The Spectator., 1916-03-03
INTERNATIONAL. SUNn&SQlOOL LESSON tBy E. O. SELLERS, Acting Director of sunday School Course, Moody Bible Institute.)
 Copyright. 1916, Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR MARCH 5
THE DEATH OF STEPHEN.

This lesson closely follows that of last Sunday. There are some battles of life that are not fought with fists or weapons. The boy who holds his temper is more manly than the one who goes into a fight simply to win. Paul tells us how and what to fight (Eph. Gil, 12). We must show the scholars clearly the two great bat ties stephen fought and the victory he won as described in today's les son. The charges made against Stephen were made by false wit nesses." This does not mean men who invented false words, but men who took isolated statements, distort- ed them and by innuendo used them for their own ends. Stephen was charged with three things: (a) Blas- phemy against God (6:11-13, (b) That he had said Jesus would return and destroy the temple (6:1D, Co That he claimed that Jesus would de- stroy or abrogate the law (6:1D. This great passage of Scripture is so pro- found and so closely connected that we hesitate in trying to separate 1t into divisions or sections. We much prefer to note the logical argument and presentation Stephen the Spirit. anointed deacon made to the Sanhe- drin.
 |. Stephens Defense. Stephen was a Grecianized Jew, whose name means "a crown" He answered the charges of these foreign accusers, made before the Sanhedrin, seriatim. His point of contact was to respect fully remind the council that he was an orthodox Jewish believer and worshiper (v 9. He called the coun- cil Men, brethren and fathers" They were common believers and all were standing before the God-appoirted leaders of Israel. Stephen in his re- ply showed that he reverenced God and Gods prophet Moses, thereby an swering the first charge (v. ID. and while he reverenced the temple he showed that it was not essential to worship (7:47:49). This last was in answer to their second charge (6-14. In answer to their third charge Ste phen then turned upon his enemies and by direct and indirect charges he convicted them of certain facts. h. directly. by skillful repetition of Jew ish history, and a review of the prophets, he discloses the vacillation and sinfulness of Gods chosen people hn leaders of having been subservient to certain customs as being superior to the law they professed to obey. Ste phen's accusers were, as we have seen, from without Jerusalem (6:9, 10), and his first battle was concern ing the truth about Jesus. His second great battle, and one of his ultimate victory, was with these avowed ene- mics of Jesus (6:11-S:3).
 n. Stephens Death. The real con- test of this occasion was Satan vs. the Holy Spirit Stephen put to rout these men from the foreign synagogue, hence the Jewish authorities deter mined to take hold of the problem themselves and put a step to this Christian teaching. Stephens sud den application of the Scripture to his judges caused intense anger. He preached the word of God in the dem- onstration of the Holy Spirit. and such preaching always either produces con. viction of sin, or else arouses anger at the preacher. These men could not deny the truth of his accusation; they therefore turned upon him in anger. Being full of the Holy Spirit is an abiding condition and inevitably in- wolves a conflict with Satan. It led Stephen to look up and not about him, and in his hour of testing he saw a wonderful vision of heaven-"The glory of God and of Jesus standing Let us accept the testimony of this dying man as a literal fact. This sight strengthened him for his suf- fering and for his witnessing. Death had no more terror for Stephen and he was faithful and steadfast to the end.
 lll. Stephens Burial. These men overreached themselves. for persecu- tion simply scattered those who gave the Christian testimony wider and Q more effective hearing U1:19-2D. This force of circumstances thrust the early church forth from Jerusalem. Now, after a period of perhaps five or seven years, we see the beginning of the literal fulfillment of the Pente- costal program (Acts 1:S). During this storm of persecution the apostles remained at their posts in Jerusa- lem.
 Saurs rage knew no bounds, and not content with disputations in the synagogues, he persecuted the church, sparing neither sex nor age (S:1-3)
 Stephens success was in his per sonal life and his answering testi- mony.
 Stephens victory has been a first fruit of the triumph of the church throughout it's history. In heaven he wears the victor's crown among ''the overcomers.''
 Over the grave of the two Wesleys.