Bible Studies

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Ac:6:1: And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Ac:6:2: Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
Ac:6:3: Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Ac:6:4: But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Ac:6:5: And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Ac:6:6: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Ac:6:7: And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. Acts 6:1-7

Can you identify the following themes?
Priorities
growth
Purpose
Peace
Focus
Strife
Service
Practicality
Sectarianism
Leadership

Explain each and give example (reference from the passage.
Give other examples from the bible, from your experience or in real life.

Priorities: the disciples felt there should be priorities in ministry/ life. Where the priorities are misplaced there are bound to be problems or doubts about reaching your destination or achieving your set goals.
In the passage the key priorities are identified as Preaching, teaching and prayer.
Are these the priorities in your Church?

Growth: anything that is alive grows. It shows health, vitality, improvement. However every growth and development has its challenges which the leadership must recognise and deal with appropriately to maintain the momentum for upward mobility.
“And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews “

Purpose: every endeavour has a primary purpose that needs to be identified and focussed on and pursued to fulfilment without distraction. Without purpose, anything goes and you wander aimlessly.
What is the vision of your Church? Do you know it? Can you state it in simple terms. For instance our Church has a vision of:
Reaching people
Making disciples and
Releasing ministries

Peace: the peace of the Body of Christ was threatened by squabbles, moaning and complaining. Jesus is the Prince of Peace and we should be imitating Him- encouraging peace and harmony.

Focus: as indicated above, without purpose there cannot be a focus. When your focus is distorted you endanger your life and that of others. For instance, if you are driving you can crash and wreck your car or injure or kill someone. All sorts of mishaps occur where there is no focus in ministry.

Strife: Where strife is not identified it becomes full blown and rages like a fire to destroy the work of God.
The disciples have identified this monster and dealt with it immediately.
“there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.”
(See scriptures on strife below)

Service: the passage looks at ministry in two levels- the main and the tertiary. It also looks at the qualifications of those who should be involved in the tertiary ministry in Church. They must be full of faith, full of the Holy Spirit and of good reputation.
“look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom,”v3
“and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:” v5

Practicality: this was a Church that ministered to the whole person. Apart from preaching the Word and teaching, they also catered for the needy- widows, orphans, elderly and others who were vulnerable and poor in their midst. Unfortunately this practical dimension of the ministry was supplanting the main vision. We need to consider not just the spiritual but also the practical but keep things in the right balance.
“widows were neglected in the daily ministration.”

Sectarianism: in this section there attempts to play off one section of the community against another: the Greeks against the Hebrews. This is a problem that can occur in a Church where there are different ethnic groups and should be avoided.

Unity: where there is no unity the blessings of God cannot be expected. Unity brings anointing which breaks yokes of bondage. Unity brings power. It is a powerful witness to unbelievers of the presence of God.

1Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
3As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Ps133:1-3.
As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. Prov.26:21
For as churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife." Prov.30:33
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Isa58:4
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, Rom.1:29
And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Gen.13:7,8
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. Prov.26Prov20
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 1Cor3:3
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves Phil2:3
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. Jam 3:16
15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:15,16
On the others hand we see that when people are hunited the can do winders.
And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Gen.11:6

From these passages we see the dangers of strife and disunity.

Leadership
When there is good leadership it would grapple with the challenges of development and changes appropriately and there will be more progress as we can see in the passage.
“And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly;”v7

Good to Get Priorities in order;
Preaching, teaching and prayer.
Ensure you never lose your focus,
Else you will lose your direction
and you and others will be in danger.

Do that stitch in time to save nine
Losing your purpose is just like a crime
Like a eagle trying to soar with no wings
Like a plane without a destination
How frustrating and distressing!

Give no room for the thief and spoiler, fowler.
He is the accuser, Lucifer, the destroyer,
Who will aim to scupper your purpose.
He wants to sow seeds of strife,
And destroy your unity and harmony.

Unity of brethren commands the blessing;
Favour with God and man it will bring.
Do not allow the devil and his messing
To derail you and God’s plans.
Stay focused maintaining the main thing.

Ministering to the whole man is good too
Delegate to good soldiers in the pew
Maintain the vision, avoid division
Do not let the enemy use you
To dislodge the work of God- His good thing.

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