Image: "Source of Strength", 2020, Severna Park, Md
Acts 6:2–4 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
Acts 6:8–10 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen ..., disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
Acts 6:15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
Acts 7:52–53 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”
Acts 7:59–60 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
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The grand old hymn ("Great is Thy Faithfulness") concludes with:
| Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! |
As we read this book I call the Acts of the Holy Spirit, we should be alert to His powerful Presence and how He registers Himself within His little but growing community of believers. We should take note that they faced difficult challenges. They, like Moses before them, recognized that the few leaders at the top could not "do everything" and that priorities had to be set.
Now, this is a very practical, common-sense observation but we must not overlook the Spirit in it. He showed them the kind of questions that growth brings along. Yes, what they did would not surprise any secular management executive. Organizing an activity and delegating authority is inherent in any organization and the Church is no different in these broad strokes. But having some facet in common does not make the two entities identical. Notice how the first deacons were chosen! They were, in essence, elected from within the community. They were not imposed on the congregation by executive fiat... they were nominated and approved by the people. The other distinct difference was in the criteria used to qualify the nominees. They were to be a specific number (7), "of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom..."
There was not a single mention of management experience. What was vitally important was that these men were self-evidently devout and godly men, possessing "wisdom" which is the God-given ability to make righteous decisions and to do justly. Any man, so equipped, can be trained to do just about anything and often will have the innate ability to deal with whatever challenges arise. Thus we see the Holy Spirit putting Jesus' new Church on a distinctly different foundation than the world around them. They were to find their "strength for tomorrow" in the reservoir of the Holy Spirit-filled men (and women) who had been added to the Church. Notice, for example, the casual statement in Acts 6:7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. The priesthood was comprised of men who were deeply steeped in the Hebrew Bible. The Holy Spirit worked even there, within the ranks of the very group who had led the people to cry "crucify Him" and chose men to dramatically deepen the knowledge of the ordinary people.
This is how the Holy Spirit empowers and strengthens the Church, in every age! His Presence is most clearly seen in the community itself. And it is from that community that great works and powerful witnesses arise.
In chapter 7 we have the brilliant example of Stephen. We don't know a great deal about Him other than that he was one of those seven men chosen above. But notice how his speech, from beginning to end, reflects the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Even as I read the text, though having long familiarity with it, it stirs my heart. Here was a common Israelite, standing before the powerful intellectual leaders of the day, including the high priest, and he, off the top of his head, summarized the general history of the entire nation. He laid out before them, as Jesus Himself had done at one point, the irrefutable truth that they had consistently rejected the witnesses God had brought to them and had persecuted and killed them. He didn't apply this to himself, though such was the case also, rather he showed that it was Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of God, Whom they had treated in this same manner.
Notice how, with these words, the surrounding judges were cut to the heart. They could not deny it. The only thing they could do was shut him up... this they did by the horrible death by stoning. But even here we see the Holy Spirit strengthening him. He gives Stephen a vision of heaven itself and the truth of the Son of God standing at God the Father's right hand. He shows Stephen his reward. He was going to be with his Lord. Stephen does not cry out in rage and anger. Rather he prays for forgiveness for his persecutors and then, with heart-rending tenderness, he says "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" The parallels with Jesus' death are obvious.
Think of the impact this must have made on those men who threw those rocks. Think of the impact it made on that young man Saul who guarded their robes as they did the strenuous work of stoning. Think of how the Holy Spirit used the memory of his part in Stephen's criminal execution to convict this young Saul when, one day, on the road to Damascus, he saw this same Jesus.
When we step back from the details the coordinated work of the Holy Spirit becomes clear. He was there at every point and He strengthened the Church to do the work of the ministry. He still is.
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