Getting God's Message Getting God's Message Program Transcripts
Pastor Lud Golz
Pastor Lud Golz

About the Program | Meet Pastor Golz | Contact Information | Fellowship Bible Church | Christian Resources | Donations

  Home | Transcript Archive | December | December 04, 2009

Friday, December 04, 2009

As we studied the life of Stephen we saw how enlisting him and assigning him to a rather mundane task of serving tables God had far bigger things in mind for him and the church.  Acts 7 closes with his being stoned to death. Those who did the stoning took off their outer clothes and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.  

Chapter 8 opens as follows: “And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem…Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.” 
 
Here we see the effect Stephen’s testimony had on a young man named Saul. First, he observed Stephen’s martyrdom. Then he gave approval to his martyrdom. Thirdly, he started aggressively persecuting other Christians himself. At first glance this scenario might not seem very encouraging. But God was beginning to do something wonderful through this apparent tragedy. 
 
Chapter 9 continues this apparent negative outcome of Stephen’s witness and life. Listen to the opening verses: “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.” 
 
Read on and join us in our next visit for the rest of the story. 
 

Getting God's Message with Lud Golz, P.O. Box 167, Novelty, Ohio 44072

design by Klein Studios, Inc.