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Scripture Reading: Acts 6:1-7
In this message we shall consider 6:1-7. In 6:1-6 we have the appointment of seven serving ones, and in verse 7 we see the growth of the word of God and the multiplication of the disciples.
Acts 6:1 says, “But in these days, when the disciples were multiplying, there was a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were overlooked in the daily dispensing.” The Hellenists were Jews who spoke Greek, and the Hebrews were Jews who spoke Hebrew. At the very beginning of the practice of the church life, there was trouble caused by different languages. Proper care was taken to solve this problem.
Often there are problems in the church life. These problems are not caused by outsiders but by those in the church. The first problem recorded in Acts was caused by a couple, Ananias and Sapphira, who were ambitious and dishonest. That problem was solved by God’s sovereign judgment. From this we see that we may not need to do much about certain problems in the church, for those problems are taken care of by the Lord’s sovereignty. However, in chapter six of Acts we have another kind of problem — the problem of language or of race. Apparently the problem in the church at Jerusalem was a problem of language related to those who spoke Hebrew and those who spoke Greek. Actually, this was a problem not mainly of language but of race.
We know from Acts 2 that Jews had come from their dispersion to Jerusalem to keep the feast of Pentecost. Those who had been dispersed among other races gradually came to speak the languages of those races. Thus, when they came to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, they were not able to speak Hebrew but spoke their native languages. In particular, the Hellenists spoke Greek. The difference of language became a problem. Actually, the source of the trouble was not language but race. If all of mankind were of one race, there would probably be just one language. Different languages are the result of different races. According to Genesis 11, the source of this problem was Babel.
From experience we know the problems that are caused by the different languages among those in the church life. For example, among those saved through our gospel preaching on the island of Taiwan were those who spoke a number of different languages, including the local dialect. We certainly suffered from the problems caused by different languages.
When we first came to the United States, we did not carry out a work among the Chinese-speaking people. However, because it became possible for so many Chinese-speaking people to emigrate to this country, it became necessary to have a work among the Chinese-speaking ones. The Lord has blessed this work very much. We thank the Lord that although we have among us those of different languages and races, we do not have a problem concerning language or race. We are thankful to the Lord for His mercy and for all that we have learned in the past related to this. We praise Him that race and language are no longer a problem!
In Acts 6 the apostles encountered a problem related to language and race. They exercised their wisdom to solve the problem and to take care of all the different saints.
Acts 6:2 says, “And the twelve, having called the multitude of the disciples to them, said, It is not fitting for us to leave the word of God to serve tables.” Here we see that in the church life some things are major and others are minor. To minister the word and pray are major matters, but to serve tables is a minor matter.
In verses 3 and 4 the apostles went on to say, “Now brothers, select seven well-attested men from among you, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we shall appoint over this need. But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.” The Greek word for “full” in verse 3 is pleres, an adjective form of pleroo, according to the usage here and in 6:5; 7:55; 11:24; and Luke 4:1. Full of the Spirit is one’s condition after being filled with the Spirit inwardly and essentially, as mentioned in 13:52. This refers to life, not to work. The word “wisdom” in 6:3 also indicates that in this verse to be full of the Spirit is for life, as in Luke 2:52.
In verse 4 the apostles said that they would continue in prayer and in the ministry of the word. To pray is not only to entreat the Lord to do things for His move, but also to cause our spirit to be exercised and to be strengthened. Hence, prayer should precede the word just as the apostles practiced. Without such prayer, the ministry may not be enlivened and empowered.
The apostles told the multitude to select seven well-attested men from among them to be appointed over the need. Verses 5 and 6 say, “And the word pleased all the multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and having prayed, they laid their hands on them.” Since these seven were chosen to serve tables, they may be considered deacons, just as those whom Paul and his co-workers appointed later in the churches (Rom. 16:1; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8).
According to verse 6 the apostles laid their hands on the seven serving ones. In the Bible laying on of hands has two functions: one for identification, as in Leviticus 1:4; and the other for impartation, as in 1 Timothy 4:14.
Because Peter and the other apostles bore the responsibility of ministering the word, they distributed the serving of tables to other saints. This is a pattern we need to follow today. According to this pattern, we should not keep all the responsibilities on our own shoulders, but distribute the responsibilities to all the saints. This is an important principle. We have learned much from the pattern in Acts, and we have been following this pattern in the church life for more than fifty years.
Allow me to testify concerning my experience of distributing responsibilities to others. Some may think that I am capable and able to do many things. Actually, I am not unusually capable. However, I have learned to distribute responsibility to other saints. For example, the Lord blessed the work in Chefoo. When it was time for me to leave that city, it was very easy to do so. There was no need to talk to the brothers about the work, the church service, and other things, because I had learned not to keep matters in my hands. For years, the things concerning the church and the work had been distributed to the saints, and they were bearing the responsibility for these things. Therefore, when the time came for me to leave, I simply left.
I had a similar experience in the church in Shanghai. Some had the concept that many things related to the church were in my hands. Actually, that was not the situation at all. When I received word from Brother Nee that I should leave Mainland China, I left within a couple of days. The things in the church had been distributed to the brothers.
This has also been my practice in the church life in this country. If you inquire of the brothers who know the history among us, they will be able to tell you that I have not kept the matters of the church to myself. Once again, I have had the practice of distributing the responsibility to others. For this reason, there are many things concerning the local churches that I do not know. If you ask me about these things, I would refer you to the elders or to the church service office. My point here is that by the Lord’s mercy we have learned to distribute responsibility to others.
According to our human nature, we either do not care at all to do certain things, or we want to do those things in such a way that all the matters related to them are in our “pocket.” At first, our pocket may be “flat.” But eventually it will become filled with things that we reserved for ourselves. Therefore, I would emphasize the need for us to learn to distribute responsibility to others. First, we may give a responsibility to a certain brother. Then we shall give a different responsibility to another brother. This distribution of responsibility is needed for the spread of the Lord’s testimony.
To those who think that I am especially capable and have carried on a great work throughout the world I would say this: “Please do not think that I am so capable. I have only done a little. You need to give credit to all the saints, who have done many things and carried much responsibility. I have only done my portion.” Like the apostles in Acts, may we all learn to do our portion and to distribute the responsibility for other things to all the saints.
We need to see that whatever is recorded in Acts is a pattern for us to follow. In the initiation of the church life we have the pattern of distributing responsibilities to others. The appointing of the seven serving ones to care for the particular need is a very good pattern, and we need to follow it in the church life today.
Of the seven who were selected as deacons, two — Stephen and Philip — had particular gifts. From Stephen’s speaking in chapter seven we can realize that he was a great teacher. His long speech indicates that he was knowledgeable in God’s Word. He surely was qualified to teach the Scriptures. Stephen’s teaching was rich, powerful, and full of significance. He certainly was an excellent teacher. Philip also had a particular gift, and he was eventually manifested to be a great evangelist.
Although Stephen and Philip had particular gifts, when they were selected to serve tables, they willingly served. Here we have a good example. Some who have particular gifts may not be willing to serve tables. For example, suppose a certain brother is an excellent teacher. If he is selected to serve as a deacon, he may be unhappy and say, “Don’t you realize that I am a teacher of the Word? Why do you ask me to serve as a deacon?” Another brother, one who is gifted in preaching the gospel, likewise may say, “You need to realize that I am an evangelist, that I have the gift to preach the gospel. You belittle me when you ask me to serve tables.” But from the example of Stephen and Philip we see that no matter what kind of particular gift we may have, if we are selected to serve tables, we should be willing to serve. When we are asked to serve, even if it is to clean the restroom, we should serve willingly.
According to the pattern in Acts 6, Stephen and Philip did not murmur when they were asked to serve tables. Stephen did not say, “I am a great teacher. How can you ask me to be a deacon?” Likewise, Philip did not say, “I am an outstanding evangelist. Why do you ask me to serve tables?” Instead of murmuring, Stephen and Philip did a good job in serving tables.
In the church life we are under the Lord’s grace and also under His sovereignty. Therefore, without murmuring we should accept the Lord’s sovereignty and the environment arranged by Him. If we do this and follow the pattern in Acts 6, we shall have a happy and pleasant church life.
Stephen served tables, but eventually he functioned as a great teacher of the Word. This indicates that whatever we are in the Lord cannot be hidden. Sooner or later, what we are will be manifest. Stephen was a teacher, but he was selected to serve tables. However, the record in Acts actually says little about his serving of tables but much about his teaching. In chapter seven we have a lengthy record of Stephen’s teaching. From the example of Stephen we see that what we can do will not be lost, and what we are will eventually be manifest. Sooner or later the Holy Spirit will use our gift, even as the Spirit used Stephen’s gift of teaching.
In the appointment of the seven serving ones, one point is quite striking and remarkable. That is, among the seven serving ones, no leader was appointed. This indicates that no rank nor position was regarded. All the serving ones are the servants to the saints. This is a good pattern for us to learn and follow that we may avoid leadership in rank and position in any form.
Acts 6:7 says, “And the word of God grew, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied exceedingly; and a large number of the priests obeyed the faith.” The word “grew” refers to growth in life. This indicates that the word of God is a matter of life that grows as a seed sown into man’s heart (Mark 4:14).
Verse 7 says that many priests obeyed the faith. “Faith” here is the objective faith, referring to what the believers believe in concerning Christ. The entire revelation of the New Testament concerning Christ and His redemptive work is considered the faith of God’s New Testament economy (Rom. 16:26). Therefore, the faith here, as the content of the complete gospel of God’s New Testament economy, is objective. This objective faith is mentioned in 1 Tim. 1:19; 2:7; 3:9; 4:1, 6; 5:8; 6:10, 12, 21; 2 Tim. 2:18; 3:8; 4:7 and Tit. 1:13.
