Study Guide
Acts, Part 7 / Our Pain, His Plan / Acts 6:8-7:1, Acts 7:51–60 (CSB)
God doesn’t waste our pain. He uses our suffering to display His grace and purpose. Through Stephen’s story, we see that when we rely on the Holy Spirit, we can stand with courage even in opposition, trusting that God is near in our suffering and working through it to grow His Church. What looks like loss or tragedy can actually become part of God’s bigger plan to shape us into Christ and spread the gospel.
Newbreak’s Sermon Study Guide is an in-house resource that serves sermon-based Life Groups and/or individuals who want to reflect further on how the message contributes to their spiritual formation.
Icebreakers
- If you had to give a 5-minute speech with no prep right now, what topic would you choose?
- What gives you the confidence to speak on this topic? What’s a time you felt empowered because someone believed in you?
Read Acts 6:8–15; 7:54–60 (CSB)
Discuss It
Acts 6: 5-10 highlights several aspects of Stephen’s character and spiritual maturity. Which description stands out to you most? How do you think those qualities prepared him to boldly witness about Jesus in the face of opposition?
Additional Thought
In Acts 6:10, Stephen is described as possessing God-given wisdom. The Greek word used is sophia, which refers to spiritual insight and the divinely given ability to understand and articulate God’s purposes. This is the same word Luke uses to describe Jesus in Luke 2:40. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Stephen speaks with the same kind of wisdom that characterized Jesus’ life and ministry.
Additional Scripture
Luke 21:14-15 (CSB) Therefore make up your minds not to prepare your defense ahead of time,15 for I will give you such words and a wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
Additional Question
When have you experienced a moment where God gave you clarity or wisdom beyond your natural ability?
Stephen remained faithful to God even through intense suffering and persecution. How has suffering impacted your faith? Has it strengthened it, strained it, or reshaped it in some other way?
Additional Thought
Megan Fate Marshman talks about how grief and struggle aren’t something to avoid or rush past but something to bring honestly before God. When we do that, we can allow ourselves to feel the pain instead of pretending it isn’t there, and it can become a doorway into deeper intimacy with God. When we are honest with God about our sorrow, anger, or confusion, we find that He meets us in that honesty rather than pushing us away. Grief doesn’t make God absent; it reveals how much we need Him and can help anchor ourselves in His presence.
Additional Scripture
Psalm 34:18 (NIV) “The LORD is near the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Romans 8:28 (NIV) “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good…”
Additional Question
How might being honest with God about what you’re feeling change your experience of suffering? In what ways have you experienced God’s presence in your suffering when you brought your honest feelings to Him instead of trying to “fix” them quickly?
Stephen’s persecution set off a ripple effect for the Gospel that continues today. His death not only opened the door for the message of Jesus to reach people beyond the Jewish community, but it also profoundly impacted Saul (Acts 8:1–3), the future missionary to the Gentiles. God’s plan to reach the nations couldn’t be stopped by the evil of this world.
Additional Thought
God equips each of us with passions, abilities, and opportunities to make an impact. Sometimes we overthink it or wait for permission, but the truth is: your gifts and desires are not accidental. They point to the ways God wants to use you to meet real needs in His church and in the world
Additional Scripture
John 1:4-5 (CSB) In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.
Additional Question
How does knowing that God’s plan cannot be thwarted change the way you view hardship, opposition, or injustice?
Apply It
Acts 8:4 (CSB)
Say
Even in the face of Stephen’s stoning, what looked like defeat did not stop God. His Spirit continued to work, spreading the gospel through those who were scattered. Your struggles, setbacks, or brokenness are never wasted. God can use them to accomplish His good purposes in ways you can’t yet see.
Ask (can be answered out loud or in their hearts):
What is one takeaway from our time together that you want to process further with God, share with another person, or take bold steps of faith?
Challenge
This week, identify one area of struggle or “scattering” in your life. Bring it honestly to God, lean into His presence, and take one step forward in faith. Don’t let pain, fear, or opposition stop you; trust that God can use it for His glory and keep moving, even when it feels impossible.
Pray
How can we be praying for you this week?
About the Current Sermon Series
The book of Acts tells the story of how the exalted Christ sends His Spirit to empower His people to continue His work in the world. Through the Spirit’s power, ordinary believers boldly proclaim the gospel, witness miraculous works, and form vibrant communities that embody God’s welcome to all people. Acts traces how the church’s witness, energized by the Spirit, extends from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, revealing Christ’s ongoing work through His people and the Spirit’s leading in every new challenge and opportunity.