2. Matthew 20:26-28
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you, must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

3. Servanthood – is not _______ in the western world today.
popular

4. Philippians 2:1-11

5. If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than

6. yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in

7. appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

8. Servanthood – is not _______ in the western world today.
popular
Malachi 3:6
“He will turn the hearts of the Father’s to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

9. Acts 6:1-8 What kind of men do we need today?
What kind of fathers do we need today?
Look at the man Stephen:
Acts 6:1-8

10. In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 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. Brothers,

11. 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 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."  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,

12. a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 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. Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.

13. Acts 6:1-8 Acts 6:11-15 What kind of men do we need today?
What kind of fathers do we need today?
Look at the man Stephen:
Acts 6:1-8
Acts 6:11-15

14. Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God."
  So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against

15. this holy place and against the law
this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us."
  All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

16. What kind of men do we need today?
What kind of fathers do we need today?
Look at the man Stephen:
Acts 6:1-8
Acts 6:11-15
Acts 7:54-60

17. When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him
When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."  At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all

18. rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him
rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

19. Characteristics of Stephen
#1.
We need men full of _____.
faith
Acts 6:5
“They choose Stephen a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.”

20. Characteristics of Stephen
#1.
We need men full of _____.
faith
Matthew 9:29
“According to your faith it will be done to you.”

21. Matthew 17:14-20

22. When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him."  "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you?

23. How long shall I put up with you. Bring the boy here to me
How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this

24. mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move
mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

25. Matthew 11:22-24
"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

26. Romans 1:17
“The righteous will live by faith.”
2 Corinthians 5:7
“We live by faith, not by sight.”
2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

27. Characteristics of Stephen
#1.
We need men full of _____.
faith
We need men that are _______.
faithful 1.
Faithful to ____
God
(First) 2.
Faithful to _______
family 3.
Faithful to _____
work 4.
Faithful to ______
church

28. Characteristics of Stephen
#1.
We need men full of _____.
faith
#2.
We need men full of _________ _____.
The Holy
Spirit
Acts 6:5
“...a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.”

29. Characteristics of Stephen
#1.
We need men full of _____.
faith
#2.
We need men full of _________ _____.
The Holy
Spirit
Ephesians 5:18
“Be filled with the Spirit.”

30. Characteristics of Stephen
#1.
We need men full of _____.
faith
#2.
We need men full of _________ _____.
The Holy
Spirit
What does this look like?

31. Galatians 5:16-25

32. So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:

33. sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

34. gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

35. Characteristics of Stephen
#1.
We need men full of _____.
faith
#2.
We need men full of _________ _____.
The Holy
Spirit
What does this look like?
John 15:5
“If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit.”

36. Characteristics of Stephen
#1.
We need men full of _____.
faith
#2.
We need men full of _________ _____.
The Holy
Spirit
#3.
We need men full of ______.
grace
Acts 6:8
“Now Stephen was a man full of God’s grace…”

37. Characteristics of Stephen
#1.
We need men full of _____.
faith
#2.
We need men full of _________ _____.
The Holy
Spirit
#3.
We need men full of ______.
grace
The opposite is - _____, _________ & _____________
pride
arrogance
a critical spirit

38. Characteristics of Stephen
#1.
We need men full of _____.
faith
#2.
We need men full of _________ _____.
The Holy
Spirit
#3.
We need men full of ______.
grace
#4.
We need men full of ______.
power

39. Acts 6:8
“Stephen was full of power.”
Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses.”

40. Ephesians 1:17-19

41. “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who

42. believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength…”

43. 2 Timothy 1:7
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of love and of power and of a sound mind.”

44. What was the result in Stephen’s life?

45. Acts 6:9-10
Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

46. Acts 7:51-56

47. "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears
"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have

48. not obeyed it."
When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

49. What was the result in Stephen’s life?
Where is Stephen looking?

50. Acts 7:57-60

51. At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
 59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this

52. sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

53. Anxiety? Doubt? Depression? Rejection? Worry? Confusion? Loneliness?
What was the result in Stephen’s life?
Where is Stephen looking?
Are stones being throne at you?
Rejection?
Loneliness?
Frustration?
Doubt?
Anxiety?
Guilt?
Confusion?
Worry?
Depression?

54. What was the result in Stephen’s life?
Where is Stephen looking?
Are stones being throne at you?
What is Stephen doing as the stones are coming at him?
Stephen is _______!
praying

55. He prays:
#1.
_____________________
“Lord, receive my spirit”
Matthew 6:33
Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”

56. He prays:
#1.
_____________________
“Lord, receive my spirit”
#2.
“Do not hold this sin against
________________________ ______
them.”

57. Stephen was a man full of faith, grace, power, the Holy Spirit, vision and forgiveness…
This is what God wants for you as well, Dad…and to be a SATISFIED SERVANT