Author: missionspaul

Key people
Acts 6:7

“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.”

When I am presenting the work of Elim Missions in churches I often show a picture of 2 men baptising a woman in a dirty river. The picture was taken in an Islamic country and yet our missionaries there are seeing amazing church planting growth. The woman baptised is full of joy and the 2 men are laughing. Nothing unusual perhaps even though we all love a baptism. However 12 months prior to that picture being taken those. 2 men were Muslim clerics! They are now followers of Jesus and leaders in the Church.

A large number of priests …

When you pray for missions, pray for people of significance to be saved. Pray for tribal leaders, for fathers, for Koranic teachers. Pray for Buddhist high priests like the one in another picture I have and use. This high priest had a special healing gift and people would come from miles around for his healing powers. He was a Buddhist high priest for over 40 years. But then he got sick and couldn’t heal himself. So one of our missionaries introduced him to Jesus and he was healed by him. So this priest who is 100 years of age went home and led his 90 years of age wife to the Lord also.

We need more and more key people to be saved. He has done it once and He can do it again.

What do people think of you?
Acts 6:6

“They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.”

Last year I introduced a new appraisal system for my staff which involved part self-evaluation, my evaluation of them but also comments from their peers, their team members.
Of course I was running the risk of a mutiny and world war 3 breaking out but I did it because I feel it is so more empowering when you hear what your peers say about you than just those you work for.

These 7 men were presented to the apostles for appointment by people who knew them well.
I think we underestimate the importance of what people think about us.
What you are at home is really important.
Whether or not you are a diligent worker does count.
Whether people think you are nice or obnoxious, easy to get on with or someone to be avoided, these are not just opinions, they are valuable observations.
I don’t think congregational-style leadership is very effective and if Jesus used that approach then we would have a completely different set of disciples! However, a lot less mistakes would happen when it comes to appointments being made if we asked not the boss but their colleagues what they thought of you.
How are you rated at home?
What does the person sat at the desk next to you think of your work?
What do your neighbours think?
It does matter.

TODAY
Acts 6: 5
“This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.”
Stephen known as the first martyr.
Philip was probably the one who saw great evangelistic success in Samaria.
Prochorus is unknown and left for much speculation.
Nicanor is also unknown and there is nothing certain known.
Timon could have been a known bishop but there is no proof that he is the same man.
Parmenus is not even mentioned in legend.
Nicolas is the original founder of the evil sect, the Nicolatians of Revelation, so some people think but it is just an opinion.
Sometimes it is very much about the present that counts. Your life is not all about tomorrow. It may not be important that people remember you. You may not have people talking of you in the next generation. They may only remember your name, they may even forget that.
But today is important. This next 24 hours. Today you are chosen. You are part of the solution not the problem. You are here to serve others. Tomorrow you are not here and your name may even be fading in the memory of people. Not everyone is famous. Not everyone is talked about in the next generation. However, we are called to serve in the present generation. This is your moment now. Today is the day.

There are no short cuts.
Acts 6:4
“…and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word”
Near where I used to live is what used to be a church which has now been converted into offices. In the grounds is a very small brick building, almost like an outhouse. It was the study of John Nelson, the most successful and famous of John Wesleys lay assistants and the pioneer of Methodism in Yorkshire.
That study is still there today despite being over 300 years old.
It is empty. So are many other studies of church leaders in 2016.
Studies have become offices. Prayer with the One has become social media to the all.
How much time is your leader spending in prayer and the preparation for preaching?
Before you complain, then perhaps it would be good to ask yourself: “is it because I am contributing to their many distractions?” It takes a strong leader to find a solution so that it protects the study and the quiet place with God. Many who have fallen for the drug of the Messiah complex roam their Churches and communities ready and waiting to fly into action like Superman. Anything but reading, Everyone but the One, that is the usual unspoken motto.
You see Churches today are needing strategists, problem solvers, business executives, high ranking managers, visionaries, movers and shakers. People are following transactional leaders, democratic leaders, charismatic leaders, introverted leaders, transformational leaders, authoritarian leaders, delegative leader and of course coaches and mentors. So leaders go on the net, get a book or go conference-hopping to be that very person that everyone is dreaming of. Not many are praying and preparing.
So are we surprised with what we have to show?
Encourage your leader today to find time with God. If you are that leader, get back into the study.

The solution is not far from you
Acts 6:3
“Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them”

They came with a suggestion and this was a very clever one. The 7 men were all Greek names. The complaint was from the Greek segment of the church and so it was from that number that people were chosen. The result was that the Grecian Jews felt they were being fully represented in the solution.
Most problems can be solved. But to solve them well takes wisdom and thought. Often the best solution is found within the problem. Look within.

