Preparation for the work

Sermon notes from Sunday 24 February 2019 am

Acts 6 verses 1 - 7

Preparation for the work

Look at this situation that arose in this early church.  We see here there was a dispute which caused a divison and because of that division we see a delegation.  What was happening?  A dispute arose over monies that were coming into the church.  The disciples were to share that money out but some of the widows felt they were not getting their proper share.  The congregation decided to delegate this probem and sort it out but there was also a determination here.  The apostles said "we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."  Jesus followers looked at the situation, examined it and showed great discernment.  There are things we could be doing in the church to allow others to be doing what they should be doing.  Church should be like that - everyone doing what they can for the honour and glory of the Lord.  

They recognised the functions that were under attack.  Satan was working - verse 1.  Notice it is in the present tense, it was ongoing.  The disciples were multiplying around Jerusalem in those early days, people were trusting in Christ, were baptised and being added to the church numbers.  Satan did not reveal himself.  He was listening to the dispute that was going on.  He kept firing and filtering it up.  Satan uses small things to build them up until eventually the work of God has increased so much that people became divided.  Think of Job with all his flocks and herds.  One day Satan decided to examine all that was going on.  He saw a man who loved the Lord and he hated that.  He hates you with a vengeance today.  Satan looked at Job, a man who turned from evil.  He examined his life, rising early in the morning before anyone was up, going out to sacrifice for his family.  God sees you early in the morning when you get to prayer.  Satan could see a God fearing man.  He looked out on the fields, looked at all he had, the flocks and herds.  He was examining everything.  He could not raise a finger against him.  Nothing in his power he could do against him.  He is a defeated foe today.  He must ask permission of God first before attacking us.  God had allowed it and God will not walk away from the situation.  He could see the disciples in the Upper Room, sitting together.  He was watching them.  He watches as Peter stands to his feet in Jerusalem and he sees 3000 souls saved that day.  He couldn`t do a thing against him.  Peter empowered by the Holy Spirit, one after another was getting saved.  Satan couldn`t lift a finger.  "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not previl against it."  Acts 2 verse 47 he followed after Peter and John.  I am sure he was looking for some opening to bring them down.  He sees a man lying at the gates of the temple.  The man cries out to Peter and Peter tells him "silver and gold have I none but such as I have give I unto you."  He lifts him up and raises him to his feet.  Verse 4 many people were saved that day - 5000 in total.  Satan could do nothing to prevent it.  He comes down and gets in behind a murmuring bunch of women, they were grieved, he gets in amongst them trying to get at the preaching of the word, worship and praying.  "We will give ourselves to prayer and the preaching of the word."

The responsibility they felt.  We have to guard the place of prayer and the preaching of the word.  We must watch who we allow into the pulpit, those who may water down the word of God so that church becomes a social gathering.  These people had great discernment.  There was an attack on the word of God.  Prepared to stand against it.  Satan had been watching, could not prevent 3000 souls being saved as a result of Peter`s preaching.  He could not prevent the healing of the man at the gates of the temple nor of 5000 hearing of this mircle and being saved.  Coherts of the devil, hovered over the church in Jerusalem, they relayed back to the devil himself, they found a dispute, a divison.  If Satan can get at you in prayer, stop you praying and studying the word of God he will.  Nor will he stand before you tonight to stop you reading God`s word, not at all.  He wll tell you things like there is a hypocrite in the pulpit, he will  add to that, taking you away from the word of God and the place of prayer.  We need to guard the word of God and thee prayer meeting and in our own lives.  Are you guarding that special place in your own home today, where you spend time with God, to keep your family as they go out into the world today?  Revelation 3 verse 2 shows there is a responsibility there - "be watchful and strengthen the things which remain."  They are ready to die.  The Lord tells us to guard them.

The readiness to step up.  Not just depending on someone else - "we will give ourselves."  This is your responibility as well as mine.  Not just the pastor and elders.  Your responsiblity.  If you are a child of God.  The disciples realised this - they were committed to do it, would not allow the devil to get the victory.  That is what the devil wants to do today - wants to bring you down.  The fellowship down.  Your family down.  He is not interested in the big places where there is no gospel but where he gets the 1 or 2 meeting together for a time of prayer he is there already.  It will take that responsibility, readiness on your part and mine.  Daniel 9 verse 3 "I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes."  He knew the time was near, when the people would go down to their own land.  He began to count it up, read through the book of Jeremiah, set his face unto the Lord.  He prepared his heart, readiness to start to pray.  Peter in Acts 3 verse 1 went up to the temple at the time of prayer.

The response of their actions - verse 7.  What started as divison as a result of a dispute, these men got together and prayed and planned.  The Lord honoured their situation and blessed the word of God as it went forth.   Daniel knew the promises of God, was sure but he set his face to see the Lord.  The Lord wants to save your family and mine, wants us to come together to pray and plead for it.  We want to see the same response, that the word of God will increase.  We have got to recognise that the devil is against us.  To take the responsibility to pray is yours and mine, to be ready to commit and then maybe God will answer prayer.  A preparation for the work is seen here in Acts 6 verse 4.