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GraceandPowerintheMidstofPersecutionActs6:8-12and7:54-8:1KeyIdea:StephenisthefirstnamedmartyroftheChristianchurch.HisresponseisapowerfulexampleforustodayinhowtoliveasapublicwitnessforJesusChristinthepublicsquareandtostandwiththosewhoarealsofacingpersecutiontoday.Testimoniesofpersecutedindividualsthatcanbeusedaspowerfulillustrationscanbefoundatwww.SpeakFreedomTexas.org.I. Introduction
Introducethetopicbyhighlighting(1)whyyoudecidedtofocusontherealityofcontemporaryreligiouspersecution,(2)someofthegeneralfactsrelatedtopersecutiontoday,and(3)ageneralbackgroundtothebookofActs.PewResearchtellsnotesthatover70%oftheworld’spopulationfacehighorveryhighrestrictionsontheirreligiouspracticeorsocialhostilitiesbecauseoftheirreligiousconvictions.PeopleofallfaithsfacepersecutionthoughChristianityisthemostpersecutedfaithcommunityworldwide.Here’sthequestionwecanpondertogether:
Whenthecrowdsform,andthecultureturnsandtherightsarereversed,howwillweaspeopleoffaithrespond?
II. TheCharacterofStephen:Acts6:8-12ReadActs6:8.Consider:•
WhattwoadjectivesareappliedtoStephen’slife?Graceandpower)• Howoftendoyouassociatethosetwowordstogether?Whynot?• Whatwordsdoyouoftenassociatewithpower?Andwhatwordswithgrace?• Whydoesthismakesuchapotentcombination?• ArethereotherexamplesintheBibleofindividualsfacinglivingoutapublicfaithwho
facedthepersecution/oppositionwithgrace?• Howoftendoyourespondinyourownlifetopersecution/oppositionwithgrace?ReadActs6:8-12.Consider:• Thepowerofwordsandtheirabilitytoleadtostrongconsequences;• Whatarethespecificwords/specificaccusationleveledagainstStephen?• Whatarethekindsofwordsusedinthepublicsquaretodescribepeopleoffaithtoday?
Howdoesthisimpactpeopleoffaithingeneralandourlivesinparticular?• Whatarethewordsthatweaspeopleoffaithusetodescribethepublicsquaretoday,
tensionsofoppositionandpeopleofotherreligions?• Whymightitmatterthat“grace”beanoverridingthemeofthebelieverstalkinthepublic
squareandonsocialmedia?• Howcanwemakeourwordsmoreseasonedwithgrace?• WhataresomeofthespecificexamplestodayofChristiansfacingpersecutionbecauseof
theaccusationofblasphemy?
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III. TheWitnessofStephen:Acts7:54–8:1Stephentriestorespondwithtruth.Butforacourtproceedingthatbeganwithfalsewitnesses,openlyspokentruthwouldbethesealofhissentence.ReadActs7:54–8:1.Therageofthemoment,therageofemotions,ranheadfirstintograceandtruth.Strongwordsareusedtodescribethesereligiousleaders,thosewhomovedfromaccuserstoattackers:furious,gnashingteeth,coveredears,yellingatthetopoftheirvoices,physicallyrushing,dragging,raisedandthrownstones.Thisisaportraitofaforceintentonbarrelingaheadandusingtheirpowertoenforcetheirperspective.Aretherewaysinwhichthishappensinourculturetoday?Unfortunately,forcesintentonmaintainingtheirprivilegedpositionagainstpeopleoffaithremainscommontoday.Considerforexample:• Morethan70%oftheworldlivesincontextswheretheyreceivepersecutionfortheir
religiousconvictions.Christiansarethemostpersecutedfaithcommunityworldwide.Scholarsbelievethatonaverage20individualsaremartyredfortheirfaitheachday;
• ChristiansinnorthernNigeriawhohavebeendisplacedfromtheirhomesbyBokoHaram,experiencedtheburneddestructionoftheircrops,andforcedtoliveformonthsatatimeinliteralphysicalcaves;
• ChristiansinIraqandSyriawhohavebeendisplacedfromtheirhomesbytheIslamicStateandforcedtoliveaspeoplewithoutahome,withouteducation,andwithoutemployment;bothindisplacementcampsinsideIraqandSyriaandasrefugeesinneighboringcountries
• BothRohingyaMuslimsinMyanmaraswellasKarenandKachinChristiansfromMyanmarwhohaveexperiencedtargeteddestruction,rape,militaryviolenceandextrajudicialkillingthathasforcedmanytobecomerefugees;
• ChristiansinChinaareexperiencingthemostseverepersecutiontheyhavefacedsincetheCulturalWar.ThousandsofchurcheshavebeendamagedordefacedbytheGovernmentofChinainjustthelastthreeyears.UighurMuslimsalsofacesignificantrestrictionsfromtheGovernmentasdoTibetanBuddhists;
• EvangelicalChristiansintheStateofChiapasinMexicocontinuetofaceharassmentandlegalrestraintsfortheirfaithconvictions.
