“Dispersion,” scattering, is a bittersweet theme. On the one hand, the Creator authorized his animate creatures and humanity, their rulers, to “fill the earth”—very good. 

The Lord gives to his church “mercy servants,” whose deeds of compassion complement the gospel witness of his “Word servants.”

The seven servants were qualified to care for widows’ material needs because Christ’s church discerned that they were “full of the Spirit and wisdom.”  

The apostles’ response to the need of Greek-speaking widows in the Jerusalem church shows two truths that define how ministry must be done in Christ’s church.

Not only does the Lord love to lavish his grace to multitudes of people, to see them multiply to become a countless choir to sing his praise (as we saw in the first meditation on Acts 6:1-7); but he also delights in diversity—different kinds of people, speaking different languages and practicing different customs. 

As the gospel and God's great name was advancing to the Samaritans in Acts 8, Simon the Great was trying to advance his own name. 

The Jerusalem church’s appointment of seven servants to care for widows is a pivotal event in the spread of Christ’s gospel after the Holy Spirit’s descent at Pentecost.

How to cope with the disappointments and failures in pastoral ministry in light of Acts 18.