Title Acts 06:1-6 Let's be praiseworthy
Let's be praiseworthy (Acts 6:1-6)
(Introduction) Why was it commanded to choose “those who listen to praise” when selecting the deacons of the early church? It is because the person who is praised does the job better, and there is no wrong way. In fact, when the early church selected people who were praised and ordered them to do the work of the church, what was the result? Verse 7 says, “The word of God continued to prosper, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased exceedingly, and a great multitude of priests obeyed this way.”
Praise is strength, courage, and the reward of life. Therefore, a person who grows up with a lot of praise becomes a well-to-do, successful, and capable person in the world.
Then, whose praise should we live by?
(1) We should be praised by God.
God's praise is more important than human praise. God is the one who asserts the salvation of human life and death.
How much do you want to be recognized and praised by God? Paul said, "Should I now seek the pleasure of men or of God or the joy of men, if I had been seeking the joy of men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Ga 1:10)
Dear saints, The people who made great achievements in this world were those who were recognized by God.
You don't know how harshly Job was slandered by Satan. But in Job 1:8, the Lord said to Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? There is no such innocent and upright man in the world who fears God and turns away from evil."
How many accusations did Moses receive from the Israelites? Even the leaders of Israel and his brother Aaron and his sister Miriam were against Moses. But in Numbers 12:3 it says, "This man Moses was more meek than all men on the face of the earth." People criticized and opposed Moses, but Jehovah God recognized and praised him.
Yes. At times, we may be shunned and abandoned by the world. But what is really important is that even if you are rejected by the world, you must be approved by God.
That's why Paul said, "It is not he who praises himself, but the one who praises the Lord." (2 Corinthians 10:18) Those whom the Lord approves can be truly recognized. The person whom the Lord praises can truly enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 7:21-23, 25:31-46)
Have you ever struggled to be recognized and praised by whom? From now on, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will live as those who are praised by the Lord.
(二) To be praised by others.
The most frightening disease in our society today is the so-called princess disease and prince disease syndrome. It is not a bad thing for a person to live with dignified pride and pride. It shouldn't be on its own. It is self-righteousness and selfishness, delusion and selfishness.
Even saying "a compliment is a beautiful garment" or "a rich treasure" cannot be beneficial for oneself or society if the praise does not come from other people's mouths.
The scribes and Pharisees were recognized in society at that time. But why was Jesus rebuked so harshly? It was because they were too obsessed with the fact that they deserved praise and respect. They prayed, "God! I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, nor like this publican. I fast twice a week, and I tithe of my income." . (Luke 18:11-12)
But if you look at this prayer, respect and praise do not go away. Why? That's because you're praising yourself, not from others. (Self-confidence) No matter how great you are and how great you are, praising yourself is not as good as not living that way and not boasting.
That's why the writer of Proverbs said, "Let others praise you, not with your mouth; strangers praise you, not with your lips." (Proverbs 27:2)
The centurion of Capernaum, who was highly praised by Jesus, was praised by the elders of the Jews. Luke 7:4-5 says, "It is fitting for this man to do this work, because he loves our people and has built a synagogue for us."
We pray in the name of the Lord that we should not praise ourselves, but rather be praised by others.
(3) To be praised by good and righteous people.
In 1928, Marcel Panol's "Topaz" became a hit, running for three years in Paris alone. The plot of this work is that the main character, Mr. Topaz, is a middle school teacher who teaches naughty children. The principal and all the students liked him.
But one day, a school sponsor asked him to raise his son's grades. Even the principal came forward and ordered the grades to be raised. However, Mr. Topaz ultimately refused. Outraged by this, the sponsor transferred his son to another school. Angry at this, the principal fired Mr. Topaz.
Mr. Topaz was forced to become a tutor. By the way, that family was the family of the government of a member of the House of Representatives who practiced dishonesty. This woman did all sorts of absurd things using topaz, a knowledgeable and ignorant woman.
When Topaz learned of this later, he was very distressed. However, he soon became accustomed to such things, and his view of life changed over time. In other words, money makes people happy and made me think how foolish my past life was.
The purpose of this work is to accuse people of how easily or in vain people give up on their just and honest way of life.
Dear saints, Just because we have acted righteously once or twice, or done praises before God, does not confirm our own character. God praises us when we do good deeds that deserve praise before God.
On the other hand, even when we do evil things that deserve God's rebuke, there is a force that praises and encourages us. Proverbs 28:4 says, "Those who forsake the law praise the wicked."
Paul said, "When we know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve death, they not only do them, but also approve of those who practice them." (Romans 1:32)
Why are the wicked bad? Why is Satan bad? It's not just because he's doing bad things. Because it praises and encourages those who do evil and encourages them to do more of that evil.
That's why the Lord said, "Woe to you when all men praise you, for thus their fathers did to the false prophets." (Luke 6:26) The praise of the unrighteous is good to hear right now, but it is a shortcut to destruction and judgment.
Pilate was popular and encouraged by the religious leaders of the then fallen Israel and the ignorant crowd. But he was the one who killed the innocent Jesus by crucifying him.
(Conclusion) The most ideal compliment should be praised to people while pleasing to God. The seven deacons of the Early Church said, “They are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom and receive praise.” (Acts 6:3) The bishop said, "You must be a person who has obtained a good testimony also to strangers." (1 Timothy 3:7)
We pray in the name of the Lord that we too may become saints who are praised by the Lord, the saints, and our neighbors.