Text: Acts 6:1-7

Why the Widows?

• Earlier the poor in general were helped (Acts 4:32-35) — here the widows specifically were served (Acts 6:1), implying ongoing care that was provided them
• The church was to provide ongoing care & support to certain widows (1 Timothy 5:3,9-10)
• Why not other widows? … They had others to care for them (1 Timothy 5:4,16) — goes back to the responsibility to provide for one’s family (1 Timothy 5:8)
• The church can provide temporary help for Christians (Acts 4:32) — ongoing benevolence is more limited

The Complaint was Addressed

• There was a real problem that needed to be dealt with
• The complaint was not ignored
• The complaint was not met with resistance
• The complaint was not made into a bigger problem

Character of the Servants

• The congregation was to select seven men (Acts 6:3) — but not just anyone; they were given a few qualifications
• Good reputation
• Full of the Spirit
• Full of wisdom
• This is a reminder of the need to carefully consider who we might select to perform a task on behalf of the congregation — caring for the needy, teaching a class, handling the treasury, anything involving dealings with others, etc.

Why the Apostles Were Not to Do This

• Not desirable for them to neglect the word to serve tables (Acts 6:2)
• They had a particular role — prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4)
• We don’t have apostles today — no one is qualified (Acts 1:21-22) — but the work of an apostle does share some similarities with other works — elders & preachers
• Elders are to focus on watching out for the spiritual well-being of the flock (Acts 20:28; Hebrews 13:17)
• Preachers are to focus on preaching & teaching the word (2 Timothy 4:2; 1 Timothy 4:16)
• If there are others to attend to these physical matters, let them take care of them

Result: Growth

• Once this matter was resolved, there was harmony within the congregation and the apostles were able to focus on preaching & teaching — What was the result?
• The word of God kept spreading — the apostles weren’t pulled away from their work to serve tables
• The number of disciples continued to increase — result of more people hearing
• Even a great many priests were obeying the gospel — shows the effectiveness of the gospel and the work of the apostles

Text: 2 Corinthians 2:17

Those Who Peddle the Word

• They corrupt the word — changing the things in it (Galatians 1:6-9) and leaving things out of it (Acts 20:27)
• They adulterate the word — mixing in the commands, traditions, and opinions of men (Colossians 2:20-23; Matthew 15:6-9; Romans 14:1)
• There are “many” who do this

We Speak from Sincerity

• No ulterior motives
• Plain speaking (2 Corinthians 3:12)

We Speak from God

• As an apostle, Paul received the divine message directly from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10; John 16:13) — this is no longer done today (1 Corinthians 13:8-10)
• We can still speak “as from God” (1 Peter 4:11) — How? … preach from the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

We Speak in Christ

• Any message from God today will be in Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2) — there is no other message (John 14:6)
• Any message that claims to be from God is false if it doesn’t acknowledge Christ (John 18:37; 10:30) or if it contradicts with the writings of inspired men (1 Corinthians 14:37)

We Speak in the Sight of God

• Nothing is hidden from the eyes of God (Hebrews 4:13)
• The teacher will be held accountable (James 3:1)
• Those in attendance will be held accountable as well (Acts 17:30-31; 2 Corinthians 5:10)

Text: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Petty Conflicts

• Source of unnecessary strife between faithful Christians
• Different than matters of sin, error, matters of personal judgment, and rumors/gossip (though this sometimes goes along with these conflicts)
• These petty conflicts could be caused by any number of things — we’ll notice a few in this lesson

First, Some Things to Remember

• The value of each person (Genesis 1:27; 1 Corinthians 8:11) — each member of the body is important (1 Corinthians 12:20-26)
• The importance of unity (Ephesians 4:3)
• We are to give preference to one another (Romans 12:10)

