June 25, 2021 - Acts 6:1-7
Coaches often say that the best time to teach is after a loss or failure. Players and everyone on the team suddenly are aware that they are not as good as they believed they were and suddenly are open to instruction and dialogue.
The disciples were coming out of a time when the Jewish officials had made it very clear that the teachings and preaching done by the new band of believers was not going to be allowed without some resistance. The outward tension and resulting conflict drew the group of believers together and caused them to assist and house strangers, those who had come to faith and still were in Jerusalem.
The Hellenists were Greek speaking Jews who probably had come from different parts of the Roman empire. While they were Jewish, they had different dialects and cultural backgrounds that separated them from local Jewish families. Whether this is intentional or not, the complaint was causing a division in the church that had to be reconciled. The rapid growth of the church had placed a strain on the administrative abilities of the apostles, and they needed assistance.
A church meeting was called, and the apostles proposed a solution of appointing men to oversee this ministry while they continued to pray, teach and preach (v.4). This pleased the multitude and they selected seven men to do this work of assisting the needy. After prayer, the men worked diligently and the number of disciples multiplied greatly (v.7).
When conflict arose, the early church acted quickly to address and resolve the problem so that the work of ministry would continue. The apostles understood that their priority was the Word of God, and the needs of the people were delegated to capable men to oversee. In the same way, we are to allow gifted people to do the work of ministry so that the entire church benefits from the quality of organization throughout the body. As the different parts functioned smoothly, the conflict was contained and growth continued both spiritually and numerically.
God uses gifted people to do special responsibilities within the church. Paul said that the body is made up of many parts. All the parts play a vital role and we would not be able to accomplish the work without each supporting one another (1 Corinthians 12: 14-27). Pray for those in the body that are doing their work unto the Lord and show your appreciation toward them. We need toes, ligaments and mouthpieces all to be a part of presenting Christ to the world. What part are you adding to the growth of the church?