Acts Chapter 6:1-15

There is going to be attested and maybe it will come from where places like maybe you step out and you start serving the sparkle your stricken buyer Saturday and you get ready come by here and in your spouse, amazement, we don't going clean shirt. We know Apple and I stay home only doing that only say here will made a commitment told them I would be the way sometimes it comes from where places with the life lesson here, there will be resistance as you serve the Lord. There will be resistance as you serve in the ministry for a number years and this is one thing I know for sure that I take for granted. There's going to be resistance when you step out serve the God and serve the Lord your gonna hit some resistance and sometimes a skillet. It's going to come from unforeseen places in corners.

Maybe from people you thought would be encouraging or giving you the resist, but that's part of the testing as part of what strengthens us as we serve the welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. As Christians we are called to serve the Lord, but often as we step out to serve find resistance and waiting today pastor David helps us overcome that resistance as he continues teaching the book of acts chapter 6 with part two of his teaching chosen to serve in the last chapter, we were covering we saw that there were some pretty major setbacks. If you will with Ananias and so fire they actually because of their hypocrisy. They fell over dead and and so the church though came through it and once again they brought the disciples in front of the Jewish leadership in the warned him not to speak about Jesus and they threw him in prison, the Lord set them free from prison. They went right back to the temple. They didn't learn anything and started telling about Jesus again and so that brings us to where we are now.

Chapter 6 verse one is now in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplying.

There arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenist because the widows were neglected in the daily distribution of this there were two main parties. If you will of Jewish people at this point, there were those who spoke Hebrew and there were those who were had been Hellenized. That's a term under Alexander the great, he conquered Israel about 323 BC and in when he did that in what he wanted do is spread Greek, the Greek language. Greek philosophy and culture all over the world. They did the same thing in Israel.

So many of the people ended up speaking Greek now some of that was good.

Some of it was bad. Some of the stuff that we still deal with in the church. As far as Greek philosophy as opposed to more great philosophy, but that's what's going on so it's interesting to me that there they're all Jewish and yet already got these factions happened, why don't I speak Greek speak Hebrew guidance for group 103 Hebrew and he got that going on. What a shame that is because there's no place in the body of Christ for this kind of garbage and you know there's no place in this body of Christ for that kind of stuff we need to love each other and in real life, especially it horrifies me when I hear the church have an racial discrimination because that's just that's from the pit of hell has nothing to do with Jesus. Verse two is in the 12 some of the multitude of the disciples and said it is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore brother seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business eloquently looking for looking for good reputation in some versions it's as honest, good, and it's is filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom in it says and and they've never made a mistake and will never make a mistake. Your version of now it's not in their CLI and we think that our spiritual leaders are never supposed to make a mistake. How unfair, because you know the only time that you won't make a mistake.

The only people that don't make a mistake or that people don't do anything and if you're not doing anything you making the biggest mistake of all to understand that spiritual leaders are going to make mistakes. But their heart is towards the border should be towards the Lord saying that this is a menial task or anything like that. They're just saying you know what there's we need to come up with a solution and in verse three.

They come up with a solution of delegating and DL Moody said it's much better to get 10 men to do work than to try to do the work of 10 men saying deal. Moody was a wise man, a wise minister was pastor and this is something that is a continual challenge here that you notate the giveaway ministry is the term that I see people raised up into ministry and it's interesting because you know everybody on our staff is been raised up from this body in a window to administer jobs.com or something.

These people were in this body. They serve the Lord.

We recognize they were serving the Lord. We encourage them in serving the Lord and then they came on staff and that's an awesome thing now and as we do this.

There's a saying that also fond of the Blessed are the flexible, they shall not be broken soon as you step out serve the be sure that you maintain that flexibility in order to learn some more stuff about that as we continue in verse four says that we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word in the same please the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, fill up progress the corner at Nicanor team on premise and Nicholas a proselyte from Antioch, Tennessee is Stephen and Philip in the book of acts man to be very significant. They can be very significant. God is going to use them in a very special way will see what happens. Verse six assist in him. They set before the apostles and when they had prayed, they laid hands on. Now notice what you don't see here is the Bible. As you study about often. It is important what's not in there is within, and here's what you don't see anything you don't see these guys then often set in 19 when I need them out.

These guys are like God you want to use me off usually feed the widows great. I'm all for it on gonzo all over was good for that's important is, speaks to this a lot we really need to understand this as a church and as individual believers understand servant leadership in first Corinthians 412 Mrs. S let a man so consider us a servant of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

Can we have this faithful concept, weaving its way through and weaving its way through Scripture. First Timothy 112 and I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me because economy faith, putting me into the ministry because there's a lesson in there for each and every one of us know how does this affect us. Well, let me be sure something when we started the fellowship I did something that some people didn't quite understand and maybe still don't understand what I did is anytime anybody want to serve. Whether was on the worship team or help teacher whatever I asked him to help join the cleanup crew we call sparkle and and some people didn't like that. They took exception to that end, and so immediately that's in a red flag to me.

All I want to do this specific thing.

