Serving
Notes
Transcript
Intro: Roots are necessary for the growth of a plant. While there are a few plants that put down one major root and just a few minor roots off of that, say a carrot, a radish, a turnip or a dandelion to name a few; what we are looking at in the roots of the church is more like the roots of a tall tree, a tomato plant, or a corn stalk in which there are many roots going down and out. If you have ever gardened, you’ll understand the difference between the two and the reason behind them as well. A radish for example only grows a few inches tall above the ground with the big part below the ground; while a tomato will grow a couple of feet tall an widen out a bit and then put on heavy fruit to the sides of the center branch. Of course a gardener can plant a tree that is supposed to get very large in a pot and stymie the growth of the tree by limiting it’s root potential, and if we are not careful that can happen to the church as well.
Last week we looked at the root of giving, by looking at the church in Jerusalem from the book of acts, noting that we cannot say that we are supposed to give in ways that look exactly like the early church, rather we were to see how we can make the transition to our modern situation – descriptive verses prescriptive. This week is no different, Luke is not telling us exactly how to serve but rather showing us how the early church served. In many ways this is a root that is greater for the church than giving, and we look at it second only because it came second in the narrative that Luke recorded for Theophilus and since it was preserved for us. To look at this root we will be in Acts 6 this morning, beginning with verse 1. Acts 6:1-7
Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.
So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.
“Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
“But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.
And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.
The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Lest we think the early church was perfect, Luke makes sure to include some of her flaws, as he does here in describing service, and that is where we will begin this morning.
I. The Mistakes of the Early Church
I. The Mistakes of the Early Church
A. Overlooking the Hellenistic widows
1. Not neglecting to serve them
2. Not noticing them
a. Not as much direct contact?
b. Lived in different parts of town?
3. It is believed that the Hellenistic widows might have been in greater numbers or greater need, possibly because they had moved with their husbands back to the area of Jerusalem later in life so that they would die and be buried in the Land of Promise. So when their husbands died, there was no one to look after their needs.
a. Synagogue of the Freemen
b. Not the same interaction within the church?
B. Unreal expectations
1. From the Apostles
2. From the church
3. Expecting the Apostles to do everything
4. Paul’s question in 1 Cor 12:17
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
Trans – While the problems of the early church might not be the exact issues that a modern church faces, we can learn from the early church as Luke gives us a description of how they handled the situation,
II. The Solution of the Early Church
II. The Solution of the Early Church
A. Discuss the issue
1. Church brought up the issue
2. Apostles offered a suggestion
3. All were in agreement
B. Readjust Expectations
1. Free the Apostles to
a. Preach
b. Pray
2. Appointed 7
a. Possibly all Hellenists
b. Possibly taken from Moses’ 70 (Ex. 18:13-27)
c. Seek out the need
d. Meet the needs appropriately
III. The Results
III. The Results
A. The Leadership was able to focus on their tasks
B. The Needs were met
C. The Church grew!
IV. Appropriation for today
IV. Appropriation for today
A. 1 or two people cannot do everything
B. They must not have this desire
C. The church must not let them
D. Doing so stymies the church – like putting a plant in a pot that is too small for its root system.
E. Everyone must do their part. 1 Cor 12:18
But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
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