March 12, 1950 CHURCH ORGANIZATION AND LEADERSHIP Acts 6:1-6; 20:17, 18, 28; 1 Cor. 12:27, 28 Pointers on the Lesson As the church grew rapidly after Pentecost need soon arose for organiza tion and officers to care for all the work that was its responsibility. The organi zation was at first very simple but suf- ficent to meet the need. In the early church it is apparent that there were only two kinds of officers, namely, elders and deacons. Paul, in writing his letter to the Philippians, addresses it to “ all the saints . . . with the bishops [elders] and deacons” (1:1). Into our lesson this week we have introduced these two offi cers and in addition the gifts of God for the blessing of the church. The First Deacons Acts 6:1-6 Note how soon Satan sought to disrupt the even course of the early church. He did not do it by getting the believers in the infant body to doubt the super natural message of Christianity. He was too wise for that. The church was too close to the miraculous events connected with Christ’s death and resurrection and the divine manifestations of Pentecost to be easily moved from their doctrinal foundation. He maneuvered, however, to bring about trouble among the members of the church in the matter of the dis tribution of the necessities of life among poor widows. The Grecians (or Greek speaking Jews) thought that discrimina tion was being made against their wid ows in favor of the widows of the Jews of Palestine. Probably there was no truth to the complaint but the matter created no small stir. The result was a great congregational meeting at which time the twelve apos tles explained the difficulty to the whole body. They asked that to meet the need and to make it possible for the twelve to continue to give themselves more fully to the major task of preaching the Word, that seven men of honest report and full of the Holy Ghost he chosen to care for such matters as ministering to physical need. The plan seemed good. The seven were chosen. Their business was to serve tables. The word serve is the word “ diakonein” from which we get our word deacon. Deacons and deacon esses are those who serve in the church. The offices they represent are not sim ply offices of honor. They imply faithful service. The kind of folks to grace this high office is set forth in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Elders in the Church Acts 20:17, 18 As Paul was on his way to Jerusalem for the last time he passed through Miletus, a seacoast town not far from Ephesus where he had ministered so suc cessfully for the gospel in days past. While at Miletus Paul sent for the elders of Ephesus to come down to see him that he might speak with them matters of in formation and instruction. Verse 28 tells
us something of the character of the of fice of elder. The elder was the overseer in the church. It is evident that his duty was to have the leadership in the matter of the spiritual nurture of the church. In 1 Tim. 3:1-7 we have the qualifications and responsibilities of the elder set forth. In short, he is to be a housekeeper in the house of God (v. 5). The Apostle Paul instructed Titus to ordain elders in every city (Tit. 1:5). The leading elder in modern churches is usually the pastor. Gifts to the Church 1 Cor. 12:217, 28 In these brief verses we have presented the special gifts which God has imparted to His church for blessing and service. Compare Eph. 4:8ff. Helps for the Children Saying Good-by to a Great Leader Acts 20:17-21:6, 1 Cor. 12:27,28 Memory Verse: “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace” (Num. 6:24-26). Paul had faithfully served his Lord in the city of Ephesus. For a time he had been away from this city. As he returned to Jerusalem, he stopped at Miletus and called the elders of the Ephesian church to meet him there. He reminded them of his faithfulness in preaching the gospel in Ephesus and of his unselfishness and sympathy while he had worked with them. He told these Christians who dearly loved him that they would never again see him upon this earth. Paul warned them about false teachers who would try to turn them away from their Lord. After he had finished talking with his Christian friends, Paul knelt down and prayed with them. They all cried and embraced their beloved Paul and kissed him. Together they went with him to his ship. Paul’s ship docked later at Tyre where Paul had fellowship for seven days with believers whom he found there. When it was time for the ship to sail from Tyre, the Christian families went to the beach with Paul. Again, there was a prayer meeting upon the shore before the ship sailed. Within a week Paul had won the love and the respect of his fel- low-Christians at Tyre. Do other Christians, and those who are not Christians, respect you for your Christian testimony? If they do not, you need to pray that your thoughts, your words, and your actions may be more like your Saviour, that they may remind others of Him. Do you respect your Sunday school teacher and your pastor or your mis sionary as God’s servants? Do you truly appreciate their teaching you more about your Lord and His Word? They will ap preciate your telling them of your love and your respect for them as God’s serv ants who minister unto you. T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
God Wills I t !— India Before Your Church
CEYLON AND INDIA GENERAL MISSION
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