Sunday, May 25, 2008: Shared Ministry, Shared Results

Shared Ministry, Shared Results
Acts 6: 1 – 7.

I. Introduction.

My senior year of college, I took my first course in Baptist history. It was a great learning experience for me as a student, but it also marked the end of a person, spiritual journey which began when I left home after high school.

When I was 18 years old and leaving home for the first time, one of the many questions I asked my self was: “Why am I a Baptist?” I became a Christian in Vacation Bible School and was baptized in a Baptist church when I was nine years old. I went through Bible Drill and was active in the youth ministry in that same Baptist church. I grew up in a Baptist church, and my parents had grown up in Baptist churches. Of my four grandparents, three of them had grown up in Baptist churches. My maternal grandmother grew up in a Methodist church but became a Baptist when she married my grandfather. Obviously, my family had been a huge influence on my Baptist faith.

I had a few non-Baptist friends in high school, but in college that number grew. I started to spend time with people from other Christian traditions and realized that they had strong, growing spiritual lives. I noticed for the first time that there are genuine Christians in the world who do not attend Baptist churches. So, I started visiting their churches with them. I went to Presbyterian churches, Catholic churches, Methodist churches, Pentecostal churches, Assembly of God churches and non denominational churches. I was concerned that I was a Baptist only because my family was Baptist.

After visiting all those different churches, I never felt comfortable, but I didn’t know why. So, I went back to the Baptist church. I even answered God’s call to ministry and started serving as a youth minister in a Baptist church beginning my sophomore year. I knew I was most comfortable in the Baptist church, but I didn’t know why. This is where my Baptist history course became important.

On the first day of class, Loyd Allen asked us: “What is the one belief that separates Baptists from all other denominations?” Most of our class thought it was baptism, since that is where we got our name and the most obvious difference we have with certain denominations. But, Dr. Allen pointed out there are many denominations that practice baptism the same way we do—believer’s baptism by immersion only.

He directed us to the writings of E. Y. Mullins. Mullins wrote The Axioms of Religion in 1908, while he was president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In this book, Mullins suggested that the belief which separates Baptists from all others is the belief in the “competency of the soul in all matters of religion.”

Everything we believe as Baptists traces it roots to our belief that every man and every woman is competent to stand before God on his or her own. Everyone is free and responsible to give an account to God for what we believe or what we do not believe. The way I like to imagine this is to imagine that one day every man and woman who has ever lived will stand before God and answer one question. God will not ask us where we went to church. God will not hold us accountable for the faith or sermons of our pastor. God will not ask you what your parents believe. God will ask, “What have you done with my Son, Jesus?”

Since we believe every person is a “competent soul,” this has developed into our historical Baptist theology. Baptism: Parents are not the ones who are responsible for getting their children baptized. You must profess your own faith in Christ in order to be baptized. The Bible: If we are competent to stand before God, then it is possible for us to be right or wrong in our theology. Therefore, it is important that we shape our views of God from the Bible. Everyone must read and interpret the Bible in order to understand who God is. Separation of Church and State: If your parents and your pastor cannot stand between you and God, then the government certainly cannot! The Priesthood of All Believers: Priesthood of all believers is not the same thing as “soul competence,” it is a natural outgrowth or the logical expression of competency.

If we believe that every man and every woman is competent to make their own personal profession of faith in Jesus as Lord, then it is only logical that we should believe each man and woman should do something about their personal faith. On one hand, priesthood implies that nothing can stand between a person and God—We do no need a priest to speak to God on our behalf, and we do not need a priest to speak to us on God’s behalf. On the other hand, priesthood also implies a responsibility to serve God. It’s not enough simply to profess faith in Jesus. You have to actually do something. Priests in the Bible did more than simply listen to God and speak to God’s people. Priests actually got their hands dirty doing the work of ministry.

Over the past several weeks, we have read the book of Acts and we have witnessed several miracles. We witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all men and women. We witnessed the birth of the church as a community for worshipping God. We witnessed the expansion of the church to preach the Gospel to non-believers. And today, we witness the first internal conflict in the church which could only be solved by church members sharing in the responsibilities of priesthood and ministry.

Read Acts 6: 1 – 7.

I preached from this same Scripture about a year ago to emphasize the proper role and work of a deacon. (This is not the same sermon today.) Interpreters of this Scripture fall into two general categories. Some believe this is the story of the selection of the first deacons. Others do not. I believe this is about selecting deacons, because the Greek word “deacon” shows up three times in the Greek text—even though it is not translated that way in any English translation.

The early church was born when God gave his Holy Spirit to all believers. One hundred twenty men and women experienced this at the day of Pentecost. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, these ordinary men and women began to do some powerful things: preaching with boldness, confronting the cultural leaders, even performing miracles. This Holy Spirit boldness created a conflict between the new church and the established powers. Acts 3 – 5, describe two occasions when Peter and John were arrested and beaten because of their faith. But, until this point the climate within the church had been harmonious. Everyone loved each other…Everyone looked out for the needs of others…and more and more people wanted to be a part of the church.

Then, something happened. The young church experienced its first internal conflict. Instead of fighting against the cultural powers, they started fighting with each other.

II. Acts 6: 1…In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

Verse one states the problem of internal conflict in at least two, perhaps three, different ways. Simply stated, the church was in conflict, because the church was growing. If the church had remained the same, no new members and no new personalities, then there would have been no conflict.

The conflict was also related to perceived differences in the ways the Greek widows and the Hebrew widows were being treated. More than likely this is a “carry over” from the disciples’ experience in the Jewish synagogue. The Old Testament spoke in general terms about the importance of taking care of the poor. It also spoke very specifically about taking care of the widows and orphans in society. In the First Century, widows and orphans were the embodiment of poverty. They had no man in their lives to provide for their physical and financial needs.

Therefore, the Jewish synagogues developed a tradition of providing for the widows and orphans. More than likely, the disciples “carried over” this same practice to the earliest expression of the Christian church. However, the disciples learned—the hard way—that as their church grew, it became increasingly more difficult to perform this practical ministry.

Until this week, I had always read this passage in one of two ways. I thought it was a description of an honest mistake or a racial tension in the church. However, I discovered something I had never thought of before. This was neither an honest oversight or intentional racism against the Greeks. This was the direct result of church growth. The Hebrew widows were long-time members, who had been present with the disciples from the beginning of the Gospel. The Greek widows were new comers. They had joined the church more recently, at one of the times when Peter preached to the large crowds of Greeks. The conflict was between old and new. It was the result of growth.

III. Acts 6: 2…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.

As soon as the disciples became aware of the conflict within the church, they called a business meeting. They did not move into an “executive session” and close the doors to the rest of the church. Instead, they gathered all the people to discuss the problem honestly and to receive input from the congregation.

The disciples were willing to “fix” the problem on their own strength. To do so would have meant that they would have to change the way they were doing ministry. If the Twelve were to continue to be the only ones distributing food to widows, then they would have to take on a larger responsibility. There was the possibility that they would no longer have time to preach.

Preaching the Gospel is what the disciples loved to do. It was their primary calling. And, not only that…But the Twelve are the only ones who could preach the Gospel from a first-hand experience. Everyone else in the church had come to faith through the witness and preaching of the disciples. If the disciples stopped preaching, the Gospel would be in jeopardy.

Keep this in mind as we interpret the words, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.” This not a statement intended to devalue the hands-on ministry of taking care of widows. BUT…It is a real choice the disciples have to make.

They are not choosing between good and evil. They are choosing between good and best. They are choosing between meeting real physical needs within the church and spreading the Gospel around the world

IV. Acts 6: 3 – 4…Brothers, 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."

While the church was gathered in business meeting, the disciples listed the qualifications for those who will help them do the work of ministry:

A. From Among You…The new ministers came from within the congregation. They did not have to conduct an outside search. Also, I think it is worthwhile to look ahead to the names of the seven who were chosen. These seven men all had Greek names—rather than Hebrew names. From a racial standpoint, the disciples were opening up ministry to people who were not of the Jewish race. From a church membership standpoint, the disciples were opening up ministry to include the new converts who had recently joined the church.

B. Known…This phrase is translated two different ways in English translations. The NIV indicates that these men were known to be full of the Holy Spirit. However, the NASB indicates that these men had good reputations within the church. Either translation can get us to the same idea. These men did not have a private faith. Their faith was known by all the members of the church.

C. Full of the Spirit…This is the key ti understanding the book of Acts. While the title of the book is “The Acts of the Apostles,” you and I are aware that these Apostles were able to do what they did ONLY through the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Of course, that begs the question, “To whom did the Holy Spirit come?” If the Holy Spirit only came to the Apostles, then there is no reason for them to share the responsibilities of ministry. Since the Holy Spirit came to all believers—both men and women alike—then the work of ministry can be shared by all. The Priesthood of All Believers is basically an affirmation of the Holy Spirit. All believers have the Holy Spirit. Therefore, all believers are called to share ministry.

D. (Full of) Wisdom…In an Old Testament understanding…Wisdom = The Fear of God.

V. Acts 6: 5…This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.

There are two important phrases here. First, “the whole group” was pleased with the suggestion made by the disciples. Secondly, “they” selected seven men to fulfill this ministry. I think the two phrases refer to the same people: the entire church.

This fits well with my understanding of ordination, even though we would have a difficult time saying this is a description of ordination. In my understanding, ordination is nothing more than the affirmation of a church. In ordination, the church says, “We see that you have been gifted and called by God to ministry. God is already working in your life. Now, go do the work.”

VI. Acts 6: 6…They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

Laying on of hands was a symbol in the Old Testament of one person transferring an assignment or responsibility to another. It was rarely or ever used to transfer authority.

VII. Acts 6: 7…So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

When shared ministry takes place in the church, the result is a church that becomes more effective in meeting needs within the church and preaching the Gospel in the community.


VIII. Conclusion.