Acts 6:8 Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. (NLT)

Stephen was the first of the seven deacons; He was known for his faith and miracles, of his elocution and wisdom, of his courage and intrepidity, of his constancy, and of his suffering martyrdom.

He is said to be full of faith, as before, ( Acts 6:5 )

Before he is killed by the religious jews Stephen launches into the longest speech in the book of Acts.

The temple leaders also condemn Stephen for breaking the Law of Moses. But in reality, they and their ancestors constantly rejected its core teaching. The Law should have made them expect a descendent of Abraham who, like Moses, would finally save God’s people (Acts 7:5, 37, 39-44). Stephen reveals the cycle of rejection that Israel has had toward God and his messengers throughout their history (Acts 7:52).

Stephen was executed

Stephen proclaims this promised descendant is the same Jesus they killed on a cross.

Acts 7:52 Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered.

Stephen is stoned for one simple reason. By naming Jesus as the Son of Man from Daniel, he claims that Jesus is equal with God. What is blasphemous and bad news to the temple leader’s ears is bafflingly good news to us.

Stephen refers to the Old Testament.

Deuteronomy 4:1 And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

Stephen’s speech shows that we don’t only break the law by refusing to obey commands, but by refusing to believe in the one it points to Jesus.

John 5:39-40 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

Who was Stephen?

• He was full of faith. (Acts 6:5)

• He was full of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 6:5)

• He was full of grace. (Acts 6:8)

• He faced opposition. (Acts 6:9)

• His teachings were full of wisdom. (Acts 6:10)

• His teachings were led by the Holy Spirit. (Acts 6:10)

Stephen moved from defending himself to accusing the prosecution. He ended up being killed at the feet of Saul of Tarsus later known as Paul.

Stephen was received in Heaven by Jesus Himself

Acts 7:55 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. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

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