Acts 8:9-13

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9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. ~ Acts 8:9-13

Today, we return to our study of Acts 8 where we have been witnessing the growth of the early church. It was the light driving out the darkness. The day was quite dark when Stephen was stoned to death, but it served to place the growth of the early church on hyperdrive. It is always through the most bleak of moments that we are afforded the opportunity of seeing for ourselves what is really real in this world. In fact, after Stephen was stoned many in the church at that time were scattered throughout the country due to the heightened threat from the religious leaders of Israel. Wherever these young believers went they shared the gospel with whomever they came into contact and as a result many were trusting in the Lord Jesus as their Savior for the first time. It took the scattering of the people in order for the message of the gospel to move out.

In v.9-11 of today's passage we read, "9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, 'This man is the great power of God.' 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time."

In our last study of the first eight verses of this chapter we learned of Philip who traveled to Samaria to preach the gospel and many believed in response. Philip, like all believers in Christ, was made by God to be light in this dark world. It brought great joy to the city when many were delivered from demon-possession and were healed of their maladies. It was in that context that along came a man named Simon who was quite the contrast to Philip. Simon was dark for he practiced sorcery. The word translated "sorcery" is only used this once in all of the Bible. This word was used by Luke to reveal that Simon practiced magic. By the sleight of hand, Simon "astonished the people of Samaria." As he performed his magic, the people were captivated by how things disappeared and then reappeared. Simon's tricks blew the minds of the people. His work was quite the contrast to the work of Philip. 

Wherever Simon went the people paid attention to him and were held captive by his magic tricks. In fact, the people believed Simon had a connection to God. And, when people believe a man has a connection to God, they will do what he says. This is true with palm readers, tarot card readers, mediators, and all those who supposedly have contact with the spiritual realm. All of this just underscores the utter importance of the Word of God which God has given us so that we can evaluate truth from error. God will never tell us to do something that contradicts His Word which is our litmus test.

In v.12-13 of today's passage we read, "12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done."

The spread of the gospel brought with it a clash of kingdoms, the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world. The kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. The Lord Jesus Christ is the King of the kingdom of God. He is the fulfillment of everything necessary to return man to the anticipated restoration of the perfection that was lost at the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. Adam was like a king over the realm of the world. He lost his authority and through the cross and the resurrection the Lord Jesus Christ has regained it on our behalf. Kingdom living is explained in the epistles of the New Testament. When this kingdom was proclaimed by Philip, the people believed in the Lord Jesus and were baptized. 

Simon had spent his life duping people into believing that he had extraordinary powers. He knew that his sleight of hand magic was not what the people thought it was. When Simon saw and heard the truth and was fully aware of the difference between it and the counterfeit, he was all in with the Lord. Simon was amazed by the Lord Jesus and His kingdom. It was when the light of the Lord invaded Simon's soul that he turned from the darkness to the light. It was that he would say with CS Lewis, "I believe in Christ, like I believe in the sun – not because I can see it, but because by it I can see everything else."

Acts 8:1-8

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1 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. 4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city. ~ Acts 8:1-8

Today, we transition into Acts 8 where one would think the death of Stephen whose name means "crown" would detour the advancement of the church. Humanly speaking this makes sense but since when have we served a God who is measured by the ways of fallen man? The book of Acts is the story of how all that took place, happened according to the program that the Lord Jesus had outlined in Acts 1:8 where He said His followers would receive power when the Holy Spirit had come upon them; and that they would be witnesses to Him in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. 

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him."

Since the religious leaders of Israel had found Stephen guilty of blasphemy, the persecution of all other believers in the Lord Jesus was ratcheted up. But we mustn't miss a very important point amid all of the chaos at that time in Jerusalem. It was through Stephen's prayer that the Lord gave us the Apostle Paul. Since Stephen prayed with his last breath for his enemies, God answered that prayer by saving Saul. Without Stephen's heart of forgiveness we would have not been given the ministry of the Apostle Paul.

Then there were the other believers in the Lord Jesus who were guilty by their association with Stephen. The religious leaders had been so cut to their core by the truth that Stephen delivered that day that they had no idea what to do with their guilt. The unforgiven know nothing of the freedom the soul experiences when it no longer has to live under the burden of trying to appease the judgment of God. Stephen died based upon the truth he spoke to the religious leaders of Israel. After they killed Stephen, the Jewish religious leaders felt they had to do something to the other believers there in Jerusalem in order to control them. They felt Stephen's words could not be allowed to motivate the other followers of the Lord Jesus. Therefore, the persecution immediately of the believers began swiftly.

Interestingly, the persecution brought into fruition the words of the Lord Jesus in Acts 1:8 which reads, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." 

As those first century believers were being treated so badly, the church grew exponentially. What may seem like a catastrophe may be just the opportunity needed to get things going in a new direction. This was certainly the case with the church in Jerusalem. The persecution of the church was the spark that lit the fire of the growth in numbers and in spirituality among the believers.

In v.3-4 of today's passage we read, "3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. 4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word."

Saul chose to aid the religious leaders of Israel by dragging believers off to prison. With the persecution, the church grew dramatically because the followers of the Lord Jesus were authentically sharing the gospel with all who would listen everywhere they went. Their boldness was rooted in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And, their persecution caused them to focus on what is really real. And, when we share with others what is really real we will be more authentic. With the boldness of Stephen, the early church was further emboldened. The world tells us in a thousand different ways that the bigger we become, the freer we will be. The richer, the more beautiful, and the more powerful we grow, the more security, liberty, and happiness we will experience. And yet, the gospel tells us just the opposite. The gospel always reminds us that the smaller we become, the freer we will be, the smaller we become the more impact God will deliver in and through us in this world.

In v.5-8 of today's passage we read, "5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city."

Philip, also mentioned in Acts 6:5 as one of the seven chosen as deacons shows up again in today's passage. He went down to Samaria, the area where the Lord Jesus met the woman at the well, and he preached the gospel with conviction. It is undeniable that once we enter into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, the joy of the Lord welled up in us to the point that we share with others the good news we have discovered. This is the case because the Lord Jesus is the ultimate game changer. He did more than hit a single to tie up the game in the ninth, He hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth, sealing our eternity for sure. 

Many believed on the Lord Jesus as a result of hearing Philip that day in Samaria. The people not only heard the message, they also saw the miracles that accompanied the message. This means there was an abrupt change when they saw the people delivered from their former state. There is no wonder they believed when they heard the gospel proclaimed. Their physical healing was a sign that the Lord Jesus had the power to forgive their sin. As a result the city was in a state of joy because of what had happened. 

