Good morning,
Stephen was a mighty man of God. He was faithful and never backed down in the face of opposition. He died proclaiming God’s word.
Who was Stephen? Who opposed him? What was Stephen’s message? What was the response to Stephen’s message?
Stephen, the High Priest, and the Rebellious
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. (Acts 7:51)
Introduction Setting the stage, Stephen accused
Stephen accused Acts 6:8-15
“And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.15 And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angels.”
Note that Stephan was “…full of faith and power…” Note that it was false witnesses that accused him. The charges were false.
Today, we see much of the same thing happening. People are perverting what the Bible says for their own advantage. Some are in it for the money, some to change the gospel message, and others to totally deny Jesus Christ.
Stephen is given the opportunity to defend what he believes. Chapter 7 documents what he said.
So what about us? When people curse our God, promote false doctrine, or refuse to believe, what is our response? I hope we will learn some lessons from Stephen’s defense of the faith.
Stephen’s Defense: The history of Israel (Acts 7:1-53)
Then said the high priest, Are these things so? v1
Abraham (2-7)
a) Family history v 2-4
2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
b) Inheritance v 5
5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
c) Bondage v 6-7
6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.
Covenant of circumcision v 8
8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
Joseph: Prison to Prince v 9-16
a) Joseph afflicted by his brothers, made governor by Pharaoh v 9-10
9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
b) Famine v 11-12
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
c) Revelation to brothers and father v13-16
13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,16 And were carried over into Shechem, and laid in the sepulcher that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Shechem.
Exodus v 17-36
a) Pharaoh’s plan to destroy God’s people v 17-19
17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
b) Moses born and raised in Pharaoh’s court for 40 years v 20-22
20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months:21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
c) Moses visits his brethren v 23-28
23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?27 But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday?
d) Moses flees to Midian for 40 years v 29
29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons.
e) God calls Moses to deliver Israel v 30-34
30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.
f) God delivers Israel v 35-36
“35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.”
Stephen was well versed in the history of Israel. So far he was on common ground. No one could argue Israel’s past.
When witnessing to others about Christ, find common ground. This will help to get the conversation started. Then move to how Christ came to earth to redeem their sin.
g) Moses reminds the people of their rebellion and idol worship v37-44
37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. 42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? 43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.
h) Joshua Promised Land till David v 45
45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Joshua into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;
i) David finds favor with God v 46
46 Who found favor before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
j) Temple built by Solomon v 47
47 But Solomon built him a house.
k) God does not dwell in temples made by hands v 48-50
48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?50 Hath not my hand made all these things?
Stephen goes through the history of Israel and comes to verse 50 with this summation: “HATH NOT MY HAND MADE ALL THESE THINGS?” It was a rhetorical question. Of course God made it all. So then he rebukes his listeners in verses 51-53.
Who are you following today? Are you God deniers or obedient lovers of the one true God and His Son Jesus Christ? Are you resisting the Holy Ghost or allowing the Holy Ghost to lead and comfort you?
l) Stephen’s rebuke for disobedience and death of Jesus v 51-53
51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
RESPONSE TO STEPHEN’S DEFENSE (Acts 7:54-60)
High Priest, people, elders, and false witnesses v 54, 57-60
a) They were cut to the heart v 54
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
b) Stopped their ears v 55-57
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
c) Cast him out of the city and stoned him v 58-59
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Stephen’s response v 55-56, 59-60
a) Looked up to heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God v 55-56
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
b) Call’s unto God to receive his spirit v 59
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
c) Cries to God saying “Lay not this sin to their charge.”
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Today we will look at the response to Stephen’s defense of the faith. Life presents us with choices. We can choose to follow righteousness or wickedness, God or Satan, God’s Son Jesus Christ or Satan’s demons outcasts from heaven. Ultimately our decisions determine our eternal destiny. The Jewish religious leaders refused to believe that Jesus was their Messiah. That day they sealed their fate. Their wickedness caused them to choose death rather than life. However, if a person, who has led the wicked lifestyle described here, repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ they will be saved and enjoy fellowship with Jesus for all eternity.
CONCLUSION
KNOW YOUR HISTORY
OBEY GOD’S WORD
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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