Welcome to Acts 7: Martyrdom, Message, and Mission's Leap

Acts 7 presents the dramatic climax of Stephen's ministry, a pivotal moment that culminates in his martyrdom and serves as a crucial turning point in the early church's history. Faced with false accusations, Stephen, filled with The Holy Spirit's Role, delivers an extensive defense before the Sanhedrin, which transforms into a powerful indictment of Israel's persistent rebellion against God's plan.

Stephen's sermon, a core example of Teaching About Jesus and the Gospel, skillfully recounts Israel's history from Abraham through Solomon, highlighting God's faithfulness despite their repeated rejections of His chosen instruments, such as Joseph and Moses. He emphasizes Prophecy Fulfillment throughout this historical narrative, demonstrating how the pattern of rejecting God's messengers ultimately culminates in their betrayal and murder of Jesus, the "Righteous One." This powerful historical argument serves as his final witness, directly challenging his accusers and setting the stage for the intense Christianity Accepted and Opposed.

His Spirit-filled testimony, even unto death, becomes a powerful catalyst for The Great Commission. Stephen's vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Prophecy Fulfillment from Psalm 110:1) fuels his Christ-like prayer for his persecutors and his peaceful passing. This martyrdom directly precipitates a great persecution in Jerusalem, which ironically sparks the very dispersion that will carry The Great Commission far beyond the confines of Jerusalem (Acts 8:1, 4). Acts 7 underscores that God's mission cannot be contained by human opposition; rather, persecution often becomes the very means by which His purposes accelerate, demonstrating Connecting Acts to the Rest of the NT through the precedent of faithful suffering.