Sunday, May 3, 2026
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Text: Acts 6:1-9; 7:2a, 51-60
Sermon Audio
As we gather… A popular musical ended with a song which asked, “Who Lives? Who Dies? Who Tells Your Story?” Today we examine the life, death, and witness of Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Stephen, whose name means crown was a Greek Christian who was appointed by the Church as a deacon to take care of the needs of Greek speaking Christian widows. His life of service inspires Christians to this day as both pastors and laypeople alike have a role in Christ’s Church helping advance the mission of Christ. When Stephen died, the Lord granted him a vision of heaven being opened with Christ. Because Christ died and rose again when we die, heaven is opened for us, and we need not fear death. Finally, Stephen witnessed to the work of Christ in his life through a sermon which ultimately got him killed. We can follow Stephen’s example in telling Christ’s story to others, no matter the consequences.
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
About a decade ago, the U.S. treasury was thinking about removing Alexander Hamilton from the ten dollar bill and replacing him with a woman such as Harriet Tubman. Around the same time, the Broadway Musical Hamilton told the unfamiliar story of the life of Alexander Hamilton, and due to the popularity of the musical, the U.S. treasury ultimately kept Hamilton on the ten dollar bill.
If the Christian church put its famous saints on our own form of money, we might include the likes of Peter or Paul, or Abraham or Moses. Not many of us would think to include Stephen. However, his story is worth telling.
In the closing song of the musical Hamilton, they ask “Who lives? Who dies? Who tells your story?” The song laments that nobody tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, yet his story is worth telling just as much as any of the other founding fathers.
The story of Stephen the first Christian martyr is worth telling alongside Peter and Paul, Abraham and Moses. We will ask the same question, “Who lives? Who dies? Who tells you story?” Today we learn: CHRIST HONORS CHRISTIANS WHO LIVE IN HIM, DIE IN HIM, AND WHO TELL HIS STORY.
Who lives? First, I. Christ honored Stephen who lived for Him. Our text from Acts begins: “Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.” We have here the first church conflict. Essentially, the ethnic Greeks felt as though their widows were being neglected by the ethnic Jews in the early church. The bodily needs of their widows were being overlooked.
Peter said that it’s not right for the disciples to be bothered with these items, but rather they should focus on their task of preaching, prayer, and the ministry of the Word. Instead, they delegated these tasks to seven men, “…they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.” Who lives? Who dies? Who tells your story? We certainly hear of Stephen and Philip. Philip would share his faith with an Ethiopian eunuch and baptize him. However, these other five men are lost to history. They happily lived to serve the Lord caring for the needs of the least in the early church.
Stephen lived a life of service to the Church. He like the rest of the seven, cared for the needs of those around Him. Stephen lived for Christ.
What was the result of this delegation? We read, “And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.” The Holy Spirit can use delegation to grow the Church. The Church grows when all God’s people work together for the common goal of Christ’s kingdom.
Christ said, ““Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” Jesus could have done everything Himself, but He delegated tasks to His disciples. He sends His Holy Spirit upon His Church that the Church can make a greater impact than one human being.
In today’s Church, not everyone is called to the ministry of prayer and the Word. However, pastors cannot do everything. The Church grows when all Christians work together for the broader goal of extending the Kingdom of God. Changing light bulbs, sweeping the hallway, setting up Holy Communion, and keeping track of finances. All these things and more allow me to keep busy with what I am called to do, namely, to minister to people with prayer and the Word.
Second, who dies? II. Christ honored Stephen who died for Him. Stephen is known in the Church as the first martyr, or the first Christian who died for Christ. We skip over a significant portion of chapters 6 and 7 of the book of Acts. The Jews arrest Stephen accusing him of blasphemy. He then gives a speech before the Jews which walks through the history of God’s people from Abraham to the present age pointing out the ways they rejected God culminating in them rejecting Jesus and killing Him.
Now, Stephen could have kept to himself. He could have kept his mouth shut and lived to serve the widows longer. Wouldn’t we be tempted to do the same? Yet we see that Stephen didn’t fear death. As Stephen was about to be executed, we read, “But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” As Stephen died he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” and “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Stephen did not fear death.
On the cross Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” He also said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Do these words sound familiar to you? Stephen’s words are very similar to the words that Jesus spoke. Every Christian’s death is modeled after Christ’s death.
Because Christ died for you, you need not fear death. One day you will die, and you can be just like Stephen. Because Christ forgave all your sins, you can stand guiltless before God on the day of judgment. Because Christ rose again, you know that you too will live forever. Because of everything Christ has done, you too can see the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
We want to take reasonable measures to prolong our lives, but our lives are in God’s hands. We will not live one day longer than He allows. We don’t always understand why the Lord lets things happen the way they happen, but we can trust that just like Stephen, our death will never be in vain.
Not only that, the Lord continues to provide people to fill in the gaps of loved ones who have died. The Lord provides family and friends to comfort us when we mourn the death of a parent or spouse, and we can rejoice in the gift of life every day.
Now this next point doesn’t have to do with death, but about the pastoral ministry. If I were to take a call to St. John’s Portage, there are many who might be sad to see me go. The fact of the matter is that every pastor leaves whether it be in a moving truck or in a casket. Pastors come and go. I am a replaceable part in God’s machine. I am but one servant in a long line of faithful men who have served previously. Nonetheless, the Lord continues to provide pastors to serve in His Church. We need not fear the future. The ministries going on here at Faith that need to continue on will continue on no matter who is in front of the church on a Sunday. This is where the delegation that Peter did with the seven men is key. Lay people partner with the pastor to share in the work of the ministry. Pastors and laypeople partner to share this important kingdom work.
Finally, who tells your story? III. Christ honored Stephen who told His story. Whether we would put Stephen on the Christian two-dollar bill or put him on the ten-dollar bill is not the important part. What’s important is that we tell his story and praise the Lord for the bravery Stephen showed in the face of death. We should be happy to tell others Stephen’s story.
The story of Alexander Hamilton is not about him, but about the founding of the nation of the United States. This applies to a much greater degree to Stephen the Martyr. We tell others Stephen’s story precisely because it’s not His story, but Christ’s story. Every Christian’s life and death is a testament not to themselves, but to the work of Christ in their lives.
As we look up to Christian friends and family members, they tell not their story, but Christ’s story. As we mourn the passing of those saints who have gone before us, they tell not their story, but Christ’s story.
We may wonder who will remember us when we’re gone, but we need not worry. Jesus Christ remembers us. Jesus Christ honors us through His life, through His death, and through His resurrection. “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” As we serve our neighbor, we serve Christ. The seven men served Christ even as they served the Apostles.
Like Stephen, we can gladly tell the story of Christ, even as He remembers us since He came into His kingdom. Like Stephen, we can gladly serve others. Who lives? Who dies? Who tells your story? CHRISTIANS WHO LIVE IN CHRIST, DIE IN HIM, AND WHO TELL HIS STORY.
The peace of God which passes all understanding guard and keep you in the true faith unto life everlasting. Amen.