way you present yourself in every way. And certainly of a deacon, this is required of deacons. So there's many ways that a person can be this, dignified, uplifting, admirable, noble, promoting what is noble.

You don't have to be a sparkling conversationalist to have this effect on others, but your presence should be uplifting both to believers and for sure it should focus on Christ, but perhaps you don't always get the opportunity to do that. And so even for unbelievers, they should see that this is what characterizes a deacon and that's something important to Paul is the effect, not just inside the church, but also outside the church as well. And the deacons are to lead in that by having this characteristic of dignified.

So I hope that sheds a little bit of light on it. It's worth sitting with, it's important. in this letter and important, has a prominent place in this list of a godly man who is to be a deacon. Okay, we'll go a little faster. The first one was positive. Is this dignified? The next three are negatives. A deacon is not to be these things. Not double-tongued or addicted to much wine. or fond of sordid gain.

The next characteristic is not double-tongued. And so the word itself, it literally has the word two in it, two messages, or double-talking. There's a couple ways in this word can be taken. Some have the idea of repeating something, like hearing something and then saying it again, like gossip. And so some have applied it to this. There's a whole bunch of reasons that a deacon might know something. about the church or about some person in the church before everyone else does. And it can be very mundane reasons why this is the case, maybe a financial reason or something else, where it is privy to information that is sensitive or not to be gotten out.

And so a deacon must have self-control not to gossip. The rule of thumb is if the person you're telling is not part of the problem, they're not part of the solution, then they don't need to know about it, especially if it's something negative and something that would promote gossip. So some have taken this word to mean that. Probably a better idea, although that would certainly be included in the godly character for a deacon, probably it means something probably better, something closely related to this, and that is saying one thing to one person and another thing to another person. A deacon is not double-tongued, doesn't have two messages, one for one group or person and one for another. And so maybe there's a conflict of some kind in the church or even just a difference of opinion. The deacon is to say the same thing. to everyone. We all like to please. We all like to avoid conflict. We like to tell people what they would like to hear. And a deacon is to be someone who tells people the truth, tells people the truth, or maybe even his own opinion, if that's the thing that is asked for and doesn't shade it in different ways so that he says different things to different people. So he's to speak truth, not the thing that's easiest for himself, but is to speak the truth in order to have the responsibility of a deacon. 

Now, a deacon, in the way he speaks, can use tact, you know, you present something in the best way for something, but the content needs to be the same. in every situation is to be truthful. And so sometimes I think about this characteristic of a deacon. If I'm in a situation and say, OK, I need to speak not what's easiest for this person to hear. I need to speak what is the same to every person that I'm speaking to about this topic. And that's a characteristic that's needed for a deacon. 

OK, not double-tongued or addicted to much wine. And my translation uses addiction. You hear a lot about addiction these days. It's important. Usually when people say that, they're talking about something very important in their life, something to pay attention to, something that's a window, a point of contact for the gospel for them. because Christ is the answer to this. The Bible doesn't use that word addiction. It doesn't really use that concept either. The Bible uses something that's more accurate, which is slavery. Slavery. When you give yourself to a sin, you become a slave to that sin, and it can't be broken except by Christ. Christ is the one who breaks the chains of that sin. So the word that's used here literally doesn't have to do with addiction, but it has to do with holding fast to something, to much wine. in this case, paying special attention to something so that it becomes like an obsession, like an addiction in that way. And a deacon is not to be addicted to much wine. It doesn't forbid alcohol, but it forbids drunkenness. It forbids being enslaved to alcohol for sure. And so a deacon is not to be mastered by anything. whether it's alcohol, whether it's some other substance, marijuana, whatever it is, any other thing, whether legal or illegal, it doesn't matter. Paul says, all things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. So not addicted to much wine. 

or fond of sordid gain. This one's important for deacons. They have access to the money of the church. One commentator put it this way, Judas was not the last treasure who betrayed the Lord for a few pieces of silver. And so a deacon is to be someone who is able to withstand the temptation of being close to money because he's not So a deacon is, in his character, is to be someone not given to get-rich-quick schemes, but, and here's the key, I think, to this characteristic, content, content and thankful for the things that the Lord has given him. And so a deacon is to show this in his life, not greedy for sordid gain. 

Verse nine, and here's a positive one, and this is an important one. It's a spiritual qualification. Important, I think, because in a sense, the other qualities, character qualities, come from this one. Holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. Holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. I'll say something about that word mystery, it's an important, but it's basically referring to the gospel. Holding to the central thing in the faith, the gospel itself, with a clear conscience.

