MAY 13 READING…ACTS 6
The early church continues to grow. There is more and more expectations placed on the Apostles. With the increase of people and work load there grows a feeling among some that their needs are not being met. The Apostles met and decided that it was their primary call to study and teach the Word to the church. Therefore they decided to select some men to serve the physical needs of the church…these men are called “deacons”, which literally means servant. They selected seven men who were filled with the Holy Spirit…the Apostles laid hands on these men and they began to serve the church. This enabled the Word of God to spread more effectively.
What was also true about the early deacons is that they were unashamed of their witness for Christ. It was Philip that God used to share the Gospel with the Ethiopian Eunuch. And in the last part of this chapter, and in Chapter 7 we have Stephen standing in the power of the Holy Spirit, sharing God’s working in Israel, and calling the religious leaders to repentance and salvation…they stoned him for doing this. Stephen was so filled with the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of God, that those who sought to dispute with him, could not. Today we need to understand that it is not human intellect that is needed, but men and women filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking in the power of God. Stephen was lied about…that will happen to us also. Don’t worry brothers and sisters…the Lord is our Defender.
Please share your thoughts from today’s reading.
MONDAY’S READING…ACTS 7
Comments