WEBVTT 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:12.720 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:41.520 When we come to our study of the Book of Acts, you may not remember, but I said at the beginning when we started it, that occasionally we want to push pause and consider some of the practical aspects, some of the theological aspects that develop out of our text in the book of Acts. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:45.679 And our passage for this morning is in Acts chapter 6. 00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:50.079 I encourage you to take your Bible and open to that section, if you would. 00:00:50.320 --> 00:01:03.520 In Acts chapter 6, especially the beginning part, gives us an opportunity to pause and consider some of the broader elements that arise out of that kind of a text. 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:07.599 So we will do that the first Sunday of January. 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:21.519 This morning we're just going to kind of dip our toes in the water, get a little bit of a taste of what's going on in Acts chapter 6, and then fill that out when we return after the holiday and jump back into Acts. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:34.079 For our Christmas theme, if you have not noticed those slides yet on the announcement slides, we're going to be looking at the concept of light, what Scripture has to say about the coming of Christ and light. 00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:37.120 And so we'll start that next week. 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:45.359 Acts chapter 6, beginning in verse 1 this morning, is the shortest passage that we have considered in Acts so far. 00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:50.799 So it fits well for this morning when we have lots of things taking place in our service. 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:56.719 Acts chapter 6, I'm going to read verses 1 through 7 if you would like to follow along with me. 00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:14.800 Luke recounts for us that 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. 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:26.159 And the twelve, that is the twelve apostles, summoned the full number of disciples and said, It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:36.080 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:40.879 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:56.879 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and so they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas, a proselyte of Antioch. 00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:15.599 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them, and the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:16.560 Amen. 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:25.280 The critical question here at the beginning of Acts chapter six is what happens when the church needs help? 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:34.800 What happens when the gathering of God's people as a collective unit is the group that needs help? 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:41.599 I want us to look at how Luke answers that question. 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:52.479 And we'll do that by noticing four realities that lead us to the answer to the question, what do we do when we need help? 00:03:53.439 --> 00:04:00.319 The first reality is found in verse 1, where we see the words now in these days. 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:04.000 Luke refers to the days of persecution. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:10.159 Persecution specifically at this point in time by the Jewish religious leaders in the city of Jerusalem. 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:14.800 They run the Jewish religious system, they rule the temple and the Temple Mount. 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:18.959 They govern everything that has to do with Judaism. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:25.040 And that is the system out of which people are becoming believers in Jesus Christ. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:28.879 That's what Luke refers to in those days. 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:31.680 But that's not the only element that's happening in those days. 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:39.600 There's also this burgeoning, this immense growth, rapid growth, of Christians. 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:43.680 They're multiplying. 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:48.959 Somewhat like the rabbits in my backyard that I can't seem to get rid of. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:52.639 I'm sure that's how the Jewish leaders felt. 00:04:52.879 --> 00:04:55.920 These Christians are just exploding all over the place. 00:04:56.639 --> 00:05:03.199 It's in those days, Luke says, that a complaint arose. 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:18.800 This passage, the first real situation in the life of the church that we have to understand is that this passage speaks to the reality of a growing church. 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:31.279 Sometimes we, if you're growing up in church and you're familiar with how God's program has worked, sometimes we look at a passage like this and we say, oh, here's the first deacons. 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:33.199 We'll get to that in a little bit. 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:37.839 The first thing we have to recognize is this is the reality of a growing church. 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:49.040 And our thinking has to differentiate between church with an uppercase capital letter C and a church with a lowercase C. 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:54.720 Church with an uppercase C is the universal church. 00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:57.519 Christ is building his church. 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:07.199 It doesn't matter where it's located, all of God's people together are his universal church. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:11.040 That's what we mean when we use the capital, the uppercase C. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:15.839 Lowercase C refers to the local gathering. 00:06:16.160 --> 00:06:21.439 Or now in modern days, we have multiple lowercase C's in a community. 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:24.639 So we might have multiple local gatherings. 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:35.680 Much of the New Testament is written directly to local churches like ours who are engaging in local church ministry. 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:54.240 And those portions, like the letters to the church in Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Thessalonica, those are personal letters from an apostle to a local church engaged in ministry in a particular situation. 00:06:55.360 --> 00:07:02.000 But those letters have application and implications to the universal church. 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:12.319 So it says something very specific to a church that is enduring persecution, say, in their context. 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:18.560 Well, we might not be enduring the same level of persecution, but it still applies to us. 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:23.920 So much of the New Testament is written to lowercase churches. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:25.519 Lowercase, see. 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:30.480 At this point in the book of Acts, they're merged. 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:33.920 The church is just beginning. 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:42.639 And so we think about the universal church, at this point in time, the universal church is largely in one community. 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:45.360 It's in the city of Jerusalem. 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:53.600 And that universal church is also the local church in the city of Jerusalem. 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:59.759 Jesus said the disciples would carry out the Great Commission in Jerusalem first. 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:10.480 So as people come to faith in the Lord Jesus, they're incorporated into the local church in Jerusalem. 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:12.240 Luke's already told us. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:18.720 They're gathering daily all over the place, specifically in some homes and in the temple. 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:21.439 The larger the group, the larger the space they need. 00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:25.680 They are all one group together, led by the apostles. 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:30.879 This is an act of God, the Son, building his church. 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:33.759 Thousands, we've been told. 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:40.799 Thousands of people believe in Jesus in Jerusalem and in the surrounding area. 00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:46.559 At this point, the people aren't divided into smaller congregations so much. 00:08:47.200 --> 00:08:51.200 That kind of structure and organization hadn't happened yet. 00:08:51.600 --> 00:09:03.919 So when you think of Acts chapter 6, think about seven to maybe 12,000 people coming to faith in Jesus, brand new Christians, in a city of 100,000 people. 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:20.879 We have 12 men attempting to teach, just for the sake of argument, let's say 10,000 people. 00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:48.960 We have 12 men attempting to teach 10,000 new believers in Jesus, while also witnessing to the rest of the people in Jerusalem, while also spending time in jail, debating Jewish leaders, healing the sick, spending time in prayer, and attempting to organize meeting all the needs of this rapidly growing and expanding local church. 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:52.480 Makes me tired just thinking about it. 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:54.639 They can't do it all. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:06.159 And Luke tells us that a complaint, a grumbling, occurred between two segments of the church population. 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:14.879 The complaint arose because he tells us of an inequality in the support of widows. 00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:21.279 And he gives us two kinds of widows: the Hellenists and the Hebrews. 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:22.320 Guess what? 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:23.759 They're the same people. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:29.200 They're all Jewish, ethnic Jewish Christians. 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:33.440 They're Jewish people who have come to faith in Christ. 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:40.639 The difference is what their heart language is, what their first language is. 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:46.559 Those that are qualified as Hebrews would have their heart language be Aramaic, most likely. 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:50.320 The Hellenists, their heart language would be Greek. 00:10:51.360 --> 00:11:09.120 So they're the same ethnicity, but because they've grown up in different regions of Palestine and they're coming together now in Jerusalem, they're not necessarily combining as perfectly as you might think because there's a language difference. 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:18.320 Now, most of them, because they're Jewish, might speak a little Aramaic and a little Greek, but some of them will be stronger in one and stronger in another. 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:22.399 That's the situation that they're enduring. 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:30.480 And the widows were women who had no means of family support or income, and so are utterly dependent. 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:32.240 They're like beggars. 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:39.519 Having come to Christ, their families no longer receive them, their families no longer support them. