LESSON 9

STEPHEN: FULL OF THE

HOLY SPIRIT
Act 6:1-15; 7:54-60
 STEPHEN: FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Acts 6: 1-3

1 And in those days, when the number of the

disciples was multiplied, there arose a
murmuring of the Grecians against the
Hebrews, because their widows were
neglected in the daily ministration.
 2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the
disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason
that we should leave the word of God, and
serve tables.
 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you
seven men of honest report, full of the Holy
Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint
over this business.
 STEPHEN: FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Acts 6: 4-7

 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and

to the ministry of the word.
 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and
they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the
Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor,
and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of
Antioch:
 6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they
had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
 7 And the word of God increased; and the number of
the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a
great company of the priests were obedient to the
faith.
 STEPHEN: FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Acts 6: 8-11

 8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great

wonders and miracles among the people.
 9 Then there arose some from what is called the
synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians,
Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia,
disputing with Stephen.
 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and
the spirit by which he spoke.
 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have
heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses
and God
 STEPHEN: FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Acts 6: 12-15

 12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and

the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and
brought him to the council,
 13 And set up false witnesses who said “This man
does not cease to speak blasphemous words against
the holy place and the law;
 14 for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of
Nazareth will destroy this place, and shall change the
customs which Moses delivered us.
 15 And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly
on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an
angel.
DISCUSSSION:
A. STEPHEN CHOSEN TO SERVE (ACTS 6: 1-7)
1. What was the condition of the church when the apostles felt the
need for people to help them? (vv.1-2)
2. a. What were the qualifications of the people to be chosen to
help the apostles? (v.3)
- Respected
- Full of the Holy Spirit
- Full of Wisdom
b. What does it mean for a person to be full of the Holy Spirit?
(He is a person who places himself under the full control of
the Holy Spirit. He exhibits the fruit of the Holy Spirit
mentioned in Gal. 5:22-23)

Galatians 5:22 - 23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness
and self-control
 c. Is being full of the Holy Spirit available to every Christian,
or only to a special few? Why?
When a person empties himself [or “deny himself” – Mt.
16:24] and lets Jesus Christ to be his Lord and Master, the Holy
Spirit comes in and fills him. The degree of filling depends on
how much that person is willing to empty himself and submit to
the Lordship of Christ. It is available to every Christian (Eph.
5:18), and not to a special few only.
Matthew 16:24
“Then Jesus said unto his disciples, if any man will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Eph.5:18
“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but
be filled with the Spirit.”
3. Since those helpers are to be charged with administrative tasks
and not preaching, why do their need to be “full of the Spirit”?
In the church, all aspects of work are interrelated, whether it
be preaching, administration, even secretarial work. Each
affects the other. So everyone who works in the house of God
should be Spirit-filled. Actually, every Christian should be
Spirit-filled.

4. a. Who were chosen? (v.5)

b. What was the result of this arrangement? (v.7)
B. STEPHEN PERSECUTED (ACTS 6:8-15)
1. Describe Stephen. Look for clues from vv.5, 8-10
2. From vv.9-14, describe the progressive stages of how the
Jews tried to persecute Stephen.
3. Imagine yourself to be Stephen.
a. What would be your feelings and thoughts as each stage
of the persecution progresses to the next?
b. How would you react?
4. a. Everybody was looking intently at Stephen to see how
he would react. What did they see! (v.15)
b. How is this so?
Stephen’s face being like an angel shows that he had the
deep peace of God within him. Nor hatred or malice or
fear, in-spite of what people were doing to him.
c. REFLECTION:
1) When I am harried and pressured, what does my face
look like?
2) Do I have the deep peace of God within me? If not, why
not?
 STEPHEN THE MARTYR (ACTS 7: 54-60)
 54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and
they gnashed at him with their teeth.
 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and
saw the Glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of
God,
 56 and said, “Look!” I see the heavens opened and the Son of
Man standing at the right hand of God!”
 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and
ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city
and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the
feet of a young man named Saul.
 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying,
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”.
 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do
not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he
fell asleep.
C. STEPHEN STONED (ACTS 7:54-60)
1. Stephen use his trial as an opportunity to recount how
God led the Israelites from the time of Abraham up until his
time (vv.1-53). Although the Israelites had been unfaithful
again and again, God had been very
gracious to them.
Did the review of Jewish history prick the conscience of
his hearers? How did they react? (V.54)
2. What did Stephen see at that moment, and how did the
crowd react to
Stephen’s revelation? (vv.55-58)
3. a. What did Stephen’s reaction to all these? (vv.59-60)
b. What does this shows show of Stephen character?
1) Faith and trust in Jesus Christ
2) Humble and gentle (he knelt)
3) Loving and forgiving towards those who
persecuted him.
4) Faithful until the very end.
c. What similarities with Jesus Christ do you find in
Stephen’s last moments?
4. Imagine yourself in Stephen’s place. How would you have reacted when
the people were stoning you?
5. Notice that practically all aspects of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal.
5:22) was evident in Stephen’s life.
REFLECTION: In what ways is the fruit of the Holy Spirit evident in my
life?
6. How can we have a close walk with God, so that we can be “full of the
Holy Spirit” like Stephen?
a. Come to God daily for cleansing of our sins.
b. Read and meditate on His Work – the Bible
c. Communicate with God Through prayer.
d. Worship God regularly. (Not just once a week, but everyday at home)
Have fellowship with other Christians.
e. Deny our freshly desires daily.
f. Ask for the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
g. Obey God. Submit to the Lordship of Christ.
h. Help meet people’s needs – physical, emotional, spiritual.
 CONCLUSION:
Stephen was an “ordinary person” like us. But he was “full of the Holy Spirit”,
which we should be too. As a result, he was able to glorify God with his life. He
was tired and tested, and was faithful to God up to the end. May be like him also.