Empowering Inclusion: Love in Action Within the Church

Acts 6:1-7 gives us a window into the early church as it faced the challenges of rapid growth and cultural diversity. As the number of disciples increased, a problem arose: the widows among the Hellenistic Jews were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. This was not just an administrative hiccup, but a moment that revealed the church’s blind spots and the need for intentional care across cultural lines. The apostles recognized that both the ministry of the Word and the ministry of practical service were essential. Rather than devaluing one over the other, they empowered seven men—full of the Spirit and wisdom, and notably from the Hellenistic community—to oversee this important work.

This decision was not about creating a hierarchy of spiritual value, but about expanding the circle of responsibility and participation. The early church did not become more insular as it grew; instead, it became more inclusive, recognizing the gifts and perspectives of those who had previously been on the margins. The result was a flourishing community where the Word of God spread, and even those who had been religious outsiders—like many priests—became obedient to the faith.

It’s tempting to think of spiritual work as more valuable than practical service, but this is a distortion rooted in ancient heresies like Gnosticism, which separated the spiritual from the physical and devalued the latter. True Christian faith holds both together: God’s love is made known not just in words, but in tangible acts of care and service. Each of us is called to participate in this holy calling, not because of our qualifications or spiritual achievements, but because of Christ’s work in us. Whether our contribution seems large or small, God multiplies its value in ways we may never see.

The challenge is to resist the urge to compare or devalue our calling. Holiness is not about the type of work we do, but about responding in love to God’s invitation. Sometimes the smallest act—a meal shared, a packet packed, a listening ear—becomes a vessel of God’s love and transformation. Our task is not to judge the value of our service, but to be obedient in love, trusting that God will use it for His purposes.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The early church’s solution to the overlooked widows was not to create a hierarchy of importance, but to empower those most equipped to serve—people from the very community experiencing the need. This demonstrates that God’s design for the church is one of inclusion, where blind spots are addressed by expanding the circle and valuing diverse gifts and perspectives. [34:12]
• 2. Spiritual and practical ministries are not in competition; both are essential expressions of God’s love. The apostles refused to neglect either the ministry of the Word or the care for the vulnerable, showing that true faith is holistic and embodied in both proclamation and service. [31:40]
• 3. Gnosticism, an early church heresy, taught that only the spiritual mattered and that secret knowledge was the path to God. In contrast, Christian faith affirms that God is truly knowable but never fully comprehended, and that love—expressed in tangible ways—is the truest revelation of God’s character. [41:19]
• 4. Our calling is not determined by our perceived qualifications or by comparing ourselves to others. Every act of love, no matter how small or ordinary it seems, is holy when offered in obedience to God. Our qualification comes from Christ’s work and the Spirit within us, not from our own achievements. [47:51]
• 5. The value of our service is often hidden from us, but God multiplies even the smallest acts of love. Like the sandwich given in a moment of crisis, what seems insignificant to us can become a profound expression of God’s care to someone else. Our task is to be faithful and humble, trusting God with the results. [56:17]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [27:14] - Scripture Reading: Acts 6:1-7
• [28:14] - The Early Church as a Startup
• [31:40] - The Overlooked Widows and Church Response
• [34:12] - Empowering the Margins: Choosing the Seven
• [37:07] - Gnosticism and the Value of the Physical
• [39:36] - Knowability of God: Gnostic vs. Agnostic
• [41:19] - Christian Knowledge and the Danger of Extremes
• [43:19] - Love as the Revelation of God
• [44:40] - Diverse Callings in the Body of Christ
• [45:33] - The Myth of Spiritual Hierarchy
• [46:59] - True Qualification: Christ in Us
• [48:52] - The Necessity of Every Gift
• [50:57] - Holiness Expressed Through Love
• [52:53] - A Story of Sacrificial Love
• [56:17] - God Multiplies Our Small Offerings
• [57:06] - Communion: More Than a Meal
• [58:14] - Benediction and Sending Forth
• [72:02] - Encore Worship and Closing

Bible Reading

Acts 6:1-7 (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. 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. 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.

1 John 4:9-12 (ESV) — In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

Observation Questions

1. What specific problem did the early church face as it grew, and who was affected by it? (Acts 6:1)
2. How did the apostles respond to the complaint about the widows being overlooked? What qualities did they look for in those chosen to help? (Acts 6:2-3)
3. According to the sermon, what is significant about the backgrounds of the seven men chosen to serve? [34:12]
4. What was the result of the church’s decision to empower these seven men? (Acts 6:7)

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think the apostles insisted on both the ministry of the Word and the ministry of practical service, instead of choosing one over the other? [31:40]
2. The sermon mentions that the early church did not become more insular as it grew, but more inclusive. What does this suggest about how the church should handle blind spots or overlooked needs today? [34:12]
3. The sermon warns against thinking that spiritual work is more valuable than practical service, connecting this to the heresy of Gnosticism. Why is it important for Christians to hold both together? [41:19]
4. According to the sermon, what truly qualifies someone to serve in the church? How does this challenge common ideas about who is “qualified” for ministry? [47:51]

Application Questions

1. The early church addressed a blind spot by empowering people from the affected community. Are there groups or needs in our church or community that might be overlooked? How could we expand the circle of responsibility to include more voices? [34:12]
2. The apostles valued both preaching and practical service. In your own life, do you tend to value one over the other? What would it look like to see both as essential expressions of God’s love? [31:40]
3. The sermon challenges the idea that only “spiritual” work is holy. Think about a practical act of service you’ve done recently (or could do this week). How might God use that act in ways you can’t see? [56:17]
4. Have you ever felt unqualified or compared your calling to someone else’s in the church? What would it look like to trust that your qualification comes from Christ and the Spirit, not your own achievements? [47:51]
5. The story about the sandwich showed how a small act of love can have a big impact. Can you recall a time when someone’s small act of kindness made a difference in your life? How might you offer a “sandwich” to someone else this week? [55:27]
6. The sermon says our task is not to judge the value of our service, but to be obedient in love. Is there a small, ordinary act of love you feel prompted to do, but have been holding back because it seems insignificant? What’s one step you can take to act on it this week? [56:17]
7. The early church became more inclusive as it grew. What is one practical way you can help our group or church become more welcoming and inclusive to those who might feel on the margins? [34:12]