NIV Spiritual Renewal Study Bible PlanSample

Full of the Spirit and Wisdom

When we consider acts of service, there are two kinds of people in the world: guests and hosts. The guests are those who expect to be taken care of; the hosts are those who do the caring. The discipline of service builds on the premise that we, as Christ’s followers, are God’s hosts in this world.

Division threatened the early church community because not everyone was being cared for adequately. The apostles’ response was to call forth a group of hosts who could serve the practical needs of the community. These hosts, later called “deacons” (see 1 Timothy 3:8 – 10), did not simply perform menial chores. They were also “full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). Whether administering a food program or proclaiming God’s truth, these hosts showed God’s love in practical ways. Two of them, Stephen and Philip, presented powerful testimonies to the living Lord Jesus Christ (see Acts 7 – 8.)

No matter what our task, we should seek to be “full of the Spirit and wisdom” as we go about our work. Then others will hear and see the love of Christ in practical ways.