Called to Serve

Message in Print
Scripture: Acts 6:1-7
Acts 11 – Called to Serve - Acts 6:1-7
 
If you are a Christian today - if Jesus is your LORD
        then you are CALLED to serve Jesus Christ
 
We are called to SERVE Jesus;
        in how we live
        in the choices we make
        in how we relate to God & to other people
 
EVERY Christian is called
        to SERVE God in every area of our lives
 
Colossians 3:17 (esv)
17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
 
THAT is the Service to God
        that Every Christian is called to
 
But then - SOME of us are CALLED TO SERVE - more “Formally”
        we’re CALLED to SERVE -  WITHin The Body of Christ
 
There are some here today - & some listening to this msg
        that are CALLED to Serve God - at a different Level
 
At a more FORMAL level - - At a LEADERSHIP level
 
But It’s NOT JUST those people
        that I need to listen today
 
I need every person to really track with me today - -
        because this message is for EVERY person
 
Because -       1) You may be CALLED to this level of SERVICE
                                        & may either not KNOW it, or be RUNNING from it
                          2) You may be MARRIED to someone
                                        who is CALLED to this level of SERVICE
                          3) We are ALL in a church that is RUN by people
                                         who are CALLED to this level of service
                                         & so we have to know HOW to interact with them
 
& that covers everybody - so please - DON’T Check out - Stay with me
        LEARN about being - CALLED TO SERVE . . . Ok?
 
Let’s Pray
 
Our text starts today with a PROBLEM in the church
        that LEADS UP to those who were CALLED TO SERVE
 
Acts 6:1 (ESV)
1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint (Murmuring / Grumbling) by the Hellenists
arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.
 
There’s a number of things we have to Look At in this Vs
        in order to “Set the Stage”
       
FIRST - it was when the church was GROWING
        that there arose LIT “Murmuring / Grumbling / Complaining”
 
FROM one group in the church - ABOUT another group
        Can you imagine THAT ??
 
That stuff’s been around since the VERY Beginning
There are two groups of Jewish Christians here in V.1
 
& what’s Really DRIVING this Murmuring & Complaining
        is some Serious CULTURAL Differences
 
The First Group - the ESV calls “HELLENISTS”
 
Were Greek-Speaking Jews who had adopted Not Only the
        Greek Language - Greek Lifestyle - And the Greek Customs
 
The city of Alexandria in Egypt was kind of their BASE
        & it’s a very interesting History Lesson - How they got there
 
But for our Focus today - what’s important is;
        They were JEWS
        They were CHRISTIANS
        They had Adopted the GREEK Culture
 
The OTHER Group the ESV calls “Hebrews”
 
This Second Group;
        Were JEWS
        Were CHRISTIANS
        They Held Very Firmly to the Hebrew Culture
 
Do you see the Potential Problem ??
 
& So - The GREEK Jews
        were Murmuring & Grumbling & Complaining
 
About how their widows were being treated
        by the HEBREW Jews
 
Now this “Murmuring & Grumbling” that was going on . . .
 
This is the same word used in the Septuagint (GK O.T.)
        of the MURMURING of the Israelites in the desert - against Moses
 
& so - This is a Very Serious Problem
 
Because when this kind of Grumbling & Complaining starts
        Division & Dissention are Never Far Behind
 
& so the Church Needed LEADERS
        that were CALLED TO SERVE
 
not just to make sure everyone was taken of -
        but also to stop the Dissention that was threatening the church
 
& those of us who serve must ALWAYS Remember
 
Altho we may be Called to Serve - Physically
        there’s always a larger Spiritual need - Just “Under the Surface”
 
Actually - the murmuring & grumbling had the potential
        to do far more damage - than the Ministry “Distribution” issues
 
& so - God’s going to take care of both
        by APPOINTING those - who are CALLED TO SERVE
 
Now - The PHYSICAL problem was that there were WIDOWS
        whose basic needs were not being met
 
& the care of Widows & Orphans is a HUGE THEME in the Bible
        Both in the O.T. & the N.T.
 
