And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. 13 They also set up false witnesses who said, "This man does not cease to speak blasphemous 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 change the customs which Moses delivered to us." 15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.—Acts 6:8-15
For Stephen’s sermon see Acts 7:1-53
54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.—Acts 7:54-60
Beloved…Scripture tells us not to despise the day of “small” things. It also says those who are faithful in little will be made rulers over great things. Stephen began in ministry by waiting tables and serving widows. He finished his race as a deacon (one of seven men chosen by the early church as being a man full of the Holy Spirit, full of wisdom, and full of good works) dying for his faith. Wherever you find yourself today……whatever job the Lord gives you to do…do it faithfully. Do it unto the Lord and not unto man.
Stephen was also a man who obviously spent much time with His Lord and the word of God. So much so that some of the men around him became envious. They couldn’t best him in debate so similarly to what they did to Jesus they found false witnesses to come against him. I loved that Stephen even as anger, false accusations and rocks flew at him, his face did not reflect fear or anger or hatred but shone with the glory of heaven. Stephen looked unto Jesus, and the world around him faded in the light of His glory and grace.
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.—2 Corinthians 4:6
29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses' hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him
Father…Help me to be content where you have me and wherever You have me by Your Spirit may I do all in Your name and for Your glory. May my heart fill and overflow with Your words. May your light emanate from within me and shine Your love on those around me.
