I'd like to echo my colleague's words when he said he's delighted to be here and celebrate this special occasion in the installation of Pastor Dwight Schultz as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Sterling Heights. I am delighted to be here as well. I've known Pastor Dwight, if I may call him that, for over ten years now. First as a student in class and then as a colleague as he was laboring in the ministry here and elsewhere. I would like to have an entire class full of Dwight Schultz's. He is an outstanding student, as Dr. McCabe has already said. I appreciate his conscientious spirit. obvious love for the Lord, love for the Lord's word, love for the Lord's work, and he's just a delight to have in class. And I'm honored to count him a colleague in the service and the cause of our great God and Savior. I commend the church for the pulpit committee and the membership here and diligent seeking the mind and will of God for a shepherd whom God would raise up and place over this work. And I'm excited with you that God has without question led you to extend the call to Pastor Schultz to come and shepherd the flock here. For what it's worth, I would absolutely love to have Pastor Schultz as my pastor. I would enjoy being under his ministry. I would delight to have him as a godly example for my family, and I'm excited how the Lord has led in raising up this choice servant to shepherd the flock of God here at First Baptist Church, Sterling Heights. I'm going to draw your attention to Acts chapter 6, but before I do that, I noticed one or two of you are taking pictures, and I do have a request. In fact, actually two requests. If you take my picture, would you be so kind and make sure I am standing erect? Because if I'm slouching over and my wife sees that picture on Facebook or wherever, She's going to ask me, why wasn't I standing up straight? All right. And the second request, if you'd be so kind, is that when you take the picture, if you could make sure my head isn't down and you're seeing the top of my head. I don't know what my best side is, but I'm pretty sure that's not it. Acts chapter six, we'll be looking at verses one through seven. Our passage is set in the midst of a controversy in the early church. And you're familiar with the passage. The controversy involves the congregation caring for the widows that were among them. This passage, although very familiar, and really it's a simple, straightforward text, nevertheless, highlights some very significant truths that have application to all of our lives and are appropriate for the occasion that we're celebrating tonight, the installation of Pastor Dwight Schultz. What makes this passage significant is that in light of the controversy, or actually in response to the controversy, the apostles identify for us what are the absolute priorities in their life and ministry and in the life and ministry of the congregation. And the Spirit of God has used this passage in my life to sharpen my focus and to remind me what are the priorities in my life and ministry. And I'm praying and desperately asking the Lord to remind us of the importance of what Luke has recorded in chapter 6 in terms of the priorities in the life and ministry of this church and in the life and ministry of your pastor. The outline is rather straightforward. We have the controversy in verse 1 of chapter 6. We have a solution in verses two through four, and then we have the outcome in verses five through seven. I'm just going to briefly walk us through this passage, make sure we understand the background and context, and then make some application first and foremost for the congregation, but also for Pastor Schultz from this passage as well. Two for the price of one. Challenge to the congregation and a challenge to Pastor Schultz also. The problem is found in chapter 6 in verse 1. Luke writes, Now at this time, while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. Luke identifies two groups in the Jerusalem church. that created a controversy. He mentions the first, he calls them the Hellenistic Jews. And these are Jews that were born outside of Palestine. They were trained in the culture and background of the Hellenistic society in which they found themselves. But at some point, they migrated back to Palestine and found themselves living in Jerusalem. And God, by his grace, saved them. And they were members of this fledgling church in the city of Jerusalem, in the country of Palestine. The Jews, the Hebrews, on the other hand, it mentions those later in that same verse, their verse one, are those Jews who were born in Palestine. And they would have been trained and immersed in the culture and language of Judaism. And the problem arose because you had these two diverse groups with two diverse cultures and backgrounds that were not fully integrated in the life of this early church in Jerusalem. And we certainly can appreciate that. I mean, every church has its own culture and every church has its own makeup, if you'll please. And if someone were to come into our church that would not be a part of our culture or not be having the same background as we would have, they would certainly be welcome. But it would take a period of time for them to be fully adjusted to our congregation. And that's what's taking place here. You have these two diverse groups from diverse cultures that were not fully integrated. And the congregation was caring for the widows of the one and there could be to be commended for that, because caring for the widows within the congregation is something that God has commanded in both testaments. But the fault of this fledgling congregation. is that while they were caring for some of the widows, they were neglecting some of the other widows. And that was a serious problem that the apostles felt constrained to address and to resolve unless Satan get an advantage in that fledgling congregation and further problems come about. So that brings us then to verses 2-4 and the solution that the apostles recommend to the congregation. Let me read here. So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. Now again, it's important for us to understand how vital this responsibility was. How critical this ministry really was in the life of this church. Widows, as you and I both know, are prone and vulnerable to the difficulties of life. And we can only imagine the challenges they face in this kind of agricultural community and somewhat patriarchal society. And God has singled them out as objects of special attention in his sight. And has commanded believers, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, to care for the widows that are among the believers as they gather. In fact, James says in chapter one, in verse 27, don't turn there, let me just