February 1, 2026 - Tyler Speck Preaching | Acts 6:1-7
All right, it's all right, but Tyler for you, please come. We'd love to have you come and bring the word of God to us this morning.
Good morning again, set my name is Tyler going to be with you, all good to see some familiar faces and really good to see some new faces to. I was going to make a joke about the weather but I don't find it that funny anymore. It's kind of actually saw the comical going out for like none of you. I'd love to know all through my twenties. I love snow. Not just like, it's really pretty and it's beautiful, but like opening a 2 ft of snow, like bring it on because awesome and I kids and where we live closer to the city, our lifestyle is much more kind of we walk everywhere. And all the sudden life just becomes insanely more difficult. I get unnecessary and I'm sorry because you I'm not upset at you because I don't live here. I get unnecessarily angry at people when they don't clear the sidewalk enough and trying to push my stroller, not working. In my four-year-old daughter is just having to walk everywhere to Camping, the biggest roller self too, funny to me anymore, and it's not that enjoyable anymore, but it is beautiful. I will say that. I think the last time I was here, the first time I was here on my wife and I were expecting. And then the last time I was here, are we had our first? And she was about 6 months old, she is now four years old, and then we've had another, his name is Remy. And he's about 19 months old, so I I come to you. Well, caffeinated, but not well rested, our household. It's it's it's very energetic. It's very loud, very tiring. But it is very fun and it is a very, very sweet time to kind of be in my family and I am currently on staff as a pastor at a church in Brookline, were in the process of of planting a new church. My part of a church that likes to and believes in church planting, we think that one of the better ways to reach Boston, to Boston area specifically is to have Neighborhood Church is reaching out to the neighborhood. And so we're going to plan to church in the city of Newton, which is a beautiful town. We feel very strongly called there by God. If you don't know, Newton, there's about 90,000 people in Newton and like much of New England. It's it's less than 5%, Christian less than 5% of the people. There are following Jesus and more specifically with Newton itself. There are four English-speaking gospel, preached. Churches in all of Newton for 90,000 people and not that necessarily the number of people attending those churches is something we focus on, but there's definitely less than 800 people in all four of those churches said, all that to say the percentage of people that live in Newton following Christ is very low. And then, even lower is the percentage of people living in Newton falling Christ, going to a church in their own neighborhood. So we hope to step into a gap that exists. Scott's done, some really cool stuff that's been really exciting kind of throughout the planning process where any 420 27 to start. We're really excited to kind of see what God will continue to do that for your prayers. So long process, it's a difficult process, it's a journey, but we're really excited and we just seen God move in some kind of way so far. So regardless though, I were to be an ax 6 if you want to open up to there and I think they'll be the scripture reading on the screen as well, if you don't have a Bible with you, Acts 6 verses one through seven. I'll read it for us. Acts 6 verses one through seven.
Now these days when the disciples were increasing in number a complaint by the colonists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected, and the daily distribution and the 12, summon the full number of disciples and said it is not right. That we should give a 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 who we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to Ministry of the word and what they said, please the whole Gathering and they chose Stephen. A Man full of faith in the Holy Spirit and Philip and progress and I came in and timing and permanence and Nicholas. Yes, I practice before the apostles and they prayed and lay their hands on them. In the word of God continue to increase in the number of the disciples multiplied, greatly in Jerusalem and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. Where's me? Got, thank you for your word. Thank you. That Every page of a paragraph, every line of scripture speaks to us. I'm speaks to our lives, our circumstances and directs us back to you. Jesus Lord, open our hearts, open our minds for what you have to say to us to this church, through your scriptures today, in this passage in a nasty things and then you are in a sermon series through the book of Acts. I know that you started it last year you took a break every now and then to dive into some other things. But your back in it and I'm excited to be back in it with you guys. If you're not familiar with the book of Acts, it's essentially the story of the early church immediately after Christ is crucified resurrected and then Ascend into heaven. And so, throughout the Book of Acts, Jesus is no longer walking the Earth in his human body. But his church is growing, if I can say anything about the book of Acts, I would say that. And, I mean, this in the best way, it is, absolutely bananas is absolutely crazy, right. Like outside of the drama of the Gospel is Jesus. There might not be any more compelling. Any Time of gripping story. Then the book of Acts than the early church, take the most robust Adventure novel you've read, and it doesn't look handles the book of Acts, right? We have a Jesus, the son of God ascending into heaven and the Holy Spirit descending down into his followers, right? We have sermons were thousands and thousands of people repentant and put their trust in Jesus, right? We have people who are healed with people who are raised from the dead with people who died, right? We have shipwrecks in and snake by their Martyrs and murderers. We've intense the illogical debates. We have a really God fearing men traveling from City to city, right? Like this is like Lord of the Rings on steroids. And yes, yes.
