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Acts 6 – Works of the Church
“Short but sweet;” “Good things come in small packages.” No, I’m not talking about sermons and diamonds. Acts six is one of the most instructive yet shortest chapters dealing with the works and workings of a local congregation. Within this chapter we see that a local congregation has at least two works that the individuals within support and perform under the oversight of its leaders: Ministry of the word, and Ministry of the tables.
Let’s notice some important lessons from this chapter.
Works Of The Church – Ministry Of The Word & Ministry Of Tables
- Acts 6:1-2 – [1] Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving (diakonia) of food. [2] So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve (diakonia) tables.
- Acts 6:4 – “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry (diakonia) of the word.”
This is really simple, isn’t it? From the context of Acts 6, we can see a very limited concept of congregational activity:
- Ministry of the word as in preaching to unbelievers.
- Ministry of the word as in preaching and teaching believers.
- Ministry of the table as in giving aid to believers.
If we are to engage as a congregation in some other works, then we need to find scripture for our authority.
- Sport Teams?
- Gyms?
- Carnivals?
- Kitchens? (only if we are feeding needy members!)
Times have not changed. Churches are unfortunately more interested in fun and folic, being a social club for the poor, than in spiritual matters:
“The word used to describe this assimilation of local culture into the culture of the Greeks – `Hellenization’ – occurs first in the Greek version of the Bible. The Second book of Maccabees was complete in about the year 124 BC. Its author complained about the Hellenization introduced by a godless high priest. Across more than two millennia the author’s indignation can still be sensed.
“He went so far as to plant a gymnasium at the very foot of the citadel, and to fit out the noblest of his cadets in the petasos [i.e., as athletes]. Godless wretch that he was and no true high priest, Jason set no bounds to his impiety; indeed the Hellenizing process reaches such a pitch that the priests ceased to show any interest in the service of the altar; scorning the Temple and neglecting the sacrifices, they would hurry to take part in the unlawful exercises on the training ground as soon as the signal was given for the discus. They disdained all their ancestors had esteemed, and set the highest value on Hellenic honours. (2 Maccabees 4:11-16)
“Elsewhere there are more precise complaints. The athletes taking part in the games went about naked, which deeply shocked the orthodox Jews, and some of them, apparently by an operation, attempted to disguise the fact that they had been circumcised (1 Maccabees 1:15).” (Michael Walsh, The Triumph of the Meek, pp.25-26.)
Today we could include words such as:
- Denominationalism – This is where we want to become like the denominations.
- Secularization – It’s common today for denominations (and more and more “churches of Christ”) to engage in many other “ministries.” They take a biblical word and apply it to works that the Bible never authorizes. This is often called “The Social Gospel.”
“Social Gospel is a name given to the central idea of a widely influential movement within American Liberal Protestantism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. That central idea was that the chief interest of the Gospel had to do with every social area: business, government, economics, the family, community, national and international problems. Sin was defined as whatever was evil and unjust in these institutions. And so the main emphasis of men like Joseph Parker, Walter Rauschenbusch, and Harry Emerson Fosdick was diverted from salvation of men’s souls by restoring a right relationship to God through obedience to Jesus, to emphasis on social progress. In the Bible order of things, social progress is a by-product of salvation from personal sin.” (Gareth Reese, New Testament History, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Acts, ftnt.#10, p.249)
Even within the authorized works of the church, there are priorities. Do we sometimes have to make decisions based upon priorities? Constantly! We must always ask, “What is more important?” This does not mean that some people are more important than others, but rather their work is. Jesus did not choose twelve men as apostles to be table servers. “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables…. But we will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:2, 4). The spiritual must always take priority. And yet I wonder how often we reverse this? Do some churches emphasize materialism over spirituality? Can you see it in their budget? Can you see it in their works? Irvin Lee once made the statement, “If a congregation had a good building paid for, and traded it for good elders, they would have made a good trade.” Is there a command in the Bible for churches to have buildings? No. There is not even a command for churches to have preachers! But there is a command for elders (Titus 1:5). There is another priority listed in v.4 – prayer. I wonder how often those who have been chosen by God to perform certain works emphasize prayer in their lives? Yes, we all must pray, but to the apostles, prayer was an essential part of their spiritual work.
The ministry of the word is spiritual and essential in order to further the other ministries: (Ephesians 4:11-16)
To perform the works of the church properly is not short on time, but is certainly sweet to the soul.
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