Acts 6 (Click title for audio access)
"Stephen..." • 7.10.11 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- Being that I have 4 children under the age of 10, I have become a huge fan of animated movies. Near or at the top of my top 5 is "The Incredibles," a movie about domesticated super heros.
- In the opening scene, there is an interview with Mr. Incredible, who summarizes the super hero experience.
˚ "No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again. It makes me feel like the maid: "I just cleaned up this place! Can we keep it clean for, for 10 minutes!" Bob Incredible
- That is exactly how I feel when it comes to studying the church here in the book of Acts.
- As soon as we turn the page from chapter 5 into chapter 6, we discover another issue that came up against the first church.
- There has been persecution in the form of arrest and torture. Then there was hypocrisy. Today, we'll look at two new enemies that rear their heads.
- Before I show them to you, I remind us that God has preserved His Word for our benefit, so that we might learn from the experiences of others, without having to experience it ourselves.
- I pray that the Lord would give us wisdom as we proceed through this chapter today.
Text
• Acts 6:1 : "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." : We have noted, specifically from chapter 5, that needs were met by the generosity of the church body.
- The body benevolently sold possessions to help others who were in need, including women whose husbands had died and whose grown children had left.
- In chapter 5, we saw that when a possession was sold, the proceeds were brought to the feet of the Apostle's. They were in charge of distributing as people had need.
- That worked well for a while, but multiplication makes things difficult. As the people multiplied, that need obviously grew to the point where the people began to fall through the cracks.
- This is where things began to be an issue. Most of the church body was made up of Hebrews, meaning that they sought a live a lifestyle conforming to Jewish practice.
- These people spoke Aramaic, read the Torah in Hebrew and dressed in traditional clothing.
- All of that was fine, except that the church was beginning to diversify.
- The church was expanding beyond Hebrews, to contain Hellenists, who were also Jews, but were not seeking to be confined to the Jewish lifestyle.
- The term "Hellenized" has nothing to do with Hell! The word represents a cultural shift.
- These Jewish people, most of whom were born outside of Israel, sought to adapt themselves to Greek ideas of life and thought.
- These people spoke Greek, read the Torah/Old Testament in Greek, known as the Septuagint, and they dressed like the world around them. Imagine the tensions that created.
- Some Hebrews were thinking about their faithfulness to doing life God's way, being totally separated from the world, while the Hellenists saw themselves as integrated with the world.
- Putting groups together with different ideologies and lifestyles is begging for problems! But that is the church! Imagine a place where no two are exactly alike! Don't! Just look around!
- For the people on the page, this was part of their preparation for what was coming next!
- The word translated "complaint" comes from the same word for "murmuring" and is the same word that was used to describe the sound of the Hebrews in the desert.
- Imagine millions of whisperers, whispering themselves into a frenzy of discontent. Murmur.
- There is very little that is more dangerous to a church than discontented dissension.
- At the very least, there was a perceived favoritism toward Hebrew believers, as the Hellenistic widows were overlooked. The real problem was more likely over taxation of the leaders.
• Acts 6:2-4 : "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. 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; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.'" : Notice several pieces of the church here. First, there is an order of authority.
- The complaint rose to the ears of the twelve Apostles, who then summoned the disciples. There is authority and a chain of command.
- There is also an understanding of limitations. The Apostles communicated that it wasn't a good idea that they leave their position to assume another.
- It was not fitting or appropriate for the Apostles to leave the Word of God and perform the tasks of a deacon. That is the word that is used for serving tables.
- It was not appropriate or fitting for who? For the disciples? For the people? Both!
- Their statement is not an arrogant dismissal of a servile act that was beneath them. Serving tables was not not important. In fact, because of it importance, it was important to do it right!
- The Apostles were unable to keep pace with the growing demands of the church. They could not maintain the balance that they had been able to up to this point.
- In short, they were no longer able to do the job well because of their main obligation.
- As a result, they are aware of the need for replication. There must be more servants beside themselves. It cannot all happen if they have to be involved in all things!
- The young church will die if everything has to go through the Apostles! By the time they get around to everything, nothing will be done well and nobody will be around to watch it!
- You will notice thirdly that they delegate responsibility. The disciples are instructed to seek out seven men. The key is the word "seek out." The word means to "investigate" or "examine."
