Acts 6

Acts 6:1-7

19. THE FIRST SEVEN DEACONS Acts 6:1-7 The church at Jerusalem grew in a very short time from 120 to several thousand members! This early church, though a great multitude, was a community of love and care. They had all things common. Many sold their estates and gave the money to the church. There were also many in the congregation who were poor. These poor ones, particularly the fatherless and the widows, were clothed, fed, and housed with church funds. But a problem arose. Some of the Grecian widows were being neglected (or at least thought they were), not receiving an equal share of daily compensation with those widows from Judia (Acts 6:1). Several things in this passage deserve our attention. THOUGH THE CHURCH MUCH , IT , BY THE GRACE OF GOD, TO GROW. Like Israel in Egypt, the more it was afflicted, the more it multiplied. The work of God, the cause of Christ, and the success of the gospel cannot be hindered by man or even hell itself (Matthew 16:18). WHEN THE CHURCH STRIFE AND DISCORD AROSE FROM WITHIN! Until now they had been of one accord (Acts 1:14; Acts 2:1; Acts 2:46; Acts 4:24; Acts 5:12). They had been one in heart, mind, and purpose, serving the interests of Christ and one another. But when they began to multiply, they corrupted themselves. They increased in numbers, but not in joy. Like Abraham and Lot, when the family increased, there was strife. “There arose a murmuring,” not an open falling out, but a petty strife, nurtured by selfishness and pride (Proverbs 16:28; Proverbs 17:14; Proverbs 17:19; Proverbs 26:21; Proverbs 28:25). OF ALL THINGS, THE WAS ABOUT MONEY! It is a great pity that the insignificant things of this world should ever cause strife between those who profess to be taken up with the far greater things of the world to come. Yet, this evil is so often repeated that it must not be ignored. “The love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). It blinds the eye and perverts the judgment of men (Exodus 23:8). Most every spat between a husband and wife is about money! Most every sore spot in a family has something to do with money or other earthly possessions! Most church splits begin with strife about money! How sad! NO CHURCH HAS EVER BEEN PURE AND PERFECT, AND NO CHURCH IN THIS WORLD EVER WILL BE. Any congregation of believers will, from time to time, have problems to face, deal with, and overcome. Never forsake the church of God, or the local church to which you belong, because a problem arises. Instead, work together with God’s saints to overcome the problem. Husbands and wives do not break up the family because they have a little spat. Neither should we allow petty differences to break up the household of faith. Let us rather yield to one another and serve one another (Philippians 2:1-5; Ephesians 4:1-6). IN ORDER TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND TO PREVENT SUCH IN THE FUTURE, THE , UNDER THE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, A NEW OFFICE IN THE CHURCH, THE OFFICE OF DEACON. Acts 6:1-7 records the establishment of this office.* These first seven deacons were chosen to meet a specific need in the church. Seven were chosen because seven were needed, but that certainly does not imply that every church needs seven deacons. Why was the deacon’s office established? God ordained this office in his church for one specific and noble reason - Deacons are to relieve their pastors of all secular, worldly concern, so that those who preach the gospel may give themselves entirely to the ministry of the Word (1 Timothy 4:12-16; 2 Timothy 2:4; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; Acts 6:2-3). No man can properly give himself to more than one weighty employment. Therefore the churches of God have deacons whose responsibility it is to see that their pastors have no need to concern themselves with mundane affairs. Deacons must take care to see that the material needs of the pastor and his family are met. Deacons are to make certain that the church property and church members are cared for properly.