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:41.679 They are entirely dependent. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:48.399 And so the church in Jerusalem adopts them as their own and supports them through daily food. 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:54.480 But there are so many in this growing church. 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:57.759 See, that's why it's important to notice in these days. 00:11:57.919 --> 00:11:58.799 What days are these? 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:00.399 The days of the growing church. 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:07.039 So many people are coming to faith in Christ that problems are arising. 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:17.679 As the church grows, its needs, its opportunities, and its ministries are faced with all kinds of new complexities. 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:37.120 And so this Jerusalem church faced two issues: numerical growth and something akin to maybe immigration issues that came with Greek-speaking Jews coming to faith in Christ in the midst of Aramaic-speaking Jews. 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:43.039 That resulted in a ministry deficit. 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:51.440 The Greek-speaking widows were being left out of daily food distribution. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:54.080 So the church needed to change. 00:12:57.200 --> 00:13:03.360 That can be a difficult concept for the people that make up the church. 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:05.919 Change. 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:10.000 We don't like change so much. 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:17.679 Especially, we don't like change if the church's need for change doesn't impact you personally. 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:25.519 You know, we tend to self-identify with our churches, especially the longer that we've been here. 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:28.320 So glad to have the Karner family with us this morning. 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:31.039 Sorry for your loss praying for you. 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:34.399 But you identify with Pews 2 and 3, don't you? 00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:38.320 That's their lifelong section. 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:47.120 We tend to self-identify, and so after a while, the church becomes my church, our church. 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:54.240 And when that happens, we can have a tendency to resent change. 00:13:55.759 --> 00:13:58.799 We can even resent the need to change. 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:05.279 Going further than that, we can even be blind to the need for change. 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:15.600 If it's not an area of church or ministry that I'm a part of, I may not recognize that, wow, there's something happening here that we need to talk about. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:43.840 So whether it's growth in numbers or changes in the breakdown of ages, and so the need to minister to those ages of people, whether it's ethnic changes or even economic changes, the reality is that a growing church will face circumstances that bring us face to face with falling short in ministry. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:52.799 And when we're face to face with falling short in ministry, we come face to face with the need to change. 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:59.519 Now you're all getting nervous waiting to hear what's going to change, right? 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:01.919 Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you that. 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:17.360 The church leaders are most often the ones who are aware of these challenges first and are often in a position to do something about them. 00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:24.320 That means leadership challenges come with a growing church. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:39.039 So this passage is speaking about what's happening in this community with people coming to faith in Christ, and that reality means things happen. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:44.720 There are challenges and difficulties and problems of all kinds. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:54.000 The apostles could not be everywhere at once or deal with every problem. 00:15:55.039 --> 00:16:00.000 Like Moses, who was with Israel in the Old Testament, they needed help. 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:07.120 Now we're not told here if the apostles were the ones delivering food to the widows' homes. 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:09.519 You know, were they the meals on wheels? 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:10.720 We don't know. 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:17.360 We don't know if they merely oversaw the distribution, if they were leading it and sending people out. 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:18.879 We're not told that. 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:29.679 Regardless, the problem came to the apostles and they were faced with discerning priorities. 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:38.159 And the 12 apostles together declared that their priority was preaching, teaching, and prayer. 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:42.000 That's a leadership challenge. 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:54.240 If you're responsible for a large group of people and you have this list of things that you know need to get accomplished, and you decide this is what needs to remain priority, what do you do with all of this? 00:16:56.720 --> 00:16:58.960 That's a leadership challenge. 00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:05.039 If those priorities remain, what do you do with the remaining ministry needs? 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:10.559 Where do you turn if the local church needs help? 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:18.079 Notice here that the widow's needs were not minimized. 