It was Thomas Aquinas who once said, "Man cannot live without joy; therefore when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures."  Once we have experienced the life the Lord Jesus died to give us and we discover that it is far superior than the best this world can offer, we will be excited about sharing the Gospel with others. Once we were born again, the fruit of the Spirit became present in our lives because we received the touch of the Eternal One. This is eternal life, to know the lover of our souls and the utter joy from knowing Him for ourselves.

As it says in Isaiah 61:10, "I will rejoice greatly in the Lord. My soul will exalt in my God, for He has clothed me with garments of salvation.  He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. I will rejoice greatly."

Acts 7:54-60

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54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 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. ~ Acts 7:54-60

Today, we conclude our study of Acts 7 where Stephen has just finished delivering his message to the religious leaders of first century Israel. It is the nature of the truth when met with the false to hurt, especially when it is underscored by someone in your own family. This is what happened that day when Stephen delivered his message to the religious leaders of Israel. Stephen's life and death remind us of another martyr: Jim Elliot. It was he who once said, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Jim and four others went to the Auca Indians in Equador. The Aucas had never heard the gospel so these men went down there to tell them about the salvation the Lord Jesus offers. Jim wrote his most famous quote before he was martyred on January 8, 1956. 

In v.54 of today's passage we read, "When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth."

Since Stephen had been so clear in his words to the religious leaders, they demonstrated they perfectly understood what he said. In their reaction they revealed they had been cut to the heart. The Greek word Luke used to describe them literally means "to be cut through." This is the second and last use of this word in the Bible. The religious leader were thrown into a state of rage after hearing the truth about their condition. Being reminded that they resisted the Holy Spirit and that they were the murderers of the Messiah, caused them to become completely enraged. 

The Greek word translated as "gnashed" is found only here in the Bible. When they gnashed their teeth they revealed their rage in a slightly different way. They were like wild animals clenching their teeth and snarling at Stephen. All of this happened because their hearts were not one ounce receptive to the truth. Sometimes we must present the truth this way. The religious leaders of first century Israel knew the history of Israel well. And, Stephen's words convicted them because they were true. When we did not allow the truth to do the work God desires, we find ourselves much like mad men. The religious leaders of Israel thought they were in an encounter with Stephen but they were in an encounter with God. 

In v.55-56 of today's passage we read, "55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, 'Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!'"

Stephen is set in contrast to these supposed "leaders" who were like enraged animals snarling at him. Instead, it says of him, "being full of the Holy Spirit." The religious leaders did not have the Holy Spirit to guide them. Instead, they stood as the enemies of God due to their rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ. In contrast, Stephen stood "gazing into heaven." He looked into heaven because there stood, at the right hand of God, the One who was defining Him. To stand at the right hand of God signifies the position of the Lord Jesus with all power and authority having been granted to Him. It was God's response to the obedience of the Lord Jesus on our behalf, the obedience that sent Him to die on the cross.

After the Lord Jesus died on the cross and then ascended into heaven, He sat down at the right hand of the Father. A priest always sat down when the sacrificial work was done. His work was finished. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, the payment for our sin was made. But Stephen saw the Lord Jesus standing up. He stood up to welcome the first martyr in Christian history into Heaven. The Lord Jesus stood in the position of all authority and power. He arose from having been seated. He arose in order to confer the crown of life upon Stephen and to welcome him into his new home. Stephen owns the mark of honor as the first person who is known as the church’s first martyr.

In v.57-58 of today's passage we read, "57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul."

In response to Stephen's proclamation that he could see the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God, the religious leaders "cried out with a loud voice." Then, the entire group of religious leaders got up from their seats and came forward as a single tidal wave, rushing upon Stephen and seizing him. Then, they cast him out of the city. They did this because it was their practice to escort their offenders outside of the gates of the city to be stoned. They didn't simply pick up a few rocks and throw them at him. They pushed him over a 10-foot precipice, hoping he would be crushed upon landing. Since he survived the fall and was still alive, it was then that they hurled large stones down upon him until he was dead. 

Once Stephen was taken outside the city it was understood that the witnesses would lay down their clothes. This clothing was the long flowing outer garment that would inhibit the casting of stones. The witnesses were those who were to cast the stone first, wanting to ensure they got the maximum amount of effect out of their toss. So, they took off their outer garment. The laying down of the clothes was specifically noted to introduce the next person in the narrative. It is obvious they laid them down in order to cast, but it says they laid them down "at the feet of a young man named Saul." 

Stephen was in the Synagogue of the Freedman providing this apologetic and Saul of Tarsus happened to be going to that Synagogue in Jerusalem. This is the first time Saul, later called Paul, appears in the Bible. By guarding the clothes of these men, Saul was agreeing to the execution. Saul listened to Stephen's appeal and it made an impact on him. We couldn't have two more opposite men on this stage. The young man Stephen and the young man Saul of Tarsus. What divided them was the cross of the Lord Jesus. 

In v.59 of today's passage we read, "And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.'"

By invoking the name of the Lord Jesus, as he is being stoned, Stephen explicitly acknowledged the Lord Jesus as the Messiah. Stephen acknowledged that the Lord Jesus is the glory of God and that He is at the position of all of the power and authority of God. Stephen then appealed to the Lord Jesus to do something that only God can do, to receive his spirit.

In v.60 of today's passage we read, "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.'"

Five times in the Gospel according to Luke and in the book of Acts, kneeling while praying is accentuated. Such a position of humility goes back to the Old Testament where Solomon knelt down before the assembly when praying at the dedication of the temple and when Daniel was said to kneel three times a day when he prayed and gave thanks before his God. 

Then, Stephen "cried out with a loud voice." Like the Lord Jesus, Stephen prayed for his killers. This prayer was not for Stephen's benefit, it was for those stoning him. His prayer was for those who would have remembered Zechariah 13:1 which reads, "In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness." The prophet had already describes that day in Zechariah 12:10 which reads, "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn."

Acts 7:51-53

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51 You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it. ~ Acts 7:51-53

Today, we return to our study of Acts 7 where we find Stephen addressing the religious leaders of first century Israel with the longest sermon recorded in the book of Acts. In this sermon, Stephen traced Israel's history to prove that the religious leaders historically rejected God and His prophets, including their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Stephen made this presentation because the religious leaders had falsely accused him of blaspheming God and his prophet Moses. In this part of this chapter long sermon, Stephen reveals why the religious leaders missed God so often.

In v.51 of today's passage we read, "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you."