read it. James writes, pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this, to visit the orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world. Pure and undefiled religion, worship and service in the presence of Almighty God that God looks upon with favor and delight is to visit the orphans and widows, James writes. And the word visit there has the idea of going to and seeking what their needs are and taking care of those needs. To visit means to supply and provide for the widows and orphans and to keep oneself unspotted, unstained from the world in which we live. You know, the importance of this ministry is also seen in the qualifications of those whom the apostles recommend be put in charge. They didn't simply say, well, just select some among you for this task. Notice the qualifications that the apostles recommended to the congregation in verse five. They said, choose, I'm sorry, verse four, seven men among you of good reputation. full of a spirit and of wisdom who may be put in charge of this task. The apostles saying you need to choose men who have some special skills. Those who have a reputation that is above reproach, those who would be gifted by God to assume this ministry because this ministry is that vital and what they will be involved with will require these kinds of qualifications. And so we see the importance of this ministry that the apostles identify and recommend to the congregation to entrust to those who had special gifts and abilities that would be able to assume that responsibility. And that brings us then to verse four and the priorities that the apostles identify for their lives and ministries. They say, but we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. Two tasks. of all the tasks that the apostles were given as apostles to the churches, commissioned in the founding of the churches and the supervising of the work of the planning of churches and the spread of the gospel. Two priorities that they identify in this passage that are absolutely essential in light of all of the other responsibilities that God had placed on them. And they said, we want you to find seven individuals to entrust with this very significant task that we might devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. The apostles weren't shirking a responsibility. They weren't asking others to do something that they felt was beneath them or odious or whatever. They recognized what their priorities were. And they did not want to let anything, even something as vital as caring for the widows in the church, to keep them from doing what they were convinced that God placed upon them as the priorities of their life and service. That brings us then to the outcome, and we find that in verses 5 through 7. Let me draw your attention there as I read those verses. The statement by the Apostles found approval with the whole congregation, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith, and the Holy Spirit. Luke identifies six other individuals that they set apart, and verse 6 says, And these they brought before the Apostles, and after praying they laid their hands on them. The word of God kept on spreading. And the number of disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. You know, I read these verses and I can't help but be convinced that God was directing in the controversy and directing and guiding the steps, not only of the apostles, but the congregation in resolving the tension. We know that God's hand was upon this congregation in the resolving of this conflict. Let me draw your attention again to verse 5. The statement found approval with the whole congregation. The apostles set forth, here's what we believe, how God would have us resolve this tension, this controversy, and take care of this vital ministry of these widows. And the response of the congregation is that they recognize the wisdom of the apostles and they unanimously embrace their recommendation. It is in the unanimous embracing of the recommendation that I see the hand of God. I mean, that is a difficult thing to accomplish, especially in a Baptist church like this, I'm sure was. Notice again. This found approval with the whole congregation. God was preparing the hearts of the congregation to see the wisdom of this solution to this very significant controversy. But I also see the hand of God in the life of the apostles and their ministries in honoring these two priorities, giving themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. Verse 7 indicates the outcome and the Word of God kept on spreading and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem. How can we account for that other than the apostles gave themselves to that priority, to those priorities? They devoted themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word of God and the Lord honored their devotion to those priorities and blessed and prospered this fledgling congregation. I know that the apostles have a very special role in the founding of the church, but I am absolutely convinced that the priorities they identify for their life and ministry are the priorities that you and I ought to identify for the lives and ministry of our congregation and for the life and ministry of our pastor. Giving ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of God's word. Now we may be surprised in light of verse 2. that they mention prayer as one of the priorities. If you look in verse 2, they don't mention that. They simply mention it is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God. But when they identify the priorities, prayer is listed as the first of the two. And that's consistent with the importance God's word places on the life of prayer and the life of his servants. Our Lord devoted himself to prayer. We read in the Gospels that our Lord drew a sight every single day of His life in public ministry, I'm sure before that, and sought the face of His Father. And I'm impressed with that truth. If the Son of God recognized the importance of prayer in His life, when He would pray daily to the Father, how much more should I, as a servant of the Lord, seek God's face in prayer as well? It was the son of God who saw the father's face on a daily basis in his life and ministry, and he commanded his disciples to follow the pattern of his devotion to prayer. Luke chapter 18, verse one. Let me read it. He says his disciples ought always to pray and not to lose heart. He's directing us as his disciples to follow the pattern of his life and devote ourselves to prayer. to daily prayer in seeking God's face. Prayer was a priority in the life of our Lord. It was also a priority in the life of the apostles. For example, Paul writes that every single day he would spend time in prayer, praying for the churches under his care. He