Arizona republican., 1916-02-26
International Sunday School Lesson
 for Feb. 27
THE SEVEN HELPERS

of the disciples was multiplied, there arose murmuring of the Gre cians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministratiOn. @ Then the twelve called the multitude of the dis ciples unto them, and said. It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. (3) Where fore brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom We may appoint over this business. (4) But We will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the WOrl Cj) And the saving pleased the whole multitude: and they chose SteHhen a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Pro chorus. and NicanOr, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas proselyte of Antioch; C6) Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they hid their hanos on them. @ And the word of God increased. and the number of the disciples mul- tiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and q great company of the priests Were Obedient to the faith.
 Time,--A. D. 35-37. PIace.-Jerusa- lem.
 Expostion.-I We will continue steddfastly in prayer and in the Min istry of the Word, 1-4 There was imf crfection and selfishness in the early church: there was suspicion and jealousy: one part thought they did rot get due consideration. There may have keen ground for the suspicion and complaint. There was certainly fault on one side if not on both. But no sooner did the difficulty come to light than the apostles sought to set it right Cvs. ,, 8. a new set Of officers were ap- pointed to look after this matter T. is evident that God did not at the start give the church some cut and dried form ot church government that should stand just so under all circumstances The church was developed step by step under Gods providence and the Holy Spirits guidance. the form of govern ment being expanded or changed to meet the eXigencies of any special oC-
 
 fixed form of government, This and | this on!y is the Divine ard true and original form" The Holy Spirit is in the chlrch to shaw what to do. what officers and servants to appoint to meet each new eXigency that arises. The words of the twelve should mink i into the hearts of us all today Tt is 1 nos reason Literally, pleasing, that is 1 tC GOD that We should leave the Word 1 of God ana serve tables" That is pre- i Cisely what the church in many places | wishes a minister of the gospel to do. 1 To leave the Word of God and serve tables." It wishes him to raise finan- ces. run charity societies. grace social 1 functions with his presence and with l his speeches. etc. If the minister to- ] day consents to do all the world and even the church desires anG expects | kim to do he will have no time left for his own proper work, prayer and 1 the ministry of the word ~. 4). Fl is got pleasing to God. he is calIe | 10 T higher office in the community. If this work must be done. choose some | body else to do t. Note carefully the 1 kind of meE that the apostles consid cred necessary to look after the tenn poral affairs of tine church: GD They should he men of good report" N men Of doubtful rer utation should be chosen merely because they were ricf or shrcWd business men @ The& shorld be full of the Spirit" How careless some churches are in choos- ing their officers, especially officer, thd; look after the financial matters il the church never asking. Are thes, men full of the Spirit ," (3) Full o wisdom" There are many men Wh, are deemed spiritual. but who certainly haven't much sense iu some directions However good they may be- they ough not tO be chosen for deacons If a maI really is full of the Spirit" he will b, full of wisdom, for the Holy Spirit l. tho Spirit of power. of love, and of sound mind (more accurately. soun, seneel" = Tim. l: 7D The body of th, church was to choose these deacons the apostles were simply to install them. Note what the apostles them selves were to do, We will continu
 steadfastly in prayer, and in the min istry of the Word" that defines tn
 minister's business. praying and min istcrin9 the Word. tfese are the thing
 ia which he is to continue stead lastly" It is sometimes said that t minister should know more abou hooks than the school teacher: mor about politics than the politician
 more about medicine than the dOctol more about sociology than the colleg professor" No, that is impossible, bu he should be pre- eminent in praye and in the ministry of the Word. Pray
 ing and ministering the Word is tn
 minister's principal business and
 really is the principal business of ever
 one who would be a true Christian
 More ministers (and Christians gen
 erally fail through neglect of praye
 than through any other. The secon
 greatest place of failure is in minister
 ing the word" Many preach every
 thing but the word" To minister tn
 word we must first study it.
 II. The Multiplying Church, 5-7. Tn
 church at Jerusalem displayed gen
 erous spirit in the choice of these fir,
 deacons: though it must have bee largely a Jewish church, every one
 the seven chosen has a Grek name, ir
 dicating that they came from the Gre
 elan Jews. This was because the Gre
 clan Jews had made a complaint tn:
 their widows were neglected in tf
 daily ministration (v. l, R. N.). The tW
 deacons first named soon developed ir
 to preachers and mighty preachers. A
 far as the record goes, these two dea
 cons outstripped most of the apostle in real achiaNemnnt for CaL D.