NT Examples of Petty Conflicts (or Potential Conflicts) Among Brethren

• Euodia & Syntyche (Philippians 4:2-3) — don’t know the specific problem, but we do know that their names were both in the book of life, implying faithfulness to God; possible this was as simple as a difference in personalities conflicting with one another; we must not let such things drive a wedge between us (Ephesians 4:3)
• Paul, Barnabas & Mark (Acts 15:36-40) — Paul & Barnabas separated, but this does not imply a breaking of fellowship (cf. Galatians 2:9), they just worked in different places; Paul didn’t hold a grudge against Mark over earlier disappointment (Acts 12:25; 13:5, 13; 2 Timothy 4:11)
• Peter & Paul (Galatians 2:11-14) — Paul publicly rebuked Peter for his sin; many today would be greatly offended by this today, regardless of motive; Peter did not hold a grudge against Paul over this (2 Peter 3:15)
• Paul & Apollos (1 Corinthians 1:12) — rivalries can sometimes form among brethren, as if they’re competing against each other (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3 John 9); Paul did not see Apollos as a rival, but as a fellow worker (1 Corinthians 3:4-9)

If a Brother Has…

• Past sins — forgive him (2 Corinthians 2:6-8)
• Better circumstances — rejoice with him (Romans 12:15)
• Struggles — help him (Galatians 6:1)
• Different opinions — accept him (Romans 14:1-3)

Text: Luke 8:15

What The Honest & Good Heart Will Do

• Hear the word — interested in the truth (Luke 8:8), seeking answers (Matthew 7:7)
• Be honest — examine what is taught to see if it is the truth (Acts 17:11), examine himself (2 Corinthians 13:5)
• Do what is right — completely (Acts 2:37-42), not just partially (Matthew 19:16-22)
• Hold fast the word — do this in faith (2 Timothy 1:13) recognizing that God’s way is best (1 Corinthians 1:25), no compromise (Galatians 2:4-5)
• Bear fruit — done by doing good works (Colossians 1:10) and following the teachings of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)

The Honest & Good Heart Must Be Developed

• We can develop an evil / hard heart (Exodus 8:15; 1 Timothy 4:1-2)
• We can also develop an honest & good heart (Ezekiel 18:14-17)
• Developing / maintaining an honest & good heart is essential for us all — Christian & non-Christian

How to Develop an Honest & Good Heart

• Exercise humility (James 1:21) — recognize our place before God (Psalm 8:3-4) and the fact that we can be wrong (Romans 3:4)
• Love the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10) — the wise man hates falsehood (Proverbs 30:8), truth gives us a firm foundation (2 Peter 1:12) and an unchanging standard (2 John 6)
• Seek to practice what is right — God does not & will not force us to do anything, we can choose to do evil or good (Joshua 24:15)
• Recognize the value of the word (Psalm 19:10-11) — it is the inspired word of God & is profitable to us (2 Timothy 3:16-17), power of God to salvation (Romans 1:16), words of eternal life (John 6:68)
• Recognize our accountability before God (2 Corinthians 5:10) — if we do not bear fruit we will be cut off (John 15:2), do this “with perseverance” (cf. Revelation 2:10)

Read the article: The Honest and Good Heart

Text: 1 Corinthians 13:6-7

How are brethren to handle differences in matters of personal judgment?

Is it Truly a Matter of Judgment?

• First must determine if the issue under consideration is truly a matter of judgment or if it is a matter of sin instead
• This determination is made only by an unbiased examination of the word
• Matters of judgment may be questioned if they could be sinful under certain conditions or if they could lead to sin

If it is a Matter of Sin, Not Judgment

• Private sins one commits against you (Matthew 18:15-17)
• Private sins without sufficient witnesses / evidence (John 8:1-11)
• Public sin — withdrawal (1 Corinthians 5:1-13), rebuke (Galatians 2:11-14)
• More information here: Dealing with Sin

If it is Sin Under Certain Conditions

• External conditions — based upon circumstances (ex: Exodus 20:26); must understand circumstances before we can pass judgment
• Internal conditions — based upon one’s thoughts or motives (ex: Matthew 5:28); do not judge the hearts of others (Romans 14:4-5), assume the best first (1 Corinthians 13:7), do not condemn without understanding

If it Leads to Sin

• We cannot bind extra rules upon others (Matthew 15:1-2,7-9; Colossians 2:20-23)
• Warning of dangers is fine (Proverbs 23:31)
• Gossiping about those involved is not

Text: 1 Corinthians 13:6-7

Rumors and Gossip

• Gossip isn’t necessarily referring to things that aren’t true — it’s repeating things that don’t need to be said that bring harm to someone
• The Scriptures condemn the work of a talebearer (Leviticus 19:16; Romans 1:29)
• Engaged in by those who have not found a more profitable use of their time (1 Timothy 5:13)

Unsubstantiated Rumors

• No evidence — accusation only
• Reject accusations (principle of 1 Timothy 5:19)
• But it is perfectly acceptable to admonish / encourage the accused (John 8:1-11)

Rumors with Evidence to Back Them Up

• Examine the evidence — look for facts, not assumptions
• Test the witnesses (Proverbs 19:28)
• Christians should be capable of making fair judgments regarding their fellow brethren (1 Corinthians 6:1,5-6)

Drawing Conclusions

• Don’t be quick to jump to conclusions (1 Corinthians 13:7; Proverbs 18:17)
• But be realistic (1 Corinthians 11:18)
• Confront the accused when necessary (1 Corinthians 11:18-34; 1:11-13)

Text: Ephesians 5:14

What Paul Says They Needed to Do

• Go from sleep to being awake — state of alertness
• Go from death to life — state of salvation
• Go from darkness to light — state of enlightenment

Why They Needed to Do These Things

• If they were not alert, they were vulnerable (1 Peter 5:8; Acts 20:28-30; 1 John 4:1)
• If they were not saved, they were condemned — only two options (Mark 16:16; Matthew 25:46)
• If they were not enlightened, they were lost (Hosea 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 1:8)

Two Types of People Who Need Awakening

• Alien sinners
• Weak, erring, complacent Christians — this is the primary point of this passage, but we’ll notice the first as well to help reinforce Paul’s point

Alien Sinners

• Important to deal with this point here for two reasons — 1. Those who are alien sinners need to come to Christ (Mark 16:15), 2. Christians were once alien sinners (Ephesians 2:1-2) and we must not go back to this state (2 Peter 2:20-22)
• The alien sinner is vulnerable — enslaved to sin (Titus 3:3), living under the power of the devil (Ephesians 2:2)
• The alien sinner is condemned — salvation is only in Christ (Acts 4:12)
• The alien sinner is lost — right direction is not in ourselves (Jeremiah 10:23)

Weak, Erring, Complacent Christians

• A dangerous state for a Christian — asleep (not paying attention to dangers that exist around us — 1 Peter 5:8), dead (it is possible for Christians to become spiritually dead and fall from grace — Revelation 3:1-2; Galatians 5:4), in darkness/lost (without proper enlightenment — Galatians 1:6-7; 2 Timothy 4:3-4)
• A wake-up call to those who practice sin (Ephesians 5:3.5), to those who downplay the severity of sin (Ephesians 5:4,12), and to those who fellowship sin (Ephesians 5:11)

What We Need to Do

• Imitate God (Ephesians 5:1) — be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16)
• Walk in Love (Ephesians 5:2) — two greatest commands (Matthew 22:36-40)
• Walk as children of Light (Ephesians 5:8) — this means we must practice the truth (1 John 1:5-7)
• Learn what is pleasing to the Lord (Ephesians 5:10) — study His word (2 Timothy 2:15), grow (2 Peter 3:18)
• Expose the deeds of darkness (Ephesians 5:11) — shine the light of God’s word on them Ephesians 5:13)

Text: Nahum 1:1-8

The term awesome is often used flippantly or carelessly today, such that it has lost its meaning. God is awesome, meaning we should stand in awe of Him. This includes fear & respect. There are many reasons to fear & respect God. We’ll notice the ones mentioned in this passage.

