Chapter 6

Starts with a separation of duties - to the apostles praying and teaching - and to the seven chosen to do so, ministering to the widows and needy in a fair and equitable way.  They are not here called deacons or elders either one.  Just men chosen to oversee the "daily distribution".  But they did have to be qualified.  They had to be of good repute, full of the Spirit, and full of wisdom.  So even this early, some were more "blessed" let's say, than others.  Stronger Christians than others. 

One of the seven is Stephen.  He was "doing great wonders and signs".  Were any other non-apostles?  What should we make of this?  Had the laying on of hands as Stephen was commissioned given him some power to do miracles?  If so, surely all seven got that power.  It makes sense, if they were ministering, that they would be able to heal and help those to whom they ministered.  That makes sense.

Certain religious elite - not the Pharisees this time but foreign Jews it seems - start to dispute with Stephen, but cannot win their arguments.  So they conspire to condemn him with false testimony.  People lie about what Stephen has been saying.  The same sort of kangaroo court that they used to try Jesus.  The difference is that the false testimony is accepted here.  Apparently the witnesses had their lies in common or the bar of justice was not set very high.  People watching said Stephen looked like an angel during the proceedings.

2021 - This is how it always happens with the powerful.  They cannot win the debate, because you cannot defeat the truth.  It was this way with Jesus, who's answers eventually shut up the Pharisees because he so often made them look foolish by comparison.  Stephen seems to do that same thing here.  And like the Pharisees, rather than embrace what they cannot successfully dispute, they turn to another way.  So they recruit liars to tell lies to the recruiters, who pretend to believe the lies, and so knowingly condemn an innocent man.  If we are going to take a stand for God, and do it powerfully, and correctly, and with his help, we too should be prepared for false accusations, for conspiracies against us, and we should understand that we may well lose everything if it goes to court.  How many Old Testament prophets and New Testament Christians died doing God's will as He revealed it to them?  They were in the center of His will, and they died.  Make no mistake, "take up thy cross" is not just a catchy phrase.  It means literally what it says.

Possible FB post.