Be true to who you are
Acts 6:2
“So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.”

The greatest men and women in history accomplished things that were too big for them. In fact to become great means you will need to face great circumstances that are beyond you. Tasks so great that you feel dwarfed by the size of its magnitude and the complexities of pulling it off.
So how did the apostles solve this problem and move forward?
They called a full church meeting. They didn’t issue a preconceived idea. They didn’t impose a plan.
* They came and faced the problem. Finding who to blame was not important. Finding who to blame is so often no more than abdicating any responsibility to bring a solution.
* They held on to their calling. Not everything in your heart should be tried. Not every desire fulfilled. Not every dream should be followed. Not every request agreed to. Not every need met by you personally.
There’s nothing more regretful than getting through years of your life and realise you’ve gone down the wrong path.
You may have reached the top of the ladder but realise the ladder is leaning on the wrong wall.
As we get older dreams do change. But our primary destiny and dream will remain the same. Yet along the way we pick up other dreams, ideas and goals, feelings that seem so amazing that we just have to have that thing. However as we grow closer to God knowing His heart and mind we find that the things that matter to Him will matter more and more to us. Simply put we may need to let go of some tasks, some ideas, some feelings and give no more time to those thoughts. We need to say “It would not be right for us to do that”.

Distraction.
Acts 6:1
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

The Church faced the challenge of persecution in chapter 4. They faced the challenge of corruption in chapter 5. However this was a more subtle challenge they now faced, that of distraction. If the apostles could be distracted from prayer and preaching the Word of God then the church could be open to heresy and the abandoning of God’s Word altogether and be shipwrecked from the Great Commission.
The early church took on the responsibility of providing for their widows. The church was made up of Grecian Jews – those born outside of Palestine and who spoke Greek and the Hebraic Jew, those born within and who spoke Aramaic. But the real problem was hidden beneath a success …
V1 In those days when the number of disciples were increasing …
If there wasn’t any increase there would not have been a problem.
There are always implications for success. The implications can become problems that if not dealt with can overload you with busyness which can then not only injure your current success but impede any further success you might have had.
For example, you may succeed at work but it may have implications for your life in your home.
The problem is seen in the certain words found in v1
‘Against’ – How many people are suffering due to unnecessary tension in their life?
‘Overlooked’ – Suddenly urgent things take priority over the important things. When that happens then the important things lose their significance. Maybe right now your life is centred around the urgent instead of what’s important.
‘Daily’ –There are things you used to do but you no longer do and the only reason is because you got busy.
Not many of us will be distracted by deceptive ungodly, uncharitable ways but many of us have committed the sin of being distracted by the deception of becoming over involved and over committed.

Speak up
Acts 5: 41
“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 Christ.”

They never stopped. They didn’t grow tired. They didn’t lose focus. They didn’t become afraid and begin to water down what they were proclaiming. They were not distracted. They didn’t become soft. They didn’t introduce new ideas of showing love in ways that don’t involve communication. This was not a season of mission. This was not a sign up for an event. They didn’t do this on the special calendar moments for best effect. They didn’t begin well and taper off. They began and continued. This was constant. Day after day. These were unstoppable people. They never stopped. They were telling people about Jesus. They were teaching people how to be a disciple. For me, this is the crux of missions. All the humanitarian relief work in the world is wonderful and greatly used of God. But the simple but firm commitment of proclaiming Christ continually is what the Great Commission is about. Speak up. Continue. Don’t be afraid.

Rejoice
Acts 5:41
“The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”

I’ve been in church services where the members have affluent lifestyles and whose problems are based around what they thought they should have but didn’t get. I’ve been there with them and their problems have so overwhelmed them that they have struggled to rejoice in any way.

I’ve been in church services where the members have lost what appears to be everything. The women have been brutalised, their children taken, their men have been maimed. They have lost it all. I have been there with them and I have been overwhelmed at their joy in praising Jesus.

Those who appear to have it all sometimes don’t have anything.

Flogging
Acts 5:40
“His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.”

They were flogged.
A flogging was a specialised discipline. The Jewish law called for 40 lashes but this was then later reduced to 39.
During this flogging, repeatedly the words of Deuteronomy 28:58-63 were read. “If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name-the LORD your God- the LORD will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. He will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you. The LORD will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the LORD your God. Just as it pleased the LORD to make you prosper and increase in number, so it will please him to ruin and destroy you. You will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess.”
The religious were using their Scriptures so that they could carry out their religious law of hurting others.
Nothing much has changed. The church is often guilty of using Scripture during its hurt of others.
Wanting to hide behind the fact that it is God carrying out this action not them.
But we know the truth of this flogging.