Stephen—a Man of Faith

MEMORY VERSE: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” —Philippians 4:13

ACTS 6:8-12; 7:51-60

STEPHEN was one of the men appointed in the Early Church as deacons, to serve tables and probably also to serve along other material lines, in order to give the apostles more time for the spiritual ministry of the brethren. (Acts 6: 1-5) But Stephen did not confine his ministry to deacon duties. Instead, being “full of faith and power, [he] did great wonders and miracles among the people.”—ch. 6:8

This, as should be expected at that time, led to persecution. His opposers were men associated with various synagogues, but “they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he [Stephen] spake.” Not being able to match Stephen in discussion, “they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.” This stirred up the elders and the scribes and soon Stephen was brought before the council, or sanhedrin.

He was given an opportunity to refute the charges, but instead of this he used the opportunity to remind his accusers of the wonderful manner in which God had dealt with their fathers. He reminded them of how the prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah had been persecuted, and he told them that they were of the same disposition as those who did the persecuting in the past. He said: “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.”

This was too much for his persecutors, and they “gnashed on him with their teeth.” But Stephen, “being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” We are not to understand from this that Stephen was able to look into the heavenly courts literally. The thought is, rather, that the Lord favored him with a vision to strengthen his faith and courage to face the ordeal which was before him.

Stephen’s accusers became still more infuriated, and “they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.” This is the Saul who later became the Apostle Paul.

While they were stoning Stephen, he cried out “with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” While this first Christian martyr was outspoken in his condemnation of his accusers, he held no animosity in his heart toward them, and did not desire that they be specially punished because of their attack upon him. Thus the heart condition of a true Christian character was displayed. It is not easy to attain to such a high standard of Christian viewpoint and conduct, yet Stephen did, and in a comparatively short time, for at that time the church was very young. Stephen had not been in the narrow way of sacrifice very long.

While Stephen was being stoned, he said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” This does not mean that Stephen possessed an “immortal soul” which he believed would be carried to heaven when the last stone had fallen on his broken and bleeding body. The word “spirit” as here used is synonymous with “life.” He was simply committing his life to the Lord, knowing that in due time, when Jesus returned to establish his kingdom, he would receive it in “the first resurrection,” when he would have the privilege of living and reigning with Christ a thousand years.

The record states that Stephen “fell asleep.” Sleep is used throughout the Scriptures to symbolize the unconscious state of the dead. It is a fitting symbol, for those who sleep awaken in due time. So will all the dead be awakened from the sleep of death.

Paul stressed this fact very strongly. He wrote, “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” (I Cor. 1:16-20) Stephen believed that he would be awakened from death and that his faith in the Heavenly Father and in the Lord Jesus would be justified.

QUESTIONS

Who was Stephen, and what was his office in the church?

What led to the persecution of Stephen?

Was Stephen able, literally, to gaze into heaven?

Did he hold any resentment toward his accusers?

How did Stephen commit his spirit to God?

In what sense did he fall asleep?

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