Stephen now comes to the very reason why the people of Israel largely rejected the Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah. He used two words that are only found here in the entire Bible. The word translated "stiff-necked" means hard, stubborn, contrary and obstinate. Stephen used this word to describe "a people that simply would not budge." The religious leaders of first century Israel thought themselves to be impeccable but they resisted the Lord. All the while, as they resisted the Lord, they were being found defined by the devil and resembling his philosophy on life.

Stephen employed the word translated "uncircumcised" to describe the "hearts and ears" of his listeners. This meant the religious leaders lacked the ability to reason with God, resulting in being disobedient toward Him. They were defined as such because they "always resisted the Holy Spirit." The word "resist" means "to fall against" giving the picture of active resistance or pushing against toward the very One whom the Scriptures describe as their Savior. These religious leaders failed to experience the breaking nature of the law of God which causes us to not only see our sin but also to confess it to God as sin. 

In Romans 7:8 we read, "But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead."

The law of God draws out the rebellion that we know that is still within us, even though we have been justified before God through Christ. In Romans 7:8 the Apostle Paul highlights the tenth command, "Thou shalt not covet," because covetousness is at the root of all sin. The Law deals with our hearts and it reveals to us our sin. This is the only way anyone can be justified before the Lord. That which leads us to true salvation is an understanding of the absolute righteousness of God and our total unrighteousness. The Law of God expresses God's perfect righteousness and it puts a demand on everyone who breaks it in the slightest way. We are led to true salvation through the overwhelming and frightening sense of the implications of breaking God's law.

In v.52-53 of today's passage we read, "52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it."

Stephen highlighted the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who had been entrusted to be the guardians of the law. They were held by God to be responsible to ensure others understood and obeyed His laws accordingly. The law was intended to teach Israel that they were in need of and dependent upon God’s mercy and grace. The sacrificial system which accompanied the law should have taught them this. The fact that sacrifices were required for the forgiveness of sins by the law highlighted their utter need for God's grace and mercy. And the fact that the entire nation needed to observe a Day of Atonement told them that they had failed to be justified in God's sight. But, their hearts were hardened by their entitlement status.

Due to Israel's perceived self-righteousness that came from having been given the law, they thought that the law elevated them as righteous before God. They didn't allow God's grace and mercy to do its most humbling work in their souls. They did not see that the law was given to point sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ. Having missed Him, the Jewish religious leaders supposed their adherence to the Law garnered for them righteousness before God. 

It was Charles Haddon Spurgeon who once said, "The greatest enemy to human souls is the self-righteous spirit which makes men look to themselves for salvation." Sadly, through their self-righteousness, the religious leaders of first century Israel were blinded to and by the lies of Satan himself. Possessing the truth of God, their arrogance prevented them from being defined by God. It is our self-righteousness that blinds us to our need for the grace and mercy of God.

It is the nature of God's grace and mercy to humble our hearts to the point of gratitude which has a way of turning our face to the sunshine allowing us to not focus on the shadows. Lou Holtz once said, "Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it." Choosing to be grateful is the product of recognizing we deserve nothing from God. In fact, it is when we see that we deserve the worst due to our rebellious nature toward Him, it is then that we find ourselves most grateful.

Acts 7:44-50

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44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, 45 which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, 46 who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built Him a house. 48 However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: "49 Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? 50 Has My hand not made all these things?" ~ Acts 7:44-50

Today, we return to Stephen's sermon to the religious leaders of first century Israel. This sermon contained Stephen's response to the false charges of blasphemy that the Jewish religious leaders had brought against him. In this sermon Stephen most effectively established the fact that the people of Israel down through their history rejected the God of the Bible more than they believed in Him. They opposed God when He sent them Moses who was used of the Lord to lead them out of their bondage in Egypt. Stephen's ultimate point was that Israel's history of hard-heartedness led them to their further rejection of the Messiah who was sent to them by God Himself.

In v.44-47 of today's passage we read, "44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, 45 which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, 46 who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built Him a house."

Having before mentioned "the tabernacle of Molech," Stephen now brings our attention to "the tabernacle of witness." The Lord instructed Moses to place the tabernacle in the center of the twelve tribes while they traveled in the wilderness toward the Promised Land. The tabernacle underscored God's desire to be among His people. Every part of God's tabernacle was designed to point us to the coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. The most intimate part of the tabernacle and the temple was the Holy of Holies. It was the place that contained the very presence of God. In the inner part of the Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant which was a chest that contained the Ten Commandments, a pot of manna, and Aaron’s staff. On the top of it was the Mercy Seat. This was, in fact, where God’s presence dwelled. The priests sprinkled the sacrificial blood there, and as a result, God showed grace and mercy to mankind. The Mercy Seat pictured for us the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins on the cross of Calvary. Stephen’s words here were designed to wake the council of religious leaders up to the truth. God never meant for man to worship the tabernacle or the temple but the religious leaders of Israel were guilty. The temple was simply a man made structure which met a temporary purpose for the worship of God. 

In v.48-50 of today's passage we read, "48 However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: '49 Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? 50 Has My hand not made all these things?'"

The religious leaders of first century Israel overemphasized the significance of the tabernacle and the temple. Oh, they were important because God was known to be there. But the tabernacle and the temple were secondary. Primary was the presence of God. Solomon and the Old Testament prophets emphasized that God was not to be confined to any particular place and they predicted that the temple would not always be the place that the people of Israel would worship God. God knew Israel would eventually worship the temple more than Him. If we are not worshipping the God of the Bible something else will fill that void. And, what we worship most will define us most. This explains all of our addictions. It also explains why we must worship God in spirit and in truth.

Israel's history reveals the hard-heartedness of sinful man and the gracious and forgiving heart of the God of the Bible. The hard-heartedness of man is rooted in his pride, his fear, and his desire for control. The darkness of our sin was born out of the hardheartedness with which we resisted God. It was our misplaced worship that created our distance from God in the first place. In Psalm 28:14 we read, "Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity."

Here, Stephen quoted Isaiah 66:1 where the question is entertained, "What is the place of My rest?" In the very next verse God answers His own question. In Isaiah 66:2 we read, "For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist," says the Lord. But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word." The place of God's rest is discovered in the heart of the one who has owned up to his brokenness, in the heart of the one who has agreed with God that he is sinful, In the heart of the one who has believed that God is gracious and merciful. This is the resting place of the God of the Bible.

