Stephen The First Martyr

Stephen bravely preached a sermon about how people like them had rejected God and Jesus. God wanted Israel to follow as their leader and king. Some of the Jews became so angry at Stephen that they threw stones at him until he died. Stephen was the first martyr of the Christian faith.

God is doing great things in His church - Stephen is doing wonderful things through God’s power, and so Satan steps in to give opposition. He first tries to shut Stephen down through

Argument - Stephen has been teaching the truth of Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one of God, crucified, risen, ascended, glorified, at the Father’s right hand in heaven. And as he goes from synagogue to synagogue teaching the truth, people try to argue against him.

A young man who, as he is dying, asks for forgiveness for his persecutors. The great Christian poet was struck by the meekness of St Stephen, whose martyrdom is related in all its glory in the Acts of the Apostles. As he was being stoned, St Stephen cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

It is believed that he was either Greek, or a Jew educated in Greek culture. What is certain is that he was greatly appreciated by the community in Jerusalem that his name appears first among the seven men chosen as deacons to assist the Apostles in their mission. A man “filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,” we worked wonders and miracles – but some members of the synagogue stirred up the people against him, with the elders and scribes saying he had blasphemed against Moses and against God. In the days following Pentecost, Stephen was hauled before the Sanhedrin, and accused by false witnesses of preaching that Jesus would “destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

A remarkable servant of God named Stephen is mentioned in Acts 6:8.

While reflecting on the scriptures,

I have discerned 6 profound insights regarding Stephen's life that enabled him to be an instrument for God's extraordinary works.

1. His life was characterized by a profound faith in God.

Stephen was a man who was reported as being "full of faith." This intrigued me as many at this time were already in an up and down faith mode, but somehow Stephen had maintained his faith and it had strengthened into a powerful weapon. A weapon that was enough for this man to persevere into the most dangerous battle of his life without fear of death.

2. His life is enriched by the divine grace of God.

3. His life is filled with the presence of the Spirit of God.

4. His life is empowered by the strength that comes from God.

5. His life is guided by the teachings of the Word of God.

6. His life is marked by the forgiveness granted by God.

This is the reason why God bestowed honor upon him even in his death.

May the Lord assist us and bestow His grace upon us to embody these 6 principles in our spiritual lives.

God bless you.