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:27.839 The leadership didn't sweep the problem under the rug, they didn't ignore it, they didn't excommunicate the grumblers. 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:33.279 They dealt with the issue. 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:47.680 They answered the issue by presenting a solution, and that solution involved the congregation while maintaining the priorities that they saw as needing to remain at the top. 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:56.880 All of that presents a complexity of issues that come from a growing church. 00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:59.039 Which leads us to our second reality. 00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:03.680 This passage speaks to the reality of difficulties within the church. 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:08.880 Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you what difficulties we're going to talk about. 00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:11.759 Just talking about the text here. 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:14.880 I'm not going to lay anything out on you that you're not expecting. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:23.920 Someone will be disappointed when the apostles cannot be everywhere doing everything. 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:28.799 It's the same way today. 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:30.720 Pastor, why weren't you there? 00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:33.920 Why don't we where are the elders in this situation? 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:37.039 Somebody's going to be disappointed. 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:40.240 And something's going to be left undone. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:47.440 In a growing church, in a changing church, something is going to be disappointing. 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:58.880 When you add the inherent differences and distinctions between sinful people groups, you have a situation that's ripe for difficulty. 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:05.599 The grumbling might be sinful, like Israel in the Old Testament, grumbling before Moses. 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:08.240 We don't get that sense here. 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:11.039 This grumbling seems to be legitimate. 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:14.480 Just saying, hey, they're getting food. 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:15.279 We're not getting food. 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:16.640 What's up with that? 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:24.400 You know, we tend to think something is wrong if a church has difficulties. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:27.200 Right? 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:30.160 If a church has difficulties, what's wrong with them? 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:31.599 What's going on there? 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:36.240 Shouldn't we believe otherwise? 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:40.400 If you're falling asleep, I need you to wake up and bear with me here. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:41.599 Think with me. 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:44.079 Shouldn't we believe otherwise? 00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:51.039 Shouldn't we think something is wrong if a church doesn't have problems? 00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:54.880 Okay, stay with me. 00:19:56.160 --> 00:20:01.359 People, you and me, we comprise the church, right? 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:07.200 We are all sinners growing in grace. 00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:15.680 I can't, no matter how hard I try, I can't leave my sinful nature at home on Sunday morning. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:19.200 It's even harder on Monday morning. 00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:21.599 I can't do that. 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:22.960 It's part of who I am. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:33.920 I pray that I'm growing in grace and knowledge and understanding and exercising patience and compassion with everybody else, but we bring our sinfulness with us. 00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:43.039 And so people make up the church, and when we have people making up the church, we're bringing our sinful characteristics with us into the church. 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:46.880 That means there will be times of difficulty. 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:53.759 So if there's no difficulties, there's no church. 00:20:56.640 --> 00:21:03.440 There's something wrong if problems do not exist in church. 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:06.319 And we can argue in a different direction, too. 00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:08.640 A church ought to be growing. 00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:14.640 We're all given the commandment to go wherever God sends us to go and make disciples. 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:19.200 Those disciples are to be incorporated into the church. 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:21.440 That's one way a church may grow. 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:24.799 That's what was happening here in Acts chapter 6. 00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:29.519 But churches may also grow or change in different ways. 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:32.640 We might grow and change demographically. 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:35.279 We might grow in the number of infants. 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:37.680 We might grow in the number of young families. 00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:40.799 We might grow in the number of senior saints. 00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:46.160 Churches are constantly growing and changing, they're in flux. 