Acts 6

It's about the character that's conformed to the image of Christ.

So the expectation of God's people is not that God's people would not have these qualities about their lives, but that those who are raised up to ecclesial office, that ecclesial dimension, must be spiritual people—to go back to Acts 6, men full of the Spirit— must be spiritual people, spiritual men— whose lives reflect the character and the graces that are prevenient for office.

Not that everybody who reflects those goes into office.

That's not how it works.

It was consistency.

A- and what's amazing is when you go back to Acts 6, they said to the church in Jerusalem, "Find from among you." So one, you had to be a Christian if you wanted to be one of the seven among you.

But more than that, that, that also indicates that even among Christians, not everybody is full of the Spirit.

Not everybody's of good repute.

Where are they? We're talking about the church in Jerusalem.

How big was the church in Jerusalem? It would be what we would consider today a mega church.

We don't know the exact number here in Acts 6, but we know from Acts 4:4 that the conversions had reached the number of 5,000, and that was just the men.

So let's double it, and let's throw in some children.

It was Satan that planted that seed among the people.

Certain women began to quarrel, Acts chapter 6.

Look, they are, they are victimizing us.

The devil wanted to penetrate the apostolic community.

But the apostles detected it and said, "Aha, we now see that something, the consequences of increase now wants to tell on our spiritual life." He said, "Appoint others in this business.

But as for us, we have found what keeps us relevant.

We have found what keeps us in fire." He says, "We will give ourselves continually," Acts 6 and verse 4, "to prayer and to the ministry of the word." Satan lost that temptation.

Let me tell you what would have happened to many of us.

It was Satan that planted that seed among the people.

Certain women began to quarrel, Acts chapter 6.

Look, they are, they are victimizing us.

The devil wanted to penetrate the apostolic community.

But the apostles detected it and said, "Aha, we now see that something, the consequences of increase now wants to tell on our spiritual life." He said, "Appoint others in this business.

But as for us, we have found what keeps us relevant.

We have found what keeps us in fire." He says, "We will give ourselves continually," Acts 6 and verse 4, "to prayer and to the ministry of the word." Satan lost that temptation.

Let me tell you what would have happened to many of us.

It is a gift of God, not of works, so that no one can boast.

Where does that come from? Acts 2, verse 38.

I'll get there in a minute.

But in Acts 2, 38, repent and be baptized for the remission of sin is the way the Eastern Orthodox Church is going to translate this and also the Catholic Church.

for the remission of sin, meaning you have to be baptized to be saved.

So that's a huge doctrinal issue.

Meaning if you had faith and you died instantaneously after placing your faith in Christ, are you or are you not saved and converted? Were you born again? John 3 verse 2.

Or did you need to get baptized? I have no problem with an immediacy to baptism.

It was Satan that planted that seed among the people.

Certain women began to quarrel, Acts chapter 6.

Look, they are, they are victimizing us.

The devil wanted to penetrate the apostolic community.

But the apostles detected it and said, "Aha, we now see that something, the consequences of increase now wants to tell on our spiritual life." He said, "Appoint others in this business.

But as for us, we have found what keeps us relevant.

We have found what keeps us in fire." He says, "We will give ourselves continually," Acts 6 and verse 4, "to prayer and to the ministry of the word." Satan lost that temptation.

Let me tell you what would have happened to many of us.