If we as a church today desire to resemble the early church, and if our aspiration is that people should be added in great numbers, then it is only appropriate that we not only evaluate ourselves in the light of God’s word, but also investigate to see what the early church did differently that made this a reality.
In Acts 2:46-47, we read that, “They worshiped together regularly at the temple each day, met in small groups in homes for Communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness, praising God. The whole city was favorable to them, and each day God added to them all who were being saved.” (TLB)
Here were some key features we note in the functioning of the early church from the above mentioned verses that made people flock to them in huge numbers.
1. They were all with one mind -(We studied this in detail in the previous sermon #6)
2. They gathered together daily – they did not neglect the coming together for prayer and fellowship and did this with regularity.
3. They met in homes for communion and fellowship -They met in homes and broke bread, to constantly remind themselves of the death and resurrection of the Jesus, and were also in constant fellowship with one another. The thought that reigned supreme on their minds was the finished work of Christ on the cross.
4. They were filled with great joy – The believers were rejoicing with the thought that the Lord of the universe had saved them from our sins, adopted them to be His own children, delivered them from eternal death, and had promised them eternal life in heaven. Therefore, the overflowing joy in their lives was so evident to those around them.
5. They had simplicity of heart (NKJV). One of many reasons why Jesus chose ordinary fishermen and others common people to be His disciples was because they were simple in their heart and not complicated. The early believers were a simple lot who knew that being a follower of Jesus was simple and not complex.
6. They were constantly praising God – the reason for their praises and thanksgiving was because their hearts were filled with gratitude for all that the Lord had done for them. Coming together to worship was not a burden but a matter of great Joy.
7. They found favor with everyone – By exemplifying all of the above mentioned qualities, the result was that they found favor with those around them.
It is no wonder then, that the Lord was adding to the church a large number of people daily. However, as the church was growing in numbers, they also started to face certain challenges.
In Acts 6:1, we read, “But in those days, the disciples multiplying in number, there arose a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews because their widows were overlooked in the daily ministration.” (DARBY)
There was a discord that arose between the Hellenists and the Hebrews over ministry to the widows, and so there was a murmuring among the believers.
If we were to define what murmuring is, it is basically to blame or find fault, and it is usually directed towards a person or some persons.
Most of us are guilty of murmuring and complaining in our daily lives. As husbands and wives we often murmur and find fault with each other, as children we sometimes grumble against our parents, as employees we complain about our employers or about issues at our work place and very often we also end up finding fault with our churches. Especially in a church we must keep in mind that, as the numbers increase there will be several reasons to murmur and complain.
For instance, when a person finds a new job, they are so excited about their prospects in the new endeavor. However, as days go by, they may find things don’t function as they expected, and gradually they begin to compare, find fault, and end up murmuring. The more they complain the more difficult it becomes for them to continue in that place, and also give of their full potential. When one sets out on this path of murmuring and complaining they will find that eventually they will lose their joy and peace. The same is applicable to our life and relationships in family or church too.
God’s response to Murmuring
Our God is a living God who is in constant relationship with us, so when we start murmuring here’s how He responds.
In Numbers 11:1, “And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.” (JFB)
The Lord was faithfully leading the people of Israel from Egypt to the land of Canaan however, oftentimes when the people murmured against Him, not only did it displease Him, but also angered Him a great deal.
Whenever we murmur, we must remind ourselves that this is the exact same way God reacts to all of our grumblings – He is not only annoyed with us, but is also enraged. None of us can stand against God’s wrath. We should recall how angry Jesus was at the temple, when he overthrew the money changers who were not treating the house of God as a place of prayer, but as a den of robbers and drove them all out with a whip. It is indeed true that our God is gracious, but we must also remember that He is also our heavenly Father who will discipline His children. So whenever we murmur and complain we are warned that we will become targets of God’s displeasure and anger.
Why was God Angry?
In Numbers 10:34, “Moreover, the cloud of the LORD protected them during the day when they left their camp. (ISV)
God in his love and kindness was leading the people of Israel every step of the way. He even taught them how to set up camp, he trained them for war (he even taught them how to blow the trumpet), He provided manna for them every single day for forty years, and more than anything else the presence of God overshadowed them in the form of a cloud. God Himself accompanied them all the way. So when they became ungrateful, and complained about every little thing that went wrong, the Lord’s kindness turned to anger.
The Lord Jesus in Matthew 28:20 promised us, “And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (KJV) but like the people of Israel, many a time, we don’t value or acknowledge the presence of the Lord in our lives. Every time we murmur and complain we are in a way decrying His presence with us.