- This was not going to happen without appropriate knowledge of the person. Do they have a personality that is conducive to this work? That takes investigation.
- These men were not to be men who could fog a mirror and had large hands for carrying burdens! Upon investigation, there needed to be these certain minimal qualities.
- First, they were to have a good reputation. These are to be men who are well respected, men who are well spoken of. Whenever you talk about them, there is nothing but good to report.
- Second, they are to full of the Holy Spirit. They are to be gifted in the same way as the Apostles, operating in and seeking to fully come under the power of the Holy Spirit.
- But wait, you might ask, why do you need the Holy Spirit to distribute food and money to people? Can't you just show up and be a warm body, put on a smile and give out the food?
- This shows you what importance each place in the body has. There is not a position available where there is not a need for the filling of God's Holy Spirit.
- You need His Spirit to be sensitive to more than just a manifested need. What is He saying to you about this person's deeper needs? What comfort do they need? What encouragement?
- Only the Holy Spirit can dispense that kind of knowledge to a person!
- Finally, they were to be men full of wisdom. Wisdom is applied knowledge, knowing about life and how to live it properly as a Christian person. These were indispensable minimum qualities.
- While this was appointed to these men, the Apostles thankfully, stuck with prayer and the ministry of the Word! They gave themselves to these things!
- What did that yield? Only the very book that we hold in our hands today! The Apostles chose the priority that would yield the greatest impact!
• Acts 6:5,6 : "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, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them." : And the crowd heard what the Apostles said and groaned with disbelief! "These guys are too good for that eh!?"
- Nope. This saying pleased the entire multitude. That might be one of the greater unacknowleged miracles! It was agreeable to all of them.
- Things got even better, as the men that were chosen were all Hellenized Jews. Every one of the names is of Greek descent. This is the original Grecian Formula!
- The first man is the man that Luke will focus on for the rest of this chapter and into the next.
- He is Stephen, a man who was full of faith and the Holy Spirit! Stephen was a brother whose faith spoke loudly, which we'll see more of next week.
- Phillip we'll see more of soon. The rest of these men are virtually unknown, except for certain church traditions. For example, Prochorus was supposedly the first church choir leader.
- Nicanor led the first Christian recovery group. Timon, with his friend Pumba, were known for never worrying! Parmenas subsidized some of the Apostle's salary with a special cheese he made!
- The only person that has a serious potential history was this last man, NIcolas, who some believe eventually led a cult group known as the Nicolaitans.
- In any event, these men were set before, submitted to the Apostles for their approval.
- Please notice that this was a position that the Apostles conferred authority in. Some believe that there are positions within the church that can be manned by just anyone.
- There are no insignificant members and there are no insignificant positions.
- The Apostles met them, prayed about them and then laid their hands on them, conferring upon them the authority to perform the tasks in front of them.
• Acts 6:7 : "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." : The word of God spread. The threat was multi pronged. Favoritism or the accusation of it could have crippled the church.
- Additionally, and more nefarious, the Apostles could have neglected the word and sought a more social calling, meeting temporary needs, but minimizing the Word and prayer.
- That would have been a tragedy beyond words. We would most certainly not be here today.
- On the positive side, there was a re-affirmation of Apostolic duties and as a result, God's word spread. It's influence continued to increase throughout the church and the city.
- Additionally, this led to an increase in discipleship, as well as evangelistic pursuits. The Apostles are fulfilling their commission, applying the word of God into the lives of willing learners.
- Interestingly, God drew many priests to Himself. The early church converts were old, young, rich and poor. Now, we see religious people were being saved as well.
• Acts 6:8 : "And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people." : Two times that Stephen is mentioned and two times, he is said to be full of faith.
- Some newer manuscripts have this word translated "grace." Stephen fully and completely trusted himself unto and into God.
- It's that characteristic that lays the foundation for what he will be able to accomplish. His faith propelled him forward and made him thoroughly useful to the Lord.
- Would you pray that you'd be full of faith? Would God wish to put that same heart in you?
- In verse 5, he is said to be full of faith and the Holy Spirit. Now, in verse 8, he is identified as being full of faith or grace and power.
- Verse 5 speaks to the source, while verse 8 speaks to the result! His relationship to the Holy Spirit yielded power. We have seen that this is a power to righteousness and to witness.
- Here, it is the power to work. The Lord, through Stephen, did great wonders and signs.
