Bible questions: Why does God’s church have so many disagreements?
— How can we overcome this divisive problem?
Let’s see how the early church addressed division in Christian fellowship…
Acts 6:1-7 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.
Q1/ What problem do we first see in this account of the early church? (HINT: vs.1)
— What factor of our human sinful nature brought about this problem?
Q2/ How did this dispute affect God’s work? (HINT: vs.2)
Q3/ How did the 12 Apostles answer this problem? (HINT: vs.3)
Q4/ What were the requirements of those chosen to do this ministry? (HINT: again from vs.3)
Q5/ What was God’s calling for those Apostles?
— Why did they have to separate themselves from other duties?
Q6/ Does this say anything about God’s workings today?
Q7/ Do we know anything about any of these 7 men chosen?
— How do you think they went about choosing them? (HINT: vs.5-6)
Q8/ Did this organization benefit God’s work?
— What does this tell us about organizing God’s church?
_________________________________________
Now the BIG QUESTION…
Can we learn from this the way we can avoid the problem of disputes dividing God’s church today?
— Who MUST we turn to so as to overcome our disputes and divisions? (Who were they turning to seeking guidance in Acts 6:1-7? ~ Note what qualifications did they seek in those chosen.)
— Why do we struggle to find the answer?
How do you feel about the various workings, ministries, and gifting of the Holy Spirit?
Do you believe that the Holy Spirit dwells in you to “teach you all things”?
Do you think there is any division in God’s Holy Spirit?
How do you feel about the Holy Spirit? (Are your feelings based on the Bible’s teachings?)
— Prejudice and bias were the cause of this dispute about the provision for the widows in the early church. — Prejudice and bias still affect how people react to the moving of God’s Holy Spirit today.
I will continue to pray that this understanding is instilled in God’s people by His Holy Spirit, so we will recover the unity that He commands of us… (A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35) …KK