Last week we look at the death of Stephen and the slow path to destruction that humans march on with each tiny comprise. This week we will turn our attention to the results of Stephen’s death and what it can tell us today.

Last week we looked at Stephens defense before the Sanhedrin. Stephen used the history of the Jewish people, which the members of the Sanhedrin were so proud of to convict them of the very crime he was on trial for. He caps off this attack with cutting accusation that they did not keep the Law that was so precious to them.

Stephen is the first great Christian apologist that we see in the Bible, and as such his style of addressing the Jews is much different then Peter’s. Peter was much more evangelistic in his approach, and his sermons focused more on presenting the Gospel and the need of the hearers to convert and be saved. Stephen will take a more aggressive approach and speak in defense of Jesus and the faith.

As we saw last week the church is growing fast, and now we have Deacons elected to help the Apostles administer the body. One of these first Deacons, though that title will not be used until much later, is Stephen. Peter is falling away as far as the account in Acts is concerned, and soon the account will focus on Paul, and the bridge between the two is this account of Stephen.