Sermons on Acts 6:9-8:3:

"When Life Seems To Be Closing In"

Contributed by David Washburn on Mar 25, 2002

We will each have a time in our lives where life seems to be closing in. We can turn to Stephen and draw stength and wisdom from how he coped when life closed in around him.

One day a man falls off a cliff, but manages to grab hold of a tree limb on the way down. The man calls out, “Is there anyone up there?” A voice answers back, “I am here. It is I, the Lord. Do you believe in me?” “Yes, Lord I believe, I really believe, but I can’t hold on much longer.” “That’s all ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:54-60

Denomination: Baptist

Compelled To Witness

Contributed by Timothy Dolan on Jun 22, 2008

Despite spiritual trouble and physical difficulty in life; we can be witnesses as compelled by the Spirit of God.

Compelled to Witness Scripture Text: Acts 8:1-5 ILLUSTRATION: T.H. Huxley, a well-known agnostic, was with a group of men at a weekend house party. On Sunday morning, while most of them were preparing to go to church, he approached a man known for his Christian character and said, "Suppose you ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

Resisting, Grieving, And Quenching The Holy Spirit

Contributed by Andrew Drummond on Jul 3, 2008

Many times our focus is on how to invite and welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives and churches, but what if we are doing things to push Him away?

I want you to imagine with me for a minute we are all living in a time when we had no fire. We have no way to produce a great deal of warmth at night; we have no way to cook what we kill in the forest. Someone has told that all we need to do is pray for it and it will come. So imagine we want to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:51

Stephen: The Princely Prayer Series

Contributed by Travis Markes on Feb 18, 2008

Series on men and women’s prayers in the Bible made a difference and how prayer truly is a difference maker in our lives. I borrowed the outlines from SermonCentral Pro Contributor Tim Byrd.

Stephen: The Princely Prayer Acts 7:54-7:60 Over these past few months I have taken scriptures and prayers in the Bible and used them as sermon topics. I have called them prayers that made a difference. Tonight we will look at a man that modeled the Lord he so loved and served. He even modeled ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:54-60

Denomination: Baptist

Lessons From Philip

Contributed by Neil Richardson on Mar 12, 2008

Even though the believers were scattered through persecution, Philip went about doing good and preaching the good news and leading many to Christ.

Summer Survival: lessons from Philip in Acts 8 Who was he? Not Philip the apostle, but one of the deacons, "seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom" who were appointed to distribute food fairly amongst the Jewish and Gentile widows of the early church in Jerusalem (Acts ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-40

Denomination: Baptist

Why We All (Especially The Elders) Need Deacons Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Mar 19, 2008

God loves us by equipping and calling deacons to serve us.

Scripture Introduction A guy dies, arrives at the Pearly Gates, and (as always in stories like this), St. Peter is there and asks him to relate a good deed he had done. He thinks for a moment then says, “Well, there was the time I was driving down a road when I saw a group of hoodlums harassing a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:1-15

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Advancement Of The Gospel

Contributed by Don Baggett on Sep 27, 2008

The Holy Spirit came and empowered the believers, who were praying in the upper room, and then things really started happening. The people who had become believers in Christ decided not to go back home, but to stay right there in Jerusalem where the acti

The book of Acts may be listed in your Bible as the “Acts of the Apostles,” but these titles are not part of the inspired text. These titles have been added a long time after the text was given to men by the inspiration of God. The same thing is true about chapter divisions, verse numbers, and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-40

Denomination: Baptist

God's Not Done! Series

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Oct 16, 2008

Stephen was able to face death because he had a sure faith. True faith will take us through any crisis.

God’s Not Done! Acts 7:51-60 Review: The early Church of Acts had many ups and downs, but they led to victory. Context: Stephen was able to stand in the face of death because he knew exactly what he believed in. There were no doubts. (Most of Chapter 7 is a retelling of the Old Testament and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:51-60

Denomination: Pentecostal

Guilty Until Proven Guilty Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 27, 2008

As followers of Jesus, we must argue our case fairly, even when our opponents do not. They do not set our agenda.

Guilty Until Proven Guilty (Acts 6:8-15) 1. Many changes come to us a step at a time. I came across of illustration of this regarding trapping wild pigs. You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:8-15

Denomination: Independent/Bible

That Same Old Song And Dance Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 3, 2008

When we are bound by stubborn patterns, we can become hostile when our stubborn ways are exposed.

That Same Old Song and Dance (Acts 7: 1-53) 1. It is natural for all of us to get absorbed in our own worlds; as a result, we often lose sight of the big picture. 2. Our nation’s current economic meltdown is causing us to rethink life and the way we do things in this country. 3. But God’s ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:1-53

Denomination: Independent/Bible

But God

Contributed by Jeremiah Parker on Mar 22, 2008

Your situation may be dire BUT GOD will deliver.

BUT GOD And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, (Act 7:9) For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. (Psa 75:6-7) I. Joseph: (Acts 7:9a) (Genesis ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:9

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Fall For A Different Gospel

Contributed by Greg Johnson on Apr 13, 2008

Stephen did not fall for a different Gospel. He was a Christ follower. He lived and died for Christ.

This message is an edited version of a sermon given at Loving God Fellowship. Copyright © 2008 Loving God Fellowship, Inc. http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org . Click to have messages emailed to you as they are made available. You are encouraged to share this message with those you know that are ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:55-60

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rediscovering Our Voice - Stephen

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Apr 16, 2008

Look at Stephen the martyr & how we are called likewise to rediscover our voice in sharing our faith & speaking prophetically too

2 Peter 2:1-10 Acts 7: 51-60 Summary prior to Acts reading Stephen is in Jerusalem around AD 30. He is one of the most trusted men in the Church; a very good man who the Bible says was full of both the Holy Spirit and love. The early Christian community trusted him & chose him to be treasurer of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:51-60

Denomination: Methodist

Impatience With God Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 4, 2008

At times it is hard not to get impatient with God. It’s hard to wait for Him to move. But such impatience can cause us to act rashly and our rashness can cost us dearly.

OPEN: Caitlin was a 4 year old and an only child. She really wanted to have a baby sister and kept pestering her mother asking when she could have one. One morning Caitlin told her mother, "Maybe if we both prayed out loud, God would hear us." So they prayed together. As soon as they finished, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:18-34

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sensitive Servants

Contributed by Clyde Paige on Feb 27, 2007

Gods servants making theirselves available when God calls

Servants Sensitive to the Spirit Acts 6:26-39 Listen to one of the most exciting stories in all the scriptures: Learning to listen to the Lord is one of the greatest needs in our churches today. It is not always easy to know where to go its not always easy to know what to do its not always easy to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:26-39

Denomination: Baptist