While the early church overcame persecution from outside and continued to grow, problems from within posed more serious threats. Luke records one of the first problems within the church in Acts 6:1-4:

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

The church provided for those of its number in need (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32, 34-35). Widows were particularly vulnerable in those times because they typically spent their entire lives serving in households that belonged to their fathers and then their husbands. Often, they did not own property. They had few economic opportunities. The people of God provide for widows in their affliction (Jas. 1:27).

The Hellenists were Greek-speaking Jews from the Dispersion (or their descendants) as opposed to Jews born in Palestine who primarily spoke Aramaic. Perhaps because the Hellenists were not as familiar to the church in Jerusalem, their widows were neglected. Whatever the reason, this partiality shown to one group caused a complaint of discrimination to arise.

The apostles responded to this problem by directing good and wise men to be appointed over this matter to serve as administrators to ensure that the work was done fairly with no neglect. The apostles could have served tables, but they recognized their role was to minister the word of God. The apostles were not saying that the business of caring for widows was unimportant, but rather there were others who could take care of that work who were not necessarily capable of teaching and preaching the word of God as the apostles did. The church—both in the first-century miraculous era and today—is made of many different members who all have distinct roles to fill in doing the Lord’s work (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:12-31).   

The inspired record includes notes surrounding this episode that show because the apostles were not hindered in their ministry of the word, numerical growth of the church resulted from the word of God increasing (Acts 5:42; 6:7). Later Paul would write of the church supporting (honoring) widows if they had no relatives to support them (1 Tim. 5:3-16). In that same chapter, he went on to write: “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine” (1 Tim. 5:17). The importance of the ministry of the word to the growth of the kingdom is a theme in the Scriptures we must not overlook. The Bible places an emphasis on how it is proper to provide for those preaching and teaching the gospel so that they have time for their important work (1 Cor. 9:4-14; Gal. 6:6).

God prepared the hearts of people for His Son, Jesus Christ, to come through the preaching of John: “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea” (Mt. 3:1). John’s message was repentance—turning from sin and changing one’s heart and will regarding sin. Repentance is never a popular message, but it is necessary.

John fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 40:3 as the voice crying in the wilderness that prepared the way for the Lord. “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain” (Isa. 40:4). Sometimes, people interpret the Bible’s prophecies too literally. John was not a literal road construction worker.  Those who look to the Old Testament prophets as describing wars erupting in our time in certain nations and the same physical locations in the Middle East err in this overly literal approach. Matthew 3:3-4, Mark 1:3, and Luke 3:4-5 clearly show that Isaiah 40:4 was fulfilled in John’s work. The context bears out that this smoothing of the paths was repentance in the heart.

The people who heard John were to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance (Lk. 3:8). The people were told to start being merciful as evidence of their repentance (Lk. 3:10-11). The tax collectors, who were viewed as low-down places in the path, were told to exact no more tax than appointed (Lk. 3:12, 13). The rough soldiers were smoothed out in being instructed to do violence to no man (Lk. 3:14). In this way, people’s hearts were prepared for Jesus. They would be more ready to receive the words of eternal life He came to give (Jn. 6:68).

The first thing Jesus is recorded preaching in the New Testament is a similar message to John’s—repentance, “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 4:17; cf. Mk. 1:15). Jesus came as king (Zech. 9:9; Mt. 21:5; Jn. 12:13; 18:36-37). The paths were smoothed for the king’s chariot. Hearts had to be smoothed to receive Jesus. Repentance is absolutely necessary if one will enter the kingdom of God. Jesus cannot be our king if we do not humble ourselves, change our hearts, and submit to His will (Mt. 7:21-23; Lk. 6:46).

Paul preached Jesus Christ to the Gentiles (Gal. 2:2; Eph. 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:11; 4:17). His preaching included repentance (Acts 17:30-31). He instructed the younger preacher Timothy: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2). People need to hear the word of God. God’s word is sharper than any sword (Heb. 4:12); it can pierce their hearts and result in repentance (Acts 2:37). Preaching must not only be exhorting but must also include reproving and rebuking. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17), convicting men of their sins (Jn. 16:8). Many self-help guides are popular today that attempt to relieve one of all guilt, but if the problem is self, then self-help cannot offer the true solution. Preaching that causes people to be sorry for their sins is desperately needed. Godly sorrow is a prerequisite to repentance (2 Cor. 7:9-11).

From John, to Jesus, to Paul, to faithful gospel preachers today: repentance has always been an essential to the preaching that converts one to Christ. We are to preach the gospel to all creation (Mk. 16:15). Repentance must be preached to all nations (Lk. 24:47).

