The Deacon Who Was Devoted To Jesus

Written anonymously on the walls of a medieval castle were the following words:

You call me Master and Obey me not. You call me Light and See me not. You call me the Way and Walk me not. You call me Life and Desire me not. You call me Wise and Follow me not. You call me Fair and Love me me not. You call me Rich and Ask me not. You call me Eternal and Seek me not. You call me Gracious and Trust me not. If I condemn you, Blame me not.


These words could not be said about Stephen, for he was truly a deacon who was devoted to Jesus.

I-NOTICE THE SPLENDOR OF STEPHEN:

(There is one word that is used to describe Stephen and it used three times in these passages. It is the word "full".)


A-Stephen was a Spirit-filled man:

Acts6:5-"....and they chose Stephen, a man full....of the Holy Spirit."

1)Because he was spirit-filled, they couldn’t resist him according to verse ten.

2)The secret of D.L. Moody was not in his education, nor his speech, nor his looks, nor his wealth but it was that he was a man full of the Holy Spirit.

B-Stephen was a Stable man:

Acts6:5-"....and they chose Stephen. a man full of faith."

1)He had a faith in that he believed something and and that something was the Lord Jesus Christ. He believed in Him so much that he was willing to die for Him.

2)Michael Faraday, the great scientist, was taken ill. When it became evident that the sickness that had fastened itself upon him would soon result in his death, a group of fellow scientists came to see him--not so much to talk about science as to talk about death. One of them said to him: "Mr. Faraday, what are your speculations about your future?" With evident surprise to them he replied: "Speculations! I have none. I am resting on certainties." Then he quoted II Tim. 1:12: "For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."

C--Stephen was a Strong man:

Acts 6:8-"And Stephen, full of faith and powers, did great wonders and miracles among the people."

1)The divine power of God was upon him, not to exalt him but exalt Jesus. And it was to be used in bringing people to Jesus.


II-NOTICE THE SERMON OF STEPHEN:


A-The Contents of the Sermon:

Acts 7:2-:And he said, men, brethren and fathers, hearken;the God of Glory..."

1)The content of Stephen’s sermon was about the Lord, and based on his Word.

2) The story is told about an old American Indian who attended a church service one Sunday morning. The preacher's message lacked real spiritual food, so he did a lot of shouting and pulpit pounding to cover up his lack of preparation. In fact, as it is sometimes said, he "preached up quite a storm." After the service, someone asked the Indian, who was a Christian, what he thought of the minister's message. Thinking for a moment, he summed up his opinion in six words: "High wind. Big thunder. No rain." Yes, when the Scriptures are neglected, there is "no rain." Only when preaching is based on God's Word are His people blessed and refreshed.


B-The Courage of the Sermon:

Acts 7:51-"Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost : as your fathers did, do ye."

1) Peter Cartwright, a nineteenth-century circuit-riding Methodist preacher, was an uncompromising man. One Sunday morning when he was to preach, he was