In AD 197, seeing the church of Jesus Christ growing as a result of persecution, Tertullian famously declared, “The blood of the martyrs is seed.” This is the story of the book of Acts. Stephen, a man chosen to serve tables, boldly preaches the gospel in “grace and power” and becomes the first Christian martyr, resulting in gospel advance. In this message we explore three aspects of Stephen, highlighted against the backdrop of persecution and intimidation, that point to him being an exemplary model of Christ:
- His Character (vv. 8-10)
- His Conviction (vv. 11-14)
- His Countenance (v. 15)