Distinguishing the Special Works of Serving and Teaching (Acts 6:1-6; Rom. 12:6; 1 Pet. 4:11)

Wayne Galloway
01/29/14 - N/A

Series: The Service of Deacons

Introduction:

1.  The word family (diakonos) from which we get the English words “service,”“servant,”“minister,” and“deacon” is generally used in a very broad sense.  It is used to refer to various kinds of service.

a.  1 Cor. 3:5.  “What then is Apollos?  And what is Paul?  Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.”

b.  2 Cor. 6:4.  “ . . . in everything commending ourselves as servants of God.”

c.  Eph. 6:21 identifies Tychicus as a “faithful minister in the Lord.”

d.  Col. 1:7 identifies Epaphras as “our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ.”

2.  There is a sense in which all Christians are servants, but there is a special use of the term that denotes those who serve in a special capacity in the local church (Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8ff).  Cf. to “elder” referring generally to those who are older vs. “elder” used to describe the special function of overseeing in the local church. 3.  First, in this study we will observe the origin and model of Christian service; second, we will consider Christian service as a stewardship from God with a focus on people; and third, we will distinguish two kinds of service:   the service of the word and the service of tables (Acts 6:1-6); or speaking and serving (Rom. 12:6; 1 Pet. 4:11).

Discussion:

I.  Christian service finds its origin in God and its ultimate example in Jesus Christ.

A.  One of the distinguishing features of revealed religion is a God who serves.

1.  Religion that originates with men has men serving God, not God serving men.

2.  Paul makes this observation with the people of Athens (Acts 17:24-29).

B.  Christ is the ultimate example of service (Matt. 20:20ff; Mk. 10:35ff).  Cf. Jn. 13:1ff.

1.  This runs counter to the world’s way of thinking.

2.  “The lesser is blessed by the greater” (Heb. 7:7).

II.  Thus we need to think of our Christian service as a stewardship from God.

A.  Paul referred to his service of preaching the word, admonishing and teaching as a stewardship from God (Col. 1:24-29).

B.  But inherent within this stewardship of teaching and care for men’s spiritual well-being there is a general concern for men and their well-being (Rom. 15:25-29, 31).  Note the reference to spiritual things and material (fleshly) things.  Note also the use in v. 25 of “serving the saints” (cf. v. 26).   Paul is taking a contribution to Jerusalem and he speaks of his work as “serving the saints.”  Two things:  1) serving; 2) saints (not all the needy of Jerusalem).

C.   Evidently the first century Christians regarded caring for one another in this material sense as part of their stewardship from God.

1.  Acts 2:44-47.

2.  Acts 4:32, 34-35.

3.  Acts 6:1ff.

4.  Acts 11:27-30.

5.  1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8 and 9.

6.  Rom. 15:25-29.

7.  1 Tim. 6:17-19.

8.  Eph 4:28.

III.  The special work of deacons focuses particular attention on the care that Christians have for one another.

A.  Note the contrast of serving the word and serving tables (Acts 6:1-6).  Does this mean that the apostles could not serve tables?  Paul describes himself as doing this in Rom. 15:25, 31. Yet we have seen that he also described himself as serving as he taught and admonished (Col. 1:24-29).

1.  Fact is both are works of service.

2.  They are not mutually exclusive.

B.  Yet they are distinguished in Scripture.

1.  In Acts 6:1-6—service of the word and service of tables.  Note that words from the same word family (diakonos) are used referring to the work of serving tables and to the work of serving the word.

2.  Rom. 12:6—service and teaching.

3.  1 Pet. 4:10-11—the one who speaks and the one who serves.

C.  It is possible for us to focus on elaborate buildings, extravagant salaries, and the like to the point that we are so tied to these that we neglect those that we need to help—those who need the gospel and those who need our material help.

Conclusion:

1.  The service of deacons focuses on a particular kind of service. 2.  All service finds its origin in a God who serves. 3.  While some have special responsibility in the spiritual service of communicating the word, others have special responsibility of service in material matters. 4.  Neither is mutually exclusive.  It is a matter of focus.