Arrest and Martyrdom of Stephen for JSS 3

Class: JSS 3
Term: First Term
Week: 6
Age: 14 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Christian Religion Studies
Curriculum Theme: Persecution of the Early Believers
Previous Lesson: Persecution of Peter and John in the Early Church
Topic: Persecution Of The Early Believers
Subject Matter: Arrest and martyrdom of Stephen Acts 6:7-8 Acts: 1; 60; Reasons for the arrest of Stephen

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Describe the arrest and martyrdom of Stephen as recorded in Acts 6:7-8 and Acts 7:54-60.
• State the reasons for the arrest of Stephen.
• Recount Stephen’s prayer for forgiveness at his death (Acts 7:60).

Affective Domain

• Appreciate Stephen’s courage and unwavering faith in the face of persecution.
• Identify with the importance of forgiveness, even towards persecutors.

Psychomotor Domain

• Illustrate the sequence of events leading to Stephen’s martyrdom.

Social Domain

• Discuss the impact of Stephen’s martyrdom on the early church.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2014 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• The Holy Bible (Acts 6-7)
• FCT ERC/NAPPS Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• A Bible
• Pictures or charts depicting Stephen’s arrest and stoning
• Whiteboard and markers

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for students to understand the challenges faced by early Christians and the profound faith demonstrated by figures like Stephen. It highlights the values of courage, steadfastness, and forgiveness, which are central to Christian teachings. Learning about Stephen’s martyrdom provides a historical context for the growth of the church and offers practical moral lessons for students’ lives.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have prior knowledge of the early church, the apostles, and the initial spread of the Christian faith after Pentecost.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Persecution Of The Early Believers: Arrest and Martyrdom of Stephen

Bible Reading

Acts 6:7-8; Acts 7:54-60

Memory Verse

Acts 7:60: “Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

Stephen’s Background and Ministry

Stephen was one of the seven deacons chosen by the apostles to serve the Hellenistic Jewish widows in the early church. He was described as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, performing great wonders and signs among the people.

Reasons for Stephen’s Arrest

1. Stephen’s powerful preaching and miracles challenged the Jewish religious leaders, particularly members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen.
2. False witnesses were brought against him, accusing him of speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.
3. He was accused of saying that Jesus would destroy the Temple and change the customs handed down by Moses.
4. His teachings were perceived as a threat to the established Jewish traditions and the authority of the Sanhedrin.

The Arrest and Trial

Stephen was seized and brought before the Sanhedrin, where the false witnesses presented their accusations. Instead of defending himself directly, Stephen delivered a powerful speech recounting the history of Israel and their consistent rejection of God’s prophets, culminating in their rejection and murder of Jesus, the Righteous One.

Stephen’s Martyrdom (Acts 7:54-58)

1. As Stephen spoke, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and gazed into heaven, seeing the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
2. He declared, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
3. This declaration enraged the Sanhedrin, who covered their ears, shouted, and rushed at him.
4. They dragged him out of the city to stone him. The witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul (who later became Paul).
5. As they stoned him, Stephen prayed to the Lord Jesus to receive his spirit.

Stephen’s Prayer for Forgiveness (Acts 7:60)

While being stoned, Stephen knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” This prayer echoed Jesus’ own prayer on the cross, demonstrating profound forgiveness and love for his persecutors. After this prayer, he died peacefully, described as “falling asleep.”

Moral Lessons from Stephen’s Life and Death

1. **Courage and Faith:** Stephen showed immense courage in proclaiming the truth and facing death for his faith.
2. **Forgiveness:** His prayer for his persecutors teaches us to forgive those who wrong us, even in extreme circumstances.
3. **Steadfastness:** He remained faithful to God until the very end, serving as an example of unwavering commitment.
4. **Power of the Holy Spirit:** Stephen’s ministry and his ability to face martyrdom were empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Bible Reading, Storytelling

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Recalling/Engaging

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them to recall some challenges faced by the early Christians after Jesus’ ascension. The teacher then introduces the topic: “Persecution of the Early Believers, focusing on the Arrest and Martyrdom of Stephen.”

Pupils’ Activity: Students respond to the questions and listen attentively to the introduction.

Learning Point: Early Christian challenges

Step 2: Stephen’s Background and Ministry

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Narrating

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains who Stephen was, his role as a deacon, and his ministry of performing signs and wonders, referencing Acts 6:7-8. The teacher highlights Stephen’s character as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and may ask clarifying questions about Stephen’s role.

Learning Point: Stephen’s role and character

Step 3: Reasons for Stephen’s Arrest

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides students to identify the reasons for Stephen’s arrest, discussing the accusations of blasphemy against Moses and God, and claims that he spoke against the Temple and the Law. The teacher explains how his preaching challenged the Jewish leaders.

Pupils’ Activity: Students participate in the discussion, identifying and stating the reasons for the arrest.

Learning Point: Reasons for Stephen’s arrest

Step 4: Stephen’s Trial and Defence

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Narrating/Summarising

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher describes Stephen’s appearance before the Sanhedrin and briefly summarises his defence, explaining how he recounted Israel’s history of rejecting God’s messengers, culminating in Jesus’ crucifixion. The teacher reads Acts 7:51-53.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen to the account and the Bible reading, understanding the context of Stephen’s speech.

Learning Point: Stephen’s trial and speech

Step 5: The Martyrdom of Stephen

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Describing/Visualising

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher vividly describes the events leading to Stephen’s stoning, including his vision of Jesus standing at God’s right hand (Acts 7:54-58). The teacher may use pictures or charts to aid understanding.

Pupils’ Activity: Students observe the pictures and listen to the description of Stephen’s martyrdom.

Learning Point: Details of Stephen’s stoning

Step 6: Stephen’s Prayer for Forgiveness

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Emphasising/Reflecting

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher focuses on Stephen’s final prayer for his persecutors (Acts 7:60), drawing parallels with Jesus’ prayer on the cross. The teacher explains the significance of this act of forgiveness.

Pupils’ Activity: Students reflect on the prayer and discuss its meaning.

Learning Point: Stephen’s prayer for forgiveness

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. Who was Stephen?
2. State two reasons for Stephen’s arrest.
3. Describe how Stephen was martyred.
4. What did Stephen pray for as he was dying?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding Stephen’s martyrdom

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on Stephen’s arrest and martyrdom into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson summary

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarising/Encouraging

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly summarises the key lessons from Stephen’s life – courage, faith, and forgiveness – and encourages students to emulate these virtues in their lives. The teacher closes the lesson.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen to the summary and final encouragement.

Learning Point: Reinforcing moral lessons

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. In your own words, describe the events leading to Stephen’s death.
2. What moral lesson can you learn from Stephen’s prayer for his persecutors?
3. How can you demonstrate courage and forgiveness in your daily life, inspired by Stephen’s example?

Lesson Keywords

• Stephen – One of the seven deacons, the first Christian martyr.
• Martyrdom – The death or suffering of a person who is killed because of their religious or other beliefs.
• Persecution – Hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs.
• Sanhedrin – The supreme council of the Jewish people in New Testament times.
• Blasphemy – The act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things.
• Forgiveness – The action or process of forgiving or being forgiven.

Differentiation

For students who may struggle with understanding the biblical narrative, the teacher can provide simplified summaries or visual aids before and during the lesson. Advanced learners can be challenged to research the impact of Stephen’s martyrdom on the spread of Christianity or to compare Stephen’s death with that of Jesus.

Suggested Lesson Videos

YouTube search: arrest and martyrdom of stephen jss3 crs