We’ve been walking through the challenges to the early community of believers that began with Ananias and Sapphira’s lying in Acts 5.1 – 11 and the apostles’ short stay in prison (thanks to an angel!) in Acts 5.17 – 23. So far, God’s power has won out, and we come to Acts 6: partiality.

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. (Acts 6.1, ESV)

Greek-speaking (out-of-town) Jews versus local Jews – discrimination (real or perceived) has always been with us, yes?

The apostles saw this in two ways: a problem that needed to be solved AND a potential distraction:

And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6.2 – 4, ESV)

Two observations here:

• They chose seven men, all with Greek names (Acts 6.5) to take care of this important matter. Feeding the poor and taking care of widows is important. (See, for example, Zechariah 7.9, 10.)
• By “prayer and ministry of the word,” the apostles did NOT mean, as some pastors today practice, 20 – 30 hours of preparation for one 30- 45-minute sermon. Bob, how do you know that?

Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. (Acts 5.42, NIV)

Their teaching was daily, in the temple courts (where people were gathering) and from house to house.

And the result of this simple strategy of appointing “deacons” to take care of food distribution while the apostles concentrated on their mission? First, we never about a food distribution problem again. Second:

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6.7, NIV)