KILLING STEPHEN

May 15

Bible Reading: Acts 7

Acts 6:5, “Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 7:51, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit.”

“Martyr”: noun One who, by his death, bears witness to the truth of the gospel.  Stephen was the first Christian “martyr.”

Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language; 1828 Edition

Foxe’s book of Martyrs chronicles the testimonies of saints down through the centuries who suffered martyrdom because of their faith in Christ.  Stephen’s name, the first martyr in the church, is mentioned early in the book.

Stephen was a man who was full of the Spirit.  Being filled with the Spirit, he was also full of “wisdom,” “faith,” and “grace and power” (Acts 6:3, 5, 8).  By the Spirit, he was doing “great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8).  He was a man much used by God to bless others.

Stephen stood out amongst the brethren and was no doubt much loved by them, but there were others who did not like him at all.  A group of Hellenistic Jews “rose up and disputed with Stephen.”  “But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (Acts 6:10).  So, they instigated others to make scandalous reports about him.  They stirred up “the people and the elders and the scribes” (Acts 6:12).  They “seized him and brought him before the council” (Acts 6:12).  False witnesses were brought forth and accused him.  The high priest asked, “Are these things so” (Acts 7:1)?  Most of the rest of chapter seven is Stephen’s response.

Stephens’ defense before the Sanhedrin is the longest discourse in the book of Acts.  In it, he recited the history of Israel and referred to Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and Israel’s apostasy.  Some have wondered about the specific purpose to which Stephen spoke and why he spoke at length regarding the history of the Jewish people.  But since he had been specifically accused of blasphemy against the temple and the Law (Acts 6:13), his defense affirmed his understanding and appreciation regarding the divine origins of these things.  He spoke both of Israel’s history and their history of rebellion against God (Acts 7:35-50).

Stephen applied the matter of Israel’s historical apostasy directly to his listeners.  With Spirit-imparted boldness, he indicted them as being responsible for the death “of the Righteous One” (Acts 7:52).  At that point in Stephen’s defense, his audience became “enraged, and they ground their teeth at him” (Acts 7:54).  He was privileged, by the Spirit, to be granted a vision of “the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55-56).  His report of what he saw only intensified their anger.  In a state of rage, they screamed, covered their ears, and mobbed him.  They drug him out of the city and stoned him.  As they were stoning him, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59).  As he was dying, he spoke in like-manner to the One who had died to forgive his own sins, saying, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60).

Martyrdom sometimes happens when those who are Spirit-led meet up with those who are Spirit-opposed.  Stephen was Spirit compelled to proclaim the truth.  His listeners were compelled by another spirit to squelch his witness.  They killed the messenger, but not the message.  Saul was there and “approved of his execution” (Acts 8:1).  But Saul, that great persecutor of the church, would later be saved and befriend himself to Stephen’s Savior.  On the day of Stephen’s death, there arose “a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1).  The church was scattered, but those “who were scattered went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).  That great persecution, initiated in Stephen’s martyrdom, only worked to expand the outreach of the church.   They shut up Stephen, but not the Spirit.  And Stephen’s legacy—as a bold faithful witness to the truth—lives on to this day!

The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. – Tertullian

I gave My life for thee,
My precious blood I shed,
That thou mightst ransomed be,
And quickened from the dead;
I gave, I gave My life for thee,
What hast thou done for Me?
I gave, I gave My life for thee,
What hast thou done for Me?

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Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

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