Stephen & Persecution

The Book of Acts shows us that many from the Jewish faith were converted to Christ from the Day of Pentecost and onwards.

It is estimated that there were as many as 8000 priests that were attached to the Temple ministry in Jerusalem and in
Acts 6.7 many of them were becoming Christians.

Towards the end of Acts 6 Stephen is falsely accused.

In Acts Chapter 7 in response to the accusations of the Jews Stephen preaches a message that results in his death.

The Jewish nation revered Abraham as their ancestor. God had worked through Abraham, Joseph, Moses and the Prophets.
Unfortunately many Jews were proud that they were Abraham’s children and they were wrongly depending on their national heritage and their traditions to make them right with God, rather than having personal faith in God’s Messiah to the nation who was Jesus Christ.

Salvation for numbers of Jews was a matter of heritage and traditions and good works.

There are numbers of people in Churches today that make the same mistake.

Persecution brought growth to the Church.

At first the Gospel message went to the Jews and now the message was going to go out from Jerusalem to the Gentiles.

Saul consented to the death of Stephen and never forgot it.

I think Stephen’s witness was stamped on the heart of Saul who became Paul.

Christians are dying and been tortured for their faith right now in many parts of the world. In fact God’s people have always been persecuted.

May we be spurred on by the saints of the past and the saint s of the present to live for Christ no matter what.