The Power Of A Servant's Heart (2)

Intro: During the inauguration of the church

Acts 6:1–5 “Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.”

STAND AND PRAY!!

There were 2 types of Jewish cultures in the early church: Hebrew and Hellenist. Stephen and 6 other men were given a task that on the surface looks like an inglorious rather menial task, to serve the tables of the Helenist widows: yet the disciples gave this task to 7 of the most elite men in the church, men who were:

Men of good reputation, filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom

Acts 6:3 “Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.”

Just imagine, the person or persons had to be filled with the Holy Spirit no matter how menial the tasks seemed

Enter:

Stephen

1 of their choices was a man named Stephen

Stephen an ordinary man became extraordinary under the anointing of the Holy Spirit

Acts 6:8 “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.”

Stephen a man with such anointing, it would have been easy for him to think that maybe his anointing could be spent doing bigger, more important things, but he completely understood this principle:

Matthew 25:21 “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.

Stephen began as a servant for the widows tables but soon would end in a blaze of glory, that even Jesus would stand in honor of this incredible man of faith

Satan loves to try and get disputes going from inside the church if he can and that's exactly what he was doing here in this first church

the devil got the churchy folk who no doubt jealous of Stephen and the power he had through the Holy Spirit, and as often happens the malcontents starting trying to argue and belittle this man of God

Acts 6:9–10 “Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.”

instead of seeking the Holy Spirit for their own lives they let devil and wrath take them over

So they started spreading lies..

Acts 6:13–14 “and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”

it reminds you of the blind man in John 9 who when he was healed by hand of Jesus, but the pharisees threw him out of the temple, because they didn't want anyone in the church who had their spiritual opened. They just wanted to church their way, and if you didn't conform , out you go.

They were so full of hate and rage toward this man of God that they soon hatched a plan to murder him

The book of acts tells us, that they started stirring up the prominent church folks..

Acts 6:12 “And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council,”

How many church splits have happened because a few started stirring it up..

But the Holy Spirit of God was so on Stephen, it says his shone

Acts 6:15 “And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.”

This man who was faithful to the lowly task of serving the widows tables, was about to have his place in history and his story told and retold millions of times over the 2 thousand year history of the church, and we’ll be talking about it up in Heaven too!

As Stephen began with Abraham and Moses, he spoke truth after truth they gazed in astonishment at him, and perhaps at times they were even warming up to his exhortation, then boom! time for a truth bomb

Acts 7:51–53 ““You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.””

Then what happened?

Acts 7:54 “Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.”

The KJV says: “they were cut to the heart.”

only 2 times in the scriptures where people were “cut to the heart.” the other one was on the day of Pentecost when Peter gave his inspired sermon:

Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Here Stephen is full of the Holy Spirit and all the mob wanted was to kill him on the spot.

Acts 7:57 “But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.”

But something absolutely amazing happened next, and it would be easy to miss

Acts 7:55–56 “But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Friends, do you remember when Jesus ascended to Heaven, the scriptures said:

Mark 16:19 “So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.”

Psalm 110:1 “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.””

The Apostle Paul, who interestingly enough was present at Stephens stoning and was part of the mob!

Of course that was before he had his meeting w Jesus on the road to Damascus

** Isn't it ironic that God chose Saul to take the place of Stephen, to preach and suffer for His name

Paul said this:

Ephesians 1:20–21 “that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”

Hebrews 8:1 “Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,”

Look at this again:

Acts 7:56 “And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

JESUS IS STANDING!!

Were told that Jesus was seated at the right hand of the father. Being seated is a posture of completion, the work is finished I don't believe Jesus stood up for Stephen because He now had more work to do, no I believe:

Jesus stood in honor of the first martyr

in honor of man who was on fire with Holy Spirit

in honor of the man who was called to serve on tables.

And was faithful unto death.

But wait there's more, it says Stephen with his last breath said:

Acts 7:60 “And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

What divine ending to an incredible man who was called to serve at widows table.

3 things I want you take home today:

Be Faithful In The Small Things

be faithful stewards of our time, talents, and resources, recognizing that even the smallest acts done with integrity and excellence can have a significant impact.

We are too fond of our own will. We want to be doing what we fancy mighty things, but the great point is to do small things, when called to them, in a right spirit.

Richard Cecil

Matthew 25:21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”

Colossians 3:23–24 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

2. Be Humble Always

Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

Luke 14:11 “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.””

3. Be Willing To Serve Others

Remember our savior’s heart on display when He washed the feet of His disciples..

Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

Philippians 2:5–8 “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

“Everybody can be great…Because anybody can serve…You don’t have to have a college degree to be able to serve..You only need to have a heart full of grace..A soul generated by love.” (Martin Luther King)

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IN CLOSING:

PRAY!!