What Stephen Wanted People to Believe

Stephen’s speech in Acts 7 is not a traditional sermon asking people to accept a set of doctrines. Instead, it is a powerful retelling of Israel’s history, meant to show the deep meaning of Jesus’ rejection. Stephen wants his listeners to understand one central truth: Israel has repeatedly resisted the messengers God sends, and this pattern has reached its climax in the rejection of Jesus.

By recalling Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and the prophets, Stephen shows that God often works in unexpected ways and through unexpected people. The religious leaders of each generation fail to recognize God’s activity, and the present generation has done the same by rejecting Jesus, whom Stephen calls “the Righteous One.” Thus, the first thing he calls people to believe is that Jesus truly is God’s chosen and righteous servant.

Stephen also challenges the belief that God’s presence is tied to the Jerusalem temple. He insists that God does not live in temples made by human hands; God’s presence moves freely wherever He chooses. This prepares the way for understanding that God is now revealing Himself through Jesus and through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Another key point in Stephen’s message is the role of the Holy Spirit. Stephen accuses his audience of resisting the Spirit just as their ancestors resisted God’s voice. He wants them to believe that the Holy Spirit is actively testifying to Jesus, and that ignoring this voice is rejecting God Himself.

The climax of Stephen’s message is his vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God, a declaration that Jesus has been exalted and now shares in God’s authority. This is ultimately the belief that enrages the council, but it is the core truth Stephen wants the people to acknowledge.

In short, Stephen calls people to believe that Jesus is God’s chosen one, that God cannot be confined to religious traditions or buildings, and that the Holy Spirit is revealing Jesus as Lord. Accepting these truths is, for Stephen, the true way to understand and obey God.

Peter’s Core Message in the Book of Acts

In the Book of Acts, Peter’s speeches present a very simple and powerful message about Jesus. Unlike later Christian theology, Peter does not ask people to accept complex doctrines. Instead, he calls them to believe a few essential truths about what God has done through Jesus.

Peter begins by affirming that Jesus’ life and ministry came from God. The miracles and signs Jesus performed were clear evidence that God was working through him. Though Jesus was rejected and killed, Peter insists that this tragic death did not defeat God’s purpose. Jesus’ crucifixion, though carried out by human hands, took place within God’s larger plan.

The center of Peter’s message is the resurrection. He repeatedly tells the crowds that God raised Jesus from the dead, overturning the injustice of his death. The resurrection is, for Peter, God’s public declaration that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah. Because Jesus is risen, Peter says, he has now been exalted to God’s right hand, where he reigns as Lord and pours out the Holy Spirit on those who believe.

From this, Peter draws a clear conclusion: Jesus is both Lord and Messiah. This is the heart of Peter’s proclamation. He then invites people to respond by repenting, turning to God, and being baptized in the name of Jesus. Through this commitment, they receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit, entering into a new life shaped by God’s presence.

Finally, Peter speaks of the future. He teaches that Jesus will one day return to complete God’s work and bring about the restoration of all things. Thus, believing in Jesus also includes hope in God’s final renewal.

In summary, Peter’s message in Acts is built on a few simple convictions: Jesus was sent by God, unjustly killed, raised from the dead, exalted to God’s right hand, and made Lord and Messiah. Through Jesus, God offers forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, and the promise of a restored world. This is the faith Peter invites everyone to embrace.