I'm a surface. Our passage actually doesn't reflect this sentiment too much. Does it?
Right? Before I passage the apostles were brought to the high priest in charge not to teach about Jesus there's this really powerful line. They said we must obey God rather than man and they're beating for it. Heaven next week to give you a little bit of a preview. Stephen, who's one of the servants that was mentioned in our passage? Like something out of a movie, he gets a really impassioned speech about Jesus, and then who murdered for it, It's a sandwich in between these two. Really massive stories. We find something. That seems somewhat small and insignificant brighten light of the broader narrative and in the action that we find with an ax. If it's easy to kind of overlooked this and Breeze by it, and not give it much thought. And then, I promise you. And I do not have become priests this because this is the boring part.
But I think this actually feeds into something, we might also consciously believe and feel, right? And that's that, the court Uncle real work of God, the real Ministry. God has only happens when something absolutely mind-blowing is going on. What are passage. If you look at it closely with our passage, actually shows us, is that the gospel? The spreading of the Gospel of the work of God. Give me advance by caring for our brothers and sisters. Well, just as much as it can be Advanced by someone dying for it. Write the Gospel can be Advanced by behind-the-scenes structured system. Full of good quiet, Faithful Servants serving just as much as I can. Be back by miraculous healing.
It shows us that that order and structure and organization aren't meant to just kind of make life easier order. Structural organization are not just meant to make Church Life smoother though. It does
I did actually shows us that order structure or organization helps us care for and love others. Well, And we look at verse 7, order structure, or organization actually serve as a vehicle for the gospel to go forward. What happens after they pointed the seven men to serve for seven? It says in the word of God continue to increase and the number of the disciples. The number of people following Jesus believing in Jesus trusting in Jesus. The number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, so to look at this, passage our main point today is just quite simply this Godly organization. Brings gospel, multiplication. Godly organization. Brings gospel, multiplication. Only clear to Cobb's to add when I said organization. I don't mean kind of White Knuckle everyone fall in line and in follow orders. No I mean organization as in there are people serving in an organized Church leadership in a faithful, in 700 weigh. Are the scriptures are full of evidence that our God is. It is not a god of chaos, and he is not a god of disorder, and he is not a god of disorganization.
But he's a god of order, he's got to structure and he equally desires that forced people.
Had a caveat here. I'm not saying that like anything organic when it comes to church or church. Leadership is unbiblical. But I think you see organic spontaneous leadership in the Bible. But it's interesting that organic kind of church leadership, spontaneous things are best experienced within the confines of orderly Church structure. Small example of this that might bring some clarity to what I said, what I'm saying when I say something like, that is the way my wife and I both vacation which is very differently. So I am the more spontaneous organic person. Like, if it was up to me, we choose a destination and maybe a place to stay, but that's about it. We don't have a budget that we don't know. We're doing, we're just going to go and that's usually not very good for a pocketbook. Where's my wife on the other hand is very structured, very detailed be organized. And if we're up to her, there would actually not be a lot of spontaneous, organic moments, but the good middle ground that I think represents was good as something like an all-inclusive resort which went to for the first time this past April. And I want to go right now cuz in Mexico But all inclusive resort, you have the confines, the structure of you already set the budget up front and you already paid for it and then you can do whatever you want. When you get there within those healthy confines, you want Appetit pina colada, you want the tuna tartare, you want this, you want that, you have the confines and place, you can still be organic and spontaneous what organization? What good structure and borders do. They don't limit organic spontaneous moments in life and in church leadership. They actually just help them to function in a more healthy way.
