The Holy Spirit in Acts
Day 14 — Holy Spirit as a Qualification to Serve
Acts 6:1-8
What seemed like a mundane problem, making sure all the widows were served their daily portions of food, turns out required more than just a warm body to attend to the task. One would think that just being able to organize the food distribution would be sufficient. It made sense that those that are charged with praying for and teaching the flock need to persist in that calling and not diluted their time with food distribution. Quality Spirit-filled preaching and prayer requires time. And as it turns out, food distribution in this context and in servants of this day requires more than organizational skills.
Qualities: a. good reputation b. full of the Spirit c. full of wisdom
They named 7 men with these qualities and didn’t just send out the email to them. They had a special time of praying over them and laying on of hands.
Numbers 8:10: The sons of Israel laid hands on the Levites, commissioning them for priestly service Numbers 27:18,19 Moses instructed to lay hands on Joshua before the priest and congregation to commission him in their sight Deuteronomy 34:9 Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom when Moses laid hands on him.
Stephen was chosen along with the other six.
Who he was:
a. selected by congregation for serving food to widows 6:3
b. good reputation 6:3
c. full of the Holy Spirit 6:3,5
d. full of faith 6:5
e. first listed, likely leader of the deacons 6:5
f. full of wisdom 6:5
g. full of grace 6:8
h. full of power 6:8
i. performed great wonders and signs among the people 6:8
Results of this church functioning in the Holy Spirit: 6:7
a. Word of God kept spreading
b. Increased numbers of disciples
c. Many of the priests became obedient to the faith
We will discuss the various gifts of the Holy Spirit in the section on the Holy Spirit in the Epistles. The relevant part here is that all believers, no matter what their gift from the Holy Spirit is, are to walk in the Holy Spirit’s power and not their own. Even in the mundane, no-brainer tasks.
Can you imagine the cultural differences and natural divisiveness in the flesh that was happening between the Hellenistic Jews who embraced Greek language and culture and the Hebrew Jews who had come to the Messiah. The wisdom to treat each group as co-equals in Christ for the one serving the food required the Lord’s direction and care. Lovingly inviting each to welcome each other as recipients of grace and not considering a class war within the body. Unity was what Jesus taught.
Questions:
1. How does your church make each member realize that they are all needed to make the body function?
2. Have you ever seen servants commissioned for a task of service?
3. When should a pastor push a broom at a church work day?
4. When there is conflict or division within the body, how does the Holy Spirit work?
5. Can a table server be a teacher? (hint: see tomorrow)
Reflection, Notes and Prayer
The Holy Spirit in Acts
Day 15 Stephen’s Wisdom from the Holy Spirit Acts 6:5-7:60
Reflection, Notes and Prayer