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Why Do Bad Things
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Parkhurst Bible Lesson
Acts 6:1-5, 8-15
Sunday, October 12, 2008

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International Sunday School Lesson
Sunday October 12, 2008
Acts 6:1-5, 8-15

“Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8—NRSV).

“And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people”  (Acts 6:8—KJV).

Bad things sometimes happen to good people. Think about Stephen, one of the first deacons in the early church. To qualify for this office, the apostles said the person must be “of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3). The Bible says that Stephen was “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). “Full of grace and power,” he performed “great wonders and signs among the people.” When unbelievers opposed him, “they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke,” but they could kill him (Acts 6:10).

Stephen effectively served the Lord Jesus; therefore, he was one of the “good people” that bad things sometimes happen to. The unbelievers who could not defeat him in debate told lies about him and took him to court. They twisted the true things Stephen said about Jesus into blasphemous falsehoods and made him the first Christian martyr.

Bad things did not “just happen” to Stephen; rather, some of those who murdered Jesus Christ caused the bad things that happened to Stephen and eventually stoned him to death (Acts 7:54-8:1). Jesus prepared all of His followers for these possibilities by teaching, “Servants are not greater than their master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you” (John 15:20). The persecution of His servants continues to this day.

Bad things happened to this good person, Stephen, but God worked these bad things out for good. For example, Paul watched and approved the stoning of Stephen, but later came to believe and write, “all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

© Copyright 2008 by L.G. Parkhurst, Jr.

You may be reprint or reproduce this Parkhurst Bible Lesson for not-for-profit use.

Questions for Further Thought
or Class Discussion

International Sunday School Lesson
Sunday October 12, 2008
Acts 6:1-5, 8-15

Printable PDF With Questions
Bulletin Size With Questions Printable PDF
Bulletin Size Without Questions Printable PDF

          Think about your answers to the questions below before your Sunday school class meets, discuss in class, or use for further study. In some cases, I do not always write the questions to have a definitive right or wrong answer. In most cases, the questions should encourage everyone to think about how to apply biblical truths to their daily lives. Before beginning to answer the questions below, read the entire Scripture lesson in your favorite translation or compare translations. Write your thoughts in the space provided and take them to your Sunday school class for discussion.

Available in the "Religion Section" of The Oklahoman newspaper every Saturday, please do not remove the copyright notice or publish these lessons for profit if you reprint them. To download these Bible Studies as an audio file or podcast to listen to, go to ParkhurstBibleLessons.com.

For newspapers, reprints, or other for profit use, contact:
L.G. Parkhurst, Jr. - lgp@InternationalBibleLessons.com.

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