Acts 6:7-8:4 | Stephen The First Christian Martyr | AUDIO ONLY скачать в хорошем качестве

Acts 6:7-8:4 | Stephen The First Christian Martyr | AUDIO ONLY

In Acts 6:7 “God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too. ” This reveals God’s love and grace for all people, even towards His enemies, the Jewish priests. Stephen, a Greek-speaking Jew described as full of faith, the Holy Spirit, grace, and power, boldly performed miracles and proclaimed Christ, but faced fierce opposition from religious leaders who falsely accused him of blasphemy. In his defense, he recounted Israel’s history to show that God’s people repeatedly rejected His messengers, climaxing with their betrayal and murder of Jesus—the fulfillment of the Law and the Temple. Enraged, the leaders stoned Stephen after he declared he saw Jesus standing at God’s right hand, yet he responded with Christlike forgiveness, praying for his executioners. His martyrdom sparked widespread persecution that scattered the church beyond Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria! What can we learn from the way Stephen responded to his murderers? Is it possible for us to do the same for our enemies?