Dare to Be a Stephen

Daily Scripture Threshing for Today, Saturday, October 31, 2026

Today's Text: Acts 6:8-15; Acts 7:1-60

Key Verse: Acts 7:59 (KJV) - "And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

In the early Church, when growth brought the need to serve tables, Stephen emerged, not as an apostle, but as one of seven deacons. However, he was a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, full of grace and power. He was a Hellenist Jew, a Greek-speaking Jew, likely educated and cultured, yet he did not seek position. He served in a way that serving led him to speaking, and his speaking led to signs. He did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then opposition rose. Members of the synagogue of the Libertines disputed with him and could not resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke. So they set up false witnesses, dragged him before the council, and accused him of blasphemy against Moses and against God. His face shone like an angel. Instead of defending himself with fear, Stephen preached Jesus from Abraham to the present, showing how Israel had always resisted the Holy Ghost. God is still looking for servants who become martyrs in love and truth. Dare to be a Stephen.

Stephen could not be contained to tables. He was full of the Holy Spirit beyond his assignment. He served food, but he also served the Word. The same Spirit that made him faithful in small natural duties made him bold in public witness. Many want the pulpit without the towel. Stephen shows that the way up is down. He was faithful to wait on tables, and God made him able to stand before councils. And when his accusers could not resist his wisdom, they resisted his person with stones. The council gnashed on him with their teeth, but Stephen was not looking at them; he was looking up. Being full of the Holy Ghost, he looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. Dare to be a Stephen, who serves when no one sees and stands when all oppose, whose eyes are up when all around are against him.

His own people killed him. They cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city and stoned him in a brutal, unjust, and public manner; yet, what came out of him at death was not bitterness but brokenness and forgiveness. He kneeled down. They were standing to kill; he was kneeling to pray. The posture alone was a sermon. They shouted; he cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. It was the same prayer Jesus prayed from the cross, now prayed from the stones. He did not pray against his killers; he prayed for them. He said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. He trusted Jesus with his dying as he had trusted Him with his living. His forgiveness was radical, his trust was unwavering, and his worship did not stop when the stones started. Dare to be a Stephen, who kneels while others rage, who forgives while being crushed.

As they killed Stephen, a young man named Saul, Paul, the Apostle, was holding their coats. But Stephen's death was not in vaim. His prayer was sown into the ground that became Paul's salvation. Stephen's stoning looked like defeat, but it became the seed of the Church's greatest missionary. And the Church scattered by persecution went everywhere preaching the Word. Stephen was the first Christian martyr, but his death was not the end of witness; it was the beginning of harvest. To be stoned denotes the rejection and violence of men; while to be welcomed by standing Jesus denotes the honor of heaven. Jesus stood to receive the first man who died like Him. The Greek for martyr is witness. Stephen's forgiveness became his final witness, and that witness still speaks. Ingratitude may stone the messenger; but forgiveness redeems even the stone-thrower. Dare to be like Stephen: the one who does not just live for Christ, but dies like Christ, the one whose last breath becomes a prayer for his killers.

Action Steps: Take a moment today to deliberately kneel. Like Stephen, look up steadfastly and ask God to show you a vision of Jesus standing for you. Make a list of those who have falsely accused you, opposed you, or thrown stones at your name. Kneel down and pray aloud, not a silent, hurried prayer; but a costly, heaven opening prayer. Identify one Saul in your life - one persecutor - and pray that your experience becomes the seed of his salvation. Refuse to die bitter. Choose to die like Christ, trusting your spirit to Jesus.

Quote for the Day: "Many serve God when they are celebrated; Stephen served Him when he was incarcerated, with an unbelievable kind spirit that preaches better than sermon." - Simon Olatunji (#quotablequotes)

Let Us Pray: Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have served only when it was convenient and forgiven only when it was easy. Today I choose to be like Stephen. Fill me with faith and the Holy Ghost, full of grace and power. Give me wisdom that my adversaries cannot resist, and give me eyes that see Your glory when men gnash on me with their teeth. Like Stephen, I kneel down today and say, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, and Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. I forgive those who have thrown stones at me. Let my life and my death be a witness of radical forgiveness and unwavering trust. In Jesus' most glorious name. Amen.

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Thank you for threshing the Word with me today. For further study on this topic, please read: Acts 6:1-15; Acts 7:1-60; Acts 8:1-4; Acts 22:20; Luke 23:34; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18.

With all my love and prayers,

Simon Wale Olatunji, Ph.D.

Your Darling Bishop (DaBishop)

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