Narrative Acts 6:1-7 22/01/09
Hello! Please come into my office, well it’s not my office, I share it with Nicolas he’s at lunch so take his seat, me? Oh sorry I’m Timon!
I guess you are wondering what I am doing with the papyrus and pencil? Accounts, I can be found here most days, doing accounts. There is so much growth; oh God is good, so much growth! So much to do, and so many to care for. Daily the Lord adds to our number.
It is just incredible, before I came to believe in Jesus I would not have believed this possible. Well before him, I don’t think it was possible.
For me to end up in this place with this responsibility I am amazed, I previously brought and sold fish at Lake Gennesaret and the odd side line in linen and spices through a cousin of mine with some contacts in Egypt. Huh, enough of that, I am now working to enlarge the Kingdom of God.
Let me tell you how this came about and my part in this, my parents had come to Judea, from Thessalonica they wanted to return to the land of our ancestors before they joined them in heaven. My father was the best fish monger I ever knew and he was in touch with family all over the Mediterranean. Before my uncle in Jerusalem died, we dried and sent fish, to him to be sold, Father then died and well I down scaled the business.
Mother and I are now in Jerusalem. She is better off than many widows, because she has a son to look after her.
How did I come to be in Jerusalem? Well I was here on the day of Pentecost or should I say “The Day of Pentecost!” The day of the wind from heaven! The Holy Spirit.
We could not believe it Hebrews speaking Greek and other languages proclaiming the good news of Jesus, The Messiah, and among them was Simon this burly fisherman I brought fish off back at the lake addressing the people like a trained orator.
I came to believe there and then. I too was Baptised with the Holy Spirit.
I decided to stay and learn more of God, I sent for mother to join me.
Sorry I have digressed why am I in this office?
Because of the Holy Spirit; and my knowledge of accounts. I have my Heavenly Father to thank for the former and my earthly father to thank for the latter.
This is how it happened:
After Pentecost, the church, yes that’s who we call our group the Church, grew like the lilies of the field in spring. Three thousand came to the Lord on the one day. As they came people would sell their possessions, not just small things but houses and land, and then they laid the money at the Apostles feet.
Now the Apostles they are the group of twelve who have followed Jesus since the beginning of his ministry they learned his teaching along with the scriptures that which we call (the word), they saw him die and were witness to his resurrection! Simon who I mentioned is one of them, he goes by the name of Peter now, and quite a different man to the fisherman I knew. He is now a preacher of the word.
Well I’ve already mentioned the growth, now some of the widows were missing out on the daily distribution of food. It just so happened that the ones missing out were Greek Jews who follow the way of Jesus. Complaints were made and we were called to a meeting by the twelve.
The Apostles said that it would not be right for them to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order for them to do what you see me doing here, and distribute food. Rightly so too! These are the men that Jesus spent his time ministering to and preparing to lead the rest of us.
Not only that, they wanted us to choose seven men from among us to do the work, with the condition that they be full of the Spirit and wisdom.
This was so that they could give their attention to prayer and ministry of the word.
We all understood the importance of their work, for the word of God is living and active!
Well the men they chose, men like Stephen a young man of great faith and full of the Holy Spirit to an unusual measure by some accounts, and Philip what a preacher. Then when I was chosen I could hardly believe the company I was in and me a fisher trader. God is working in my life beyond my understanding.
I see now that the work I am doing, that we seven are doing is complimenting the work of the Apostles and is having the effect of enlarging the life and witness of the church. This is great the service of some believers compliments the service of others and has the effect of enlarging life and witness (SBI). I am encouraged, if you had told me this could happen before I never would have believed that I could play a part like this. My own life has taken on new meaning I have been, been so blest by this task.
I constantly need to call out to the Holy Spirit for his guidance as this task gets beyond me at times and my prayers are always answered. This task has stretched me and helped me to understand my place in God’s plan for his Kingdom. I never believed I could be so useful.
The seven of us some times are referred to as deacons. This is because of the way the Apostles laid hands upon us at the beginning of our work much like the Levites of old were ordained. I am just pleased I was called and appointed to this work, I still see myself as an ordinary man, but working for an extraordinary God. He knows our abilities and gifts and can use us beyond our imaging.
You may think what is so great about doing the books? What’s great is this is what God has called me to and by answering his call it allows the Apostles to do their work.
And the results-------beyond what I imagined before I started it, that’s for sure. I thought I would be handing out food parcels to widows but what a witness this has been.
The word of God continues to spread, due to the attention to the word that the Apostles are able to give!
The number of new believers in Jesus as Christ is increasing rapidly, and with this increase the greater the need for our work, Praise God!
Among the new believers there have recently been many priests, poor men not of the temple sect who have seen the practical witness of our work and have too believed in Jesus and become obedient to the faith.
I am so pleased that that I responded to Gods call / this part that I’m playing is so impacting people’s lives and bringing them into God’s Kingdom.
I can see now that the work of all believers is important, we are all making a contribution, the boy who brings us the donations from the apostles and the widows who out of the kindness of their hearts bring in the odd treat at meal times and all those who answer their calling and give of their time and abilities in service, are all showing the witness of the love of God for them. I have seen that as the believers / dependence on God have increased amazing things have happened.
Above all I now see the service of some believers compliments the service of others and has the effect of enlarging life and witness (SBI).
I wonder what God is calling you to?
When we serve in a way that is complimenting others service this not only enlarges their life but ours. What a wonderful witness this is.
If you’ve taken the time to read this sermon, please rate this sermon. Thanks Andrew