He is Jealous (v. 2)

• For this reason the Israelites were told to have no other gods (Exodus 20:3-6) — God demands our exclusive devotion (Matthew 6:24; 22:36-38)
• Man is often jealous, and condemned for it (Galatians 5:20) — the difference is that God has the right to be jealous (Exodus 20:5,11)
• As we consider the characteristics that make God worthy of fear & respect, remember His jealousy — we are not learning for the sake of learning; we will be held accountable for how we fear & respect Him

He is Avenging (v. 2)

• Deals out vengeance to His adversaries (those who provoke/try Him — Hebrews 3:7-11), to His enemies (those who oppose Him — Philippians 3:18-19), and to the guilty (those who have sinned — Romans 6:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:8)
• No one worthy of His wrath will escape His wrath — only those He chooses to pardon (Romans 6:23)
• Even the great Nineveh would not be spared

He is Powerful (v. 3-6)

• He can exert power over the natural world like no one else can (Matthew 8:23-27)
• His power is on display in the creation (Romans 1:20)
• He would destroy Nineveh — He is more powerful than any earthly power (Ephesians 1:19-23; 6:12-13)

He is Just (v. 3)

• The reasons we have seen so far show us why we should fear Him — but there are also “positive” characteristics about God that should make us want to serve Him
• Justice shown in punishing of those who are evil (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8)
• But if you are righteous, He will not forget you (2 Timothy 1:12)

He is Patient (v. 3)

• He is “slow to anger” — wants man to repent (2 Peter 3:9)
• These people were given time to repent, but they would not — judgment would eventually come
• Same is true today — God gives us time now to repent (2 Corinthians 6:2), but judgment will come (2 Peter 3:10)

He is Good (v. 7)

• Goodness is the fundamental characteristic of God (Psalm 25:8)
• He is a stronghold in the day of trouble (Psalm 18:2; Hebrews 13:6)
• He knows those who take refuge in Him (2 Timothy 2:19)

Text: Philemon 1-2

What Exactly is a House Church?

• Generally smaller (approximately 15-25 members)
• Typically meet in someone’s house
• But there is more to the house church movement than the size & location of a congregation’s assembly
• Two different kinds of house churches — one is connected to a larger church, the other is independent (this is probably the more common one today)

What Drives People to House Churches?

• House churches are becoming more popular — Barna Group study estimated 6-12 million Americans attended house churches; Pew Forum survey found that 9% of American Protestants only attend home services [source]
• Many believe this is a return to the type of churches that existed in the first century
• Some see problems that exist in larger churches and believe this is a better alternative
• Without judging motives, we should still recognize reality — house churches provide more freedom for people to do what they please in worship, explore/promote strange doctrines, and they have an environment where one’s ambitions will not be hindered by one in authority — these things appeal to many people (the religious world as a whole is proof)

How House Churches are Different than Local Churches

• Not on the basis of size or location
• House churches will not be organized like local churches
• Their regular practices are different — some things are added, some are missing
• The assemblies are intentionally small (this is significant)

Arguments in Favor of House Churches

• This is what existed in the first century (1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1-2) — they assume that a church meeting in a home was a “house church”; not all churches met in houses (Acts 2:46; 19:8-9; 20:7-8)
• Large churches are corrupt, treated like businesses, focus too much on physical things instead of spiritual things — these things might be true of various congregations, but they are not universally true; even so, it doesn’t prove the legitimacy of the house church arrangement
• This arrangement facilitates greater focus on Jesus & our brethren (1 Corinthians 2:2; Hebrews 10:25) — it is possible that we can be guilty of neglecting these things, but again, this doesn’t prove the legitimacy of the house church

