God’s Threefold Objective (GTO)
Acts Chapter 6:1-7
Today we will continue our study in the book of Acts – we have been looking at the early church over the last few weeks – really just to see what made them tick!
We have been looking at what God was doing in those believers, how He was accomplishing His plan and really reshaping this world through these incredible men and women.
We will be spending a lot of our time today in Acts chapter 6, a passage that starts off negative, yet God works through this difficult situation to once again accomplish His threefold objective.
Before we go to our text today, I would like to say that the Bible teaches that it is the church that has been chosen and ordained by God to be the vehicle through which God accomplishes His plans and objectives here on earth.
Jesus only mentioned the church two times in the gospels, yet what He said was very significant:
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 18:15-17 15Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
It is the church that God promised to build; it is the church that the gates of hell could never overcome; it is the church that has been empowered by God – the VECHICLE through which God has chosen to work throughout the ages.
The question is: what kind of a VEHICLE is it?
ARE WE STILL THE CLASSIC MUSCLE CAR OF DAYS GONE BY?
Or have we become a rusty bucket of bolts?
1968 PONTIAC GTO, or 1975 FORD PINTO?
LETS TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE EARLY CHURCH HAD UNDER THE HOOD!
Acts 6:1-7 1And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 5And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 7And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
This is a fantastic passage of Scripture we can learn so much about God’s plan for His people, and it shows us so much about how God and Satan have done battle on this earth.
Note: the gates of hell may not be able to overcome the church – but we start this passage of scripture with murmuring and dissention from within!
Acts 6:1 1And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Everything is going according to plan – disciples are multiplying – Jews are placing their faith in Christ; yet in the midst of all this “success” Satan seeks to cause disunity.
Satan will use anything he can to turn brother against brother – at this point the church is almost entirely Jewish – these Grecians mentioned here are most likely Hellenistic Jews – those Jews who lived in Grecian provinces, and spoke languages other than Hebrew.
Remember – the purpose of Pentecost – so that these devout Jews could hear in their own languages.
Now this slight variation in culture has lead to discrepancy within the church.
We need to be very observant of how Satan seeks to use our differences against us!
I really want to take a look at the forest through the trees and look past the negative here, and instead take a good look at what God is teaching through this passage.
What is it that the early church was doing here?
What is the first of God’s Threefold Objectives?
To meet the physical needs of those in its care.
1) MEET PHYSICAL NEEDS
We see this emphasized throughout the Word of God:
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Galatians 6:9-10 9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
We live in a physical and tangible world – God desires to impact it through us in physical and tangible ways.
Jesus met the physical needs of the people with the intention of showing them the love of His Father – we see the early church here following in His footsteps – caring for those in need.
Isn’t it amazing to see how even the things we do to glorify God and fulfill His plan can be twisted and used to insight jealousy, dissention and murmuring!
Satan always seems to find his way in!
The challenge has been presented to the disciples – there is a problem with their ministry.
What do they do?
Acts 6:2-4 2Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
They had a little pow-wow: they got the disciples together and God gave them a solution.
Notice what the twelve said: though they emphasized meeting the physical needs of their flock, they understood that this wasn’t God’s ONLY OBJECTIVE.
God had entrusted these men to also fulfill the second of His threefold objective:
2) MEET SPIRITUAL NEEDS
The twelve took their responsibility very seriously!
They knew that God’s plan was to work through them to: pray for, preach, and teach the word of God to new believers so that they could grow in their faith.
We see this attitude shared by those that God used in the leadership of His church.
The Apostle Paul stated in Acts 20 to the elders of the church in Ephesus:
Acts 20:26-28 26Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
The type of FEEDING that Paul is speaking of here is not the physical kind, but the spiritual: where Paul fed this body with the Word of God – ALL THE COUNSEL OF GOD!
The elders receiving Peter’s first epistle received almost the exact same encouragement:
1 Peter 5:1-4 1The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
God emphasizes this responsibility and role:
Ephesians 4:11-13 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
It is ONLY THE WORD OF GOD that can transform the lives of individuals!
It is only through PRAYER and the POWER OF GOD that we will have the opportunity to share the Word of God with those around us.
SO, HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?
HOW ARE WE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH BOTH OF THESE OBJECTIVES?
Who here has figured out how to be in two places at the same time? (Cloning is not an option)
The only way the church will ever be able to fulfill these two objectives the way God intended, is if it is successful in fulfilling the THIRD portion of His THREE-FOLD OBJECTIVE:
3) BUILD LEADERSHIP
The twelve understood their limitations – they were human just like us, and God gave them the wisdom to understand that they could not do it all successfully.
Acts 6:5-6 5And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
God did the same thing with His leadership back in the Old Testament:
Exodus 18:13-23 13And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. 14And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? 15And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: 16When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. 17And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. 19Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: 20And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: 22And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. 23If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. 24So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
Jesus Christ Himself, in His ministry here on the earth followed this same principle.
He could have done this thing on His own (after all, He was God in the flesh) but He didn’t – instead He chose to build leadership that would continue on long after He was gone.
Mark 3:13-15 13And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 14And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:
Jesus, in His ministry, met each of God’s threefold objective.
HE MET THE PHYSICAL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE
HE MET THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE
HE BUILT GODLY LEADERSHIP
Acts 6:7 7And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
This was the whole point from the beginning – that the word of God would go forth, impacting the lives of people and that the number of the disciples would be multiplied, as people were obedient to the faith.
This is the purpose for God’s Threefold Objective!
The reason He has called us to do the things that He desires us to do!
Are we doing this in our lives?
How is God using us to be a part of accomplishing His Threefold Objective?
Lets ask Him today to work in our lives and give us the opportunities to be the vessels and the vehicle He desires us to be.
Lets pray.
