Service, Conflict, and Sharing the Work

 Questions:  What do we do when conflict arises?  What did the apostles do?  How God took the conflict, solved it, and brought in more ministry.

Acts 6:1 - Conflict arises - Hellenistic Jews vs. Hebraic Jews.  Hellenistic (raised Greek) Jews born outside of Holy Land.  Hebraic Jews = those born in Palestine.
Conflict = Hellenistic widows being slighted when distributions were made.

Acts 6:2-4  Huge gathering of the church.  What appears to be first deacons were selected.  

4 Points to consider.

#1)  Be Humble and Care
Phil. 2:1-5 - Peter and John cared for the people and we, as Christians, should, too. 

#2)   You can't do everything!  Set priorities, delegate, share the blessing (by sharing the ministry) - deacons and pastors both important.  When you attempt to do everything, you do nothing well.

Acts 6:3-4  Apostles let some the responsibility go for the glory of God and the good of the church.  Then could focus on their specific calling.  We need to be the same way.

#3)  Get a ministry and be great at it! 
If you have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ, Then God has placed his Holy Spirit in you and has gifted you in a way that you can serve the body of Christ.  If part of the body is not doing anything, the body is not functioning as well as it should.

1 Cor. 12:12-20
Find a place to serve and serve with all your heart.  God didn't give everyone the same calling, but wherever God places you to serve, do it and do it well.  There are no small jobs in the Kingdom of God.
Col. 3:23

Acts 6:5
Godly men really important.  This was a hug moment and responsibility.  Spotlight will be on them, and Stephen, especially, will be used for something mighty in the next chapter.

Acts 6:6
They blessed them, laid hands on them, and prayed for them, and commissioned them.  What an awesome deal!

Acts 6:7
Bod's word is powerful and effective, even the priests of the temple were coming to Christ.  Those that would offer sacrifices would believe in Christ and his ultimate sacrifice.  An amazing work is happening.

#4)  We should desire to be reconciled and work together.
This took a lot for the apostles to hand off this great work to men that were Hellenist of Grecian Jews.  Took a lot for the Hellenistic Jews to forgive and move past the overlooking of their widows, but they did.  It's one thing to tell someone you love them and forgive them.  That;s hard enough, but it's another thing altogether to really mean it in your heart and put that into action.
It is tough to forgive people and love them and more on, but we must!

Matt. 6:14-15
Don't like that one sometimes.

Col. 3:13
Don't like that one either.
Mat. 7:2
These are really tough!! However, know that when God measures me I want him to use as merciful a measuring tape as he can find, and since that's what I want, I, too, need to show mercy.

John 13:34-35 - Coming days