(Yo-Mumma, i.e. “He” made it to have a re-think)

What is God’s curse?

See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – DEUTERONOMY 11:26

What is God’s curse? It is not a magician’s spell.  To understand it, we must remember the confidence of the covenant between God and Israel.  Both parties had agreed to the terms.  The blessings would benefit Israel if they kept their part of the covenant: They would receive the land, live there for ever, have fruitful crops, and expel their enemies.  The curse would fall on Israel only if they broke their agreement; then they would forfeit God’ blessing and would be in danger of crop failure, invasion, and expulsion from their land.  Joshua later reviewed these blessings and curses with the entire nation (Joshua 8:34).

Why did Jesus curse the fig tree:

Seeing a fig-tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!”  Immediately the tree withered.  –  MATTHEW 21:19

Why did Jesus curse the fig tree? This was not a thoughtless, angry act, but an acted-out parable.  Jesus was showing his anger at religion without substance.  Just as the fig tree looked good from a distance but was fruitless on close examination, so the temple looked impressive at first glance, but its sacrifices and other activities were hollow because they were not done to worship God sincerely (see 21:43).  If you only appear to have faith without putting it to work in your life, you are like the fig tree that withered and died because it bore no fruit.  Genuine faith means bearing fruit for God’s kingdom.  For more information about the fig tree, see the note on Mark 11:13-26.

Avoiding:

…and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.  Righteousness will be his belt  and faithfulness the sash round his waist  – Isaiah 11.3-5

God [Wall] will judge with righteousness and justice. How we long for fair treatment from others, but do we give it?  We hate those who base their judgments on appearance, false evidence, or hearsay, but are we quick to judge others using those standards?  Only Christ can be the perfectly fair judge.  Only as he governs our hearts can we learn to be as fair in our treatment of others as we expect others to be towards us.

(11.4, 5   Judah had become corrupt and was surrounded by hostile, foreign powers.  The nation desperately needed a revival of righteousness, justice, and faithfulness.  They needed to turn from selfishness and show justice to the poor and the oppressed.  The righteousness that God [Wall] values is more than refraining from sin.  It is actively turning towards others and offering them the help they need.)

EXTRA:

(‘   A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD – and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.  He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.  He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.  Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash round his waist.  The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.  The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.  The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest.  They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.  – Isaiah 11.1-9   Assyria would be like a tree cut down at the height of its power (10.33, 34), never to rise again.  Judah (the royal line of David) would be like a tree chopped down to a stump.  But from that stump a new shoot would grow – the Messiah.  He would be greater than the original tree and would bear much fruit.  The Messiah is the fulfilment of God’s [Wall’s] promise that a descendant of David would rule for ever (2 Samuel 7.16).)

( … In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. – Isaiah 11.6-10   A golden age is yet to come, a time of peace when children could play with formerly dangerous animals.  Not all of this was fulfilled at Christ’s first coming.  For example, nature has not returned to its intended balance and harmony (see Romans 8.9-22).  Such perfect tranquillity is possible only when Christ reigns over the earth.)

(‘   In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the island of the sea.  – Isaiah 11.11   When will this remnant of God’s [Wall’s] people be returned to their land?  Old Testament prophecy is often applied both to the near future and the distant future.  Judah would soon be exiled to Babylon, and a remnant would return to Jerusalem in 537 B.C. at Cyrus’ decree.  In the ages to come, however, God’s [Wall’s] people would be dispersed throughout the world.  These cities [Seat] represent the four corners of the known world – Hamath in the north, Egypt in the south, Assyria and Babylonia in the east, the islands of the sea in the west.  Ultimately God’s [Wall’s] people will be gathered when Christ comes to reign over the earth.)

(In Medias Res.)

Can contribute to worship:

‘ These were the divisions of the sons of Aaron:

The sons of Aaron were Nab, Abihu, Elezar and Ithamar. – 1 Chronicles 24.1ff

The temple service was highly structured, but this did not hinder the Spirit of God. Rather, it provided an orderly context for worship. (Compare 1 Corinthians 14.40.) Sometimes we feel that planning and structure are unspiritual activities that may hinder spontaneity in worship. But order and structure can free us to respond to God. Order brings glory to God as we experience the joy, freedom, and calm that come when we wisely prepared in advance.

