Stephen, one of the Seven, is brought before the Sanhedrin on charges of blasphemy. He uses the opportunity to proclaim Christ to them and so becomes the church’s first martyr.
Here is a link to the livestream video:
Today we look at Stephen’s sermon before the council in Jerusalem. He runs through the history of Israel, but then confronts the council with their rejection of Christ. They respond by killing him – stoning him to death. He prayed for them before he died – loving those who hated him.
The audio and notes are here below:
This is a key chapter in that it introduces the role of the deacon or “servant” within the early church. From this point on, we’ll see church leadership separated into the roles of elders and deacons or shepherds and servants.
One of the first deacons, Stephen, had a remarkable ministry, which brought him to the attention of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council in Jerusalem. He was eventually brought before them where he was falsely accused.
Audio: Acts06.mp3
Notes: Acts06.pdf
Central Reflections 