Stephen

FROM: SEPTEMBER 11 @ 17, 2018

TOPIC: “Stephen” Acts 7:54-60 The first martyr of the Church of Jesus Christ was Stephen. He knew that with his defense he was provoking more anger to the Jews who hated Jesus. They were the same ones who had taken the Lord Jesus to the cross to crucify Him. Esteban already carries the death sentence in him. His defense could only lead to an end, as he challenged death and death came. But he did not see the twisted and grotesque faces, because of the hatred, of those who were stoning him (Vs. 54). His sight had transcended space and time and now he contemplated Jesus at the right hand of God (Vs. 55). The act of saying what he was seeing in that vision was taken as the worst blasphemy (Vs. 56) and the punishment of the blasphemer was to die by being stoned. (Vs. 57, 58). It was a lynching (the execution of a suspect).

I. How great Stephen's courage!

A. His passion, his dedication, his love for Jesus!

1. (Vs. 54) The Jews felt hurt by what they heard from Stephen's mouth.

2. "... they gnashed their teeth against him."

3. Filled with hatred and anger, they could not bear all the power that was manifested in him.

4. (Luke 13:28) "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth..." This gnashing of teeth here on earth is one of some of the pains of hell.

5. (Vs. 55-56) Stephen spoke and said that he was seeing Jesus at the right hand of the Father.

6. Their cries were heard so they wouldn't hear him, they shouted loudly (Vs. 57).

7. They could not stop him with their reasons, then they covered their ears under the pretext that they could not bear to hear his blasphemies.

8. That was the excuse they used to not listen to him.

9. "...they all rushed at him" (Vs. 57b).

10. They attack him with force like beasts that are thrown to the prey.

11. "And casting him out of the city, they stoned him...", to comply, according to them, with the Law of Moses (Leviticus 24:16).

12. The removal of Stephen's tunic was to show that they were the heroes of such a sad moment (Vs. 58)!

13. Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit while his accusers and judges were full of Satan!

14. On which side is man on earth, on Satan's side or on the side of Stephen, on God's side, with those who want to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

15. (Acts 6:5) Stephen was a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit when was appointed to serve the tables. Now, that he will receive the crown of martyrdom, we can say that his name describes him well, since "Stephen" means "crown."

16. Christ manifests Himself to Stephen from the glory of Heaven!

a. (Vs.55) "...looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God..." They, the Jews, had their eyes on Stephen WITH FURY while he had his eyes in Heaven with FAITH! From there, from Heaven, comes his help, and there, in Heaven, he has the door open! His great pain cannot interrupt the communion he has with God. Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit look to Heaven because that's where their heart is!

b. He saw the glory of God because he saw the heavens open. The heavens opened to give him a view of the joy that awaited him there and help him to suffer with joy the death that they were going to give him!

c. He also saw Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus was in favor of him, he no longer cared about those who could be against him.

17. (Vs. 59) "While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed..." The stones did not shut his mouth! He had a great God whom he could go to! They threw him out of the city, but they could not take him away from God!

18. "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (Luke 23:46). Like Stephen, in a similar way Jesus gave His spirit to the Father when he was going to die.

19. Esteban was a man of love (Vs. 60). He showed his humility ("Then he fell on his knees and cried out...", it is an expression of insistence, given the perversity of his murderers. He raised a prayer to God: "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." The example was that of the Master (Luke 23:34). His reaction was one of LOVE AND FORGIVENESS!

20. His death: "When he had said this, he fell asleep." Death is to fall asleep, because it is not definitive (it is not permanent) (1 Thessalonians 4:13, 16). The believer dies (sleeps) awaiting the awakening of the resurrection! Stephen fell asleep after praying for his persecutors, as if he were implying that he could not die in peace if he had not done this: "...do not hold this sin against them." Amen.