13/09/2026
09/13/26
SUNDAY SERVICE
A MARTYR'S EXAMPLE
7 Deacons in the early church
Acts 6:5-6
[5] And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
[6] whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
Acts 6:8-15
[8] And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.
[9] Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. [10] And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. [11] Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
[12] And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council.
[13] They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law;
[14] for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”
[15] And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
Acts 7:1-3
[1] Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?”
[2] And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
[3] and said to him, ‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’
Acts 7:17-22 NKJV
[17] “But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt [18] till another king arose who did not know Joseph. [19] This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live. [20] At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. [21] But when he was set out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son. [22] And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.
Acts 7:44-49
[44] “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, [45] which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, [46] who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. [47] But Solomon built Him a house. [48] “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: [49] ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest?
Acts 7:51-60
[51] “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. [52] Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, [53] who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” [54] When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. [55] But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, [56] and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” [57] Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; [58] and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. [59] And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” [60] Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Summarize of chapter 7 in three points
1. Patriarchs (Acts 7:2-19) Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph
2. Prophets (Acts 20-43) The greatest of the Prophets is Moses
3. Place (Acts 7:44-50) He talks about the temple
Pointing Jesus Christ is the Savior
Stephen's example challenges us with 3 questions
1. DO I LOVE GOD MORE THAN MY OWN LIFE?
Martyr - is one who loves God more than his own life and is prepared to die if necessary because of a greater Love for God.
Different between a "murderer" and a "martyr"
• Martyr - one who is killed for his faith
• Murderer - one who kills himself in behalf of his faith trying to advanced their own agenda
• Martyrdom - is evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ (They did not believe this that Jesus actually resurrected from the dead)
2. DO I FORGIVE OTHERS WHO HAVE WRONGED ME?
- the final speech of Stephen was a prayer of forgiveness for his persecutors
Acts 7:60
[60] Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Romans 12:19 e3
[19] Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Psalms 103:10
[10] He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
3. AM I PREPARED TO SEE THE LORD WHEN I DIE?
This is the most important question, we need to answer
Acts 7:55-56
[55] But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
[56] and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
Matthew 26:64
[64] Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Colossians 3:1
[1] If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Luke 19:10
[10] for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY