30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
01 Acts 06 01-07 THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL AS THE CHURCH LEARNS TO SERVE 06 Acts 06 03-04 Uproot any evil in His church
📖 Acts 06:01-07
06 – 17Jul2023 – *Uproot any evil in His church* - _Acts 06:01-07_ - THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL AS THE CHURCH LEARNS TO SERVE - Bible reading: _Acts 02:46-47_
“Lord Jesus, we pray that in You, we will uproot any evil springing up in Your church. 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."_
*Full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom*
The second quality that needed to be in place was a combination of two qualities, which were the fullness of His Holy Spirit (1) and wisdom (2). These two qualities are inseparable as we see several examples in the Scriptures.
It is the breath of the Almighty, His Holy Spirit, who gives understanding. _Job 32:8 But there is a spirit in man, And *the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding*._
Joseph was a person who personified this combination of the fullness of God’s spirit and wisdom. _Genesis 41:38-39 And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" (39) Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you._
The leaders chosen to bear the burden of the people along with Moses, were filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom. _Numbers 11:17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone._ / _Numbers 11:25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again._
As we read the description of our Lord, we see this combination in Him. He was full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. _Isaiah 11:2-5 *The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.* (3) His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; (4) But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. (5) Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist._
In this matter of choosing seven men, they had to have in them this pronounced indication of His Holy Spirit, demonstrated in wisdom. _I Corinthians 12:8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,_
The Scriptures also explain to us the activity of this wisdom that comes from His Holy Spirit. _James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. (18) Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace._
This was the profile of the seven men who were to be chosen by His church, to administer the daily distribution.
As we have discussed, this task of the daily distribution must not be construed as a menial task, which the term ‘serving tables’ may seem to indicate. The best men were chosen for this task and this is such a revolutionary idea.
Did it mean that these men were not engaged in teaching and preaching Christ? We know from the narrative, that this was not so. These men were powerful teachers and preachers of Christ.
The task of the daily distribution was not only a matter of serving tables but was the place for binding, nurturing, and building fellowship within the body of Christ.
Oneness in the body of Christ is the basis for the world to know Christ. _John 17:21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me._
This was part of the core experience of His church, which the devil was trying to break through this crisis. The devil is doing so even now. The apostles recognised the work of the enemy and were taking necessary action to root out the evil.
_Acts 2:46-47 So continuing daily *with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house*, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, (47) praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved._
```We too need to be sensitive and uproot any sign of evil springing up in His church.```