Find Your Place to Serve
Acts 6: 1-6
Acts 6:1–4 (ESV): 6 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to *serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
*Diakaneo (de-o-ka-ne-ow): “to serve” or douleuo, meaning “to serve as a slave.” In the New Testament, ministry is seen as service to God and to other people in His name.
Acts 6:2 (NIV): 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to *wait on tables.
Acts 6:2 (NRSV): 2 And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to *wait on tables.
Acts 6:2 (KJV): 2 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, and *serve tables.
Matthew 9:37–38 (ESV): 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
1 Timothy 5:17 (ESV): 17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.