The passage in front of us today is Paul’s second pass as laying out the qualifications for leaders in the church. The first round focused on the role of Elders (3:1 – 7) and this second round focuses on the role of Deacons (3:8 – 13). At first glance both sections appear to be identical and there are many things that are identical in these verses. But there are also many things that are unique to the role of a Deacon in comparison to the role of an Elder. Look at what Paul says…

I’ve always said that the reason we have unqualified leaders in businesses is because there are so many uneducated customers out there. Too many people don’t know what to look for in a qualified business leader. And too many people are willing to skimp on the price of a product, which typically means paying a higher price later. Hiring unqualified employees typically results in devastating losses that cost both the business and the customer dearly.

I grew up in a single-parent home with my mom and my sister. My mom was my primary teacher and my sister was one of my best friends. My mom grew up in a home where her father abused her in every way imaginable. My dad left us when I was 5 years old, though later in my teen years he did reconcile with my sister and I as he began to follow the Lord. He also married a really godly lady who has been a huge blessing to our family over the years.

Bad news travels fast. In the age of the Internet and mobile devices, we oftentimes receive bad news within in moments of the event. In the last week alone, I heard of two very disturbing events unfolding in the Christian world.

Your heart needs to be anchored if you’re going to weather the storm. That’s essentially what Paul is saying to Timothy in this passage. He’s saying, hey Timothy, you’ve been entrusted with a responsibility. So pick the right fight. Hold on to the faith and keep a clean conscience while being warned and encouraged by the shipwrecking of others. Your heart needs to be anchored if you’re going to weather the storm, Timothy.

One author quoting John Newton, the writer of the hymn “Amazing Grace”, said, “Everything God sends is needful and everything God doesn’t send isn’t needful.” This little statement is like an ocean of theology in a thimble.

One of the things that cause my heart to grieve is when I experience a brother or a sister making shipwreck of their faith. And the other thing that causes my heart to grieve is wrestling with the concern or the fear that I too could make shipwreck of my faith. None of us are immune to the threat of becoming a Judas to our Savior and his bride.

In these verses Paul comes right out of the gate with an urgent instruction for Timothy and the people in the Ephesian church. His instruction is simple. Timothy and the church are not to tolerate false teachers in their church family. I can feel Paul’s urgency as he instructs Timothy to confront these false teachers. I can feel the urgency when he describes the reasons and the motivation for the confrontation.

I believe that the health and the vitality of the local church rises and falls on her understanding of the promise of the gospel. The only thing that will help you behave in an orderly and godly manner is the promise of the gospel. The only thing that will help you face the monotony of the mundane is the promise of the gospel. The only thing that will give you eternal security is the promise of the gospel. The health and the vitality of the local church rises and falls on her understanding of the promise of the gospel.