James 1:27 (ESV)
27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
 
Since the Earliest Law in the O.T. - Widows & Orphans
        have always been at the top of the List - to be “Cared For”
 
& there were Widows who were NOT being taken care of
 
& so - Altho the Murmuring & Grumbling was WRONG
        The Widows DID need to be CARED FOR
 
Just one more thing here in V.1 . . .
 
The word translated DISTRIBUTION (end of Vs)
        is the GK word DIAKONIA (DEE-A-KO-NIA)
 
which is usually translated TO SERVE - or TO MINISTER
 
This is the GREEK word from which we get - DEACON
 
& so MOST literally - V.1 says the widows we’re being neglected in
        the Daily SERVING - or the Daily MINISTRY
 
Some translations add the words “Distribution OF FOOD”
 
Inserted by the translators because of the context in V.2
        regarding “SERVING TABLES” (We’ll talk about in a Min)
 
But the broader meaning of this word is;
        Serving, or Ministering - in a Physical or Tangible sense
 
& so we say that the Deacons Primary job
        is to meet the PHYSICAL NEEDS in the Church
 
That DOES NOT mean that this is not a SPIRITUAL service
        it’s actually a VERY Spiritual service - (as we saw w/ the Murmuring)
 
So it’s a SPIRITUAL Serving of the Lord
        But their ACTIONS - are Primarily PHYSICAL
 
So - The Widows of the Greek Jews
        were NOT receiving the “Physical Ministry” they needed
 
& so - God sets up an “Organization” to Fix it
 
God is a - God of ORGANIZATION
        we see it all the way back to Creation in GEN CH 1
 
In Fact - We see it in the very GODHEAD
 
Often people - who usually think they’re super-spiritual
        will Criticize the “Organization” of the church
 
But the Bible shows God Clearly - as a God of Organization
        & we see it right here . . .
 
Acts 6:2 (esv)
2 And the twelve (the Apostles) summoned the full number of the disciples (the congregation) and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.
 
This is NOT because “Serving Tables” was Beneath the Apostles
 
What we see here is the beginning
        of the “Functioning Body” concept of 1Cor Ch 12
 
I REALLY Encourage you to read thru 1Cor 12:12-31
 
Take your time
        Read it in the NLT until you really understand it (1Cor 12:12-31)
 
We ALL make up the Body of Christ - ALL of US
 
We Really need to understand
        we ALL have a place - a FUNCTIONING place - in the body
 
& that place MAY very well BE
        a place of Formal SERVICE to the rest of the Body
 
One thing we know for sure is - it takes ALL of us doing our part
        to make the body of Christ FUNCTION properly
 
Let me just give you a FEW Vs’s
        from this Critical Text in 1Cor Ch 12 - from the NLT
 
1 Corinthians 12:12 (nlt)
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.
 
1 Corinthians 12:17-18 (nlt)
17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.
 
1 Corinthians 12:27 (nlt)
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
 
PLEASE - Read - Understand - & APPLY - 1Cor 12:12-31
 
The VERY LIFE of this Church DEPENDS on EACH of us
Understanding WHERE God has made us to Function in the body
 
& THAT - is Exactly what the Apostles are saying - in Acts 6:2
 
again - Acts 6:2 (esv)
2 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.
 
It’s NOT that Ministering to the PHYSICAL Needs was not
        a “High Enough” calling - - IT WAS - & IT IS !
 
It’s that - in the 1st Century Church
        There were only 24 hours in a day - - - Just like today
 
& the Apostles only had SO MUCH Time, &
        SO MUCH Energy - - - Just Like today
 
& the Apostles COULD NOT meet ALL the needs themselves
        JUST LIKE TODAY
& so - God DESIGNED the church
        so that SOME would FOCUS on Preaching & Teaching
                        & SOME would FOCUS on Meeting the Physical Needs
 
& They are BOTH Equally as HIGH a CALLING
 
& God has MADE different people to FIT PERFECTLY
        into EACH of these TWO MAJOR Areas of the ministry
 
Does that Make Sense ?
 
