Acts 6:1-7

““Choosing the Seven”Choosing the Seven”

“Division in the Body of Christ”

Introduction. Acts 6:1-7• In our study of Acts 5, we saw

four important events:– The deception of Ananias and

Sapphira.– Miracles were used to confirm

the words of the apostles. – The angel of the Lord delivered

the apostles from prison. – Gamaliel’s wise advice regarding dealing with the

apostles .

Introduction

• Up to this point the twelve Apostles have had the full responsibility of the leadership of the

church.• Although the number of members added to the church has increased rapidly. The church

has not expanded beyond Jerusalem and has NOT needed more LEADERS.

• But with the events recorded in this chapter, that situation will change.

Review of chapter 5• A vibrant community empowered A vibrant community empowered

by the Holy Spirit indwelling their by the Holy Spirit indwelling their liveslives

God strengthened his people to resist

and persevere

God moved with powerful discipline

The religious rulers began to persecute the

churchHypocrisy began to develop within the community

Review of chapter 5• A vibrant community empowered by the

Holy Spirit indwelling their lives

A third attack to render them A third attack to render them ineffective =ineffective =

Internal divisionInternal division

Acts 6:1-8; - Division• 1-Now at this time while the disciples

were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native

Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving

of food.

Cultural differences began to create a rift in this community that had grown so close

What is Division?

• Two Types of division

Acts 6:1-8; Division

Passive Division- Disengaged from healthy relationships.

No outward hostility, but unwilling to invest deeply in relationships.

Active Division- Members are actively divided against each other in

bitterness or suspicion

Acts 6:1-8; - DivisionWhat Division Isn’t

• Dissention- Issue oriented conflict, or differences of

opinion• Organizational diversity-

Differences in approaches to Christ’s work can be good

Acts 6:1-8; - DivisionEffects of Division

• Koinonia (sharing) is lost- • Bitter gossip and rivalries

• Witness of the church is lost• Potential devastation

Matt 12:25 “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house

divided against itself shall not stand”

Acts 6:1-11; - DivisionDanger Signs of Division

• Offenses and annoyances prominent

• A focus on the negative aspects of others

• Increasing suspicion of others’ motives

• Aversion to, or disinterest in being around other members

• Do we see the same kinds of divisions

today?• What can we do about it?

Acts 6:1; DISCUSSION QUESTION:

What we must strive to ACHIEVE

A Unified GroupA Unified GroupLoving each other from the heart (1 Pet

1:22)United in Purpose (Phil. 2:2)

Bearing one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2)Strongly unified across ethnic, cultural, and sociological boundaries (Gal. 3:28)

Acts 6:1; A Problem with the Daily Distribution

• During the first days of the church, some of the Hellenist widows were being neglected during the daily distribution. (Acts 6:1)

• The apostles told the brethren to select seven men to be entrusted with the daily distribution. (Acts 6:2-4)

• The multitude chose Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas. (Acts 6:5-6)

• As the word of God spread, the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem. (Acts 6:7)

KeyEvent

KeyEvent

Grecian Widows Neglected• Acts 6:1

• 6:1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian

Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution

of food.• People were selling their possessions and

giving the proceeds to the apostles for the care of those in need.

What was the difference between the "Grecian" and “Hebraic” Jews?

The Hellenists were complaining the Hebrews were receiving more then

they were.

Grecian Widows Neglected Acts 6:1;• Who were these "Hellenistic Jews"? In the

time when the Gospel was first preached, there were two classes of Jews

• The Hebrews — those who were born in Palestine and who spoke the Hebrew

language; and • The Hellenists — those who were born of Jewish parentage outside of Palestine, who

spoke the Greek language, and who used the Septuagint in their synagogues.

Grecian Widows Neglected Acts 6:1;• The Hellenistic Jews, to a greater or lesser degree,

had adopted more of the Greek ideals and customs after Alexander the Great had carried them over the

world when he had conquered it about 300 years earlier.

• In Jewish communities the Hebrews, who had not adopted the Greek customs, tended to look down on the Hellenists as being somewhat less holy.

