Turning Your Problems into Opportunities Message 10
Upon this Rock: The first days of the church • Sermon • Submitted
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Upon this Rock
The first days of the church
Message 10
Turning Your Problems into Opportunities
Turning Your Problems into Opportunities
Acts 6:1-7
Me:
Growing pains
Growing pains
a. I had these as a kid
i. My mother would massage my legs
b. A business can have growing pains (6 most damaging grow pains)
i. Too little time
ii. Constantly putting out fires
iii. Lack of direction
iv. Working in a bubble (That’s not my job)
v. Too few good managers
vi. Unproductive meetings
c. You could say that about a church
i. You could even say that about this first church
ii. They turned a problem into an opportunity
We:
Seeing things through God’s eyes.
Seeing things through God’s eyes.
a. The pessimist
i. They see a difficulty in every opportunity
ii. I confess I see a mountain of packages as long day
iii. I see problems in the church negatively
b. God see it differently
i. Every difficulty as an opportunity
ii. This is not some pop psychology
iii. We are going to see today those difficulties are just opportunities in reverse—if we see them through the eyes of God.
iv. And you’re going to find out that every difficulty that came to that early church was used of God as a springboard just to cause them to grow all the more for the Lord Jesus Christ.
v. Underline SPRINGBOARD
God:
Turning Your Problems into Opportunities
Turning Your Problems into Opportunities
(I’ll give you 3) (springboards)
Where There Is Life, There Is Growth
Where There Is Life, There Is Growth
1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
Quote: A church will glow and grow, or it will dry and die. It will evangelize, or it will fossilize.
Quote: A church will glow and grow, or it will dry and die. It will evangelize, or it will fossilize.
iii. Growth is not easy
iv. Growth is not automatic
v. You have to plan for it, you have to pray for it, you have to work for it.
vi. But it is God that gives the increase
vii. God gave to this church and God will give it to ours.
Where There Is Growth, There Are Problems
Where There Is Growth, There Are Problems
1 But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.
ii. Oh boy
iii. Another translation says there were “murmurings”
iv. Nothing worse than murmuring (complaining)
v. But you can sympathize with those being neglected
vi. Here’s a biblical principle
1. When God wants to multiply, the devil wants to divide.
2. Let me warn you about murmuring or complaining
3. Don’t do it
14 Do everything without complaining and arguing,
vii. Remember it’s not your preference it’s your surrender
Where There Are Problems, There Are Solutions
Where There Are Problems, There Are Solutions
i. I had rather be a part of a growing church with problems than a dead church that has none.
2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.
3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.
iii. What a great solution
iv. Here’s the action we as Grace Church need to take
Action step:
Two basic ministries of the church.
Two basic ministries of the church.
The Scriptural Ministry of “Feeding the Word”
The Scriptural Ministry of “Feeding the Word”
4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”
ii. The time it would take to wait on tables would cause me to neglect my study in the word.
iii. My main job as your pastor is to disciple you.
iv. I’m not just being snarky when I tell you are in charge.
1. Always know this also that I am there to help and offer advice
v. This is just not my ministry either
vi. God has gifted some in this room and listening online are called to be teachers and you are neglecting that calling
The Practical Ministry of “Serving Tables”
The Practical Ministry of “Serving Tables”
3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.
ii. Yes, this refers to the ministry of deacons
iii. But there is a principle here that applies to your Christian walk.
iv. We all can serve – find your area of service
v. It’s my job to help you discover what that is.
vi. Don’t sit and soak
Just Imagine:
Where There Is a God-Given Solution, There Is Even Greater Growth
Where There Is a God-Given Solution, There Is Even Greater Growth
a. Check out verse 7
7 So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
b. Just imagine that when our problems arise…
i. Do we complain? Do we argue?
ii. Or we pray seek God’s guidance
iii. Find the solution – Take action
iv. Experience God
v. Experience the gospel – see people saved.