Acts 4:1-12
Early Church Persecuted for their Faith
Acts 4:13-22
Boldness Brings Results
Acts 4:23-37
Praying and Sharing
Acts 4:32-37
Sharing Shows Brotherly-Love
Acts 5:1-11
Ananias and Sapphira Hide the Truth
Acts 5:12-23
Effective Church Ministry
Acts 5:24-32
Obedience to God and Man
Acts 5:33-42
Gamaliel Convinces the Council
Acts 6:1-15
Deacons Chosen To Serve
Acts 6:8-15
Stephen Summoned before Synagogue Leaders
Acts 7:1-8
God’s Covenant of Circumcision
Acts 7:9-19
Abraham’s Promised Descendents
Acts 7:20-29
Moses Identifies with God’s Chosen People
Acts 7:30-43
Moses’ Mandate From God
Acts 7:44-60
Stephen Stoned to Death for His Faith
Acts 7:54-60
Stephen Stoned to Death for his Faith
Acts 8:1-13
Persecution Scatters Believers
Acts 8:14-25
Simon is Denied the Gift of Healing
Acts 8:26-40
Ethiopian Eunuch Evangelized by Philip
Acts 9:10-22
Ananias’ Availability
Acts 9:23-31
Barnabas’ Encouragement
Acts 9:32-43
Peter Used by God in Joppa to Heal Beloved Dorcas
Acts 10:1-8
Cornelius on a Mission for God
Acts 10:9-22
God’s Message to Peter through a Vision
Stephen Stoned to Death for his Faith
Acts 7:54–60
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When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 General Douglas MacArthur was the commander of the American forces in the Philippines. The same day they launched an assault on the Philippine Islands and President Roosevelt ordered MacArthur to escape to Australia to organiz … More
As Stephen laid the blame for the slaying of Christ squarely on them, the members of the council began to murmur. Finally under heavy conviction, they interrupted his sermon and rushed on him in preparation to stone him. They were so angry at him that they literally gnashed their teeth like ravenous beasts (v. 54). There was no recognition of the fact that the Sanhedrin did not have the power of sentencing to death. There was no judicial trial; it was martyrdom. However, Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit and as he looked toward heaven he saw God and Jesus (vv. 55-56). Then Stephen said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God! They simply plugged up their ears so as not to hear him, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him (vv. 57-58).
As the stoning proceeded, Stephen knelt and asked the Lord to receive his spirit and not to lay this sin to the charge of the Jews (vv. 59-60). Then he fell asleep and was ushered into the presence of the Lord. However, the story does not end there. Stephen was dead, but God’s work was to be carried on through the life of Saul, who was standing by holding the witnesses’ clothes (v. 58).
From this account we can see certain notable things about Stephen:
1. We see the secret of his courage. Beyond all that men could do to him, he saw awaiting him the welcome of his Lord.
2. We see Stephen following his Lord’s example. As Jesus prayed for the forgiveness of his executioners (Luke 23:34), so did Stephen.
3. We see how dreadful turmoil finished in a strange peace. To Stephen came the peace which comes to the man who has done the right thing, even if it kills him.
Application
God does not call all of us to be martyrs, but He does call us to be “living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1-2). What has been the bigest test I have faced in the past year? How did I handle it?
Acts 7:54-60 (English Standard Version)
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