• Perhaps some of the old feelings are in the background of this present dispute. Hellenistic

Jews were also known as "those of the Dispersion.”

The Complaint

• The Greek-speaking Jews complained because their widows were being overlooked by the Hebrew-speaking Jews, those whose permanent residence was Jerusalem and its

environs. • These Hebrew-speaking Jews were

expected to be the hosts of the others and the money and goods that were being

donated daily to take care of the needs of these Greek-speaking Jews for some reason

was not getting to them.

A Solution Proposed• Acts 6:2-4

• 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word

of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit

and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of

the word."

Solomon’s Porch

Thousands of people had become Christians by this point.

It is difficult to know how many of these gathered for this meeting but according to Luke

it was all who were considered disciples.

It is possible Solomon’s Porch was the place of a meeting of this magnitude.

This would also be a friction point with the Jews. The Church conducting it business in

full view of the worshipers at the temple.

• If we have a problem in the congregation!

• What is the proper way to complain? or sort it

out?

Acts 6:2; DISCUSSION QUESTION:

Acts 6:2; - Division2 And the twelve summoned the congregation of

the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 "But select from among you, brethren, seven men

of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.

They call for the recognition of spiritual leadership to resolve the problem

Good leadership OUGHT to be a safeguard against division

Acts 6:2; - Division2 And the twelve summoned the

congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 "But select from among you, brethren, seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we

may put in charge of this task. Indigenous servants

“From Among You”

• The Apostles’ proposed solution was that the Greek-speaking Jews should appoint from

among themselves the seven men who would then take over this responsibility.

• The “ministry” these seven were to perform was, in Greek, “diakonia” (“ministration,” verse 1 - Young’s Literal Translation). This is the kind of service deacons in the church today might be

asked to do. It is often CLAIMED that these seven were the first deacons.

• These men did not have the qualifications later required for the proper organisation of the

church• The word “deacon” itself comes from a Greek

word made up of two parts: “dia,” meaning “through” or “by means of,” and “konos,” from

which “koinonia,” meaning “fellowship,” “sharing” and “communion” come as

translations.• The idea is that the deacon serves the church

by using the common or shared resources.

Ministering to the Grecian Widows

Acts 6 - Solution2 And the twelve summoned the

congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to

neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 "But select from

among you, brethren, seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put

in charge of this task.

221133

Acts 6:3; - Solution• Good Reputation = Proven

record of serving love

John 10:4 “When the good shepherd puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they

do not know the voice of strangers.”

“Full of the Spirit”• The qualifications at this point in time for

serving in this manner, was being “full of the Spirit and wisdom.”

• What does it mean to be “full” of the Spirit?• Jesus gave a clue when He described to

Nicodemus how a person was to know someone had been “born” of the Spirit.

• He gave the illustration of the wind, an invisible force, being “seen” by its effects.

Evidence of Wind - Sahara

Acts 6:3; - Solution•Full of the Holy Spirit = A SPIRITUALLY minded man

•Willing to put Gods will first and sensitive to his responsibility to

others •Prepared to be a PEACEMAKER rather than a POWER SEEKER

SCRIPTURE:

• “18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to

debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. “

- Eph 5:18

• Does one have to be able to do miracles to be full of the

Spirit?

Acts 6:3; QUESTION:

Fruit of the Spirit

NIV

• Paul lists the fruit(s) of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness

and self-control. • If we see these qualities in a person’s life we

know he or she is “full of the Spirit.”• We require no miraculous sign to make this decision about whom to choose to appoint to

a position to serve the church.

•Full of Wisdom = Applied knowledge

of God’s word.

Acts 6 - Solution

Prov 9:8 Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you, reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

14:16 A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless.

1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

28:26 He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

•Good Reputation = Proven record of serving love

•Full of the Holy Spirit = A SPIRITUALLY minded man •Full of Wisdom = Applied knowledge of God’s word.

Acts 6:3; - Solution

This profile for spiritual leadership fits with other NT examples