Anthem Hayden

This week we continued to look at the account of Stephen who began ministry as one of the seven men who were appointed to oversee the distribution of food to widows. This week’s text shows us that the Lord had greater plans for Stephen, such as doing great signs and wonders for the people and proclaiming the Gospel powerfully and with wisdom. What began as a simple and practical ministry expanded into all sorts of God-glorifying service. The passage is quick to point out that this was not due to Stephen’s power but through the Spirit. When we step up and serve the Lord we never know where He is going to take us. However, we can be sure that it will be for our good and for His glory!

This week’s passage centers on growing pains that the early church experienced. The issue was that favoritism seemed to be shown toward Hebrew widows while the Greek speaking Hellenist widows were treated as second-class citizens.
Rather than growing into an ungodly schism, this situation turned out to be a healthy turning point for the church. The apostles, clear in their God-given mandate to spread the gospel, were swamped and could not oversee this important ministry. So, qualified believers were chosen to spread the mantle of leadership, to multiply the ministry of the early church, and to allow gifted believers to participate in ministry. What could have ended in evil, God used for good.

This week we resumed our study through the book of Acts. Acts 5 covers the growing threats to the church, coming from both inside (Ananias and Sapphira) and outside of the church (the religious leaders). In this week’s passage, Peter and the other apostles are arrested, questioned, and flogged for preaching the name of Jesus. Sadly, this persecution does not come from the unbelieving Romans but from the high priest and the religious rulers of Israel. This passage clearly shows the glaring differences between the burning passion of Jesus’ disciples and the self-serving hypocrisy of the religious rulers who honor God with their mouths, but whose hearts are far from Him.

This week’s passage begins by painting a beautiful picture of the early church’s unity and generosity. Despite the growing opposition and persecution, the
early church continued to flourish and grow. Their priorities seem clear: God came first, people and their needs came second, and finally earthly possessions came in at a distant third. Sadly, this was not true for all the believers. Acts 5:1-11 relates the tragic tale of Ananias and Sapphira, who conspired to appear selfless, generous, and God-honoring when in fact they were not.

In response to the growing opposition to Jesus and His gospel, Peter, John, and the other believers lifted their voices to God in prayer. Instead of asking
for safety and protection against persecution, they asked the Lord for boldness so that they could continue to share the gospel, regardless of the cost. Instead of asking the Lord to pour out His judgment upon their antagonists, they asked Him to pour out signs, miracles of healing, and wonders in the name of Jesus. In response to this the Lord shook the place and once again filled them all with the Holy Spirit.

This week we looked at the results of the miracle that was performed on the lame man. The response to the miracle was not unanimous. We explored the impact that witnessing a miracle has on people. We also see that this was the first  time Christs’ followers came up against the ruling religious men. The response to the message that Peter preaches gives us an insight into the hearts of the religious leaders and foreshadows what the early believers were about to face. We also looked at whether our response to Jesus is about what He does, like the miracle, or who is in our everyday lives. We are left with the question: do I believe with my whole being that He is the way the truth and the life? More importantly, does my life show it?