Acts 6:8-15

The ministry of Stephen was a bridge:

Peter to Paul

Jews to Gentiles, Acts 5:28 “28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.””

We don’t have record that anyone responded to his message positively or negatively or that anyone was saved… but the church was scattered, and because the church was scattered, the gospel was taken to the world

It’s not true that the only way a Christian might be effective is if he lives a long life. Stephens ministry was short, yet it was the catalyst for the advancement of the gospel and the kingdom

Context:

The Church was commissioned in chapter 1, and our Lord said, “You shall receive power through the coming of the Spirit. Then you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the world.” That was their commission.

In chapter 2, the Church was born, and immediately, the first day they were born, they began to fulfill the commission. Right? Peter stood up and said, “Be this known unto you, and hearken unto my words,” and he proceeded to preach Christ. The church began its evangelism.

They were unified… courageous… disciplined (handling sin)… organized

The opposition:

threats of imprisonment

verbal abuse

imprisonment

beating

… now their fury has reached it’s pinnacle, a type of fury that can only be satisfied in bloodshed

They debate Stephen

They charge Stephen

They behold Stephen

read

Chosen:

Verse 3 says the Apostles are looking for men of good reputation, that are FULL of the Spirit, and FULL of wisdom. Verse 5 says Stephen was FULL of faith, and FULL of the Holy Spirit.

They are looking for the BEST! 7 out of thousands… 3,000 in Acts 2… 5,000 in Acts 4… presumably thousands more added Acts 6:1,7. That tells us Stephen had a high reputation.

His name “Stephenos” means victors crown, and he actually won that in his martyrdom.

He was a Jew from outside the land of Israel.

The early church would’ve been careful in their choosing, only choosing the most qualified and zealous men for the task… and it was the church who selected him Acts 6:3 “3 “Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men.”

And they present him before the apostles for validation and verification

Character:

A man full of faith. He walks by faith. His life is dominated by faith. Full is TOTAL. If someone is full of anger or full of joy, that is the dominating factor of their character.

What was His faith in? What did he believe?

Acts 7:1–5 (NASB95)

1 The high priest said, “Are these things so?”

2 And he said, “Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

3 and said to him, ‘Leave your country and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you.’

4 “Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living.

5 “But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even when he had no child, He promised that He would give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him.

He believed in the OT… that it was authentic and true, and in the God who wrote the OT.

Acts 7:52 (NASB95)

52 “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;

2. He believed Jesus was the Messiah, and that He died unjustly at the hands of unrighteous men.

3. He believed Jesus was risen.

Acts 7:55 (NASB95)

55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;

4. He believed Jesus had ascended

5. He believed Jesus was in heaven

6. He believed Jesus was waiting to receive him

He was full of faith. And he believe SO MUCH that he put his life on the line! Willing to be stoned to death!

Faith is demonstrated on different levels, its not always in martyrdom, but Stephens faith was FULL, he was FULL of faith!

Full of the Spirit

He has totally yielded his life to the Spirit

He has completely been filled and conformed to the ministry of the Spirit and His promise to care/comfort/strengthen/bring him to glory

Full of Wisdom

His wisdom is so great… powerful… undeniable, that the enemies could not withstand what he said. They were “unable to COPE with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” Acts 6:10.

Full of grace… Acts 6:8.

The grace of salvation? We all have that in full.

Not the grace he recieved, but the grace he gave.

Or the OT word “lovingkindness”

While they are stoning him… Acts 7:60 “60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”

This is grace. No vengeance/violence/anger

He was kind… even to those who killed him.

Full of power

This is a result of being full of the Spirit! To a degree of an apostles!

He is doing miracles, of course to validate him as one who speaks for God

This was before the NT so how do you know his words are from God? Miraculous power

So:

He’s not a deacon… but he serves the widows

He’s not an apostle… but he was able to do miracles to validate the truth

He’s not a prophet, but he is a great preacher!

Courage:

Acts 6:9 “9 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.”

There were synagogues for Jewish pilgrims from a foreign land who had resettled in Jerusalem… probably spoke Greek.

Synagogues began around the Babylonian times and were certainly present during the time of Acts 6.

Synagogue of the “Freedmen”

In 63BC the Roman general hauled off many Jews to sell them as slaves.. but many were freed.

So they were likely freed Roman slaves who returned to their city to worship

Acts 6:10 “10 But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.” … possibly SAUL!! 2 brilliant minds but Stephen won.

Acts 6:11 “11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.””

He was arguing against the Old Covenant… against their misinterpretation of the law of Moses… and FOR the deity of Jesus.

Acts 6:12 “12 And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council.”

The same thing they did with Jesus… stirring up everyone against him

Acts 6:13-14 READ … He’s preaching on leaving the Old covenant and embracing the New

What courage

Acts 7:51–52 (NASB95)

51 “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.

52 “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;

Countenance:

Acts 6:15 (NASB95)

15 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.

They are accusing him of blasphemy, calling him evil, speaking against God and Moses… and he is standing their looking angelic. As the pure holiness of an angel.

What does this mean?

Angels reflect the glory of God… in light Acts 12:7 “7 And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell;”

But he isn’t an actual angel so what is this?? IDK.

But in their minds he was glorious and holy

And all of the Godly characteristics we described could be beheld on his face

Only once, has God ever put His glory on the face of a man:

Exodus 33… After Moses saw the glory of God and came down off the mountain his face was shining, he was reflecting the glory of God, God allowed him to reflect his glory.

And here in the NT, Stephen stands before his accusers, proclaiming the New Covenant… with a sort of glow on His face, in purity.

And when he was killed he saw the glory of God, saw the heavens open, and said “Lord receive my spirit.”

What a man. God is still looking for men and women to be used in this way, with this service, with this character. We do all for the glory of God. And God’s glory will be displayed, maybe not on our face, but certainly through our demonstrated faith.

Are you filled to the brim with faith this morning? Faith comes by hearing, hearing that of the Word of God. Rom 10. By grace you have been saved, through FAITH! Eph 2. The righteous shall live by faith Rom 1.

Are you willing to put your life on the line for that faith? In death, yes! But also in sacrifice. Are you willing to give up your life to glorify His?

And if you today have heard the good news that salvation is provided in the sacrifice of Jesus, then may you remember the Life and FACE of Stephen, who’s example might spur your soul unto repentance.

Come to Christ, be washed in baptism having your sins removed, and live each day full of faith in the one who gave His all for you. Wont you give your all for Him, as we stand and sing.