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Acts 6 Final ACTS: THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD SERIES (TALK 8/13: SEVEN CHOSEN TO SERVE) SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS CONNECT: How is God using you on your front lines to make disciples? WARM-UP 1. Have you ever been chosen, commissioned, and sent to do a special task? What was it like? 2. Is it more important that the church shares the Gospel or that it cares for people in need? READ Acts 6:1-4 3. What is the problem the church is facing? Why is this a good problem to have? 4. Why was it so important for the apostles to solve this problem equitably and swiftly? How do churches face similar challenges today? 5. What characteristics were the apostles looking for in choosing these deacons in v.3? 6. What role do you have to play in ensuring the church can care for people and share the Gospel? READ Acts 6:5-7 7. All seven names listed in v.5 are greek names, therefore those chosen probably came from within the greek community. What does this tell us about the kind of people chosen to serve the widows? 8. How are these men commissioned to serve in their ministry? What does this tell us about the value placed on their duty? 9. What role did these seven servants play in allowing the church to increase in number in v.7? 10. How can we encourage and equip our sisters and brothers in Christ for ministry in God’s church? READ Acts 6:8-15 11. If Stephen was meant to be serving widows, why is he doing wonders and signs in v.8? 12. The Jews mentioned in v.9, had greek backgrounds. Why did Stephen’s message challenge them? What pattern do you see emerging in Acts between evangelism, opposition, and church growth? 13. Where does Stephen’s power, authority in preaching, and shining face come from? How can this truth inform our prayers as we commit to being disicple makers this year? 14. How can we be more proactive in equipping and sending out disciple-makers around us? APPLY: Write a list of gifts you have been given and ways you can exercise these gifts to communicate the gospel with those on your front-line. PRAY: Sending God, thank you that you raise up all sorts of people to serve your church in all sorts of ways. Help us to work together to spread the gospel and make and mature disciples of Jesus. Amen! For sermons and additional resources, visit STBARTS.COM.AU " ACTS: THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD SERIES (TALK 8/13: SEVEN CHOSEN TO SERVE) GOING DEEPER RESOURCES On Your Front Line this Week • Who is the one person you are praying that will become a disciple? Write their name on the Disciple Maker tree and pray for them each day. For Families • ‘God’s story: Stephen’ by Crossroads Kids Club https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u9eN72iFjo Audio and Video • ‘The universal priority’ by Phillip Jensen https://phillipjensen.com/sermons/the-universal-priority/ • ‘Ministry and Growth’ by Daniel Gifford https://stjohnsvancouver.sermons.io/sermons/ministry-and-growth • ‘So the word of God Spread’ by John Stott https://www.allsouls.org/Media/PlayMedia.aspx? download=file&media_id=50833&file_id=57683 • ‘Servants full of the Spirit’ by Thabiti Anyabwile https://resources.thegospelcoalition.org/library/servants-full-of-spirit • ‘Godly Leadership and Sacrificial Service’ by Wayne Schuller http://www.holytrinitydoncaster.org.au/resources/sermons/?sermon_id=326 • ‘Seven Chosen to Serve’ by David Jackman https://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/talk/51091/audio/ Other Helpful Books, Articles, and Courses • ‘Serving the Word and Serving at Tables are equally valuable’ by Theology of Work https://www.theologyofwork.org/new-testament/acts/a-clash-of-kingdoms- community-and-power-acts-5-7/the-spirit-and-the-worker-acts-61-7/serving-the-word- and-serving-tables-are-equally-valuable • ‘Wating on the Widows (Acts 6:1-7)’ by Bob Deffinbaugh https://bible.org/seriespage/10-waiting-widows-acts-61-7 • ‘Acts 6:1-7 - Commentary’ by Richard Niell Donovan https://www.sermonwriter.com/biblical-commentary/acts-61-7/ For sermons and additional resources, visit STBARTS.COM.AU " 1 17/3/19 Acts 6:1-15 Matthew Skelton A few weeks ago I began my first day of pastoral care training at Toowoomba Hospital. I went in, met the other carers, and was shown up to the surgical ward where I was set loose to visit patients. Before I knew it I was alone in a busy ward Just feeling absolutely petrified… As I’m then walking through trying to muster up even the slightest grain of courage to talk to someone, from behind me I hear, “Hi Matt”! It’s Kriscara, who comes to church here. We catch up for a moment, she gives me the heads up of who may need pastoral care, and then we both go on our way… • It was immediately clear to me that God had placed her there for a reason. • It was immediately clear to me that God was with me. • And I wonder if you find yourselves in places or times where you don’t feel God’s presence. This could be anywhere; o Your job, at home, wherever you volunteer. o When you’re tired, feeling out of your depth, or like you’re not making an impact. • The two stories in Acts 6 give us encouragement that God is with us wherever we are. • But apart from the presence of Stephen in both stories, they don’t seem to be connected. o One is about organising care and service for the widows. o The other about Stephen being arrested and falsely accused by the Jewish hierarchy. • But while Stephen is in both stories; he is not the main actor. • Instead, as we see throughout the book of Acts, what draws these stories together is the presence of the Holy Spirit. o The Spirit who is unseen but is equipping, growing, preparing, and guiding the early believers for everything that they will face. • So – as the followers of Jesus face challenges that come through growth and persecution, the Holy Spirit 1 2 o Gifts us for service o Grows the church, and o Guides us in to the world. Look with me at verse 1: In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. • Despite their leaders being beaten up and thrown in to prison as we heard last week, the church in Jerusalem is growing. • But, growth of any organisation or organism comes with great challenges. • This is what the disciples are faced with here: o As we’ve heard earlier in this series, the believers had everything in common and provided for one another. o Sadly here, one group – the Hellenist widows – begins to be overlooked. o The Hellenists were Jews who were very faithfully Jewish, but had some Greek background and customs. o But here in this verse - as demonstrated throughout human history, when resources are at stake, communities divide often down cultural or ethnic lines. • Which is why it is important that we pay attention to the disciples’ response: So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. • The disciples respond immediately to resolve the situation, they are determined to fix this problem. o But, they way they do it demonstrates that they are aware of God’s bigger plan in all of this, and that they are aware that the Holy Spirit: 1. Gifts each of us for service. • I suspect that verse 2 might unsettle some of us: 2 3 o Some may be thinking that the disciples thought of themselves as too important to serve those in need, something Jesus constantly called us to do. o On the other hand, some may be thinking that this is perfectly acceptable: preaching always takes precedence over other ministries. • But the point here is not for us to tussle over which is more important. • The point here is that the disciples recognised that God had gifted them for the ministry of the Word. Yet, God had also gifted others for the ministry of serving the widows. o When the disciples say “it would not be right for us” they’re not saying that it would be beneath them. o The sense of this phrase the original language is that “it would not be pleasing to God”. • The disciples are determined to please God in two ways: o To continue in the ministry of the word that the Holy Spirit had gifted them for, o And to cater to the needs of the widows by appointing servants to ensure they are cared for. • We know from history that the church’s care for the poor, the sick, and the outcast has been notable to those outside the faith. • We also know that when our actions don’t meet up with the gospel, the world notices our hypocrisy. • The Holy Spirit has gifted the church so that the church can grow, o From preaching the gospel and seeking justice o From evangelising and caring for the widow, the oppressed, the stranger.
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