RR Favor in Acts 2: Stephen by David Harwood
Shabbat Shalom {{firstName}},
Stephen consistently demonstrated God’s power as he proclaimed Yeshua.
Now Stephen, full of charis (favor/grace) and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. (Acts 6:8)
Stephen was one of the administrators of Jerusalem’s Messianic community. Luke described him as “full of the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3)”, “full of faith and the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5),” and “full of charis/grace/favor and power (Acts 6:8)”. In Acts 6:8 the fullness charis/favor is the equivalent of being filled with the Ruach. The Spirit’s personal presence is a demonstration of God’s favor.
He also debated about Yeshua’s identity. As a result, through the enabling favor (charis) of the Spirit, his opponents “could not withstand the wisdom and the Ruach by whom he was speaking. (Acts 6:10)”
This brought about an increase of persecution. It was as if they said, “We can’t refute him, so lie and accuse him.” Stephen was tried in a kangaroo court. The guilty verdict was a foregone conclusion. Unbeknownst to his prosecutors, the people who were really on trial were the Sanhedrin.
In his speech we get a glimpse of Stephen’s view of God’s favor (charis). He spoke of Joseph and David.
Joseph enjoyed favor. The Torah relates that he found chen/charis in Potiphar’s eyes (Genesis 39:4a), and God gave him chen/charis in the warden’s eyes (Genesis 39:21), and Joseph found favor (chen/charis) in the sight of Pharaoh’s household (Genesis 50:4b).
Stephen emphasized that the favor/charis Joseph received was the result of God’s activity behind the scenes. I love how Stephen speaks of Joseph’s ascent to authority in Egypt.
God was with him. He rescued him out of all his troubles and granted him favor (charis) and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him governor over Egypt and all his household. (Acts 7:9b–10)
Stephen proclaimed the reason Joseph experienced charis/favor. Joseph was favored because “God was with him”. The Lord’s presence was with Joseph.
Our final example of charis/favor in Stephen’s defense is his depiction of David’s experience.
(David) found favor (charis) in God’s sight. He asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. (Acts 7:46)
The idiom, “finding favor in God’s sight”, is preserved in this verse. God liked who he saw when He saw David, and during Absalom’s rebellion, David staked his entire future on the favor of God.
But the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor (chen/charis) in Adonai’s eyes, He will bring me back, and let me see it and His dwelling. (2 Samuel 15:25)
The commonly understood meaning of the name, David, is Beloved. David had been forced to flee for his life. Was he still God’s beloved? He’d soon find out.
The ark of God was the physical focal point of the localized presence of God. If God still wanted to see David, the one who had favor in His sight, He’d bring him back to where Adonai’s presence was uniquely manifest.
Might I suggest that a reason David found charis/grace/favor in God’s sight is that when he, by faith, saw God, he loved who he saw.
One thing have I asked of Adonai, that will I seek: to dwell in the House of Adonai all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Adonai (Psalm 27:4a)
David wanted to honor the God who favored him. “He asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. (Acts 7:46b)” This was a worthy response to divine favor.
Stephen was full of favor/charis. He was “full of the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3)”, “full of faith and the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5),” and “full of charis/favor and power (Acts 6:8)”. May the King increase His favor/charis/presence in our lives.
Like Joseph, God has been extending favor to each of us. Meditate upon God’s strategic charis in your life. He’s placed you where you can extend favor to others. Be faithful.
Let us respond to God’s charis by, like David, seeking to build up the Messiah’s people, the temple where He dwells. Will the Lord grant us that favor? Yes, for we have found charis in His sight.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat2-Aug-20258th of Av, 5785
Parashat Devarim Shabbat Chazon
De 3:15-22Isa 1:1-27Mt 3:1-12
Stephen consistently demonstrated God’s power as he proclaimed Yeshua.
Now Stephen, full of charis (favor/grace) and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. (Acts 6:8)
Stephen was one of the administrators of Jerusalem’s Messianic community. Luke described him as “full of the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3)”, “full of faith and the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5),” and “full of charis/grace/favor and power (Acts 6:8)”. In Acts 6:8 the fullness charis/favor is the equivalent of being filled with the Ruach. The Spirit’s personal presence is a demonstration of God’s favor.
He also debated about Yeshua’s identity. As a result, through the enabling favor (charis) of the Spirit, his opponents “could not withstand the wisdom and the Ruach by whom he was speaking. (Acts 6:10)”
This brought about an increase of persecution. It was as if they said, “We can’t refute him, so lie and accuse him.” Stephen was tried in a kangaroo court. The guilty verdict was a foregone conclusion. Unbeknownst to his prosecutors, the people who were really on trial were the Sanhedrin.
In his speech we get a glimpse of Stephen’s view of God’s favor (charis). He spoke of Joseph and David.
Joseph enjoyed favor. The Torah relates that he found chen/charis in Potiphar’s eyes (Genesis 39:4a), and God gave him chen/charis in the warden’s eyes (Genesis 39:21), and Joseph found favor (chen/charis) in the sight of Pharaoh’s household (Genesis 50:4b).
Stephen emphasized that the favor/charis Joseph received was the result of God’s activity behind the scenes. I love how Stephen speaks of Joseph’s ascent to authority in Egypt.
God was with him. He rescued him out of all his troubles and granted him favor (charis) and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him governor over Egypt and all his household. (Acts 7:9b–10)
Stephen proclaimed the reason Joseph experienced charis/favor. Joseph was favored because “God was with him”. The Lord’s presence was with Joseph.
Our final example of charis/favor in Stephen’s defense is his depiction of David’s experience.
(David) found favor (charis) in God’s sight. He asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. (Acts 7:46)
The idiom, “finding favor in God’s sight”, is preserved in this verse. God liked who he saw when He saw David, and during Absalom’s rebellion, David staked his entire future on the favor of God.
But the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor (chen/charis) in Adonai’s eyes, He will bring me back, and let me see it and His dwelling. (2 Samuel 15:25)
The commonly understood meaning of the name, David, is Beloved. David had been forced to flee for his life. Was he still God’s beloved? He’d soon find out.
The ark of God was the physical focal point of the localized presence of God. If God still wanted to see David, the one who had favor in His sight, He’d bring him back to where Adonai’s presence was uniquely manifest.
Might I suggest that a reason David found charis/grace/favor in God’s sight is that when he, by faith, saw God, he loved who he saw.
One thing have I asked of Adonai, that will I seek: to dwell in the House of Adonai all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Adonai (Psalm 27:4a)
David wanted to honor the God who favored him. “He asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. (Acts 7:46b)” This was a worthy response to divine favor.
Stephen was full of favor/charis. He was “full of the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3)”, “full of faith and the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5),” and “full of charis/favor and power (Acts 6:8)”. May the King increase His favor/charis/presence in our lives.
Like Joseph, God has been extending favor to each of us. Meditate upon God’s strategic charis in your life. He’s placed you where you can extend favor to others. Be faithful.
Let us respond to God’s charis by, like David, seeking to build up the Messiah’s people, the temple where He dwells. Will the Lord grant us that favor? Yes, for we have found charis in His sight.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat2-Aug-20258th of Av, 5785
Parashat Devarim Shabbat Chazon
De 3:15-22Isa 1:1-27Mt 3:1-12
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