Acts 6:1 ESV

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.

Food wasn’t the problem.

Hellenists: descendants of Judeans and Galileans who lived in the Diaspora, and/or spoke Greek and embraced Greek culture.

Hebrews: traditional Judeans and Galileans, many of whom would have spoken both Greek and Aramaic.

Acts 6:2-6 ESV

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. 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. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

The twelve brought the whole church together.

Community problems require community solutions.

The twelve empowered qualified people.

All seven of these servants are Hellenists

Mark 10:45 ESV

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Martin Luther King, Jr "Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love."

Serving develops our character.

Serving heals division.

Serving witnesses to the world.

Acts 6:7 ESV

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

• Avoid the temptation to just show up to church. Find a place to serve.