The Movement is Organized
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The movement was increasing literally in an explosive fashion. So this is where we come to the beginning of the church’s need to get organized.
I. The Reasons for the Organization (v.1-2)
The Problems of the Church
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. (v.1)
Two Problems:
1. Multiplication - the number of disciples was increasing
Back in chapter 1 the movement was just 120. In chapter 3, 3,000 men had been saved at Pentecost; another 5,000 men had been added in chapter 4. Add to this their wives, children, and other family, and you can see that the church growing by leaps and bounds. It is estimated that the church in Jerusalem numbered between 20,000 and 50,000 at this time.
As a church grows larger so does its potential for problems.
2. Murmuring - there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, (KJV)
There were two classes of people in the early church. There were the Aramaic speaking Jews who were native to Israel, and there were the Greek speaking, Hellenistic Jews that had come back from various parts of the world. The Hellenists were Jews that lived in Greek speaking countries. They were loyal Jews, but they had absorbed some of the Greek culture where they lived. They were different from their native Jewish brothers and there was a little friction between them.
The Bible tells us that they were “murmuring”. This word refers to “secret debate; whispering”. People were talking about others in a negative manner behind their backs. That is always a problem in the church!
3. Ministry - their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
The Greek speaking widows were not getting their share of the daily food supply. The early church was committed to meeting the needs of its members.
In those days the people sold their goods and pooled their resources to see that every member had what they needed, Acts 2:44-45. Some of the more affluent people in the church, like Barnabas, sold houses and lands and gave the money to meet the needs of others, Acts 4:34-37.
Evidently, the Apostles were responsible for seeing to it that the people, but especially the widows, had the food and essentials they needed to live. As the church grew, the task became too large for the Apostles and some people were inevitably missed in the daily food allotments.
The Greek speaking element of the church apparently felt like this oversight was deliberate and they spoke up about it.
The real problem was this: there was too much to do and not enough hours to do it in. As a result, some things were left undone and it caused problems in the church.
2. The Priorities of the Church
When this problem arose, the Apostles took responsibility. They had been trying to be everywhere and do everything. They found it to be an impossible task and they took action. They reminded the people of the priorities of ministry. We need to be reminded of these priorities in these days as well.
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. (v.2)
The Apostles recognized the truth that their primary responsibility was the ministry of the Word. This involved two elements: prayer and preaching, v. 4. If these men spent all their time handing out groceries, they would have no time to pray and prepare for the preaching services.
They were spending their time doing a good thing when they should have been spending their time doing the best thing!
The Apostles were no above the routine ministry of the day; this was simply a matter of priorities for them and for the church. What was more important; passing out supplies or preparing to preach?
But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (v.4)
Nothing we will ever do in this church will ever be more important than the times when a man walks to this pulpit, opens his Bible and begins to preach. Nothing equals that! If the preaching is to have power; if it is to change lives; if it is to glorify God, then the preacher must have the time he needs to prepare properly! For the preacher, preparation is the number one priority!
Now, to summarize, the church was very large. There had developed some friction. It needed to be addressed. The apostles couldn’t do it because they were committed to studying the Word of God, preaching the Word of God, and pulling down, as it were, by their prayers, the very power of God. So somebody else has to be found to do this.
As the church grows larger so does its need for strong, godly leadership.
II. The Requirements of the Organization (v.3)
Here we have a glimpse of the dynamics of the early church. Notice v.3
Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you…
What does that tell us? That tells us that the people in the congregation played a role. It doesn’t say, “The apostles picked seven men.” It says, “brethren, pick out from among you.”
So what we are doing here in Bradford is really biblical. We, the congregation choose men (and women) for leadership.
“…seven men…”
To begin with, they were to choose seven “men” Gk. Andras, lit. males. This is not generic, but this is male. God has always used men to lead the church, men to lead the church. That doesn’t mean women aren’t important and have no place in leadership. Later on, we will find women serving. But here, men have always been in the place of leading the church.
