Thursday, December 26: “Restoration of Servanthood”

Acts 6: 5: “They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.”

After three years of thousands of believers being led by a group of twelve apostles, the time finally came when they realized they could no longer do it all themselves. Then they remembered John the Baptist’s promise—that the Messiah would baptize all who believed in Him, not just apostles, with the Holy Spirit, equipping them for a ministry of service. Enter Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, along with grace and power (v. , showing the call of servanthood upon all who would live like Christ. As much as the baby Jesus and the shepherds, this is a part of the Christmas message.