Full of grace and power

Acts 6 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. ² So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. ³ Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” ⁵ The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. ⁶ And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.

⁷ The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

⁸ And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. ¹¹ Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” ¹² And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council. ¹³ They put forward false witnesses who said, “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law; ¹⁴ for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.” ¹⁵ And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.

“It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.  Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.  But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”   The apostles did not think themselves too good or too important to do the lesser work of service. After all Jesus Himself had taught and been an example of servant leadership to these men. In Mark 9:35 He says:   Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”    So it was not pride or arrogance which motivated the apostles to make this statement, but rather a very real acknowledgment of priorities. The most important thing for them and the quickly growing church was that they would dedicate themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

Within a healthy church body this same type of delegation of responsibilities and priorities will still exist today. Throughout the letters to the early churches Paul compared the church body to the human body, with each one doing its part, working together to accomplish what no individual could. Today’s text, the account of Stephen though gives us great encouragement, a wonderful truth which each one can and should apply in our own lives. You see not only must leaders have servant hearts and not think themselves above the more menial tasks. They must prioritize prayer and the ministry of the word without neglecting or losing the heart of a servant. As a result of the raising up of men to serve, the text says: The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.    That too will be the result of a healthy functioning body today.  What of Stephen, did he quietly fade into the background doing the unseen and unimportant task of “serving tables” to help facilitate this growth in the church?   The text tells us:    Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.     Stephen used his position as a servant as a platform to do great things. He was filled with the same Spirit of power that the disciples were filled with. Stephen fulfilled his role, his delegated responsibilities within the body and he also fulfilled the call and commission of Jesus to do the things that He had done and greater things by the power of the Holy Spirit. This too should be the heart and the attitude of every believer. Each one should do all that they do with excellence as unto the Lord. Colossians 3:23-24 says:    Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,  knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.    That should be our guiding attitude both within the church and in our everyday lives, work places, schools, neighborhoods, wherever God has us.

Like Stephen, if we will minister and move obediently in the power of the Holy Spirit, there will be some who will rise up against us. The text says: But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.      If we though, will like Stephen, rely on the Holy Spirit, His leading and His wisdom, not our own then we too will experience the victory over these who are against us. The text says:  But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. In Luke 12:11-12 Jesus says:  When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say;  for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”    If we will, like Stephen, rely on the Holy Spirit, He will give us the words to say for every situation and circumstance. More important than that if we will like Stephen, rely on the Holy Spirit and His power, we too will be: performing great wonders and signs among the people.    The same Spirit, the same power is in each of us.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit thank You for both saving me and for calling and equipping me to fulfill Your purpose for my life. May I never think to highly of myself, that I am beyond doing event the lowest and most menial task in service to You. But through the power of the Holy Spirit, may I do all that I do as unto You. May I do great things wherever You call me and wherever You place me. May there be great signs and wonders among the people, all for Your glory.   Amen