Acts 6:1

In those days, when the number of the disciples multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministry. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God to serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look you out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word. (Acts 6:1–4)

When a growing church begins to feel its growing pains, the answer is not to murmur but to launch out into the deep.

God Is Building His Church

As we have gone through the book of Acts over the last few months, we have seen God fulfilling the promise He made in Matthew 16. Gathered at Caesarea in the northernmost part of Israel, Peter made that great declaration, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered, "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father which is in heaven... and upon this rock I will build my church." Jesus promised that He Himself would build His church, and we have watched Him do it.

In Acts 1, Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. On the day of Pentecost, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, preached the gospel, and 3,000 came to faith. By Acts 4 that number had grown to 5,000. In Acts 5:14 multitudes of both men and women were added. The body of Christ kept growing because God is faithful to His word to build His church.

I love that God's word is dynamic. As Hebrews 4 says, it is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. As we read it, it speaks to the very things we're going through. You've experienced this devotionally—you read a passage that addresses the exact issue you're facing that day. And here at Calvary Chapel of Escondido, we are seeing the same things the early church saw in Acts 6.

Growing Pains

This next week we go to three services, because God is multiplying the people who come week in and week out—so much so that it's been hard to find a parking space and sometimes a seat. We now have many opportunities to gather: Sunday morning, the Spanish ministry, the School of Discipleship, women's ministry, the Wednesday Bible study, men's ministry, and more—for worship, the Word, prayer, and service.

When a church grows numerically, the ministry grows too. Proverbs 14:4 says, "Where there is no ox, the stall is clean, but much increase comes by the strength of the ox." Where there's no animal, the stall stays nice and clean—but nothing grows. When there is growth, things get a little messy, and there are growing pains.

That growth has been God's work. As Paul told the Corinthians, one plants and another waters, but God gives the increase. One reason we've seen that increase is the clear, simple teaching of God's word. Pastor Chuck used to say Calvary Chapel is focused on simply teaching the word of God simply, and God's word will not return void. The Bible says there would be a famine of God's word in the last days. There are many churches in America, but a large number of churches does not mean all of them are giving forth God's word. As the economic collapse of the last several months has stripped away what people thought satisfied them, many are recognizing that only God truly satisfies—and as His word goes forth, He grows both the individual believer and the church.

The Murmuring Arises

But as the church grows, the needs grow, and those needs are often not seen until they are felt. When a ministry expands, we tend to overlook areas that are going on until they smack us in the face. People begin to realize they're not receiving the same one-on-one ministry they once did. When it was just 120 in the upper room, everything was intimate; now things feel disconnected. And so, as we are so often accustomed to do, the people began to murmur.

The Greek word translated "murmur" means to secretly complain or grumble in a low tone to one another. You know what it's like—you walk in and someone is in "your" seat. I confess my own family has sat in this first row for years. We get attached to a seat, a parking place, or to a level of ministry we once received. And so we pull a friend aside: "I can't believe they've overlooked this."

Murmuring was a famous pastime of Israel in the Old Testament. Turn to Exodus 16, just two chapters after they came out of Egypt—the same people who saw the ten plagues and watched God part the Red Sea. Within three days they were complaining that Moses brought them out to die. Notice what Moses says in Exodus 16:8: "The Lord hears your murmurings which you murmur against Him... your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord."

That's heavy. When we murmur, we are not really complaining against the ministry or the neighbor who took our seat—we are complaining against God. And God has clearly told us what to do when we lack: ask of Him. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach." Jesus said in Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find." Paul wrote in Philippians 4, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God... shall guard your hearts and minds."

A Legitimate Need and the Enemy's Strategy

Now, there was a legitimate lack here. A group within the church truly was not receiving the ministry they should have. The need was real—but the solution was not to murmur; it was to ask. The Grecians murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministry.

As God grows His church, the enemy always attacks, often on multiple fronts, looking for a weakness. We've already seen him come by intimidation, by direct opposition and beatings, and by internal corruption through Ananias and Sapphira. Now he comes with one of his most effective attacks: sowing discord and division. Throughout church history, this has been one of his most effective tactics, and it will surface again in Acts.

The Hebrews regarded the Hellenists as unspiritual compromisers; the Hellenists regarded the Hebrews as holier-than-thou traditionalists. A natural suspicion already existed between them, and the enemy sought to exploit it. The Hebrews came from a strict Jewish culture, mostly from Jerusalem and Judea. The Hellenists followed Judaism but had a Greek cultural background—many from the diaspora. Since the days of Alexander the Great, Israel sat between the Seleucid kingdom in Syria and the Ptolemies in Egypt, and was heavily influenced by a Hellenistic worldview, especially among the more liberal Sadducees, who dominated the priesthood at this time.

