“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. Brothers 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 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.’ “
Acts 6:2-4
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OCTOBER 29, 2024
The ministry of the word of God is vital to the church, and the Spirit made this clear to the disciples early on. The Twelve did not have the New Testament, but they had intimate familiarity with Jesus and His teachings, and the Hebrew scrolls. On the road to Emmaus Jesus taught Cleopas and his companion from Moses and the Prophets regarding Himself, and He taught the disciples and others about the kingdom of God throughout His ministry, as well as during the forty days prior to His ascension.
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets he explained to them what was said in all the Scripture concerning himself.
Luke 24:27
A whole new understanding of Moses and the Prophets had been unlocked. The Twelve were growing daily as the Spirit brought the words of Jesus to their minds and opened the Scriptures to them. Their teaching of messianic passages would have stirred the enthusiasm of Jewish believers hungry to learn more about the Christ. Expressions of great joy and thanksgiving would have been the norm as they listened to the apostles’ teaching.
The ministry of the word of God has two main sources: teaching received within the church context and personal study of the Scriptures. WBC is intentional about encouraging its people to learn from the word, both in a corporate setting and individually. We have clear directives for the use of our journals in concert with our Bibles, both prior to and during the teaching time on Sunday. Our pastors and teachers study Bible passages carefully to develop the content of their messages. The questions considered during the week are designed to open the Scriptures to our understanding and to stimulate application in response. We have access to Bibles in multiple translations as well as writings of scholars who have devoted their lives to elucidating biblical content for our learning. We must be students of the Bible. Are we taking advantage of the resources at our disposal?
The ministry of the word of God is truth to be received, truth with the power to transform lives. We need consistent nourishment from Scripture for our spiritual growth, as people being conformed to the image of Christ. We begin to see situations differently and our responses can encourage and even surprise us, because of the Spirit manifesting His fruit in our lives.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
- How has the ministry of the word of God in a corporate setting spoken to your heart?
- How would you describe your practice of personal Bible study?
- Specifically, how has input from the word of God changed you?
Church Reading Plan: Hosea 2; Psalm 119:97-120