Now let’s see the requirement of these men to be chosen.
“…of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. (v.3)
Saved - “…from among you” They’re not outsiders. They’re insiders, part of the church.
Sincere - “of good repute”. This phrase means that the men chosen must have a good name among the people. The character first, conducts above reproach. They have to have integrity. They have to be blameless, well-attested, and of good reputation from the church.
Spirit-filled - “full of the Spirit” They are to be men controlled and led by the Spirit of God. They have to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. A truly spiritual man will have no trouble seeking the face of the Lord in the decisions he is called on to make.
Sensible - “wisdom”. They are marked by wisdom, spiritual insight, practical wisdom, sound, good, and righteous judgment. He must be someone who knows what is right and knows what steps must be taken in order to carry out what is right. True wisdom is understanding the Word of God and applying it to your life and walk.
III. The Reception of the Organization (v.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. (v.5)
Again, we find here an important principle of the early church organization: the whole congregation unanimously received and approved the proposal of the Apostles. This is where we find the Congregational type of church governance.
You know what’s fascinating about these seven men? They all have Greek names. All seven names are Greek names. Now, if they were looking at sort of what is politically correct, they probably would have had maybe three Greek Jews and four Israeli Jews just to balance everything off, but they didn’t.
Apparently, the love was so great in the early church, and they were so eager that those Hellenistic widows not be missed, that all seven were Grecian Jews, all seven of them. They said, “You take charge in loving, unity, and welfare.” They put the whole responsibility in the hands of Hellenistic Jews.
Here’s a significant principle in church organization: The people who have the most at stake in a ministry are the people who should lead the ministry. It’s the people who do the ministry who lead the ministry. It’s the people who are pouring their life into it that have all the authority and the empowerment to do that ministry the way they think it should be done. This is an ideal way, and this demonstrates trust and love. So they said, “You care most. You’ve got the most at stake. These are your people. You take care of the whole thing.” I love that kind of trust, don’t you?
IV. The Recognition of the Organization (v.6)
These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. (v.6)
That is a traditional way to recognize, affirm visibly solidarity, unity. We stand with them. You see us do that, right? That’s why we do that here. You wonder: why do we bring elders, deacons, pastors, and missionaries up here? Why do we stand them here and have all the elders come and lay hands on them? Because that’s what they did, and what does that say? That says they are recognized by the church and we’re with you in solidarity. We put out hands on you. We connect, and we link to you. We empower you with our prayers and our trust and our support. It was a practice in the New Testament. And we practice that here in Bradford.
V. The Result of the Organization (v.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. (v.7)
Why did the Word of God continued to increase? Because the Apostles didn’t get caught up doing something other than preaching the Word of God. That has to mark a church. It’s so easy for pastors to get distracted.
And guess what? “…the number of the disciples multiplied greatly.” Wow! Because when the Word spreads, people get converted, and the church was exploding. The Word kept being preached. The number of disciples continued to multiply greatly in Jerusalem, and the impact was so great, you’ve got to love this, “and a great many of the priests” not a few, not many, “ – a great many of priests became obedient to the faith.” Wow! Many of the normal, ordinary, run of the mill priests were, I love this, “obedient to the faith.” What a great expression because believing in Jesus Christ is a command, right? They obeyed it.
So, the church had to get organized.
It had to get organized to carry out effective ministry, and that ministry needed to be in the hands of the people who cared the most. It had to get organized so that the people who needed to be proclaiming the Word of God all the time were continuing to do that and weren’t distracted to something else.
So does the church need organization? Absolutely! But it’s not complicated is it? You have godly, gifted teachers and preachers who sustain the life of the church and the impact of the church by being the source of the spreading of the Word by which people are saved. Then coming behind them, you have sincere, Spirit-filled, sensible people, dedicated people who have passionate concerns for various kinds of ministries. You empower, enable, support those people for those ministries, and the church moves powerfully. When all of those things are taking place, the testimony of the church is great, and the Lord adds to His church. Amen?