The Seed Of Suffering

The early church suffered persecution and trials, but in Acts chapter 7, the stakes go EVEN higher. Something happens for the first time in the church. Stresses get escalated beyond what they had previously experienced. Stephen actually dies….killed for his faith. In broad daylight! IN fact we can’t even call what happens in Acts 7-8 stress, this is suffering.

We admittedly don’t do very well with stress these days, and we are even less equipped to deal with suffering. Some have argued we are the least equipped of any culture that has ever existed in this way. So, when we see what happens today to a man we met to weeks ago named Stephen – it’s incredibly important for us to see what he saw. Because if we do, how we process, endure, and respond to suffering will produce a seed. And that seed is unstoppable.