February 28, 2023 | Be On Mission
Stephen is Seized by the Sanhedrin
Scripture: Acts 6:8-15 (NIV)
8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.
11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”
12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”
15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Devotional
The Sanhedrin just couldn’t get rid of Jesus. This group of seventy Pharisees and Sadducees was instrumental in having Jesus crucified. They had hoped that this would end it. But His followers somehow believed that Jesus had been raised from the dead and had appeared to them over a period of forty days before ascending to heaven.
Then, these followers created even more of a mess, converting, baptizing, teaching, healing, and discipling others in the name of Jesus. So the religious authorities jailed the leaders of these rebels, flogged them, and ordered them to stop ministering in the name of Jesus. This only encouraged the apostles, who were commissioning more leaders for this unruly movement. Even one of their food pantry leaders was performing great wonders and teaching in the name of Jesus. How exhausting for the Sanhedrin! They frantically wanted to stop it.
But the movement was already set in motion. Thousands of people from northern Africa, western Asia, and southern Europe had been present when the church was miraculously born on Pentecost. Far from being discouraged, the apostles were actually encouraged to continue their work when they were persecuted. As Acts 6:7 reports, “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.” Even some of the Jewish priests were being won to Jesus! The Sanhedrin had to be at wits’ end.
So when Stephen was ratted out by some freed prisoners from all over the Roman Empire, they jumped at the opportunity. Normally, the Sanhedrin probably wouldn’t have given any attention to the Synagogue of the Freedmen. But these were becoming desperate times and they called for desperate measures.
Take some time to pray for your church, your denomination, and the Christian church around the world. Pray for God to end persecution, but when not, for believers to stand strong in the midst of any persecution.
Prayer
Dear God, as we live in this world, we see the wickedness of the people around us. We act like the Sanhedrin; we punish the innocent and persecute the ones who are spreading the word about You. Heal us. We pray for Christians who are persecuted. Help them be strong and keep believing in You. We know it can be hard, but give those who need your strength that and more. As we continue to worship You, show us ways beyond our understanding. Thank you for the people who risk their lives every day for You. Amen.
Poem
Running Over
As child
I had chubby fists clenched
Circling round
And a-round
And a-round
A song I did sing
Cupped hands—offering
I’d point to the sky
Clap hands joyfully
Then circle around
And a-round
I heard
About Stephen with grace
Running over
And again
And again
How his love cup kept
Running over
As the Spirit kept
Filling and pouring
Then anointing again
And again
I memorized
Psalm of a Good Shepherd King
Filling cup
Running over
And over again
Through dark valleys
Protecting from
Enemies strong
Fill my cup
Running over
And over again
