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Mar 19, 2017

Word and Deed

Passage: Acts 6:1-7

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: Acts: The Perpetual Power of the Gospel

The Word of God is the unshakable and essential foundation of The Church (all believers) but this cannot be the only focus. An ever-growing adoration of and dependence on Jesus’ love leads us to also care for those in need, beginning within “our own house.” Many times we fail on one side or the other; we focus all of our energies on “right theology” but fail to give ourselves away to others; or we serve with all our might, but hold loosely to God’s word. Here at the infant stage of The Church there was great diversity of “insiders” and “outsiders” getting various degrees of help. The leaders saw this tug-o-war and potential division, so they dedicated themselves to their calling of holding the strong Gospel Foundation of Truth while appointing a diverse group of other leaders to focus on the practical needs of the people within the church.

Worship Order

Prelude: Instrumental

Grace Band: Piano & Vocals - Tonya Hudson, Vocals - Genell Allmond, Guitar - Greg Cheadle, Drums - Tim Allmond

Call To Worship: Colossians 3:14-17 ESV

Prayer: Truths in Jesus (adapted from The Valley of Vision)

Sermon Title: Word and Deed

Central Text: Acts 6:1-7

Illustration: Silicon Valley - Test Group

Communion

Benediction: Philippians 1:6 & 2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV

Scripture Readings

Call To Worship: Colossians 3:14-17 ESV
LEADER: 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

 

ALL: 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  

 

Prayer: Truths in Jesus (adapted from The Valley of Vision)
 
LEADER: O Gracious and Redeeming God. We approach You as Father and friend. Creator and Sustainer of all things. Our exceeding joy.  Our strength of heart. The sender of Christ. Our portion forever.
 
ALL: Illuminate in us all that is dark. Establish in us all that is wavering. Accomplish in us all Your goodness and truths.
 
LEADER: Uphold our steps by Your Word. Prepare in us every part of the journey. Work in us this faith and good works. Let no iniquity dominate us. And teach us that Christ cannot be the way if we are the end.
 
ALL: Glorify in us the name of Jesus.  

 

Central Text: Acts 6:1-7
1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

 

Benediction: Philippians 1:6 & 2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV
LEADER: 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.  

 

ALL: 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  

 

Post-Service Text: Acts 6:7 ESV
7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

 

Related Scriptures & Readings:

Ephesians 4:11-14
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

 

1 Peter 2:4-5
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

 

Numbers 11:16-17
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.

 

Discussion Questions

  1. Insider/Outsider (unhealthy division):
    1. When have you felt like an outsider and how was that experience? What made you feel that way?
    2. Likewise, when have you felt like an insider and how was that experience? What made you feel that way?
    3. How and why does this happen in church? What does it look like in the church?
    4. Explain how Jesus was the ultimate insider but became the ultimate “outsider.”
      1. How does that offer healing for those who are “outsiders”.
      2. How does this offer healing for those who are “insiders”
  2. Priesthood of Believers (healthy division):
    1. Part of the prevention and/or healing from insider/outsider mentality is for diverse division of roles in the church (this “presbyterian” form of labor-division is actually what the US Government is based upon):
    2. What role(s) do you have in church? If you don’t have one, what keeps you from it?
    3. Why would there be a separation between roles and responsibilities in church?
    4. Do you tend to see some roles as “higher” than other roles?
    5. To simplify, the two roles in the Early Church were: (why are BOTH of these essential, and what would it be like if we only focused on one of them? Which do you focus on?)
      1. Word: Growing and helping others grow in the Gospel
      2. Deed: Serving others in the body and beyond with the love of Jesus.

Related Sermons

Service in Christ by Leo Schuster

Acts 6:1-7

 

Serving Widows, Preaching the Word, and Winning Priests by John Piper

Acts 6:1-7

Related Media

 3.19.17 Album