The first disciples were a dynamic, growing family of believers, led by the apostles, prophets, elders, and deacons of their day. One bright star among them was a man named Stephen, who was full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Stephen was among the first group of deacons who oversaw the ministry of mercy in the early church. He taught, persuaded, and performed wonders and miraculous signs, and these actions caught the eye of persecutors. Stephen was brought before the Sanhedrin, where false accusations were laid upon him. Those who saw him there recognized that his face was like that of an angel during his defense. At the high point of his speech, the vitriol of the crowd grew so hot that they gnashed their teeth at him. Stephen was given a vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God the Father, which he announced to all of his persecutors. Hearing this, they rushed onto him, dragged him out of the city, and stoned him to death. Throughout the whole ordeal, Stephen was spoken of as “full of the Holy Spirit.”
See Acts chapters 6 and 7 for the whole story.
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