I don't necessarily want to serve world needed I want to do this thing will servants of God we should be willing to serve wherever and do whatever and if you have struggled with that. What I just said love. Please examine that examine.

Here's the thing. If you limit the way God can use you in small things, you limit the way God will use you in large things missing again.

If you limit the way God can use you in small things, you limit the way God will use you in large things couple more verses. Colossians 317 says whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 323 says and whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, not the men, knowing from the Lord, you will receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the Lord Christ. That is such a key in ministry because if you start out in ministry to serve other people you find yourself a crispy critter you going to get burned out and and cynical and all these things, but if you understand its God your servant, because occasionally people might not appreciate your ministry as much as you think they should. And if you're doing it just for people you will lose that motivation. But if you're doing it for God always doing it know God knowing that God sees everything it says here you will receive the reward from God. Verse seven says then the word of God spread the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. This is an awesome thing. There's a saying that help the sheep reproduce healthy sheet and here's what that means that if people are being fed the word of God, they realize that evangelism is as people are fed, the word of God. They understand that inviting people to hear the word of God is important you know what I want to do is I want to encourage you to invite other people want to see that the Bible is plain about reaching out to other people. We want to reach out to the lost and those who are disillusioned through the church maybe got hurt the church one reach out to them and then we want to teach want to teach the Bible not all the books about the Bible are some great books out there about the Bible we want to teach the Bible itself, and that's what were going to continue to do and you will hear reach and teach a lot. Here's another thing you hear that we want to see unbelievers become believers in those believers become disciples. That's what we want to see. We don't want to see people get saved go care jobs done because that's what Jesus did. He told us to go make disciples. We want to see those believers then become disciples. So that's what were about. What about scene unbelievers become believers in those believers become disciples you're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be right back with more just a moment, but I want to remind you of the free resources available to you on cross the bridge.com there's a team of hundreds of people that will pray for somebody to be saved. You have a loved one that needs to know Jesus as Savior.

You need people to pray for them. You need someone to present God's word to them every day representing God's virtual here on cross the bridge with Pastor David McGee. We can play for them as well.

Just by simply going to cross the bridge.com and click on the pray for the lost button. All you need to do is put in the first names of the people you love, that need to know Jesus as Savior.

Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people begin praying for your lost loved ones. What an awesome way to bring your loved ones to Jesus. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey guys want to take just a minute to pray for some cities in our listening audience. Specifically, Ashland Oregon and Baker city Brookings Canyon Ville Cave Junction, Cloverdale, and Colton Lowy. Thank you for the cities and everyone listening. We pray that you would pour out your spirit on these broadcast audiences. Father we pray that pastors would have wisdom in the cities and how to love their communities. Lord I pray that people would put their trust in you got. I pray that you would give the governmental leaders wisdom and discernment that you would protect the city's father there be peace in the cities and Lord, that your word would be high and lifted up in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse three over St. Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

How cool is that this man just a few verses in a government help.

It doesn't usually happen this quick because it happened just a couple verses later, but this guy was willing to wait on tables and because he was willing to wait on tables God use them in a huge way and Stephen was very gifted to see next week and looking at chapter 7 working to see Stevens an incredible teacher. I mean the way he lays this teaching out there was a young man there by the name of Saul, that was profoundly affected by this teaching where she Stephen is quite the teacher, but none Stephen was well no I don't type and God raised the mousy. We all have different gifting you you have unique gifting. The combination of your gifting's in your talents is like nobody else is in this room. What that does is it because you you to look at situations different than everybody else. Let me explain it like this is pastor Sean came out here to bring me a glass of water and he tripped and he felt he smelled the water we would have a lot of different thoughts about that. And in the way you would think about that indicate someone your spiritual gifting. In other words, it was clear gifted and in prophecy unit look at you look up after showing a lot. You may be in in the sense of prophecy being teaching you.

Well, you really should have the gift should have the class with both hands and walking more carefully because I thought there might be a problem, or maybe your gift is ministering or service they need the spell that I get I get a mop cleanup.

You don't have to worry about that. See how your get naturally begins to manifest itself or maybe teaching you know in your teaching gifting. I say well you know after showing a glass of water in the Greek means you know, or whatever and you explain about that you would begin to manifest what you are. Maybe your gift is giving you.

Looking up what we need a new glass that was broken were to get the glass on the Bono no go get another bottle water whatever pay for that. Maybe ruling our administration is your gift you look at that they should have let you know we should have led some things that are in the sanctuary and so that begins the manifest. Or maybe mercy your gift of mercy be like after Sean I'm so sorry that you asked about the water before. Maybe you'll get water. Next time and you won't spell it like that you know and you be manifesting that gift of mercy and that's also the way the body of Christ comes together like that but here's part of the thing you look at a situation different than anybody else know what you might want to some in the church. Well, that really needs to be addressed are this person really needs ministry or something and maybe you think God is showing me there so I can I can complain about this or whine about that will limit maybe God is showing you that because he wants you to make a difference and he wants you to walk in that gifting and begin the walking and mercy are teaching or are giving or administration or whatever it is and you can often understand often your perspective on one occurrence is totally unique in the body of Christ as we join together like that when we see the benefit of the body were referred to the body of Christ to understand we are referred to as the body of Christ. First of all, the body of Jesus was conceived miraculously and I think the churches are conceived miraculously and you know what else you never see in Scripture. You never see Jesus in this self-aware, but bear with me for six you never see Jesus's leg fall asleep in Jesus to walk and as I was asleep to a setback that was a point that what happens when your leg falsely do that.

