Acts 6:1-15 - Growing Pains

Listen along as we continue through the book of Acts.

Notes//Quotes:

Acts 6:1-15 - Sawyer

Title: Growing Pains

 

“Success, while desirable, can paradoxically create new challenges. This can manifest as increased pressure, difficulty managing growth, and strained relationships with those who haven't achieved the same level of success. Understanding these potential downsides is crucial for navigating the complexities of success and maintaining long-term well-being.” 

- Google AI

 

“The devil’s next attack was the cleverest of the three. Having failed to overcome the church by either persecution or corruption, he now tried distraction. If he could preoccupy the apostles with social administration, which though essential was not their calling, they would neglect their God-given responsibilities to pray and to preach, and so leave the church without any defense against false doctrine.” 

- John Stott

 

“Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than they love the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community.”

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

“One of the apologetics against the church is that the rhetoric often doesn’t live up to the reality.”

- Leo Schuester

 

1-4 If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

 

5-8 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

(Philippians 2:1-8 The Message)

 

Questions:

1. Do I love the community or my dream of the community?

 

2. Have I experienced hurt in the community?

 

3. Who actually is the architect of my dream community?