THURSDAY 29 April 2021 “Problem solving”

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Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,

Growth in any organization or endeavor is usually a wonderful thing, right? But usually growth brings challenges. Did you know that happens even when God is at work and a spiritual movement is growing rapidly? I’m sure we all understand those growth challenges can provide fertile ground for the dark kingdom to disrupt what God is doing and breed discord, division and even conflict among God’s people who are excited about the movement’s growth.

Sadly, too many wonderful spiritual movements, experiencing great forward momentum, impacting many people and cities, have fallen apart because of unmanaged turmoil in the challenges of growth. Today, let’s learn how to navigate those challenges in a God honoring way, maintaining the integrity of the spiritual movement while adapting to change necessary because of growth.

You’ll recall this ‘Jesus following spiritual movement’ in Jerusalem started with a little more than 100 close friends and followers of Jesus who gathered together for 10 days following Jesus’ ascension from the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem, and His return to heaven. Let’s be honest my friends. As those folks met together it was likely a combination of grief and excitement, confusion and consolation, discouragement and determination. Jesus was gone…they couldn’t hardly believe it, but they had seen Him elevate into the air and disappear into the clouds. Jesus was not coming back, at least not anytime soon! The adventure of living with God here among them was over. Now they were left to try and figure out what to do next? Jesus had told them to wait in Jerusalem until He sent the Holy Spirit… but He didn’t tell them how long that would take or it would happen. So they did. Can you imagine how long those 10 days seemed?

Finally the Holy Spirit came in great power on the day of Pentecost and those 120 were anointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit and they spoke the truths of the Gospel of Jesus in languages they did not know, but languages which were known by thousands who had come to Jerusalem, from all around the Roman Empire, for Pentecost. Then Peter was powerfully emboldened by the Spirit and spoke to a huge crowd of inquiring people, explaining Jesus and this Pentecost miracle to them, and 3000 people responded, believed in Jesus and were baptized! We can presume that within a day or two exponential growth of this ‘spiritual movement’ had happened. From 120 friends and followers of Jesus to 3000 excited new believers in Jesus, all anxious to learn as much and as fast as they could! The apostles and close friends of Jesus did the best they could telling Jesus’ story, explaining what they knew and had experienced themselves. Day after day they taught and with occasional miracles, the power of the Holy Spirit validated what they were teaching and these new believers became passionate followers, disciples of Jesus.

Then persecution rose up against them, and as we’ve seen in the past few days, the Holy Spirit responded by embolding these followers of Jesus, freeing them from prison and even giving them the courage and physical stamina to withstand flogging! Now we come to Acts 6 and Luke writes: “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing…”. Rather than the momentum of growth declining in response to persecution, imprisonment and even torture by flogging, the momentum grew. More and more people were attracted to this ‘spiritual movement’ and placed their trust in Jesus, and experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in their own lives! But growth brings challenges and soon it was becoming unmanageable. Widows were being overlooked, lost in the crowds, and because no government social system existed to help them, as we saw in Acts 2 & 4, this ‘spiritual movement’ was trying to care for these dear widows and others in need, but the scope of the task was simply getting too big.

Look at 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. Brothers, 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 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” The Twelve are of course the 11 original disciples, less Judas who had killed himself after betraying Jesus, plus Matthias whom they had selected in those days immediately after Jesus’ ascension. (Acts 1:15-26) Because the total number of new believers in Jesus by this time may well have exceeded 7000 people, we must assume the phrase ‘all the disciples’ means a large number of those deeply committed followers of Jesus who would be able to engage in finding God’s solution to this problem.

Please note the priority the apostles place on their unique role in continuing to lead this rapidly growing ‘spiritual movement’. No one else knew Jesus or His teachings as they did. Jesus had very specifically commissioned them to “…teach them to obey all I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:20) They also had watched Jesus and the priority that HE placed on frequent prayer, conversation with His heavenly Father. They learned it was imperative that they also spent extended time talking with Jesus in prayer, to be sure they understood how He wanted them to lead this, almost out of control, ‘spiritual movement’ which was growing faster than anyone had imagined. They knew it would not take long and it would no longer be contained to Jerusalem…it would spread out, in all directions, to cities and towns far away, and then what? How would they manage it then?

Also please note the criteria established for finding 7 men who would take on the huge challenge of caring for these many widows. “seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom…” So let me ask you friends, all around the world: When you face challenges in your organization, your church, your family… what criteria do you use for finding the people who can help you? This was a strategic, defining moment in history! A precedent was set here. “Men who are full of the Spirit and wisdom”.

Isn’t that the greatest need of our world? Every country, every city, every business or organization, every government, every church needs those types of leaders who will manage and solve problems because they are ‘full of the Spirit and wisdom’. Are you one of those types of people? How does a person become someone like that? Would you agree it starts here: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” (Ps. 111:10) And then it grows like this: “Teach me Your ways O LORD and I will walk in Your truth, give me an undivided heart that I may fear Your name.” (Ps. 86:11) And then it continues like this: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways honor HIM and He will direct your paths.” (Prov. 3:5,6) Do you get it? The Word of God and an authentic, Holy Spirit filled, relationship with Jesus is life changing and produces people ‘full of the Spirit and wisdom’! Are you on that journey my friend? If so, you are becoming one of the most valuable people on this planet. A God empowered problem solver, just like those 7 men in Jerusalem named in Acts 6:5.

Finally, have you heard this phrase ‘it’s really important to keep ‘the main thing, the main thing!”? That’s what the apostles did. They made a very strategic decision. They wanted desperately to help those dear widows. But they knew it was vital to the entire movement that they focused on doing what they were uniquely qualified and commissioned by Jesus to do, as the leaders of this ‘spiritual movement’. If you are in any leadership role, can you discern how to say ‘no’ to really good things that need to be done, in order to keep your focus on the things that only YOU can do and need to do as a leader? Can you identify others, commission and equip them to do the things which need to be done to sustain your movement, while relieving you to focus on the things that ONLY you are able to do?

For the apostles, their unique calling was praying, to be sure they were hearing from Jesus and doing what HE wanted them to do in leading. Also, teaching God’s Word, especially the truths of Jesus what had not yet been written down, but they had heard Jesus teach them. Remember Jesus had promised the Holy Spirit would help them remember what Jesus had said, so they could repeat it and teach it to many new believers in Jesus, and the movement could continue to grow! You’ll find that promise in John 14:26.

Now in closing today my friends, what ‘spiritual movement’ are you a part of? What is your role in that movement? What is God doing in your city with that movement? May I urge us all to spend some time today taking a close look at Acts 6:1-7 and asking the Holy Spirit to give us a fresh perspective on what Jesus is trying to do in our city and what the role is that HE wants each of us to assume in that movement of God?

Let’s remember that most of those in the Jerusalem ‘spiritual movement’ were just beginning the journey with Jesus. It was all new to them, and maybe that’s you too! So here’s a great song that may help you with that. . .and God bless you as you worship and seek Jesus’ guidance of YOU!

Today’s Scripture is Acts 6:1-7.

Choose below to read or listen.

Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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