Acts 6: "Clothing Deacons & Fathers"

Dennis Tuuri

Outline: Acts 6:1-7 “Clothing, Deacons and Fathers” Sermon Notes for June 20, 2004 by Pastor Dennis R. Tuuri A The Multiplication of the Church and “Mixed Multitudes” 6 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. B The Multitude Are To Select Spiritual Men 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, C The Apostles Will Appoint These Men to Office whom we may appoint over this business; D Centrality of Prayer and Word 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” B’ Multitude Select Named Men 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch , C’ The Apostles Lay Hands On The Men 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. A Multiplication of Word and Church and Priests 7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem , and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. Introduction – Ordinary Time Observations on the Text First , as a church matures, there is to be a two-fold division of labor to accomplish her tasks. Related New Testament texts show us this division exits in various time periods, geographical settings and in both Jewish and Gentile contexts. New Testament: Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:1–13 Old Testament: Dt. 1:9-15l Exodus 18:19-27; Numbers 11:4-26l Dt. 16:18 Second , the purpose of the deacon as described in Acts 6 is to relieve the elders (apostles) so they may attend to the ministry of word and prayer. This is the central thrust of the text. Third, the particular task in Acts 6 that the Deacons are to relieve the Elders of is described in the phrase “ serving tables.” This is in all likelihood a reference to money tables , not food tables. But a benevolent aspect of the text is also clear. Fourth , in evaluating this, we are not to apply Greek categories. This is not spiritual work as opposed to temporal work, but perhaps we could think of this as protological work and eschatological work . Fifth, the deacon is set over this task – he does not necessarily do the detail work. Dt. 20:1-9 Sixth, a proper understanding of the two-fold division on labor in the church informs our understanding of husband-wife and parent-child relations in the home. Seventh , the end result of attention to these details is blessing and victory – the gospel!