Wednesday, April 21
Read Acts 6
Think About It:
- In the first 5 chapters of Acts we find Satan attacking the church from the outside through various kinds of opposition and intimidation. He has also tried to corrupt the church from within. Here we find him trying to divide and conquer by raising one group in the church against another. For the most part, Hebrews tended to regard Hellenists as unspiritual compromisers with Greek culture, and Hellenists regarded Hebrews as holier-than-thou traditionalists. There was already a natural suspicion between the two groups, and Satan tried to take advantage of that standing suspicion. This type of judgment and labeling of our brothers and sisters in Christ is something that we must always guard against. The enemy is a prowling lion looking for weak areas in our individual lives and in the church, which he can exploit to cause suspicion, animosity, and division. Considering all that could have gone wrong when Satan tried to attack through division, he failed because those involved were Spirit-led and did the right thing. The Hellenists made the need known, instead of complaining and whining they trusted the solution of the apostles. The Hebrews recognized that the Hellenists had a legitimate need and they also trusted the solution of the apostles. The seven chosen men accepted the call to unglamorous service rather than expecting to do more important or “spiritual” work. The apostles responded to the need without distracting themselves from their central task.
- Why was it so important for the apostles to choose men who were of good reputation and to spend time praying over them and laying hands on them when they were just looking for some men to perform a simple, practical service? Do you really have to be “spiritual” to do this kind of practical service? Would the outcome have been as successful as it was if they had not prayed over the situation and had taken anyone they could talk into doing the job?
Family Time:
- Verse 1 tells us that each day, the followers of Jesus would help the widows (women whose husbands had died) by providing food for them. Some of the widows were not getting taken care of, so they needed more men to help serve them. So the disciples got together with the people to choose 7 men to help. They told them to choose men who had a___________ and were full of the ________. (verse 3)
- How is Stephen described in this chapter? (verses 5, 8 and 15)
- In the last chapter, we learned that even the shadow of Peter falling on people would heal them. We see the disciples released from prison. We see them being beaten, and yet still going back out to boldly speak about Jesus and perform miracles in His name. This is all the work of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sent to earth to live in His people! There was nothing special about these men. Not Stephen, not Peter, not John…they were all people like you and me! But the Spirit of God was alive inside of them and working through them. Without Him, they could do nothing, and without Him, we can do nothing. Do you belong to Jesus? Do you want to help bring others to know Jesus? If so, ask for His Holy Spirit to come and live in you and teach you and empower you to do whatever He wants you to do. He has a purpose for each one of us, and He wants to use us! Isn’t that amazing? Believe Him!
