Acts 6-7
Men’s Retreat – Sunday Morning
November 15, 1998
Introduction
The church was growing. Though the church started with 120 disciples in an upper room, its way over 5,000 people now, just a short time later.
:1 a murmuring … because their widows were neglected
The church had taken on a ministry of feeding and providing for the widows in the flock. The Jewish gals that had been raised away from Israel (the Grecians) were complaining that the Hebrew gals were getting a better deal.
:2 that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
It’s not that they were unwilling to be servants, it’s that they were getting sidetracked from their main ministry.
:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Are you a man God can use? We’re going to be pulling out of these chapters some (not all) of the things common to men whom God uses. These things aren’t meant to be a list that disqualifies you from God’s use. They’re meant as a blueprint for our growth.
Lesson #1
God uses a man of good report.
Literally, "men who have a good witness"
About an elder, Paul writes,
1Ti 3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
It’s not that we need to be chasing down every rumor that somebody spreads about us, but D.L. Moody said, "If I take care of my character, God will take care of my reputation."
Too often we are focused on good "performance" instead of proper "obedience".
Obedience is seeking God with your whole heart. Performance is having a quiet time because you'll feel guilty if you don't.
Obedience is finding ways to let the word of God dwell in you richly. Performance is quickly scanning a passage so you can check it off your Bible reading plan.
Obedience is inviting guests to your home for dinner. Performance is feeling anxious about whether every detail of the meal will be perfect.
Obedience is following God's prompting to start a small group, Bible study or relationship. Performance is reluctance to let anyone else lead the group because they might not do it as well as you would.
Obedience is doing your best. Performance is wanting to be the best.
Obedience is saying yes to whatever God asks of you. Performance is saying yes to whatever people ask of you.
Obedience is following the prompting of God's Spirit. Performance is following a list of man-made requirements.
Obedience springs from a fear of God. Performance springs from a fear of failure.
Lesson #2
God uses a man full of the Holy Ghost.
The book of Acts really isn’t about the "Acts of the Apostles", it’s really a book about the "Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Church". It’s about what God did through ordinary men and women as they yielded themselves to the power of the Holy Ghost.
Being filled, overflowed, and controlled by the Holy Spirit is not an option to a Christian man. It’s a basic necessity.
When we aren’t being filled with the Holy Spirit, we are going to be living after the lusts of our sin nature, the lusts of the flesh. The key to living a consistently victorious Christian life starts by learning to live consistently under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
(Gal 5:16 KJV) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Lesson #3
God uses a man of wisdom.
Wisdom is the proper application of what we know. It’s not just about knowing a lot of stuff, it’s about knowing what to do with that knowledge.
Sometimes we just don’t use a lot of wisdom.
Illustration
Three men escaped from prison. One was smart, one was creative, and one not overly bright. They ran for miles until they came upon an old barn where they decided to hide in the hayloft and rest. When they climbed up, they found three large gunnysacks and decided to climb into them for camouflage. About an hour later the sheriff and his deputy came into the barn. The sheriff told his deputy to go up and check out the hayloft. When he got up there the sheriff asked him what he saw and the deputy yelled back, "Just three gunnysacks." The sheriff told him to find out what was in them, so the deputy kicked the first sack, which had the smart man in it. He went, "Bow-wow," so the deputy told the sheriff there was a dog in it. Then he kicked the sack with the creative man in it. He went, "Meow," so the deputy told the sheriff there was a cat in it. He then kicked the one with the dumb man in it, and there was no sound at all. So he kicked it again, and finally the man said, "Potatoes."
:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
These are the main ministries of the church. When these are neglected, you don’t have a healthy church. The apostles realized that they were getting sidetracked from what was important with things that were good.
Taking care of the widows was a very good thing, but it was starting to get in the way of the "best" things.
Lesson #4
God uses a man of priorities.
Too often the "good" is the worst enemy of the "best".
(Eccl 10:1 NLT) Dead flies will cause even a bottle of perfume to stink! Yes, an ounce of foolishness can outweigh a pound of wisdom and honor.
Do you know what is most important in your life? One of the great things about retreats like this is that hopefully you’ve had a little time to get away and think about what your priorities ought to be like. I think we all are aware of the priority our relationship with the Lord ought to have, but what’s your next priority?
