2. Stephen was FULL of it!
And what they said pleased the whole gathering,
and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and
of the Holy Spirit, …
Acts 6:5 ESV
And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing
great wonders and signs among the people.
Acts 6:8

4. And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing
great wonders and signs among the people.
Then some of those who belonged to the
synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called),
and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians,
and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and
disputed with Stephen. But they could not
withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which
he was speaking.

5. Then they secretly insDgated men who said, “We
have heard him speak blasphemous words against
Moses and God.” And they sDrred up the people
and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon
him and seized him and brought him before the
council, and they set up false witnesses who said,
“This man never ceases to speak words against this
holy place and the law, for we have heard him say
that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place
and will change the customs that Moses delivered
to us.”

6. And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw
that his face was like the face of an angel.
Acts 6:8-­‐15 ESV

7. 3 Trials:
1. Ends in a warning to Peter & John (4:21),
2. Ends with all the apostles beaten (5:40),
3. Ends in Stephen’s death.

8. Tipping Point
Jews in
Jerusalem
Ends of
the Earth
Stephen

9. People’s Favor
• Acts 2:47 – immediately a[er Pentecost
• Acts 4:21 – a[er lame beggar healed
• Acts 5:13 – a[er death of Ananias & Saphira
• Acts 5:26 – a[er apostles are arrested

10. Why Stephen?
1. Stephen was FULL!

11. Stephen was FULL of:
• Faith
• Holy Spirit
• Grace
• Power

12. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you
seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and
of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.
Acts 6:3 (ESV)

13. Why Stephen?
1. Stephen was FULL!
2. Stephen was so FULL, he was OPPOSED!

14. REMEMBER THIS
Fullness of God’s Spirit in our lives will:
• Draw people to Jesus
• AND will a^ract criDcism/opposiDon

15. Why Stephen?
1. Stephen was FULL!
2. Stephen was so FULL, he was OPPOSED!
3. Stephen was so FULL, he SHINED!

16. “And gazing at him, all who sat in the council
saw that his face was like the face of an angel.”