Deacon Stephen Series

Acts 6:8-15 Deacon Stephen

6:08-10 Spirit Filled Stephen

6:11-14 Seized Stephen

6:15 Shining Stephen

Acts 6:08-10 Spirit Filled Stephen

Now, St. Luke turns to project an individual, named Stephen, who has improved in his Spiritual qualities. Stephen was chosen for Deacon's work, to serve at the Table. He was one of the caretakers of widows, and the needy in the Church. But, he never forgot to do the work of God, the mission of Messiah, and to witness the savior to his fellow men of his city and community. He has completely given himself to the power of the Holy Spirit. He had performed many miracles, signs, and wonders to bring people to Christ. He had enthusiastically and eagerly done the gospel work. No one could stand before him to disprove what he was preaching and teaching was wrong.

Acts 6:11-12 Seized Stephen

The jealousy and useless men of the Jews, synagogue, and community found a way to curtail his popularity of Stephen. The Freedmen on those days had secretly plotted against Stephen. They induced men and stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes. They came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. They also set up false witnesses against Stephen. Freedmen were also people who believed in God, believed in the coming of the Messiah, believed the safeguarding the system. It is well and good. But they never had a conversion experience, never walked according to the word of God, never gave themselves to the control of the Holy Spirit. They could not spiritually tally with them, could not stand with him in word and deeds. They had expressed the crocodile tears to safeguard the systems, customs, and traditions of Moses rather than giving a place for the word and spirit to work in them and their system. Therefore, they took an easy way out to eradicate him from the scene.

Acts 6:15 Shining Stephen

Seized Stephen has placed before the Council. The council met with bias, prejudices, and never practiced justice and righteousness. We have learned how the Sanhedrin or the Council had conducted itself and behaved over the decades with the right people. They threatened the poor and needy, justice denied to them, they misused the power and abused it for their advancement. Remember how they cast out the Blind Man for his confession of Jesus as Messiah in John 9. They accused Jesus Christ and put him to death. They flogged the Apostles and threatened them not to preach. However, there were the right people who could not accept the views of the majority. They stood for right and just. The notable personalities were Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and Gamaliel. Stephen was cool and kept himself with intact of the Spiritual quality, and proved his confidence in God, and preferred himself to meet their plots and reactions. He was looking at the face of God, he was speaking to the Father of Glory. Therefore St. Luke Says that Stephen’s face was shining as per Psalm 34:5, knowing the fact as per Psalm 33:10-11.

Discuss:

The attitude of the Council and the Reactions of Stephen.

(Please refer to the series of Studies in Acts...)