Stephen is Chosen

00:00:00 Speaker 1: For you, brothers, were called for freedom only. Don't use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love, be servants to one another Galatians five thirteen. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the freedom you have given us through Christ. We acknowledge that this freedom is not for selfish gain, but for serving one another in love. We confess that we often fall short of this calling, placing our desires above the needs of others. Change our hearts, Lord, and fill us with a genuine love that seeks to serve, not out of obligation, but out of a deep love for you and for those around us. Grant us the strength and wisdom to use our freedom wisely, reflecting your grace in all we do. Empower us to be vessels of your love, serving our families, friends, and communities with humility and joy. May our lives be a testimony of your love, bringing hope and encouragement to all we encounter. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen. Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to the Jesus Podcast. Remain here for our mini series on the birth of the Church. If this podcast has blessed you, we would love it. If you left a review. Doing so makes a huge impact on our team. The disciples home was bursting at the seams with people escaping the rain. Orphans, widows, and beggars filled every inch of the floor waiting for a warm meal. Peter and his wife were hard at work in the kitchen while the other disciples tended to different needs. Matthew shouted from the main room to Peter. Mary sent for Stephen and a few other faithful men to come help Peter. 00:02:08 Speaker 2: Peter, there's another group here in need of bread. How much longer until the loaves are ready? Miriam and I are working on it, and tell them they're on their way. 00:02:19 Speaker 3: We have a few travelers who are curious to hear the gospel. Peter, do you have time to pull away and speak with them? 00:02:25 Speaker 2: As soon as I am done with this bread, I will meet them. What about John? 00:02:30 Speaker 3: He left for the market to get more barley. 00:02:32 Speaker 2: Can't keep ups and you are you able to meet with them? Love you? 00:02:38 Speaker 4: We just had another group of Hellenist refugees come in for shelter, but there's no room. 00:02:44 Speaker 2: We can't turn them away. Is the room in your estate? It's filled to the brim. I don't want to turn the Hellenists away. 00:02:52 Speaker 3: They already feel like second class citizens with us as it is. Stephen has offered up his home to some of the widows with children. Should we take him up on his offer? 00:03:01 Speaker 4: Yes, of course Stephen is a good manner send for him. 00:03:06 Speaker 1: The Disciples of Jesus were increasing in number. Each of the Apostles' homes was bursting at the seams with new believers, orphans, and widows. Each of them was so overwhelmed with the day to day needs of these people that they barely had time to preach and teach. Each morning, multitudes would gather in the courtyards to hear Peter and the others preach, but they rarely had more than a few moments to spare. As a result, they had to preach well into the night, only adding to the weariness. 00:03:43 Speaker 4: What does it mean to serve? When the Apostles talk about us being servants? Is that derogatory or is it a call to be more like Christ? Welcome to the Jesus Podcast. I'm Zachwipray dot com, your humble host. As we dive into some stories inspired by the Book of Acts that really showcased the power of Jesus working through his followers. Today, we're going to dive into a story inspired by Acts six, verses one through seven, and that involves a bit of drama, a lot of wisdom, and a powerful lesson on how serving tables can save souls. Yes, you heard that right, serving tables. 00:04:20 Speaker 1: Stephen woke up on the stone floor of his brother's home. The morning light inched through the window, greeting him with a gentle kiss on the cheek. Stephen smiled, yawned, and rolled over to stretch his arms upward to Heaven. 00:04:39 Speaker 2: Thank you for another day, Lord. 00:04:41 Speaker 1: Stephen went to his knees, bowed his head, and prayed for a few minutes. The stone was cold on his knees and his fingers shivered slightly. He rose to his feet and felt a slight pain in his back. Sleeping on the floor was not his preferred way to spend night, but he was happy that his home was being put to good use. The widow and her four children were cast out into the streets and had nowhere to stay. So Stephen gave up his house and was, after all the essence of his religion to care for the orphans and widows. Stephen massaged his neck and started a fire in the furnace. He put a kettle on the flame and boiled water to make breakfast. His friends were in the upper room sleeping. They had spent the entire day caring for the sick, widowed an orphaned. The evening, however, was spent sharing meals and talking about their God. Stephen sat at the feet of his friends all night and listened to them tell wonderful stories, stories of miracles, sacrifice, and resurrection. He listened to his friend Peter talk about the Lord calming seas herd, John reminisce about feeding thousands of people with just a few loaves and fishes. Matthew seemed adamant about sharing the Lord's genealogy and connecting it back to the lineage of King David himself. Listening to them was worth the late nights. Stephen finished preparing a modest breakfast and brought the hot kettle up the stairs where the rest of his companions were sleeping. To be surprise, they were already awake and praying. 00:06:31 Speaker 2: To the Lord. Stephen, I'm glad you're awake. We've been praying for you. Come sit and eat with us. We have a lot to share with you. 00:06:41 Speaker 1: Stephen set the hot kettle down and shared a meal with the twelve. Some other companions and people of the way were with them, Philip Procorus nicanor Timone Parminus, and Nicholas. Peter rose to his feet, while the others reclined at the table. 00:06:59 Speaker 2: Brothers, we have been seeking God to provide a way to fulfill the commission given to us. We are called to care for the sick, the poor, and destitute, but we are also called to preach the good news of our Lord. We twelve have been serving tables and cooking meals, but there are not enough of us to provide and preach. Therefore, brothers, we have sought out seven men of noble reputation, filled with the Holy Spirit, wisdom, and passion. We want these seven men to lead the charge in serving our community while we devote ourselves to prayer and preaching God's word. 00:07:38 Speaker 1: Peter gave a beaming smile and bellowed a laugh. His magnetic personality easily filled the room. He stretched out his arms and shouted. 