A deacon, it's not required that he has to be able to teach, doctrine publicly, but he does have to have a grasp on the main thing in Christian doctrine, which is the gospel himself, and he has to grasp it firmly, because all the godly characteristics come from this, grasping the mystery, grasping the central thing about the Christian teaching, which is the gospel itself.

Must hold to the mystery of the faith the content of what he believes, with a clear conscience. And this is what comes from the gospel, is a clear conscience. The conscience, the Bible says, is given by God to every person. You can't escape from it if you're a human being. You've got a conscience. It refers to a way of knowing that's different from other ways of knowing. It's kind of automatic. And the word itself refers to that. It's a knowing, even our English word conscience, it's a knowing alongside of the normal way of knowing. It's direct. And a conscience can only do two things. Shouldn't make it more complicated than it is, because the conscience only does two things. It either accuses or it excuses. It either excuses you for what you're about to do or what you've done, or it condemns you for what you are contemplating doing or for what you have done.

And so a deacon, because he's holding fast to the mystery of the faith, has a clean conscience. What a relief to have a clean conscience, a conscience that doesn't bother you. For two reasons, a deacon knows that he's forgiven. in Christ, just as much as Christ himself were to come to you and say, my child, your sins are forgiven. And a deacon is the second reason, is not harboring any sin against Christ. Just like Christ said, your sins are forgiven, my child, go and sin no more. And actually both of those things, both having a clear conscience, because you know your sin is forgiven, and then not harboring sin and rebellion against the Lord in your heart, both of them come from the gospel. Both of them come from what the deacon's holding fast to in order that he might have a clear conscience. And that is the mystery of the faith.

Okay. The word mystery here. It's an important word in the New Testament and the translators have just taken it straight across from the Greek. The Greek word sounds like it's mysterion. So they just took it straight across. 

It doesn't mean exactly the same thing as our word for mystery. especially if you think of a mystery as something that's vague and nebulous and mysterious and a little bit hard to grasp. If that's what you think of the word mystery, this is almost the opposite of that. A good definition for mystery, the way it's used in the New Testament, is a secret, Revealed, a secret revealed. And once the secret's revealed, it's not necessarily hard to understand. It's something that's very clear. 

What the word refers to, there's a good definition for the word, is it's something that can't be known unless it's told. You can't discover it. You can't use induction or deduction or whatever those things are, find clues to it. You just have to be told what it is. And when you're told, then you know it. And that is a mystery. 

I'll tell you again, what I think of when I think of this word. And again, maybe this is not the best illustration, but this is what I think of is the fairy tale of Rumpelstiltskin. of the Miller's daughter and she was supposed to weave straw into golds and the little man came and showed her how to do it and required that she give him her son, unless she could guess his name. And there's no way that she can guess his name. And so the end of the story is she sends somebody who overhears him. talking about her name, and then she knows it. She knows it.

And what she knows is a mystery, a mystery because there's no way to figure it out from looking at the little man or trying to figure it out in some other way. It has to be told in order to be known. And that's the gospel itself. That's actually how you come to have a clear conscience, is by coming to understand a mystery, something that you can't figure out unless you're told.

The gospel itself, it's clear, it's not mysterious in that sense, it's so clear a child can understand what the central message of the gospel is, but it's a message that's so strange that you can never figure it out. You can never anticipate it on your own, the kind of love that God has for sinners and the way in which he accomplished our salvation in sending his very own son to the cross. There's no way that you can look at your own heart and extrapolate and figure it out and come up with the gospel after figuring out and following clues. That's not the point of contact. It's something noble in our own hearts and from there we figure out the gospel itself.

Actually, the point of contact that we have in our hearts is how the law condemns our conscience. And so it's not something noble within us that is the point of contact. It's something that man would never choose to be the way in which we come into contact with God or that no one would ever guess. And yet that's what shows us our need for, when we hear the gospel. of Christ and shows us that that is the only answer is what comes to us in the gospel. And it comes as a mystery, comes as something you could never guess because it's so strange and it's actually more wonderful than anything that we could ever imagine.

So this is important, it's important for deacons. Deacons are to be characterized by godliness in all these ways and they're to be characterized by holding fast to the mystery, to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And this is important for you too as you pursue godliness, all these characteristics of a deacon. You need a clean conscience. You need a clean conscience. in order to grow. You can't grow unless you have a clean conscience because in order to grow, you need to live close to Christ. And it comes from the gospel itself. It comes from understanding the gospel. That's where the guilt of sin is removed. It's actually where rebellion is removed as well as by knowing God through his gospel. And so you stop rebelling against him and stop harboring sin that would cause a guilty conscience in your heart as well.

Dr. MacArthur, in his commentary on this passage, put it like this. He says, the conscience either produces guilt, shame, fear, remorse, and despair over sin, or assurance, peace, and joy due to righteousness. And the deacon who has a clear conscience is enjoying the latter three, the assurance, the peace, the joy that's due to righteousness. And so this is an important one that stands at the foundation of the rest. A deacon needs it, you need it, as you pursue some of the same characteristics that are required for a deacon. 

Okay, we gotta shift gears and go quick, because I do wanna get to the end here. Verse 10. These men must also first be tested, then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. So one of the requirements for a deacon is that enough time has elapsed to be recognized by others for being godly. and for having a servant's heart. 

We won't read, but it would be good to read Acts chapter six, where probably the first deacons are selected by the people of the congregation for the work of deacons. Choose seven men of good repute that are known for godliness in the church. It's always the kind of leadership that God desires for the church. 

And so they're to be tested for a time and then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. Beyond being charged is literally what it means. Not that they're perfect, but that they can't be charged with ungodliness according to these characteristics. in a way that would stick. 

So this is a requirement that's given for elders too. Not quite in the same way, it's just said about elders that he should not be a new convert, and it explains why in that way, and here's something similar for deacons, that they must be first tested, and then serve if they are beyond reproach. 

Okay, verse 11. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. This verse has sparked a bit of discussion over this question. Are these separate requirements for female deacons or is this for deacons' wives? Is the office of deacon open to women? or is it just for men? 

Now, your translation may say wives, in which case you'd say, well, it's referring to Deacon's Wives. Mine says women and leaves it open, the question open. It's the same word. for women and wives, there's no Greek word difference for the two of those, so the translators are just translating it differently, but it could be translated either way. 

And I just learned this in studying this, there's no word for deaconesses. I guess that was only a masculine word. So the point is, if the office were open to women, this is probably how we'd say it. It's something like this, about women. And then it gives certain characteristics for women as well. 

At this church, the office of deacon is not open to women. So we had ballots just recently that a number of you filled out, and it was all men that received votes for the ballots. There are no women, and I think we probably told you that, or somehow it came across. And so it's not open to women at this church. And I would agree with that as well, that these are not characteristics for female deacons, but rather for the wives of deacons. 

That being said, pretty strong biblical case could be made for women deacons. And some churches in our circle make that argument and have women deacons as well. When it comes to women serving as elders or a pastor, That's kind of a telltale issue. You can kind of tell about a church how seriously they take scripture because it's really clear that that is something that's forbidden to women. 

First Timothy chapter two, verse 12. I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. And so it's really hard to get around that verse itself. And so that's kind of something that might show you a church's attitude towards scripture. They're not going by scripture if they have, if the office of elder is open to women, but they're going maybe just by something that's more palatable to our times. It's not the case with deacons, that if you see a church where the office of deacon is open to women, it reflects their view of scripture. They may be very serious about scripture, but just take a different view of this passage. 

So that being said, that being said, let me give just a few reasons why I think the best fit for this passage is that this refers to Deacon's Wives. If the office of deacon is open to women, it seems strange to me that the requirements for women deacons would be different and a different list than that for the men. It almost sounds like a third office, like elders, male deacons, and then female deacons with a different list of requirements for each one. And then also it makes kind of a disorganized presentation for Paul to talk about the male deacons and then in verse 11 go to the female deacons and then go back in verse 12 to the male deacons again, almost like an afterthought that's given there. He doesn't do that when he refers to the elders qualifications and then the deacons, he just does the elders all at once. And then the deacon's qualifications, and he doesn't come back and say, well, I forgot a few things about the elders as well. So it seems best, just seems to fit the context to me to be a reference to the deacon's wives and the qualifications for a deacon's wife. 

So. Why is there qualifications for deacon's wives when there weren't qualifications for elders' wives? And I don't know the answer to that, but I can guess. Probably it's the nature of the work that a deacon's wife is gonna be more included in the work that a deacon does than in the work that an elder does. A wife is to be a helpmate to the husband in everything that he does, and that's why God created marriage. But in the actual performing of the duty, an elder's teaching, he's doing something that is forbidden for a woman to do in the church. On the other hand, a deacon, when he's fulfilling his task of serving, his wife is probably going to be serving shoulder to shoulder right with him and doing the very same thing with him. And so perhaps that's the reason there's requirements for her as well. 

