Racial Ethnic Cultural Differences and Difficulties (Acts 6:1-15)

• Share your thoughts and reflections on Jealousy, Life, Obedience & Joy (Acts 5).

1. Who are the Hellenistic and the Hebraic Jews (Ac 6:1a)? Why was the former group complaining (Acts 6:1b)? What would this do (Prov 16:16-19)?
• Does sin rear its ugly head even in the healthiest church? How? Who might we be inclined to favor or side with?
• What parallels are there with racial issues today?
2. Why shouldn't the twelve Apostles neglect the word of God and serve tables (Acts 6:2; Jn 6:63; 17:17; 2 Tim 3:16; Rom 12:4-8; 1 Cor 12:12-26; 2 Tim 4:2)?
• How have the apostles changed (Mt 14:15; 15:23)?
• Should teachers only teach (Ac 6:4; Ac 18:1-3; Jn 13:13-15)?
3. Who chose the seven men (Ac 6:3a)? What were the 2 criteria for these 7 deacons (Ac 6:3b)? Why "seven"? What is peculiar about the names of the seven (Ac 6:5-6)?
• What 3 things happened (Ac 6:7)? What is meant by "a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7b)? Would this trigger greater persecution?
4. What set Stephen apart (Ac 6:8)? How does "full of God's grace and power" (Ac 6:8a) define his works (Ac 6:8b) and words (Ac 6:9-10)?
• Who was "the Synagogue of the Freedmen" (Acts 6:9a)?
• Was Stephen's only gift church management (Ac 6:9-10)?
• Why could they not stand up against him (Ac 6:10; Lk 21:15; Mt 10:16-20)?
5. What accusations did they bring against him (Ac 6:11-14)? Why (Jn 15:20)? What is the penalty for blaspheming "against Moses and God" (Ac 6:11; Lev 24:11-16; Mt 26:65)?
• Who might the "false witnesses" be (Mt 26:59-61; Mk 14:56-57)?
• Did Jesus say He will destroy the temple (Ac 6:14; Mk 13:1-2; Lk 21:5-6)? To what extent was Jesus' prophecy fulfilled (Mt 5:17-18)?
• Did Jesus say that He will "change the customs which Moses handed down to us [the Jews]" (Ac 6:14; Mt 5:17-18)?
• What was Stephen's face being "like the face of an angel" (Ac 6:15) reminiscent of (Exo 34:29-30)?
• Should we expect hatred and opposition to God's people today?
• Was Stephen's sermon the longest in the Bible preached by a disciple of Jesus (Acts 7)?