Acts 7:37-43

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37 This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear." 38 This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us, 39 whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, "Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." 41 And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to 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: "Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43 You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, images which you made to worship; And I will carry you away beyond Babylon." ~ Acts 7:37-43

Today, we return to our study of Acts 7 where Stephen continues his presentation about the children of Israel in reference the God of the Bible. He spoke of the training Moses received during his first forty years in Egypt. Then Stephen transitioned to the next 40 years of Moses' life while in exile in Midian. It was there that he shepherded sheep. Today, we will consider the third 40 years of Moses' life as the deliverer of Israel out of Egypt. Although Stephen focused on Moses and God's activity in his life, his point was that God's people have always had a hard time with God's culture. This was the case due to the fact that God had made them His people, they were still sinful and His culture was yet foreign to them.

In v.37-41 of today's passage we read, "37 This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.' 38 This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us, 39 whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, 'Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' 41 And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands."

Moses was raised up by God to speak to His people on His behalf. In fact, God gave to Israel the Law of Moses through him. Just like Israel, if we are in the family of God we will love the Law of God especially since the Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. But, there will always be those moments that we have conflict with the Law of God because we are still sinners who are at times bent on sinning.

Stephen then reminded the religious leaders of Israel that Moses said that the Lord would raise up a Prophet like him who would deliver the New Covenant. This explains Moses words at the end of v.37, "Him you shall hear." The word "hear" is not just to listen to His words, but to heed them with their hearts. The people of Israel rejected the Word of the Lord Jesus as they did those of Moses. In fact, they desired to be led by other gods. They had lived in Egypt so long that they adopted some of their ungodly ways. This explains why they made a golden calf while Moses was up on Mount Sinai receiving from God the Ten Commandments.

In v.42-43 of today's passage we read, "42 Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: "Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43 You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, images which you made to worship; And I will carry you away beyond Babylon."

God gave the people over to astrology or the worship of the stars. And, in time, the people rejected God causing Him to cease to appeal to them to worship Him. By the way, God doesn't need our worship. He knows it is a must for us to worship Him because He knows that what we worship is what defines us. Essentially, the Lord let them have it their way. The Lord allowed Israel to follow their own gods, and when times of trouble came, their gods were no where to be found. According to Amos 5:25-27 Israel worshipped "Moloch" and the star of their god "Remphan." Moloch, sometimes called Molek is a name for a variety of different Canaanite gods. Many different gods of these cultures were called Molek or Moloch. The most accurate translation of this god is: "the ruler of shameful deeds." Part of the worship of Moloch was the sacrificing of babies alive. Live babies were placed on the red hot, or white hot arms of a cast iron "god" and it would be heated up to white hot. The baby, alive, was placed on the very hot arms until it was consumed by the fire and killed. Fried to death as a form of worship. Remphan was said to be the god of Saturn who was worshipped as one of the many deities in the heavens.

Israel did not lose their salvation, they chose another. This is the point Stephen was making to these religious leaders of Israel who worshipped more than one god, more than they knew. Man worships that which he believes will save him. Like many today, the religious leaders of Israel thought human nature is basically good but the Bible makes it clear that all are sinners by nature and deserving of the wrath of God. In fact, the whole world is under the righteous judgment of God. There is coming a day when God will judge all for their sin and rebellion. God will finally and ultimately reject sinful people who do not submit to Him. He allows those who do not believe in His Son to turn away. But, He has also provided a means of salvation from His judgment. He sent his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die upon the cross so that sinners would not have to suffer eternal damnation. All who repent and believe will be saved and made children of God.

Acts 7:23-36

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23 Now when he was 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 and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. 25 For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 And the next day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, "Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong one another?" 27 But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, "Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?" 29 Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons. 30 And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. 31 When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him, 32 saying, "I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses trembled and dared not look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, "Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt." 35 This Moses whom they rejected, saying, "Who made you a ruler and a judge?" is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years. ~ Acts 7:23-36

Today, we continue our study of Acts 7 where Stephen is giving to his listeners a rather elaborate history lesson on God's activity in the lives of the people of Israel. In today's passage, Stephen continues to remind us of the life of Moses whose life was segmented into three sections of 40 years. Moses was in Egypt till he was forty. He went to Midian and was there forty years until his calling. He then led Israel for forty years. Stephen presented this message about Moses because he had been falsely accused of speaking against Moses. Having previously given a presentation about Moses' training in v. 17-22, today we will consider Moses' exile.

In v.23-25 of today's passage we read, "23 Now when he was 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 and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. 25 For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand."

Moses had lived a life of luxury for 40 years in the home of the Pharaoh's daughter but overnight everything changed. One day, after realizing he was an Israelite, Moses witnessed an Israelite being oppressed by an Egyptian, and when he stepped in to intervene, he killed the Egyptian. Here, Stephen highlights Moses’ motive. At 40 years old, Moses understood enough about his calling that he was to play a role in Israel’s salvation, as is revealed in these verses. Moses had hoped that he would win the affection of his brethren by freeing this Israelite from his oppressor but there became a purposeful twist in the narrative.

In v.26-29 of today's passage we read, "26 And the next day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, 'Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong one another?' 27 But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?' 29 Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons."

Instead of being thanked, Moses was rejected. The next day, two Israelites were arguing, and when Moses tried to play the moderator role, they rejected his help. Their jealousy undoubtedly drove their question: "Who made you judge and ruler over us?" They rejected Moses and to ensure he never bothered them again, they revealed they knew about the murder. This obviously freaked Moses out especially since the Pharaoh wanted him dead after learning about what happened. So, Moses fled to Midian, where he found a wife and had two sons.

Moses shepherded the flocks of his father-in-law for forty years, as can be deduced from Exodus 3:1. Many have seen this as a waste of time, but it was the will of God for Moses to make him a shepherd of people. Moses is one of the most well-known names in all of human history. Those forty years served him well. We are no different than Moses. The Lord longs to prepare us for the work He desires of us while on this earth.  For all who have ever placed their faith in Christ, our days left on this earth are best lived in connection to eternity. If we only accomplish that which is temporal what have we accomplished? So, in order to use us in an eternal way God sometimes has to take us to the desert for 40 years in order to inculcate His culture in us so that He can accomplish something great through us.

In v.30-32 of today's passage we read, "30 And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. 31 When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him, 32 saying, "I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses trembled and dared not look."

Moses was not quite ready to lead Israel when he was in Egypt. Therefore, he went to Midian and spent forty years in obscurity. In this verse, we can see that the Lord appeared to him in a bush at Mount Sinai. After 40 years in exile and raising his family, Moses received from God a huge task. God’s passionate love was illustrated to Moses through the bush that didn't burn up. God's love is inexhaustible to us who know exhaustion all too well. Then, the voice of the Lord came from the bush and Moses listened. At Mount Sinai Moses saw a thorny bush that was on fire yet it did not burn up.

Later, it was there at Mount Sinai, where the law was given to Moses. In Romans 3:20 we read, "by the law comes the knowledge of sin." Then, in 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." The Law of Moses crushes sinners with all of its demands. In fact, the Law brings us to the end of ourselves. The Law brings us to the place where we are well prepared to cry out to the God of inexhaustible love. The bush anticipated the Christ who became our sin and yet instead of being consumed through the judgment on our sin, He has purified us from it. The Lord Jesus Christ embodies the law given at Sinai for us, having never sinned under it. From His perfection we know forgiveness.

In v.33-36 of today's passage we read, "33 Then the Lord said to him, 'Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.' 35 This Moses whom they rejected, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?' is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years."

Moses burning bush illustrates those moments in our lives that  are not part of our plans. They take us by surprise. They isolate us and give us the opportunity to turn to the Lord and to listen to Him. In order for God to elevate us He must first isolate us. This wilderness moment was designed to get Moses to focus solely on God to be defined by Him. It was a must for Moses to have an encounter with God in order for him to fulfill God's next call on his life. We are no different for the Christian life is a series of encounters with God. If Moses did not have this intense encounter with God, he would not have gone back to Egypt thinking it would be a suicide mission. But, God inculcated His future into Moses and he was a changed man.

Once the Lord had Moses' attention, He commanded him to remove his sandals because he stood on holy ground. It was holy due to the fact that God was there. In addition, in the Jewish culture when someone returned home they were to remove their shoes. They removed their shoes because they were home. God wanted Moses to know that even though he stood in the presence of the holy God, he was at home. He was safe in the presence of perfection even though he himself was not perfect. We are at home the most when we are in the presence of the One who redeemed us through His blood denoting that sin and death has been swallowed up by His life.

Acts 7:17-22

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17 But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt 18 till another king arose who did not know Joseph. 19 This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live. 20 At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. 21 But when he was set out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. ~ Acts 7:17-22

Today, we return to our study of Acts 7 where Stephen continues to provide for the religious leaders of first century Israel a history lesson of how God brought the Messiah to them. For 53 verses Stephen rehearsed the history of Israel from Abraham's call, to the giving of the law, to the patriarchal period, to Israel's deliverance from Egypt, and to the building of the temple. Many believe this was his attempt to provide a defense for the accusation of blasphemy that had been falsely brought against him. And, although that may be true, we cannot deny the fact that the Lord used Stephen to provide yet another opportunity for the hard-hearted religious leaders to be convicted of their sin and to repent and to turn to Him for salvation. 

I find it amazing that the religious leaders of Israel could be so close to heaven and yet be so very far from it. They missed it because they had so long been defined by their flesh or the evil desires within them. Their selfish pride obstructed their view from the true identity of the Lord Jesus as God's promised Messiah. I am so very glad that there is no night dark enough to hide us from God's pursuit. I am so grateful that there is no flight swift enough to carry us away from His love. It is God's love that causes Him to relentlessly pursue us. It is His love that causes Him to wait for us as the father of the prodigal waited for his wayward son to return home.

In v.17-18 of today's passage we read, "17 But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt 18 till another king arose who did not know Joseph."

God made a promise to Abraham that his descendants would dwell in Egypt as slaves but that He would grow them while there and that He would deliver them to return to the Promised Land. The exponential growth of the people of Israel in Egypt underscores the mighty power of the God of the Bible. Even more, God was all the while working in the life and heart of Joseph who had been sold into slavery and sent to Egypt. Had Joseph sulked and fed his flesh he would not have been used of God as he was. Since Joseph walked with God he was positioned to deliver His people from the bonds of Egypt. Like Joseph, we have the decision to turn from our way to that of God. The man who yields to God discovers how big He truly is. It was William Booth who once said, "The greatness of the man's power is the measure of his surrender."

In v.19 of today's passage we read, "This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live."

Stephen reminded his hearers that the next Pharaoh made life hard on their people. And then, he connected it with the fact that this Pharaoh did not know Joseph. If he had known Joseph, he would have not been alarmed as he was. He was alarmed by their size of up to 3 million. Then, the Pharaoh arranged to have Israel's babies killed in an attempt to control their growth. This action from the Pharaoh was strategic in the exodus of the people from Egypt. Interestingly, the second book of the Bible, the book of Exodus is about the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob becoming a nation. And not just any nation, but a people whom God called into a personal relationship with Himself. He called them into privilege and forgiveness and intimacy with Himself. Intimacy is far greater when we view it through the lens of our pain. Through suffering God grows us, including our hearts' ability to see Him.

In v.20-22 of today's passage we read, "20 At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. 21 But when he was set out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds."

The word translated "time" here describes "an opportune moment." Stephen spoke this way in order to reveal that God, in His permissive will, allowed these events to play out as they did so that at the most opportune moment the Exodus would happen. It, along with all the other history mentioned by Stephen, happened according to God's promise to Abraham hundreds of years earlier. It was at that fitting moment that Moses was born. Interestingly, Moses literally means "drawn out." His name draws a picture of being drawn out of the Nile River where the Pharaoh required the Jewish women to put their babies so that they would die there. Through his unique story, Moses was a type of the coming Messiah who would save all willing enough to be delivered from the penalty, the power and eventually, the presence of sin.

For the people of Israel there was a tremendous amount of good that God brought into their lives. And, there was a lot of bad. This is life in a place with people who have rejected God's definitions of things. We are often disappointed in life. There are times when it seems that God is so far away. We often feel as if He hides His face from us when we face our deepest hurts and needs. As we look back over our lives we often find that those times when we experienced disappointments, we were really being trained by the truth and by wisdom and mercy of God. I find that the lyrics of a Phil Keaggy song resonate in these moments. "Disappointment, His appointment, change one letter, then I see that the thwarting of my purpose is God’s better choice for me. His appointment must be blessing though it may come in disguise. For the end from the beginning, open to His wisdom lies."

Acts 7:8-16

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8 Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs. 9 “And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him 10 and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 11 Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13 And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh. 14 Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. 15 So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. 16 And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. ~ Acts 7:8-16

Today, we return to our study of Acts 7 where one of the early converts to the first century church, a man named Stephen, is in the middle of providing a history lesson for those who falsely accused him of blasphemy against God, Moses, the Law of Moses, and the Temple. This sermon that Stephen delivered that day was yet another opportunity given to the religious leaders of Israel to repent of the self-life and trust in the Lord Jesus as their Savior. It has been said that there is nothing attractive about the gospel to the natural man but to those who have owned up to their unattractiveness the gospel is a thing of beauty. For those who are afflicted by their sin the gospel comforts and for those who are comfortable in their sin the gospel afflicts.

In v.8 of today's passage we read, "Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs."

Stephen had just detailed the history of Abraham, from his call out of Mesopotamia to his arrival in the Promised Land. With that, God made an unconditional promise to him that He would bring his descendants out of bondage in Egypt to serve Him in the Promised Land. It was with this history in mind that Stephen drew the religious leaders' attention to the covenant of circumcision. God instructed Abraham to circumcise on the eighth day because He knew it took eight days for the coagulant potassium to build up in the newborns bloodstream to prevent him from hemorrhaging when circumcised. But, this wasn't the point of the circumcision. The point was the promise. After their circumcision, every time Abraham or Isaac went to the bathroom they were reminded of God's unconditional love for them. Circumcision didn't make the Jews any better than anyone else, it was just a reminder of God's heart toward them. Abraham was obedient to the covenant which positioned Him to see God better with his heart.

One of the charges made against Stephen was that he somehow quoted the Lord Jesus to have said He would "change the customs which Moses delivered." By mentioning the story of the circumcision, Stephen underscored this was not the case. The law of Moses required circumcision on the eighth day in Leviticus 12:3 in order for Abraham to see the Father heart of God. Those who falsely accused Stephen said that he said that circumcision was no longer a requirement for the Jew. By the way, Stephen's speech laid the groundwork for Paul’s argument for justification by faith alone in Galatians 3:17 which reads, "And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect." The Jewish religious leaders did not understand that circumcision was given to remind all those of faith in the God of the Bible that He was first for them. 

In v.9-13 of today's passage we read, "9 And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him 10 and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 11 Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13 And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh."

Stephen’s speech to the unbelieving religious leaders of Israel quickly moved from Abraham to Isaac, to Jacob, and then to the twelve patriarchs. Of Jacob's twelve sons, Stephen noted that they were "envious." They were envious of Joseph's favored status with their father. Stephen's point became more clear as He spoke of the favor of God and that it is only accessed by faith in Him. The envy of the eleven sons manifested itself against Joseph as they sold him into slavery. The eleven sons represented the people of Israel who descended from them. As the eleven sons undermined God, so the religious leaders of Stephen's day undermined Him as well. 

Joseph is an Old Testament type of Christ and even though Stephen did not draw out any actual connection between the sin of Joseph's brothers to the religious leaders rejection of the Lord Jesus, the parallel is unmistakable. Stephen continued to draw forth the idea that everything happened within the permissive will of God. In the end, according to God's mercy and grace, Joseph rose to power which benefitted all of the people of God. As Stephen continued with his history lesson of how God worked on the behalf of the Jewish people, he guided the attention of his hearers to the main topic of the Bible: God's forgiveness of sinful man through the promised Messiah. In the very same way that Joseph forgave his brothers, God through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ forgives us.

In v.14-16 of today's passage we read, "14 Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. 15 So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. 16 And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem."

In Stephen's brief presentation of the life of Joseph, he really presented the Lord Jesus as the Messiah or as the Greeks say, "the Christ." As the story of Joseph pictured and reinforced the gospel of the Lord Jesus, the main point to the religious leaders of Israel was to return to the Father. As Joseph called to his people so the Lord Jesus calls out to us to repent and return to Him. The evidence was overwhelming. The religious leaders of Israel could see this but they lacked a heart that was willing to repent from their ways. You see, what saves us is our belief in the faithfulness of God, his belief that God is faithful to His promises. And the greatest promise was brought to fruition through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 7:1-7

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1 The high priest said to Stephen, “Are these things true?” 2 Stephen answered, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to Abraham, our ancestor, in Mesopotamia before he lived in Haran. 3 God said to Abraham, 'Leave your country and your relatives, and go to the land I will show you.' 4 So Abraham left the country of Chaldea and went to live in Haran. After Abraham’s father died, God sent him to this place where you now live. 5 God did not give Abraham any of this land, not even a foot of it. But God promised that he would give this land to him and his descendants, even before Abraham had a child. 6 This is what God said to him: 'Your descendants will be strangers in a land they don’t own. The people there will make them slaves and will mistreat them for four hundred years. 7 But I will punish the nation where they are slaves. Then your descendants will leave that land and will worship me in this place.'" ~ Acts 7:1-7

Today, we begin our study of Acts 7 where the religious leaders of first century Israel were questioning Stephen who had been raised up by God to tend to the practical needs of those whom God was adding to the Church daily. Due to Stephen's determination to obey God and thus be defined by Him, God showed him favor by granting him the filling of the Holy Spirit and of His wisdom. As a result, the unbelieving Jews were envious of Stephen and they wanted to keep him from being successful at leading others to the Lord Jesus. So, a group came together and falsely accused him of blasphemy. It is into this part of the narrative that we re-enter today.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "The high priest said to Stephen, 'Are these things true?'"

Acts 6 ended with Stephen being charged with blasphemy. In fact, he was charge with four kinds of blasphemy; blasphemy against God, against Moses, against the law, and against the temple. And, as he heard this verdict, Stephen stood confidently with his face reflecting the very peace of God. Stephen had nothing to fear because the truth was on his side, even if he was falsely accused. And even if the false accusations prevailed, they could not prevail over his security in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Acts 7 opens with the high priest who asked Stephen a simple question, anticipating a plea of guilt or innocence. To which Stephen spoke in his own defense. In fact, his defense covers 52 verses, none of which directly answers the high priest’s question. Instead, Stephen offered a history of Israel’s continued rejection of the Lord Jesus. This is the longest sermon in the book of Acts. It's the longest chapter in the book of Acts. Stephen preached a sermon longer than Peter, Paul, or anybody else. It was through Stephen’s words that God was offering the religious leaders of Israel yet another opportunity to repent and receive His free gift of forgiveness for themselves. While Stephen could have defended himself against the false charges, his response served a greater purpose.

In v.2-5 of today's passage we read, "2 Stephen answered, 'Brothers and fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to Abraham, our ancestor, in Mesopotamia before he lived in Haran. 3 God said to Abraham, ‘Leave your country and your relatives, and go to the land I will show you.’ 4 So Abraham left the country of Chaldea and went to live in Haran. After Abraham’s father died, God sent him to this place where you now live. 5 God did not give Abraham any of this land, not even a foot of it. But God promised that he would give this land to him and his descendants, even before Abraham had a child. 

