28/09/2026
STEPHEN: Steadfast Under Persecutions
Acts 7:54-60
Ptr Carlo Solares
Introduction.
Key Question: "Mananatili ba akong kumapit at nakatingin sa Panginoon kapag mahirap na?"
I. STEADFAST WHEN PRESSURE CLOSES IN.
Acts 7:54-56
▪️ Stephen was condemned to die through stoning.
Acts 6:5 - the church of Jerusalem choose the deacons that served the Lord, one of that deacon is Stephen.
1. Stephen Faced Opposition. Acts 6:9-10
▪️ Hindi nila kayang labanan ang kanyang wisdom at ispiritu.
2. Stephen Faced False Accusations.
Acts 6:11-14
▪️ False witnesses
▪️ False accusations
▪️ Brought to the council
Stephen Under Pressure. Acts 6:15
"...saw his face as it had been the face of an angel."
🔸 Pressure was already present before the stones was thrown.
🔸 The crises did not create Stephen's steadfastness, the crisis revealed it.
Acts 7
▪️ Stephen proclaimed Israel's history.
▪️ Confronted their resistance to God.
▪️ Pointed them to Christ.
Acts 7:51 - "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost."
Acts 7:52 - "The Just One."
The Pressure Exploded.
Acts 7:54 - "They were cut to the heart and they gnashed on their teeth."
A. LOOK UP FROM THE PRESSURE. Acts 7:54
- Stephen lifted his eyes above his circumstances.
The Contrast:
▪️ Stephen Looked to Heaven.
- the crowd saw danger
- Stephen saw beyond the danger
- the pressure was real
- but the pressure did not control his focus.
▪️ Practical Application.
when pressure comes:
🔸 Financial problem - Look up
🔸 Family burden - Look up
🔸 Ministry discouragement - Look up
🔸 Criticism - Look up
🔸 Weariness - Look up
▪️ Don't let the pressure determine the direction of your eyes.
▪️ Remember:
"There is God above our circumstances. v. 55
B. LOOK BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN SEE. v. 55
"Stephen saw the reality the faith could perceive beyond earthly circumstances."
▪️ What other saw:
- anger
- danger
- suffering
▪️ Stephen saw:
"the glory of God and Jesus Christ.
▪️ Earth was not the whole story.
Faith:
Faith does not deny what we see, faith trust God beyond what we can see.
🔸 Faith does not deny the reality.
🔸 Visible reality is not the whole reality.
🔸 We see the problem - but we trust God.
🔸 We see the uncertainty - but we trust His character.
🔸 We cannot see the future - but God holds the future.
▪️ Stephen and Us:
Stephen saw
"Blessed are they have not seen, and yet have believed."
John 20:29
"Whom having not seen, and ye love." 1Peter 1:18
Practical Application:
🔹 God is still God even when we cannot see what He is doing.
🔹 Don't allow what you cannot see to make you
C. LOOK UNTO CHRIST PRESENCE.
Acts 7:55-56
▪️ Stephen's faith ultimately rested not in an unseen concept, but on the living Christ.
▪️ Stephen Saw:
- Jesus standing on the right hand of God.
"Behold, I saw the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."
▪️ The Christian Reality.
Sometimes God does not immediately change the circumstances. But He remind us Who is with us.
▪️ Steadfastness is Christ-centered.
▪️ The Lesson of Stephen :
The Progression.
Pressure come - He looked up
He could not see everything - He looked beyond in the midst of everything.
He looke unto JESUS.
▪️ Steadfastness when suffering becomes costly. v. 55-56
▪️ Steadfastness means remaining faithful to Christ even when following Him is costly.
II. STAND FIRM WHEN PEOPLE TURN AGAINST YOU. Acts 7:57-58
▪️ The response of the crowd.
- They cried out.
- They stopped their ears.
- They ran upon him.
- They cast him out.
- They stoned him.
🔸 Stephen did not change his message.
A. Stephen Did Not Compromise The Truth.
v. 51-52
"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in hesrt and ears."
▪️ Stephen remained committed to Christ.
B. Stand Firm Without Becoming Harsh.
- steadfastness does not mean:
▪️ being rude
▪️ being harsh
▪️ being inconsiderate
🔸 Stand for truth and grace.
🔸 Speak with truth amd love
III. SURRENDER YOURSELF WHEN SUFFERING COMES.
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
▪️ Stephen could not control:
- what people were doing
- what would happen next
- the outcome
🔸 But he knew who he could trust with himself.
IV. SHOW CHRIST WHEN YOU ARE HURT.
v. 60
▪️ Stephen did not answer hatred with hatred.
- the persecution was real.
- the injustice was real.
- the pain was real
🔸 Yet, prayer comes from his lips instead of hatred.
🔸 The test of Chris likeness
IV. STAY FAITHFUL UNTIL THE END. v. 60.
▪️ Stephen:
- witnessed
- served
- spoke truth
- endured opposition
- suffered
- forgave
- remained faithful
Luke 9:23
Acts 7:56-58
Acts 22:20
