Let’s read Acts 6:8-15. We are going to look at Stephen, one of the elected SEVEN.
8 Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)-Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, 10 but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God."
12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us."
15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Reflecting on Stephen’s life, I’ve entitled this message MAKING YOUR LIFE COUNT.
• Stephen lived a short but very significant life. Life is not about its length but purpose, fulfilling God’s purpose. Stephen died preaching the Gospel.
Sharing the truth of Christ is not easy. It hasn’t been so right from the beginning, for the disciples of the first church.
• They were put on trial and persecuted, and in the next 2 chapters, we see Stephen martyred for his faith and the disciples were forced to flee.
For us today, our ‘persecutions’ are much milder. It could be the mockery of others, the insults and scorn, the rejections, and for some, resistance from loved ones.
• But like the first disciples, we know that the Lord is with us. We stand firm because this is the truth. Jesus Christ died and rose again for our salvation.
• "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
• And so like them, we pray for BOLDNESS, for the courage and strength to stand firm and be good witnesses for Christ.
Stephen, one of the SEVEN chosen to resolve the need in the daily distribution of food to the widows, set us a good example of a faithful witness of Christ.
• He was introduced to us in Acts 6 and he died in Acts 7, but God used him in remarkable ways. Let his testimony be an encouragement to us.
In all that has happened, we are going to see how the Lord prepares His men and plans His move, the spread of the Gospel.
WE SEE HOW GOD PREPARES HIS MEN
It started with a neglect in the daily distribution of food to the Hellenistic widows.
• Some men needed to be called out to manage this so that the apostles would not be distracted from their core role of prayer and the preaching of the Word.
• It was interesting to note that for such an administrative task, the apostles set the criteria and asked for men “full of the Spirit and wisdom” (6:5).
If it happens today, we would probably be looking for people with some paper qualifications, like a degree in management. We want someone with good people skills, or with experience in administration.
• Imagine, the seemingly menial job of “waiting on tables” requires candidates to be full of the Spirit and wisdom (6:3).
• We see God’s choice of His servants. We see God’s preparation for the work of His Kingdom.
Being “full of the Spirit” would mean they are walking close with God.
• Using Paul’s description in Gal 5, they are walking by the Spirit and not gratifying the desires of the flesh (Gal 5:16) and bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23).
• It’s the godly character of a person, and not his competence. That’s what they were looking for.
When Stephen was introduced again in 6:5, Luke added that he was “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.”
• He has “full faith” in God, complete trust in Him, which was evident in the next chapter when he was being stoned.
And when he serves, Luke says in 6:8 he was “full of God’s grace and power, and did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.”
• That’s the outflow of WHO he is, a man who believes God fully and hence serving Him with grace and power.
By now we see this, it’s not about charisma, competence or credentials, although these are good and important. Godliness anchors it.
• It is about the godly character of these men. These are the spiritual qualities that the Lord is looking for in His servants.
And mind you, they were elected to oversee the daily distribution of food to widows.
• The apostles expected such qualities to anchor the ministry. Godly character is what God is looking for.
• Character undergirds the rest, be it charisma, competence or credentials.
• It boils down to a person’s walk with God, because the rest flows from this.
Imagine this, with thousands of believers in the church, they narrowed down to these SEVEN men who were chosen and recognised to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.
• It speaks volumes. And Stephen heads the list, followed by Philip, whom we shall read about in Acts 8.
• The rest of the names were simply listed. We have no records about them. But to make that list speaks volumes. They must be remarkable servants of God.
• Their works may be unknown to us this side of heaven but surely the Lord knows them and remembers them.
Picture this scene where we see them distributing the food.
• Jesus’ words come to mind: “I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” (Mark 9:41)
To see Stephen in verse 8 doing great wonders and miraculous signs among the people and verse 2 doing the menial work of ‘waiting on tables’ doesn’t quite fit, right?
• That’s because we have a wrong view of greatness.
• I once saw a video clip of a lift lobby scene in a big multinational company. It is posh and beautiful. Someone accidentally spilled his breakfast, and the coffee and sandwich were all over the place. The manager shouted for the cleaner. He was nowhere in sight. Not long, someone came along with the mob and pail and started to clean up the mess. He did a good job. Not many there recognised him. Later they did. He was the president of the company.
No one is too great to serve. No task is too small for a big man. It all flows from a heart of love for God.
• Whatever the ‘small tasks’ we do for God, for the church or for the Body of Christ, remember this, they are not ‘small’.
• We are just being like Christ, who did not come to be served but to serve. (Matt 20:28).
• Jesus says “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.” (Matt 20:26-27)
WE SEE HOW GOD PLANS HIS MOVE
NEXT we see the significance of Stephen’s ministry in God’s plan.
• There are Hellenistic Jews among them, the Jewish descents from the various parts of the Roman Empire.
• We see the Lord raising up Greek-speaking evangelists among them to prepare for the next phase of ministry - going beyond Jerusalem, as He said before His ascension.