Stephen highlighted Abraham who clearly was a man of faith in the God of the Bible. Abraham, who was intercepted by God, chose to follow and obey God. He left his country and even his father's house and went out into a land he had never seen before. There, though he never owned a foot of ground in the land, he believed that God would do what he had said. Though he had no child he believed that God would give him descendants. God, of course, honored that promise and eventually gave him a child, Isaac, and in time, fulfilled all His promises to Abraham. Stephen gave the religious leaders of first century Israel a clear contrast. Abraham, the father of the Jews, was a man of faith who dared to make changes in obedience to God. Throughout his message, Stephen established that he believed in the very same God who called father Abraham who never made it to the promised land. 

In v.6-7 of today's passage we read, "6 This is what God said to him: ‘Your descendants will be strangers in a land they don’t own. The people there will make them slaves and will mistreat them for four hundred years. 7 But I will punish the nation where they are slaves. Then your descendants will leave that land and will worship me in this place.'"

Here, Stephen reminded his hearers of what God did in the lives of the Patriarchs of Israel, Abraham, Isaac and Joseph. His point was that the destiny of Israel was in the faithful hands of God just as ours are. With all of the Scripture that he quotes here, it is obvious that Stephen knew the Old Testament. He also obviously understood what it meant. And he obviously understood that all of the Old Testament point all who read it to its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. That's what Stephen revealed throughout this sermon. 

Interestingly, as we work through this chapter, we will realize that it opens with the God of glory and it ends with the glory of God. Like Stephen, when our lives are surrendered to the God of glory, we will see the glory of God. This is what sustained Stephen and this is what keeps us filled with the Spirit and with the wisdom of God. When he could have preached a sermon defending Himself, Stephen chose to bring glory to God. Stephen understood the key to all of life is bringing glory to God. In fact, he understood that we all long for the glory of God, not for the glory of ourselves. No one goes to the Swiss Alps to increase their self-esteem. No, we go to the Swiss Alps because there is greater healing for the soul in beholding the splendor of God's creation than there is in beholding ourselves. This is what made Stephen the man he was, a man filled with the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of God.

Acts 6:8-15

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8 Stephen was richly blessed by God who gave him the power to do great miracles and signs among the people. 9 But some people were against him. They belonged to the synagogue of Free Men (as it was called), which included people from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia. They all came and argued with Stephen. 10 But the Spirit was helping him to speak with wisdom, and his words were so strong that they could not argue with him. 11 So they secretly urged some men to say, “We heard Stephen speak against Moses and against God.” 12 This upset the people, the elders, and the teachers of the law. They came and grabbed Stephen and brought him to a meeting of the leaders. 13 They brought in some people to tell lies about Stephen, saying, “This man is always speaking against this holy place and the law of Moses. 14 We heard him say that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy this place and that Jesus will change the customs Moses gave us.” 15 All the people in the meeting were watching Stephen closely and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel. ~ Acts 6:8-15

Today, we conclude our study of Acts 6 where we have been following the growth of the first century church. As with any meaningful undertaking, there will always be adversity because we live in such a fallen world. Given the case, the Lord has always been able to use this tool of adversity for the growth of our faith in the God of the Bible. I have discovered that God is the master at using today’s difficulties to strengthen us for tomorrow's victories. There are always those times when He seems to be absent during our adversity only to discover that He caused or allowed that adversity for our growth in Him. It is almost always that when we find ourselves on the edge of disbelief that our adversity gives God the platform to prove to us that He is bigger than any problem we encounter.

In v.8-10 of today's passage we read, "8 Stephen was richly blessed by God who gave him the power to do great miracles and signs among the people. 9 But some people were against him. They belonged to the synagogue of Free Men (as it was called), which included people from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia. They all came and argued with Stephen. 10 But the Spirit was helping him to speak with wisdom, and his words were so strong that they could not argue with him."

Stephen was richly blessed by God because he was yielded to the Holy Spirit who filled him with the wisdom of God. The concept of being "filled with the Spirit" is not a command to empty Christians who haven't been born again. Each born-again believer in Christ has the Holy Spirit from the moment we believe. The goal, according to Ephesians 5:18, is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit who Himself does not push the will of God upon us. The experience of "being filled with the Spirit" is not an experience we initiate. This command was written in the passive voice which means that we receive the action from the Holy Spirit. 

To "be filled with the Spirit" delivers the idea of pressure from the blowing wind. In the spiritual realm, this concept depicts the Holy Spirit providing the thrust to move the believer down the pathway of obedience to God. A Spirit-filled Christian isn't motivated by his own desires or his own will or his own obedience. Instead, he is yielded to the Holy Spirit who leads him in the proper direction of obedience to God for the moment. The idea is that we are giving control over our lives to the Holy Spirit and this is done through our obedience to God's Word.

It is most often in the context of adversity that we see best the control of the Holy Spirit over our lives. How we respond to the adversity will echo more profoundly in the lives of others than any good we can produce for the moment. It was Brennan Manning who said, "The temptation of the age is to look good without being good."  Our greatest life lessons come out of our deepest wounds. Stephen found this to be true as he had such a deep walk with the Lord that he was known to be a man who was full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a passive thing. It is through our determination to obey God's Word that we are prepared to receive the filling of the Holy Spirit. Stephen was a man of faith, thus the Holy Spirit filled Him. It really isn't that we get more of the Spirit, it is that He is getting more of us. If we lack faith and obedience, we will not receive the filling of the Spirit. When we live our lives in accord with the Word of God, in a state of being opened up to God, then we will be filled by His Spirit. The more opened we are to God's control, the more we will be filled by His Spirit's control. God deepens us most often through our adversities.

In v.11-14 of today's passage we read, "11 So they secretly urged some men to say, 'We heard Stephen speak against Moses and against God.' 12 This upset the people, the elders, and the teachers of the law. They came and grabbed Stephen and brought him to a meeting of the leaders. 13 They brought in some people to tell lies about Stephen, saying, 'This man is always speaking against this holy place and the law of Moses. 14 We heard him say that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy this place and that Jesus will change the customs Moses gave us.'"

Those of the Synagogue of the Freedmen were not able to resist the wisdom of Stephen. This led to them being filled with jealousy. The word translated "secretly urged" is only found here in the Bible. It literally means "to cast down." It provides a picture of a carpet under one’s feet. Hence, the idea of putting one person in place of another. These deceivers brought a false accusation against Stephen, replacing the true intent of his words with a different meaning. 

