Restoring Unity: From Conflict to Calling 4/12/26

The Bible doesn’t just give us deep theological truths, it also gives us practical wisdom for everyday life. Nowhere is that more evident than in the book of Acts, where we see the early church being born and rapidly growing. Luke tells us again and again that the church was multiplying, largely because they were “in one accord,” or united in heart, mind, and purpose (Ac 1:14, 2:46, 4:24, 5:12). And when the church is united, it is powerful and effective. But the enemy hates the church and is threatened by its unity. So he first tries to stop the church through persecution (Ac 4:1-4), and when that fails, through corruption (Ac 5:1-11), yet both only lead to more growth. So, in Acts 6, we see the enemy try a new strategy: division from within. Because if he can’t destroy the church from the outside, he will try to divide it from the inside. In today’s passage, we see the early church recognize and respond to this threat of internal division in three movements: the problem, the plan, and the purpose.