TEXT: Acts 6:1-7

SUBJECT: Acts 6

Today, with the Lord's blessing, we'll continue our study of Acts. The Book features important men--Peter and Paul, James and John, Stephen and Philip. But it's not about them; it's about Christ. The Gospels tell half His story, "The things He began to do and teach". Acts picks up the story where they left off.

In reading the Book, therefore, look for what the Lord is doing and what He's teaching. Some of the lessons; others are harder to spot. But look for them, and may God

SUMMARY OF CHURCH LIFE, V.1a

The chapter begins with a summary of Church life at the time. It was partly good and partly bad.

The good part is numerical growth--"The number of the disciples was multiplying". At last count, the Church had about 5,000 members. That's a lot, but the Lord isn't through saving His people from their sins. The Church continues to grow.

This is always encouraging. But especially now, for it was not growing the way we often do--by getting members from other churches. No. There were no other churches. Every new member was also a new convert to Christ. The Gospel was succeeding. The Kingdom was coming with great force.

Praise God for the growth of His Church!

But the Church wasn't growing so well in grace. In fact, it was backsliding. A few months ago every poor person in the Church was taken care of.

But now, some poor widows are doing without. Do you now why? It's not a matter of sheer numbers. For it was a certain kind of widow who was being overlooked. What kind? "The Hellenists" (the KJV calls them "The Grecians").

Who are they? They are not Gentiles, but Jews from foreign countries. From Egypt, Rome, Crete, and other places too. They were being neglected while the Jews from Israel were being cared for.

The problem was not race, but culture and language. It was not unique to the Church, but divided the Jews everywhere.

Who was guilty of this favoritism? It wasn't ignorant or immature believers, but the Apostles of Christ. They were in charge of the money and they were the ones who took care of the natives and slighted the foreigners!

Why did they do this? I don't think it was a matter of hateful prejudice, for they were good men and full of God's Spirit. I think they were just more comfortable with their own kind.

We're all subject to this. In matters of race and income and education and religious background. And so on. Feeling more comfortable with your own kind isn't wrong--until it makes you sin. And that's what it did to the Apostles. It made them favor some poor widows and ignore others.

THE PROTEST, V.1b

The Hellenists knew what was going on. And they didn't like it. What did they do about it?

They lodged a complaint. "Our widows are neglected in the daily distribution". Implied is a demand for equality. They didn't want special privileges, but only their fair share.

THE APOSTLES' RESPONSE, VV.2-4.

When the Apostles heard this, they took offense and threw these dirty rebels out of the Church! How dare they question

"Lord's Anointed"!

Ooops. That's not what they did. It's what pastors do today.

What the Apostles did is...listen and respond. They weren't offended in the least. They were in the wrong--they knew it and didn't try to wiggle out of it!

This speaks well of their character. And qualified them for leadership. They accepted correction. And they did something about it.

They didn't resent others for "horning in" on their ministry. In fact, they welcomed it. It would free them to do the work they were better suited for.

THE DEACONS, VV.5-6

The Church picked seven good men to care for their widows. They were proven men, wise, and full of God's Spirit. Two of them are well-known, "Stephen and Philip"; the others are rather obscure to us, "Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch".

All the names are Greek. The first six, evidently, are foreign Jews, the seventh was born a Gentile, but converted to the religion of Israel.

The Apostles "prayed and laid hands on them". The ceremony set them aside for a special work in the Church. Which they did with great fidelity and effectiveness.

These were the first deacons.

THE AFTERMATH, V.7

Because the deacons did their job, the Church regained its unity, the Apostles had more time to preach, and--wouldn't you know it?

THE MESSAGE

That's the story. What's the message? Jesus Christ cares for all His people, He makes their needs known, and He wants to help them--through us.

The world they lived in was a rough place. The Gentiles neglected the old and often let them die without compassion or help. Were the Jews any better? Not much. Surely, the Christians were distinctly better? No they weren't. They too ignored the aged, sick, and needy.

But Jesus Christ isn't this way! He has a special sympathy for the weak and forgotten. His Law demands compassion.

It promised to punish the hard-hearted.

Why should we feel for them? Because God feels for them!

Compassion is a feeling. That's what the word means--"to feel what others feel". Their loneliness; their bereavement; their suffering. But it mustn't stop with a tender feeling. Sympathy moves us to action. Our Lord was often "Moved with compassion"--and did something about it. He fed the multitudes; He healed the leper; He raised the dead; and so on.

We can't perform miracles. But we can help. We can "Visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions"; we can "Weep with those who weep"; we can "Distribute to the necessity of the saints"; we can "Bear one another's burdens". If we can't do anything else, we can "Pray for one another".

We're to do these things--not because we feel guilty; not to be admired, but because Jesus Christ is in us, and wants to show His compassion in our own.

Referring to the first deacons, S.G. De Graaf wrote,

The good works we do--we do! Yet in doing them, they're not our works at all, but Christ's Who is "Working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure".

The deacons were compassionate men, but their work was not a tribute to mere human sympathy, but to the love of God in Christ.

Your duty is clear--Matthew 5:16. Now get to it! The love of God be with you!