YOUTH STS LESSON 191 STEPHEN’S DEFENCE AND MARTYRDOM

MEMORY VERSE:
“These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service” (John 16:1,2).

TEXT:Acts 7:1–60

The revival in the Early Church brought great persecution to the disciples in form of imprisonment, beating and threatening (Acts 4:21; 5:18, 40). Peter and John had been imprisoned but the Lord delivered them. Now, in this study, a disciple went beyond these initial persecutions and sealed his faith with his blood. This is called martyrdom. This disciple was Stephen.

Question 1: Who was this Stephen?

Stephen was a saved, sanctified and Spirit-filled believer. He was “full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people” (Acts 6:8). He was one of the seven-member committee that shared food in the early church. Stephen was the first Christian called upon to prove his faith by the crushing reality of death. As he opened the flood-gate of triumph through faith, many others drew strength and inspiration from his experience. In this study, we shall see Stephen’s trial, testimony and triumph.

THE TRIAL OF STEPHEN: Acts 7:1; 4:1–21; 5:17–20; 16:19–24; John 18:12–14; Acts 26:1–7

“Then said the high priest, Are these things so?” (Acts 7:1). The question is: What things? To answer this question, we need to go back to Acts 6:9–15. Stephen was accused of blasphemy.

“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. Then they suborned men, whichh said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God” (Acts 6:9–11).

Therefore, he was tried before council.

Question 2: Was Stephen afraid to face the council?

“And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15). The members of the council could not fail to notice the radiance and glow on Stephen’s face. This was the miraculous testimony of God to His servant. It was a testimony to the purity and sincerity of Stephen. What a divine approval of an earnest witness.

Although Stephen was strengthened and encouraged by this divine approval, one could imagine how he felt before the council that charged him with offences he never committed, which carried capital punishment. However, Jesus had predicted these persecutions and prepared the disciples to expect them.

“If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:19).

Like him, we too should prepare for persecutions because the Bible says: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

THE TESTIMONY OF STEPHEN

(Acts 7:2–53; Genesis 12:1–4; 15:13,14; 45:4,5; Exodus 1:7–14; Matthew 23:34–37)

“Then said the high priest, Are these things so? And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran” (Acts 7:1,2).

Stephen was given the opportunity to defend himself. But he used the opportunity to proclaim Jesus Christ. He used his trial as an occasion to present the gospel to the Sanhedrin. He invalidated the accusations against him by narrating the Jewish history and then making applications from it.

He sought to clear himself by showing them through historical statements that he was a true Israelite in the heart, and he could not speak blasphemous words against Moses or the temple. In his speech, he addressed God as “the God of glory”, who presently covered his face with His shining glory and could not blaspheme such a beneficent God.

Also, he showed how Moses, who they held in the highest esteem foretold the coming of a Prophet (Christ) like himself (Deuteronomy 18:15–19; Acts 3:22–26).

“This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear” (verse 37).

Finally, Stephen showed at every stage of their history how their fathers resisted the prophets sent to them by God and now the Sanhedrin was going the same way. In his message, he called the forefathers of the Jews the forerunners of Jesus. He accused the Jews of killing Jesus as their fathers did to the prophets. Therefore, by their deeds, they were not keeping the Law.

Question 3: In your own words, point out important aspects of Stephen’s speech.

In Stephen’s message we can highlight the following:

1. The promise of God to Abraham (verses 2–5)
2. The prophecy concerning Israel in Egypt (verses 6,7)
3. The provision through Joseph (verses 8–16)
4. The persecution of the children of Israel in Egypt (verses 17–21)
5. The preservation and preparation of the deliverer (verses 22–29)
6. The purpose of God to deliver Israel revealed (verses 30–36)
7. The prophecy concerning Christ (verses 37–39)
8. The punishment for rejecting and disobeying God’s word (verses 39–43)
9. The possession of the promised land (verses 44–50)
10. The practice of the Jews (verse 51)
11. The persecution of the prophets of God by the Jews (verses 52,53)

The defence of Stephen was penetrating and unsparing. His testimony was powerful and affirmed the Lordship of Christ. It was too much for his accusers to endure. Hence, they “were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth” and “…ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him” (Acts 7:54,57,58).

