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MAY 11, 2022
STUDY NOTES
ACTS 6:1
BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES
THE GROWTH OF A CHURCH
INTRODUCTION
The growth of a church should be numerical and spiritual, both are important
There will be “growing pains” that come with church numerical growth
Growth does not come without some problems, those problems will not all be bad ones
Any-and all problems can be turned from something potentially bad to something super good
Satan will see to it that the church has problems, Paul testified to that, 1Co 16:9 For a great door and
effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
When God opens a door of opportunity Satan will seek to close it with a door of opposition
Satan is the adversary seeking to devour the growth of the church, 1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because
your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Satan is the source of “many adversaries,” he uses his demonic forces against the church,
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
His opposition can come from inside or outside the church
Satan used the Sadducees and the Sanhedrin Court to attack the church from without in Acts 4
In Acts 5, Satan works from within the church through Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)
But the growth of the Church was not hindered, Act 5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord,
multitudes both of men and women.)
Satan again works from without the church through persecution of the Apostles (Acts 5: 17-41)
But the problem of persecution only strengthened the Apostles, Act 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in
every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
In Acts 6, Satan seeks again to trouble the church from within
Satan’s goal was to discourage the leadership and divide the membership
Satan was seeking to distract the Apostles from their God-given responsibilities
The Apostles had been called to pray, preach, and teach God’s Word
Without the teaching of the Word of God there would be no defense against Satan, Eph 6:17
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Satan still seeks to destroy the teaching and preaching of the Word of God
Act 6:1And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a
murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily
ministration.
And in those days, the days of Satan’s opposition, the days of problems and persecutions
Those days were also the days “when the number of the disciples was multiplied”
In the NT, the word “disciple” is used to identify the “followers of Jesus”
“Disciples” are the believers who desire to learn more about Jesus and grow spiritually,
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my
disciples indeed;
The church had continued to grow numerically since its beginning, and it must continue to grow
Their number was multiplying, but a growing number of people brought about “growing needs”
New people, different people, new problems and needs, more members, and more needs
Different kinds of people coming to church means different kinds of needs
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If a church is going to continually grow it must reach out to different kinds of people
The problem with the average American church is that of not breaking the racial or social barriers
Churches are not to have their mind set on reaching a certain kind of people
We must not want only the people just “like us” to come to our church
Churches want the same kind of people with the same kinds of problems that they already have
Too often they don't want to deal with new people with new problems and more needs
That is why there must be “spiritual growth” if there is going to be “numerical growth”
The Apostles knew that they must continue to grow spiritually in-order to grow numerically
Spiritual growth is required in-order to take care of the growing pains of numerical growth
The church in Jerusalem had new problems because they had new people
They also had “Spiritual leaders” and “Spiritual members” who would take care of the problems
Their current problem was coming from within the church
Church growth always upsets Satan, that’s when he goes to work any way that he can
Satan had a plan in mind, a division between Church leadership and Church membership
Satan’s goal was to discourage the leadership and divide the membership
A plan that has been working so well for Satan for many years, it certainly works today
Satan knew that he must attack the spiritual growth of the church, “there arose a murmuring”
“There arose,” at the very time everything was going so well, which can be expected
The Apostles already learned to expect Satan’s attempts to close doors of opportunity
The Church that is growing today can expect “growing pains” and increased opposition
The problem was the “murmuring,” a complaint coming from dissatisfaction
It can be loud and outspoken, or it can be a grumbling under the breath
Murmuring often goes on today during casual conversations, known as gossip sessions
Their complaint was justifiable, there was a problem and the problem needed to be corrected
But they were handling it in an unfavorable way, complaining from one person to another
“There arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews”
“Against” refers to an indirect approach rather than the direct face to face contact with leaders
The Grecians and the Hebrews were both Jewish groups, tension was common among them
The Grecian Jews were born in lands other than Palestine
They were foreign-born Hebrews who had come to Palestine from other nations
Jerusalem was probably a retirement center for the Grecians
They spoke the Greek language and were people of the Greek culture
Their language and their lifestyle were Greek, they thought and behaved like Greeks
Their outlook upon life and their attitude was more like a Greek than a Hebrew
The Grecians had their own synagogues they worshipped in
Their Bible was the “Septuagint,” a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures
They talked different, they acted different, they were different, but they were now saved Jews
They were now a part of the New Testament Church Family
Their tendency was to associate with those of like character, to sit together and share together
A very common practice among Christians today, it even happens at Prairie Grove Baptist
Satan can and will use any separation of Christians in the church family to bring about division
Separated for any reason to disrupt the harmony of the family
We must always remember, Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
The “murmuring” of the Grecians was, against the Hebrews
The “Hebrew” Jews were born in Palestine
They were Palestinian natives and proud of their heritage
They spoke the Aramaic language, the common language spoken in Palestine during that time
They were careful to preserve the culture and customs of Jews
They were a very self-centered people, not unlike many churches today
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Their Bible was the O1d Testament in the original Hebrew language
The problem was a murmuring of Greek speaking Jews against the native speaking Jews
There were many differences but when Christ enters the life there should the right difference
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