Jesus told a parable about a man who planted a vineyard, leased it out to husbandmen, then went away to another country (Mt. 21:33; Mk 12:1; Lk. 20:9). That the owner of this vineyard represents God would have been readily grasped by the Jewish audience due to Isaiah 5:1-7, a song which portrays Israel as the Lord’s vineyard. The owner took diligent care to give the vineyard every advantage to be fruitful including clearing it of stones, digging a winepress, and building a tower (Isa. 5:2).

In Jesus’ parable, the husbandmen were not good tenants. In their wickedness and greed, they would not function as good vinedressers to bring forth fruit but rather provoked the wrath of the Lord of the vineyard. While the Lord was in the far country, he sent servants to check on the status of the vineyard, but the husbandmen beat and killed them. Finally, the Lord sent his beloved son (Mt. 21:37; Mk. 12:6; Lk. 20:13). Instead of respecting the son, they killed him to steal his inheritance (Mt. 21:8-9; Mk. 12:7-8; Lk. 20:14).

Each generation is tempted to focus on the sins of their forbears while turning a blind eye to wickedness in their own time (cf. Jer. 31:29; Ezek. 18:2). Former generations of Israelites persecuted their own prophets; however, while the scribes and Pharisees claimed they would not have done such (Mt. 23:29-33), their leading part in the generation who crucified Jesus with wicked hands shows they were no better than their fathers (Acts 2:23).

The response of the Lord is to miserably destroy the husbandmen and lease out his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons (Mt. 20:40-41; Mk. 12:9; Lk. 20:16). The chief priests and Pharisees perceived that Jesus was speaking of them in the indictment of the wicked husbandmen (Mt. 21:45). Jesus said, “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” The kingdom of God has been given now to people from all sorts of ethnicities who produce fruit. This nation is Christ’s church, as Peter explained to Christians scattered throughout different territories, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Pet. 2:9-10).

Instead of wickedly rejecting God’s message, we must bear good fruit to God (Rom. 7:4; James 3:17). Consider some of this fruit:

1)Fruits worthy of repentance (Mt. 3:8) leading to holiness and eternal life (Rom. 6:22). 2)Fruit characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22). The peaceable fruit of righteous living (Heb. 12:11).

3) The fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name (Heb. 13:15).

Let us not focus on the wickedness of former generations of God’s people to the neglect of the sinful attitudes of our own time. If God punished previous generations of His people for their sins and took away their part in His bounties, then we shall not escape the Lord’s wrath if we ungratefully go into sin instead of producing good spiritual fruit.

Jesus, as victor over death by resurrection, ascended to His throne in heaven at the right hand of God (Acts 2:30-36). Just prior to this ascension, Jesus appeared to His disciples and said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Mt. 28:18). Jesus is Lord! He is “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15).

Entrance into the everlasting kingdom of heaven is supplied by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 1:11). If Jesus is to be our Savior, He must first be our Lord. Jesus asked, “why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Lk. 6:46). Indeed, many call Him Lord and say that they know Him while in reality they do not keep His commandments. “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1 Jn. 2:3). Those who claim Jesus is their Lord without operating under His authority (by actually following His commands) are in for a rude awakening. Jesus warned:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Mt. 7:21-23.)

One of the major problems in our society is a lack of respect for authority. No doubt authority has been abused by wicked men in the past, but that does not warrant abandonment of all authority. Certainly, Jesus has not abused His authority. His authority ought to be respected. Today, many have the concept that they are the exception to the rule. As in the days of the judges, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Jdgs. 21:25).

Sadly, this thinking has also permeated some circles in the church. Instead of regarding the will of King Jesus revealed in the New Testament as authoritative over our lives, some live how they please as if there is no law by which our King expects us to live. If we want to see Jesus in heaven, a place pure from the defilement of sin (Rev. 21:27), then we must continue the process of rooting sin out of our lives to become more and more holy and pure as Jesus is holy and pure (1 Jn. 3:3). God helps us in our sanctification if we will be sensitive to His word (Acts 20:32).

However, sin is a transgression of God’s word; it is lawlessness—acting as if one is a law unto himself and disregarding the laws and commands of God (1 Jn. 3:4). Children of God do not continue the practice of sin (1 Jn. 3:5). They have been delivered from the bondage of sin (Jn. 8:34-36; Rom. 6:5-19). To go back to the defilements of sin would mean an abandonment of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who set the Christian free in the first place, and would result in a worse end than the beginning (2 Pet. 2:20-22). Do not be duped by religious teaching that promises a false freedom in the form of disregarding the authority Jesus has over our lives; instead of true freedom, this thinking results in the bondage of corruption (2 Pet. 2:19).