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#1261. Full of the Holy Spirit, wisdom and faith (28/4/25)

  • Writer: Matt Beaney
    Matt Beaney
  • 8 minutes ago
  • 5 min read

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Today we begin our new series, Ready and Willing, where we’ll reflect on the life of Philip.


In Acts chapter six, we see that Philip was qualified to serve God’s church as one full of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, and faith.


You can watch this devotional below:


‘In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 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. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. 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. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 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.’ (Acts 6:1-7) 

The Context — After Pentecost

We’ve just finished studying the book of Luke, where Jesus promises that His ministry would continue through His Spirit-empowered church:

“Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:47-49)

On the Day of Pentecost, Jesus fulfilled this promise by pouring out His Spirit on the church. In response to Peter’s courageous preaching, three thousand people were saved, baptised, and added to the church:

“Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-41)

If this were a fairytale, the story might end with, “And they all lived happily ever after.” However, church life is never perfect — not even in times of great revival. Rapid growth brings with it real, practical challenges.

In this case, some people were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The early church had developed a ministry of providing for church members who were in need, but as numbers increased, the system became overwhelmed. Tensions arose between Hebraic Jews (those native to Jerusalem who spoke Aramaic) and Hellenistic Jews (Greek-speaking Jews from the wider diaspora).

To avoid being distracted from “the ministry of the word of God…and prayer,” the apostles wisely delegated this responsibility. They appointed a group of seven godly, Spirit-filled leaders to oversee the distribution, ensuring both fairness and unity in the church.


Why Was Philip Chosen to Be One of These Servants?

Philip was one of those chosen. Acts 6:5 is the first time he’s mentioned in the Bible:

“They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip…”

Up to this point, we haven’t heard of Philip — but what’s clear is that he was already known and trusted by the early church community. The apostles asked the believers to choose men who were:

  • Known to be full of the Spirit.

  • Known to be full of wisdom.

  • Ready and willing to take responsibility.

  • Additionally, Philip is described as being ‘full of faith’.


So even though this is the first time Luke names Philip, by implication:

  • He already had a reputation for godliness, character, and Spirit-filled wisdom.

  • His readiness made him a natural choice when a need arose.

It’s a beautiful example in Scripture of how someone’s faithfulness behind the scenes qualifies them for greater responsibility when the opportunity comes — a kind of ‘ready before being recognised’ moment.

And as we’ll see in this series, Philip went on to become a hugely significant figure — evangelising in Samaria and to the Ethiopian official in Acts 8, and by Acts 21:8-9, known as ‘Philip the evangelist’, with a household marked by prophetic gifting.


Today, Let’s Ask Ourselves: Are we ready and willing?

  • Are we growing in wisdom, being filled with the Spirit, and strengthening our faith?

  • Are we willing to take responsibility to keep Jesus’ mission moving forward?


Let’s Pray Together:

“Lord Jesus, please make me more like Philip. Help me to grow in wisdom, to grow in faith, and to be filled with Your Spirit. Please lead me in serving Your church so that she might be healthier, stronger, and more effective. Amen.”

 

Community Group Notes


1. Notices

It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News. 


2. Icebreaker

How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you? 


3. Worship together

Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.


4. Study and pray together


Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.


On Sunday, we began our series, 'Ready and Willing?' on the character of Philip from the New Testament. In Acts chapter six, where we first hear of Philip, we see that he was qualified to serve God’s church as one full of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, and faith.


Discussion: 

Please read Acts 6:17 and discuss:

  1. From Acts 6, we reflected on how Readiness + Willingness + Opportunity = Fruitfulness. Why are all of these elements essential?

  2. Why was this time of revival, beginning in Acts 2, under threat?

  3. What plan did they put into practice to keep the church healthy?

  4. How did the service of this group of leaders, including Philip, enable others to do their ministry?

  5. What are the characteristics that made Philip a good choice?

  6. How can you and I grow in these characteristics?



SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)

  • Mission inspiration from the text - Is there anything from Luke 6-1-7, which teaches and inspires us in our mission and our approach to it? 

  • Share Stories – Have you had any recent experiences of Serving, Investing, or Inviting someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing testimonies of God at work through us. 

  • Practical Next Steps – Who is God putting on your heart to reach? Discuss and pray for those you regularly engage with, including any ‘people of peace’ (* See note) in your life—those open to you and the gospel.


Let’s pray together: 

  • Let’s pray for one another based on our study, and bring before God any other needs or requests for prayer.



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