Grace in its Various Forms
Sermon Series:Acts
As the early church is multiplying rapidly, some folks are getting lost in the shuffle. The cultural and ethnic divisions that existed in Judaism had carried over into the church and, as the apostles were dispersing food to the needy, the Hellenistic or Greek-speaking widows were being overlooked. The apostles listened to the complaints and appointed seven men to serve, freeing up space for their primary calling to the ministry of the Word and prayer. This passage addresses our need to ask, “Who is falling through the cracks (both inside and outside the church), the integration of Word, prayer, and social justice and the Spirit-directed value of structure and organization. Questions: Who is being neglected / overlooked? What are the needs that exists on this campus? In our community? What is your calling / gift / niche in the Kingdom? How is that integrated into the life of the Body? In what ways has your presence flavored Purdue with the truth of Christ? “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” [1 Peter 4:10]