The Pilgrim Path---Acts 6: 1 – 7

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.

THEY PRAYED AND LAID THEIR HANDS ON THEM…

Times of growth are times of opportunity. This was true in the early Church because it was experiencing growing pains. Some Believing representatives from among the Greek-speaking Jews (Hellenists), came to the Apostles with a complaint. You go to leadership when you have a concern that you wish to have addressed. They did exactly the right thing. Their compliant: in the distribution of necessary food for those in need---the Greek-speaking widows were being completely overlooked. Well, the Apostles took advantage of the situation to summon, “the full number of the disciples.” They let the Church know that the ministry of God’s Word was actually “pressing” them to such an extent---that they could not tend to that---AND mercy ministry. They said to the brothers and sisters that were assembled, “We want you to pick from among your number---seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and wisdom---for this very duty.” You must appreciate how the Holy Spirit is “working” in this situation. The Apostles are saying: pray, ponder---and pick seven men---with the Spirit’s power and skill. Then we will officially designate them! This is the beginning of diaconal ministry---The start of the Deacon as an official Office within the Church. In the Presbyterian Church we like to say that elders serve by leading---deacons lead by serving. Certainly, there will always be some overlap within in the Body---but the Deacons do lead by deeds of sympathy and service. They bless the Church and the world by serving in Jesus’ Holy Name. It is no minor function they fill---it is a formidable one. The biblical warrant remains the same: “men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom…”

When the deacons take their duties seriously (and deacon means “serve”), the pastor’s may devote some time to prayer and the ministry of the Word. It takes time to “work” through passages of Holy Scripture (with them working upon you), to come close to being able to present them publicly. You must pray about your own life as a minister---and the lives of the people to whom you minister. This requires some effort and time---and the freedom to accomplish it all---each and every week. It is because the deacons were serving in Acts 6, “that the word of God continued to increase, and the number of disciples multiplied…” We all work together in the Church of Jesus Christ to advance His Kingdom---and I am incredibly grateful for the ongoing labors of our Deacons. Here are our current Deacons---pray God’s richest blessing upon them and their families: Rob Anderson, Dan Bacon, Mark Dempsey, Jerry Lankford, Eric Schultes, Andrew Seipp, Matt Smith, and Andrew Thompson.

From James Montgomery Boice: When we are talking about these deacons, we are talking about what is absolutely essential because we do not have real Christianity without this vital function. That is why these men now become the leaders of the church. They did not replace the apostles, of course. The apostles had their own, special role. Theirs was a unique function. But apart from these specially chosen and commissioned apostles, the deacons (who were servants) became the first true leaders in the church. Up to this point the apostles have been doing their thing: Peter at Pentecost, Peter, and John before the Sanhedrin. They testified and were put in jail: sometimes they were beaten. In everything they counted it an honor to suffer for Christ. But from this point on we do not find those apostles appearing very much. What happens is that the deacons become the prominent and most effective witnesses…So here is the challenge from this great story: Be a deacon, a servant, as these men were. How? Well, if you want to be a deacon, you will have to be like Jesus Christ. He is our model. He counted equality with God not something to be grasped after or clung to. Rather he emptied himself and became a man, humbling himself even unto death that he might serve us (Phil. 2: 5 – 8). You say, “I don’t like that; I don’t want to serve anybody.” Well, no, of course you don’t. We never want to serve others naturally. We want people to serve us. It is only in Christ that we become different. The world will hate you of you take this path, just as it hated Jesus, Stephen, and the others. It will say, “Let’s get rid of that person.” And it may! But if it does, you will be able to say, even as Stephen said, echoing the words of his Master, “LORD, do not hold this sin against them.” He was thinking of others and serving them even as he died. Do you want to be like that? It is what Jesus wants for you, and if you are willing, he will teach you how.

HYMN

Go, labor on: spend and be spent,

Your joy to do the Father’s will;

It is the way the Master went;

Should not the servant tread it still?

Horatius Bonar, 1843

PRAYER

May your grace teach me to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly.

Work in my heart the kind of godliness which is profitable for all things.

Teach me by the influence of your blessed Spirit, to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

May I yield myself to you, as alive from the dead and present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable in your sight, which is my most reasonable service! Amen.

Philip Doddridge

Grace and Peace in Jesus, the Only Redeemer of broken and wretched souls, Pastor Jason