“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in

Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Main theme of Acts

Main theme of Acts

More importantly the main theme of Acts is the Expansion of Christianity across geographic and

ethnic lines.

Acts 6-10

Acts 6-10

Chapter 8, Philip’s conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch and the Samaritans

Acts 6-10

Chapter 8, Philip’s conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch and the Samaritans

Chapter 10, Peter’s conversion of Cornelius and the first true Gentiles

Acts 6-10

Chapter 8, Philip’s conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch and the Samaritans

Chapter 10, Peter’s conversion of Cornelius and the first true Gentiles

Chapters 6-7, Stephen the first Martyr

Church Consisted of All Jews

Church Consisted of All Jews

Grecian Jews• Jews born outside

the Holy Land• Spoke Greek• More Greek in

attitudes and customs

Church Consisted of All Jews

Grecian Jews• Jews born outside

the Holy Land• Spoke Greek• More Greek in

attitudes and customs

Hebraic Jews • Born in Holy Land• Spoke Palestinian

Aramaic and Hebrew • Maintained Jewish

culture and customs

Three Key Attributes of Stephen

Three Key Attributes of Stephen

1. Stephen’s Character

Three Key Attributes of Stephen

1. Stephen’s CharacterActs 6:3 “…pick out from among you seven men of good repute…” (ESV)

Three Key Attributes of Stephen

1. Stephen’s CharacterActs 6:3 “…pick out from among you seven men of good repute…” (ESV)Acts 6:5 “…They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit;”

Three Key Attributes of Stephen

1. Stephen’s CharacterActs 6:3 “…pick out from among you seven men of good repute…” (ESV)Acts 6:5 “…They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit;”

“To be filled with the Spirit is to obey fully God’s will.” MacArthur

Three Key Attributes of Stephen

Three Key Attributes of Stephen

2. Stephen’s Courage

Three Key Attributes of Stephen

2. Stephen’s CourageActs 6:8-10 “Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.”

Stephen’s Address Acts 7:1-53

Stephen’s Address Acts 7:1-53

There is progress and change in God’s Program

Stephen’s Address Acts 7:1-53

There is progress and change in God’s Program– The Promise to Abraham vv.2-8

Stephen’s Address Acts 7:1-53

There is progress and change in God’s Program– The Promise to Abraham vv.2-8– The Sojourn of Joseph vv.9-16

Stephen’s Address Acts 7:1-53

There is progress and change in God’s Program– The Promise to Abraham vv.2-8– The Sojourn of Joseph vv.9-16– The deliverance under Moses vv.17-43

Stephen’s Address Acts 7:1-53

There is progress and change in God’s Program– The Promise to Abraham vv.2-8– The Sojourn of Joseph vv.9-16– The deliverance under Moses vv.17-43– The building of the tabernacle vv.44-46

Stephen’s Address Acts 7:1-53

There is progress and change in God’s Program– The Promise to Abraham vv.2-8– The Sojourn of Joseph vv.9-16– The deliverance under Moses vv.17-43– The building of the tabernacle vv.44-46– The construction of the temple vv.47-50

Stephen’s Address Acts 7:1-53

Stephen’s Address Acts 7:1-53

• The blessings of God are not limited

Stephen’s Address Acts 7:1-53

• The blessings of God are not limited • Israel has a pattern of opposition against God

and His men

Three Key Attributes of Stephen

Three Key Attributes of Stephen

3. Stephen’s Confidence

Three Key Attributes of Stephen

3. Stephen’s Confidence Acts 7: 55-56, “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Assessing Your Life

Assessing Your Life

What is your goal in life?

Assessing Your Life

What is your goal in life? • To have the longest, safest, most secure and

comfortable life you can have?

Assessing Your Life

What is your goal in life? • To have the longest, safest, most secure and

comfortable life you can have? • Or to have a lasting spiritual impact on others

for Jesus Christ.

Assessing Your Life

What is your goal in life? • To have the longest, safest, most secure and

comfortable life you can have? • Or to have a lasting spiritual impact on others

for Jesus Christ.

“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the

gospel will save it” Mark 8:35

Assessing Your Life

Assessing Your Life

Each of us has a unique opportunity to display God’s power and goodness through our lives

including our sufferings!

Assessing Your Life

Each of us has a unique opportunity to display God’s power and goodness through our lives

including our sufferings!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28