Sunday Aug. 17, 2008

Acts_6
8/17/08
“Growing Pains”

Pray for the guys coming home from float trip.
Acts_6
I. Growing Pains
Acts 6:1-7 (NKJV)
1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.
3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
A. We see the early church organized itself as need to do so arose.
1. The problem:
a. The complaint:
(1) Murmuring by Hellenists against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected (overlooked) in the daily distribution (alms or food probably food).
(a) The Hellenists were Jews born outside of Palestine and had more contact with Greeks than the typical Hebrew and were often looked down on by those born in Palestine.
(b) This was probably not intentional, but carelessness (we see that the solution was readily accepted and embraced).
b. The Church is growing, with growth comes birth pains.
(1) More people probably means less overall intimacy...
(a) Satan will attempt to destroy true unity
(b) Clicks verses Close Bonds
c. The apostles were trying to do too much; this is a common problem in ministry.
(1) Trying to do too much makes you ineffective.
(2) The apostles recognized their primary call was to study and teach the word of God and they had become distracted in their ability to do that.

(a) Guarding your primary call so as not to get distracted is an important lesson, and there is often a need to make adjustments as you go along in order to accomplish this.
(3) Learning to delegate.
(a) Watching for those who are faithful in small things.
2. Their response was to appoint seven faithful men (Holy Spirit filled). (Two who will stand out and we encounter again).
a. While they are not called Deacons here, most agree that this is the office they fulfilled and where the office originated.
(1) Serve - diakoneo /dee·ak·on·eh·o
b. Men who were filled with the Holy Spirit and had wisdom...
c. The decision pleased the whole multitude which is unusual and a testimony as to where their hearts were.
(1) Blessed are the flexible...
(2) Embracing the change, not looking for their “own way” or exerting selfish power.
(a) Murmuring stopped rather than started in a new direction or increasing in the old direction.
d. This allowed the church to grow and the Word of God to spread.
B. Faithfulness in little things often leads to greater things.
Luke 16:10-12 (NKJV)
10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?
II. So we see Stephen emerges to greater things from his faithfulness at serving tables.
Acts 6:8-15 (NKJV)
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.
9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council.
13 They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law;
14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”
15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
A. As we read about Stephen we see the Holy Spirit of God at work in his life.
1. He is a man of faith and in whom the power of God is at work, evidence of his relationship with God, that God's hand is on him to serve.
2. He was a man skilled in the word of God.
a. He knew how to contend for the faith, as we are told here and shall see in ch-7.
(1) Look at 2nd Timothy 2 (attributes that were true of Stephen).
(a) Paul instructs a young pastor named Timothy
2 Timothy 2:1-2 (NKJV)
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
i) 2 Timothy is a Pastoral epistle and Paul is writing instructions to Timothy with a focus on effective ministry, and here are some key characteristics.
(1) Faithful stewardship of truth as it has been taught, to guard it and to pass it along.
(2) Enduring hardship as a soldier
2 Timothy 2:3-4 (NKJV)
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

1. Training and preparation
a. The training never stops if you want effective soldiers.
2. Obedience to command is critical.
a. Discipline is often a hardship but is a key ingredient to effective
warfare.
3. Extreme conditions
4. Away from comforts of home
5. Facing an enemy seeking your destruction
a. Struggling against opposition.
b. Courage in the face of fear.
6. This kind of estrangement from the ordinary routines of life require a
singleness of purpose, a clear objective.
a. Defeating the enemy
b. Motivation - love of God: Love of king, love of country, love of
family (loving what is right truth, justice, and the ways of God)
(3) An Athlete
2 Timothy 2:5 (NKJV)
5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

Obeying the rules (involves discipline, self-control)
Dedication and commitment are required to excel in any athletic endeavor
and oh what a difference heart can make...
(4) A Farmer
2 Timothy 2:6-7 (NKJV)
6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.
7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

1. Hard work (This is the emphasis)
2. Patience
3. Dependence upon God
4. Disappointment; there are often disappointments in farming, and so is the case in ministry.
(5) An Approved Workman
2 Timothy 2:14-18 (NKJV)
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Remind them (be strong in grace)
2. He exhorts that they be taught not to strive over word's to no profit, that is
not to twist the word of God around and make it say what you want it to
say, or simply to win arguments.
3. Rather an approved workman is diligent to know and handle God's word in a straight forward manner, cutting a path for others to follow if you will.
4. Shun, literally "stand above" idle babblings, unholy or evil discussions which increase more ungodliness, like cancer that spreads and Paul names two who have failed to do this and have ruined the faith of others in the process.
(a) I would also suggest to you that when we as Christians see our desperate need to study and feed on God's word regularly the whole texture of our walk changes we move on to becoming vessels of honor and gentle servants.
(6) Vessels of Honor
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.
21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
(7) Gentle Servants
2 Timothy 2:23-26 (NKJV)
23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
(a) Christ likeness is the ultimate characteristic.
(b) I believe we see all of these characteristics in Stephen.
i) And these are characteristics that should mark your life and mine.
ii) They are characteristics worth aiming for. (But they don’t just happen)
Hebrews 5:12-14 (NKJV)
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

B. There were people disputing with Stephen (one of the seven men appointed to serve tables) from the synagogue of the freedmen.
1. We really don't know who these freedmen were.
2. Here is what we do know.
a. They could not win a debate against him because of the Spirit in him.
b. So they set up a false witness against him and instigated his arrest.
(1) Stephen is standing before the Sanhedrin, the charge against him is found in 6:13,14.
Acts 6:13-14 (NKJV)
13 They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law;
14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”
(a) It is a false charge, to which he will give an answer in chapter-7 in the form of a sermon and what a sermon it is.
i) More on that and the outcome next time.
Suffice it to say if we serve the Lord and we have something from Him to say we will meet opposition!
c. And all who sat on the council saw his face as an angel that is the glory of God was visibly upon him.
(1) That is to say, the glory of God is shining through him!
III. Wrap-Up
A. Unity in the church is always under attack, guard against dividing for the wrong things...
B. Growth and change are hard but be a part of the solution; don't add to the problem (key is to walk in the Spirit...)
C. Being faithful in small things allows growth and brings greater opportunities for service....
D. Is there enough evidence in our lives to bring accusation and to convict you of being a Christian?