How Do You Plead?

The past two days, my daily reading had taken me to the account of Stephen the Martyr. It’s an incredible two chapter journey that starts in Acts 6 and finishes with Stephens death at the end of Acts 7. There are two things I wish to point out about these two chapters, though I feel like volumes stills couldn’t do it justice. The two things I want to look at are:

• How Stephen Lived
• How Stephen Responded

How Stephen Lived

“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.” Acts 6:8-12 NKJV

Stephens life here is described as “full of faith and power.” What an awesome way for someone to describe another man of faith! He was so convincing in how he lived and talked, that “they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.” Wow! What a man of God! By allowing the Holy Spirit to have full reign in his life, Stephen was able to live the way God intends all of us to live, full of faith and power! But there is more.

How Stephen Responded

What I find most incredible in this whole account are there verses:

“1 Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?”

2 And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen…” Acts 7:1-2 NKJV

Another way to interpret what the high priest asked is: “How do you plead?” What Stephen does next is incredible. He doesn’t directly answer their question, but he delivers one of the most eloquent statements of faith I have ever read. You need to read Acts 7 today to receive this blessing. Understand that Stephen knows what is about to happen. He knows they are going to kill him, but he drops the hammer down on everyone who is in that council.

“When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.” Acts 7:54 NKJV

Faith and Power. Passion for his Lord. Stephen proved who he was in Christ by how he lived, and how he responded under pressure. How will I respond today? How will you? I pray we will allow the Holy Spirit to do what He does best in all our lives, fill us full of faith, and power.