Acts 6:1-7
6: Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
Reflection
The “priests” mentioned in Acts 6:7 are significant. This was the very group that up to this point was the most fervently opposed to the gospel. This reminds us of the far-reaching possibilities of the gospel: it is to be preached to everyone, even those who hate Christians and desire their deaths. Priests and Pharisees were a major group of opponents during the life and ministry of Jesus. They instigated his death, and Jesus reserved his firmest words for religious leaders. Their faith in Christ here in Acts is an indication of the power of the gospel and the grace of God even to those who had opposed Jesus.
1 John 1:5-10
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Reflection
In these verses John teaches us about the transformation of life that occurs in the genuine gospel-believer. John speaks of this transformation as one from “darkness” into “light.” To “walk in darkness” means to pursue a pattern of life apart from God, who is light (1 John 1:5–6). “Walking in the light” means both fellowship with God (v. 6) and fellowship with other believers (v. 7). It does not mean that we will never sin. After all, in this very passage John reminds us that when we do sin, “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (v. 7). When we base our confessions of sin on this fact, God is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins” and also to “cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (v. 9).
Psalm 18:28
28 For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
Ask God to give you and your church a devotion to the light and to protect you from living in the darkness. Confess any sin that you are currently harboring in your life, and embrace the forgiveness promised to you in the gospel.