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:53.119 At the very least, we know we ought to grow in grace, knowledge, and practice of our faith, right? 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:58.720 So as some of us are growing in grace, practice, and knowledge, some of us might be stuck in our sin. 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:06.319 Growth and change of any kind will bring difficulty. 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:11.440 The early church's numerical growth and demographic growth brought problems. 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:19.839 So this passage challenges our thinking about the local church and its problems. 00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:22.880 Let me give you a few thoughts about this. 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:29.680 First, we should not be surprised when we hear of problems in the church. 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:34.079 We should not be caught off guard when we encounter difficulties. 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:48.559 So if you find yourself thinking, I can't believe that's going on in church, smack yourself and say, no, I should believe it. 00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:52.160 I should expect it. 00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:59.440 And we ought to ask questions if there are no difficulties. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:04.559 We ought not to fear challenges and problems in the church. 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:08.400 We ought to fear the absence of problems. 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:10.400 That's the first thing. 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:12.480 Second thing I want to share with you about this. 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:16.480 We ought to expect a humble response to difficulties. 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:19.680 That might be harder. 00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:27.359 Because our first initial reaction is often dealing with the pride that rises up in us. 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:31.680 And we react the way that benefits ourselves first. 00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:38.960 So that means that our spirits should not groan when we encounter conflict or difficulty. 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:43.839 Instead, we should anticipate how the Lord will direct the church to respond. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:49.759 That's an opportunity to see God's work within the body. 00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:53.200 That leads to my third thought here. 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:58.079 We should command our hearts to hope in Christ's sanctifying work. 00:23:59.279 --> 00:24:00.799 Yes, problems are hard. 00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:02.319 They can be painful. 00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:09.440 I'd love to know what the 12 apostles were thinking when they heard this complaint. 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:12.160 Wait a minute, are you blaming us? 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:17.119 We didn't even know about this, and you're blaming us? 00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:18.640 We don't hear that. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:21.599 We don't know if that's what really happened. 00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:33.200 But I would hope that over time God's people can work to command their hearts to hope in what Christ is doing in his church. 00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:35.440 Now we can trust his work, right? 00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:37.119 Please say yes. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:42.160 We can trust his work because we can trust him. 00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:51.359 Now some problems are so serious and so grievous to the Lord that he may respond harshly to those. 00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:53.839 He may respond with judgment. 00:24:56.160 --> 00:25:05.039 Book of Revelation tells us that there are some churches, early churches, that didn't exist shortly after the book of Revelation because they didn't listen. 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:08.000 That's not what we're talking about here. 00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:19.920 These are common difficulties that come through living in a sin-cursed world and bringing our sinful, saved people together to serve the Lord in unity. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:30.880 And in those situations, we can hope that the Lord will use the difficulties in the church to grow us, to shape us, to build his church. 00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:36.240 But that leads to a third reality. 00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:48.240 This passage speaks to the reality of the humble flexibility necessary for the church's growth. 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:59.519 So the church here is encountering imprisonment, beatings, and ridicule from the outside during its early days. 00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:05.440 From the outside, it's nothing but negativity. 00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:14.160 At the same time, they are experiencing an increase of hungry, needy people on the inside. 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:20.960 As we saw with Ananias and Zephira, they're also encountering lying and deception on the inside. 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:26.480 And now we see that they're encountering organizational problems on the inside. 00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:28.720 This is all new. 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:34.240 In some ways, it's like a church plants early weeks and months. 00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:39.759 Now, as far as we know, Jesus hadn't prepared the apostles for this. 00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:44.799 We have no indication that they were given a course in organizational management. 