Take The Good Problems

TAKE THE GOOD PROBLEMS

Acts 6.1-7

S: Leadership

C: Conflict

Th: A People with Purpose

Pr: WE CAN SOLVE CONFLICT.

KW: Stages

Type: Inductive

I. DISCERNMENT (1)

II. DECISIVENESS (2-3)

III. DELEGATION (4-5)

IV. DIVIDENDS (6-7)

PA: How is the change to be observed?

• Recognize that problems do occur with growth.

• Confront problems (do not ignore them).

• Work as a team.

• Watch God continue to bless.

Version: ESV

RMBC 08 January 06 AM

INTRODUCTION:

How are you with problems?

ILL Problem: guillotine

A minister, a lawyer, and an engineer are being sent to the guillotine.

The minister put his head onto the block, they pulled the rope, and nothing happened. Giving praise to God, he declared that he’d been saved by Divine intervention, and he is released.

The lawyer is then put onto the block, and again the rope did not release the blade. He then claimed he could not be executed twice for the same crime, and so, he is set free.

They grabbed the engineer next and just as he was about to have his head into the guillotine, he looked up at the release mechanism and said, “Wait a minute, I think I see your problem…”

Well, I guess the engineer needs a little work at dealing with his problems!

Sometimes I wonder if we just shouldn’t adapt a “no problem” attitude.

Let me give you an example with a “no problem quiz”:

ILL Problem: No Problem Quiz

For each of these questions, there is a "No Problem!" answer. How many will you have a problem with?

1. How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?

This is no problem!

Concrete floors are very hard to crack!

2. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how hard would it be for four men to build it in ten hours?

Again, this is no problem!

After all, the wall is already built, so it takes no time at all.

3. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?

No problem!

You will never find an elephant with one hand.

4. How can a man go eight days without sleep and still be well-rested?

Again, no problem!

He sleeps at night.

5. How can you easily determine how much dirt there is in an oblong hole three feet deep at one end and two feet deep at the other end, and four feet wide at one end and two feet wide at the other end?

Once again, no problem!

There is no dirt in the hole.

Those of you that are around me much, know that I have a habit of repeating little sayings.

One of my Decker sayings is…

“There are good problems and there are bad problems. Always take the good problems.”

When we come to our study of Acts 6 today, a problem in the church arises.

And if we are willing to look at fully, we discover that it ends being a good problem.

It is a good problem because of its cause.

It has been said that Christians become unchristian when they get organized.

There is no doubt that this is an overstatement, but there are times when it is true.

And when it is true, it is indeed a sad indictment.

Nevertheless, the nature of the church needs to be understood.

God has not designed the church to be an impersonal corporation, though it does happen.

Neither has God designed the church to be a free and loose commune, though this happens too.

It is much more accurate to describe the church as an organism – alive and functional – enlivened and powered by the Holy Spirit.

But note this – organisms require structure in order to function.

Think about your physical body.

What would it be like if it we were not organized?

We would just be glop!

So, let us consider our biblical story and understand how it unfolds today.

OUR STUDY:

First, we are presented with a problem, and the…

DISCERNMENT

…that follows.

1. When growth comes, conflict seems inevitable.

I just mentioned a moment ago that this was a good problem.

It is good because the church was growing.

The Lord was continuing to add to their number every day.

But when we come to chapter six, we find the church is going through some definite growing pains.

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.

A complaint comes up.

In fact, the original language speaks of it has murmuring, which means we have an unhealthy situation.

You have unhealth and dysfunction when people are complaining to one another, but are not communicating to the people that are in a position to do something about it.