Unity in the Spirit

Imperfect Church

Acts 6:1–7 (NIV)

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 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. Brothers and sisters, 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 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

The church should always be in the need of maturity because there should always be an influx of immature and new believers. This is the purpose of the mature in the church: to bring in new believers into the Kingdom of God and to invest in new believers until they become mature.

The first century church was facing its first internal obstacle, preferences and selectivity. Here we see the bonds of culture lead over the bonds of the Spirit. The Hebraic Jews and the Hellenistic Jews are failing to take care of the other’s widows.

How Then Do We Respond

Acts 6:1–7 NIV

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 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. Brothers and sisters, 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 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Investing for maturity is not the purpose of the Sunday morning worship service. Sunday morning is for worship. The sermon is for shifting our perspective that we might see God more clearly and worship Him all the more. Everyday that we take breath, everywhere we go, and with everyone that we come in contact we are called to proclaim the good news of Christ and point people toward the Father.

Did you take notice of what was occuring from the passage Sean spoke on last week? Acts 5:12-16

Acts 5:12–16 (NIV)

The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.

The faith of the people moved them to bring out their sick so that shadow of the apostles might pass over them and they would be healed. This is the faith that has hallmarked Jesus’ followers all throughout the gospels. To the woman bleeding for twelve years who touched the hem of the cloak of Jesus, Jesus replied your faith has healed you. To Jairus, the man of the synagogue whose daughter Jesus raised from the dead, Jesus says Don’t be afraid, Just believe. To the Centurion, whose servant was healed by Jesus, Jesus says, I tell you, not even in all of Jerusalem have I seen such great faith. Faith that Jesus is who He says He is and faith that Jesus can and will do in and through us what He says He will do and faith to believe that the primacy of the mission of Jesus is greater than the distractions of this life, faith that there is no greater task, joy, or calling in this life than to be obedient to God, die to self and pour your life into another. This is what it means to be the church. You and I are the church. The fact that the world still believes that the church is a building speaks to the desperate need for the church to regain focus and walk by faith into what Jesus has called of us.