Sermon Tone Analysis

Public Reading of Scripture [Acts 6:1-7]

Pray

Introduction of Theme

God is pleased when His Church grows.

God is not against Church growth.

Instead, it is God who gives growth to His Church!

In terms of depth and maturity but also numbers.

When God’s Church grows, it is because God is at work!

How is God at work in the growing of His Church?

How does the book of Acts present God at work in the growing of His Church?

God is at work in the growing of His Church through the ministry of His Spirit and His Word.

Introduction

Twice God is mentioned in Acts 6:1-7, and both mentions of God are in association with His word.

Acts 6:2 — “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God”

Acts 6:7 — “the word of God continued to increase”

Something was competing with the ministry of God’s word.

Something that threatened to hinder the growth of the early Church.

But in the end, the word of God continued to increase!

In the end, God said “Amen” to a prioritizing of His word and caused His Word to spread.

And as His Word spread, the number of disciples increased greatly!

And even a large number of priests began obeying the faith!

The Church growth model that God always blesses, is the one that does not compromise, distract or devalue the priority and essentiality of the ministry of His word!

May we never be a church that says: “Word and Spirit have I none, but what I have I give to you, in the name of aimless programs, baseless experiences, and purposeless events — rise and walk!” (See Acts 3:6).

No work of the church is healing and life-giving unless it proceeds forth in the power of God’s Spirit and Word!

And a devotion to the ministry of God’s word takes just that…devotion!

It takes intense effort and persistence!

So many things compete for our time and attention that if the Word of God is not fought for as a priority then we become like a massive ocean liner being pulled in various directions by small tug boats, rather than being propelled by the power of our own engine!

Our adversary doesn’t have to reach far to stunt our growth in the Lord.

He only needs to throw a few emergencies, or urgencies in the way that will turn our time, attention and devotion away from God’s word.

As it applies to a local church, the adversary only has to steer the time and attention of those who minister or support God’s word away from their office, gifting and calling to render a local church powerless.

You may wonder: “How much time do I spend studying and preparing a sermon?”

My answer will always be the same — “It feels like never enough!”

It is easy to be pulled in many different directions and if I’m not careful, and if I don’t prioritize what is important, I can easily find myself on a Saturday night writing what preachers call a “Saturday night special.”

This was the sentiment the apostles were experiencing in Acts 6.

They had a problem.

A problem that threatened to hinder or even stop the growth of the Church because it was causing the ministry of the word of God to be neglected for other urgent needs

And that problem wasn’t persecution!

The Apostles in Acts 5 had been arrested, threatened, and beaten and that didn’t stop them from preaching, it encouraged them to preach Jesus all the more!

The problem the apostles faced in Acts 6 was a hidden threat.

That of distraction.

It is as economists would call it, the “law of diminishing returns.”

It is that point where the the benefits gained becomes less than the amount invested (Oxford).

Meaning, as the apostles took on more responsibilities, there came a point when their ministry was no longer as effective, and the spread of the Gospel was in jeopardy of being hindered.

Put another way, it is where urgent and pressing needs take more attention from what is important and essential.

It is where the needs become too many for the few workers to handle.

It is where growth itself becomes a problem, and adjustments have to be made.

I.

The Problem

The “days” referred to here are when the “disciples were increasing in number.”

When “the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul” (Acts 4:32).

When “there was not a needy person among them (Acts 4:34).

When the apostles were performing many signs and wonders among the people regularly (Acts 5:12).

When “more than ever” believers were being added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women (Acts 5:14).

In “these days” of prosperity a complaint arose.

Prosperity is not a protection from problems!

Prosperity virtually guarantees there will be problems!

It is from this perfect fellowship and unity of the early church, a complaint arises because a need is not being met.

That word “complaint” means to murmur.

It is a grumbling.

This wasn’t the formal lodging of a complaint and dropping it in a collection box.

It was “behind the scenes talk” in “a low tone of voice” (BDAG).

It’s the sound of a small rumble of tremors that precedes a large earthquake!

This is what the people of Israel did when they complained against Moses when they had nothing to eat in the desert after being delivered from Egypt (Exodus 16).

This is what Paul warns against in Philippians 2:14 when he writes:

Grumblings or complaints of this nature destroy fellowship from within, and distract from mission.

The Hellenists and Hebrews were both Jewish, but the Hellenists spoke Greek, and the Hebrews spoke Hebrew & Aramaic.

The Hellenists were influenced by Greek culture and Greek thinking.

The Hebrews were influenced by Hebraic culture and Hebraic thinking.

A division springs up in the church — a division of language and even culture.

As the apostles distribute what has been donated to any who had need, the Hellenists begin to grumble that their widows are being neglected, or overlooked in this daily distribution.

That word “distribution” is the word (διακονία) and is the same word for “service” or “ministry.”

This was a service, or ministry the apostles were involved in, but they couldn’t keep up with the numbers and demand, and some grumbled that certain widows were being overlooked.

These murmurings threatened the unity of the fellowship of believers, and it threatened their testimony .

II.

The Proposed Solution

This problem became a congregational matter.

The “full number of the disciples” were summoned.

The solution is not to be found with the few, but with the many!

God has well supplied and equipped His Church to meet the needs from within.

The apostles recognize they have limits!

And this recognition is a blessing from God!

For if the apostles had not recognized their limits, then the Great Commission could never be accomplished!

The good news about Jesus could never spread to all the earth!

The church would be doomed to burnout and failure only 6 chapters in!

God gives the apostles and disciples grace to prioritize and organize.

“It is not right (desirable) that we should give up (neglect) the word of God to serve tables.”

Two services emerge: A service to the eternal word of God, and a service to the temporal needs of the community.

The service of the word is food for the soul, the service of tables is food for the body.

Both are important.

Both are not to be neglected.

Both work together to enable the disciples to glorify God and enjoy Him and to be on mission in the world.

So the congregation of the disciples is given an assignment from the apostles.

They are to pick out seven men, whom the apostles will then appoint to meed the need.

There are four qualifications mentioned for these men:

First, they were to be selected “from among you.”

These were not to be men from outside the fellowship brought in to serve, but were to be disciples of Jesus themselves, men in the faith, fellow believers.

Second, these were to be “men of good repute.”

That word “repute” is the same word for “witness, or testimony.”

They were to have a good testimony - to be well spoken of.

Third, these men were to be “full of the Spirit.”