Stephen Wasn't Silent

Stephen Wasn’t Silent

By C. Ann S.

A young man full of faith and power
Spoke of Jesus Christ
How He came down here from heaven
How He gave the world His Life

As he traveled with his message
The people stood amazed!
Stephen could do miracles
Signs and wonders left them dazed

Many turned to Jesus
Though it was against the law
There was a man in charge of this
His official name was Saul

Saul was known to many
As a fervent faithful Jew
Willing to do anything
To silence teachings that were new.

His job was very simple
Capture anyone around
That believes in this man Jesus
Yet, many held their ground.

Many died for Jesus
Tortured, stoned and burned
Many faithful Jews
As well as sinners, turned.

Saul believed his mission
That he was sent by God
He continued killing Christians
All he had to do was nod

One day when Stephen spoke
To a group of faithful Jews
They couldn’t say a word
To dispute the young mans news

This made them very angry
And so they formed a plan
They went around to others
And slandered the young man.

They moved about in secret
Telling faithful Jews
This man named Stephen blasphemes
He’s spreading his own views.

They stirred up all the people
Who believed the leaders lies
They knew the plan they formed would work
The plan for his demise

He was brought before a council
Of fervent faithful men
He was made to stand before them
As they charged him with his sin

“He blasphemes God and Moses!”
The leaders started up a riot
But when the young man spoke
The room grew strangely quiet.

Standing in the courtroom
He stood up straight and tall
He spoke about their heritage
So important to them all

Abraham and Moses
Giants among men
He spoke of Israel’s rebellion
And their history of sin

“You have fought the Holy Spirit!”
He boldly announced
And Stephen, full of faith and power
Stood with courage and denounced

Their murders of the prophets
And the persecution too
Of God’s Anointed One
And how He was a Jew.

They knew he spoke of Jesus
The man they tried to kill
On that dismal stormy day
On the cross up on the hill
When He had turned up missing
And the stone was rolled away
They had paid the guards
And told them what to say.

But now here was this Stephen
Talking of God’s Son
Of this resurrected Jesus
As God’s Anointed One!

Filled with great amazement
The crowd stood back in awe
For Stephens face was glowing!
Every person present saw

“Look! I see Jesus!”
Stephen told the crowd
Filled with the Holy Spirit
He saw through roof and cloud.

“I see the heavens opened up!
And the Son of God is there!
He’s standing at His right hand
His glory’s everywhere!”

The cries rolled up like thunder
The rage flamed up like fire
To see this man put to death
Was everyone’s desire

They grabbed that young man Stephen
What happened next is morbid
The sound was deafening
And the tale becomes quite sordid

The men dragged him outside the city
And threw him on the ground
Stephen kept on preaching
His words they tried to drown

Stephen kept on preaching
He never would be quiet
Even when the crowd grew
Into a crazy riot

Saul stood by and watched
What happened next is true
The crowd threw down their clothes
At the feet of Saul the Jew

They circled around Stephen
Still full of the Holy Spirit
I believe that Satan trembled
I believe he still can hear it

The voice of Stephen ringing
through eternity
His words cannot be silenced
That is how I see it.

They plugged their ears and cast their stones
At God’s own chosen voice
As Stephen called on Jesus Christ
The angels still rejoice

As he cried out to his Savior
To catch him up to heaven
Stephen said one last thing:
“Father, please forgive them.”

What about this Stephen?
You might just be saying.
What’s that have to do
With my disfellowshipping?

If Stephen were alive today
And in a Kingdom Hall
His beliefs in Jesus
Are not allowed at all.

You see the Jew were faithful
To their own organization
Stephen said that God’s words
were no longer in their equation.

God sent precious Stephen
To warn them of their sin
They stoned him and they killed him
But did they really win?

God took Saul who held the clothes
He filled him with His Spirit
Saul turned Paul began to preach
Still, they wouldn’t hear it.

The voice of God reaching out
to a stubborn heart
“Jesus is the door.” He says
No one else will have a part.

Thousands of years later
Still it is the same
Though there’s different players
No one’s changed the game

If one sets up a faith
And claims to speak the Truth
And lies stacked up on lies
Is their library of proof

They are self-appointed
God says He is True
He says that now through Jesus
He will speak to you.

Jesus is the One
God sent for our Salvation
Not a group of people
With an organization

The Bible is the Word of God
Jesus God’s own Son
Read it by yourself
He’s the Anointed One.

God so loved the world
He gave His Only Begotten Son
Salvation now is free
By grace! For everyone!

Don’t believe the lies
Built on windy yellow brick
Look behind the curtain
It’s just a clever trick

Do not look to them
To tell you about God
Get down on your knees and pray
He will show You in His word

Put away the magazines.
And the little book.
Get down on your knees and pray.
It’s worth a second look!

Stephen wasn’t silent
He knew God’s word was true
He was full of faith and power
He knew just what to do

He trusted God with everything
He died for his beliefs
Not for an organization
But for Christ the High Priest!

Stephen praised Him as they dragged him
He praised Him through the stones
He put his trust in Jesus
Even when the last was thrown.

Stephen wasn’t silent
And neither were the others
Who died for faith in Christ
Our sisters and our brothers

Stephen wasn’t silent
So I will speak up too
Jesus Christ my Savior
He is Faithful. He is True.

The Alpha
The Omega
The Beginning and the End.
Jesus is the doorway
To eternal life in heaven!