The Bible describes Stephen as a man full of faith, the Holy Spirit and power (Acts 6:5,8). Looking at the event that earned Stephen a mention in the Acts of the Apostles, one can also safely say that Stephen was a man of integrity and he had a good reputation. Stephen was a trustworthy disciple. 

It is only a loving, compassionate and merciful Jesus that would put a dubious untrustworthy Judas Iscariot in charge of the purse. Most organisations (majority actually) will only trust their storehouse and strong room to people whose integrity have been proven beyond every reasonable doubt…like Stephen.  The Apostles applied a similar principle in deciding who took charge of the storehouse. 

Division of labor makes for efficiency and effectiveness. The Apostles understood that a Jack of all trade, ends up mastering none. Having identified their own trade; to minister the Word and to pray (Acts 6:2), it would be a total distraction to engage in serving tables. Serving tables would mean the Apostles distributing food from the storehouse to the teeming multitudes that embraced and followed the Word daily. The Apostles didn’t think it wise to take on that role,  that’s how Stephen (and the other 6) showed up (Acts 6: 1-7)

It is interesting how Stephen stood out from the larger pack and also from the smaller group of 7. Why Stephen?

According to Acts 6:8, Stephen didn’t merely hand out food and goods to people, he served full of faith, the Holy Spirit and power. The Bible records that Stephen performed signs and wonders among the people. He spoke the Word as he served. Some Jews who attempted to challenge Stephen’s confidence and conviction as he discharged his duties collapsed when they came head-on with the untold measure of wisdom which Stephen operated in (Acts 6:10).

Stephen was committed to the good work of the Kingdom; serving the people by the Word. And as a result of the commitment of the Apostles (and Stephen) in serving the Word, the number of disciples increased.

“The word of God was reaching more and more people. The group of followers in Jerusalem became larger and larger. Even a big group of Jewish priests believed and obeyed.“
Acts 6:7 ERV

Now, this is not exactly good news if you are in the opposition. If you are part of the kingdom that Stephen and the Apostles depleted their membership on a daily basis you are unlikely to be happy. The Opposition weren’t. Each passing day, they watched members of their fold drift into Stephen’s fold. Even their Jewish priests and leaders migrated as well, abandoning their traditional clinging to the teachings of Moses and their God. As far as they could see, it wasn’t really that this Stephen (and the Apostles) were powerful, they didn’t seem like powerful men. But somehow, people kept being drawn by what they said and the miracles that followed. Hundreds of people were persuaded and convinced by the words of the disciples of Jesus.

So they thought, ‘if they could stop this word from spreading further, this ugly and embarrassing situation  would be brought under control’. The opposition wasted no more time, they swung into action, falsely accusing and charging Stephen with blasphemy with the intention to kill him, get him off the scene, terrify the rest of the disciples and silence the Word. (Sounds to me like the same setup that got Jesus crucified). 

Oh! They succeeded in their plot against Stephen (Acts chapter 7). They stoned him to death.

Questions:

1. Where were the Apostles and the other Disciples at this time?
2. How did they feel about Stephen’s gruesome murder?
3. Where was Peter the rock? Couldn’t Peter raise Stephen back to life?
4. As a man of the Spirit and power, couldn’t Stephen resist being killed?
5. Oh! and where was Jesus when his faithful servant was being tortured and murdered in cold blood? Where was Jesus?. After all, it’s because of Jesus Stephen got killed. Maybe Stephen would still be alive if he chose to only quietly serve The Lord without being so outspoken and provocative to the Jews? 

Questions, questions and yet more questions…….

Just before Stephen was killed, he located Jesus; standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:56).  In that instant, all the pains Stephen felt through his ordeal were gone. The Heavens were opened and Jesus has been watching over him, the whole of Heaven was with him, nothing else mattered. Romans 14:8 was true….

“For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” NKJV

As Jesus watched Stephen matyred, He knew what it was like to suffer this way for the purpose of the gospel. Heaven had reacted this way when He was crucified.

That day, there was quietness and calm in the disciples’ camp. People cried, wept and grieved for Stephen. There was fear, despair and maybe doubt. Stephen was deeply mourned and buried well (Acts 8:2). The Church at Jerusalem faced persecution after persecution and yes, all the multitudes (excluding the Apostles) were scattered throughout Judea & Samaria. Oh! but they didn’t abandon the Word, in fact the Word spread faster like wildfire. Everywhere the disciples were scattered to, they went with the Word and wouldn’t stop talking about it (Acts 8:4).

So, instead of destroying the Church, the persecutions further propagated the gospel. This reminds me of what Jesus said in John 12:24.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” NKJV

Brethren, what can separate us from the love of God? Persecutions? Hurts? Offence? I hope your response reads….NOTHING. The Word we have received should not stop with us, no, we should stay committed to propagating it everywhere. 

Heaven is open and Jesus Christ is standing at the right hand of the Father watching over us ?

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” 
Romans 8:35 NKJV

Persecution against our belief in Jesus Christ will come. Truth is that “..all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). Persecutions ultimately aim to steal our steal our faith in the Word, cause us to stumble and to scatter. If we don’t even recognize and properly categorize them as persecutions, we’d cave.