Thursday within the Octave of the Feast of the Holy Trinity

Scripture: Acts 6:1-15 (NKJV)

6:1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. 13 They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” 15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

Devotion

Up until Acts chapter 6 the focus has been on the work of the Apostles. But with the work of the Church now burgeoning, others are charged to help with the task of caring for the needs of the people. One of them, Stephen, stood out: “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.” Such work did not go unnoticed by enemies of the Church, as many sought to undermine him by bearing false testimony, just as it was with Jesus.

The attacks were twofold, designed to stir up the two main camps of the Sanhedrin: “They also set up false witnesses who said, ‘This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.’” The Sadducees would be upset about any threat against the temple, of which they were in charge. The Pharisees would be equally livid from any words spoken against the Law or Moses, since their obsession was rule-making and rule-keeping. But in all their accusations, they could not refute Stephen’s God-given wisdom, and even had to confess that his face was like that “of an angel.”

Prayer: Fight the good fight with all thy might; Christ is thy Strength and Christ thy Right. Lay hold on life, and it shall be thy joy and crown eternally. (TLH 447:1)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.