11 So they secretly persuaded some men to allege, “We heard him speak blasphemously against Moshe and against God.” 12 They stirred up the people, as well as the elders and the Torah-teachers; so they came and arrested him and led him before the Sanhedrin. 13 There they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the Torah; 14 for we have heard him say that Yeshua from Natzeret will destroy this place and will change the customs Moshe handed down to us.”
15 Everyone sitting in the Sanhedrin stared at Stephen and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.
3rd Week of EasterHis face was like the face of an angel. (Acts 6:15)
Imagine the Twelve trying to devote themselves to prayer and ministry as the Church continued to grow and its internal needs increased. And then a problem arose between the more traditional Jews (the Hebrews) and those Jews who had adopted the language and some of the customs of the Greeks (the Hellenists). The potential for division was great, and the apostles needed to address it. But they were getting stretched too thin. So they commissioned several Hellenists to make sure the Greek-speaking members of the Church were being treated fairly.One of those chosen was a man named Stephen. He was full of the Spirit, but he was not one of the very first Christians, and he may have been considered as somewhat tainted because of his Hellenistic background.
But before long, Stephen was doing “great wonders and signs among the people” and boldly proclaiming the gospel in synagogues (Acts 6:8). That wasn’t supposed to happen! You can almost see the apostles discussing Stephen with each other:
“I thought he was assigned to table duty. What was he doing on the streets?” “But Jesus did say that anyone who believes in him would do far greater works than he did. Isn’t that what our brother Stephen is doing?” “True, he doesn’t neglect his duties; he just goes beyond them.” “In the end, God knows his plans. Maybe he’s revealing a new path for Stephen.”
Stephen didn’t box himself into a narrow job description. He may not have been a major leader of the Church, but as a believer filled with the Holy Spirit, his job included following the Spirit’s leadings and proclaiming the gospel. And so he did just that!
Never underestimate your potential! You may not be a trained theologian or Church leader or mystic. But the Holy Spirit lives in you and can work powerfully in you! Whether you’re a doctor, businessman, teacher, stay-at-home mom, or waiter, the sky’s the limit when God has the freedom to do his work through you.
“Jesus, do your work through me. Send me into the harvest. I don’t want to wait for someone else to proclaim your word.” Amen!
Psalm 119:23 Even when princes sit and plot against me,
your servant meditates on your laws.
24 Also your instructions are my delight;
they are my counselors.
26 I told you of my ways, and you answered me;
teach me your laws.
27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wonders.
29 Keep deceitful ways far from me,
and favor me with your Torah.
30 I choose the way of trust;
I set your rulings [before me].
John 6:22 The next day, the crowd which had stayed on the other side of the lake noticed that there had been only one boat there, and that Yeshua had not entered the boat with his talmidim, but that the talmidim had been alone when they sailed off. 23 Then other boats, from Tiberias, came ashore near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had made the b’rakhah. 24 Accordingly, when the crowd saw that neither Yeshua nor his talmidim were there, they themselves boarded the boats and made for K’far-Nachum in search of Yeshua.
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Yeshua answered, “Yes, indeed! I tell you, you’re not looking for me because you saw miraculous signs, but because you ate the bread and had all you wanted! 27 Don’t work for the food which passes away but for the food that stays on into eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For this is the one on whom God the Father has put his seal.”
28 So they said to him, “What should we do in order to perform the works of God?” 29 Yeshua answered, “Here’s what the work of God is: to trust in the one he sent!”
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