In this message we want to fellowship concerning the church service. In the New Testament the word deacon is an anglicized Greek word meaning a serving one. A deacon is just a serving one. The basic thought of this word in Greek is to serve. In the English language the word service has a very common usage and denotes something very general. For example, in Romans 12 there are three verses that mention the word service or serve. Verse 1 says that if you present your body as a living sacrifice to God, this is your most reasonable service.
Then, verse 7 says that if you are in the service, just occupy yourself in service. This Greek word for service is not the same word as in verse 1. Another word for service is found in verse 11 which says, “Not slothful in zeal, burning in spirit, serving the Lord as a slave.”
Because all three words in English are the same, it is difficult for English readers to gain a proper understanding of these three kinds of service. The service in verse 1 is not a common, ordinary thing but a kind of priestly service, a kind of service in the worship of God, the service of a priest (Rom. 1:9; Matt. 4:10; 2 Tim. 1:3; Phil. 3:3; Luke 2:37).
For example, in Matthew 4:10 the Lord told the devil, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.” The word serve here is the duty of a priest, rendering service to God.
According to the teaching of the New Testament, there are three kinds of services from different persons. The first service is from a priest of God. To present our bodies a living sacrifice is surely the work, the service, of the priest. So Romans 12 firstly considers us all as New Testament priests. The Apostle Paul was writing and talking with a group of persons who were priests of God.
The second time the word service appears in Romans 12 is in verse 7. Here the word service in Greek is based upon the word deacon. This is the deacon’s service. Whether you are a teacher, teaching people for God or a prophet speaking God, speaking forth God, and speaking God into people, you are a serving one. Furthermore, the word ministry in Greek is exactly the same as service.
This word serve or service in the New Testament has often been translated as minister, ministering, or ministry. So first we are all priests and then serving ones, serving both God and man.
Finally, in verse 11 the word service is used in a verbal form and is based upon the word slave. So it says, “Serving the Lord as a slave.” We carry out the Lord’s service as three kinds of persons, a priest, a deacon (that is, a serving one), and a slave. We should serve as a priest first. If we do mean business to serve as a priest, we have to serve as a deacon. If we really intend to serve as a deacon, we must consider ourselves as slaves. We have to realize that all of us are slaves, not merely the servants, or serving ones.
In the American government the elected officials are considered public servants, but I do not believe that any of them, even the President, would consider that they are slaves. Today we have three statuses. First, we are priests. Second, we are the serving ones, the deacons and deaconesses. Third, we are slaves. To be priests may be something quite honorable. But we must humble ourselves to be serving ones, even slaves.