The Persecution - Tim Horman
Have you ever felt like you're stuck on the sidelines of your faith—learning, watching, perhaps even admiring what God is doing through others, but never quite stepping into it yourself?
It's a peculiar tension many of us live with. We read about the early church doing extraordinary things—healing the sick, proclaiming the gospel with boldness, experiencing the power of God firsthand—and we wonder if that kind of life is really meant for us, or if it was just for "them," back then. We tell ourselves we're not ready, not mature enough, not knowledgeable enough. We've made too many mistakes. We have too many struggles. And so we stay where we are: learner bystanders, content to observe from a safe distance.
On Pentecost Sunday, Tim Horman preached from Acts 6–7, continuing the church's series through the book of Acts. The passage tells the story of Stephen—the first Christian martyr—and marks a pivotal moment in the life of the early church. As Tim explored this turning point, he invited us to consider a challenging question: if the same Holy Spirit who worked through Stephen is available to us today, what might God want to do in and through our lives?
You can watch Tim’s message above or listen to it below.
The Baton Is Passed
Acts 6 marks a significant development in God's kingdom purposes. Until this point, the ministry of the early church had been carried almost exclusively by the original twelve apostles—especially Peter, James, and John. They had been healing, preaching, leading, and the church had been growing like crazy. But with growth came challenges. The daily distribution of food to widows was being mishandled. Greek-speaking Jewish Christians complained that their widows were being overlooked, while the Hebrew-speaking Jewish Christians seemed to be favoured. Conflict was brewing.
The apostles recognised they couldn't do it all. They needed help. So, much like Moses enlisting the help of other Israelites to administer the needs of the people, the apostles appointed seven deacons to take on this responsibility. But notice the criteria: these weren't just good administrators. They were chosen because they were "full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom."
And here's where things get really interesting. One of these deacons, Stephen, doesn't just stay in his lane. The Spirit takes hold of him, and he begins to do what the apostles had been doing—preaching, healing, performing signs and wonders. As Tim pointed out, Stephen had probably only been a Christian for a few weeks, maybe a few months, and yet he was already moving in the same power and authority that had characterised the ministry of the original twelve.
"Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people." (Acts 6:8)
This is the clearest moment in Acts that the ministry and power of the Spirit was never meant to be restricted to the original apostles. The baton was being passed. The next generation of disciples was stepping into the work of Jesus.
From Learner Bystanders to Empowered Agents
Tim drew on the work of his friend Bob Ekblad, who writes:
"The Spirit enabled Peter and John to move from being learner bystanders of Jesus to empowered agents who carry the gospel of God's kingdom to the nations."
That phrase—"learner bystanders"—cuts deep. How many of us have felt stuck in that place? Always learning, always watching, but never quite doing. We go to church, we read our Bibles, we listen to sermons, we even pray—but we never actually step into the kind of bold, Spirit-empowered ministry we see in the book of Acts.
Tim challenged us: Stephen had only been a Christian for a short time, and yet he was already full of the Spirit, full of wisdom, and doing what Jesus did. If God could do that with Stephen, what might he want to do with us?
The question isn't whether we're ready. The question is whether we're willing to stop making excuses and start depending entirely on the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.
When God Does Something New, Opposition Stirs
Stephen's ministry stirred up fierce opposition. Members of the synagogue began to argue with him, but "they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke" (Acts 6:10). Unable to win the argument, they resorted to false accusations, stirring up the people, the elders, and the teachers of the law. Stephen was seized and brought before the Sanhedrin.
Tim reminded us that when God is doing something new—whether in our lives or in the life of the church—it almost always stirs up opposition. The enemy will use whatever he can to intimidate, confuse, or cause us to back down in fear. It can come from fellow Christians. It can come from the state. It can come from our own insecurities. It can come from direct demonic opposition.
But here's the good news: despite how threatening the tactics of the enemy might be, God is always greater. And in Acts, instead of crushing the church, this moment of persecution propels the church forward. The enemy intended it for evil, but God turned it around for good. As a result, the gospel spread rapidly beyond Jerusalem, into Samaria, into the Gentile world, and many more disciples were made.
Stephen's Face Like an Angel
When Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin, all who were sitting there "looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel" (Acts 6:15).
This isn't just about his appearance. It's a profound echo of Moses, whose face shone with the glory of God after he met with the Lord in the tent of meeting. But here's the difference: Moses' glory was external and temporary. It would fade, and he had to cover it with a veil. Stephen's glory was internal and permanent—radiating out from the Holy Spirit who filled him.