The widows of the Greeks were not receiving the same daily ministry the widows of the Hebrews were, and it brought envy, jealousy, and anger. The word translated "neglect" also carries the sense of placing two things side by side and examining them. That is often a road to trouble. Remember being a child on Christmas morning—you unwrap your gifts, then look over and count: "How come she has five and I only have three?" James 4:1 says this is where wars and fightings come from: "You lust and have not... you war, yet you have not, because you ask not." There it is again—the principle of asking.

Caring for widows was almost purely a Hebrew tradition rooted in the Old Testament law. The Hebrew believers brought that good tradition into the church. The Greek-influenced Hellenists didn't have it, and when they all became one body, they said, "That's not fair—they're getting ministry we're not getting."

How the Leaders Responded

How do you deal with such a complaint? This matters greatly, because we are in a similar place. First, the apostles called the multitude of the disciples together. Why? Because in Christ there is no Jew or Greek—we are all one body. Gathering everyone together was a reminder of that truth. It is so easy for our flesh to divide into groups. Look at our culture: everyone trying to be an individual—go to a high school campus—yet they all buy their clothes at the same place. In Christ, He says we are one body, one multitude of disciples.

Second, they said, "It is not reason that we should leave the word of God to serve tables." They recognized this issue could be a distraction from the task God had specifically called them to. Notice they did not diminish the problem. They acknowledged it was a legitimate need; they simply recognized it was not a need the Twelve themselves were meant to meet. So they turned it back to the body: "Wherefore, brethren, look out among you and find seven men."

They gave three criteria. These seven men were to be of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit, and full of wisdom. Think about that—the task might seem minor to us, yet to God it required men of good report, full of the Spirit, and full of wisdom. Every aspect of ministry is important, because it is important to God.

The people were to identify the seven, but the Twelve would appoint them to the work. This appointment served two purposes. First, it reflected the proper authority God had given the apostles. In Matthew 28, Jesus said, "All authority is given to me," and He extended that authority to the disciples. Second, it extended that authority publicly before the whole church, so everyone would recognize these men had been set apart for the task by the apostles and ultimately by God.

We Will Give Ourselves to Prayer and the Word

Then the apostles said, "But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the word." They recognized their primary calling. They were not saying serving tables was beneath them—they understood its importance. When we read "serving tables," we picture a waiter, but in the original language this was actually an administrative position, overseeing the daily distribution of alms, finances, and food to the widows. It was a full-time, daily task, which is why it required men set apart to it so the apostles could be freed for their primary work.

It is vital that we identify what God has called us to. Sometimes that takes time. One thing I've found beneficial over the years is identifying what I'm not called to. Over the last ten years, doing all kinds of ministries, I've seen clearly that the Lord has not called me to certain works—not because they aren't good or important, but because God has not assigned them to me. That frees me. When someone says, "I really have a burden that you should do this," I can say, "I'm not called to that, but perhaps the Lord has placed that burden on you because He's calling you to it."

We learned this from Pastor Pat and the other leaders here. Go to him with "I really believe the Lord wants us to do this," and Pat would say, "Pray about it and do it." That's exactly what Peter and the apostles did. The Lord had not called them to this task, but it was still important work—so they had the body identify seven qualified men to do it, and they would appoint them, lay hands on them, pray, and send them forth, while giving themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

Every Ministry Matters

Our church has many ministries and ministers—children's, youth, men's, women's, the Spanish services, the nursing home with Pastor Mark, Vacation Bible School, Harvest Celebration. I don't see any of those as more important than another. Honestly, I believe what I'm doing right here is no more important than what's happening in children's ministry right now—and sometimes that just might be more important, because there the Lord is raising up a new generation to take His word into the world.

All of it is important because we carry the message of eternal life—the ministry of reconciliation and redemption. Sometimes it goes forth in the proclamation of the gospel; often it goes forth as you and I extend the love of God to a world that is sick and dying. It blows my mind that the God who spoke everything into existence wants to use you and me in His work.

One of the great strengths that has made Calvary Chapel grow strong since the mid-60s is that the ministry has been given back to the body. Pastor Chuck constantly said we are called to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. That's what I believe God has called me to do—to make sure every person here is thoroughly equipped for every good work, of good report, full of the Holy Spirit, and full of wisdom, ready to do whatever God calls you to at a moment's notice. That's why we are so focused on discipleship.

I confess this has been difficult for me over the last year. Since stepping into the position of senior pastor last April, the Lord has been slowly working on me to let go of things and delegate, so I can focus on what He's called me to. It is too easy to say yes to everything—men's ministry, children's, ushers, greeters, communion—until you wonder why you're doing it all when it was never His call but only your willingness to say yes. Perhaps the Lord wants you to identify, "This is what God has gifted and equipped me to do."

