The Gospel Should Mean Everything To Us.

I. Stephen’s death seems to instigate the persecution of the church.

A. The stoning was likely illegal.

B. It was a result of the crowd’s emotions being stirred up.

C. It seems to have emboldened Saul carry out his persecution of the church.

II. The church persecuted.

A. This portion of this verse does not mean every single person.

B. It is likely a reference to all of the Hellenists

C. Jesus promised that the church would be persecuted because of Him.

D. We can expect we will be persecuted.

III. What should our response be to persecution of the church?

A. We should go where ever we can and preach the gospel.

B. We should stand strong in the might of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:10)

C. We should carry our cross.

D. Matthew 10:38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

E. This should be done in conjunction with the church.

IV. Stephen’s burial shows his innocence.

A. Guilty men were not acknowledged in this way.

B. This was an act of great boldness and almost an act of defiance.

V. Saul is emboldened to further persecute the church.

A. The crowd was stirred up because of the gospel.

B. The support of the crowd had, in the past, kept the leaders from persecuting Christians in the past.

C. There was a sense of freedom because of the riled crowds.