Reading Luke/Acts Together #61 – Your Holy Handyman

Our series on Luke/Acts continues. You can catch up with our archive of what’s gone before! Acts 6 narrates how the first Christians got organized and solved the practicalities of their vision to insure no one was in need, that everyone was cared for. They choose and commissioned the church’s first-ever lay servants. And we know their names! Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolaus. Sadly, all men… But you know women shared in the labor, or did even more of the work of “serving tables.” The goal was to be sure widows (hapless and without any support, resources or even property in those days) weren’t neglected.

These lay servants are named “deacons.” Lots of denominations have people by that title with varying roles. I adore the moment in James McBride’s terrific novel, Deacon King Kong, when Elefante learns Sportcoat is a deacon in his church. “What does a deacon do?” Sportcoat grinned: “Well now, that’s a good question. We do all sorts of things. We helps the church. We throws out the garbage. We buys the furniture sometimes. We shop for the food for the deaconesses to make for the repast and such. We even preaches from time to time if we is called upon. We does whatever needs to be done. We’re your holy handyman.”

And then I try to puzzle out verse 8 of Acts 6: “Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.” What kinds of wonders and signs unfolded while they were serving tables? Was it simply a near-miracle that the needy were cared for? This wasn’t a thing in the ancient world until the Christians got busy!

Verse 10 refers to “the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.” And verse 15? “His face was like the face of an angel.” Stephen used words while serving, and people saw something … angelic? … in him. Remember: in Bible times, angels weren’t sweet presences, but those who brought messages about hard tasks Christians and the Church were being asked to fulfill by God.

Stephen also launches into a pretty long sermon in Acts 7. Notice his approach: he tells the story. He doesn’t list a bunch of rules of principles. Our faith is rooted in the story of what God has done, and our life stories become enmeshed in God’s story.

Stephen’s story “enraged” many of his listeners. Indeed, “they ground their teeth against him.” Stephen, unfazed, looks up into heaven and has a vision of Jesus! At this, “they stopped their ears and rushed together upon him.” And he became Martyr #1, after Jesus I suppose. He was stoned. We picture a crowd flinging rocks. But they actually pushed you off a high ledge head-first onto a stone pavement. If you survived this somehow, strong men lifted another large rock and dropped it on your heart.

The fascinating mention of who was there: “A young man named Saul.” Saul, soon to become the greatest apostle of Christianity, known to us as Paul. “Saul was consenting to Stephen’s death.” Luke doesn’t hide this embarrassment of all embarrassments. That he was a ferocious foe of Christianity underscores the miraculous nature of his conversion. Wow! If he could believe in Jesus, anybody could.

Saul/Paul also reminds us of the vile host through history who believe killing in the name of God can be approved, and even thought to be righteous. Christianity was designed, as Acts reports things, to be the one religion that refused to kill in order to succeed. Mind you, our history is embarrassing on this score. Yet it’s in our charter.

With his last breath, Stephen proves his oneness with Jesus. Looking upon those violently ending his life, he prayed “Father, forgive them.” So much mercy. Such miraculous compassion. Christians forgive. If you think “I couldn’t forgive…” (fill in the blank), you are still at some distance from the heart of Jesus. No shame in that. Jesus has mercy even on those who aren’t yet merciful; Jesus forgives those who can’t quite forgive – or not yet.