WAITING ON TABLES...ACTS 6

August 14, 2014 at 12:27am

The story of the early Church tells it all. The Hellenist Widows and the Hebrew Widows were soon eyeing each other over meals. Quite common in our day too right as in who had the big Tilapia or who had 2 Sodas when we are all to have 1 each etc.etc.

What did the leaders of the Church do? Chose men whom they could trust to wait on tables hence:

 " “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.” ACTS 6:2-4.

 The rightly chose to give their attention to prayer and ministry of the Word ie. preaching and teaching, which is the core ministry of the Church. Remember our Lord's own admonition that the reason He came was to teach unto salvation. This TRUTH must not be lost to the Church.

 Mark 1:38 is the authority for this assertion.

While not demeaning social responsibilty the disciples stressed on the core ministry and gave others that responsilbility. It is noteworthy and indeed revealing that in choosing the Dining Hall managers, the church 

"... chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.  They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them."  Two things: The Head manager, Stephen was 'full of faith and of the Holy Spirit'; the Apostles 'PRAYED AND LAID THEIR HANDS ON THEM'.

Amazing and worth aping this is. Not the man with the best or latest car or who works with the Bank of America or the Lady with this or that... men full of faith and of the Holy Spirit upon whom hands had been laid. Dining hall prefects! 

This is an indication that every role in the Church small or big, conspicious or not must be birthed and maintained in faith and in the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no question of some Teachers, Prayer Warriors  while some others just do the work. In our parlance the Kweku Ananse who prays and the Kwwku Ananse who shares Soda after service. Every one is involved in every spiritual activity.

It is indeed heartwarming that of all the Apostles and leaders of the early Church, the Head Dining Hall prefect, Stephen became the FIRST MARTYR. Testimony about him always give me goose bumps :

"Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen.  But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. [Vrs. 8-10]

No wonder he was martyred and received a standing ovation from the Lord as he died pleading like his Master for forgiveness for his killers. Our Lord Bible says sits at God's right hand pleading for us but hear Stephen's last words:

“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Let's choose men and women who serve, for that is the meaning of ministry, in every role in the Church and MAY THEY BE LIKE STEPHEN.