ACTS 6: 1-7
THE POTENTIAL OF PROBLEMS
[1Timothy 3:3-16]
The prototype of today’s deacons is found in our passage for this evening. It is an account of men being set aside by the Holy Spirit and the Jerusalem Church to resolve a fellowship problem. The Church had been expanding in a wonderful way, but growth caused problems. To prepare the way for the further expansion of the church organism, a conflict arises within it.
Christian unity and fellowship was being threatened as one group within the church felt themselves neglected and mistreated. The Church needed more organization to respond to the need of what the Holy Spirit was bringing about in the congregation. In response to the need seven godly men were appointed and ordained. They were to resolve the potential problem which threatened the early Church.
I. Dissension in the Church; 1.
II. The Apostles Decision; 2-4.
III. The Congregations Approval; 5-6.
IV. The resulting Growth; 7.
Verse 1 show a problem God used to help organize and strengthen His church. "Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being over looked in the daily serving of food.
Now at this time refers to the previous thought (verse 42 of chapter 5). Read. The number of disciples were increasing because everyday the church was teaching and preaching Jesus not only in the Temple but from house to house. Due to the increasing number of disciples or saved persons the Apostles who were serving as pastors had less and less contact with the total church program. Satan, seeing his opportunity, began to cause dissension within the church. A church wrecked by internal conflict finds its message lost in the conflict, and its energy dissipated. A church focused inward, on itself, will find it difficult to reach out to a lost world. Before the church could evangelize the Gentile, they would need to deal with any divisiveness within its ranks. This need caused the church to reorganize its structure.
A problem developed between the native Jews and the Hellenistic Jews. The Hellenistic Jews were those of the Diaspora, those Jews that had been exiled out into the Greco-Roman world due to the military conquests of Palestine and never return or had only returned of late. Their native language was Greek where as the Palestinian or native Hebrews’ was Aramaic or Hebrew. The Hellenistic Jews had remained loyal to Judaism yet had absorbed some of the Greek culture that surrounded them. These differences made them suspect to the Palestinian Jews. Some of the racial and cultural hostility carried over into the church where the Hellenist were a minority.
As often happens, matters came to a head over a seemingly insignificant issue. The leaders were too busy and needs were being overlooked. The Hellenistic Jews complained that their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. Widows are often specified in Scripture (Deut. 14:29; 16:11, 24:19-21; 1Tim. 5:3:77) as worthy of special compassion, both divine and human. They head the list of a whole class of helpless sufferers. They were being overlooked, not implying ill-will but because the pastors were attending to other needs.
As we read verse 1, did you note that the murmuring that arose in the church came in the midst of wonderful church growth? This is not the last time that Satan has sought to interrupt a thriving church with internal strife. Our enemy is alive and well. He is going about seeking to distract God’s people from their mission. On some occasions he has used external forces to turn the church. Most frequently though he has sought to disrupt from within by creating factions, sowing seeds of bitterness, and inciting strife. Something need to be done.
II. THE APOSTLES DECISION (2-4).
Let’s look at verse 2 to see how the Apostles dealt with the problem. "So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the Word of God in order to serve tables.
The complaint of the Hellenistic Jews eventually came to the apostles. The apostles show us a key to leadership and that is listening to God and to God’s people. In his book Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, "The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists of listening to them. Just as love for God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brothers is learning to listen to them. It is [because of] God’s love for us that He not only gives us His Word but also lends us His ear." It is in listening that you understand and can find acceptable solutions and settle real issues.
In this issue we see not only the development of church policy but how it should be developed. The leaders called the congregation of disciples together to act on this problem, instead of just talking about it. The action of the early church is instructive for us. When an administrative problem arose related to serving the widows of the congregation, the apostles called the church together and presented a solution that would involve the prayerful participation of all members. The proposal was accepted and acted upon. As a result, the unity of the body was maintained, and "the Word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly"(v.7).
There is no doubt that the serving of the necessary food to widows was a vital ministry. Many of the older widows I’m sure were home bound and had no one else to see after them. They could possibly starve if neglected. Getting food to them was an important priority and a blessed ministry. I can think of only one thing more important that making certain helpless widows have the necessary substance of life and that is ministering the Word of God by one who has been called and appointed to do so. One called by God to minister His Word should realize the importance of his hire and not be diverted from it even for so worthy a task as Scripture here presents. Neither should the man of God forsake His duties to be president or CEO. He has a more important calling than any temporal or earthly undertaking.
Satan creates dissension and needs with in the church. He desires to divert ministers from their main purpose of prayer and teaching the Word of God. If Satan can divert the minister he can doom the congregation to languish in unchallenged spiritual infancy. One must be in the Word to truly be in and follow God’s leadership. We must know Satan strategy to avoid sin’s tragedy.
The organization of the early church was not laid out for the apostles. It came about by following the Holy Spirit’s leadership in responding to needs. Verse 3 begins the solution with the qualifications for those selected to be deacons. "Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task."
Therefore, because the duties are incompatible and one has the strongest claim on us. Therefore brethren, or those of like faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. Therefore brethren select, look out among you, inspect yourselves. There are five requirements listed in this brief verse. They concern the infant church establishment of the office of deacons.
