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Christianity�s growth is the story of people, not a glorified list of precepts, rules and regulations
isolated from life and experience. Christianity is life. But life is not a matter of years. Some have lived
long lives in terms of years but have not lived full lives. Life is actually a matter of accomplishments,
achievements, influence and fruitfulness.
In our continuing series we come to one outstanding person who became the first martyr for
Christianity. The young man Stephen, one of the sevenwhose epitaph is one of defending and
preserving the faith. The Scripture doesn�trecord much of Stephen but it says a lot.
1. Stephen�s Character:
Stephen is described as a man full of four things:
- Full of the Holy Ghost
(6:5) Everyone who, by faith, accepts Jesus Christ is a
member of
the Body of Christ, baptized with the Holy Ghost upon his admission to the body. Whether
the believer�s experience bears out that filling or not is entirely dependent upon his yielded
life to the Spirits possession.
- Full of Faith
(6:5) Not only the faith that bring salvation, but also a faith that is a
force and
power in life. What does faith produce in you?
- Full of Power
(6:8) this power was displayed in the �wonders and miracles�
which Stephen
wrought. This brought into focus the divine nature of the Christian community.
- Full of Wisdom
(6:3) It was Stephen�s wisdom sanctified by the Holy Spirit and
used by
Him. God has given us, through His word wisdom. Has it been set aside for the Lord�s
use?
What was the results of the four-fold fullnes? The religious people Stephen debated with
�were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.� If one cannot resist the wisdom,
logic and truth, they can only resort to force and coercion. Only the unjust live by force, fear, coercion,
threats, reprisals, brainwashing and persecution. Wherever you find such a system parading itself as
Christian, it is false. The weapon�s of Christian warfare are not carnal. (2 Cor 10:3-5 �For though
we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not
carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing
that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience
of Christ,�)
2. Stephen�s Life:
Is actually a story of his death.
1)His defense of the faith - a fact of his faith was that he spoke up and spoke out. The
outstanding characteristics of the first generation Christians was there witness unto Christ
even putting their lives on the line. This, apparentely, is not one of the characteristics of our
generation. We tend to look for reasons nto to witness or the easiest way out.
Notice what Stephen says first, Acts 7:2 �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,�
This is essential to Christianity. The starting point of salvation is not man�s search for God but God�s search for man.The search for God is well documented but man through his own energy still cannot find Him. God, as the Good Shepherd, is continually searching for His "lost sheep," and will not stop until He finds them all. "All we like sheep have gone astray."
3. Stephen�s Short Life:
The test of any life is what it accomplishes, not what it consumes or how long. The service span of Stephen�s life was very short but his act of defending the faith achieved a major result and had world-wide implications. No doubt, the events witnessed by Paul at Stephen�s feet did much to bring him to Christ on the Damascus road.
Just how long is a full life?
Length of life so far as Christian values are concerned depend on several qualities:
- it depends upon faith: faith gives life significance.
- it depends on spirituality: what is related to the Spirit lengthens life.
- it depends on eternal life: what difference does the shortenning of life on earth make
when
one is destined to live forever. It is not the years here, but what we do with those years.
- it depends on service: one cannot make a significant contribution in life�s span apart from
service. We are called to serve the Master. Are we fulfilling our calling?
- it depends upon witness: He who multiplies himself through his witness is doing what Stephen did.
How long is a full life?
as long as the faith that saves you,
as long as the service that occupies you,
as long as the witness that multiplies you and the eternity that extends you.
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