Stephen’s Defense

Whenever an anointed man of God hits a nerve in individuals, or groups, when preaching, there is usually a positive or a negative response. We call this “being convicted,” or, simply, “conviction.”

We observe these opposing responses in two passages in the Book of Acts:

1. Those who respond positively – Acts 2:37, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

2. Those who respond negatively – Acts 5:33, “When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.”

One hears and obeys, the other hears and rebels.

One hears the message and desires to hear more from the messenger, the other hears the message and then seeks to destroy the messenger.

Unfortunately, whenever there is a desire to silence the voice of God’s messenger many actions take place that are often dishonorable and that was the way the unbelieving Jews acted towards Stephen.

His defense against the accusations of blasphemy towards God and the Temple shows us that he had an advanced understanding of Judaism and Christ that was on the cutting edge of Divine revelation.

Stephen hit a nerve with the unbelieving Jews of his day and they sought a way to shut him up.

Pastor and author Mark Copeland provides the following outline of Stephen’s Defense before the Sanhedrin:

STEPHEN’S DEFENSE (Acts 7:1-53)

A. GOD’S DEALINGS WITH ABRAHAM (7:1-8)

1. The call to leave Mesopotamia

2. The sojourn in Canaan

3. The promise of possession to his descendants

4. The covenant of circumcision

5. His descendants: Isaac, Jacob, the twelve patriarchs

B. THE PATRIARCHS SOJOURN IN EGYPT (7:9-16)

1. Joseph sold into Egypt, becomes governor

2. Jacob and his sons move to Egypt during the famine

3. The patriarchs buried in Canaan

C. GOD’S DELIVERANCE OF ISRAEL BY MOSES (7:17-36)

1. The children Israel in Egypt become slaves

2. The work of Moses, deliverer of Israel

a. Raised by Pharaoh’s daughter

b. Kills an Egyptian, but despised by his brethren

c. Flees to Midian where he lives for forty years

d. The Lord appears to Moses in a burning bush at Mount Sinai

e. Returns to Egypt, delivers Israel and brings them into the wilderness

D. ISRAEL’S REBELLION AGAINST GOD AND MOSES (7:37-43)

1. Moses is the person:

a. Who said God would raise up another prophet like him

b. Who spoke to the Angel on Mount Sinai

c. Who received living oracles to give to Israel

d. Whom the fathers would not obey but rejected

2. Israel is the nation:

a. Who turned back into Egypt in their hearts

b. Who pressured Aaron to make a golden calf

c .Whom God gave up to worship the host of heaven for 40 yrs in the wilderness:

1) They may have offered sacrifices to the Lord

2) They also worshiped Moloch and Remphan – cf. Amos 5:25-27

E. GOD’S TRUE TABERNACLE (7:44-50)

1. The fathers of Israel had the tabernacle of witness

a. In the wilderness, built according to the pattern shown Moses

b. Brought into the promised land by Joshua

2. They also had the temple

a. Asked for by David, who found favor before God

b. Built by his son Solomon

3. Yet the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands

a. For heaven is His throne and earth is His footstool

b. His hand has made all these things – cf. Isaiah 66:1-2

F. ISRAEL’S RESISTANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (7:51-53)

1. Stephen charges the council of resisting the Holy Spirit, as their fathers did

2. Their fathers persecuted & killed the prophets, and they killed the Just One

3. They received the law, but did not keep it

As Stephen ended his defense, the men present were convicted: “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth” (Acts‬ ‭7:54‬, ‭KJV‬‬).

This episode ends with the men stoning Stephen as he looks to heaven and sees a vision from heaven’s throne room while a young man named Saul watched over the coats of the men who stoned Stephen.

Many would consider Stephen’s defense and death a sign of failure, but I like to think that this event was a catalyst (a prick) for change in the life of Saul, who would later be called Paul and became the Apostle to the Gentiles.

Saul’s persecution of the early church might just have been his rebellion against the conviction of the message Stephen delivered.

How else could he drown out the voice of that first martyr of the way who lovingly forgave and sought God for the forgiveness of those complicit in his death?

Jesus knew that Saul was convicted, which is why He came to him on the road to Damascus, and, finally, Paul responded positively:

“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do” (Acts‬ ‭9:3-6‬, KJV‬‬).

The best response to anointed preaching and conviction is: “Lord, what do you want me to do?”

So, if someone tries to destroy you for the Word of God you are preaching, or because you are simply obeying the Holy Spirit, don’t take it personally, they are not attacking you…they are attacking Jesus.

Because they’re attacking the message and attempting to destroy the messenger it is a sign of hope that they will eventually turn to Jesus and say, “Ok, Lord, it’s too hard and I can’t resist anymore, what must I do to be saved?”

God’s requirement for success is different from ours and on that last day of Stephen’s life God took a moment that appeared to be a failure and turned it into a future victory of eternal significance.

How do you respond when God’s Word preached by God’s messenger convicts you?