Abundant Life Sermons

What does it take to be a strong spiritual leader? Spirit-filled leaders don’t save their lives. They lay down their lives for Christ. Their focus is on Christ and others. They, like Stephen in the book of Acts, aren’t concerned about living for now. They are on a mission of multiplication for the Kindom to come. In other words, to God, the greatest tragedy is not the life laid down but the life lived solely for oneself. In Act 7, the leaders told Stephen to explain himself, as they thought he was speaking blasphemous words against God. Stephen wasn’t interested in defending himself; he wanted to proclaim the truth. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, addresses the high priest and explains the historical events of his people, pointing to Jesus, and asks the leaders to consider how big God truly is. ACTS 7:51 “’You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.’” He told them they resisted the Holy Spirit. And this “cut to the hea