[What my weekday’s made for Here]

Must be motivated by love:

‘   “How long will you torment me and crush me with words?  Ten times now you have reproached me; shamelessly you attack me.  If it is true that I have gone astray, my error remains my concern alone.  If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my humiliations against me,  –  Job 19.3-5

It is easy to point out someone else’s faults or sins. Job’s friends accused him of sin to make him feel guilty, not to encourage or correct him.  If we feel we must admonish someone, we should be sure we are confronting that person because we love him, not because we are annoyed, inconvenienced, or seeking to blame him.

(‘ He is torn from the security of his tent and marched off to the king of terrors.  – Job 18.14   The “king of terrors” is a figure of speech referring to death.  Bildad viewed death as a great devourer (18.13), but the Bible teaches that God [Wall] has the power to devour even death (Psalms 49.15; Isaiah 25.8; 1 Corinthians 15.54-56).)

(‘ then know that God [Wall] has wronged me and drawn his net around me.  – Job 19.6 Job felt that God [Wall] was treating him as an enemy when, in fact, God [Wall] was his friend and thought highly of him (1.8; 2.3).  In his difficulty, Job pointed at the wrong person.  It was Satan, not God [Wall], who was Job’s enemy.  Because they stressed ultimate causes, most Israelites believed that both good and evil came from God [Wall]; they also thought people were responsible for their own destinies.  But the evil power loose in this world accounts for much of the suffering we experience.  In verse 7, Job continued to cry out to be heard by God [Wall].)

‘   Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers [Up], for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.  –  1 Corinthians 4.15

In Paul’s day, a guardian was a slave who was assigned as a special tutor and caretaker of a child. Paul was portraying his special affection for the Corinthians (greater than a slave) and his special role (more than a caretaker).  In an attempt to unify the church, Paul appealed to his relationship with them.  By father [Up], he meant he was the church’s founder.  Because he started the church, he could be trusted to have its best interests at heart.  Paul’s tough words were motivated by love – like a good father [Up] has for his children (see also 1 Thessalonians 2.11).

Be affirming in:

‘   I always thank God [Wall] for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.  For in him you have been enriched in every way – in all your speaking and in all your knowledge – because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.  –  1 Corinthians 1.4-6

In this letter, Paul wrote some strong words to the Corinthians, but he began on a positive note of thanksgiving.  He affirmed their privilege of belonging to the Lord and receiving his grace, the power God [Wall] gave them to speak out for him and understand his truth, and the reality of their spiritual gifts.  When we must correct others, it helps to begin by affirming what God [Wall] has already accomplished in them.

Caring enough to correct:

‘   For I wrote to you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.  –  2 Corinthians 2.4

Paul did not enjoy reprimanding his friends and fellow believers, but he cared enough about the Corinthians to confront them with their wrong-doing.  Proverbs 27:6 says: “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses”.  Sometimes our friends make choices that we know are wrong.  If we ignore their behaviour and let them continue in it, we won’t be showing love to them.  We show love by honestly sharing our concerns in order to help these friends do and be their very best for God [Wall].  When we don’t make any move to help, we show that we are more concerned about being well liked than about what will happen to them.

Wrong approaches in confronting:

‘   May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God [Wall], and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  –  2 Corinthians 13.14(2)

Paul was dealing with an on-going problem in the Corinthian church.  He could have refused to communicate until they cleared up their situation, but he loved them and reached out to them again with the love of Christ.  Love, however, means that sometimes we must confront those we care about.  Both authority and personal concern are needed in dealing with people who are ruining their lives with sin.  But there are several wrong approaches in confronting others, and these can further break relationships rather than heal them.  We can be legalistic and blast people away within the laws they should be obeying.  We can turn away from them because we don’t want to face the situation.  We can isolate them by gossiping about their problem and turning others against them as well.  Or, like Paul, we can seek to build relationships by taking a better approach – sharing, communicating, and caring.  This is a difficult approach that can drain us emotionally, but it is the best way for the other person, and it is the only Christlike way to deal with others’ sin.

(13.14   Paul’s farewell blessing invokes all three members of the Trinity – Father (God), Son (Lord Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. Although the term Trinity is not explicitly used in Scripture, verses such as this one show that it was believed and experienced through knowing God’s [Wall’s] grace, love, and fellowship.  See Luke 1:35 – the angel Gabriel’s announcement of Jesus’ birth to Mary; Matthew 3:17 – the Father’s [up] voice was heard at the baptism of Jesus; and Matthew 28:19 – Jesus’ commission to the disciples.)