00:26:46.319 --> 00:26:50.880 As far as we know, they were never taught by Jesus about interpersonal conflict. 00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:57.839 Other than, hey, if your brother has something against you, go and make it right before you come and give your offering. 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:03.759 But we do know that they were given the Spirit of Jesus. 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:11.440 And God's people display a kind of humility when the Spirit of God leads them. 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:26.480 They display a humility that steadfastly holds to the things of greatest importance while at the same time holding with humble flexibility the things that are not a priority. 00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:37.359 That kind of spirit enables a church to adapt to a changing and completely fluctuating environment. 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:41.359 Doesn't matter what kind of growth it is. 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:44.640 Notice how Luke recounts the situation here. 00:27:44.960 --> 00:27:55.440 He recounts the apostles' acknowledgement of a deficiency in ministry rather than deflecting it. 00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:59.200 It's an easy thing for us to do, isn't it? 00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:04.079 Easy thing to just deflect the problem, but no, they recognize there's a deficiency going on here. 00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:11.200 Luke recounts the apostles' willingness to resolve the issue rather than duct their responsibility. 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:18.240 He recounts the apostles leading well rather than lording it over the people. 00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:24.960 They humbly involve the people in the decision-making process at one level. 00:28:26.640 --> 00:28:39.279 He recounts the apostles being flexible in administration and organization through delegation rather than holding on to their way of distributing food. 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:56.319 If you look at the way the apostles handled this, they are being greatly flexible in this situation, and that flexibility is driven by an underlying humility. 00:28:57.440 --> 00:29:08.799 Luke's history of those early days reveals the Lord's work through his apostles to meet the needs of a growing church through humble flexibility. 00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:13.359 What a difference that would make in our local churches today. 00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:25.759 But we also see the reverse, don't we? 00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:36.079 We see pride and arrogance and entrenchment in the we've always done it this way, attitude. 00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:42.000 Now Luke tells us that the apostles were unified in their approach. 00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:47.440 They, all 12, came together and said, this is what we need to do. 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:58.799 They recognized a problem and a need, and they prioritized their roles in the growing church, and they proposed a solution that required humility and flexibility to solve a practical problem. 00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:16.319 At the very least, that shows us that we together collectively ought to be prepared for our church leaders to prioritize their biblical priorities and lead by responsible delegation. 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:27.039 It teaches us that the church steps up to assist when it needs help. 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:36.400 It shows us that growth in the church requires flexibility and change driven by humility. 00:30:38.319 --> 00:30:44.240 Now, as we move to our last reality, we need to notice how the church at large handled the situation. 00:30:44.720 --> 00:30:52.319 First, the congregation seems to have approved of the apostolic priority of preaching, teaching, and prayer. 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:55.200 They said, yes, that needs to remain priority. 00:30:56.640 --> 00:31:04.319 But maintaining that priority didn't negate the need to solve the problem and meet needs. 00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:10.400 Maintaining priorities does not mean dismissing the problem. 00:31:12.559 --> 00:31:20.799 The congregation was pleased with the solution to delegate responsibility and oversight to wise, spirit-filled men. 00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:26.960 That means the congregation took the qualification seriously. 00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:30.880 We're not told how long they took. 00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:34.160 It may have been right away, it may have been a few days, it may have been a couple of weeks. 00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:34.960 We're not told. 00:31:55.279 --> 00:31:56.880 And you know who they chose? 00:31:58.720 --> 00:32:00.079 Hellenists. 00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:03.039 Hellenists. 00:32:03.359 --> 00:32:12.799 Based on their names, only one of these seven men could potentially be among the Hebrew believers whose first language was Aramaic. 00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:29.519 So the entire church, Greek and Aramaic speakers, selected highly respected men, and the chosen men belonged to the language group from whom the complaint originally came. 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:32.799 Do you see what that does? 00:32:33.440 --> 00:32:42.240 That ensures that those widows who were missing out could trust we're not going to be left out anymore. 00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:56.799 But because the whole congregation already respected this group of seven men, the whole congregation could then know there's not going to be any respecting of persons or of groups among these men. 00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:05.759 The spirit is working in this situation to ensure a wise resolution to the problem. 