Our passage, right? It's not just an FYI and how to structure the church. It's our main point we'll look at that. And ask you questions, first class, what is it mean exactly? Why does it matter? What does it mean? That an orderly structured Church effectively gets the gospel out and secondly why does it matter? Who cares? What? I don't want anyone actually walking out of here feeling is like they just have a greater intellectual understanding of church leadership or biblical leadership. B, I said, I like I said, our passage is not just an FYI on how to structure the church is actually meant to like all the scripture points to Jesus. The first. What does it mean to dive in? When you look at the passage closely, you'll see it's actually more than just a few people not getting what they want, right? It's not a few people complaining that they don't have enough cheese and crackers. It's a particular group of people to hellenists, which just means greek-speaking Jews that complaint against the Hebrews Aramaic speaking Jews. It's a small detail but it's important and the author chose to include that detail for a reason. Right. It's not that the Apostles of the Hebrews were indignant towards the Holland Sr, had it out for them. It's actually most likely that there is a barrier are the apostles. They were affluent and affluent and Aramaic and the colonists were fluent in Greek. And so, was likely happening. As there is a cultural language barrier that exists, right? At minimum on the greek-speaking, Jewish Believers, feel overlooked? And what's most likely happening is the Hebrew speaking Believers, not even realize, it's happening.
Another words, this kind of picture perfect community that you might think of when you think of the book of Acts that you kind of right about an axe to a bit of goes, change quite a bit.
Acts to write you guys work through this. It is often held up as the perfect Community. It says that all who believe talk about the church, the gathered body we're together and had all things in common and they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need and day-by-day attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes. They received their food with glad and generous Hearts. Praising God. And having favor with all people are, this is often the ideal standard of church, life of the Church community, a good reason. Right. They are all who believe we're together. They had all things in common. No one had any need because everyone was helping each other out, right? At my brother had something that he needed. I would sell what I had so that I could give him what he needed. People ate together, people. Praise God together. This is just four chapters ago. The chronology of Acts, this is probably less than two years from Acts chapter 22. Acts chapter 6 where we are now. So what happened? I went from caught a big family dinner with Full House theme music playing in the background to something like Survivor where there are groups kind of whispering on the side.
Happened will. Quite frankly. The Truck Group. I changed.
And the organizational structure of the church had not yet been fully put in place, and so need a Gap, a rose. If you didn't know, growth and change are messy, things church is messy messy thing to begin with, because we are all imperfect people attempting to worship a perfect Savior, and follow a perfect savior. We all come in with baggage and with a mess and our individual lives. And that does tend to at times bleed over into the church, life itself. This is just like, this is just church. This is just what happened to what it means to bury each other's burdens.
Church Life is messy Church of growth is messy changes. In church are messy, if it doesn't mean it's bad.
This isn't new to God people, it's actually pattern. We do see throughout scripture. Good Godly growth or growth of some kind happens, a need, or a gap arises, and then, God gives structure or organization to implement to meet that. Need of that Gap. It's not sinful, it's not wrong that we see these issues arise in the early church. Artifact is actually my prayer that this happens at Mayflower or has happened at Mayflower and then it happens again and Mayflower. Because if you're growing, God is using you to reach people that are far from him. It's not sinful. It's not wrong for there to be gaps and needs in the church was wrong as if we don't do anything about it.
I don't even see outside of the church to write a startup or a company begins and it grows and all the sudden you need to add more organization, you need to add more structure.
You see this in scripture all the way back to the Old Testament. Read the book of Exodus. There's a conversation between Moses and Jethro is father-in-law I was just if you didn't know, he was leading God's people in the wilderness think I've ever seen you with some 600,000 plus people, I'm not.
From morning until evening, what Moses would do if he would help settle disputes and help meet needs of the people, whatever, long long, long, long line of people that came to Moses that day, he just do with it.
