What is the meaning of Acts 6:4? Will “Will” points to a settled determination. The apostles are not floating on circumstance but choosing a course with conviction. • In Acts 5:29 they say, “We must obey God rather than men,” showing the same decisive resolve. • Jesus modeled such determination in John 4:34: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.” The verse reminds us that spiritual leadership begins with a deliberate act of the will—aligning personal choices with God’s purpose rather than public opinion or pressing needs. Devote ourselves “To devote” speaks of continual, single-minded attention. It is the difference between occasional participation and ongoing occupation. • Acts 2:42 highlights the same lifestyle: “They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” • Colossians 4:2 urges all believers, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” The apostles refuse to allow urgent administrative tasks (Acts 6:2-3) to dilute their primary calling. Their example teaches that ministry flourishes when leaders guard their focus and believers accept shared responsibility. To prayer Prayer is listed first, underscoring priority. The early church moved forward on its knees. • Before Pentecost they were “all praying with one accord” (Acts 1:14). • Jesus often “withdrew to solitary places and prayed” (Luke 5:16), and the apostles imitate Him. Why such emphasis? – Prayer keeps communion with the Father fresh. – Prayer invites divine wisdom for complex problems (James 1:5). – Prayer empowers proclamation; after praying, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:31). When leaders pray, the congregation learns to lean on God, not merely programs. And The simple conjunction links two inseparable duties. Prayer without the Word can drift into subjectivity; the Word without prayer can become dry routine. Mark 1:35-38 shows Jesus balancing both—prayer in solitude, then preaching in villages. The “and” guards against lopsided service: heavenward dependence joined to earthward declaration. To the ministry of the word “Ministry” means service; the Word is to be served up like nourishing bread (Matthew 4:4). • In Acts 8:4 scattered believers “preached the word,” illustrating that proclamation is not confined to apostles. • Paul charges Timothy, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2). What does this ministry entail? – Studying: leaders must handle Scripture accurately (2 Timothy 2:15). – Teaching: explaining and applying truth (Nehemiah 8:8). – Preaching: announcing the gospel so hearts are confronted and comforted (Romans 10:14-15). – Guarding: protecting the flock from error (Acts 20:28-30). Delegating the food distribution in Acts 6 frees the apostles to keep the Word central, resulting in verse 7: “the word of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem grew rapidly.” summary Acts 6:4 reveals a pattern for healthy church life: leaders consciously choose to give themselves wholly to prayer and the faithful service of Scripture, refusing distractions that would thin out their calling. Prayer fuels the ministry of the Word, and the Word, in turn, directs and deepens prayer. When both are held together, the church grows in unity, power, and reach. |
    |