SEARCH Lesson 074 – Stephen

Key Verse

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
— Matthew 5:11

Stephen

Acts 6:1-15; 7:54-60

Acts 6:1-15; 7:54-60

The outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit in Jerusalem had stirred the whole city and in just a few months the new church had grown to the point where the Jewish leaders remarked that these people had “filled Jerusalem with their doctrine.” When God works, Satan seeks to oppose! At issue was the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ: If Jesus had risen, then the Jewish rulers had crucified the Son of God, their Messiah. They—the religious leaders of their time—were not about to admit to having murdered the Son of God! Because of this conflict, the Apostles had been imprisoned and warned not to teach or preach in the Name of Jesus. About this time, Stephen appears on the scene.

THEME THOUGHTS
What makes a hero? Everyone, no matter what his age, seems to have a hero—someone he looks up to and admires. A great deal of a person’s behavior can be traced to the figure he or she has chosen as a role model. Are you in a period of transition? Are you facing the challenge of growing as a Christian. These lessons have been structured with the thought of helping you face this challenge head-on by giving you examples of people in the Bible who exemplified characteristics that would be good to pattern after.We will be studying about heroes found in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, including our greatest Hero—Jesus.These lessons will cover some of the women in the Bible as well as the men. Elisabeth’s faith, Deborah’s confidence, the self-denial of the widow of Zarephath, and the perseverance of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment are wonderful examples of feminine heroes we will be learning about.The other lessons will cover Zacharias’ faith, the obedience of Joseph (Jesus’ earthly father), John the Baptist’s fearless witnessing, Gideon’s example of courage, Caleb’s determination to wholly follow the Lord, the persecution of Stephen, Ananias’ determination to serve God, and Elisha’s willing service.Our aim is that with the concluding lesson, which summarizes this quarter on choosing the right kind of heroes, you will have learned which character qualities make someone a real hero. We pray that you yourself will want to become a good example for someone else to follow.

QUESTIONS

  1. Give a short analysis of Stephen’s character.
  2. Why did the Jews of the synagogue of the Libertines, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians charge Stephen with “blasphemous words” in Acts 6:11,13, and 14?
  3. Look back at your characterization of Stephen in question 1, and at the Scriptures in our text which brought out his attributes. What part did these attributes play in Stephen’s ability to withstand persecution? Could he have withstood without them? Explain your answer.
  4. Stephen’s God-given wisdom did not keep him out of trouble in witnessing for Jesus. When we can foresee difficulties or persecution arising from our testimony, what should we do?
  5. Why would some think Stephen did not use “wisdom” in his stinging condemnation of his listeners in chapter 7, verses 51-53? Is the course he took in this situation always appropriate? Why or why not?
  6. Name several possible reactions to conviction for sin. In our text, how does this relate to persecution?
  7. Paraphrase Matthew 10:39, placing yourself in the verse.
  8. In Matthew 5:11, what are the three words which give us the clue to receiving the blessing of God with regard to persecution?

Resources

Books 1 - 36 Supplementary Materials

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