And what are they? Okay. Wives, I think is the right way to understand this. Wives of deacons likewise must be Dignified, it was first for him, this important word, it's first for her as well. Worth pondering over, a wife would do this differently than a husband, but it's the same idea, this dignified, uplifting, elevating.

Not malicious gossips, and we already talked about this in the word that's used for the deacons themselves, to not be double tongued, but a wife is also gonna be privy to information. She's not to use it to be, as it says here, a malicious gossip. The word that's used here is actually the same word that's used for the devil, a slanderer. She's not to be a slanderer. The devil is described as an accuser of the brethren, he who accuses them before God day and night. Satan's slander of the brethren, some of it's true. He brings up our sins, again, that are covered by the blood, some of it's false. And he's a slanderer in both of those ways. And it's probably the same with this slanderer. A deacon's wife is not to be a slanderer of people in the church bringing up things that are true and telling everybody about it or things that are false. for sure, is not to do that as well.

And distinguishing between the true and the false might be related to the next one, which is she's to be sober. Sober. Not malicious gossips, but sober. Literally would refer to not drunk, but I think this is more figurative. It's clear-headed. in mind, able to think clearly and able to think carefully, not prone to fits of irrationality.

Okay, I'm almost out of time. I don't want to get to the reward at the end. She's to be faithful in all things. This refers not to perfection, but to dependability. She's to be trustworthy in things, large and small, the kind of person who says, I'm gonna do it, and everybody takes it off their list because it's going to be done. This is required of deacons' wives. 

Okay, then verse 12 continues with the home life of elders, and this is the same, or sorry, of deacons, and this is the same for elders. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife. Husbands of only one wife, it's literally a one woman man, and we talked about this with the elders. It's not so much a status, like look at a person's life and how many times have they been married a one wife man, but it refers to the character quality. A deacon is to be completely devoted, completely faithful to, completely reserved for one wife. one wife, and it's the woman who's just described here as the deacon's wife. He's to be devoted to her. in every sense of those words. Completely faithful to her, every aspect of his being, body, soul, spirit, even in his imagination, completely reserved for the wife and characterized by that kind of purity. 

And then verse 12, good managers of their children and their own household. And again, that's the same as an elder there to be a good leader at home. So this completes the picture of a deacon. It's basically the picture of a godly man, of a mature Christian who's especially suited for the task of deacon. 

There's many ways to be these things. Being godly is not a cookie cutter. Christians aren't. God doesn't just churn out cookie cutter Christians who are all the same. His new creation that he does in us is full of variety just like his original creation, the first creation that he made. It's actually sin that makes people the same. and predictable and boring. Sometimes we get that backwards and we think godliness is what makes people the same. It's actually sinners, it's gossipers, it's drunkards who are all alike and those who are godly do it in ways that are uniquely suited to them and to the gifting that God has brought about in them. 

Deacons also don't manifest these characteristics perfectly. They're a work in progress. And so each deacon is going to have strengths and weaknesses in this list, things that he's better at, things that he's worse at. But each deacon must share in all of them so that he has a reputation that is beyond accusation for all of these characteristics. So it's a big task. It's a big responsibility. to be a deacon. 

And Paul wants to, I think, encourage men who have this office or who would aspire to this office. And so the next part, I know I'm over time, but I do want to get to this, has to do with the reward. And that is verse 13. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. There's more spelled out. of the reward for deacons here than there is for elders. When he wanted to encourage the elders, he just said it's a good work that anyone aspires to when he aspires to be an elder. Here he says, those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

It's a reward Not even to elders where there's a crown awaiting when the chief shepherd appears. Peter says that to the elders. But this is a reward for the deacons that's in the actual doing of the task. These two things that are given to deacons. And I think Paul especially spells out the reward for a deacon even more than an elder.

Being a deacon is sometimes a thankless task. and I hope I'm exaggerating when I say that, but it's behind the scenes. It's even compared to elders, it can be a little bit of a thankless task, and so there's a special reward for it. In this uneven life that we live, God compensates for every lack, and he does it abundantly. He does it uniquely, and so it is with this reward as well.

