1 Timothy Lesson #10

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
1TIMOTHY 3:8-13
LESSON #10
THE DUTIES OF ELDERS AND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEACONS

MEMORY VERSE: 1TIM 3:13

• IN OUR LAST LESSON, WE EXAMINED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ELDER OF THE CHURCH. HOWEVER, WE DID NOT CONSIDER THE DUTIES OF AN ELDER. REMEMBER THAT THE PASTOR IS ALSO CONSIDERED AN ELDER.
• THERE ARE VARIOUS SCRIPTURES THAT GIVE US SOME INSIGHT INTO THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT AN ELDER DOES IN THE CHURCH.
• READ 1THES 5:12-13 HEB 13:17 ACT 20:28-31 AND JAM 5:14-20
• ELDERS ARE OVERSEERS OF ALL THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CHURCH SPIRITUALLY. THEY ARE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LOCAL BODY IS SPIRITUALLY HEALTHY.
• THE BIBLE CALLS THE CHURCH THE “BODY OF CHRIST”. JUST AS YOU CONCERN YOURSELF WITH THE HEALTH OF YOUR BODY, INSIDE AND OUT, THE ELDER DOES THAT FOR THE CHURCH. FOR EXAMPLE:
• HEALTH OF THE CHURCH SKELETON:
• BE SURE BELIEVERS LEARN A HIGH VIEW OF WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE DOES.
• BE SURE THAT THE TEACHINGS IN THE CHURCH ARE BASED ON SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY.
• BE SURE THAT BELIEVERS UNDERSTAND DOCTRINE CLEARLY.
• BE SURE THAT PERSONAL HOLINESS IS STRESSED AND ENCOURAGED.
• BE SURE THAT CHURCH DISCIPLINE AND AUTHORITY IS USED APPROPRIATELY.
• HEALTH OF THE INTERNAL SYSTEMS:
• THESE ARE THE SPIRITUAL ATTITUDES THAT
• MOTIVATE RIGHT BEHAVIOR LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• BE SURE THAT OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD IS TAUGHT AND STRESSED.
• BE SURE THAT LEADERS IN ALL POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP ARE EXAMPLES OF HUMILITY.
• BE SURE THAT LOVE IS STRESSED AND ENCOURAGED.
• BE SURE THAT UNITY IS ENCOURAGED AND MAINTAINED.
• BE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO SERVE THE LORD.
• ELDERS ARE PRAYER WARRIORS WHO PRAY FOR THE CHURCH.:
• THEY PRAY FOR PROTECTION FROM THE ATTACKS OF SATAN. THEY PRAY FOR THE SPECIFIC PERSONAL NEEDS OF BELIEVERS.

• READ 1TIM 3:8-10 REQUIREMENTS OF A DEACON
• WHAT IS A DEACON?
• THE WORD “DEACON” IS THE SAME GREEK WORD THAT CAN BE TRANSLATED “MINISTER”. IT IS A GENERAL TERM MEANING = SERVANT OR WORKER.
• READ ACTS 6:1-6
• THIS SCRIPTURAL ACCOUNT SEEMS TO BE THE FIRST TIME DEACONS WERE APPOINTED IN THE EARLY CHURCH.
• YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THIS POSITION IS DIFFERENT FROM THE POSITION OF AN ELDER.
• IN ACTS 6:4 IT TELLS US THAT THE ELDERS CONCERNED THEMSELVES WITH THE WORD OF GOD AND PRAYER, WHILE THE NEWLY APPOINTED DEACONS CONCERNED THEMSELVES WITH RUNNING THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS IN THE CHURCH.
• WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A DEACON IN THE CHURCH?
• ACTS 6:3.5 TELL US THAT THESE MEN HAD THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS:
• HONEST
• FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
• HAD GODLY WISDOM
• FULL OF FAITH
• 1TIM 3:8-9 TELLS US THAT DEACONS MUST HAVE THE SAME QUALIFICATIONS AS AN ELDER.
• PAUL BEGINS HIS LIST WITH “LIKEWISE” (OR “IN LIKE MANNER”) (8) WHICH INDICATES THE SAME QUALIFICATIONS APPLY TO DEACONS AS WELL AS ELDERS.
• THEN PAUL SEEMS TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THESE ELDER REQUIREMENTS:
• GRAVE
• A DEACON SHOULD BE A MAN OF DIGNITY WHO IS SERIOUS ABOUT HIS CHURCH POSITION.
• NOT DOUBLE TONGUED
• BECAUSE A DEACON DEALS ON THE LEVEL OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, HIS WORD SHOULD MEAN SOMETHING. HE DOES NOT SAY ONE THING TO ONE PERSON AND ANOTHER THING TO ANOTHER PERSON.
• NOT GIVEN TO MUCH WINE
• HE DOES NOT ABUSE ALCOHOL.
• NOT GREEDY OF MONEY
• BECAUSE THE DEACON HANDLES THE CHURCH MONEY, HE SHOULD BE WORTHY OF TRUST.
• HOLDING THE MYSTERY OF FAITH
• HE SHOULD BE A BORN AGAIN BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST WHO KNOWS THE DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH.
• HAVING A CLEAR CONSCIENCE
• HE SHOULD HAVE AN OPEN HEART TO GOD AND A SENSITIVITY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT SO THAT HE BRINGS HIS SINS TO GOD FOR FORGIVENESS.

