1) What is more important – meeting needs or spreading the Word of God? Which do you focus on more?
2) We get great insight into Stephen from Acts 6. How is his life further evidence of God dwelling in the lives of His followers through the Holy Spirit?
3) What did the opposition see when they looked at Stephen (6:15)? What did this mean?
The challenges of ministry threatened the fundamental work of the church: spreading the Word of God. However, the needs of the people could not just be ignored. It was a both/and situation. And when both were happening, the number of disciples increased rapidly (6:7).
We read that Stephen was full of faith; full of God’s grace and power; and full of wisdom (see 6:5, 8, 10). He is further described of being full of the Holy Spirit. Once again, we see that God was changing the hearts of His people through living in and through them. He wants to do the same today.
When the opposition looked at Stephen they saw the face of an angel. Was there a halo over his head? Did he appear brightly as the angels did after the resurrection? While we are not sure, we know they saw Stephen as one who was a messenger from God.
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