00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:12.559 So when the church in Jerusalem needed help, they didn't go to the government or to leadership gurus. 00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:19.839 They looked within to find spirit-filled servants. 00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:25.440 Men who served like Jesus. 00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:31.200 They organized themselves and they met the need from within. 00:33:32.880 --> 00:33:37.599 And so our last reality is that this passage speaks to the reality of ministry. 00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:47.839 Not first and foremost, the establishment of offices or even of structures within the church capital. 00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:48.559 See. 00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:54.000 Peter's not recounting, hey, this is where the deacon office began. 00:33:55.039 --> 00:33:56.960 There may be something to that. 00:33:57.519 --> 00:34:01.440 He's not telling us, here's how you organize a widow's ministry. 00:34:01.920 --> 00:34:03.759 There may be something to that. 00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:10.559 He's telling us, here's how the church faces problems. 00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:22.639 Not by ducking and running, but by turning to spirit-filled people to meet the needs. 00:34:23.519 --> 00:34:27.039 So this is not about ordaining deacons or establishing the deacon office. 00:34:27.360 --> 00:34:34.639 It doesn't instruct us to establish a support system for widows or to start a soup kitchen for the hungry. 00:34:35.280 --> 00:34:38.800 In fact, the noun deacon isn't even in this text. 00:34:39.599 --> 00:34:44.400 The verb form of the word deacon means ministry or service, serving. 00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:45.679 And that is here. 00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:50.880 The force of this passage is that a growing church needs serving people. 00:34:53.199 --> 00:34:57.760 They need serving people because a growing church needs change. 00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:08.400 That doesn't mean that there aren't implications for the local churches, deacons, or ministry to widows, or structure systems within the church. 00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:10.639 Those things are here. 00:35:10.960 --> 00:35:13.679 We'll talk about those in a month or so. 00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:24.000 The focus is on the difficulties that growth and change bring to a local congregation. 00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:40.159 And instead of being things that Luke looks at with disdain and says, this is the worst part of early church ministry, or this is the worst part of local church ministry, he says, look at the opportunity. 00:35:42.480 --> 00:35:47.599 Look at what the risen and ascended Christ is doing through his people. 00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:51.360 The rest of the world will crumble at this kind of stuff. 00:35:51.519 --> 00:35:58.079 Spirit-filled people will organize with humility and flexibility to meet a need. 00:35:59.039 --> 00:36:00.800 And what happens? 00:36:02.559 --> 00:36:03.840 What happens? 00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:08.800 The word of God continued to increase. 00:36:09.599 --> 00:36:18.400 The word of God continued to increase, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. 00:36:20.639 --> 00:36:22.239 So what's happening? 00:36:22.559 --> 00:36:24.480 The early church has problems. 00:36:24.719 --> 00:36:26.639 Surprise, surprise. 00:36:28.639 --> 00:36:33.119 They faced those problems with humility and flexibility. 00:36:34.320 --> 00:36:41.760 They displayed mercy, grace, and attention to those who were in need, and they met those difficulties head on. 00:36:42.079 --> 00:36:46.159 This situation could have destroyed the Jerusalem church. 00:36:47.280 --> 00:36:53.440 Instead, the word of God increased and disciples multiplied greatly. 00:36:54.000 --> 00:37:00.480 So much so that some of the opposing Sadducean priests trusted in Jesus. 00:37:03.119 --> 00:37:17.760 When's the last time a church, a local church that you are aware of, faced difficulties in its midst, and the result of those difficulties was that unbelievers in the community came to faith in Jesus because they were overwhelmed by what God did in your midst? 00:37:19.760 --> 00:37:21.440 What an opportunity. 00:37:22.159 --> 00:37:24.960 What an opportunity to show what God does. 00:37:25.280 --> 00:37:29.360 So the Jerusalem church wasn't stunted by its difficulties and problems. 00:37:29.519 --> 00:37:36.400 They humbly served together so that the word was proclaimed and ministry continued and thrived. 00:37:38.079 --> 00:37:42.480 Brothers and sisters in Christ, that's what we are called to emulate. 00:37:44.639 --> 00:37:53.760 The process of meeting problems and difficulties in a wise, spirit-filled way spurred the growth of the church. 00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:57.119 How could we not want to be a part of that? 00:37:58.639 --> 00:38:08.400 Where the power of Christ generates faith in unbelievers because of how we address problems. 00:38:09.679 --> 00:38:11.199 Would you pray with me? 00:38:11.519 --> 00:38:14.639 Lord Jesus, work in our midst. 00:38:14.960 --> 00:38:21.519 To humble us, to bring us low as our Redeemer was brought low. 00:38:22.400 --> 00:38:27.920 To create in us a spirit and a heart that is flexible. 00:38:30.079 --> 00:38:48.400 Lord, we ask mostly that you would continue to build your church, that you would cause it to increase, that the word would multiply, and that people in our community would see the heart of Christ in us and would respond by saying, I want what you have. 00:38:49.199 --> 00:38:50.880 Lord, may you be magnified. 00:38:51.039 --> 00:39:04.480 May we as a church arise together to face whatever you bring and do it with humility and flexibility to the praise of your glory. 00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:05.760 Amen. 00:39:07.760 --> 00:39:11.519 That concludes this sermon from Faith Evangelical Free Church. 00:39:11.679 --> 00:39:18.559 Our mission is to declare the Word of God and disciple believers into mature, devoted followers of Jesus. 00:39:18.800 --> 00:39:22.880 You can learn more by visiting our website at faithfree.com.