The triumph over Stephen ignited a massive persecution against the believers in Jerusalem, no doubt instigated by the same group of opponents. The leader of the group was Saul, who caused no small damage to the church (Acts 8:3, Acts 26:10). The persecution, however, was turned to good effect. Indeed, scattered throughout Judea and Samaria, the believers … Continue reading –>
Since by definition a prophet (in Hebrew, na?î) is someone who speaks for God, Stephen became a prophet the very moment he brought God’s rî? against Israel. His prophetic ministry, however, was rather short. Read Acts 7:55-56. What was the meaning of Stephen’s vision? “When Stephen reached this point, there was a tumult among the people. When he connected … Continue reading –>
Read Acts 7:1-53. What was Stephen saying to his accusers? The charges raised against Stephen led to his arrest and trial by the Sanhedrin. According to Jewish tradition, the law and the temple services were two of the three pillars upon which the world rests—the last being good works. The mere insinuation that the Mosaic ceremonies … Continue reading –>
After their appointment, the Seven engaged not only in church ministry but also in effective witnessing. The result was that the gospel continued to spread, and the number of believers kept increasing (Acts 6:7). This growth started, of course, to bring opposition to the early church. The narrative then focuses on Stephen, a man of rare … Continue reading –>
Read Acts 6:1. What was the complaint of the Hellenistic believers? “The cause of complaint was an alleged neglect of the Greek widows in the daily distribution of assistance. Any inequality would have been contrary to the spirit of the gospel, yet Satan had succeeded in arousing suspicion. Prompt measures must now be taken to remove … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 6-7, Acts 7:48, Heb. 5:11-14, Micah 6:1-16, Acts 8:4-25. Memory Text: “The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7, NRSV). Many converts at Pentecost were Hellenistic Jews, that is, Jews from the Greco-Roman world … Continue reading –>
Further Study: “We are stewards, entrusted by our absent Lord with the care of His household and His interests, which He came to this world to serve. He has returned to heaven, leaving us in charge, and He expects us to watch and wait for His appearing. Let us be faithful to our trust, lest coming … Continue reading –>
If the apostles could be used to bring God’s judgment on sin, as in Ananias and Sapphira’s case, they could also be used to bring God’s grace on sinners. Their powerful healing ministry (Acts 5:12-16) was tangible evidence that God’s Spirit was working through them. That even Peter’s shadow, it was believed, could heal people is striking. … Continue reading –>
You can view an in-depth discussion of “Life in the Early Church” in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. (Adobe Flash Player version.) A Youtube version of this week’s lesson at Hope Sabbath School is below. You can download the video, the MP3 audio, and the lesson outline from the HopeTV … Continue reading –>
The pooling of goods in the early church was not compulsory; that is, it was not a formal condition of membership. Yet, there certainly were several examples of voluntary generosity that inspired the whole community. One such example was Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37), who will play an important role later in the book. However, there were also … Continue reading –>
