Acts 6:8—7:60: Stephen, Full of Spirit and Wisdom
I AM GLAD for those people in my life who make me long to know God better. God's character in them makes me hunger and thirst for him. That is what happens to me when I am exposed to Stephen. I read about him and I want to know God.
Stephen is described as "full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, full of God's grace and power." He was a gift to the early church but could not be tolerated by her enemies.
Warming Up to God
Think of a person that makes you want to know God better. Reflect on the qualities you see in him or her.
Read Acts 6:8—7:60. »
Discovering the Word
- What do you learn about Stephen throughout this passage?
- What do the accusations against Stephen tell us about why the Jewish religious leaders were so upset (6:13-14)?
- Sometimes the speech in chapter 7 is called "Stephen's defense," although it is actually a defense of pure Christianity as God's appointed way to worship. What are the main points of this defense?
- What did God tell Abraham would happen to his descendants, the Hebrews (7:1-7)?
- What direct application does Stephen make concerning the religious leaders from 7:39-43 (see 7:51-53)?
Applying the Word
- God told Abraham what would happen to the Hebrews years before it all happened, even before he had a son. How are you affected when you see all that unfolds in history?
- Throughout this whole passage, we see in Stephen the evidence of being full of the Spirit and wisdom. What are the evidences today of being full of the Spirit and wisdom?
- In what aspect of your life would you like to reflect more of the Spirit and wisdom?
Responding in Prayer
Ask God to fill you with the Spirit and with wisdom.
For Further Study
Fruit of the Spirit by Hazel Offner