Stephen (martyred for the Lord 34 AD)
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. Acts 7:55 (NIV)
READ: Acts 6-8:3
After the death, resurrection and
ascension of Jesus, the disciples returned to Jerusalem and joined together
constantly in prayer. When the day of
Pentecost came, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and many witnesses were
saved. This was the beginning of the
church age! The early church experienced
rapid growth and with that came growing pains.
When the Grecian Jews complained against the Hebraic Jews because their
widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food seven men were
set apart for this serving ministry, including Stephen, a man full of faith and
of the Holy Spirit. Stephan was a man
full of God’s grace and power and he did great wonders and miraculous signs
among the people. Stephen did not
hesitate to preach his views causing some of the members of the synagogue to
argue with him and accuse him of blasphemy.
They seized Stephen and accused him of making radical and revolutionary
statements concerning the temple and the law.
There was an element of truth in the charge as Stephen stayed true to
the Gospel of Jesus which threatened the Jews religion. Stephen defended himself by explaining that
he could never go back to the types and shadows of Jewish religion when he now
had a relationship with a Person. In
simplicity and confidence he spoke and was an effective witness to the Gospel. To Stephen, Jesus was the natural outcome of
the Old Testament revelations. The
council was filled with rage! They
stoned him as a blasphemer. The effect
of Stephen’s death was tremendous. The
persecution that followed scattered the church but the believers prevailed in
spreading the Gospel and what looked like a defeat turned into victory and
growth. Stephen’s noble witness and
forgiveness of his enemies served as foundational for the growth of the church
and the eventual conversion of Saul.
JOURNALING AND PRAYER
1. Where do you feel weak in your faith?
2. Ask God how He wants to grow your faith this summer. What does He want to do in your heart?
3. Thank God for what He has shown you, and pray that it would become a reality in your life.