Unfortunately,whilethemisuseofpoweringeneralremainsfartoocommon,therearestillspecificexamplesof“raisedandthrownstones”:• In2014,BokoHaramkidnapped276ChibokGovernmentSecondarySchoolgirlsin
northeasternNigeria.Theyselectedoneyoungladytobean“example”andtoldherthatshehadtoconvertfromChristianity,whichsherefusedtodo.Hercaptorstookhertoacertainlocationoutsideoftheircamp,dugupthegroundandloweredherintoaholeuptoherneck.Shewas18yearsold,andheronlycrimewasthatshewasastudentwhowantedaneducation.Thecaptorsraisedtheirstonesandaskedthisteenageronemoretimeifshewantedtoconvert.Herresponse?ShebegantosingpraisestoJesus.Astheystonedher,thelastwordsonherlipswerepraisesongstoJesus.Thestoneswerereleasedandshefellasleepwhilethesongsofpraisewerelifted.
• InEritrea,auniversitystudentnameSemeresharedhisexperienceafterescapingandbecomingarefugeeinEthiopia.EritreahasanatheistgovernmentthatremainsfirmlycommittedtolimitingallreligionsincludingbothChristianityandIslam.InSemere’sfirstyearofcollege,agroupofChristiansmettopray.Onceaftersixindividualshadmetinaprivatehomeforprayer,theywentoutsideandweresurprisedtodiscoverthatamobhadgatheredandbeenwaitingfortheminanearbyfield.AsSemereandthegroupexitedthe
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home,themobbegantoaccostthem.Theybeganthrowingstonesatthem.Whilemostofmygrouptriedtorunaway,Semerewashitonthebackofhisheadbyastone,andlaythereseriouslybleedinginanopenfieldfrom7P.M.until1A.M.Eventually,hewasabletogetupandgoforhelp.Inhiswords,“Sadly,Iwastheonlymaninthatgrouptosurvivethestoningmostlyunscathed.Oneoftheyoungmenbecamementallyillafterthestoning.ThiseventleadthecollegetodismissmeforayearbecauseofmyChristianbeliefs.”
Tobeclearthisisnotaboutsinglingoutanyonereligion.Allreligionshavethecapacitytopersecuteandallreligionshavethecapacitytoliveinpeace.ThereareplacesintheworldwhereChristiansarethepersecutors.AndtodaythereareMuslimsinChinaandinMyanmarwhoareamongsomeofthemostpersecuted.Thisisoftennotaboutreligionbutaboutpower.Whichiswhyitissocritical,whenChristiansareinpositionsofpower,thatbeforethemisthemodelofStephen–onewhocombinedpowerwithpublicgrace.Consider:• Aretherewaysinwhichthismayormaynotbedescriptiveofourownengagementin
placesofpower(family,school,community,workplace,government,society)?• ArethereinstancesinhistoricalorcontemporaryinstanceswhenChristianshavenotheld
poweringrace?• Whymightthisbethecase?Howcanweguardagainstit?
IV. LessonsWeCanLearnFromStephen:Acts7:54–8:1Thispassagealsohighlightsthatfarfrombeingpassiveactorswhoneedourhelp,manywhohavebeenpersecutedhaveincrediblelessonstoteachus.Sixpossiblelessonsemerge:A. LessonOne:Leanintoawitnessofpublicpresencemodeledbygrace.
GraceandpowerremainanunusualcombinationasevidencedinthefactthatthisistheonlyplaceinalloftheNewTestamentwherethisuniquecombinationisfound.Whyisthatthecase?ThestoryofStephenreallybeginswithhiscommitmenttocombathungerinhiscommunity.UltimatelyitwashisservicetothosewhowerehungryinthenameofJesusthatleadstothisconfrontation.Consider:• Whatwouldhappenifwebegantomeetthephysicalneedsofothers?
• HowdidStephenusehisskillsettobecomeablessingtohiscity?• EveninthefaceofoppositiondidStephendisengagefromhiscultureorcity?• Howshouldthebelieverrespondwhenfacedwithfalsestoriesandresistancefortheir
commitmenttousingtheirskillsandpassionsasservantsinthepubliccommunitywhoaremeetingrealneeds?
B. LessonTwo:LeanintoavisionoftheKingdomofGod.
ReadActs7:55.Atthiscriticaljuncture,whatdidStephen’seyessee?Whenfacedwithopposition,whatdooureyesandourfocusoftensee?
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HowdoesStephen’sactionscorrespondtocontemporaryunderstandingsoftakingactionswithsafetynets?Howshouldthebelieverdefinevictory?ThereareinstanceswhentheLord,inhisunderstanding,choosetobringaboutphysicalhealing,physicalsalvation,orcompletesafety.Sometimes,theLord,inhisunderstanding,doesnot.Stephendidnotexperiencethisworldrescue.Doesthismeanhedidnotexperience“victory”?Howdoesthisunderstandingofvictoryhelpuslivewithcourageandboldnessinourpublicwitnessandinourengagementwiththepersecutedtoday?
