DAY 6
Acts 6:1-15
Seven Men Chosen to Serve
But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.
2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. 3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”
5 Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). 6 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.
7 So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
Stephen Is Arrested
8 Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 9 But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10 None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.
11 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” 12 This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council.
13 The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. 14 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”
15 At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s.
1. Throughout Acts 5 and 6 we have read about how Satan tried to dismantle the church in three ways: (1) physical persecution, (2) moral persecution, and (3) administrative distraction. In which of these ways do you recognize potential distractions in your own life away from God’s will for you?
2. As the early church grew, it met the inevitable issues of murmuring and complaints once it became more difficult to address everyone’s needs. What do you believe is the role of the church in addressing the needs of the spiritual community? What do you believe your own role is within this?
3. In Acts 6:1-7, we see that some roles in the church were given to a specific group to free up another group to do what God is calling towards. This meant that one group was placed in charge of caring for the widows, and another in charge of preaching the Word of God. The church has always thrived when everyone came together to serve a specific purpose based on their own abilities and desires. Think about your own life – what areas of the church do you have strong feelings and desires for? How might God be calling you to serve in those areas?
4. When seven men were chosen to administer to the widows, they were chosen because of their character and their spirit, and not because of their special talents or abilities. When is the last time that you had a thought that God couldn’t use someone (or maybe yourself) because they didn’t have a special talent or ability? What can we learn from the early church in this regard?
5. A true problem for the early church was not that the apostles weren’t busy ministering, but instead they were busy with the wrong ministry. Scripture never makes the claim that ministering to the widows wasn’t important, but that there was another group of people appointed to do so. In other words, you can be busy doing good things but they can still be the wrong things. In what ways do you spend your time doing good things that may be the wrong things?
Lord, today I pray for the work of the church – not just the church I attend, but for the universal church of Jesus Christ. That we would be united, caring for the needs of one another in our own local churches, as well as the needs of the communities that we operate within. Give us a heart for the least of those among us. Give us eyes that see the needs that may be hidden. Generate generosity within my own heart, and show me what role I can play in furthering your kingdom. Use me for a unique purpose according to your will and plan. Amen.
LIFE IS NOT MEANT TO BE LIVED ALONE. YOU WERE CREATED TO EXPERIENCE LIFE WITH OTHER PEOPLE.