Tim unpacked the beautiful irony: Stephen was being accused of blaspheming Moses and the temple, and yet he was the one whose face shone with the glory of God, just as Moses' did. The religious leaders had placed all their hope in the temple and the law, but they had missed the whole point: God doesn't live in buildings made with human hands. God dwells in his people by his Spirit.
Paul picks up on this in 2 Corinthians 3:
"We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18)
In the old covenant, there was glory, but it faded. In the new covenant, the glory doesn't fade—it increases. The more we behold Jesus, the more we are transformed. The more we lean into the life of the Spirit, the more we become like him. We become beautiful—not because of our appearance, but because the glory and presence of God is shining out of our lives.
You Are a Temple of the Holy Spirit
Tim reminded us that the temple and the law are no longer required for us to experience the glory and presence of God. All we need to do is turn to the Lord. In Christ, through the Spirit, we have freedom.
Paul will later write that you are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Your body has become a dwelling place for the same glory that filled Jesus, the same glory that filled the temple. That glory cannot be diminished. In fact, as you follow the Lord, it will only grow stronger.
Imagine if every disciple really understood this. Imagine if everyone who calls Jesus their Lord stepped into this calling—not as learner bystanders, but as empowered agents. Tim said it plainly: the church would be unstoppable.
And that's exactly what we see in the rest of Acts. This moment of persecution didn't stop the church. It propelled the church forward. There is nothing that can stand against us when we have God on our side.
Every Spiritual Blessing in Christ
We make a lot of excuses for why we can't step into this. We say we're not mature enough, we don't have enough knowledge, we struggle with too many sins, we've made too many mistakes. But Tim reminded us to read Ephesians 1, where Paul lists everything we have received in Christ Jesus:
Forgiveness
Freedom
Assurance
Power
Deliverance
Authority
The love of the Father alive in our hearts
The fellowship of believers
Hope
Healing
Acceptance
Cleansing
Purpose
Being chosen
An eternal inheritance
The presence of God, day by day
All of this is ours in Christ Jesus, made alive in us by the Holy Spirit. You cannot grow in Christ unless you're growing in the Spirit of God. You cannot become who you've been called to be unless you learn to step into the authority and power that is yours through the Holy Spirit.
The Glory That Lifts the Veil
Tim shared a powerful story from his time leading a church in Vancouver. A man who had been spiritually abused in a cult, whose marriage had ended, who had spiralled into alcoholism and sex addiction, was brought to church by his AA sponsor. He heard the gospel—perhaps for the first time—and gave his life to Jesus.
One Sunday, during a sermon on the Holy Spirit, the man came forward for prayer. As he encountered the power of the Spirit, Tim watched his face change. The darkness lifted. The veil was removed. His countenance changed. He looked like a new person—his face filled with light.
"This inner life of the Spirit does have a way of finding its way out of our faces, shining with the glory and the love and the goodness of God." — Tim Horman
It's not about us. It's about Christ and the Spirit of God in us. Greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
One Way to Live It Out This Week
This week, ask the Holy Spirit to show you one area of your life where you've been a learner bystander instead of an empowered agent. Maybe it's in how you pray for others. Maybe it's in how you share your faith. Maybe it's in how you respond to injustice or care for those in need. Whatever it is, take one small step of obedience this week to move from watching to doing. Trust that the Spirit who filled Stephen is the same Spirit who fills you.
A Prayer for Your Week
Holy Spirit, we confess that we've often been content to watch from the sidelines. We've made excuses for why we can't step into all that you've called us to. But we want to move from being learner bystanders to empowered agents. Come and fill us afresh. Break through our defenses. Soften our hearts. Show us who you've called us to be. Deliver us from fear and set us free to be courageous, humble, and powerful—like the early church. May your glory shine out of our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Personal Reflection
In what areas of your life do you feel like a "learner bystander" rather than an "empowered agent"?
What excuses have you been making for why you can't step into the fullness of the Spirit's power in your life?
How does the truth that you are a temple of the Holy Spirit change the way you see yourself and your calling?
Small Group Discussion
What stood out to you most from Stephen's story in Acts 6–7?
Tim said that Stephen had probably only been a Christian for a few weeks or months. How does that challenge our assumptions about spiritual maturity and readiness?
What does it mean to be "full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom"? What might that look like in everyday life?
How have you experienced opposition when God has been doing something new in your life? How did you respond?
Read 2 Corinthians 3:17-18. What does it mean to "contemplate the Lord's glory with unveiled faces"? How do we do that practically?
Tim reminded us that we have every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1). Which of those blessings do you struggle to believe is really yours?
What would it look like for you to move from being a learner bystander to an empowered agent in your context?
How can we pray for one another to be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit and to step into all that God has for us?