Acts 6:1-7 - Christ Orders His Church

Today we will be in Acts 6:1-7.

Imagine two groups of farmers. One plants seed. The other tends the growing crop. Which group is more important?

To give us context for our passage today, if you read through the book of Acts, you will notice that incredible things are happening in the church. The apostles are unashamedly ministering the word of God even under persecution, people are getting saved and joining the church, they are caring for everyone by even selling their possessions. Everyone is living together in unity. And through both the prayerful ministry of the word and the ministry of mercy to one another, Christ is growing his church by leaps and bounds. And then chapter six comes along and we see a problem beginning to arise in the church.

The problem is that while the Word of God was being prayerfully ministered, the ministry of mercy was being administered in a way that no longer reflected Christ's heart, with neglect and partiality. This was threatening the unity they had in Christ. The same danger exists for every church, though maybe in different ways, including ours. But Acts 6 doesn't simply show us a problem, it reveals how the risen Christ lovingly cares for His church.

In this passage we see how Jesus orders His church so that both the prayerful ministry of the Word and ministries of mercy flourish together. And when we do this as a church, Christ will be more fully displayed to a watching world.

With this in mind, let's read Acts 6:1-7.

Acts 6:1–7 ESV

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.

One of the themes running throughout Acts leading up to this passage is that not only was the Word being faithfully and prayerfully ministered, but God's people were also ministering mercy. And in this we see that...

Christ multiplies His disciples through the prayerful ministry of the Word and ministries of mercy

For a farm with different timing for different crops, it is critical that those with skill to plant and those with skill to tend existing fields must each do their respective tasks.

So far in the book of Acts the planting of the seed, the ministry of the word, and the tending of the existing field, the ministry of mercy were functioning properly.

If we survey Acts 2-4, we can see how the disciples ministered mercy to one another. Soon after Pentecost, the disciples were ministering mercy to one another as they shared their belongings so that no one was in need. The Spirit of Christ put the heart of Christ in them which was one that though he was rich was willing to become poor so that others might be rich. They knew that they were all united to Christ, one in Christ, so they sold their belongings to make sure that no one was in need. This was not coordinated, it was Spirit-wrought in each person, who loved to serve (minister) one another since Christ became a servant for their sake.

Next if we look at Acts 2-5, we see how the apostles were prayerfully ministering the Word. They knew that the message of the Gospel of Christ that he poured out his life for was crucial to give to others so they might repent of (turn from) their sins and trust in Christ’s completed work on the cross and in his resurrection. They also knew that the Gospel would only be successful by God’s blessing so they prayed to the Father to enable them to minister the Gospel that the Christ (Messiah who would save his people) is Jesus. This they did in the power of the Spirit, loving others by proclaiming the truth of salvation in Christ alone.

As we look in particular at Acts 6:1, as well as Acts 2-5, we see that as both the prayerful ministry of the Word and the ministries of mercy flourished together by the Spirit, the number of disciples continued to increase. In these days, the Word was being taught and preached and God’s people were displaying their love for one another to a watching world through the service of mercy. The multiplication of disciples is tied to the prayerful ministry of the Word and ministries of mercy flourishing together.

Jesus blessed both ministries—Word and mercy—and gave His people a harvest of new believers.

But, even though it looks incredibly promising for an even greater increase in disciples…

The multiplication of disciples is threatened by neglect, partiality, and the disunity they produce

You see, whether the different groups of farmers either work for themselves, or try to do things with skills they don't have, or all focus on either planting or tending, this will produce a failed or decreasing crop. This is our natural bent.

What we see in the first half of Acts 6:1 is that the increase of disciples brings new challenges. Growth is good, but with growth comes the need to ensure everyone is taken care of. You see, with the spread of the gospel in Jerusalem, the church rapidly was becoming larger and more diverse. Greek-speaking Jews from the diaspora (dispersed to places outside of Jerusalem) and Hebrew-speaking Jews from Jerusalem were now being united together in Christ. While this was exciting, it brought both new opportunities for ministry and new challenges for maintaining unity within that ministry. This is true for any church. As people are added things must change to support them. We here at CPC aren’t any different. Our church has grown and we have new people, but our temptation is to keep things the same.

But in the second half of Acts 6:1 we see the challenge: Hellenist widows were being neglected in the ministry of mercy to widows through partiality. Everyone in the church knew that in the current cultural climate, that widows tended to be neglected. This was especially a problem because there were so many widows who had come to faith in Christ. The Hebrew-speaking Jewish widows were fine, but the Greek-speaking Jewish widows were being neglected either because of intentional partiality or unintentional oversight.

The situation was worsened because some Rabbis had taught that if you didn’t die in Jerusalem, you’d have to painfully roll back to Jerusalem underground at the resurrection. So, countless elderly couples from all over the world moved to Jerusalem late in life just to die there. But when the husbands died, it left a massive wave of Greek-speaking widows with absolutely no local family network to support them. They were completely dependent on the church which was neglecting them. We are often blind to our own prejudices, whether that be expecting people to be a certain way to help them or be like us. We often neglect others through partiality.

