Acts

vs8-15 – Stephen & Opposition

v8 – full of grace and power

***full of power – to do the works of the Lord

***full of grace – the presence & glory of God for every trial

vs9-10 – Opposition rises up against Stephen

v10 – the Holy Spirit gave wisdom to Stephen

vs11 -12 –  false witnesses were raised up against Stephen & they violently took him

vs13-15 – Stephen remained strong & at rest in the midst of this opposition

          Chapter 7

Acts 7:1-53

——-Stephen is on trial for his life and he preaches the Word to the religious leaders and the Pharisees

vs1, 4 – Stephen preaches about Abraham

vs9-10 – Stephen preaches about Joseph, Jacob & his 12 sons

vs35-37 – Stephen preaches about Moses

vs44-53 – Stephen preaches about The Tabernacle

***The religious leaders rejected the Lord and His messengers

v51 – DO NOT RESIST THE HOLY SPIRIT – means to push away, devalue and grieve the Holy Spirit

DO NOT QUENCH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Quench – means to put out – 1 Thess 5:19

vs54-60 – THE MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN

***Stephen was the first person killed for the cause of Christ in Acts

v54 – when they heard this – this refers to the preaching of Stephen

cut in their hearts – means to cut through with a saw

-this refers to the conviction of the Holy Spirit & their hatred of the preaching

vs55-56 – Steohen made it through his death because of the Lord’s grace and power in Stephen and upon Stephen

-Stephen receives a vision of the Lord at the time of his death and reveals the authority of Jesus which all believers possess – USE THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST…….

         Opposition will be a part of the Christian Life.  Why does opposition come?

(1.) SPIRITUAL GROWTH – 2 Timothy 4:7

-as any believer takes steps forward to grow in their Christianity, they will be opposed

-Do not settle where you are in your Christianity – Move forward

-we all have choices we can make

       1. stay where we are spiritually and settle

       2. Grow and face opposition

(2.) BECOME A YES BELIEVER – Isaiah 6:1-8

-the Lord sends us invitations

-Say yes to everything that comes to you from the Lord

-Say yes to Jesus because all believers are ministers of the gospel

(3.) OPPOSITION COMES AS WE INVADE ENEMY TERRITORY – Luke 19:1-10

-the enemy can take over areas, but we can take them back

-60-70% of all Americans will never step into a church

(4.) OPPOSITION WILL COME WHEN WE ARE READY TO RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS OF THE LORD – James 1:17

-when you are not sure why you are being opposed, it could be because you are about to receive some abundant blessings from the Lord

-get ready to be blessed by Jesus and then geat ready for opposition