Stephen began to preach to the Greek-speaking Jews in Jerusalem, who have come from Cyrene and Alexandria (Africa), Cilicia and Asia (Asia Minor) (6:9).
• He went to the Synagogue of the Freedmen, where the Hellenistic Jews gathered.
• Freedmen because their forefathers were previously deported and enslaved by the Romans but they are now freed.
But the message of Christ being the Messiah and the ultimate fulfilment of the Law was too much for them.
• They rejected it and debated with him but could not win him; he was “full of the Spirit and wisdom”.
• [If we lack wisdom, ask of God (James 1:5); He is the source of wisdom.]
When arguing against the message failed, they attacked the messenger.
• They “secretly persuaded some men” (6:11) to falsely accuse Stephen of blasphemy.
• They twisted his statements and accused him of speaking against Moses and God (6:11) and against this holy place and the Law (6:13).
They stirred up, not just the religious leaders, but the people (6:12a).
• This was the first time we are seeing this; previously the people were generally in favour of the church, but now it has changed.
“They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.” (6:12)
• When the charges were read, Stephen’s face shines like the face of an angel (6:15).
• When was the last time something similar happened to a man, when his face shines?
• Moses. Exo 34:29 “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.” He has been in the presence of God.
We see the glory of God (His presence) with Stephen.
• Right after the trial (in Acts 7), Stephen “looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” (7:55)
• We have the trial sandwiched between the manifestations of the glory of God. The Lord was visibly present with Stephen. He was affirming His servant.
At the trial, Stephen made a passionate plea to the Council members to look at their history, see the promises of God, and acknowledge the Messiah, the Righteous One.
• Sadly they would not listen and finally dragged him out and stoned him to death.
What we want to see is the move of God. We’re seeing the beginning of a shift in the book of Acts.
Up to this point, we have been reading about the apostles and the predominantly Aramaic-speaking church.
• The neglect of the widows in Acts 6 resulted in the election of SEVEN men, all Grecian Jews, with Stephen and Philip heading the list.
• We see Stephen’s ministry in Acts 7, followed by Philip’s in Samaria (Acts 8).
• God has raised up Greek-speaking evangelists.
The stage is set for the push of the Gospel beyond Jerusalem, into Samaria and the Greek-speaking regions beyond.
• Stephen’s martyrdom triggers a widespread persecution of the church and the reason for the spread of the Gospel, by the sovereign will of God.
• Acts 8:1b “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.”
• Acts 8:4-5 “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there.”
Finally in Acts 9 we have the conversion of Saul of Tarsus (Cilicia); the student of Gamaliel and the one who heard Stephen and presided over his stoning.
• Through him the Gospel will be brought to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), to the Gentiles.
God prepares His men and God plans for the move of the Gospel beyond Jerusalem.
• That’s the macro view of God’s redemptive work for the world.
• Nothing can thwart His plan; not the persecutions, not the death of His saint. God used it to fulfil His will.
For Stephen, he would not be able to see all this.
• His finite view would limit him to the trial at hand. He died not knowing how God would use his testimony.
• But we know. His ministry and death was significant. The Gospel spreads beyond Jerusalem and he made an impact in Saul’s life, the one who presided over his stoning.
MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT
Stephen lived a short life and died young, but that does not matter. A life well-lived is not about its length but its purpose.
• Stephen served his purpose in life. Or rather, he served God’s purpose for his life.
• God accomplished something great through him, even at his death.
We won’t be able to have a macro view of God’s plan. Like Stephen, what we can see will be the trial before us.
• We do what is necessary for Christ. We share the Gospel. We stand by the truth.
• We walk closely with God and live the truth. We know He is with us and He is watching over us.
Stephen’s encounter tells us God is present and He is still presiding. He still reigns.
• He will walk with us, if we walk with Him.
Let us be bold witnesses for Christ. There are no ordinary followers of Christ.
• We are all servants of the King. No life is insignificant if we offer it to Him.
• Following Christ, and fighting the unseen enemy Satan will cost us something but at the end of the day, we will find that it is all worth it.
• We gain that which is eternal and can never be taken away from us.
• We belong to the Kingdom of God.
Let me conclude with the reading of Peter’s words, his encouragement to the believers in Asia Minor, many years later when he wrote 1 Peter.
1 Peter 4:12-16
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
Let us bear the Name of Christ honourably and faithfully.
• Let us be an influence for Christ. May our life count for Him.
• Consider what we must do to make that happen.
PRAY:
Dear Lord, may our lives be full of the Spirit and wisdom, and may our works for you be full of grace and power. May we be a positive influence in the lives of those around us. May our lives be a testimony of your love and grace to those who are watching us.
Help us shine like Christ and for Christ. As Paul said, may “we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, be transformed into His [your] likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from you Lord, who is the Spirit.” (cf. 2 Cor 3:18)
Take our life and let it be consecrated, Lord to you.
May the grace of Jesus, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all, now and forevermore, AMEN.
