Stephen Defends His Faith
aka
Stephen’s Arrest and Speech
Acts 6:8-7:2a, 22, 44a, 45b-49
or
Acts 6:8-7:2a
International Sunday School Lesson
October 7, 2012
Commentary
By
Jed Greenough
As you read this blog weekly do you ever stop to consider that you are a part of a class? Yes, like most of you the majority comes from my country of America, but there are many students who visit from countries all over the world. Some of the countries you might expect but there are some who come from lands where their worship of our Father could bring their arrest and even death.
Yes, for the most part those of you who read this blog weekly live and worship in America. Many of you have faced prejudices and are more aware than others that our freedom to worship might be a precarious one. God has put it upon my heart that we all should be prepared for the day when we might be treated as Stephen was.
Because these are International lessons we come from a divergent set of beliefs. I know that we can agree with that simple statement, right? So let’s agree that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and not let the things about which we disagree drive us apart!
Having said that, I believe that we have received ample warning from Christ that in the End just like Stephen all of us may have to undergo questioning or worse. But that we too can stand with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit guiding us and helping us to endure.
We can’t ever be too sure about the final result when we read prophecy and therefore we should not teach absolutes. I am however confident in the consistent nature of God’s word that shows that we should be prepared to withstand the slings and arrows that satan has ready for us. In Ephesians 6:10-18 we read:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
Practiced in prayer and practiced in His word will equip you to ultimately allow Him to take care of you in the moment of your trial just as Stephen was prepared. Remember how our scripture for today said that “they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.” Again this speaks to the consistency of God’s word. If you recall what Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 10 when He was sending them out we see this same thing. Jesus said, “Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
Stephen, as we will read next week was prepared to endure. Many others we know through church tradition had to endure as well and countless others we don’t know of had to endure after them as well. None of us are more special than they and we all have the same Father who gave us ample examples and preparatory warnings. This scripture from today is another one.
For Discussion:
1. If you are free you might find it hard to picture a scene such as the one portrayed in today’s scripture but remember he faced the evil of satan which knows no boundaries. Discuss how Stephen was persecuted because he was full of God’s grace and power and that he demonstrated great wonders and miraculous signs. The evil response was opposition.
2. What does the Bible seem to indicate that the devil will become the nearer we come to the End, more relaxed or more desperate?
3. Is satan concerned by your efforts for the Kingdom?
4. Is there harm in being equipped to endure?
5. Read all of Matthew 24. After reading all of what Christ has to say about the signs of the End of the Age read beginning with verse 36 of our responsibility to each other.
6. In many translations our first verse would be “full of faith” rather than “full of grace” and I think appropriate to the theme we have been following and better understood.
Upcoming Adult Sunday School Class Commentaries
10-14-12: Stephen is Faithful to Death aka Stephen’s Martyrdom Acts 7:51-8:1
10-21-12: Simon Wants to Buy Power Acts 8:9-25 or Acts 8:9-24
10-28-12: Philip Baptizes a Man from Ethiopia aka Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8:26-39
11-4-12: Paul Testifies Before King Agrippa aka Paul before King Agrippa Acts 26:19-32
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
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