Stephen preached to people about Jesus and God. Some of the Jews got so angry about this that they told lies about Stephen and had him taken before the Jewish court (Sanhedrin). Stephen bravely preached a sermon about how people like them had rejected God before. And now they had rejected Jesus, the one God wanted Israel to follow as their leader and king. Some of the Jews became so angry at Stephen that they threw stones at him until he died. Stephen was the first martyr of the Christian faith.
From this time forward, followers of Jesus were treated very badly, and many left Jerusalem to live in other places. Everywhere they went, Christians told about Jesus.
Bible verses used in this episode:
Outline:
- Stephen is arrested (Acts 6:8-15)
- The Sermon (Acts 7:1-53)
- Stephen is killed (Acts 7:54-8:1)
- The Christians suffer (Acts 8:2-4)
Tips for teaching children:
- Explain the word "martyr" (A person killed because of religious or other beliefs).
- Use the thoughtful illustrations found at Free Bible Images to help children better understand the story.
- Guide the children in painting rocks. You could write “remember Stephen” or “Acts 7” or “be brave” on them.
Tips for teaching adults:
- Try out this excellent resource for leading small group Bible classes: Serendipity Bible (available on Amazon)
- Ask the class to consider the sermon (Acts 7) and respond to the following questions:
- What are some of the themes of the sermon?
- Where did God appear to Abram, Joseph and Moses in relation to the land of Canaan? What might be significant about this?
- In the past, when God sent leaders to his people, how did they respond? (refer to verse 35)
- Note to the teacher: To ask better questions, you should...
- Ask questions encouraging students to probe the text of Scripture you are studying.
- Avoid questions that require a “yes” or “no” response. Instead, ask open-ended questions, questions that require explanation and elaboration.
- Ask questions that challenge the class members to reflect on the text and reflect on their lives.
Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:
Bible Lesson: The Stoning of Stephen
Scriptures quoted from the International Children’s Bible®, copyright ©1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Tommy Nelson. Used by permission.
Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.
For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org