The first qualification is that deacons are to be known members of the local congregation. They were selected from among themselves. Second they were to be men, not in the vague sense of persons but in the specific sense of males. Certainly women have vital roles to fill (Titus 2:3-5). In the early church women such as Dorcas, Lydia, Phoebe, Priscilla and Phillip’s evangelistic daughters were greatly used by God. Nevertheless God’s design for the set aside deacons of the church is men.
A third requirement is that they be men of good reputation. The Greek word is ma’rtus (from marturomenous) meaning witness. The word can mean a person about whom a good witness is given and also a person who is a good witness. The apostles wanted people of character who were involved in communicating Christ’ love to others.
A fourth prerequisite is that they be full of the Spirit. They must be fully yielded to His control in every area of their lives. This would be evidenced by the Spirit’s sanctifying influence as well as by His giftedness.
They were also to be full of wisdom. Men competent concerning the spiritual priorities of life, and also qualified to deal wisely with a situation in which there are many factors to consider. These are men that apply biblical truth to everyday life situations. Men of heavenly prudence knowing how to spiritually act and react to life.
This passage also teaches how deacons are selected as well as their qualifications. The congregation is to nominate scripturally qualified men. The qualifications for leadership in the church have not changed. We can do church work without them, but not the real work of the church.
Verse 4 teaches the pastor’s two major duties. "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word."
The words but and we are both emphatic. The apostles want to clearly distinguish their obligation from the duties of the deacons. They were to devote, to give themselves over continually and faithfully, to prayer and the ministry of the Word.
The Apostles’ priorities are straight from God. The ministry of the Word should not be neglected because of administrative burdens. Pastors should not try, or be expected to try to do everything. The work of the church must be spread out among its members.
Prayer and the ministry of the Word are inseparable linked. Prayer must permeate a pastor’s ministry and sermon preparation. He must intercede for his people and pray that they will apply the truths he teaches. Administration and programs are no substitute for the power of God and His Word. Those God calls to the ministry of prayer and the Word are mandated to make it their priority.
III. THE CONGREGATION’S APPROVAL (5-6).
In verse 5 we find that the congregation saw God’s wisdom in their words. "The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch."
The apostolic plan found approval and seven men were selected. That all are Greek names suggest they were Hellenists. If true it was a demonstration of loving unity. Since the Hellenists felt slighted men are appointed from among themselves to rectify the situation. Division was avoided and Satan’s attack was thwarted.
Stephen heads the list. He is described as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. The truth of this description will be seen more clearly as the story of Acts unfolds. Phillip also plays an important role in Acts. He takes the Gospel to the Samaritans. (8:4-25) and to the Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-40). Four of his daughters became prophetesses (21:8). Nothing definite is known about the other five men.
The church presented these men to the apostles in verse 6. "And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them."
The community of believers brought (1:23 - placed , caused to stand) these selected men before the Apostles. The Apostles then prayed and laid their hands on them. In the Old Testament the laying on of hands was a symbol of transfer, communication (of blessing-Gen. 48:14, Mt. 19:13, or guilt-Lev.1:2; 8:13), or setting apart for special service (Num. 27:23; Deut. 34:9). In the New Testament it signified the identification and affirmation of the Church. Jesus and the Apostles also laid hands on people during healing. It was also a way the Holy Spirit was initially bestowed in special unique circumstances.
In the case before us it denotes not only the delegation of authority but affirmation of the special gifts required for its exercise. God never gives responsibility without giving the potential ability to carry it out. The use of that God given potential is left up to the individual.
IV. THE RESULTING GROWTH (7).
In verse 7 we see the result of the necessary expansion of the church structure under the leadership of God and the agreement of the congregation. "The Word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith."
The reorganization of the church freed the apostles to devote themselves to prayer and the Word. The unifying work of the deacons also ended Church division. The direct result of freeing the apostles to carry out their primary ministry and the unifying of the church’s members caused the Word of God to continue spreading.
The result of God’s Word being shared was that the number of disciples increased greatly. There were so many new converts being added that they lost count of the exact number!
Astonishingly a great number of the priests became obedient to the faith. These rank and file priests ministered in the Temple and synagogues. These priests submitted to the gospel system of beliefs and practices. It could be a reason persecution arose shortly hereafter. When the church is working as it should, intelligent and influential people such as the priests in that age, will embrace the Savior and His doctrines.
CONCLUSION
The church today needs organization for the same reason as the first fellowship of believer. Pastors must be freed to focus on the Word of God and prayer. Better organization should help meet the needs of members and promote harmony. A unified, well taught, prayed for church is a powerful witness to the lost world.
God gave deacons to solve the complaints and problems of the church and to promote unity. Yet these men not only served the administrative needs of the church. They themselves diffused the Gospel far and wide. They were on the cutting edge of breaking barriers and moving into new frontiers.
Where would the early church be with out the ordination of deacons? Where would FBC be without its deacons? Will you serve the church that the Word of God might spread and that many disciples be added to the kingdom? To this end you have been called. To this end you have been gifted and ordained.
