We will see how our temporary life affects our eternal life
· Grecian Jews – Hellenic (old name for Greek); speak Greek; The Jews had been spread out over all around the world
· Hebraic Jews – speak Aramaic (Hebrew language)
· Like Koreans that come from different parts of the world
· Any time you have two cultures coming together, there is a culture clash
Problem: Grecian widows were being overlooked; analogy – Fuller Seminary, Southern bbq, In line to get bbq; African Africans in front of him and the servers are African Americans; lots of chatter and gave them lots of food; when it was Pastor Yung’s turn, the chatter stopped and didn’t give them the same amount as the prior group; he felt tangible discrimination
Maybe there was something like that going on; Maybe seeing that Hebraic widows getting treated better because the disciples know them
Main gospel mission and smaller activities (that are not unimportant; but it’s an outgrowth of the main mission; they pick seven men that is full of HS and the apostles laid their hands on them and declared that these are the men so that the mission can go forth. It’s not that they’re part of the mission, it’s that it will continue to grow.
v.7 So the Word spread rapidly and even priests added to the number. Jewish priests, who were against Jesus, have become disciples of Jesus. Why? Because the seven deacons when the call to serve came, they took it. Not by their own, but because they were full of the Holy Spirit.
We are full of the Spirit; We are the modern day Stephen’s, Timone’s, and Nicanor’s… Even the most hostile will come to their knees and worship Jesus as Lord. The Word of God spread not because the preachers were so great. No, because God’s people did God called them to do.
Souls can be saved if we can just obey. What has God called you to do?
Story – Back when he was a senior, he was just a spectator. It’s interesting because he became passionate Christian from freshman year of college. Winter retreat – prayer ministry; he learned that as much as he loved his friendships, they all backed off. Stopped going to church for a quarter; went to the retreat and prayed; prayer person saw a vision; yung was in stands watching the baseball field and the clouds parted; the sun shone through; and he heard a voice that told him to come down from the stands and be a part of the game. He thinks that the dream meant that Yung needed to stop being a spectator but be a part of the game. This was weird. He was on Awana, was a praise leader for 2 years, small group leader, prayer ministry…he wasn’t considered a spectator.
What God truly means to be a part of the game – SERVE WITH A PURPOSE
Yung was doing a lot of things, but God was telling him that there’s more.
Mission and purpose – God’s lifting our heads and He’s telling us that it’s a privilege. My life can have a meaning that will have an eternal impact. You will have greater works than Jesus. Your resume will include things that Jesus didn’t do. Jesus says, “You will do greater works than I.”
God is giving you a gift, not a responsibility or burden. Jesus says, “Come to me, all who are weary.” When God has given us this mission, it’s a gift. He’s given us this gift for a reason. The reason is to have an impact on glory. If you are obedient like Stephen and Nicanor, you will have an impact on eternity.
When people become servants is when a group becomes a church.
Jesus says, “You didn’t come to be served, but to serve.” His servanthood DNA has been passed onto you. Have you been resurrected with Christ? Then, you came to not be served but to serve. Not out of morality and not to impress others, but because you love Jesus. Like Father, like son.
When apostles were thrown into jail and flogged and did they feel sorry for themselves? Or cry? NO because they were rejoicing because they become a little bit more like the King, like their daddy.
Let’s rejoice more as we become more like Christ. As we get rejected, we should rejoice because we are becoming more like Christ.
We all need to confess that we have not been faithful to the call. Stephen and his six companions were called by God to feed the hungry and the number of souls increased. Let’s obey so that the number of people will increase.
Encounter conference, Pastor Yung - The only thing we need to worry about is to proclaim. When we proclaim, we say that Jesus is the Bread and the Living water. If we just put Jesus out there, they will be fed. The only thing we need to do is distribute the bread. That’s feeding. The disciples fed physical bread but we are feeding spiritual bread.
Ultimately we have this promise that we can hold on to… God is faithful, He will complete the good work that He has begun in you. He has saved you from your former prison. He freed you for a purpose! To enjoy Him and to make Him enjoyable to others.
God’s promise: He started the good work and He will continue the good work. Have hope and be encouraged. He will transform you. It’s time for some supernatural stuff.
Pastor Yung could have done two things. 1) I don’t believe it. 2) But God promises to continue the good work, I will believe.
Believe and He will make it happen.
One of the weakest things about Korean churches is that we’re a social club. I want to just hang out and man, I have to talk to this new person. But there are souls to be saved. There are things more important than how I feel or if I get rejected.
We can start by passing out the bread at Santa Monica. The more easier it will get as we do it more often.
When we follow God’s call, the most hostile will come to know Him. But first we need to serve the food, distribute the bread. You can’t know how good the bread is unless You’ve tasted the bread yourself. Time for Lord’s supper.
1 Corinthians 11
