Hudson DeBoer

The Story of Stephen

In the times of Stephen the early church was expanding to more and more people. These included the Hellenistic Jews and they started complaining to the Hebraic Jews because their widows were not being given their daily distribution of food. To take care of this problem the disciples told the people to choose seven people filled with the Holy Spirit to take care of this problem. So they chose Stephen among the number. Everyone was pleased with the idea.

Stephen was a great man and he spoke among the people with great ideas and signs. But soon there was opposition from the Freedmen. They tried to argue with Stephen but his wisdom was too great for them. Seeing they would not succeed that way they convinced some men to speak lies against him. The lies said that he was speaking words against Moses and God. They then turned to listen to Stephen for what he had to say.

He recited the whole story of Moses and his ancestors. But at those words the Sanhedrin got mad and saw Stephen full of the Spirit, proclaiming, “Look, I see the heavens open and the Son of Man standing at eh right hand of God.” They then covered their ears, frustrated by his words and started yelling, and all dragged him out of the city. While this was happening they laid their coats at the feet of a man named Saul. While they were stoning him he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” crying, “Lord, dod not hold this sin against them.”. He then died.