Stephen’s Jesus Story
RLC Home Group Handout | August 30th, 2026
Jesus Stories; “Stephen” | Acts 6:8-8:4
Recap
As we look at Stephen’s story, we see an ordinary man transformed by the grace of Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit, whose life and death powerfully pointed to Christ. Stephen boldly proclaimed the truth even in the face of false accusations, hatred, and ultimately martyrdom, yet he responded to his enemies with the same grace and forgiveness demonstrated by Jesus. What appeared to be a tragic ending became part of God’s redemptive plan: a seed was planted in Saul, who would become the Apostle Paul, and the persecution that followed scattered believers throughout Judea and Samaria, spreading the Gospel just as Jesus had promised. Stephen’s story reminds us that Jesus is the hero, that the same Spirit who filled Stephen dwells in us, and that even when we cannot understand our suffering, we can fix our eyes on Christ and trust that God is able to redeem what is broken and use it for eternal good.
References
Acts 1:8 — Stephen’s death and the resulting persecution propel the Gospel into Judea and Samaria.
Genesis 50:20 — God sovereignly brings redemptive good from what others intend for evil.
John 12:24 — Death can become the means through which God produces extraordinary fruit.
Romans 8:18 — Present suffering is viewed in light of the eternal glory awaiting believers.
Discussion Questions
Head
Is there anything that stood out or spoke to you in this week’s sermon?
Luke repeatedly describes Stephen as being “full”—full of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, faith, grace, and power. What do these descriptions tell us about the source of Stephen’s character and ministry?
Why was Stephen’s declaration that he saw “the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” so provocative to the Sanhedrin? How does Luke 22:66–71 help us understand their reaction?
Heart
Stephen’s wisdom, faith, grace, and power flowed from his being filled with the Holy Spirit. When you think about becoming more faithful or spiritually mature, are you more inclined to focus on your own effort or your dependence upon the Spirit?
Stephen remained peaceful without becoming timid. Do you tend to sacrifice truth for peace or peace for truth? What would it look like to hold both together as Stephen did?
Have you experienced something painful that, looking back, you can now see God used redemptively? How has that experience shaped your trust in Him?
Hands
What is one situation this week in which you need to deliberately set your eyes on Jesus rather than allowing fear, anger, or discouragement to dominate your attention?
Where might God be calling you to speak truth with both the boldness and grace we see in Stephen?
Stephen faithfully served in a practical ministry while also using the spiritual gifts God had given him. Where has God presently called you to serve, even if it does not seem particularly significant?