Home  ›  Sermons  ›  The Prayer That Received A Standing Ovation

The Prayer That Received A Standing Ovation

August 31, 2025 Frank Thompson Acts What Kind Of Church Do You Want No comments

A Study Of The Book of Acts
Part 10
Acts 6 & 7

Acts 7:55-56
⁵⁵ But he, (Stephen) being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven,

and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

⁵⁶ and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing On The right hand of God.

1. Who was Stephen?

a. He was a man LOVED by his CHURCH

Acts 6:3
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.

Acts 6:5
⁵And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and THEY CHOSE Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost,

Acts 6:9-11
⁹ Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. ¹⁰ And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. ¹¹ Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

Acts 8:1
And DEVOUT MEN carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him.

b. Stephen was a man HATED by the WORLD

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, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

¹⁴ for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

Acts 6:15
¹⁵ And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

Acts 7:1-2
Then said the high priest, Are these things so? ² And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran…

Acts 7:51-53
⁵¹ Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

⁵² Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 

⁵³ who have received the law by the disposition of angels and have not kept it.

c. Stephen was a man HONORED by JESUS

Acts 7:55
⁵⁵But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven,…

Acts 7:55-56
^…and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, ⁵⁶And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

2. What Made Him So Special?

a. His CHARACTER 

Acts 6:8     And Stephen, full of faith…

Acts 6:5b   …a man full of the Holy Ghost,

Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, 

b. His COURAGE 

Acts 7:54,57-58
⁵⁴When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 

Acts 7:57
⁵⁷Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 

⁵⁸And cast him out of the city, and stoned him:

c. The COMPASSION of CHRIST

Acts 7:59-60
⁵⁹And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 

⁶⁰And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.  And when he said this, he fell asleep.