Deacons are to distribute the church’s funds for the ministry of the Word and the care of the poor (1 Corinthians 16:2). Deacons are servants. They serve tables, the Lord’s table, the pastor’s table, the tables of God’s saints. How were the first deacons chosen? Without doubt, the church at Jerusalem met in several congregations scattered throughout the area. The apostles called together the preachers from these congregations and instructed them to choose from among the saints of God “seven men (no women) of good report”. Then those men were ordained to the work. This much is certain: The deacons were all men. They were chosen in compliance with the apostles instructions. They were chosen from among the members of the church. And they were permanently ordained in the office, not installed for a short term. What kind of men were the deacons to be? The Word of God clearly describes the character of those men who may be properly ordained to the office of deacon. They are not to be chosen upon the basis of friendship, but of faithfulness. Carefully read Acts 6:3 and 1 Timothy 3:8-12. These two passages tell us what the qualifications of a deacon are. No man should ever be placed in this high office who does not meet the qualifications given in the Word of God. What is the work for which deacons are ordained? The word “deacon” means “servant”. A deacon is a man who serves Christ’s church, the interests of the gospel, and the pastor who proclaims the gospel to him. As the first seven deacons were chosen to relieve the apostles of the burden of caring for the poor, so it is the work of deacons to do whatever they can to relieve their pastor of any burden or care that would in anyway distract him from the preaching of the gospel. What affect did the service of these seven deacons have upon the church of Christ and the ministry of the gospel? Because of the quiet, unassuming, faithful service of these first seven deacons, the Word of God increased and many of God’s elect were converted (Acts 6:7). The gospel was preached where it could not have been preached, if these men had not relieved the apostles. And the church of God grew. Faithful deacons are an asset to any congregation and an asset to any pastor’s labors. Pastors, elders, and deacons, together with the membership of the local church, labor together in the cause of Christ. Those deacons who labor faithfully as deacons earn the respect and esteem of their pastor and of the church (1 Timothy 3:13).    

• The apostles did not simply invent an office in the church as a matter of expediency. They did what they did under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit. Unlike the choosing of Matthias to be an apostle, this was an act inspired of God. We know that it was, because it is confirmed in the epistles. We have no authority to invent offices in the church and appoint people to fill them.

Acts 6:8-15

20. STEPHEN - A SERVANT Acts 6:8-15 Stephen was a Hellenistic Jew, a Jew by birth, but one born in Greece. The apostles were all Galileans. They were, in the eyes of men, a crude, uneducated rabble of fishermen and tax-collectors. When Peter and John stood before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4, they were perceived to be “unlearned and ignorant men.” But Stephen was a preacher of a different kind. He was from another culture. He was a man of learning, education, and refinement.

He was a man of rank and reputation. Some of the historians tell us that, like Saul of Tarsus, (before whom he boldly defended the gospel of Christ ), Stephen was trained at the feet of Gamaliel. As we study the history of his death, we learn the dominate character of his life. Stephen was a faithful man, faithful to the gospel, faithful to the church of God, faithful to Christ, faithful unto death. He is an example of faithfulness, held up for all who would honor God to follow (Hebrews 13:7). Here are four lessons set before us by God the Holy Spirit in this portion of His Word. First, in Acts 6:8 we learn that IS THE ONE THING GOD OF HIS AND THE ONE THING GOD HONORS IN HIS . First, Stephen served God as a member of his church, then as a deacon, then as a gospel preacher. As he had been faithful and diligent in serving tables he was faithful in preaching the gospel. He was a man with uncommon gifts, talents, and abilities. Yet, he thought it was an honor to serve as a deacon in God’s church, an honor to distribute food to the poor. Stephen used the office of a deacon well and thereby purchased to himself a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 3:13). God’s people are his servants in this world. It matters not what our service is, where our service is, or who is aware of our service. The only thing that matters is that we faithfully serve our God (1 Corinthians 4:2). Be faithful in the place of your calling (1 Corinthians 7:20-23), in the work God has given you to do, and with the possessions God has trusted to your hands (Proverbs 3:9-10). Honor God in all things and with all things, and he will honor you (1 Samuel 2:30). There is much that you cannot do; but, by the grace of God, you can be faithful (Matthew 13:12; Luke 16:10). Stephen was a man “full of faith.” That is what the word faithful means, “full of faith.” He believed God. He knew and believed the Word of God, trusted the Son of God, obeyed the will of God, and found contentment with the providence of God. Because he was full of faith, he was “full of power.” He preached the gospel, taught the people, and defended the truth of God with power, boldness, and courage. Faith makes naturally timid men courageous and bold. And the confidence of faith makes gospel preachers powerful. The man who believes what he preaches, preaches with power.

Being full of faith and power, Stephen “did great wonders and miracles among the people.” In this way God confirmed his work. You can be certain that if God sends a man to preach the gospel, he will confirm that man as his messenger and confirm his word from that man in the hearts of his people. Secondly, read Acts 6:9-10 and know that EVERY WORD SPOKEN FOR GOD AND EVERY WORK DONE FOR GOD ITS PURPOSE. Saul of Tarsus was probably the chief spokesman of those with whom Stephen was disputing. Tarsus was in Cilicia. And Saul was present at this time (Acts 7:58). Though Stephen convinced none, though none were converted at the time, though none believed the gospel, though the preacher himself was stoned to death, this faithful servant of God had successfully accomplished what God sent him to do. Only eternity will tell, but I suspect that Stephen’s sermon never stopped ringing in Saul’s ears, until he found himself in the dust crying, “What wilt thou have me to do, Lord?” Two things and two things alone determine the success of any man’s or any church’s labors for the glory of God and the souls of men: The purpose of God and the power of God (Isaiah 55:11; 2 Corinthians 2:15-16; 2 Corinthians 3:5-6; 2 Corinthians 4:7). We are entirely dependent upon God! If we are God’s servants, doing God’s service, failure is an impossibility. No one serves God in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). Sometimes a man preaches one sermon in the power of the Spirit and thousands are saved, as on the day of Pentecost. Sometimes a man preaches thousands of sermons in the power of the Spirit before one sinner is saved, as was the case with the missionary Adroniram Judson in Burma.

Sometimes the preacher is killed and the one God saves turns out to have been one of his murderers, as was the case here. God does his will, even when he obscures it from sight (Proverbs 16:33). Thirdly, Acts 6:11-14 demonstrate the fact that THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS TO MEN. When these religious men were convinced that Stephen’s doctrine was the truth of God revealed in Holy Scripture, when they could not resist his arguments, they still would not yield to the claims of Christ. Instead, they hired false witnesses to twist and pervert Stephen’s words. Nothing has changed. Until a sinner’s heart is changed by the regenerating grace of God, he will not receive the gospel of the grace of God. Salvation by grace, through the merits of a crucified Substitute, received by faith alone, without works is both foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:22-25) and offensive to him (Galatians 5:11). It offends his pride, his religious notions, his love of self, and his self-righteousness. Any man who boldly declares the gospel of Christ to lost, unbelieving religionists will be marked by them as a hard man and a bitter enemy (Galatians 4:16). When the pearls of the gospel (free forgiveness, effectual atonement, imputed righteousness, and infallible, irresistible grace) are cast before swine, they will trample the pearls in the mud to get at the one who preaches God’s free grace in Christ, and will destroy him if they can. Fourthly, Acts 6:15 shows us that GOD IS TO HIS . Stephen’s conscience was pure and free from guilt with regard to the charges made against him. Therefore, he had nothing to fear. What he had said and done had been for the glory of God. He knew he had done nothing but serve the honor of God, the will of God, the interests of his kingdom, his gospel, and his people. Therefore, in the face of death, he was calm and courageous; so much so that his face looked as bright, happy, and radiant as the face of an angel. In the hour of his greatest trial he did not forsake his God and his God did not forsake him (Hebrews 13:5-6). What an example Stephen is. Let us be faithful servants to Christ, our God and Savior. If we willingly serve him in all things, he will use us as he sees fit for his glory. He will give us grace to do his will. He will crown us with life everlasting (Revelation 2:10).