Until one day Jethro, we had it wasn't a business meeting was more an intervention. He's like, you can't, this is not sustainable. He comes up to Moses and he says capable men. To handle the things are handling to handle the smaller cases so you can focus on something different. I need or Gap arose because there was growth and there was change and God gave a structure and organization to meet it. We see this with Abraham and lot as they divide land and possessions, we see this with the division of the promised land, when God's people come into it in the Book of Joshua, Rigali organization in these stories led to God's people, flourishing and God's plans and purposes going out.
We see this happening in our passage to
we see for the first time in scripture, the idea of servants or deacons as the coin later in the New Testament, they're developed The Greek word here. Usually literally translates. As servant translates as servant. Throw the pops up a few different times, right? We have servants, the first kind of prototype deacons mentioned at our passage at 6, but then we also have Phoebe and Romans 16 who's called a deacon of the church type to kiss and a password. Cynical options are used with this term as well and a few others throughout the New Testament. And then if you look at early church history beyond the New Testament, this idea of deacons it remains, right? So this is an idea a role in office. You might call it a Elder and Deacon an office of the church that's established in the New Testament exist in the early church and continues to this day.
And then we read the qualification for deacons as well in 1st Timothy. And we're not going to drive super deep into the qualifications. But we actually see that this role of Deacon, this role of a servant, it's more based on the character of the person and it is what they do.
Read it more dependent on their, their faith in their obedience and their high-level character towards God, more than it, based on their high level of service. They do serve the first Timothy passage it explicitly says let them serve first, let them be tested first. So anyone that the Deacon typically is serving already in a great Manner and has a high-level character.
In our passage, these deacons, the servants, they're developed in light of a tangible, need as well.
Write the Apostles of the elders as we would know them today. They're not, they're not really supposed to fill the need that exists. And it's not the elders are above serving tables but rather simply they're supposed to focus on other things.
It's not a greater than lesser than kind of scenario that we have going on here. It's simply telling us that deacons are designed to do something fundamentally different than elders. But it is something that complements the work of Elders, which we didn't know. And our passage the work of the Elder is described as the Devotion to prayer and Ministry or teaching of the word. L R Us Elders. Have this weight of ensuring that the congregation is not just kind of following the rules or doing the right things, but rather the weight of shepherding people towards Jesus, that's that's two different things. By the way, simply following a rule is not following Jesus.
and if the elders jobs to ensure that people are growing in their faith and growing an Experian Intimacy in communion with Jesus, and if the auto stop to pray for the church,
Dickens, on the other hand, it's it's not that they don't pay for the church, they should. It's not that they don't teach her the Bible or lead in certain ways they can. But rather it's that they're serving an Aries of the church meeting very, very tangible needs. Meeting Ministry serving people, as a complimentary service to the work of the elders.
And to be clear to bring it back because of this division of labor because of this organization and structure, the gospel is advanced. Godly organization needs to gospel multiplication.
Keep us in mind. Like I said earlier, churches Messi. Especially when there are changes, especially when new things are happening. But again, according to the Bible, this is a very good good thing.
To put it bluntly and you can decide for yourself if you want to invite me back again. But surprisingly calendar in a few weeks, so you have already invited me back again. A trick that doesn't change anything anything over the years, probably isn't growing. At the church of the growing. It's probably not reaching people far from God. If it's not reaching people far from God, the people in it, probably are maturing in their face.
And if the church is not reaching people far from God and the people in it are not maturing in their faith. I don't think the church is doing the very thing that God designed it to do.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The German Pastor who was killed in a concentration. Camp says the church is the church only when it exists for others. There's a comfort to me. Here's what makes it a little easier to, to kind of say this thing is, I know your pastor and I know your church, but I know you made good changes over the years. I know you've grown, I know you're reaching people far from God, so it makes it a lot easier for me to stand up here and say things like that because I know you're doing these things. Like, it's been a few years since I've been here but there are a lot more people I checking on your livestream every now and then and every time I look at just seems like the church is growing.
