Acts 6:2 says, “Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.”
I called a large church to see if the pastor could make a call on a family from our church who had moved into his neighborhood. To start with, I couldn’t personally talk with the pastor without an appointment. I explained my request and was told the pastor didn’t make calls on everyone because there were too many people in the church. He therefore did what the disciples did in the next two verses after our text (Acts 6:3 & 4). “Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”
There is certainly nothing wrong with prayer and preaching. Moses had to resort to delegation in the wilderness at the advice of his father-in-law, Jethro. Jesus sent His 12 disciples out two-by-two to preach, cast out devils and heal (Mark 6:7-13). We also see where Jesus sent out 70, two-by-two to go ahead of where He was planning to come (Luke 10:1).
So did the twelve do anything wrong in our text? It doesn’t say that they did. I would suggest that they missed a great opportunity, “The Table Test.” This was no doubt not a final exam, or a mid-term. It was more like a little daily quiz.
I was in my second year at NNC, struggling to stay afloat with my grades, but drowning. I didn’t know how to study. I was trying to read everything, underline everything, studying from 7:00 at night to 2:00 in the morning night after night. I learned how to stay awake to take a test. I would start to fall asleep reading a question. I would then quickly snap one of my front teeth with my finger, sending a shock wave to my brain. I was totally alert for that question, wrote quickly, then did it again. I was always the last one to finish the test.
Praise God, I learned how to study over one daily astronomy quiz. I was sitting by myself in the cafeteria, eating lunch. The class was starting in 30 minutes. I hadn’t read the chapter at all. I knew I would flunk this one. There were always 20 questions on the quiz. I decided I was not going to miss them all. For fun I decided I would write my own test. I scanned through the chapter and jotted down 20 questions. I couldn’t believe it when I got to class, those were the same exact questions on the quiz. It was probably the only “A” I got on a test. From then on it was almost like cheating. I wrote my own tests, and managed to stay in college.
Only one of the disciples, Phillip, took advantage of the table test. He became one of the seven to administer the food. He remembered Jesus, feeding the five thousand. Yes, Jesus delegated to the twelve, but He personally touched every piece. I hope the 11 did good to pray and minister the word, better than they did in the garden where they couldn’t stay awake and pray (Matthew 26:40). They didn’t know the tooth trick. O Lord, give us THE TABLE TEST!
