Stephen was a Hellenistic Jew, which means he was a Jew who spoke Greek and lived in a culture influenced by Greek civilization. He was one of the seven men chosen by the apostles to serve as deacons, or helpers, in the church in Jerusalem. His main task was to distribute food and money to the poor widows and orphans in the Christian community.
But Stephen was not just a deacon. He was also a powerful preacher and a miracle worker. He was filled with God’s grace and power, and he spoke with wisdom and faith. He proclaimed that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God, who fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament. He also taught that the gospel of Christ was not only for Jews, but for all people who would believe in him.
- This message angered many of the Jewish leaders and elders, who saw Stephen as a threat to their authority and traditions.
- They accused him of blasphemy, or speaking against God and his law.
- They brought him before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish supreme court, and presented false witnesses who said that Stephen had spoken against Moses, the law, and the temple.
Stephen defended himself by giving a long speech that summarized the history of God’s dealings with his people Israel. He showed how God had chosen Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses to be his instruments of salvation. He also showed how the Israelites had rebelled against God and rejected his prophets. He accused his accusers of being stiff-necked and hard-hearted, and of betraying and murdering Jesus, the Righteous One.
As Stephen spoke, he looked up to heaven and saw a vision of God’s glory and Jesus standing at his right hand. He said, “Look, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” This enraged his listeners, who considered this claim to be blasphemy. They rushed at him, dragged him out of the city, and stoned him to death.
- As he was dying, Stephen prayed to Jesus to receive his spirit and to forgive his killers. His last words were, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
- Among those who witnessed his death was a young man named Saul, who later became Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles.
Stephen’s death marked a turning point in the history of the church. It sparked a great persecution that scattered the believers from Jerusalem to other regions. It also paved the way for the spread of the gospel to non-Jewish people. Stephen’s courage, faithfulness, and love inspired many others to follow Christ even in the face of suffering and death.
- Stephen is honored as a saint by many Christian traditions. His feast day is December 26 in Western Christianity and December 27 in Eastern Christianity.
- Stephen was a remarkable man who gave his life for the Messiah.
- He showed us how to be faithful witnesses of God’s grace and truth in a hostile world. He also showed us how to forgive our enemies and pray for their salvation.
- May we learn from his example and follow his footsteps.
ladysheepdog said:
Regarding the last four bullet points, what is your purpose in mentioning the first point? I often think of Stephen, he is someone that was affected by a mis-directed zeal for God/Yahweh, along with any family he may have had.
Yeshua did not stop his death. Saul/Paul thought he was doing the will of his God in helping with the death of Stephen. I have been in the Pentecostal realm all my life. This is one story that doesn’t get talked about much. It goes against the healthy, wealthy and wise teaching. How many of us are ready to lose our lives, literally, for the sake of Jesus Christ and His plan of Salvation? I hope and pray I indeed am if that time ever comes to me. I pray we all are.
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Michael Wilson said:
I think of Jesus. He said “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
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Frank Hubeny said:
Good reminder of the significance of Stephen’s martyrdom:
“It sparked a great persecution that scattered the believers from Jerusalem to other regions. It also paved the way for the spread of the gospel to non-Jewish people. Stephen’s courage, faithfulness, and love inspired many others to follow Christ even in the face of suffering and death.”
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SLIMJIM said:
Good character study
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