A Few Good Men
Seven Servants Who Made a Difference
Acts 6:1-7
One of the great classics of Western literature is Edward Gibbon’s The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. It races the history of the decline of the Roman Empire over a thousand year period, from the second century to the final collapse of the Byzantine Empire in 1453.
One thing that comes out throughout Gibbon’s classic is the fact that Rome fell not first and foremost because of external forces, not by invasion (though that was a factor), but by internal decay and division.
If you examine the history of the world, many great civilizations and empires have collapsed not because of external invasion, but because of internal conflict.
We can see that so clearly in our own time.
Civil wars in places like Lebanon and Rwanda have destroyed once beautiful countries, turning them into killing fields. Most recently a place like Yugoslavia, which through civil war after civil war thousands have been killed and the country has been carved up into many small countries ethnically cleansed countries like Croatia, Bosnia, and now Kosovo.
Internal conflict can be devastating to a nation. And it is the same with the Church of Jesus Christ.
When we pick up our study of the Early Church in Acts 6, it is thriving and growing. They are having unprecedented success.
•External persecution has only made the Church stronger.
•We learned at the end of chapter five that after being beaten for their faith: The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. And then that they just went on preaching the Gospel. That they never stopped. (Acts 5:41-42)
But in the history of the Church it is almost never external attack that has destroyed churches.
It is almost always internal. Things like division, dissension, and in-fighting.
I can assure you that no police state or government agency is going to bring down this Church.
•No cult or false Christian movement is going to break down our walls and steal these buildings.
•No Islamic fundamentalists are going to destroy this Church
But the one thing that could and does ravage churches is division. Conflict from within.
•It is Satan’s most powerful weapon.
And it is an internal problem that hits the Church in Acts 6.
Turn with me. Read passage.
What was the problem here?
It says, the Grecian Jewish widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
Now we need a little cultural background. The Grecian Jews. These are Greek-speaking Jews living in Palestine; living in Israel..
You have to understand just as today, the majority of Jews in the first century did not live in Israel, but were scattered throughout what is called the Diaspora, the “dispersion.” There were Jews all over the Mediterranean region. Over several generations, they would forget how to speak their native tongue, and learned Greek as their first language.
When they would immigrate back to Israel, they would have to learn how to speak Hebrew, or actually Aramaic. Just as Jews today from Ethiopia or Eastern Europe to immigrate to Israel must learn Hebrew.
So the Church in Jerusalem is divided into two main ethnic groups, one Aramaic-speaking, the other Greek.
Now we have already learned the Church was a growing and thriving body. They really cared for their own.
•And they had initiated a kind of “meals-on-wheels” program for their elderly widows. And every day they delivered food to their shut-ins. It’s part of the Church’s support for its own.
•But unfortunately, the immigrants were being neglected.
Let me illustrate this in our own cultural context. Suppose we here at CABC we had a larger Hispanic congregation. Maybe 1/3 of us were Hispanics.
•And we had a “meals on wheels” program. And we truly wanted to help everyone. But by accident, the Spanish speaking group sometimes got neglected. They lived in different neighborhoods. Language was a barrier. Called to get directions, but couldn’t speak the language. We’ll get them tomorrow.
•The Spanish speakers begin to feel left out. They would feel like second class citizens of the Church. “Maybe we should just leave and start our own church!” And a few of the Anglos began to say, “Maybe you should.”
That’s essentially what is happening here. The Greek speaking widows and shut-ins are being neglected. And the Church is in danger of being torn apart.
1. The Problem: Neglected needs in the Church
It is an internal problem sparked by ethnic or cultural differences.
Unfortunately, the Church has not been immune to racial prejudice in the past.
•It is a sad indictment on the Church that whole denominations were established to promote segregation.
•It is encouraging, if you remember in 1995, the Southern Baptist denomination, a denomination that was originally founded over the issue slavery, in 1995 issued a declaration denouncing its own racist past and asked forgiveness from the African-American community.
In his autobiography, Mahatma Gandhi wrote that during his student days he read the Gospels seriously and considered converting to Christianity. He believed that in the teachings of Jesus he could find the solution to the caste system that was dividing the people of India.
So one Sunday he decided to attend services at a nearby church and talk to the minister about becoming a Christian. When he entered the sanctuary, however, the usher refused to give him a seat and suggested that he go worship with his own people. Gandhi left the church and never returned. He said, “If Christians have caste differences also, I might as well remain a Hindu." Jim Davis Keys to A New Beginning April 25, 1998; Solving Problems in the Power of the Spirit Acts 6:1-7 http://www.gate.net/~jrdavis/Acts08s.htm
What would have happened in the history of India, in the history of the world, if Gandhi had become a believer in Jesus Christ.
•What a powerful impact the Church of Jesus Christ would have if we were seen as the leading opponents of racial and ethnic discrimination.
There is no place in the Church for discrimination.
•It makes my skin crawl when I hear a white supremacist like Matt Hale claiming to be a minister of the “World Church of the Creator” (He was the leader of the white supremacist organization that Benjamin Nathaniel Smith, the young man who went on a shooting rampage last week, had joined). Everything about his so-called church is contrary to the teaching of Jesus Christ.
