“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant (deacon) of all.”
Mark 9:35
In a very real way, every Christian is called to be a “deacon.” For the word we sometimes translate as “deacon” (diakonos) is a word that basically means a “servant.” In fact, in the majority of times it appears in the New Testament, that is how it is translated – as “servant” not “deacon.” For example, if the following passages were translated literalistically we would read:
The greatest among you shall be your deacon. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matt 23:11-12)
And [Jesus] said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and deacon of all.”(Mark 9:35)
If anyone deacons (ie, serves) me, he must follow me; and where I am, there my deacon will be also. If anyone deacons me, the Father will honor him. (John 12:26)
As Matt Smethurst points out in his helpful book on deacons called Deacons,
“Above all, Christian believers are those who walk in the footsteps of the ultimate deacon, the suffering servant who came ‘not to be deaconed, but to deacon, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”
My point is, when we think of this word deacon (diakonos), the first thing that ought to come to our minds is the calling we all share to be Christ-like servants. That’s what I mean when I say every Christians is called to be a “deacon.” We are all called to be servants of one another and servants of Christ.
So all Christians are “deacons” in a general sense. But some Christians are called and set aside to serve Christ and His church more specifically by fulfilling the office of “deacon.” (See 1 Tim 3:8-13 where diakonos means “deacon” in this more special sense). This morning, as we set aside four men to begin serving as Deacons (in the special sense of the word), we’re going to spend some time looking at this calling and what it means and how it is a blessing to our church.
Grateful to God to see Him calling men to serve Him.
Pastor Scott