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The empowerment of the disciples by the Spirit and the activity of the Spirit in and through the church have led to the church increasing by thousands. The result of Peter’s Spirit-empowered Pentecostal message was that three thousand were added to the church (Acts 2:41). There was a daily adding of believers to this early church (Acts 2:47). Not only were new believers being added daily, but they were also multiplied (Acts 4:32). Those who accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord were being taught and discipled (Acts 2:42). Believers were becoming disciples who shared their faith and led others to the Lord (Acts 4:32; Acts 6:1). Healthy sheep reproduce. This is the Biblical pattern for church growth.
Now as the church grew numerically, it also grew in the love of the Spirit (Romans 5:5). And one aspect of that love was that disciples were selling their property in order to bring the proceeds to the apostles to be distributed to meet the needs of those in financial and material need (Acts 4:32-37). As we saw in Acts 5, an attempt was made to undermine these acts of love by manipulating them to selfish gains, but the Spirit squashed that evil attempt. God’s mathematics includes addition and multiplication of new believers to the body of Christ, as well as blessed subtraction from the body of Christ, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. His subtraction always leads to multiplication of the believers in the body of Christ. Nevertheless, another problem arose in this growing body of believers. This problem leads to further action by the Spirit in the development of the church of God.
Remember, our objective in our study of the Book of Acts is:
The Spirit of God using the word of God to make people of God and change the people of God into Spirit-empowered, effective, edifying, disciples of Jesus Christ.
In Acts 6 we will see another challenge to the early church. They are experiencing what we might call “growing pains.” People were being added to the church and a logistical problem arose where some of the Hellenistic believers in Jesus were being overlooked in the food distribution ministry. This caused division in the church and, if left unattended, it would give a foothold to the enemy and weaken the church. How the Holy Spirit addresses this problem is very instructive to us. What the enemy means for evil, the Lord can use for good. Good will come out of this initially bad situation.
As in our day, prejudice and partiality were a problem. People were discriminated against for a number of reasons. Jews discriminated against non-Jews. Non-Jews, like Romans, discriminated against Jews. There were various reasons for people to act in prejudicial ways. How the Spirit deals with this age-old problem can help us deal with it in our day too.
A Word on Critical Race Theory
There is a worldview that has taken over much of our educational institutions, from kindergarten to college and beyond. This world view is known as Critical Race Theory. The impetus for this “theory” is the issue of racial discrimination and prejudice in society. It is rooted in the injustice of slavery and all the vulgar, hateful, and dehumanizing practices of the heinous practice. Racial prejudice is a very emotional issue in our world today. There is good reason to be emotional and upset, angry and filled with a passion to snuff out such sin in our world. But the student of the Bible must corral their emotion and always ask: “Is this biblically true? Is it biblically sound?” The Bible warns
When a worldview arises from the world, we need to test it by looking at it through the lens of Scripture. Scripture is our time-proven authority. Trouble awaits the one who ventures outside the parameters of Scripture, no matter the reason.
The word of God MUST be our guide in all things. Jesus prayed for His disciples to be set apart for God’s use by the word of God:
As followers, disciples of Jesus Christ, all we do and all we are is based on the foundation of the word of God. If we fail or refuse to build our lives on God’s word, according to Jesus, we will falter and fail in the storms of life:
In Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, the psalmist was inspired to speak of the importance of being guided by God’s word, especially when dealing with oppression. Psalm 119 states:
If we want “peace” from the ravages of racism, then we need to look to God in His word and proceed accordingly.
What is Critical Race Theory? Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a worldview, a way of looking at the world that sees racism as the guiding force. CRT looks at a situation and doesn’t ask if racism is involved, but it looks at a situation and asks how racism is involved.
Critical Race Theory can be defined by the following tenets:
Racism is real. There should be no doubt, racism is real and has been a part of our nation’s history from the beginning. It is something we seen in the history of our country as well as throughout the world. In an “Answers in Genesis” article entitled Three Biblical Problems with Critical Race Theory by Brandon Clay,60 it states:
Certainly, the history of America has been riddled with genuine racism. Most Christians agree that ethnic partiality has played a role in wrong decisions in government, society, culture, and, sadly, churches. The horrendous practice of African-based chattel slavery began in the early days of our colonies and lasted until the 1860s. Then discrimination-based Jim Crow segregation in the South was instituted and remained as part of the legal framework until the 1960s and beyond. Discrimination, even violent discrimination, against “black” people in this country is a real thing…
As Christians, we should be the first to denounce ethnic superiority. Theologian and Professor Owen Strachan reminds believers that “we should be abundantly clear: racism and ethnocentrism are real and historical sins. They have not caused a little bit of division; across the entire world, in all eras of history, these iniquities have caused great pain and suffering.” Racism is a real sin that should be repudiated by all Christians.
Yes, racism is real, and racism is utterly sinful. Racism is evil. But should racism be addressed with more racism, which is ultimately the tactic promoted by Critical Race Theory? Doesn’t the Bible say, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”? (Romans 12:21).
Don’t let prejudice prey on you. Remember, as a Christian, we need to be guided by the word of God. What does the Bible say about discrimination and racism? What does the Bible say about a worldview like Critical Race Theory? We need to look to the Bible for insight and instruction and proceed accordingly. We need to critique Critical Race Theory through the lens of Scripture. We need to do that, because if we don’t, we can end up being “cheated.”
We quoted Colossians 2:8 which uses the word “cheated.” “Cheated,” is a word (Greek sulagogon Present/Active/Participle verb of sulagogeo) which means being made prey of, to be carried off as booty, to be led captive, to be robbed. If we turn to the world and human traditions and worldly philosophies for our advice on issues, we risk missing God’s best. If we look outside the parameters of God’s word, we will be preyed upon. That doesn’t mean we can’t read or look for evidence on an issue from outside the Bible. We can look at such sources, but the Bible needs to be the final authority. Every source must bow before the truth of the Bible.
What does the Bible say about Critical Race Theory? So what does the Bible say about Critical Race Theory? Is Critical Race Theory a viable, Scripturally-sound view and option to address such injustices? The truth is, Critical Race Theory contradicts the Bible in a number of ways, and because of that, it is not an acceptable perspective on the sin of racism according to the final authority of God’s word. Critical Race Theory will lead us to contradict Biblical truth and therefore to act in ways that are displeasing to God and contrary to His will.
In what ways does Critical Race Theory contradict God and His word?
CRT contradicts Scripture truth in the following ways:
First, Critical Race Theory does not seek to overcome evil with good. Critical Race Theory does a thorough job of identifying the evil of racism, but it is wrong in its tactic to address the issue. As mentioned above, the Bible states: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Critical Race Theory counters racism with reverse racism. It shuts down “white” people, cutting them off from the dialogue on this issue.
Second, Critical Race Theory relies on anger, not love. When one reads CRT proponents, it’s not hard to see seething anger and the absence of love. There is a love for the victims of oppression and racism, but there is an anger and even hatred for those they feel are the culprits of that oppression. The Bible states that no matter what we do, if it isn’t done in love, it is worthless and ineffective:
Love is defined in this passage in the following way:
Ultimately, CRT is impotent, or at least not as powerful as it could be if its driving force was the love of the Spirit. Instead, it has a spirit of vengefulness and because of that, it crosses the line into areas that should be left to God:
At some point, the oppressed need to release their oppression and oppressor to God who will avenge.
Third, Critical Race Theory relies on a category of “race” that is unbiblical. In the “Three Biblical Problems with Critical Race Theory” article, Brandon Clay clarifies the following:
Biblical Problem #1: Races Don’t Exist in Scripture
The first biblical problem for critical race theory is that it’s built on an unbiblical category of the word race.. Merriam-Webster provides a common definition of race: “any one of the groups that humans are often divided into based on physical traits regarded as common among people of shared ancestry.” In other words, race is a division of human beings along the lines of common traits related to ancestry. Race is a social construct, not a scientific or biblical category.
This may seem surprising to many. In fact, race as a term is steeped in evolutionary propaganda, as people have historically attempted to elevate some groups of people with common traits (races) as better, smarter, or more capable than others. But there’s no scientific basis for race: across the globe, 99.9% of human DNA is the same. There’s little measurable genetic difference between the so-called races of “blacks,” “whites,” or Hispanics. Even the staunch evolutionist Bill Nye agreed. “We’re all the same…from a scientific standpoint there’s no such thing as race.” Nye may be wrong about many things, but he is right about race. Scientifically, races don’t exist.
More importantly, the Bible does not acknowledge race as a category. Instead, we all descended from our first parents, Adam and Eve. The Apostle Paul tells us, “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth.”(Acts 17:26). Paul restated what God had previously stated in Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” God did not create separate Indians, Irish, Nigerians, or Egyptians. Instead, God made two people, and from those two people, every other human being descended. Every person is united by our same first parents, and we are members of one race, the human race.
Still, the Bible does distinguish between people groups or nations. Ever since the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-8), people groups have been scattered across the globe. The biblical categories of people groups or ethnos (Greek: ἔθνος) are acknowledged throughout the Old and New Testaments. At some point, members of these nations will be united through a common faith in Christ. The Apostle John wrote, “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9). So the Bible distinguishes between ethnic groups of people, but not in modern racial categories of “black,” Asian, “white,” etc.
