Acts 06 Round Two: Chosen For The Right Moment

What if the problem holding your community back isn’t a lack of passion, but a lack of structure? We open Acts 6 and trace how the early church moved from friction to flourishing by pairing spiritual focus with practical wisdom. A complaint from Greek-speaking believers about overlooked widows forced a brave response: protect prayer and teaching, and raise trusted leaders to serve people well. The result wasn’t just smoother logistics; the gospel advanced, and even priests believed. Administration, it turns out, can be an act of love.

We also follow Stephen, chosen to serve tables and soon recognized for grace, power, and a voice opponents couldn’t silence. When debate turned to slander, Stephen stood with a face like an angel—radiant, steady, and ready. His story reframes calling: humble service often becomes the doorway to courageous witness. Instead of treating structure and Spirit as rivals, this chapter shows how they work together. Clear lanes allow gifts to thrive. Character-based leadership restores fairness. And when God places you in a hard spot, he supplies what the moment demands.

If you lead, this conversation offers a blueprint for delegation that preserves your core calling without neglecting people. If you serve, it offers dignity and vision for everyday faithfulness that can ripple far beyond your role. And if you feel pressed by conflict, Stephen’s courage will help you see your challenge as a holy assignment. Listen now, share it with a friend who’s building something that’s growing fast, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Your thoughts matter—what part of Acts 6 speaks to your season?

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The More We Dig. The More We Find.

Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT).
Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Welcome to the Bible Breakdown Podcast.
Every day, we take one chapterof the Bible, dig deeper, and
discover that the more we dig,the more we find.
You can find out more at theBibleBreakdown.com.
Now let's grow in God's Wordtogether.
Well hello, everybody.
Welcome back to the BibleBreakdown Podcast with your
host, Pastor Brandon.
Today, Acts chapter 6.

(00:21):
And if I were to give this one atitle, it would be Chosen for
the Right Moment.
Chosen for the Right Moment.
What we're going to see today isas the church is continuing to
grow, I heard someone say onetime, it's the anointing and
purposes of God that bringpeople, but it's administration
that keeps people.
And so it's one of those thingsthat as God blesses a local

(00:42):
congregation as it begins togrow, then it is our job to then
administrate properly so thatthe people of God can be cared
for.
And that's what we're going tosee today.
But as always, if you like whatwe're doing here, make sure that
you are like, sharing, andsubscribing to these videos on
the YouTubes.
Leave us some comments forwhat's going on in your life and
what God is doing in your life.
If you're looking at the podcastor listening to the podcast,

(01:03):
make sure you're leaving us afive-star review.
And I would love to hear fromyou what's going on.
Because I'm going to tell you,the more we dig, the more we
find.
And I will be honest with you, Iam purposely not talking about a
lot of stuff, not because Idon't want to get into it, but
because I don't want every oneof these podcasts and videos to
be 50 minutes long, right?
So I am purposely leaving someEaster eggs for you out there

(01:25):
because there's so many goodthings to study.
This chapter is no different.
So I want to hear from you asyou dive in, as more questions
are coming up in your mind.
I want to know how you'reengaging with God's word.
Because I'm going to tell yousomething.
The more we dig, the more wefind.
And that's what we're going tofind today.
Well, let me catch you up withwhat's going on.
Acts is written by thedoctor-turned investigative

(01:46):
journalist Luke, the guy whogave us, through the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, the gospelof Luke.
And now the same guy he wrote tothe first time, Theopolis, he's
writing to again, and he'ssaying, Man, this is awesome.
And he's chronicling the first30, 35 years of the church.
And the overall theme of thegospel of our Acts is that if

(02:08):
you were voted most likely tosucceed, if you've had
everything going for you allyour life, I've got good news
for you.
God can still use you.
But God most often uses theleast likely to succeed.
God most often uses the onesthat you would have never
expected, the ordinary, thenormals.
And if God can use normal,ordinary fishermen and a used up

(02:33):
Pharisee to change the world,what can he do through you and
me if we go all out?
We allow the Holy Spirit to fillus and move forward with the
kingdom of God.
And that's exactly whathappened.
The Holy Spirit filled all ofthe church in Acts chapter 2.
And the church was born.
And it began to grow as theybegin to use the gifts of the
Spirit.
The Holy Spirit used the giftsthrough them out into the place.

(02:57):
And they began to experiencepersecution, but they continued
to go after the things of God.
And they get kept telling him,We're going to kill you if you
don't.
And they kept doing the thingsof God.
And now what is happening is wefind in Acts 6 that as the
believers are multiplyingrapidly, it's hard to
administrate all those people.
And so the apostles are findingout that they can't do the work

(03:17):
of ministry of learning God'sword and then teaching God's
word and then going and takingcare of all the administrative
stuff.
They just can't do both.
And so what they do is they theygo and they tell the people, we
need to be about learning God'sword, learning the Old
Testament, so then we can findwhere the promises of Jesus and
then teaching it.
We need to do that.

(03:38):
But you are also important.
So what we need to do is we needto raise up ministry leaders.
Nowadays we call them deacons,overseers, elders, ministry
leaders who can help usadministrate all the needs
because the kingdom of God isimportant in every area.
And so we're going to use giftedpeople to do that.
And so that's what we see as thechurch is starting to slowly

(04:00):
develop into what God needs itto be.
So if you have your Bibles openwith me, to Acts chapter 6 at
the New Living Translation,let's read God's word together.
It says this, verse 1.
But as the believers rapidlymultiplied, there were rumblings
of discontent.
The Greek-speaking believerscomplained about the
Hebrew-speaking believers sayingthat their widows were being

(04:23):
discriminated against in thedaily food distribution.
Now, real quick, there was kindof this, not necessarily racism,
but definitely some prejudiceagainst those who were
Hellenized, the Greek speakers,and then the more considered to
be the purest, the Hebrewspeakers.
And the Greek speakers felt likethat the Hebrew ones felt a
little bit more elite.

(04:43):
And so they felt like they weregetting what was left over
instead of what was due to them.
And this was something alreadygoing in the wider culture.
And what they were concernedwith is they thought it had
found its way into the church ofGod as well.
So here we go, verse two.
So the twelve called a meetingwith all the believers, and they
said, We apostles should spendour time teaching the word of

(05:04):
God, not running the foodprogram.
So, brothers, select seven menwho are well respected and full
of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.
We will give them thisresponsibility.
Then the apostles can spend ourtime in prayer and in teaching
the word.
Everyone liked this idea, sothey chose the following:

(05:24):
Stephen, a man full of faith andthe Holy Spirit, Philip,
Proctorus, Nicanor, Tymon,Parmenus, and Nicholas of
Antioch, an earlier convert tothe Jewish faith.
These seven were presented tothe apostles who prayed for them
and laid their hands on them.
So God's message continued tospread, and the number of

(05:47):
believers greatly increased inJerusalem, and the many of the
Jewish priests were convertedtoo.
Then Stephen, a man full ofGod's grace and power, performed
many amazing miracles and signsamong the people.
But one day some men from thesynagogue of the freed slaves,
as it was called, started todebate with him.

(06:08):
They were the Jews of Sarin,Alexandria, and Cilicia, and the
province of Asia.
None of them, though, couldstand against the wisdom and the
spirit with which Stephen spoke.
So they persuaded some men tolie about Stephen, saying, We
heard him blaspheme Moses andeven God.
This roused the people and theelders and the teachers of

(06:29):
religious law.
So they arrested Stephen andbrought him before the High
Council.
The lying witnesses said, Thisman is always speaking against
the holy temple and against thelaw of Moses.
We have heard him say that thisJesus of Nazareth will destroy
the temple and change thecustoms of Moses that was handed
down to us.
And at this point, everyonelooked in the High Council and

(06:53):
they stared at Stephen becausehis face became as bright as an
angel's.
What an amazing moment.
So as we see here, the churchhas entered into a place where
they've just outgrown the systemthat they were dealing with.
And the apostles were like,Look, our number one goal is to
teach you the ways of God.

(07:13):
But we can't do that and dothese other things.
They're important, but we can'tdo both.
So we want you to point out someleaders, and we're going to
raise them up to do this.
Little did they know that inraising up Stephen, that they
actually had raised him up, theyhad chosen him for the right
moment.
Because then God needed someoneto stand up and to do these

(07:35):
great works, and Stephen was theright man for the job.
And when they turned and theylooked at Stephen, that his face
became as bright as an angel's.
Can I be honest with you?
I have no idea what that means.
But it sounds pretty cool.
And what I know about this isthat whenever you are chosen for
the right season, God will giveyou the tools you need to do
what He's called you to do.

(07:56):
You have been given everythingyou need to do everything that
God has called you to do.
So whatever God sees you to, hewill also see you through if
you'll stay faithful to him.
And I don't know what maybeyou're going through right now.
Maybe you took a step of faithand it seems like it's led you
into trouble.
That's what Stephen did.
He took a step of faith andsaid, Yes, I will go here, I

(08:18):
will do that.
But it looks like it's got himin a whole bunch of trouble.
But maybe, just maybe, thatyou're not in trouble, but maybe
you're right where you need tobe to be the right witness for
God that He needs.
So maybe God's got you rightwhere He wants you.
Let's pray together today.
God, thank you so much for yourgoodness, for your mercy, for
your kindness.
Thank you that you are with usand you're for us.

(08:40):
Thank you, God, that while wenever would celebrate a
difficult moment, we celebratethat we never go through them
alone.
That you're always with us,you're always moving through us.
And because of that, we trustyou in all things.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Don't forget that Acts 1, verse8, Jesus says, You will receive
power when the Holy Spirit comesupon you.

(09:02):
And you will be my witnesses tothe ends of the earth.
My prayer is that you willexperience the power of the Holy
Spirit and you will be a witnessin your world for Jesus today.
I love you.
I'll see you tomorrow for Actschapter 7.