Healthy Growth

Acts, Media, Sermons | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

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Audio | Acts 6:1-7

Summary

In Acts 6:1-7 the Enemy continues his attempts to sideline the newly forming early church, not by external persecution or internal hypocrisy, but by subtle distraction. The big idea here is that God wants us (individually and corporately) to experience healthy growth in Him, but distractions threaten that growth.

Introduction

Today we are looking at Acts 6:1-7. This is a very timely passage for us as a newly forming church in the heart of the city of Seattle. God knows exactly what we need to hear, when we need to hear it. That is true this morning. Over the last couple weeks we’ve seen the Enemy exercise various tactics to sideline the newly forming early church. In chapter four we saw the first external persecution in the imprisonment of the Apostles Peter and John. In chapter five we saw the first internal opposition when members chose to selfishly lie and threaten the unity of the young church. This week we see a third tactic: distraction. The Enemy attempts to distract the Apostles with work that is essential but not primary. This is helpful. If Satan can’t trip you up, he’ll keep you busy and distracted – even with good things. This is a very practical word for us. This morning we’ll be addressing questions such as, “How do we keep first things first?”, “How do we handle concerns with others and with the church?”, “What do we prioritize as a newly-forming church?”, “How do we handle the needs of others?” The big idea today is that God wants us, individually and corporately, to experience healthy growth in Him, but every day distractions threaten that growth.

#1 Growth Leads to Complexity.

The early church was experiencing phenomenal, supernatural, growth. Some estimate the church was over 10,000 at this point. People were trusting Jesus. Lives were being changed. A young, diverse, sacrificial, vibrant community of Christ-followers was emerging. They had favor with all the people of the city and many trusted Jesus daily (2:47). It was beautiful.  But, somewhere in the midst of all that, people were unhappy (“complaint” 6:1). This, unfortunately, is very common. More people means more needs which creates more complexity. Growth is not bad, but it does make things more complicated. With more people there is greater opportunity for misunderstanding, misinformation and miscommunication. Often, that expresses itself in “complaint”. If we’re not careful, our healthy concerns become unhealthy complaints. Criticism is not wrong, but we can handle it in the wrong way.

#1 Their healthy concern became an unhealthy complaint.
The complaint from the Helenists arose against the Hebrews. Healthy concerns are helpful, but not if they become unhealthy complaints. There is no indication here that they went to Apostles with their concerns. If our concern becomes a complaint w/out all the information, we’re in a dangerous place. They should have went directly to Apostles w/ their concerns before became complaints.

#2 They assumed the worst.
This is connected to the point above. We can know that ehy assumed the worst otherwise there wouldn’t have been a complaint. They weren’t saying, “Must have overlooked us. Can we help them?” No. Rather, they said, “What!?! It’s b/c we’re different isn’t it?” The human heart always assumes it is right and interpreting life rightly. But, it doesn’t, and that often leads to unnecessary conflict.

#2 Growth Leads to More Needs to be Met.

The more people there are the more needs there will be. What we see here, and throughout the Bible, is that meeting needs is important. The Apostles already have a “daily distribution” (6:1) instituted. The importance of meeting needs is assumed. When they are confronted with the issue at hand, the Apostles don’t rebuke anyone for helping. In fact, they do the opposite, and address the issue immediately. This reveals their heart was not to neglect anyone; there was just a lot going on. Ultimately, the needs of the church are the responsibility of the church body.

#3 Growth Leads to a Continual Re-prioritization of God’s Word & Prayer.

There are many important things the church can do and be a part of, but some are essential. Meeting needs of others is important, but God’s Word and prayer are essential. Pastors, in particular, should passionately give themselves to the priority of the Word and prayer. The Apostle’s are not saying they are too good to serve tables, but rather given their God-given role within the church it is inappropriate for them to serve tables. Though pastors aren’t apostles, their primary devotion is the same: Word and prayer. Pastors are to give themselves primarily to what everyone in the church is to give themselves regularly. This is the biblical model:

Acts 2:42 “devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching”
Acts 5:20 “Go…speak to the people all the words of this Life”
Col 1:25 “I became a minister….to make the word of God fully known…”
2Tim 4:1-2 “I charge you in the presence of God…preach the Word…great patience and teaching…”
Titus 1:9 “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught…rebuke those who contradict it…”

Q: Why is God’s Word primary?
Seattle will say “Be practical. Stop preaching. Put down your bibles. Just do good. Love others.” If Christianity is a human theory, then there is reason for less preaching and more meeting of needs. But, it is wrong to put “serving tables” before preaching of Word of God because it is wrong to put man before God. That is the real trouble with the world.

