Waiting and proclaiming
Day 490, Sunday, Dec. 14
Acts 6:1-15
We’re just six chapters into Acts and the church’s greatest challenge is already appearing—the challenge of maintaining a very human institution while trying to build a heavenly kingdom. “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.”
The immediate crisis is caused by a division that will haunt the early church throughout the New Testament era: the challenge of those who are committed to the Jewish law and tradition (the “Hebraic Jews”) and those who are more adapted to the surrounding culture (the “Hellenistic Jews” and later gentile converts to Christianity).
The solution to the problem in chapter 6 is for the apostles to ask the community to choose seven men who will care for administrative concerns of the group. Their names suggest the seven are of Hellenistic background.
While they are chosen to deal with internal affairs of the community so that the apostles can devote themselves to teaching and evangelism at least two of the seven, Stephen and Philip, will soon be seen to be courageous teachers and evangelists themselves.

-Rev. Mark Fleming

Sunday meditation

Psalms 42:1-11
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.
I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Prayer focus
Keep our focus always outward at people who need you.