•The true picture of Christianity is that God loves all people, and want them to hear his Good News
•The true picture of Christianity is members of every tribe, nation, language and race gathered before the throne of God in worship of their king.
Whenever we see racial tensions building in the Church. we must reject them, and then overwhelm them with the over-powering love of Christ.
And that is just what the Jerusalem leadership is going to do.
•The Twelve Apostles, convene a meeting of the Church to resolve the issue.
But the first thing the Apostles decide is that they can’t do it. In Verse 2 they say, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
Why did the apostles refuse to “wait tables”? Were they too good for such manual labor? Were the tips lousy? (“Those widow give lousy tips!”)
•No. The translation “wait on tables” is really not a very good one. Makes it sound like the Apostles are thinking about opening a restaurant (Peter’s Fish and Chips). It would better be translate. It is not right for us to use our time in service in distributing food.
•The reason is they have a different area of service. See what they say, It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God.
•You see Jesus had already given them a job. They were the entrusted to preach the message of Jesus. Jesus gave them the Great Commission: Go into all the world and preach the Gospel.
There is a key principle here: for all of us. You can’t do it all.
•Churches are ineffective when one person, or even one group of persons or pastors tries to do everything.
•When the people think it’s the pastors who do the work. (After all, we pay the for that).
•It was never meant to be that way. Each member has gifts Ephesians 4:11 (God) gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers. There are all
•The pastors work is to “equip God’s people for the work of ministry” (Eph. 4:12)
•The people do the ministry; the pastor’s just equip them to do it.
My Father was a pastor for over thirty years. For 21 years he pastored Emmanuel Faith Community Church, a large church in Escondido. And he had a large pastoral staff there.
But it didn’t start that way.
His first church was a little church in Ft. Worth Texas of less than 100 members.
•And the church looked kind of like a barn.
•My Dad’s nickname in those days was “Bud” My mom hated it.
•They jokingly called the place “Bud’s Bible Barn.”
•But in those days he did everything. He preached at all the services, Sunday morning, night, midweek service, he did all the hospital visitation, all the weddings and funerals. He even typed the bulletin and cleaned the church.
•Now you might say, “What a wonderful servant.”
•But you know things didn’t go so well. At Church or at home.
•Dad used to joke about the phenomenal growth. When he arrived the attendance board said 101; when he left five years later it said 101.
No one was meant to run the Church. Except Jesus Christ.
•Everyone else does their part.
•We have to always stress this model here at CABC. Whether as an usher, or a parking attendant, or a teacher, or just a greeter (that is a great ministry).
•Whether you work in the Community Care center, or the nursery, or visit shut-ins.
All these ministries are crucial to the effective working of the Body of Christ.
You see the Church, in many ways functions simultaneously as two institutions.
For one, the Church is kind of like an army:
(1) Boot Camp, a commando training unit. There is a spiritual war out there and this is the training ground where we prepare soldiers for that war.
•Her role is to equip the saints for the work of ministry.
•We should all be wearing fatigues and camouflage, doing our pushups; rope climbs (that would scare the neighbors; they’d think we were a militia). Spiritually speaking, this is boot camp.
•My role, and the role of the leadership at CABC is to help prepare you for battle. To teach you how to use the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; to put on the breastplate of righteousness; and the belt of truth; for your boots the Gospel of peace.
•Everything we do here should be for the purpose of preparing for spiritual warfare.
-That’s why we do Steak Outs and Coffee Breaks
-That’s why we support Harvest Crusade
-That’s why we are having an apologetics conference here in August. A conference where you will learn solid intellectual arguments for intelligent design in the universe. That is the belt of truth.
And there is nothing more exciting than sending out a fully prepared soldier.
That’s what we are about! Training men and women to take the spiritual battle forward.
•(I’ll resist breaking into a chorus of onward Christian Soldiers).
And there are many more like him. A large number on summer missions. A group of high schoolers who have been in NY and Washington D.C. These are our commandos, taking the Gospel to people who’ve never heard it.
This is boot camp. Training ground for soldiers equipped to do spiritual warfare.
T- But there is another, equally important task for the Church.
The Church is not just a boot camp, it is also a hospital. A hospital that cares for the wounded people of society.
(2) Hospital
•And the hospital in Jerusalem is understaffed. Needs are being neglected.
The Apostles say, we can’t give up our role as boot camp drill instructors. Let’s bring in some new doctors.
So they encourage the Church to choose seven people to handle this ministry.
•Verse 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
I want you to notice something: All these names are Greek names. They were part of the community they were serving.
•Important point: If you want to effectively minister to a community, you have to share the power with them. Bring them into leadership.
2. The Solution: Choosing the Seven
And in our remaining time together I just want to look briefly at the qualities these seven servants demonstrated.
T- The first thing is most obvious.
The seven servants demonstrated:
a. A servant’s heart
How do I know that? They were willing and able to serve.
Now how do you determine whether someone has a servant’s heart? You look for someone who is already serving.