• SUMMARY AND PRINCIPLES:

• PRINCIPLE #25

DEACONS SHOULD BE CHOSEN ACCORDING TO BIBLICAL REQUIREMENTS

• PRINCIPLE #26

                THOSEPEOPLE CHOSEN TO BE DEACONS MUST FIRST PROVE THEIR QUALIFICATIONS

• IN OTHER WORDS, THE BIGGEST MISTAKE CHURCHES MAKE IS TO PUT UNTRIED PEOPLE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS. (10) PEOPLE NEED TO WORK THEIR WAY UP TO LEADERSHIP. (MAT 25:21) AN UNTESTED LEADER IS AN UNPREPARED LEADER. ALL THE GREAT LEADERS IN THE BIBLE WERE TESTED FIRST.
• JOSEPH, MOSES, JOSHUA, DAVID, ETC.
• SOMETIMES CHURCHES CHOOSE THOSE THAT ARE NEW IN THE CHURCH.
• THEY HAVE NOT TESTED THEIR FAITHFULNESS AND INTEGRITY OF CHARACTER. THESE NEW PEOPLE DO NOT YET KNOW THE PEOPLE OR THE EXISTING PROBLEMS.
• IT IS RISKY FOR A CHURCH TO PUT AN UNTRIED PERSON IN LEADERSHIP.
• SOMETIMES CHURCHES CHOOSE THOSE THAT ARE NOT SPIRITUALLY MATURE ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE PRESSURES OF A LEADERSHIP POSITION.
• IT IS RISKY FOR A BELIEVER TO TAKE THE POSITION OF LEADERSHIP BEFORE HE IS SPIRITUALLY MATURE. IF HE CAN’T HANDLE THE PRESSURES, IT CAN CAUSE SHIPWRECK TO HIS FAITH AS WELL AS OTHERS IN THE CHURCH..

• READ 1TIM 3:12 OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF DEACONS
• THE HUSBAND OF ONE WIFE
• WE CONSIDERED THE CULTURAL CONTEXT, THE MEANINGS, AND THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THIS REQUIREMENT WHEN WE DISCUSSED THE REQUIREMENTS OF ELDERS.
• RULING THEIR HOMES WELL
• WE ALSO CONSIDERED THIS REQUIREMENT UNDER REQUIREMENTS FOR ELDERS.

• READ 1TIM 3:11 THE WIVES OF DEACONS
• WHY IS PAUL CONCERNED ABOUT A DEACON’S WIFE, WHEN IT IS HER HUSBAND WHO HAS THE POSITION IN THE CHURCH?
• USUALLY A WIFE KNOWS THE PROBLEMS, THE STRUGGLES, AND THE INTERPERSONAL DEALINGS WITH WHICH HER HUSBAND MUST CONCERN HIMSELF IN HIS JOB AS A DEACON. THEREFORE, SHE WILL KNOW SOME VERY PERSONAL THINGS ABOUT PEOPLE AND SITUATIONS IN THE CHURCH.
• PAUL GIVES THE REQUIREMENTS OF A DEACON’S WIFE: SHE MUST BE:
• GRAVE
• SHE MUST CONSIDER HER HUSBAND’S POSITION AS A DEACON SERIOUSLY. SHE SHOULD BE A WOMAN OF DIGNITY.
• NOT SLANDERERS
• SHE MUST BE ABLE TO REFRAIN FROM JUDGMENT AND GOSSIP ABOUT THE THINGS SHE LEARNS CONCERNING OTHERS IN THE CHURCH.
• SOBER MINDED
• SHE MUST CONSIDER HIS JOB IN THE CHURCH AS AN IMPORTANT ONE AND SUPPORT HIS EFFORTS.
• FAITHFUL IN ALL THINGS
• SHE SHOULD BE FAITHFUL TO HER HUSBAND, FAITHFUL TO CHRIST, AND FAITHFUL TO THE CHURCH.

