A.Stephen was a martyr in the true sense of the word.
1.The modern meaning of the word “martyr” is an individual who sacrifices his life in order to promote or defend a cause or belief.Stephen certainly fit this definition.
2.However, the ancient meaning of the Greek word martys was a witness.Stephen fit this meaning also, for he bore witness of the Lord Jesus.Paul, when speaking to Christ, referred to Stephen as “Thy witness” (Acts 22:20).
B.As a true witness of Jesus, Stephen’s face appeared like the face of an angel in the moments before he died.
1.Those who murdered Stephen “saw his face like the face of an angel” as he spoke the word of God unto them (Acts 6:15).This should have convinced them to listen, but instead they killed him because he spoke the truth that they could not bear.
2.Indeed, Stephen was like an angel, for he communicated the message of God to men (Gr. angelos means “messenger”).Even more so, he resembled Christ as he died for Christ’s sake.
C.Presently, let us consider Stephen’s story from Acts 6:1-8:2.
II.FULL OF FAITH, THE HOLY SPIRIT, GRACE, AND POWER
A.When seven men were needed to serve in the church at Jerusalem, Stephen was one of the men chosen.
1.The apostles instructed the church to select “seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom” for work of serving food to the Hellenistic Jewish widows (Acts 6:1-4).
2.Stephen was chosen because he was “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5).
B.Being endowed with gifts of the Holy Spirit, Stephen became a powerful witness for Christ.
1.The apostles laid their hands upon the seven chosen men and thus imparted gifts of the Holy Spirit unto to them (Acts 6:6; see Acts 8:14-19).
2.Following this, Stephen, “full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8).
III.“THEY WERE UNABLE TO COPE”
A.Stephen’s works drew opposition from many Jews, but they were unable to cope with him.
1.Stephen singlehandedly engaged a diverse multitude of foreign Jews (the Synagogue of the Freedman, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, Cilicians, Asians) who argued against him (Acts 6:9).
2.Despite greatly outnumbering Stephen, these men “were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (Acts 6:10).
B.Unable to refute Stephen honestly, his opponents brought false charges against him.
1.They “secretly induced” men to falsely accuse Stephen of blasphemy against God and the Law of Moses (Acts 6:11).
2.Upon hearing these charges, the people were stirred up against Stephen, and the elders and scribes dragged him before the Sanhedrin where he was falsely charged (Acts 6:12-14).The Sanhedrin was the same council that had condemned Christ (Matt. 26:57-68; 27:1) and had beaten the apostles and commanded them not to preach in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:1-22; 5:27-42).
IV.“YOU ARE DOING JUST AS YOUR FATHERS DID”
A.Stephen’s defense before the high priest and the Sanhedrin was a rehearsal of the history of Israel.
1.Stephen recalled Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Egypt, Moses, Mt. Sinai, Joshua, David, Solomon, the temple, and more (Acts 7:1-50).
2.Stephen’s summary account of Israel’s history highlighted how faithful individuals through the power of God had succeeded in bringing about the nation despite great opposition.Stephen’s audience could not have disagreed with this history, but they rejected the lesson that he taught them using this history.
B.The point of Stephen’s speech was to demonstrate to the unbelieving Jews that they were on the wrong side of history.
1.Whereas the Jews who listened to Stephen’s recollection of their history identified themselves with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, etc., Stephen associated them with the historical opponents to these righteous men.(This is reminiscent of the Jews claiming that Abraham was their father while Jesus said that their father was the devil because of their evil deeds in John 8:37-47.)
2.Notice Stephen’s conclusion in Acts 7:51-53:“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”
a.By rejecting Christ and resisting God, these unbelieving Jews had aligned themselves with such historical characters as Pharaoh, Saul, Jeroboam, Ahab, Manasseh, and many others who had rejected God’s good purposes in favor of their own wicked purposes.
b.Stephen was telling them that the final chapter of Israel’s history was being written, and they were on the wrong side of it.Rather than receiving the promised Messiah, they had betrayed and murdered Him.
c.Following these events, these Jews would continue to resist God by launching a great persecution led by Saul against the Lord’s church.Later, when Christ called upon Saul, He referred to this stubborn resistance when He said, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads” (Acts 26:14).
V.“LORD JESUS, RECEIVE MY SPIRIT!”
A.The words of Stephen incurred the wrath of the unbelieving Jews.
1.The response of this audience was predictable – rage (Acts 7:54).
a.They were “cut to the quick,” meaning that their hearts and consciences were pierced by Stephen’s words (compare this reaction to that of believers in Acts 2:36-41).
b.They “began gnashing their teeth at him,” which is reminiscent of an enraged animal.
c.They had a similar response when Peter preached the truth to them, except in Peter’s case Gamaliel interceded and prevented them from killing the apostles. (Acts 5:27-40).
2.When Stephen declared that he saw a vision of Christ at the right hand of God, the rage of the mob erupted into violence (Acts 7:55-59).
a.Refusing to hear another word from Stephen, “they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.”
b.They dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death even as he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
i.No official judgment was made against Stephen, and no sentence was given.There was only a mass frenzy of unbridled rage.
ii.These were the same people who delivered Jesus to Pilate and said, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death” (John 18:31).Now, they had lost all restraint, and they had no mercy.
B.Stephen’s final words were a plea to God on behalf of his murderers.
1.Just as Christ had appealed to the Father to forgive His murderers while hanging on the cross (Luke 23:34), Stephen appealed to Christ on behalf of his murderers as they stoned him, saying, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7:60).
2.After these words, Stephen died and was buried by some devout men who “made loud lamentation over him” (Acts 8:2).
VI.CONCLUSION
A.Learn the lessons of Stephen’s story.
1.Stephen’s personal example of faith is a lesson in Christian character.
2.Stephen’s boldness before a violently hostile audience is a lesson in faithful courage.
3.Stephen’s speech is a lesson in historical perspective and honest self-evaluation.
4.Stephen’s death is a lesson in self-sacrifice, spiritual rewards, and Christ-like forgiveness.
B.Stephen’s face appeared like the face of an angel, but his life bore the image of Jesus Christ.May we imitators of Stephen just as he was an imitator of our Lord (1Cor. 11:1).