- Now, please remember: This is a guy that had been brought in to the church in an official office relating to distributing food and handling money. Here he is doing great wonders and signs!
- "Wait man, that is not in your job description! Get back to those tables!"
- Here is why the Apostles had some minimal qualifications. They knew what would happen. People get involved in some capacity and then the gifts that they possess take center stage.
- He did not begin here, as a signs and wonders guy. He began simply to serve and God took him to another level.
- It's as if Stephen said, "My gifts are available to you" and God said, "And vice versa!"
- I'm amazed at people that I have known in the ministry, who just started with what they had, laid it at God's feet, and He did something that was incredibly different than when they started.
- It began with Stephen accepting a role that put him in a position to be used.
• Acts 6:9-11 : "Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, 'We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.'' : Stephen's gifting elevated his profile in the things of God. When that happens, you can rest assured that the enemy notices as well!
- It wasn't long before Stephen stood before a group, the Synagogue of the Freedmen. Many believe that this group was made up of men who had been slaves, but were now free.
- Literally, the name is Synagogue of the Libertines. This group represented Jews from each of these areas. At least two of these areas, Alexandria and Cilicia, were very sophisticated cities.
- Cilicia's main province was a place called "Tarsus," who claimed a very famous future Christian by the name of Paul!
- This group encountered Stephen and began disputing with him. Some believe that this was the Synagogue that Stephen had come out of.
- Imagine that after his conversion to Christianity, Stephen, full of evangelistic zeal, came back to speak to his synagogue brothers. When he did, it wasn't a very pleasant happening.
- They raised an argument or began a debate with him. Could Stephen had debated with Saul? In any case, it was useless, as they found themselves going against the Holy Spirit!
- It's frustrating to fight against God and yet people do. They think that they have some special pass and that their wisdom is greater than the Lord's.
- Then when you, the one who holds fast on the word of God, confront them, they just get frustrated. Some surrender, but most choose to find a new voice that agrees with them.
- This group became frustrated and wanted to get rid of Stephen, trumping up charges of blasphemy against him!
• Acts 6:12-14 : "And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. They also set up false witnesses who said, 'This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.'" : What is anyone supposed to say? The enemy never plays fair!
- The reward for being involved, letting your gifts shine and bring glory to God, is that you become a target of the enemy, who finds a way to put the pressure on!
- The beautiful thing about that is that God allows that pressure to bring out His best!
- The Libertines stirred up this group. They excited or roused them against Stephen, which brought him before the Sanhedrin.
- Unlike the previous chapter when the temple guards politely requested the Apostle's presence, this group violently dealt with Stephen, virtually throwing him before the council.
- Then they lied about the content of his preaching, accusing him of blasphemous words.
- The word "blasphemy" refers to insult. And you could insult a man's mother. Just don't insult the temple or Moses!
- Stephen had come to them with great love, speaking gently, but with conviction, that Jesus had forever changed the landscape! Jesus made believers His temple and fulfilled the law!
- Now, instead of coming to a place, you were to come to a person. That temple is just a building and the law is an instruction manual meant to lead you to Him!
- "What!? Change!? Why would God do that? Why are you insulting His house and His Word?"
- "I'm not! I'm telling you how He honored His Word by fulfilling it!"
- They didn't hear anything except for what they interpreted as blasphemy.
• Acts 6:15 : "And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel." The council heard the false charges and looked at him intently, looking for any clue as to his heart. Was He guilty?
- What they saw was a face that glowed like an angel. This could speak to a few things, such as his guiltless face or his kind disposition, loving these men even though they accused him.
- Others believe that God literally gave him a glowing face just like He had given Moses, which would have been ironic! The person that Stephen is supposedly blaspheming has a glow from Him!
- Whichever the case, Stephen, when pressed, showed the authenticity of his relationship to Christ, by acting like Christ! We'll get into what he said to them next week.
Conclusion
- As we close for the week, our church will not be immune from problems, created in part by our differences and the difficult challenges of growth.
- God's answer to man's problems is other men and women, who will use the gifts that He's given them, to benefit the church. But know this: He always intends to do more!
- That might lead you places that you never would have imagined going. The beauty is that He brings you there to show the world that He's still alive and very real.
- It all begins now with this question: What are you going to do about it?
No comments:
Post a Comment