Uniquely Gifted and Called

I believe people in this room are uniquely gifted and called by God to children's ministry, to ushering, to greeting. "God really gifts people to be greeters?" Yes—because most of you don't wake up with a bright smile ready to extend your hand and say, "Welcome to Calvary Chapel"—but some do, and God gifted them so. Some He's gifted for the sound team, the worship team, hosting a home fellowship with the gift of hospitality. The body knew who these gifted people were, which is why the apostles said, "Identify seven from among you."

They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Procurus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch. Notice that every one of these seven had Greek names. Which group was lacking? The Hellenistic group—and it was that very group that ended up fulfilling the need. They set the men before the apostles, who prayed and laid hands on them. Paul later told Timothy, "Do not neglect the gift that was given you by the laying on of hands." God gives gifts as He wills by His Spirit to fulfill the work He's called us to.

You may be thinking, "I could never do any of that." Not true—because when the Holy Spirit gives you gifts, you are supernaturally enabled to do the very thing God has called you to. In high school I believed the Lord would one day have me teach His word, so I took a speech class to help. Instead it revealed I could not do public speaking—the most horrible four months of my life, fumbling words and sweating through even a two-minute speech. I was convinced I wasn't called to that. Then in 1999 Pastor Tony asked me to teach the junior high ministry. The words "I'll pray about it" came out—the Christian way of saying no. But on February 14, 1999, scared to death, I began teaching through Galatians with fifteen pages of notes, and I don't think I looked at them once. God, by His Spirit, gives us gifts as He wills to fulfill the ministry He's called us to. He'll do the same for you.

Launch Out into the Deep

So if someone pulls you aside complaining—"Somebody took my parking space, my seat, I don't like that"—stop them and say, "Let's pray." Bring the request to the Lord, but recognize you just might be praying for yourself. In Matthew 9, Jesus saw the multitudes scattered like sheep without a shepherd and told His disciples to pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers. The very next chapter, He gathered those disciples, paired them two by two, and sent them out. They were praying for themselves.

In Luke 5, as the people pressed in to hear the word of God by the Lake of Gennesaret, Jesus got into Simon's boat and taught from it. Then He said, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." Peter, the fisherman, gently schooled the rabbi: "We've toiled all night and caught nothing. Nevertheless, at your word I will let down the net." When they did, they enclosed so great a multitude of fish that the nets began to break and both boats began to sink. Interestingly, Peter was washing his nets—a friend of mine who fished commercially in Alaska told me you only wash your nets when you've caught fish, because the slime destroys them otherwise; I think Peter didn't want anyone to know he'd caught nothing.

Jesus told Peter, "Fear not; from henceforth you shall catch men." He changed Peter's calling. Peter thought he was called to catch fish; Jesus knew he was called to be a fisher of men. To you today, God says, "Launch out into the deep, because I have a new calling for you"—something you've never done, something you may fear. As we add a third service and need more help in children's ministry, ushers, greeters, parking-lot security, sound and worship teams, so many doors of ministry are opening, and God is saying, "Launch out into the deep."

Opposition and Increase

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16 that a great and effective door had opened to him—and there were many adversaries. I don't say this to scare you, but to help you count the cost: when you step out to serve God, you will always experience some level of opposition and spiritual warfare. In Acts 6, Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders, and immediately men from the synagogue of the Libertines disputed with him, could not resist his wisdom, secretly induced false witnesses, and dragged him before the council—yet his face shone like an angel's. There is always opposition when we step into the work the Lord has called us to. But greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world.

So that we don't misunderstand, look at the result. Acts 6:7: "And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." Why? Because the apostles were freed to focus on what God had called them to. And notice—the priesthood was dominated by the Hellenistic Sadducees, and as these seven Greek-named men ministered among their own, many priests became faithfully obedient.

I believe we'll continue to see that here. But as God grows our church, the enemy will seek to sow discord and division and stir up murmuring. When that murmuring comes, take it to God in prayer. If you feel a need today, if you think there's an area of ministry we aren't fulfilling, God may be calling you to step out and let down the net, because a great catch is coming.

We have real needs as we begin the 9:30 and 11:30 services next week. Children's ministry needs a three-year-old teacher and five helpers in the 9:30 service, and the 11:30 service currently has no one for the three-year-olds and needs helpers in every class. These are good growing pains. God is raising up people from within this body—calling your name, saying, "Launch out into the deep." A great catch awaits, here on this campus, in our community, down in Tecate, and beyond. God is calling you.

Closing Prayer

Father, we know that where there is no ox the stall is clean, but we see that there are difficulties, growing pains, and troubles as ministry grows. Lord, You are doing a work in our midst, and we thank You for counting us worthy, placing us into this ministry, and using us for Your glory. What a privilege to serve You, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Creator of all things. I pray that by Your Spirit You would move among Your body right now, giving the call to step out, to launch out into the deep and let down the net. Help me and help my brothers and sisters here to be faithful to the call. For we ask it in Jesus' name, and all God's people said, Amen.