4. “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”
Satan’s attempt to turn the apostles aside from ministering the truth to the assembly in dependence upon God fails. The two vital and essential bulwarks of Christian growth are prayer and reading the Bible. Satan uses all means necessary to hinder believers from daily attending to these two vital spiritual activities. May we have purpose of heart to continue instant in prayer and reading, never giving in to distractions the enemy may place in our way as we walk the path of faith.
5-7. “And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”
Dependence on God and a desire for peace and blessing in the assembly produce a wonderful display of grace. The seven who were selected were all Grecian believers—the very group who were concerned that their widows were being neglected in the daily ministrations! (See verses 13, 5.)
Another vitally important assembly principle seen here is that ministry must be carried out in fellowship with the apostles’ doctrine. There is great activity today done in the name of Christianity. But if the apostles have not expressed fellowship (laying on of the hands) with it, that is, if the ministry is not carried out according to divine truth taught by the apostles, believers do well to separate themselves from such things. The assembly in all its ways should always be in fellowship with the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:4242And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42)).
8. “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.”
As the day of grace draws to a close, we do not expect to see great wonders and miracles marking Christianity. But believers need more than ever to walk diligently in the fear of God. Walking to His glory amid the confusion of professing Christianity will still require great faith and being filled with the Spirit.
9. “Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.”
Where the Spirit of God is working, Satan will ever be found opposing. But God was infinitely above the enemy’s efforts to cause the growing hatred and eventual murder of Stephen. They of Cilicia, whose chief city was Tarsus, must surely have included an insolent, overbearing young man named Saul (1 Tim. 1:1313Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. (1 Timothy 1:13) JND). Gathered together with those who vehemently denied the gospel, he was to become a tremendous trophy of the mighty, sovereign grace of God!
10. “And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.”
Had Stephen by nature been nothing more than an eloquent speaker, these wicked men would have been able to resist and confound his message. But he spoke as the Spirit gave him utterance (Acts 2:44And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:4)), and they were powerless to withstand his words. The wonderful, divine truth of God, when spoken in any circumstance and in any age, always renders the enemy’s opposition powerless. But it is not the ability of the speaker that brings about this effect—it is due to the power of the living Word of God.
11. “Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.”
Open opposition of the truth is raised against Stephen by those who hated the truth. The one who motivated their actions—Satan—is a liar and the father of it (John 8:4444Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)), and they were those who changed the truth of God into a lie (Rom. 1:2525Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 1:25)). They seek to influence the people using the lie of blasphemy against Moses and God. But this only shows the real condition of their heart. Moses, the servant of Jehovah—a mere man—has become more important to them than the God he faithfully served. In the garden Satan led man into sin by suggesting that he could become as gods (Gen. 3:55For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:5)).
12. “And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council.”
The people come first. Once the crowds are stirred up, the wicked leaders feel safe to move according to the desires of their hearts. They had feared the people when the Lord Jesus was here, had used the people to gain their wicked ends with Pilate, and had deceived the people concerning His glorious resurrection. Now they act toward the servant as they had previously acted toward the Master (Matt. 10:2525It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? (Matthew 10:25)). Today the world, which chose Barabbas instead of Jesus, still rejects God’s truth.
13. “And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law.”
The sinful, dark condition of the Jewish leaders’ hearts is clearly displayed. Stephen is no longer accused of speaking against Moses and God, but against the temple and the law. And even in this, the Word of God is last. They had turned the Father’s house of prayer into a house of merchandise while arrogantly flaunting the law they wouldn’t obey. Man’s religion glorifies and worships what is seen, while it only pretends to value God’s Word.
14. “For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.”
The hatred of man’s heart willingly and knowingly twists the truth of God. How dangerous are the thoughts of the religious man in whose dark, lifeless heart dwells such animosity against Light, Love and Truth! God’s Word then—as today—is to unsaved man nothing more than a book of customs.
15. “And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.”
Stephen’s countenance proved the reality of his faith in God’s Word, before he spoke. Again we see that action comes before words (James 2:1717Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (James 2:17)).
Ed.