The reason that this was so bad is seen in the second half of Acts 6:1. This neglect was producing disunity in the family of God who were supposed to be united in Christ. Christ died to unite a people to himself and each individual is united to him and together they are one body. But when the Hellenists, the Greek-speaking Jews likely from the diaspora, saw that the widows who were like them were being neglected, they complained, or grumbled. This Greek word, gongyhsmos, is used in the Greek translation of the OT to describe Israel’s grumbling against God and Moses during the wilderness wanderings. And if you know those stories, bad things tended to happen after this grumbling. And so, reading this, we should see red flags. The growth of the disciples tied to their union with Christ which was proclaimed from the word and displayed in mercy was being threatened by this disunity. This grumbling of the Hellenists showed that an unresolved ministry failure could potentially divide and diminish the growing church, because it would hinder its witness. Disunity in our church over any given ministry issue can do the same for us.

The reason that this is such a problem is that Jesus told us that by our love for one another the world would know that we are his disciples, and if our ministries don't reflect this love or don't prayerfully proclaim his love, the witness to Christ's person and work will be diminished because we aren't proclaiming the whole Christ. But we don’t have to fear…

Because Jesus gave Himself to redeem his disciples, the risen Christ, by His Spirit gives wisdom to order and unite His church

When we think of Jesus in his life, death, resurrection, ascension and session as the King and Head of the church, we are reminded of what our Book of Church Order says, "Jesus...contains in Himself, by way of eminency, all the offices in His Church, and has many of their names attributed to Him in the Scriptures." In other words, if we think of our farmers, Jesus, as the God-man, has all the skills and the ability to both plant the seeds, water the seeds, and protect them as they grow. But also, his person and work is the seed...the Gospel!

And because this is the case we see in Acts 6:2 and Acts 6:4 that Jesus protects the ministry of the Gospel through the ministry of the word. Jesus, having given the apostles his Spirit, enables them to see that their particular skill, contained in himself as the great Prophet, must not be neglected. In fact, in the original language, verse 2 simply says, “It is not right that we should give up the word of God to serve (diakoneo) tables. And when we look at verse 4, we notice that they are to be devoted (continuing in with intense effort) to the word of God, which is the prayerful service (diakonia) of the word. In other words, the apostles were to prayerfully serve the word. It isn’t that they are to do two tasks, prayer and the word, as if prayer is separate, but having the Spirit of adoption, the heart of prayer, they are to minister the word prayerfully.

Why are the disciples so adamant about this? Why protect their focus on the Word? Because the risen Christ accomplished His work through his life, death, and resurrection and called them to ensure that his person and work is proclaimed and applied to his people. Jesus would not allow the proclamation of the Gospel to be neglected and so in his wisdom he orders his church to have some officers dedicated to ministering (serving) this message.

But Jesus is not only the great Prophet who proclaims God's Word. He is also the great High Priest who gave Himself for us as a humble servant to redeem us from our sins through his own death on the cross as the lamb of God, we see in Acts 6:3 and Acts 6:5 how Jesus protects the ministry of his mercy through Spirit-filled servants. Notice how the apostles do not simply say in verse 2 that they care about the ministry (service) of the word of God, and so they tell the people to figure it out, instead, they see how important the ministry (service) of tables is, so they, under the guidance of the Spirit of Christ, establish the pattern for the ministry that would become the diaconate, that doesn’t just wait on tables, but rather, ensured that the ministry of mercy is maintained within the church in order to protect the unity of the church in Christ. In other words, Jesus, through the apostles ensures that his own ministry (service) of mercy and the union of his people is maintained by men who were filled with the Holy Spirit, wisdom which is found in Christ, and faith. Any person can distribute food, but that doesn’t require being filled with the Holy Spirit, wisdom, and faith. But to maintain unity by ensuring Christ’s mercy is ministered within God’s people does! This is why our BCO says, “He (Jesus), being ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things, received gifts for His Church, and gave all offices necessary for the edification of His Church and the perfecting of His saints (Ephesians 4:10-13).” This is Jesus’ love for us. He won’t allow his church to neglect it truly and fully representing him, its Head! Christ loves His church too much to allow either His Gospel or His mercy to be neglected.

When we look at Acts 6:5-7, we can see how Jesus unites his church through his Spirit. Since Jesus has reconciled his people to God through his cross, uniting us to him, he, the risen Christ, continues to preserve our unity by ordering his church and giving it every office it needs to represent him and offer himself to the world as well as care for all of his people. Jesus’ incredible wisdom, empowers his people to nominate and elect seven men who have all the requirements the apostles gave: of good repute, filled with the Spirit, with wisdom, and with faith. These men “happened” to be from those who were being neglected. We can see this by the names they have, which are all Greek, not Hebrew! This wasn’t the apostles doing, it was Christ’s. He equipped and gifted these seven men and then enabled the people to choose them. And then, the apostles, continuing in their prayerful ministry, pray, likely while they laid their hands on them, conferring upon them the authority needed to lead the people in the ministry of mercy to further unite them in Christ. All aspects of Christ’s person are upheld, in other words, the church continues to demonstrate the whole Christ through the officers Christ has given it.

And so, we see both Christ’s wisdom and his love for both the world and his people. As both the prayerful ministry of the Word and ministries of mercy flourish together, the Word of God increases, disciples multiply, and even many priests become obedient to the faith. By maintaining both ministries together, the number of disciples doesn’t just increase, but continues to increase and multiple greatly!

But this wasn't just for the early church. Jesus didn't leave the church and our church here at CPC to figure things out on its own. Jesus gave us...

The Spirit (who) empowers us as his disciples in union with him to prayerfully minister his word and his mercy for the growth of the church

How does he do this? He gifts us with men who are filled with his Spirit, filled with the wisdom of Christ, and filled with faith to ensure that he is represented fully through the prayerful ministry of the word and the ministry of mercy to enable CPC to be equipped for the work of ministry and to be ministered to when in need! He ensures that we have all the farmers we need to produce his crop.

When we look at Acts 6:2-4, we see that the Spirit empowers his elders to prayerfully minister the word. Though elders today aren’t apostles, when we look at the requirements of elders we see that they are supposed to preach and teach the word in order to equip the saints, the disciples, to do the work of ministry. Elders are to be prayerfully devoted to the word of God. In dependence upon the Holy Spirit they are to continue to proclaim the gospel in dependence upon Christ rather than abandoning their calling to address every practical need themselves.

As we look at this, I want to pause and share a confession with you. I need to ask for God's forgiveness, and I want to ask for yours. Over the last three and a half years, while trying to faithfully devote myself to prayer and the Word, I have frequently fallen into the trap of trying to manage and do things that Christ has actually gifted you to do. When a pastor over-functions, it inadvertently robs the body of its joy and its calling to serve. For that, I am truly sorry. But this is exactly why the elders have opened nominations for the diaconate.

Our diaconate has been laboring faithfully for years, but now, it is time that they, filled with the Spirit, wisdom, and faith, activate you for the work of ministry, to be the hands and feet of Jesus in mercy and love. Which is why we believe we need more deacons, not to do the work of the ministry, but to identify and enable your ministry in our church and our community.

And when we look at Acts 6:3 and Acts 6:5-6, we see that the Spirit equips the Seven for ministries of mercy. What this shows us is that in these deacon nominations, we are not creating deacons, but we are simply recognizing any men who are already known to be of the Spirit, wisdom, and faith who will best lead the ministry of mercy at CPC. Christ has already equipped them for this ministry, and if you recognize any who are qualified, after training and prayerful examination, the elders will set them apart through prayer and the laying on of hands for the ministry of mercy. But, please keep in mind, don't ask first, "Who is willing?" Ask first, "Whom has Christ already equipped?"

Finally, when we look at Acts 6:7, we see that Christ’s wise ordering of the church, given all things being equal, will grow the church. When both the prayerful ministry of the word and the faithful ministry of mercy are functioning to demonstrate Christ to the watching world, showing his Gospel and his loving care for his people, this generally serves to order his church properly so that kingdom disciples are made by the Spirit and adopted into God’s covenant family.

Let’s remember two things to help us apply this passage:

First, when problems arise in the church and we begin to think that we know what is best or that we must take control, the Holy Spirit may remind us that Jesus is the wisdom of God and the reigning Head of His church. And because Christ wisely orders His church by His Spirit, now we can prayerfully seek His guidance rather than relying upon our own wisdom.

Second, if our brothers and sisters recognize and call men to serve, and we are tempted to resist Christ's ordering of His church and our mobilization to ministry through this, the Holy Spirit can reminds us that Jesus works through His people, through each one of us. And because Christ lovingly orders His church for the good of His people and the advance of His kingdom, now we can gladly embrace the officers He raises up through His church and their calling us to the work of ministry and mercy.

Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 9:37-38, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."  When we remember that Jesus gifted his church with laborers who are officers who sow the seed of the Word, officers who cultivate ministries of mercy, and a congregation equipped to labor together in Christ's harvest, we will follow Christ by his Spirit, and will labor together so that Christ is glorified and exalted as the one who not only saves his people from eternal separation from him, but takes care of all of our needs as dearly loved children of God.

Isn't it remarkable that our King loves His church so much that He refuses to let either His Gospel or His mercy be neglected?

If today you are not found in Christ, don't be the weeds that will be cut down and cast into the fire, come and trust in Christ by receiving the gospel message, turning from your sin, and resting in Christ as a dearly loved child of God who will be cared for and cultivated by your Father in heaven at Christ’s ordering by the Spirit through the officers of the church.

As you consider men in this body who are of good repute, filled with the Spirit, wisdom, and faith, particularly gifted with a heart for mercy and helping others to live out the loving compassion of Christ, take those names in prayer to the Lord and ask him to reveal to you by his Spirit if they will be those who will help to activate the body in ministries of mercy and service so that the elders can be more fully prayerfully dedicated to the word so that many more might become adopted into God's covenant family as kingdom disciples all for the glory of God the Father through Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit.