The Source of Ministerial Power
E. Hoare, M. A. Acts 6:8-15 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.… It is impossible to listen to the ministrations of others or to watch carefully our own without perceiving great inequalities in respect of power. You will observe many devoted men who are amiable in their characters, zealous in their ministry, whose sermons are carefully prepared, who preach the truth faithfully, while, on the other hand, there is but little in their ministry of "the demonstration of the Spirit and power." On the other hand, you often see men of less intellectual calibre who produce an impression which even the unconverted cannot fail to feel. And this inequality is scarcely less observable in regard to one individual. You may frequently hear a sermon full of power in the morning, and one decidedly feeble, from the same minister, in the evening; and if you could ascertain the preacher's own opinion, you would find, in all probability, that he was best satisfied with the one which the people found the feeblest. Now, it is clear that this gift of power is pre-eminently the want of the Church of God, both at home and abroad. Note — I. STEPHEN'S POWER. It was — 1. The power of persuasion (ver. 7). 2. It was a power in controversial defence of truth (ver. 9). 3. It was the power of searching and probing the heart to the very quick (Acts 7:54). 4. But there is one thing to remark, and it is this — when we look for power, we must not look for an easy, smooth, pleasant, triumphant victory. Stephen had all the power of which we speak, but it called forth the angry passions of the wicked, so that they rose up against him, and he fell the first martyr to the truth. Stephen's power, however, is just the very thing we want. We want persuasive power to bring in men, we want controversial power to maintain the truth, and we want heart-searching power to awaken sinners, even if it provoke them. This is the power to be sought and prayed for by the whole Church of God. II. ITS SOURCES. 1. Wisdom. There was the same connection between wisdom and power in Micah, "Now then, I am full of power, of the Spirit of the Lord, of wisdom, and of might." There is the same connection in the prophecies of our blessed Saviour (Isaiah 11.) — the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, was given to him. Light words, conceits, affectations, and outward display overthrow all thoughts of power. The man of God wants wisdom. He has to unfold the deep things of God, and he must not go lightly to the work. He is a steward in the Lord's household; he has to deal with a multitude of different dispositions, under different circumstances. Stephen's wisdom was pre-eminently Scriptural. There is only one of his discourses preserved, and that one is full of Scripture. He was not one of those who thought his own reason was anything when compared with the wisdom of God. He was not ashamed to draw all his conclusions from the Bible, and to base the whole fabric of his reasonings simply upon Scripture. The clearest evidence of the most consummate folly is the venturing forth in the strength of your own understandings. There may be wisdom in the simplest cottager, or the youngest child, far exceeding the loftiest flights of merely intellectual philosophy, Nor does it require anything extraordinary either in intellect or eloquence to produce such wisdom, for the Psalmist says, "I have more understanding than all my teachers; for Thy testimonies are my meditation. I know more than the ancients, because I keep Thy precepts." 2. Faith. The connection between faith and power is a union frequently recurring. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." Abraham "was strong in faith," but that may refer to one simple single act; "full of faith" implies that the whole mind and character were completely imbued with it. It was like St. Paul, when he said, "The life that I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God." But how is this faith displayed? (1) In dependence. It is the office of faith to lean. Self-satisfied men are confident in their own powers and do not care to lean. Timid, doubting souls are so perplexed by their misgivings that they are almost afraid to lean, but the sinner who knows his nothingness leans his whole weight on Christ. So it is in our own personal experience. Men are very apt to lean with one hand on Christ, and one hand on resolutions, or on the Church, or on the sacraments; "but we must learn to lean with both hands on Christ," and to lean the whole weight; and when you so begin to lean you will first taste the joy of peace and power. Men may go forth to preach leaning upon the excellences of a previous education, or on the advantages of his early youth. But what are these for the great work we have to do? (2) In expectation, for "faith is the substance of things asked for." If we pray for pardon without expectation of receiving it, or for the Holy Spirit without opening the heart in the full hope of his sacred entrance, or if we send men in the Lord's name, or go forth ourselves, to preach the gospel without expectations, where can be our faith? And is not this one reason why there is no more power in the Church of God? Do we not meet Sunday after Sunday with very little practical belief that souls will be born again through the preached Word? Perhaps a man begins with sanguine expectation, but after some months or years of hard toil he is ready to say with Peter, "We have toiled all night and taken nothing." Stephen was full of power; but he was first full of faith. He could grasp a fast hold of the Saviour, and so they were "not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake." 3. All his wisdom, faith, and power were to be traced to a yet higher source — he was first full of the Holy Ghost. This has always been so. Micah was full of power, and he says, "Truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord." The great mountain shall melt before Zerubbabel; but "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." Paul went to Corinth, not "with excellency of speech, or man's wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and power." In Thessalonica his "ministry came not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and with much assurance." Even Stephen and Peter and all the rest were powerless until the Spirit of God came, and then they were full of power, and soon thousands were added to the Church. It is clear, therefore, that if we desire power in our ministry, we must seek first for the gift promised by our blessed Lord and Saviour in John 14:17. In Stephen's case the two promises were fulfilled. The Spirit was with him, so that opposing powers were overcome under the influence of the Spirit. He was in him, so that when the stones were dashed at him there was a calm spirit of well-supported prayer. Conclusion: There is a mighty conflict raging — every day the conflict thickens. Depend upon it that these are not days for an easy, tranquil, indulgent Christianity. I might ask for money; I might ask for men — and we want them even more than money — but the great want is power to strengthen the whole Church of God. What is the use of men if God does not make them men of power? We do not want mere ecclesiastical machines, because we do not believe in mere ecclesiastical machinery. We want men filled with wisdom, faith, and the Holy Ghost. (E. Hoare, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. WEB: Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.