The Serving Church

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly instigated men who said, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and they set up false witnesses who said, "This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us." And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Acts 6:1‭-‬15 ESV

The pervasive posture of service

There are threats both inside and outside the church. There was internal hypocrisy. Today's passage addresses the growing pains of the church. There was a tension between the Hellenist widows and the Jewish windows. The Hellenists were like the immigrants of the Jews who lived in Greek areas rather than the Holy Land. They acted and thought more like Greeks than Hebrews. They felt like the widows of this minority group of believers were being being treated as less than their peers.

So what happened? The apostles held a congregational meeting. They called for the appointment of godly men to serve this important need. The apostles decided that the need exceeded their ability to serve the widows without impacting their serving in prayer and the word.

A particular concern for the most vulnerable and needy

Serving the needy is important. We are saved by faith in Christ. However, tangible service of those in need is evidence of saving faith. A saving faith is always accompanied by good works. It never comes alone. Someone who does not love those in need does not know the love of God. Now priority goes to those in the church, but it is not limited to just those who believe.

Prioritizing both prongs of service

Pray for your pastors. Pray for your diaconate. Pray that we, as pastors, keep our focus on the word. To devote ourselves to the Word, preaching, and teaching. Pray that we are mindful that we do not get too caught up in deeds and forget/neglect the need for the Word and biblical truth.

It is easy to serve material needs in this day and age. But we must boldly witness as well. They must first know that we care. But we cannot stop there, they must eventually know why we care. So where does this drive come from? Not from our personal willpower. It comes from sitting at the feet of Jesus. From seeing His love and care of us, we are empowered and motivated to love, serve, and witness those around us.

Prayer for Boldness

When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, "'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed'— for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. - Acts 4:23‭-‬37 ESV

Rev. Dan Whang

We often think of blessing as getting good grades, finding a close parking spot, or having our sports team go on a winning streak. But the early church saw blessing as the expansion of the kingdom. And they only experienced this through prayer.

Prayer is Connected to the church

The apostles were threatened for speaking of Jesus. Peter and John were told not to speak of Jesus. After they were released, they went to their friends. This circle of friends were there to encourage and help them on their mission. So immediately after hearing of the circumstances, they started to pray. This is the church. No hesitation. Is that how we react to trouble and discouragement?

Persecution unifies the members of a church. Trials and trouble should bring forth a response of prayer. Sometimes, we just need to open up and let people know about our struggles.

Prayer is Shaped by the scriptures

Their prayers were informed by Scripture. They saw God as sovereign and powerful. This was more than just meditation and a quiet length of time. God is the maker of heaven and Earth.

Prayer is Driven by missions

The apostles were focused on the mission. There is no request for protection. They ask for boldness. The focus is on God and the kingdom rather than themselves. They endured jail, beatings, and all sorts of trouble for the kingdom of God. How do we pray through trials and difficulties? Do we ask for strength or the removal of the troubles?

Outward facing Gospel

How can we be better tools of the Gospel?

Eight ministry principles

These apply to your life and to ministry.
They are basic biblical concepts. Each Sunday, I preach the same message from a different part of the Bible. Our church is not there yet. I'm not there yet.

Love your neighbor

Loving your neighbor along with loving God is fulfilling the will of God for your life. It may seem overly simplistic, feel free to take it up with God. But we don't do this, hence the need for salvation. Love is the sacrifice of commitment or the commitment to sacrifice. Love is the call of the church.

Know your neighbor

To love presumes that we must first know the other person. We must know the other person deeply. We should know each other's sins and struggles. This applies firstly to those in the church then those of the world. Love your family and the family of God... And love those who are unlike us. Without favoritism. Who do you love without favoritism? Who do we love without categorizing them? Do we love them because they are images of God?

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1:19‭-‬20 ESV

We need to listen to those we are trying to love. God may desire us to be ears rather than God's mouth. Job's friends listened for seven days and nights because of his great suffering.

God works through the community of God as He works in the community of God

How are we relevant in the work of God? We are sinners. Both inside and outside of the church. But our sins are forgiven, so we can be broken in our sin as we work among sinners. God works through this.

God super-intends our plans

God is sovereign. He is in control. We can plan, but God determines the outcome. Our trust should not be in our plans, but rather on God.

We are His instruments, but we are in His hands. The Holy Spirit moves as it wishes. So we should lightly hold onto our own plans and outcomes.

There are different responses to the Gospel

We should expect different outcomes to sharing the Gospel. Mockery. They mock the cross and the preaching of the Word. Sometimes, they is interest and curiosity. And then there are those who believe. God promises salvation of some.

What is our expectation and reaction to other people's reactions? Do we pin our hopes on their immediate reaction? Do we take their rejection of Jesus as a personal rejection?

There's more power in we than me

Each member of the body is dependent upon each member of the body. There is interdependent relationships within the church.

There's power of God is in the gospel

The power is not in persuasive ability. The same power that created the world is in the Gospel. The same power that raised Jesus from death to life. For those who are in Christ Jesus, they stand in the grace of God. There are no exceptions.

Remember the power of prayer

We need to know that prayer is work. Thessalonians 5:17 says to pray without ceasing. We are to be walking in constant communion with Christ. Prayer is our response to the Gospel. The basis of prayer is our security in God through Christ.

Gospel Opposition

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, saying, "What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name." So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old. When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, "'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed'— for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. - Acts 4:1‭-‬37 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The offensiveness of the Gospel

In the pluralistic world of the Romans, the message of the Gospel is offensive. The exclusivity of salvation by Christ alone against the backdrop of the many gods and religions can bring forth opposition. Today, tolerance is accepting all positions and all opinions. Rather than agreeing to disagree, there is no longer an option for this in some circles here in America.

Commit to Gospel proclamation

Whenever and wherever, we must see the opportunities to share the gospel. Rather than fearing prosecution and judgement, we must look proactively for openings to witness about Jesus. Not to say that many will accept and repent, actually many will reject and rebuff it. But God will save and convict, we need not fear; the Spirit will move. We need boldness in witness. We will get hit when we share and witness. That is a given.

Faithfulness to the ministry of deed

The teachers of the law wanted to discredit the apostles. But they could not. The people were with the apostles because of the healing of this lame man. So we, the church, must be faithful to serving the poor, helping the hurting, and loving their enemies. It does not suppress the opposition, but it lends credibility to the Gospel. It wins us a hearing. More than only a verbal essay, we must live a life than expresses the grace, love, and mercy we have received in Christ.