Don't miss this. This might feel like a challenge to the church as a whole which it is. But if it's a challenge to the church as a whole would actually a town and also to you as an individual, To me, as an individual.
How are we making changes? How are we going in our faith? How are we stepping into serve? How are you? How am I reaching people far from God?
I just telling them about the gospel, but but serving them Mark, Everett Pastor in. D.c. said, if you're not expressing proper Christian. Love if you're not sharing the gospel and words and sharing the gospel in Deeds, you are hindering. The Evangelistic work of your church.
A good diagnostic question to ask yourself to the people around you, your neighbors or co-workers, your family, your classmates. Do they know you're Christian?
And not in the sense. I'm trying to guilt you to just really weirdly after the service, go knock on your neighbor's door and be like, do you know that I'm a Christian? Like, maybe that's what the spirit wants you to do but my recommendation would be don't do that unless cuz really telling you to do that. But do they know you're a Christian because of the way you love them. Because of how you spend time with them, and they see how you interact with trials and suffering and they see the way that you love your family, your serf people around you, do they know you're Christian for those reasons.
How are you? How are I reaching people far from God? How are you? How are you? How are you, how am I, how are you growing in our faith? Another good diagnostic, question to ask yourself, if you go a whole week without praying you go a whole week without opening your Bible, what changes
How do you feel? Does your life still kind of feel the same, do you feel kind of fine? You feel like still put together? Are you feel like something's missing?
Do you like the source of your very being pulled away if you do something like that?
That's you, and I've been there before. It was not that long ago. I was there. If that's you, you aren't growing in your faith. You're actually just managing the religion. You subscribe to
Real growth. Kind of leads to golf gospel. Multiplication machine, axe happens when you move from treating God like a waiter that only comes when we want him to treating God like the good father. He is. Who is the gravitational center of our entire lives? Every decision we make in the way we live our lives.
I'm not saying is that we should be all growth all the time, we're there in the maturity of our faith are numerically or anything like that. There are seasons where we struggle their Seasons, where you missed that, there are seasons when we shrink these things happen, but I'm asking those your life does, my life show evidence of an overall upward trajectory
didn't catch. It was starting to transition to the second Point. Why does it matter? Why does it matter for your church? Why does it matter for your life? That God, the organization lead to gospel? Multiplication. Why is a matter for the church? But I think God wants his church has to be structure in organized, quite frankly because it leads to the flourishing of God's people and it leads to the gospel going out.
The good news is I don't necessarily have to stand here and try to convince you of that. I know you guys have good faithful Elders. I know you guys have Deacon's that are serving. Well, I don't think you mentioned that this is the biblical model of church leadership. Is it in the Bible and you guys are doing that. I mean that you get to stand up here and say two things, one. Keep going in to step in and serve.
Yes, a question. Why does this matter for me and my life if that were all called to serve? Thomas Albers. Yes, Thomas deacons. Yes. But some is just a faithful members of the church who are serving the church in the people around them. It's the truth. There is no sideline sit in the Pew once a week and that's all you do Christianity. That exist actually
God has a much more active role in his kingdom for you.
Did you notice may be the biggest qualification mentioned in Acts 6? When they picked out the servants. Just pick out from among you seven. Men of good repute. The Spirit.
And if you're here and you're genuinely following Jesus, you have that same spirit. Dwelling in you.
Serving of not just Logistics.
The person serving bread is is Grumpy in bias. That doesn't reflect the gospel that I should become the bottleneck for the gospel.
If you're here and you're genuinely following Jesus, God has that same call for you to get in the game and surf.
One of the reasons, one of the reasons you were by the grace of God saved was to serve. I got you weren't certain safe so you can just come here. Sit here once a week. Hear some random guy from the city. Talk to you for 30 minutes and sing a few words, know you were safe so that you could serve God and serve the people around you.