In order to make a charge of blasphemy against another, the words that are claimed to have been said must be presented and proven. Further, according to the Law of Moses, there had to be at least two witnesses in order for the words to be accepted as true. Even though these false witnesses combined their voices into one accusation, their attempts failed because everything Stephen said was the truth, even the statement that the Lord Jesus said He would destroy the temple. Of course, in 70 AD the temple was destroyed by Titus and the Romans. It wasn't that the Lord had not told Israel in Jeremiah 26 that this would happen. In response, the people who were not even in a personal relationship with God wanted to stone Stephen. The flesh was winning the day.

In v.15 of today's passage we read, "All the people in the meeting were watching Stephen closely and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel."

The religious leaders of Israel sat there staring at the accused Stephen as if he were a content angel who had the perspective of time from the view of eternity. Due to having been filled by the Spirit Stephen had confidence, peace, and wisdom from God. Since God was in control of Stephen, he was in control of his emotions and his disposition. According to Acts 7:55, moments before Stephen was stoned to death, as the Jewish leaders were grinding their teeth and shaking their fists in rage, we are told these words: "Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." Without even speaking a word, Stephen’s countenance gave witness that he was filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the key to being effective for God in this world and this was the key to Stephen's life and death.

Acts 6:1-7

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1 The number of followers was growing. But during this same time, the Greek-speaking followers had an argument with the other followers. The Greek-speaking widows were not getting their share of the food that was given out every day. 2 The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together and said, “It is not right for us to stop our work of teaching God’s word in order to serve tables. 3 So, brothers and sisters, choose seven of your own men who are good, full of the Spirit and full of wisdom. We will put them in charge of this work. 4 Then we can continue to pray and to teach the word of God.” 5 The whole group liked the idea, so they chose these seven men: Stephen (a man with great faith and full of the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (a man from Antioch who had become a follower of the Jewish religion). 6 Then they put these men before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 The word of God was continuing to spread. The group of followers in Jerusalem increased, and a great number of the Jewish priests believed and obeyed. ~ Acts 6:1-7

Today, we transition into Acts 6 where the growth of the early church was due to none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though He was not physically present, He via those who were His followers were spreading the truth and God added to their numbers daily. The church is made up of people and even though each born again believer is on their way to heaven they have spent a lot of time being influenced by Hell. And, we do not change over night. Many are bothered by the word "church" because in the church there are those who are not of the church. They are not of the church because they are not of God. To be of God one must come to the place where he is no longer trying to garner his salvation for himself and turn to the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of his sin.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "The number of followers was growing. But during this same time, the Greek-speaking followers had an argument with the other followers. The Greek-speaking widows were not getting their share of the food that was given out every day."

Anytime a group of people come together whether they are followers the Lord Jesus or not, there will be friction. Even though our sin has been forgiven, we still struggle with sin. This was the case in the early days while the church was being formed. The problem rose up in the church between the Hebrew speaking Jews and the Greek-speaking Jews. The problem was that the Greek speaking widows were not receiving their share of the food that was daily distributed. Being overlooked would not be unexpected in such a situation. A person who didn’t speak the language and who was alone and without anyone to speak for her, would have a difficult time communicating. The Hebrew widows were receiving what they needed, but the Greek-speaking widows were being habitually overlooked.

In v.2-4 of today's passage we read, "2 The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together and said, 'It is not right for us to stop our work of teaching God’s word in order to serve tables. 3 So, brothers and sisters, choose seven of your own men who are good, full of the Spirit and full of wisdom. We will put them in charge of this work. 4 Then we can continue to pray and to teach the word of God.'"

Within any operation there are many tasks to be accomplished and the church is no different. The problem that had come about in the early church had to be addressed but it was not incumbent upon the apostles to be bogged down in the minutia of the everyday happenings because if they had the teaching of the Word of God would have been neglected. As a result the apostles directed the adults to pick the first seven deacons of the first century church. These seven men were to be servants to the needs of the people in their gathering. The word translated "serve" literally means "to kick up the dust." The picture is that these guys were busy helping to meet the needs of others. 

The qualifications for these early deacons included that they had to have a good reputation, full of the Spirit and full of wisdom. This meant they had to have a good witness in the congregation. They were to be men of good character who could be trusted, men who had already won the confidence of others. They were also to be spiritual men, that it they had to be men who had the reputation of being led by the Holy Spirit. And then, these men had to have the gift of wisdom which is the ability to read the Scriptures and understand it to the point of being able to see how the discovered truth is to be applied. 

In v.5-7 of today's passage we read, "5 The whole group liked the idea, so they chose these seven men: Stephen (a man with great faith and full of the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (a man from Antioch who had become a follower of the Jewish religion). 6 Then they put these men before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 The word of God was continuing to spread. The group of followers in Jerusalem increased, and a great number of the Jewish priests believed and obeyed."

All of these names are Greek names. That means they were probably chosen from among the complaining party, the Greek-speaking Jews. When the far larger majority of Hebrew-speaking Christians were asked to choose men they chose them from the very group that was issuing the complaint. That ended the dissension because this decision created a context where it was easier to trust. As soon as they chose these men there was no longer any dissension. They entrusted them with the responsibility to work it out within their own ranks, and thus they indicated their trust of them and of their ability to solve this problem.

As a result, "the Word of God continued to spread" because the apostles didn’t get caught up doing something other than preaching the Word of God. They understood that the Bible is the truth of God. We live in a world ruled by illusion and fantasy where people are confused and deceived. As the Word of God spread, disciples multiplied. The people wanted to know what was right and real, what was honest and genuine. These priests who were the ones who had to kill the animals that were offered as sacrifices on the altars of the temple, as they heard the gospel from the Apostles, the truth about the Lord Jesus, they believed. The priests began to be obedient to the truth as they heard and saw the application of these sacrifices to themselves.

As the Word of God spread, the number of the followers of the Lord Jesus continued to increase greatly. When the Word of God is taught and its influence spreads, people get convicted of their sin and then they believe on the Lord Jesus as their Savior. This led to, not a few, but a great many of priests became followers of the Lord Jesus. Literally, Luke wrote concerning these priests: "The priests had faith in the faith." And, of course, when we believe something strongly enough, we will be defined by it when we obey it. These priests came to understand that the truth is that falsehoods enslave us. They shackle us to beliefs, biases, and inaccuracies that limit our ability to thrive. If we are sharing falsehoods, we become trapped in the lie that must be perpetuated but will ultimately come to light. If we are accepting falsehoods by looking the other way or allowing ourselves to be deceived, we are ensnared in someone’s web of deceit that will also eventually reveal itself. This, for many years, was the story of these priests. But, when the Holy Spirit had His way in their hearts, they could not resist the truth.