• READ 1TIM 3:13 THE REWARD OF THE POSITION OF DEACON
• A DEACON WHO SERVES WELL WILL BE A PERSON HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM.
• PEOPLE WILL KNOW THEY CAN TRUST HIM.
• PEOPLE WILL CONSIDER HIM MATURE IN THE FAITH.
• PEOPLE WILL LOOK TO HIM AS THE EXAMPLE OF A GOOD CHRISTIAN.
• AND OF COURSE, CHRIST WILL REWARD HIM.

• SUMMARY AND PRINCIPLES:

• PRINCIPLE #27

WHEN A PERSON IS CHOSEN TO BE A DEACON, THE CHURCH IS WISE ALSO TO CONSIDER THE CHARACTER QUALITIES OF THE SPOUSE

• PRINCIPLE #28

THE SPIRITUAL REQUIREMENTS OF A DEACON AND AN ELDER ARE THE SAME: SPIRITUAL MATURITY

• IF A DEACON DEALS WITH THE DOWN-TO-EARTH, DAILY PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH, WHY MUST HE BE AS SPIRITUALLY MATURE AS THE ELDER?
• BOTH OF THESE POSITIONS REPRESENT THE CHURCH AND CHRIST’S IDEALS, NOT ONLY TO OTHER CHRISTIANS, BUT ALSO TO THE NON-CHRISTIAN WORLD OUTSIDE THE CHURCH.

• WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A DEACON?
• BECAUSE THE TITLE MEANS A SERVANT, THE POSITION HAS COME TO MEAN ONE WHO SUPPLIES MATERIAL NEEDS AND SERVICES IN THE CHURCH. THE GREEK WORD “diakonos” WAS OFTEN USED FOR A SERVANT WHO WAITED ON TABLES AND SERVED FOOD.
• THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT JOBS THAT NEED TO BE DONE IN THE CHURCH. SOME OF THEM ARE SIMILAR TO THE RUNNING OF A BUSINESS. FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THESE VARIED JOBS ARE:
• THE COLLECTION OF MONEY AND THE PAYMENT OF THE BILLS OF THE CHURCH.
• COMMUNICATIONS AND PRINTING
• THE ORGANIZATION OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS SUCH AS MEN’S AND WOMEN’S MINISTRIES, SUNDAY SCHOOL AND YOUTH MINISTRIES.
• THE ORGANIZATION OF SOCIAL FUNCTIONS, FOOD SERVICE, FOOD AND CLOTHING DISTRIBUTION TO THE POOR, ETC.
• IN OUR NEXT LESSON WE WILL CONSIDER CHURCH ORGANIZATION (CHAIN OF COMMAND) TO SEE HOW DIFFERENT MINISTRIES FIT TOGETHER.

• THESE REQUIREMENTS SEEM TO BE DIRECTED TO MEN AND THE WIVES OF MEN. ARE THERE ANY WOMEN WHO FILLED THESE POSITIONS OF ELDERS AND DEACONS IN THE EARLY CHURCH?
• THE NEW TESTAMENT MENTIONS ONLY ONE WOMAN BY TITLE.
• PHOEBE ROM 16:1-3
• SHE IS CALLED A SERVANT OR DEACONESS.
• THERE WERE UNDOUBTEDLY MANY OTHERS THOUGH NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED BY NAME AND TITLE LIKE PHOEBE.

HOMEWORK

1TIM 3:14-16

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF 1TIM 3:5-13
• IF YOU HAVE A POSITION OF AUTHORITY, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS YOUR QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS JOB BASED ON SCRIPTURE?

• WHAT AREAS OF YOUR LIFE NEED MORE WORK TO BETTER QUALIFY YOU FOR THE JOB YOU ARE DOING?

• F YOU DO NOT HAVE A POSITION OF AUTHORITY, WHAT AREAS OF YOUR LIFE AND CHARACTER SHOULD YOU WORK ON TO QUALIFY YOURSELF TO BE A MATURE CHRISTIAN?

• PREPARATION FOR 1TIM 3:14-16
• READ 1TIM 3:14-16
• WHAT IS THE MAJOR PURPOSE OF A CHURCH WHICH ALL THE PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES, AND PREACHINGS MUST PERFORM?

• MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 59:14