Now - there is again a Complexity
        with the phrase “SERVE TABLES” (V.2)
 
This phrase is what we call - AN IDIOM
        An IDIOM is a Phrase that is PECULIAR to a specific CULTURE
 
This IDIOM does translate LITERALLY - to SERVE TABLES
 
But it had a much broader meaning to the 1st Century Culture
 
It meant to Provide for the Physical Needs
        To SERVE in GENERAL
        It even meant to Handle Financial Needs
 
So - These about to be CALLED - DID NOT become WAITERS
        The Phrase means “To Meet The Physical Needs” of the people

Do you see it ??
 
SO - The Apostles called the church together -
        they explained they could NOT do BOTH these jobs
 
& then they said . . . Acts 6:3 (esv)
3 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.
 
Here’s the solution - - - the EXACT SAME solution we use today
 
The Apostles said - Pick Seven men
        & put them in charge of the Physical NEEDS of the church
 
& they came to be known as - DEACONS
 
Because that is the word used here
        for the SERVICE & the MINISTRY they were to “Oversee”
 
This is a Very Unique Person who can fill this role
 
This is a person who LIVES
        what Pastor Jeff taught LAST WEEK
 
Last Week Jeff taught on “A Lifestyle of SELF DENIAL”
        THAT is a description of a True SERVANT, a True DEACON
 
But far too often - what we experience in the church
        is more SELF-DIRECTION - than SELF-DENIAL
 
In other words - People say (in essence)
        “I’ll serve if I can do it on MY terms, MY way, MY time”
 
Unfortunately - THAT is NOT a servant
 
A SERVANT - “Sees the Need” & “Meets the Need”
 
& if God has Called you to be this type of Servant
        Please hear me loud & clear . . .
 
WE DESPERATELY NEED YOU
        to Start Serving where God has called you to Serve
 
LOOK AROUND - SEE the NEED - & then ASK US about it
 
& we’ll do everything we can
        to PUT YOU in “The Service of the Lord” - - - OK ?
 
Alright - Let’s look at the FOUR Qualifications
        these DEACONS had to possess (from V.3)
 
1) They had to be “FROM AMONG YOU”
        They have to be people we KNOW
                We can’t really hire a Deacon out of the paper
 
2) Good Reputation
        They have to be “well spoken-of” by other people
 
3) Full of the Holy Spirit
        To be FILLED with the Holy Spirit means
                You ALLOW the Holy Spirit to Control your Thoughts & Actions
 
4) Have WISDOM
        Wisdom is the ability to Understand & ACT Wisely
                Wisdom is “The Right Application of Knowledge”

Knowledge Puffs Up - & Produces Pride
        WISDOM is UNDERSTANDING, & Acting WISELY
 
These are the qualifications for DEACONS
        & Remember - these people are OVERSEERS
 
V.3 is actually Referring to “Putting them IN CHARGE
        of meeting the Physical needs”
 
& So - Now that the physical needs of the church are met,
        we read in Acts 6:4 . . .
 
Acts 6:4 (esv)
4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
 
It’s NOT “Better Ministry” - It’s “Different Ministry”
 
REMEMBER - 1 Cor 12:17 (nlt)
17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
 
God NEEDS EACH of Us to FUNCTION
        as the part of the Body that HE made us to BE
 
Some Minister to the Physical Needs
Some Devote themselves to PRAYER & Teaching The Word
 
if we Don’t have BOTH - we’re a LOPSIDED, Out-of-Balance Body
        & it’s just a matter of time - till we FALL DOWN !!
 
& so the Apostles said - You guys minister to the Physical Needs
        We’ll DEVOTE OURSELVES to Prayer & Teaching the WORD
 
But TRUST ME - This is NOT the EASIER of the TWO Ministries
 
The GREEK Word for DEVOTED here - is Pros-kar-tear-o
 
The word means - to continue to do something with intense
                                                         effort, despite difficulty
 
& I PROMISE YOU - Being DEVOTED
        to Prayer & the Ministry of The Word
 
Requires INTENSE EFFORT - DESPITE DIFFICULTY
 
Which is WHY the Apostles themselves Could NOT meet
        all the Physical Needs of the church
 
Now - It’s interesting that ALL the names
        I’m about to read in V.5 - Are GREEK names
 
& that Probably - has some significance
 
Acts 6:5 (esv)
5 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.
 
