When the number of disciples kept growing, charitable problems began. An organization of the church was required. This lesson teaches us today how to solve sensitive problems in our churches. The matter involved four problems; the Holy Spirit guided the believers with six ways to solve them.
At that time, it was not allowed for widows in the Middle East to work outside their homes. Therefore, Christians of Jewish origin organized a service of helping women who could not get married again following the death of their husbands, either because of inability, sickness, or having no child to look after them. The early church prepared a dining table for believing widows to join. The apostles, who watched over the common fund, were also responsible for preparing the dining table in the best way possible.
There came into the early church Aramaic speaking Jews who believed in Christ. They did not leave Palestine, but remained in their homeland. There was also a considerable number of Hellenistic Jews (Grecians) who could speak neither Aramaic nor Hebrew, but Greek alone. They became strangers in their own country, unable to pronounce or speak Aramaic easily. Therefore, they could not understand or communicate with each other without problems. The troubled widows of the Hellenistic Jews were not enjoying complete care, though Christians abroad, such as Barnabas and others, had contributed a great deal of money for the relief of the poor.
The apostles were preoccupied with sermons, prayers, preaching, meetings, visiting houses, healings, controlling the common fund, and defending their faith. They had not enough time and ability to carry out these added duties accurately and perfectly. Thus the widows, who could not express their needs in Aramaic, were neglected. To this day we find bishops and ministers preoccupied with both secular and spiritual responsibilities, unable to carry out any one of their duties well and accurately.
Thank God, the believers at that time spoke to one another frankly. When the problem did not get solved, a great complaint arose in the church, so strong and heated that their love-union was about to be broken apart.
The apostles realized they were unable to perform all the duties in the church, especially since the number of members kept growing. They were in pressing need of helpers for practical service, ready for all good deeds. The Holy Spirit guided them to choose neither any of their friends and relatives or members of Jesus’ family for a new church office, which would involve buying and cooking food, along with serving tables. Instead, they called the whole church together, asking the group of believers to choose seven men who could be in charge of this service.
How did the apostles prove the necessity of this selection?
They said: “We cannot preach as required. Prayer and the word of God are above food. Man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” With this saying, the apostles clarified that prayer was more important than teaching and preaching. Let us finally realize the necessity of prayer before speaking. Otherwise, all our teaching and preaching will be in vain. Do you, dear believer, pray continually?
Who are those who are qualified for charitable services? They are those who are filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom. The first condition is the second birth, as well as faith, love, patience, hope, the power of prayer and fervor in preaching which flows from the fullness of the Holy Spirit. The second characteristic indicates experience in life: Wisdom in dealing with people, capability of managing money, proficiency in buying and in preparing the table. Thus the condition for service in the church has two parts: First, abundant love and great humility flowing out of faith in Christ. Second, experience in relevant and practical service, as well as knowledge and wisdom in dealing with the people to be served.
As a result of the election, in which the apostles did not participate, the church unanimously chose seven men filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom. The apostles had prayed that Jesus would choose the men accepted by Him to serve in the distribution of bread among the widows. In reviewing the list of those chosen, we find that most of the men were of the Grecians or Hellenistic Jews, for the names chosen were Greek and not Hebrew. We read most of all about Stephen and Philip. Here we also read, for the first time, the name of Antioch, which became thereafter the center for evangelism. Nicolas, a Gentile who had converted to Judaism before becoming a Christian, as well as Luke, the evangelist, came from this church. From that time on we read in the Acts of the Apostles that the primary effect of the church emanated from the Hellenistic Jews. They had come to faith in Christ, and went on to play a great role in the spread of the gospel. The Apostle Paul himself was one from this group.
After the election, the church presented the chosen men to the apostles, so that they might place their hands on their heads. The power gifted to the apostles was to go out into the newly authorized men. The seven had already received and were filled with the Holy Spirit. The believers knew, however, that a special power dwelled in the apostles. Therefore, the church asked the apostles to dedicate the chosen men to their offices. This appointment took place in unity between the responsible apostles and the whole church. They all prayed that the Lord might empower his seven servants through the laying on of the apostles’ hands.
The apostles’ service was not regarded as being higher than that of the deacons, for they all had one Lord, and were all filled with the same Holy Spirit. The apostles, because their number was small, were only able to do so many apostolic works. The service of the deacons was, in fact, not limited to serving the soup. Stephen, one of the seven, became a great witness to Christ, and after a while became the first Christian martyr. Philip was also an evangelist, and later baptized the Ethiopian eunuch after he had preached to him in the power of the Lord. We see that the deacons were not only involved in charitable ministries, but also bore an impressive witness to Christ.
The number 3 appears here as a symbol of heaven, while the number 4 represents a symbol of the earth. The apostles were 12, in other words, 3 х 4. Therefore, the number of deacons became 7, which is 3 + 4, indicating that, in both cases, heaven was united with earth in the choice of Christ’s elect.
The organization of this work produced growth in the church as the word became flesh among the believers. The evangelist could say: “the word of God spread”, for the number of believers in Jerusalem had increased, in spite of the high council´s demand to cease testimony in Jesus’ name. The twelve apostles still bore the marks of the painful whipping on their backs.
The astonishing thing is that many of the priests submitted themselves to Christ, even though the chief priests, as a whole, were the worst enemies of the church. The Holy Spirit was being embodied in Christ’s followers to such an extent that priests no longer deliberately closed themselves to the power of God´s love. Some were converted, and obeyed the message of the gospel. They came to a point of danger in their office as a result of their new faith. Christ’s call, however, reached them, and they submitted sincerely to Him. They became obedient to the new faith.
Dear brother, have you understood the good news of the gospel? Have you received God’s call? Did you obey the drawing of the Holy Spirit? Commit yourself to Christ prayerfully, for he gave His life for you long before you even knew Him.