The big questions of life: “Where has the world come from?” “Human race?” “What is life?” “Mean?” “Purpose?” Cannot be answered unless you know about God, the Author of life, giver of all being, who reigns and rules over all. If you do not start with Him, you are bound to go wrong. That is why the world has gone wrong. The world puts man before God, the body before soul and the present before Eternity. Completely backwards. Only as we have a right view of God do we gain a right view of everything else.

God’s Word is primary because it is God’s revelation of Truth (about Him, about life, about us, about salvation in Jesus Christ). God, by definition, is beyond comprehension, but he has revealed himself so that we can comprehend him. The church has compiled that revelation in a book: the Bible.
That is why the Bible is called: Word of God. It is not human thinking, philosophizing. It is not research but revelation. No writer of the Bible says “You know, I’ve been thinking…and I have some idea…I’ve come to some conclusions…” Rather, “Thus says the Lord…” or “The Spirit of the Lord was upon me…” or “God says…” or ‘it has been written”. In the Scriptures, God draws back veil to let us in on reality:

2 Tim 3:16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, the the man of god may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Peter 1:21 “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

God gives the actual knowledge of him to us only in the Scriptures. Without Scripture, we fall into error. We are so effected by the condition of sin that we can’t think or see right apart from Him. “For errors can never be uprooted from human hearts until true knowledge of God is planted therein.” Calvin

This revealed reality is summed up in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Luke 24:27 “…beginning w/ Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
John 5:39–40 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”

This is some serious good news. That why the Bible says things like:

Jer 15:16 “Your words were found by me…and became to me a joy and the delight of my heart”
Josh 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.”
Ps 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path
Isa 26:3 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”
Ps 19:7-11 “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

This is why the Word of God is to be preached. More important than the meeting of needs – and that is important – is the life-giving, soul-satisfying Gospel of Jesus Christ that promises forgiveness from sin and life with God.

#4 Growth Requires More Qualified Leaders.

More people leads to more needs and more complaints which inevitably leads to more complexity. Solution? More qualified leaders. Though there is some debate, this passage likely serves as the origins of what eventually became the office of Deacon. These seven men are not called Deacons, rather servants, but that is the essence of the office. For a full list of qualifications for the office of Deacon see 1Tim 3:8-13. With a twist in the story it seems the selected seven Greeks to address the problem of the Greek-speaking Jewish widows. They were men who had been faithful on the sidelines before stepping into greater leadership. They had not only natural abilities, but their lives demonstrated the presence of the Spirit.

#5 Growth, by God’s Grace, Can Lead to More Growth.

What happened? The Word of God continued to increase. The same can be true of us. The Word can’t spread when the Word is neglected. It’s God’s word, not the Apostle’s word, not my word, not our word – God’s word. They are not growing the church, God is growing the church. This is a great thing to pray for our church and city – may God’s Word continue to increase here.

Quotes:

“It is the first and great work of ministers of Christ to acquaint men with that God made them, and is their happiness: to open to them the treasures of His goodness, and to tell them of the glory that is in His presence, which all His chosen people shall enjoy…Having showed them the right end, our next work is to acquaint them with the right means of attaining it.” Richard Baxter

“In this new clerical order, technical and managerial competence in the church have plainly come to dominate the definition of pastoral service. It is true that matters of spirituality loom large in the churches, but it is not at all clear that churches expect the pastor to do anything more than to be a good friend. The older role of the pastor as broker of truth has been eclipsed by the newer managerial functions.” David Wells, No Place for Truth, 233