Sermons

Summary: The apostles were faced with a new problem, but they applied Biblical principles to solve it. It may have been new ground, but are the problems we face ever really new?

13 Principles from Acts 6:1-7 for responding to problems that arise.

1) Wherever people gather, there will be trouble. V1

-predictable trouble based on transient nature of the group

Il) Fisticuffs on the Sunday a classmate from seminary candidated at a church.

Il) Easter Egg hunt, people protecting their kids

2) Always respond to trouble caused by the flesh in a spiritual way.

-our flesh can think of many ways we may have responded to this complaint

-defensiveness is of the flesh; prayerful and Biblical solutions are of the Spirit

Il) example of Jesus, apostles

3) Biblical principles are the blueprints for our process.

-duplicating God’s character is our goal

-this passage a great example

-these guys didn’t even have the New Testament yet!!

4) The first priority of the church is proclamation of the truth for life change. V2

-apostles wanted to stick to their mission

IL) “leave behind, abandon” in v2

Il) “”stick to, adhere to” in v4

-the church needs to keep those called to proclamation and prayer free from ministry overload.

PP Acts 1:8

5) The tyranny of the urgent must not be allowed to dictate priorities.

-Satan can use emergencies to distract us from the main goal

Il) Jesus’ response to people lining up for healing in Mark 1:35-38

6) All believers are called to be servants.

-three uses of diakovia, vv1, 2, 4

PP Mark 9:35

PP John13:14-17

PP Philippians 1:3-5

7) People who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit are equipped to provide solutions v3

-the apostles had no doubt the believers were equipped to handle this problem.

PP 1 Corinthians 12:7

8) Ministry in the church promotes character before competence

-qualifications for deacons based on inner transformation, not outward ability

Il) qualifications for elders and deacons in I Timothy and Titus

-tasks can be learned, character requires Spirit-initiated change

9) Expansion of ministry requires more people, not more ministry for the few.

-delegation according to the gifts the Spirit gives.

PP Ephesians 4:11-12

Il) Moses and the advice from his father-in-law in Exodus 18:12-24

Il) “Men, we are people of limited resources” Pastor Dale Burker of Fullerton EFC

10) Physical ministry is important because it demonstrates the truth in life.

-they took care of the problem which threatened to destroy unity.

Il) the early church was causing a great stir in Jerusalem

PP 2 Corinthians 2:10-11

11) The church is to be characterized by giving.

-canceling the daily distribution was not an option

-that’s the history of the early church

-God is a giver by His nature

Il) 40 years in the wilderness, sending Jesus

12) Shepherds are ultimately responsible for all ministry.

-the congregation selected deacons based on qualifications set by their shepherds, and the apostles approved and commissioned them to the task.

-they did not merely “wash their hands” of the problem

Il) every jet has it’s own maintenance crew, and a crew chief who is ultimately responsible for the work of his crew.

13) The manifestation of God’s character in the church is a powerful evangelistic tool.

-priests getting saved even though they were already being fed from sacrifices

-they lost their jobs, most likely.

-this is a common postscript to these passages in Acts.

PP Matthew 5:16

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