This is a major complication for critical race theorists, especially those who want to frame this as a biblical issue. The entire philosophy is built on a social construction with no foundation in the Bible or genetics. The concept of race corrupts biblical categories with sometimes-deadly results. The modern understanding of “race” often separates people groups pitting so-called races against each other, as was seen in the Black Lives Matter-inspired riots of 2020 when at least 25 people died. Racial animosity is built upon a modern, evolution-inspired conception of race. But in the Bible and in genetics, races don’t actually exist.
Fourth, Critical Race Theory tackles inequality with inequality. The Bible promotes the value of ALL people, regardless of grouping. The Bible states:
The Bible also states that we should avoid and have nothing to do with those who cause divisions:
Critical Race Theorists divide people on the basis of ethnicity and race. If there is any doubt in your mind concerning the truth of that statement, observe the following:
Biblical Problem #2: CRT Promotes Ethnic Discrimination
The second biblical problem with critical race theorists is their insistence on ethnic superiority and discrimination against “whites,” which many actually admit.
Ibram X. Kendi, one of the prominent critical race theorists and author of How To Be An Antiracist, wrote, “The only remedy to racist discrimination is anti-racist discrimination. The only remedy to past discrimination is present discrimination. The only remedy to present discrimination is future discrimination.” Kendi is bold in his assertions.
Kendi is not alone in his aim to discriminate against people not of his “race” with the hope of correcting oppression experienced among that group. Another author wants to hate “white” people so much, she prays for it. According to Chanequa Walker-Barnes, a self-proclaimed “public theologian and ecumenical minister” wrote in her book, A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal, “Dear God, Please help me to hate White people. Or at least want to hate them. At least, I want to stop caring about them, individually and collectively. I want to stop caring about their misguided, racist souls, to stop believing that they can better, that they can stop being racist.”
Dr. Walker-Barnes has outed herself as an actual racist. In her effort to elevate her race, Walker-Barnes tears down people not like herself—namely “White” people—and prays that God will help her hate them. This is classic racism and ethnic superiority. And invoking God to aid her sinful discrimination borders on blasphemy, even if she claims this is a lament similar to those in the Psalms.
CRT-inspired theorists, ministers, and actors overtly aim to elevate some “races” over other races and discriminate in the process. This is the very definition of racism or biblical ethnocentrism. If you were to flip the script on these statements, it may appear more obviously problematic. For instance, take the prayer posted earlier, insert “black” instead of “white,” and consider the result. You could also insert “Hispanics,” “Asians,” or any other evolution-inspired race into Walker-Barnes’ prayer. Her ethnocentrism is made all the more glaring when the tables are turned. And if it sounds wrong to hate one “race,” it should sound just as wrong for any “race.”
Why is that? Because God’s Word opposes ethnic discrimination. One “race” is not better than another “race.” We are all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). God didn’t create “blacks” or ‘whites” in his image. All people, regardless of skin color, were made to reflect the Creator’s image.
Through Christ, the former ethnic barriers are being torn down. In speaking about the traditional animosity between Jews and Gentiles, the Apostle Paul wrote, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Thankfully, Christ unites people from different backgrounds. He does not divide and discriminate as in CRT, which is why critical race theory is anti-biblical.
Jesus commanded us to “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). These words of Jesus are contradicted by those who hold to Critical Race Theory.
Lastly, Critical Race Theory is cultish and an alternative to Biblical Christianity that should therefore be avoided. The Bible warns:
Critical Race Theory, especially those who adopt it into the church, promote a “Jesus” that is quite different than the Biblical Jesus. Their solution to the sin of racism is more discrimination than repenting, coming to Jesus and finding forgiveness all around. Forgiveness is for all people, repentant oppressors included:
Critical Race Theory preaches a “gospel” of wokeness, seeing society through the lens of power, oppressed and oppressor. CRT assigns identity in terms of oppressor and oppressed rather than in Christ (cf. Colossians 2:10).
CRT has a much different “spirit” than that offered in the Bible. The Holy Spirit brings love into our hearts (Romans 5:5), CRT brings something much different. In his article Brandon Clay gives the following example of this CRT religion:
Biblical Problem #3: CRT is a Different Religion
The third and final biblical problem with critical race theory is its religious nature. CRT, in short, is a religion at odds with biblical Christianity. Dictionary.com defines (2) religion as: “a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects.” So religion includes beliefs and practices agreed upon by certain people that function as a worldview. CRT includes those elements and can be considered a religious worldview.
Voddie Baucham, in his book Fault Lines, outlines critical race theory’s religious nature in several ways (Chapter 4, pgs. 69-90). For one, CRT has a new cosmology. Instead of appealing to God’s six days of creation in Genesis, CRT appeals to whiteness, white privilege, white supremacy, white complicity, white equilibrium, and white fragility. Secondly, it has a new original sin: racism. Instead of pointing people to the Fall of Adam and Eve recorded in Genesis 3, crits point to the core “sin” in society as racism. Thirdly, CRT defines a new law: the “Work” of Antiracism. It’s not enough to be against racism. One must actively fight against racism as an “anti-racist” in their religion.
Baucham sums up his perspective on CRT as a new religion when he wrote the following on page 66:
At the epicenter of the coming evangelical catastrophe is a new religion—or, more specifically, a new cult. While some may consider the term ‘cult’ unnecessarily offensive, it happens to be the most accurate term available to describe the current state of affairs. John McWhorter was the first observer I am aware of to refer to it as the ‘Cult of Antiracism.’ Others have used similar terms, and I think they are right to do so.
If Baucham is right (and I think he is), critical race theory and its associated movement stand in opposition to biblical Christianity because it is a false religion. In the first of the Ten Commandments, God says, “You shall have no other God s before me” (Exodus 20:3). God continues, later, to say, “for you shall worship no other God, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14). God commands complete devotion from his people as their Creator, Defender, and Provider. Whenever an alien religion seduces his people, he has and will oppose it. That included Baal worship in the Old Testament and Caesar worship in the New Testament, and now critical race theory in the 21st century. God will oppose false religions however they manifest.61
Booker T. Washington “was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American community and of the contemporary black elite.”62 Booker T. Washington offered us some wise words when it comes to slavery and racism. He stated:
Of all forms of slavery there is one that is so harmful and degrading as that form of slavery which tempts one human being to hate another by reason of his race or color. One man cannot hold another man down in the ditch without remaining down in the ditch with him.63
Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister and activist against racism, was a very successful prophetic voice in the fight against racism. He paid the ultimate cost when he was assassinated in 1968. Martin Luther King Jr. said the following in his most memorable speech:
I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
There is a better, more effective way to deal with racial and all forms of discrimination. That way is the Biblical way.
The Mystery and Unity of the Church
Before we proceed in our study of Acts 6, we should consider a purpose of the church that is relevant to our study as well as relevant for our day. In Acts 6, the unity of the church is challenged. We will see that such a challenge strikes at the heart of Christianity. We often take the creation of the church for granted as though it always existed. But the church did not exist before the New Testament. Why was the church created by God? It was created to broaden the reach of salvation beyond the Jews to include Gentiles as well.
In his letter to the church in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul is inspired and directed by the Holy Spirit to share the “mystery” of the church. The church was a mystery not in the sense that God was hiding it from us. The church was a mystery in that it was revealed as God’s eternal purpose according to His timing.
To be dead in sin is to be separated from God. Paul begins by explaining all of us were “dead in trespasses and sins.” To be “dead in trespasses and sins” doesn’t mean incapacitation, it means separation from God. This is supported by the comment of the father regarding his prodigal son where he states, “for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (Luke 15:24).
Sin by nature is separating. Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). God doesn’t even like to look at sin or wickedness (Habakkuk 1:13). If we regard sin in our heart, God won’t listen to us (Psalm 66:18). Sin makes us an enemy of God (Romans 8:7). When sin takes the form of prejudice that divides people, it becomes a metaphor for how sin separates us from God. Prejudice is rooted in pride and has a self-exalting view against others. Prejudice says, “I’m better than you.” Similarly, when we sin, we are acting like we know better than God.
“But God.” Living in sin is not a pretty picture. We are hopeless at odds and lost from God when we continue in our sin. Thankfully, the passage says, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)…” Without God’s gracious provision in the gospel of Jesus Christ, those separated from God and who “were by nature children of wrath,” are hopelessly lost. There was, is and never will be a work the sinner can do to save themselves from their sin. The sinner walks “according to the course of this world,” the sinful course. The sinner is under the influence and deception of “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of the flesh.” Thankfully, there is a “But God.” God, through His Son Jesus Christ, made a way for our debt of sin to be paid. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We owe a penalty of death because of our sins. But God, as a gift of His grace, sent his Son Jesus to pay our death-debt of sin. He offers that redemptive work of Jesus freely to us as a gift of His grace. Jesus’ atoning death alone can be the basis of our forgiveness of sins and salvation. This transaction can only be received by faith in Jesus. This is the “good news” gospel of Jesus Christ.
Second, we are saved by grace through faith, not works, but the faith that saves, works. The tenth verse of this passage provides us with purposeful truth.
We are God’s “workmanship” (Greek poema) or poetry. The person saved from their sin through faith in Christ is a creation of God. God creates us in Christ for a purpose, “good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” God doesn’t save us so that we can continue to sin, but He saves us to free us from having to sin. God saves us to a higher purpose, an eternal purpose to live out in this life. All we do should glorify Him and target eternal purposes. The machine or instrument through which we serve God’s eternal purposes is the church.
Third, “brought near by the blood of Christ.” Jesus and His shed blood offer the opportunity for the Gentiles to come close to God. Notice again the idea of being brought near and united with God and His people. Prior to this, Gentiles were scorned and looked down upon by God’s people. Before Acts 10, the church was primarily a Jewish sect. But God had a broader, deeper plan.
