They chose seven outstanding men. However, one of those men stands out head and shoulders above the rest. His name was Stephen.
Most of chapters six and seven deal with Stephen, this man of God, who was so greatly used by God.
Have you ever wondered why they singled Stephen out. The church elected seven deacons. Why would they single out this one?
I believe I know why. The devil knew that Stephen was the real big threat to his kingdom.
I trust we will learn from him, as we take a closer look at this great man of God!
I. HE WAS A SPECIAL MAN OF GOD
Look at Acts 6: 8-10. We read, “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.”
Look at-
A. HIS ABILITIES
In all areas of life, you have some people who are common, and some who are special.
Illus: In the field of athletics, for example, we see those who make it to the Olympics. We know these people are special in their field. Crowds of people are stirred and moved to excitement by their talents.
These are special athletes! These special people thrill us and inspire us.
Also, in the spiritual realm, there are those who thrill us and inspire us. Stephen was one of those.
He, of course, was not the only one.
Illus: When Adoniram Judson graduated from college and seminary, he received a call from a fashionable church in Boston, to become its assistant pastor. Everyone congratulated him. His mother and sister rejoiced that he could live at home with them, and still do his life's work. But Judson refused the offer saying, “My work is not here,” He said, “God is calling me beyond the seas. To stay here, even to serve God in His ministry, I feel would be only partial obedience, and I could not be happy in that.”
Although it was a great struggle, he left his mother and sister, to follow the heavenly call. Not many people remember the fashionable church in Boston, but Judson's churches in Burma had fifty thousand converts, and the influence of his consecrated life, is still felt around the world. --Forward
Yes, God has always had some men and women that He could use, who were not just carbon copy Christians.
During the days of the early church, Stephen was one that was special.
B. THEIR INABILITY
Those who were not Christians, considered Stephen as a man who must be stopped. They evidently tried to discredit his teachings, but verse 10 says, “And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.”
WHAT KIND OF A MAN WAS HE?
II. HE WAS A SENSIBLE MAN OF GOD
Stephen was being accused of some very serious charges.
If you want to know if a man is sensible, the time to evaluate him is when he is under enemy fire.
Look how he faced this gang of evil men.
A. THE GANG
Look at verses 11-15. We read, “Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.”
Have you notice that the devil's crowd always seems to run in gangs?
We often read about the gangs in our big cities. The members of these gangs do great evil. Have you ever wondered why they do things as a gang?
It is because of the strength in numbers.
Illus: One boy might not dare fight another boy, especially if he is a little bigger. But if he gets a gang on his side, all of a sudden he has courage.
Evil people are more comfortable when they have many other evil people with them. Their strength is in their numbers.
It takes a brave soul to stand alone. Yet the Bible tells of many who stood alone, even when they were greatly outnumbered.
Illus: In 1 Kings 18, we read of King Ahab, at Elijah's request, sending for all the children of Israel, and gathering all the prophets of Baal together on mount Carmel. Elijah challenged, "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. " In verse 22 we read that four hundred fifty prophets of Baal were there to oppose Elijah's one God. But, this great man of God did not back down. In fact, he challenged them to a contest between his God and theirs.
Illus: Samson stood against the Philistine nation in the name of the living God.
It may be that you are the only one in your family that is serving God. It may be you are the only one where you work who is serving the Lord. But when God is for us, we are more than a majority.
B. THE GLOW
In verse 15, we read, "And all that sat in the council, looking stedlastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel."
NOT EVERYONE HAS THIS GLOW.
Illus: If you have been out of school for many years, perhaps this has happened to you. You had a friend, or friends, in high school. That friend began drinking, smoking, and partying. You go your separate ways. Thirty years later you happen to meet him again. You are shocked. You would never have recognized that friend, had he not told you who he was. The sinful lifestyle he had chosen so many years ago, has taken such a toll on him, he looked almost 15 years older than he is. His face reflects his sinful lifestyle, rough and stern.
That friend is only one of millions who have "sinner" written all over their faces.