•You’ve probably heard that adage. “If you want something done, find the busiest person you can find and ask them to do it.” Find someone already doing it.
•One of my good friend has done very well in business (Dan Gilbert). He has steadily moved up the ranks as a financial manager. And he has worked for at least four different firms, each time moving up to a better position.
•But what is interesting is he’s never gone looking for a job. Never had to send out resumes, or
•Because there are these firms, they’re call them “head-hunters,” where they go after you. They look for someone successful, and they go get them.
•Someone who is already doing it.
The principle is simple: Servants serve! If you want a servant look where people are serving.
I am convinced they looked around and they found seven men who were already demonstrating a servant’s heart.
•It says that in verse 3: choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. How were they known? Did they glow? (whoa, that guy has the Spirit) Did they have a “Spirit-ometer” (She’s radiating at least a 400 on the Spirit-ohmometer). Of course not! They saw the evidence of the Spirit in their lives. They saw the fruit of the Spirit in their service.
These seven men were serving God in the ministry he had called them to.
How can you be the servant God called you to be? To borrow a cliché: Just Do It.
•Get involved in ministry here. Look for opportunities to serve.
T- The second characteristic these seven exhibited was the:
b. The filling of the Spirit
It is giving our lives over daily to his control.
•It is saying “I’m not in charge, Jesus is.”
Economist John Kenneth Galbraith, in his autobiography, A Life in Our Times, illustrates the devotion of his family’s housekeeper, Emily Gloria Wilson.
•One day he was tired and asked Emily to hold telephone calls while he took a nap.
•Shortly thereafter the phone rang. Lyndon Johnson was calling from the White House. "Get me Ken Galbraith. This is Lyndon Johnson."
"He is sleeping, Mr. President. He said not to disturb him."
"Well, wake him up. I want to talk to him."
"No, Mr. President. [I can’t do that] I work for him, not you.”
When Galbraith called the President back, President John could scarcely control his pleasure. "Tell that woman I want her here in the White House." That’s incredible loyalty.
Published by Houghton Mifflin, Reader’s Digest, December, 1981
Being filled with the Spirit is daily reminding yourself who you work for.
•It is waking up in the morning and saying, “This day is Jesus Christ’s.” Giving him control and authority.
T- Not only were these men “full of the Spirit” but it says in verse 3 they were “full of wisdom” That is our third characteristic.
c. Spiritual wisdom
Biblical wisdom is not just intelligence, it is the practical application of biblical truth.
•If you want to see what wisdom is, read through the book of Proverbs. It doesn’t tell you how to split an atom; it doesn’t explain the nature of DNA or the Laws of thermodynamics.
•It gives sound advice on applying biblical truth.
You can know what the Bible says, and still make stupid decisions.
•A great biblical example is Solomon He had incredible intelligence. Incredible knowledge.
•Yet later in his life, he failed, because he failed to apply that knowledge in good and godly ways.
•He disobeyed God; he worshipped other gods. And he lost the kingdom.
Automaker Henry Ford asked electrical genius Charlie Steinmetz to build the generators for his factory. One day the generators ground to a halt, and the repairmen couldn’t find the problem. So Ford called Steinmetz, who tinkered with the machines for a few hours and then threw the switch. The generators whirred to life--but Ford got a bill for $10,000 from Steinmetz. Flabbergasted, the rather tightfisted car maker inquired why the bill was so high. Steinmetz’s reply: For tinkering with the generators, $10. For knowing where to tinker, $9,990. Ford paid the bill. Today in the Word, MBI, April, 1990, p. 27
Biblical wisdom means knowing where to tinker.
It’s not just biblical knowledge or scientific knowledge; it is knowing how to apply biblical truth to real life.
•You don’t need a high IQ or even loads of biblical knowledge to treat others kindly.
•You don’t need to know all the names of all the people and places in the Bible to love you neighbor as yourself.
•Don’t get me wrong, the Bible is our guidebook for life’s path; but we need wisdom to apply that truth every day.
These Seven men had revealed in their lives the ability to make good and godly decisions.
Conclusion
They chose these Seven because the it was obvious they were filled with the Spirit. The fruit of God’s Spirit was evident in their lives.
•Because they had demonstrated biblical wisdom by making good and godly decisions,
•Because they were already serving God where they were.
Do you want to serve God effectively? Do you want to be part of what he is doing in this world? Then get involved in his service now.
•God’s servants serve.
I read the story of an old Roman aqueduct at Segovia, in his Spain.
•It was built by the Romans in 109 A.D. and for eighteen hundred years, it carried cool water from the mountains to the hot and thirsty city. Nearly sixty generations of drank from its flow.
•Then in modern times they decided that the aqueduct was a great national monument and needed to be persevered as museum piece.
•So they laid pipes and re-channeled the water.
•Within a few years the aqueduct began to fall apart. The sun beating on the dry mortar caused it to crumble. The bricks and stone sagged and threatened to fall.
Resource, Sept./ Oct., 1992, Page 4 Story told by Unamuno, Spanish philosopher,
The principle: Christians were created to serve. If you don’t serve your spiritual life will dry up like that aqueduct.