Prior to the church, Jews and Gentiles might have thought God’s love was reserved for only the Jew. Before the church, it may have looked as though God was partial, discriminating. But this was a mistaken view. From the beginning, God’s plan was for Israel to be an instrument to serve as “priests” (Exodus 19:6). Priests serve as mediators. A priest goes to God on behalf of the people and goes to the people on behalf of God. God’s plan for Israel was to BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER BEFORE God. Israel was to serve God as “My witnesses” (Isaiah 43:10, 12; and Isaiah 44:8). But Israel became proud and began thinking that God’s plan was exclusive, involving only them and not the rest of the lost world. The result was great sin, defeat, and captivity.
Israel would be temporarily put on the shelf by God (Romans 9). Israel, for the most part, rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 10). Israel would one day be plugged back into the plans of God (Romans 11). But until then, God would work to reach the lost world with the gospel through a new entity, the church. The church would preach and be an example to the lost world, of how the blood of Jesus washes away the sins that separate and brings the saved close to God.
Fourth, “one new man,” “one body through the cross,” “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” brought together in one “building.” While the “church” is not yet mentioned by Paul, we see its unifying purpose laid out for us. The church is God’s means to bring people together in Christ. It states:
Through the gospel of Jesus Christ, the sinner can be forgiven and reconciled to God. Through faith in Jesus, the sinner; the one who was “afar off” because of sin and not being among God’s chosen elect Israel, all people come together in the presence of God through faith in Jesus. This happens in “the whole building,” where, “being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” In this building, those who have trusted in Christ for salvation, live their lives “being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” That’s a glorious provision of God and his grace.
Fifth, that place where God unifies us is “the church.” Paul now explains that God’s plans for “the church” weren’t known previously but have now been revealed:
These words introduce “the church” as God’s revelation, as His willful plan to offer the opportunity to Gentiles to become “fellow heirs” through “His promise in Christ through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6). Paul explains that this “mystery” now revealed is integral to His calling from God to “preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8). This truth is “the manifold wisdom of God” that hadn’t previously been known, but now is “made known by the church.”
This truth is not only for humanity, but God also makes it known “to the principalities and powers in heavenly places”, who, no doubt, would be disappointed that they would lose more to the safe haven of God in Christ in the church. This is, always was, and always will be, “according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:11).
Such truth gives us boldness in the world by way of our access to God for help (Ephesians 3:12). This is a great encouragement to help the persecuted “not lose heart” when leaders like Paul or others are persecuted.
Sixth, in Christ, “the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” Paul is inspired to write:
When someone is adopted into a family, to receive the same name as those in that family, means they are accepted and a part of that family. Paul tells us that is what happens when we turn from our sin and receive forgiveness through faith in Jesus. Indeed, when in our sin, separated from God, we belong to the devil and are under his sway and influence (Ephesians 2:1-2; 1 John 5:19). “But God” has made a way for us to become a part of His eternal family. The church is an earthly example of this new family on earth. Again, we see the unifying impact of the gospel on people once lost in sin and separated from God. Before we trusted in Christ as Savior, we had no eternal family. For that unity we have with God and each other, we should bow down before God on our knees in worship and thanks.
Seventh, God’s “eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Ephesians 3:11), “the church” (Ephesians 3:21), should lead us to our knees in worship and prayer, speak to us about the incredibly broad love of God, and encourage us to know God’s plans always far exceed our expectations. Paul ends the chapter with the inspired praises of:
The message of God’s wise plan in the church and God’s family is that He desires all people to be saved (e.g., 1 Timothy 2:4; cf. also 2 Peter 3:9). God’s love extends to “the width and length and depth and height” (Ephesians 3:18) which Paul hopes the Christians at Ephesus come to know. Indeed, Paul prays we would come to “know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). That’s God’s plan for us exemplified in His church.
In the end, Paul can’t help but exalt God. It’s as though Paul is saying, “If God’s plan for salvation extends far into the world; to even reach beyond Israel to the Gentiles, then, we should know that our prayers are not limited to our requests, but God ‘is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20). Yes, therefore, “to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:21).
The church is God’s means of reaching out to those lost in sin and reconciling them to Himself. The church is also the means God prescribes for people separated from each other by sins (that would include racism and all forms of prejudice and injustices) to be united together in the love of Jesus. The church is EXACTLY what this divided world needs today! This lost world, separated from God by their sins, separated from each other by sins, can solve this separation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus. With this glorious truthful wise provision of God in mind, let’s go to Acts 6 and see how God solved the problem of prejudice cropping up in the first church.
Threat to the Early Church – Dealing with Prejudice
The presence of an unmet need is often revealed through disturbance. At this point in the early church, the body of Christ is made up predominantly of people from various Jewish groups who have accepted Jesus as their Messiah, their Savior and Lord. In Acts 6:1 we see a disturbance arising between the two primary groups of Jewish converts, the Hebrews (Aramaic speaking Jews) and the Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews). The Hellenists were Jews who had adopted the Greek culture and language that so permeated the region as a result of the previous rule of Alexander the Great. The Hebrews lived according to the kosher ways of Judaism. Naturally, the Hebrews would look down on the Hellenists as having compromised with the world, and the Hellenists looked down on the Hebrews as being backward and uncultured.
As disciples brought in their offerings and proceeds obtained from selling property, a system was evidently set up whereby funds or other material needs (e.g., clothes and food) were distributed daily by the church to those in need. As the distribution of material resources was made, the Hellenists began to “complain” (Greek gongusmos) or murmur, grumble, begrudge.64 The basis of this complaint was that the Hellenists felt their widows were being “neglected” (Greek paretheorounto – Imperfect/Passive/Indicative of paratheoreo) or were overlooking, were disregarding, were neglecting.65 The idea is that the Hellenist believers in Jesus were upset that other Hellenists were being habitually overlooked when it came to the daily distribution of food. This discrimination, if left unattended to, would lead to division.
God is not partial or prejudiced, and therefore His church and people should not be partial or prejudiced. The Hellenists were right! This was an important issue for the early church. If left unattended or ignored, it would lead to division and hard feelings. This was the second internal problem the early church must address. First, Ananias and Sapphira threatened the heart and honesty of the church. Now the authenticity and fairness of the love of God in the believer was being challenged.
There is no partiality with God. The Bible states clearly that God is not partial or prejudiced:
God loves the world and desires everyone to be saved from their sins and to spend eternity with Him. God desires this so greatly that His redemptive plan involved the incarnation of Jesus, His atoning sacrifice and death, and Him rising from the dead. When that good news or gospel is acted as a gift of His grace through faith, a person can be forgiven their sins and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. God makes this offer not to merely a select few, but to everyone.
God offers salvation and the forgiveness of sins to everyone impartially. God is impartial in His offer of salvation:
God is impartial in His judgment of people. God is impartial in His judgment and treatment of people:
Clearly, God is not partial or prejudiced and, therefore, His people who represent Him should not be partial or prejudiced.
Church leaders are supposed to be impartial and unprejudiced. This is true of church leadership, as Paul instructed Pastor Timothy to do nothing with partiality:
Towards the end of his letter to Timothy, Paul exhorts him to “observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.” That the minister or servant of God is to avoid partiality and prejudice couldn’t be clearer. “Prejudice” (Greek prokrimatos) or prejudgment. The idea of this word is to judge someone on the basis of surface superficial observations rather than for reasons that are more substantial, such as a person’s example. “Partiality” (Greek prosklisin) refers to approaching someone with a predetermined inclination, usually one that is unfavorable.
Take your prejudices to the cross of Christ. In Antioch, the Apostle Peter fell into this sin of prejudice. Peter gave preference to his Jewish brethren. This was no small matter. It was a serious enough issue that it had to be corrected by the Apostle Paul (Galatians 2:11-21). It was serious enough that Paul “withstood him to his face”publically (Galatians 2:11). It was important to address it in this way, because if left unaddressed, it would lead to a poor influence on others in the church (Galatians 2:13). Therefore, Paul confronted Peter “before them all” so that there could be no mistaking the sin and inappropriateness of preferring some brethren over others. In this case, the truth of the gospel was being brought into question by Peter’s prejudice (Galatians 2:14). Paul rebuked Peter, telling him that if his actions gave the impression he was going back to the old under-the-law way of life, then Peter was a “transgressor” (Galatians 2:18). The solution to the problem was to return to the cross of Christ (Galatians 2:20-21). All sin, prejudice included, needs to be taken to the cross.
Why is partiality and prejudice sinful and to be avoided? James, the half-brother of Jesus, spoke clearly about this, giving an illustration:
Prejudice or partiality is sin according to the Bible and the reason it is sin is that it is contrary to “the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
In the end, wisdom, the application of Scripture and Spirit revealed truth, instructs us to be impartial. James described such heavenly wisdom in part as “without partiality”:
Impartiality and not seeing others in a prejudicial way are fundamental, integral, and an absolute truth to be lived by for God’s people. Partiality and prejudice are something the world of sin cultivates.
Pride is at the root of partiality and prejudice. “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5; cf. also Proverbs 3:34; Isaiah 57:15). Pride is commonly found in the unsaved world. Pride should be a rarity in the church of Jesus Christ. If we want God’s grace and favor, then we must turn our back on pride.
