In our last visit we began correlating into an outline the information we gathered from Acts 6 and 7 on the life of Stephen.
To complete the outline I put the following details under the second main point, He matured through responsible service:
a. he exercised faith in his management of the distribution of food. No doubt, if there was a shortage of money or food, he would pray for God to provide. God’s provision might be what Luke refers to as his doing great wonders and miraculous signs.
b. he demonstrated wisdom when answering the challenges of the religious leaders.
c. he was gracious in the way he served. d. he used the Word of God effectively in his witness.
Then, I amplified the third main point, He modeled Christ-likeness while under attack, as follows:
a. he had an angelic appearance.
b. he was Christ focused.
c. he was Christ-like in his dying prayer.
Now that we have correlated the information into an outline let’s crystallize some applications we can make to our own lives. We should always look for ways to delegate work to qualified volunteers. This is the way God grows new leaders. Even though the task you are delegating to them to do is mundane or minimal, it often is a necessary step in their realizing and exercising their full potential. And if you are the one to whom work is delegated, no matter how menial it might seem, do it faithfully. It might very well be the catalyst that launches you into something far bigger. God loves to surprise us and others in this way.