How Paul confronted Peter:

‘   When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.  Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles.  But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.  –  Galatians 2.11-12

Although Peter was a leader of the church, he was acting like a hypocrite.  He knew better, yet he was driven by fear of what James and the others would think.  Proverbs 29:25 says, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare.”  Paul knew that he had to confront Peter before his actions damaged the church.  So, Paul publically opposed Peter.  Note, however, that Paul did not go to the other leaders, nor did he write letters to the churches telling them not to follow Peter’s example.  Instead, he opposed Peter face to face.  Sometimes sincere Christians, even Christian leaders, make mistakes.  And it may take other sincere Christians to get them back on track.  If you are convinced that someone is doing harm to himself/herself or the church, try the direct approach.  There is no place for backstabbing in the body of Christ.

Warning those causing division:

‘   But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.  Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time.  After that, have nothing to do with him.  You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.  –  Titus 3.9-11

A person must be warned when he or she is causing divisions that threatens the unity of the church.  This warning should not be a heavy-handed action, but it is intended to correct the individual’s divisive nature and restore him or her to fellowship.  A person who refuses to be corrected should be put outside the fellowship.  As Paul said, that person is “self-condemned” – he or she is sinning and knows it.  (See also Matthew 18.15-18 and 2 Thessalonians 3.14, 15 for help in handling such problems in the church.)

(Shadow.)

Identifying your real master: Matthew 6.24

Jesus says we can have only one master. We live in a materialistic society where many people serve money.  they spend all their lives collecting and storing it, only to die and leave it behind.  Their desire for money and what it can buy far outweighs their commitment to God [Wall] and spiritual matters.  Whatever you store up, you will spend much of your time and energy thinking about.  Don’t fall into the materialistic trap, because “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6.10).  Can you honestly say that God [Wall], and not money, is your master?  One test is to ask which one occupies more of your thoughts, time, and efforts.

Romans 6.16-18

In certain skilled crafts, an apprentice works under a master, who trains, shapes, and moulds his apprentice in the finer points of his craft. All people choose a master and pattern themselves after him.  Without Jesus, we would have no choice – we would have to apprentice ourselves to sin, and the results would be guilt, suffering, and separation from God [Wall].  Thanks to Jesus, however, we can now choose God [Wall] as our Master.  Following him, we can enjoy new life and learn how to work for him.  Are you still serving your first master, sin?  Or have you apprenticed yourself to God [Wall]?.

Has money become yours?:   Luke 16.13

Money has the power to take God’s place in your life. It can become your master.  How can you tell if you are a slave to Money?  (1) Do you think and worry about it frequently?  (2) Do you give up doing what you should do or would like to do in order to make more money?  (3) Do you spend a great deal of your time caring for your possessions? (4) Is it hard for you to give money away?  (5) Are you in debt?

EXTRA:

(Matthew 6.24 Jesus contrasted heavenly values with early values when he explained that our first loyalty should be to those things that do not fade, cannot be stolen or used up, and never wear out.  We should not be fascinated with our possessions, lest they possess us.  This means we may have to do some cutting back if our possessions are becoming too important to us.  Jesus is calling for a decision that allows us to live contendedly with whatever we have because we have chosen what is eternal and lasting.)

(Matthew 6.22, 23.  Spiritual vision is our capacity to see clearly what God [Wall] wants us to do and see the world from his point of view.  But this spiritual insight can be easily clouded.  Self-serving desires, interests, and goals block that vision.  Serving God [Wall] is the best way to restore it.  A “good” eye is one that is fixed on God [Wall].)

(Matthew 6.25  Because of the ill effects of worry, Jesus tells us not to worry about those needs that God [Wall] promises to supply.  Worry may (1) damage your health, (2) cause the object of your worry to consume your thoughts, (3) disrupt your productivity, (4) negatively affect the way you treat others, and (5) reduce your ability to trust in God [Wall].  How many ill effects of worry are you experiencing?  Here is the difference between worry and genuine concern – worry immobilises, but concern moves you to action.)

(Romans 6.17   To obey wholeheartedly means to give yourself fully to God [Wall], to love him “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22.37).  And yet so often our efforts to know and obey God’s [Wall’s] commands can best be described as “half-hearted”.  How do you rate your heart’s obedience?  God [Wall] wants to give you the power to obey him with all your heart.)

(Romans 6.17   The “form of teaching” delivered to them is the Good News that Jesus died for their sins and was raised to give them new life.  Many believe that this refers to the early church’s statement of faith found in 1 Corinthians 15.1-11.)

