What's in a Name? (Sermon: Acts 6:1-17)

Have you ever been tempted to skip over a list of names in the Bible. After all, how much impact could "A begat B, and B begat C, and etc.." have upon your spiritual life? Well, the truth is you may be surprised at how much insight and teaching is contained in the Bible's lists of names.

In Acts 6, the Bible lists the names of the first deacons: "they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch (Acts 6:5). Of these seven names, only two become prominent in the New Testament. Stephen becomes the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:54-60) and Phillip takes the gospel to the Samaritans (Acts 8:4-25) and to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). Of the other five men, we know almost nothing-except their names. Yes, just their good ol' Greek names, not Hebrew names, but Greek names.

And what does it tell us that all seven deacons had Greek names? It tells us that most likely they were all Hellenists and not Hebrews. The Hebrew apostles appointed seven men of the Hellenists to resolve the potential division in the church between the Hellenists and the Hebrews. How could the apostles have sent any clearer message to the Hellenists that they were a vital part of the body of Christ than to have appointed seven of their own to positions of service in the church?

So, what's in a name? Well, in this case, seven Greek names carry of message of love, acceptance, healing, and unity in the early church. May we be as wise as the leaders of the early church!