Introduction

Hello, dear friends. It is indeed a joy to gather with you in this sacred space, where we can pause from the clamor of the world and tune our hearts to the gentle whisper of our Father. We find ourselves today in the company of Stephen, a man of God whose life was a radiant testimony of faith, a beacon of divine grace and power. His story, found in the book of Acts, chapter 6, verses 8 to 15, offers us a glimpse of how we too can live lives that echo the love of our Savior.

Let's read together from God's Word: "Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, 'We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.' So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, 'This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.' All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel."

Grace and Power in Living

In the life of Stephen, we see the extraordinary power of ordinary faith, the kind of faith that can transform us and the world around us. As Thomas à Kempis once said, "A good character when established is not easily overthrown, but a bad conscience is a constant terror." Stephen's character, rooted in his faith and trust in God, was unshakeable even in the face of false accusations and imminent danger.

Can we too, like Stephen, stand firm in our faith when faced with trials? Can we, full of God's grace and power, perform great wonders and signs among the people? Can we speak with wisdom that the Spirit gives, silencing the arguments of those who oppose us? Can we, even as we face the harshest of accusations, shine with the radiance of an angel?

Guidance through Spirit-Anointed Wisdom

The wisdom that Stephen displayed was not a wisdom that was confined to the realm of ideas or theories ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO