April 26th, 2026 - The Holy Spirit and Ministry

Scripture Passage:  Acts 6:1-7

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Third Sunday of Apent
Hanging out with the
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit and Ministry

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People and Problems:
1. Growth
   In those days when the number of disciples was increasing,

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People and Problems:
2. Diversity
   ... the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews...

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People and Problems:
3. Inequality
   ...because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

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Priorities and practicalities
2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.

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Qualification for food ministry
 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.

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Understanding Empowerment
We will turn this responsibility over to them.

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Renaming the main thing
4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.

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Agreement, consensus, unanimity
 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. 

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Was this a full slate?
They 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.

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Recognition of power source
6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

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Signs of Health
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

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Celebrating the Holy Spirit at work, empowering people to serve.