Did Stephen look like this? NO! The Word of God said, “And all that sat in the council, looking stedlastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel."
Illus: Perhaps someone you know has that "glow. " One lady, who seems to always have a big smile, was standing in line, waiting her turn to be checked out of a store. Evidently a bit of that "glow" the Lord gives was shining through, because an elderly gentleman spoke up and said, "You have the smile of an angel! "
Illus: The story is told of little Sammy Morris, from Africa, who was gloriously saved. The missionary that had led him to the Lord, had to go back to the States. Sammy did not know anyone in the United States, except that missionary. Sammy wanted to come to America to go to Bible School, so he caught a ship and headed for New York. When he arrived in New York, he asked a man if he knew that particular missionary and where he was. The Lord must have placed that man there, for he did know where he lived. It is said that that young man was so full of the Spirit of God, that lost men had to accept Christ, or get out of his presence.
May the Lord give us such a glow, that all the world might see Christ in our lives.
III. HE WAS A SINCERE MAN OF GOD
A. THE REVIEW
We can see that as we read through Acts 7:1-53. These fifty-three verses are Stephen's defense. He states that he had not blasphemed God, and he reviews the history of Israel, and how God had sent one great leader after another, and they rejected them and continued to live in sin.
Stephen had been accused of saying bad things about Moses. Look at Acts 6:11, we read, “Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.”
Now you might think, by the way they were acting, that those people were very fond of Moses. But the fact is, when Moses was alive, their ancestors had rebelled and almost drove him out of their midst.
They murmured and complained about what he tried to do for them, until finally God had to punish them.
Now, here they are, acting as if they are insulted about something Stephen was supposed to have said about Moses. It's amazing how people's opinions change after someone is dead!
Illus: Remember when John F. Kennedy was in office? The news media attacked him constantly. Once he was assassinated, nearly everything they had to say was good and kind.
B. THE REFUSAL
Stephen told this mob the truth, but they refused to hear the truth. They rejected him, and the message he preached.
In Acts 7:54-60, we read, “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
In this time of refusal and rejection, we see several things:
1. SWEETNESS OF DEATH FOR A MAN OF GOD
Stephen's last words were this testimony, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God .... Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Great Christians have always had great testimonies when they departed to be with Jesus.
• When William Carey was dying, he said, "When I am gone, speak less of Dr. Carey and more of Dr...Carey's Savior. "
• When Susanna Wesley was dying, she said, "Children, when I am gone, sing a song of praise to God."
• When Adoniram Judson was dying, he said, “I am not tired of my work, neither am I tired of the world; yet when Christ calls me home, I shall go with the gladness of a boy bounding away from school.
• When John Wesley was dying, he said, “The best of it is, God is with us, Farewell! Farewell!'
• When Preston was dying, he said, “Blessed be god! Though I change my place, I shall not change my company.”
• When Goodwin was dying, he said, “Ah! Is this dying? How have I dreaded as an enemy this smiling face.”
• When Everett was dying, for twenty-five minutes before death came, he just kept saying, “Glory! Glory! Glory!”
• When Moody died, he said, “Earth recedes, heaven is opened before me. If this is death, it is sweet.”
His son, standing beside the bed said, “No, no, father you are dreaming.” He said, “No, I am not dreaming. I have been within the gates: I have seen the children’s faces, this is my triumph; this is my coronation day! It is glorious!”
When the Lord’s people leave this life, they leave it with a sweetness.
But what a contrast with the wicked.
2. SOURNESS OF LIFE FOR THE WICKED
What a contrast we see, between a dying saint who is stepping into the portals of heaven, and a sinner. The dying saint looks forward to being in Jesus' presence. Stephen was stoned to death, but he died with a sweetness. But these men that stoned him were dead already spiritually.
Look at verses 57-58, we read, “Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Conclusion:
I. HE WAS A SPECIAL MAN OF GOD
II. HE WAS A SENSIBLE MAN OF GOD
III. HE WAS A SINCERE MAN OF GOD
