Chosen to Serve — TDW Kids

Full of the Spirit and Wisdom

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When the church had a food problem, the apostles did not ask for the strongest or the richest men. They asked for men who were full of God.

A real need. Some widows were being missed when the food was handed out each day (Acts 6:1). God cares about hungry people, and so did His church.

The job. The apostles asked the church to choose seven men “whom we may appoint over this business” (Acts 6:3). The business was making sure every widow was fed.

Good reputation. The men had to be “of good reputation” (6:3). People who knew them could see that they lived honestly.

A good name. “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches” (Proverbs 22:1). Being known as someone who does what is right is worth more than money.

Full of the Holy Spirit. They also had to be “full of the Holy Spirit” (6:3). Giving out food is work done for people, and caring for people well takes God’s help.

Full of wisdom. Wisdom is knowing how to do what is right in real life. Being fair to two groups who disagree takes a lot of wisdom.

Full of faith. Stephen was “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5). Faith means trusting God. Stephen trusted God with a small job and with big ones.

An old example. Long before, when Joseph was put in charge of Egypt’s food, Pharaoh asked, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” (Genesis 41:38).

Chosen together. “And the saying pleased the whole multitude” (6:5). The whole church helped to choose the seven.

Prayer first. “When they had prayed, they laid hands on them” (Acts 6:6). The seven began their work by asking for God’s help.

Our need. Nobody is full of God on their own. Our hearts are selfish, and we would rather be served than serve. Jesus died for our sins and rose again, and He gives His Holy Spirit to everyone who trusts Him.

What we learn. God does not only look at what we can do. He looks for people who are full of Him.

What to do. Before you help at home or at church this week, pray. Ask God to fill you with His Spirit and His wisdom for that job.

The seven were chosen for a practical job, but the church looked first at what kind of men they were. Character came before skill.

The business (6:3). The apostles asked for men “whom we may appoint over this business.” The business was the daily food for widows, a real job with real people depending on it.

Pleres. The Greek word pleres (say: PLAY-race) means full, filled up so that nothing is lacking. The seven had to be “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (6:3). The same word describes Stephen as “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (6:5) and “full of faith and power” (6:8).

Good reputation. “Men of good reputation” were men whose lives others could speak for. Their honesty was known before anyone trusted them with the food.

Proverbs 22:1. “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.” Such a name is built slowly, by honest choices no one may notice.

Spiritual work. Serving tables needed the Holy Spirit because it was work with people: listening, being fair, refusing to play favorites and staying kind when others complain.

Wisdom. In the Bible, wisdom is skill in living God’s way in real situations. A complaint between two groups needed men who could judge fairly and calm hurt feelings.

Not a new pattern. When Joseph was set over Egypt’s food, Pharaoh asked, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” (Genesis 41:38).

Chosen by the church (6:5). “The saying pleased the whole multitude,” and the believers chose the seven themselves. The apostles set the standard, and the church found the men.

Sent with prayer (6:6). The apostles prayed and laid hands on them. Laying on hands marked a person being sent to a task with God’s blessing, as when the Lord told Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him” (Numbers 27:18).

Our emptiness. No one is full of God by nature; we are full of ourselves. Jesus, who never sinned, gave His life for sinners and rose again. Everyone who trusts Him receives the Holy Spirit as a free gift, not as a reward for being good.

Application. Faithfulness in an ordinary job is spiritual work. Ask God to fill you, and then do the next everyday task with His wisdom and His love.

Serving with the Strength God Supplies

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The apostles spoke God’s Word, and the seven served tables. Years later, Peter wrote one verse that fits both jobs.

Two kinds of serving. The apostles would not leave the word of God to “serve tables” (Acts 6:2). They would give themselves to “the ministry of the word” (6:4). In the Greek language, serve and ministry come from the same family of words. Both were service for God.

Peter’s verse. “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies” (1 Peter 4:11).

Speaking. The oracles of God means the very words of God. The apostles were careful to teach God’s Word, not their own ideas. When we tell others about Jesus, we use His words too.

Serving. Ministers here means serves. The seven served food to widows. When we serve, we do it with the strength God gives, not only our own.

Supplies. Supplies means gives what is needed. God never asks us to serve without giving us what we need to do it.

For God’s glory. We serve “that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11). The goal is for people to see how good God is, not how good we are.

Through Jesus. On our own we want praise for ourselves. That is sin. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again, so that we could belong to God and serve Him with a new heart.

Jesus served first. Jesus said, “Yet I am among you as the One who serves” (Luke 22:27). Our serving follows His.

Free to serve. Believers are free in Christ, and Paul wrote, “through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13).

What happened in Acts. When everyone served in the place God gave them, “the word of God spread” (Acts 6:7).

More to do. God gave Stephen, one of the food servers, power to do great wonders too (6:8). God sees faithful service.

What we learn. In God’s family, nobody is too important to serve, and no job done for Jesus is too small.

What to do. This week, choose one quiet job at home or at church. Ask God for strength, and do it for Jesus.

In Acts 6 there are two kinds of work, tables and teaching, and both are service to God. One verse from Peter speaks to both.

One family of words. The apostles would not leave the word of God to “serve tables” (6:2) but would give themselves to “the ministry of the word” (6:4). In Greek, serve and ministry are from the same family of words. The food servers and the preachers were both servants.

1 Peter 4:11a. “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.” The oracles of God are His own words. This matches the apostles’ work: prayer and “the ministry of the word.”

1 Peter 4:11b. “If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies.” This matches the seven: practical service done in God’s strength.

The ability God supplies. The strength for service comes from God. That keeps a servant humble when the work goes well and hopeful when it is hard.

The goal. “That in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Service is meant to point to Him.

Why we need this. By nature we serve to be noticed. Jesus died for that sin and rose again. We do not serve to earn His love; we serve because we have received it.

The Servant. Jesus said, “Yet I am among you as the One who serves” (Luke 22:27). Every Christian’s service follows His.

Galatians 5:13. Believers are free in Christ, and Paul tells them, “through love serve one another.” Freedom in Jesus is freedom to serve, not freedom from serving.

Acts 6:7. When the apostles kept to prayer and the word and the seven served the widows, “the word of God spread.” Each person serving in his own place helped the whole church.

Stephen (6:8). The man appointed to serve tables was also “full of faith and power.” Faithful service in an ordinary job did not keep him from greater work. God gave him more.

Application. Before you speak about God, ask whether you are speaking His words. Before you serve, ask Him for strength. Then do both for His glory.

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