00:07:49 Speaker 2: Philip pro Chorus nicanor Timon harmon Us, Nicholas, Stephen, we appoint you as servants of Christ to the child, Will you join us? 00:08:02 Speaker 1: The room was filled with a tangible presence of excitement. The men's love for God and for one another radiated from them like hot coals. Of course, they all replied enthusiastically. Their newly defined roles were nothing new. The men had already been tending to the needy and feeding the hungry. However, the twelve understood personal recognition and commission were important. The men were appointed as servant, leaders and ambassadors of the new way. The most excited among them was Stephen. Of course, he was honored by the recognition of the apostles, but he would have served the orphans and the widows regardless of title. Stephen did not need clout or authority. He wanted to help people around him and preach the good news. He was a man after God's heart, had a sharper mind than the apostles, but was still teachable. He had more excellent talent than all the others combined, but made himself a servant to them. He was a quick thinker, passionate speaker, and powerful mind, but he used none of those things for his own gain. He was content to preach the gospel, serve the needy and fade back into obscurity. However, a man of Stephen's talent and passion would not go unnoticed for long. 00:09:38 Speaker 4: The early Church was booming. The number of disciples was multiplying, and with growth came some growing paints. As more people joined, cultural differences crept in, and soon there was a bit of trouble. The Hellenists, Greek speaking Jews, had a bone to pick with the Hebrews. They felt that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. Now this wasn't about missing out on a piece of pie at the pot luck. It was serious business. Notice how the devil tried to worm his way in here. He'd already tried persecution from the outside, corruption from the inside, and now he was going for the good old divide and conquer strategy. Let's face it, Satan loves a good church fight. But the apostles weren't about to let him win this round. So what did the apostles do. Did they say, all right, we'll handle the food distribution ourselves. No, that would be unwise. They said, it's not desirable that we should leave the word of God to serve tables. Now, before you think that they were being snooty. Let's get it straight. The apostles weren't above serving tables. They were just focused on their primary calling, the prayer and the ministry of the Word. It wasn't that they wouldn't serve because they had done so up until this point. It was that they shouldn't be spending their time doing that. They had their calling and they wanted to stick to it. But here's where the wisdom shines. They didn't just ignore the problem or sweep it under the rug. They called a meeting and said, brothers, let's choose seven men from a moung you who were known to be full of the spirit in wisdom. They delegated the responsibility not to shirk off their duty, but to spread the work and keep everyone involved. This is a beautiful picture of leadership, knowing when to step up and went to step back. Now, the apostles didn't just pick any seven guys. They had criteria, the men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. And the church wasn't looking for waiters. They were looking for warriors, men who could handle both the bread and the bread of life. And guess what, the whole multitude liked the idea, so they chose seven men, Stephen, who are stories primarily about Philip, Procerus, knackanor timon Permius, and Nicholas noticed that all these men had Greek names. The apostles showed wisdom and sensitivity by choosing Greek men to minister to the Hellenis widows and orphans. These men could directly relate to those who were feeling neglected at the time. They laid hands on them, and they prayed to commission them for service. Unless be clear, this was no second tier ministry. Serving tables in the name of Jesus was just as sacred its preaching from the pulpit. If it wasn't, then the apostles wouldn't have considered it such a great priority. So what happens after that? It says in the Book of Acts that the Word of God spread in the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem. Look at that when the Church deals with its issues wisely in states focused on its mission, the Gospel thrives. Even a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. Think about that for a second. A bunch of priests who had been part of the opposition were now joining the movement as well. So here's a key takeaway. When we're faithful in the small things, God opens doors to big things. Steven started out by serving tables, but we're going to soon find out that he's going to be doing great signs and wonders among the people. Philip began as a food distributor and later became a powerful evangelist. Faithful service is the little things. Faithful service in the little things prepares us for greater opportunities in God's kingdom. So what does this mean for us? First, it means that we need to be humble enough to serve wherever there's a need. Serving tables isn't glamorous, but it's glorious in God's eyes. Jesus washed feet, after all, and who are we to say that a job is beneath us that wasn't beneath Jesus. Second, it means that we should be wise enough to know our calling. Just like the apostles, we need to focus on when God has uniquely gifted us to do, but also be open to empowering others to serve. The church is healthiest when everyone is involved and when everyone uses their gifts. Finally, it means that we need to stay focused on the mission. Satan would love nothing more than to sidetrack us with infighting and distractions. But when we handle our conflicts with grace and wisdom, we keep our eyes on Jesus, and the Word of God spreads and lives are changed. The early Church got it right because they served together, led wisely, and stay focused on their mission, and the result was the gospel spread like wildfire. May we be a church like that, humble in service, wise in leadership, and focused on spreading the good News of Jesus. So whether you're serving tables, preaching sermons, or setting up chairs, remember it all matters. It's all part of God's kingdom work. Let's serve well, lead well, and watch God do amazing things among us.