The Book of Acts ~ Study Twenty-Six

"Reflections"


Acts 6:8-15 (NLT) Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 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. None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.
   So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council.
   The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”
   At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s.


Who is Stephen? Look at the following passage and you will find the answer. Describe the attributes of the men chosen and the actions of the Apostles after they presented them to the church. What was so special about Stephen?


Acts 6:3-6 (NLT) And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”
   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). These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.


Apparently Stephen was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. The Apostles laid their hands on them and prayed for them. God gave these seven the abilities to accomplish His will. We, who are believers in Jesus, all are filled with the same amount of the Holy Spirit as Stephen and the others. It's our choice to tap into this Holy Power like he did or go on our own power. 


We have learned that we all have certain gifts given to us by God and made possible by the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. We can push our gifts aside to blend in with the world or we can fully rely on the Holy Spirit to enable us to use the gifts we are given to face this world and bring glory to Jesus. Stephen's gift was faith. He relied on the Holy Spirit to use this gift.


Romans 12:6-8 (NLT) In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.


"God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well." When we use the gifts God has given us we accomplish His excellence. We don't do things half way when we do them under the power given to us by God. We do things according to God's perfect abilities. 


Stephen was the kind of person who lived his gift. He lived it so much that others were disturbed by it. It seems like people either loved Stephen or hated him. In this case the freed slaves from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia (know as the Freedmen) were disturbed by Stephen's words. They were so unhinged by his teachings that they stirred some people and the teachers of the law up with false testimonies. Because they couldn't argue with him, they railroaded him.


Has there ever been a time in your life when you know that you are living according to what God has told you to do and have been lied about? How did it feel? Did you continue to stand up for what you believed and honored God or did you get down in the dirt with your accusers and fight?


"At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s." The Holy Spirit dwelling within Stephen was glowing and the council couldn't take their eyes off of him. What would it be like to be so dependent on the Holy Spirit that His presence made your face glow? It attracts others both positively and negatively. By this I mean that those who love Jesus or want to know more about Him are drawn to Him positively and want more. Those who oppose Jesus and want nothing to do with Him respond negatively and are repulsed.


2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NLT) But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?


When we are living according to the power of the Holy Spirit we give off an aroma and God's light. How we live reflects what we believe at that moment. The decisions we make and the actions we take reflect our faith and obedience to God. Stephen's faith in and his love of Jesus shone so much that the Council could not take their eyes off of him.


Do you want to reflect Jesus to others? Or would you rather blend in? It's a risky thing. Some may love you and others may hate you. Are you ready for the reactions you may get? Stephen, as we'll see, never wavered. I want to be more like Stephen (who was more like Jesus). How about you?


Proverbs 27:19 (NLT) As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.


Who do you reflect? What does your heart tell others? If you want what Stephen had pray with me: I want to reflect Jesus. Lord, please remove the fear and may I walk according to Your power. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.