Playing Religion

In this large chunk of the narrative, Stephen, the first Christian martyr, starts doing incredible things through the Holy Spirit, but some people listening in and watching don’t like it, so they twist his words and drag him before the religious leaders. Instead of defending himself, Stephen shares how all of Israel’s history—from Abraham to Moses—points to King Jesus. He calls out how the people have always resisted God’s messengers, just like they rejected Jesus. That bold truth cuts deep, and the crowd turns violent. As they stone him, Stephen sees Jesus standing in heaven and prays for their forgiveness, just like Jesus did on the cross.