Pride is a big part of the world. Pride is something to be avoided and put away in the church. Paul makes this point in his inspired opening words to the church in Corinth. A big problem at Corinth was a party spirit. They were breaking into groups according to who they followed such as Paul, Apollos, Cephas (i.e., Peter). They were living by one-upmanship and went so far as to claim one group was “of Christ”! (1 Corinthians 1:11-13). At the root of such behavior was spiritual immaturity, carnality, pride (e.g., 1 Corinthians 3:1-4).
The world is partial and prejudiced. To make his point, Paul contrasts the nature of the world versus the nature of the church and believers and how God works impartially and how that looks. The world has its own standards of what is “wise” and acceptable, and Christians aren’t included in the world’s preferences. This is the point Paul makes, that God accepts people the world discriminates against as unwise and foolish, so that God can refute the world’s petty prejudicial ways. Paul writes:
The key point is, “that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:29). Partiality and prejudice are ways for people to elevate themselves in pride over others. And no person, no man or woman of any age or status should ever glory in themselves or exalt themselves in the presence of God. Let me remind you that God is omnipresent. Wherever we are, we are in God’s presence and therefore, there is no basis or justification for exalting ourselves before God or above others.
The world is a very prejudiced environment. Preference and prejudice are rooted in pride, which is sinful. Because, as we have seen, the church is to be a place that unites people to each other and to God in His presence, it is the perfect solution provided by God to deal with prejudice and everything related to such sin.
The potential prejudicial problem for the early church. The implication in Acts 6 is that this neglect of Hellenist widows was being purposely done because of who they were. In other words, there was an insinuation, if not an outright accusation, of prejudice in the body of Christ. It could also have been true, that because of the size of the growing church, such neglect was innocently made. Whatever the cause of this neglect and need, something has to be done to address it. No need, whether from prejudice or from inadvertently overlooking, should be allowed to continue. What would the Spirit do to meet this need, to deal with it? From this problem and need grew the establishment of leaders called by the Spirit to assist in overseeing the flock of God and its needs.
Spirit-Led Leadership – The Spirit’s Plan to Deal with Problems in the Church
This problem caused tension to arise in the work of the ministry. But God has a way of taking what the enemy intends for evil and using it for his good (e.g., Genesis 50:20). When evil arises, we are called to overcome it with God’s good (e.g., Romans 12:21). The Spirit used this problem to clarify and establish the calling of church leadership and its priorities. How is a problem like preference or prejudice solved in the church? The Spirit birthed and Spirit-led church solves the problem of prejudice and all its problems, through Spirit-led leadership.
Spirit-Led Leadership – the solution to prejudice and other problems in the church. When this issue of preference and neglect came to the attention of “the twelve,” they immediately summoned the disciples and put a plan in place to address the problem. It is safe to assume that what we see here is a Spirit-led response to the problem. The Book of Acts is about how the Holy Spirit moves upon, in and through people to spread the gospel, build the church, as well as address any problems that arise in and out of the church. Spirit-led leadership is the solution to addressing problems in the church. As we proceed in this chapter we will see how Spirit-led leaders identify and select people to meet the needs of people and alleviate problems that arise due to unmet needs in the church.
The Spirit led top priority. “The twelve” were overseeing the early church. They had evidently gotten caught up in the distribution of food and serving tables among the disciples. While serving practically in this way is important, the apostles make it clear that “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.” The phrase “not desirable” (Greek ouk areston) means not pleasing, not acceptable, not desirable. The idea is that for the apostles to serve tables to the neglect of the word of God would not be pleasing to anyone. For the apostles to neglect God’s word to serve tables would be counterproductive and would create a situation unbeneficial to everyone.
The Spirit led church leader’s top priority is attending to the word of God. There are many aspects of service in the body of Christ. There are counseling sessions, visitation of believers, there are physical needs of believers as well as the physical needs for the upkeep of the church. But the minister of God, the pastor of the flock of God, is to give top priority to the ministry of the word. Evidently, the apostles had been so caught up in the service of people in the church that they neglected God’s word in some way. Perhaps this is at the root of them not seeing the prejudicial situation in the congregation, because they were so involved in serving that they overlooked that part of the word of God. Perhaps they were too much like Martha and not enough like Mary (e.g., Luke 10:38-42).
The necessity of the word of God to the church. Without the ministry of the word, the church loses its direction. When the word of God is neglected in the church, it loses its reason for being, and fails to accomplish its ultimate purpose, to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship and live for Him in the Spirit (e.g., Matthew 28:18-20).
In his farewell words to the Ephesian elders later in Acts, Paul said in part:
Paul’s ministry was a Scripture-based ministry. He knew that if he taught people the word of God that they would be prepared to serve the Living God (e.g., 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
In his concluding words to these believers Paul said:
The word of God is indispensable to our spiritual growth. Jesus said the word of God cleans and purifies us, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3). Jesus said the word of God sanctifies or is used by God to prepare and set us apart for His use when He said, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17).
The Spirit moved the apostle Paul to emphasize the importance of the teaching of the word in the spiritual building up of the saints in such verses as:
The apostle Peter also stressed the importance of the ministry of the word when he was inspired to write:
When the church of God, the body of Christ, neglects the word of God in any way, it has ceased to use its primary tool and weapon against sin and evil in the world. A church without a strong use of the word becomes like a soldier who goes into battle without their weapon. Not only that, but a church that de-emphasizes or neglects the word of God becomes spiritually anemic and malnourished, unfit and ill prepared to go to war against the enemies of God.
Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, California makes the following comment on these verses:
Now here they recognized that in the ministry there are certain priorities that must be maintained. In the ministry the top priority is the Word of God, the teaching of the Word of God. That’s what God has called the minister to do. Jesus said to Peter, feed My sheep. So that was the top priority of the apostles. It was waiting upon God in prayer and studying the Word of God in order that they might teach the people God 's Word. Now pressure has arisen. There are problems that have developed in the physical aspects of the church’s ministry. That is the administering of the welfare program. So there was probably a pressure to get the apostles to take a more active role in this doling out of the church’s welfare program. But they said no. It isn’t right; it isn’t reasonable that we should do this. And so here they are guarding against what has in subsequent years become a real problem in the church. So often a pastor is expected to be an errand boy, to be a taxi, to do all kinds of things. You would be amazed of what people have called on their pastors to do. It isn’t right, they said, for us to neglect the Word of God to take care of all of these other issues. It isn’t that these other issues are not important and should not be a function of the church. But those who have been called to the ministry of the word, it is important that they give their time to the ministry of the Word.66
The pastor is to be a servant leader, but that service must always begin with giving a priority to the word of God (and prayer as we will see below).
The Spirit’s Basic Qualification for Service Is A SERVANT’S HEART
Here we have the first leaders appointed by the church. Notice from the beginning and most importantly that those who are chosen here are chosen to serve (Acts 6:2). The issue here is serving tables, or the people sitting at tables. The word “serve” (Greek diakoneo) means, “to be an attendant,…wait upon…”67 We get the title of deacon from this word.
The importance of having a servant’s heart. Those who serve in the church need to have a servant’s heart first and foremost. Every problem or disturbance or disruption in the church can be traced to the lack of a servant’s heart in one or both warring parties.
Let’s pause a moment and consider why a servant’s heart is so important to those who seek to serve in the church.
Serving in the Church – The Necessity of a Servant’s Heart
The Bible describes the church as a body with Jesus Christ as its Head (Ephesians 1:22-23). For a body to be healthy and function properly, its parts must agree with the head and work in sync with each other. There are many different parts or aspects of a church body. There are many different types of people who God uses in the outworking of His church body. For the church body to fulfill its intended purpose, God has given an underlying attitude and spirit that serves as the lubricant to make everything run smoothly. The attitude and spirit ordained by God for His people is one of service.
God wants those He uses to have a servant’s heart. Why is this so important to God and the church? Because it is the servant’s heart that keeps us humble. It is the servant’s heart that keeps us from stealing God’s glory by seeking to be the center of attention. A person with a servant’s heart is flexible, does not resist change and will serve in any capacity. The person with a servant’s heart will not take offense or resent it when others are put in positions of ministry that perhaps they had their eye on. A person with a servant’s heart will do anything God directs them to do because they love God that much. The servant-hearted person wants to decrease while Jesus Christ increases (John 3:30). The servant-hearted person desires God to be glorified in His church, even if it comes at the expense of personal recognition and sacrifice. If those who serve the Lord have servant’s hearts, there will be far less opportunity for the enemy to distract, divide or destroy within His church body. That is why a servant’s heart is so important to God and His church.
Everyone and anyone who is involved in the church body needs to have a servant’s heart. The people God assembles to build His church must have servant’s hearts. This includes the pastor-teacher, church leaders, worship ministers, small group and Sunday school teachers, ushers, fellowship persons, bookstore persons; those who clean the church, all ministry-related persons both present and future, everyone and anyone who God uses in His church must have a servant’s heart. Having a servant’s heart is a criterion for being involved in the ministry of the church.
What is a servant’s heart? Below are some Scriptural guidelines, which define the servant’s heart. These should be ingrained in us and meditated upon regularly. May God teach us and empower us by His Holy Spirit to be His servant’s, that He may be glorified in and through us.
First, a servant’s heart submits. Paul states in his letter to the Ephesians:
Christians in general, (as the context of Ephesians 5:1-21 indicates) and servants, in particular, are to have an attitude of mutual submission toward each other. Christians may be radical in terms of their devotion to God, but they aren’t rebels. Servants are willing to help and serve at every opportunity. Servants cooperate and are teachable; they are willing to be taught by the Spirit through others in the body of Christ.
