Ray Stone
“Stand up, stand up for Jesus…” So goes the opening line to an old beloved spiritual song. Did you ever wonder exactly what that means, how it’s done, what it would look like, to “stand up for Jesus?” Our subject in this essay shows us.
Stephen’s story begins in Acts chapter 6. He was one of the seven special appointees to oversee the benevolent work of the early church (Acts 6:3). He had the distinction of being the first Christian martyr (as far as we know), the first follower of Christ to be put to death for believing and practicing the truth of God. He stands as the epitome of bravery in the face of hostile opposition, refusing to stand down or give ground to enemies of the cross. The apostles had prayed that God would “grant unto Thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy word” (Acts 4:29). Stephen certainly lived up to that.
Many have called those seven appointees the first deacons in the church, serving under the authority of the apostles in lieu of elders, but there is some controversy surrounding this. It’s really a moot question with no significance that I can see either way, but we’ll touch on both sides anyhow while we’re here. The argument for deacons centers on the description of the work for which they were appointed—that is, to “serve tables” (v. 2), serve being the verb form of the word for deacon (diakoneo). But this doesn’t necessarily hold up, since the same word is translated “minister to” some 15 times and serve 10 times, often in contexts that clearly exclude official “deaconship.” The very word deacon is so translated only 3 times, more often rendered minister (20 times). On the other hand, the argument against their being deacons rests largely on the fact that the qualifications for that work would not even be specified until several years after this (1 Tim. 3:8-10). However, this, too, is a pretty weak reed to lean on since the qualifications could have been spoken by inspiration from the beginning of the church—and may well have been, being summarized in Acts 6:3, “men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom…”–and only recorded in writing later. So, calling them “deacons” or not, there’s not a lot of compelling evidence either way. All we can say for sure is that these were godly men appointed by the apostles for a specific work of overseeing the “daily ministration” (v. 1). That’s all the Bible says about it.
Another noteworthy side issue is that these seven men were chosen by the congregation, then appointed into the assigned work by the apostles. This is significant: notice choosing and appointing are not the same thing. Whether these were truly deacons or not, this does set a pattern for establishing leadership in a congregation. The members themselves choose men who meet the qualifications to be their elders/deacons, who are then appointed into the work by some designated person.
The other unique thing about Stephen—besides the distinction of being the first martyr—is that he had one of the shortest ministries in the Bible. From his introduction to us to the incident that would cost him his life spans just 5 verses (Acts 6:5-9). For once, this reflects a similar brief time element, not more than a matter of weeks or months at most. Therein lies a valuable lesson. Your service and value to God has little or nothing to do with length of time. We may highly honor the man who has faithfully served God for 60 or 70 or 80 years—and rightly so. He follows in the footsteps of the apostle John, who according to secular history was alive and active in the church well into his 90s. But the one granted only a short time in His service before being called home is just as valuable in God’s eyes. Such ones have Stephen as their example.
The work assigned to Stephen and the others was to organize and oversee the distribution of food and goods to widows who were dependent upon the group for their sustenance. Especially, they were to ensure no one was being neglected (cf. Acts 6:1). This problem—real or perceived—apparently was soon remedied, so Stephen searched out other ways to serve, moving from benevolence into evangelism. In the process of appointing these seven, the apostles had “laid their hands upon them” (v. 6). This was the means by which power from the Holy Spirit was imparted (Acts 8:18). Armed with this miraculous power, Stephen was able to do “great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8), confirming the truth of God he was proclaiming, as the signs were designed to do (Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:3-4).
Now, with success comes attention, especially of those opposed to your work, and so “there arose certain of the synagogue called the Libertines (and others)…disputing with Stephen” (Acts 6:9). It didn’t take long for them to find they couldn’t answer “the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (v. 10), and so resorted to dishonest and shameful tactics to undermine his work. Verse 11 says, “They suborned men…” Suborn, then and now, is a legal term meaning “to procure a person who will take a false oath”, or in modern language, pay someone to commit perjury—lie under oath. The sad fact is, there are always some willing to lie for the proper incentive. It is wisdom to keep this in mind whenever you hear criticisms or accusations of another. Never settle for hearing just one side of any dispute.
The accusation leveled against Stephen was this:
We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God (Acts 6:11)…This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this Holy Place (the Jewish Temple), and the law: for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us (v. 14).
This falsehood, based on a twisting of Jesus’ words from John 2:19-21, had first surfaced at the trials of our Lord (Matt. 26:60-61; 27:40), and had taken over a life of its own, as lies often do.
Stephen’s defense, beginning in Acts 7:2 and running through v. 53, is as good a thumbnail sketch of Jewish history as you’ll find anywhere, starting with the call to Abraham (Gen. 11:31) and proceeding all the way to King Solomon (1 Kings 8). He pointed out the repeated failures of their ancestors to believe and obey God—from the betrayal of young Joseph into Egyptian slavery, to resisting Moses’ leadership to bring them out of it, to the idolatry of Aaron’s golden calf at Sinai, to the killing of the various prophets, down to their own betrayal and murder of Christ Himself. “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers” (Acts 7:52). His conclusion followed the pattern Peter had set not long before in the first Gospel sermon. “Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified!” (Acts 2:36). Stephen summarized it all. They had received the law by the disposition of angels and had not kept it (Acts 7:53).
We’re not surprised to read that this “cut them to the heart” (7:54). The Pharisees especially prided themselves on the traditions to the law, down to the smallest detail, even tithing their garden herbs (Matt. 23:23). This accusation so upset them that they “gnashed on him with their teeth!” Literally or figuratively? Either way, a vicious, bitter, extreme reaction to the truth. God, knowing Stephen’s fate, granted him a miraculous vision of Heaven (vv. 55-56), perhaps to strengthen him, perhaps to rebuke those rejecting his message, or both.
Stephen’s description of that vision—“I see the Heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God”—was the last straw for a people already out of control. Acts 7:57-58 relates how they “cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears” (like any 2-year-old!), “and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him.” Stephen’s dying words were, “Lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 7:60), fulfilling Jesus’ own admonition to “pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). And so ends the mission and ministry of Stephen.
Now, what can we learn from the abbreviated ministry of this great disciple?
Stephen knew what he was talking about and wasn’t afraid to say it. Emboldened by his rock-solid belief in the truth, he unhesitatingly looked death square in the eye and defied its power. There can be no greater example for us to aspire. Our boldness can be its equal. If the Bible says it, don’t be afraid or ashamed to say it! “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (2 Pet. 4:11).
Did you ever notice that dogs don’t chase parked cars? Stephen got the dogs chasing him because he was moving, and he was actively promoting a truth they didn’t like. Had he held his peace, stayed “parked at the curb” so to speak, they would have left him alone. Consider very carefully the following passages:
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“All that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).
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“If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye…” (2 Pet. 4:14 ).
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“If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Pet. 4:16).
Christianity is by nature confrontational, even though “If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men” (Rom. 12:18). Worldly peace at any cost can be its enemy.
Stephen stood up for Christ, so Christ stood up for Stephen: “I see…the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God” (v. 56). Don’t you want to see that at your death? The lesson seems clear: It’s your turn first to “Stand up for Jesus.” Here is the true strength of Christianity. When your time to die comes, you can face it as calmly, confidently, peacefully, as did Stephen—if you live like he did and know what he knew. The end of this life is just the beginning of the next.
Learn from Stephen!