There's two rewards, a deacon who serves well, receives as a reward a high standing, a high standing. And this is a word, it refers to a step or a standing or a pedestal, a firm foothold. And it refers either to a deacon who's serving while he's in the life of faith and growth, he's gonna have a foothold that, helps him to grow in this way. It refers either to that or perhaps it refers to a place of prominence for a good reputation. Like we might say a platform, we use that word today for something who's given prominence for a good reputation.

Paul has spoken of men earlier in the letter who brought reproach to the church by making shipwreck, and they were leaders of the church. And so he has a concern for reputation, even in the outside world, for leaders. And a deacon who serves well brings about the very opposite. of what these men who threw away their testimony brought about. That is a good reputation, a good platform, both for those inside and perhaps especially for those outside of the church.

So a deacon who serves well, enhances his own reputation, is probably what it's meant. And along with that, the reputation of the church. And I could see that that would apply especially to deacons. The Lord talked about, by this all men will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. And deacons are often in their work, the ones who are given the task of giving a concrete expression to that love. that were to have for one another, and in doing so, they win the reward of a high standing, is probably what is meant by that.

So a high standing, that one's a little difficult to understand, but the next one isn't, and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. A deacon who serves well is to be given as a reward in the midst of his serving, courage to have more faith in Christ. And so the Christian life is a struggle, It's progress in growth. A deacon who serves well is given greater confidence, is given a turbocharged faith, you might say. And so in this way, you can see how a deacon who serves well is emboldened and enlarged for greater service. and for the opportunity of what comes next.

So there's a reward. There's a big reward. There's this high standing and then there's also a great confidence that comes with serving well as a deacon. So I hope that reward that's promised for serving well is an encouragement to the deacons that are serving now. and to the one stepping down, he also receives his reward, and to the two that are stepping up into this office of deacons, and to those who have served well in the past. There's some, I don't know if they're here today, but some have served well in the past with us as well, who received that same reward as well. 

But I hope it's also an encouragement to not only the capital D deacons, the ones in the office of deacons, but also the small d deacons. That's all of us. That's all of us. We're all to be serving one another. That's commanded in scripture using the same word as a deacon. 

So where are we to serve one another next? Where are we to be a deacon? Small d, let's say. Well, the Lord will show you, but I think we should take a clue from this passage. The Holy Spirit will open doors to more service of one another. as we cultivate characteristics of godliness, as we seek to develop a godly character. That should be the emphasis for us, just as it is for deacons. These characteristics, and to develop these characteristics, not just for yourself, to enjoy them, but for service to others. That's what these characteristics are for, for the deacons, is so that they might serve others. It's in serving others that we remain near to Christ. And so we develop these Christ-like characteristics for the purpose of serving others. 

So let me ask of you, and I'll divide this up, I guess, to the men and to the women, the characteristics of the deacon and also of the deacon's wives. Are you dignified in what that means? You seeking to have an effect on others of encouragement. Seeking to be a blessing to them, not to grind people down when they're around you in every way, but to be edifying to them. Not double-tongued in how you speak. Not addicted to wine. Not greedy. Are you holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience? That's important. That's an important one that's at the base of the rest of them. Are you a one-woman man? in everything that that means. Every aspect, every purity of what that means. A good manager of your household. 

Or to the women, I'll give the same as to the deacon's wife. Are you dignified? And everything that that word means again. Not gossiping, not gossiping. Sober in mind, able to think clearly and faithful in all things. Are you pursuing these attributes of godliness? Have you set your heart on them? Are you working, are you taking pains to develop this character and asking the Lord to help you in them? 

Well let me say this, there's nothing more important than developing that character. As Paul says in another place in this letter, take pains with these things, that's what he says to Timothy. Be absorbed in them so that your progress will be evident to all. So let me encourage you, there's great reward in seeking these characteristics. This is what a church in crisis needs, is this kind of character from the leadership on down. That's why Paul emphasizes it here. This is what Christians need at all times, is this kind of character as well. If you seek it, you will find it because God will continue to give it to you. 

So let's pray. Father, we thank you for these requirements, for a deacon into the window it gives, not only into your heart, but into the Christian life as well. We pray that each of us might be increasingly characterized by these things, holding fast to the mystery of the gospel with a clear conscience. being dignified and uplifting and edifying in every aspect of our being, being free from greed and lust and gossip and pleasing others by telling them what they would like to hear. And we just pray that all these characteristics would be increasingly manifest in our life in a way that pleases you and a way that causes us to be effective in serving others. We pray that your Holy Spirit would pour this out and then guide us into opportunities to serve. We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.