This is all over scripture. 1st Corinthians to each is given the manifestation of the spirit for the common good to each is given the spirit gift of the spirits for the common good of the people around you so that you can serve the people around you. Ephesians. 2:4 we are his workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus for good works to serve which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Galatians 5 for you were called to Freedom Brothers. You were saved brothers and sisters but do not use your salvation as an opportunity for the flesh, to do the things that only you want to do but through love serve one another 1st Peter 4. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one. Another And finally if he's if he's exhortations aren't enough. Let the Life of Christ be enough for you Matthew 20. Even as the son of man came not to be served but to serve
and give his life as a ransom for many. Friends followers of Jesus serving is not just for the spiritual leak. Whether there is no such thing.
Church's crumble. When we just automatically think the person beside us? What kind of take care of it?
Churches. The window, when we think that the people around us are just going to step into the needs that exist in the church and that it's actually not our role to play.
Serving is for everyone.
some yes will be called specifically to serve as an elder son will be called specifically to serve as a deacon, but all of us are called in general to serve
And just like every other Church in existence, I know you have areas that you need people to serve them.
But I know that there are tons of opportunities here that exist for you to step into. And so, if you're sitting here thinking, I want to serve a Tyler, I have no idea how good news. Let me tell you how Pastor Anton, right? He mentioned that you guys need committed Nursery volunteers. That's not just childcare for a Sunday that's actually showed that the kids be infants, in those rooms, get the love and care that they need and deserve, and that's what their parents can, come and worship, then be fully present. That's what serving looks like. You're serving an entire family when you do something like that, you're not just reading childcare.
Imagining Bible Fellowship group hosts and leaders so that small groups of people can meet throughout the week. Talk about the scriptures, pray together, live life, together,
Doesn't think they're interested in Courage. You fill out the connection card that I know is on the back of your seat or talk to Pastor Anton or some of your leaders after the service. How soon do you have this beautiful new baptistry? I think that's new since I was last year. I know that there needs to be a team to help manage that whole process.
What I'm trying to say, politely say is, I don't know where to serve or what to do. Cannot be a genuine, excuse. We have
God wants you out there serving him by serving others. by serving the people in this room, but also by serving the people far from God,
Versace clothes. This passage years is ultimately here, want to be clear. It's Altima lie here, not simply as a do this. Don't do that or structure of the trips like this. Bone structure of the church like that this passage is ultimately here because it reflects the heart and Personal Jesus.
It's Jesus. He was here now. In person at this church, reading it. What do you be giving the sermons on Sunday mornings? I mean, probably, yes.
If Jesus was here. Now, leaving this church. Would he be praying for the church like Elders do? Yes, he would. Is Jesus was here now leading this church. Would he also be serving the hungry washing feet and simply serving like deacons are supposed to? Yes he would. Christ is the perfect Pastor Elder. Yes, but he's also the perfect Deacon servant.
You look at the Life of Christ and he leads in both prayer and Ministry of the word, but also intangible service.
He fed people. He wash people's feet. That's something I've never done.
Maybe I should just really difficult for me. He gave to the poor. By this idea of Deacon and more. Probably this idea of you serving his is not disconnected from the person of Christ actually, depends on the person of Christ. We ought to serve as Jesus served. And he served as the perfect Shepherd hand as the perfect Deacon servant.
Just call for all of us to step into the orderly structured service that God has for both of this church as a whole and for your life as an individual. That buy this again by. This is not just at the church runs more smoothly. It's not just that there's less hiccups on a Sunday or that there's more Ministries in place. It's that verse 7, the word of God will continue to increase and that the number of people that trust and follow and believe in Jesus and will now spend eternity with us and Heaven continues to increase by us serving the people in this room and serving the people around us, that's the goal of service. That's the goal of Godly organization.
Call the organization brings gospel multiplication for you. Thankful Jesus that you showed us what it means to be the perfect servant. Got strong Hearts, stir my heart. Still the heart of everyone in this room to follow in your footsteps.
To do, as you do to serve, as you serve to love as You Love. To have compassion as you have compassion.
May God full of your spirit. We may serve the people in this room that know you and follow you. That we may serve the people far from you that they may know you and they may follow you in that God. We would see fruit from these actions. Yes. In the betterment of the lives of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ already. Yes. God but also in reaching people far from you and your name, Jesus.
Return with me.
