Faith Leads To Action (Sermon Acts 7:56-60)

Stephen was a bold preacher, but words are cheap. Many people talk a big talk, yet fail to produce a corresponding walk. Stephen, however, was not the norm. Through his death, Stephen demonstrated that he truly had the faith to support his words. After preaching a harsh and accusatory sermon, Stephen's prayer for his executioners to experience forgiveness reveals that his motives were to bring them to repentance. What a heart Stephen had, to be willing to preach to those who had the power to execute him, and then to pray for their forgiveness will being stoned to death.

That's the thing about faith...it leads us to do things we would never do without it. Faith is difficult to hide, because it keeps producing works. James said, "faith apart from works is dead" (James 2:26).

So why do we see so many people today who profess faith and yet lack works? The saying is: "If it talks like a duck, and it walks like a duck, it probably is a duck." But what about people who talk like believers, and walk like unbelievers, are they believers? I think it is safe to say that in most cases the answer is no, because if you truly believe something, it will always have an effect on your actions.

Stephen believed the message that he was preaching and so he was willing to die for it. Stephen believed God would take care of him through death and so he committed His spirit into His hands. Stephen believed that Jesus' teaching on forgiveness was the best path to take with his life and so he forgave the men that stoned and prayed for them. Why did he do these things? Because faith leads to action.

What acts can you point to in your own life that demonstrate your faith? If you don't have any, don't go and perform acts of service just to produce evidence, that will only lead to empty religion. Instead, if you are lacking acts of service in your life, focus on developing your faith and genuine acts of service will be sure to follow.