Stephen: A Faith That Advances God’s Kingdom

Stephen: A Faith That Advances God’s Kingdom

Culture treats faith as an individual, private matter. Many in society want their faith to remain private and unspoken. However, life-transforming faith in Christ can’t be hidden. It pours out and saturates every part of life. A life of faith in Christ is seen and heard. Moreover, a life of faith can be contagious. As we live out our faith, we help others see Christ and place their faith in Him.

The Point: faith helps advance the kingdom of God.

When have you done something bold and out of character for you?

Acts 6:3-7

³ And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. ⁴ Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

⁵ Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith).⁶ These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.

⁷ So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

A life of faith impacts both the and .

How would you explain the concept of servant leadership?

Read Acts 6:8-10

⁸ Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.⁹ But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. ¹⁰ None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.

A life of faith invites God to work us.

When have you seen someone face opposition because of their faith?

Read Acts 6:11-15

¹¹ So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” ¹² This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council.

13 The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. 14 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth[b] will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

15 At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s.

A life of faith often meets .

What does opposition to our faith look like in our culture?

What are appropriate responses for believers when facing opposition?

We live in a fallen world. Behind the scenes, the devil is working to disrupt the impact of the message of Jesus Christ by any means at his disposal. “In their case, the god of this age has blinded them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Stephen faced increasing opposition as he continued to demonstrate the wisdom provided by the Holy Spirit. His enemies even “presented false witnesses” against him. But Stephen’s faith grew as his challenges grew. When Christ-followers face opposition, our faith in Jesus grows.