What did Moses say God would raise up?
What does verse 38 say this Prophet’s roles with Moses and the wilderness congregation were?
How did their fathers react to him? What did they want to do?
Whose works did they rejoice in then?
What did God do with the people as a result?
What did their fathers have with them in the wilderness? Whose pattern was it built according to?
What events took place between the time of Moses and David? (vs. 45)
What did David want to do for God? Who ended up doing that?
Where does God dwell?
Why does Stephen, at this point, call his audience “stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears”? What have they always done?
How many of the prophets did their forefathers kill? Who else did they kill?
Who did they receive the Law from? Did they keep it?
How did Stephen’s audience react to his sermon?
How did Stephen respond? Why?
Where did Stephen see the Son of Man?
What did the council do to him at this point? Where did they take him?
Who was watching the witnesses’ clothes?
What was the last thing Stephen said?
How does it describe his death?

Thought Questions

Does this half of the sermon give you more insight into why the council who was listening to Stephen reacted they way they did? Was Stephen saying anything untrue? Do you think he was out of line to be that bold? What would you have done in his situation, knowing the murderous potential of the people who had just killed his Master, Christ?
Summarize the story of the children of Israel as Stephen states it, from the time of receiving the Law until Solomon built the temple. How does this compare with human nature as you see it around you? How about you–in your heart, would you rather humbly submit to God’s Law and worship as He commands, or worship the creation of your own hands?
What does “stiff-necked” mean? What does “uncircumcised in heart and ears” mean? What was circumcision intended to symbolize?
Do you think the council understood exactly what Stephen was telling them? What does it mean that they were “cut to the heart”? Has there been a time when you simply heard the words of the Bible, and were cut to the heart, but felt more like responding as the council did, rather than humbling yourself and admitting wrongdoing? How did you end up reacting?
This is where Saul (Paul, to the Gentiles) comes into the story. How is this tiny mention of him significant? (read also 8:1) What does it tell you about him? How do you think he reacted to the sermon at that time? How about later, as he possibly reflected on it further?
Do you think Stephen will be surprised to see Saul in heaven–and even more so, to hear of the work he did in establishing the church? Has there been a time when you have shared Christ with someone and felt like it had fallen on deaf ears, maybe even with disastrous results? What does this tell you about “planting seeds”?
What do you think a martyr’s death is like to them? From the description in vs. 55-60, does it sound like Stephen was suffering, or rejoicing? Does this give you strength in case something like this might ever have to happen to you?

My prayer is:
that I would have the boldness, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to speak the truth despite the consequences, with faith that hearts can eventually be changed without my knowledge;
that I would be “cut to the heart” by God’s words, but not “stiff-necked” or “uncircumcised in heart and ears,” but rather would be humbled and receptive to the Holy Spirit;
and not to fear death by martyrdom, rather, to know that the glory and comfort of Christ would be with me in any emergency.