Stephen – Full of God
As we continue looking at ordinary people in Acts who lived extraordinary lives, this week we turn our attention to Stephen.
When the apostles began to get very busy in the early days of the church, we read this: "The Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.' This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 6:2-5)
And then a few verses later, Luke records: "Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people." (Acts 6:8)
This was a good man. A godly man! A man full of faith and full of God's grace and power!
What Are You Full Of?
What are you full of? Maybe if I asked somebody who knows you well, they'd tell me that you're full of… something else.
But when the disciples were looking for the right person to bring into their ministry, they chose Stephen because of his character. Because he was full of faith and the Holy Spirit. And this gave him a Christlike character.
Somebody once said this: "Character not carats, personality not prominence, piety not pence, constitutes the great human dynamic in all mundane achievement."
It's your character that matters. And God knows your character better than anybody else. God knows what you're full of.
The good news of Jesus is that those who are full of sin can find redemption and become full of faith and grace and power. Your heart can be changed from a heart that is selfish and sinful to a heart that is holy and loving.
Becoming Known for Godly Character
Stephen had found that change. He was full of the Spirit and it showed - he was known as a man of godly character.
If the disciples were looking for somebody to rely on today, would your name make the list? Would you be one that Peter and John and James - those who had walked with Jesus - would say, that is a person of godly character?
Or would they say, that person is selfish, easily offended, disinterested in the things that matter… Let's go with somebody else!
Be a Stephen! Be so full of the Spirit and faith, that when people of God are looking for someone of character, you come straight to mind.
Stephen was chosen by the apostles because he was known as a man full of faith, grace, and the Holy Spirit - a challenge to examine what others see when they look at you.