October 5, 2026 - Acts 7

From chapter 6:  “The word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem” (6:7), and this largely because of men like Stephen, “full of grace and power” (6:8), who boldly preached the gospel even in the face of persecution and the real possibility of martyrdom.  When addressed by the high priest, Stephen told “the old, old story,” beginning with Abraham and the promises of God to him.  He told of Isaac and of Jacob and of Joseph and of Moses and God’s deliverance of his people from Egypt.  He told of a prophet who was to come, one greater than Moses (7:37).  He told of the tabernacle and of Joshua and of the land of promise and of David and Solomon and the building of the temple in Jerusalem.  He rightly accused his accusers of putting to death the Righteous One who had been prophesied, and when they heard all this, “hey were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him” (7:54) and stoned him to death.  Stephen, “full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  And he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God’” (7:55-56).  And, in his last moments, pleading for God to forgive his murderers, Stephen fell asleep.  Now, there was someone, an enemy of God and of his church, watching all this . . .

The hymn writer surely had in mind, when writing a hymn we all now, Stephen and his bold and faithful witness.

Onward, Christian soldiers,

marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus

going on before!

Christ, the royal Master,

leads against the foe;

Forward into battle,

see his banner go!

Onward, Christian soldiers,

marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus

going on before!   -- S. Baring-Gould (1865)