UNOH

Grace

To mutually affirm and challenge each other in seeing our vision become a reality.

Devotion 1

We begin by thinking of our grace for the week, with a focus to affirm and challenge each other, and to release one other as a body of believers- to love, to serve and to see God’s Kingdom as we are individually gifted.

Read: Acts 6:1-7

Reflection: As we read through this passage, we see it begins with discontent. It begins with the community of believers failing to care for the widows amongst them well. They grow in numbers, in culture and language they expand—however, even amongst their own congregation there are those who are without their basic needs being met- as widows go without food to eat. There is discontent as believers pointing out their differences. And what do the Twelve do? They call the believers to be in one place and face-to-face. At this point they acknowledge the beauty of difference. The twelve want to be freed up for teaching and what they have a vision for, but they recognise that other giftings such as ‘running a food program’, meeting people in their physical needs, are needed.

Ask:

• How do we respond to the variety of personalities and giftings amongst the church body we are a part of?
• Are there any places in us that contain pride?
• Where can we affirm others around us in their vision and differences?

We see in verse 7 that as the widows were taken care of, and as believers were freed to serve, the message of Christ spreads.

Pray: Take some time to pray together, and to pray for those you ‘congregate’ with, and those who serve God and neighbour in very different ways.

Share: Communion

Devotion 2

Wait: Sit in silence and still yourselves before God

Read: Acts 6:1-7

Miroslav Volf writes, “As in our own day culture clashes with culture and justice struggles against justice, we should seek inspiration both in Acts 2 and Acts 6. We need the grand vision of life filled with the Spirit of God. We need reminders that the impossible is possible: we can and we will communicate with one another while we each speak our own languages; submerged voices will prophesy boldly and closed eyes will be opened to see vision; the needs of all will be met because none of us will call our things only our own. But along with the grand visions we need stories of small successful steps of learning to live together even when we do not quite understand each other’s voices, and even when we still cling too much to our own possessions and rob the possessions of others. The grand vision and the small steps will together keep us on a journey toward genuine justice between cultures. As we make space in ourselves for the perspective of the other on this journey, in a sense we have already arrived at the place where the Spirit was poured out on all flesh. And as we desire to embrace the other while we remain true to ourselves and to the crucified Messiah, in a sense we already are where we will be when the home of God is established among mortals.”

Ask:

• What sort of characteristics does Stephen display to be noted as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit?
• What does being filled with the spirit look like in our lives? And what impact could this have on our neighbourhoods?

Pray: That we see the fruit of the spirit filling our lives overflowing into our neighbourhoods to see the reign of God evident in the day to day.

Share: Communion

 

Devotion 3

Wait: Begin with a song, give thanks and praise to God.

Read: Acts 6:8-15

Reflection: In these verse we see that Stephen is a man of Godly character, who is full of wisdom, faith and the Holy Spirit. His Godly character was the foundation for his incredible and courageous witness. He has been chosen by the Apostles and is living out his call which will ultimately lead to his martyrdom later on.  Here the journey to martyrdom begins as we people resorting to lies and corruption to try to discredit this man of wisdom and spiritual authority. Being anointed and commissioned doesn’t protect us from harm in fact it puts us right in the firing line.

Ask:

• How have you experienced opposition from others when sharing the gospel and serving God?
• As Christ followers how can we affirm and challenge each other in this area as we work towards seeing the Kingdom of God come on Earth as it is in Heaven?

Pray: Spend time praying into the things that have arisen from the above conversations

Share: Communion