Reasons why we Murmur
• When we forget all the good things God has done for us
In Psalm 103: 1-2, David says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:” (NKJV)
David could recount with a heart full of gratitude, all the blessings that the Lord had graciously bestowed on him. We must truly seek to have such a heart of thankfulness like David. Let us sincerely thank God for everything in our lives– our spouse, our children, our jobs and everything we have. When we begin to complain, we could end up losing the good things we have. On the other hand, as we thank the Lord for every little blessing in our life, He will start to bless us with greater ones. Every day may we constantly remind ourselves of all the blessings that the Lord has graciously lavished upon us.
• When we start to compare ourselves with one another
Matthew 20:12 “They took their money and started grumbling against the employer.”(GNB)
In this parable the owner of the vineyard hired laborers to work. The first group come to work at 6 am and he agreed to pay them a day’s wages which was about a penny. He went out again and hired men at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm and at 5 pm. When the time for payment came the one who was hired last was called first and paid a penny. The others who worked longer, assumed that they will be paid more for working longer hours, but the owner of the vineyard paid all them alike. The one who came in first started to complain and murmur against the vineyard owner. The owner had paid him justly as he had promised, but the laborer was not satisfied as he was comparing himself with the one who came in last.
We often start to murmur when we compare ourselves with others. Murmuring is always against somebody. Instead of comparing we need to be thankful to the Lord for the position He has placed us in. Murmuring is also serious, because it turns us against those whom God has placed over us. Instead of comparing and complaining, if we can learn to thank the Lord, He will intervene and change our perspective and often times our situations too. It is necessary for us to learn to be submissive to those whom God has placed over us.
So also we should never compare our children with each other or with those outside, but value them for who they are and learn to value the image and uniqueness with which God has created them.
• When we make wrong assumptions
The man who worked the whole day assumed that the owner would pay him more than the man who came in last. It was his assumption that was wrong. The owner kept his word, and paid him the wage that was due to him, but the laborer was grumbling only because he assumed that he would be paid more.
We should take caution not to presume or infer things that are not true, but rather choose to clarify if ever we are in doubt.
• We murmur when someone performs better than us
In Luke 5:29-30, “And Levi made him a great feast in his house; and there was a large company of tax collectors and others sitting at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” (RSV)
When Jesus called Levi to follow Him, he immediately left his tax collecting booth, and followed after Jesus. Levi was so thrilled at becoming a disciple of Jesus that he called all his friends and arranged for a feast at his house in honor of Jesus. Since he was a tax collector, most probably, all his friends were also tax collectors. Tax Collectors were widely disliked because they were mostly dishonest, they worked for the Roman government, and also troubled the people much. They were therefore considered by many as sinners. The ones who grumbled against the tax collectors, were the Pharisees and the Scribes. They were the leaders of the temple whose job was to lead sinners into the way of righteousness. Jesus was doing what they were supposed to do, and this was the reason why they were murmuring against Jesus. Instead of thanking Jesus for reaching out to the sinners they were complaining.
When we don’t do what we are supposed to do, the Lord will use someone else to fulfil the task. When He does that, we will see this, and begin to grumble. Instead, let us fulfil what God had chosen us to do, and accomplish his purposes for our lives.
Murmuring is usually under one’s breath and never in the open. Let us not be jealous, and try to pull down those who are more accomplished that us, instead when we lift someone up, we will find ourselves improving as well. Also when we choose to encourage others, and build others up, the Lord will surely draw near and elevate us as well.
• We murmur when we see things only with our physical eyes
John 6:41, ESV: "So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”" (ESV)
When Jesus declared to the people that ‘he was the bread that came down from heaven’ the Jews were puzzled. They could not comprehend that Jesus was speaking about His body being broken in death for the sins of the people, and from the physical point of view they found this unacceptable and began to murmur. From a fleshly and earthly angle, this seemed impossible, and so they began to grumble against Jesus.
Whenever, we face opposition from others, we should not look at everything from a physical and worldly perspective, but rather realize that often times Satan is using these people to antagonize us. So, instead of opposing them, we must learn to pray and bind the powers of darkness that are working behind the scenes. When we start to observe things with our spiritual eyes and pray about the person who is troubling us, the Lord will intervene and breaks those evil forces at work against us.
How can we stop murmuring?
Here are some steps we should take to stop the habit of murmuring and grumbling in our lives. Firstly, let us be thankful to the Lord for every little blessing in our lives. Secondly, let us refrain from comparing ourselves with others, but remind ourselves that we are unique. Thirdly, let us never assume about people or situations, but clarify matters immediately. Fourthly, let us always motivate and encourage those who are more accomplished than us. Finally, let us look at everything from God’s perspective, and not just with our physical point of view. Only then will there be no place for murmuring and complaining, and instead we will have a life filled with thanksgiving and joy.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