House Churches Have the Wrong Organization

• Leadership in the local church — God’s design is a plurality of qualified men serving as elders (Philippians 1:1; Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 3:1-7); at a given time a congregation may be without elders, but they must not be content in this but  recognize that they are lacking in this area (Titus 1:5); house churches are not going to have elders because they aren’t designed to — everyone is to have equal roles
• Authority of elders — in the case of house churches that are connected to a larger church, the “metropolitan” church elders oversee the various house churches; NT talks about the universal church (Ephesians 1:22-23) and local churches (Romans 16:16), but never “metropolitan” or “house” churches; elders were to be in every church (Acts 14:23) and were to oversee just that one congregation (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2)
• Located preachers — house churches do not have what they call “professional preachers” (located preachers); yet we have NT examples of preachers staying in a location for extended periods of time (Acts 20:31; 8:40 — 21:8), they have the right to be paid for this work (1 Corinthians 9:14)
• A congregation can get by without a located preacher, but without a preacher & elders, they’ll have a hard time doing what God requires them to do (1 Timothy 3:15) — not an ideal situation; certainly not preferrable

Common Practices in House Churches

• One thing about house churches — they are all different, but we’ll notice a couple of common practices that differ from the NT pattern
• Our worship assemblies should look a certain way (John 4:24; Hebrews 8:5) — the pattern is important, yet the house churches change the pattern in various ways
• Common meals — a smaller group allows them to share common meals in their assemblies; sometimes this is combined with the Lord’s Supper, sometimes not; either way, Paul condemns it (1 Corinthians 11:22,33-34) — home is distinct from the place of assembly
• No weekly collections — they argue that the collection is for specific needs, not to be an ongoing practice; weekly collections are commanded & a treasury is authorized (1 Corinthians 16:1-2)
• Other things as well (testimonials, instrumental music, etc.) — but these are some of the more common differences

The Root of the Movement

• People want to worship how they want & with whom they want
• How they want to worship — God will not accept just any worship we offer (Colossians 2:23; Matthew 15:9)
• With whom they want to worship — often have a “grace-unity” view of fellowship, looser than the Scriptures (2 John 9-11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6); also limited to those they want to worship with — we are not to divide the body into smaller groups based on personal preference or convenience (1 Corinthians 1:10-12; Philippians 4:2-3)

Text: 1 Corinthians 13:6-7

How we handle a misunderstanding on the part of a preacher or teacher will depend upon the nature of the misunderstanding. In every case it should be dealt with appropriately and in love.

Growing in Knowledge

• Growth is a continual process — even for a preacher/teacher of the gospel
• It is expected that a preacher/teacher will grow & mature in his understanding (1 Timothy 4:15; 2 Timothy 2:15)
• If one waited to preach until he had a perfect understanding of every Bible subject, he would never preach
• Is every misunderstanding automatic grounds for us labeling him as a false teacher, or does the type of misunderstanding play a part in this?

Three Types of Misunderstandings

• Shallow understanding — often manifested in an oversimplification of a Bible subject; he just scratches the surface instead of delving deeply into an issue
• Incomplete understanding — he knows part of the truth on a particular topic, but doesn’t have a complete picture
• Incorrect understanding — this is “contrary to the teaching” of the Bible (Romans 16:17); to teach this type of misunderstanding would be teaching error

Our Responsibility

• To the preacher with a shallow understanding — help him to reach a deeper understanding (Proverbs 27:17)
• To the preacher with an incomplete understanding — show him what he is missing (Acts 18:24-26)
• To the preacher with an incorrect understanding — have no fellowship (2 John 10-11), call attention to him (3 John 9-10)

Responsibility of the Preacher

• If he is going to preach, he must strive to understand the Scriptures (1 Timothy 1:6-7) — must be able to teach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27)
• If he has a shallow understanding — strive to obtain a deeper understanding (2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 4:11)
• If he has an incomplete understanding — learn the whole picture; don’t be content with a partial understanding (Acts 20:27)
• If he has an incorrect understanding — be willing to admit error & correct it (1 Timothy 1:11-17)