ARE YOU WAITING ON TABLES?

ARE YOU WAITING ON TABLES?

Monday, July 24th, 2022

by Rev. Mark Muckler

SCRIPTURE:

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” – Acts 6:1-4

THOUGHTS TO PONDER:

I’ve been preaching on the Book of Acts recently and have been thinking much about the first disciple’s reaction to the conflict among the Hebraic and Hellenistic Jews as it relates to food distribution among widows. As the early church began to grow, they had lots to figure out. And they too, had struggles of their own, as many churches do today.

In today’s Church, it’s not uncommon that those who’ve been members of the Church for many years, or even those who’ve grown up in the Church, feel privileged and entitled in any number of ways. So, when visitors come, it’s often a challenge for them to feel welcome, and to be fully embraced in the life of the Church as active members. It’s a tough thing for pastors when we find ourselves caught in the middle of such conflict when it arises.

We notice here, a very wise decision made by the disciples. According to verse 3, they let the others work it out so that they could focus their attention to “prayer and to the ministry of the Word of God.”

As a pastor, I can’t help but to relate to the disciples. Today, so many pastors get distracted by conflicts among church members, and other varied so-called “responsibilities” such as; doing menial tasks, pushing papers, exchanging emails, and spending a crazy amount of time on administrative work, and even varied amounts of really good ministry programming. It’s easy to get wrapped up in “doing” Church.

All this to say, that unfortunately, we can become distracted enough whereas “our attention to prayer and to the ministry of the Word of God” often gets neglected. The priority for the early disciples, according to verse 2, was to stay focused on these very important things and to get volunteers to help with the rest. This response would become the glorious unfolding of what the Apostle Paul talks about when describing the Church as “one body, with many parts”. (1 Cor 12)

FOR REFLECTION:

Think for a moment about the response of the disciples when they told them, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.”

Have you allowed yourself to be distracted by “waiting on tables,” so-to-speak?

Have you neglected “prayer and the ministry of the Word of God”?

Sure, waiting on tables can be vital ministry, as was the distribution of food to widows, as is all the other myriad of things we may find ourselves doing as pastors, such as; visiting the elderly and the sick, feeding the hungry, preparing for and leading a committee meeting, planning a fall festival or homecoming event, typing up meeting minutes, making copies, changing lightbulbs, running errands, you name it. All are great ministries and certainly have the potential of making an eternal impact on the lives of others. However, by doing all of those good things, are we neglecting an even greater invitation to serve?

In other words, how much time do you spend studying God’s Word personally and in preparation for Sunday morning’s message? How much time do you spend in studying God’s Word to prepare for a mid-week Bible study? Are you lifting up all things in prayer, "praying continually"? If our responsibility as pastors, according to verse 2, is primarily to be engaged in “prayer and in the ministry of the Word of God”, how much of our time is spent actually doing that?

Unfortunately, being caught up in the busyness in ‘doing’ church can become a distraction, so much so, that we neglect prayer and the ministry of the Word of God. We see that unfolding within our churches today; the evidence of a prayer life is unnoticeable, and ministries firmly founded upon the Word of God is being unintentionally neglected or even sadly, intentionally tossed out the window. O that we as modern-day disciples, would reprioritize our ministries to, first and foremost, pray and invest in the ministry the Word of God.

PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, forgive me for allowing the busywork of ‘doing’ church to take the place of being present with You in my preparations for Bible study and the proclamation of Your Word. Lord, help me to reprioritize my ministry to best lead Your people. Help me to learn how to delegate all the things that are expected of me from others, so that I might best engage in a personal relationship with You, that I know is of greatest importance. Renew my prayer life O Lord, and renew my hunger for Your Word on a daily basis. Orchestrate the many members of the church that I serve in such a way where I may best serve and glorify You, my Rock and my Redeemer. I humbly pray in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. – AMEN

RESOURCES & APPLICATION:

Sometime this week, consider discussing this passage with your Pastor/Parish committee in your church. Invite them to read 1 Corinthians 12 and ask for accountability in delegating your assumed responsibilities.

If you are United Methodist, remind them that you are called to Word, Sacrament, Order, and Service as your priorities, with an intentional focus on the Word of God being a first priority. And remind them that the ways and the specific areas in which you serve are unique to you and your God-given gifts, and no one else. Would your church want their resident theologian, Spirit-filled man or woman of God, with an authentic calling who is to be set apart for prayer and the ministry of the Word to be waiting on tables? I surely hope not.