1. Jesus Standing at the right hand of God (7:51-60)

Though Stephen had been very respectful towards the Sanhedrin, he now rebuked them firmly for their stubbornness and lack of repentance. There was such a contrast between the furious Jews and Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit who looked up to heaven and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Though as a mob they dragged him out to stone him, he prayed like Jesus on the cross for their forgiveness, full of assurance that he would soon be with him. His beautiful witness to the end must have greatly affected a young man named Saul.

2. They preached the word where ever they went (8:1-8)

The persecution of Stephen boiled over upon the other believers in Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. While godly men mourned Stephen, Saul set out to destroy the church. However, all his effort achieved was to help further Jesus' world mission command to spread the gospel from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria (1:8). The scattered believers, rather than be defeated, spread the word wherever they went. One of them was Philip who powerfully proclaimed Christ in Samaria.