The Jews were having issues over food distribution for their widows, so the 12 apostles chose 7 men to handle the task while they focused on on prayer and the ministry of Jesus.  Stephen was one of the 7 and at this time, Christians increased tremendously.  Stephen did great wonders and miracles among the people to the extent that members of the Jewish Synagogue got angry with him.  So they secretly brought false witnesses against Stephen in the Sanhedrin (court) to say that they heard him speak against God, Moses, the Temple, the Jewish law, and Jewish customs in the name of Jesus of Nazareth.  All who saw Stephen saw a face like that of an angel.  As long as you are godly, you will always have opposition of false witnesses privately and publicly because of fear, envy, and jealousy.  Just do and say what is right and ignore them. 

Acts 7:

The high priest then demanded an answer from Stephen.  He responded by reminding them of Jewish history.  He started by saying how Abraham left Arabia for Africa (Canaan). God promised Abraham and his descendants the land even when Abraham had no child.  He also spoke about Jewish slavery in Egypt for 400 years and how God promised to bring them back to this land and the covenant of circumcision.  Stephen also talks about Joseph, Moses, the golden calf, and how the Jews have also rejected God and the Prophets for the law.  This made the Sanhedrin angry and just then, Stephen also claimed that he saw heaven opened with Jesus on the right hand of God.  Stephen's vision of heaven was his death sentence.  They soon dragged Stephen outside to stone him to death with Saul (later known as Paul) cheering on.

Act 8:

The prosecution of the church was great and Saul spearheaded the campaign to put the Christians in prison and destroy the church.  The apostles stayed in Jerusalem, but the numerous disciples were scattered all over and preached the good news of Jesus wherever they went.  Philip made a lot of converts after they heard his preaching and saw the healing of the sick and those with evil spirits.  Even Simon the sorcerer accepted Jesus and began to follow Philip.  Peter and John came to join Philip to pray that the new converts be filled with the Holy Spirit and they laid hands on each of them in prayer.  Simon the sorcerer was so impressed that he offered Peter money to teach him the trick of giving the Holy Spirit by laying of hands, but Peter rebuked him as a man with a wicked, sinful, and bitter heart.  This is because God's gifts are free and has nothing to do with money.  Money is an idol and therefore the opposite of God.  An angel told Philip to go to Gaza where he met an Ethiopian eunuch on his way to worship in Jerusalem and he was reading the book of Isaiah.  The Ethiopian wanted to know in the book who the sheep that was slain was.  Philip then told him about Jesus and he was baptized.  After the baptism, the spirit took Philip away to other towns to preach the good news.  
 

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