The practical example of a servant’s heart in a marriage. It should be noted here that the context of Ephesians 5:18 is not only referring to Christians in general and servants in particular, but the marriage couple (Ephesians 5:22-33). Many a marriage would be saved and edified if the husband and wife had servant’s hearts. In the verses that follow, Ephesians 5:21 husbands are instructed to love their wives as Jesus loved the church “and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25). Jesus was the supreme model Servant who said He did not come to earth to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Wives are instructed to “submit” to “your own” husbands (Ephesians 5:22). What wife wouldn’t submit to a husband who, with a servant’s heart, gives himself for her as Jesus gave Himself for the church? Not many. It is when the husband is a tyrant that submission becomes difficult for the wife. The husband who sees himself as dictator and LORD, has not only misinterpreted Scripture, but has adopted a shallow, faulty and perverse application of the word of God. A servant’s heart in each spouse would go a long way in promoting harmony and unity in marriage. One of the best places to start living with a servant’s heart is in the home, where not only the husband and wife benefit from it, but the children can see it and grow to live it too.
Furthermore, wives are to submit to their own husbands and that “as to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). “As to the Lord,” means that the submission of the wife is not to be blind, but only when the Lord and His word is not contradicted. If a husband directs a wife to do something unGodly or sinfully, the wife does not have to submit to it. Bonnie did not have to obey what Clyde told her to do when he told her to rob a bank! Women don’t either. If a husband orders a wife to get involved in pornographic or immoral activities, she does not have to submit to that. A wife does not have to submit to her husband when that submission would be sinful.
One last thing, notice it says wives are to submit to “your own husbands” (Ephesians 5:22, 24). There is an attitude in the church on the part of some men that is almost as shallow, faulty and perverse as the husband that sees himself as a dictator in the home. That sinful attitude is when men see themselves as superior to women simply because of gender. Nowhere are women told to submit to men simply because they are men, in Christ, men and women are of equal value (Galatians 3:28). No woman should cower under the rule of any man in her home, let alone some strange man in a church where Christ is named. We should all, male and female, have attitudes of mutual submission. There are indeed certain roles ordained by God for males and females; there are also certain prohibitions ordained by God on females, such as the restriction of a woman teaching a male or being a pastor (1 Timothy 2:8-15), but those prohibitions do not mean women are less valuable in the kingdom of God than men. The ministry of Jesus incorporated women in an unprecedented way for that day. No, we are all to respect and mutually submit to one another. The rest of the characteristics of the servant’s heart listed below elaborate on this attitude.
Second, a servant’s heart serves faithfully and grows in faith. Jesus taught the disciples the connection between serving and faith when in the Gospel of Luke it is recorded:
When the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him to “Increase our faith” it was partly in response to Jesus’ teaching that they should always forgive others (Luke 17:1-4). But what is interesting is that when Jesus continued and described the capacity of mountain-moving faith, the means by which such faith could be acquired is seen in having a SERVANT’S HEART. If you want to have mountain-moving faith, then trust God in the service He opens to you and places you in.
Third, a servant’s heart competes against himself or herself, not against others. Competition can be very carnal and fleshly, especially when we compare ourselves to others in unholy ways. Instead of competition with others, we should be in competition with ourselves. What do I mean? Paul put it like this:
A servant doesn’t compare themselves to others or compete with others. A servant strives to improve themselves by measuring progress according to their own work. The goal of the servant is to “be crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). The servant wants to serve like Jesus served (Mark 10:45). (See Romans 12 for further guidance on relationships in the church.) A servant asks, “Where was I and where am I now in my walk with Jesus?” A servant assesses their spiritual growth not in comparison to someone else and their walk with the Lord, but in comparison with where they themselves have come, how they have progressed in their own personal walk with Jesus. This is where a personal journal can be useful. We can look at a journal and compare how we handled similar situations on different occasions. Perhaps a situation arises where someone is less than kind to you, or even speaks harshly towards you. You look in your journal and see that in the past such a situation would throw you for a loop, you’d pray imprecatory prayers and calling down fire on the offender. But now, you take it in stride, seeking the direction of the Spirit and praying for the offender to see their fault and be corrected by the Lord so as to grow out of that wrong attitude. Congratulations! You’ve grown up Christian! That is how to measure spiritual growth.
Fourth, a servant’s heart imitates Christ. We need to have a servant’s heart because Jesus has a servant’s heart. The plan of God is to conform us to the likeness of Jesus (Romans 8:29). To be like Jesus means to have a servant’s heart. This is what Paul was inspired to exhort the Philippians about when he said:
When we look at these words about the Supreme Servant Jesus, it raises a lot of questions about motivation in us. When you serve, are you serving ambitiously and proudly seeking to shame others into following your lead or worse, bringing attention to yourself (Philippians 2:3)? When we serve, are we attempting to use service to build up our own reputation amongst the congregation of God (similarly to Ananias and Sapphira), or are you merely serving willingly as a servant, a bondservant (Philippians 2:7)? When you serve are you doing so obediently (Philippians 2:8)? When you serve, are you dying to self, to your flesh and carnal nature (Philippians 2:8)? What affect is serving having on you – is it making you proud and carnal, or is it humbling you and making you more like Jesus? These are some of the questions this passage on the servant’s heart of Jesus raises in us.
A person with a Spirit-enabled servant’s heart is becoming more and more like Jesus. A servant fills their mind with Christ. The servant doesn’t serve with ulterior motives of “selfish ambition” but rather seeks the benefit and blessing of others by allowing God to work out the mind of Christ in and through them. A servant gives their all like Jesus gave His all. A servant is becoming more and more like Jesus. (See John 13).
Fifth, a servant’s heart serves God by serving people. People who seek to serve have problems when they view themselves as serving people and not God. Yes, in a sense, we do serve people, but ultimately we serve God by serving people! When we have the idea that we are serving people, we begin to expect people to appreciate what we do for them and when they don’t show appreciation the way we would like them too or as much as we think they should, we get bitter and resentful against them, and service becomes a hardship rather than a blessing.
The way to avoid such wrong attitudes in service is to understand that we serve God by serving people; we serve God primarily and not people. We see this truth in the following verses which state:
A servant is not motivated to serve because of anything they might receive from other people. A servant serves because they are thankful for what God has done for them in Christ. A servant doesn’t serve insincerely to get the approval of people. A servant gives their best effort “knowing” that they serve the Lord, and He will reward them appropriately (Hebrews 10:35; Hebrews 13:15-16).
Sixth, a servant’s heart dies to self. Service is God’s instrument to crucify our flesh or sinful nature. It is in serving opportunities that we learn about ourselves. In serving, we learn how self-centered and self-serving we actually are. Living with a servant’s heart is very practical for the disciple, it is the key to experiencing the abundant life Jesus spoke about (John 10:10). We often grumble about the jobs we have or the tasks we are asked to do. But we are exhorted in God’s word to not grumble in our service (Philippians 2:12-18). Service exposes the lack of a servant’s heart and provides an opportunity to learn and grow in servant-heartedness.
Serving – God’s instrument to die to self. God allows us to be in situations where service is required, so that we are tested to obey and work in obscurity so that we can DIE TO SELF. Marriages, parenting, employment, ministry, are all areas that require some sort of service. Through service, we learn to set self aside. Dying to self is essential to following Jesus. Jesus said:
If you want to follow Jesus and grow in your relationship with Him, to really learn what it means to be a Christian, you need to die to self.
The blessing of a dull, dead-end job. The key to liberation from what we perceive as bondage at work and any other place is recognizing that we are at work for God first in whatever we are doing. Our unsatisfactory work situations are there so that we can die to our self, so that we can lose our life to Jesus. We lose our life to Jesus when we say to Him, “Lord, You know I don’t like where I am now in my life, but You have me here, and I will serve You here, no matter what. Help me to serve You with a right attitude, a servant’s heart so that I can die to self and be like You.” When a person does that, they begin to gain victory over their circumstances and not only that, but they also begin to “find” their life, the abundant life that Jesus wants us to have because we are freed from ambition and living by the standards and priorities of this world that weigh us down spiritually. Work with a servant’s heart, dear Christian, it is the key to abundant life and Christlikeness.
I have worked in many dull or dead-end jobs. I’ve worked in a bookbinding factory where the glue to put the binders on notebooks was so disgustingly thick in odor that it nearly choked you. I have worked as a machinist in a cold cinder block building in total obscurity. And, I have worked as a social worker in the foster care system for many years prior to going full-time in ministry. In all of these situations I was tempted to ask, “Lord, why do you have me here, don’t you want me to be a pastor?” But in truth, God was preparing me to be a pastor in all of these situations because he was helping me to trust Him and die to self, die to ambition, die to my pride. I overcame in these situations by knowing that in reality I was serving God even in these places because by serving people, I was serving God. The servant’s heart makes sense of our life situations and is the key to experiencing the abundant life. I still have to die to pride in ministry, but the lessons learned earlier make the process easier and more efficient.
Let me just make a comment here. If a person cannot die to self where they are right now, and they are considering ministry, forget about it, you’re not ready yet. Ministry is a life of dying to self, of serving with a servant’s heart. If you plunge into a ministry situation from a rebellion to where the Lord had you, you will learn a hard lesson and likely discredit the name of the Lord in the process. There are no effective, God glorifying ministers who are proud and self-promoting. Pride and the servant’s heart in ministry is an oxymoron that has no appeal to the Spirit or anyone else.
