Acts is the companion book to the gospel of Luke.  Acts continues the story of Christ's people.  In Luke's gospel we find that Christ was born, lived and died just as the prophecies had foretold, but He did not
stay dead.  Christ rose from the grave never to taste death again and instructed His apostles on what they should do.  Acts opens with Christ giving the last instructions to His apostles and the, in their view,
ascended into heaven.  In chapter two the promised comforter, the Holy Spirit, comes and the apostles get busy preaching the gospel (the good news) to the people in Jerusalem.  The results of the very first sermon
preached was that 3,000 people became followers of Jesus Christ.

        Acts continues with not only great doctrines of Christ but also the very actions that moved the apostles and early church.  Persecution came on them only to cause the gospel message being spread  beyond the
city of Jerusalem.  So far was the message being spread that one early persecutor of the church, Saul, sought to bring followers of Jesus back to Jerusalem from even Damascus.  Events during this trip changed Saul's
life in such a way that he became a follower and gospel preacher himself.  It is in the book of Acts that we find out one is added to the church by God Himself, how one has their sins remitted and how to properly call
upon the name of the Lord.

A Sermon Caused His Death!
by Paul D. Fisher

        Of all the preachers in the New Testament, there is one that stands out from all the rest.  It is not that he was a more excellent preacher than all the others, as a matter of fact he preached a relatively short time.  It is not that he preached some new and different message, he preached only that message that others before him had preached.  It was not that he converted many people, for in the scriptures none are named as being converted by his preaching.  It was not that he was braver than other preachers, others before him had been
threatened and beaten for preaching the same message.

        This preacher, with his sermon and with his way of living, is an inspiration for all Christians of all times.  Before his accusers he boldly and logically proclaimed Jesus Christ as the Son of God.  With his
logic his accusers had to either obey what he preached or totally reject what they knew was the truth.  In rejecting the truth that he had backed them into a corner with, they not only rejected truth, but also God and
His Son.

        Rejecting the message the preacher preached, they struck out at the one bringing them the message.  His sermon so convicted his audience that they, as a group, rushed down on him and gnashed him with their
teeth.  "Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,  And cast him out of the city, and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's
feet, whose name was Saul" (Acts 8:57-58).

        The name of this preacher of course is Stephen, and even while being stoned to death, his last words were a prayer for those stoning him.  "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 8:60).  The man named Saul heard these words and when he himself became a Christian and his name was changed to Paul, he preached the same message as Stephen.  No doubt he found much strength in this godly preacher's example.  So
much so that he could tell the young preacher Timothy, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand" (2 Timothy 4:6).  Seeing the example of  Stephen helped Paul preach logical sermons,
drawing strength from his example even when facing death.

        Today, Stephen's example of preaching the truth in a loving and logical manner is a pattern for preachers everywhere to follow.  We should be willing, like Stephen, to preach the truth no matter what the cost.  May the words spoken about Stephen be truly said of each one who stands up and preaches the Word of God.  "And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake" (Acts 6:10)!

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