Keeping your eye on the ball October 21st 2022

Read: Acts 6: 1 – 7

I once had the privilege of spending a day at Lord’s Cricket Ground, watching a Test Match. As a fast bowler comes hurtling in and delivers the ball, it’s very difficult to see what’s going on. It all happens so quickly. I can just imagine what would happen if I was out there, facing the world’s fastest bowlers!

Of course, if you’re going to score runs, you’ve got to keep your eye firmly on the ball and make sure that you hit it, as far away from the surrounding fielders as you possibly can. Lose sight of the ball, and you don’t stand much chance.

Something similar is going on at the beginning of Acts chapter 6. The story concerns a familiar theme: ‘It’s not fair! Why are they being treated differently to us?’

The church has been growing, at a remarkable rate. Different groups are being converted. But the Greek speaking Jews are complaining because their widows are being overlooked in the daily distribution of food by the Hebrew speaking Jews. Sound familiar? It’s the problem of a growing church: different groups, different expectations, different requirements. The danger is that the apostles will get distracted from their proper task. Rather than proclaiming the Word of God, they will end up as social administrators, sorting out the daily life of the church.

Moses faced a similar situation back in Exodus 18 – he couldn’t do it all. His father-in-law advised him to appoint officials to oversee the people, leaving him free to be the people’s representative before God.

Now the apostles must be given a similar freedom. The daily distribution of food to the widows is important. Twice in Acts we read about the importance of mutual sharing and support in the young church. Faith must be lived out in practical ways. But the apostles haven’t got the time to do it all. In a growing church, their task is to preach the word of God, and bring others to faith.

How could the church ensure that the apostles were left free to do their job?

A sensible solution was found – the appointment of seven deacons to oversee the practical needs of the church, freeing up the apostles to get on with their proper job of preaching and proclaiming the gospel. Here we see a practical example of differing gifts being used within the body of Christ. The apostles and the deacons had different responsibilities; each was essential; together they built the Church.

The story concludes by telling us that the word of God spread. The church in Jerusalem increased rapidly.