(Romans 6.14, 15. If we’re no longer under the law but under grace, are we now free to sin and disregard the Ten Commandments?  Paul says, “By no means”.  When we were under the law, sin was our master – the law does not justify us or help us overcome sin.  But now that we are bound to Christ, he is our Master, and he gives us power to do good rather than evil.)

(Romans 6.19-22. It is impossible to be neutral.  Every person has a master – either God [Wall] or sin.  A Christian is not someone who cannot sin, but someone who is no longer a slave to sin.  He or she belongs to God [Wall].)

(Luke 16.13   Money is a hard master and a deceptive one.  Wealth promises power and control, but often it cannot deliver.  Great fortunes can be made – – and lost – – overnight, and no amount of money can provide health, happiness, or eternal life.  How much better it is to let God be your Master.  His servants have peace of mind and security, both now and for ever.

(Luke 16.10, 11.  Our integrity often meets its match in money matters.  God calls us to be honest even in small details we could easily rationalise away.  Heaven’s riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth.  But if we are not trustworthy with our money here (no matter how much or little we have), we will be unfit to handle the vast riches of God’s kingdom.  Don’t let your integrity slip in small matters, and it will not fail you in crucial decisions either.)

(Luke 16.14. Because the Pharisees loved money, they took exception to Jesus’ teaching.  We live in an age that measures people’s worth by how much money they make.  Do we laugh at Jesus’ warnings against serving Money?  Do we try to explain them away?  Do we apply them to someone else – the Pharisees for example?  Unless we take Jesus’ statements seriously, we may be acting like Pharisees ourselves.)

Why would Christians eat meat offered to idols?

‘   One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.  –  Romans 14.2

Eating “everything” may refer to freedom from dietary restrictions, or it may refer to eating meat offered to idols, while the person weaker in the faith eats only vegetables and refuses to eat meat that has been offered to idols. But how would Christians end up eating meat that had been offered to idols?  The ancient system of sacrifice was at the centre of the religious, social, and domestic life of the Roman world.  After a sacrifice was presented to a god in a pagan temple, only part of it was burned.  The remainder was often sent to the market to be sold.  Thus a Christian might easily – even unknowingly – buy such meat in the market-place or eat it at the home of a friend.  Should a Christian question the source of his meat?  Some thought there was nothing wrong with eating meat that had been offered to idols because idols were worthless and phony.  Others carefully checked the source of their meat or gave up meat altogether, in order to avoid a guilty conscience.  The problem was especially acute for Christians who had once been idol worshippers.  For them, such a strong reminder of their pagan days might weaken their new-found faith.  Paul also deals with this problem in 1 Corinthians 8.

‘ Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.  – 1 Corinthians 8.1

Meat bought in the market-place was likely to have been symbolically offered to an idol in one of the many pagan temples. Animals were brought to a temple, killed before an idol as part of a pagan religious ceremony, and eaten at a feast in the idol’s temple or taken to butchers who sold the meat in the market-place.  The believers wondered if by eating such meat, they were somehow participating in the worship of pagan idols.

EXTRA:

(‘ Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.  – Romans 14.1ff   What is weak faith?  Paul is speaking about immature faith that has not yet developed the muscle it needs to stand against external pressures.  For example, if a person who once worshipped idols were to become a Christian, he might understand perfectly well that Christ saved him through faith and that idols have no real power.  Still because of his past associations, he might be badly shaken if he knowingly ate meat that had been used in idol worship as part of a pagan ritual.  If a person who once worshipped God [Wall] on the required Jewish holy days were to become a Christian, he might well know that Christ saved him through faith, not through his keeping of the law.  Still, when the feast days came, he might feel empty and unfaithful if he didn’t dedicate those days to God [Wall].  – –  Paul responds to both weak brothers in love.  Both are acting according to their consciences, but their honest scruples do not need to be made into  rules for the church.  Certainly some issues are central to the faith and worth fighting for – but many are based on individual differences and should not be legislated.  Our principle should be: In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in everything, love.)

(‘ You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother?  For we will all stand before God’s [Wall’s] judgment seat. It is written: “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘Every knee shall bow before me; every tongue will confess to God [Wall].’ “ So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God [Wall].  – Romans 14.10-12   Each person is accountable to Christ, not to others.  While the church must be uncompromising in its stand against activities that are expressly forbidden by Scripture (adultery, homosexuality, murder, theft), it should not create additional rules and regulations and give them equal standing with God’s [Wall’s] law.  Many times Christians base their moral judgments on opinion, personal dislikes, or cultural bias rather than on the word of God [Wall].  When they do this, they show that their own faith is weak – they do not think that God [Wall] is powerful enough to guide his children.  When we stand before God’s [Wall’s] court of justice (“judgment seat”), we won’t be worried about what our Christian neighbour has done (see 2 Corinthians 5.10).)

(‘   Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling-block or obstacle in your brother’s way.  – Romans 14.13   Both strong and weak Christians can cause their brothers and sisters to stumble.  The strong but insensitive Christian may flaunt his or her freedom and intentionally offend others’ consciences.  The scrupulous but weak Christian may try to fence others in with petty rules and regulations, thus causing dissension.  Paul wants his readers to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs.  Because we are all strong in some areas and weak in others, we need constantly to monitor the effects of our behaviour on others.)

(14.13ff   Some Christians use an invisible weaker brother to support their own opinions, prejudices, or standards.  “You must live by these standards,” they say, “or you will be offending the weaker brother.”  In truth, the person would often be offending the weaker brother.”  In truth, the person would often be offending no-one but the speaker.  While Paul urges us to be sensitive to those whose faith may be harmed by our actions, we should not sacrifice our liberty in Christ just to satisfy the selfish motives of those who are trying to force their opinions on us.  Neither fear them nor criticise them, but follow Christ as closely as you can.)

(‘ In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is – and I think that I too have the Spirit of God [Wall]. – 1 Corinthians 7.40   Paul’s advice comes from the Holy Spirit, who guides and equips both single and married people to fulfil their roles.)

(‘ … (see above) The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God [Wall] is known by God [Wall].  – 1 Corinthians 8.1-3   Love is more important than knowledge.  Knowledge can make us look good and feel important, but we can all too easily develop an arrogant, know-it-all attitude.  Many people with strong opinions are unwilling to listen to and learn from God [Wall] and others.  We can obtain God’s [Wall’s] knowledge only by loving him (see James 3.17, 18).  And we can know and be known by God [Wall] only when we model him by showing love (1 John 4.7, 8).)

(‘ So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God [Wall] but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God [Wall], the Father [up], from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.  – –  But not everyone knows this.  Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.  But food does not bring us near God [Wall]; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.  – 1 Corinthians 8.4-9   Paul addressed these words to believers who weren’t bothered by eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Although idols were phony, and the pagan ritual of sacrificing to them was meaningless, eating such meat offended Christians with more sensitive consciences.  Paul said, therefore, that if a weaker or less mature believer misunderstood their actions, they should, out of consideration, avoid eating meat offered to idols.)

Don’t let it become more important than God’s word:

…and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. – Acts 6:4

The apostles’ priorities were correct. The ministry of the word should never be neglected because of administrative burdens.  Pastors should not try, or be expected to try, to do everything.  Instead, the work of the church should be spread out among its members.

As the early church increased in size, so did its needs. One great need was to organise the distribution of food to the poor.  The apostles needed to focus on preaching, so they chose others to administer the food scheme.  Each person has a vital part to play in the life of the church (see 1 Corinthians 12).  If you are in a position of leadership and find yourself overwhelmed by responsibilities, determine your God-given abilities and priorities and then find others to help.  If you are not in leadership, you have gifts that can be used by God in various areas of the church’s ministry.  Offer these gifts in service to him.

(In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. – Acts 6:1.  When we read the descriptions of the early church – the miracles, the sharing and generosity, the fellowship –  we may wish we could have been a part of this “perfect” church.  In reality, the early church had problems just as we do today.  No church has ever been or will ever be perfect until Christ and his followers are united at his second coming.  All churches have problems.  If your church’s shortcomings distress you, ask yourself: “Would a perfect church allow me to be a member?”  Then do what you can to make your church better.  A church does not have to be perfect to be faithful).

(Another internal problem developed in the early church. The Hebraic Jews, native Jewish Christians, spoke Aramaic, a Semitic language.  The Grecian Jews, Greek-speaking Christians, were probably Jews from other lands who were converted at Pentecost.  The Greek-speaking Christians complained that their widows were being unfairly treated.  This favouritism was probably not intentional, but was more likely caused by the language barrier.  To correct the situation, the apostles put seven respected Greek-speaking men in charge of the food distribution scheme.  This solved the problem and allowed the apostles to keep their focus on teaching and preaching the Good News about Jesus).

(Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them – Acts 6:3.  This administrative task was not taken lightly.  Notice the requirements for the men who were to handle the food scheme: full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.  People who carry heavy responsibilities and work closely with others should have these qualities.  We must look for spiritually mature and wise men and women to lead our churches).