The Life of Stephen

Ordinary to Extraordinary

Acts 6: 8 – 7: 60

Called to Serve

 One of the 7 Deacons

chosen on Acts 6

 Filled with the Holy

Spirit

 Filled with wisdom

because of the Holy

Spirit and his

obedience

Opposition arose:

Note: anytime

truth is spoken –

opposition will

arise!

Ø Freedmen: Jews from N. Africa and

Central Asia

v Argued with Stephen and could not

defeat him

v Stephen spoke with wisdom the

Holy Spirit gave him

v Freedmen collected false witnesses

against Stephen and took him to

the Sanhedrin (Jewish Supreme

Court)

v The Sanhedrin looked at Stephen

and saw his face was as bright as

an angels…peace and confident

Chapter 7

The Sanhedrin asked, “Are these charges true?”

 Stephen told the “big themes” of their Jewish history:

 God’s Covenant with Abraham - 3 parts: 1) your decedents

will be more than the stars in the sky; 2) the Promise Land;

and 3) anyone who bless you (Jewish nation) God will bless

and anyone who is against you – I (God) will be against

 Isaac and Jacob

 Jacob’s 12 sons: 10 older sons hated spoiled Joseph

 Brings us to their family moved to Egypt (only 75 people then) to 400

yrs of captivity and more that 5 million Jews

 Enters Moses at 80 years old called to return to Egypt

 Crossing of the Red Sea…the people still worshipped false gods –

Molech (sun god, brass, heated and babies were place in it’s arms to

burn to death) and Rephan (Saturn, the god of evil influence -

rebellion).

 While still in the dessert, God gave the 10 Commandments and the

Tabernacle (“the Tent” of worship)

 Then Joshua was used to conquer and bring them into the

Promise Land

 Then David to Solomon who built the Temple and God asks, “Do

you think I live in houses made by human hands?”

Boom! The transition and application:

 Today – you are still the SAME! You are:

 Stiff necked (stubborn); Always persecuting His prophets; you

killed the Righteous One (Jesus); and you have the Laws of God

but you still do not obey them…

The Sanhedrin covered their ears,

yelling and gnashing their teeth, rushed

at Stephen and dragged him out of the

Temple

As they left the Temple, the witnesses

threw their coats at Saul’s feet (Paul)

Stephen’s last words, “Lord Jesus,

receive my spirit…” and “Lord, do not

hold this sin against them…”

And Stephen died…

What do we see…

The Freedmen,

Sanhedrin & Saul

 Those who knew the

“stories”

 Nice and religious

 Not for me…

Stephen & many others

after him

 Heard & by faith believed – just

ordinary

 Understood Jesus is REAL

 Lived obediently – whatever the

cost…

Which are you?