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Stephen Seized

8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”

12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

 

Stephen, a servant of the Lord, was filled with the Holy Spirit. The members of the Synagogue of the Freemen didn’t like Stephen’s teaching. They couldn’t argue against his wisdom, so they decided to use false witnesses to say that his teachings were false.

 

Stephen’s face was like that of an angel as he spoke the truth. His power and knowledge was from the Holy Spirit and his loving message outshone their understanding. At the end of the chapter as Stephen is finishing his speech, he says to the crowd “ 51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.” The crowd was furious with Stephen, and they began to stone him. They did not appreciate that they were being accused of the murder of Jesus. Stephen then kneels and cries out loudly before his death, 59 “Lord! Do not remember this sin against them!” Filled with the Holy Spirit until the very end Stephen asks that they be spared for their sin. May we not be resistant to the Holy Spirit.

 

Lord, May we be filled with the Holy Spirit. Amen

 

Kris Ward

kris5124@icloud.com

 

Prayer Concern - Those who seek power for themselves above serving the Lord.