Bearing Witness from the Whole Story (Part 2: Held by the Reigning Christ)

Stephen’s final moments are often remembered for their courage—but Luke wants us to see something deeper.

As the first Christian martyr dies, heaven opens, Christ stands, and a quiet sentence reframes death itself: “he fell asleep.” In this message from Acts 7:54–8:1a, we see how the gospel confronts hearts, why resistance turns violent, and how Christ shapes His people to reflect Him—even under real suffering.

This is a sober, hope-filled look at what it means to follow Jesus when faithfulness costs more than expected.

When following Jesus costs more than we expect, what will we cling to?