30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
01 Acts 06 01-07 THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL AS THE CHURCH LEARNS TO SERVE 04 Acts 06 03-04 Godly resolutions to our crises
📖 Acts 06:01-07
04 – 15Jul2023 – *Godly resolutions to our crises* - _Acts 06:01-07_ - THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL AS THE CHURCH LEARNS TO SERVE - Bible reading: _Ephesians 02:19-22_
“Lord Jesus, help us know that it is possible for us to experience godly resolutions to crises in Your church in our generation. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
_Acts 6:3-4 *Therefore, brethren*, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; (4) but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."_
The apostles first presented the crisis and then the framework in which God’s solution in the matter must be discerned. They laid down the step of choosing seven godly men who would work out the details of the daily distribution.
The first word that the apostles gave to initiate this line of action was the word, ‘Therefore’. The word, therefore, meant that everyone was now on the same page on this matter. This is such an important step in all problem-solving or crisis-resolution situations.
The Lord longs to reveal His plans and purposes to us. He longs for us to be on the same page with Him. _Ephesians 1:9-10 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, (10) that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him._
The Lord is gathering all things in one in Christ. He is reconciling all things to Himself through the blood of His cross. He has not kept His purposes hidden from us. _Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets._ This was the principle of being on the same page that was put into application in this incident.
The next word that was spoken by the apostles in reaching God’s resolution was, ‘brethren’. The church needed to resolve this crisis with the understanding that we are brethren and we belong to each other.
_Ephesians 2:19-22 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and *members of the household of God*, (20) having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, (21) *in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, (22) in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit*._
The disciples had to address this issue from the perspective that we are all brethren and members of the household of God. This was not a ‘we against them’ situation. Isn’t this one of the major reasons why we struggle to see oneness in the body of Christ?
We still have several barriers and hindrances that exist in our attitude towards one another in the household of God. Since we hold these strong views, we cannot see ourselves as one, so a resolution to our crises seems a mirage.
The disciples needed to know that they were, as brethren, the temple of God. *They together were the dwelling place of God in the Spirit.* As a dwelling place of God in the Spirit, there could be no room for any form of resentment, disdain or despising one another in the body of Christ.
*We can see how wonderful it would be if only we would begin to solve our differences in His church, with this understanding of us being a dwelling place of God in the Spirit, fixed firmly in place.*
Moreover, being a dwelling place of God in the Spirit meant that the devil has no place in His church. When we are not exercising by faith the fact that we are the dwelling place of God in the Spirit but we are being driven by the flesh, then the devil will have a foothold.
_I Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (9) Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world._
The word brethren also meant that there must be love for one another in the body of Christ. _I John 3:14-16 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. *He who does not love his brother abides in death.* (15) Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (16) By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren._
If we do not love the brethren, we abide in death. Our love for the brethren has to be that of Jesus, who laid down His life for us. Is it possible for us to generate this nature of love? Not possible.
This love of God can only be birthed in us by His Holy Spirit. _Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us._
The apostles were setting in place the basis for the church to bring a godly solution to this crisis.
```May we also, in our generation witness godly resolutions to our crises.```