The Testimony of Stephen

1. Full of the Spirit, of Wisdom, of Faith, of Grace, and of Power

Acts 6:3 But brothers, look for seven well-attested men from among you, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint over this need. 

Acts 6:5 And the word pleased all the multitude; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmena and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch. 

Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

Acts 6:10 Yet they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 

2. A Witness

Acts 22:20 And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I myself also was standing by and approving and keeping the garments of those who did away with him.  

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 

3. Beholding & Reflecting the Glory of the Lord

Acts 6:15 And all those sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw his face as though it were the face of an angel. 

Acts 7:55-56 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 And he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. 

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit. 

4. Notes

• After Christ's death, He breathed the Holy Spirit into the disciples for their Christian life (John 20:22)

• Christ's resurrection & ascension was the end of His earthly ministry as recorded the Gospels

• Acts records the beginning of Christ's heavenly ministry, referring to the acts of the resurrected & ascended Christ is in us as the Spirit (with our spirit)

• On the day of Pentecost, the Jewish believers were baptized in the Holy Spirit, this marks the beginning of the church and the corporate life they lived

• The baptism of the Spirit was also for their Christian service: the preaching of the gospel and adding to the church those who were being saved day by day

• The early church was characterized by continuing steadfastly (or constantly, devotedly) in prayer related to God's purpose; being full of the Spirit of God who was actively moving in and through them; and being full of the Word of God which they spoke boldly in all occassions

Week 7 Bible Reading: Acts 13-14