mentioned that in a number of his letters to the members of those congregations. And he didn't do that to draw attention to himself. He did that to remind them of the importance of prayer and how he sought God's face on their behalf on a daily basis. And like the Lord, he commanded believers to follow his pattern. Ephesians 6, verse 18, he says that we ought to pray at all times with all perseverance. We are commanded in God's word to set prayer aside as a priority of our life and ministry as a congregation. and certainly as a shepherd of the flock for Pastor Schultz. As a congregation, one of the greatest blessings that you can be for your pastor is to pray for him on a regular basis. To pray for your pastor and his family on a daily basis. To ask God to set a hedge about him and his wife and his children. to protect your pastor and his family from the strategies of Satan, but also from their own depravity. I mean, they, like we, are sinners saved by grace. To keep them from temptation, to strengthen them in the faith, and to build them up and to equip them for the work of the ministry. You ought to pray for your pastor that God would illumine his mind and heart as he's studying the Word of God. that he might come to a proper understanding of the truths, even as Dr. McCabe has preached from Ecclesiastes chapter 12. He might recognize properly the truths of God's word and communicate those clearly. I'm looking you right in the eye this evening when I say we desire a pastor who does not necessarily preach what we want to hear, but what we need to hear. And we ought to pray for Pastor Schultz that God would burden his heart with the needs of this congregation and he would faithfully proclaim the whole counsel of God right at the very point at which Satan may be attacking this congregation or we may be struggling with sin. You ought to pray for your pastor that he would be an example to the flock of God because he wants to be. And God gives grace to that end that he would be example to the flock. For the pastor. Pastor Dwight. God has designed prayer. For us to express our utter dependence upon him. We are frail vessels, we are all frail vessels. And the ministry is a daunting task. And we can echo the words of the Apostle Paul when he faced the tasks of the ministries that God had laid on his life and on his shoulders. He cries out, who is sufficient for these things? I would cry that out every single day. Who is sufficient for these things? The care of a church, the shepherding of the flock of God. Who on earth is sufficient for that kind of sacred responsibility? And Pastor Schultz, the Lord's answer to Paul is the Lord's answer to us. God is sufficient. His grace is sufficient. His strength is perfected in these frail vessels. And prayer is God's ordained means by which you and I express our utter dependence upon the true and living God and find grace and mercy to help in time of need to shepherd the flock of God. The apostles not only mentioned the importance of prayer, but they also mentioned the importance of God's word. Let me address you as a congregation. James writes again that you and I ought to be eager to hear the word of God. And I want you to notice that James says, hear the word of God. The original readers would have understood that James meant by that, hear the word of God as it's proclaimed in the services of a local church. And when James says, and it's a command, that the congregation ought to be quick to hear, he means we ought to have an eagerness to be in the services of our local church under the preaching and teaching of God's word. In other words, what James is saying is that the congregation ought to hunger and thirst for God, for God's truth and for God's righteousness. that only the Word of God and the Spirit working through the Word of God in its proclamation in the pulpit of a local church can satisfy our souls. As a congregation, one of the best ways you can encourage your pastor is you're to be eager, hungering, thirsting, longing to hear the Word of God. And you give evidence of that by being faithful in the services of this local church. I like the way Peter says it in 1 Peter 2. He says, like newborn babes long for the pure milk of the word. Peter isn't saying to his congregation, you are recent converts, long for the milk, don't seek the meat of the word. That's not what Peter is saying. What Peter is saying is like a newborn babe longs for that which nourishes it. You believers ought to long for that which nourishes you. the pure milk of God's word. You want to encourage your pastor, demonstrate that you have a hungering and thirsting for the true and living God, that you love the Lord and you love his word, and you have an absolute keen desire to be under the hearing of the word of God, faithfully attending the services of this local church. That's one of the ways that you can demonstrate your devotion to God's word and encourage your pastor in that task. Pastor Schultz, our brother already read a passage from 2 Timothy, Paul's last letter. He's imprisoned in Rome again. His life is in the balance. In fact, later in that same letter, he is confident that the Lord is going to usher him into his presence, that he's going to be a drink offering poured out on the altar of the cause of Christ. One of his last commands to his son in the faith, Timothy, is for him to preach the Word. It is the Word of God by which one is made wise unto salvation. It is the Word of God by which you and I are built up in our most holy faith. It is the Word of God by which you and I are equipped for every good work. And it is through the Word of God that you and I are conformed ever more closely to the image of the Son of God. And therefore, Pastor Schultz, I would challenge you this evening to be faithful in preaching the Word. That's what your congregation desperately needs, and that's the instrument that God's Spirit uses to build us up and to bring lost souls unto the hearing of the Gospel and to saving faith in Christ. Pastor Schultz, if you'll devote yourself to prayer and to the ministry of God's Word, you'll not only be following the example of the apostles, but you'll be a worker also who is not ashamed, handling aright the Word of God, and thereby a vessel of honor fit for the Master. I know that's your desperate desire, a vessel of honor fit for the Master. And here are the priorities that make you just such a vessel. I trust the Lord has reminded us of what our priorities need to be as a congregation, devoting ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of God's word, and I hope we can encourage our pastor as we pray for him and as we demonstrate that we too hunger and thirst for God and for his word, that only his word can satisfy in the working of God's spirit.