Start by serving small. Stephen and Philip began their ministry preparation, serving tables learning and growing into a servant’s heart. Some try to bypass God’s school of service and dying to self. Some dive into ministry in an attempt to try to bypass and avoid the lessons of dying to self. Some are dissatisfied with where they are now, their job or life situation, and think ministry is a viable alternative that will bring relief to their dying self. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are no shortcuts in learning the lessons of a servant’s heart and dying to self. If you can’t die to self and serve the Lord with a servant’s heart by serving others where you are right now, waiting on the Lord’s timing, ministry is not the cure for you; it will only make things worse.
Serving in ministry. Ministry is filled with waiting on the Lord. Ministry is all about dying to self. Biblical ministry by nature requires selfless service, learning greater, deeper, harder, more costly lessons of the servant’s heart. God leads us step-by-step, stage-by-stage, and if He is calling you to ministry, He’s training you right now, where you are. Serve Him selflessly right now, where you are now and He will provide opportunity for greater ministry. The Spirit provides and guides the one willing to learn the lessons of the servant’s heart in the timing of the Lord. But if you rush in because you are dissatisfied with where you are now, because you can’t die to self where you are now, sooner or later you must learn to die to self. Now you can die to self in relative obscurity with the Lord, later you will have to die to self before the Lord and the Lord’s congregation and that could be painful to you and the flock of God.
Resist humble service at your own risk. If you resist God’s school of the servant’s heart and try to skip grades, your flesh and self that you need to die to will only become more entrenched and ingrained in you and the process will be more painful. The objective is to find your life in the Lord and bring glory to God, and that happens when you die to self, where you are now, for as long as the Lord chooses to keep you where you are, now. Christian, die to self, serve the Lord with a servant’s heart where you are now by serving the people where you are now. Serve the Lord with a servant’s heart and God will use you in His plans.
Seventh, a servant’s heart serves selflessly. A servant has the right motives in their service. Paul described his motives for serving when he said:
Servants do not promote themselves. A servant does not need to be coaxed into service but simply sees a need and meets the need. A servant acts this way because they see each need they observe as a divine appointment and call from God to meet that need. If they see a need, they simply assume that God has put it in their path to meet it. This truth is so important for the servant to grasp and grow in.
Eighth, a servant’s heart is motivated by the love of God. A servant of God is not a grumbling worker, but one who serves in love. A true servant of God serves in loving appreciation for all that Jesus has done for them. This is expressed in the verses:
The only motivation for the servant of God is the love of God. A servant ceases to be a servant when they become motivated or driven by recognition or getting credit for doing something.
Ninth, a servant’s heart serves for the sake of the gospel. The servant seeks to be used by God in some way that God sees as useful for the winning of souls to His kingdom. Notice I say, “that God sees as useful.” We may see our service as mundane and menial, unimportant, but there are no unimportant services in the body of Christ. We should serve submissively before God, trusting Him to use us as He sees fit. Our attitude should be in line with the verses which state:
A servant serves because they have the eternal destiny of the lost in mind. A servant serves in anyway so that “by all means…some” might be saved.
A.T. Pierson in his book The Truth wrote the following about service:
Whatever is done for God, without respect of its comparative character as related to other acts, is service, and only that is service. Service is, comprehensively speaking, doing the will of God. He is the object. All is for Him, for His sake, as unto the Lord, not as unto man. Hence, even the humblest act of humblest disciple acquires a certain divine quality by its being done with reference to Him. The supreme test of service is this: 'For whom am I doing this?' Much that we call service to Christ is not such at all…If we are doing this for Christ, we shall not care for human reward or even recognition. Our work must again be tested by three propositions: Is it work from God, as given us to do from Him; for God, as finding in Him its secret of power; and with God, as only a part of His work in which we engage as co-workers with Him.
The servant-hearted church ordained by the Holy Spirit exemplifies the love of God and His desire for the lost to be saved and discipled and illustrates to the world the nature of Jesus and how much He loves them. A servant of the Lord remembers the words of Jesus, which stated:
Discipleship and growing in our faith ultimately means seeking for the Spirit to change and transform us into the likeness of Jesus (e.g., Romans 8:29; 1 Peter 1:21; 1 John 2:6). If we are going to walk as Jesus did and become like Him, we must serve the Lord.
Tenth, a servant’s heart serves for the glory of God. We are exhorted in Paul’s letter to that carnal self-centered Corinthian church:
Glorifying God, not glorifying self, should be our motivation for serving. Glorifying God is at the center of a servant’s heart. If, at the end of the day, God has been glorified, then the servant with a servant’s heart will be satisfied. Stephen is a perfect example of this and his desire to bring glory to God is why he was able to be the first martyr of the church.
The basic and most fundamental qualification for serving in the church is a servant’s heart.
The Qualifications of a Spirit Chosen Servant Leader
“Seek out from among you.” The Spirit moves Peter to instruct the people to “seek out” (Greek episkepsasthe – or look out for, inspect, select, to go to) “seven men” to serve in the “business” (Greek chreias – need, necessity, duty, task). They weren’t to just pick anyone for this service. Peter was directed by the Spirit to advise the disciples to select “seven men” for this purpose.
Why seven? Since these seven men were to oversee the distribution of materials in the church, they were the first servant leaders in the church. Choosing seven men for this task may be related to the tradition of seven respected men being put in charge of managing the community business from an official council.68 The response of the apostles to this situation pleased the flock of God (Acts 6:5).
Were these leaders? It would seem that those seven who the Spirit raised up by virtue of their meeting the criteria set through Peter, would be overseeing the distribution of food to the people of God. That is a leadership position, a servant-leadership position. Here we have the rudimentary beginning of the nature and qualifications of those in leadership positions in the church.
Voting?
Did they take a vote here? There is no indication that a vote was taken to select the seven servants here in Acts 6. The seven were sought out and selected by the other disciples. Those found were brought to the apostles, who prayerfully approved them and laid hands on them as a sign of acceptance for the task.
When we look in the Book of Acts and elsewhere in the New Testament, we do not really see the use of voting. In Acts 1 we see the replacements for Judas selected by prayer and the use of lots (Acts 1:15-26). But elsewhere we see the election of people for ministry tasks done by prayerfully waiting on the Holy Spirit to identify such people. The Spirit elects or chooses people for ministry tasks by anointing them for the task.
The way a leader is discovered by the church is that the Holy Spirit inspires them to serve and anoints them in the service. The Spirit then may reveal such a called servant by way of spiritual gifts that reveal His choice to the body of Christ (Acts 13:1-3). Or the Spirit-anointed service of the called person bears fruit which identifies them as one chosen by the Spirit. The existing leadership prayerfully observes this work of the Spirit in electing people to ministry and this is how leaders and ministers are put in position.
Leaders and people for certain tasks are anointed and appointed by the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul is a perfect example of this process. He was not elected but anointed by the Spirit in ministry and the fruit born by the Spirit through him was undeniable and an indication that he had been chosen by the Spirit for ministry. This process of anointing by the Spirit assures the fruitfulness of ministry and the growth of the church.
Remember the context here is the church. It would be wrong to delegitimize voting in a secular setting like politics. The way things are done in the church is not always appropriately applied or relevant to the secular world. For example, women are not permitted to be in authority over men in the church, but there is no biblical prohibition of women being in authority over men in the secular world (cf. 1 Timothy 2:12-14).
In the church today, many pastors and church leaders are elected by a congregational vote or selected by way of qualifying according to denominationally-imposed requirements. But this process has often led to putting the wrong people in the wrong positions. While the minister is to be a student of the word (2 Timothy 2:15), academic prowess is not necessarily an indication that God is calling a person to ministry. Ministry is not a vocation, occupation, or career. Ministry is a calling from God by the Spirit.
The minister of God is called and anointed or empowered by the Spirit to accomplish and serve in ministry. Human votes are not always based on the things God sees as important but may be based on things that are far more superficial than people see as important. Remember, God calls and chooses according to His sovereign will and the heart of the one called not outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7; Jeremiah 1).
What does the Bible say about voting in the church? Interestingly, the only occurrence of the word “vote” in the Bible (NKJV) is found in the Book of Acts when the apostle Paul recounts how he cast his vote against Christians, resulting in their death. In the Living Bible paraphrase the word “vote” is found in reference to the religious leaders voting to crucify Jesus (Mark 14:63-64). So you can see, voting is scarcely mentioned in the Bible and when it is mentioned it is done by the religious and those who oppose Christ, not a very favorable light. Voting is good for our democratic form of secular government, but the church should be led by the Holy Spirit in selection of leaders and direction for ministry.
In a setting where a congregational vote determines the place of the pastor, a pastor can be speaking the truth in love, serving with a servant’s heart and still be voted out because he steps on toes or rubs people in the congregation the wrong way. This situation can rob the flock of the truth and put the pastor in a situation where he is tempted to water down the message or avoid certain topics and issues to preserve his position. Such a situation moves the pastor toward being a hireling rather than a pastor following the call of God (John 10:12-13). Therefore, pastors are called by God and anointed by Him for service. As we saw at the end of Acts 5, if such a calling is of God, it will succeed, if not, it will not.
A Personal Testimony.
When I was first a believer, I wanted to serve the Lord. My desire was to be used by Him wherever and however He chose to use me. The first opportunities to serve the Lord in church were menial; manual labor, table waiting types of things. Then one day I was asked to teach the Junior High Sunday School class. I had never taught anything or anyone before in my life. But I was open to being used by the Lord in any way He chose. So I stepped out in faith and served the Lord by taking on the Junior High class. A more fearful thing I have never done! But that fear motivated me to be prepared and in the process of preparation I began to learn how to teach and soon I learned my spiritual gift was teaching and caring for those I taught.
