Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit

Read Acts 6:8–8:3

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. ¹¹ Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” ¹² And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, ¹³ and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, ¹⁴ for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” ¹⁵ And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Acts 6:8–15

Introduction

Zealous preacher William Jenkyn was jailed at age seventy-two for refusing to stop preaching after being labeled a nonconformist by England’s royal court. Physicians warned King James II that Jenkyn’s life was in danger and petitioned for his release, to which the King responded, “Jenkyn shall be a prisoner as long as he lives.” After Jenkyn’s death, a nobleman informed the king that the prisoner was free; when the King asked who had done this, the nobleman replied, “A King greater than your Majesty—the King of kings.”

Throughout Christian history, there have been countless men and women like William Jenkyn who, despite persecution and death threats, continued to preach the gospel. What enables some to witness so courageously? Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Acts 6 introduces us to Stephen, a Hellenistic Jewish-Christian convert appointed as a deacon to care for widows. As Stephen’s witness for Jesus spread, a group of Hellenistic Jews from North Africa challenged him, accusing him of blasphemy before the Sanhedrin. Stephen, with his face shining like that of an angel, tore apart their revisionist history and false confidences before God (Acts 7:1–53).

The men of the Sanhedrin became enraged, but Stephen, unfazed, looked toward heaven and saw the glory of God! He declared, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of the Father” (Acts 7:56). Upon hearing Stephen’s words, the crowd dragged him from the city and stoned him. Stephen fell to his knees, asked Jesus to show his killers mercy, and died, becoming the New Testament church’s first martyr.

Just when we think this scene in God’s story could not be any more dramatic, we meet Saul, who not only approved of Stephen’s death, but also went on to ravage the church. But God used the very persecution meant to stop Jesus’ disciples to scatter them, thus beginning the work of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16–20), thrusting them into the very places Jesus commanded them to go.

Observation

What evidence is given for Stephen’s ability to serve the church and preach the gospel?
Read Acts 7:2–35. Where was Abraham living when God made his covenant promise? What country was Joseph living in when God used him to rescue the Israelites? Where were the Israelites when God sent Moses to deliver them? How would these examples of God’s presence outside the temple, and his rescuing work outside the Holy Land, have challenged the Jewish council’s understanding of their purposes?
Read John 2:20–22. Why would worshiping at the temple no longer be necessary?
Stephen called the council “stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears.” Who does Stephen say they resist? Who does he accuse them of murdering?
What was Saul’s response to Stephen’s trial? What was the effect of the persecution of the church?

Interpretation

The Sanhedrin Council was the supreme Jewish court made up of high priests, elders, and scribes, all devoted to a complex system of rabbinic tradition, yet missing the clear evidence of God’s presence. What evidence of God’s presence was overlooked by the Sanhedrin in Acts 6:15?
Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” In Stephen’s response, he emphasized Abraham’s faith prior to knowing where he was going (7:3). Read John 14:6. Similarly, why would it require great faith for Jews to believe ‘Jesus is the way’?
“The sting of death is sin” because “the wages of sin is death.” How does Christ’s conquest of sin enable Stephen to face imminent death with such peace and effectually say, “Death, where’s your sting?” How is the Holy Spirit revealed in his demeanor?
Stephen’s arrest, trial, and murder bears remarkable resemblance to Jesus’ arrest, trial, and murder, including asking God to forgive his killers. How is Stephen’s prayer answered in the life of Saul?
When Stephen looked into heaven, he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father, as if greatly moved by the suffering of his people. Read Psalm 116:15. How does God describe the death of his holy ones?

Application

Stephen’s point to the council is that it is possible to possess the land, the law, and the temple without having Christ himself. What places and practices do you rely on to feel God’s presence? How is God calling you to rely, instead, on the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
The Jews prided themselves on being Abraham’s descendants with a rich Jewish heritage. In what ways do you rely more on your Christian upbringing or knowledge than on faith in Jesus?
Second Timothy 3:12 says that everyone who wants to live a godly life will be persecuted. How do you respond when you are persecuted for Christ’s name? How does looking to eternity enable you to respond with patience and joy?
When suffering, do you doubt Jesus’ nearness? What things do you turn to for comfort rather than relying on the Comforter? What is the Holy Spirit asking you to confess?

For further study

Last Words of Sinners and Saints by Herbert Lockyer
Acts by John Calvin
Acts by R. Kent Hughes
“Death of a Spirit Filled Man” by John Piper
“Angry Jesus Cleanses the Temple” by Mark Driscoll

This devotion is adapted from the Acts Study Guide: Chapter 6–11. Pick up a copy today for only $9.99. The Study Guide includes an 11-week curriculum with small group studies, group inductive studies, as well as 55 daily devotions for your personal or family worship.