THE TRIUMPH OF STEPHEN

(Acts 7:54–60; 5:33; Jeremiah 38:1–7; John 10:31–33; 11:8; Acts 14:1–7, 19–28; Jeremiah 36:1–3,20–26; Nehemiah 8:1–3, 8,9; Acts 8:1–5)

“When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord” (Acts 7:54,57).

As Stephen was presenting his defence before the council, the people who heard him “were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth”. They are convicted but instead of repenting like the people in Acts 2:37 which requested from the apostles what to do, they were ready to stone Stephen to death.

There are two ways to respond to the gospel message. It is either you reject or receive it. If you choose to reject the gospel message, you postpone your day of repentance. Eternity in hell is sure for every sinner who refuses or neglects to repent. On the other hand, if you choose to receive Christ and His salvation, you will spend eternity in heaven where there are no tears.

The purpose of preaching the word of God is for everyone to examine their lives and amend their ways.

“It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin” (Jeremiah 36:3).

“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” (Acts 7:55,56).

As the persecutors of Stephen stoned him, God strengthened His servant with the vision of glory he preached (Acts 7:2). Stephen was not overcome by fear. He was conscious of the heavenly goal set before him. He did not keep his eyes on his persecutors but “looked up stedfastly into heaven” and saw “the Son of man standing on the right hand of God”.

Question 4: How did the vision of the glory of God comfort Stephen?

Stephen was comforted by this vision in three ways.

One, it assured him that what he had testified was true when he saw Christ alive and exalted at the right hand of God, the Father.

Two, it showed that he was not suffering alone. Christ who should be “sitting on the right hand of power” of God was now “standing on the right hand of God” to receive a commissioned, consecrated and committed soldier coming home victoriously (Matthew 26:64; Acts 7:55). He therefore identified with the saint, soul-winner and soldier who was valiantly defending and contending for the faith in the face of violent persecutors.

Three, the vision encouraged Stephen to fully trust in the Lord’s promises of strength and grace to endure and have final triumph over his foes. The promise of the Lord is:

“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2).

Question 5: What were the effects of Stephen’s martyrdom on the Church?

“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” (verse 58).

The death of Stephen had so much gain and impact on the Church. A young Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus who violently opposed the church was at the martyrdom of Stephen, who though could not join in stoning because he was not one of the witnesses, helped to hold the clothes of the men who stripped themselves in order to do more efficiently their deadly works (Acts 7:58; 8:1).

The death of Stephen marked a turning point in the history of the early Church. Until this time, evangelisation was confined to the city of Jerusalem. Yet, the Great Commission was “ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Through Stephen’s persecution, the church “scattered abroad” and “went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). The extreme persecution of the Jews was God’s opportunity to take the gospel to all nations, people and races (Acts 11:19–26).

Question 6: What practical lessons can we learn from today’s study?

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

Stephen’s death poses challenges for the youths of this generation in many ways.

One, he was Spirit-filled till the point of death (verse 55; John 14:16).
Two, he was steadfast in faith, service and commitment to the Lord till the end (verse 55).
Three, he saw the glory of God which he had preached about before he entered heaven to enjoy it throughout eternity (verse 2,55).
Four, he saw the Saviour Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God ready to welcome him (verse 55,56).
Five, he saw the heavens open, the home where he will live forever (verse 56).
Six, he prayed for his persecutors even at the point of death like his Master Jesus did before He gave up the ghost (verse 60).

“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34).

Seven, he finally submitted his spirit to the Lord Jesus Christ by praying “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” like His Master did (verse 59; Luke 23:46).

Are you a saint, servant and soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ? The challenge from the Songwriter is:

Onward, Christian Soldiers!
Marching as to war,
Looking unto Jesus,
Who is gone before;
Christ, the Royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See His banners go.

Onward, Christian Soldiers!
Marching as to war,
Looking unto Jesus,
Who is gone before.