For those of us who are married and have a family, we need to be careful that we are spending the time we ought to in cultivating, supporting, loving, praying, and playing with our families. I wonder if some of the "behavior" problems we see in our kids is nothing more than a cry for more of your time. If too many flies get into your mixture, your kids may start to stink.
Lesson #5
God uses a man of prayer.
Too often we see someone that God is using, and we only are aware of the outward things. We hear a forceful message and assume that it must be the speaker’s humor or their command of the Greek language. But the man that God uses in a true, real way, is a person who has learned to depend on prayer. Yet the trait of prayerfulness is not one you’re going to see from far away. It’s something that ultimately only God will see in the person’s private times with God.
There is NO getting around this. You can be a person who will impress others with your intelligence, but if you want to be a person who is used by God, then you will learn to be a man of prayer.
Alan Redpath wrote,
"If you are going to be a preacher or a teacher of the Word, the wind and the fire from God are what you must have. You can afford to be ten times less clever if only you are ten times more spiritual."
"On that judgment day there will be multitudes of people whom I will meet for the first time, who will say to me, 'You faithless preacher, you covered up your indifference to us by many texts and sermons, but you did not really care, because you did not really pray.' Oh, how this has kept me awake many nights!"
:6 when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
These men became known as "deacons" in the church. They were referred to as "the seven" (kind of like the Magnificent Seven). But don’t get the wrong idea, these men started out essentially as "busboys" in the church cafeteria. The Greek word for "deacon" (diakonia) simply means "servant".
Lesson #6
God uses men who are servants.
It’s not about obtaining high, exalted positions in the church. It’s all about being a down in the dirt, roll up your sleeves, get to work servant.
Mark 9:33-37
And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? {34} But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. {35} And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. {36} And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, {37} Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.In God’s eyes, the greatest is not the one who bosses others around, it’s the one who serves others. I wonder why there aren’t more men involved in the Children’s Ministries at our churches. I think at times that perhaps the gals have a better handle on being good servants than we do.
:7 And the word of God increased
The result of spreading out the load of weight in the church was that the ministry of the Word increased, and the church increased as a result.
:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power
Lesson #7
God uses a man of faith.
Faith is not some mystical force or some kind of magic fairy dust. It’s simply the act of trusting in something you can’t see. Faith isn’t optional to a Christian, it’s the very thing that starts us off in our relationship with God. Faith pleases God.
(Heb 11:6 KJV) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
An example of a man of faith was Abraham. Later on, Stephen will mention Abraham and his faith in his sermon before the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:2-6).
(Heb 11:8 KJV) By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Abraham demonstrated faith when he obeyed God’s call to "go", even though he didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t "see" what he was doing, but he trusted in it anyway.
Illustration
The great tightrope walker has stretched a cable across Niagra Falls. As the crowd begins to gather, he carefully makes his way from one side to the next. The crowd is asked if they think he can ride a bicycle across. They shout "Yes!" as he rides back across the falls. Next they are asked if they think he can push a wheelbarrow across. They all shout "Yes!". A man is singled out. "Will you get in the wheelbarrow?"
Trusting in Jesus isn’t just about going to church on Sunday. It’s about learning to let God lead you, and learning to trust in His leading. It’s putting your life in His wheelbarrow.
:9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue …
A synagogue was kind of like a local church. It took ten Jewish men in a city to be able to form one. Apparently in Jerusalem at this time, there were upwards of 480 synagogues in Jerusalem, and apparently they were formed with different things in mind, based on what people had in common.
These five different synagogues were all "Greek" or "Hellenist" in that they were made up of people who were born and raised outside the Jewish culture in Israel. They were just like Stephen, who was also a "Hellenist". One synagogue in particular, the one of Cilicia, may have had a young man in it named Saul.
:11 Then they suborned men
suborned – to bribe someone into doing a bad thing.
:13 This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words
Which was not true
7:1Then said the high priest, Are these things so?
Stephen will now be given the opportunity to defend himself, and he will give a rather lengthy sermon in which he traces much of the history of Israel, showing how they have a habit of persecuting the prophets. (we’ll skip the sermon)
Lesson #8
God uses a man of the Word.
You probably noticed this back in 6:4, that this was a priority of the apostles. But here we actually see it in the life of Stephen. The entire sermon is filled with references and direct quotes from the Old Testament Scriptures. Yet we don’t have any indication that he had to take a few days to prepare for this message. He was so saturated with God’s Word, that when He needed it, it just flowed out of his mouth.
:51-53 Ye stiffnecked … and have not kept it.