From this the Lord opened the door to teach the adult Sunday school class. There was fruit born in these teaching opportunities the Lord set before me. Eventually, those being taught began to see the seeds of a pastoral call in me. The Lord led me to seminary and further training, through some wilderness years, planting a church and eventually to the ministry in which I am presently serving as the pastor-teacher of Calvary Chapel of Hope.
It all began with a servant’s heart. It all began with a willingness to serve the Lord wherever and however He saw fit. As I submitted to the Lord He opened doors of ministry and I have followed the Spirit to where I am now and intend to follow Him for the rest of my life serving with a servant’s heart wherever and however He chooses. No one voted me in or out of my calling; my calling from the Spirit was manifested and made clear by the fruit born in it.
Why Servant Leaders?
What does this passage tell us about servant leaders? We can learn the following about leadership in the body of Christ from this early situation in the church.
First, servant leaders are chosen to meet the needs of the congregation (Acts 6:1-2). The impetus for the choosing of spiritual leaders was a need that arose in the flock of God. Servant leaders have a mindset and alertness to address needs in the congregation of God.
Second, the purpose of servant leaders is to free up ministers to teach the word (Acts 6:2, 4). Servant leaders help with that portion of the workings of the church that involves things other than the ministry of the word and prayer so that the pastor or minister can devote themselves to their primary task.
Third, servant leaders are found in the flock of God and are able to relate to the flock of God (Acts 6:3, 5). Peter instructed the believers to “seek out from among you,” and interestingly, those chosen were all Hellenists based on their names. It’s important that those in leadership positions or positions of service are able to relate to those they are ministering among.
Fourth, the 5 fruit indicators or qualifications of servant leaders are:
This is the fivefold fruit produced by the Spirit in a disciple that shows they are eligible for servant leadership. When you see such fruit in a person, you may just be looking at a person the Spirit is making into a servant leader in the church.
The result of good spiritual leadership is – “the word of God spread, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly” (Acts 6:7). When servant leadership follows the Spirit, the result is a healthy, spiritually maturing and growing body of Christ that brings glory to God.
A Present-Day Example of Choosing Servant Leaders
You might wonder how such criteria and qualifications pan out in a present-day church. At Calvary Chapel of Hope, of which this author is the pastor-teacher, we have a certain Bible-based criteria for those appointed to leadership positions. For someone to be considered for a servant leadership position with the church, the pastor prayerfully seeks out candidates to serve based on certain Biblical criteria found in Acts 6 as well as other sections of the New Testament. Usually, a potential servant leader is given a questionnaire to consider and then to be later discussed with the pastor to assess whether or not they are eligible for service. That servant leadership Biblical criteria questionnaire covers four areas and is as follows.
ELIGIBILITY – The spiritual heart of the leader
AVAILABILITY – The servant’s heart of the leader
ACCOUNTABILITY – The sacrificial heart of the leader
RESPONSIBILITY – The shepherd’s heart of the leader
Do you understand the responsibilities of a church leader in terms of the following?
When the church has good leadership, it grows (Acts 6:7). Numerous times in the Book of Acts, the health of the church in terms of its growth is referred to (Acts 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; and Acts 28:31). The growth of the church is the result of the Spirit working in and through the church and one way He enhances and prepares the church for growth is through servant leadership.
The Spirit’s Top Two Priorities of the Minister (e.g., Pastor –Teacher)
The apostle Peter stated in Acts 6:4 that He and the other apostles (i.e., “we”), had a twofold priority that they were called by God to attend to. This twofold priority was what they needed to devote themselves to and focus upon. This is where their primary energies must be spent. This is where they needed to spend their time and efforts. The top two priorities of the minister of God are prayer and the ministry of the word of God. These two priorities apply to pastor-teachers and others in ministry leadership positions overseeing the flock of God.
Peter said that this twofold ministry of prayer and ministry of the word was something he and the other apostles must give themselves “continually” to. The word “continually” here is translated from the Greek term proskarieresomen (Future/Active/Indicative verb of proskariereo) which means will steadfastly continue, will be earnest toward, will persevere, will be constantly diligent, will constantly attend to, will adhere closely to, and will give oneself to continually.69 This is the same term used in Acts 2:42 where the early church is described as “continued steadfastly” to the teaching of the apostles, fellowship, worship and prayer. The minister called by God to oversee the flock of God, the pastor-teacher, needs to make prayer and the ministry of the word their top priority.
When we look at the pastoral epistles of Paul, his inspired instructions to pastor Timothy and Titus, we see that he exhorts and instructs them to focus on these two areas of ministry. When we look at these epistles we see the nature of these two priorities and the reason they are so important that the pastor-teacher needs to devote himself to them.
The Ministry of Prayer
Paul instructs Timothy about the need to be a minister who prays. The ministry of prayer is shown to be vitally important for the following reasons:
First, prayer is good and acceptable in the sight of God and is used by God to bring people to salvation. Paul writes young Timothy:
Here we see that the calling of “a preacher and an apostle” is integrally united with praying for governmental leaders and for all men, especially the unsaved, that they may come to know Christ in a saving way. Prayer is connected with opening the door of the heart to receive the gospel (see Acts 26:18).
Second, the minister of God should be constant in prayer. Paul testified to Timothy in his second letter to him:
These words reveal a minister who was dedicated to praying “night and day.” Paul was a man of prayer and indeed, those God uses are people of prayer. We see that in the Book of Acts and throughout the Bible. If you want to have a powerful ministry, declare your dependence on God in prayer and seek the Spirit’s direction in prayer.
Third, it is in prayer that the minister declares their dependence and submission to God and receives instruction from the Spirit in the will of God. Jesus spent a night in prayer before choosing the disciples (Luke 6:12-16). Jesus sent entire chapters in prayer in the Bible (John 17). Jesus was fervent in prayer to His Father (Hebrews 5:7). What better example to the minister of prayer than that of the Savior?
In Acts, the church and its leaders practiced a lively prayer life in the Spirit (Acts 1:24-26). The leaders led the flock in prayer (Acts 4:23-31; Acts 21:5). Acts is about the Spirit acting in and through the disciples of the early church and one of the greatest ways He acts in and through disciples is bringing them to their knees in prayer.
In Paul’s letter to the Romans he writes:
There are many times in ministry when decisions will have to be made and the right path is not clear. It is in prayer that the minister of God seeks the direction of God and is directed by God. By submitting to God in prayer, the Spirit leads us in the will of God (1 Kings 3:5-15; Psalm 119:18; Psalm 143:10; Isaiah 30:19-21; Romans 12:1-2).
The apostle Paul frequently requested and actually begged the flock of God on occasion to pray with and for him in ministry (Ephesians 6:19-20; Colossians 4:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3; 1 Thessalonians 3:10). To the Romans he wrote:
Prayer must be pretty important for Paul to beg this flock to join him in it. The minister of God is exhorted by Jesus to pray for others to labor in the fields of soul harvest to bring them in (Matthew 9:37-38).
Prayer and the ministry of the word are the two priorities for the minister of God. These are not the only things a minister does, but they are to be the priorities of the minister and should never be neglected because of other pressing activities. The church, led by the Spirit through a minister devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word, will grow, flourish and bring glory to God by fulfilling its God-ordained purpose.
The Ministry of the Word
Paul’s inspired letters to Timothy and Titus give us great insight into the importance of the ministry of the word of God. The ministry of the word is important and to be focused on by the pastor-teacher for the following reasons:
First, the ministry of the word edifies the body of Christ. Paul wrote:
The ministry of the word steers the flock away from disputes over superficial things and toward edifying doctrinal truth (1 Timothy 1:3-4). The purpose of God’s word (i.e., “the commandment”) is to edify the flock creating “love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith…” (1 Timothy 1:5). It’s important that the pastor-teacher understand the substance of God’s word so that they don’t misuse God’s word.
Second, the ministry of the word uses the law correctly, to win souls. The proper use of the Law of God is to bring conviction to the sinner and win them to Christ. Paul says:
The Law is for the sinner to expose their sinfulness and show their need for Christ according to the gospel. Those who wrongly use the Law apply it to the flock and beat the flock with it, bringing guilt and scarring to the sheep.
Third, the ministry of the word is important because it informs the minister about conduct in ministry. Paul wrote to Timothy:
God’s word is truth (John 17:17) and therefore, if the “church of the living God,” is to be and fulfill the God-ordained purpose of being, “the pillar and ground of the truth”, then the pastor-teacher and minister of God must know and teach, must minister the Bible to the flock of God.
In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he instructs Timothy to this end and tells him of the importance of the ability to teach the word when he says:
The right handling of God’s word can free some from the bondage of the devil and bring them to the Lord.
To Titus, Paul was inspired to write about how the ministry of the word had a very practical impact on the flock of God. He wrote to Titus:
The ministry of the word assures that the church is built on a firm foundation and when the inevitable storms of life hit, it will stand tall on the word of God (see Matthew 7:24-27).
Fourth, the ministry of the word is important to prepare the flock of God in the latter days. Paul wrote to Timothy:
As we draw closer to the latter days and the return of Christ (i.e., the Rapture), Satan will turn up the heat and try to draw people away to himself by way of demonic and false lying doctrines that misuse and twist the word of God (see how Satan tried this with Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11). The pastor-teacher needs to know God’s word and inform the flock of the deceptions floating around in these latter days.
Paul elaborates on the importance of the word of God as the latter days approach when he writes to Timothy in his second letter to him. In this second letter Paul writes:
The closer we get to the culmination of God’s prophetic events in the latter days, the more important it is to minister to people the truth of God in His word about these days.
Fifth, failure to minister the word of God is a failure of the minister to fulfill his calling. Paul says as much to Timothy when he writes:
You can see from this passage that Paul does not mince words with Timothy when it comes to being a minister of the words of Jesus. Without the ministry of the word, the minister becomes “destitute of the truth” and someone to be withdrawn from.
Sixth, the ministry of the word is a work of the Spirit in and through the minister. Paul expresses this when he says:
The pastor-teacher or minister of God cannot take credit for the success of the ministry of the word because it is not powerful and effective because of any inherent charisma in the teacher; it is a work of the Holy Spirit in and through the teacher. God receives all the glory and credit for the success of the ministry of the word of God.
Paul tells Timothy that it is the Lord who gives understanding in the Scriptures:
The minister of God must first receive from the Lord before he can pass on anything from the word to others. The minister is to be a diligent worker in the word of God like Paul instructed Timothy saying:
Seventh, the ministry of the word involves discipleship, teaching others to be disciples who pass on the word of God. This is how the church grows and multiplies. Paul said to Timothy:
The pastor-teacher needs to prepare others to teach the word of God so that more and more people can be saved and become disciples of Jesus. This is the work of the Spirit to further the church.
Eight, the ministry of the word requires the minister of God to be ever ready to preach the word. This is the essential call of the minister, to be always ready to share the truth of God’s word with those around them. Paul says to Timothy:
Don’t let the enemy rob you of something here. Don’t let him trick you by saying, “Okay, that’s good for the pastor-teacher, but I’m only a lowly servant, a disciple, a believer, which doesn’t apply to me.” Don’t settle for that Christian, seek to be a student of the word too so that you can be an asset to the Lord in the flock of God and a helper to your pastor. Be ready in season and out of season to share the word of God with those around you.
When We Follow the Spirit’s Leading in Selecting Leaders, the Church Grows
When this problem was dealt with in the Spirit and anointed servants were recognized and put in place to address the need for food distribution, the church was healthy and fruitful. Not only did the church grow, but “disciples” (Greek metheton) or learners, pupils, disciples increased. These disciples actually “multiplied greatly” (Greek eplethuneto – Imperfect/Passive/Indicative verb of plethuneo) or was being increased, was multiplying, was abounding, was growing, was spreading greatly. Even priests or religiously educated people were coming to Jesus.
When a need such as we have seen in Acts arises, it must be addressed in a scripturally sound way. We should also view it as an opportunity to walk out and live out the word of God as the Spirit leads. If we seek His leading, the Spirit will keep the church healthy and growing.
God Uses Waiters – Through Service The Spirit Opens the Door to Ministry
When the Spirit Acts, He Moves People to Serve. Service is the path to ministry. Stephen began his ministry by serving tables. Stephen was a waiter. He stepped out in faith and humility and accepted the opportunity to serve. The Spirit did the rest.
God can use you now, wherever you are. We can learn a lot from the life of Stephen. He was willing to serve. He had a servant’s heart. When the opportunity arose to serve, even just serving people at tables, he stepped out in faith and served. That step of faith opened the door for the Spirit to use Stephen in ways he might not have imagined.
Are you a waiter or waitress? Do you work in the service industry? Are you a salesperson, a schoolteacher, a nurse, a doctor, a lawyer? Do you work in construction, building or repairing roads? Whatever you do, if you step out in faith, surrendered to the Lord to be used by Him, the Spirit will direct you to opportunities to serve Him, minister to others, and glorify God.
Willing to be least. Stephen didn’t come to the disciples and say, “I think I want to be a pastor, sign me up.” No, he started by serving the Lord by “serving tables (Acts 6:2b)”. Some might look down on such as task as menial, but the Spirit provided opportunity to minister further through that humble step of faith. Those who want to serve the Lord need to start out by serving humbly. Pastor Chuck Smith served in small congregations and was bi-vocational for more than 15 years before he was able by necessity to receive financial support from the ministry to sustain him and his family.
In 1878, when William Booth's Salvation Army was beginning to make its mark, men and women from all over the world began to enlist. One man, who had once dreamed of becoming a bishop, crossed the Atlantic from America to England to enlist. Samuel Logan Brengle left a fine pastorate to join Booth's Army. But at first General Booth accepted his services reluctantly and grudgingly. Booth said to Brengle, "You've been your own boss too long." And in order to instill humility in Brengle, he set him to work cleaning the boots of other trainees. Discouraged, Brengle said to himself, "Have I followed my own fancy across the Atlantic in order to black boots?" And then, as in a vision, he saw Jesus bending over the feet of rough, unlettered fishermen. "Lord," he whispered, "you washed their feet; I will black their shoes."70
It was in the context of service that Stephen, “full of faith and power,” was given opportunity by the Spirit and empowered by the Spirit to do “great wonders and signs.” Availability leads to opportunity where God shows up and uses us to minister to people for His glory.
Willing to serve. When the Spirit calls us to serve, and we obey Him and serve in whatever opportunity He puts before us, it leads to our spiritual growth and further uses by the Spirit. This is the example we find in Stephen. As Stephen seized the opportunity to serve, presented to him by the Spirit, it led to his spiritual development and further use by the Spirit. When Stephen answered the Spirit’s call he is described as:
All of this began when Stephen answered the Spirit’s call to serve. When you step out in faith to answer the Spirit’s call to serve, he gives you faith and power, wisdom and a peace that stands firm in the face of opposition. Does that describe your life? Maybe you should answer the Spirit’s call to serve.
Willing to be opposed. Notice that because Stephen served faithfully he was opposed, falsely accused, and attacked. His words were twisted by those who opposed him who were not unwilling to use lies to attempt to discredit them. Yet in all of this, Stephen, “full of faith and power” in the Spirit, was able to remain confident in the Lord and at peace in his situation because he knew the Spirit was with Him, Jesus was with Him as he had promised He would be (Matthew 10:19-20).
Stephen evidently was given the spiritual gift of “wisdom” (Greek sophia) which is the ability to apply the ruth of God’s word in a practical problem-solving or apologetic way. Stephen did this by the empowerment and enablement of “the Spirit by which he spoke.” Stephen had no formal training. All he had was the Holy Spirit and faith. That was enough for the Lord use Him mightily.
If you seek to serve the Lord and do so in the power of the Spirit, you can expect opposition. The devil and religiously proud will always oppose the Spirit-filled servant of the Lord. False accusations and false lying witnesses are par for the course when you are led by the Spirit. When such opposition arises, it would be good for us to remember the words of Jesus, Who said:
It’s better to suffer shame now than later. It’s better to stand with Jesus now, so He will stand with us later.
We live in a time when evil is called good and good is called evil (cf. Isaiah 5:20). Wherever lies and deception are used, you can rest assured that the father of lies, the devil, is at work (cf. John 8:44). If you are opposed by the devil with false accusations and lies, don’t be shocked and don’t shrink back. God’s promise to us is that the God of peace will crush Satan under our feet (Romans 16:20). God’s promise is that if we draw near to God, God will draw near to us, and if we resist the devil he will flee (James 4:7). All of this is true because the Spirit residing in us is greater than anything the devil and this world can throw at us (1 John 4:4).
Did any of this opposition rattle Stephen? Not at all. In fact, when his accusers looked at him they saw “the face of an angel.” What does that mean? It means that when they looked at Stephen, they didn’t see someone sweating or gripped with fear, they saw the picture of peace and serenity, like that of an angel. This peace is the product of prayer, no doubt (e.g., Philippians 4:6-7). This facial serenity is the product of the Holy Spirit’s presence in Stephen. Jesus taught His disciples”
No doubt Stephen was experiencing the truth of Jesus’ words.
Conclusion
The following story is told that illustrates the importance of having a servant’s heart and how it can lead to great opportunity. It also illustrates how not having a servant’s heart can lead to great humiliation.
During the American Revolution a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. Their leader was shouting instructions but making no attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, "Sir, I am a corporal!" The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers. The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, "Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again." It was none other than George Washington.71 Christian, serve the Lord with a servant’s heart and be ready when He returns.
The following criteria are for serving in the church. I include it here for pastors and anyone considering service in the church in some way.
CRITERIA FOR SERVING IN THE CHURCH
The following are guidelines to follow for those who are being considered for service in any position in the church:
59 https://answersingenesis.org/racism/three-biblical-problems-critical-race-theory/
60 Brandon Clay, Three Biblical Problems with Critical Race Theory Answers in Genesis https://answersingenesis.org/racism/three-biblical-problems-critical-race-theory/ May 19, 2021
61 answersingenesis.org/racism/three-biblical-problems-critical-race-theory/
62 Google Arts & Culture, Booker T. Washington, https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/booker-twashington/m098x_?hl=en
63 https://quotepark.com/quotes/1927872–booker-t–washington-of-all-forms-of-slavery-there-is-none-that-is-so-h/
64 James Strong, New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1996.
65 James Strong, New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1996.
66 Chuck Smith, The Word For Today audiotape #8095
67 James Strong, New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1996.
68 John F. Walvoord, and Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, (Wheaton, Illinois: Scripture Press Publications, Inc.) 1983, 1985.
69 James Strong, New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1996.
70 K. Hughes, Liberating Ministry From The Success Syndrome, Tyndale, 1988, p. 45.
71 Today in the Word, March 6, 1991.
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