Aim: To be like Stephen—through a bold faith in and love for Christ.
Doctrine: Stephen's martyrdom led to a great expansion of the church. The gospel was witnessed in Stephen's faith, and was proliferated through one of Stephen's persecutors.
Exegesis: How the martyrdom of Stephen wondrously blessed the church and the world: it represented a clear distinction between true and false religion (vv. 54-56); it manifested the power of God in saving (elect) fanatical sinners (vv. 57-58); it characterized the miraculous nature of true Christian faith (vv. 59-60).
Further application: How Stephen inspires us in the faithful church today: he teaches us how to be courageous Christians, who put Jesus before anyone and anything else.
Key verses: vv. 57-58 ''Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at [Stephen] with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.''
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Rev. Mark Henninger received his Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and he has been Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Peoria, Illinois for more than 30 years.