Day 9 - Concord Students Journey
Read Acts Chapter 6
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Stephen Seized
8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and 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—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.
11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words 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. 13 They 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.
Acts chapter 6 tells the story of the early Christian community and how they addressed a problem that arose within their group. The apostles were so busy preaching and spreading the word of God that they were unable to handle the daily distribution of food to the widows in the community. So they appointed seven men of good standing to take on this task, allowing the apostles to focus on their own ministry.
One lesson we can learn from this chapter is the importance of delegation. The apostles recognized that they couldn't do everything themselves, and they trusted others to help them with an important task. Likewise, as we grow and take on more responsibilities in our own lives, it's important to learn how to delegate and seek help from others when needed.
Another lesson is the importance of serving others. The seven men chosen to help with the food distribution were described as "full of the Spirit and wisdom" (Acts 6:3). They were chosen not just for their ability to handle the practical aspects of the task, but also for their character and their commitment to serving others. In our own lives, we should strive to serve others with the same spirit of wisdom and dedication.
Reflection Questions:
- How do you feel when you are asked to help someone with a task? Do you see it as an opportunity to serve, or as an inconvenience?
- Are there times when you feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities? How can you learn to delegate tasks to others and seek help when needed?
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