They do a lot you like fall asleep when you try to get up and try to walk but you can't really and unbearably selected was only language it is not an end. The body Christ is not to be like. But somewhere along the line and we bought into this consumer mentality that we go to the church.

The get and see if you come to the church and you get poured into should begin to pour out because too often in the body of Christ.

These people say were not going to serve. I don't want to do this. I don't do that to serve in my own way in the body of Christ is hindered by that right there. You never see that the Bible a lot in church too often it pastors it would be tickled to death of 10% of the body will serve as a have much less hear what that lately it would run 3040 50% of the people to come here sir, that's more of a biblical model. I think part of it is that being said and and so once are being poured into they want to pour back out verse nine. Then there arose some from what is called the synagogue of the freedmen civilians.

Alexander Angelos from soliciting Asia, disputing with Stephen so corsairs people leaders to be tested when you step out the ministry understand you're going to test, there is going to be attested and maybe it will come from where places like maybe you step out and you start serving the sparkle your space combiner Saturday and you get ready come by here and your spouse amazement way going to clean the church for an ice thing only doing that only stay here while I made a commitment told them I would be there way. Sometimes it comes from where places with the life lesson here, there will be resistance as you serve the Lord. There will be resistance as you serve the Lord been in ministry for a number years and this is the one thing I know for sure that I take for granted.

There's going to be resistance when you step out serve the God and serve the Lord your gonna have some resistance and sometimes this can come from unforeseen places and corners. Maybe from people that you thought would be encouraging or giving you the resistance but that's part of the testing as part of what strengthens us as we serve the street on verse 10 and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke. He was gifted as a teacher. Verse 11 then they secretly induced men to say we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God. You see how damaging we can be. Sometimes I say we understand that I can.

I can damage this body by things or do things I say and you need to understand that is Robin talk about serving the Lord understand there's a battle going.

God desires for you to serve him. There is a very real enemy that wants you to serve him.

That was the usual so there's this battle going on. As Bob Dylan said that's all. You gotta serve somebody. It might be the Lord, or it might be the devil but you gotta serve some and that's what's before everyone to be used by God to be used by our selfish nature and in perhaps by the enemy. Be careful because all of us have the potential for either one and they happened here in this early church. This is days away from the ascension of Jesus and they happened in this church while we surprising happened today. I don't know why that catches us off guard. I know sometimes it still catches me off for a little bit but if it happened here in this early church is going to happen in this church just keep serving the Lord. Verse 12 and they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes and the came upon them, sees them and brought them to the Council may also set up false witnesses is that this man does not cease to speak from us words against this holy place and the law they were they were misquoting misconstruing what he had said in verse 14 for we have heard them say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us. Verse 15 and also set the Council looking steadfastly at him, saw his face is the face of an angel.

Stephen was called before them and present the gospel he was going to use that opportunity but why he's before them. He's not ministering in other ways other people. That's what happens in ministry.

You pulled away to put out fires instead of reaching people but that's part of the strategy and notice they mix kind of a half-truth in with you know that Jesus came to fulfill the law. He did come to change things, but not do away with the law. Jesus himself said, and here's the thing is we look through this this body could look at the early church, and in some of these ways and become these acts six people. God I want to serve you. However, you need however you want to use me constantly. At least we think we can trust God, then we do that he could do some horrible that if you hate the cold ascended Alaska or something it be just step out serve him or her or wherever a and nothing could be further from the truth. But there isn't. Do whatever you know if you've ever been in the military they do something interesting to give you piece of paper in a safe right three places that you really want to go in a and where you really want to be station anything to be as barren a thought away and I put you wherever they need that's kind of what they do well sends that's what the Lord's, but he ends up placing you in the place that he knows your gifted in and you'll be blessed because friend. He knows far better than your annual put you in a perfect place. Let your heart be open and even as it might've been a challenge.

Talk about sparkle. Let your heart be open to serving the Lord in whatever way would have you to serve because here's the thing these men. Their hearts were closed because it says Stephen's face shone like an angel had their hearts and been opened, they would've looked at his face shine and involve point.

This is familiar where this happened before somewhere and it would've remember that the last man that this happened to was Moses and it would've thought you know what maybe this man is from God.

Maybe the Lord did send him to us to share these things with us, but their hearts are closed as your heart closes more because the Lord sent me to share these things with you and I do it in sincerity. I do it in transparency doing love but is your heart open to the things you're here this morning.

The understand everybody every relationship with the Lord starts at the cross. I want to be clear, because I've been talking about serving and I don't want anybody think will that mean about getting that sparkled in going to heaven yes did not mean the way your sins are forgiven is you ask the Lord to forgive you of your sin friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now own Legion.

A short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend if you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. So congratulations bring you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

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Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the book of acts