The life of a healthy servant of God.

Last Sunday we talked about how God's will is found better inside. It's good, necessary and healthy, to desire integrity and good deeds because that's how a true follower of Christ is called to live. But we need to be reminded of first giving freedom to the Holy Spirit to transform us from inside out, and not just pursuing specific behaviors with our own strength only. This principle of the transformation done by the Holy Spirit is connected to the message today.

The people we will be talking about today were chosen for service because of certain values of their character. I believe these are good and healthy things we can start asking the Holy Spirit to incorporate in our personal lives. Yet, the reason why they were chosen was not a very godly one because it speaks about two problems in the church that we need to be discussing, too much flesh and not enough servants.

Let's put this in context according to Acts 6:1, “Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.” We notice how as the church was growing, there were already some conflicts going on. The symptom was complaining about the way the help was distributed among different groups of people but let's first find out what caused that symptom.

Why was there “a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution”? The answer I can think of is not enough or immature servants. As a church was growing, which is a good thing, the need grew as well. If the number of servants doesn’t grow also, we get stock in the things that need to be done. But on the other hand, the servants are not mature enough for the task, that’ll also cause problems and complaints. That applies also to the present.

As we grow and reach out to the community, there will be difficult circumstances to deal with along the way. The reality is that the majority of the people don’t mature as they become older in the faith. Most of the time we give limited freedom to the Holy Spirit to change only some things, dragging with us some bad behaviors or attitudes, which are stumbling blocks for those coming into the kingdom. This gives the new believers the wrong idea of what a Christian is supposed to be and it becomes like a virus that transmits from one generation to the next. The result is usually that people will start focusing on the benefits they can get from church instead of becoming part of those who actually serve.

A congregation growing with new believers with not enough servants or immature ones will always produce dissatisfaction. Things are not done well enough, quick enough or in a bad mood. This gives birth to misunderstandings, gossiping and complaints against those who are actually doing the work. One of my previous pastors once said that a small church usually deals with small problems and a bigger one deals with bigger problems. This is just the reality. As we try to reach out to diversity of people from different places and with different languages and cultures, there will grow conflicts as well. The solution will never be to stop or slow down the growth, but to mature into healthy servants while we can.

That's the solution they came up with in Acts 6:2-7, “2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” In other words, they decided to keep up, preaching the gospel for many more to be saved, and choose a new generation of healthy servants. They were not necessarily new believers, but some who were admired by the rest for their godly qualities. Let's then analyze them.

Servants of good reputation. To serve God in a position of leadership, we are expected to show some evidence of our walk with the Lord. This good reputation speaks about the way we interact with other people. Your past is not relevant if you have intentionally surrendered to God.

Look at what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” God exercises a complete transformation through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives to change anything that is destructive for us or our relationship with him. In its place, God develops a new character that better reflects the character of Jesus.

Paul also says in Galatians 5:22–25, “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” If we want to become a healthy servant with a godly character, develop a healthy family and grow a healthy church, the Holy Spirit is not an option or a luxury; it's vital.

Servants filled with the Holy Spirit. This is a no-brainer because without being filled with the Holy Spirit there is no true transformation in our lives to show godly fruits.

Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Jesus knew the impossibility for us to be true witnesses without empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Wesley understood the principle and he expressed his fear.

John Wesley said, “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power.” He knew the vulnerability of the human heart, lasting writing for us to never forget desiring and seeking not just the presence, but the fullness of the work and power of the Holy Spirit in us.

Servants with wisdom. The church needs people leading their homes, their children, their businesses and leading others to Christ with wisdom. This wisdom is directly connected to the Holy Spirit because when we are in a healthy relationship with him, he gives us knowledge and application to have and to give good advice for others to make godly decisions as well. A healthy servant needs wisdom to guide others to make good decisions in life.

This event ends with the congregation choosing seven healthy servants because there were people ready to serve. Their motivation to be people of good character, filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom was not to become leaders, but to please God. They were already kind, empowered, and wise because they took God and their faith seriously. It’s like when somebody wants to find an amazing partner to marry, they need to be the kind of person that an amazing partner will choose. If you don't have the qualities that an amazing person is looking for, it will be very hard for you to get one. Or similar to when a couple wants to have children, the ideal scenario is that they will be mature enough, married and with jobs. If a baby finds you without any of these elements, it will be very stressful and you will probably have second thoughts and desire to abort the baby.

After conflicts and complaints, healthy servants rose to the occasion and the church advanced according to Acts 6:7, “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” I think I can speak for you and say that none of us want to make people feel neglected because of lack of maturity or lack of servants; but we all want to see a church thriving and getting people saved walking with God. Well, we will be the ones serving them, let's get ready.

Let's pray to the Lord that we may become healthy Christians when the time of service comes. Our church is gonna grow and we need you to rise for the occasion. May we desire the transformation of the Holy Spirit so much that we will become people of good reputation and filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom. Amen.