Lesson #9
God uses a man of courage.
Here’s Stephen daring to offend a hostile crowd. Perhaps to some of us, we’d say that Stephen wasn’t courageous, he was foolish.
Illustration
A magician was on stage doing his act, when he called for a volunteer from the audience. A man volunteered & went up on stage. The magician told him to pick up the 16 lb. sledgehammer that was on stage next to a cement block & break the block apart with the sledgehammer, so the audience would know the sledgehammer was real. So, the man swung the sledgehammer with all his might & shattered the cement block. The magician now told the man to hit him square in the face with the sledgehammer. Horrified, the man said, "No way. It'll probably kill you". The magician insisted that the man hit him in the face, saying, "I'll be fine...I promise you...go ahead." "Well,", the man replied, "OK here goes." Again, the man swung the sledgehammer and aimed it at the magicians face. The result was very bloody. The magicians nose was crushed, teeth fell out, blood everywhere. After 6 months in a coma in the hospital, the magician was lying in the hospital bed. One eye opened, the fingers flexed a bit, the other eye opened, and the magician sat straight up and said, "Ta-da!"
Now that’s plain foolish.
Stephen’s words weren’t tied with some silly magic act, it was a matter of giving a clear warning to people in danger of hell.
There are times when you have to stand up, be a man, and do what’s right.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (Dan. 3) could have taken the easy way out. When King Nebuchadnezzar called his people together to worship his new statue, they could have joined with the rest of the crowd and bowed to the ground. But instead they choose to risk the fiery furnace and take a stand for God.
(Dan 3:17-18 KJV) If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. {18} But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Their courage didn’t make a dent in Nebuchadnezzar. He had them thrown into the fiery furnace. But they weren’t alone. There was another person in the furnace with them. One like the Son of God.
When you choose to take a stand for God, you will find that you are not alone. When you choose to take a stand for God, you will find that Jesus will stand with you. You won’t be alone in the fire.
(1 Pet 4:14 NLT) Be happy if you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God will come upon you.
:60 Lord, lay not this sin to their charge
Lesson #10
God uses a man of mercy.
It all starts with learning to forgive others.
One of the places we need to show mercy the most is in our own home, especially with our own wives.
Illustration
A priest and a nun were lost in a snowstorm. After a while, they came upon a small cabin. Being exhausted, they prepared to go to sleep. There was a stack of blankets and a sleeping bag on the floor but only one bed. Being a gentleman, the priest said, "Sister, you sleep on the bed. I'll sleep on the floor in the sleeping bag." Just as he got zipped up in the bag and was beginning to fall asleep, the nun said "Father, I'm cold." He unzipped the sleeping bag, got up, got the blanket and put it on her. Once again, he got into the sleeping bag, zipped it up and started to drift off to sleep when the nun once again said, "Father, I'm still very cold." He unzipped the bag, got up again, put another blanket on her and got into the sleeping bag once again. Just as his eyes closed, she said, "Father, I'm sooooo cold." This time, he remained there and said, "Sister, I have an idea. We're out here in the wilderness where no one will ever know what happened. Let's pretend we're married." The nun said, "That's fine by me." The priest yelled out, "Get up and get your own stupid blanket!"
Isn’t it sad that too often that’s exactly how people view marriage, as a matter of being selfish and yelling at each other?
It ought to be more like what Paul says:
(Eph 4:32 KJV) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
We need kindness, compassion, taking time to know what the other person is thinking and feeling.
Illustration
A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read "Puppies For Sale." Signs like that have a way of attracting small children and sure enough, a little boy appeared under the store owner's sign. "How much are you going to sell the puppies for?" he asked. The store owner replied, "Anywhere from $30 to $50." The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. "I have $2.37," he said. "Can I please look at them?" The store owner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said, "What's wrong with that little dog?" The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn't have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame. The little boy became excited. "That is the little puppy that I want to buy." The store owner said, "No, you don't want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I'll just give him to you." The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner's eyes, pointing his finger, and said, "I don't want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I'll pay full price. In fact, I'll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for." The store owner countered, "You really don't want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies." To this, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, "Well, I don't run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!" (By Dan Clark, Weathering the Storm, from Chicken Soup for the Soul Copyright 1993 by Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen)
The man God uses is a man who takes time to understand where people are coming from. He uses a man who’s wise enough to realize, "Hey, I’ve been there too!" He uses the man who shows mercy.