Stephen was the first deacon in all church history, but that privileged office was not big enough to contain his gifts.He is described in the Bible as “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit”,and again “he was full of God’s grace and power and did great wonders and miraculous signs amongst the people”. He was a powerful preacher.So powerful, in fact, that as a result of a sermon he became the first Christian martyr in history. In short, the quality of his life in Christ was matched by the quality of his death in Christ.He died because he couldn’t keep his head down! He spoke out for Christ, and spoke against the enemies of Christ in a blistering survey of Israel’s history.He never finished the address (you can read it, so far as he goes,in Acts of the Apostles, starting in Chapter 6 and all through Chapter 7). He died as he lived, uncompromisingly testifying to Jesus Christ.

Alexander Whyte once said “What a tragic loss to the church was Stephen’s death”. I don’t think it was.Stephen died ‘a good death’.Not with a whimper at the pain, but with a bang of glory, surrounded by a lynch mob snarling hatred at him. ‘A good death’ was a phrase used through earlier Christian history for God’s saints who were so sure of the risen, living Christ, that they saw death as a doorway to Him whom they already loved and followed.This is how Stephen died:
“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look”, he said “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God”.
At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”. Then he fell on his knees and cried out “Lord do not hold this sin against them”. When he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7: 55-58Acts 7: 55-58
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, ⁵⁶ And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. ⁵⁷ Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, ⁵⁸ And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.  

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His death had enormous repercussions on the infant church, and significantly on one of those who was fully involved in the lynch mob, as we will remember tomorrow.

A Prayer:
We thank you lord for those whose faith in you defeats the very terror of death, and glorifies you not only in their living but also in their dying.

Now read John 21: 15-23John 21: 15-23
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. ¹⁶ He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁷ He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. ¹⁹ This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. ²⁰ Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? ²¹ Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? ²² Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. ²³ Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?  

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