Qualifications/Qualities of Christ

As we look at Christ the Servant we become what we behold. If we watch media all the time we become like that which we see, but if we keep our eyes on Him we become like Him:

As we continue a lifestyle of worship, let’s exalt Christ by thinking about His character:

We’re going to look at nine qualifications listed by the Apostle Paul for the office of deacon. We are not doing this as an attempt to become deacons in a church. Elders would have to appoint us to such a task anyways. This is not a call to that kind of a leadership, but rather a call to ministry as a disciple of Jesus. If we are seeking a leadership position out of a need to be validated in some way we are not ready. Christ Jesus appointed the Apostles, the Apostles appointed elders and deacons and elders continue to appoint other elders and deacons through the leading of the Holy Spirit. Let me repeat then that this teaching is not about being a deacon or an elder, but rather it is about asking God to qualify us for ministry in general. The word deacon means “servant” and so we will use the qualifications for deacon as our benchmark. And if we look at how Jesus fulfills all these qualifications we can ask God to grow them in us also. We’re asking God to make us like Jesus, which will actually bring us to repentance. But repentance is not a bad word, it is life-giving. There is a humungous difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow. Worldly sorrow leaves regret which leads to death, but godly sorrow brings us to repentance which leads to life. Repentance is to change our mind and agree with God about something like sin in our life and then to ask God to cleanse us and make us like Jesus in that area. Then we’ll have the power to turn away from it. This is not about rules we need to follow in our flesh, but rather what we’re asking the Holy Spirit to do in us. Conviction is something the Holy Spirit gives us. It is specific and points something out which the LORD is about to work on in us. We merely ask His help and then choose to turn in the opposite direction from the sin towards Christ. So if you hear these things and start to feel guilty, to feel as if you should try to do better in your own strength at these things, you miss the point completely. That kind of guilt and remorse is from the devil. It is vague and a feeling that we are a failure and will never be able to be otherwise. Lord, keep us from such temptation and let us hear only conviction from your Holy Spirit that leads to hope and restoration. It’s like, “oh good, the LORD is going to make me more like Jesus in that area!”

So as we read through these nine qualities or qualifications, let’s meditate first on how Christ fulfills these things and then, if the Holy Spirit highlights some of them, we can either make mental note of it or write it down. We’re doing this for the purpose of asking the Holy Spirit to grow us in this area. I’ll give a for instance for myself on one or two of them to help us out.

The next session will be important in leading us to understand the Grace of God, but even now let’s remember that in God’s Grace we are quite safe and loved. If we don’t understand that now, my prayer is that we will understand that after the next session and then this will make perfect sense. Let’s look then, at the qualities of Jesus and ask God to grow us in them:

Read 1 Timothy 3:8-13

Now read through the nine qualities one by one and you can make note of them as the Spirit leads you:

Jesus was worthy of respect while on earth. How might the Holy Spirit work on you to grow in being worthy of respect? (I wrote down guarding my tongue from foolish talk.)
Jesus was sincere/not hypocritical/not double-tongued. He was the same person around everyone. How might the Holy Spirit want to work on making you sincere?
Jesus was not addicted to wine or anything else but His Father, not people pleasing, not pot, not smoking, not entertainment, not food or the lack thereof, not anything but God Himself. Is that a prerequisite for ministry to not have addictions, no, but we can actually have an attitude of wanting to overcome them by the power of the Spirit. How might the Holy Spirit want to help you overcome addictions?
Jesus never pursued dishonest gain for Himself. He did not hold on to anything for Himself. How might the Holy Spirit want to help you to let go of some kind of dishonest gain in your life?
Jesus held to the deep mysteries of the faith without doubting His Father. A mystery of the faith is usually something that seems contradictory in logic, but God says is true. He called Himself the son of man and the Son of God. He did not come to condemn the world but to save it, yet He spoke more of hell than any subject except money. He pointed out that David and Moses and other men wrote the Scriptures, while at the same time teaching that the Holy Spirit spoke the words through them. There are many examples. Where might your conscience needs to be cleansed concerning some of the deep mysteries of the faith through the Holy Spirit?
They could not find any fault with Jesus at his trial, so they made things up and finally accused Him of blasphemy for claiming to be the Messiah the Son of the Living God, which He was. Does someone have something against you that you have not at least tried to reconcile with them about? Do you need to ask the Holy Spirit to help you be above reproach in some specific way?
Jesus did not talk badly about others unless He was rebuking them to their face and in love, especially never behind their backs. He was not a malicious talker. Where might the Holy Spirit want to help you in being self-controlled in the way you talk about or to others?
Jesus was trustworthy in everything. Would people leave their children, pets or money in your trust to take care of while their gone? How might the Holy Spirit want to grow you in being trustworthy?
Finally Jesus was totally faithful to His family. He cared for His mother even at his brutal death. How might the Holy Spirit want to grow you in being faithful to your family, your spouse, your parents, your children, your siblings?

Pray through these this week as the Spirit leads you and pray for His transforming power!