We now begin a lengthy account of the witness, the persecution and martyrdom of Stephen, one of the deacons chosen by the people. I have no doubt that he being “full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom,” verse 3, his preaching contributed to what verse 7 states. “And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”
We are told that:
I. HE DID GREAT WONDERS AND MIRACLES AMONG THE PEOPLE.
The apostolic age was a special time but when the apostles died, that special time ended. The apostles were able to:
* Raise the dead. It was promised, Matthew 10:8, Mark 16:17-18. It happened, Acts 9:40-41; 20:9-10.
* Instantly heal the sick. Again promised, Mark 16:17-18. Took place, Acts 3:6-8; Acts 28:8-9.
All God’s servants were not enabled to do this, it was a special gift granted to the apostles to prove that their Gospel was of God. It was as the Saviour likewise proved that He was the Messiah by the miracles He wrought.
“Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me,” Matthew 11:2-6.
II. STEPHEN’S WONDERFUL PREACHING AROUSED BITTER OPPOSITION!
Trouble is never far from the people of God! “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,” verses 9-14. They were ‘outsiders’ and not native to Jerusalem.
1. They could not answer Him. “And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake,” verse 10.
2. Then, as wicked men do, they resorted to lies! “Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God,” verse 11. That shows they are of the devil, “for he is a liar, and the father of it,”
3. The allocations made against Stephen proved that these men knew nothing of the Bible! “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God,” verse 11. Those who do not know the Word of God may imagine that the message of the Gospel was wrong since they did not know that the law was but a‘shadow’ of the Gospel “good things to come,” Hebrews 10:1.
III. THEY THEN LAID FALSE CHARGES AGAINST STEPHEN BEFORE THE JEWISH SANHEDRIN.
What followed Stephen’s appearance before the Jewish Council reveals the bitter hatred there was in the hearts of those who had been the leaders in the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.
IV. HOWEVER, THE LORD WAS WITH STEPHEN AND HIS VERY APPEARANCE INDICATED THAT HE WAS A HOLY PERSON.
“And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel,” verse 15.
I am sure that those men were reminded, as they looked on Stephen, of the Lord Jesus as He stood before them but a short time before. What a dreadful reminder of their awful crime! However, it did not soften their hearts or bring about repentance for the action at Calvary when they crucified the Lord of Glory!