司提反的見證
使徒行傳六章9至15節
9當時有稱利百地拿會堂的幾個人，並有古利奈、亞力山大、基利家、亞西亞、各處會堂的幾個人，都起來和司提反辯論。
10司提反是以智慧和聖靈說話，眾人敵擋不住，
11就買出人來說：我們聽見他說謗讟摩西和神的話。
12他們又聳動了百姓、長老，並文士，就忽然來捉拿他，把他帶到公會去，
13設下假見證，說：這個人說話，不住的蹧踐聖所和律法。
14我們曾聽見他說：這拿撒勒人耶穌要毀壞此地，也要改變摩西所交給我們的規條。
15在公會裡坐著的人都定睛看他，見他的面貌，好像天使的面貌。
信息分享
任何教會若有一位像司提反的會友，就真是要大大感恩了。無論在任何一方面來看，他都是一個可靠而出色的領袖人材。
我們從第9至15節看見第一個有關司提反作見證的記述。當他被捉拿到公會審訊的時候，他有甚麼表現呢？請看第15節。在公會坐著的人，當定睛看他時，都見到他的臉上散發出美麗的光芒，仿如天使一般。這豈不是很難能可貴嗎？面對著一群誣衊自己的敵人，司提反竟能保持平和與從容，以致連敵人也可以在他的臉上看見耶穌基督。當面對別人惡言相向或誣衊中傷，你會如何反應呢？我們會像未得救前那樣的恣意還擊，還是以基督徒的應有態度去回應？
只要你讀完第七章全章，你便會發現司提反是如何的熟悉聖經。他不僅明白神的話語，還樂於傳講神的話語，並用神的話語來勸勉群眾去悔改聽從。可惜，公會的人不單沒有聽從，更因為怒火中燒而立即用石頭把他打死；司提反便成了第一位殉道者。
然而，司提反卻實在為基督作了美好的見證；他的見證影響了誰呢？毫無疑問，司提反的殉道，是導致掃羅最終歸信耶穌基督的其中一個重要因素。掃羅怎能忘記司提反在死前的表現和說話呢(七58)？事實上，司提反殉道不久，掃羅就認識了基督，變成了我們所熟悉的出色宣教士保羅。在神的掌管下，司提反的死，結果帶來了掃羅的新生。
STEPHEN THE SOUL WINNER
Acts 6: 9 – 15
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.”
12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council.
13 They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law;
14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”
15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.
Message
Any church that has a man like Stephen in its membership ought to be very thankful. He is a man that can be trusted and a man who can be a wonderful leader for the whole church, in every way.
You have read the first part of Stephen’s story in verses 9 to 15. Did you notice what Stephen did when the council was against him? Look at verse 15. When they looked at him, they saw that his face was shining beautifully, in fact it was just like the face of an angel. Isn’t that wonderful? Men had told lies about him, yet he smiled at them in such a way that even his enemies could see Jesus Christ in his face. What do we do when people say unkind of untrue things about us? Do we continue to act like Christians or do we react as if we have never been saved?
If you were to read the rest of chapter seven, you would discover how wonderfully Stephen knew his Bible. He knew the Word of God; he preached the Word of God and he applied it to the lives of those listening to him. They didn’t like it and they killed him because of what he said. He was the first Christian martyr.
But at the top of this page, we called him ‘Stephen the Soul Winner’. Who did he win for Christ? His death could easily have been one of the things that finally brought Saul of Tarsus to Jesus Christ. How could Saul ever forget Stephen? (7:58). It was not long after Stephen’s death, that Saul found Christ and became Paul the mighty missionary. God overruled so that out of the death of one came the wonderful life of another.