Good Monday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you ever been in a situation where growth was happening so fast things were getting out of control? Maybe a snowstorm that’s turning into a blizzard; or a rainstorm that’s turning into a hurricane; or a few sick people that’s turning into a pandemic?
In the past few days, we’ve been watching Jerusalem turned upside down, about 2000 years ago, when the Holy Spirit of God came upon 120 followers of Jesus on Pentecost day. (Acts 2:1-12) By the end of that day 3000 people had been baptized and joined this “Jesus movement”! (Acts 2:41) Things were getting out of control!!
Within days the number was over 5000 and growing rapidly! (Acts 4:4) Yesterday we saw the Sanhedrin was warned by one of the wisest of their group, Gamaliel, “If this is from God you will not be able to stop these men…” (Acts 5:39)
Sure enough… Acts 6 begins with this amazing statement: “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing rapidly…” (Acts 6:1) Do you remember Jesus had promised His disciples “I will build My church (ekklesia), and the gates of Hades will not prevail.” (Matt. 16:18) When Jesus had made this prediction to His disciples at Caesarea Philippi, they had no idea what He was talking about.
But now, only a few months later, and only weeks after His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension… it was happening and these disciples were right in the middle of it, without Jesus physically present! Oh, they were doing the best they could, but NONE of them had been trained and prepared for anything like this almost out of control spiritual movement!
And yes, sometimes when good things are happening so fast, some problems can develop, and in the middle of this spiritual tsunami, discord and bitterness were both starting to develop. WHY? Because some people felt the care of widows was not equitable. Some widows were being overlooked in the generosity we looked at a few days ago. (Acts 4:34) And it was believed by some that this inequity in care was not a mistake, it was actually an outpouring from prejudiced hearts!
You’ll remember Shavuot/Pentecost had brought Jews from all over the known world to Jerusalem (Acts 2:5) and as today, there were many prejudices which divided even the Jews. Have you learned that discord and discontent can explode very quickly into full blown conflict? It appears that was beginning to happen even among these Jews who were all experiencing wonderful unity in their shared spiritual transformation the Holy Spirit was accomplishing in them. (Acts 4:32)
Pause. With modern technology, you and I are given more information in a few minutes, about events all around the world, than our parents and grandparents were able to receive in weeks! And we receive it in real-time, as it’s happening, even if it’s happening on the other side of the world!
So, take a moment and give yourself a prejudice heart check. Have you allowed the news from around the world to shape prejudice or even hatred toward certain people groups? If left unchecked, how will that affect life, your life, in years ahead?
In Jerusalem those who saw this prejudice impacting some widows, well they knew it had to be faced and dealt with before it became a serious division in this new Jesus movement. But the movement had become so large and was growing so fast, the apostles simply could not manage it all well. So important decisions were needed which are similar to the decisions you and I need to make when we find ourselves in a rapidly escalating situation.
May I show you four key actions steps they took which we would do well to learn?
First, they recognized a problem was brewing! (Acts 6:1) Have you found one of the worst things we can do is IGNORE a problem? Have you learned small problems become big problems when left unattended? Might there be a problem which is affecting you, but you’re ignoring it?
Second, the apostles came together to discuss and deal with the problem. No procrastination, no ignoring the problem, and no pretending it wasn’t their problem to solve! (Acts 6:2) Have you learned to discern when the Holy Spirit of God is stirring you to take action in problem solving? Do you?
Third, the apostles clarified their roles & responsibilities in this great spiritual movement sweeping through Jerusalem and other towns. (Acts 6:4) They knew they were the guys who had been with Jesus. All the people looked to them to teach what Jesus had taught them. The people naturally looked to the apostles to lead this nearly out of control, rapidly growing movement.
Everyone knew this was a pioneer movement. Nothing like this had ever happened before anywhere in the world, and these apostles had no specific training for leading such a movement, but they did have the Holy Spirit and Jesus had promised the Spirit would lead them in all things! (John 14:26; 16:13,14) So the apostles embraced this ‘problem situation’; clarified their Jesus given roles; and identified what was NOT their role! That’s important, isn’t it? Are you able, especially when pressured by people, to define what is and what is NOT your role and responsibility?
Fourth, they defined the criteria for a group of others who would be tasked with solving this care of widows inequity problem. (Acts 6:3) Notice, they did not pick the men, rather they defined the specific criteria which would enable others to select these special, Holy Spirit anointed, problem-solving men!
Are you able to discern between which problems are yours to solve, and which are for someone else to solve? And can you discern what your role is in HELPING someone else solve problems and resist taking over the problem solving when it’s not your problem to solve?
Do you remember another time in Israel’s history when a similar leadership problem situation occurred, and more leaders were urgently needed to meet the needs of a huge number of God’s people? Yes, it was Moses who received wisdom from his father-in-law Jethro in Exodus 18:17-26. And yet again it happened not long thereafter, when God told Moses to select 70 leaders to help him and God placed the Holy Spirit on them! (Numbers 11:14-17)
Do you suppose that as the apostles met to discuss the problem in Jerusalem, they looked closely at these two situations in Israel’s past to see how God resolved the problem then? Have you and I learned that? Do we look to how God has worked in the past to see if God might give us wisdom to face our challenges today?
We need to pause and reflect on that today and the “lessons learned” notes below will be of great help to you. I hope the worship song draws you to Jesus in worship and I’ll be here waiting for you tomorrow and we’ll come right back into this problem-solving situation.
Today’s Scripture: Acts 6:1-4.
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
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).
Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.