C. LessonThree:Leanintograce,joyandthefruitsoftheSpiritmorebroadly.Stephen’sbodymighthavebeenphysicallydraggedbuthisspritrefusedtobepulleddown.Whatabouthiswitnesscontinuedtoenragehisattackers?Howdoesthishelpusunderstandhowtruepowerisdefined?Whatdoesitmeantobeawitnesswholeansintograce,joyandthefruitsoftheSpiriteveninthefaceofopposition?
D. LessonFour:Leanintoanactiveprayerengagement.Stephenwasaproactiveparticipantthroughthisentireprocess.Hedidnotsurrender.Heleanedintoanactiveprayerengagement.WhatistheimmediatecontextofStephen’slastwords(Acts7:59)?Inthiscontext,whatwereStephen’slastwords(Acts7:59-60)?Doesthisprayeranditsimplicationsdefineourapproachandouractions?Whataretheimplicationsifitisorisnotrepresentativeofourlife,witnessandengagement?
E. LessonFive:LeanintotherealitythattheHolySpiritchangeshearts.Thislessonismoreimpliedthanstatedexplicitly.Onlytwoindividualsarenamedinthistext,Stephen,andwhoelse?Consider:• Whatdoesitmeanthatthenamesoftheaggressorsarelosttohistory?• Whatdoesitmeanthattheonewhoseheartwaschangedisremembered?• Atthispointinthestory,howwouldtoday’ssocialmedia,talkcultureand24hour
newscyclehavecharacterizedSaul?• WhatmightitmeanthattheeconomyoftheKingdomthereisalwaysanopportunity
forachangedheart?F. LessonSix:Leanintotherealitythatyoucanstandwiththepersecuted.
Individualswhohaveexperiencedpersecutionarenotperfect.Peoplearepeople.Weshouldnotidealizethosewhohavehadtheseexperiences.Butwhatwedoseeinthispassagethosewhostoodonbehalfofthepersecuted.Acts8:2indicatesthattherewereindividualswhowerewillingtocomeandpubliclycollectStephen’sbodyandthusidentifythemselveswiththeonewhohadbeenkilledinfrontofthosewhohaddonethekilling.Arewewillingtodothesameforthosearoundtheworldwhoareexperiencingphysicaldeathfortheirfaith?
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V. Conclusion:ACalltoActionInthistexttherearethreekindsofleaders:• Stephen–Soughttolivealeadershipthatinfusedpowerandgrace.• ReligiousandCulturalLeaders–Filledwithaself-power,astone-filledpower,andfollowed
therageofthemoment,therageofemotions.• Unnamedleaderswhousedtheirprivatelivestoidentifywithandstandwiththeonewho
hadbeenkilledforhisfaith.Whichofthesekindsofleadersdescribeus?Whataresomefirststepswecouldtaketodaytobealeaderwhostandswiththepersecuted?Amongotherswecould:• Committoprayregularlyforthosefacingpersecutionandtheirfamilies;• GeneratemoreawarenessbysigningupforAlertsthathighlighttheserealitiesandthatare
oftenoverlookedinmanymediacoverages(recommendedsource:www.21wilberforce.orgwithsignupatthetop;orevenconsiderhavingasimplesign-upformattheendofeachrowthatcouldbepasseddownsothatmemberscanelectinandthenmailthatformtothe21stCenturyWilberforceInitiativeformanualinput);
• Givetosupportorganizationsactivelyworkinginthisarea(suggestedamount:$21permonththroughwww.21wilberforce.orgcanmakeasignificantdifference);
• Actasavoicemultiplierbyregularlypostingabouttherealityofpersecutiontoyoursocialmediaaccounts;
• Goonamissiontriptoacountrywherepersecutionremainsreal;• Ifyouareastudentlearnmorebychoosingthistopicforaresearchproject;• Enhancereligiousfreedominyourimmediateareabyinvitingsomeoneofanotherfaithto
yourhomefordinnerandsharedconversation;• Reachouttorefugeesinyourareaandbuildanintentionalfriendship;• Encourageyourelectedrepresentativestoprioritizetheseissuesandtodemonstratethat
prioritybytaskingoneoftheirstafftotrackinternationalreligiousfreedomissues(visitwww.IRFscorecard.orgtodownloadafreescorecardthatgradeseachSenatorandCongressmenonthedegreetowhichtheirvotessupportthisarea);
• Volunteeryourbackgroundspecialtysuchas:legal,research,teaching,micro-finance,smallbusinessormedical.
Whenthecrowdsform,thefistsareclenched,thestonesareraised,andtheculturereversesrights:howwillwerespond?
