Acts 6:8-7:16

Stephen's Defense - Part 1

Welcome to Bridging the Gap, with Pastor Lloyd Pulley. How would you react if someone falsely accused you of some terrible crime? I think you'd agree with me when I say that one of the worst things we can experience is to be falsely accused of something. In Acts chapter six, we see a scene in which Stephen is accused of a terrible crime. How does he react?

  1. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
  2. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
  3. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
  4. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
  5. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
  6. And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
  7. For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
  8. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
  1. Then said the high priest, Are these things so?
  2. And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
  3. And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
  4. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
  5. And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
  6. And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.
  7. And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.
  8. And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
  9. And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
  10. And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
  11. Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
  12. But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
  13. And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.
  14. Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
  15. So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,
  16. And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.