8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.
Satan
Look at what is happening here. Verse one of Acts chapter six tells us that the church is growing (the disciples were increasing in number). The Word of God is being preached and it is bearing fruit. Satan, doesn’t like this, hence, a dispute begins within the church. Sound familiar? The disciples see through Satan’s scheme and appoint elders to handle the dispute so that they can devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. Wise men.
Among those picked to “serve tables” is Stephen. Nothing against serving tables, but Stephen appears to have a special anointing and a special gift. He is a gifted speaker and a bold man. A great combination in any age. As Stephen is preaching some scholars take exception to his teaching, but they are unable to refute Stephen as he is speaking with wisdom under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The devil hates the Truth and so do his minions. So they engage in the age old tactic of character assassination. If you can’t refute the Truth, resort to lies. There is nothing new under the sun!
Seized
Those that could not debate Stephen instead resorted to instigating the ignorant. They spread the lie that Stephen was speaking blasphemy against Moses and God. The people gave into their emotions and never engaged the gears of logic. It appears it was another example of, “My mind is made up, don’t confuse me with the facts.” Then the scribes and the elders got caught up in the emotional fervor and Stephen was seized and brought before the council; officially know as the Sanhedrin. The religious court of the day. One would hope that as Stephen stood before these rational men, whose job it was to listen objectively to facts, he would get a fair hearing (assuming for a moment that their handling of Jesus was an aberration). But he did not.
Sanhedrin
The crime Stephen committed was preaching Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 6:14). As Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin, his face “was like the face of an angel”. When questioned by the high priest, Stephen resumed his “crime”. Stephen not only preached to the council, he boldly brought charges against them as representatives of the Jewish people. They were guilty of being stiff necked. They killed the prophets of God. They killed the Messiah. They were entrusted with the law and did not keep it. Convicted by the Word of God they did the only logical thing; they became enraged and ground their teeth. As Stephen looked Heavenward and saw Jesus, the members of the Sanhedrin cried out covered their ears and rushed at him. The Truth was painful to listen to. It had to be stopped. Stephen had to be eliminated.
Stones
Full of Satan’s venom, the council cast Stephen out of the city in order to stone him. As they were picking up their stones, the witnesses were laying their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. Once again, God was at least one step ahead of Satan. As the stones were being hurled at him, Stephen submitted his soul to God and prayed for the forgiveness of those who sought his death.
God’s Word can not be destroyed. God’s Word will not return void.
Saul
After Stephen uttered his prayer of forgiveness, he passed into the presence of God. Stephen was martyred, but God’s Word was not destroyed. Those that witnessed Stephen’s death would return to the feet of Saul and pick up their garments. Saul, on the other hand, would in time pick up Stephen’s “mantel”. The same Holy Spirit that indwelled Stephen would indwell the mighty Apostle Paul. The same Truth that Stephen proclaimed, Paul would carry to the gentiles. The Jerusalem stones may have covered Stephen’s body and silenced his voice, but they could not stop the Living Word of God.
“Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” – Acts 9:15