These are my notes from Sunday Jan 28, 2023.
Before we review today’s story, let’s talk priorities.
In business, Amber and I learned real quick that you have to focus on the people right in front of you. It’s easy to get caught up in marketing to grow your business. But people who are already coming deserve your attention and intention. It’s an art that’s never mastered. Invite outsiders, but nurture insiders more.
Also, it’s real easy to get caught up in “doing” because you think you are doing work for the Kingdom and it’s all about growth—all the while your family is getting neglected on the back burner.
- Priority number 1: family first. We must be a group that pushes each other to meet the needs of our families first. Story of Charles Stanley getting divorced.
- Priority number 2: there are needs within your walls that should be addressed first. Quote from John MacArther about his church for the first three years, “Nothing was really happening but I look back and realize God was uniting and strengthening the core, then he started to add, and we were ready.”
Today’s Main passage
The early church experienced internal conflict. One group of Christians complained that their widows were not experiencing the same treatment as another group of Christian widows, both within the same church body who was now joined together. The leaders (the original 12 apostles) delegated the responsibility so they could stick to their gifts of prayer and ministry, and let others use their gifts to serve the basic needs of daily distributions.
Before we get to Acts 6, here’s the context leading up to this point:
- We’re about a year into the church start up.
- Early in Acts 1 we see 120 in the upper room. Who do they wait on? The Holy Spirit.
- Peter then gives the first church sermon. Explosion begins.
- Who adds? “The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:47
- Oh, but don’t worry. The author of Acts, Luke, does not sugar coat. He doesn’t only give you the highlight reel of amazing worship, production-filled service, 100’s of baptisms, and dynamic speaking. He gives you the for real for real! He lays out the persecution. (External attacks). And then he lays out some serious internal attacks….
- Do you know the crazy story of the two who die when they lie to the Holy Spirit in Acts 5? The Lord works through Peter and drops them dead on the spot. God subtracts Annanias and Sapphira.
- And then he takes us into Acts 6 with an internal church complaint. Among Christians. Under the guidance of the most influential Christians who ever walked the face of this earth!
READ ACTS 6:1-7
What do we see?
#1. No church is perfect because humans are imperfect.
Unlike other organizations though, we are a Spiritual organism! Who is the Head? Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:20-23 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Therefore let’s look at our leader:
- He came not to be served but to serve as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28
- And he washes his disciple’s feet telling them, John 13: 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
- So if in the least bit we follow Christ’s example, serve each other, get rid of the student is greater than the teacher mentality., we will be blessed.
#2. God appoints leaders.
- The Apostles were called into prayer and ministry. They stayed focused on their calling and instead of attending to a new service project, they delegate to others to use their gifts, skills, and calling to fulfill that responsibility.
- They said “it would not be right” to leave their calling. MASSIVE prayer, and teaching the WORD.
- They look for the character qualities in the new seven servers: mainly “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.”
- They were wise to let the complaining group also become the problem solvers.
- “The proposal pleased the whole group.”
#3. Operating within your gifting matters.
- The leaders of a ministry will get behind others to support them in their giftings.
- All gifts matter: 1 Corinthians 12:21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
#4. Conflict will happen, how you handle it is critical.
- God adds and subtracts, who divides? The enemy.
- We cannot let dissension happen. When a complaint arises, we don’t assume and build up. We address and healthily get solution-focused.
- If we are a relentlessly praying, Word-devouring, confessional body, we will ward off any divisive tactics.
- What do we know? We are unified by One spirit, One baptism, One faith, One Lord, One Father, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4
- “The early church had problems but, according to Acts, it also had leaders who moved swiftly to ward off corruption and find solutions to internal conflicts, supported by people who listened to each other with open minds and responded with good will.”
RECAP:
When we submit to the head of the church…
When we operate out of a service oriented mindset…
When we ask what can we do instead of what can others do…
When we strengthen inwardly by operating within our gifts…
Who then multiplies? God.
- Acts 6:7 “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”
Action step: we should unofficially officially appoint Elders.
- Read Acts 20:17, From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
- Acts 20:28, Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,[a] which he bought with his own blood.[b] 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
- 1 Timothy 3:1-13, 3 Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full[a] respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
- Titus 1:5-9, 5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint[a] elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe[b] and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.