Remember - it was the GREEK Jews
        who started this Murmuring & Complaining
 
& we can’t tell for sure - but there’s a pretty good chance
        the Apostles picked 7 GREEK Jews
 
to handle the problems that existed with the GREEK Jews
 
Do you see the wisdom in that ??
 
This would be very similar to us saying
        If the Children’s Ministry needs help
 
it should come from the people
        who have kids in the Children’s Ministry
 
If we’re going to start a Drug & Alcohol Ministry
        it should be started by someone who’s Overcome an Addiction
 
If someone SEES a Need - in an area
        where they are involved in the church
 
Then the best thing to do is have THAT person
        step up & meet that need
 
Does that make sense ??
 
Alright - so - In V.6 - They COMMISSION these New DEACONS
 
Acts 6:6 (esv)
6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
 
This form of “Commissioning” someone for their Service to God
        goes all the way back to MOSES & JOSHUA in Deut 34
 
& we still commission people the exact same way
 
& now - Here’s the BEST PART of this entire text - - THE RESULTS !
 
Acts 6:7 (esv)
7 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.
 
How IMPORTANT is it - that we have Some People
        meeting the Physical Needs of the Church
 
So that Some People can be Devoted
        to Preaching & Teaching the Word ??
 
Well - The Results here are;
        1) The Word of God continued to INCREASE
        2) The number of Disciples MULTIPLIED Greatly
        3) & even a bunch of Jewish Priests were being SAVED
 
That’s some Serious Spiritual FRUIT
 
PLUS - the Murmuring & Complaining was stopped -
        preventing the Dissention that was about to “Break Out”
 
There are Huge PRACTICAL LESSONS in this text:
 
FIRST - It takes ALL of us - Functioning in
        the position God has CALLED US TO
               In order for the church to Bear Spiritual Fruit
 
& So - If we are CALLED TO SERVE
        then we really need to ask God - WHERE . . .
 
& begin taking steps to ANSWER that CALL 
 
SECOND Some of us must focus on the PHYSICAL NEEDS
        & Some of us must focus on Teaching THE WORD
 
& it CAN’T BE the same people
 
God has made Different TYPES of People
        to serve in Different TYPES of Areas in the church
 
But the Important thing to understand is:
        It takes ALL of us to Accomplish God’s Purpose for the church
 
Which brings up another GOOD POINT . . .
 
There is a real problem with churches OVERWORKING
        those who are CALLED TO SERVE
 
The reason SOME Servants are OVERWORKED
        is because NOT ALL that are CALLED TO SERVE - Are Serving
 
So again - If you have been CALLED to SERVE
        in a more FORMAL way in the church body
 
Please - Answer the CALL
        TALK to us - Our phone numbers are on the Bulletin
 
& start taking steps toward DOING
        what God has CALLED you To DO
 
In closing - Let’s see one more truth
        that has DEVELOPED since CH 4
 
FIRST - the enemy tried to stop the growth of the Church
        thru Outside PERSECUTION - (CH 4)
 
THEN - The enemy tried to stop the growth of the Church
        thru Inside Hypocrisy & Deceit (CH 5)
 
NOW - The enemy tries to DERAIL the growth of the Church
 
By getting the Apostles to FOCUS
        on things they weren’t Personally CALLED to focus on
 
If the Enemy can STOP you by Persecution - HE WILL
If the Enemy can STOP you by Hypocrisy & Deceit - HE WILL
If the Enemy can DERAIL you - By getting you to Focus
        on things God has NOT called you to - HE WILL
 
But no matter HOW he STOPS you - or DERAILS you
        He Counts it ALL- AS A WIN !!
 
If you have been CALLED TO SERVE
        I pray that you ARE serving
 
& IF NOT - I pray that you’ll get started
 
Let’s Pray